Orchid

Villains Above

I breathe calmly using my Water powers, and do a lazy breast-stroke. I've always loved swimming, but when I got older, the trips to the pool became less frequent. I paddle the way my dad said never to paddle---the traditional doggy-paddle. I'm just like that. I like to annoy, frustrate, and be so defiant.

 "Orchid!" The sound is muffled, but I can hear it just fine. 

  The emotions swirling inside me are stony and cold. "Don't bother! I don't want to see you!" My knees hit a rock and I bite down on my lip in pain. I gingerly touch it and scale the rock onto land. It's scraped, like I thought. My hair is dripping wet, but the rest of my body is dry. Maybe because I wanted it to be dry. I lick my finger and press it to the injury. Spit was always good for it.

 "Orchid." A sigh comes from him. "I understand. You're going through hell now, and I've been acting like a possessive boyfriend."

 "Jason? Possessive?" I turn around, narrowing my eyes. "No, the knight in shining armor did not just say that."

 "He actually did." A chuckle comes from the crag above me. 

 "Xander!" I snarl furiously. Jason advances defensively.

 "Long time no see, my friend." Xander raises a hand toward Jason. "Last time I saw you, buddy, we weren't getting along. What's wrong with the bromance?" His tone is sarcastic and tinged with madness.

 "I was never your friend. I saw your intention with Orchid all the time, Alexander Jackson." Jason's cheeks color with anger. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her!"

 "How cute." Xander smirks. "Unfortunately, I'm a Warrior as well as you two. I'm just as powerful."

  "Xander! Your mom said hi!" I call, trying to annoy him.

 His icy-blue eyes flash dangerously. "Don't bring up Airillia. I don't freaking care about her!" Raising his hand, he lets out a gust of sharp wind that knocks me flat on my back. I'm not hurt, but I'm stunned by his attack. I'll be picking out sand grains out of my hair for the rest of the week.

 "Xander. It would be best to go now." Jason curls his lip and lets out a burst of flame. Xander floats up, hovering above us, dodging his flame.

  "Jason will stay imprisoned in Lycaeon's deepest prison chambers, and I will be the one who brings him there," Xander gloats. "But not you, lovely Orchid."

 I get up and flinch. "What do you mean?"

  "We've decided to execute you on the Day of the Elements, May 5th." Xander grins. "The most aupicious day."

 "The fifth month and the fifth day for the elements," Jason says in a strangled voice. "That's two weeks away."

  "Yes, wise Jason." Xander brushes back a lock of hair from his brilliant cold eyes. "The death of her will be the rebirth of Vidalia." He raises a sharp knife from his waist. "And I will rule beside my queen!"

 "Nice plan." I brush off my pants. "But I don't think so. Where is Arya?" I shoot him a laser glare.

 "Arya is bee-utiful." Xander stretches the word out, smirking. 

  "You kidnapped her?" I exclaim. "How dare you! I'll shred you and let the crows suck the marrow out of your bones!" 

   A snickering sound from a female catches my attention and I look up, furious to see the trickster hovering above me. She makes a cackling sound. 

  "Oh, the innocence of the Orchid. Such naivete!" Anastasia taunts. Her bronze sheet of hair glimmers in the sunlight and her dark eyes are filled with cruelty. She resembles Powerrmaster so much that I can't believe I didn't match their dark eyes to each other at once. Their last name is Daerkt--dark. Oh. 

  "Where's your brother, Anastasia?" I taunt. I still remember Anna Creeks from so long ago, back at where Xander showed his true colors. Was she an Outsider, or an elementalist like Jenna and Lily? "Oh, right...Hero kicked his poor little ass and he fell into a lake. Oh well." Two can play this game, I think grimly. 

  Anastasia Daerkt curls her lip. "Anyway..." She glides away, toward Xander, and reveals a familiar form, with pale skin and slender fingers. Her eyes are tilted like they were, but they're not gentle grass green anymore, they're poisonous snake green. Her dark curls frame her face, which was heart-shaped. Now it's sharp and angled, her cheekbones higher and more defined, her lips wider and more crimson. She resembles the one I knew, but isn't. Her eyes shine with a colder light as they gleam.

 "Arya!" I cry.

  "S'up, sis." My sister lets out a beam of green light that beans me on the head. I recoil as I fall and long vines wrap around me, imprisoning me. I reach for Fire, but the vines tighten. Jason stands his own ground, clenching his fists. The vines twist, squeezing my ribs and my body, leaving only my throat and my face clear so I can breathe, see, smell, and speak. The vines are dampening my power. This is definitely Dark Magic! I realize. Lycaeon must've taught her this. My amulet burns on my neck, whispering and whispering, Someone has betrayed you! Beware! Beware!

 Nice, I think at the amulet. Now can't you save me, Guardian whatever Angel?

  The amulet stays silent.

  Congratulations on great timing, amulet.

  "This isn't funny, Arya," I shout back at her. "You wouldn't want to follow in your mom's footsteps, right? And Zilon is a jerk."

 "Zilon is our father, sister," Arya calmly states. "You should be grateful." Her formerly dreamlike voice has turned bitter, like scraping rock against rock, and hollow. Her dark eyes aren't completely fathomless yet, unlike her mother's. "And my mother is your aunt. We're all...family."

 "Yep, family totally assassinate each other." I try flipping my hair to act sarcastic, but Arya flicks her fingers and the vines threaten to wrap around my mouth. I gasp, trying to breathe as the amulet scorches my throat.

  "Sorry, sis, sarcasm doesn't hold well with me." Her cat eyes scrutinize me. 

  Xander laughs. "And guess what the best part is?"

 "What?" I shoot back.

 "I'm going to be your brother-in-law! Arya's my future mate."