The Borealis Prophecy

Chapter Seven - Ardour

After a few hours of driving, we stopped to stretch our legs. Lila walked along the shoreline of a small creek that rushed passed us. She dipped her feet in but was startled when an arm reached out from under the current and dragged her underwater. I ran towards the creek, shouting for Elijah to help.

"Elijah!" Lila screamed loudly as she bobbed back up to the surface.

I wasted no time diving in first. I felt the crawling veins on my eyes and watched as my vision blurred and then became crystal clear in the water. I almost dazed myself as I easily adapted to the murky conditions of the water.

A Tracker was holding Lila at the bottom of the lake drowning her while he was safe and comfortable in his protective equipment. He didn't see me coming until it was too late for him. I unsnapped his backpack that held his air compressor and I released the latch that compressed his air. He let go of Lila and she gasped when I grabbed her. Her lungs filled with water as her face turned white. Her eyes shut after struggling to breath and I panicked.

My arms burned as I swam to the surface, dragging her along with me.

Elijah stood on the ledge waiting for me to get closer.

My legs and arms stung from reeling Lila to shore. I jumped out after Elijah pulled Lila out of the water. Her body was bruised up as she laid there.

"CPR," I choked.

"I've never learned to do that," Elijah said.

I crawled over to Lila and straightened out her body so she'd have a better airflow. I looked over at Elijah who was, again, taken back by my eyes, staring at them in bewilderment.

"Quit staring at my eyes and watch what I'm doing. Or she will die," I snapped. Her life was on the line I didn't need him passing out on me.

I pinched her nose and exhaled in her mouth. I crossed my hands appropriately and began to pump her chest and just before I could breathe into her again, another Tracker grabbed my leg and pulled me back into the water.

I screamed as I went under and I heard Elijah yelling something.

I kicked the Tracker's helmet off and swam to the top. I saw Elijah standing at the ledge abandoning his shirt so I screamed, "Eli, she'll die!"

I tried to reassure Elijah that I would be okay, but the Tracker pulled me under again before I could finish what I was saying. I placed both of my hands around his helmet and ripped it off in pure anger.

Something I've been fearing and trying to elude, is the delight I felt when the Tracker fought against my power. I laughed to myself watching him trying to swim past me to the surface. I grabbed his left leg and drove him back under. I held him underwater while he kicked furiously trying to escape from my cruelty as water filled his lungs. I grabbed his face and made him look at me, as the water boiled around us resulting from my anger. His eyes widened in horror as he squeezed his neck unable to breathe, and with those same eyes he searched for a sliver of kindness, pleading me to let him go. I snapped back from my cruelty and grabbed his hand as he drifted away into unconsciousness. I swam to the top and gasped for air.

I lugged the Tracker with me to land and felt relief washing over me when I saw both Lila and Elijah leaning over, reaching out for me. I was pulled out breathless and then we pulled the Tracker out after. Lila stripped him of all his weaponry.

"Sorry buddy, we need these more," Lila whispered.

"Good to see you're up again," I smirked at Lila.

Lila gave me my very first genuine smile and mouthed thanks. Elijah saw red hand prints on his face and neck, where I forced the Tracker to look at me so I could see his fear. Elijah peeked through his eyelashes at me and I swallowed a hefty guilty feeling knowing he would be questioning me later about this. I supressed my guilt as we had no time.