[CHAPTER THIRTEEN]

"You were shot! By a rifle?!" Wally exclaimed, she felt him rise to his feet. "Who? Who shot you?"

"If I knew that I would have dealt with it already with the Traveler's Guild," Sloane replied firmly.

"Of course, you would have. What is next though? Do you think that your sight will come back with time?" Wally dropped back to his seat on the bed.

"I don't know," She shook her head, her shoulders dropped and her head fell forward into her hands.

"I will help you," he declared. 

"Help me what?" Sloane scoffed, rising from the chair, "Help me find the person who shot me? Or are you going to aim my bow for me?" She snapped. With a heavy sigh, she turned to face him, "I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that."

"I'm not going anywhere," Wally rose and approached, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I'm going to help you sis."

Tears pricked in her eyes, "There is no reason for you to help me."

"Sure there is." He laughed lightly, "It's simple too. I want to, and that's all I need."

"I'm going back down," Sloane moved to the door. "Be safe Wally."

Sloane threw the door open and stepped into the hallway. With rapid steps she made her way back outside. She managed to make her way through the lobby and back to the market. She could feel the presence of everyone around her. There were individuals and groups. Small electrical fields, and then large clusters of tangled signals. She made it back to Tove.

"Child, what is wrong?" Tove asked, approaching and pulling her close.

Sloane didn't reply. Just took a deep breath and stepped away from Tove. She moved toward the cart. Regal snorted at her and stomped a foot impatiently. "Do you still need more time here?"

"I've sold everything." Tove replied gently. "We can leave whenever you are ready."

"Then," Sloane's voice trembled, "let's go back."

"You can call it home, Sloane." Tove's voice was soft, warm.

"I wish I could," she whispered to herself.

Sloane and Tove traveled back to the farm in silence. Sloane, lost in thought, and Tove sensing not to disturb her kept quiet. They arrived at the farm that evening. Sloane went straight to bed, but not straight to sleep. She tossed and turned, wrestling with her thoughts and emotions.

"Wake up Sloane," a voice startled her awake.

"Wally?" She asked groggily, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help you train." She could hear the grin in his voice.

Tolman chuckled from across the room and took another bite of his breakfast. Sloane rolled out of bed and pulled on her boots. She stood and stared blankly ahead. With a heavy sigh she motioned to the doorway. Shuffling outside she stopped at the well to draw fresh water to wash her face. The icy water helped wake her up.

"Alright Wally," Sloane turned toward him. "What is this training you have in mind?"

She could feel him grinning at her.

He guided her out to the forest.

"Discharge as much electrical power as you can." He turned her by her shoulders, "In that direction."

"Wide spread or narrow focus?" She asked, resigned.

"Narrow," he directed, "there is a tree about fifty meters ahead. I've placed a target on it. Use your bow."

Sloane followed his directions. The crackle of electricity followed her will and launched toward the target. 

"You missed," Wally chirped, "but that was an impressive amount of electricity. Keep trying."

Again and again she tried. Again and again she failed to hit the target. She was frustrated, tired, and hungry when Wally finally told her to stop.

"That one almost hit."

"Wally, I don't understand how this is supposed to be helping me. I can't see the target so I don't know how you expect me to refine my aim. The only benefit I can see coming from this exercise is that my elemental proficiency is rising."

"Want to try one more time?" Wally asked, turning her to face the target again. "One last shot and then call it quits for the day?"

"Yes, I'm not ready to give up. I do want to try one more thing though. It's an idea I want to test."

Walter stepped back and hopped up onto the rock he had been sitting on and got comfortable one more time. Sloane took a deep breath, and released a low current into the ground, pushing it farther and spreading it. She could feel the roots of the tree, followed them to the tree itself. Sloane nocked an arrow, building up an electrical charge was more difficult with her attention divided. After a long moment she managed to build up a charge matching her previous attempts. She released the arrow and a moment later the arrow struck the target. The tree cracked in half, an incredible boom knocked her off balance, and knocked Wally off the rock.

"Wow!" he yelled after the roll of thunder ceased. "That was incredible!"

"Why are you yelling?" Sloane asked, turning toward him.

"What?" Wally yelled, "I can't hear you. Oh, I'm bleeding."

Sloane reached out, touched his shoulder, and activated her healing aura. The breeze shifted, on the crisp wind she could smell charred wood, ozone and something harder to define. It was acrid, like burned metal.

"Oh, that's," Wally started the sentence at full volume and dropped it as he finished, "that is much better." Wally sat back down on his rock, "What did you change? What was different with that attempt?"

"I channeled electricity into the ground and spread it like a net. It's almost like seeing. It's a better sense in some ways, I can actually feel the distance. But dividing my attention between two charges is difficult. It's not something I can currently use on the fly. It takes too long to set up, so I don't think I can use this in battle. Not yet.

"Then, let's keep working on it." Wally hopped off the rock and grabbed her arms excitedly. "I'll find and set up targets for you. I'll help you practice until this becomes your second sight."

"I'm not going to get rid of you am I?" Sloane sighed.

"Do you really want to get rid of me?" His voice trembled. She could tell he was holding back sadness.

"No, I don't." She sighed, "Come on lil bro. Let's go back for today."