A/N: "Hey guys, sorry for the chapter delay. There's a storm happening right now. I'll be writing 3 chapters a day to stock up before something like this happens again, which is likely since it's still storming. And you might have also guessed that the long wait between posts was because I was writing more. Yep, you're right, lol!"
Forks, Washington
2002/8/5
The sun was just rising over Forks, casting a pale light through the fog that draped the town. I stood alone in the sky, the clouds swirling around me like a living veil, completely shrouding me from the world below. This was my domain, where I could command the elements without restraint.
The past few days staying with Leah and her family had been a nice change of pace, but this morning, I felt the familiar itch to train, to evolve my powers beyond their current limits. My lightning was strong, but it could be more. The sky answered my call easily enough, but it wasn't vast enough. The thunder rumbled when I summoned it, but I wanted it to shake the very foundations of the earth.
Hovering above the clouds, I raised my hand, and the familiar blue lightning crackled to life around my fingers. It obeyed instantly, the energy rippling out from my core, surrounding me in a bright, electric halo. But blue wasn't enough anymore. I needed it to change—to evolve.
"More," I whispered to myself, and the blue shifted, darkening into indigo. The purple streaks shimmered through the air like threads of raw power. I focused harder, commanding it to deepen even further. The purple flickered, intensifying, until suddenly, streaks of white began to break through.
My eyes gleamed at the sight. This was it—this was what I'd been chasing.
Just as I was pushing to fully evolve the lightning to white, a voice caught my attention, drifting up from below. Leah's voice.
"Jaxon? Where are you?"
I paused, the clouds swirling tighter around me as I cast my gaze downward. Leah was outside, standing near the house, her head turning as she looked around, clearly searching for me but clueless to the fact that I was high above. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her scan the surroundings, completely unaware of my presence in the sky.
"Jaxon?"
Her voice cut through again, and I heard the worry creeping into her tone. She couldn't see me, but I could see her perfectly. I let the clouds part just a little, so I could descend closer without being spotted. I didn't want to keep her waiting too long.
"Coming," I muttered under my breath, letting the clouds thin around me.
I flew down silently, the clouds still cloaking me until I was hovering just above the treetops. Leah was still looking around the yard, clearly confused about where I'd gone.
I landed softly behind her, and before she could turn around, I spoke up. "Looking for me?"
She jumped slightly, whirling around. "Jaxon! Where were you?"
"I was nearby," I said casually, as if I hadn't been miles above her. "Just doing some training."
"Training?" she raised an eyebrow. "You sure know how to disappear."
I chuckled. "Yeah, I've gotten pretty good at it."
She studied me for a second, then her gaze softened. "Well, just don't vanish for too long. We've got plans, remember?"
"Right," I nodded. "The hike with Seth."
Her expression lightened, and she smiled. "You better be ready. He's been talking about it non-stop."
"I'm always ready."
She rolled her eyes playfully and headed back toward the house. Once she was out of sight, I turned back toward the sky. I hadn't finished my training yet, and there was still work to be done.
With a thought, I commanded the clouds to gather around me again as I rose into the sky. The air thickened with energy as I called the thunder to life. I let the vibrations build slowly, feeling the power pulse through the atmosphere. The first rumble echoed faintly, but I pushed it further, making the vibrations ripple outward. The ground below trembled slightly, the trees swaying under the force.
But that wasn't enough. I wanted more.
I focused harder, commanding the thunder to amplify. The vibrations grew stronger, shaking the earth beneath me. Small rocks cracked, the vibrations spreading out in waves. I held it back before it caused too much damage, but the destructive potential was clear. If I kept pushing this, I could cause widespread destruction in moments. Cities could crumble, buildings could collapse under the sheer force.
Satisfied for now, I began working on the final evolution of my lightning. The purple had been a start, but I knew it could go further. The streaks of white had already started appearing, but I needed to make them the dominant force.
"More," I commanded, my voice low and determined.
The lightning crackled around me, the purple gradually fading as more and more white streaks took over. The energy was brighter, more potent, the power nearly blinding. I closed my eyes, feeling the white lightning surge through me, stronger than anything I'd commanded before. This was what I'd been waiting for.
When I opened my eyes, the clouds around me sparkled with the remnants of the lightning, casting a strange glow over the landscape below. I lowered myself back to the ground, landing softly behind the tree line where Leah and her family wouldn't see me.
Just as I started to head back to the house, I saw Leah and Seth waiting by the porch. Leah had her hands on her hips, and Seth was bouncing on his toes, clearly excited for the hike.
"Took you long enough!" Seth called out, waving me over.
"Had to finish up," I said, grinning as I joined them.
Leah eyed me suspiciously. "You've been gone for a while."
"Just working on some new tricks," I replied with a wink.
She shook her head, amused. "Well, let's get going. Seth's been waiting all morning."
We set off down the trail, the cool air of Forks brushing against my skin as we made our way into the forest. Leah walked beside me, pointing out different plants and birds, while Seth darted ahead, his excitement infectious.
After about an hour of hiking, we reached a clearing at the top of a small hill. The view was breathtaking. The sky had cleared, and the sun was shining brightly over the vast expanse of trees below.
"I love it up here," Leah said softly, standing beside me as we both took in the view.
"Yeah, it's nice," I agreed, feeling the calm of the moment settle over me.
Seth ran over, grinning from ear to ear. "This place is awesome! You should've seen the squirrel I just chased!"
We laughed, spending the rest of the day hiking and exploring the forest. It was a good break from training, and I enjoyed the time with Leah and Seth. By the time we made it back to the house, it was nearly evening.
Sue had dinner waiting for us, and we all gathered around the table, laughing and talking like a family. Even though I had my own plans for mastering my divinities.