Chapter 19 - Part 2

The backwoods at night made for frightful sight. The tall trees were now just black shadows that danced in Haiden's peripheral field of vision. The light stoned played with their minds as the shadows danced in the dim light which overpowered the blue sisters own. Camila and Maree stuck to Haiden's back tightly and Tasgal was just to his right as they walked deeper into the forest.

"I don't like this." Camila said grabbing onto Haiden's cloak. Tasgal noticed this and annoyance irked at him.

"We're quite powerful Wielders, Cams. There's nothing to fear." Haide tried to assure her.

"And an Ashen." Tasgal said proudly, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"And what type of awakened ones are we to find during the night." Maree asked fingering his new bracelet.

"I have no idea, we'll just bag the first one, I suppose."

"Yeah, Haid. Bag and awakened one..." Maree rolled his eyes.

"Hey! We're doing this for you. Don't be a dickwad." Camila pinched his side.

"You two, stop pulling on my cloak." Haiden pulled hard almost making the two tumble. "It's hard to walk as it is." He said as he stepped over coiling root from a nearby try.

"I wish there was at least a road." Maree complained. He tested the ground before him with a foot before he made another step.

"No one said it's going to be easy. Now let's hurry, I'm missing my beauty sleep." Camila yawned, triggering a chain reaction between all of them.

The four of them moved slowly deeper into the forest, going past hundreds of trees that seemed to move around. The light of the stones made their field of vision limited, everything beyond their reach as a thick viscous blanket of darkness engulfed the whole forest. Only a few stars and the blue sister herself were visible above the canopy of trees.

"How do we know where to look for?" Tasgal lefted a low branch of an Emler tree allowing the three Wielders to pass freely.

"Not sure," Haiden replied. He then stopped and turned to Maree. "I guess this is as good a spot as any."

"For what?" The blue eyed wielder rose a stone to his face. His face was contorted with fear.

"From what I remember from the book." as he now called Screech in front of Maree and Camila. "The Az'teh can sense awakened ones and vice versa. I think it's a form of empathy like I have. Maree, you'll have to concentrate and expand your consciousness to find an awakened one that your..." Haiden stopped and pretended to try to remember, but in truth, he had Screech whispering the process in his ear. "I think it said, resonated. You will know when you find one that resonates with you, Maree. If they don't they won't want to form the contract."

"Just where was this book you read?" Camila probed. "I went the other day to the library and couldn't find a thing. Haiden feigned ignorance and shrugged.

"I don't know. I'm telling you want I remember. Here." He reached out to take Maree's hand. Tasgal was visibly annoyed by this, becoming restless, he turned to outside darkness trying to take his mind off. "I need you two to protect us in case anything happens." He looked at both Camila and Tasgal.

"Alright." Camila said and Tasgal nodded firmly. Camila placed a wide barrier over them, she too the left side and Tasgal took watch in the right.

"Sit," Haiden motioned to Maree.

"What? On the Ground?" Maree was clearly disgusted.

"No, just float, will you?" Haiden rolled his eyes. "You just spent more than an hour crawling through mud, a little extra won't kill you."

"Alright, alright, don't need to be snappy." Tasgal let out a snort, trying to hold in his laugh. Maree did as instructed.

"It's hard to explain, so I want you to feel it more on your own, Maree. Yo're ready?" Maree replied with a simple nod. "Good. I will be able to feel your energy and guide you. Close your eyes, and concentrate on the darkness beyond your eyes." Haiden as he sat next to Maree with his legs crossed. Haiden immediately felt the young Wielder's energy. It was weak, and fluctuated intensely. "Your thoughts are too scrambled. You need to focus on one thing only. Finding something that resonates with you, look beyond your closed lids and follow the pull, Maree." Just as soon as he said it, Maree's energy went oscillating with intense speed to a slow and rhythmic beat. It was like a pulse, a heartbeat that reached out. Haiden felt it. It expanded to hundreds of feets in all directions, pulsating. "Good, you're doing good, Maree."

"I feel something, it's like a calling."

"Follow it, if it doesn't feel right, go away from it as far as you can, follow the calling." Haiden encouraged. He felt Maree's fios reshape, pulsating but not in every direction. Haiden closed his eyes to sense it better. It formed a path that flowed with the trees in sinuous motions. It went deeper and deeper into the backwoods and Haiden followed with his mind, sensing every step Maree took.

Maree had entered a trance like state, aside from Haiden he turned everything out. Haiden could hear and feel Camila and Tasgal next to them, but Maree was oblivious to the immediate surroundings of physical form. They followed the path that Maree's fios made for what seemed like hours. Haiden could feel the chill of the night creeping within his bones, but he was too far away to make a heat cloak, he put the chill out of his mind and focused on Maree.

"It's louder." Maree whispered. Haiden could not hear the call or feel it, just trusted that his Az'teh instinct would kick in just as Screech had promised.

"Keep following, Maree. You're doing good." Haiden encouraged. He felt Maree's enthusiasm through his Fios. The intensity and eagerness with which it followed whatever call he was hearing was infections. Haiden too was getting anxious and eager to see what creature Maree would be able to summon to his side.

Haiden had lost track of time, but he was certain it was still dark out. The chill had never left his bones and so he didn't worry too much. The path seemed to move and intertwine like a maze, it stretched forever. Suddenly the speed at which it traveled increased. Haiden had troubles following it with his mind.

"It's near." Maree finally said. His voice had the faintest touch of excitement.

Haiden felt with his mind the static of something else approaching Maree's path. He wasn't sure what he felt but there was no hostility in it. Just curiosity. He did not intervene as two paths slowly approached one another. Haiden had not realized this before but Maree's path was of a light golden color, it wasn't noticeable until he saw the creature's path. The creature had a light blue that glowed just like the blue moon. It sent shivers down Haiden's spine just looking at the beautiful display of light. The two paths swirled around each other as if they were long lost friends finally reunited in a dance of utter joy.

"It's here." Maree said and opened his eyes. Haiden was instantly pulled with great force back to his physical body. It was a violent experience, but he tried to keep his composure.

To Maree's right, just beyond Camila's barrier, sat a white bundle of fur. It pawed at the barrier unharmed trying to let them know it's alright to let him in.

"Drop the barrier, Cams." Maree said with a calm voice. She did as told, everyone was dead silent as they watched this white furry creature approach their friend with familiarity. It walked elegantly on four slender legs, it's fur was so white it glinted light blue and swayed like fire. It was small, with disproportionately elongated and slender ears. The smallest of black tuff erupted from the holes of its ears as they moved on their own, catching the tiniest of sounds and vibration. It was incredibly beautiful, but its most striking feature was its eyes. Large blue gemstones, just like Marees, sat on top of it's small head. Its snout that ended in a vertical slit for a mouth had each side three jet black nostrils, the one closest to the eyes extended in a sharp curved lie under them, contrasting the blue and the white. It used its snout to sniff at Maree's hand that had the bracelet before opening its vertical mouth to gently licking it assurance.

The young wielder held his bracelet to the creature. Haiden did not waste any time and concentrated to sense the ritual. Maree's energy flowed entirely through the bonding stone, reaching out to the white creature. It lowered its head, accepting the energy, and in return, when it raised its head, sent a part of its Fios to Maree. The exchange had finished in a moment and the creature settled on Maree's lap.

His friends watched the display with awe, their mouths ajar.

"Well?" Camila asked, inching closer to get a better look.

"I think it's done." Maree gave a brilliant smile. "His name is Alva, he's an Fennik fox."