The Time Hopper

Snapping Point

The atmosphere was extremely tense over the next few days. Of course, it was still only the four of us who knew about the present danger, but the others must have been able to sense our stress. I was constantly hovering about the leader, catching his eye long enough for him to smile and nod and reassure me before returning to the others. They were sweeping slowly through the valley, yes, but apparently they were digging up areas, which seemed odd to me. After all, surely they couldn't think we had hidden ourselves underground? Especially with the child of earth dead and gone. My curiosity itched and burned, demanding that I go and investigate, but I could hardly go down there to figure it out. Maybe once they had passed?

Things were going as planned with the training. Everyone had managed to bring their magic inside of them and destroy their items, apart from Eros. But he would get there. Unlike me, he had been diagnosed with ADHD, and he hadn't grabbed enough medication to see him through. There was no way of getting it all the way up here, so he was having to try really hard to focus. I felt bad for him- I was sure I wouldn't have gotten it at all if I hadn't been in such danger when I tried it. A few thoughts had occurred to me to help him out- take him down to where Obsivian's men were, or maybe just tell him to see if the anger or fear spurred him on- but they had all been firmly struck down by Alice and Riley. So, it was just a waiting game with him. That and I had to keep shielding him from the others who were getting increasingly impatient with his lack of progress. It mostly took the form of me reminding them that even if he did have his powers, the rest of us still weren't proficient enough with ours for us to go marching into battle anyway. Not that everyone agreed with that assessment. 

"I've been practising with my magic for my whole life, and now you're telling me I'm not good enough to fight with it? That's absolute bullshit, Sadie. Stop trying to buy more time for Eros, he isn't going to get it. Just let us go and do what we need to, and if he ever becomes competent enough to do it, he can always come and join us." Took said, after the third time I had had to patiently explain why we couldn't leave right this moment and go on the warpath. The other two times, he had just scoffed and shook his head. And I could deal with that. I was used to his patronising ways, and I knew it pissed him off far more when you just ignored it. But this couldn't be allowed to stand. 

"Oi! Cut it out with the ablest bullshit, Took. It isn't an easy thing to do without the threat of death hanging over you, and given how you only just managed it yourself maybe you should pipe the fuck down. Because I bet if we'd given you the same reasoning for leaving you behind as you just tried to give for leaving Eros behind, you would have kicked off to no end and you damn well know it. And for the record, you're shit with your magic. You use it to look flashy and cool and torture small animals when no one else wants to hang out with you. You just got a hell of a lot more power than you've ever had before, so no, you don't know how to fucking use it. So shut up, put the work in, and if you're so certain you can take on the people who have had thousands of years of practise with their magic then by all means, fuck off and die. Maybe the next child of blood will have half an ounce of common sense this time around." I snapped at him. Something dark and foul flashed across his features, and I braced myself for this to turn into a physical confrontation. His hands clenched, but then he forced himself to relax and gave me a false, saccharine smile. 

"Of course, Sadie. You know best, after all. You can have us do whatever your dear old grandfather wants, can't you?" He asked me. A surge of icy cold rage burned through me and I felt my mind disconnect from my body as I lurched forward as him. My hands reached out for him, going for his throat, and then I felt a hand on my collar and another on the back of my belt and Riley hauled me backwards away from him. Took reared back, looking like he would follow to continue this, but then Alice stepped between us with a firm stance and shadows flickering around her.