A Fantastic Adventure - kings cage

0.1

 I'm surrounded on all sides, and I know there is no way out of this, not without a miracle. I can see Cal in the distance, his flame lighting up the darkness, but he can't see me. wind weavers push the air around, shoving me back and forth so I can't concentrate on striking them down with a blast of electricity. I can barely manage to stand.

The soldiers from Montfort and even our own from the Guard don't bother to worry about me, trusting that the 'Little Lightning Girl' can fight her way out of any situation. They're too focused on their own survival, believing that if they can handle themselves, so can I. After all, I survived the bowl of bones, right? But back then I had Cal, and now he's so far away I doubt he'd hear me scream. I'd give anything to have Cameron by my side to silence the Lakelanders, but I sent her away with the healers.

The dark clouds light up as Ella calls down blasts of lightning. If only I could do that too. Part of me wonders if the silvers from the Rift are even coming. If they do show up, would I already be dead? Most likely.

I muster up the strength to create a ball of lightning, aiming it for the nearest windweaver. I'm powerless against the nymphs, knowing that if my electricity touches the water that is quickly rising up around me, I'll be fried. I do my best to fire as many bolts as I can before I am drowned by the nymphs.

More Lakelanders seem to gather around the crowd I've attracted, all hoping to kill the infamous red girl. Water is forced down my throat and into my lungs while strongarms crush my hands and begin to pull on me like a doll. It takes all the strength I have to not scream. "Don't you have someone better to waste your time on?" I force out, my teeth clenched in pain. This seems to only cause more laughter.

The group surrounding me presses in closer so that there are no more gaps to see through. Before they can do that though, I glimpse Cal one last time. By now the water from the nymphs have me surrounded in water and I begin to choke, my eyes burning. I try to move out of this wet prison but the strongarms hold me in place as my feet begin to lift up of the ground. I can barely make out that some excess water has pooled around all of the Lakelanders feet. I would smirk if I wasn't so tired.

I know what I must do.

Mustering up all of the strength I have left, I charge my whole body, creating as much electricity as I can before I pass out. And I let it out.

The water goes everywhere, dropping me to the wet ground. I can't help the blood-curdling scream that escapes me, but I think it's all I have left. My mind is beginning to shut down, and as the seconds tick by I feel fainter and fainter. The bodies of the dead silvers surround me, the smell of burnt flesh permeating the air. My mind fogs and the stars seem to shine even brighter, their light reaching out to each other, calling to me.

This is it.

"-re! Mare!" A voice screams before a new body collapses beside me, filling me with warmth.

"Cal..." I whisper, trying to reach out to him. Does he have tears in his eyes? I think so, but I'm not certain.

"Oh, Mare...this is all my fault, I should have been with you," Cal says as he lights a ring of fire around us, high enough to keep everyone out. It seems so strong that it could even hold it's own against the forces of a nymph. Now I can see he's trying not to sob.

He grabs my hand and I can faintly recognize the tingle of electricity. I must have shocked him with the leftover energy. Cal seems to take it as a sign that I'm regaining my strength, but I don't want to fill him with false hope.

"Sorry 'bout...that," I say slowly, each word using up whatever is left in my empty resolves. It's like when you've used up your energy rations, but if you hit the machine hard enough you might get a minute or two more before it really sputters out and dies.

"Don't apologize," Cal mutters, giving my hand a squeeze. It brings a smile to my face, if only for a moment. "That's my girl," he says softly and I'm reminded of the time on the jet, and I can see in his eyes that Cal remembers too. Cal seems to know now that I'm not going to make it. There wouldn't be time to find someone who can jump me to Sara and the others, like Shade used to.

Shade. I'm going to see him soon.

The thought fills me with happiness.

"C-Cal..." I begin, "I..l-love y-"

-

I'm standing now, and I can feel the electricity in my veins again, stronger than ever. The field is empty now, all signs of battle cleared away. Something compels me to turn around, and when I do, my heart nearly leaps into my throat.

Shade stands there, his hand outstretched and a mischievous glint in his eyes. He gestures for me to grab his hand with a nod of his head, not speaking a word. Cautiously, I move forward and when I feel his hand beneath me the world around us twists into darkness.

I don't know where we're going, but I know it's going to be fantastic.