EMBER

MISSION

I didn't mean to throw up. But it is just too much.

Karim holds my hair back as Thoren pats my back holding out a bucket and tissues for me. I heave my breakfast.

I lie back as Martha places an ice pack on my forehead. Am grateful. I slightly shiver. My vision swims. Temi is screaming.

"What's wrong with her? I can feel her panic. I want to say am okay but I just tune her out. I just need to close my eyes for a moment.

"Her powers grow stronger. They consume her each day. And the Light's Touch inside her is affecting her negatively. We need to get it out."
Aunt Maeve swims in my vision.

"But how? None of us can touch it" Jake cries out desperately.

"We can't. For now let's....." Everything blurs out. I feel my body humming but I feel like lead. I fractionally open my eyes and all is a mess.

I see a lot of colors. Too hot, too bright but too cold too.

Everyone is sprawled on the floor from me unmoving.

It's like the house is subjected to radiation. Am sweating. So hot. Am faint. I want to throw up again. I make out sluggish words like bath, cold, run, now. Everything is hazy.

Then I fall into icy coldness. The coldness pierces my skin as I feel myself falling deeper but I welcome it. It feels divine against the heat.

A break from the heat. I sigh and close my eyes. Where is everyone? I momentarily frown as the exhaustion, coldness and calm envelope me. I drown.
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A loud clap wakes me up. I open my eyes and everything is mushy and dark.

I try to take in a deep breath and liquid fills my lungs. Burning and stinging my lungs shaking off the last of my drowsiness. Am suffocating. I see a small light above me and push towards it desperate for air.

I break the surface finally gulping for air and pull myself to the outline I can hazily make out.

Heavy cold drops splatter my skin. It's a violent downpour and am caught in it . What am I doing in a violent downpour? Thunder rumbles and thunder strikes behind me startling me.

I look at the jagged lightening connecting with the surface of the somewhat deep lake I was under. Why was I here? I double over retching water from my burning lungs as I shiver. Am so cold. Am shivering and my clothes are plastered to me like second skin.

I try to stand but the wind pushes against me as I struggle to take in my bearings. As I contemplate if I have enough energy to teleport home a hand comes into contact with me shoulder. I don't even think.

I just grab the hand and twist it throwing a punch to whoever or whatever is behind me. I hear a grunt but my fist meets strong resistance. I struggle at whoever or whatever is holding me. The downpour is so heavy I can just make out an outline of someone or something am not sure.

"Hey quit it, it's me." That voice. I stop trying to get away.

"Thoren?" I need to be sure.

"Yeah, it's me." He is shouting through the downpour but he still sounds like a radio with static interference. He gently pulls me to him. His hands put a protective barrier around me. He smells divine. I sigh.

Where is everyone? Why am I here?. He leans close to my ear. One hand around my waist and the other around my shoulders like he's trying to keep the raging wind and harsh rain away from me folding over me.