Run To Earth (Power of Four) (13 page)

Aaron’s heart skipped a beat. “What?” he asked. “Did you say Elementals?”

Alan’s answer was drowned out by the thunderous clapping and yelling as the final round began and a furious battle broke out in the ring. Aaron’s attention was pulled back to the fight in time to see Bella and the other three biker mages pull out their swords and leap towards Skyler and Ella. Two boys targeted Ella, while Bella and a boy went for Skyler.

Skyler twisted out of the way, dodging the two blades with great ease. He threw out a hand and the other boy was hit by an invisible blow, causing him to stagger a few steps back. Skyler stepped out of the way of Bella’s sword and turned, coming behind her. A kick at the back of her knees and Bella was down.

“Prat!” Sam cursed. “You don’t do that to a girl.”

“Unless the girl is trying to stab you with a sword,” Rose pointed out.

The two biker mages were ruthless in their attack against Ella, but no matter how fast they swung their swords or how furiously they slashed, they couldn’t get her. Ella ducked and dived, bending backwards to flip and dodge the blades. The whole time, the teasing smile never left her face. Aaron hadn’t seen any of the other Hunters move like that. Ella twisted out of the way of another attack before turning to face the two boys. She clenched both hands into fists before bringing them up, opening them with her palms raised. A sheet of what appeared to be glass appeared before her, just as both mages thrust their swords forward. Both swords got stuck in the sheet, which Aaron noticed belatedly wasn’t glass but a mix of water and ice. The bikers tried, but they couldn’t get their swords out of the icy clutch. In a flash, Ella was behind them. She threw out a hand and a blue rope extended from her hand and coiled around one mage’s neck. She pulled and the boy fell to the ground, clawing desperately at his own throat, choking against the rope’s hold. The second mage gave up on his sword and sent a fireball at her. A wave of Ella’s hand turned the ball to ice and it flew back to hit him square on the head. He fell with a grunt.

With Ella’s two mages down, all eyes turned to Skyler. Bella was knocked to the ground again and while the last Hunter of Balt was putting up a good fight, he was clearly outmatched against Skyler’s speed and agility. Skyler moved out of the path of the attacks, looking calm and collected, his defence effortless. In comparison, the mage from Balt was gasping for breath, his face wet with perspiration, making attempt after attempt to get Skyler but failing miserably. A simple twist of Skyler’s fingers and the sword was wrenched out of his opponent’s hand, falling to the ground with a clatter. Skyler cocked his head to the side, smirked and then kicked, sending the boy flying across the ring. He hit the ground with a groan and lay still.

The symbol inside the ring began to glow, signalling the end of the last round, prompting a deafening cheer from the mages of Salvador. As the glow got brighter, Bella struggled to get up. She raised herself to her knees. Using her sword for support, she got to her feet. The glow began to dim and Bella straightened up, wincing with pain. Before the last of the glow diminished, Skyler reacted. He kicked her feet from under her and Bella fell once again, but Skyler didn’t let her hit the ground this time. He caught her, lowering her somewhat gently to the ground, kneeling next to her. Bella wasn’t giving in though. She struggled against him, trying to throw him off and get up. The crowd fell silent as the light left the symbol and the round ended, with the Hunters of Balt on the ground and Bella fighting against Skyler’s hold.

“No!” Bella shrieked. She tried to free herself but Skyler’s grip didn’t falter. “Let go of me!”

“Bella!” Skyler snapped, shaking her. “Listen to me!” His voice carried through the air, so everyone could hear him. “You’re not ready. You hear me? You are not ready. You go into the Q-Zone like this, you’ll get killed!”

Bella stared back at him, angry tears welling in her eyes.

“Bell.” Skyler’s voice softened. “You’ll get yourself killed.”

Bella managed to free herself, or perhaps Skyler let her go, it was impossible to tell. Without saying a word, Bella painfully got to her feet and limped over to pick up her sword. Skyler stayed where he was, his head dropped and expression darkened. He lifted a hand and the stones picked themselves up, allowing the Hunters of Balt to leave the ring, defeated and heart-broken.

***

That evening, all anyone could talk about was the fight in the ring. The crowd gathered at the table for dinner ate less and gossiped more, comparing today’s fight with previous ones. Although Skyler had won the battle, he seemed to be in a bad mood. As it turned out, this wasn’t very good for Aaron. Throughout dinner, all Skyler did was pick on him.

“Did you enjoy the show, Adams?” Skyler asked, down the table. “You could’ve caught flies with your mouth, it was open so wide.”

“Leave him alone, Skyler,” Ella said.

“I bet you’ve never seen a display of power before,” Skyler said, ignoring Ella. “What with daddy dearest keeping you in the dark and all,” Skyler continued.

“That’s enough,” Drake interrupted. “You say another word, I’ll personally shut you up.”

“Bring it, Logan,” Skyler challenged. “I can beat you into the ground and you know it.”

“Sky?” Ella grabbed a handful of his top and pulled it so he had to face her. “What’s got into you?”

“Nothing.” He yanked himself free. “Just sick of all this attitude.”

“You’re the one with the attitude,” Sam muttered.

“What’d you say?” Skyler snarled. “No one was talking to you, Shattered.”

“Sam, don’t,” Aaron warned, when he saw the reply on his friend’s lips. “Just leave it.” He turned his head to meet Skyler’s icy gaze. “Let him say what he wants. It doesn’t matter.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t matter,” Skyler said. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters to the Adams. They just go along, doing what they want, not giving a damn what happens, ’cause you know what? It doesn’t matter.”

“What do you want from me?” Aaron asked, turning in his seat to look at Skyler. “Why are you constantly picking fights?”

Skyler let out a harsh laugh. “Fight? With you?” he asked. “Have you looked at yourself, pipsqueak? I could crush you from where I’m sitting. Weren’t you paying attention today?”

“Why are you getting so worked up?” Aaron asked. “I’m not talking to you. I’m not in your way. So why are you getting angry?”

“You want to know
why
I’m angry?” Skyler asked, with his eyebrows raised. “How about the fact that you can come here and sit around the table like
nothing
happened–”

“Alright, Skyler,” Drake cut him off. “That’s enough. No one wants to get into that.”

“I don’t know what happened,” Aaron said, ignoring Drake. “My mum and dad didn’t tell me anything. Why they left all those years ago? What happened? Nothing.” He hated admitting it out loud, but the slow burn of fury inside forced the words out. “Alright? So either tell me what happened or shut up about it.”

Skyler looked surprised. His eyes grew colder and a smirk raised his lips. “I’ll shut up when you’re out of here.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Aaron returned.

“Then as long as you’re here, you’re the one who has to pay for your father’s sins,” Skyler said.

“What sins?” Aaron asked, feeling his whole body tighten with anger. A small part of his mind told him to stop, to not engage in a fight with Skyler, but Aaron’s patience was wearing thin at the constant provocation. “What’s my dad done to you?” he asked. Then, remembering what his dad had told him, Aaron asked, “Or is this about your father?”

A hush fell across the table. The warm air cooled all of a sudden. Skyler’s face was taut with anger, his eyes blazing and fists clenched.

“My dad told me,” Aaron continued. “And, look, I’m really sorry about what happened to your dad, but it’s not my–”

Skyler shot to his feet, coming straight for Aaron.

“Sky! No!” Ella darted after him.

Before Skyler could reach Aaron, Drake stood before him. Several mages leapt to their feet after Skyler.

“Don’t you dare talk about my father!” Skyler roared, trying to get past Drake.

“Skyler, enough!” Drake yelled, pushing him away. The ground shook, as if in warning.

It seemed to work. Skyler backed off, several hands still holding on to him, restraining him. He shook them away and glared at Aaron.

“You watch yourself,” he growled in a low voice. “Mention my father again and I will tear you from limb to limb!” His eyes darkened. “Sleep with both eyes open, Adams,” he warned before turning around and storming away.

***

“God, this sofa is so uncomfortable,” Sam groaned.

“You want to swap?” Aaron asked.

“No, it’s alright,” Sam sighed. “I’ll make do with it.”

“Quit whining, then,” Rose said.

“Shut up,” Sam said irritably.

“You shut up,” Rose fought back.

“Guys, please,” Aaron cut in. “Just for one night –
one night
– could you stop fighting?”

They fell quiet. It was too dark to see, but Aaron would have bet money they were both pouting. Aaron’s fingers traced the outline of his mum’s letter. It had been a week since his parents had left. A week, by normal standards, wasn’t a long period of time. But for Aaron, who had never been away from his parents, it felt like an eternity.

A bright flash outside the window distracted him.

“What was that?” Sam asked.

“Dunno,” Aaron muttered but got up, pocketing the letter. He made his way to the window, pulling the curtains back. The floating lanterns outside only cast a soft light, not enough to see all of the dark street below. Aaron thought he could hear the faint roar of a motorbike, but it faded away before he could be sure he even heard it. “Can’t see anything,” Aaron said, returning to his bed.

“Maybe it’s that Bella chick, coming in the dead of the night to kill Skyler,” Sam said.

“I did hear a bike,” Aaron said.

“I’m joking,” Sam said. “Mages can’t kill each other, remember? Which is just as well, seeing the temper on Skyler.”

“What was the deal with Skyler’s father?” Rose asked Aaron.

Aaron repeated the story his dad had told him.

“I don’t get it,” Sam said. “Why is Skyler so angry with your dad? What does his dad dying have to do with your dad?”

“I don’t know what Skyler’s problem is,” Aaron said.

“Whatever is wrong with him, you’ve gotta admit he was seriously cool in that fight today,” Rose said.

“Unfortunately, that is true,” Sam agreed. “Although, I would’ve loved to see him take a beating, especially from that Bella.”

Aaron turned to his side, propping himself up on one arm. He couldn’t see anything in the near total darkness of the room but he still had to face his friends when he talked to them.

“Did you guys notice what the mages were fighting with?” he asked.

“Um, yeah,” Sam said. “Kinda hard not to notice big-ass swords.”

“No,” Aaron said. “I meant their powers. The fireballs and ice?”

“Yeah, we noticed that too,” Rose said.

“That guy, Scott,” Aaron said. “He called me an Elemental.”

The mental image of the ground cracked in two with the car stuck in it, the fireballs and icicles he saw in the ring, the way the ground trembled when Drake stood up to protect him – it all seemed to point to one thing.

“The power mages use,” Aaron started. “I think...I think it’s something to do with the elements.” Sam and Rose didn’t say anything, unnerving Aaron. “Guys?” he called.

“Yeah,” Rose said quietly, “I...I think you’re right.”

“Makes sense,” Sam said and Aaron could hear the tightness in his voice.

“The fireballs, the ice,” Rose recounted. “And I think Skyler was using air to push back the other mages.”

“Yeah, I think so,” Aaron agreed
, remembering how a wave of Skyler’s hand had knocked others across the ring.

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Rose said. “All the mages were using powers, using the elements,” she pointed out. “So are all of them Elementals?”

“I don’t–” Aaron stopped short, falling silent.

“Aaron?” Rose called. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Aaron replied. “I just...I thought I heard something.” Even though Aaron was lying in bed, under a duvet, he felt goosebumps erupt all over him. His stomach tightened. He listened hard to catch any sound, but there was nothing. He gave himself a mental shrug. “Sorry, I was saying that I don’t think all the mages are Elementals. Alan referred to Skyler and Ella as Elementals but he made it sound like they would easily defeat the others
because
of that.”

“But then, technically, the other mages wouldn’t have the same powers as Skyler and Ella,” Rose said.

“They don’t,” Sam said quietly. “Didn’t you see Skyler and Ella? They wiped the floor with those other mages. It was four against two, with swords no less–”

“Shhh!” Aaron urged suddenly. “Guys, quiet,” he whispered.

“What is it?” Rose whispered back.

“I heard something,” Aaron said. He was sure this time. It sounded like...footsteps. “I think there’s someone downstairs.”