A Promised Prophecy

Chapter Fifty-Two

The next morning I was woken up to the sound of a phone vibrating. I instinctively reached around on my side as if it was my own phone, even though I'd long since left it behind. Hearing the sound himself and my movements, James woke up shortly after and began the same motions of searching for his phone in nearby places without actually raising his head. I looked outside the window and it seemed like a beautiful, early morning. There were birds chirping and a light breeze coming through the open window and, even though I knew it was fake, the sun's soft morning light shone upon nearby trees.

"Hello," he grumbled. I adjusted myself to more comfortably hear and see what was happening. James sat up abruptly at whatever the person on the other side of the call was saying. I mimicked his actions, questioning the intensity and worrying that something was wrong. "Yeah, we can be there in a few. Don't worry about it. Just focus on a distraction for the next five minutes and we'll be there."

He put his phone down and scrambled to get dressed. I was already ahead of him, after getting out of bed the minute he said we'd be there in a 'few.'

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"You have your travel stone on you?" He answered without answering my question.

"Yes, what's wrong?" I urged again.

"We'll need to use it to get back to the Vault. Cybill is causing trouble and looking for me. I'll need to give Cetus a quick heads up and then we can go." James was dressed and walking to the door before finishing his sentence. "I'll be back."

It wasn't like we had anything packed for a vacation, so I took the opportunity while James was gone to practice mist magic, just like I had the day before. I made sure to focus on the feeling of heat move through my body, into my arms and settle into my hand as I created a fireball without an incantation. With continued practice it felt more and more natural. It wouldn't be this easy nor would I learn this fast if I were just learning magic.

I felt at peace as the flame danced in my hand. What once had felt so far away was closer than ever. I can get my powers back. Not only that, but I will. This battle with Eris is far from over, though I know I still need more time. I pulled the water, starting with an incantation, and then slowly letting go of it with practice. Each time the flame slowly dissipated, leaving nothing but mist in its wake. From there I wanted to push myself. What could I make this mist do? Prior to losing my magic, the answer was anything, but now I thought about it in terms of heat and flame. Mist, at least the mist I'm producing, is nothing more than hot water, steam, when fire and water mix. I could control the steam because I could control the heat within.

I took the handful of mist produced and moved it through the room, guiding it around before it dissipated. It moved under my command exactly the same way any other elemental magic worked. Moving with my requests as if following a commander's orders. If I could produce enough at one time, the steam could provide for an easy escape as long as I was quick enough to get out before someone blew it away.

"Let's go," James announced as he burst through the door. "Est and Callisto are waiting in the Vault."