Silver Wheel: Beginnings

He led me outside and to the pound at the centre of the garden and told me to stand opposite him.
“Water is the most unpredictable of the elements. It constantly changes and flows. To be able to use this element you must understand it; you must learn to follow your instincts and do what you feel is right.” Dylan said, moving his hand slowly upward. From the pound a fist size ball of water rose up and hovered in mid air.
“The most basic way to defend yourself using this, or any element would be to create a shield; in this cases a wall of water. But, before you can do that, you will need to be able to actually control the water.” Dylan said, “I know that sounds obvious, but it’s true. So many people try to walk before they can run that they give up before they can achieve anything.
“Okay, firstly try to concentrate on the water. Put your hand in the water; feel how it moves and changes.” Dylan said. I put my hand in the water; it was colder than I thought it would be, but pleasantly so.
After about a minute Dylan gave more instructions. “Now, focus on the water and try to make it move. Don’t try to do what I just did, just try to make a few waves.”
I was starting to get annoyed at him; none of this seemed to have any use. I focused on the water and asked it to make a small wave. Almost straight away the water stirred.
“Good. Try again.” Dylan said.
That took almost no effort, why should I try when I can do.
I did it again, making a bigger wave. It seemed to work without any effort, as if it liked me and was willing to do anything I asked. Then I thought about it rising as Dylan had done. Without even realising I was doing it, I moved my hand and the water came up, a bigger ball than the one Dylan had made.
“What…? I… I thought I said to take it slowly?” Dylan said, sounding slightly amazed but more worried and annoyed. “If I’m going to teach you, you will need to listen and do as I say.”
I let the water fall slowly back into the pound. As it hit the water I looked over at the forest. For a moment I thought I saw something staring back at me.
Then I started to feel light headed. I quickly plunged my hand into the water, just as Dylan started to look extra worried. Almost as soon as my hand touched the water, a soothing sensation flowed up my arm and neck and I no longer felt about to feint.
“I told! Are you alright?” Dylan asked.
I was just as shocked about what had just happened. Why had it done that? I thought that the ring only took strength from me when it felt threatened. And how had the water helped?
“What on earth?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the pound.
“Arianrhod, are you alright?” Dylan asked, still worried.
“Yes yes, I’m fine.” I said.
“Stay there. I’ll get Sage.” Dylan said turning to go.
I caught his hand. “Dylan, I said I’m fine. Really, I am. After my hand touched the water the dizziness went.” I said. He still didn’t seem convinced.
“Then I should defiantly get Sage so we can find out what happened. Stay there.” He said, and this time I let him go.
He returned a few minutes later with everyone else.
“What happened?” Sage demanded, coming to stand in front of me. He crossed his arms.
“I told her to take it slowly, but she didn’t listen.” Dylan said, making Flint laughed slightly.
“I was doing fine with what Dylan had said; in fact it was taking no effort at all. So, I decided to try something.” I explained.
I did the same thing I had done before, pulling a bigger ball of water from the pound, before letting it drift back. I saw that the boys had tensed while I did it.
“See I can do it fine.” I said, completely forgetting what I had seen. “And that was bigger than the time before. Also, when I put my hand in the water I didn’t feel dizzy anymore.”
I explained the cooling sensation I had felt, but Sage didn’t seem convinced.
“Are you sure there wasn’t anything else? Nothing you did, nothing you saw?” he asked.
“No… hold on. I saw something in the forest, just before I felt dizzy.” I said. “I don’t know what it was, but it felt like it was watching me.”
Sage looked at the others and then motioned for Zac and Flint to go and check it out. “Dylan, finish up here. I’ll be in the herb garden.” Sage walked off, leaving me with Dylan.
Dylan turned back to me. “Now, are you going to do as I say?”
“So long as we move on from waves.” I said, frowning at him.
The rest of the lesson was actually okay. He finally moved on from waves and taught me how to find water where there wasn’t an obvious source, and then how to use water as a form of defence. After he had finished, Dylan sent me off to Sage.
“The first thing you would need to learn would be the ability to be at one with your surroundings. I know that sounds useless, but once you can do it, you can use it to tell if there is anything living near by.” Sage said without turning, as I walked towards him.
“Aren’t you going to tell me how to do that?” I asked
“No, it’s something you have to do for yourself. It’s no use me telling you.” He said, still not looking at me.
I stood there staring at his back for a few seconds, before deciding that I had best get on with it. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the wind. As I did, I slowed my breathing and tried to relax my body, hoping that I was doing the right thing.
As my tense muscles relaxed, I started to become more aware of everything around me; I could hear a distant lark singing on the edge of the forest, I could smell all of the different herbs but still identify them, and I could almost feel the earth beneath my feet pulsing with energy.
I then turned my attention to finding living things. The garden was alive with them; all of the plant and bugs that live and grown in the soil. But, I was looking for something bigger. I found it easily enough; it was right next to me.
“Good. Now, it would be an idea to get used to my presence, or from now on aura, as well as that of the others. It will help you later on.”He whispered so as not to disturb me.
I concentrated on his aura, getting used to how it felt. The more I did, the more I seemed to find a colour for it. Sage’s aura seemed to be a mixture of different browns with some apple green.
As I stood there, I felt two more people coming towards us. One of them was shades of green and yellow with flashes of violet, while the other was red and amber with streaks of lavender and jade. I looked at the second one for a moment and spotted a familiar fiery attitude.
I opened my eyes and saw Flint and Zac coming towards us from the forest. Sage had stopped whatever he was doing and had turned to look at them. The three of them wore the same grin expression.
“Arianrhod,” Sage said, turning to me, “find a small pebble and try and see if you can lift it using your mind. Focus on its connection to its surroundings. Once you are confident lifting it, move on to something slightly bigger. I’ll check your progress once I have spoken with Zac and Flint.”
I turned on the spot until I found something suitable. It was a pebble about the size of my thumb nail. I focused on it and how it fit into its surrounding area. Then I thought about how it would be floating a few centimetres in the air. I succeeded with little difficulty on the first attempt, so I found something bigger.
By the time Sage had finished talking, I had moved on to a small boulder the size of my fist. I had yet to come across something too taxing. I was by then moving the pebbles/boulders about a meter off the ground and moving it in a slow circle around a point.
“Good, I think you have done enough for today and you have made good progress. Follow Zac so that he can teach you some things about air.” Sage said, turning back to his herb garden.
“This way, cariad.” Zac said, taking my hand and pulling me away. I could see that Sage and Flint still looked grim even though Zac had put on his big childish smile.