Shadowwalker - Under Review For Now

24. Jack

***Book entry, dated four years ago.***

I hurried, my pace quick as I rushed through the streets, until finally I was no longer able to resist the urge to run.

My breathing surprisingly even given the situation, I burst out into a dead sprint.

I ran full speed through darkened alleys, using my hands to push off against the walls at every turn I made, and burst into badly lit shopping streets. The crowds rushing in my direction instantly parted before me, nobody daring to get into my way as I broke my mad dash and slowed down to a more regular pace, my feet slapping against the uneven cobblestones.

I panted harshly, and was forced to slow down even further as I started coughing, smoke filling my lungs, but Ithere was no way I could stop before completing my possibly suicidal mission.

If I failed, may the gods have mercy on the innocent.

Ripping my scarf from around my neck, I tied the flimsy thing around my face so that it covered  my mouth and nose, a half-baked attempt to make breathing easier.

Not that it made much of a difference, but it's the thought that counts. Mind over matter, and all that. If I failed, not much would matter anyway.

The air was hotter here, almost overbearingly so; yet I did not dare to remove any of my precious clothing whiched formed the only barrier between the danger up ahead and me. If I did, it could spell the end of me. And that of others depending on me.

I slowed down to a walk before finally freezing in my tracks.

Here in the backstreets, closest to the danger, everybody had already fled, running, walking, hobbling for their lives as best as they had been able. I closed my eyes and focussed, trying to sense where the danger was the greatest. I expanded my senses, using my Beast Talent.

I opened them, and screamed at the top of my lungs, the sound not unlike that of a banshee.

It was a wordless, bone chilling sound that touched your core and sent chills down your spine,  causing your ears to bleed and your heart ache.

And to stop what you are doing.

The flames in front of me flared up, and then died down a bit, smouldering.

My eyes locked with the young girl's in front of me.

I shifted my stance, making me seem larger than I was.

Her silk dress was torn, her hair matted. She was covered in a mixture of minor injuries such as scrapes and bruises, and black smudges. I felt my heart crack at the sight of her, of how the current events had affected her mind and her control of her Talent. I cursed the Palace for watching but not interfering, then shook my head, returning to the present situation.

My eyes narrowed as I started to circle her.

I concentrated, reaching out to the ice inside of me, calling it. It was a Borrowed Talent, one that had been entrusted to me in case something like this would happen. For as long as I had energy during this fight I could use it, after that I would be on my own.

My veins turned blue, and there was a slight chill in the air.

Frost started to run up and down my hairs, and the wind picked up.

"Stop this," I told her, the words creating a small cloud of frost.

Eyes wide and grinning like a maniac, the young creature before me shook her head wildly, her hair going everywhere like snakes.  It chillled me to think of how she different she was compared to just last week, of how quickly her mind had broken. Snapped. Shattered.

"My lady," I warned. "You should not be doing this to your people."

She laughed, no, cackled, and it took all I had to conceal my fear of the young teenager in front of me as my blood ran cold in my veins, which had nothing to do with the Borrowed Talent.

Flames leapt up all around me, setting buildings alight and licking at my clothes.

"I'm having too much fun. Revenge truly is sweet!"

Suddenly, she set my clothes alight and instinctively I let out another earpiercing screech, causing her to flinch and cup her hands against her ears as she had been taught. As I haf taught her. I swore internally.

Biting my tongue, I forced myself to snap out of it.
If I wanted to survive, I needed to be able to focus.

I breathed in deeply. I held it, allowing it and my body to cool down to an almost unnatural temperature, and breathed out slowly, the air crystallising before me as though I were an Ice Dragon.

The fire around us died out, although the buildings still smouldered- frosted flowers started growing over the windows.

"NO!" she yelled, and lashed out at me, flinging her Talent at me. A single, large fireball flew towards me faster than I thought was possible.

I threw myself to the ground, allowing it fly over me harmlessly, and pressed my hands against it. Palms pressed into the ash, all ten fingers spread out lile starfish, I sent a wave after wave of ice which then surged through the earth towards her, the way I had been shown when I received the Talent.

She abruptly fell over, and I squeezed my eyes shut in concentration as I battled her heat, an icy cage slowly startong to form around her.

The air around us steamed up like a sauna as fire and ice collided, until she finally collapsed from exhaustion, out of action for the time being. And not a moment too soon.

I swayed in my place, out of energy, out of ice, and sat down, practically collapsing. There was scarcely time for me to begin to catch my breath when reinforcement finally arrived, too late to be of any practical help, as was often the case lately.

The palace guards saluted me, and I gestured wildly towards the escaped aristocrat. They quickly assesed the situation, trying to think of the best way to get to the girl safely and detain her.

As they did that, I wiped the beads of sweat running down my forehead with the back of my grubby sleeve, probably smearing dirt all over me. I could feel my hair stick to my face and grimaced.

The royal healer approached me slowly, as though I was a dangerous and cornered animal; which, I suppose, was not exactly unjustified. After all, I had built up quite a reputation throughout my life.

His hands and eyes glowed as his fingers hovered over my entire being, fixing the worst of the damage. A sprained ankle, second degree burns, bruises and bleeding- the pain faded slightly before he moved towards the by now secured princess to offer his services.

The queen's advisor walked towards me, and nodded.

"Well done, Jack. Good work."

He hesitated, and gave me a a look I could not quite place

"The queen's offer is still open, you know. She cares deeply you, and you are the only one in this place who's combined skills, talent and knowledge rivals that of her own. She cannot handle her stepsister without you. Love alone is not enough to keep her stable now that both her parents are dead."

My heart stung with longing, but I shook my head.

"The past is just that, the past. I can't go back sir Harold, you know that. And you're wrong. All three of us know how she could be treated. We agreed it was truly a last resort solution, but there will not be a situation needing it more than now." I hesitated, before continuing softly: "I hate to do this to them, but you must urge her Majesty to take action. I trust you would do anything necessarily to ensure the safety of her and the people."

He gave me a sad smile, his eyes gentle, and nodded.

"I understand."

He turned and started walking towards the young princess to speak to her, when a thought occurred him.

But before he had turned around, I had already vanished into the shadows.