The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) (15 page)

“Well, I would most likely have just lost sleep with this calling, anyway,” Kade said.  “But for now, I will enjoy it,” he said with a smile.

The birds were chirping off in the distance, but Kade could hear them as clearly as if they were right outside his window.  Closing his eyes, he could make out many sounds, even judging direction and distance accurately.  The rustle of the grass along the edge of the forest was easily detectable.  He smiled to himself, feeling like he had a special power.

“Incredible.  Not everything turns out bad,” Kade said as he opened his eyes.

He returned his attention to the book on the table.  He flipped through, deciding to work on the calling for food another time and continued looking for something more useful.  If Zayle were here, he would skin him alive.  The Master Chosen was adamant that only one calling be learned and practiced at a time until it was mastered.  But, his master was not here and he needed to learn as much as he could.  He recalled the fear he saw briefly in his masters eyes and knew he needed more than food.  It was also clear that he was not going to stay here forever, so the more prepared he was when he left, the better.  There had to be something that was more relevant.

Scrutinizing each calling, he turned the pages slowly.  His mind started to wander as thoughts of leaving drifted through his head. 
Where would I go?  Should I seek out another Chosen?
 
Yes
, he thought. 
Yes, that might be a good starting place.  I just have to figure out whom, and more importantly, if I can trust them
.

Kade returned his gaze to the book and started flipping pages once more.  After just a few pages, his mind started to wander again. 
How will I defend myself?  I need something for when I face that targoth,
he thought as he balled his hands into fists. 
It was not just an excuse to learn it,
he said to himself, already knowing the calling that was luring him to it.  His attempt to justify his decision might not be relevant right then, but he did not care.  He cracked a smile and opened the book to the beginning and read the Lightning Calling.  His heart started to pound at being able to command so much power.  It was almost euphoric.

“Well, I did learn the next calling Zayle had set for me.  I should be able to pick one that I feel is important.  Besides, I have no idea what he wanted me to study next,” Kade said to himself, afraid to look through the book for fear of finding another small note.  He slouched in the chair and flipped through every page, hoping there was none.  When he turned the last page, he sat up, feeling more justified in his decision.  Turning back to the front of the book, he read through the Lightning Calling.

“Well, after those others, this one doesn’t look so hard.  Now, let’s see how this goes,” Kade said, feeling excitement growing in him as he visualized sending a searing bolt of lightning skyward.  Or even better, at his fiercest enemy as he sent them crashing to the ground, easily defeated.  Kade shook his head, realizing that he was daydreaming and refocused his mind back on his task.

This does not look so hard
, he thought again, hoping he was not just trying to rationalize his decision.  He ignored the twinge of doubt he felt. 
Only thirteen movements
, he thought as his smile wavered just a little.  Taking a deep breath, he continued. 

The calling read:
Open yourself up to the Divine Power and then complete the first ten movements.  After the tenth, draw fully on the Divine and empower the calling.  At this point, you should start to feel the power build around you in the air.  You must remain focused at all cost as there will be no turning back after completing step ten.  It is critical that the energy be controlled and released accordingly.  If released too soon, or too late, the consequences can be deadly.  At the twelfth movement, intone the word lighting in the ancient’s language.  The thirteenth movement is simply thrusting your hand in the direction you want to cast the calling.  You must release all of the energy on the final move or it will find its own way out, and this will cause severe injury, if not death.

“Okay, maybe it is not easy,” Kade said, considering closing all books for the day.

Staring at the calling for five long minutes, Kade struggled with the decision of whether to learn it or let it go.  This was dangerous and anything could go wrong.  It was very obvious this could end horribly, but Kade believed this calling would give him a better way to defend himself.  The Fire Calling would serve in a pinch, but this calling was top of the line in stopping power.

Before today, Kade had never learned anything new without Zayle standing over his shoulder, watching every move closely.  The Master Chosen had a way to cut him off from the power if things were not going correctly.  He had done it a few times when the power seemed to twitch wildly every time Kade had tried to draw on it.  He struggled desperately to get it to conform to his will.  It was like trying to control an eel that would slip from his grasp constantly and then try to turn on him.  Kade recalled how Zayle used to become frustrated with his lack of control.  The apprentice always feared he would be sent back into the world as a failure.  But, fortunately for him, he started to show real talent a year ago.

Pacing the room, he pondered what he was going to do.  He stopped several times and focused on the calling only to shake his head and continue his pacing.  Finally, he decided to leave the knowledge unlearned.  Placing his hand on the book to close it, he hesitated. 

If not now, when?
he asked himself. 

Kade slowly removed his hand from the book and returned to pacing around the room.  He came back to the table and read over the calling again.  His hands and arms twitched slightly as he read over the moves, envisioning every step in his head.  Time slipped by as he stood focused on the book.  The more he studied the calling, the more it did not appear so difficult.   Soon, he was making the moves more deliberate.  The Divine Power pulsed stronger in him each time he practiced.

“I know I can do this,” Kade said with a smile, excited beyond words as visions of commanding such a powerful calling spurred him on.  He completely lost track of time as he became determined to gain this new skill.  He put his heart and mind into it with new-found confidence.  Day turned to night, but Kade did not notice as his mind latched onto his studies.

Leaning over the book slightly, he subconsciously drew on the Divine Power.  He did not notice that he was actually leaving trails of power.  The drawing in the air was faint.  He had stopped seeing the trails of power many years ago as now it was as common as breathing. But, there it hung in the air.  The image never stayed more than a few seconds before fading away.  He used to be impressed with the way Zayle could write in the air with the very faint flashes of power to the point of distraction.  Now, it was nothing.

Kade practiced the moves over and over again, trying to imagine what it would feel like if he were to complete the calling to the end.  A smile crept across his face as he started to believe he could actually summon this powerful bolt of lightning.   To have a weapon like this at his command would be glorious.  He would be formidable.  He smiled again as the power called to him.  He practiced the moves over and over in his mind while making slight movements.  Time slipped by as his desire drove him on.

Kade only took small breaks to answer the call of nature or to dine with his dragon.  But, no matter what he was doing, his head was whirling as he saw the page of the book in his mind, beckoning for him to return.  He would give in to that call and quickly return to the den.

“This is not too difficult,” Kade said to himself.  He had the first six moves memorized. 

He recalled how his master used to say, “When you can focus, you are the best learner I have ever had,” but then in the next breath he would comment on how easily Kade could be distracted when he was not interested in the lesson.  This was definitely one of those times when Kade felt he was focused.  He quickly scanned the page again.  Feeling much more confident, he continued to add the next step in the lesson.  He would work over and over, picturing the move in his head, making gestures a bit more fluid and pronounced.  The eighth move came easily. 

Yes, that’s it!  That’s it!
  Kade thought with more excitement.  Continuing to block everything out, he focused more and more on the lesson.  He leaned over the book, and just as quickly would stand back up again to practice the next move before it could slip from his mind.  He would complete just the new step over and over until he was sure he had it and then perform all the moves learned thus far, adding the new one to the end. 

I know I can do this,
he thought with fierce determination.  Another move learned, Kade leaned over the book for the next.  Hours slipped by and he added the next three moves to his memory. 
Eleven of the thirteen moves learned
, he thought in excitement.  The thirteenth move was simply a throwing motion to symbolize directing the power.  That meant the twelfth step was all he had left to learn.  Kade felt excitement surge through is body.  His heart was pounding with exhilaration as he read over the last step he would have to perform.

Steadying himself, he practiced the twelfth move over and over.  This one was a bit more difficult.  Several times he thought he had it only to find that when he got to the twelfth move in the sequence, he had forgotten a slight move here or had made too small a motion there.  He went back to practicing just the twelfth step.  When he felt confident that he had it learned, he would perform all the moves in sequence once more.  As he closed in on the twelfth move, he would find that it slipped from his mind by the time he finished the eleventh.  He ground his teeth in frustration.

Kade planted his feet firmly and focused harder on this moment than he had at any other time he could recall
.  I am not going to get it wrong again
, he thought in fierce determination as he performed each move with exaggerated deliberateness to match the move as he saw it in his head.  The first move was quick and easily flowed into the second.  Now, only a slight pause, as the third and fourth came with no difficulty.  The fifth and sixth were a bit more creative but gave him no trouble.  He was so focused now that it would take a dragon’s roar to get his attention.  Sweat beaded on his forehead as he glided through the seventh, moving like the most elegant dancer.   The eighth move was a quick twist of his wrist and a crossing motion with his arms.  The ninth was a bit tedious, but nonetheless, was performed easily.  The first nine moves completed flawlessly, he focused on the next part of the calling, while trying to remember the twelfth move as he closed in on it. 
Now, I draw on the power
, he thought with force and slid by the tenth move easily.  Excited at completing the first ten moves, he forgot about the warning.  He continued into the eleventh move like a full-fledged master of the art. 
Now, the twelfth move
he thought in confidence as the power thrummed in him, causing his heart to beat wildly.  The familiar roar in his head should have warned him, but he was too focused to realize his disastrous mistake.  The air was alive with power.

And, I channel the power out of my hand like this,
Kade thought as his hand dramatically shot out toward the board with all the symbols drawn on it.  He started to grin in triumph when a lightning bolt exploded from his hand with a deafening roar.  It slammed into the front of the cabin, blowing the front wall to pieces and setting his home on fire.

The jolt from the power caused Kade to stumble back, slamming him into the bookshelf before he could catch his balance.  His jaw dropped as he gawked at the gaping hole in the wall.  His ears rang furiously.  Spots danced before his eyes from the brilliant flash, making it hard for him to see.  He looked around the room in panic, as realization of what he had just done came crashing down on him.  His chest constricted and his mind started racing.

“NO!” Kade wailed.  “This can’t be happening!  Light in heaven!” he swore as he watched the fire start to spread.

His mind careening out of control with panic, he tried to force himself to think of a calling that he could use to fix this. 
Water,
he thought desperately
.  I need water and lots of it.  Rain.
  And then he remembered the calling that he had so easily dismissed as useless.  The dragon roared, making his ears ring even more as his heightened panic caused his heart to pound. 

Kade turned and grabbed the books of power from the cubby, making sure to keep them all closed.  His eyes fell on the demon and his grip tightened even more.  Deathly afraid of triggering any of the protections, he set the books on the table, putting the book with the demon on the bottom of the stack to make sure it did not flex open.  He turned and looked back at the bookshelf.  Rayden’s panicked roar echoed through the cabin, making it almost impossible for Kade to organize his thoughts.

Seeing no other books that Kade felt needed saving, he moved back to the table.  He did his best to steady his hands.  He forced himself to calm as best as he could and carefully picked up the pile of books.  He turned toward the door and the dragon roared again.  His head rang from the increased ability to hear.  For just a moment, he decided that his enhanced hearing was not such a good thing and then the thought was gone as the heat beat down on him.