The Blood Rite

Chapter Thirty Six

The next week the whole mansion was abuzz with the Meteor Shower taking place Friday. Flyers were being passed around. The party would take place outside and was strictly formal attire.

However, Ruby was more worried about Thursday.

"Erik and Sonya are going to put me through some sort of challenge to force me to use my power," she grumbled as she walked towards the cafeteria with Halle.

"But you don't know how to use it as a weapon yet."

Ruby frowned, "I know. They think it will force some sort of survival instinct to switch and ignite my power."

"Well, we will just have to practice harder."

"Yes," Ruby said with a small smile, "we will."

"Why is it such a big deal anyway?" She asked.

Ruby shrugged, "Because they'll be reporting my progress to Orpheus."

"So?"

"So," Ruby groaned, sitting down, "I don't want him to think I'm not competent and kick me out."

Halle gave her a level look, "I doubt that'd happen."

Ruby returned the expression, "Still. I'm also tired of it. A part of me hopes that it will work."

"I understand," Halle said. She gave Ruby a smile before switching the topic as Katrina and Jeremy joined them.

Ruby hadn't seen Orpheus since the night of their kiss besides random passings in the hall where he was too busy talking to someone to notice her. She didn't care. At least, thats what she told herself. But how was she supposed to feel when he kissed her, promised to continue it, and then didn't speak to her after?

She felt used. And angry.

She took that anger to her combat lessons and continued to improve until Miss Jeanie wasn't yelling at her but nodding as she watched. The emotion didn't interfere with her power anymore, so she held onto it until her elemental training. Still, Ruby couldn't figure out how to use it at as a weapon.

"Have you tried sharpening the stars' edges?" Erik asked.

"Yes."

"What about making the darkness so thick it suffocates?"

"Yep."

"And pushing the moon's light-"

"From my body into some sort of blade?" Ruby sighed roughly, "Yes." She plopped down into her chair, her anger ebbing into exhaustion. She wasn't sure if her anger was just for Orpheus or also herself. Why'd she let him kiss her? Why can't she do this?

Sonya stood, "Maybe we're thinking of this wrong."

Erik and Ruby looked up with equal expressions of confusion, "What?"

The vampire gave her a small smile, "I don't know. Maybe you haven't reached the full extent of your power. Maybe, what you currently conjour, isn't the most that you could conjour."

Ruby leaned back, confused, "What else would their be?"

"I don't know, a planet, the moon, the milkyway- anything! The night sky encompasses an entire universe."

She thought over this, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. Erik began nodding, "She's right. This might not be it."

"I don't have time to wait to reach my full potential," Ruby said.

They shared looks before giving her pitying glances, "Ruby," Sonya began, "maybe you don't need to join the fight just yet."

"But Orpheus-"

"I know what he said. You aren't ready."

Ruby slumped even more into the chair. What could she do? Surely there was something. She nodded despite being far from agreeing.

As the days went by, she continued to think over what Sonya had said. It seemed logical and would make more sense as to why Ruby couldn't manipulate her power to the fullest. Still, everytime she tried without success, she deflated a little more.

By the time Thursday came and she was walking out onto the field for Erik and Sonya's challenge, she wasn't hopeful.

"Hey," Sonya said sweetly, "are you ready?"

Ruby shrugged and offered her most convincing smile, "I hope so."

"Ruby, I'd like to introduce you to Henry," Erik said, walking up with a man more than half Ruby's age. Erik patted him hard on the chest, "this is your challenge."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's going to attack you and your job is to defend yourself."

Ruby's eyes went wide, "What? That's your plan? How is me getting pummeled going to help?" The man was taller than her. He had dark shadows beneath his eyes that stood out in blaring contrast to his pale skin and bald head.

"No, not physically," Sonya said with a guilty grin.

"Oh," Ruby sighed. Part of her was relieved that he wouldn't be tackling her but the other part was dreading exactly how he'd be attacking.

Erik clapped his hands together, "Okay. Well, hopefully this won't take too long. Just do your best and let your power take the lead."

Ruby nodded, her eyes fixed on Henry's which were as dark as night and not at all comforting. Her stomach churned. She didn't know how this was suppose to work if she couldn't use her powers to protect or even defend herself.

She steeled herself for what was to come. Henry moved so he stood twenty feet or so across from her. He clasped his hands then, slowly, pulled them apart to reveal a fireball the size of her head in between. Her heart dropped.

Don't be a wimp, she told herself. However, it was hard not to when she was going up against him with nothing more than magic tricks.

Swallowing against her dry throat, she flicked her wrist, bringing the night around the four of them in a dome. The stars were as bright as always and her skin, although dimmed, still shone. Henry didn't so much as blink at the display.

He didn't hesitate and threw the fire ball at her with all of his force.

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Oh that's terrifying!

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