Chapter 109: Chapter 106: Amulet Power-Up Out in the Open

THREE DAYS LATER

By dinnertime, I’m drained. I’m drenched in sweat. My fur sticks to me. But I refuse to complain. Because today I got through the hardest training ever. And Lightning is fine.

Panting, I slump down on the cool marble training arena floor for just a moment of rest before standing up and shaking the exertion off me.

Mr. Cool Under Pressure, that’s me.

Kaline applauds. "Blaze, you did so well! I swear that Niall made it impossible."

Niall gets an innocent look. "Me?"

[He was supposed to.] I smooth my fur and toddle over to Lightning, who sits next to Kaline and Hans close by. [He was supposed to drive me hard. But not so hard that it would hurt Lightning.]

I nuzzle against my mate, and she bathes my face. She has forgiven me. She is far more understanding, even full of pregnancy hormones, than I deserve. My secrecy could have hurt her.

Kaline shakes her head, a fond expression on her face. "Yes, Niall, you pushed him harder than you had any right to."

"I needed to test how much power this thingamabob has got."

Niall nods at the amulet around my neck, and a tiger’s eye crystal "anchor" pendant worn around Kaline’s neck to keep the energy conduit solid. That was one of the safety measures that Niall, Elandior, Lamant, and Kaline devised, with a little help from Lightning.

Kaline snorts with laughter. "Thingamabob?"

Niall ignores this. "When you work with a new artifact, it’s important to know what it can do, what it can’t do, and what it should never, EVER do."

I give a little "mrrp" of agreement.

Following a day of instruction and guidance on the proper use of the amulet, given by Lamant, Niall, and Elandior, I began my training in earnest. For the last two days, my workout routine with the amulet has consisted of:

DAWN: Wake up.

BREAKFAST: Lean Meat.

8 A.M.: Meditation and grounding

9 A.M.: Use amulet to produce Shooting Stars. Use amulet to Super Jump. Basic skills.

11 A.M.: Break for Lightning’s sake. Amulet put away.

LUNCH: Lean Meat and Veggies.

1 P.M.: Create Personal Shield to protect you.

2 P.M.: Break, tend to Lightning.

3 P.M.: Learn Incandescent Light (advanced spell) for tournament. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

4 P.M.: Break for Lightning’s sake.

5 P.M.: Review what you have learned.

DINNER: Lean Meat, Veggies, Crunchy Exotic Fruits.

EVENING: Rest with Lightning.

* * * * *

I didn’t mind the frequent rest breaks for Lightning’s sake, honestly. I suspect that Niall would have pushed me to my limits even more, except for his consideration for Lightning and our cubs.

The Personal Shield, which I have worked on before, vastly improved upon what was done before. I conjured up a shimmering lattice that looked solid, even though it was pure energy flowing from my paws.

With the amulet on, I felt tingling everywhere. Before, I had no awareness of this.

Lamant cautioned me that if I had used the amulet, for example, during battle with ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rossa, I would have been a tiger puddle on the ground, and so would Lightning. At least I had the brains to refrain from using it. Hence, the reasonable way Lamant and Minette disciplined me.

Using the amulet out on the open, with Lamant’s information as a guide, made me even more powerful. Skilled. Intentional.

It became my guiding star, shining out in the open against my fur, and according to Lightning, looking quite distinguished. I felt as if it channeled the energy of my heart, and Kaline’s heart energy, and Lightning’s heart energy.

Incandescent Light, an advanced spell that expert beasts like Einswine would know, proved to be a natural fit for my increased energy. Of course, controlling it was quite another matter.

My first attempt fizzled out with a POP and a plume of smoke.

"Try again," Niall shouted from the sidelines.

[You can do it, Blaze.] Lightning encouraged me all the way. [Everyone fails on the first attempt when they try something new.]

[How are the cubs?]

She huffed. [Fine. Except they are making my belly bigger by the day.]

[I like you all round and full with my cubs.]

A surge of warmth burst inside me, and the amulet started to HUM. Loudly. Primal beast power, pride in my mate and cubs, the strength of our bond. I could work with all of it.

Incandescent light shot out...and collapsed in a shower of confetti.

"BLAZE. More focus." Niall marched over, his pointy-toed shoes smacking on the stone. "Less worry about Lightning for now."

A voice from the not-so-distant past reared its ugly head.

[You’ll never master the amulet. What a disappointment you are.]

I ignored System. Lobo sat in the background, and whether or not he engaged with System. he heard its downer of a voice loud and clear.

My focus redoubled. My attention centered on my breathing.

Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see...Hey. I think I just discovered my own personal mantra.

I repeated the words over and over.

[Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see. Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see. Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see. Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see.]

The mantra might not be the most brilliant verse ever, but it calmed and focused my mind.

[Useless.] System can’t resist. [Why don’t you put that toy away before you hurt your mate?]

I refuse to listen.

System’s voice is sing-song. [You’ll be sorry!]

Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.

[Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see. Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see...]

WHOOSH.

Streams of shimmering incandescent light soared all around me, dancing. Lobo shut his eyes and whined about the brightness. Kaline stared with fascination. Niall pumped his fist exuberantly. Lightning just stared, agog.

"That’s it," Niall shouted. "Now, make it into a dome if you can."

A dome. Right. I concentrated.

The dome of light turned out lopsided and lumpy, but it still qualified as a dome.

"Now, slowly bring it down and make it disappear," Niall called out.

I repeated my mantra. [Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see. Bring forth the power inside me. Let my light shine for all to see...]

Inch by inch, breath by breath, I caused the light to dwindle. First it was like an upside-down bowl, then a ring, then a loose band of fairy lights.

Finally, it was gone, and it was at that point that I slumped to the floor.

I repeated that same routine the next day.

* * * * *

Now, Kaline hugs me, and Lightning licks my face. They are proud of me. After two days of constant effort, I have a sense of accomplishment, controlling the amulet in this way.

Lamant rises from the gallery, applauding. "All our guidance paid off handsomely, Blaze. I am truly proud of you."

[It won’t last. And no silly mantra will help you.]

System’s derision doesn’t put a dent in my good mood. At the moment, nothing can.

Lobo talks back to System. [He did it. Why don’t you go harass someone else?]

[Just remember, he holds your fate in his inept hands.]

Lobo doesn’t back down. [There are more of us against you than you know.]

Maybe that’s bravado. Maybe not. But Lobo, too, is done letting this AI entity push us around.

[I don’t believe you. But I’ll let you have your little dreams.]

Is that a note of fear in System’s voice? Or maybe uncertainty?

Lobo pads over to me and nudges me with his cold nose. [You and Lightning both look tired. Double portions for both of you at dinner.]

Lightning yawns. [I believe rest first.]

Of course, everyone walks with us to the tiger den. Kasz, who has been on hand these last two days yelling out instructions and encouragement as well, walks beside us and Kaline. He is a goblin limpet that attached himself to us. No shaking him loose now.

The tiger den once again beckons us with its green coolness and flowing water. It’s becoming a habit to take a nap together a couple times a day at least. Of course, I don’t always nap when Lightning does. Sometimes I just sit and watch over her and replay the day’s training in my mind.

Now, however, I’m going to sleep beside Lightning, with nothing more pressing for the night than dinner and a good long rest beside my mate. And then more training tomorrow.

System cannot shake my faith. Because for the first time I have a fighting chance against it. And Lobo/Damon said that others are fighting.

What did he mean?

I must ask him when I wake up.