Element Guardians *To-Be-Edited*

38 ~ Frustration

This was probably the millionth time I had walked through Halloway Forest and with today and the following two days left before the big day, I had a feeling this could well be one of my last times ever.

A lump formed in my throat at the thought as I followed behind Cale with a hammer in one hand and a heavy axe weighing my bag down. Cale had suggested I take along weapons rather than makeshift water ones in case I’m ever stuck. Though the axe may have been a little overrated, I still found it somewhat reassuring.

“Just say the word and we’ll go straight back home,” Cale told me right by my side with a hand hovering near mine in a brotherly way.

“N-No,” I stammered, feeling my voice tremble in my throat while the hammer weighed down my hands, the axe my bag. “We’re going to get you to practise no matter what, even if it kills me.”

I winced at my own words and bit my tongue. I really wish I hadn’t said that because now –

“Easy, Rose, easy,” Cale said gently and pat my shoulder reassuringly. “Almost there. I know you can whoop their ass if it came round to that.”

My eyebrows shot up, my fists clenching around the hammer. “This war has really gotten to you, hasn’t it?”

Cale shrugged, flicking his hair out of the way and fiddled nervously with the lucky charm in his hands. “The world’s about to change and you can feel it. May as well go with it.”

I grimaced, knowing that he was right and shook my head. “I wish it wouldn’t.”

“Who doesn’t?” he mumbled and sighed, picking up his pace. “Come on, the faster we get there, the faster we’re out and get to meet up with Felix and Ash to talk about the situation.”

“Right,” I said quietly, the riddle running through my mind. “A sacrifice that humans aren’t going to make but we have to . . . that’s not fair!”

“Life’s not fair,” he snapped. “Please Rose, it’s early in the morning, Dad’s still out of it and you keep complaining!”

Stopping in my tracks, I gave him a disbelieving look, eyes wide and mouth agape. “What? Cale did you just –”

“Just keep walking,” he said flatly, rubbing his forehead in a stressed manner. “For once, just –”

I couldn’t hold back my quickly rising temper and smacked him with the wooden handle of the hammer. I stormed off, picking up my pace to a full out sprint until I could see the break between the trees far ahead.

“Rose wait!” Cale yelled. “I’m sorry!”

“I can’t believe you!” I yelled, feeling tears of frustration well up behind my eyes. “I can’t believe you of all people –”

I never really got to finish my sentence. Instead, a scream replaced my speech, my vision blurred from tears that were falling from my eyes just as I was falling down an abyss.

“You klutz!” I heard Cale call after me, shaking his head disbelievingly. “Don’t worry, Rose, I’m coming!”

Putting as much effort as I could, I lifted my hand to my face and covered my screams, muffling them until a brilliant light obscured my vision once more.

For a moment I had to wonder whether this would be the last time I’d be entering the Base until the Spirit Crystal was found – if we figured out the riddle that is.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and found myself gradually floating to the ground, the tips of my shoes slowly brushing the rough dirt flooring until I finally stood flat-footed. From the corner of my blurred vision I could spot the large pool of water in the corner of the room. I let my hammer and bag drop to the ground with a thunk then kicked it across the vast area into the corner.