C18 Apprenticeship

The next afternoon after school when they finally arrived in the forest at the same meeting place as before, Danny and Theo encountered a situation far beyond what either of them expected. It was as if the trees had come alive and were reaching out to guide them in some unknown direction. But it quickly became obvious that this wasn't normal nature, this was keeper magic!

Theo felt powerless - she had no idea how to control or even use the power she held inside. She wanted to run away from it all but couldn't seem to will her feet to move.

"What do I do?" she said desperately, scanning Danny for answers.

Danny stepped in with a reassuring nod and gentle smile and reached out her hands towards Theo's own.

"It's okay," Danny said softly, "I'll help you, that's why I'm here. Do you trust me?" Theo nodded hesitantly, feeling the familiar warmth of Danny's touch radiating through her body, reassuring her like an old friend who knew exactly what needed to be done without having to ask any questions first.

Theo was fascinated by the secrets of keeper magic that Danny revealed to her. She learned how to recognize different types of energy that surrounded them, and how to use it for her own gain. He showed her various spells to defend herself or attack enemies when necessary.

As Theo dedicated more time to mastering this power, she slowly began to feel its effects not just on the outside world but inside her as well - a budding sense of control and confidence in the face of any possible situation that may come her way. With each lesson, Theo became more powerful and knowledgeable in keeper magic until she felt ready to take on any challenge.

Theo and Danny's bond only strengthened during their time together and Danny said with a smile, "You don't have to be scared or ashamed of your power. I'm here for you no matter what." Theo felt a wave of relief wash over her - she was no longer alone in the keeper world.

Days passed quickly and soon Theo found herself feeling fully at home within the keeper world. With Danny's help, she practiced her magical skills every day, honing them with each lesson and gaining a greater understanding of the depths of this mysterious power.

"Let's try casting a spell to conjure an object," Danny said, watching her friend intently as she worked her magic. She closed her eyes and murmured an incantation, and before them appeared a shimmering gold necklace.

Danny smiled in admiration and said, "Come on, let's practice manipulating the elements!" Together they worked as they manipulated the wind around them, creating gusts that blew leaves from nearby trees into a swirling spiral.

Their last lesson for the day was learning to speak with animals who inhabited the forest around them. They whispered softly into the night air and soon enough, they heard a faint chirping reply coming from a nearby tree. Theo gasped with amazement - she had never seen anything so amazing!

Danny's gaze locked onto Theo's, a warning launched into her pupils. "Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility," Danny said urgently. "You have to take into consideration the impact this will have on the world around you."

"Guess it's homework time for me," Theo muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why do I have to keep going to school when the Harvest is almost here?" she spat, her annoyance rising like steam from hot pavement.

"A bit dramatic, don't you think Theo?" Danny asked.

"Really? ‘The Harvest' is almost here and you call it dramatic?" Theo hissed.

"Yeah, that's why we've been doing this!" She said back, her voice commanding attention. "We still need the rest of the world to believe that there is not a thing wrong and that everything is working as it must." Danny emphasized each word clearly.

"Fine." Theo agreed reluctantly, her feet dragging across the ground as they made their way back to civilization.

But during one of their late afternoon lessons, something strange began to happen - faint rumbling was coming from afar and growing closer with each passing second. Theo and Danny glanced at each other, their eyes wide with curiosity.

Suddenly, an old-fashioned carriage came into view. It had giant wheels and a large box-like structure, pulled by two horses that galloped up to them and slowed to a stop right in front of them. They could see no driver on the carriage.

"What is this?" Danny whispered in awe.

"Let's find out," Theo replied eagerly, before taking a step towards the carriage. Without hesitation they hopped in and the horses immediately launched forward. The wind blew against their faces as the carriage rolled farther away from the meadow. Every few seconds they would look out the window, marveling at the sights that passing them, until finally they stopped in the middle of Ravensky.