It's a Dangerous Game

Burnt

The wind outside rattled the window panes, and it rained lightly. The sky darkened with the weather, clouds fat with rain.
Onyx Montgomery pulled the hand knitted shawl closer around her, chewing at her lip as she watched heavy grey clouds cover the sky. She was worried about her mother, who had yet to return home.
Sipping her fruit tea, she leaned against the low kitchen island, watching the door. The hair on the back of her neck rose higher every second the clock ticked and the door did not open.
Her mother was always on time. Always.
If mom was late, that was usually when they'd been compromised and had to move again.
Onyx flexed her fingers. She felt the thrumming of her element awakening, but it would be of little use to her.
The sickening feeling of anxiety rose, and filled Onyx's stomach with knots. She felt hot suddenly, even though it was cool inside the house—especially the kitchen. The feeling worsened and the girl knew something was going to happen. For a moment she wished she had her mother's elemental ability.

And then the door and wall exploded.

Onyx had just enough time to bring up her arms before she was was flung back over the counter, smashing into the cupboards and drawers.
Burnt wooden pieces and small bits of rubble rained around the girl, and a smokey haze filled the room.

The cold sensation of the tiled floor seeped into her cheek and chin where she lay on her stomach.
For a moment Onyx didn't move, waiting for the ringing in her ears to die down.
It doesn't after a few seconds, and the haze of smoke thickens, filling her lungs with acrid air.
She wasn't knocked out, but severely dazed and hurt.
She cried out softly, but still the ringing didn't leave, and she couldn't hear herself.
She shakingly raised her left hand and touched her ear. Liquid coated the side of her face.
Blood.
She was on the verge of passing out, but forced herself to stay conscious.
Her breath hitched, a burning pain in her chest.
Moving to her hands and knees, she proceeded to crawl away from the destroyed and burning remains of the wall and door, shifting through the debris. Her hands periodically lifted up to touch her ears at different intervals, trying to get sound back into them, she could hear nothing besides the insistent ringing, and feel a throbbing ache in her head and ear.
Her head felt heavy and she fought the feeling to close her eyes and lay still. 
With a fire starting, unable to hear, and still slightly dazed Onyx was horribly exposed and almost defenseless. She found her back tensing suddenly before a hand clamped down on her hair close to her head.
The strong figure lifted her up and Onyx let out a gasp and a soundless cry.
Another two hands, smaller, cupped her ears and sweet relief from the pain and sound returned to them. Her head cleared as well, and she felt more awake and aware than before.

'Onyx.'
A voice filled her head.
'Onyx.'
It repeated her name.
'Show me where it is.'
He was in her mind. Onyx cleared her thoughts instantly, and conjured up a memory to help distract herself.

"Where is it?"
Onyx didn't answer. The hand gripped her chin harder, fingers squeezing her cheeks painfully.
"Where is it?!"
"I'll... never... tell... you." Onyx spat each word out, eyes fixated on the ceiling.
All around them, flames started licking up the walls and furniture. The pain in her chest had numbed a bit, but still it ached to breathe. With the man's hands wrapped around her neck, she could barely draw in a breath. Her vision started blackening and her eyes rolled back into her head as her body hung limply.

"Stop it, you'll kill her."
"She's already dead."
"No, she's not, but if you continue like that, she will be."

"I have an idea." He released his grip and Onyx collapsed in a tangled heap. Gasping loudly and deeply, she was able to draw in blessed oxygen.
"Yeah? Is it killing the only person who knows where the stone is?"
"Shut up. I've had enough of your nonsense... I want you to burn this place to the g....." his voice grew faint the further they walked, and Onyx was unable to make out the rest.
She'd barely rolled over when the girl reappeared. The woman pulled her hood down and raised her hands. Fire erupted around her, and followed the hands where they pointed—the walls, tables, and the roof.
Onyx received a split second warning flash before the beam fell.

The only reason she was still alive had to be because she had more time to react.
Onyx rolled onto her back and her hands shot out, and out of them green wisps flew and stopped the beam in its downward path, wind whipping around her hair and keeping the flames at bay.
Her arms were shaking from the effort, and it didn't help that she'd just been attacked.
Her energy was draining quickly and she tried to push the beam to the side and away from her body. It'd barely moved before her arms gave out and the burning wood continued in its path downward.

Later, Onyx couldn't figure out or remember how she'd managed to get out from under the burning beam and the burning house. Her memories were muddled, but she did remember clearly the relief the lotus and koi pond brought her. She remembered dragging herself across the grass, over the rocks and into the water. The fish scattered immediately and the lotus flowers were wilting from the heat.
The water instantly cooled her burns, and she lay in the muddy bottom, anchored by a particularly large rock, until her lungs were screaming for air. She sat up gasping for air, but sunk right back down when the warm air prickled at her exposed head and shoulder.

She repeated this several times, until she saw the sky beginning to lighten, and the pain in her body had receded to a light throb. She willed herself to her feet and turned to face the smoldering remains of her house.
What was left was black and glowing, smoking and gone.
The sky steadily became lighter, the sun peaking over the horizon.
Usually her mother would tell her every sunrise was a new beginning, something new and good and bright and everything.

Right now it just made Onyx was to curl up into a ball and weep.

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Next Chapter: March 10
[This was 7 days late cuz I was in a car accident, and I got distracted writing a few certain other parts of this fanfic]