Chapter 4

After a long and restless night, Elder rode out of the village in hopes of intercepting Eaglesclaw before he could arrive. When he finally came upon Eaglesclaw just after midmorning on the main road, he was relieved to find out that Eaglesclaw had already been informed on the situation by his flying spies and messengers.

"Elder, I am aware of what happened to Axemen when he was a child. I was one of the surviving guards that had to stop Tamalain from wiping out the entire senior council. She was a powerhouse when enraged at the peak of her strength. Once she learned how bad they had actually hurt her son though, something broke inside of her. She no longer served Kelethin out of love, only a sense of owed duty. That was why they sent her on that final fatal mission. I was there Elder, I saw it all and I was as outraged as the rest of the Rangers at what old man Thornbreak had done to her son."

"My suggesting the mana lock out was the worst thing I could have done Eaglesclaw. I saw the rage in his eyes, heard it in his voice. Had he been able to focus his power, I would not be here now. Little Tama though, by the gods, I felt the inherent power in her try to come out. If she were even three years older, the entire town would have been a smoldering ruin in minutes."

"Then I need to go and start the control lessons now. Her life and every one around her could be in mortal danger."

"I am not so sure of that. When I rode out of the village this morning to meet with you, I saw Axemen and Tama sitting in the park, in a style I have seen monks use. He was teaching her how to meditate and breathe. If he can do that, he may be able to teach her how to manage her power in the way he keeps his buried."

"Now that Elder is the best news I have heard so far since this came up. If he can teach her his methods, then my somewhat cruder ways will not be needed as much," said Eaglesclaw.

"I just had a thought, don't the Caster guilds sometimes use amulets to suppress their mana when they have a situation that mana can cause them problems?" asked Elder.

"Yes they do and that would be no better than the lockdown. It is the same effect except that it can be turned on and off at will. If the person fights it though, they can be damaged in much the same way Axemen was damaged. It was a thought, not a good one, but a thought. Now, could they fix what was done to Axemen today, Yes he could be healed of what had had been done to him. A group of Rodcet Nife clerics has worked out a way to repair that kind of damage. The real question should be, would he want it now."

"Ok, those options are closed to us. I would suggest working with her on being able to start and stop her abilities at will. A second form of control should she lose her focus and her mana starts flowing freely."

"Now that I can do, if she is willing to accept my training that is," said Eaglesclaw.

"Then let us ride on, we will be there by midday if we don't dally."

Sitting on small meditation rugs that Axemen had acquired over the years, he quietly started the lessons on meditative control. "A friend of my mother who happened to be a Warrior Monk knew of the control problems I was having. He sat me down and said he would teach me the method of control and focus that Monks use to control and focus their power. It was for a favor to be asked at later date, one that I am sorry to say I can never repay. He died in the Dreadlands on Kunark a few years later when the Dragon Gornare went on a rampage across the entire region."

"Maybe you can do this for me as a favor to him by passing on his teachings," said Tama.

Axemen stopped and looked at his daughter with eyes that were not exactly sure he was seeing what was actually there. "Tama, how is it at eight years old you are wiser in thought and spirit than most of the adults in this village. Ok now, the first lesson is simply to learn to breathe in a way that will in time help you find your center of being."

"Sit on your knees like this," he helped arrange her to the position, "now straighten your back up, you can't slouch or the exercise is pointless. There are two ways to breathe, the way you normally do, with just the upper part of your lungs being used the most. The second way is to breathe from down here, using the muscles of the stomach to pull in more air, like when you run. In fact, learning this may improve your exercises and running a bit."

He sat down and assumed the same sitting posture as he had Tama in. "Now take a slow deep breathe, drawing it deep into you body, hold for just a second, now slowly let it out. Wait a few seconds and inhale again. Breathe in, hold, breathe out, hold."

They sat and just practiced the breathing for half an hour.

"Papa, my teeth are buzzing and I feel dizzy."

"Then we need to stop and let you cool down a bit, you have hyperventilated. Slowly breathe in shallow sips of air."

Tama did as instructed and after a few minutes the odd sensations faded away, but now she felt energized and ready to run the hill. "Papa, is this the way it is for you, you breathe and then you feel ready to tackle anything?"

"Not really. I just do this to find my center of being, my place of inner peace and self control."

"What is the center, I don't understand that part."

"The center is your point of balance in between your mind, spirit and body. Once you have found that point you can relax and focus on one thing and do it as well or better than normal. It allows for strength and endurance as well. Now, as I said last night, we will just focus on your controlled breathing. Sit back and relax and focus on the taking in of each breathe, feel where it goes as you take it in, slow and deep. As you hold it, feel your heart as it beats, the resistance of your lungs as they push you to release the air in them. Then slowly, very slowly release it. Feel it as the air comes out. Sense how your lungs feel, as the stomach muscles relax, as you chest falls. Push all the air out until totally empty."

Tama started out slowly as he took her step by step through the learning to breathe in a full and proper manner. The first several minutes were hard on her though. As she would push out all the air, she would start to cough up the phylum that accumulates in the lungs and just sits there unnoticed. Once she had most of it expelled, the real breathe training began.

For a full hour Tama and Axemen sat and slowly practiced breathing. Axemen felt for and found his center of self. Something he had not seriously done in several months. He was finally able to relax, when he started to become aware that he was being observed from nearby. He opened his eyes and looked around for a minute before he spotted Elder and Eaglesclaw sitting on a nearby bench. He slowly rose to his feet and approached the pair looking less happy as he went towards them.

"Be at peace Axemen," said Eaglesclaw. "Nobody is going to harm your daughter. That was decided before I ever came close to Upper Pass village. I will only assist in what you are trying to accomplish now. Tell me, is this the meditation training Monks use to center themselves?"

"Yes it is. An old friend of my mothers heard of the trouble I was in with my mana control and taught me the ways of inner peace and calm. The way also gives one the ability to focus ones power for the greatest impact, or as in my case, reducing it to the absolute lowest level it is possible to obtain and still be alive. I will admit though, chopping trees does push my control to its limits at times."

"I can see were that could be an issue," said Eaglesclaw. "Swinging an axe is a great way to get your mad out at times as well."

"If we can teach basic control at first, then the skill to actually use her abilities will be easy for her to master," said Elder.

Eaglesclaw stopped and started looking thoughtful and Elder edged away from him a bit. "Eagle, I always get worried when you get that look. Tavern crawls always turned into disasters when he started looking sort of blank like that. Yes we are both that old, so don't ask."

"The analogy of a woodworking shop to hang her tools up in, would that work with Tama?"

"Yes, I believe it might, but what..." Axemen started to ask.

"Good, what I am thinking of might just work. It would give her a familiar place to work in as she learns to manage her abilities rather than the mana itself."

Elder perked up at that, a rare smile splitting his otherwise dour expression. "Oh Eaglesclaw, that is a wonderful idea, she would not fight that at all I should think."

Tama had been continuing her breathing as was expected of her, at the same time she was keeping her ears open and listened to what the others were saying. She perked up when Eaglesclaw mentioned her using the woodshop in her head as a place to hang up her abilities when she did not need them.

Eaglesclaw quietly walked over to Tama and sat down across from her. "That idea just might work Master Eaglesclaw. I already have the shop area I work in envisioned, what would I need to do next."

"I want you add about a dozen is so hooks to the wall above the table, the kind that you could use to put a loop of rope over to keep it up and out of the way."

"Ok, I have several hooks in place, now what," Tama whispered as she concentrated on breathing and keeping the hooks in place in the revised image in her mind.

"Now I want to place a small black cauldron on the bench in front of you. In it is a slowly bubbling blue fluid. If you need to, lower the table down so you can see everything and reach it."

Tama was starting to lose the image she wanted, so she stopped and opened her eyes. "There are too many things happening at once, I keep losing parts of the image when I focus on another part of the picture Eaglesclaw, how will I be able to learn what your teaching if I can't keep the image fixed in my mind."

"That is a common problem with this technique. Most folks allow the unused areas to fade, bringing them back as needed. It is a matter of building the entire image first, then being able to remember it in full as well as in bits and pieces."

"I keep losing the image of the wall with the hooks since the hooks are new and not part of the actual wall, I am seeing the wall as it is. Could we use a real wall so I can actually see it and hold it in my mind?" asked Tama.

"A very good question, and the solution will be at the workshop." said Eaglesclaw. "Come on, get up you need to move around a little bit so you don't stiffen up. I have an idea that may help build image we want and help you keep it in your mind. But to do that we need to go to shop and see if old Heart will let us do what is needed."

"As long as we don't make a big mess or get in the way of the others work, he should be willing to help us," replied Tama.

"Yes, it is just as I suspected it would be, he hasn't changed in fifty years. That happens a lot as you get older, you don't like to change things."

Tama looked Eaglesclaw and asked, "You have known Master Heart Green for that long?"

"Longer than that even. I am coming up on my third century child. I have known many people, Elven and otherwise. That is what makes living so long hard Tama, I see so many I called friends grow old and die. Our long lives are a gift and a curse in the mortal world we now live in."

They continued the walk across village in silence after that sad admission. It only took them another ten minutes to reach the wood shop. Eaglesclaw opened the front entrance without knocking which rather shocked Tama.

Eaglesclaw walked in and yelled, "Hey Greenie, you hiding back in the wood piles again?"

Back at his personal work area, Heart looked up and smiled, much to the surprise of everybody that could see him. He just shook his head and yelled back, "You still pretending to be eagle bait on the playground?" He shouted back, he turned and headed out to the front of the shop opening his arms and gave Eaglesclaw a big bear hug.

He looked around and saw Tama standing nearby looking rather at a loss for words. "Hey there Tama, are you hanging out with this drunken reprobate now? Next time you get a chance, ask him how he got the name Eaglesclaw. Now Slim, what brings you to my humble shop."

"Actually we are here to see if Tama can build a solid mental image of her workbench and the wall behind it," explained Eaglesclaw after he was able get his breathe back.

"What will you need besides her workbench to make this work," asked Heart turning all business in a single breathe. "Going for the old analogy trick again I see, good idea in this ones case. She'll master it quickly I should think."

Tama blushed and smiled at the praise from her Trade skill master and mentor.

"How about a dozen tool hanger wall hooks, a small black steamer pot, and a dozen longbow strings with the loops already woven in."

Before anything else was said, Whittles and another apprentice were scrambling to gather the items mentioned. In just over a minute the hooks, pot and strings were at Tama's workbench and ready to use. A mallet was also set out to drive the hooks into the wall.

"A well trained group you have here." Everybody just smiled at Tama and went back to their respective benches. Eaglesclaw went to work driving each hook into the wall just above the back of the table in a straight line across the wall. Once he had the hooks in, he placed the small black steamer pot in the center of the table a bit towards the back. Gathering the strings, he lowered one end of the bunch in the empty steamer pot. He stopped and looked around for a second, "Tama, grab that block in the corner there please and bring it here."

Tama spotted what he wanted and picked up the round block of wood and handed to Eaglesclaw. He set it down inside the steamer pot to hold the strings in place. He then spread the strings out around the steamer pot on the table.

Tama took a moment and retrieved the step stool she used to work on her projects. She placed it centered and close to the bench, stepping up and looking over at the two old Elven. "Ok, I have this set up, what do I need to do now."

"First Tama, I want you to just look at it, look at each section, then step back and take it all in at once, gain a complete picture of the work bench in your mind. Once you have that set in your mind eye, then we can move on to the next step."

Tama started by looking at the nearest corner to her right and slowly started to look further to the left, pausing periodically to take in small details that somehow seemed important. It took close to half an hour for her to cover each section of the work bench, then she closed her eyes a started over, trying to picture each section of the bench and wall as it is in front of her. If she had doubts about a spot, she would open her eyes and look at that section again.

Tama continued this for another twenty minutes then stepped off her stool, pulled it back about five feet then stepped back up. She just looked at the scene in front of her, trying to take it all in at once. She looked for a moment, closed her eyes, then opened them and slowly scanned back and forth across the scene before her. Once she felt she had the image set in her mind, she stepped down and moved the stool back to the bench. She looked at Eaglesclaw and said, "What do I need to do now."

"I want you to pick up one of the strings, close your eyes and envision the journeyman's ability. You should have all the strings on the table as part of the vision now."

"I see them, they are moving around, squiggling kind of like worms."

"That is what you need to be able to see, the abilities as living things. The first one I want you to find the journeyman's. Touch each string until you find the correct one then hold onto it at the loop."

Tama carefully moved her hand in her inner vision and started to touch each string. One of the strings caused her to pause. This one was new to her senses. "Eaglesclaw, I have found one that I don't recognize. It feels sort of weird."

"In what way Tama, describe what it feels like."

"When I touched, the image the pot grew in size and filled up further. Then there was a sudden burst of energy in my body, I felt like I should be up jumping and flipping all over the place."

"That is an advanced skill, a booster. Once you activate it, it stays on in the background boosting agility and increases the size of your mana pool. For a Ranger, it is a must have at all times in the wild. It really improves the ability to hit what you are aiming at as well. Just leave it be for now and find the one you are supposed to be looking for."

"Yes sir," said Tama. She focused inwards again carefully touched each string in her mind until she found the one she wanted. "I have it, now what do I do with it, it is slippery and is trying to get away from my grip." She asked.

"Pick it up at the loop on the end, then very carefully try hang it on the nearest hook on the wall. The ability will fight as your mind knows this will bring it under your direct control."

Tama had carefully and slowly move the string in her mind but it kept sliding in her grip. Then stopped and looked the real table and picked up the string that was in the same place as the one in her mind. As she moved the real one, she was able to move the mental one. She lifted the loop up to the nearest hook and slid it over the end off the hook. As she let go of both, the ability tried to draw back into the pot, only to be pulled up short form a tight line that seemed start glowing a light blue and hum as it quivered.

"It's working, the string has drawn tight on the hook and is staying in place."

"Very good Tama, now find the shadowstep, that one seems to be out of control. This one will be harder to handle so take extra care."

Tama carefully started checking each string in her mind again. Once she had the one she wanted, she picked the nearest match with her right hand and carefully moved the loop to the second hook in front of her. As she moved this one, it kept trying to escape but she tightened her real and mental grip and held on. She also found that as she tightened her grip, the ability tried to activate, causing her to fade a bit. "Oh no you don't," she muttered. She was able to suppress the ability after a moment, then get it on the hook. It pulled down tight the same way the first had. Both were now issuing individual tones that she could tell apart if she focused on them.

"Master Eaglesclaw, can we stop for the day, I am getting very tired and my head is starting to hurt a little."

"Certainly you can stop. That you managed to contain two on your first day of mana skill training is quite an accomplishment. Axemen, why don't you take the young lady home now. She will sleep as soon as you get her to bed most likely." He stepped to over to Axemen while Tama put her stool away. "What she has managed today is beyond remarkable. She will sleep several hours then wake up hungry and have a headache."

"Willow and I will see to her needs when she wakes. Where are you going to be staying," ask Axemen.

"I will be staying with Elder. The fewer people that recognize me, the better. I am having a really bad feeling about things and the way they are playing out elsewhere. Be on the lookout for strangers just lingering about."

"As do I," said Elder. "Come Eagle, I will get us some food for the evening meal. Take care this evening Axemen, Tama. Be mindful of your surroundings as well. We will see you both in the morning."

Axemen walked Tama home in silence as Tama struggled to stay awake. She knew the training would be hard, but this was nothing like she expected. She looked inside herself at the image of the table and it was there and intact. The two abilities she had attached to the hooks were still in place and she could feel the vibrations from them. As she listened and focused, she could tell the two different tones apart.

Without meaning to she focused on the soft hum of the camouflage string and let it fill her mind with its sound. A kind of peace filled her mind and she relaxed to it and let the feeling it invoked take her away from the daily world of troubles.

"Tama Arrowmark, what do you think you're doing? Stop fading in and out like that right now," admonished Axemen.

Tama, startled lost her focus and reappeared next to her father. "I'm sorry papa, the hum of the string is so pleasant, I just started listening to the song, a song that sings of solitude and peace and I faded away as it filled me with its feelings."

"That is something you will need to learn to control. At least now you have control over those two powers. How are you feeling right this second?" he was watching her closely, ready for what he knew was coming.

"Tired, so tire..." She stumbled and started to fall to her knees. Axemen quickly scooped her up and carried her home. She was asleep in seconds in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. She seemed heavier now than she had been a few weeks earlier.

One of the neighbors asked if Tama was all right on the way home. "She is exhausted and fell asleep. She should right as rain by morning. Thank you for asking though," explained Axemen.

Moments later at home, Axemen took Tama to her room and laid her on her bed. Willow came in and undressed her then placed the cover over her. Once done, she left Tama in peace and asked Axemen what had happened. He explained what had been done and the level of success so far. Willow was relieved to know her daughter had a chance at being safe from her abilities to some extent. She knew it would not be perfect, but it was a good start. The real protection would need to come from within Tama herself. Without another word, she set dinner out for her and Axemen and ate in peace.

A figure using invisibility slowly moved through the village, first following Elder and Eaglesclaw to the school. Once he was sure of the destination, he followed the track of Axemen to his home and listened quietly to any conversation. After several minutes he heard a name that almost made him break cover and run. He had found the fugitives that Councilor Thornbreak had been seeking for years. The reward for this find would give him a chance to break free from the hold that evil sick minded fool had on him.

Quietly, he left the village and returned to his camp he had set up outside the village. It was too late to make the run back to Kelethin, and his horse was tired still from the ride out. He would ride back to report in the morning. Then justice would finally be done on those criminals, or so he thought.

A short time after returning to his camp, he prepared to record down everything he had learned this day when he was interrupted by a voice out of the darkness. "So little spy, find anything interesting while you were snooping about?" asked a voice from the darkening brush.

The aid spun about seeking the source of the voice while pulling out a dagger.

"Now little spy, that is not a very nice way to act. Tell me who sent you and you leave unmolested. Refuse and well, we shall see now, won't we."

"Who sent me is none of your concern, now be gone before I report you to the guard."

"Really? I am so scared," the whispered voice chided the spy.

"Who are you," the aid shouted in a panicked voice.

"Now, now, now, naughty boy, I am asking the questions and you will answer them." A small dart sped out of the dark, hit the aid in the neck and he quickly fell to his knees. "Now, you will answer all of my questions like a good little boy, won't you."

The aid was unable to move and felt compelled to speak as two black clad men came into his camp and started to interrogate him. He answered all the questions in full detail. His panic filled mind realized that once these two finished with him, he was dead no matter what happened. He knew of the effects of what he had been injected with, his mind was no longer his own.

Another needle pricked his skin and he heard faintly a voice telling him what he had found and what he would report. Then the darkness closed in and he knew no more.

The following morning Tama woke up ravenous from having missed dinner the night before. She was also feeling as if somebody were pounding on her head from the inside, right behind her eyes. She moved to get out of bed and as she stood, the room went to the left as she tried to turn right and it kept going instead of stopping. Tama knew it was going to be a rough day when her head stopped spinning enough for to find a clean long over shirt. Once she managed to dress, she staggered carefully out into the main room in hopes of finding breakfast.

Willow had heard Tama moving around and groaning, so she had a few hot cakes and cooked potato rounds ready for her when she came out. "Good morning Tama, how are you feeling this morning." The look Tama gave her mother said it all.

"I am miserable," she replied.

Tama sat down and started eating. The juice was a type of blackberry and willow bark, it seemed to ease the pounding headache. The food went a long ways towards easing her stomachs complaints as well.

"That was great mama. I feel much better now. I need to wash, I feel like I have rolled in something I don't want to think about."

Tama went to the covered and fenced area just outside the back door with a bit of lye soap and a wash cloth, she used the water in a rain barrel that was set aside just for bathing. Once cleaned up and rinsed, she dressed in a fresh long tunic. She used a leather strap as a belt tied about her waist. She notice that this tunic was starting to get rather short on her and tighter up top. Showing this much leg, almost to the knee would be scandalized were she older. At least she had a few years yet before other parts started growing.

She returned to the main room to find that Elder and Eaglesclaw had arrived. Willow asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

"Much better now that I am clean, fed and my head has stopped pounding. Good morning Elder, good morning Eaglesclaw. I am ready for another day to tie up a few of my abilities. Where is papa now mama?"

"He went out to get more firewood, we were getting low," answered Willow.

"I guess I should start my exercises, the physical side to help prepare for the mental."

Elder smiled and agreed she should do her morning workout to get ready for later in the day. She went out back and began her daily weight training. Eaglesclaw excused himself to go watch her and see if he had any advice to improve her advances.

Axemen arrived with a full load of wood at that moment as well. Elder moved to assist him on stacking it on the hearth for later use.

"Now both of you need to listen carefully to what I am about to say. Last night Eagle and I dealt with a spy from Councilor Thornbreak. He followed the two of us back to the school, then came straight here and found out your family identities. He is on his way back to Kelethin now to report his supposed findings."

Willow gasped in shock at the news and Axemen looked ready to explode. "You let him go? You allowed him to return with word of where we are living?"

"Nope, he found nothing as far as he can recall. Eagle and I drained him of all he had learned and we gave him a new set of intelligence to take home, all false of course. You are still safe for the moment. It would seem that the Thornbreak family has standing orders out to find you and bring you both in for questioning and punishment for fleeing Kelethin."

Willow looked at Elder, "I hope you are right about the spy not remembering anything Elder. If something happens to Tama because of your negligence again, I will find you no matter where you hide, then I will kill you slowly and painfully. Do you understand me Elder?"

Outside Eaglesclaw watched Tama set up her weight bags and start her routine. He watched for a few minutes then stopped her. "The better way of working out is to do sets of each exercise. After you have completed the reps of each set, then you start over doing them either more or less per set. In your case I would recommend starting with fifteen lifts per set, then ten, then five."

"That would actually have me doing more than I do already," she complained.

"Yes, but they are broken down in to smaller groupings so you don't tire as fast during the workout. You will also find that you will be less sore afterwards."

Tama started over doing it his way, along the way he corrected a few moves of how she was lifting and pulling the stone filled bags. These actually made several of the lifts easier in her opinion and she told him so.

"That is good though Tama, weight lifting to build muscles should never be hard. The work out should work the muscles, not hurt them. Push to hard and the muscles tear, making it harder to recover from the workout."

Tama decided that having somebody like Eaglesclaw around to advise her on things like this was the best thing to happen to her. She wondered what he would think of the run. She decided that she would push hard and go for the top today. That should impress him the old Ranger as to her endurance.