Chapter 102:

Pythia POV:

Waking up this morning I felt better now that the others knew what the new plan was going to be. The next few days we were going to be figuring out different ways I could possibly tap into all of this and I really hoped we could figure it out in time. "Beth just took Apollo over to play with the other kids, Ambrosia and Alley have moved everyone around so that we could have some privacy, we just need to be shielded in case those beasts are watching us." Tye said, walking in the door. I was pinning back my braids like I normally did and today I had decided to wear my workout shorts and tank top. I looked down at my legs to the scars I now had. I used to feel anger when I would look at them but now I see them more like trophies in a way. I walked in not knowing the full extent to things but even though I was hurt I came out alive and that was worth showing off in my opinion. 

Most of it healed up with no issues and for a little while I was self conscious about them since everyone looked at every chance they could but then I started to embrace it when Tye would always remind me of what they were and what they stood for. "Okay, I can practice the invisible spell again to hide us." I replied. "That's a good idea, you'll need to practice with that too so that you can have better control over it." Tye said walking up behind me, he placed his hands on my shoulders and started massaging them. I relaxed myself and enjoyed the small moment we had. "You have a lot of knots in your shoulders, you know that?" Tye said as he applied a little more pressure and kneaded around. "Probably from the stress lately, once all of this is over it will get better." I replied. "Yeah well when this is over we are going on a vacation." Tye muttered as he stepped back. Together we walked out of the room and outside where I was greeted with a warm sun. 

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked. "To the back of the property behind some of the houses but we will be hidden so no one will see." Tye replied as he guided me through the different yards. When we rounded the corner I could see that everyone was gathered around already and I knew that this was going to be a long day for us all. "Is this everyone?" I asked looking around to see the twins along with Alley and Ambrosia. "Yes, the others are keeping everyone occupied and away from this area." Ambrosia replied. "Okay, so we need to figure out what your triggers are. The sooner we get to those then the sooner we can work with the elements but I think we should only test out one of them for now." Alley said. "Well firstly, let me shield us." I said, stepping closer to everyone. "Invisique" I whispered and felt the familiar wind brush against my skin and I knew it had worked. "Now just keep in mind that you want everyone hidden." Delilah said quickly. "Yes, right, thank you for the reminder." I replied. 

I needed to work on things like that, she won't be in my head when all of this actually happens. "Alright so think back to the time when that beast came out. What did you feel?" Alley asked. "A lot of things, fear first, shock and anger. A sense of safety because Rex was there." I replied, trying to remember it. "What about when Rex tossed you to the side?" Ambrosia asked. I took a minute to think about it. What did I feel? I replayed it over and over again in my head, "Mad that he bit me, but when I seen what was happening I was scared that he would get hurt." I replied. "What else?" Jasper asked. "I became furious, the audacity that thing had to come at us like at, to sit around and wait for us." I replied as I started to feel those emotions again. He hurt Rex in the process of trying to get to me and that was enough for me to feel enraged.

The images of that fight were flashing across my mind and I could feel my face start to heat up, remembering how that damned thing launched at us and attacked my wolf.. It was horrifying at first. "I think we just found one of your triggers." Tye whispered. I looked at him confused until I realized my arms felt oddly hot, when I looked down both of them had fire around them. When the images faded so did the fire. "Okay, so anger and rage ignites it, but why did it stop?" Alley asked. "I don't know, I lost concentration I guess." I replied.  "Okay so what we are going to do is have the twins fight, you need to concentrate on Jasper. Imagine he is the beast, don't worry about burning him. I'll take care of that part but it seems like you need to channel your rage and control it." Alley said. "While you are doing that we will be talking to you, different and random things and some may be questions you need to answer." Ambrosia added. "What if I can't do it this way?" I asked "Then we find another way. You can do it though, believe in yourself." Tye said.

Believe in myself. That is what Lucinda said when we were spending time together, she said I just needed to believe in myself and rid the thoughts of the book out of my head because I have created a wall blockage that I needed to break through and I wasn't fully sure that this would work but I was willing to try anything. "Okay, I'm ready." I said, turning my attention to the twins. They both looked determined and the fighting part was nothing new to them, they were used to training with each other relentlessly. I let them start for a few seconds before I readied myself. Images flashed in my head of that fight between Rex and the beast, the moment I was thrown to the side when my eyes first landed on the two of them going back and forth and the anger I felt started coming back, I could feel the blood boil in my veins. I didn't need to look down to know what was happening. I could feel the heat around my arms. "Focus on Jasper!" Ambrosia called out pulling my attention away, I had to fight myself to stay focused.

I opened my palm and raised my hand slightly and let the fire flow freely from me, wherever my eyes moved that was where the fire went. Alley said that Jasper wouldn't get hurt so I didn't bother to try to keep it off of him at first since I knew Alley would protect him. Jenson shuffled to the side when he felt the heat coming from behind him. Jasper tried to launch himself at Jenson and was met with a wall of fire that stopped him in his tracks. "Great job Pythia!" Alley yelled out, I can't lose focus now, I need to keep pushing, the more I thought about what I wanted it to do the more it became a reality. The fire started growing stronger, wider and hotter making Jasper stumble backwards slightly. "Rotate the fire around him." Tye said from behind me. His voice was soft and gentle. "Heads up!" Ambrosia said, making me look at her just in time to see a boulder being launched at me. I had barely enough time to jump out of the way, as soon as I moved the fire diminished. When I got back to my feet I glared at them. "What the hell was that?" I snapped.

Alley narrowed her eyes, "You need to learn how to control it with chaos around you." I took a deep breath realizing she was right. "Let's try again. Focus on me this time as if I am a threat coming after you. Use your element to protect yourself." Alley said as her eyes glowed a bright green. Oh shit, what did she have planned? I braced myself and before I could fully realize what was happening Alley pulled a boulder from the ground only I didn't see that Tye had shifted. Rex jumped in front of me in time to collide with the boulder. "Rex! No you stupid wolf!" I yelled running towards him. I caught another movement out of the corner of my eye and saw another boulder being pulled from the ground. No one was supposed to get hurt. Anger flew through me and I jumped to my feet, in time to see she threw another one only this time I was ready and mad as hell. My fire met the boulder half way, shattering it. 

I could feel all the emotions running through me at once as Alley kept pulling boulder after boulder of different sizes, one by one I shattered them and I was finally able to take all my surroundings in at once. I noted the twins off to the side while Rex was still laying on the ground. I could see that he was breathing which made me relax a little bit more. I caught Jasper moving out of the corner of my eye as if he was going to launch at Rex so I extended my other hand creating a wall of fire between them. When one of the twins moved forward the fire shot up higher and became wider. "Very good Pythia." Delilah rang out in my head. The wind started to circulate around me and I looked at Alley to see her eyes had shifted to a white which told me that she was using her wind element. All that will do is enhance my fire right? If it's too strong it could put it out but then again I can bend it to do what I want so I need to flip the table.

I felt it slowly at first and then it started to become more intense. I pictured the wind in my head and then I pictured the fire moving within it. I started feeling the heat swirl around and I focused on Alley, I pushed back against her and felt both the elements moving back towards her. She seemed surprised by what was happening and I watched as her face scrunched up. She was having to really focus and I started feeling pressure and I knew she was pushing back at me. Oh no you don't, I pushed back harder. I'll be damned if she gets one over on me. It was like we were in a tug of war match and right now it was my one element against two of hers, none of her boulders was able to make it past the fire I kept up. I kept everyone in my line of sight trying to take on multiple things at once. I heard Rex finally get to his feet and that pushed me more to keep up whatever I was doing. I needed to protect him because I didn't know how badly he was hurt. I glanced backwards and realized I made a mistake and by the time I realized it I was kicked to the side. 

My body hit the ground hard and I lost control of my fire and it felt like chaos erupted around us with the amount of boulders that came crashing down. I rolled to my back and groaned. When I opened my eyes Ambrosia was standing over me with a smirk. "Bitch." I muttered. "I couldn't let the opportunity go." Ambrosia laughed. "I am impressed." Alley said, walking up to us. "With what?" I asked. "You were able to push back on my two elements with just one. How?" Alley asked. "Determination. I had to keep Rex safe while he was down and not moving." I replied. "So that could be another trigger. Keeping someone you love safe will help you since you are very attached to Delilah." Ambrosia said. She had a point, I loved Rex like I did Tye but the bond I share with Delilah is different, since I have had her she has become a part of me like she is me. I guess because she spent so much time with Lucinda and she was the protector of another realm and the fact that she has watched over me my entire life. 

It was a special bond that I started to understand a lot better as time went on. If it came down to it I would risk my life for her, not because I thought it was the right thing to do but because I valued her life like everyone else. If I were to lose her I would feel like I would be losing a part of me and that is just something I did not want to happen. "Okay so we need Rex to stay out and you just imagine that he is Delilah instead." Jasper said. "Maybe try using another element as well. You seem to do really well with fire." Jenson added. "I guess I could try, but each element is different right? Fire can be associated with my rage but what about the others?" I asked. "Well I think it's different for each person. With mine I just think of what it would feel like for me, it's like I can picture what each of them would look like." Alley replied. I looked over to the twins and they both shrugged their shoulders. "I imagine the feeling of them." Jasper said. "I imagine the smell of them." Jenson added. 

Okay so they each do different things to channel their elements and so far all I've got is rage for fire. My mind was racing trying to figure all this out before the next surprise attack which I assumed would be coming at any point. I was definitely in for a long day.