The Chosen

Chapter 12

Oliver wasn't the happiest about his job, but he knew Mina could be scary when she wanted to. He ran over to Amber, trying to shake her awake. He could hear the fight outside and it sounded like Noah and Mina were already outnumbered.

They needed Amber for healing and Oliver for aerial force. Noah had the ability to melt into water and move around unseen. Mina was the flashy front-lines fighter that often used her fire bombs to distract the enemy.

Oliver shook Amber again. “Get up!” he cried. Amber was a deep sleeper. She could sleep through almost anything.

Oliver sighed. He guessed it was time to work out his new technique. He concentrated on the air around him, trying to infiltrate Amber's mind. He focused on the feeling when the Element Users had attacked him, taking over his mind and spirit.

The world around Oliver faded and he was suddenly in a new world. A ways away, moonlight illuminated a silhouette in the dark.

“Amber!” he called out. The figure turned. Her eyes were foggy and clouded, not their usual bright golden.

Oliver ducked just as Amber's consciousness slashed at his head.

She's being controlled! he realized.

“Amber!” he called again. “Listen to me! I need you to calm yourself. Think about what's going on around you! We need your help!”

Oliver could see Amber struggling to break free of the spell. Oliver gasped as a sudden pain shot through his ribs.

The dream world flashed and disappeared. Oliver was suddenly back on the cold cave floor. Blood seeped from his side. The outline of a body stood above him. Oliver groaned in pain, Amber twisting beside him.

Oliver knew what the enemy was trying to do. They wanted to destroy Amber's spirit and leave Oliver's team without a healer, slowly dying with no chance of recovery.

Oliver pressed a hand to his wound. It wasn't deep, but he had to stop the bleeding.

Mina's scream echoed from outside and howls responded. As Oliver turned around in horror, the figure raised its sword.

Clang!

Oliver spun around again, his blood running cold. A young red haired girl stood in front of him, her sword blocking the enemy's. She pushed her sword forward, pushing her foe with the momentum.

Oliver opened his mouth, but the girl cut him off.

“No time to explain. You need to be treated to, and your friends need help,” she announced. “I'm an ally, don't worry. And I brought reinforcements.”

Oliver realized the howls he'd heard from outside were all much younger than his enemies should have been. The voices ranged from at least twelve to seventeen.

He gasped as it dawned on him that Mina's scream had been of surprise, not pain.

Oliver took a good look at his saviour. She was slim, average-sized with long curly red hair pulled up in a ponytail. Her eyes were a sharp emerald green, the colour matching with her armour that covered her body.

The girl walked over to the fallen figure, who didn't bother getting up.

“Do you know her?” she asked Oliver. Oliver got up slowly. The stranger held up her hand in a 'stop' gesture.

“Brunette, black eyes, tall, about seventeen years old and has a glowing cloak. Know her?”

Oliver looked closer. Now that he thought about it, there was a strange glowing light next to the newcomer's feet in the shape of a body.

“Ella?” he gasped.

The girl looked down and poked Ella with her foot. She signalled to someone behind her.

“Heal those two and tie this girl up. How are the others?” she asked.

A group of people ran inside. They were all various ages, races and whatnot. It made Oliver dizzy to see so many people. Plus, it didn't help that he was losing blood fast. His eyes rolled back into his head and he blacked out.

***

Sch!

“Ah, dammit! It ripped!”
Oliver groaned. His head hurt and his side throbbed. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt heavy and sticky.

“Oh, you're up, are you?” a familiar, yet unknown voice asked. “Did I wake you?”

Oliver turned his head slowly, his eyesight adjusting to the strange lights. A girl sat beside him in a chair, looking down at a book disappointingly.

She was small, but not super short. Her figure was slim and athletic. The most noticeable thing about her was her hair. It was a bright red, trailing down her back and curling at the ends. Her bangs were separated down the middle of her head, framing her face with little red curls. She looked about sixteen or seventeen.

Oliver didn't fail to notice she was seriously pretty.

The room was cozy and small, the walls painted a sky blue. There was the bed that Oliver was lying on, pushed up against the wall, the sun shining down on him. A small desk and chair was on the other side of the room. Two giant windows faced the door, which was closed. There was a wardrobe on a single wall, dozens of drawers on it.

When the girl looked up, her sharp emerald eyes meeting his. He suddenly realized why her voice sounded so familiar. She was the girl who had saved him!

“Who... Who are you?” he asked weakly.

The girl looked surprised. “Oh yeah. You were knocked out, weren't you?” she asked.

Oliver's cheeks reddened. He'd blacked out in front of a cute girl and had to have her save him. Now he looked like a wimp...

The girl continued without skipping a beat. “My name is Karen. I'm the leader of the military program against the Element Users.”

Oliver shot her an enquiring look. He was confused now.

“Then why did you help us?” he croaked.

Karen smiled. She looked almost devilish just then and Oliver wondered briefly if she was really and ally. Then she spoke up.

“Because you guys can help us to defeat the Element Users.”