Half the Power

Our Attack

I noticed Mary's bedroom window was open. A breeze came through it, but it didn't feel normal. It was stronger, and controlled. With a shock, I realized that I was controlling it... I could feel the air, and understand how it moved. Curious, I tried to guide the breeze quickly to me, picking up speed. When it reached me, I forced it quickly under my feet, rising me into the air. I felt more powerful with the wind at my control... I could do anything with this strength. I slashed my sword in an shape like a half circle, and the monster dissinagrated into a pile of dust.

I realized that Mary was looking at me with part awe, part horror. Of course she was. I was flying, and I, who was terrified a moment ago, just took down a seven-foot lion man.
Only then did the other monster look away from the bookshelf. Because Mary and I were quiet, he didn't have any sound that would disrupt him.

When he turned, he gave me a shocked look, like he thought I should still be sitting with Mary on the bed.
Too late, he realized my flight. I was already descending quickly towards him, and in one swipe, he was another pile of dust.

I willed the air to put me down gently, and I collapsed on Mary's bed.

"So," I panted. "I'm guessing those were the things that have been attacking you? The ones you were asking me if I was found by?"

The question seemed to bring Mary back to her senses. "Y-yeah," she managed. She gulped, took a shaky breath, and locked eyes with me. "I think I may be hallucinating," she said carefully. "Did that... Did you just--" she began.

"Mary." I rolled into a sitting position, and met her eyes. "I have no idea what's going on. All I know is that I could control the air... I could feel it. That breeze that came through your window? I made it. I don't know how, or why, but I can't really explain it. It's like asking you how you move your fingers. You just... do, because you can, and because you need to at the moment. So... I take it you couldn't do that?" I gave Mary a puzzeled look, but she shook her head sadly.

"Amelia..." She seemed speechless. Then she cleared her throat, and some of the amazement cleared from her eyes. "The monsters... they weren't exactly what I was taking about. You know how those ones were half lion? The ones I saw were half bear."

"Oh," was all I could manage. To many questions clogged my mind. Why do I have power over wind? Doesn't Mary have any powers, if this truly is real? What happened to those... things? What are they?

I was ready to collapse completely, and give in to the fatigue that's been nagging me all day. I knew I couldn't, but... I yawned. Maybe I could just rest for a minute... Yes. That sounded really good...

Mary marched out of the room. A small part of me was confused, but the rest of my mind had already slipped into a nap. I smiled contently, savoring the sleep.

I snapped awake at sat bolt upright, having felt a wave of cold overcome my face. My head snapped left and right instinctively, looking for the cause of my wake.

My eyes found Mary, and I glared at her. She cocked her head. Why so angry? It took me a few seconds before I relaxed my shoulders and cracked a smile. (We had silent conversations often.) She was holding the empty pitcher that I had used on her.

"Thanks," I said sleepily, rubbing my eyes.

"You're thanking me?" she asked incredulously. "You single-handedly take down two giant monsters, learn to fly, saved my life, and you're thanking me?"

"Oh, come on! You're being modest," I laughed. "I would've been lion lunch by now if you hadn't been distracting them!"

"Alright, alright..." She was laughing now too. "I guess we both did pretty good, didn't we?"

"I guess we did," I agreed, proud of us both. I let out a little sigh, and got serious. "Okay, plans."

Her face darkened, and I could tell she knew what I meant. If we wanted to wake everybody, we needed to start planning. Now.

"Alright, first things first... How do we turn these back to necklaces? Can we?"

She frowned, looking at her bow beside her from the corner of her eye. "I dunno. Maybe... Hmm."

Mary tried various ways that I guess I could understand, but some were pretty strange.

"Umm..." I tried to keep a straight face, but it was really hard, considering her theories. "I don't think you can fit it over your head." She looked up, the string of her bow across her neck, and her quiver balanced between the parts of her bow. I burst out laughing.

"Try... this." I secured the quiver on her back, then took her bow. Taking one end in one hand, and the opposite side in my other hand, I pressed gently on the wood, and it shrank back to a locket.

"What-- How--?" she began.

"I told you," I said, smiling at the necklace. "I don't know."

Carefully, I strung the necklace over her head, and pulled her long, blonde ponytail over the silvery chain. "There. Beautiful."

She smiled, but it faded when she saw my sword. "What about yours? It's not like you can push on the end of a sword." she said.

"Sure you can! Just go like..." I continued holding the weapon in my right hand, and pushed gently against the floor. "... this!" I finished brightly.

We both gazed out of the window for a few seconds, then I knew it was time to get to business. The fate of everyone outside of that window rested on our shoulders.

"Any idea what to do now?" she asked, without much hope. I couldn't blame her tone. I was clueless.