The Shadows of Darkness - Sandre's Return: Part Two

by nanjikat

It was all arranged. I was going to be picked up by the Air Faerie in two days' time, and then I would train in Faerieland for two weeks. I was incredibly nervous. What if there had been some mistake? What if I wasn't the Blessed One?

After two days of hectic packing and good-byes, I stood waiting on the beach of Mystery Island at sunset with Master Techo. As soon as the sun sank below the horizon, a blinding light came down from the heavens. I knew instantly that it was the Air Faerie. It was very strange -- I didn't just think it was the Air Faerie because she was the one who was supposed to get me, I knew it was the Air Faerie, like there was some sort of psychic connection between us. I had never felt anything like it.

When all the light had subsided, I saw the most beautiful being I had ever encountered. Her eyes were the lightest blue I had ever seen, and her hair was pale, almost white, blonde. But it wasn't just her looks that made her beautiful. She had a sort of aura around her. You immediately made you feel at ease.

"Hello, Adria," she said in a pure, clear voice. "Are you ready to go?"

I looked at Master Techo. He smiled and gave me a tight hug. "Good luck," he whispered. "Remember that I'll always be by your side whenever you need help. Good-bye."

Trying very hard not to cry, I took the Air Faerie's hand and, with one last look at Mystery Island, floated up into the air.

***

When we arrived at Faerieland, I was immediately whisked away to the palace of the Queen Faerie. She wanted to see me right away.

As I walked down the long, brightly lit hall to the throne room, I noticed something. There were pictures lining the hallway, past Queens, I supposed, but that wasn't what caught my attention. ALL of the paintings had the same deep purple eyes -- eyes that looked exactly like mine. All of them had purple features. Even their skin was tinged slightly purple. All except for their nails, which were gold. I looked at my golden hooves and my purple complexion. I knew that I had been born like this, not painted, so that proved it to me. This was my family.

When I finally met the Queen Faerie, I realised that I had nothing to be frightened of. She was very kind and understanding. I felt like I had known her all my life.

The Queen Faerie smiled so wide when she saw me that I thought that her jaw was going to break. "Adria, my baby," she said through tears of joy. "This is the happiest day of my life."

Well, when she said that, we both started to weep with joy. After we had calmed down a bit, we began to talk.

"I always had someone watching over you," she told me. "Whenever you were near the water, I had the Water Faerie keep an eye on you. At the school, I'd occasionally send one of the Faeries in disguise, or I'd go myself, just to see you. Of course, I knew you were safe with the Techo Master. And when you went on your adventure to Terror Mountain, I sent the Snow Faerie to help you."

After I thought about it, I realised that I had often felt someone watching me at the school, or when I ventured out into the ocean. And that stranger in the blue parka....

We talked into the night, but Mom, as she insisted I call her, sent me to bed, saying that I had a big day ahead.

Boy, did I ever have a big day. Those Faeries don't beat around the bush. Right after breakfast, I was taken to the Faerie's secret training ground, where I practiced the entire day. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to unleash my powers. Mother comforted me afterwards. "You are new to this," she told me. "You have the power bottled up inside you, you just have to learn to release it."

The next day it was the same story. I could feel the power inside my very soul, but I just couldn't let it out. I was very sad and frustrated. How could I be the Blessed One if I couldn't even perform a simple Spark ability?

The next day, the Fire Faerie was instructing me. When she saw how frustrated I was, she told me to sit down.

"You'll never get the powers to come out if you try to force them, Adria," she said. "Think of your powers as being a tangled piece of thread. If you pull and pick and twist at the knots, you'll just make your thread even more helplessly tangled. If you simply go through and untie your thread one knot at a time, you'll have a smooth length of thread in no time. Just relax, and try to release your powers a bit at a time. Soon you'll find that they're pouring out without any effort at all. Now, try Spark again."

I stood in the middle of the arena and willed myself to let out a spark. I didn't try to force myself, rather I let myself. Soon, I felt every particle of my being surging with electrical energy. I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by a shield of electricity. I had done it!

To be continued...