Journey in the Aftermath

Chapter 5: Energy of the Fight

This chapter is told by the POV of Devin

Finally going to leave the cave for good. We have to search for Antonio and the others. Because if the smoke only kills those without powers then Antonio, Milton, and Madeline are alive somewhere. They shouldn't have left the area too far right?

"I'm so glad to be out of that cave" Beth says as we walk

"I know babe, me too" I say and grab her hand. Steven coughs a bit to get our attention then points up over the tops of the trees in the distance at a column of smoke

"That could be them!" Beth shouts and takes off running

"Beth wait up!" Jessica shouts at her. We all run after her and finally catch up as we approach the area the smoke is coming from. Beth is slightly ahead of us but no longer running

"Guys, I see people, five of them" she yells back to us. A woosh sound cuts through the air and Beth is struck through the head by an object flying through the sky

"Beth!!" I yell as she hits the ground and blood pours out from her head wound

"Devin get down!" Jessica yells "She'll be fine!" she pulls me down by my leg

"Jessica, catch!" Steven yells tossing her the bow she made. She notches an arrow and looks for her target. A flash of yellow wizzes infront of my face and hits the ground behind me. I look at it and see a yellow glowing arrow. It glows a bit then dissolves into nothing

"You have got to be kidding me" Jessica says then pops her head up and lets an arrow loose in the direction she thinks. There is a rustling on the other side of our cover. A figure swings around and sits down next to us

"The other five are coming. What now?" Beth says with dry blood on her forehead. I still can't get used to seeing that

"Beth and Devin, I have a plan" Jessica says "Beth I need you to step out for a second with the bow as if youre going to attack the other bowman so he will shoot at you. Even if he hits you, that's fine, you'll be ok. And Devin, when he fires I need you to watch to see which tree he is in and fire your lightning at it to at least shock him a bit and knock him out of the tree. Go now!"

"Hey you!!" Beth screams and jumps out from behind the tree holding the bow out infront of her pretending to aim. I poke my head out around the other side and watch the vast line of trees infront of me. When I see the arrow fire and strike Beth in the shoulder I get a good idea of where he is. Me and Beth both take cover again behind a tree

"Oh god these things hurt so much!" Beth screams as the arrow disappears while still inside of her flesh

"I almost got him, just one more time. I want to get a pinpoint so he doesn't move if I miss" I say looking over at Beth

"You fucking owe me!" she says jumping back out of cover. I peek around the corner again and look to where I saw him last time. This time I see him before he fires

"I've got him!" I yell and shoot a huge bolt of electricity at the tree he is in. He shakes a tad then jumps out of the tree and lands on his hands and knees

"He's mine" Jessica says grabbing the bow from Beth and running after the man

"You guys go on, me and my brother will handle these filth" a girl older than me says to her four friends. They run off and she runs at me. She opens her hands and two glowing yellow swords appear out of nowhere in them

"Are you fucking kidding me!" I shout taking a step towards her charging up electricity in my hands. She swings at me with her swords and I easily duck out of the way and hit her in the stomach with my lightning fist knocking her back quite a bit

"Bastard!" she yells and throws her energy sword at me. It stops just short of my face and falls to the ground. I look over at Steven and see him concentrating hard with his hand outstretched towards me

"Don't just stand there, take her the fuck out!" he yells at me

"Protect me for just a minute. I need time" I say and put my hands together and begin charging up as much electricity as I possibly can. Steven points his arm towards the girl and traps her in an invisible ball with his mind. She summons another energy sword and begins striking the ball attempting to break it. I look to Jessica and see her and the boy with the bow dueling it out with their bows, shooting at one another over and over.

"Devin!!" Steven yells straining to hold the barrier against her attacks

"Steven!!" Jessica yells at getting shot in the arm by the other bowman

"Steven get over to her, put up a barrier, hurry!!" I shout as I separate my hands growing the condensed electric ball bigger and bigger. The skin around my arms begins to burn and peel off. The bowman races Steven to the wounded Jessica while the girl with swords tries to stop me from my charging up. Out of nowhere Beth tackles the man to the ground

"If you're gonna do something, do it now!!" Beth yells. Steven gets to Jessica and puts his hands up. I let go all of the charged power I was holding in. It explodes into a huge blast around me that vaporizes the girl and her brother along with Beth. Steven screams out in pain as the strain of protecting him and Jessica gives him a bloody nose.

I fall to my knees, arms bloody and missing much of their skin. I look over at the ash pile that was once Beth and hold my breath. Steven blacks out from exhaustion and Jessica flops down onto her butt. The ash pile begins to flow together and then forms bones and muscles and finally skin on top of it all. Beth just turns to me and frowns deeply

"Ouch.."