The Chosen

Chapter 7

Noah was feeling childish.

He knew full well that Oliver and Mina had been friends all through their childhood. Even without being told, he knew he shouldn't have been jealous.

The thought made Noah's cheeks heat up.

Why exactly am I jealous? he wondered. Noah watched as Mina rushed to squeeze Oliver, nearly knocking him over.

He didn't know why, but the pit of his stomach burned. Calm down Noah, he told himself.

Oliver's fingers snapping in front of his face shook Noah from his thoughts, bringing him back down to earth.

“Hey, Mendez. You here? Or on Mars?” Oliver smirked slightly, crossing his arms.

“Huh?” he started, blinking rapidly. Mina giggled as Noah's struggled to keep his composure straight. “W-what did you say?”

Oliver sighed, rubbing his forehead dramatically. “Did you happen to hear or see anything about the Element Users?”

Noah thought for a moment. He, had, in fact, heard something about the Element Users. Something about a plan. He had a sneaking suspicion that history was about to repeat itself and another war was most probably starting.

He opened his mouth to answer when a cold wind rushed through his body. The feeling of choking filled his senses and he suddenly couldn't breathe.

Hush. Don't speak. There's nothing important to say. A wispy voice took over his mind, convincing him that the need for silence was great.

“Noah!” Mina's cry of worry cut through the thick fog surrounding him slightly. Noah willed himself to answer, but his vision was going dark, his consciousness fading.

Out of the corner of his eye, Noah could see Oliver facing the same torture, a wispy mist cloaking him. Amber was trying to calm him, but Noah could see another flash of fog heading towards her. The same type of 'spirit' was obviously about to try to possess Mina as well.

Noah wasn't all that surprised. A lot of strange things happened in the world he lived in.

“That's enough. Leave them be.”

Noah fell to the ground as the heavy feeling disappeared suddenly. Mina collapsed next to him, their blue eyes meeting. Oliver and Amber toppled as well, gasping for breath.

Noah struggled to get back to his feet, but something pushed him down. Mina cried out as a long pole hit her back.

Oliver hissed in pain as something held him down as well and Noah could hear Amber's squeak of surprise as she was pinned down too.

Noah turned his head as much as he could to try and see who was behind this.

A tall man covered in long, black robes stood with one foot on Noah's back. Half his face was covered in bandages and his eyes were shadowed by his dark hat.

“Is that a top hat?” Oliver spoke up, voicing Noah's thoughts.

Mina face-palmed beside him, groaning. Amber looked exasperated. The man glared at the boy next to Noah.

“You shall be the first to die, you impertinent boy! After you, your friends will follow the same fate!” he yelled, his uncovered eye surfacing as blood red.

The man's voice was gravely and aged, signalling he was an older man. Noah's heart pounded in his chest, his palms going sweaty. He had never been caught by an Element User, and scenes of all the things that could happen flashed through his head.

Noah watched in horror as a raging fire grew around the man.

They were doomed.