"What's going on?" a concerned voice asked from behind Sha'lee.
Sha'lee blinked. "Huh? I'm sorry what did you say."
"I asked what's wrong. You're seldom preoccupied like this," Sha'lee's only friend responded. Tennli was tall for his age with enough physical strength to keep the bullies at bay.
"Nothing," Sha'lee began, but one look at her friends face convinced lying was useless. "It's a long story," she mumbled.
Fortunately, Tennli accepted this response although he was visibly curious as to what was on his friend's mind. Instead he chose what he probably hoped was a lighter topic. He only partially succeeded. "Were you at The Ceremony?" He was referring to the speech Prince Thelan had delivered after the parade.
"Ah, no." Sha'lee tried to keep from squirming. "But I was at the procession. It was amazing."
"Huh, I didn't see you," Tennli responded with amusement. "Were you pulling your chameleon affect again?"
"It didn't work," Sha'lee responded with a sour face. "At least I didn't need to use until after the procession was over," she added. "Thak and his gang found me."
"I'm worried about his bunch, even if you're not," Tennli told with a frown. "I think they can be more trouble than you realized."
Yeah, Sha'lee thought with a mental grimace. I had no idea what Thak has gotten himself into. I don't think he does either. The thought of the secretive conversation sent shivers down her spine. There was definitely more going on than what met the eye.
"I mean, you're a pretty girl," Tennli continued with a slight flush. "They might try to take advantage of that."
"They wouldn't dare," Sha'lee responded curtly. "Anyway," she added, abruptly changing the subject, "I have to get to class. Madame Francois would never forgive me for being tardy."
"I don't think she would," Tennli agreed even though he immediately identified Sha'lee's tactic. "I'll see you later then. And remember what I told you about Thak. Stay away from if you can."
"I'm in perfect agreement," Sha'lee answered with conviction. "In perfect agreement."
"So are you going to tell me what happened," Tennli demanded, nearly bursting with impatience. "Or are you going to try to put it off until later."
Sha'lee kicked at a rock with her foot without missing a step. She and Tennli were walking home after another grueling day in school. The school they went to was a nearly exclusive private school, one Sha'lee's wealthy parents could easily afford. Tennli on the other hand was accepted on a scholarship for his near-genius knowledge and scores on the standardized tests.
Grimacing, Sha'lee looked at Tennli. "If I have to," she said over exaggerating the "have" like a whining child.
Before Tennli could retort, she launched into a detailed description of the procession up to the point when she was confronted by Thak and his crew of bullies. After that, she paused for a moment gathering her thoughts before she continued.
"And then things got strange," she continued, helplessly.
"Define strange," Tennli instructed her with curiosity in his intelligent gray eyes.
"All of a sudden I felt calm and in control. Thinking back I don't know how I could have felt that way. And when I spoke—more like demanded—them to leave me in peace, the voice wasn't mine." At Tennli's askance look she hastily elaborated. "It sounded like my voice, but it echoed sort of."
Tennli thought what she told him over. "Maybe you just discovered a reservoir of courage," he commented half joking.
Sha'lee tossed a dirty look in his direction. "Not exactly. Because then Rex started to climb the tree, and everything happened at once. The branches started trembling even though there was no wind and—and—" she faltered. "And I was able to rip entire boulders from the ground just by thinking about it."
Looking at the ground as she walked, Sha'lee waited for the verdict. She waited for the accusations of having lost her mind or the accusations of demonic supernatural abilities. Just the idea of Tennli's condemnation made her stomach roil, bile tasting in the back of her mouth.
A full minute passed by and still Tennli hadn't answered. Finally Sha'lee looked up to see him lost in thought. His expression was completely closed, an expression Sha'lee joked about as the perfect sabaac face. "Please say something," she pleaded.
Tennli jerked as if just noticing Sha'lee for the first time. "Sorry," he murmured a bit absently. "I was just thinking about something that has been bothering me since you first hinted at your 'witchlike' abilities to me."
"And that would be," Sha'lee asked, her hopes slightly rising.
"That would be your 'powers' sound uncannily like those of the jedi," he answered meeting Sha'lee's eyes. She would have laughed if it hadn't been for the expression in his eyes.
"What evidence do you have," Sha'lee asked stiffly. What she was actually saying was I don't want to believe you.
"To begin with," Tennli informed her a bit of sympathy crossing his gaze, "your instincts. You almost always know when there is going to be trouble or if there's something wrong. The only exception I've noticed is when you're preoccupied or mentally distracted.
"Second is your ability to make yourself inconspicuous or even 'invisible.' When you go into that mode even I have trouble seeing you, even if your standing right next to me. This last event just serves to confirm my suspicions. I know you don't like it, but you need to face the facts and follow through to conclusion."
"But there are counter arguments," Sha'lee interrupted. "Why haven't any jedi identified my abilities before this? True I have never been within leagues of one, but they are legendary in their abilities in finding those with the potential to become a jedi. Besides, no jedi has ever come from this world."
"And that means nothing," Tennli responded firmly.
"Sure it does," Sha'lee retorted defiantly. "Because that means, I'm not a jedi, nor will I ever be one."
Tennli shook his head. "What will it take for me to convince you?"
"I don't know—" Sha'lee began, but stopped. A prickling sensation walked up and down the back of her neck. A matching cold sensation materialized in the pit of her stomach. She didn't notice Tennli's response to her reaction, but she didn't need it to know something was wrong.
"Well, well," a silky voice responded from behind them. "It's the two lovebirds."
Sha'lee turned and glared at Thak, all fear temporarily forgotten. Few things truly irritated her, but the assumption that she and Tennli were more than friends was one of them. An angry retort bubbled to her lips, but Tennli responded before she could.
"It's the aristocratic know-nothing," he responded coolly.
"Besides," Sha'lee added sweetly. "You still owe me respect. You can never tell when the wind will pick up," she continued sweetly.
Thak rose to full height and took a menacing step towards Sha'lee. Tennli stood in Thak's path, crossing his arms over his chest. Thak looked up at Tennli who was half a head taller and backed up a step.
No mean feat considering that one's ego, Sha'lee observed dryly.
"I'm not here to start a fight," Thak informed them smoothly, as if trouble was never his intention.
Sha'lee didn't trust that response anymore than he had to have trusted her "innocence."
"Talk about historic firsts," Sha'lee muttered sarcastically under her breath, looking down at her feet.
Tennli gave her a pointed look. "There is a first time for everything," he murmured just loudly enough for Sha'lee to hear. "If you're not here to start a fight," Tennli said raising his voice so Thak could hear, "then why are you here?"
"I am here to discuss a proposition," Thak replied suavely with the utmost of confidence.
Sha'lee thought of the night before with a shiver. If she concentrated closely enough, she could return to that night, the moon glaring down from behind the murky clouds. A howl filled the night air, and she could see a gaunt hand searching for something…
"What kind of proposition?" Tennli asked suspiciously, oblivious to Sha'lee's sudden lack of attention.
This demonic hand was capable of reaching past and cloaking affect. Sha'lee felt naked and exposed. The hand moved towards her with an agonizingly slow unerringness. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Sha'lee's only chance of survival was to fight.
"A propositions of alliance," Thak answered with a deceptively charming smile. "There is no need for us to remain enemies. There are far darker forces in the galaxy."
Crackling energy surrounded Sha'lee, enclosing her in a tight cocoon prison. Spinning, she tried to run but was restrained by the evil aura. Too frightened to even whimper, Sha'lee stood motionless. 'But you don't need to be helpless,' the energy whispered seductively. 'Turn us against our master.'
"There is always evil in the galaxy," Tennli said warily. "How do you think you can combat it."
'Fight,' the voice hissed,
sizzling with violent energy. 'You will get everything your heart desires.
You can have anything. Nations will tremble at your feet.'
"I don't think you understand," Thak interrupted. "There is evil here, now. That is what we must fight."
I don't want nations to tremble at my feet, Sha'lee thought trembling violently herself. Dimly, she realized that all she wanted was to regain that calming sense of peace. Not power—Sha'lee wanted a place to belong. 'No,' she told the manifestation of evil. 'I don't want your power.'
Tennli was tempted to laugh at the absurdity of that comment. Suddenly, he realized, not only had Sha'lee not said anything, he had completely forgotten her presence.
Howling in rage the energy closed her in, giving her no room to move. Molten fire erupted where a whip of energy had licked against Sha'lee's bare arm. Tears streamed involuntarily down her cheeks as she hugged her arms across her chest. Silently, she screamed with all of her strength and being.
"Sha'lee!" Tennli cried in alarm looking into Sha'lee's vacant eyed face. He felt that she would topple to the ground, lifeless, any moment.
Another lash of energy whipped against her arm. She began to pray using emotions because she was too terrified to form a coherent thought. Incredibly enough, Sha'lee go a reply—whether from her scream or prayer she didn't know or care. Blindingly pure white light pierced through the black coils imprisoning Sha'lee.
"Sha'lee!" Tennli cried again feeling panic threatening to overwhelm his calm intellect. Even though he had been shaking her for a full minute, there was no response from Sha'lee.
It almost seemed as if the white fire wouldn't be enough. IT dimmed and twisted, but was soon joined by another fire of pure emerald. Together they shredded the murky coils like a pitten shredding cotton. Suddenly, Sha'lee could breathe again even though she was still dizzy. Doggedly, she prepared to run when the first opportunity presented itself.
"What's going on?" Thak demanded, no longer cool and in control. His eyes darkened as he took a step away.
It was too soon to count her victory, Sha'lee realized with a sickening sensation. The evil energy retreated and began to regroup. She felt, rather than saw the explosion of energy racing straight towards her to engulf her. The green and white energies formed a protective net around her. The wall of black flame ate through the net like acid.
Tennli grabbed one of Sha'lee's limp hands in both of his. "Please," he whispered.
Too much! Sha'lee creamed; it felt like her very soul was on fire.
Tennli screamed and flew several feet backwards, hit by an explosion of energy that had thundered from nowhere. Thak blanched and fled.
Vaguely, Sha'lee heard Tennli's scream. With a violent wrench, she had returned to her own body. She smelled smoke and instantly knew her clothes were on fire. Without hesitation, she dropped to the ground and rolled to put out the flames. Carefully, in a foolish attempt to defy the dizziness that was swamping her vision, Sha'lee tried to rise to her feet. She passed out in mid-motion.