Sealed inside the towering city walls of Acadia, magic users known as Wielders are feared and hunted for the abilities they have been blessed with. They're living in hiding, terrified of revealing themselves to the Authorities that hunt them.
But w...
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"I pledge to keep you safe."
-Kimberly Derting
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Adira's belly was full, but it felt more and more hollow as the clock neared the time for the matches. She had spent the past hour practicing with Ryder, holding his hands, channeling his immunity, as she tired to reach for Obsidian and Taliyah. It took a while until she could tap into them, but once she could grasp onto their powers, they were hers to control.
Obsidian's shadows were hers. She watched them slither up the walls and follow her internal commands as they cast the room into darkness. Taliyah's transporting was hers. With one simple thought, her and Ryder appeared in Adira's cell, still cross-legged on the ground and holding hands.
The amount of power that coursed through her each time she tapped into one of them was almost overwhelming. But it felt nice. She didn't feel hopeless anymore - she could face the world, face anyone, with this power. Each time the power spread through her veins, she wasn't the pitiful orphan anymore. She wasn't just powerful - she was power. And in those moments, she was infinite.
"You're getting the hang of channeling really quick," Ryder said, making Adira's eyes lift to find his. The cerulean of his irises turned liquid as he gazed at her as he gave her hands a squeeze. "You were meant for this."
"No," Adira argued, giving her head a shake. She tried to smother the sense of power that she still felt even though it had vanished from her veins. She could easily imagine how the sheer brilliance of it could get to her head. "I'm just a girl."
"A girl who can save us," Taliyah corrected. "Think about it. Ryder is immune to kraenite. If you can channel him, and then channel some others - boom, we're out of this shit-hole."
"Then why don't we just leave now?" Obsidian said, still perched on the end of Wren's bed. "We can all join hands while Adira works her magic on you two. In a few seconds, we can transport to anywhere we want."
"And leave everyone else behind? No. We're stuck down here together, we leave together."
"We can come back. We have to get out soon, remember Wren's vision?"
