Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 15: Thorns of France

I hit the fence. My head buckles back stars and darkness flashing through the world. I stand ice gathering around my hands. A girl in a black suit, similar to our own but covering her face stands on the side of the Arch de Triumph. People scream running down the stairs. She sends a blast of ice covering the entryway the people falling back.

Fire curls over the world like a blanket a wave of water washes over it from Brennen, a blast coming at the Fire Elemental. I send a blast of ice at the girl who jumps over it, rolling under my second attack. Aira sends a blast at another member in a black suit blowing them back head over heels. Haley whips a vine through the air hitting a Death Hunter across the face, leaving a bloody streak through their eye. I take an attempt to blast through the wall to avail. It was strong ice.

The girl throws a blade towards me barely missing my shoulder. It hits the ground and I twist back snatching the blade. The girl grunts taking another blade out. Our blades clash, singing together in a scream of fury. She swirls back her leg hitting my side. I crumble down a shield of ice blocking her blade. I spin around my leg tripping the attacker, she grunts hitting the ground. She does a backwards somersault pushing her self up with her hands. Her foot hits my face sending me tripping back. I fall over backwards and she goes to jump on me. I kick my leg up sending her flying back. I twirl ice swirling around in sharp blades of ice. My ice hits her in the sleeve and she draws back. I stab the knife through my pocket. Kicking her she backflips landing on the fence. She front flips over me landing on my shoulders. Her legs fold around my neck and pull me to the ground.

The wind is knocked out of me and I gasp for air. She straddles me her legs holding my arms against my body. She strangles me her hands wrapping around my neck, ice seeping into my neck.

I spit into the mask and she shakes it away. With the moment of distraction, I kick her off. Someone sends a blast of fire at me. My close catching on fire.

"Brennen!" I yell.

I drop to the ground rolling and feel a wave of water wash over me. Picking myself up I send ice down my back to heal the wound. I cringe at the pain as I send an intense blast of power knocking the fire wielder over. I throw my knife, the weapon finding home in their chest. Taking a deep breath I run towards them the ice attacker sending blasts of raw ice at me. One hits me in the back of the leg and I slide the rest of the way. Twirling around his back I grab the knife holding him up as ice hits his face sending sharp icicles around his face. I drop him to the ground taking the knife. I throw it at the girl and slide on the ground as I dodge a blast of ice. She runs at me and I dodge under their arm. Hitting them in the back with my elbow the collapse. She swivels under my leg. Our blades hit each other repeatedly. Our blades hit each other and hers slides off mine. She loses her balance and I kick her away sending a blast of ice at her from both my hands.

She gets up again. Running towards the edge of the monument she jumps onto the ledge disappearing. I run to where she disappeared looking over the edge. She stands on a small section jutting out from the top lip of the arch. I climb up jumping down, my feet tingling from the impact.

This bitch was getting away.

She growls at me throwing a knife. They were running out of energy. The knife skims my leg blood staining my khakis. I grab the edge for support sending a blast of ice towards her. She flips over dodging the ice. She climbs the side sending a blast towards me. She hits me in the leg where the knife had hit me. I fall over and she sends another ray of ice.

I slide off the ledge my hand grasping the rim. I grunt trying to pull myself up. The girl stops. Frozen she stares at me. Her hands shaking. Her body shape, the curvature and the small frame...

She lets out a sob. A sob.

And ice hits my hand. I fall. The world stops. Everything was so quiet. The blue sky, the birds chirping, the cars driving in an ever continuous flow. And then it shatters.