E L E M E N T A L S

Chapter 13: Shadows lurking everywhere

"Stella, hold up!" I called out to her as I maneuvered through the trees. "What the heck are you doing here?"

Stella didn't respond and the weight in my stomach was weighing me down. As if to say: "Don't do it. Stop right now!"

But I ignored it.

Curiosity got the better of me.

Eventually Stella stopped and I did same. There was only a few feet between us. I felt winded suddenly and everything seemed a lot darker then it should've been.

"What are you doing here Stella? This is Sophia's property-" I said and felt something snag my feet. I thought it was a fine or a branch, so I kicked my leg off without looking. "Were you invited and I didn't know?"

Stella had a smile on her face but I couldn't see too well.

I felt oddly tired for some reason.

"Stella, what's the matter?" I asked, having a bad feeling now.

"Nothing's the matter. Everything is actually great!" she commented with an odd chirp. She turned around and her hands were raised up.

Everything got slightly darker.

"Stella-"

"You know Kai, I'm going to tell you a little secret," she told me with a wide grin. I looked at her and I had to struggle to see through the dim light.

Why do I feel so heavy?

With the little light that was provided, I looked through and saw Stella's eyes. Instead of the odd mix of hazel and brown, her eyes were black.

A sharp shiver went through me and I widened my eyes.

"No-" I said and something jumped out from my peripheral vision.

Instinct took over and my powers were activated. There was a loud POP! And electricity fizzled when I swung my arm. The darkness around me got lighter and then I realized it wasn't because it was dark naturally-

The shadows moved like snakes.

Sweat prickled on the back of my neck and the scar burned hot. I pressed a hand against it as if I could suppress the feeling and turned to Stella.

"Stella, you...have powers?" I slowly spoke out. My other arm was ready, indicated by my fingers twitching with electricity pulsing through my veins.

Stella hummed and nodded, holding up a hand. The shadows moved accordingly and I saw them curling up her body to her hand. She looked at it as she moved her hand like it was an entirely new limb.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier Kai? This is amazing!" said Stella as she flicked her fingers outwards to the side. Webs of shadows shot out and stuck onto the tree. Still holding her arm out, her other hand pulled at the strings like a rubber band.

"I didn't know-"

"You've always known," bit back Stella, "You just didn't want to know."

"Stella...you need to-"

"Stop? Give me a good reason to" growled Stella before an unsettling smile appeared on her face. "Not when I have been given orders."

My breathing hitched and the next thing I knew I was shot back. I felt myself crash onto the ground and I was rolling. I let out a yell of pain when my back hit the back of a tree.

I groaned and my back throbbed and my head was spinning. I struggled to get up but I kept getting knocked back. No matter, how I tried to get up, I felt heavier and heavier as if I was being weighed down...