Elemental (The Keeper of the elements) (11 page)

I could tell we were being followed. Branches snapped and leaves rustled as we ran. “How many?” Roland yelled to his left. I noticed Darrington running on his left, blood trickling down his temple and his eye nearly swollen shut. “At least a hundred, but I can’t really tell, they are spread out everywhere. But from the way it feels, we are headed straight into the strongest group.” Darrington coughed. I looked over at Roland with confusion. “There’s more?” I panted.  Roland shook his head while quickly glancing back, “No. The same ones, they are just cutting us off up ahead.” I was struggling to understand and he must have noticed, “They used magic Gemma.” He said it like it was the most obvious answer. “Well then why aren’t we doing that!” I screamed. Roland looked over his shoulder again and when he turned back his eyes seemed darker, “Because we don’t have enough.” He answered gravely.  “We are already in their trap.”

We ran as fast as we could. My legs were screaming in protest. My face ached from were branches and leaves had left their mark. I felt like things were hopeless. I could feel Aydan, in my heart and soul and we were getting closer. “They have a barrier up Roland!” Ronnie yelled from somewhere in the small group. I could spot Eli and instantly my heart sunk. He was pale and breathing heavily. He shot me a warning look, almost as if he was saying to leave it alone. “Roland, how do you expect to get through the barrier?” Ronnie asked with a panicked tone. Roland glanced at me before he turned back towards Ronnie, “I’m going to hopefully demolish it:” I heard a sob come from in the crowd.

Suddenly an explosion filled the space that we had just left. I turned my he
ad away as the orange flames and hot blast filled the air. The explosion sent panic through our small group and screams began to echo through the trees. I could see the fear in everyone’s faces and I desperately tried to ignore it. I felt so guilty that all of this was because of me. Their fear and energy was nearly palpable and I could feel the energy trickling through my veins and into my fingertips. Another explosion ripped through the trees sending debris flying through the air. I could hear Ronnie screaming painfully but I couldn’t see her through the thick smoke that was now filling the air. The earth vibrated beneath my feet, shaking and turning my knees to jelly. I could hear Roland’s quick erratic breathing as we ran and I knew he was running out of energy.

I looked around and spotted Aydan and Blaze among a large group through the trees. Roland began chanting and the wind quickly picked up, dark clouds rolled in overhead and thunder boomed loudly above us. He lifted his hands as we ran and a large bright red ball grew into his hands. He let out a loud growling like scream, shooting it away from his hands and into the trees and people that stood before us. The people scattered and the sound of the explosion rolled through me. “Ronnie! Take Gemma and get the hell out of here!” He yelled loudly. I looked at him in panic. My lungs were screaming in pain.

I focused my attention on the tingle in my fingertips ; the burn that seemed to boil through my veins. Suddenly soothing warmth spread through my chest and connected with my energy. It moved through me, seeping into each part of my soul. I extended my hands and everything seemed to slow down. It was like everything turned into slow motion. Only a moment later the ground beneath Aydan , Blaze and their group exploded, sending them high into the air. “Everyone, go.” Roland yelled. He wrapped his arms around me and before I could think about it, we were in the air and Aydan was getting smaller and smaller.

Chapter Nineteen

I had spent the next day in the air, although it wasn’t by choice. As we got away I learned that I could control the wind to carry me, almost like I was flying. By mid-day the day after the ambush we were touching down in a secluded mountain area to assess the damage Blaze and Aydan’s ambush had caused.  Roland looked dejected as he surveyed everyone.

Darrington had bruises that covered his face, a huge gash in his temple, a split lip and his right eye was swollen so badly Roland said it was a good possibility he would lose the eye. Ronnie sat stoically in the corner. Her eyes stared blankly before her. She had lost Eli in the fight. Our casualties were high and it broke my heart.

“So what now?” I asked Roland as I sighed. This was not what we had expected. We had expected to go in, grab him and that was it. “What now….” Ronnie whispered as she stood. “
Every one of us has put our lives on the line for you and you ask what now? Eli is dead because of you! Because you want your precious boyfriend!” Darrington had come alongside her as her eyes stared daggers into me. “This who thing is your fault Gemma! Their blood is on your hands!” She sobbed and sunk to the ground, Darrington catching her just before she fell.  Darrington looked up at me, his face hard, “We have lost so many Gemma. What is the life of one for many?” I looked around as the tears burned my eyes. We had lost Franco, Eli, Serena and so many others that I didn’t even know their names. A tear slid down my cheek as I looked at Darrington. “You’re right.” I choked. “No more. No one else will die for me.” I could hear Darrington sigh and Roland huff loudly, but I didn’t watch, I just turned and walked away.

True no one else would die for me but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to go after Aydan myself. I sat in a windowsill that overlooked the mountain behind us. My head rested against my knees as I lost myself in thought. I wouldn’t let Aydan die. I couldn’t. Ronnie was right in some way, she had lost Eli, but how fair was it for me to lose both my parents, Amelie and Aydan. I didn’t see that being very fair either and maybe I was being selfish. I refused to ask for any more help.

Suddenly as I sat a vicious pain ripped through my head. I let out a blood curdling scream and fell instantly to the floor, clutching my head in my hands. Images surged through my mind, images of Aydan, soaked in sweat and bleeding. He was hunched over on the floor, Blaze standing tall behind him. Whip lashes covered the once smooth skin of his back. Aydan looked up and back towards where I stood and I let out another scream. His face looked so broken, both eyes nearly swollen shut, his lips blistered and broken and the look in his eyes was heartbreaking. He was terrified. I had never once seen Aydan so terrified in my life.

“Don’t…do… it Gem.” His forced out through clenched teeth. Blaze spun wildly, looking for me everywhere. He let out a bellow that nearly shook the room. “Gemma I swear to everything, if you do not come I will burn his flesh from his bones!” Blaze growled into the room. I was shaking so badly, wanting to touch him and to hide all at the same time.

The images faded and when I looked up I was lying on the ground while Darrington and Roland looked down on me. “Are you alright?” Roland asked panicked. I nodded and swallowed as I slowly sat up. “I’m fine” I lied. No one else would die for me. No one but me would die.

Chapter Twenty

The next day we held a service for the people we had lost. I stood next to Roland, my head down as I listened to the painful sobs around me. I felt like I was watching someone else’s life, like what I was experiencing was
n’t real. The worst to listen to was Ronnie. Her heart broken sobs stabbed me repeatedly. She still hadn’t spoken to me and honestly I wouldn’t blame her if she never did again. After the small service I returned to my windowsill.

About an hour went by and I’m pretty sure if I had to stare at the mountain any longer I was going to tempt my powers to see if I could obliterate it. The door swung open suddenly, slamming against the wall and scaring me half to death. “Get up.” Ronnie demanded. Her eyes held no hatred but they did hold determination. I looked at her with both surprise and confusion. She sighed angrily, like I was missing something obvious. “Did you really think I would let you do this alone?” I opened and closed my mouth, still unsure of what to say. “I lost Eli, do I blame you? Yes Gemma, I’m sorry , I do. But am I going to mope around and hate you for it? No. I’m going to lick my wounds and beat your ass during training. Let’s go. You have five minutes. I’m training you with water today.” She spun around and left before I could say one word.

I shook out my hands, feeling the energy tingling in my fingertips. I was knee deep in a small spring standing across from Ronnie. Her face was set with determination, her brown hair pulled tightly into a ponytail and the dark circles under her eyes evidence of her sleepless nights since Eli’s death. “Are you ready?” She asked firmly. I looked up just in time to get hit in the face with a huge ball of water. I fell to my knees, coughing and sputtering as I blinked the water from my eyes. “Stand up.” She demanded. I struggled to my feet, hoping she would give me a moment to catch my breath. Another wall of water soaked me, leaving me coughing and spitting all over again. “Dammit Ronnie, give me a minute!” I yelled. “No. Do you think Blaze is going to give you a minute? I’m being nice Gemma.” Her voice was stern and cold but I could hear the sincerity in it just the same.  “Okay, but I don’t even know what to do.” She shook her head exasperated. “You have to follow your instincts. Water is not something I can teach you. Water doesn’t feel cool and breezy like air, it doesn’t feel boiling hot like fire and it doesn’t feel gritty like the dirt. Water is something else altogether.”

I closed my eyes trying to understand what she was saying. Not even ten seconds later I was doused with another gallon of water. It was then, shivering in my clothes, that I felt it. It felt smooth, like the surface of a worn down pebble. I felt it as it twisted and curved through my body filling my fingertips. Another wave crashed down on my head. Ronnie wasn’t kidding when she said she was going to take it out on me. The girl was showing no mercy.

“Focus Gemma. Feel it and use it. Do you want to save Aydan or not? Or would you rather just let him die just like everyone else?” she sneered. “Okay seriously Ronnie. I get it. You’re hurt and you’re upset. I understand. I really do. You think I don’t but I know pain more than anyone. I watched my parent’s be killed and now I’m slowly being tortured by visions of Aydan suffering. I understand you lost Eli and I am so sorry for your loss but please stop acting like I’m an enemy.” Ronnie stared at me, the anger slowly draining from her eyes. “I-I…” She began. The tears on her cheeks started slow and gradually became quicker.

Her face grew red and she narrowed her eyes at me before extending her hands, growling angrily and shooting me with a spray of water that could rival a fire hose.

I sat in the water, staring at her in awe as she huffed angrily. Her hands were trembling as she clenched her fists at her side. “I am never going to wake up with my husband again.
Because of you. I don’t care if you’re experiencing pain. I feel like my world is falling apart.” I felt my own anger rising. “Your world is falling apart?” I snarled as I slowly stood. “I watched my parents die Ronnie. I was just a few feet away. I found Amelie, murdered. I have to look at Roland every single day knowing that I killed his wife. I have to look at you, every single day, knowing your husband died to protect me. I have to live every day feeling like I’m having a slow heart attack because my heart is breaking ever moment Aydan and I are apart. And I have to watch in tiny snippets as Blaze tortures him. So you can take your falling apart world and shove it because I have it worse.” I threw up my hands and water surged upwards in a ten foot wall and came crashing down on top of Ronnie’s head.