It was still weird to see so much life present against the backdrop of the Gray Plane. Even though the process had been explained to me, my brain still tried to tell me that the flowers and grass shouldn’t be here. Still, I wasn’t complaining. The sound of water flowing and grass swishing was much better than the howl of wind against a dead land.

It wasn’t until Tomas stepped into the circle of stones that I realized what he’d meant by this being one of Granis’ hearts. The land around us was bursting with life that I could feel, but it was nothing to the sensation I got when I was feeling the beating heart of it all. Energy swirled out of the heart in response to our presence, a cool wind that sent the hair and clothes dancing. It was exhilarating.

“Never gets old,” Tomas said. Still weird to hear myself talk without me being in control.

What’s that? I asked.

“The feeling of Granis, alive and welcoming,” he said. “Can’t you feel it too?”

I nodded, then remembered that I couldn’t achieve a physical motion anymore. Yes. It’s like a cool wind.

“Indeed,” He agreed. “So, down to business.”

Tomas took off my long black coat and tossed it to the ground. I thought of complaining for a moment but shrugged it away. The color, as he’d already pointed out, had no place here. Plus, it was heavy and didn’t exactly promote free movement. Underneath, there was just a white t-shirt and blue jeans.

Tomas spread his legs and crouched low, his hands held out to either side, palms down. The energy from the circle responded to the movement at once, becoming very still. Then he brought his hands down and together until they touched, and I felt the energy draw into itself, pooling at the very center of the circle. Slowly, as if coaxing the last drops of liquid from a drink can, he pulled a thin stream of the energy out and into his hands.

From a physical view, nothing had changed. But I could feel a dense aura radiating from his hands, pulsing brighter than the most powerful light bulb. Just inside his hands was more aura than I’d ever commended, more even than Marisha possessed. I had no idea how he could keep it under control, but he didn’t even look like he was straining.

“In case you’re wondering why it looks so easy,” he said calmly, “That is because it is easy. Granis knows what must be done, and our bond allows us to draw this energy out freely. But, like with all power, you must learn control.”

He brought the mass of energy up above his head and swiped his hands through the air. The energy exploded outwards in a circle, setting the blades of grass into a crazy dance. Even in my position, I was rocked by the surge as it passed through me. My jaw hanging open, I noticed that the circle didn’t seem any smaller for the energy it had given up.

“Right,” Tomas said, opening his blue eyes. “Your job is to practice controlling it. Start small, no more than you possess. Then work your way up. If you can’t use at least that amount at once, then you won’t be able to do what needs to be done.”

He slid out of control, and I felt myself being drawn back in. Everything faded to black as it usually did, then I opened my own eyes and found myself standing within the circle. The feeling of the energy flowing from the circle was even more potent in person, and I felt a chill run up my spine. It was eerie, being this close to such a powerful ancient lifeforce.

There is no need to fear it. Tomas’s voice came to me again. It is your friend. You have a bond with it, and as such, need not fear the drawbacks. It is free.

I took the same wide stance he’d taken and tried to copy his movements. It must have worked, because once again, the energy pooled in the center of the circle, ready to be drawn out. The tricky part came next. When I tried to pull out a small bit of it, the rest seemed to want to come out as well. Separating just the amount I wanted was difficult.

“Out of curiosity,” I said through gritted teeth. “What happens if I lose control of this?”

Any number of things could happen. It could blow up in your face, which is painful, or it could behave in a random, chaotic pattern. Either way, it’s undesirable. Even if you can’t be seriously injured by it.

“Well, if it can’t really hurt me either way,” I asked, “then what’s the point of controlling it? Why not just draw out as much as possible and let it go loose?”

It could seriously harm your allies. You will not be fighting alone.

“I won’t?”

No. For one, Marisha has chosen to fight alongside you. For another, you will have a Guard with you. Their resistance to it may be stronger than most, but it will still be devastating for them to be struck by raw Granis life.

“Oh,” I said, contrite. “Alright, I gotta try harder.”

That is the idea, came the snarky comment. I ignored him.

Repeating the starting motions, I tried to force a small section of the energy out instead of the whole pool at once. It was like trying to open a fence pen but convince only one animal to come out at a time. Every other sheep, cow, and pig wanted freedom too, but you could only take one. And of course, the answer to both problems was virtually the same. All it took was a significant amount of effort and a great deal of stubbornness. Finally, I pulled out a smaller piece, just enough to match what I already had.

As soon as I had control of it, I understood why it would be so difficult to control. Whereas aura had been a hot wind wrapping around my body, designed to be there, this was like a powerful whirlwind that wanted to break free as soon as I held it. It strained against me, and, despite my best efforts, I was starting to lose my grip on it. Forcing myself to keep it contained, I slowly lifted my hands above my head and released it. In the direct center of the explosion, it was loud enough to hurt my ears, but at least I’d managed it.

Well done, Tomas said. You’re off to a great start. Now, try again.