"His hands," one said, making Carlos look down at his palms. "You heal?"
"Well, not exactly, I-"
"Feel the pain of others!" the eldest shouted, making birds fly from the trees and settle down slowly.
Carlos nodded, feeling foolish for even making the old man go there.
"Your mind," he said in a tired voice, "a steel trap of logic. Negotiations. Battle tactics. Soon, you'll be impervious to the demon bite." He finally smiled. "But you have to wait till your birthday, and not slip into some of your old ways."
Carlos looked at the ground.
"We were not always old or wise, but this is critical."
"I hear you," Carlos said, duly chastised.
"Good. Then stop fretting about the endurance or strength that comes soon... like the five senses. For some odd reason, these are blooming last, instead of first, but you did arrive to us from a very circuitous route." He looked at the others. "We never expected our Neteru to come from the realms we do not name. So, one can only assume that his development is unique."
"You mean I'll get my night vision back, and everything else, too?"
They smiled. "A lot of it. Not all of it. But what you do get will be more than adequate."
Carlos wrestled the dangerous question that nagged him out of his mind. He wanted in the worst way to know about Damali, and if it would ever be the same between them again. But this wasn't the time nor place. There were greater concerns. That could wait. But when the old men laughed at him, he simply closed his eyes.
"Thirteen gifts," the eldest man said, chuckling. "All Neterus have these."
"I counted twelve, though... not being funny," Carlos said, his gaze going to the shore. "I'm not being disrespectful, but if we're going into battle-"
"Twelve?" the man said, seeming perplexed. "How did you arrive here?"
"By plane, or plane crash, to be more accurate," Carlos said, now looking at all three of them.
They sighed in unison.
"A plane did not crash on this island, son."
Carlos blinked. "Travel through... I don't know... uh... Y'all did some mystical thing, and we were here."
"Light displacement and dimension distortion," the eldest replied. "I know you miss your old transportation methods, but did you know Neterus can move through time and space?" He belly laughed when Carlos just stared at him. "We in the Light rings invented it. The others only imitate it!" He walked away scratching his head, seeming completely amazed. "Angels do it all the time, son. Spirits to help humanity come to rescue those in peril. Did you bump your head and lose all your senses in the crash? Who saved you, then, anyway? They showed you the thirteenth gift,then ."
"Can I try it?" Carlos whispered in complete awe.
"Only if you're ready, and you need to be," the eldest urged, taking Carlos's hands without crossing the circles. He extended Carlos's arms. "Concentrate on the particles and grab them as you ask their permission to be held with your mind. Then pull them around you like a cloak." He smiled. "The dark ones are blind to it, even in the moonlight-but other Light benders can see you within it. We know where we are."
Excitement riddled him as he gazed first at one hand and then the other. Power...
"No!" the old men said in unison. "Defense!"
The eldest among them sighed. "The dark ones take from the Light without permission and abuse it for cheap tricks and to make war and chaos. You must ask permission to conceal yourself for protection, to aid those in need. Raw power is no better than lust. Go down that road, and you will never learn or have what you need!"
Duly chastised, Carlos nodded. "All right. I'm sorry. My bad. Old habits die hard."
Albeit disgruntled, the three teachers sighed and nodded.
"Light," Carlos said quietly, feeling a bit insane to be talking to nothingness, "may I have your permission to proceed?"
"Say it like you mean it," the eldest said firmly, pounding his stick on the ground. "Both in your mind and from your words. Soon you can do it without saying it out loud. But for now, practice. Again!"
Carlos took a deep breath and put emphasis in his voice. "Light," he shouted. "May I have your permission?"