An Ocean of Fire- Supercorp AU

7- A Life is Owed

"Kara. What have you done?"

The disappointment was palpable; the tone of betrayal, intense.

Blue eyes that matched her own pierced her through.

The sigh that built in her chest seemed to shake the ground beneath them, and it was all she could do to turn her quivering lower lip to stone. She reached trembling fingers down and pressed them into the warm wood of the window sill, gazing down at crashing waves that matched a soul in turmoil.

"I did what you taught me to do, mother."

Her voice was softer than she wanted it to be. More accusing than she intended. More frightened than she thought.

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"Kara! Wait!"

Small feet pounded across pale sand. Giggles erupted from a golden-haired girl and drifted along the wind. Another girl with deep red hair, just a little taller, followed breathlessly in her wake.

"Come on, Alex! I want to go smash boulders down by the sea!"

Pounding feet turned into long leaps through the air – not quite flying, but bounding large distances at once. Alex put on another burst of energy and took off after her, trying in vain to catch up.

"Kara slow down! We're not supposed to be down here right now, there's a storm coming!"

More giggles. More leaps.

When she had finally found her favorite spot along the shore, she took one last leap and landed gracelessly, digging her heels in and skidding on the sand before falling hard on her ass.

She was already clambering to her feet and dusting the sand from the back of her trousers when Alex slid to a stop next to her, hands on her knees, chest heaving.

A bolt of lightning arced through a slate grey sky, and Alex reached out, grabbing the younger girl's forearm.

"I don't like this, Kara. We need to go back inside."

The blonde pouted and grabbed Alex right back, tugging her towards a pile of massive rocks in the sand that jutted out into the sea. Salty waves crashed and rocked against the stones, breaking and roaring. Wind whipped across the beach.

"Come on Alex. It'll just be for a few minutes, and we'll go right back inside! I'm so excited to start training as a squire with you!!"

The auburn-haired girl's brow furrowed and she set her lips in a firm line.

"Kara-"

"Ehsh je. Please?"

Shoulders drooped and arms crossed. Alex sighed.

"Fine. But you only get to use that name ONE more time this summer, Kara Zor-El."

The blonde squealed and wrapped her arms around Alex tightly, squeezing her before wheeling back around and squaring off with a boulder.

"Okay!! Father says to put your fists up like this, to protect your face, and to turn sideways to your opponent so you're a smaller target!"

She glanced furtively at the other girl, who was still standing in the sand with her arms crossed.

"Come on Alex! Do it!"

The older girl rolled her eyes, before joining Kara. She stood before a large rock with deep grey cracks along it.