Chapter 11: Chapter 11

After having a little break of tension with everyone laughing, the next thing that was dropped...I couldn't fathom.

My mom was the first to speak, "I am glad our daughter found wonderful friends."

Tix flips her hair, "Naturally."

I playfully slap her arm.

"What? She stated a truth and I validated it." She shrugs with a smile

"As to what a soul element is…" My mom picks up where my dad left off. " She has the ability to walk in spirit and see other spirits. "

"Cool, so she's a ghosty grim reaper." Chase quips.

Serena goes to smack him, Chase flinches, but mom answers him.

"Kinda. Pretty interesting way to put it though." She crosses her arms and points her finger at him.

Chase shrugs with a grin. Serena rolls her eyes and listens back in to the conversation.

Dad shuffles around, finds a paper and begins to read what it says, "A soul elemental has the ability to transverse the dead. A.k.a becoming one with the spirit realm. They are not dead nor alive but have the ability to still maneuver their body while in the spirit realm. This allows them to see other spirits and auras of other people. With extreme concentration one can even master the 100 soul technique."

"What's the 100 soul technique?" Trevor inquires with his eye brown arched.

Serena slaps her hand with her fist, "I actually know this one." She waves her hand in the air and a book floats down to her.

Chase scoffs with a grin, "Well…I knew you were all magical and every thing but that totally gave me Hocus Pocus vibes."

"Ohhh boooook!" Drake sings in tune with a line from the movie.

"Tix, Angie, and Shane would you be dears… please be witness and alibi's for me when I murder these two?" She smiles sinisterly. You could definitely sense malice this time.

We all nod and giggle from the soulless eyes that we saw from Chase and Drake. Trevor even looked scared for them but he quickly composed himself. I really am curious as to why those boys fear her so much besides the fact she literally is the reason their bodies still move. Given she is the doctor of the house.

[ I just realized our mind-link is still intact. ] Tix intrudes on my thoughts.

[ Sorry Shane but even I am curious as to why they are so scared of her. ] She looks over at me with an apologetic face.

[ It's literally because I have them by the balls. Trevor is Alpha and I respect him as such, but I know I could handle my own if we ever had to duke it out.] Serena winks at us from where she is.

[ I pretty much could've told y'all that. Serena is pretty powerful. So, it doesn't surprise me much. ] Angie joins the conversation, you could almost feel a mental shrug after what she said.

Trevor clears his throat, "Anyway you were saying you knew something about the 100 souls technique?"

Serena thumbs through the pages of the book she received. "Yep, its a powerful technique. My coven only knows about it because it was something the tribe/pack Mrs.Knight came from requested. Though, only one every 100 years was granted this power."

"Makes you wonder about the price on that one." Tix speaks worriedly with a frown.

Serena nods in acknowledgement, "I agree. Even I don't know much about what was traded for this ability. It does say that the goddess Nyx blessed the gift, but doesn't say much more." Her face showed confusion. I guess this was not normal for the book or any document to have little information on prices.

Dad rubs his chin in thought, "Interesting."

"So what does it say about the ability?" Angie leans forward in her chair and cups her face in her hands.

Serena focuses back in on the book and trails the words with her finger, "The 100 souls technique is a technique the soul elemental user can use to learn fighting techniques and strategies acquired 100 years or more from their ancestral lineage. They can acquire immense knowledge and history and have the strength of 100 or more wolf shifters in their past. This technique is also most known as the Ancestral Spirit Realm"

"Wow. So, basically speaking…she can acquire her ancestors' knowledge and power?!" Tix stares at me in awe.

Serena mulls it over in her head, "More or less, yeah. I suppose." She closes her book and it disappears back to where it came from. She cuts her eyes back at the boys daring them to say anything about the book.

Both of them make the zipping-lip move.

"Seeing as we have learned a great deal of information…" Trevor takes the lead in the conversation and looks over at Serena. She walks over and disconnects him from the monitors once more then continues, "I think its time to create a battle plan."

"Agreed." We all say in unison. "Mr. and Mrs. Knight, I will allow you to attend this meeting, however, if you ever betray us…I will personally-"

This time I cleared my throat. He takes my gaze in for a moment then looks back again at my parent's, "I think you get the picture. It's by your daughter's good graces and my personal feeling to want to trust you. I ask and strongly suggest not betraying it."

They nod. "Wouldn't dream of it." Dad says with a giant grin and sticks his hand out for Trevor to shake.

Trevor looks at his hand for a minute then responds, "We will get there someday. Just not today."

Acknowledging his answer, dad retracts his hand.

Serena removes Drake and Chase from the machines they were hooked to. "Well, now that our tests are done for the day…what's the plan?" He walks up and leans on an empty chair with his arms crossed over the top.

Drake stands up and walks over to Tix and stands behind her. Odd didn't pick him to be the one close to Tix. He's usually quiet.

I look up at Drake but he tries to ignore my gaze.

'Interesting.' I smile to myself.

[ Don't even get ahead of yourself, Blue.] Tix knowing voice sounds off in my head. I do a mental defensive hands up not the blame pose.

[ Mhm] Sarcasm rolls off Tix in our mental chat.

Trevor switches to a screen of a map of the Stone Valley area we are in. We all focus our attention there.

"Now, we don't know the location of our enemies base, but they do know ours. Not only that, but they have the upper advantage knowing how long it will take for any effect to show due to the injections. I am suggesting we head to a new location a few or so miles away from here. It will create a disadvantage for them. Any objections?"

We all shake our heads. He was right about them having the advantage on this. They already attacked once, so the area is now compromised.

"Next, we need to wait out the effects of the injections. I know that would mean possibly waiting for mine, Drake, and Chase's death but again, it's the only thing we can do at this time."

My heart shattered at the thought of them dying. I don't know why it hadn't hit me before. He says it so calmly too. Like he would just be okay with it. I guess I just believed they would be compatible. I'm just being naive, I know nothing about how it could affect them. Especially seeing what happened to Jessica.

"Until then we need to train and prepare. So, knowing who we each are. We will need to train ourselves extensively. We know our strengths but our weaknesses are too open." Trevor points over to Serena.

"Serena." She looks at him with a serious look, "You are a range combat user. Magic cannot be the only thing to protect yourself. Your weakness is close combat. You will train with Chase." They both give him a dumbfounded look that said, *why would you place me with them?!*

Trevor turns his attention to Chase, "Chase you are our best combat fighter, however speed and being quick is not your strongest. Serena's quick spell casting should bring you up to speed." Chase's face screams *help me!!*

I am starting to think Trevor really enjoys, in a sick sadistic way, watching Chase struggle with Serena.

He then looks at Tix, "Tix, you're a mid-range combat. You can handle both range and close combat. However, You let your emotions take over and let feeling get in the way of skill. You need to learn to keep calm and focus on your next move. You will train with Drake."

Naturally the next one he speaks to is Drake,

"Drake, you are level headed when it comes to combat. You are quick on your feet. Your weakness is your blind spots. You leave yourself too open for anyone to see them to get to you. Tix maybe sporadic when it comes to combat but that also makes her unreadable. She will be able to help train you and teach you to defend and find those blind spots."

They both look at each other and grin, "This is gonna be fun!" They lock arms.

I am totally sensing a connection here. Trevor might just be one hell of a matchmaker.

Trevor then looks at me, "Shane, you will train with me and your parents. They will help you manage your abilities. Your mom will help you with sparring. Where I will test you for any lacking areas. I will also be training Angie along with you." I peer over at Angie and she smiles at me. I return her smile.

"Angie, your strength is your ability to be a sniper. Your eyes are close to the all seeing, are they not?"

She looked shocked he knew about it.

"Yeah, they are the best, but I don't see how they can be of use if my wings are broken…" She frowns from the memory of her wings being broken and hugs herself from the trauma.

"Well, that may not longer be a problem. Serena and I may have found a way to repair your wings." She looks up at Trevor and quickly turns her head to Serena.

"But doesn't your magic come with a heavy price?" Angie gives a hesitant look to Serena.

"Luckily the price for this doesn't require someone to die, but it does say you would have to give up one of your most precious memories or one of your emotions you will never feel again."

Angie clutches her chest. If I was in her position that would be a hard thing to choose from. Our emotions make us who we are. It makes us able to respond and connect with people we love and care for. Even the bad ones.

Even giving up a precious memory seems like a high price.

"I…I want my wings back, but I wouldn't know which memory or emotion to give up. I wouldn't be me without them…"

Serena walks over and places her hand on Angie's shoulder, "There is always the option that you don't have to. " she gives Angie a soft and comforting smile.

"No…my friends need me more than ever. I choose to give up an emotion."

We are shocked to hear her make a choice so quick. She has got to be more brave than anyone that I have ever met.

"Are you sure you don't want more time to think about it?" Serena asks assuringly.

Angie shakes her head, "If I dwell on it too long it will be too late. Also, we don't exactly have alot of time right now, so I am sure this is what I want." She gives Serena a face that says she is determined in how she feels.

"Alright, what emotion do you wish to trade?" Serena begins to cast the spell to repair Angie's wings.

Angie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. It felt like everyone lost their breaths as well waiting for her answer. All eyes were on Angie.

"Confinement." She answers boldly.

Serena seals the spell and places a mark on Angie's chest.

"Confinement, huh?" Chase asks.

Angie looks down, "I don't like to feel trapped in any situation. If I don't feel trapped, then I can feel free, right?"

Drake walks up to Angie, "That was a bold choice, a negative emotion, but a minor one. You found the loophole in the spell. Impressive." He holds out a fist to Angie.

She bumps his fist.

"Your wings should be fixed now." Serena smiles at Angie.

Angie is hesitant to reveal her wings. I always wondered how they appeared. I've never seen them before. So, seeing her reveal her wings is pretty cool.