Chapter 33: The Test

Sapphires POV:

I gasp for air as my body jumps into a sitting position, "I guess I'm not dead yet," I think to myself as I try to catch my breath again. I'm really getting tired of this now. This time I wake up in an open field, but there's a path in front of me. I get up and limp along the path until I come to a massive leafless tree, the trunk and limbs are completely healthy but it has no leaves. The thing that stopped me in my tracks though was seing Enya chained to the trunk of the tree. Running over to her as best as I could I drop down beside her. "Enya?" I say as I rub her head. Her body is severely wounded and her breathing is shallow and fast. She looks as if she been burned and beaten. I lift her head up and rest it in my lap, "Enya, talk to me. Who did this to you?". Someone steps out from behind the tree, she has long wavy silver hair that reaches her armpit. Silvery blue eyes look down at me as she walks toward me. Sizing me up with her hands crossed against her chest she says, "it was me, I did it". Looking at her I can tell she's powerful, and if she's strong enough to do this to Enya it means she's stronger than me too. Carefully laying Enya's head back on the ground, I stand and face her. "Why?" I ask darkly as I ball my fists. With a chuckle she sneers, "I'm sure you can feel that I'm far stronger than you". "As if I care," I answer, "I asked why'd you do it?". I feel a strange sensation in my body and then I see vines popping up from the ground. As my irritation grows at her lack of response the vines get thicker and longer as they head towards her. I don't know how I'm doing this but I don't care, I just want her to pay for what she did to Enya.

Her eyes get darker and the vines burst into silver flames. "heh, even though I can easily kill you, you still want to fight on her behalf. Fine, if you can bear her trial with her I will restore her health and strength, and grant you even more power than you can imagine". Looking into her eyes I tell her, "I don't care about gaining more power, I'm already strong enough. I'll do whatever I need to do to help Enya. So just let me bear her trial for her". Slightly taken a back she asks, "are you sure you have no desire for more power? Why endure her trial and pain for nothing"? "It's not for nothing, Enya is part of me. We are one. Her pain is my pain and my peace is her peace. We are both sides of the same coin". Closing her eyes and chuckling, "this is a first," she says. "Okay, Enya's trial is enduring 50 lightning strikes. So far she's endured 45, so you will have to endure the remaining 5. These 5 are the strongest and most intense strikes, are you sure you want to bear it alone?" she asks. With a sigh I answer, "Yes, I don't know why this is happening but if this is what it will take for Enya to be okay, then it's fine. I'll do it," I say difinitively.

Suddenly she bursts out laughing, "Oh dear, you're an Elemental. This is your awakening test for you and your wolf," she says. "To think this happened before you had the knowledge of what you are, is truly interesting but never the less, you have to complete your trials. Are you ready?" She asks as she lifts two fingers straight up to the sky. As soon as I nod, the first ligthning strike hits me in the chest. A never ending agonizing pain is the only way to describe it. It brings me to my knees immediately as I struggle to breathe. "One" she says with no expression as she watches me writhe in pain. By the end of the fouth strike, I'm balled up into the fetal position. As I struggle to grip my chest from the pain she says, "this is the last one, but you won't be able to handle it". She looks past me at Enya, “NO!” I scream as I find enough strength to throw myself over Enya’s body just in time. As the lightning strike tears through me, I’m stiff with pain. My heart feels like it’s about to burst, as the blood in my veins stop flowing. I don’t know how long I endured it for. When I opened my eyes again, she was sitting on one of the tree limbs.

“You really sacrificed yourself for her,” she says as she rests her head against the tree, "I've tested so many that say they value their wolves but when it comes down to the final test, they fall short. I am truly surprised that you went through it all the way to the end". Sitting up, "where is she?" I ask. With a slight smile she says, "you're tougher than ou look, you know that?". Starting to feel irritated, "where the hell is she?" I yell. Then, Enya walks out from behind the tree, she looked bettter. All the burns were healed, she looks healthy, and she looks stronger than I remembered. "If only all my children were as strong as you", the ldy continues with a distant look on her face. "Who are you anyway?" I ask, standing to my feet and walkin over to Enya. "She's the Moon Goddess", Enya says with a chuckle, "so you should watch your tone with her from now on". Completely shocked and caught off guard by her answer, I squat down to Enya's level, "She's the Moon Goddess?" I ask lowering my voice, "I thought the moon goddess was supposed to nice? Loving and warm, you know? Not be trying to kill us?".

With a light chuckle she says, "there are certain times when I have to be cruel, it comes with the territory. Now that you are stronger than before, you'll soon understand". "What are you talking about?" I ask, "I didn't want any more power". "My dear," she says as she jumps down to where we're standing, "this is a part of your destiny, it is your responsibility to learn your powers and use them for good. You will have a lot o your shoulders so allow your mate to help you. You're both made for each other. Be quick about marking each other since you've already mated. Don't take the time you have together with him for granted or else you'll regret it in the end". Resting her hand on top of my chest she looks me in the eyes with seriousness and says, "this was only the beginning, the war isn't over, so you should trust your mate always. Don't believe what you see but what you feel, the mate bond will guide you. All you have to do is trust it". "What do you mean?" I ask confused. "No matter what don't ever reject your mate, no matter how much your eyes decieve you. Goodbye now my child, it's time you went back". "Wait..." I started to say but I was jolted bakards and everything goes black again