Over the Mountain (Book One)

Chapter Twenty: The Control

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Olivia

I stretch, squinting in the sun blasting through the curtains. "Ahh! It's so bright. I hate the sun!"

Meg stirs over in her bed, rolling her eyes. "It keeps you alive, dumbo. And plus, you're fire, so you'll just have to get used to it."

I groan. "I guess you're right."

Meg stands up, pulling her covers to the top of the bed and smoothing them out. "Hey, where's Chloe?"

"Right here." I flinch in surprise and see Chloe standing in the doorway. "I just came to wake you guys up."

"Oh, well we're awake." Says Meg. "What's up?"

"Breakfast is ready. We're having congee."

"Con what?" I ask.

Chloe laughs and I get out of bed and pull my covers up too. Last night Gretel gave us a change of clothes and we got to bathe in her pond, so I feel more refreshed then o have the past few days.

"It's a sort of steamed rice. I didn't know what it was either, but apparently it is a common breakfast food here on Garráhh Island."

"Rice for breakfast?" I say. "Bleh."

"It's kind of like grits." Chloe reasons, beckoning us to follow her.

"I hate grits." I wrinkle my nose.

Meg sighs. "You haven't even tried it yet. Don't be so pessimistic."

"Okay, okay you got me."

Shortly we arrive in the kitchen, as it is only a few steps from our bedroom, we take seats in cushions on the floor. Gretel comes from the stove with steaming bowls of a white rice looking thing and something green sprinkled on top. I thank her and pick up the spoon to take a bite.

"Mmuhh!" I exclaim, jerking he spoon away from my mouth. It is super hot!

Gretel chuckles. "Be careful, it's hot."

I shake my head at my stupidity. It was steaming. "Why does my fire not burn me but that does?" I ask the old lady.

"Your fire doesn't burn you, but for everything else you have to put up a magical shield. You can't physically see the shield, but you and the others can protect yourselves. Ah, the boys."

Malik and Hale come in the room and plop down next to us.

Gretel hands both of them steaming bowls, and they take them thankfully.

"Alright," Gretel claps her hands, "Now that you're all here, I will explain what we are to do."

I look up. Do something?

"I am going to train you to use your powers. If you will let me, of course."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Chloe cross her arms and scowl.

"Really?" I ask. "I, uh, think I might need some help. I couldn't fall asleep so, erm, I experimented I guess."

"You could have killed us!" Chloe bursts out, and everyone murmurs in agreement.

"Yeah I accidentally set one of your cushions on fire." I tell Gretel regretfully. "I tried to stop but it ended up a pile of ashes. I hoped you wouldn't notice..."

Gretel waves it away with a lighthearted chuckle. "Oh, don't worry about a measly cushion. But, I do advise you not to experiment with your powers inside the house."

She looks around at us. "Well, lets get to it then. Everyone follow me outside for element training."

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We all stumble outside into the bright morning air. Gretel's hut is behind us, smoke coming from the chimney, and the dense forest meets the tall grass that we stand in. I look towards the blue sky, and a small green bug flies past my ear. We stand in a circle. A circle of power and strength. Lightning. Hail. Water. Nature. Fire. A circle of people so amazing that they can create or bring down the world. Ok, ok so it's not that dramatic or anything. We're basically a bunch of teens in a barren field. But whatever floats your boat.

"Okay, so the main thing is control." Gretel's voice sounds through the slightly chilly air. "And to get control, your mind needs to be completely focused at all times. It will take time to be able to harness the wildness of the elements. Think of it like a human's life span. When a human is young, it is uncontrollable and unpredictable. But when the adults around the child influence it, and it grows more powerful, the child is at its ultimate extreme."

"Can I try now?" I ask, eager to get started. Fancy dancy speeches aren't my favorite thing.

"Yours will probably be the hardest to control with how wild and brutal it is. Go ahead and give it a try."

I think of fire, and immediately, a flame springs up in the grass. I don't even feel the heat on my face or my fingers. It is small, but a start. I can't wait to see what I can do.

"Is that good- ah- woah-" Suddenly the fire surges towards my toes. It doesn't burn me. It only feels like water or wind blowing over my feet. I guess I'm not used to fire crawling on my skin with out me getting burnt.

I try to put out the flame, trying to control it. It is hopeless though, as the flame rises to the height of my knees.

"Control it, child. Remember to control. Don't let it grow."

Okay, stop. I silently tell it. It doesn't keep growing, but it also doesn't go down either.

"Malik." I hear Gretel say faintly.

Water comes splashing toward me, dousing the fire and spraying me at the same time. "Hey!" I say, glaring at him.

"You need to practice." Says Gretel, and I feel ashamed of myself. I look down at the ground, disappointed. Everyone else makes it look so easy. Why can't I get anything right?

Malik smirks at me, his tan skin glowing in the sun. I have the urge to set my power upon him.

I'm pretty sure I hear Gretel whisper something to Chloe.
"Water and fire. Complete opposites. Don't usually get along very well."

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