Element

41: Out of the Frying Pan

Third Person POV

The bed was empty.

Y/N's voice caught in her throat as the sight burned itself into her memory.

He's gone.

"Shit!"

She flung open the cabin door, pushing her way through the deep snow and squinting through the wind, looking for a glimpse of red and white.

She barely noticed when she tripped over a rock or when something sharp cut through her boot and skin. Her only thought was how she wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to him again.

She was starting to give up hope as the snowy expanse remained ever homogenous and unforgiving. She had no idea where she was going or where she had been. There was no way she could find him in these conditions.

What if they already escaped with him. What if they hurt him again. What if—

A gasp fell from her lips as a sliver of red hair shone like a beacon in the distance, just barely visible in between the spiraling snowflakes.

She ran.

As Y/N got closer, she saw he was draped across the shoulders of two people, with four others flanking them. She cursed herself for not bringing a weapon as she jumped at the one in the very rear, delivering a strong kick to their head.

They fell unconscious, but she lost the element of surprise as the other available three immediately turned and jumped at her.

She dodged the first two, but the last one hit her square in the stomach with what seemed to be a solid metal ball.

Y/N was flung to the ground and struggled to regain her breath as they all drew swords from their sheaths, advancing on her once again.

Shit.

The icy wind continued to slice at her exposed face mercilessly as she danced out of reach of their metal.

Their formation is making it difficult to find an opening to attack, but defense will get me nowhere.

She took the chance when she saw it, and landed a solid punch to the throat on the slowest guard. She jumped back up in the nick of time, another one's sword lightly grazing her cheek.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other two getting farther and farther away with Todoroki.

I need to wrap this up.

The girl rushed in without concern about the flashing metal. Her only focus was taking all of them out. Injuries could always heal.

She flipped over another projectile ball and allowed her arm to be sliced by an attacker in order to deliver a nasty roundhouse kick to their face. The blood from their nose and Y/N's arm mixed and fell on the snow like rain.

Y/N continued to throw herself at the remaining guards without discretion or tact. She didn't have the luxury to be cautious.

She could feel their swords cutting into her the whole time, but she also knew that every slice that tore into her was another hit she could land on them. And soon there was only one left.

They jumped at each other at the same time, and as they lifted the tip of their sword to her abdomen, she realized it was too late to change her trajectory.

She slid down the length of their sword, and her fist connected with their forehead as the hilt rammed into her stomach. As soon as they collapsed onto the snow, she took off again.