Life has been ok now, ever since the intervention anyway. I'm still kinda anxious about people seeing me use my other elements though. I still have to do those elemental releases almost everyday still, but it's not nearly as dramatic now since I can spread it out among more elements. However, now that I am using them, every time someone walks in, it freaks the heck out of me since we have so many people at the temple on a daily basis. With all of the students coming by, Spyro, Cynder and I were given our own wing to practice in, but I can't help but feel that, the more that I use my powers, the more they might not like me. They both say comforting things, but it really only makes me feel guilty. I originally decided to come to Warfang to help Spyro and Cynder, but they have just been helping me. I caused trouble on the first day, even if it turned out beneficial to the guardians.

I still don't get how the public forced the guardians to relinquish the control of the school. The guardians knew they just wanted to put Spyro in a bad place. I guess they just needed an excuse to shut it down and take it back and I gave it to them, but if that wasn't the case. My new life would have already been over.

It's hard enough for the guardians to protect Spyro and Cynder from the public. Then I go and show up. Why don't they try and get rid of me already. I'm just going to cause them more trouble if someone outside of the temple finds out. Maybe I should leave….

While I was mopping, someone wrapped their paws around me in a hug, "don't do it, you'll only regret it" Cynder…, "I know that look, I had that same look when I made the decision to leave the temple during the war." She tightened grip on me.

sigh* I lower my head in shame. "why should I. I'll only be a burden"

"I thought that about myself too, but you'll only worry everyone and cause more problems if you leave." I felt her relax a little bit, she put her paws on my shoulders and held me out at arms length, "so you're stuck with us. Just deal with it." She gave me a little smile.

I can't help but smile myself, "Well, I might end up being kicked out if you keep hanging on me like that", I chuckle a bit, "or Spyro might just blast me into nonexistence."

She looked at me kinda funny, then she swatted me lightly on the nose and laughed a bit. "Don't worry that won't happen, he knows you don't stand a chance with me."

"Ouch, I'm not interested, but ouch, my ego you injured it."

Terridor has a lot of things to do now that he is the lead guardian, so he's mostly at his desk working on paperwork while the other two go out and get more face to face work done. So he made the place comfortable. He had a seat with extra cushion in it specially made and carved the desk himself. It was a nice office all around and he enjoyed working there.

At the moment, he's trying to get all the paperwork done to get the new school set up and a better curriculum going. He's made a fair amount of progress even though he's having to respond to several written complaints.

The group that was running the school was trying to delay him in order to prove to the public that the guardians couldn't get it done in a reasonable amount of time.

The guardians are supposed to be the absolute authority in Warfang, but this same group has been causing trouble for the last four months and the guardians don't want to risk the public order breaking down right after the war. So they have been having to tread lightly and cave in to a couple of these groups' demands, especially when they had most of the populace's favor, like the case with the school.

However, Terridor has another issue on his mind today, Sam…

"What am I to do with him. His powers are on the fritz and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. He wants to keep his powers a secret so I don't have to worry about him being a target, what to do."

Terridor was broken from his line of thought by a knock on the door.

"Come in" he didn't have any planned meetings today so he figured it was someone from the temple who needed something, but to his surprise, it was Treevus.

"Grand Elder, it's nice to see you, but what brings you here today?"

"I know I made a promise not to reveal Sam's secrets, but I'm worried about him. I've been feeling his energy fluctuating for weeks now." Treevus definitely looks guilty for what he is about to say, but Terridor stops him.

"If it's about his ability to use multiple elements, he already told us. However, he's been distressed for a while now." Terridor looked depressed by this, he felt like he failed his charge.

"Don't worry my friend, he'll be fine. He's still adjusting to life here. I do have an idea to help in the meantime."

This intrigued Terridor "What do you have in mind?"

"Well I was thinking of having him make his own nature dragon garden."

"How? He isn't a nature dragon."

"Oh, so he didn't tell you everything. Well he's actually capable of wielding every power this world has to offer. He has the potential to become the most powerful dragon, if his power doesn't cause him to literally explode first. So if he shares his energy with a garden it should help him keep his powers in check."

"So that's why he was utterly terrified, it didn't make sense considering that both Spyro and Cynder should be capable of wielding all eight elements themselves."

"Either way, we can help him now. I'll get him started, but he's going to need a place for it that he can always reach"

"I'll assign him one of the vacant houses by the temple to use."

Treevus gives him a concerned look, "That will anger many of the people you've been having trouble with. they've been trying to get closer to the temple for a while now and for you to give it to a child would be an insult."

"Let them complain, we made it clear that the space around the temple was going to be repurposed and used by the temple and its residents."

Treevus gets an excited look on his face, "Actually, that gives me an idea. What if you turn the temple and the surrounding area into an academy?"

"Maybe, I would have to talk to the other guardians about it."

"Well if you do, I'll teach again if you want."

A couple hours later, at dinner, Terridor told me to meet Treevus the next day for something. He didn't give me specifics, just an address. I think he is going to train me on my healing abilities like he said he would. The question is, should I? If I learn to use healing abilities wouldn't that make me stand out even more?

It's the next morning and I'm getting worried, should I go and be trained or should I turn it down? Either way, I have to go. So I get myself ready and head out. I wasn't told when to go see Treevus, just to go do it today. The address I was supposed to go to was literally right down the road from the temple, but I definitely took the scenic route to get there. If you call three laps around warfang at wind dragon speeds a scenic route anyway. I'm trying to avoid this meeting, but I owe Treevus a debt of gratitude for sticking up for me. So I force myself to make an appearance and at least talk to him.

I was kinda expecting an official looking building when I got there, but it was actually a really nice house. Is this Treevus' home? It's structured very nicely, but it looks filthy. It's two stories tall and has actual glass in the windows. That's rare here, glass is like a rich person kind of thing. It's got the same color as the rest of warfang so other than having different architecture, it blends in. It's like a hidden gem within the city.

Judgement aside, I go up to the door and knock. I waited for a few moments and was getting ready to knock again when the door opened to reveal Treevus.

Treevus looked a little surprised,"Goodness child, why are you knocking at your own door, just walk in."

Wait what!? Is what I would say, but this dragon deserves my respect,"My door? What do you mean sir?" I say as politely as possible despite my internal reaction.

"Did Terridor seriously not tell you!? That old fart. He just can't give everyone the full story. Oh well, I guess I get to deliver the surprise. Anyway, welcome to your home away from home! This place is now officially yours and you can do with it as you please."

Did he just turn into an excited realtor on me, isn't this guy supposed to be as old as dirt. I can't let him distract me, I need to figure this out. Now! "But why? I was already given a place to stay at the temple, why in the world would I need a small mansion?"

Treevus takes on a calm but serious expression, "because you need a place to build a garden"

"A what now?"

"A garden"

"Why do I need a garden? And here of all places?"

"Because this building is protected by laws and powerful spells, so your garden will always be safe. I can tell you're just going to throw a ton of questions at me, but let me explain as much as I can first. then you can ask any questions you might have after. Now then, let's go inside and get a little more comfortable." Treevus ushered me inside and closed the door behind us. I guess i'm doing this.

The inside was just as nice as the outside. There's a grand staircase right as you walk in the door. It has a very ornate design to it. I have literally nothing to compare it to. There are archways at the base of each stairwell on either side and an oversized double door right in the middle, but like my room at the temple. The place has no furniture in it. Why does everything always have to look like it was abandoned.

"Now then, allow me to introduce you to your personal getaway. This house is one of the very few in Warfang alive with magic. The reason for this is that it was owned by a nature dragon. When they stay in one place and share their magic for a great amount of time, it is capable of bringing things to life. That is why there are only three houses like this in existence. Mine, this one, and the first one…. no one knows where the last one is. It was made long before Warfang was established. It belonged to the first nature dragon. Anyway, this one was made by the second nature dragon and has been here since the beginning of Warfang, so take care of her."

Wow this is a lot to take in, "why in the world am I being given a living house?"

"I was getting to that. Yeesh, youngsters these days, so impatient. Anywho, this house protects the ones it is bound to as long as they are inside it's walls. Most importantly however, is that it can hold a sizable garden within its walls as well."

We then move through the second set of double doors and come into a large area covered in dirt and spots of grass. I'm utterly speechless, it's massive. It could hold an entire park inside.

"I can't accept this, I did nothing to earn it." I really didn't, I can't possibly accept this place as my own. I don't deserve it.

"It has nothing to do with deserving it. Yes, we did want to help you, but this house chooses who lives here. We had nothing to do with that."

Hold up, what!? "how do you know that it accepted me?"

Treevus just chuckled a bit, "I'm a nature dragon, I can communicate with the house even though I'm not bound to it. She likes you, she thinks you have a good heart, like her old friend."

It makes me a little nervous that a house knows more about me then I do them. "Does she have a name?"

"Yes she does, but she'll never tell me. She'll only tell the one that she is bound to." He pauses for a bit and closes his eyes, "she wants you to hurry up and start the garden. She wants to speak with you." Then he opens his eyes and looks at me. "Now let's get started, we've wasted enough time as it is." He gestured to the center of the area.

We sit facing each other, "ok, to start you need to learn how to use the power of a nature dragon in order to create the core of your garden"

"You never did say why I needed a garden."

Treevus gets a little annoyed by this, "I've wasted enough time trying to explain everything to you, no more stalling, we need to get this done" he pauses to re focus himself. Now then, focus on the life around you, reach out to it, share energy with it. Communicate with the life around you,"

I try and do as he says. I use my energy to feel around for the life that is here. I felt something in front of me. It felt very powerful and very old like it's got several lifetimes worth of experience.

"That's me, very good Sam. I'm a little surprised you got it on the first try. Now, reach out and search for the grass and the roots of old plants that are still here and give them some of your energy."

I refocus, now that I know kinda what I'm looking for I can see things clearer now. If I close my eyes and focus on the energy. I can feel how strong it is and what direction the energy was flowing. I opened my eyes and I could see a glow around everything alive, but my eyes started hurting so I had to stop.

"Be careful with that, looking at souls too long can make you lose sight of everything else and then that's all you'll be able to see."

I nod my head in understanding.

"Now then, follow along carefully. I need you to do the same thing, but look inside yourself. Find your own soul."

"I'll try…" that's kinda like looking at your own face, you can't really do that without a mirror…. wait! That's it! If I just use the magic like before and reflect it, I can see my own soul easily!" With that, I take a peek. It was strange, my soul didn't look like Treevus'. How come? Is it because I was a human before?

"Have you found it yet?"

"Yes, but I don't know about this anymore. My soul doesn't look like yours…"

"I would hope not, everyone's soul is unique. The difference is what makes someone special. You however, have a surprisingly bright soul. It's alive with every color imaginable and constantly changing shape, not bound like most are."

That actually made me feel a little better. I bet Spyro and Cynder's are the same way.

"Now then, I need you to take a piece of yourself and place it in the ground here" He points at a spot in between us.

"Wait a minute! You want me to take a piece of my soul and just leave it here!?"

"Don't get so hysterical, it's not like you will lose anything, all it will do is give you a permanent anchor to the garden so that you can constantly share energy with it no matter where you are. That is also why you needed to make a garden, so that you can send all of your extra energy somewhere rather then trying to store it yourself or having to release a large amount of it daily. Speaking of which, when are you going to tell them that you haven't once lowered yourself below half."

"What do you mean?" Oh no, did he find me out? I know I only emptied myself to a comfortable level, but I didn't want them to know

"Don't play coy with me. I may be old but I'm no fool." He had a very stern expression on his face.

I gave in, I can't lie to his face anyway, and I really don't want to, "I don't plan on telling them, so please keep this a secret too please."

His expression relaxes into a sigh, "very well, but you must tend to this garden with utmost care. I needed someone who could compete with me for the best garden anyway. Miss. Sophia, bless her old sweetheart, just can't compete. Even with her exceptional green thumbs." He sighs a bit and turns his attention back to me, "I digress, now if you would, place the piece of your soul in the ground and give it some extra energy to start growing"

I do as he says and take a piece of myself, it was a decent handful but it seemed like my soul knew what it wanted to give. So I push it into the ground, I didn't even have to dig a whole, easiest thing I've ever planted! But what did I plant?

"What will it turn into?"

"Who knows, nature dragon anchors can be anything."

We sit and look at the spot where I planted my soul.

"Anyway, you shouldn't let anyone see your garden unless you want them to see it. Also, we're going to make it public that you have healing powers like I do. It's easier to say that you are one of the new hybrids that have been popping up lately."

"Hybrids?" what in the world? This is news to me.

"Yes, there have been some that can wield both of their parents' elements. Luckily, people are so worried about combating Spyro that the hybrids aren't being treated as lesser beings, in fact they are being embraced."

It's still terrible, but at least they are being treated ok, rather than being rejected...or worse. Guess I'm not entirely different from them then.

"Anyway, I'll be off now Sam, make sure you take care of the place and it'll take care of you."

My life just got a little more complicated, but I'm starting to enjoy it again. Maybe I can make this place so nice, I can share it with someone.

"Thanks Treevus, this means a lot."