Revival: Of Cethore ✔

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five: Dragon's Awake

As usual, Samari felt like she was invisible. She was fine with it because she was busy with her quest, just as everyone else was busy with their battles. The problem occurred when she looked down to her hand and found that both it and her body were missing from her sight.

She fell backward, yet never reached the ground. Instead, she sat on the air as if she were sitting in water.

The effect only freaked her out more. She turned over and reached for the ground. Whatever was holding her up released her just in time for her to fall on her face.

"Woah, woah, girl. Calm down. You need to control your ticon, " the spirit said as he floated over to her. He grabbed her shoulders as stared into her eyes–at least, Samari assumed he did, but she couldn't see his pupils, along with the rest of his facial features.

"Breathe and center yourself. Feel the air going in and coming back out." She followed his instruction until she slowed her breathing to a steady pattern. "Good. Now, let me feel you what you're experiencing. Your ticon has mastery over the air, so you can feel it and control it as though it were an extension of your body. It's all perfectly normal."

Her mind cleared. She stood up and did a little hop; up and down again. Her body was back, although her skin seemed darker now.

She spun around slowly, taking in all that she could see and feel. The new depth suffocated her senses, but she shifted it through her mind with meticulous focus.

"This–this is...incredible. I–it's like you said, " she waved her hand for her to see the ripples that it made, like the flap of a fan. "I can, I can feel the air. It is there, and I c–can move it, and its as though I am...holding it in my hand."

When she twirled her finger, it created a tiny whirlwind that she pulled along with her. She smiled at the sight.

"Isn't it great? And now you have the power to defeat that creepy guy and steal back my gem!"

The corners of her mouth dropped as she spun around, defensively waving her hand in front of her. "No no no no no. I mean, I just–I can't really...con-control this. I just got it. I don't–I mean, I–I don't the–thing that I would, um–I would probably j–just sorta freeze, or, at least, some...thing like that."

"Not with that attitude, you won't! Ah, it's too bad too," he turned away, looking at the ground solemnly. "I was gonna grant you my knowledge and control of air ticon, as a gift of your taking me as your summons. Oh, we–"

"Wait, you can teach me to control it?" Samari interrupted. "Do i–it so I can get your gem back!"

He put his hands on her hips and kicked the air where he stood. "Aw, I wish it worked like that, but I can't do it from here. See, this is just a projection of me. I'm actually still in the gem; my ticon, my soul, my mind–all of it's in there. If it wasn't, I'd beat him up myself, no offense."

She shook her head. Is there really no other way, then? I guess all I can do is help Zoran fight against Viper.

But wait–the spirit said that Viper hadn't summoned him, and seeing how he wants me to be his summoner, he must've appeared because I touched the gem. I didn't do anything to summon him–then again, he isn't fully here. Still, it should work...

"Ooh, I like the look in your eyes!"

"Your ticon is stuck i–in the gem, so...if I touch it, I can reach it, r–right?" she inquired.

"Yes, but I doubt yo–oh, I see where you're going with this. Yes, if you touch my gem, I can give you my knowledge," he replied.

Her smiled returned. Closing her eyes, she tried to direct her ticon as it had before.

"Um...what are you doing? My gen is over there, not behind your eyelids."

She glared at him, "I know th–that! After I...unlocked my ticon, I looked down, and my body had disappeared. I–I'm guessing that my body...did too."

"And that matters why?" he raised his hands in question.

"Because, I was invisible! And if I...turn...invisible again, I can sneak up to V-Viper and touch your gem. Then, you will teach me how to use my ti–ticon and I'll use them to get you back for good."

"Ah, I see. Good plan."

Satisfied, she zoned him out again to concentrate. Before she even reached a quiet mind, he spoke again, furthering her frustration.

"But you didn't exactly turn invisible. You just turned into air. Oh, like how that dude over there turned into fire!"

Samari followed his gaze to where he was pointing, curious. Her breath stalled when she saw Lance had indeed made his body into flames or was at least covered in them. He looked similar to the spirit, but flames instead of wind and his form had more depth than the spirit's flimsy shape.

The sight of him using his body as a weapon perplexed her. Never before had she seen such a show of raw power, not even from Shadow Knight or Viper. The idea of taking Cyrus' place terrified her. She had no idea how to fight someone made of fire with no real form to hit. It shouldn't take damage and wouldn't be contained, simply shifting and flowing any way that it pleased–growing and shrinking and moving and changing.

How amazing.

"Look, you did it!"

Samari returned from her thoughts to look down at herself. Somehow, she had turned into air again without her noticing. She noticed that she wasn't completely invisible, having a faint outline of her body.

"And you can do tons of cool stuff in that form, but let's just try using it like you would use your normal body," the spirit instructed.

Obeying, she found that it was easy to control herself now that she was calm. She was surprised by how light and fast she was without the weight of her flesh holding her down. Her connection to the air seemed stronger, too, almost as though it were able to meld with her completely.

Woah, don't drift away.

Without a second thought, she bolted towards Viper. Faster than she expected of herself, she reached his side in little time.

He didn't react to her appearance beside him, his focus trained on Zoran. When her guildmate glanced at her, she froze until he looked away.

Did he see me? It doesn't matter, so Iong as he doesn't see me.

She scanned over Viper for any signs of the necklace. Her gaze returned to his hand where she had last seen it.

He raised to hand to form a wall against a round of bullets. Immediately, she knew that the necklace was no longer in his hands.

Of course not. He needs his hands to fight, so he would put it somewhere safer.

Her breathe caught when she spotted the glistening gem. How had she missed it hiding in plain sight, right around his neck?

The gem bounced over his chest as he moved. Samari followed him, staying close enough to reach him without getting in his way. Watching him intently, she waited.

The moment his hands came down to his sides, she lunged. Her fingers met the stone as her palm pushed back Viper.

Fear rose in her throat like a choking nob. She could just see the flesh of her hand on Viper's chest before a flash of white stole her sight of the world.

Next update July 16th.