Talisman (52 page)

“
Even I can’t lay claim to that,” Tanner added.

I remembered how badly injured I was that night in the cave.  “So, the wand that night, sort of
—”

“Gave you the strength and invincibility of diamonds.  That’s a pretty powerful gift, Shiloh.  It’ll help you dominat
e your enemies when they strike…and trust me, they won’t be
playing around
like we were.  You’d better use every advantage you have against them.”

Tanner’s
words echoed in my head.  I still found it hard to believe there were
people
or
things
out there that actually wanted to
KILL ME
.  Aside from my very first experience with the Onyx when I was little, I’d never been in a “real” fight.  I wouldn’t even count that one because all I did was run off.  The only acts of aggression I’d had over the years were the Tonka truck incident with Mike Riverside in kindergarten that left him with a small scar on his forehead and the occasional riled up & rowdy sister-tussles with Chloe.  No one ever had a reason to hate me (Charlotte didn’t count), let alone
“want me dead”
.  Now sadly, it seemed I had every reason in the world for someone to want to kill me. I was the
lucky one
who happened upon what Tanner had claimed was “the most powerful stone in the world”, and I was the only one who could wield its power.  Evidently, if someone wanted to take it from me, I could do one of two things.  I could surrender it willingly, like Adamas had done.  But realistically, anyone who wanted it bad enough, wouldn’t just ask me for it, or even expect me to hand it over.  The second option was more daunting — they would have to kill me.

Um,
I think I know how this scenario will play out…every, single time
.

We
strolled through the forest for a few more minutes, until we had reached the edge of a clearing on the mountain’s plateau.  Tanner signaled for me to walk out into the small field ahead of him.  I hesitated.  There were no trees to provide any sort of protection from the bitterly cold, pounding rain.  The storm clouds above us had darkened and looked even more ominous hovering over the wide-open field.  The cracks of thunder were almost deafening, and I flinched right along with every flash of lightning that lit up the sky.

Tanner gave me a
n insistent shove.  “What are waiting for? 
Go on
.”

“You still want to play
‘
catch’?
” I asked skeptically.  “In this weather?  With all this lightning flying around?  In this field? 
Seriously?
”

Again
Tanner said nothing.  He only acknowledged me by sternly pointing his hand towards the clearing.  I grunted and then stormed off, headed into the wide-open field.  The air was chilly, and the rain was just downright
cold
.  I slammed my foot forcefully onto the ground.

“And
when
it is going to stop raining?” I yelled.

I’m soaking wet, and he wants to play “catch”.  The only thing I’m going to “catch” is a cold!

Every time I stopped, Tanner would call out, “Keep going,” as he motioned me back with his hands.  I’d reached the center of the field when he finally yelled for me to stop and turn around.

“Okay…
I’m waiting!” I yelled.

Tanner didn’t say or do anything.  The cheeky Professor just cocked his head back and smiled, which only added to
my confusion.  A flash of lightning streamed across the sky above us.  I jumped while Tanner stood calmly, right where he was.

“Where’s your
ball?
” I demanded anxiously.

“I must’ve dro
pped it somewhere along the way,” Tanner replied as he superficially patted the front pockets of his jacket. He didn’t really seem to care about any
missing
ball, and I highly doubted he had one in the first place.

A wave of disbelief and suspicion
came over me.  I shook my head and started to head back his way when from up above, a bolt of lightning streaked down from the stormy sky.  It landed three feet in front of me.  I jumped back and cowered down to the ground.

C
RAP!

I glanced up at the sky and then back over at Tanner Grey.  He was casually pacing back and forth, just watching me.

“I
knew
this was a
BAD IDEA!
” I screamed out in a rage.

I sprang to my feet and gave the sky a quick
check before I attempted to take another step.  I headed towards Tanner again — and like clockwork — another bolt of lightning came hurling down at me.  I observed that this one was even closer as I leapt out of its way and landed on the muddy ground.  It had struck so close that I could still feel the bolt’s heat radiating around me.

WHAT THE HELL
!
  Still, Tanner stood back and did nothing but smile. 
What kind of sick joke is he playing by leading me out here like this?
  I felt like a sitting duck as soon as I saw YET ANOTHER bolt racing towards me.  I didn’t have time to get to my feet, so I threw my body over to the side and managed to roll out of its path.  The thunder roared like an angry lion, which only intensified my anger.

“
Why
are you just
STANDING THERE?
” I screamed at Tanner as I jumped to my feet.

I had to get out of this wide-
open field.  Surely my luck was about to run out.  My “indestructible bones” and “tough skin” wouldn’t offer me any sort of defense if a billion volts of electricity happened to light me up like a Christmas tree.

I scanned the
stormy clouds and took a quick, deep breath.  I’d just gotten up my nerve to make a run for it when I saw a violent, blazing bolt charging down upon me.  There was no time to react.  This one had me in its sights.  I cowered to the ground and braced myself for its imminent strike.  Why I raised my hands to protect myself from the blow was beyond me?  It wasn’t like I could “push” the daggone thing away!

I
n less than a second, the lightning hit me with all its vehement force.  While the bolt’s electricity shot through my body, I kept hoping I was going to be one of those lucky people who claimed they were “struck by lightning” and lived to tell it.  I could feel every ounce of its volts exploding inside me, but to my surprise, it
wasn’t
painful —
not in the least
.

Once the powerful surge
had ceased, I lowered my hands and pried my eyes open.  I was alive and miraculously,
uninjured
.  Slowly, I rose up from my crouched position.  A wave of relief engulfed me.  I looked over to see Tanner Grey standing there, proudly smiling at me.

Though I was thankful to be alive, I was pretty hot under the collar.  He could have at least given me a
heads-up when it came to his hands-on “teaching methods”.

“Is that what
this
was all about?” I demanded.

“Not
this
,” Tanner replied as he threw his arms up at the sky.  “
That!
” he exclaimed as he pointed down to my side.

I looked down at my hand.  My mouth fell open as I lifted my right hand u
p to my face.  There in my palm churned a radiant ball of white-hot electricity.  I felt its formidable power as it lay there, swirling in my hand.  Its force was mind-blowing, and I was nothing less than awestruck.  I raised my other hand, shifting the lightning ball back and forth between them.  Fascinated, I manipulated it some more, discovering that I could even stretch it out, back into the shape of a long bolt.  I felt like I was five years old as I sculpted the lightning like I would a hunk of Play-Doh.

This
is freakin’ fantastic!

I looked over at Tanner.  His smile was just
as radiant as the lightning.

“Some things are better left as
surprises
,” Tanner announced.

He was right.  Aside from the diamond wand of Adamas, this was the coolest thing I’d ever se
en.  Its power was exhilarating!

“You’re right,” I
confirmed with a mischievous grin as I thought about what Tanner had said about “surprises”.  I couldn’t help myself.  My competitive nature took hold as I pulled my arm back and hurled the lightning bolt in his direction.

Let’s see how
HE likes it
.

As predicted, Tanner’s violet eyes widened, and he quickly morphed into his purple misty form.  He
successfully dodged the bolt and was by my side in an instant.  Once he had thrown me down onto the ground, he changed back into his manly state.

“Don’t try to
school
the teacher,” Tanner scolded as his body pressed against mine.  I couldn’t help but laugh at him.  “And by the way,” he added, “The rain will
stop
…when
YOU
will it to.”  He jumped to his feet and pulled me up beside him.

“What do you mean?” I asked cluelessly.

“Shiloh, the diamond is an incredibly,
unique
stone,” Tanner explained.  “It has the ability to sway all four earthly elements — the air around you, the earth you stand on, the water which sustains you, and the fire that warms your soul.  But
your
birth-stone,
the diamond
, is the only one of its kind.  It’s the only stone to reign over the sacred fifth element —
Storms
— which permeates the universe, balances its energy, and sways the conscious mind.  Your origin stone not only gives you an exorbitant amount of psychic power, but it allows you to draw your energy from a storm’s life force.  That lets you manipulate the other elements to some degree naturally.  This
‘storm’
that’s been churning is connected to
your emotions
. I can only mask your feelings temporarily.  I can’t absolve you from them.”  Tanner placed his hands on my shoulders. “
So
, when you finally let go of all your deep-seeded anger or learn to suppress it…the rain
will stop
.”

I looked
up at the stormy sky.  I would have never guessed that
I
was the one responsible for this horrible weather.  Granted, it did match the mood I was in.  It’d been raining ever since I ran out of the house yesterday morning, right after finding out about Daddy.

“Shiloh, I know how the loss of your father has hurt you, and I know you want to avenge him.”  Tanner hesitated.  “Caiden was protecting you from Lazarus.  He knew the real reason Lazarus rolled into town to purchase the mine, and how close he was to discovering the wand’s location.  Caiden stumbled upon the cavern years ago.  He
knew this day would come…when someone else would find it.”

Tanner let out a somber sigh.  “We were supposed to meet at the cave’s entrance that night, but he never showed up.  I found his lifeless body in
the back of his truck, right after you’d been there.  I knew Lazarus had poisoned him.  His passing saddened me.  I’ve known Caiden for many years, and I hate that he’s gone.  But Shiloh, vengeance is a very raw, callous emotion.  It leads to nothing but evil intentions that will consume you and cloud your judgment.  Caiden wouldn’t want that. 
You
don’t want that.  You have to let it go.  Lazarus wants the wand, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it.  Your day with him will come, and
then
you’ll have to face him.  But don’t ever become misguided with hatred or let the quest for power consume you.  That’s not what bearing the honor of being a Talisman is about.  We’re here to protect life, never to take it unless a threat exists.  Every Talisman who took that road has ended up corrupted by their wicked intentions and roams the earth with a malevolent heart.  Just look at Lazarus…and the Onyx.  It’s easily done.   It’s a lot harder to stay true to your soul’s intended purpose, and
yours
Shiloh, is one of
peace
…Adamas’ was as well.  That’s what
truly
made him a force to be reckoned with and a powerful leader.  I’m afraid you have some very big shoes to fill to claim
that honor
.”

My mind swirled as I processed Tanner’s words.  I found myself still bowled over by the fact that my father had known about the wand all this
time and never hinted a word about it to me.  He’d never told me about the danger he was in either —
that we both had been in
.

“I
never asked
for any of this Tanner,” I stressed.  “I still don’t understand why
I
was chosen for this?”

Tanner held on to my shoul
ders gently, but with purpose.  “Shiloh, destiny isn’t
random
.  It comes for you when
you’re ready
.  Whether you think so or not.  You don’t just have to trust it, but more importantly, you need to
trust yourself
.  Anything is possible when you do that.”