cascade | kotlc

6. Horrible Idea, Wonderful Execution

 The air outside was cold. Really cold.

It somehow beat Mount Everest.

Biana sighed as she slowly levitated down. As far as she could tell, she'd have to descend at least five stories before she could reach the envelope.

Thank god she had Calla's ring to boost her focus and concentration. Otherwise she could've never even made it over the window.

Focus, Biana. Drop down, slowly.

"This wasn't a good idea," Sophie mumbled above her. "She's going to fall."
"That's not helping," Biana yelled back at her.

Slowly. Carefully.

She'd reached one story down already.

Just like that, Biana. You can do this.

Calla's ring softened on her finger. It was almost a comforting presence. Biana could imagine Calla, standing there through the windows, giving her a green thumbs-up, cheering for her to continue.

You can do this.

"Thanks, Calla," she muttered as she descended down more.

Just be confident in yourself, Biana. You can do anything, if you truly hope you can. Understand that.

I know. I've understood. I've fought the ogres in Ravagog, and I've come out alive. I've held my breath for at least twenty minutes, trapped against a metal cage, with both hands disabled.

This is nothing compared to that. It's just a simple levitation drop.

"I can't look," Linh whispered as Biana reached for the second windowsill under, taking a break as she pressed herself against the wall.

"She'll be fine," Grizel reassured her, though she herself didn't sound very certain.

Biana lowered herself into a wall squat before she stepped one foot off the edge, keeping her mental energy channeled towards levitating. She dropped down and, again, lowered herself down, toward the white envelope.

The wind hadn't blown it out yet. Biana had no clue why it was there in the first place, but that didn't matter.

Suddenly her stomach lurched and she almost lost control, half her body hurtling down before she caught herself. Her heart thumped rapidly as she breathed painstakingly, clutching her chest.

You can do this, Biana. Do you need help?
Yes. I need help.

Here.

A green thread untangled itself from her glowing green ring, and it stretched over and slithered like a snake before it flew into Biana's mouth. More lines twined around that one strand, thickening it into a holographic rope, almost.

A sudden influx of courage spread across her body, filling every muscle and every nerve as Biana relaxed. Levitation suddenly felt much, much easier.

You can do this, Biana.

Thank you, Calla.

Drop, slowly. That was it.

The wind rushed by, and Biana held her breath as the envelope fluttered against the ledge it was stuck to.

Don't, don't, don't.

Biana felt her heartbeat rising.

The green rope tangled itself around her head, wrapping it in a cocoon, and Biana's vision tinted slightly before the cord relaxed, unstrapping and fading as she breathed in, letting Calla's energy flow through her mind. Her vision cleared.