City of Fire

Chapter Four

"Ilona"

The scream tore through her throat as she stared at the warped, leathery creature before her. It cackled, as if it were laughing as it cocked its head to the left. The arms were long and bony, thin muscles covering the arms while bulbous veins raced out from the center of its chest. It opened its jaws and Ilona's eyes widened when she saw green acid drip from its lips.

"Surprised?" The voice was a hiss and Ilona felt chills race up her spine.

It was Miss Hill's...

"M-Miss Hill?" The voice didn't sound like Ilona's, but she knew it must have been hers. Miss Hill cackled once more, her whole body shuddering as she moved forward. It moved like a serpent.

"What a dumb girl you are, Ilona," she whispered, her large eyes shining with something that made Ilona's gut twist.

Blood lust...

"If that little brat had not left you an Unveiling Leaf, then I would have killed you by now," she moved forward, her arms flexing and Ilona's eyes widened as her thick fingers lengthened into gruesome talons, "yet I think I shall enjoy this much more." She raised her hand, her talons catching the light and Ilona watched, mesmerized, as she swung them.

Then something clicked...

She was moving before she realized what she was doing and was beside Miss Hill as her talons split the chair in half. The woman blinked, her bulbous eyes shimmering with astonishment before they swiveled to look at Ilona.

Ilona brought her foot up, connecting it with the creature's side and sent her careening forward and into the remains of the chair. She screamed in anger, the high pitched wail making Ilona draw back and away from her, covering her ears in the process.

"You little wrench! I'll shred your flesh to the bones!" She whirled, her talons lashing out and Ilona yelped, throwing herself back but lost her balance and sprawled backward onto her butt. She landed hard on her hip, but the pain didn't register as she looked up at Miss Hill's writhing body. Green foam gathered at her mouth and Ilona stiffened, scrambling back as she bared yellow stubs for teeth. She drew back, arching her back and Ilona felt dread clench her gut.

Then Miss Hill spit...

Ilona's muscles clenched and she rolled to the side, but something speckled across her arm and immense pain lanced up her side. She screamed but kept rolling till she halted, her fingers going to her arm. She looked down at it and the scream died in her throat when she saw the skin melting away. Miss Hill shrieked in annoyance, whirling to lash out at her but Ilona pushed herself forward, knocking into the desks. She went sprawling and rolled over to kneel on the ground, her breathing ragged as she stared at Miss Hill's writhing body.

The pain was drowned out by her adrenaline and she stood on wobbly feet, backing up and kicking the desks out of her way. Miss Hill turned towards her, her eyes narrowing as she bared her teeth in a snarl.

"Stupid girl, do you think you can possibly defeat me without your Guardians?" She hissed while sliding forward, "You are nothing without them, without her. All of Eden will burn until it is only ash," she halted and straightened, "only memories." Her lips pulled back into a gruesome grin, "Just like you." She reared back and spit once more. It sailed straight towards her and Ilona's heart sank.

She wasn't going to be able to dodge it...

Then something happened...

The air grew suddenly colder, chilling her to her bones and Ilona watched, transfixed, as ice connected with the acid and even as the acid ate away at the ice, it formed around it until it was solid. With a dull thud it hit the floor and shattered, causing Ilona to stumble backwards. She looked up, her eyes going to the figures in the doorway.