A Remaining Podeshire 1

Chapter 10 (Part 5)

     Oliver awoke from his dream, but he didn't feel frightened. He smirked as he slowly opened his eyes. He gazed up at the cloudy sky through the bushy tree leaves and blew a relieving sigh.

     After leaping to the ground, Oliver took a few steps forward, gazing at the dark grey clouds overhead. He scanned the entire atmosphere, hoping to see the daylight. But, the sky remained gloomy, with no sign of a sunny day anywhere.

     The gloomy weather didn't bother Oliver as his smile became broader than ever. He spread his arms and spun around, releasing glowing elements from his palms. He twirled while laughing until the magic spiralled and encircled his entire body.

     Oliver stops to take a closer look at the elements encircling him. He notices that the ball of elements differs in colour. Red signifies fire, blue for water, light blue for ice, brown for the earth, green for nature, yellow for light, black for darkness, grey for metal, and white for wind.

     After taking a long and careful watch over the elements, Oliver attempts to touch the spiralling ball of fire. Suddenly, the flame broadens. Magic then steps in, and the fire divides, splits and spits itself into tiny particles, sparkling around like a shimmering glitter.

     Oliver laughs in enjoyment as he looks around for the other element. He then touches the blue one, which is the water element. Physics then enters, causing it to cascade like miniature rain onto Oliver's shoes.

     Rather than being disappointed, Oliver smiles at his wet shoes. He crouches down and stands up, raising his arms towards the sky. Then, he manipulates the fallen water, causing it to multiply and shoot up like a fountain. As the water droplets rise, they create a beautiful mist surrounding him. What goes up must come down, and Oliver chuckles as the water gently descends upon him, cooling his skin.

     Once the last drop of water falls back to the ground, Oliver glances at the moving ball of earth orb behind him. He swiftly turns around and clicks his fingers on it. Then, the element shakes, shatters, and drops straight to the ground.

     Oliver couldn't help but snicker at his failure. He then touched all the remaining elements levitating in the air, and each exploded into tiny glitters. When he finished, he looked down at his palms and beamed a glistening smile.

     Suddenly, Oliver punched the air with his palm open, summoning an expected element. A tall, vertical rock emerged from the ground—as if a mountain was forming. As it plateaued upwards, it took the shape of a person.

     Oliver glared at the brownish rock, clenching his teeth in frustration. He summoned a flaming blast from his left hand and shot it at the stone. The powerful impact disintegrated the sculpture into countless pieces.

     Nevertheless, Oliver maintained his stare. Slowly, his furious expression faded and reverted to a cheerful face again. He then felt the cold breeze behind him, ruffling his hair and clothes. Oliver turned around and faced the wind.

     Soon, the breeze turned freezing and howled like a winter night. It grew more powerful, causing Oliver's hair to become messy. Suddenly, Oliver swung both arms up in the air, and the wind began to calm down.

     Oliver clenched his fist and summoned a strong wind beneath him, lifting him into the air. Once he reached the heavens, he let himself fall. Just before he landed, he stomped his feet hard on the ground, and all the surrounding grass began to swirl around him—as if Oliver had become a new, powerful wind source.

     An unimaginable joy overflowed in Oliver's heart as his smile grew wider. He had never felt so liberated and unburdened before. He took in his surroundings, admiring the breathtaking views, and then turned to gaze at his hands, feeling awe and surprise at the powers he possessed.

     With a swift movement, Oliver brought his hands together and pulled them apart, creating a beam of white light that shot straight up into the sky. As the light reached a high altitude, it transformed into glowing water and burst apart like a fireworks display. The water droplets then fell back to the ground as gentle rain, nourishing the earth below.

     Oliver stepped aside and gazed down at his wedding ring. Worry and sorrow contorted his face. Suddenly, unwanted voices began to fill his head, ruining the genuine moment he was experiencing.

"Do as we say. You shall marry S—" Layla ordered with her arms crossed.

Before the voice in his head could continue, Oliver closed his palm into a fist. Then, Oliver shouted freely, "It will cost everything... but will be worth nothing!"

     Oliver laughed and began marching along a single path. Gradually, the cloudy weather dissipated and moved away from the area, making way for the mid-morning sun on the horizon. The golden-yellow sunlight reflected in his eyes, filling him with warmth and energy.

     The rays of sunlight stabbed through the clouds, purging the gloom and illuminating the world around Oliver. It was as if the darkness that had once clouded Oliver's mind had been lifted. Finally, he felt liberated and free.