“Yes.” Rath grimaced. “I mean, they're not animals, obviously. They have the same intelligence in their beast forms. But those of the Wolf Clan become wolves when they transform.”
“Sure. Giant wolves with razor-sharp claws.”
Rath chuckled. “They're still wolves. Otherwise, the clan would be called something else.”
Master Daeli suddenly turned to face us. “If you fear Ladrin, you will never defeat the Corrupter, Ember.”
I cringed.
“His family was murdered by members of the Wolf Clan,” Rath snapped. “He doesn't fear them. He hates them. But he's trying to get over that hatred because he knows it's unfair to hate an entire race based on the actions of a few. Just as it's unfair to judge people you know nothing about.”
Master Daeli lifted his head and sniffed imperiously. “Yes, well. It's better to hate than fear. I can work with that.” He turned and started walking again.
“Thanks,” I said.
Rath nodded.
“But you're wrong. I do fear them.”
“I know,” he said softly. “But I didn't wanthimto know that.”
I grinned. “Neither do I.”
“Then it will be our secret.”
“Am I here to take in the scenery or train a human?” Master Daeli's voice drifted back to us.
I snickered. “He is very serious about his work.”
“Indeed.”
We went further into the forest after the mage. Luckily, it was more sparse around the edges, and we quickly found him standing in a small clearing, his face lifted to the sun. With his horns and tail, Daeli looked as if he belonged there, a child of the forest. But then he lowered his head and motioned me forward.
“Come, Ember. To harness Earth Magic, you must first connect with the world.” Master Daeli stretched his arms toward the ground, fingers spread. “Close your eyes and try to feel the energy inside the soil. If you reach for it, it will reach back.”
I closed my eyes and mimicked his posture. Meanwhile, Rath found a tree to lean against.
“Magic infuses every part of our world, from the smallest speck of dust to the greatest mountain,” Master Daeli went on. “Even humans have a tiny bit of magic in their blood, though most can't access it. You are special, Ember. Chosen. Do you feel the energy of Varr?”
“I think so. It feels like a vibration.”
“Yes, well done. Now, I want you to focus inward. Find the energy inside you that resembles the one you just connected to.”
I let go of the vibrations outside of me to search for one inside. It was heavy, a solid thudding. I don't know why I called it a vibration, but the word felt right. Still, inside me, it was even heavier. An echo of my heartbeat. Once I found it, singling it out from the other vibrations, it grew stronger. Louder. My hands began to tingle as the thudding filled my entire body, lifting from my skin.
“That's it! Keep going,” Daeli said. “Welcome it. Bring it forth.”
The thudding overcame me. It poured through me. My heartbeat turned into drum beats. Wild drums. So loud, I couldn't hear anything else. I swayed with their beat. Primal music. The heartbeat of the world.
I gasped with the knowledge. The planet was alive. Thrumming with more power than I knew existed. My heartbeat aligned with that of Varr, slowing but thudding with more power. I could feel the blood flowing in my veins like molten rock moving beneath my feet. The taste of minerals filled my mouth, and the scent of rich soil swept into my lungs. I wasn't Ember anymore. I was the world. Or maybe the world was me.
Suddenly, voices crept past the heavy thudding. Shouts. I opened my eyes languidly, then scowled. I stood steady, but all around me, the world rippled. It didn't shake. It rippled. Undulated. The ground bucked and flowed like water. Leaves fell upon the rioting soil. Branches trembled. Master Daeli clung to a trunk as he extended a hand to the ground, and I could see the energy transferring from him to the planet. I couldseeit! It shimmered through the air like a heat wave.
“Ember!” Rath shouted.
In a strange, detached state, I slowly looked toward the sound of Rath's voice. He was on the ground, trying to crawl to me. But the ground kept rolling, tossing him about. It cracked. No, that was something else. Rath's eyes went wide, focusing on something behind me. I turned, still moving as slow as honey, and saw a massive tree come down. Staring at it in fascination, I completely missed the white object that launched itself at me from the right.
A solid, furry mass knocked into me. I grunted with the impact, then stared up at the giant wolf in mild curiosity. It stood over me, protecting me with its massive body, head bent to try to protect itself as well. Bemused, I lifted a hand and righted the ancient elm before it could hit us. Creaking, the tree settled back into place, its roots weaving into the soil as the dirt smoothed over. I saw it then. The connections. Earth Magic wasn't just about rock and dirt. It was the world and everything bound to it. Every plant and creature. Earth Magic wound upward to touch us, join with us, as every element did. They were separate and yet intrinsically tied together.
