Change [Book 1 of The Elemental Marks]

Chapter 22

Lina stood in the grass outside, a canal of Idris to her left and the Institute for Benders to her right. She did her best to collect her thoughts and her breath. Opposite her, Carson looked stone faced. He was in very light training gear, similar to Lina. His hands were bound and his feet were bare. They were going to fight.

It's no different than sparing, Lina told herself. She and Wyatt had tried that out a few times. He threw a few rocks at her, she blocked and counterattacked. Mostly, Wyatt told her what she could do better, how to get the water to react faster.

"The match is over when one of you gets pinned or gives up," Damian began, standing between the two. "We stop immediately if there is any sign that you're hurt. Use your elements only. Wyatt and Alia are allowed to facilitate if it is absolutely needed. You'll begin on my count."

Damian stepped back a few feet to where Alia and Wyatt leaned against the glass wall of the Institute's training room. He glanced from one party to another and started to count. "3, 2, 1, begin."

There was a long pause where Lina stood poised, waiting for even the slightest movement from Carson. He did nothing. His pose looked almost relaxed. Finally, he spoke, "You can take the first shot."

Lina nearly laughed. "This is a fight, Carson. Believe it or not, I've been in one before." Just not a bending fight. "They don't usually involve taking turns." As she spoke, Lina used her hands and her thoughts to bring some water towards her. It wasn't done in a menacing fashion, but she felt Carson's eyes trace her movements.

I used to love when his eyes were on me, she thought. The familiar flood of emotions still came, but they were mixed with the idea that this was wrong. He had betrayed her and she had no right to go easy on him. She wouldn't.

Carson made a move. Focus, Lina barked. She dove sideways. The air Carson shot whipped by. Lina gathered herself and counterattacked: a jet of water flew between them.

With little effort, Carson airbent it away. He shot back twice. Lina kept her feet planted and created a wall of water in front of her. The hits only shook the structure.

It quickly hit Lina that this was not the hardest he could try. He had to be trying for Damian to take this seriously. She was going to make him try.

Bringing her water wall with her, Lina ran at him. When she was a few feet away, she shot jets of water forward, all aimed at Carson's feet. The boy jumped and hovered in the air longer than gravity should have allowed.

Lina shot high, Carson ducked. He punched the air in front of him. The move hit the wall and sent water everywhere. Most got lost in the grass. 

Carson looked up at her, not quite heaving. Lina waited with no defense. She kept waiting. The tension between them was evident.

"Attack me," she shouted. "You have the perfect opportunity."

"You're unarmed," he said without much conviction. Lina held his stare for a moment longer.

"Don't go easy on me," she said harshly. She took a step away from him, waited, and took another. "Fight me," she said. She could feel the water not too far from her. She was ready when he finally reacted.

Carson threw an open palm at her. She didn't wait long enough to find out what he intended to do. A stream of water surrounded at his arm. It threw him off balance. Lina heaved with the effort it took. "I'm a real opponent," she reminded him, still panting.

There was a moment of tension between them. Then Carson shook his arm and the water flew away. "Fine, but don't say you didn't ask for it," he said darkly.