The Divine Apprentice (The Divine Series) (2 page)

Kade looked up to see who his master was talking with but she turned away just as he tried to focus on her.  He shrugged his shoulders and went back to raking the garden.  This chore was supposed to help Kade find inner peace and allow him to sense the Divine as it flowed through all life, but all Kade found were sore muscles.

So far, the Divine Power was as elusive as the sun during night.  Kade found himself becoming frustrated as he struggled to even sense the ancient power let alone wield it.  But, with a steady flow of encouragement from his teacher, Kade continued day after day, trying to coax the power to respond to his will.

*CH1*

“Try!  For the love of the Divine, put at least a little effort into this!” Zayle yelled.  “If that is the best you can do, then we are all doomed!” he continued to scream.  “You ask for the more powerful callings, and yet, you cannot do a simple Drift Calling?  Come on Kade, try harder!  You should have been able to cause your awareness to drift on the first try!  NOW CONCENTRATE!” Zayle roared with more force than he intended, turning red in the face.  He brought his fist crashing down on the table, causing his apprentice to jump.  Kade could feel the disappointment coming off Zayle in waves.  As much as the Master Chosen wanted to hide his frustration, he no longer could.  Kade saw it as plain as if Zayle had outright called him a failure.  It stung.  Kade felt the swirl of emotions as his anger boiled over. 

              “This is the most useless calling in all the green lands!” he shouted as he stormed out of the cabin.

             
This was all Kade could take.  For weeks and months, Zayle has become more and more intense to the point of every session turning into Zayle screaming until he was hoarse.  Whenever Kade tried to talk with him, the Master Chosen would only wave him away and tell him, “Later.”  That was all he ever got from his master no matter the reason.  This was too much.  For the first time ever, Kade stormed out in the middle of a lesson.  Zayle screamed after him but that only spurred him into running. 

             
“Why?” Kade asked himself in exasperation, as he entered the woods.  “Why is he acting as if I need to know everything this very day?” he asked out loud.

The path was well worn from his many walks he had taken recently in an attempt to relieve his frustrations.  As he stormed on, he dwelled on his recent arguments that he had with his master, Zayle the Chosen.  Over and over again he asked himself why he had to learn such useless callings instead of the more important ones.

              “Why should I study callings like Awareness Drift when I could be learning exciting callings like how to fly like the swiftest bird or run as fast as the fiercest animal?” he asked himself for the hundredth time as he threw his hands up in the air dramatically.  “Every time I ask about any other calling, he always tells me that I must focus on the basics.  Bah.  Focus on the basics my arse.  I want to learn something important!  I want to send lightning to the heavens!” he shouted as he threw his hands up to the sky and visualized a blast racing toward the stars.

             
I have all the discipline I need no matter what Zayle says.  I don’t know how he thinks that learning the simpler callings is going to help me master the more difficult ones.  If I just focus on the better callings, I will be able to master them all just fine.  It is just an excuse to keep me from learning what I want.  It’s all just an excuse.  Maybe…maybe he can’t because he has lost his touch
. 
Maybe…oh, I don’t know,
Kade thought to himself as he continued walking.

             
Taking a deep breath, he started going over his most recent lesson as he wandered.  Thinking back, he recalled his failure to perform the Awareness Drift Calling.  He had relaxed his body, as the calling demanded, and recited the ancient word as required.  It was only one word.  Float. 
Simple enough
, he thought to himself.  He had felt…something. 

Was my body feeling lighter, or am I just thinking it was because I want it to work? h
e asked himself, but it was useless.  He had had enough of the ridicule and ranting from his master, and he needed to leave before he said or did something that would really get himself in trouble.

             
This was the first time in all his years of training Kade had lost his temper with his master, much less stormed out right in the middle of a lesson.  The knot in his stomach grew as he contemplated how fast he was going to be told to pack and get out when he returned.  It had been nine years of agonizing failure after failure as Kade struggled to develop his abilities.  Finally, in the tenth year, he was starting to show real ability, and now he had blown his chances to become the greatest Master Chosen ever.

Have I just thrown everything away that I have worked for?

              He continued to walk, not paying attention to where he was going as his thoughts raced.  He knew he was lucky to even be taken as an apprentice at the age of ten, but appreciation only went so far.  Most apprentices were taken at ages as young as five or even younger.  Ten was unheard of and he knew it. 

For that matter
, he thought,
why was I taken as an apprentice at all?

             
Not being able to answer his own questions, his thoughts continued on as if unable to slow. 
I want to be famous like Zayle
, Kade thought.  This had been Kade’s desire since the first day of his training.  It was slow going and it was difficult to be patient.  Patience was the one area that he knew he struggled with, and that was being generous.

He thought back to ten years ago when Zayle had given demonstrations of his abilities.  Kade was in awe of the raw power.  He was eager to go with Zayle, excited to wield the Divine.

Kade marched deep into the woods, losing all track of time.  It had been nearly an hour when he started to notice that his surroundings were not as familiar as they should have been.  This was the furthest from the cabin he had ever walked, with the exception of his one trip to Corbin.  He kicked a rock absentmindedly and stumbled.  It was right then he heard a deep, reverberating growl followed by a hiss that sounded like a massive snake.

             
Kade felt his pulse race wildly as he realized he had wandered from the protected area.  Zayle had warned him countless times that extremely dangerous animals had been seen outside the barrier, but it never really struck home since he had not observed them himself.  Now, every warning came racing back as he forced his eyes to focus on the massive beast that stood just several long strides in front of him.  Fear lanced through his body, causing him to become paralyzed.  He knew he should run, but at the moment he could not get his muscles to respond.

             
The dragon launched itself at him and Kade knew this was the end.  More out of chance than skill, and a slight bit of reflex, he fell to the side, dodging the dragon’s deadly claws.  At first, Kade believed he was lucky to have avoided the quick death that was certain to come, but then, he felt a warm trickle of blood running down his forehead.

             
The dragon landed clumsily and emitted what almost sounded like a yelp.  By this time, the adrenalin had kicked in, and Kade was on his feet as the dragon struggled to stand.  He worked the only calling Zayle was willing to teach him that was combat-worthy.  The words and motions came to his mind quickly as he called for the Blue Fire of the Divine.  The flow of the power reminded him of standing in the middle of a river while the current swirled around him.  The power was euphoric.  The flames flared to life, dancing several feet above his hands as its mesmerizing, brilliant, blue energy eagerly awaited its target.  Zayle had made it clear it was only for self-defense.  If defending himself from a creature that could eat him in one or two bites did not qualify, then nothing did.  Kade’s heart was pounding as the thrill of finally using the Divine made his head buzz.

             
The dragon turned and re-oriented on him, but this time, Kade was ready.  For anyone watching, they would have seen his arm coated with blue fire, even though Kade felt nothing but a surging power coursing through his muscles.  In an instant, Kade sensed that he was missing something important.  Something nagged at him, but he pushed it out of his mind, eager to let fly his deadly calling.  He pulled back his arm, as though to throw but hesitated.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw a large puddle of red liquid.  Ignoring it, he refocused on the dragon.  He clenched his jaw in determination as he stepped forward to hurl the blue fire of death.  Everything was a blur and then suddenly…he perceived things as though they were in slow motion.  It was surrealistic as his mind captured every little detail of his surroundings.  He could feel a breeze on his arm and the warm trickle of blood as it dripped over his eyelash, causing him to blink.  He noticed the way the dragon fearfully eyed the flames dancing on his hand.  The area smelled of fresh rain and a drop of water dripped off a leaf.  And then…he was extending his arm, launching the blazing inferno of heat directly at the dragon’s head.  Or at least…that was what he was planning, but at the very last second, for reasons he could not understand, he turned his hand slightly.  It was enough so that the flame shot past the dragon, exploding loudly against a boulder.  He flinched as he felt the blast of heat blow back at him.

             
Without taking his eye off the dragon, Kade slowly turned to study the red liquid and recognized it for what it was.  The crimson fluid was the dragon’s blood.  It was not trying to attack him, but was instead, only trying to defend itself.  Kade knew he should have been an easy kill for the dragon, but its feeble attack was far from what it should have been.  He was seeing more clues by the second.  The dragon was hunched in an odd position.  Even if he did not know what a dragon should look like, he knew this was wrong.  It was also dragging its left wing on the ground.  But, Kade knew what really made him throw the Fire Calling wide at the last second, and it was not seeing the three horrible slashes along its neck, either.  It was seeing a look of fear and despair in the dragon’s eyes, as though it had been beaten.  Pity and compassion welled up in Kade, and his anger dwindled.

             
The dragon’s head came up with renewed determination as it realized the blow had missed.  Kade turned pale as his colossal mistake struck home.  Throwing away his only means of defense was foolish.  It was nothing more than an animal that could not appreciate the compassion Kade had shown it.  It may be hurt and it may be stumbling, but it was still more than a match for him.  Panic, again, seized him as the dragon had taken in a breath and was about to incinerate him.  Now, the dragon had the upper hand.  He considered the Fire Calling, but even before he began, he knew he would be dead before he could release it.

             
Kade was not sure why, but something told him that the dragon was considering not attacking.  There was a feather light touch in his mind, and then it was gone.  He quickly dropped his hands to his side and very slowly moved back a step.  Moments took eons to pass, and yet, no fire.  He slowly, and as non-threatening as possible, locked eyes with the dragon.  It was still ready to blast him with its fire.  Was that intelligence he was seeing?  Maybe not at a human level, but it was there.

             
Kade continued to work his way backward as the dragon watched him closely.  His heart was pounding so hard he was sure it was going to burst at any moment.  To his amazement, the dragon let out its breath, along with flecks of blood, and with that, the fire went out.  It wanted no more fight.  Kade backed a little more as the dragon eyed him wearily.  It appeared to be slowly backing away itself…or trying to back away.  He turned to go, but just then, the dragon slumped to the ground heavily.  Its breathing turned into a wheeze.  It struggled to stand again but gave up.  Kade got a sick feeling in his stomach as he watched.

             
“Kade,” he said to himself, “get out of here.  Just put one foot in front of the other and start walking.  No, not walk, run!”

             
Inside, Kade knew what he was going to do, even if he did not want to acknowledge it.  It was stupid and foolish, but that was who he was.  He knew he could not just leave something that was helpless.  And besides, it was the first dragon he had ever seen.

             
He took a deep breath and let it out, taking a step toward the dragon.  Its head came up slowly, and Kade could see it was struggling to breathe.  He cautiously approached the dragon and put his hands up in what he hoped would appear to be a sign of non-aggression.  The dragon flinched and desperately struggled to its feet.  Kade knew it was using every last little bit of health and energy to make this one last stand.  Cursing himself for a fool, he quickly lowered his hands.  The dragon tried to pull in a breath of air but failed, and instead, coughed up flecks of blood.  Kade moved even closer.   Just out of the dragon’s reach, he lifted his right hand and made the simple move that would bring the Healing Calling to life.  His hand glowed with a soft, amber light.

             
It was now or never
, he thought to himself.  He slowly moved into range of the dragon’s deadly teeth and reached out for the three deep slashes on its neck.  The dragon’s lips quivered and a deep menacing rumble made it clear that the dragon meant business.  But, its legs wobbled dangerously and Kade could see the dragon’s eyes losing focus quickly.  At any moment it was going to fall to the ground.

             
The Divine Power leapt into the wound.  The dragon jumped, and to Kade’s surprise, it was able to draw in enough air to ignite its dragon’s breath.  Kade put his hand up slowly and completed the calling for a second time.  Again, it shot into the dragon, but this time, it sank deep into the wing.  The dragon flinched and let out a puff of air that singed Kade’s hand.  He swallowed hard.  That was too close.