Page 106 of Within the Veil

A smirk crosses King's face,duly noted.

* * *

Oberon

The energy in the room builds, and our powers, crackling in the hues of darkest night and deep purples, meet in the center as if testing one another, looking for cracks in our armours. But there will be none, because even though her words send a lick of desire through my very being, I shut it down, close my mind and focus on the enemy in front of me. Because make no mistake, mate or not, I will not give her anything less than the respect she deserves--every bit of what has earned me my name, even if that includes the deepest parts of me that have yet to be laid bare before her.

Those parts of my past that I have yet to divulge. Not out of shame, but rather because of the unfamiliarity of sharing in general. I was open about who I was, but that night, when we discussed our past, there was no direct ask for the smaller details of what led me to attain the power and skill that I have. So, I didn't share. There is a misconception when it comes to a mate bond, one where people believe that everything past and present is laid bare for their mate. However, it is not as simple. Hudson has opened her mind to us so that we can hear every current thought and emotion so that we may help her heal; however, unless she specifically brings up thoughts of her past, we cannot delve within her mind to retrieve them. Could we enter her thoughts and vice versa aggressively? Absolutely. However, it is not something that is done without express need as it is considered a severe breach of trust. And whilst, as Queen, she has been gifted the ability to sense the thoughts of her people not only through touch but from connecting to the land with her immense power, both from her genetic makeup as well as the gifts bestowed upon her through the Keepers, within the Mate bond, it isn't done.

I pause in my musings as her magic becomes more aggressive in its search for a battle to sate its bloodlust. It gently caresses me, acknowledging our mate bond before lashing out, a representation of Hudson in every way. I withhold my amusement as I let my own magic off its proverbial leash and throw my head back as it fills me, relishing as it pulses through my body, no longer tamed. Hudson may have been born part goddess, but all Fae derive from Gaia herself. Those who have honed their power, truly focused on ensuring that their skills were beyond reproach, have an advantage over those Fae who rely on their basic preternatural strength. Those that believe they are beyond the need to 'lower' themselves and train like common soldiers and they are the same who fell victim to Nici and her insurrection. Something that will never happen again.

My senses become sharper, and even without the connection to the entirety of Tir ag Nog, I can feel the heartbeat of everyone in this very room, picking up on every heat signature within striking distance. Much like Hudson's magic, mine is volatile, wild, and difficult to control at the best of times. Well, it would be for anyone else, that is. However, we have an understanding, I feed its penchant for blood, and it stops trying to fight me for control. Although, we both know who would win.

My war blade appears in my hand, one that I only summon during battle, one forged for my very particular skill set. A hush falls upon the room as Shadowfire seeps all of the shadows from even the most remote corners of the room, shrouding me in shadows and fueling me with the unique powers that come from having one foot within the dark and one within the light. Hudson and I weren't very different, except while I hover deeper within the shadows of my nature, she treads within the lighter parts of hers; together, we are the perfect match.

I wrap myself within the shadows, weaving my energies into the vibrations that hum from the earth, becoming undetectable. A blindness that will only affect the enemy but leaves me completely unencumbered. For when I wield Shadowfire, I AM the shadows incarnate, the manifestation of every fear and terror, the embodiment of darkness itself.

* * *

King

I watch in absolute fascination as Hudson spins her new weapon so fast it is barely undetectable by sight. The room is heavy with tension as the shadows around Oberon render him completely undetectable to all five senses. It was becoming a favorite training method of his for the past two days, beating me senseless until I could look beyond the five senses to locate where his next attack would be coming from. It took a blow to my sensitive wings for me to finally switch off the senses I have become so reliant on and fully tap into the power of the spiritual energies around us.

* * *

King- Past training/thenight he was fully transformed to Fae

I wipe the blood pouring from my reopened wounds from my eyes and focus on Oberon as he strides forward like a damn predator. But worse, because while a leopard just sees you as a meal, Oberon sees you as a toy and a buffet. Then I blink as he suddenly disappears, and the once moon-filled night becomes dark, desolate, and full of shadows. The once balmy yet comfortably cool air that soothed my open wounds becomes so cold that when I expel a breath, it clings to the air in front of me.

The weight of a heavy stare I can't pinpoint falls on me, and I slowly turn, keeping my body loose in preparation for whatever the fuck Oberon is planning this time. He switches methods every night, every session weaving in another set of surprises, and just when I think I understand him...he's invisible.

"Now that you are full Fae, and not simply blessed with the unique powers of your station, let us test the depths of your resilience, your unwavering will to survive. Prepare yourself, for this, will be a trial that separates the strong from the weak, the determined from the faltering. Show me, with every ounce of your being, how fiercely you cling to life, how resolutely you defy the grasp of death" Oberon's voice, draped in darkness and laced with a calculated menace, engulfs my senses, resonating from nowhere and everywhere at once. His talent to make you contemplate the necessity of an adult diaper is impressive, and while I never once considered myself a thrill seeker, every day, as the night falls, the pit of my stomach swirls in anticipation of our training sessions. I ignore his dramatic words, used to his theatrical, threatening speeches, and instead focus on the delicious, familiar thrill of fear laced with excitement that trickles down my spine like an ice cube on a warm day-- slightly uncomfortable but welcoming in its intrusion.

Before I forget myself, I speak, "I welcome the pain of your expertise, Master Oberon." And Gaia help me, I do, and not just because I am just as eager to test my new abilities as he is. I am determined to take every lesson he throws at me to become as lethal as I can be.

"We shall see," he murmurs. "You will need to focus all of your senses on the world around you. Not just the ones you have come to rely on; those will fail you. When you cannot see, feel, touch, or taste the tinge of fear from your enemy, what can you depend on? You have already learned never to trust your hearing, for those adept at masking or throwing their voices will use it to their advantage. What other sense is available to you, King?" His voice slithers through my body like an unwelcome parasite, crawling into the depths of my brain, grating on my every nerve--Another one of his fucking talents; Mind rendering. If he wants, he can literally rip apart my brain just from the power of his voice alone. It's something that, unfortunately, I've been subjected to, in spurts, to build my resistance to a mental invasion. Although, he has made it very clear that it is a talent that not many, if anyone, have and one that I am quickly mastering, though I have yet to fully breach Oberon's defenses.

Building up my mental walls, I push the invasion away, recognizing it for the distraction it is and do as he asks, and focus on every one of my senses. As magic users, we quickly learn that magic is not only the manipulation of what is around you; it is a deep connection to the various elements and energies in the air. The limitations imposed by magic users, which hint that we can only take from our immediate surroundings, are those which are deep-seated in ignorance. We can grow beyond ourselves to accept the power from the energies beyond us. The only difference in my understanding now is that those energies are a mere imprint of the souls which come from every living thing around us, and with permission, we can infuse ourselves with more than just temporary power. We can meld with those souls--learn what they know. The possibilities in battle were endless, but even more so when we use the unique connection to fully immerse ourselves in the world in which we live. We gain a level of protection that cannot be replicated by anything else, a warning system of sorts, but beyond that, acceptance steeped with gratitude--a symbiotic relationship built with a mutual understanding of our needs.

I draw on that connection, and with a slow inhale, I breathe in the sweet smell of the earth, letting the scent roll off my tongue as I exhale a breath, tasting the sweetest hints of ripened fruit as they hang from the dense trees. Mentally I caress the spirits of every living thing around me in gratitude for the strength they provide all of Tir ag Nog. As I scan the inky darkness, I push my mental probe further, and as I do so, I ask permission from the animals in the area to use their eyesight to locate my enemy, another lesson mastered, but this time my ability to do so is quicker, requiring less concentration, if any. Once granted, I see everything that they see, and while their vision is also obscured by darkness, I pick up on the errant thoughts of an Owl that always seems to be around when I am training.

When I touch his mind, I nearly snap out of my focus as a voice fills my head, this time one laced with warmth and comfort instead of one infused with the promise of death I'm used to hearing during training.

'When you cannot rely on anything, rely on yourself.'

Ignoring this new development, tucking it away for another moment in time, I repeat his words internally and find myself focusing on the spark within me. One that I had once recognized as the flicker of power I had developed when Hudson first claimed me as her sentinel. A flicker that only grew stronger when she blasted us with a heavy dose of her essence. My eyes widen imperceptibly as a connection flares within me, and what was once an echo of power takes a mind of its own as it thrusts itself outside of me unbidden, unleashed with a simple acknowledgment--As if it was lying in wait for me to realize it's presence. While I know that magic can be sentient, an extension of oneself, I still marvel as it dances within the vibrations in the air, determined to locate Oberon's presence. And as it does so, it weaves all of the elements and energies into one explosive force and, in the same breath, crashes through a mental block that I wasn't aware was there.

With a surge of power coursing through me, I let my magic guide me as I tap into the essence of the elements, blending them seamlessly with its own unique force. Suddenly, my vision sharpens, and I see beyond the ordinary, penetrating the veils of shadow. A faint glimmer catches my attention--a delicate outline that hints at Oberon's soul, hidden within the depths of darkness.

"Good," he says with the barest hint of pride in his tone, enough to make me question whether or not I imagined it. Shedding the shadows, he stands in front of me, so close I can feel his breath on my lips. I resist the urge to step back; his lack of personal space while training is barely nonexistent. As if he can scare someone to death just by being close to them. Perfectly possible, to be honest.

He looks me in the eye as his magic tests mine, and he nods, having an unknown conversation with the voices in his head, and takes a step back. "You have discovered the last of the elements; spirit. In doing so, you have realized that when utilized, it can also be considered one of your senses. It is important to note that the four very well-known elements, as a whole, and all five senses are unique by nature. While the elements will always be a fundamental part of life, in theory, neither needs the other to exist, for without your senses, the elements mean nothing other than a means to organic survival, and if one didn't exist, the elements would mean nothing to a soul."

He pauses, letting his words sink in. Clearly, this is the Fae version of 'if a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound?'

He strides through the clearing and places his hands on a tree, taking a deep breath before he continues, his voice pitched low. "However, Spirit is an element that does not require one's corporal existence because Spirit is a representation of the transcendent aspect of existence. It IS the soul of the elements. Arguably the very soul of the earth and realms we inhabit. So while it is often, and quite incorrectly, considered an obscure element of nature, Spirit is so much more," each syllable he utters is punctuated by an unsettling edge. "It resides within your very being because, as Fae, you are an embodiment of all the elements of nature. Consider the strength one can have if one were to master all five elements for battle. Or..." His voice trails off as he turns, his eyes glittering with a caged sort of madness, one that, if let out, would cause as much havoc in one day than Nici has managed to accomplish in 300-plus years.

I suppress a shiver as a small grin flits across his face, "or, if one were to master spirit in such a way that they can manipulate and control the souls of the ones they are meant to protect. Or destroy. Through the use of magic, users can simply manipulate fire, water, earth, and air in small doses, and even then, they usually only have mastery of one or two. That is the beauty of the Fae. What sets us apart," he tilts his head slightly, his eyes narrowed in deep thought as he moves to, once again, stand in front of me, observing my reactions. Something tells me that although I can keep my face devoid of expression, Oberon will still know whatever he seeks to find. Whatever that is.

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