Gotta hold on

You gotta have the patience and believe you're gonna make it
Gotta hold on

Slowly, gradually, Erthë brought her attention deeper within herself and left the awareness of the foals to the subconscious, as a light acceptance of their presence as well as a readiness to react if anything should happen to them. Gingerly she extended probing mental fingers towards those hidden depths within her where energy pooled together and formed the ponds and streams from which magic could be siphoned. Before the trip through the portal she had found them shallow and clear, fed by a mere trickle of essence, or power, or mana as her teacher had once called it. Now, the little mare was alarmed to realize that the steady drip had turned into a deluge and the pool had turned into a vast lake, filled to the brim and ready to overflow. Never had she been in possession of such great forces, and while they might pale in comparison to what others were handling every day, to her it was as shocking and dangerous as it was thrilling.

Recalling moments in the past where she had ogled others for their amazing abilities, the young mare knew she had always craved power. But now that she suddenly had it, she wasn't sure what to feel. The cost of this had been much too expensive, and she had done nothing to earn it, had not raised a wing or gone out of her way to obtain it. Unlike the clean, clear energies of Helovia, this power was also murky and tainted, corrupt, alive in a way she was not accustomed to. Her homeland had been exotic and full of magic, but Erthë began to realize that it had also been strictly controlled and kept in balance by the gods. In the Rift, there was no such thing. Magic here was a wild thing, nearly sentient and she had a feeling that they had already encountered a manifestation of this awareness as they exited the portal.

Inhaling softly, she reached carefully into the flow of energy and allowed it to course throughout her system. Immediately she felt it sizzle and burn through her veins, felt her whole body prickle and sting from the powerful forces. Turning her awareness to the rain that fell in a steady downpour all around her, she tried to freeze it, like she had been able to do in Helovia. Expecting the water to obediently turn into large, gentle snowflakes, the young Sage was shocked when it vaporized instead, searing her skin with scalding hot steam.

At the same instance, a loud piercing wail rang across the beach, so shrill and full of despair that she started and immediately set off towards her sons, so convinced that it was them who had screamed that she rounded on the poor lonely colt that had approached them with pinned ears and a wild look to her eyes.

"What did you do?" she demanded. "Who screamed, are you hurt? Are you alright?" Sharp eyes snapped over to Alvah and Van, demanding explanations.

I know you're tired of surviving but you gotta keep on trying
Hold on!

@Alvah