Cole's missing power

“I can’t solve this problem for you,” Callista said. “But I can offer some advice. The issue is not simply a matter of mental exertion or force of will. If you wanted that alligator mask over there, would you try to will it to come to you?”

“I’d go grab it,” Cole said.

“That’s right,” she said. “Your will would motivate you to take action, correct?”

“Yeah.”

“But your will alone would not suffice.”

“Right.”

“Your shaping talent is similar,” she said. “You were feeling strong emotions the first time you accidentally used your power. You thought the emotions were the key, but they may have masked what you really need to learn. You were so distracted by your panic that you failed to recognize the source of your power. You harnessed it accidentally, never understanding how you drew energy from yourself and infused it into your sword. Instead of replicating the successful act, you’ve focused too much on imitating the emotion of the moment.”

Cole closed his eyes and focused on himself, searching for a power source. He couldn’t sense anything unusual. “I don’t feel it.”

“You’re like an infant just learning that he can open and close his hand,” Callista said. “The nerves are there, the muscles are present, but you have not yet mastered using them deliberately.”

“How do I find the right muscles?” Cole asked.

“I can’t show you,” Callista said. “And it’s difficult to describe—like explaining sound to the deaf, or sight to the blind. I know where I reach to access my power. I use my mind much as I would to take a step, or make a fist, or speak a word, but the act is not physical. I’m not flexing a certain part of my body. And yet I’m commanding my power in a similar way. Pay attention to finding your power. Learn what it feels like. Discover what you must do to tap into it. Don’t fixate on the emotion. Did you notice Skye as we were selecting masks?”

“Not really,” Cole said. “I was concentrating on which I would choose.”

“She looked at the masks with fear and awe,” Callista said. “She could sense the power they contain. She may not have apprehended all the fine details, but she touched her mask hesitantly and handled it gingerly because she felt it throbbing with energy. Do you feel the power in your mask?”

“I believe you that it works,” Cole said. “But I don’t feel anything unusual.”

“This is a skill you can develop,” Callista said. “Learn to recognize power in others. Become more conscious of your own power. It’s there. I sense it clearly. Once you learn to draw from it, then you can start directing it with your will, and perhaps increase its potency with your emotion.”

“I remember feeling it,” Cole said. “I knew energy was going from me into the sword. But after the flow stopped, I couldn’t start it again.”

“That’s good!” Callista said. “At least you have some idea what you’re looking for! Find that feeling you remember. That is where you need to focus. In some ways, it’s easier to recognize your power when you’re calm and untroubled than when you’re distressed. Search out your talent in quiet moments. Don’t push too hard. You’ve done it once. You can do it again.”

“Thanks,” Cole said. “I think that will help.”

“I hope so,” Callista said. “You never know. All shaping is slippery. You’re never done learning. But it can be especially elusive at the start. I would be interested to see what you can do with your power once you learn to access it. Your gift is so unusual that I can’t predict the applications beyond what you’ve described to me. You’ll be in uncharted territory. Shall we join the others?”

Chapter 35