AN: I'm just really getting into this, it's hard to stop writing! I just keep getting more and more ideas that it's insane! ^.~ Enjoy! Oh...and warning about the later bits of this chapter. Some mentions of blood and stuff, nothing big. I'm actually quite proud of this chapter. Next chapter we get to Ulara! Thank-you for the reviews Jessikalyn, Amanda Swiftgold and Steel-Soul. Reviews make Endiness go 'round! ^.~
Chapter Four
Light

The next few months were filled with scrolls, translated Wingly, and chores. Savan didn't ask much of us except to run errands and keep the house clean. I found this quite convenient for my studies. I learned the basics of magic. Elemental strengths and weaknesses, advantages and strategies to use in battle. I didn't learn to focus my energies enough to control it until after my first few months of studying, and keeping my magic under control was a chore in itself. Savan had made me crunch down on this after a very close call.

I was in Savan's room, dusting and sweeping while he and another Wingly, Reven -- who I remembered from my first day here -- talked about their experiments. I listened with a cautious silence, not wanting them to notice I was eavesdropping. They didn't mention anything worth remembering, but then Reven mentioned that his slaves were actually quite good.

"Yes, in fact, I do believe you chose the wrong ones!" Reven laughed. "They do as they're told, don't disobey. And Chany, oh Soa, Savan! She's a heavenly cook! She even learned my favourite Wingly dishes and cooks them better than mother did!"

"You're wrong!" Savan declared, and I paused dusting. I ducked behind a counter with a rag, pretending to work. In actuality I knelt there listening. Reven snorted.

"About what? Come over for dinner and you'll see Chany at work and then-"

"Aranel cooks better than Chany ever will, and Shirley is a little angel!" I smiled at this. Savan just earned another point towards him vs. other Winglies. "Come here Shirley!" he called out and I stood up. Walking over to where the two Winglies sat, I brushed my red hair back under the white bandana I had wrapped over my locks. Savan smiled. "This is my cousin Reven, Shirley."

"Hello," I greeted. Reven regarded me for a second, waiting. I blinked, what was wrong? Did I say hello wrong? Was there dirt on my face? Did he think I was ugly? Finally, he turned to Savan.

"You don't train your slaves well, Savan. She did not bow." Before Savan could reply, Reven was on his feet, "Bow slave!" I gawked. I wasn't bowing to him! He wasn't my king! I thought I caught a hint of a smile on his face, but before I could comfirm this, he repeated his command. I stood rooted in my position. I even placed my hands on my hips. I stared up at him defiantly. He reached his hand out, and from what I saw of this Wingly already, he was mean and didn't like me. I panicked.

The next thing I knew, I felt my magic rush forth and encase the room in a blinding light. I backed away, not able to see, and bumped right into Savan. I heard him grumble something, but what I was focusing on now was Reven's cries of surprise and pain. Savan laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Stop it Shirley. Calm down, relax, breathe," his soothing voice calmed me, and I felt my heart slow to its normal rate. The light faded away, and Reven knelt before me with his hands over his eyes. "Reven get up you big oaf!" Savan chided. "You can't be scared of a bit of light! And it's your fault anyway for scaring her with that 'bow to me' stuff. Idiot." I gawked. It was a joke?!

Reven lifted his hands from his eyes and blinked, then he glared at Savan, jumping to his feet. "A bit of light, Savan? That child nearly blinded me!!" He gestured towards me with a frantic wave of his hands. "How did she learn this? What items have you been giving her?!"

"None, actually," Savan shrugged nonchalantly, grinning at Reven's reaction. I had moved to hide behind him once Reven was able to see. The Wingly pointed at me with a shaking finger.

"She...she knows magic?! A human?!" He cried. Savan laughed, startling both of us. I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. What was funny?

"Yes! Isn't it remarkable? Remember my theory I wanted to try, but Melbu forbid it?" At Reven's nod, Savan continued. "When Shirley came to me, she was near the Element Tables in the lab. I let her try a few, and when she got to the table of Light, she exhibited a tremendous amount of energy, Reven!! It was marvelous!"

"But...Melbu!!" Reven's eyes widened in fear at what he was hearing. What I was doing was forbidden by the leader of Winglies? Wouldn't Savan get in trouble if he found out?

"Oh don't worry about him," Savan waved a hand dismissingly in the air. He turned and poured himself a drink. "You won't tell him, will you?"

"Of course not! This is a remarkable breakthrough, Savan! I would not interfere with such a project, you know that! And..." His voice lowered to a whisper. What he said then shocked me to my very core. "She could very well be a key to winning the war! If we train her, or protect her, she could end this! End the type of work we're forced to do for Melbu! Remember the Signets!? What we did to the God?! It's our fault Melbu's this strong already! Charle can't keep him under control forever!"

"I know that, Reven, but Shirley is but a child. Her magic undeveloped, still wild." Savan sighed and sat back down. I didn't know if I should go back to work or stay and listen. Deciding that I had better get my work done so I could go back to my studies I hurried to clean the room. All the while, though, I listened.

"Charle, Savan!"

My owner lifted an eyebrow. "What about her?"

"I heard she took in a human child to teach. To protect. Do you not think Shirley might be safer under her wing then ours? The monthly inspection is in four days, what if Shirley can't control this infront of Melbu? And even if she does, what if he senses her power?"

"She is barely a month into her studies, Reven! Her power is not that great yet to emit such an energy worth a Wingly noticing. And even if he did notice, he'd probably assume it was a Wingly who had that power. After all, this is the Magic City, is it not?" Savan grinned, pleased with his solution. Reven sighed, giving in.

"Very well. But she must learn not to do that when Melbu gets here! He is far more frightening than I am!" At this they both laughed, and I continued my work. Later that day, while Mother was out doing some errands, Savan and Reven sat me down in a room I didn't know existed in the tower. It was utterly and completely empty. They had me sit in one corner of the room on the floor, then they explained what I was to do.

"We're going to leave you here, Shirley, to practise your magic."

"I get to practise?!" I squealed with delight. Both Mother and Savan had forbade me to use my magic openly, so I was always glad when he said that magical word: practise. They nodded.

"But..." Reven warned, "we won't be here, and we're taking the portal with us. You must control your power, Shirley, and you won't be let out until we feel that you have completed this task." I stared up at him. No...portal? How was I supposed to get out? What if I had to use the bathroom? What if I got hungry? What if I never figured out how to control it and they never let me out??!! Already I was beginning to panic, and without restraint my magic rushed forth, illuminating the room. Savan and Reven cried out, covering their eyes.

"No!" I pleaded, crawling over to Savan and tugging on his robes. Seeing in this light had become much easier for me than it had for them. "Don't leave! I'll be good! I won't use my magic when Melbu comes, I promise! Just don't leave me in here alone!"

"Shirley, we're sorry, but we can't take the risk of you doing anything when Melbu comes! He could hurt you and us, and Aranel!" Savan reasoned. I started to cry, and suddenly Reven and Savan gasped and fell into Wingly language. What? What did I do now? I glanced up. "Shirley, calm down. Grab onto your magic, tell it to stop." I did as I was told, focusing all my thoughts on a bright light. Then, I willed it to die down, and when I opened my eyes, the light was gone.

Reven glanced at Savan. "You felt that, right?" He was answered with a nod, and Reven ran a hand through his hair. "Healing magic. Unbelievable. Come Savan, we need to talk to Aranel about Charle. I'll have Chany keep my dinner warm." They turned to leave and once again I cried out for them to stop. Reven left, and Savan turned to me.

"Shirley, you have to trust your own strength. When the time comes, someone is going to need you, and no one else will be there to help you. There is always a goodness in people, believe in that, and you'll know what to fight for, what to believe in. Let your magic help you on that road, but don't let it rule you." With that, he stepped on the portal and vanished; the portal vanished with him. I was left alone.

I worked for hours trying to control my power. Normally when I practised, I simply thought of light, and there was light. Trying to restrict or restrain the brightness, shape, or size of that light had never occured to me. What also bothered me was what Reven said about healing magic before he left. Well, it didn't so much bother me as it did shock me. Savan's words also remained in my mind as I fought to control the surging and wild loosing of my power. I thought of many ways to focus my energy.

My first thought was to focus it on an object. So, turning to one of the lights surrounding the ceiling (and there were only six), I directed -- or so I'd hoped -- my light towards it. As it burst and shattered, I was left in a darkening room. I decided to leave the rest of the lights alone. I'd noticed during my stay in Aglis, after I discovered my Element of Light, I had become increasingly aware and cautious of Darkness. Savan said this was natural, and my mother was the reassuring voice in the night.

As my first plan failed, I thought of another. What if I commanded it to do something, like what I did that first day? Accepting this as my course of action, I moved to the center of the room and held out my hand, palm up. A blinding flare ripped through the room as once again my magic overwhelmed the shadows, but this time I gritted my teeth and didn't budge from my position. "Dim the light." I ordered. The light began to lessen, slowly. I smiled at my improvement. I was learning! But...the moment I let go of my concentration, the magic flared up again. I yelped in surprise, falling back to the floor. "Oh...go out!" I grumbled, getting to my feet. The light vanished. Now what?

I had really only one thought left. I remembered Savan's spells, how he performed them. He always made a sigil in the air with his hands. This, he said, was what Winglies used to focus their thoughts and energies. I didn't know any sigils, nor any Wingly. But focusing my thoughts and energies was what I thought I had been doing all along. Perhaps I was wrong? My Element delighted me, I loved it. But most often my thoughts were centered around amusement, self-entertainment. Maybe that wasn't what magic was for?

"Shirley, you have to trust your own strength. When the time comes, someone is going to need you, and no one else will be there to help you. There is always a goodness in people, believe in that, and you'll know what to fight for, what to believe in. Let your magic help you on that road, but don't let it rule you."

Savan's words again rang through my mind. Magic...was not a plaything!! It was special, meant to be used for good! Not like the Winglies who destroyed my home; not like the Winglies who murdered my father; not like the Winglies who enslaved my mother!! If I had known about my power before, I might have been able to help, I could have healed my father, I could have done something to stop the atrocity that happened that day!

I was on my hands and knees, my breath coming in short and painful gasps. A barrage of images and memories slammed through me, and I curled into the fetal position as I accepted them. I relived that painful day, even more vividly than when it actually happened. The sun shone brighter to me, the air smelled sweeter. My father's voice was clearer and filled with mirth and joy as we ate breakfast that morning. The eggs tasted hotter, bacon crisper, milk smoother. I could see light dancing in my father's eyes, his gentle hands lowered to pick me up and I was in his arms. Warmth and love coursed through my veins. I could see the richness of his deep red hair, the quiver in his frame as he laughed with me.

Then, I was with my mother. Her sweet melodic voice told me to go to the well, fetch some water. Ice cream would come later. Her long golden hair shimmered in the doorway as sunlight pierced through a wandering cloud. Her bright blue eyes twinkled as she mentioned the cold treat and I giggled in excitement, tugging at her pale blue skirts to come with me. She declined, but I wasn't angry. She said she was going to the fields to get Papa. I said good-bye, and then I left the village to go to the well.

The image changed once again. Fire ripped through the town, burning memories, homes and lives without mercy. I heard the sickening crack of bone as an elder was thrown against one of the walls. Smoke whirled around me, making my nostrils flare, my eyes water. I couldn't see. It was so bright and yet... the darkness was what blinded me. There was shadow in the flames, a black evil that could only come from a black use of magic. I had an urge to hide, to cower and tremble, to cry. But even as I thought this I was in the meadow. Flowers enveloped me, and I breathed in a mind-blowing aroma of life. No other words could decribe what that feeling was like, and I know it didn't happen like that. I didn't notice life at all when I ran from the village into the flower fields. My mind was filled with death. I saw it, I heard screams of it, and worst of all, I could smell it. That was what really happened, so why, in these memories, did I suddenly remember life?

Then, my mother appeared before me, knelt as she was, craddling my father's bloodied body. There was no life in his eyes, no pulse in his heart, no breath from his lips. And yet, I noticed something. My mother's eyes spilled mournful tears onto the ground; her heart beat with rapid pain as she absorbed the death of my father; her breath came in quick shallow sobs. Though my mother was alive, she mourned death and I was about to join her, when suddenly a new image flashed before me. The image was of my Mother and I laughing in our new home. Savan entered the room and joined us, and I told him eagerly about my studies. I recalled this scene from two weeks ago, and as I questioned Savan about Water Elemental properties, my Mother watched on, smiling. Happy.

I realized then that I knew what I had to do. Life, as I had once known it, had changed; but I was still alive. I had taken for granted my gift, had reduced it to nothing more than a toy, something to keep me entertained on rainy days. The actual uses of my gift I had read about, but never considered. I knew now that I had to do what was right, what inertly felt right even as I thought it. Using my magic, I would help others live.