Elements of Freedom

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Earth

"I trusted you... please... don't hurt me. I'm sorry, I'll listen, I'll never doubt you." Her voice began to crack as I clamped harder on her throat with my sweating hands. I felt my heart flutter from beneath my chest whilst I watched Ember fight for air. A battle of which she would not be able to win.

"P-lease" Each faint and helpless word from her lips was like a perfect adrenaline shot flying through my veins, pumping my heart ten times as fast. I rose from knees and stood above her greying body. I allowed her to inhale for a second or two, and whilst watching a glimmer of hope return to her eyes, I pressed my foot eagerly onto her windpipe aiming to crush every bone inside of her delicate throat. As I felt the bones shatter with the adrenaline enhanced strength, I felt myself grin uncontrollably and my body shake lightly with excitement. The sound of the excess air pushing out of her mouth was a noise which echoed through my predator ears causing my eyes to close and focus on that sound.

She died instantly but it seemed as though her body was carrying on without her. Fire surrounded her limb body and it consumed the pool of blood in which she was sprawled on top of. Ember's body began to crumble and turn to dust among the growing flames, she became just a pile of what once was.

I crouched beside her dust, and reached for a handful.

It was, after all, the only way.

I raised my hands towards my mouth and consumed whatever part of her the dust now was. I continued to eat the grey product until there was just specks of Ember floating in the wind.

I waited for her power to begin to course through my veins.

I waited, and it happened. My feet tingled with heat and hunger, hunger for more power. The feeling rose up through me, reaching my head eventually.

My hands instinctively came in front of my chest and formed the familiar balls of red hot fire that I had seen Ember create so often.

It was mine now. All of it.

She laughed inside of me. Pleased with our success and the death of the fire controller.

One to ashes, three remain.

                                                             ***

"Ila!"

My eyes felt heavy and achy as I tried to open them to visualise why my name was being screamed, and why I was here. I stared down at my hands, witnessing no traces of grey Ember dust. I felt no new overwhelming sense of power.

It was all a dream. My whole chest ached from the realisation that what I had done was not real. At least not yet.

"Ila! You're hurting her! Stop it! Please!" Kai was stood over me shouting at my sleepy body, willing me to gain full consciousness. I looked over to where Ember was knelt and saw that she was covered from head to toe in bright green, fresh vines. Arcanio, of course, was next to her struggling body attempting with all his strength to release her from my plant's hold.

I held back any signs of happiness and hauled myself over to Ember, instantly freeing her from what I had unconsciously done.

"What was that, Ila." Ember snapped at me as soon as her mouth was untied - her words more of a threat than a question. Before I could prize an explanation from thoughts, Ember pounced towards me with such force that I fell to the ground like a rock.

"You tried to kill me!" She bellowed into my ear as she tried to attack any part of me which she could find.

"It was an accident! I rescued you remember, I'm protecting you. We're all still learning. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen." I could feel in the pit of my stomach that I wished those words had not been needed to be spoken. I could feel deep inside my core that I wished that that dream was reality. I scanned her face hoping to see some of her anger had faded, and I hoped even harder that she would remove herself from me.

"We need to get moving." I spoke again after what seemed like a long few minutes. I could sense their irritation and fatigue without having to turn around to soak in their feelings and expressions. I had given them the bare minimum information on where we were going and what we were to be doing, I figured that it was best they remained in the dark. After all, it was best that way. The less they knew, the safer I would be.

"Look, Ila, you've gotta give us more to go on. You've literally broken us out of that prison, you've told us some history, and of course tried to kill me. I'm not moving until you tell us what this journey of yours involves, and what part we play in it." I felt Ember's glare through my thin medical material top, as her words shot at my back, causing my insides to twist with sudden worry.

My heart began to race with panic. What was I supposed to say? I racked my brains for any sensible and vague answer which would satisfy the outspoken and unfortunately still alive one behind me.

"I will answer your questions when it is safe, but for now we need to keep walking. Please." I rose to my feet and began to walk, only hoping they would follow.