Burned Out [Completed]

Hazing / Crash Course on Reality

So this was it. I was finally going to learn to control my powers. All of my exhaustion melted away. Our manic run through the streets and any possible danger we were in was the farthest thing from my mind.

We all went into what seemed to be a living room, not wanting to destroy our hideout. Martin stood far to one side, hopefully out of danger. Wynn and Assana were situated ten feet in front of me. We had found a large vase with no cracks in it and filled it with water for Assana.

"All right," Wynn said, literally bouncing up and down. "Let's see what you can do."

"Hit us with your best shot." Assana stared me down confidently.

"Right, my best shot." I took a deep breath, summoned a ball of flame the size of a baseball, and lobbed it at them.

Assana didn't flinch. Wynn made a circle in front of himself and Assanna with his hand and a shield of solid air enfolded and suffocated my attack.

Martin gave an appreciative whistle from his corner.

Ignoring him, I conjured two more fireballs, one in each hand. One I sent flying towards Assana, but I waited a few seconds before sending the second one after it.

Assana moved her arms across her body in a flowing motion, water from the vase mimicking her actions and my first flame sputtered out, blocked by a twisting stream of water.

She almost didn't see the second one until it was too late. Her reflexes were quick, however, and she whipped her water out at the flame, efficiently disarming my attack.

"That was good. You almost got me." A grin spreading over her features. "Don't stop at simple attacks. Your element is aggressive, use that power to your advantage and really push your opponent."

She stepped forward and pushed the water towards me. I leapt clumsily out of the way, narrowly dodging the flood, but Assana sent a small curl of liquid around my ankle and tripped me.

I fell to the floor with a surprised yell, my hair hanging in my face. Martin gasped behind me, but I was already up again, and angry now.

Another flame jumped up from my palm, but instead of molding it into a ball, I let it lengthen into my own stream of fire.

I raised my hand over my head and flicked it Indiana Jones style at Assana, but she met it with her own water whip before it got close to her. As soon as the two elements collided, a burst of steam permeated the room.

"You're a quick study," Assana grinned. "This will be fun."

She brought her arms in close to her chest, bent at the elbows, then forced another wave at me.

This time I tried to summon a wall of fire to block the roaring water, like Wynn had done with his air shield, but I could only manage a pitiful film of flames. The water slammed into me, completely bypassing my good-for-nothing shield and knocking me against a wall.

I sat there on my butt, wide eyed and soaking wet. Martin appeared by my side offering me a hand. He looked at me warily, probably afraid I would yell and demand a rematch, but I just laughed.

"Now I know how you felt back in my apartment," I said, still giggling. "I just got my ass handed to me."

Martin still looked worried, but a smile crept onto his face. "I think you might have given her a concussion. The Oliver I know would be raging right now."

Assana strutted over. "It was a good attempt, but you didn't really stand a chance. We've been training a lot longer than you."

And she said Jin was full of himself, I thought bitterly. Still, she beat me fair and square, not that the fact did anything to make me feel better.