Page 54 of Gift from the Source
“That was absolutely dreadful.”
“And I assume you didn’t tell him that?”
“Of course not. Tell him he was right? Never in my day.”
She shoots me a wink and I hide my grin as I look at Keeper. “Will you have to control the blood again?”
“No. It is free-flowing in Gaster’s dimension, so you will be able to just open and release it.”
“We’ll give you a little space, child. Plant your feet and connect to Elementra while you open it, then let it free,” Gaster says gently, patting my hand, but I squeeze his as he goes to step away from me.
“Thank you.”
“And thank you, my girl.”
Peering over my shoulder at my Nexus, I find them all standing there with prideful smiles on their lips. Despite this long, emotional, and seemingly never-ending day, there’s a thrumming of excitement for me lingering beneath their surfaces. I soak it all up and silently swear that after we finish what we have to today, we’re taking a break for the rest of the afternoon and night.
Taking a deep breath, I picture the pocket dimension in my mind. I command it just like I would if it were of my own creation, but with the small difference of adding in Gaster’s magical signature with the gift we share.
As the swirling silverish-lavender pool appears in front of me, I take a few steps away from it. The distance between us splits as my earth element opens a hole in the ground and I release the breath I’d been holding.
“Guide it.”
My air immediately responds and my heart thuds like crazy as I once again feel the power of my mom and grandma mingling with my element. It’s like the life force that’s been preserved in their blood recognizes the matching life force from me.
The river of red doesn’t surge from the dimension like wild rapids but flows into the earth like a gentle breeze. It’s soft, yet the power radiating in the air is raw and I’m almost jittery from it.
Emptying the dimension takes way less time than it did filling it and my stomach cramps with a wave of longing. I’m homesick for a home I’ve never even known, but there’s no doubt it would’ve been the most loving place I ever would’ve lived. It’s bittersweet.
This is an unconventional reunion, to say the least, but one I’m so thankful for, I couldn’t even begin todescribe it.
I’ll cherish this moment forever.
As the last droplet of blood soaks into the earth, I close the pocket dimension, then turn my attention back to the hole.
“Welcome back,” I whisper to nothing, maybe everything.
And the realm responds.
A thud travels like waves across the ground, and I hear the gasps from behind me, but I can’t tear my attention away from the hole. I stare, transfixed, as it pulses, morphing the mud back to gritty dirt as our blood sinks deeper beneath the surface.
With no command from me or anyone else, the ground stitches back up, emitting one last powerful flutter.
It isn’t just a feeling or reaction this time.
Everywhere I turn, the spectacular colors of Elementra are repainted, brightened to a whole other level of beauty. If I thought this little slice of paradise my mom created was stunning before, now there isn’t even a word to call it.
Life seems to burst free everywhere.
Another layer of grass thickens the already green sea. The trees seem to stretch a little more for the sky and their branches spread like wings. Wildflowers of every color on any spectrum sprout free and I throw my head back laughing when a ring of small purple blossoms surrounds me.
A powerful gust of air circles my family and they each seem frozen in amazement. Oakly and Aria giggle, running their fingers through the breeze, and all the men stand a little straighter. When the familiar breeze caresses me, I sigh.
“You may not know the true significance of this yet, but you will. And I cannot thank you enough, Ultima unum.”
Seven
Draken
