The Protectors: New Generation Book 1

27 - Earth Elemental Magic - Michaela

As Tally is learning about air elemental magic, I'm listening while I scan the forest—never know when someone might attack. Everything is relatively quiet except for Estel's lesson and the occasional squirrel.

Estel's voice brings me fully back to the clearing.

"I know you heard me talking to Tally, and one thing you need to work on is controlling your emotions. If someone gets under your skin and makes you mad, you shouldn't just blast them with spheres of earth, sending a wave of earth at them or choking someone with a vine. Unless defending yourself from someone intent on killing you, you really shouldn't use your power to kill another living being. Yes, I know if we go into some sort of battle with the Stormer Rebellion, their plan is to kill anyone they come across, but this is the exception to the rule."

I narrow my eyes at her. "How do ya know I will have trouble with people getting a rise out of me?"

"Okay, if someone learns your background, are you going to let it stand for them to taunt you about both your birth and adoptive parents dying or you living years of your life on the street?"

I can't believe she's called me out on this, and my fist balls up—I'm ready to strike.

"Mi loba, look at your fist. Were you ready to strike me for simply mentioning them?"

I think for a moment and start realizing she's right. I'm too embarrassed to say anything at the moment, but I can see she understands this, and she just hurries on to the next topic.

"You might benefit from talking to someone or keeping a journal about your feelings. You need a way to get your feelings and emotions out and hopefully deal with any you haven't had the opportunity to deal with yet. You have plenty of potential and heart, so I know you can do this." She smiles at me, making me feel better.

"Like with Tally, you need to learn the basics, but you will be able to do such things as accelerate the growth of plants, create a rock shield, make a small earthquake, and even make a shelter out of earth. First the basics. Center yourself. Try to clear your mind." She pauses until I look at her. "As best as you can at the moment, mi loba. It will take practice, but you will get there. Try and calm your emotions. Focus on that pile of dirt next to the clearing."

A pile that looks darker than the surrounding ground, not that there is much not covered by green or brown of some type.

"Imagine anything you want about that dirt. The feel, the smell, the color, anything that will help you connect with it. Once you feel energy building within you, imagine anything you want the dirt to do. Now try."

Her smile encourages me to continue.

I try to clear my head. I think about the individual grains of earth, the color of it in this part of the country, the texture of it. I concentrate on those things until I feel an unusual energy pulse through my body. Once this builds, I imagine what it would feel like when I scooped it up, picking up a small pile to throw it.

Soon pieces of dirt start coming off the ground, not too high but still off the ground. I try to imagine the pieces flying through the air, but then I see his face and someone is yelling to duck on my right.

"Umm ... well ... sorry."

"Something happened while imagining something or someone, didn't it?"

I duck my head. "Ya."

"That last image caused you to lose control of your emotions. We need to figure out a way to help you with this. Now, moving that little bit of dirt doesn't seem like a lot, but this is the beginning of you learning about what your abilities entail. Once you get the hang of some of the basics, you may be able to do the same thing with living plant material."