************Emily POV************

The mark on her forearm was still slightly burning, but it wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Emily looked up at Cahal before she glanced back at his old cage. It was obvious it would need cleaned up, but at the moment she was feeling the need to train.

Analicia wasn’t able to speak from the fear that was stuck on her face. Jessica was the only one able to say anything at all.

“Well, you proved us wrong. But I think you scared the crap out of the rest of the village, and now I’m not so sure how much they’ll like you from this point on,” Jessica sighed. She crossed her arms and seemed to be trying to think of something.

Emily couldn’t think as straight as she wanted, but she understood what was being said to her. She tried to shake herself out of it but it wasn’t working quite well.

“It may take you a few days to return to your normal self,” Cahal said to her in her mind. Emily nodded as she held up her hands and watched how they shook.

“I need to go train for a few hours. Ron, the smell is going to take over the whole island if the blood is allowed to cook in the sunlight. You don’t have to clean it up, I will later, but see if you can at least direct the scent somewhere else,” Emily said as she turned and walked away.

She didn’t exactly know where she was going, but as Cahal stayed behind with Ron to allow her some space to do what she needed to get the extra energy out of her body. Emily walked out passed the pond where she had met Jessica towards a different clearing about five minutes away from it.

As an abnormal, Emily needed to use magic often or else it would build up. She had been working to keep the pressurized magic built up in her body at a normal level, so when Cahal had appeared and she was given a chance to release more magic than she had been able to in the past few weeks, naturally she took it. But it wasn’t enough.

As her instincts were awoken, the stored up magic in her veins was starting to burn. If she didn’t get away she was afraid she could hurt others, and with her heart pumping the way it was she was building more magic at an incredible rate that almost scared her. Emily had to get away and train, as well as release enough magic to be comfortable.

When she was far enough away to be alone, she knelt down and gathered dirt into a pile in front of her. She had learned this kind of magic when she was young and had practiced enough to where she was able to perform it to perfection. Emily concentrated and formed the shape of a sword in her mind.

This spell was enough to release some magic, but she was a special case since she was little. She was able to store more in her body than most other abnormals, as well as use up only a little bit with stronger spells. It was frustrating at times for her since she couldn’t stand the build up, and this moment was one of those times.

Emily picked up the sword and created a type of dummy with solidified darkness and magic. It looked like a crystallized shadow with the sun burning on the inside. She then started to attack it. Because the same elements were used in the sword as the dummy, neither the sword nor the dummy was destroyed.

She was working on her strength and testing to see how much magic she could put into her attacks to release more build-up. She didn’t notice someone watching her from behind until the man had cleared his throat.

Emily froze and slowly turned around to face the newcomer. It was obvious he was a villager, but he was much stronger looking than any of the people she had seen when she had gone the first time.

“To be honest, I’ve never seen anyone control a riggolet in my time, and I’ve been alive for many years. There are rumors that you are abnormal, and now that I’ve seen you for myself I know they are true. I’ve experienced a few of your kind myself, many of which are old friends of mine,” the man said with a grin.

Emily stayed silent but nodded respectfully to him. She wasn’t sure how to react to his words, but he had the air of incredibly strength about him so Emily didn’t want to upset him.

“I...I didn’t control him. He allowed me to ride him. It was consensual, and if it was any other way I promise he would have died before allowing such a thing,” Emily finally explained. The man seemed to think this over before he crossed his arms in satisfaction at what she said.

“Fliour told me your name is Emily, and that you’ve been sleeping with Ron for the past few weeks. Is she wrong?” Emily’s face went bright red at how bluntly he said those words.

“No! I mean, yes my name is Emily but I have not been sleeping with Ron!” Emily crossed her arms, completely forgetting respect and picked her sword back up where she had placed it next to her to take another swing at the dummy. The man only chuckled at her actions.

“Even if you were, I wouldn’t care. It’s about time he’s found someone who could get him up and force him to socialize. Also, you’re holding that sword wrong, you’re gonna hurt your wrist that way.” Emily froze mid swing. She had been so focused on getting the image that the man had put into her mind out that she paid no attention to her hold.

“So you’re a swordsman?” Emily asked as she lowed her sword and turned back to him. He smirked and stepped forward, holding his hand out for her weapon.

She hesitated but handed it to him. He grasped it hard and walked up to her dummy, then he started to attack it. Emily was surprised to see he had exceptional skill as he started taking quick jabs at the dummy so fast she almost couldn’t see it.

“I’m only a little bit of one. I’m more of a swordsmith, but to be a good swordsmith you need to be able to use one,” he said with a laugh.

“Do you have any specialties?” The man looked at the sword in his hand and thought about it for a bit before he smiled once more.

“I suppose I’m particular towards broadswords, but I’m also fond of sabers. It just depends on the material given to me and the shape of it. If you would like a sword made, I can make whatever it is you would like, but I would need the material. This sword is good, but could be shaped and balanced better,” he explained as he twisted it a bit in his hands.

“I may take your offer on that. I do have a few questions though.” Emily snapped her fingers at the dummy she had made and let it disappear before she did the same to the sword.

The only issue was that she had forgotten she had created the sword out of dirt and magic, so when she let it disappear only the magic left from it. A large mound of dirt appeared and covered the man from his chest down. Emily covered her mouth in embarrassment and stuttered out an apology as she ran forward and attempted to brush him off.

To her surprise, he started laughing.

“Well, Ms. Emily, I must say you’ve surprised me in many ways already. Nothing very exciting happens here, so you’ve helped spice up life a bit. My name is Dominic, so if you ever need something, whether it be a sword or...other, I’ll be here,” he said with a wink.

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Emily immediately stopped brushing him, or just touching him period. This only caused him to laugh harder as he turned around and walked away with a small wave. Her face was bright red, and she didn’t exactly know if it was from embarrassment or utter shock.

When she was certain she was alone, she fell to her knees and stared at the ground. She was quickly summing up all that had happened since she had been brought back here. Threatened, flirted with, slept in a bed with a man, made friends, and was falling for a man she still didn’t know much about. It was like a headache as she thought it all over.

After about ten minutes, Emily stood up and started to walk to where she knew Carlin was planted. He had grown to half his old height, and with Emily’s guidance had become stronger than before. She had forgotten about her magic build up after Dominic’s words, and all she wanted was to garden and think.

It took her a good half hour to get to where Carlin was, and when he noticed her he made a noise like a raven. It was his normal greeting to which Emily replied with a low whistle. She walked up to him and scratched the top of his leaves before she knelt down and started to pull the weeds around him.

She spent a good hour working before she fed him and left to go back to the cabin. Emily stopped a few hundred feet when she heard more commotion and yelling then there would have been if only Jessica and Analicia were there. In fact, practically the whole village was there in front of Ron’s doorway crying out in hysteria.

“She’s going to kill us all!”

“Why have you brought someone so deadly here?”

“That woman’s too dangerous to stay here! She’s even got a riggolet for a pet!”

“Fliour was right, she’s evil!”

Emily’s mouth went dry as she listened to what was being said. She could only think of when she was little when the guild members didn’t know Emily and her brother much and treated her the same way as the villagers were now.

“I must give this time. Maybe...maybe they’ll like me sometime in the future,” she whispered to herself as she backed away to the safety of the trees. Emily had her hands against her chest as she finally turned and ran to where the thick tree line started. She could still hear the yelling, the sound echoing in her head.

She looked at the line of trees that hovered above her head. Tears were running down her face unknowingly, and even when they dripped onto her shirt they went unnoticed. Emily stepped into the forest and immediately the voices stopped. It shocked her out of her crying at how silent the defensive treeline was, and she realized just how strong the magic here was.

She walked to a tree that had a trunk that was bent up and practically broken and sat down. She curled up and rested her head against the bark. The silence to her was perfect, and it reminded her about the energy buildup in her chest.

Emily knew it would be dangerous to take of it the way she needed to, but she decided to do it as carefully as possible.

Knelt in the forest created to confuse intruders, Emily began to meditate and let the energy in her body vibrate out. It would do no damage to the trees, but if anyone walked near her they would be harmed. It was why she did it on a low level. It would take a day to release enough energy, and she could only hope that Ron wouldn’t be able to find her until she was done.

************Ron POV***********

It was hard enough dealing with a large bird in his backyard, but when the villagers showed up as a large mass with weapons and anger he knew he was going to go through hell.

“She has done no harm! In fact, it’s probably safer that she’s here!” He cried as he tried to control the situation. Cahal only seemed to find humor in what was happening.

“What hasn’t she done? She’s let that thing live, and you won’t let us kill it,” Fliour suddenly said as she stepped forward. Ron felt annoyance as she appeared from the crowd, but knew she was beloved by the villagers so he couldn’t talk as he normally would with her.

“You have done nothing to try and befriend her. It’s not my fault that your stubbornness has blinded you,” Ron sighed. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms.

“She really is kind! Please, we ask of you to try talking to her at least,” Analicia said. With all the people there, naturally most didn’t hear her, but those that did slowly went silent.

“What if she kills us all in our sleep? I’ve seen it happen before!” One of the older women yelled from the back. Jessica growled in an annoyed manner but kept her attitude cool.

“She wouldn’t do that, and if she wanted you all dead it would have been much easier to do it earlier on, don’t you think?” Jessica cried back.

It didn’t seem to help. More yelling took place before Cahal seemed to start to get annoyed as well. It took ten more minutes before he had had enough. He gave a loud, deafening screech.

This of course worked. The whole crowd of hundreds of people went silent. Ron felt grateful for the first time towards Cahal, and then started to speak to his people.

“You are all misjudging her. None of you decide to speak to her, and yet you treat her that way. Were you not all terrified of me the first few weeks you knew me? And still you gave me a chance. I ask you as a favor from me, please try and get to know Emily. You may be surprised to know who she really is,” Ron said.

Fliour huffed and turned away, but even she seemed to be affected by his words as she thought about it. The rest of the villagers seemed to feel the same way, and after a few minutes one of the women stepped forward.

“Fine, we will do as you ask. You’ve never truly asked us for something, so we know how much this means to you. If most of us do not like her, though, then you must send her away. For good,” she added. It hurt Ron strongly, for he knew how much influence Fliour had on them, but he finally nodded.

Satisfied, the crowd turned away and left. Only Fliour stayed behind with Analicia and Jessica.

“Where is Emily, by the way? If...if you truly are not sleeping with her, and you are not in love with her, I suppose I can try speaking to her,” Fliour stammered with her back still turned to Ron. He felt hope build up in his chest at her words, but then it clicked in his head when he realized what she asked.

“Actually, I don’t know where she is. Let me look,” he said as he closed his eyes and felt the vibrations of the ground.

He didn’t feel Emily, but he did feel an intense energy field coming from the forest edge, in the defensive side. It was a power that scared him because of how powerful it was, and Emily was nowhere to be found.

“Fliour, I need your help. I think she’s in trouble.”