Star 'let' Avalon, The Newest Mage

Star ‘Let’ Avalon, the Newest Mage

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Journal Entry - first day at new school

Avalon, not a normal name, even for a last name.

Maybe if you have an amazing life, the latest fashions and the tech.

But, nooooo.

My life is nothing like that, but my name is Star ‘let’ Avalon.

The ‘let’ is my middle name, how weird can you get for names?

Most people call me Starlet. I prefer it that way.

The only problem is my dad, he still calls me Star, even though I have asked him to call me by the name that everyone else does.

Now though school is starting, and with school should come relief.

Not for me!

My dad and I are always moving.

He never even tells me why or where until we get there.

The one good thing about school is, distance from dad.

Now if you don’t mind, I am going to ready for my first day of school.

Later.

End Journal Entry

~<>~

Star walked passed house after house as she heading for school.

Her dad, Troy-Merlin Avalon, continually said he would drive her to and pick her up after school all mourning.

Star dodged that bullet when someone called him last minute and asked him to help with something. She pushed the doors open and entered the chaotic world of her new school.

Star opened her locker, putting her things in when she hears someone say, “You really want to put all your stuff in your locker on the first day?”

Star turned, seeing a girl in a cute, bright skirt and aqua blue top leaning against the locker next to hers.

Star smiled and said, “It’s just easier for me to put the stuff I first bring with me in my locker, in case I get more as the day goes on. By the way, my name’s Starlet.”

“Nice to meet you, my name’s Casey. I don’t think you’ll get any new-kid stuff, not on your first day at least. I suggest you keep you books with you, and leave lip-gloss and other makeup in your locker. Less of a chance you’ll use it in class or lose it at school. Hey, nice necklace, where can I find one?” she said as she admired the gemstone on Star’s necklace.

Star fingered her pendant, “thanks, I’ve always had it I guess. My dad gave it to me, and told me to wear it always. He gets really weird if he ever sees me without it. Come on, we better get to class.”

Starlet hooked arms with Casey and walked to class together.

The first week of school was like a breath of fresh air.

Star didn’t have Troy randomly telling her to go to her room and then find he locked her in somehow, or having him pushed her into a store that they didn’t even want to be in and him saying “thought I saw something you might like in here”.

She met her teachers and got new books for her classes. At that moment, life seemed just right to her.

After school the following week, Star and Casey walked home together; Casey lived only a few blocks from school.

They had walked half a block when they see people running passed them, away from something that scared them.

The girls just stand there, not knowing what is going on.

Casey turns her head when she hears a growl, and taps Star to see what she was seeing.

They both see a big black dog like thing with glowing red eyes, but they just stand there scared to death.

Soon several men run ahead of them and put themselves between the dog beast and the girls.

They shout at the girls to leave, but they are scared stiff.

Out of nowhere, Troy appears, grabbing their arms and dragging them away from the scene.

Once they lose sight of the thing, they wake as if they were in a trance.

Troy looks Star in the eye and orders “go home now. And stay there until further notice.” he then runs back to the fight.

Without a second thought, Star runs for home, forgetting she had been walking with Casey. She reached the front door of her house, and locked the door as soon as she was inside.

Instead of going to her room as she always did, she went into Troy’s office. She saw the cot he would lie down on when he worked late, and fell onto it. She shook allover, and didn’t understand why. She finally fell asleep and didn’t wakeup until she heard her dad call her name.

Star opened her eyes and noticed she was back in her bedroom, lying on her bed.

Troy sat next to her, looking worried. He asked in a serious tone, “Why were you in my office? You normally go straight to your room and do homework. Did something happen once you got home?”

Star tried to speak, but she felt numb all over.

Troy covered her with both a wool and flannel blanket.

‘He only does that when I’m sick,’ she thought to herself.

He turned his back to her and spoke to someone in the doorway, just out of her sight. When he faced her again he stated, “When you can walk, you and I need to go somewhere. You maybe scared now, but things should clear up soon.” he kissed her forehead and left her to recover.

In the living room, the group discussed what happened with the beast thing and Star.

A burly man in a too small of a chair for him said, “Maybe seeing one for the first time sent her powers into overload. She should be fine in a few days, and able to go to the Arrow-Rock in a week or so.”

“You should have let her in long ago, then you wouldn’t have these problems, Merlin,” said a rather thin man leaning against the far wall.

A woman sitting on a stool in the kitchen stated, “It wouldn’t have changed a thing. She saw the thing today because it’s meant to be a sign that she is ready, or she must join us so she can learn about her powers. You must understand that Troy, you must.”

Troy sat down on the couch, letting some baby winged creature one of them had brought lay in his lap. He had been dreading the day he would bring Star into the world he had been trying so hard to protect her from. He looked up and said, “I will bring her to the place, when she is stable. If I bring her before then, she could have more problems. We don’t need rouge powers inside a person who doesn’t want to believe she has them. That’s how this whole thing started in the first place. Stopping whatever the witch sends out to wreck havoc with on the world. Now if you’ll all please leave, both I and Star need to get some sleep.”

The others left, some said goodnight while others just glared.

When the last one was gone, Troy went into his office and looked at the cot Star had been lying on. It was still glowing slightly.

He sighed, knowing what it meant. He rolled up the cot, stuffed it in a black bag and stuck it the expand-o-hole he had behind his shelves.

“You’re nearly thirteen, I guess it’s as good a time as any”, he thought as left his office and closed the door.

The next mourning Star felt stiff all over. She walked into the kitchen and saw Troy making breakfast. She yawned and asked, “What’s the special occasion?”

Troy smiled at her and said, “no, nothing special. How are you feeling this mourning?”

Star tried to stretch, but stopped midway because the muscles didn’t want to move any further. She leaned against the wall and said, “Like I ran for several miles, lifted several pounds of weights, all in one afternoon. Can I stay home today; I don’t think I can move passed the front door.”

“Sure, and since I have no work for today, we can hang out. If that’s ok with you?” he stated as he placed a plate of pancakes on the table and nudged Star to sit down and eat.

After eating breakfast together, Troy called the school and told them Star was staying home from school for a while.

Star slinked back to her room and fell onto her bed asleep.

Troy walked outside and saw a unicorn standing just feet away. He smiled and walked over to it.

It turned its head as he approached.

“All those stories of you being scared to come near anyone, if only they knew?” Troy said as he stroked its main.

It gave a low neigh and pushed its head against him.

Troy chuckled and rubbed his face in its fur.

They stayed like that until Troy hears, “she needs the proper training,” turns and sees a male harpy covered with a big black cloak.

Troy let the unicorn go and turned his attention to the he-harpy. “I will train her when she is able to learn. Nevertheless, she is just getting over her first encounter with one from that world. She will go through the same process as those that went before her. That can‘t be the only reason you came. What else is there?”

The he-harpy unfolded one of his wings, showing a blurry glowing image on the wing. “It showed up a few hours ago, about the time she got home. The image will become clearer as she learns more, about whom and what she is. I ask for your permission to keep an eye on her until she starts to undergo training.”

Troy gave him a long hard look before saying, “you may protect her from the sky, but do not let her see you. I better head in before she comes looking for Me.” and heads back inside as the he-harpy takes his place on the roof, just above Star’s room.

When Star finally woke up, they played cards until lunchtime.

As they eat Star said, “I finally remembered what happened when I got home last night. I felt weird so I went into your office to wait for you. I fell asleep on the cot, and dreamt I was flying over a herd of Pegasus galloping through the plains. It felt so right somehow.”

Troy glanced at her as he ate his lunch. How could she have seen anything like that, even in a dream? He shook his head; her time would come to learn about everything.

“Do you know of anything that has three eyes that are all different colors? Star asked off hand.

Troy nearly chocked on his food. How could she know about that one? He cleared his throat and said, “your mind, all those fantasy books you read, probably made it…” he squeezed his eyes tight for a moment before continuing, “it is a beast that means you will go on a journey or quest in the near future. There is a lot for you to learn, but not today.”

He stood up and took their plates to the kitchen, and then walked back and held her pendant in his hand. As he slowly closed his hand around it, Star slowly dozed off to sleep. She fell in to his arms and he carried her to her room to sleep off the spell he just cast using her gemstone.

As he closed her bedroom door, he said to himself, “In three days time, all will be revealed.”

The next day went smoothly, at least compared to the last few.

They played games and watched TV, though she slept more then anything else.

By the second mourning, she could move but Troy kept her home anyway. He knew that tomorrow she would have to know everything, if just to help keep her sanity.

However, on the second night Star was getting the feeling something was up. She went outside and saw a big black thing in the backyard. She thought of screaming but didn‘t. She just looked at it and said, “wow” then ran inside and told Troy, who got mad and ran out and talked a little to loudly.

“I told you not to let her see you, and then you stand out here where she can walk out and practically talk to you. I want you out of here before…”

He was then interrupted by Star with her own words to yell, “Why are you yelling at him, he didn’t do anything to me. In addition, why am I afraid of a dog barking but when I see him I’m not? I think you better explain yourself before he leaves, because if you don’t I’ll ask him.”

Troy stared first stared at Star then at the he-harpy before saying, “I will explain everything, but not now, not here. Friends of mine will be coming to take us to where you will learn, or start to learn everything. Bear with me until then. Ok.”

Star glance at the he-harpy, who nodded, and then went back inside.

Troy sat down hard on the ground, she was the one just learning it all and he was the one who was tired, “I hope she’s ready. Boy do I hope she can take it all in.” he went back inside to try and get some sleep before tomorrow.

Three days. Now that Troy thought about it, it was too soon.

Star had seen the he-harpy on her own, and wasn’t scared in the least.

“Great introduction”, he thought as he packed a bag for her. They would be coming that night to take them to the ‘Arrow-Rock’. He made lunch just as he had for the past couple of days, but Star didn’t come and eat with him.

He walked around the house trying to find her, but instead found her outside talking with the he-harpy.

He slowly walked out towards them.

Star’s head spun to look at him as he approached, “I came to chat with him, that’s all. There is no need for you banish him.”

Troy looked ashamed as he walked over, “yeah, I’m sorry about that. I’ve been hiding this from you to protect you. The world he is from has monsters as well as amazing creatures, like the Pegasus you saw in your dream. I had to hide it until you were ready to accept it, and with your encounter with the black-bog dog, I have to let you in on everything. We will be going to the Arrow-Rock, a place where you learn the basics of who and what you are and about your powers.”

Star’s eyes lit up at the mention of powers, “powers? When do I get powers? How…”

Troy raised his hand to halt the questions; “you’ll learn everything when we get there. Until then, come have lunch with me inside,” he said as he offered his hand to lead her back to the house.

Star jumped up, grabbed his hand, and dragged him back to the house.

While they eat lunch, Star asked, “what about school, I just started and now we’re leaving for this Arrow-Rock. Are we staying there or visiting for a few days.”

“You will go back to school in a week or so, and you will keep up with your school work even when we are training your powers. Don’t ask again about how you get your powers, you’ll learn when we get there. Once you finish the first semester of school for this year, you will go into full training, and a tutor will keep you on track with school so you can graduate normally. This is all going to be overwhelming for the first day or so, but any questions you have just ask,” Troy took a bite of his sandwich as he glanced at Star, waiting so see what she might say next.

Star rolled her pendant between her thumb and fingers, deep in thought, “Does my gem-stone have anything to do with this?”

Troy held his own pendant out in front of him as he answered, “the stone is apart of you, it will help you unlock your powers. It had to link to you before you could use it for the first time, that’s why I gave it to you when you were so young. I don’t know where they come from exactly, but normally the child’s stone will look somewhat similar to the parent’s stone. New question, I’m getting philosophical.”

“Will you train me, or someone else?” Star looked at Troy with somewhat scared eyes.

Troy ruffled her hair and said, “I will personally train you, because I don’t think anyone else can handle you.”

Star shoved his hand away as she giggled over his remark about her. She wasn’t that crazy.

Star slept in the living room until they came to take them to Arrow-Rock. She climbed in but could see nothing. She turned to Troy, but couldn’t even see him. She was about to call out when a light flared just for a second, when she could see again Troy was helping her out of the car onto a hill with only the moon lighting everything.

They had reached the location.

‘Did I sleep the whole way over,’ she wondered.

She didn’t have time to ask anything, two men lead her to a set of arranged stones that reminded her of Stonehenge.

All around the stones stood other kids, waiting for something.

From out of nowhere, little fairies flew down and around the kids.

Some tried to catch the fairies, but the moment their hands closed around one they vanished.

The fairies frightened others, and when they saw other kids vanish ran out of the circle and into their parents who then carried them back to waiting cars.

After only minutes, fewer than ten kids stood within the stone circle.

A fairy hovered right in front of Star, who grinned like a child.

Star reached out a hand, which her father nearly ran in to stop her from doing, but he stopped an instant later.

Star held her hand flat, palm up, so the fairy could stand on it.

The fairy landed and smiled back, as if she approved of the act. It then hovered next to her pendant and touched it.

Star felt a warm rush of something flow to the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She closed her eyes to try and take it all in, but when she opened them she was laying on the couch back home.

Had it all been a dream? She saw some rubber balls and imagined them in the air. Slowly but surely they rose and hovered in the air, right in front of her.

Star stared until she felt a snap of energy go through the room, causing the balls to fall to the floor.

She blinked a few times and turned, seeing Troy walk in.

“That is just the beginning,” Troy said as he sat down next to her, “and, no, it was not a dream. I am proud of you and how you handled it. The fairies were impressed, and they have given you the ability to see the portals that they and others like them come through to enter our world. Normally you would have to train for a year or so when you reach about you twenties or so. The he-harpy is out back waiting to show you something. Go and see what it is while I get your school work out for us to work on so you can catch up.”

Star ran out back and saw the he-harpy gazing at the stars overhead. ‘still night out? How long were we gone?’

She pushed the thought aside and approached the harpy.

He turned and tired to bow gracefully, but stumbled on his spindly legs and claw like feet.

Star hid a giggle at his attempt of being a gentleman, and asked, “Dad said you wanted show me something.”

The he-harpy threw back his cloak and held his wings wide. On one wing was an image of…something.

He said as she looked at it puzzled, “it is the image of your power beast. Try to see it with your powers, it should become clearer.”

Star complied and focused on the image, willing her powers to show her what it was. The image slowly became clearer, showing a dragon like it was held in a circle.

Star’s eyes went wide, “my power beast is a dragon, wow. Does my dad…”

“He would not understand, not now anyway. Keep it to yourself, for now.” he said as he refolded his wings and put his cloak back on.

“How do I know when that is?” Star asked.

“When the time comes, you’ll know.” and the he-harpy flew away.

Star stood there and stared at the sky, wondering if she would ever see him again. ‘On the other hand,’ she thought, ‘one less thing for dad to worry about’.

She walked back in to find Troy had set up a work station with her school work set up in piles according to which date assigned and what class their from.

That weekend she worked and managed to catch up on everything, and then worked with Troy on basic magic and its many uses before moving onto the `next step`.

Ch 2          Magic Training

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Journal Entry - more magic…stuff

I just found out I have magic powers!

I even used them when I was in the shower, though dad suggested I try them out there in the first place.

I wonder if all that psychic talk is about magic, and those talking are mages trying to hide the magic world from evil people.

Sorry, over thinking again.

I have been getting weird feelings, like premonitions of what is going to happen.

I better ask dad if that’s normal.

Christmas break will be here soon, but not soon enough for me.

Dad said we would be going to the Avalon training grounds for more magic lessons.

What more is there to learn?

I have powers, and I can use them.

Maybe all this training is to teach me to use them for the right reasons.

Dad’s calling me for more magic classes.

So, till next time. Keep the magic rocking.

End Journal Entry

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When Monday finally came, Star for once did not want to go to school. She leaned on the back of one of the kitchen chairs and asked, “Why can’t I just home school now? Its still the first month of regular school, I wouldn’t be that far behind, maybe a day or so.”

Troy turned to Star and waved the spoon at her he had been using to make oatmeal with, “because, if I take you out now it might look weird to some people. They probably think I took you on a last minute vacation for the past week and forgot you had started school. We’ll wait until Christmas break, and then have you start home school. They’ll think we moved and won’t go any further on the subject. Believe me, our family has had a lot of practice on keeping our powers on the, ‘DL’.”

Star groaned at his joke and went to double check she had everything ready for school.

This time Star let her dad drop her off at school.

Troy stopped out front and let Star get out, and as she walked up to the building she heard him say, “Have a good day at school!” she turned and waved back as he drove off.

School was almost a chore after learning what she could do, and mentally she had to remember not to use her powers outside of the house.

Every weekend Star and Troy would practice her magic and make plans for the next place they would move to, but this time Star knew.

By the time Christmas break came, Star had mastered the basics and was ahead in some of her classes.

With a note to say they were moving sent to the school, they packed their things and headed for the Avalon’s training land.

They parked in front of a large house along with several other cars.

As they got out with their stuff, Troy explained, “This is the Avalon house. All Avalon’s who have mage powers eventually come here for basic training of their powers. We’ll have rooms leading to the green room, or garden room, whichever you prefer to call it.”

“But I’ve already done basic training, why do I need to learn it again?” Star asked as she followed her dad.

Troy pushed the door open to the hall with their rooms on opposite sides, “because you learned basic elements, now you’ll learn electric and light and some others that I can’t think of right now. Then once you finish that we’ll go to the next stop on your training journey.”

Star put up her stuff in her room then stood in her dad’s doorway and asked, “How long will this training take, exactly?”

Troy answered as he put his stuff away, “some a few weeks, others several years. It will take as long as is necessary for you to learn to control your powers. Now join me outside with the rest of your family.” he took her arm on his arm, gentleman style, and walked out to the back yard.

He expected his family to be talking about new spells and incantations, or how the magical herds were doing. The one thing he did not expect was everyone to call by his real name.

It first happened with someone who looked drunk, and Troy told Star ‘he’s not thinking straight’ to try and cover it.

Then aunts and uncles were saying it.

Troy managed to convince her that they called him by his second name as a nickname, but then his brother walked over and started talking.

“Hey Merlin, how are things. Is this your daughter, she is beautiful. You know Merlin, the family thinks you just up and left and…what do you want?!” he turned and yelled at whoever was tapping him on the shoulder.

It was their younger and older sisters.

They spoke to Troy, ignoring their brother’s complaints, “we think someone spiked the drink and now everyone is calling you by your real name.”

Star stepped back from her dad and asked, “What do you mean, your real name? I thought Troy was your name, and Merlin was a weird second name or something.”

Troy-Merlin looked exasperated. Everything was falling down around him.

He took a deep breath and led Star to the side of the house to explain everything, “my real name is Merlin. Troy is a fake name that I used to hide from people that would want you and use your powers for evil uses. I did everything for you Star, to protect you until you were ready. In the next few weeks, I and the rest of the family will tell you everything. I promise.”

Star wasn’t sure she trusted him, after what has happened in such a short amount of time.

She walked right passed her dad and back to her room to try and chill, taking it all in.

Merlin started to follow, but his sister stopped him. “Give her some space. She just needs to get her head around it all, that’s all. I was the same way, remember?”

Merlin smiled and nodded knowingly.

~

Star couldn’t tell if she was mad or just confused.

In less then a year, she had learn she was a mage, started training her powers, learn what her power beast was going to be, and minutes ago found out her dad had been keeping his real name from her this whole time.

“What else has he said or done that is fake?” she wondered lying on her bed.

She could hear her family outside laughing and having fun; they had no idea what she was feeling.

“If the he-harpy was here, maybe he could explain all this to me,” she thought, “but he maybe in on it to. Oh, what do I do,” and started crying.

The door to her room opened just a few inches and something meowed.

Star looked down and saw a large light-purple leopard like cat purring and just looking up at her.

Out of nowhere Star heard, “need some company?”

Star looked around her room, but no one else was there. She turned back to the leopard and asked, “Did you talk?”

The purple leopard nodded, “I heard the shouting and thought I would check on the new mage. You. I will say your father has done a lot to keep you safe, to the point of not even telling you about any of this. Most mages know about the magic realm by the time their ten years old. Your dad must know something that the rest of us don’t. You want to cuddle or something?”

Star scooted over on the bed so the purple leopard could lie beside her.

The leopard rubbed its head against her face, drying the tears.

Star wrapped her arms around its neck, buried her face in its fur, and cried again.

The leopard made no effort to get away, just sat and let her get it out of her system.

~

Merlin leaned against the wall, thinking over everything.

How Star had found out she is a mage. It was a rough intro, he would admit.

Now she had just learned his real name, and that the name she thought the name everyone called him was to hide from someone or something.

He sighed, “Now all that left is your mom, and if you find out about her the whole magic realm will. Things can’t get any worse.”

Merlin heard murmurs coming from a group near the back door. He pushed through and saw Star with his aunt’s leopard.

Star and Merlin locked eyes for a moment before his aunt came over, “so Penelope you have met the newest mage to gain her powers. This is thrilling. Now why don’t we…” a screech sounded from overhead.

Everyone turned and saw a big black twisted gargoyle flying right at them. Everyone ran for cover.

Merlin grabbed Star and dragged her around the corner of the house. He lost his grip and she fell just as the creature turned the corner in the air.

Star looked behind her at the creature, terrified at the sight of it, but then spotted an outdoor outlet.

“Electricity is a mage power,” she thought as she got to her feet.

She looked the thing in the eye, waiting for it to get closer. As it roared and raised a claw, she aimed her hand at the outlet and focused on drawing the power out.

Merlin shouted, “Star don’t!” but it was too late.

The power shot towards her at high speed, but at the last moment she twisted her arm and aimed it at the thing’s chest. She mentally sent the bolt straight and it followed for about, two seconds.

The moment it hit the creature, the power still near her arched and wrapped itself around her arm. The moment the power made contact, it sent voltage through her body and burned her arm.

Both Star and the creature screamed.

The creature tried to fly away, but soon fell to the ground dead.

Merlin ran to Star, shooting an energy bubble over to the outlet, causing the cover to close down tight over it.

He grabbed her just before she hit the ground.

Star’s breathing was ragged and her arm was spazzing badly.

Merlin quickly carried Star inside and laid her on her bed. He held his gemstone over her arm, and slowly the excess power flowed from her arm and into his gemstone.

After what could have been several minutes, the last of the electrical excess flowed out of her arm.

Merlin put his gemstone back on and stated, “When you wake up, we are going to have a serious talk young lady. But I’m glad your ok.” he kissed her on the forehead then left her to sleep it all off.

All Star dreamt of was seeing that big black thing coming at her with its claws reaching for her.

When she finally woke up, it was already evening.

She found her dad sitting in the indoor plant room with several small creatures around him trying to get his attention.

She tried to close the door silently, but it made a loud click startling the small things. Some ran off to find cover, others just stared at her.

Merlin finally shooed them away so Star could sit down next to him.

She sat down with a quite groan, causing her dad to ask, “are you sure you don’t want to stay in bed for a bit longer?”

Star didn’t know what she wanted. She shook her head, “I don’t know. I can’t think straight anymore. I just barely wrapped my head around the magic thing when you told me. And the whole fairy thing, I still think may have been a dream. I feel lost all over,” she fell against her dad and just cried.

Merlin hugged her close. She had gone through so much in such a small amount of time.

He kissed her hair and said, “We’ll be doing private training for a few weeks, just us. I want you to understand what you are and who you are. But what I want to know, you do know I am still your dad right?”

Star pulled away and said, “Of coarse I know you’re my dad, you raised me. I guess I know I have powers, just not what they are and how they work. Could we go over the basics again, please?” she tried to smile, but her tear stained face made her look weird.

Merlin chuckled, “sure, we’ll start with the basics and work from there. We’ll start in the mourning; right now we both need a good night sleep.”

He helped Star to her feet and led her back to her room. She fell asleep almost the moment she laid down.

All Troy could think of was, “this is going to take a lot of work. But we’ll do it together.” he said as he closed the door to her room.

He went to his room and got into his own bed, in the mourning he knew he and Star would start on her training from the beginning. ‘Oh boy,’ he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

~

Star’s training was long and rough. She got through the basics fine, and even watered the garden while she did it.

When she started on the ‘second level’, as she put it, it got complicated.

The first level was: water forming and morphing, rock and ground shifting, air directing, and fire blocking.

However, the next level was over: electric control, light and general energy use from around you, and talking to animals.

The energy stuff went fine; she only blacked out the first two times from over doing it.

When she tried to talk to animals, they got scared and ran off, though her dad claimed she was talking too loud for them.

Then there was electrical control.

Star stood in the special room for the electric training.

It was made so that if things went crazy, the electrical power was drawn away from people. She didn’t want to do this; she could still feel the burning affect from last time.

“Dad do I have to learn electrical control, can’t I just block it like I do with fire?”

Merlin looked at Star with a raised eyebrow, “you can’t block electrical power. It will travel around your shield and find a way to you. The only way to keep that from happening is to control it and bend it away from you and toward something else. I know you don’t want to have anything to do with it, but you need to learn in order to advance to ‘level three’ as you seem to be calling it all. If not, your powers may dwindle and vanish. Come on Star, I know you can you do this, just do as I taught you.” he stepped back to give her some room.

Star took a deep breath and focused on the power cord set up in the middle of the room. She held out her hand and mentally called the power.

Slowly electricity flowed from the wire into the air.

Star went over the rules of this lesson, draw power from the wire on the floor and send it to the wire on the ceiling that was on to turn it off. She moved the power through the air toward the wires on the ceiling. She looked around for the one that was on. She saw it and grinned. She moved the power toward the wire; feeling like her fear was vanishing.

At the last moment, the power went crazy, zagging in every direction.

Star screamed and ducked down, but Merlin pulled them both out of the room.

The door closed behind them and Star leaned against her dad, shivering badly.

He led her back to her room, and then went to talk to his dad.

Merlin told his dad how well Star was doing with everything, that even the animals had gotten use to her. He then mentioned the electrical, “how can she learn if she starts by fearing it. Most mages have a fear of fire and get over it, but how can I help her with this?”

Devin leaned on his desk and thought it over.

Star had great potential, but if she didn’t master this, she would never grow as a mage.

“Merlin let someone else train her for a while. Maybe they can find something you are not seeing because…”

Merlin cut in stating, “Because I’m her father. You trained all of us yourself, and we are known as the greatest generation in the Avalon clan. She has already been through so much, changing who trains her might put her over the edge. I guess I’m on my own with this one. Bye dad.” closing the door as he left.

Star practiced all the other powers until she had them down packed.

It had only taken four weeks to get this far, and Star was impressed with herself. She joined her family for a backyard picnic, thinking getting her mind on something else might help with the electrical power thing.

Everyone was having fun, the adults were casting spells that the kids would run around and try to catch.

Merlin even started to relax, “maybe this just what you needed?” he thought to himself.

Star was standing next her aunt when she saw a ripple start to form in the sky. She grabbed her aunt’s arm and asked, “Where is my dad?” her aunt pointed to a group of men a few feet away. Star ran over and grabbed her dad’s arm the moment she saw him, and said, “A portal, opening, or whatever you call, and it is opening right now. Look!” and pointed at the sky.

Merlin looked up but saw nothing, “are you sure you saw…”

At that moment, a group of wild imp things rained down on the partygoers.

Everyone tries to run for cover, but the imp things surround them.

Merlin pulls Star behind him, trying to give her some cover.

The imps slowly start to close in.

Star hears a rumble and looks up to see the portal the imp things come through was turning into a storm. She knew she wasn’t any good at that particular magic, but she to do something. She put both her arms straight up and imagined the thunder raining down over the imps.

At first it seemed the thunder didn’t even notice, then arcs of thunder swooped down at the imps, and her family.

Merlin dodged one and caught a glance at Star. She was doing this! He had no time to consider how; he joined in by forcing the thunder to go around their family.

The thunder rained down on the imps, making them jump around to keep from getting hit.

Eventually the imps fly back to their portal and leave.

With that over, everyone falls to the ground from the intensity of the whole thing.

Merlin turns to see Star lying on the ground breathing slightly heavily. He moves a lock of her hair and finds her fast asleep.

Merlin’s dad and brother walk over and his brother offers to carry her inside.

As he does, Devin says, “Looks like she just needed a reason to learn to use that power. Now she just needs to fine-tune it. Good luck.” he said as he walked away, chuckling under his breath.

Merlin shook his head. His dad’s humor needed to be updated. He went inside to find Star fast asleep, on his bed. His brother had no sense of direction or location. He sat down next to her and gently rubbed her side.

Star groaned and opened her eyes, which then shot wide open. She sat upright and said, “Sorry, I fell asleep. Wait I was outside and the imp things. Did we beat them?” she looked to her dad for answers.

Merlin smiled and nodded, “yeah, your crazy idea worked. With just a little back up from me. My brother carried you in here, but he doesn’t know his left from his right, so he put you on my bed. Witch is fine by me.” and kissed her on the forehead.

“Sooo, I’m clear on the thunder magic. I mean, sense I saved the family by using it and all,” Star said as she tried to slowly get off the bed.

Merlin grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye, “you need to work on it a lot more before we go any further. We’ll do that in the mourning, right now Penelope is right outside the door and is waiting to see how you are doing.” at that moment Penelope nudged the door open and walked in with a soft growl.

Star jumped off the bed and followed Penelope to the garden room where several animals sat waiting for them. The moment she closed the door, all the animals piled on top of her.

They all laughed so loudly that people a few doors down heard them, some smiled and chuckled while others shook their heads.

Ch 3          Thunder Trouble

~<>~

Journal Entry

‘Thunder, imps, family, oh my’.

Sorry, I couldn’t pass it up.

Now all I have to do is pass a few test that show I have mastered, or learned, to control electricity.

No problem.

Well, I still can’t hold a bolt for more then a few seconds at a time.

Dad says I did it so well that time at the party because I had a goal.

Save my family.

But if I don’t learn to control it, I’ll never become a real mage.

I’d better go; I don’t really want to face my dad right now.

Bye for now, I guess.

End Journal Entry

~<>~

Merlin woke up thinking of how to try and help Star not be so afraid of electricity. He had tried placing a stuffed animal in the room so she would have something that she would want to keep the electricity away from.

However, that ended with a few scorched plushy.

Merlin knocked on Star’s bedroom door, “Star, time to wakeup. Another day, another chance at that thunder magic. Star are you still asleep?” he asked as he opened the door, but saw her bed empty in shambles. He ran down the hall, asking anyone if they have seen Star this mourning.

Star had gotten up early and had gone to a secret room some of the small critters had shown her once. The last person she wanted to see this mourning was her dad.

They had spent another week trying to get electrical control down, but nothing worked.

All that happened was some burned toys and Star wanting to try less and less.

She fingered her gemstone, “why am I a mage? I’m no good at it. Maybe I’m better off letting my powers fade and having a normal life. Better go see what’s for breakfast.”

Star walked into the kitchen, where her dad was asking those who were cooking that mourning if they had seen her. The moment she saw him, she turned and ran.

Merlin caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, and ran after her.

She managed to get to a porch area, but got her feet tangled up in some otter looking critters that were chasing each other. She tries to back up, but instead falls backwards, into her dad’s arms.

He pulls her free and holds her close.

“I was so worried something had happened to you. Where have you been, I’ve been looking everywhere for you sense I woke up?” Merlin asked, as he looked her up and down for any injuries.

Star pulled away and turned so she didn’t have to see his face as she said, “I was hiding, from you,” Merlin’s eyes open wide at her statement, but she continued, “I’m a failure as a mage. I should let my powers fade, and be a normal girl. I’ll never learn the thunder power.”

Merlin turned Star so he could see face and said, “Your powers can never fade. I was trying to motivate you, but it that didn’t help either one of us. The only way you can lose your powers is if the mage council chooses to remove your powers from you. I have not given up hope that you can learn to control electricity. Please don’t give up on this Star, you can do this.”

Star kept her eyes down, knowing he was pleading with her. She pushed him away and walked back to her room, not feeling hungry anymore.

Merlin just stood there and watched her leave. What else can he do for her? He walked to the garden and found Penelope cleaning a litter of deferent animals.

He sat down and started petting a wolf with gold paws and ears as he asked, “do you have any advice for how I can help Star with her training?”

Penelope looked at Merlin with quite eyes, “you have left the family in the dark about her for years, so you are the only one who can help her. I suggest watching and seeing if she does anything that might indicate how she uses her other powers or see if she uses thunder powers again somehow. Either way, stay with her, just that alone can help a lot.”

Merlin nodded and started to walk back to his room, when he hears someone scream. He runs outside and finds Star and several magic animals trapped inside an electrical dome, with a skinny winged gargoyle sitting on top.

“She must have heard them scream when they saw that thing and came to help. And now she’s stuck,” he thought as he looked at the situation. He tries redirecting the dome away from Star and toward the gargoyle, but he had no affect on the dome.

The gargoyle cackled and sticks its fingers into the top, causing a cascade of thunder to fall on everyone inside it.

The animals cower, and Star leans over them to give them some cover.

The thunder touches her back and burns the back of her cloths, and cringes as she feels it get close to her skin. She had to do something. She looks up at the gargoyle and imagines the dome turning into a ball around the thing, trapping it inside.

The gargoyle cackles as he sees Merlin’s reaction, but suddenly stops laughing and looks down. The dome was turning upward and encircling him. He tries to fly away, but the electricity is to fast. He is soon caught in his own trap. He hisses at Merlin and Star as they watch on from the ground.

Star starts to feel weak and to leans to one side, where her dad holds her in his arms.

“I’ll take it from here,” he whispers in her ear.

He looks back at the gargoyle, forces the ball high into the air, and calls for a portal to open. A group of fairies appear and swiftly open one, allowing the howling gargoyle through. Once through they follow to see to its care and management, and let the portal close behind them.

Merlin sits on the grass with Star dozing in his lap, and all the animals looking on to see if she is ok.

She moans and opens her eyes, “what happened. Is it gone, are the animals safe?”

Before Merlin can answer, the animals jump on her to show they are ok.

He says after helping her to her feet, “you beat it, all by yourself. How did you control the thunder? I mean, make it turn on him.”

Star looked up at the spot she had last seen the thing, “I just imagined it, and it happened. I did that last time to, except for it swooping on our family.”

Merlin yelled, “I’ve got it,” Star stepped back a bit; afraid her dad had lost it. “You use your powers based on your mind, what you are thinking. Therefore, if you imagine the wind like a dagger, it becomes a dagger. If you think of a dome of thunder turning around and going after the one who cast it…”

Star got the idea, “it turns around and goes after it. My imagination is how I work my powers, we figured it out.” she jumps into her dad’s arms and they spin around for a few seconds, happy to have finally figured it out, then Star asked, “Wait, is that normal for powers to be guided by the mind in that way?”

Merlin laughed, “Perfectly normal. Some of the greatest mages control their powers by imaging what they want to happen, but now I know what to do to help you get far in your training. Come on, lets go try something.” and pulls her back to the house.

In the electric room, Star is trying out her dad’s idea. She imagines a bolt coming up from the wire on the floor, and it instantly does. Then she moves it through the air and mentally connects it to the wire on the ceiling that’s on, imaging the whole thing in her mind. It makes its way over and hovers for a moment, then connects shutting off the light.

She does it several more times until her dad pulls her away. He could see she was getting tired from using her magic. They head outside and tell everyone how it went and that they figure out her magic strength. Everyone applauds and congratulates her on getting over her fears. They throw a party in celebration that evening.

When the party finally finished, everyone dragged themselves back to their rooms to sleep it all off.

Star and Merlin both lie down in the green room, letting several young animals snuggle on and around them.

“So dad, what’s next?” Star asked, scratching behind the big ears of a chipmunk like animal.

Merlin rolled onto his side and rubbed the belly of a dark red-orange dog-cat thing, and said, “Since thunder is all you have left to get use to, I think its time we start magic combat.”

Star looks at her dad with wide eyes, “fighting using magic. Cool! So is it like in movies when a telepath throws something, or do I throw fire or maybe thunder or…”

Merlin now sat up and looked at Star with a stern look, “this is not a joke. Mages only learn to fight with magic to battle those who seek to disrupted peace. We’ll start with blocking items thrown at you, and then move to attacking. We’ll stay another few weeks so you can do some home schooling, then head for the battle training grounds.”

Star groaned, “How many training areas are there?”

Merlin laughed and tickled Star.

Star squealed and jumped at her dad to try and tickle him back.

The animals soon jump away to avoid being squished or something.

Star and Merlin tumble around the room laughing and tickling each other.

They finally stop and go back to their own rooms and sleep until mourning.

While Merlin made preparations for them to go to the next training zone, Star was ‘made’ to study.

But at night, Star would sneak out and do tricks with her powers to entertain the animals. Her family watched the whole time, never saying a word.

~

A low rumble was heard through the whole house, followed by a loud boom and the house shook.

Everyone ran outside incase what ever happened might cause the house to fall or something.

Merlin stumbled outside, looking like he had been just feet from a fire.

Merlin saw everyone standing outside and said, “Star was trying out her new thunder trick. I walked in just before it went up, and was trying to tell her not to mess with thunder. But I came a little too late, sorry everyone.”

Everyone groaned and went back inside.

They all make a wide turn as Star walks outside, looking like she had been standing in the fire.

Star coughed a few times then said, “I get it, don’t mess with thunder unless necessary.”

Merlin crossed his arms and said, “You try that when we are in combat training, I will take your gem away. Am I understood!?”

Star nodded and coughed again.

After lunch, Merlin and Star pack their things and stood out by the shed in the backyard.

Everyone came out and said their goodbye, then stepped back as Merlin used his gemstone to open the doors of the shed.

A light shown out and tendrils seemed to reach out for them.

Star looked to her dad for advice, but he was already walking toward the light. Star sighed and followed him.

Once she can see again, she sees a campus.

All around the campus were large fields with different setups for training purposes.

Merlin says as they head for one of the houses, “from now on, we’ll be traveling by our own feet, magic teleport, or flying to wherever. You’ll also have to limit what you bring, try to use your magic to summon anything else you might need when we leave here.”

Star said while trying to keep up, “I assume you’ll teach how to do that before we leave here. When do we start training anyway?”

Merlin mentally opened the doors to their rooms and said, “Few days time. I need to set things for the way you use magic. Don’t think I’ll let you just relax; I want you to practice your thunder magic out in the field I will show you tomorrow. Tonight we eat and rest in the beds we will be sleeping in for the next few weeks.”

Star sighed and tried to mentally close her door the way her dad had opened them, but managed to slam it closed instead. She put her things away and lay down on her bed to chill until it was time to eat.

She had finish ‘basic’ training, now she was going to fight. She took a deep breath. She had to remember that she was only learning to fight to protect others who cannot.

She fingered her gemstone, and felt a slight static spark on her fingers. Everything still seemed over her head, but this is what she is and what she had to learn to control if she wanted go far with it and not hurt anyone in the process.

I sound like an adult, she giggled at herself and closed her eyes to try and catch some z’s.

Supper was a total blur.

All Star remembered was walking into a small room that had a table with some stuff on it, then somehow walked back to her room and got into bed with her PJ’s on.

She woke to her dad banging on her door and yelling “time to get up sleepy head, training starts today”.

She dragged herself out of bed and got dressed; this was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

Star walked outside and saw her dad waiting for her. She opened her mouth to yawn and ask, “where is the special area you want me to do thunder magic at?”

Merlin shook his head, “it hasn’t been cleared sense the last trainee was doing thunder practice. Just go and do your other magic while I clean up the barbequed field,” he grumbled under his breath as he walked away. For Star though, this worked out perfectly.

Star stood in the field; trying to think of something she could try with her powers. She remembered dancers on TV spinning around and thought she could mix dance with magic. She started spinning around and calls up a whip of air to follow her. She stepped around like a clumsy ballerina, and the air stream spun with her in perfect sync. She tried jumps and rolls, the wind followed like a dance partner.

It was incredible what magic could do.

She did some summersaults to see if the wind would spin around with her, but the ground shook and caused her to lose her balance. She got back to her feet and looked around for what cause the ground to rumble. A big dark shadow covered her, and she turned to see what it was.

A large black tar covered griffin glared down at her.

Star could do nothing else but scream at the top of her lungs.

~

Merlin was dragging the last bag of burnt equipment to the trash bin, when he hears Star screaming. He runs as fast as he can to where she is, but runs right into her as they both come around the same corner.

He grabs Star and asks, “Star what’s wrong.”

Before she can even open her mouth, they hear a guttural caw from above them.

They look up; see a black griffin, with its claws out, and ready to land right on them.

Merlin, holding on to Star hand, runs for cover.

They only make it halfway across the filed when the griffin lands heavily in front of them.

Merlin had to think fast. He ordered, “Star, get low and say low. Let me handle this.”

Star got as low as she could and covered her head with arms.

Merlin raised his arms and called for a thunderstorm.

Soon storm clouds rolled in and swirled around right above Merlin. He had to do this just right, or both he and Star would get hurt.

He summoned up a blot of electricity in the cloud, and just before it exploded out, he swung his arms and threw the blot right at the griffin.

The griffin had nowhere to go, and just cowered as the bolt slammed right into him.

It didn’t even have time to scream in fear.

Merlin finally told Star, “It’s safe to stand up now.”

She stood and saw the burned remains of the griffin. She covered her mouth, feeling sick from the sight and smell.

Merlin led her back to her room and tucked her in.

Tomorrow they had to train in combat, just so she can defend herself.

Again, the whole day was a blur, and it wasn’t that she didn’t want to remember.

Star got out of bed and dressed then knocked on her dad’s door.

“Dad, you up yet,” she yelled at his door, but got no response.

She then walked to the field she was trying dance magic in yesterday.

Once outside though, the air felt different somehow. She heard a loud static pop from a field with metal rods sticking out of the ground. She ran over and found her dad testing the rods to make sure they drew the power towards them and away from her.

Star leaned on one foot and said, “Everything shipshape?”

Merlin turned, “oh, ah, yeah. Lets have some breakfast first before you start, ok,” and quickly led her back to the house.

After almost forcing her to eat, Merlin let Star get back to the thunder field to get down to work. After just a few minutes, she wished she were back in bed.

The thunder was as wild as the first time she tried to use it.

It went everywhere except where she wanted it to go.

When lunch came around and her dad came out to bring her in to eat, he found her just lying in the field.

He stood next to her and asks, “I thought you were training, this looks like sleeping to me.”

Star sat up and said, “The thunder won’t work with me anymore. It goes all over the place, and its all ready burned a few trees that are several feet away,” and pointed out the trees that were burned on one side.

Merlin crossed his arms, “I thought we figure out how you use your magic.”

Star stood up and headed for the house as she talked, “yeah, well, I tried to do it like you do so…”

Merlin immediately grabbed her arms, turned her towards him, and said, “no one can use their powers exactly the same way as another. You use your powers the way that is best for you, not how I do it. I want you to call a bolt of thunder and have it arc between those two rods,” and pointed them out, “and hold it there for at least five seconds, then we can go have lunch.”

Star faced the rods, dreading the task. She looked one last time at her dad, who just stood waiting. She took a deep breath and focused her mind, but soon realized she was doing it like she had seen her dad do it.

She switched her thinking and instead imagined the bolt bouncing between the rods.

A low rumbled echoed in the field for a moment then a blot shot out of the sky and hit one rod.

Star jumped slightly, but returned her thoughts to the task at hand.

The thunder crackled along the rod for a few seconds, then shot to the second one and then shot back a second later. She held it until she got tired and fell to the ground.

The bolt dissipated as Merlin picked Star up and carried her back to rest.

Star slept until almost three in the afternoon, and woke to find a chilled smoothie on her bedside table. She drank deeply until she got a bad brain freeze. She cringed and scrunched up her face just as her dad walked in.

He giggled, “I thought I told you not to drink something cold to fast back when you where still a kid. Finish your drink then come out so I can start on your combat training.”

Star slowly sipped the smoothie and thought about what might be waiting for her. She knew her dad wouldn’t hurt her, but he would want her to know how to fight. She tried to make the smoothie last as long as she could, not wanting to go out and learn to fight any time soon.