When I woke up again Kyle was gone and Ling-Lo sat in his place. His eyes were closed so I just assumed he was still asleep. I was gonna roll back over and try and get a few more hours in when his hand snaked out and grabbed my arm pulling me to look at him.

“We need to talk young student, then you can sleep again.” His eyes held that same scary presence that they held before. I guess I’m not as good as hiding my emotions as I thought cause he then gave a small smile and then released my arm. “I guess you have also figured out the rest of your roommates are somehow Gifted as well.”

Was he asking me that I knew that or stating that he knew I knew. Gosh I really hate old people and their tricky word games. His eyebrow shot up and I automatically wondered if he was in my mind but I sighed with relief when I noticed there wasn’t any tingly feeling. “I knew Lynzi had telepathy, and Raven had strength but Kyle explained it in more detail to me last night.”

He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but then shut it just as quickly. I looked at him signaling for him to say whatever it was that was on his mind. Even if it was my Gift I still didn’t like using this telepathy thing unless I was having a conversation, I didn’t want to invade his personal thoughts like Lynzi had done with Kyle. “Go on tell me whatever it was you were gonna say.” I admit I sounded a little whinny and impatient but what did you expect I was in a hospital, a place I really hate, with a creepy old guy.

“I was going to suggest we work on trying to master your Gift. I would like it if you had some understanding of it before you were placed back with Raven.” I knew what I could do I had telepathy and could cause something to happen just be wishing it, now isn’t that cool. Ling-Lo shook his head as if he knew what I was thinking and that I was wrong.

“You know the surface of what you are able to do, you have all branches of telepathy, and while you may wish for something to happen you can also change the state of something is in, or move it around.” Whoa, this is just like one of those superhero movies, and my friends and I are being trained by some ancient master or something. “That is only if you would like to try it.” I nodded my head mutely, he smiled and walked out and coming back in with a glass of water. He sat it down on the table beside my bed and I looked at him curiously. “We’re going to practice levitation. I want you to focus on this cup going about halfway up to the ceiling.”

I sighed and tried to clear my mind; I focused on the cup and realized this was a lot harder than I thought it would be. When I got it to it’s destination I felt so exhausted I let my train of thought slip and winced because I knew it was going to break. It didn’t though it just floated back to the table and Ling-Lo smiled at my effort. “Daughter you weren’t breathing as you did so, that’s why it was so much harder. Are you ready to try it again?”

I nodded and felt the familiar pull of lifting the glass up, I had to remind myself to breathe, I finally got it to it’s destination I was worn out but not as much as before. Ling-Lo clapped quietly and I knew I had done something to earn his approval. “Now I want you to fling it to that wall. Just imagine you’re holding it and throwing it at something.” I tried but instead it ended up going just a little bit backwards and then straight to the floor. This time though I focused on it not hitting and realized I was the one who had stopped it from hitting, I gently sat it back on the table.

“Very good Sarah you’re learning very quickly. Now I want you to stare at this piece of wood, imagine it bursting into a mi” He didn’t even have to finish his sentence, once I looked at the wood I knew what I had to do to make it vanish. I decided to try with the cup again, I levitated it and to my surprise it did make it to the wall, just not with as much force as I had hoped. “I know you’re tired Sarah but there’s one more thing I want you to try, levitating more than one thing.” My eyes were open in shock and horror, did he honestly think I could do that.

“Now levitate the cup, and then I want you to just look at this paper don’t do anything. When you feel the pull of it that’s when you levitate it too. Concentrate on keeping these two objects in the air for as long as you can.” I nodded and levitated the cup, it was getting easier and easier but it still took a lot of concentration, then I looked at the paper waiting for the pull. It was faint but still there; it wasn’t as strong as the cup. I succeeded in having both of them in the air for a little for than a minute. “Did you notice how the pull of the cup was stronger?”

I nodded because I really didn’t have anymore energy whatsoever and I didn’t trust whatever was about to come out of my mouth. “Your brain can tell what will do the most damage to something, the more damage the stronger the pull.” I smiled and tried lifting something heavier wanting to his praise and approval but I barely got it for the ground before it was too much and I had to put it back down. “That’s very tiring let’s try something that’s not as hard. See this ice, imagine it as water.” Just as he said it that’s what I did and the floor was now slippery. “Alright imagine it evaporating.” The puddle was then up off the floor. “You can do that with anything, you can make it liquid, solid or gas.”

I thought about the evaporated water making clouds in this room and it starting to rain. Ling-Lo tried to seem irritated with my childish antics but smiled none the less that I was starting to evolve on my own. “One last thing I want you to do, break down my walls and find something interesting about me.” He was asking me to do something that went against my morals, I knew this wouldn’t matter in battle but this is someone I respected he gave me that look and I knew I had better do as I was told.

I shifted through countless memories until I saw a picture of him and his wife holding a pink bundle. I smiled to myself knowing this was the daughter I had seen earlier. The wife then looked at him and I realized it was like watching a movie.

What do you wish to name her Ling-Lo?

He took the pink blanket and studied it before smiling and whispering something like Natalie to himself. Then he turned back to his wife with an even bigger smile than the one before.

Natalie, her name is Natalie

Just like that I tried to get out slowly so not to scare his brain but it was a giant rush and I literally felt like I was being pulled back to my bed as if I had really left. “Your daughter’s name is Natalie.”

He smiled then patted my hand. “Good job Sarah, next time don’t try as hard to get out easier. It almost always ends with the other person being jerked back to their own mind. Get some sleep daughter, Kyle should be here shortly.”

When I woke up again neither Kyle nor Ling-Lo were in my room but outside talking about what I assumed was me. I sighed and decided to attempt to talk to Lynzi even though she wasn’t here. I could feel her; she was with Sophia and Raven in our room. Raven was yelling at her for something and Sophia looked about ready to go off on her, Raven stormed out and Lynzi just acted like nothing had happened. I started to feel the tingling in my head and I knew I was getting past her walls.

Lynzi can you hear me, cause I really need to talk to you and I’d rather everyone not hear this conversation.

She told Sophia she was going for a walk and I knew she was going somewhere quiet to where she could concentrate, she hadn’t really practiced this like I had so she had to be fully focused on it. I decided to see how far I could stretch it; I levitated the cup while I waited for Lynzi to say something back.

I can hear you; sorry I had to get to a quiet lace so I could concentrate, what’s going on, what did you wanna talk about?

Beads of sweat started to form on my forehead and the cup started to get heavier but no way was I giving up. Each day I was going to practice with Ling-Lo but after he left I was going to attempt to stretch the boundaries of what I can do even further.

Your power is so much more than just telepathy like me Lynzi. You can alter reality; I don’t know everything about it you’ll have to talk to Ling-Lo about that. Oh and I can levitate things, read minds, change an objects state of matter, and cause things to look like they combusted.

I knew this was a lot for her to take in it was a lot for me to take in and I had a teacher type thing explaining it.

Sophia’s Gifted too right, I mean it’s obvious what Raven’s is but what about Sophia. She hasn’t shown any signs of telepathy or strength.

I should’ve known her first priority would be Sophia, I thought about being a smart mouth or sarcastic to her but I knew she would take me literally and probably cry. I let an exasperate sigh and with that the cup fell out of orbit, I caught it this time with my hand and decided that was enough experimenting for one day.

Kyle said she’s able to sense other’s weakness and use that to her advantage. So say someone’s scare of snakes, all she had to do is focus on that person, think of snakes and they’re so freaked out she has the advantage in a fight.

Lynzi smiled knowing that Sophia would be able to protect herself if ever need be. She looked out the door and I noticed Kyle was standing waiting for us to finish our conversation before coming in.

Hold on a sec before you go Lynz, I wanna show you something.

I levitated the cup and while doing so I looked at the paper imagining it exploding into a million pieces. I picked the pieces up and then sat the cup back down on the table and look at Lynzi.

“Wow, that was amazing Sarah, I oulc tell you were special.” She gave me a hug, waved at Kyle and walked out. He took her spot next to me and just stared at me in shock. Well now I felt awkward, I didn’t realize he was paying that close of attention to us…creepy.

“Ling-Lo said he practiced with you earlier, you’ve gotten much better.” He smiled and I smiled back. Then I thought about Raven, did she know that Lynzi had come to see me. I focused my energy back on our chamber, Raven was yelling at Sophia for something and I clenched my fists. I focused the sound of a loud drum beating in her mind and I smiled when she put both hands to her head and sank to the floor in pain. “Everything okay Sarah?”

I was jerked out of my own little world and placed back in this one. Kyle looked worried and I told him I was fine just tired. I wasn’t lying that takes a lot out of you, espically when I’ve already done so much today. I sighed and told Lynzi goodnight via telepathy and tell Sophia I said goodnight as well.

(Dreamland)
I was in a beautiful forest everywhich way I turned was tree upon tree and flower upon flower. Then everything was caught up in one giant gas ball and flames erupted. It was Tampa all over again I could hear the mothers but there was no one around. Then the scene changed and I was in what looked like a castle. There was a lot of laughter leading down at dimly lit hallway. I opened a heavy wooden door and in the middle of the room sat a throne but that’s not what held me in my place. The woman on it was so familiar so looked exactly like Raven only she had dark blue eyes, I knew who it was immedtiately, Jewel the Soceress.

“Ahh you arrived just in time for the grand finale my lovely Sarah.” I looked around trying to figure out what she was talking about, then I saw it. Raven, Lynzi, Sophia, Kyle, Ling-Lo, Natalie and several others that I don’t know where in a giant cage. I knew what was happening but tried to change it, tried to wish them away from her. “Your training has just begun and not it’s time for it to end. Goodbye Sarah darling.”

A sharp pain started in my chest and made it’s way to my mind. I fell to the ground unable to stand and then everything was black. I could feel my soul leaving my body, I couldn’t leave them. So I stayed and watched as my friends died at Jewel’s hand, my cries for her to stop unheard, I watched as she attacked Region after Region finally taking them all over. Making herself ruler and killing innocent people..I had to stop it….I had to stop her before she did this.

“How does knowing one of your friends betrayed you Sarah. And is the cause of all this downfall.”

(Back to present)

“Sarah, Sarah wake up. What happened?” Kyle was hovering over me and I could feel a cold sweat on my head. I just shook my head no and got out of bed putting shoes on. I had to go see Ling-Lo about this, it probably wasn’t even real but I just wanted him to say so, so I could get back to sleep. “You can’t just leave the hospital Sarah you’re injured.”

“I have to go see Ling-Lo about something.” I didn’t wanna flat out lie to Kyle but I didn’t wanna tell him about my dream. Looks like I have to though. “I had a dream about Jewel, and I need to talk to him about it okay?”