Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 40: Roses

I lead the Gifted Six through the halls of the dark mountain. We climb iron staircases and cross under the open sky where rain falls, passing classrooms and private offices, up all the way to the sixth floor where the library and hospital wing was. And as we come to the tapestry of a man being stabbed I look at them. Something shuffles a few feet away. Probably a rat. I climb behind the tapestry and the others following. Aira turns on her flashlight and we head into the depths of the tunnel. Turning through the caves, following the chalk arrows and writing Nora and I had once spent hours together drawing.Drawing... Despite the inspiration, I had felt I couldn't draw anything... Nothing came out anymore...I lead them to a small cliff edge where we sit underneath the shelter of the cave roof. Aira places her phone on the ground and lights the world in blueish light. "How are you all feeling about Versailles?" I ask sitting beside Ella who leans her head on my shoulder."It was fine..." Haley murmurs. "Kind of pointless, I'm not sure why we were sent there." I pull out my phone and text Oliver out curiosity, Haley's thought had stirred something in me. "We were supposed to be talking about what happens after this school year." Denen sighs.I nod. "Why did you suggest going on a world tour?" Aira questions, turning to face me. "Do you not want to go back to the Academy." She questions. "Of course I want to go back... but I want to see the world before a war destroys it... and it will only be six months more or so..."Ella lifts her head from my shoulder. "I think it's a good idea... the world needs to know that we are alright despite Kassadern Darath's attacks." I nod in agreement with the others shrugging. Only Ella and I knew the true purpose as of now... "Anyways, I would like to go home for the summer and see my family, so I will say that we are only willing to go if we get to go home for a month." I reason.The others nod, agreeing now that I had compromised. What I hated to admit was that we were in a position to compromise, if the Circle wanted us to spend a year travelling we would. They controlled us like puppets.Lightning splinters through the sky, a brilliant light flashing from it as thunder roars seconds later."I want to go home too." I sigh into the breeze. The light goes out."Shit, my phone died." Aira whines.Haley has her flashlight out a second later and the cave is alight again."We haven't gotten to practice fighting together in a while," Brennen says. "We need to soon.""I agree," Haley adds. "I think we've all been busy with school and working out.""I've been waking at four so I can do my workout's that the Circle gave us before school." Aira rolls her eyes placing her phone behind her. "Same." Muses Denen."Brennen, Jaxon, and I have been working out after school," Ella explains."I haven't been doing it." Haley rolls her eyes. "I do most of it in the gym. Anyways I'd prefer to work out for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday then after school."I nod in amusement. "Let's all meet in the training room A on Saturday after breakfast." Everyone nods."I'll bring my fire whips." Ella rolls her eyes. "They are so stupid.""We'll figure it out." I turn to her and offer her a smile. She tries to return it but fails and looks into the distance.We leave fifteen minutes later. As we walk the tunnels press in on me, like they were watching us, as if the mountain was alive and it was aware we were walking through its veins. As we scale down the staircase Aira freezes, patting her pockets."I pulled a Jaxon." She sighs. "I left my phone back in the cave."Ella snorts. "Since I'm so good at finding lost phones I'll go get it with you." I roll my eyes turning on my flashlight. We head back up the staircase, not bothering to talk as the night leaks into us. The two of us slide behind the tapestry and we walk along the tunnels before coming to the cave. Aira picks up her dead phone and pockets it. Again the tunnel watches us and as we near the tapestry something moves. Instantly my hand is on my Aszor as my flashlight turns towards the darkness. My phone vibrates in my hand, the flashlight flickering as it does.I read Oliver's response and my stomach drops.The Circle is sending you on a world tour for all of next year. We didn't call you to the circle the other day, the school arranged it...Aneltt had organized it... Aneltt who was a Death Hunter who might still be working for the Dark Empire.As if in response Ice sends Aira flying. Though a bit shaky a sword forms from the Aszor as three Death Hunters jump forward, clad in black fabric. Another sends a blast of ice towards me. Two Ice members and... Fire roars in my direction and I shift the sword into a shield protecting both Aira and me. "Run," I yell. Blasts of ice and fire hit walls or dissipate in the strong wind Aira uses to slow the Death Hunters. I jump through the tapestry, tearing it from the wall and stoneflies towards us.Two Ice. One Fire. One Earth. John and Nora...I study their height and sure enough, the two Ice Elementals are the right height.Turning away from the staircase I grab Aira's arm and we run towards the hospital wing thinking back to how Nora had jumped from the window and landed on an ice platform. Hopefully, I could do the same thing that she had done.The doors of the Hospital Wing fly open as Aira slashes her arm through the air. The old Austrian lady screams as we run disappearing into the shadows. I flick my wrist and send I shooting at a window. It shatters into shards and I look to Aira, knowing we were trapped here if we didn't jump.They couldn't get a hold of us, not with the information on my phone. "I'll catch us." Aira turns to me, and we jump.Wind flies up at us, as we fall through the salty air. The long grass beneath us reaches up for us, a thousand tiny hands trying to pull us into the earth. Aira slows us as we slowly touch onto the ground of the village area. The grass here grows to my chest, and up to Aira's forehead. Fire blasts through a different window from the hospital wing above glass flying from the damage. They could've used the window I had already broken...If I had any doubts before an Ice Elemental, Nora creates platforms and jumps through the air on thin platforms of ice. The Death Hunter who I assume is John and the Earth, and Fire Elemental run down floating rocks slowly.Landing on the ground first Nora sends attacks at us while her comrades fly through the air. Aira pushes her hands forward and Nora twirls out of the way sending a blast of ice towards Aira's side. I crouch over and Aira runs towards me, launching herself off my back she slams into Nora as the fire catches.The dry grain catches on fire as the tall, and very buff Fire Elemental sets fire to the world. Aira, caught up with Nora isn't able to blow out the fire so I lower the temperature in an attempt to bring the fire down as three highly trained Elementals run at me.The Earth Elemental sends a large rock flying at me and I encase it in ice, making a long battering ram. John and the other Death Hunter are toppled by the log of ice and I shatter it sending it flying at the Water Elemental. He grunts and I let go of shards sending two powerful blasts of ice towards the Fire Elemental who has fire on his hands. As smoke bellows, the world around me burns, flames growing higher and higher. And then Aira flies towards me, her cooling wind brushing the fire's down, but not completely out. She kicks the fire elemental in the face as Nora flies at me screaming. Her long nails scrape my cheek and she cartwheels to absorb her momentum. Jumping up she sends duel blasts of ice shards at me and I raise my Aszor, which currently takes the form of a shield. I kick towards John as he runs at me roaring. Using his own move against him, ice flies from my foot, the impact sending him flying into the Earth Elemental. Aira pushes her hands together, and a tear falls from her eyes as the large body of the Fire Elemental hits the ground with an ugly thud. Not dead, unconscious... these were students like us...Nora punches back and forth, jumping and spinning around me. I strike with ice, and though it's to close for an effective blast Nora doesn't expect it and stumbles back. I sweep my arm up and forward, sending her flying through the burning grass.Embers fly through the air as the crackle of fire burns. The Earth Elemental rushes at me. His elbow hits me across the face but it was two against one. Aira jumps onto the Earth Elementals back and rips the mask off."Stop," I yell at Aira.Cassian sad eyes meet mine."Why?" I whisper."My brother... they are going to kill him if I don't...""Whatever the deal is, he is lying..." "I know, but he promised to buy him time and I can't risk losing my brother, not after losing my parents.""Cassian," I say calmly. "Kill the fire, and run."He nods. Dirt flies through the air, snuffing out the fire as a dust storm encompasses us. And when the storm is gone, so are the Death Hunters, the only trace a long area of ashes where Aira and I stand."Want some gum?" My friend breaths and pops a piece of gum from her pocket into her mouth.

Well that was a fun time! I just finished rewriting Academy of Elements Fire for the second time and I'm going to be sending it out to beta readers soon. If any of you are interested in being a beta readers let me know!

Question of the Chaoter;:
What has been your favorite battle scene in the series or in any series?

I won't spoil anything but the final battle of this book is pretty good and the final battle of Avengers Endgame is amazing!