Element

Epilogue Part 3

"Watch out Brooke!" I force her to the ground as an explosion sends rocks hurling to the sky just over our heads. She scrambles to her feet, steadying her gun for a pinpoint shot right in the center of a small group of Shadows. Her bullet whistles through her target, and the explosion of water it creates eliminates the rest.

Her breathing is heavy. Sweat runs tracks into her dust covered face as I pull her behind the, albeit moderate, safety of a tree. This battle has been raging for two days. I sling my own gun behind my back, instead grabbing the one explosive I have left. "Grab your pistol," I shout over the whipping wind.

She nods, understanding my plot. I dart through the trees, collecting as many other air elements as I can, forced to leave behind those too injured to fly. We all know the plan.

I lead the squadron deeper into the forest as we approach the body of the Shadow force, encouraging them to fly higher. Maneuvering treetops, we fly to the very back of the Shadow army, where there are no Elemental soldiers fighting, and find a stunning silence.

My ears thumping, I signal for everyone to activate their explosive and initiate the dive into the mass of unknowing Shadows. In unison, the devices click, and then we dart forward. They see and hear nothing until we are upon them, littering the ground with red lights blinking in black boxes. I surge upwards, quick enough to drown the agonized cries of dying Shadows, continuing my ascension as the entire battlefield comes into view.

The dikes both armies mounted are littered with the dead and the wounded; I cannot discern between the two. Despite the most of the casualties fallen on the Shadow side, they continue to advance, pressing us into our forests.

A fellow Sergeant gives instructions to return to the ground and continue fighting, and though a few soldiers race towards battle, many trundle along, barely making any progress. I hesitate, captured by the awesome terror of the war. A shadow soldier, capitalizing on my idleness, fires his gun at my body. I dart out of the way, grabbing my own pistol and aiming for the space between his gaunt, unfeeling eyes.

I shut my eyes as the bullet makes contact and my adversary falls to the ground. Floating towards the ground and back to the focus of the battle, I am just in time to join the final push and defeat the Shadow Army without mercy.

Each of the elements convene into separate groups and use their skills to form an impermeable wall of flame, earth, and water, while the Air and animal elements flit around it and strengthen it. Despite the barrier, bullets continue to rocket through. They fire blindly, but we are equally as blind; I see two Elemental soldiers hoist themselves up, sporting blistering injuries from the Shadow army's persistent pursuit.

I find my place beside Brooke, guiding her and creating a barrier between her wall of water and ourselves, if only to protect us from the Shadow onslaught.

"Ramaya, stop!" She cries above the frantic shouts and deafening thuds of guns. "You're making it harder! Get rid of it!"

I oblige; her skills contribute more to that wall than mine, and I focus on stabilizing the area near us, preparing for the last push.

Somewhere, shouts chorus in unision. "NOW," they scream, prompting us to topple the wall onto the Shadow Army at it's base.

The wall engulfs the remaining Shadow Army, leaving only a mountain of smoking, overturned dirt in it's place.

I can't help but stare as everyone else cheers.

--

Revelries start immediately as we return to camp. Even those facing near-certain death due to their injuries are cheerful. We had broken the largest section of the Shadow forces in the calendar year, which meant even the general joined the festivities. He, of course, brought a massive stock of whiskey, and while the majority of the soldier dive for the booze, a smaller fraction huddles around an open fire, listening to the camp storyteller spin yet another tale of victory and triumph.