Kansas opened her eyes. As she looked around at her surroundings she realized she wasn't in the town anymore, it seemed like she wasn't anywhere anymore. All she could see was a black room.
There was nothing in the room, no windows, no furniture, nothing. It reminded her of when she met the Elders for the first time, she grabbed the spot of her arm where she was branded remembering the pain it had caused her. The spot still seared every once and a while. Kansas shook her thoughts away from that unpleasant feeling as she investigated where she could be but all she could see was darkness.
Suddenly a glowing red dot appeared on Kansas's forehead. Golden magic began to swirl around her head until it created a crown. Kansas could see magic in her swarming around her and as she watched it begin to swirl around her, she realized it was creating a whirlwind.
Inside the whirlwind she saw something as if it was a memory except Kansas didn't remember it. Jonah was standing on a pile of rubble then he ran into a giant hole and then a giant explosion of purple magic came out of the hole. Kansas didn't see him resurface and her legs felt like jelly. She tried to grab the memory but it flew away. Kansas ran after it as it flew away, trying to grab it but with no avail. Her eyes began to water.
Was this a vision? Would Jonah die? Kansas thought how she would tell Jonah what she saw until she decided she wouldn't. She felt the hole in her heart sinking deeper and deeper until she felt she had no heart, just an empty crater in her body. Kansas suddenly gasped as she remembered this had happened in a dream of hers. Kansas thought of the dream she had had of Byron. Was that a vision too? Kansas shook the thought out of her mind and promised herself she would never let them die.
Kansas opened her eyes and suddenly she was back in the city center of Murdon, the sun was just rising as she ran back to Thomas's house. She climbed up the pipe and into the bathroom window. She changed into her night dress and scuttled into her room. As she slowly closed the door she almost screamed when she saw Byron and Jonah looking at her with very angry faces.
"I hope you have a great explanation or a very thought up lie." Byron said.
*...*
"So you woke up and you were back in town center?" Kansas nodded as Jonah finished asking questions. Jonah pressed his finger between his eyebrows as he said,
"I still have no clue how I could've missed that."
"What?" Kansas queried. Jonah looked up at her and said,
"The Elders have been telling me to study the Savior since I was a kid. His powers, skills, abilities. When I was told I had to find the new Savior I thought this must be why they made me learn about him. And," He said as he began to pace around the room. "I knew you had telepathy so why didn't I think that the Whisperer attack could've been something linked to your emotions."
"What are you saying? Can my emotions come to life?" Jonah nodded and said,
"When you are very emotionally vulnerable the emotion, or emotions, that you are feeling strongest will take the form of a shadow creature. They can do so much damage, if I remember this correctly anger can even create a fire breathing Dragon, sadness can send a shock wave around you and grief can kill everything you touch." Kansas tried to make sense of her new ability.
"So I'm like an empath except I can't feel emotions?"
"Yes but you are so much more. Your emotions are like a brick wall, if something were to break the brick wall and cause, I don't know, a panic attack, it would become that shadow creature you saw and together you could destroy anything."
"Can the brick wall build itself back together?" Byron asked, Jonah began pacing the room again, this time even faster, as he said,
"Hypothetically yes." Kansas let out a sigh of relief.
"But," Jonah continued, "It also means Kansas and her loved ones can become high targets. If anyone found out about this new power they could sue your family to cause a panic attack or sadness. Many people would go the length to kill her family member just to set off her anger or grief." Kansas put a hand over her mouth as she felt her stomach drop and suddenly she was hungry anymore. As if he was listening through the door, Thomas knocked, sending the three people jumping. As Thomas opened the door with a bright smile he told them breakfast was ready. Their surprised looks made Thomas look at them funny. Kansas laughed it off saying they were caught off guard as the three headed downstairs.
"So what's next for you guys?" Thomas questioned, passing Jonah the bacon. Kansas, who had begun to cut her egg, quickly filled her mouth so she would not have to speak. She questioned Thomas and his motives after he knocked on the door after they had finished their conversation.
"We are heading south," Jonah answered. Kansas couldn't tell if he was lying or not, perhaps Jonah thought the same of Thomas as she did. She looked at Thomas who smiled sadly and said,
"I will miss your company."
"We were only here for a day." Byron replied. Kansas kicked him in the shins and gave him a look that said, be nicer. Byron rolled his eyes as Jonah distracted Thomas by saying,
"Thank you for your hospitality. We will remember it." Thomas smiled and then turned to Kansas,
"Kansas, is it?" Kansas spun her head around to face Thomas, "You never told me your names." Thomas continued, looking around the table.
"How do you know my name?" She asked suspiciously.
"I must've overheard it, the walls in this house are very thin." As he said this he looked Kansas directly in the eyes. Jonah could feel Kansas's tension and said,
"We best be on our way. Thank you for letting us stay." Thomas snapped out of whatever trance he was in and said,
"Alright then. I hope you have a safe journey south. I heard there are caverns near the beach there." Kansas looked at Jonah. He passed Kansas's bag to her and they walked out the door. As they left, Byron immediately said,
"I don't trust him."
"I don't think anyone did." Jonah replied as he walked down the road. Kansas stopped as she saw a familiar face.
"I need to do something, I'll be back in a minute." She said, half running to Carter. When he saw her, he began to walk the opposite direction very quickly. Kansas caught up to him and said,
"Hey." Carter rolled his eyes and continued walking.
"What?" Kansas questioned as she had to almost run to catch up to him. "What's wrong?" Carter stopped, making Kansas almost bump into him.
"That's all I get? A 'hey'?" Kansas grabbed his arm and said,
"Is this because of what happened last night?"
"What do you think?" Carter said sarcastically.
"I... had something. Besides, it wasn't a date or anything." Kansas then realized what Carter had meant.
"Carter, I'm so sorry!" She apologized. "I didn't think that it could've been a date."
"Clearly." Carter began to walk away as Kansas put a hand on his shoulder. He grabbed her wrist and said,
"Don't touch me." He gasped when he saw the top of the circle. He pulled down her sleeve more and saw the symbol of the Savior branded into her wrist. Carter's eyes widened and Kansas felt her stomach drop.
"It's not what it looks like." Kansas said as he began walking slowly back. Suddenly with no explanation he shouted,
"THE SAVIOR! SHES HERE!!" Kansas looked over her shoulder at the soldiers that were looking around the town. Jonah and Byron looked over at Kansas, Carter had grabbed her wrist as she tried to get away from him.
"Let go of me!" Kansas yelled, attracting attention. People began to look in her direction. Byron ran up to Carter and said,
"Let go of my sister!" And punched him in the face. Carter let go of Kansas's wrist and stumbled back. She could see red liquid streaming from his nose. Carter held a hand over his face as he said,
"Help! He broke my nose!" The soldiers began running over and soon enough they were surrounded.
"Kansas," Jonah whispered, "Do you think you could do the spell, the teleporting one?" Kansas nodded but was unsure of how. She tried thinking horrible thoughts but nothing happened.
"I can't do it!" She looked Jonah in the eyes and suddenly she could see how desperate he was.
"Please Kansas. Try." Jonah said and suddenly Kansas had one more idea. She took a deep breath and dived deep into her consciousness. Suddenly she was back in the dark room. This time she felt powerful, unlike the last time she felt weak and unable to do anything.
Hello? Avyanna? Kansas thought. She began running around the dark room. Kansas saw huge shards of glass with memories inside them. As if they were reflecting a point of time but the memory was stuck inside the glass. Kansas continued walking.
Avyanna? Please, I need you!!! Suddenly a bright light, so blinding Kansas had to cover her eyes, appeared. Once it faded floating only a few feet away from her was the beautiful woman she had met only a few weeks ago.
Hello Kansas. Avyanna said, her voice echoing so gracefully as if Kansas could see the echo bouncing off the imaginary walls.
Where are we? Kansas asked,
We are in your consciousness.
But how are you here? Kansas questioned.
We are one in the same. We both bring destruction and creation. We are one. Sharing a mind is one of the many things we share. What are you here for, Kansas? Avyanna asked. Kansas immediately remembered what had happened only a few minutes ago.
I need help! Me, Jonah and Byron are in the city of Murdon. A boy found out I was the Savior and told some soldiers, who are about to kill us! I need you to help me do a teleportation spell! Avyana gasped and thought to herself for a moment before she said,
I cannot complete this spell. Only you have the power to. Kansas watched as Avyanna slowly began to fade.
WAIT! I NEED YOU!! Kansas shouted as she tried to grab Avyannas hand but slipped right through it as Avyanna disappeared. Kansas looked around in search for her but to no avail. She felt her breath shorten and fell to her knees, crying.
I need you... Please. Kansas suddenly saw the memory of when she met Cobalt and how strong she was floating in midair. It gave her hope, hope she needed desperately.
No. I can do this. A voice rang throughout Kansas's head. It sounded like her own but she didn't say anything. Kansas felt a warm feeling rush through her body.
I can do this. Kansas said as she closed her eyes.
*...*
Kansas held out her hands to grab Byron's and Jonahs and a second later she felt as though she had sat up too fast. Suddenly her body hit solid ground. Kansas looked around at her surroundings and saw Jonah and Byron groggily getting up.
"Kansas! You did it!" Jonah said, hugging her.
"I told you so!" Byron said, joining the hug.
"I wouldn't've been able to do it without you guys!" Kansas replied as she flattened her hair which looked as if she had been electrocuted. She certainly felt that way when she caught Jonah smiling at her. She averted her eyes as her face felt hot. When Byron stood up he said,
"Though I love your magic Kansas, I have one question. Where are we?" Kansas stood up and said,
"We are at the stream that we were before we went into Murdon. See our stuff is here!" She moved the branches and moss that she had used to cover the Dragon egg and their weapons. Kansas gasped when she saw the blackened part of the Dragon egg. The darkness had spread around the egg, almost covering a quarter of the egg, it seemed to be pulsating as if it was alive. Kansas shuddered and looked away as she handed the egg to Jonah who put it in his backpack. Jonah tilted his head when he saw her flinch towards the egg.
"We will save the egg, Kansas. We will find the master. I swear." Jonah promised to Kansas and Byron nodded, agreeing with Jonah's statement. Kansas put her arms around both of them and said,
"You guys are the best. Now let's go before anyone finds us!"