Elementals II: Prophecies (DISCONTINUED)

~ Chapter 23 ~

Ember:
Things have been a lot stricter lately. In the short amount of time that a couple of days is, everything in regards to security has been turned upside down. Sometimes being right in the middle of something can make you blind to what's going on, but I feel like the strict security is the only thing I can put my mind on rather than my training. More Seniors are guarding the halls at night, even Master Elemental Storm has found the time to stretch his legs looking for Elementals sworn against the Grand Master. Of course, smart Elementals, which is most of them, are asleep...I'm not.

I don't know if I am by definition sworn against the Grand Master and Master Elemental Storm. It's a matter of perspective, because if I were to do the honorable thing and stick by my friends, I would be in their eyes, not necessarily in mine. Ever since Breeze left, there hasn't been much new around here apart from the already mentioned things. It feels like a calm before the storm. The Grand Master is expecting something to happen. Maybe he's waiting for my move and is curious as to what kind of move that will be. I don't know what he's afraid I'll do, but I only have one goal, finding Rain. Nobody has said anything about him. It's as if he's just turned to dust, which is a clear disadvantage if he's injured.

I have become more anxious by his increasing time of absence. I realize that I have reached that point where I don't care about the rules anymore. The game that is being played in this place is sick, and I can't afford to keep playing it by their rules. I need to do something more productive than trying to talk to Blaze because that doesn't get my anywhere. Funny thing about her though, I haven't seen her in a while. She doesn't sleep in the regular dorms with the rest of us. In fact, she hasn't done that since the last time I tried to talk to her. I've only seen her once since then, and she could hardly stand on her own two feet.

Tonight is another exploratory mission. I have been out almost every night since Breeze left, uncovering unknown hallways trying to find something. I have managed to produce a useful map of where I have been and where I have yet to go. There are predictable windows of opportunities during the night for me to sneak around authority and its rule. If I am caught I don't really have a back-up plan, but that doesn't bother me much. I am just determined to find Rain no matter the cost. He has to still be on this base somewhere, I just haven't been there yet. Every time I've failed to find him, I have mentally apologized to him, and been tempted to just burn everything down in anger, as if that would do him any good.

I managed to take some supplies from the Medical Center on the first night. Most of that night was spent just sneaking in and out of there and then finding a place to hide it. Now I carry it with me in the hopes that I'll find Rain. I manage to find my usual spot in the darkness and dig up the map from my pocket. "Let's see." I mumble to myself as I light my hand up with a weak flame. I need to get to the outer sectors tonight. That's where I haven't been in the past few days. I'll have a bigger chance at getting close to Rain. I can't continue to play it safe. It has been several days where whatever wounds Rain has, has gone untreated.

I manage to get in a good distance in light jog before I hear a set of footsteps ahead of me. Good thing I heard it in time to find a crack in the wall, otherwise this could've been my last night. When they come closer, I see two Seniors. "And it's another right turn with nothing but silence." The younger one says. "The Grand Master seems a little paranoid to have us patrolling the hallways constantly at night." He yawns. "After that kid left with that Martian Soldier, he's been stricter with everything...especially since he started training that Elemental-kid." The older Senior answered. "You'd think we'd get an explanation for following his orders..." The younger one says, as their chatter grows lower in volume.