Training and Talent
When Monday morning came around, Sarah and Connor stocked themselves with fuel all weekend just for this moment. Slowly getting stronger every day was a bonus because they were going to run through the woods today. Connor wore his best clothing which turned out to be his denim black pants along with a long sleeve shirt. Sarah attired a simple turquoise blue dress and looked so delicately beautiful. “Are you ready, Princess?”
They ran side by side through the woods at a speed no one could ever possibly match running through a forest. Not even a speck of dirt or even a branch or stick dared come close to hitting either of them. They bounded over shrubs that were well over five feet tall as easily as a stepping over a pebble.
Twenty minutes later they exited the tree line that brought them to their local town hall.
They each registered for a wedding license and she had her name legally changed from Sarah Branderson to Sarah May. Each refused to take a blood sample just incase something came up unordinary. Connor didn’t want to chance something foreign in his blood and causing problems.
They went to her parent’s house first by running at their newfound speed through the woods so no one saw them. As they told them what they were doing, her parents got excited, especially Jillian, and Jack agreed to do the ceremony.
As they left and went to his old house his mother had been called to work later in the day. Connor explained how they were going to be married when their application is expected to be accepted. Kara and Jenny went to Sarah and hugged her while also giving their congratulations. He was left to be hugged last.
The next day, Jillian received a call from the town hall. The application went through and everyone was ready. It turned out to be an expedient process which surprised everyone, except Jack who seemed to have a hand in it. They used Sarah’s parent’s house number because they didn’t have a phone yet. It was on their long list to do.
Wednesday came to be the day of the wedding. Sarah wore the same beautiful turquoise dress and the only thing that changed in his appearance was that Tool hung on his right hip.
Everyone gathered at Jack’s home in the early morning. They were all wearing traveling clothes per Connor’s request. His grandparents, Jenny, Kara and Mark along with Sarah’s parents followed the two of them into the forest. Jillian tried contacting Amber and Ben for the wedding, but couldn’t reach them.
They led everyone through the forest and only had to take a break once for Jenny and Rhoda to catch their breath. Mark walked and talked by Connor with ease through the trails as Kara did the same on Sarah’s side. Neither Mark nor Kara showed the slightest bit of fatigue and Connor knew his sister could go another three hours at this pace before breaking a sweat, but the old Mark and this new one were a complete one-eighty from each other. It was a remarkable change.
Four hours later they arrived at the intended destination.
Kara’s brutal criticism came through for them yet again. “What is so significant about this place compared to that clearing we passed thirty minutes ago? At least that place had a fallen tree to sit on.”
“Kara, this is the exact spot where Connor tracked and rescued me the night I was lost.” Sarah explained nicely and it shut Kara right up.
Everyone looked at the scenery for a moment until Jack started the ceremony. “Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to…” Sarah and Connor held hands while Jack did the service. The only thing that changed in the nuptials was “Till deaths do you part” to “As long as you live.” No one thought anything of its significance except for them and her parents. Sarah made a similar ring of steel for him and slid it on his ring finger. When they sealed their existences with a kiss everyone’s congratulatory uproar was still unexpected.
Mark spoke to Connor first. “Hey congrats, Buddy. And good luck in your future. It looks like you might need it.”
“Thanks Mark and you too, but with my sister.” He whispered in his ear and Mark flushed. Then he punched Connor in his left shoulder.
After everything calmed down they guided their families back home. A massive feast at Jack’s home awaited their return, which filled everyone including all four present Balancers.
That evening when everyone left to go home Sarah and Connor did the same. They consummated their marriage several times more than usual.
Thursday morning in bed Connor said when she woke up “I think Wife, that I should start training with Jack today.” When he said wife it woke Sarah up completely. Her heart and body hummed pleasurably at just the sound of that new word. After three hundred years of being single, that one word chimed through her repeatedly.
“Husband, I agree.” And he smiled at her, feeling the same sensation she did because of their bond.
As they put on clothes, Connor walked away and had Tool strapped to his hip. As they headed through the woods Connor thought “Are you going to train with me or just watch?”
“Can’t I do both?” Sarah asked casually.
“I don’t see any reason not to.”
They knocked and her mother answered the door wearing a deep red, almost brown tight blouse while revealing how underhandedly developed she is. “Well isn’t it the newly married couple. How is the honeymoon going?”
“Good morning to you too, Jillian.” Connor said with playful respect.
“What can we do for you this morning?”
“Can I request some training, if you’re not too busy?” He said gently.
“Well of course.” She turned around and yelled in the house in an excited voice “Jack, you up yet!?”
“I am now…” He walked out of the bathroom as steam from the shower followed him. Her father wore only brown jeans and a thin sheen of water. “Good morning you two.” Turning his sights to Jillian he asked “What’s with all the racket so early this morning? It’s barely eight.”
“My Love, they want to train with us.” She replied with a dangerous smile.
“Really?” A smile crept on his face. He looked at Connor. “Ready to lose?”
“Bring all you have, old man.” Connor’s challenging side surfaced.
Her father’s smile became a grin. “Boy, this OLD man is going to show you just how little you know.” Jack’s eyes drifted down to Connor’s hip. “I see you brought the famous Tool with you. I will be right back with my old companion.” Jack turned around and walked back into the house.
“I was afraid of this.” Jillian shook her head in defeat.
“Mother, what were you afraid of?”
“You’ll see soon enough.” And she didn’t have to wait long.
Jack walked out of the room with something long, heavy and wrapped in a red silk cloth. “I haven’t released you in one hundred years, old friend.” He started unwrapping the cloth off the object.
When her father sat the cloth on the floor Sarah saw what laid in his hands. It was four feet long and shaped similarly to a baseball bat. It had a handle that could easily fit two and a half hands. The shape of the shaft increased in diameter until it rounded at the top. It was completely smooth from base to top with no spikes, they weren’t required. Weighing at over forty pounds, Sarah instantly knew what it was. It was her father’s ancient steel club.
Jack tested its balance and remembered instantly that he remained adept as its wielder. He walked up to Connor. “This is the same weapon I had from before I became a Balancer myself.” He held it out easily for Connor to take. “This is Haunt.” Connor took out Tool from his belt and offered it to Jack. Before they exchanged gifts Sarah had to ask. “Connor, what are you doing?”
He smiled. “It’s a man thing. How can I explain…?” He looked up trying to formulate a plan. His eyes widened once he found what he was thinking about. “Ah. When a warrior offers his weapon to someone else to test, it is only fair that the other warrior gives the same courtesy.”
“He’s right, Sarah. Not many people extend or even know about this simple courtesy.” Her father stated, backing up Connor’s explanation.
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Jack took Tool as Connor effortlessly held Haunt. Connor walked into the back yard and tested its weight. Jack was right on his heels while Jillian and Sarah followed them together.
Connor swung it with one hand in vertical circles to stretch out his extensive muscles. It still makes her shiver when Sarah sees his muscles flex and move. After he finished stretching he said proudly “I see why you call your weapon Haunt. If someone is lucky to survive the initial hit, they will be haunted forever by the damage this thing’s capable of.”
“That’s always been my philosophy. Kill or cripple. Those are the only two options that a person will ever get from me.” Jack felt proud since someone could understand his weapon of choice.
Jack tested Connor’s weapon by shadow fighting. Her father imagined a person in front of him while he slashed with the hatchet and bludgeoned his imaginary opponent with the hammer. “Connor, I see why you call this Tool. It’s because it is so versatile in its simplicity. You can throw it, hammer anything and cut through almost everything. A tool to destroy and build.”
“Correct. Now let’s go somewhere that not so exposed.” And he walked towards the woods, then ran.
Chasing Connor was easy because he didn’t run too fast.
Ten minutes later they stopped in a clearing. He began to explain “Sarah, when I was looking for a place to build our home I found this place first, but as you can clearly see I made the better choice.”
He was right. Grass couldn’t grow, flowing water didn’t cool the area nor did this place hold a natural beauty. It was another natural clearing, but it was almost barren. The ground lay covered with rocks ranging from pebbles to baseballs and weeds sparsely littered the land. The ground was truly rocky and not a good place for a home. Trees surrounded around the expansive clearing and was perfectly isolated. It was open and far from prying eyes. There weren’t any streams, let alone flowers or colorful shrubs. The ground simply held a brown and gray field that begged to be used.
“I figured that we would need a place to do things without fear of getting caught or doing any damage to the area. Just incase we get…overzealous.” Connor said to them all, but looked at Jack with a grin.
“Good thinking!” Her father said loudly. Connor stood about twenty feet away when Jack tossed Tool back and Connor returned the favor. “It’s up to you, Jack. What do you think we should start with?”
“First I believe we need to spar first. It will get our timing more accurate and mistakes will lessen.” Jack held up his club as a reference.
“Ok, but first…” Connor came up to Sarah and kissed her, but it was a quick kiss. “I love you.” He got into position, looking at her father with Tool clutched in his right hand. “What are the rules?”
“No elemental abilities. Only speed, strength, dodging and you need to stop before any critical hits.” Sarah’s father finished explaining the short rules.
Jillian and Sarah sat down under a shade tree before the first match began.
Connor crouched in his battle, springing position. With Tool in hand, he rushed forth and closed the distance instantly. Jack stood ready and swung at Connor’s head the moment the rush began. As Connor ducked the first blow Sarah’s father kept spinning with the weight of Haunt. Just before Connor could get his first hit in Sarah felt the faintest of breezes caress her just before her father back-kicked Connor square in the center of his chest. Connor flew back ten feet from the one blow. Jack’s spin stopped and he leaned lazily on his weapon, in one fluid motion. He said “That was a good dodge, Kid.”
Connor sat up with a smile on his face, which surprised everyone, especially her father. “I knew I didn’t make a mistake! I can learn a lot from you.” He stood up and dusted himself off like he didn’t have any damage and upon closer inspection he had somehow managed to come out unscathed. “If I didn’t jump back when I did, that kick would have easily cracked several ribs.”
“Well I am here to teach you.” Jack picked up Haunt and rested it on his right shoulder. “Come!”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Connor sprinted at Jack in the exact same way. Haunt swung at his head again, Connor ducked, and dropped Tool to now fight unarmed. Jack back-kicked again at Connor’s chest, but he dodged the foot this time. He spun on the ball of his left foot and tried using his other leg to sweep Jack’s legs out from under him. Her silver haired father jumped in the air and swung the metal club midair at Connor’s ribs. Connor rolled away, missing the impact of the weapon by only inches. Jack landed flatly on both feet.
Connor stood up again without any injuries and continued breathing evenly. “That one was close.” He smiled as Jack kicked Connor’s weapon back into his hand. Sarah’s father had a smile on and looked to be enjoying the sparring session as well. “Again!”
Connor rushed her father again and did the same steps, but this time he pushed too hard. As Jack’s weapon swept down at his ribs, Connor flipped himself backwards on the ground and stood. As the weapon swung into a vertical circle, Connor kicked the weapon out of her father’s hand in midair. The weapon flew away from the two combatants and Jack’s body inverted and approached the ground, head first. Before he made an impact with the ground Connor grabbed him with both hands and stood him upright without a moment’s hesitation. “Are you ok?” Connor asked as the two men stood eye to eye.
“Son, you are the first person to disarm me in close to five hundred years.” Jack started laughing. “That was a terrific move.”
“Maybe, but it was only because being a Balancer saved me. If I was normal, my head would have been taken clean off in the first round.” Her man admitted humbly.
“A win is a win. Balancer or not, you have much potential.”
“Connor!” Jillian shouted next to Sarah. “Don’t let him fool you too. He is learning how you move to better find leverage against you.”
“You wouldn’t be a good warrior if you didn’t always learn. No two battles are ever fought the same.” Connor stated and Jack started to chuckle.
“Connor, I wanted to ask why you dropped your weapon?” Sarah asked a good question because all eyes turned to him.
“Because I needed my hands free for hand to hand grappling. You never know if you lose your weapon and all you might have left are your fists.” Then he entered her mind. “I was trying to get your dad in a chokehold, but he was turned the wrong way so I had only one option; disarm.”
“Lucky for you, your mind and body move quicker.”
“You’re telling me. I still feel the wind from the pressure of Jack’s attack.” He rubbed the top of his head while smiling.
Jack and Connor sparred with weapons and fifteen minutes later they called a stalemate.
Her father told Connor “Next we do another technique called Sonar.” His expression became confused. Sarah stood up and walked over to Connor. “Father, may I do this with him as well?”
“I don’t see why we all can’t do it all together.” Jack said and Jillian joined the party. They all sat down in a loose circle, facing each other in the shade. Jack looked at Connor because he needed more explanation than the rest of them. “Sonar is slightly different from trying to read someone’s mind Connor. As you delve into someone’s mind, you try to read and process their consciousness in your mind. Even if you speak different languages once you enter their mind yours will begin to see how they associate words with images. It is the quickest way for us to learn a language without spending weeks or months trying to listen and learn.
“Sonar isn’t as easy, but is more reliable than any skill I have in my arsenal. When you read a mind you can only focus on a small number of people at any given time, but with our sonar you can see all of your surroundings in your mind better than processing everything with your eyes.
“When we fought and I kicked you in the chest, I couldn’t see you. I knew you’re exact position even in my blind spot. Using this ability in any combat situation will help you to survive. I used my sonar to feel your exact positi
on. When you are able to use it, you will be able to see everything from the birds in the sky to the bugs that burrow beneath the earth. You could be completely blindfolded and still be able to maneuver and see your surroundings without hindrance after you can master this ability.
“Everyone look around our surroundings and then close your eyes.” Jack began teaching. They all obeyed his every word. “Good. Now in your mind picture what you catalogued in your mind’s eye.” Sarah clearly pictured all of the shrubs, trees, dirt, rocks and sky. “Now picture your mind sending out a single invisible burst of energy. Don’t use your elemental manipulation at all; just energy.” Her father’s tone deepened. “Let me demonstrate.” Sarah opened her eyes and so did Connor. Jillian didn’t because she already knew how to do this.
Jack opened his eyes and stood up. “Here I go.” The most subtle of breezes caressed her, but only for an instant.
Connor stood up and touched his chest. “You were right about that being difficult to detect. But I did remember the same feeling several times during the fight. Hmm…” Connor began processing this new information.
“Alright. Sarah, you try.” Jack urged while he smiled happily.
Sarah did every step her father said to do. In her mind she felt power rushing into her head and continued to build. When it felt uncomfortable she released the power and it expanded like an invisible sphere. As the sphere grew like the speed of light, everything that the bubble passed instantly became etched into her mind. Everything in her mind became colored in black or white, but it was worth it. Everything became overly vivid before her, to her front, behind her back and above and below where she stood. Every leaf, bug, bird, reptile, mammal and twig stood firmly there in her mind. Not only that, but it looked like a perfect ultrasound. Sarah saw inside every object and person as well, except for herself. The sonar didn’t take much power, which was a good thing to know. It is so magnificent that she never dreamed this would be possible. “That is so…”
“Nifty?” Jack asked, trying to help with finding the right word.
“That’s as good of word as any.”
“My turn.” Jillian said, standing up. And Sarah felt the same feeling that came from her father. A gentle breeze kissed her body again.
“Let me try something.” Connor said calmly.
“Try? Connor what are you up to?” Jack eyed him suspiciously.
“I’m not sure I will be able to explain it. It’s just a feeling that’s telling me to try.” Connor looked at Sarah, smiled, and then closed his eyes.
As his eyes finally shut Sarah felt a surge of power emanating from Connor. The power continued to build until she could actually see the fine, dry dust swirl around him. Jillian, Jack and Sarah stepped away from him instinctively. Together they kept edging back until they were fifteen yards away.
A quick burst of energy emanated from Connor and instead of a single burst they all felt the energy pulsating at a rapid interval deep within their chest like the bass of a stereo. When Connor opened his eyes they all gasped.
His body stayed completely motionless, but his eyes were literally glowing. His normal hazel eyes became a solid ray of white light and it almost looked like two brilliant flashlights. The continuous pulses continued and it dawned on Sarah that the pulsations didn’t come from his head like her father described, but emanated directly from his eyes. This continued for a minute before Sarah asked “Connor, what are you in the world are you doing?”
“I’m seeing anything and everything. Sarah you have to try this…” His eyes zeroed on her and for some reason she has never felt so exposed before. And moments later he turned off the flow and his hazel eyes returned back to normal.
“Connor, what did you just do?” Jillian asked defensively.
“The best way I could explain it would be that instead of one singular blast, I could do multiple pings in quick succession to make it like a moving movie instead of a standing picture. I just felt like I was capable of doing it.” He looked at Sarah again and his gaze and smile made her heart beat quickly again.
Sarah brushed her mind against his. “Connor, could you show me how to do that mental Movie thing?” He nodded and gave the details.
Connor waived her parents over to his side. “Come stand over here. She is going to try it herself.” And they moved quickly.
Closing her eyes and focusing power to her eyes Sarah felt the pressure build. When she couldn’t handle it anymore Sarah opened her eyes and released the flow. Pulsations vibrated her eyes and she could see what Connor meant about the movie picture reference. Hearts expanded and contracted, wings flapped with powerful muscles, critters crawled all around and many other small oddities made the moving mental picture so much more enjoyable. “Your right, I did have to try.” Sarah giggled as she stopped the flow.
He walked up to her, looking confused. “Sarah, did you know that your eyes could glow?”
All of them laughed at his innocence. “Connor, your eyes also glowed as you were doing your little experiment.” Jillian couldn’t hold back another laugh.
“Could you show us?” Jack conceded while wanting to know.
“I can try.” Connor said.
For the next thirty minutes they failed miserably until Jillian eventually managed to do it, but only for about two seconds. Her eyes faintly glowed, but at least she and her mate could work on this new trick. And ten minutes later Sarah’s father changed pace.
“Next is target practice.”
“Target practice? We didn’t bring any projectile weapons?” Connor said in honest confusion while looking at Jack.
His smile matched his reply. “We are the projectile weapons.” He walked thirty yards away and lifted a piece of shale and stood it upright. “We will use that for practice.” Jack said while walking back.
“Father, I’m confused as well. Could you elaborate?” Sarah asked, walking next to Connor.
“Oh, alright.” He sighed. “How about I explain like this.” Jack raised his palm and conjured a fireball in his hand by pulling the heat out of the air and igniting it.
Jack then stood like a baseball pitcher and threw the flaming ball, striking the target with relative ease, making the fireball explode on impact. He hit directly in the center of the target. As the dust and smoke cleared the target transformed into nothing but rubble. “Is that explainable enough?” He said, wearing a grin.
“We get the point.” Connor walked over and stood several stone targets at different ranges and angles. He walked back a few minutes later and made a line for them to use. And Jillian was next.
She walked up to the line without a word and shut her eyes. Making a flowing water ball by pulling the moisture from the air, she threw it and it landed to soak a target in the middle of the range. “I haven’t lost my touch.” And she skipped away shamelessly.
Sarah walked up to Connor thinking “What element should we use?”
“I think we shouldn’t use metal at all or we could drain ourselves too quickly. Let’s take your parents on with their elements and see how we compare.”
“I agree.” She nodded with a half smile after glancing at them.
She went first. Sarah closed her eyes and her power swelled. She opened her emerald green eyes and pulled the warmth from the air and made her own fireball. She threw it and did slightly less damage to the target, compared to her father, but she did the same range and hit dead center. Jack gave her applause and she turned around to bow to him.
“My turn.” Connor pictured his surroundings and began collecting the moisture from the area and focused it to his palm. The air started to swirl and cool as he let the power flow. The air’s moisture condensed and beaded then they came together into a palm sized water ball. It gave Connor another idea, but first.
Stepping to the line, with the water ball in hand, Connor took his position. Throwing the water ball and connecting on a target he heard Jillian whistle in awe. He hit dead center on the farthest target. “I have another question, Ja
ck.”
“Fire away.” Jack now sat in the shade with Jillian.
“Is it possible to combine elements as a Balancer?”
“Yes, but changing the nature of an object can be potentially dangerous if you don’t understand what you’re doing.” Jack said.
“Don’t scare the boy, Honey.” Jillian chastised. “Yes Connor, you can. Let me show you how we kept our food fresher before the invention of the freezer.” Jillian stood as well as Jack. Jillian formed another water sphere and held it up for them all to see. “Connor, what happens when heat is taken away from liquefied water?”
“Ice is formed.” He said. Connor knew that basic form of science.
“Correct.” She turned her arm and put it in front of Jack. He put both of his hands above the current of liquid. Connor felt him gather a handful of power. Everyone watched in shock as the liquid started cracking, hardening and gaining a larger size as the frozen crystals expanded. When Jack took his hands away, the water ball solidified into an ice ball. “This is how we kept cool before electricity was harnessed. Here catch.”
Connor caught the cold sphere of ice and studied it. “Sarah, come here I have another idea.” He flashed a wicked grin which gave her one too.
“What do you have up your sleeve?” She whispered.
“Here hold this.” He handed her the solid sphere. “Keep this in ball shape as I melt it back.” Calling fire to his aid Connor melted the ice back to water. Sarah’s green eyes looked at him in pride because she kept the moisture together. “What’s next?”
“This!” He put both of my hands around the flowing water. Connor closed his eyes again and imagined an invisible shell covering the ball of water, using the element of Pressure. Releasing the power and the element he reopened his eyes. Connor felt the ball of water encased in the pure power of Pressure. Lifting the liquid ball of water out of his wife’s hand Connor gently said “You better get back. This might get a little dicey.” She took a few steps away, knowing he wasn’t using mirth.
“Connor what are you...?” Jack said standing up.
“SHH!” Sarah hissed, silencing her father.
Connor focused the pressure gradually to compress the water to its limit; and to his own. The water ball was originally the size of a softball, but after the compression, it became the size of a golf ball. He walked up to the closest target and knelt on one knee two feet away. Complete silence watched from behind him and he could feel all of their eyes on him, waiting to understand the method.
Delving into his own mind and picturing the sphere of pressure, Connor modified the image of the shell. A pinhead size hole began funneling in through the outside of the shell to make the pressurized golf ball of water flow out in the focused direction he chose. Connor opened his eyes just in time before the tunnel reached the water.
The thread thin water stream shot from his hand and cut completely through the rock a foot away, like a hot knife through butter, but the rock didn’t fall. When all of the water had been forced through his hands he fell back on his bottom. As he tried catching his breath his new family rushed up.
Jack spoke first “Connor, what magic did you just do?”
When he was able to draw proper breath Connor answered him. “No magic involved Jack. You told me what we do isn’t magic. During science in my eighth grade year, we saw how with enough pressure on water it could cut any material better than any sword ever could.” he looked up to Jillian. “I bet you didn’t know that your element is also the sharpest!” he smiled up at his mother-in-law.
“That was miraculous, but it only made a faint line in the stone.” Sarah’s thought to herself as she ran her finger along the straight line.
Connor stood up quickly and startled her. “Excuse me please.” She moved to the side as he placed both of his hands on the top side of the line. With one powerful push, the rock slid back and crashed behind the now half stone.
Jack walked up and ran his palm over the even surface. “The cut is perfect, clean. This is news to me. Does my fire act in the same fashion?” He asked in innocence.
“NO!” Connor startled them and realized they didn’t understand that bit of science. After calming his voice he said “Not in the slightest.” Connor looked at him seriously and the tone of his voice backed the conviction. “Jack, pressurized fire is dangerously explosive.” His expression looked skeptical and Connor looked around the clearing, judging the distance to the trees. “It looks like all of you need another demonstration. I’ve never met a person who didn’t understand that fire is hot without burning themselves.” Connor looked at Sarah and felt her in his mind. “You and your mother go hide behind that tree line and keep a safe distance.” Sarah nodded and took Jillian by the hand and ran for cover.
She thought to him “Be careful. I read your mind – sorry – I now know how dangerous and serious this lesson is. Stay safe, Husband.”
“I will keep both of us safe.” When they reached the tree line she nodded.
Connor sighed for what was about to happen.
He looked at a now worried Jack. Good, at least he understands some of the gravity of this situation. “I need to show you why this is so dangerous.” Jack nodded that knowing firsthand experience is always the best lesson one could ever receive. “First we need to build a blast shield for our protection. We need to make an angled shield wall as thick as possible. Otherwise we’ll be in a massive amount of danger.” His quick reply was “Ok, let’s get to work.”
And together they began laboring.
Twenty minutes later they made the perfect shield. It was five feet thick and the front had been angled to direct the force of the blast upwards instead of back at them. They had a reasonable bubble of safety. The wall’s back stood four foot tall and twelve feet across, made in a crescent circle to bend the force around them. If any flames came back on them they would be protected by the angle and design of the shield. Sarah and Jillian were far enough away that they could see everything and not come into any danger. Each of their faces were full of concern. Connor pushed his mind to Sarah’s. “Let me guess, you told your mom about how serious this was?”
“Yes, she needed the truth.” He nodded and she smiled.
“Jack, now you need to listen to me very carefully.” Connor had his complete and undivided attention. “I need you to stay below the barrier the whole time. When I let go of the contents, I will say ‘Now!’ and you will not wait a moment longer to pull me down or you could guess my unfortunate outcome.”
“I understand. What do I need to do first?”
“Make a baseball sized fireball for me to use.” Moments later he held a red hot flowing sphere of fire in the right size that had been requested. Connor put his hands to each side of the fire and made a shell of pressure around it, like he did with the water. Taking the ball of flames out of his hand Jack slid down on the ground and had a tight hold of Connor’s belt.
Adding a massive amount of pressure to the fire changed its properties. Connor knew what would happen with the lack of oxygen, Jack didn’t. Looking up at him Jack said “Where did the flame go? It just vanished!”
Out of the corner of his eyes Connor looked at him while concentrating on maintaining the pressure. “This is why I said it’s so dangerous. You can’t see it is the reason enough to frighten me, it makes it more deadly because you would be incinerated before you realized what happened. Not even you could outrun this explosion. It moves nearly at the speed of sound.” Connor took a step forward, to the very edge of the wall. “Are you ready?” Jack answered by tightening his grip even more on his belt. “Three… Two… One!” The element combination of Pressure and Fire was thrown nearly as hard as he could. At the same moment it left his hand Connor yelled “NOW!!!” and Jack didn’t hesitate. He pulled his son-in-law to the ground in one motion and pulled him against the wall, using the falling momentum. The only pain Connor felt was when he landed his right hip that held Tool.
A moment later the very air erupted wi
th an angry BOOM! and intense flames washed over their heads in a sheet of orange and yellow flame for several heart-pounding seconds. The heat and flames rolled over the top of the barrier and the angle’s design did perfectly because no direct flames came within the safety zone.
When silence settled in, Jack looked at Connor with eyes full of fear and first hand understanding. Connor then felt Sarah calling into his mind. “Are the two of you safe? I cannot see you through the smoke.”
“Yes, and your dad is just a little surprised. We knew he would be.”
“Can we come to you yet?”
“Not yet! Let me make sure it’s safe.” They wanted to check the damage for themselves. He told them to wait and give them an ok. Connor looked at Jack who then glanced at their impatient women. He looked back and nodded to make sure it was safe for them even though he still seemed somewhat shaken.
They each slowly rose to survey the damage. The shield did its job protecting them and only managed to get slightly charred.
Looking beyond the shield Connor knew what would happen, but Jack wasn’t fully prepared for the severity of the consequences. Where the epicenter of the explosion took place now held an impression in the ground. There were burn marks in a one hundred foot circumference and some of the weeds were still on fire, but they couldn’t start a forest fire because there wasn’t any close vegetation to spread to. That’s why Connor chose this place and it worked perfectly for this demonstration.
In a calm, but quiet voice Jack asked “Connor, can you explain to me what just happened?”
“Sit down on this ledge and catch your breath.” He sat and Connor yelled “All Clear!” for the girls to come over.
They ran at a Balancer’s speed to check on them and what really happened. When they were satisfied with their mate’s health and looking over the blast site Connor continued telling them about what happened. “That was known as the Back Draft Phenomenon. Watch the movie, it is remarkably similar. When something so hot runs out of air, it gets even hotter. When oxygen is reintroduced with the heat, the air itself literally explodes! Everyone and everything in its path is consumed from the intense flames.” He looked down at Jack to make a larger point. “Do you see that?” He pointed to the charred crater. “You could imagine how much more devastating it would be if your fireball was any larger.” And Jack’s face paled, imagining a bigger fireball.
“I’m just glad you knew what would happen before you attempted this stunt uninformed.” Jillian said and gave Connor a grateful hug. “From where we were watching the two of you were gone in a sea of flames. We could feel the heat sting our faces, even from where we waited.”
“Just be thankful I’m mated to the right man.” Sarah said in pride. As Jillian released her embrace, Sarah took her place and held him tightly. “I’m glad you’re uninjured.” Her green eyes looked up at him worried and filling with tears.
“I knew what would happen, Princess.” He kissed her on the forehead and said with a smile “Now it’s your turn to mix some other element combos with me.” Her tears evaporated instantly and replaced with widened eyes. Connor looked at Jillian and Jack. “If the two of you have anything to spare I could use whatever you have to offer. Using an intense Pressure element twice was draining.”
They both nodded and each took one of his hands to funnel in some stamina. Five minutes later they each released his hands. “Sarah, are you ready?” He asked and her head spun around to glare at him. “Don’t worry there will be no more explosions today.” She arched an eyebrow in provocative disappointment. Then he caught her train of thought and would amend those words later.
“What kind of element combo do you have in mind?” She asked casually, but she knew that he caught what he had planned for later.
“Making glass.” And she started laughing at the suggestion.
“How do you intend to do that without a forge or a press?” Sarah asked.
“I will manipulate Terra while you do Fire.” He turned to look at Jillian. “Can I count on your abilities as a Fireman?”
She started laughing. “Sure just let me go get my Dalmatian.” She kept laughing until she saw that he wasn’t. She figured Connor was talking about extinguishing the fire from the previous experiment. “Ok if any fires start I will put them out.”
As Connor stood up he grabbed a handful of loose sand, walked over to Sarah and sat down before her cross-legged. “Ready to try?” She nodded. Connor felt her reaching in his mind for a private conversation first.
“Is there any possibility for us to wind up hurt?” She asked worriedly.
“There is always a danger when you’re experimenting. I told you to be my fire starter because I will know when something goes horribly wrong, when you heat up solid materials.” Connor stuck his thumb to his chest to remind her of the price he paid.
“Ok, I trust you.” Her eyes softened.
“After this I have only enough energy for one more test.” he stated truly.
“Can I get a sneak peek of what you’ve got planned?” her green eyes searched for an answer on his face as she did her mental probing.
“When we get there you’ll see.” And he smiled at her which she miserably failed not to return.
Without closing her eyes Sarah made a one handed softball size of fire. Connor didn’t close his eyes either when he imagined all of the loose grains of sand stick together into a small ball. When the flames and sand came together he distributed the power flow through both of his hands to keep the sand sphere balanced between them. This required a steady hand, but two were better than one.
Sarah used her left hand to steady her outstretched right arm that held the fire. Connor glanced over his shoulder to see Jillian standing next to the sitting Jack. She had accumulated moisture from the air and a small stream of water continued to flow up from under the ground. She soon had a cannonball size of water hovering in each of her hands. She wasn’t taking any risks.
He lifted the sand ball over the flames with both hands and slowly brought the wad into the center of the red hot blaze. It would hold the most intense heat. Connor didn’t take his eyes off of the mass inside Sarah’s burning energy for an instant. If he did he would be liable to burn her badly.
As the sand became hotter he knew they needed only a fraction more heat to liquefy the individual grains. “Sarah, could you add only a little more heat?” Without a word the flame grew slightly in size and intensity. With the new burst of strength from Sarah the sand started melting and fusing together. As the sand melted, the fire burned away any impurities and they shot off in sparks, popping from time to time. The sand shrunk from the size of a golf ball down to the size of a marble.
Knowing that it the task is finished he lifted the molten ball out of her flames. “Were good now. You can turn that off.” he nodded to the flame and it disappeared. “Now it needs to cool… slowly.” Connor looked back at Jillian while still using his power to keep it away from the ground and away from his hands. “It looks like you can return those back to the fire station.” He flashed Jillian a grin.
“Better not waste it.” She put the balls of water together and steadied the beach ball size of water in her left hand. With her other she removed some of the water to make another, but smaller water ball. She turned around and poured the smaller ball into Jack’s mouth. He drank graciously.
“Thank you, My Love. I needed that.” She did the same thing again and gave herself a drink. She looked at Sarah to come over and get some herself. Connor sat in amazement as Sarah took a long draft. Jillian started towards him, but stopped and tossed the remaining water at Sarah.
Instantly Sarah called upon her liquid element and barely made it before the sphere came apart. She let out a held breath as a long sigh. “What did you do that for, Mother?”
“My guess would be that your mom has picked up the habit of throwing things from my sister.” He guessed calling back.
“I guess so.” Sarah said walking over to him with a small sm
ile. She knelt at his side, but didn’t touch his outstretched arms. She held the water over his head. “Drink up.” Connor lifted his head back and she slowly poured a stream of water from her palm to his mouth. The water is some of the cleanest he had ever tasted in his life. It was cool, clear and crisp. “That hit the spot.” She leaned down when she finished giving him another final drink. She stared at the former sand.
A few minutes later it was cool enough to touch. The sand was at first almost black, but after melting it became a nearly perfectly clear piece of glass. Sarah and Connor stood up at the same time. He handed the marble into Sarah’s hand and she studied what they had made together.
They walked over to the Birch tree that his in-laws sat under. Sarah and Connor sat with them to rest for a moment. Jillian held out her hand and Sarah placed the glass in her upturned palm. They all studied it carefully, giving praise for a few moments before returning it to Sarah who put it in her pocket.
“What’s next on your list?” Jack smirked. He obviously has enjoyed such a change in his decades of routine.
“I have only enough spare energy for one more test. Sarah, do you still have enough for one more?” She flashed a bright grin. “I think I’m up for it.” She said while standing back up.
They walked only a few yards away and he asked “Please conjure one more orb of water for me.” And she did so.
This was his first time doing this. In theory it seemed simple, but understanding the properties and complexities made it more difficult. After focusing Connor opened his eyes again. In his hands burned his first unassisted fireball. A warm feeling emanated from it, but it didn’t feel hot though. He resisted touching the flame, knowing how foolish it might look to be poking a finger at an open flame in front of everyone. “I’ll do that later.” He told himself and smiled at such childishness. Sarah stood while waiting impatiently.
“My idea is to make a fog.” He flashed a smile. He felt glad her parents were out of hearing range.
“How are you going to pull that off?” She shifted her weight to her other leg.
“Leave that to me.” Connor held his flame at his side. “Let’s slowly push these two elements together.” She nodded, feeling uneasy.
With a simple countdown they connected her water with his fire. Hissing erupted from the moment they touched and the water was flash boiled into steam. When the last of the water evaporated Connor turned his flame off. Surrounding them was a wall of steam. “Connor, this isn’t fog and it’s unbearably hot.”
Connor closed his eyes and focused on the steam and used the other ability of the Fire element. As he opened his eyes a wave of power released from his entire body in a single bubble instead of focusing on his hands, like the spreading factor of Sonar. Instead of pulling heat to himself he pushed it away, leaving the moisture alone. The water vapor stayed put and as the heat left the area around him, the steam thickened into a wall of cool and solid white fog.
“Connor, where are you?” Sarah called out from about ten feet away.
He used the pulsating sonar ability. “I can see you, Princess. Use your other ability to see.” He called back.
“My other…? Oh.” And he felt her unique pulses seconds later. “I found you!” He saw her turn and walk up to him. Connor then turned off the pulses to see her eyes glowing white.
“Welcome back.” he looked around and saw nothing, but fog. “This is useful to have in our arsenal incase we need a quick getaway.”
“I agree.” With her glowing eyes she reached up and kissed him.
A gentle breeze disturbed the area and Connor saw that the fog began moving away. “That was good thinking, Connor.” Jillian said, pulling all the fog to her hand. She became a dark silhouette at first as the fog lifted. “It took Jack and I five years to do that trick.” Jillian laughed as she became in focus again, dropping the water on the ground. They both walked up to the two younger pair wearing smiles. “So was that really all for today?”
“Yes.” And to make his point Connor walked over to the shade tree and laid flat on his back. Sarah joined him under the shade, but she sat cross legged above his head. She lifted his head and rested it on her soft and silky legs. Connor looked up to see her gorgeous face and she smiled so beautifully. When he looked up past her, at the sky, he knew that the day just started to wind down.
Ten minutes later, when Connor felt able to move again, they left. During their run back home their family separated half way and the Branderson’s went to their home and the May’s went to theirs. Before they were out of hearing range Connor yelled “Same place tomorrow!?” They raised their hands in confirmation.
After a satisfying dinner, Sarah went to bed exhausted. She had already forgotten about his alteration to making explosions. He on the other hand practiced different kinds of elemental uses. Also he poked a fireball with his index finger and it didn’t harm anything, but a test twig disagreed by igniting. Connor learned that as long as he had the element under his bodily control it couldn’t cause harm, but any other foreign object is a different matter. Then he went to bed.