The Witches Promise (Taala)

[Alphess Belle]

It had been weeks since Belle had tossed her own flesh and blood out on his ass. Still hurt over the situation she gave the Delta time to breath, time to think, and of course time to heal from the harsh words of her own brother. Yet, despite it all, Belle knew that the time had come to begin training the female on her powers for she knew well enough what her duties were in the pack. The Alphess traveled up to the one place she knew that Taala would feel better, for tonight, they trained and she hoped that the Delta would pick it up fast. Although, Belle could see the future, but like the future one action can change it all. What Belle saw was beautiful, she saw the Delta grasping it all like a bird taking to the air, and like the waves rolling onto the sands. As the Alphess arrived, she called for the Delta before slipping into the cave.

Now, Belle was of spirit, so there were plenty of things she could do that Taala couldn't, and she was of earth too but as she focused she drew in the spirit of water and concentrated on making the place completely frozen. For the ground outside was beginning to thaw, causing the still waters inside to unfreeze, and their depths of purple and blue that reflected off the crystals at the top were beginning to drip. In a matter of moments, the place was once again froze and under the Alphess's spell, the place would stay like this until Taala could excel at her first task. Curling up, she waited. The sounds of silence were calming as she looked around at the beauty, this was all hers, and damned if she tried she would make it Taala's too. Belle saw great things in her Delta, very great things indeed.

[Elite Taala]

Taala was out on her travels of the land when the call reached her. She knew her Alphess would not send for her if it were not important. She turned her body to face Lambequin cove, which appeared to be the source of the call. She ran as fast as her little legs would allow. She was nowhere near as fast as she would like. But she was fast enough to get where she needed to be.

The travel was not unnecessarily long. Just long enough for the Delta to be slightly weary. She needed to work much harder on her fitness if she was going to be doing these border patrols and learning to hunt. Much less learn to master her abilities. This was still something she needed to discuss with the Alphess. So far she had tried learning on her own, but with very little success. She couldn't walk on water except for when it was perfectly flat. And even then it didn't last very long.

She stopped outside the crevice in the cliff, taking a moment to catch her breath and slow her heart rate. When her chest had ceased its not-so-regal heaving, she sucked in a deep breath, closing her icy eyes to the world for a moment. Then exhaled and slid through the crack. Inside was completely frozen, very different to the first time she had visited this place. And at it's centre was the beautiful Alphess. Taala dipped her head respectfully. "Belle, I have come at your request. What is it you wish of me?"

[Alphess Belle]

"Tonight! We train, we learn, and we practice our skill so that we may hone all that comes with wielding the powers of water." The voice echoed off the cave walls, rebounding in every direction, and it sound sweet and magnificent at the same time. Belle looked at her great Delta, pride was swelling inside of her as her eyes turned to gaze around them. She continued, "Tonight Ms. Taala, you will learn a few things that you will be able to practice on your own time. My thoughts exactly were to train you in the powers of water, to aide you in your abilities outside of here, such as hunting. Tonight, we will be learning three things, to start. This is not to say that your training isn't important or I do not wish to teach you more, but three will be the starting number and we shall only continue with more when you are able to harness these powers at will, or beckoning call."

"To begin, we will learn how to freeze water, such as creating snow or snowflakes. How to form liquid such as raindrops or small puddles. And, last, to create vapors such as steam or wisps of fog. These are the first three that you will need to harness, I will only be helping you find your abilities, it will be up to you to master them. Until you have completed these actions and only upon their completion we shall meet again, to begin training of natural disasters, where I will teach you three at time until you have mastered them completely."

"Once, I have the notion that you are well in favor of you abilities or powers, once I know that you have complete control then you will be ready. Only then, will I consider gifting you an extra power of either walking on water, creating large ice formations, forming clouds, and taking the form of water. These are no easy feats, ones I expect only the highest knowledgeable wolf of water element to learn and master. Yet, only then will I consider it, do you understand?"

"Now, come. We begin. Come and sit, face me while closing your eyes an focus on your breathing. Focus on your power, on water, how it consumes you. Thing of how you would project your talents out into the open. Concentrate. Breathe. Feel." Belle's words were soothing, calming to even herself as she did the same thing opposite her Delta. Tonight was going to be epic and it would be a great experience for the both of them.

[Elite Taala]

The Alphess' voice echoed regally off the icy walls. There was so much she was expected to learn, even when it was broken down into smaller sets of three. Even what Belle called the basics seemed so far advanced of anything she had considered. Turning water into it's many different forms, morphing it into all kinds of shapes. Creating delicate and intricate designs and showcasing them to the world. Her power could be a thing of both beauty and destruction, though the former was her intent.

The Delta stepped carefully onto the ice, her calloused pads gripping the smooth surface as best it could. Slowly she approached the Alphess, slipping only once, but recovering easily. The white female dropped before he leader, sitting straight and perfectly poised. She thought back to the lesson she had received her first day in Caimath, about how one could make use of their powers. Physical movement. Proxy. Chi. Voice. The last reminded her of the night on the mountain, singing only to herself and how the snow had danced. It was possible she held a predisposition to this form of expression.

"My Lady, I believe the vocal expression is my calling." Her eyes fluttered shut as she took a moment to clear her mind of all distractions. She focused solely on her breathing, inhaling slowly through her nostrils, letting the cold air freeze the wet nose. In the smallest corner of her mind, she found this odd little place. It was the place where she felt emptiness whenever she ventured through the earthen fields directly above the cavern. It was very well hidden and difficult to access. And she began to dig. Like a common mutt burying a bone she dug at the little golden nugget. It was here she knew the secret to her power was held. If only she could gain the strength to unlock it.

[Alphess Belle]

"Breathe Taala, it is important that you breathe. Find your center and your focus. If you believe that vocal is your strong suit, that is what I will use with you. You must feel grounded at all time, this is so that your balance is not shaken when you realize that you are finding your core. It should come of ease to you and at the most natural to how you feel. Your emotions will play a huge part in your abilities. Let's see, there are two ways to use voice. Spoken word or song. We will try both, but sometimes through song you can find powers that are far beyond your control. Begin." Belle walked around Taala, taking in her focus and like a lightning bolt, Belle could see that Taala was indeed strong enough to handle even the smallest of task that she was about to lay on the shoulders of her Delta. With a cunning smile, Belle stood beside her and planted her feet on the ground.

Before the two of them the ground rumbled as a puddle formed before the delta and Belle spoke once more, "A little cheating never hurt anyone." Belle smiled as she refered to her using a different power to form the puddle. "Taala, let's start with finding your focus and concentration on the puddle. Stare at it, yell at it, do what you need too, but concentrate long enough to get your point across to the element. I can not tell you how, that is up to you. Once you get it, when you find your whole, I want you to tell yourself to freeze this puddle before you." Sitting down, Belle waited for her to complete the task.

[Elite Taala]

Still the Delta dug in her mind, trying to break through the mental barrier separating her from her rightful power. The cold oxygen flowed through her system and rushed out her wet nostrils. They were only to then to be once again cooled by the cycle repeating itself.

In her minds eye all was filmed with a golden haze. She had dug so far, so close to the centre of this tiny capsule that it blotted out all other thought. It could only be a matter of time before she broke through the hard shell, but until the she only bolstered her efforts. The female refused to leave this place until she had achieved something truly remarkable.

She felt the air around her shift with each movement of the Alphess. Then once again as she felt a puddle form beneath her forepaws. The icy sting of the freshly melted water coursed up her thin forelegs and struck her heart. The shock was enough to spook her into redoubling her efforts. Like a horse sparked by an electric fence. And she broke through the barrier. The golden capsule cracked and fractured, the tiny orifices spewing a golden glow. As it fell apart it felt as though a warm golden liquid, originating at its centre, was flooding first her mind and then the remainder of her body.t drove out the cold from her heart and forced it back from whence it came.

Simultaneously, the warm honey-and-gold liquid reached the tip of her tail and each of her claws. She didn't feel the cold of the water, nor even the frigid air about the cave not as before. She was ware of it, it was there, but it did not bother her. She sucked in a deep breath as a single word came to mind. A command that she somehow knew would do exactly as she wished. She tried to flood that word with the golden liquid, directing it's energy on the single task. "Freeze!" Still with her eyes shut, she waited for the Great Lady's remark. Had she failed or had she succeeded. Slowly her eyes drifted open to view her work.

[Alphess Belle]

The water froze beneath her Delta and Belle couldn't have been more proud, knowing full well that the beautiful female had it in her. Now, they would practice. "Congratulations Taala, you have found your muse." Like lightning in a bottle, the whole place erupted in colorful images and across the sky of the cave, deep cool colors flashes like mini fireworks as they transcended from the ceiling in drops of rain and flakes of snow. "You have frozen water, now unfreeze it, and then freeze it again. Keep at this until you can do it with no issues." Belle smiled as she sat back for a moment, admiring the Delta fast ability to collect her thoughts and perform her actions with success.

As Taala began to try again, Belle decided to gift the female with ultimate talent and as she approached the delta, Belle found her nose touching Taala's. Upon the connection, there was a spark, and it was electric. What Taala didn't know was Belle had graced her with complete use of her element, water now coursed through her and she would be able to complete her talents with great ease. There would be no struggle anymore, no digging deep to find that nugget of talent that she needed. Upon any word, any melody, she would perform. Belle needed her like this, for what Taala didn't see, Belle did. The Alphess stepped back with a grin and chuckled. "Come on then!" The words were of encouragement and Belle let out a joyous howl as it began to snow. "Stop me!" The wind circled her and the snow fell heavy to the ground. The blizzard begun as hail and rain poured around them. Deciding not to go easy on her Delta, she turned up the speed and volume of the storm. Belle disappeared behind a swirling cloud of white.

[Elite Taala]

Looking up, rainbows of light danced about the cavern, showing that some magic was indeed in use. Beneath her white paws was perfectly frozen water. She allowed herself a smile, exalted at her achievements. And now she had achieved it once, she had no misconceptions that she would be unable to perform the act again.

The Delta did as her Alphess commanded, and whilst the golden energy was still alive and thrumming through her body, she reached for the magic, staring at the spot of ice, yelling, "Melt!" and so easily it returned to what it was. "Freeze!" And so it did. Before she could reach for the power once more and form the command upon her lips, her Alphess approached gently. Their noses touched and a spark jumped, slightly spooking the little fae. But her body was rooted in place until whatever it was that was happening, was complete.

She did feel different, and slightly more in control of her abilities. Was this the gift she had been given? Greater control of what she already held? It was the obvious solution. Her Alphess howled and it began to snow about them, the snow turning into a flurry, whirling into a blizzard. It reminded her of that night so long ago on the mountain. Then the snow ceased, replaced by rain and hail. The delta widened her stance, rooting herself firmly in place, her head bowing so low her muzzle barely scraped the ice below.

Sucking in a breath, she raised her head with her chest puffed out and released an almighty howl. As the howl sounded a wind sprung up from behind and below, sweeping forward into the storm. The opposing force combined with Taalas power brought the icy stones to a halt in mid air. Water droplets dangled as a chandelier above them. And the halt in confusion brought the distant form of the other female into view.

Taala ran forth, the ice beneath her paws trailing her as it lifted and turned into a great flurry in her wake. As she ran, she hummed an old tune, keeping the golden magic aflow. She bounded, launching herself at her Alphess in distraction. Reaching for the magic again, an idea occurred to her, but she had no idea if the ability was within her power. But rather than a colliding with the other wolf, she soared above, yelling "Icy Arrow!" and to her right a chunk of ice dislodged itself from the wall of the cave, forming into a perfect point and flying at the Great Lady. As she landed, the suspended ice and water fell with her, a light tinkle could be heard as they pattered against the ground. She turned and waited for her Alphess to surely subvert the movement. The Pentaelemental would always be the superior in her eyes.

[Alphess Belle]

Belle was astounded at Taala an the scene around them became magic itself. The Delta leaped over her, calling out an attack as Belle looked up, a dagger like point was descending fast upon her. "Dissipate!" The word rang out through the cave as she cried out again, this time running across the liquid water and stopping quickly in the middle to get away from any attacks, knowing this was the only command that Taala would be able to do, the few extra abilities that only a sage would be able to complete.

"Now floating up and down. I spin, colliding into sound. Like whales beneath me diving down. I'm sinking to the bottom of my, everything that freaks me out. The lighthouse beam has just run out. I'm cold as cold as cold can be." As the Alphess sang her melody, she disappeared beneath the water, falling deep below the cove of water only emitnating a single light from the depths of the sinking water. Bubbles formed at the top and rose fast like a gyser bursting from it's core as it enveloped the whole cave in water, freezing in fractals all around the two, as if time stood still. As Belle stayed beneath the surface, she waited for a sound before bursting through the shield of water and running along the icy crystals she just made with her voice. Like a siren in the ocean, she kept singing as the water unfroze itself and circled solely around Taala, freezing her in her place, become a statue in mid air.

"Congratulations Elite Taala. Our lesson is over for the day." Belle began to walk away from the scene but forgot to unfreeze the lass and with a swift flick of her tail, the new Elite fell from the sky and landed in the open water. Belle left in a fit of laughter. Something stopped her as she felt it unfair that she played god for a moment, stopping other attacks from Taala and she waited for the female to swim out of the depth. "I am very proud of you Taala, my heart swells with joy. I do apologize for soaking you, but let it be a lesson learned. Even when training, never attack your superior." A smile crossed her face as she looked at the soaking wet female.

[Elite Taala]

She knew the attack would be avoided, it was more a test of her own abilities than any true threat. The Alphess began to sing an eerie melody as the ground rumbled beneath them. Belle disappeared beneath the surface, much to the worry of her Delta. But she waited in place to see if anything should occur. What happened was by no means expected.

The Great Lady burst through the geyser, leaping from great ice crystals forms by her beautiful, melodic voice. One that would surely lead any unwary male to his death. Taalas head turned to follow as the wolf circled her, still singing. Ice crept up from below, rooting her paws and spreading swiftly over her body. All round her the rest of the ice melted and swirled about, encasing her in its freezing grasp. The white wolf formed a perfectly carved statue, unable to move. Her eyes flitted frantically.

The Alphess spoke to her, but it came through her ears muffled and incomprehensible. The floating statue held it's place as the Alphess turned to leave. Would she be forced to unfreeze herself? How was that possible if she had no use of her voice? But suddenly the ice returned to its liquid form, soaking the wolf as she plummeted. The impact was harsh and jarring, but she was spared any major injuries. Perhaps a sprain or two, but nothing more. There was some water to help break her fall.

Taala paddled her way from the shallow pool, hauling her body ashore, shivering. Taala smiled as the Alphess spoke. "The fault was mine, Belle. I had only intended to test the new command I felt rising within me. But I knew no true harm would come to you."

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