Chapter 23: Practice (1)

With her eyes squeezed shut, Lily took deep breathes in and out and listened to all the sounds around her. Arlo asked this of her to start her practice while he explained things to Finn. Arlo glanced at Lily's face with her eyes closed. She looked like an angel. "So you're telling me.... she is going to feel this painful every month due to her demon blood, like a... like a...." Finns face scrunched up as he didn't want to say it. "As a menstrual period x 10..? Yes." Arlo said plainly. Finn felt his face turn red. Why is he such a child? This is natural but yet when he thought of Lily, he couldn't help but get worked up. Werewolves had a special "time" of the month too but it was on a full moon. Finn started to fantasize what might happen if they were alone during his time together. Arlo grabbed Finn by the collar and dragged him over to Lily and threw him to ground. "Hey!" Finn yelped. "Sit boy, we are about to help Lily." Finn was irritated but he did want to help Lily so he let Arlo's rudeness slide this time. "Okay Lily, the technique of absorbing energy is not only difficult to master but it's very dangerous." Lily opened her eyes and stared into Arlo's with burning determination. Arlo continued..."Firstly breathing and listening are step one. You need to get a sense of your own energy and how far you can project it to master spatial awareness. Secondly once you can project, you can feel others energies or push your own onto others, controlling them. Thirdly syphoning.... This step is the most crucial and the most dangerous. Once you can control your own energy, then someone else's, you can actually deplete theirs and take it in to charge your own. Make sense??." "I think so." Lily mumbled. I am just fascinated and want to really see how it works. "Can you do it?" Lily probed.

"I can show you, are you sure? You may feel a little dizzy." Arlo looked concerned. Lily shook her head. "Yes! Show me. I need to know what exactly I'm dealing with to do it properly." "Okay then." Arlo steadied his breathing and focused on Lily's Aura. Finn remembered the grueling training of learning energy control and scooted a little closer to Lily, just in case she passed out from the pressure. Arlo continued to focus on Lily and smiled. Arlo saw black and red mixing together looking like tar and blood. He had never seen anything like it. The pressure felt like he was being crushed under 100 stones. You aura is very powerful Lily, it may take awhile to make you feel weak. Arlo pushed harder until he started to absorb her energy. It was so thick and empowering he couldn't even contain all of it himself. It started to take him over and he felt breathless and fell backwards having to let go. Arlo extended his right hand back to catch himself and coughed up blood into the other. "Arlo!?" Lily jumped up and ran to his side. "Are you ok?" Arlo sat up. "I am alright, just a little dizzy." He quickly hid his bloodied hand from her. "I have never taken in an energy so powerful before." He thought. "Lily I don't think you realize how powerful you truly are." Arlo reached his hand forward and ran his fingers through her long blonde hair. Lily blushed and smiled. "Well how about I try to take one of your energies then? To practice" Finn jumped up and came wagging to her side. "I can be your test dummy, since Arlo is recovering." Both parties agreed and began to sit back down . "No!" Arlo yelled. Both Finn and Lily looked at him surprised. "Finn, you fool!! I can tell you are a master of energy control and you should know better! She is not ready to learn to take it yet." Finn lowered his head and nodded in consent. Lily was just about to protest when Arlo opened his mouth. "Lily you don't even comprehend how dangerous this method of blood quelling is. All us nonhumans learn this technique for times of last resort but it's very dangerous. We are taught.... no, urged to drink human blood or mate with humans to keep our blood at a steady level. With your power... your aura, you could easily suck both of us in completely, drain us, and Kill us." Lily eyes filled with regret as she looked at Finn. She could have killed him if Arlo didn't interfere. "I believe you can master this method but you will need lots of breathing practice and will have to start on smaller living things first." Arlo smiled at Lily as she looked very disappointed. "Don't worry, we will be here to help you and in no time, you will be able to siphon energy without killing." Lily stood up. "I need a moment. I am going to the restroom." Arlo and Finn watched her back as she jogged back to the house.