Tori couldnt sit still. She wanted to try all the crystals on the bracelet, though looking at them, she wasnt sure what to do with so of them. The carnelian and ice calcite she had worked with for over a year; she was quite used to working with them. The terracrystal shed been focused on for farming, so she felt comfortable with it.
There was a black stone, but it wasnt obsidian. It was dull, with little luster, and a few specks of gold. The other three crystals were athyst, aquamarine, and greenish-blue crystal with specks of blood red; heliotrope, she rembered reading. Aside from using athyst to send out a relaxing energy, she didnt know what else to do with it. She had yet to really experint with heliotrope or aquamarine.
Since she and Instructor Ignatius were going to use aquamarine as the base crystal for irrigation, she had that flipped up against her wrist.
Instructor, Ill talk to you tomorrow before we leave, Tori told him as she slowly backed away from the tarp. She tried not to smile too much as she held the bracelet against her and played with the plates and the stones embedded in them.
Her instructor seed to already know what the bracelet was and gave her a nod. Enjoy yourself, but rember that you are not your brother and will need to rest in between large charges. You can easily get crystal fatigue or shock!
Understood! Tori gave him a small salute before telling Master Ramos she was leaving and then running to the dock.
Mr. Vargova was in his boat with his son, playing a wooden board ga, and lifted his head as she approached. My lady. He rose to his feet, prompting his son to do the sa. Are you ready to return to the mainland?
Take to NE12, she said. I want to try so things and there is still light out.
We have about an hour, my lady, Mr. Vargovas son told her. Will that be enough ti?
It will! If its getting too dark, co and call for . The island isn't that large. I just want to try the new crystals I was given. The two n nodded, and Tori climbed into the boat. She tried not to tap her feet or twitch impatiently as they paddled her out the way they entered, past the sa two pillars, before setting sail for the small island.
It was still untouched, also being a phase X island, so Tori had to wait until they pushed the boat against the shore for her to climb out and then race around the island. She went to the other side, by the row of trees where she had a second swing set up. The trees hung over the water and not far from it was a decent sized sandbank that would allow her to get to the waters edge.
She looked over her shoulder to check for Mr. Vargova and his son. They were hidden from view by the center of the island, which was highest at its center. This assured her that in case her little experint did not work out, no one would see her make a fool of herself.
Tori adjusted her bracelet and flipped up the panel with the aquamarine. She felt the cool crystal against her hand and the energy that was contained inside of it. Her heart was still racing, and she took a deep breath to try to calm herself.
Whenever she was working with a new crystal, she couldnt approach it with too much nervous energy. It would distract her and break her concentration. Master Ramos told her to always ease herself into it; start with a little energy and gradually increase.
Tori knelt down on the sandbank with the gentle current almost reaching her knees. Aquamarine helped control the energy in water, so she would try to move water. She closed her eyes and put her hand with the bracelet in the water, but was careful not to put her weight on it and press the crystal against the sand.
She closed her eyes and visualized the smoky energy she used with ice calcite and carnelian. Her goal was ripples across the water. She opened her eyes as she continued to push the energy out through the crystal.
Nothing was happening. There wasnt a single ripple coming from her hand, as shouldve been the case.
Not a problem, she told herself quietly. Lets try the liquid visualization. It worked for the terracrystal. Tori grounded herself once more and pushed out the energy as if it were water and opened her eyes. The clear water in front of her was moving away from her hand and she noticed the current from her palm also moving the sand beneath it.
She grit her teeth to keep from screaming with excitent. She then visualized the energy moving upwards to lift the water. A lump appeared on the surface, but it didnt go up any higher. Tori tried to force more energy through, and the lump grew, but it was like watching a fountain that didnt have enough pressure.
She drew her lips inward and bit them. She knew she shouldve slowly increased the energy output, but instead, she gathered what she could in her hand and then forced out a large amount.
The sudden pressure from beneath broke the smooth lump, exploding it into the air like a tiny geyser. Tori imdiately leaned back to try to avoid it and fell back on her butt as water splashed on her face.
She opened her eyes and blinked. Okay, Tori, you brought that on yourself....
My lady, are you all right? She heard Mr. Vargova call from the other side of the island.
Im fine! Just a little water! She shouted back. She paused and grimaced. Dont co here!
She waited a mont and when she was sure the old man wouldnt co to check on her, she rolled back to her legs and stared at the water. Gas visualization didnt work. Liquid visualization was limited. She narrowed her eyes. What if she tried to envision the energy as a solid?
She didnt even know if that would work. She lowered her shoulders. If it didnt, no one would see her, and she could keep any humiliation to herself.
Tori closed her eyes and grounded herself once more. Both she and the aquamarine had energy and so she imagined her energy as a bowl. Or rather, a swirling mass of energy that made itself the shape of a bowl. She moved it through the water and focused on lifting it.
Her eyes opened and she saw the sa lump she had seen earlier, but it was slowly coming out of the shore. She tried to focus and not let her excitent overwhelm her as she lifted a small fist sized amount of water higher and higher before it began to separate from the water on the sandbank.
The higher she lifted it, the more amazed she beca. It was dripping a little, but still being taken from the lagoon, as if lifted by an invisible bowl.
Then the surface tension between the bottom of her experintal water ball and the water on the shore broke and it was as if the bowl shattered. The water dumped back into the lagoon and Toris jaw dropped.
She furrowed her brows and repeated the technique, but each ti the ball was about to break away from the rest of the water, it dropped back.
The hell.... She sat back and stared at the water. Perhaps there were limitations of which she was not aware.
My lady! Mr. Vargova called back once more. We should return to shore now!
Tori took a deep breath and nodded. She had plenty of ti to practice with her new bracelet. She didnt need to master everything at once.
Im coming! Tori pushed herself up and brushed the coarse sand off her pants. She trudged back over the island and tried not to look too disappointed as she reached the boat.
Still, the two n nodded. My lady, are you all right? young Mr. Vargova asked carefully.
Tori sat on the boat and nodded. Yes, Im just thinking about crystal techniques. She lapsed into silence the remainder of the way back to the dock and when she reached her friends at the encampnt, her silence beca worrying.
Im going to bring it up, Henrik said across from her, getting their small tables attention. Tori looked across from her and gave him a questioning glance. He t her eyes and frowned. Why are you so quiet? Is there a problem with construction?
Tori drew her head back and shook it. No, why would you think that?
Youre strangely quiet, Ewan said, giving her a concerned look.
Hes right, Tori. Usually, youre asking us about what we did today and then reporting any new construction decisions, Ilyana added.
Tori opened her mouth to respond, but Constantine spoke up as well.
And I do recall that you were supposed to do a crystal experint with Instructor Ignatius this afternoon. He looked worried as well. Did it not work?
Albert lowered his fork and began to reassure her. Failure is acceptable, Tori. No one is perfect. You simply need to try a few more tis.
Tori blinked. In her disappointnt and frustration at her water experint, shed completely forgotten about the outstanding success of the terracrystal experint. A wide smile filled her face, and she shook her head.
Sorry, she said. I didnt an to worry you all. The experint was a success. Lady Idunn and the farrs approved of what we were able to do and the terracrystal device was easy for the farrs to learn. We did a few rows and then the two farrs completed the rest of that field.
Henrik sat up straight and gave her an incredulous look. By field you an the one that had been cleared last week for planting so of the test crops? Tori nodded. He narrowed his eyes. How long did it take to till?
The corners of her lips curled up. Id say less than an hour.
I dont believe you, Henrik said. You took us to see that field. Its not a small field!
Tori chuckled and nodded. I know. In order to communicate clearly with Instructor Ignatius across the field, we used the comcry.
Less than an hour? Henrik looked down at his plate with wide eyes.
How did you do it? Constantine asked.
Tori couldnt help but feel a bit proud. Next ti they till a field, Ill bring you along. Its easier to explain when you see it. She gasped. We may be able to do a small demo of the device in the spring.
The Bishop is coming. Constantine perked up and nodded. Im sure hell love to see it.... His voice trailed off. Were there any...how should I say this...prob-
There were no landslides or explosions of dirt. Tori gave him a deadpan look as relief filled his face.
Is the field really that large? Albert asked, looking at his friends.
Its a significant size. Youve seen the test island? Its larger than the test island, Henrik told him.
Albert was a city boy and didnt seem to understand what it ant for that size tract of land to be plowed in less than an hour, but still nodded approvingly.
It was very exciting. We were worried that it would take too long for the pieces to find each other and connect, but it was actually quite fast. Tori rolled up her sleeves and Ilyana glanced down. Her face lit up as she tapped Toris wrist.
Whered you get this? Did soone local make it? Ilyana was always interested in local goods.
Tori put her fork down and excitedly held her arm out so her friends could see. Its a gift from Master Ramos! The individual plates flip up like this.... She said as she fumbled with it. And the crystal, which is exposed on both sides of the plate, touches my hand. I can then use the crystal to focus energy. She pressed the ice calcite against her and the space above her hand began to grow colder.
Thats amazing! Ilyana gasped.
You can chill drinks with your hand. Ewan said, staring at her. His eyes crinkled up. I shouldve taken tacrystals.
The group laughed and Tori brought her arm back. I went to NE12 to try aquamarine. Lady Idunn asked us to try to think about sothing to ease irrigation or irrigation control. This crystal is aquamarine. She tapped the milky light blue-green crystal. I was trying to lift water from the sea, but I could only get it up so high before it fell.
Did you ask Master Ramos? Ewan asked.
Not yet. I was playing with it before I got back to the mainland. Tori wrinkled her nose and looked at the tal plate and crystal against her palm. Im sure Im missing sothing....
What are the other crystals? Albert asked, curious.
Tori explained each one, but hesitated with the heliotrope. Ive never actually worked with this crystal before. Im sure it has so importance if Master Ramos placed it on my bracelet.
Aesthetic? Ilyana asked. It's pretty.
It must have an importance....
Do you know what energy you can manipulate with it? Does it heat up like carnelian? Ewan asked.
Tori shook her head. I have no idea.
Albert chuckled. You can go around and keep touching things to see what it reacts to.
She rolled her eyes. Im not doing that.
Athyst is nice to have because its calming, Ilyana said. Whenever youre nervous, as long as youre touching and connected to its energy, you can relax.
Tori nodded and froze. Connected.... Her eyes widened. I need to be connected to the source because the energy is flowing through the source.
She shot up from her chair and ran towards the open flap of the tent. Tori! She heard her friends calling behind her, but she was racing towards the shore.
She didnt notice Axton walking past her as she zood around him. He almost took a double to take to make sure it was her. Tori? Where are you go-
Experint! She shouted without looking back. The rest of the encampnt was a blur as she ran towards the beach. She skidded to a stop as she neared the water and fell to her knees. Half her legs hit the waves rolling on to the shore before she bent down and put her hand back into the water.
A bowl of energy would eventually lift the water out of its source, severing the energy link that was flowing through the water. Therefore, the aquamarine she was using to channel energy needed to touch the body of water she was trying to manipulate at all tis.
Instead of bowl, Tori went with hose. She closed her eyes, grounded, and visualized the lavender energy knitting together to form a tube and then the tube encased the water. Carefully, she lifted up the tube of energy and opened her eyes.
Whoa....
A narrow stream of water was coiling around in front of her, still connected to the source water, but it was moving. How she visualized the energy to twist or turn, the water it contained twisted and turned with it. Tori narrowed her eyes and enlarged the tube, gathering more energy to make the diater of the tube wider until it was as thick as her arm.
It continued to spiral upwards, but her amount of energy was limited. This ant her spiral of water could only get so tall. Still, this was progress. She was supposed to experint with gradual increases in strength, anyway.
Tori looked down at her hand wrist-deep in water. If she took her hand out, the energy connection was severed. Her eyes narrowed. Her spiral of water that was about as tall as she would be if she were standing would imdiately collapse and likely soak her, who was kneeling down beneath it.
But what if she kept the aquamarine at the base of the spiral, disconnecting it from the source, but keeping it connected to the spiral?
The worst that can happen is that youd get wet, she told herself quietly. She carefully moved her hand, taking care to keep the crystal subrged at all tis until it was directly underneath the base of the spiral. Once it was underneath, Tori lifted her hand higher and higher until it was no longer touching the waves.
What is that. A voice choked behind her and Toris little spiral trembled for a mont as her concentration nearly broke.
Tori.... That was Ilyanas voice. What are you doing?
Wait.... Tori swallowed hard. Her eyes were fixed on her hand as she stood up to her feet, making sure to keep the aquamarine beneath the base of the spiral. I need to figure out how to let go of the water without it falling on .
She visualized the tube straightening out and curling over, leading the water it contained back into the sea. The top of the spiral, which was the most unstable due to her inability to do that much energy visualization at once, touched the sea. As soon as it did, Tori forced the water out of the energy tube, resulting in her and her friends seeing a stream of water coil and circle itself before it reached the sea.
Tori let out a heavy breath and noticed that the world began to move around her. She knit her brows together, but felt herself light. The ground in front of her began to sink and then she saw the sky.
You used too much energy. Axton sounded disapproving as large hands caught her shoulders before she fell back and then eased her into a sitting position on the sand. Youre not your brother. Youll get tired and get crystal fatigued.
Did you see what I did? Tori lifted her head and looked at her friends, who were slightly swaying, but sowhere in the back of her mind, she acknowledged that it wasnt them moving. Did you see the water?
Yes. Several voices said. Ewan was by the water and seed to poke at it.
Ive never seen anyone do that, Constantine took a seat beside her, staring ahead of him. Ive seen crystal users move water, like tides, but not like that.
The next ti you experint, dont overdo it! Ilyana scolded her as she fell to her knees beside Tori. You know you exert more energy than you can gather at once.
I know, I know.... Tori closed her eyes and lifted her hand to rub her head. I got carried away. I just...I got so excited and wanted to try it before I forgot.
Henrik let out a heavy breath above her and shook his head. I shouldve known this would eventually happen. Its like you always say: crystal fanatics are a different breed of people.
Tori slowly sat up straight and turned to look at him with a dubious expression. What are you talking about? Im not a crystal fanatic.
Tori, if we didnt get here in ti, you wouldve used up too much of your energy and collapsed, Axton said with a frown.
Ilyana shook her head at her. You put your experint before your health.
I did not.... Tori lowered her head as she stared blankly in front of her, her eyes growing larger as the horrible realization hit her. Holy shit, Im a crystal fanatic.
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