Sorry it took so long for chapter 5 but you know, school, work, GCSE's, deciding careers, total nightmare. Anyway enough of my problems, here's chapter 5.
Gasping Dahlia was catapulted into his mind. She could not see or touch him but she could feel him everywhere around her, in her mind and thoughts.
What is this? What's happening? She thought. Dain was just as confused as she was but he didn't seem to be as upset as she was.
I don't know, he replied, but whatever it is you should stop fighting and let it happen because it's stronger than the both of us are. Dain felt light headed and giddy. There were so many sensations and one sensation overriding the rest. Pure undeniable yearning swept through him like a huge shock wave. For what he didn't know yet, but he had a feeling he would soon find out.
Dahlia was panicking, she could not think straight but she knew that this had to stop. Wrenching herself out of Dain's mind using pure determination, she was back in her own body still holding his hand. She dropped it as if it were scalding her. Avoiding his gaze she bowed again and rushed to the door, stopping only briefly to bow before Master Nagini muttering that she was tired.
Dain was left standing there with very confused thoughts. He didn't understand what had just happened but it had felt good. It had felt right. Broken out of his reverie by Master Kamakii stepping up to take his hand and lead him to Nagini, Dain blindly followed.
Dahlia meanwhile was late for her session with Master Takeno. Dain was occupying her thoughts. She couldn't get him out of her head. It was completely wrecking her self-control and concentration was impossible.
Bursting into a large soundproof room she quietly approached the circle of four seated on the mats. She took her place in the circle and Master Takeno watched her shrewdly. Dahlia closed her eyes and began to meditate allowing him to enter her mind. Druids had the power of communicating through thought.
I have a question for you Dahlia, but it is not the one you may think. Tell me how much do you know about Night World? His mind was clear, calm and refreshing to Dahlia and she felt her focus returning through his influence.
I know only what you have told me Master. That it is a society of evil creatures and murderers. The un-dead consort with death destruction and chaos. Vampires, shapeshifters and werewolves make up the community and witches also. Although most witches are not completely evil, they feel some compassion for humans. This is what I know. Dahlia recited this as she had been taught in her lessons.
That is correct Dahlia, but what do you know of Night World law and the high council of elders?
I know that there are two foremost rules of Night World, punishable by death. A night person shall not love a human or disclose any knowledge of their community to them. Hunter Redfern leads the Night World council and is the most evil of men. His heir, the only one left is Salix Hedera (Salix is a type of willow tree and Hedera is an ivy plant. I thought I could continue with the theme of natural names). He does not take the Redfern name as he is currently unheard of and feels that this is the best way to preserve his life. Salix is to follow in Hunter's footsteps and he killed my parents.
Dahlia didn't mind saying the last part so much as may have been expected. She hadn't really known her parents and only a few vague memories of her mother remained with her. Alex may have been a good person but she could not see him that way, as he was the sole cause of her incapability to fulfil the dream of herself and of her mentor.
Good Dahlia now focus on the summoning of water that I have tried to teach you. Today is the day I will test your progress in this area. I hope you have been practising. Master Takeno said this seriously but in his head he was amused. He knew she hadn't practised but he wanted her to know that her training was important. Up until the past month or so, she had been his most eager and willing student learning all her skills avidly and with ease. She progressed very fast, if she worked hard enough. However the news that her ascension to true druid status happen (the equivalent of a master's apprentice) would never had been a blow to her. She had lost almost all her motivation to succeed, and he knew that she needed a sharp shock to get her back on the right track. Dahlia was a promising student and even if she would never reach the full power there is available, she could reach her own limit and he wasn't about to let her give up.
Dahlia froze at his words. I haven't practised, she moaned in her head to Takeno in order to avoid embarrassment at the hands of her peers, but it was too late for Master Takeno had already withdrawn from her mind. She had a sneaking suspicion that he knew she hadn't been working to perfect her skill, but there was no help for it now and she would just have to wing it. (I really wonder where that phrase comes from, if anybody knows then fill me in. is it coz a bird flaps its wings even if it is hurt to scare predators?)
She watched her friend Faye, on of the other selected in their special group. Master Takeno asked her questions about the past, present and future, but out loud not link to mind as with Dahlia. Past and present were easy for Faye to interpret but the future was a complete blur at the moment. Dahlia watched her friend groan in frustration. Master Takeno soothed her and replied to her cries of self-incompetence,
'You will get better in time, sooner than you may think.' Master Takeno now turned to another of the group called Ben.
Ben was a demon conjured by a witch, but the elders stripped him of his powers when he joined the brotherhood. He used to be able to become invisible, imitate the form of others to blend in with an environment and influence the thoughts of others, but now a human his powers were severely diluted and experimental. After one year of hard work, he could only shape shift, although his shapes are not normal. Ben is an abstract shifter. He can shift into inanimate objects to blend in, but he was having difficulties in adapting to his new strength, which he perceived as a weakness.
'Now Ben I want you to shift into an object and stay in it for 10 minutes. 8 minutes has been your maximum and as you have been working hard in the past few days, I think you will be able to sustain the transformation. Do not let distractions arise.
Ben winced as the Master said this. Dahlia wondered why he had mentioned distraction; she had never known Ben to be anything less than completely devoted to his abilities. He completely uprooted his life in order to join Master Nagini, gone through a phenomenal change, adapted to human life and still had the strength and courage to learn his power once more. Dahlia noticed Faye was surreptitiously blushing, does that mean…not those two. It can't be…he's so distant and she's the complete opposite of him.
Dahlia had to wait to ask Faye but meanwhile she had her own task to concentrate on. Ben closed his eyes and Dahlia watched as he transformed into a deep, blue, patterned vase. He sustained the shape admirably but came out at 9 minutes and 23 seconds.
Ben sighed in exasperation. Master Takeno showed no outward signs of disappointment but bowed his head slightly. 'Close my young Abstract but sadly not close enough. I will expect more next testing. Now it is time for you Ninja Samoya to fight Ninja Khalil.
A slender graceful figure rose swiftly from the edge of the circle. Dahlia could see her out of the corner of her eye, then hastily went back to focussing on her own test.
The noise of the girl fighting her opponent sounded through Dahlia's acute senses. She could almost see Samoya moving fast and agile, keeping still at times to confuse and unbalance her enemy. Her deep russet braids swinging frantically, as the other fighter blocked and defended yet could not quite keep up with Samoya's level of speed. Khalil was a novice fighter yet but this was not his best proficiency, this was Samoya and Dahlia's main area of expertise. Khalil was a practising witch and his spells were unbeatable.
As the thud of defeat reverberated through the room Dahlia smiled in her mind, unfortunately for Khalil, his fighting in the ninja arts is in fact beatable.
'Yes,' Samoya's triumphant voice echoed through the room's acoustics. She opened her eyes and saw Samoya's ebony skin close to hers as the winner received comment from Master Takeno.
Dahlia herself was the only person, apart from the Masters and Sensei's to have defeated Samoya in single ninja combat, and there was a friendly rivalry between them.
Now young Druid, it is time to put your skills to the test. Dahlia heard Master Takeon's voice in her mind and she rose to begin her task.
Rather long chapter I thought but then again I haven't updated for ages (sorry, sorry!)
So keep reading and there will be more soon thanx. I have chapter 6 ready I just have to type it up.
Oh P.S. please review. Your comments are greatly appreciated and treasured. Constructive criticism is highly prized as is praise and entreaties for more writing. So reviews please and thank you. *Smile*!