The fire inside

Chapter 2

I walked into the kitchen and saw them at the table with a place set for me and my favorite breakfast food waiting for me. I sat down and started eating feeling my mothers eyes on me. I looked at her and smiled. "This is just as good as always, mom. Thanks."

She smiled back. "You're welcome, Ella."

"So," I said as I finished. "What do I have to do to start my training?"

Both of the women looked at each other shocked for a moment then smiled. My grandmother was the one to speak though. "What are the five elements?"

I thought for a moment and said "Air, water, fire, earth and... I believe the last one is..." I though for a minute then smacked my head. It was so obvious. "The last one is spirt." I laughed.

They both looked at me for a moment and laughed with me. My mother looked at me amused "When did you learn that, Ella?" she asked. "I know I didn't teach you that."

I stopped laughing and though. "I'm not sure, mom. I just knew."

My mother and grandmother exchanged a look and looked back at me.

"What?" I asked, feeling awkward with them looking at me like that.

"Nothing, my dear," My grandmother said. "You are very intuitive, is all."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked concerned.

"It's just an observation, my dear," grandma said.

"Okay." I smile and get up. "So, What do I have to do?"

"Fallow us," my mother said. Then she and my grandmother walked out to the back yard where they had a bunch of stuff set up.

The first thing I noticed were the candles and herbs. They were in a small pile in the center of the yard.

"Ella, your task is to arrange these candles in the order they belong in and figure out what to do with the herbs,' my mother said. My grandmother nodded in agreement.

I looked long and hard at the items before me and thought for a moment. Then I braided some herbs together and placed the candles in a circle with the purple one in the middle. I stood back and looked at my work and smiled. "How's that?" I asked them.

They exchanged a look and looked at me. "That's exactly right, Ella," my mom said. "Good job."

I felt proud of myself and smiled triumphantly. My mother and grandmother smiled with me.

They walked around the circle pointing at each candle and explained what element they represented. Then they taught me how to invoke each of the five element. They told me I must respect the power of the elements and never use them to harm another living being.

The day went on with elemental lessens. My mother and grandmother made me wait until after dinner and after the moon was out to do the next lesson. We made a circle and my grandmother led me around the circle and helped me invoke the elements. She had me repeat a prayer to call each of the elements.

I walked to the eastern part of the circle and called air. For air she had me say "It fills us and breathes life into us. I call wind to this circle." Then I lit the yellow and felt a rush of wind swirl around me.

Then I walked to the right, the southern part of the circle, and called fire. For fire she had me say "It warms and succors us. I call fire to this circle." Then I lit the red candle and felt warmth run through my body.

I continued walking clockwise to the western part of the circle and said the words that naturally cam to me. "It soothes and washes us. I call water to this circle." Then I lit the candle and felt cooling sensation wash over me.

Continuing clockwise I moved to the northern part of the circle. The words flowed through my mind and out of my mouth. "It sustains us. From it we are born, and to it we all shall return. I call earth to this circle." I lit the candle and smelled freshly cut grass on a spring morning

I followed my instincts and moved to the center of the circle and mindlessly invoked the last element "It is our essence. I call spirit to this circle." I lit the candle and felt a swell of positive energy within me then the world went black.