Ascendance

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Beads of sweat rolled down the back of my neck as I gasped for air. Hunter's heavy body had me pinned down to the soft floor below us. His smug face beamed with triumph as I pushed at him with all of my strength I had left in my tired body. His stone-like biceps didn't even tremble as I thrashed out underneath his firm grip.

"Alright, I give!" I sighed exhaustedly. We'd been training all morning in the pit. The pit was a huge room in the institution where everyone worked out and practised their special gifts. 

At first Hunter and Amber weren't too happy with the idea of them helping me train to fight. They'd listed countless problems and issues about my wanting to train but after much persuasion they agreed to help me. Hunter took a lot more convincing than Amber, he didn't think I could handle any more traumas but I knew I was the only person on our side that would stop at nothing to rescue my mother.

"Again!" Hunter barked, like he so often did, at me from the other side of the mat. The pit had multiple large squares of foamed mat for people to practise fighting, punch bags, weights, ropes and basically everything you'd expect to get at a gym. The best part of the pit was the fact that the ceiling was a big opening in the mountain and the natural sunlight lit the whole room. It delighted me to be able to look up from a room and see the something other than sand rock.

"Hunter she's tired, let her take a breather." Amber argued full of concern from the edge of the mat. Through it all she was worried for my wellbeing and gnawed at her nails nervously, and refused to actually fight against me. I could tell from her tight stomach muscles and arms that she could handle herself in a fight even though she never would with me.

"Do you think any of them would let her 'take a breather'?" Hunter mocked cruelly wiping his clammy hands on his black shorts. His grey vest had hardly any sweat compared to my sports bra, and my leggings that Amber had given me which were completely covered with the dust that had settled on the mats from the rock walls as were Hunter's bare feet he repeatedly brushed with his hands.

"I'm fine Amber." I smiled briefly to her as I tightened my ponytail and prepared myself for Hunter's attack. It bothered me how easily he found it to fight me, usually boys would hesitate about lunging at girls but Hunter didn't hold back at all. There was no second thought with every blow he sent flying my way. It shocked me even more because of the way he'd reacted when I'd first proposed the idea. He was so against the thought of me learning how to kill but now he didn't even think twice.

"I'm ready." I sneered to Hunter before he nodded once and crossed the mat within seconds towards me. I felt my body being lifted and air rushing past me as he threw me down to the ground, as quickly as I could I scrambled to my feet and threw my clenched fists endlessly towards his face which he blocked with ease.

"You're weak Eden. It'll never be a fair fight between us." He laughed joyfully as he grabbed hold of my foot as I kicked towards his torso. I managed to scowl at him before he twisted my leg and I fell to the ground with a slight thud.  I was so sick of being made a fool of. Every time he threw me to the floor his infuriating ego seemed to grow as well as his already big head and all the other elementals in the pit saw me being thrown about like a doll.

"It's pathetic really." Hunter chuckled. His conceited face was only inches away from mine as he towered over me holding out his hand to pull me up. I could feel the anger inside of me begin to bubble in my veins as I took his hand and rose to my feet. My fingernails dug into my palms as I tightened my fist and I watched Hunter grin towards Amber and me.

 Without hesitating I swung my right fist towards his face with every part of me and was delighted as he stumbled back with his face bewildered and his hands covering his mouth. Caught up in the moment I swept his leg like he'd shown me earlier that morning and watched him tumble to the ground with blood escaping his bottom lip. I knew it was wrong for me to hurt him but he'd hurt me. A lot. Even though he hadn't actually thrown any punches that made full impact with my body, he had tossed me in the air endlessly and I knew  I'd wake up the next day with bruises all over my body and he deserved at least one injury.

"You're right Hunter, it really is pathetic." I stated, patting his back once he'd stood back up. His face was full of rage as I walked passed him and out of the pit towards the creek to clean myself up. As I walked I could hear him punch a bag with frustration as he mumbled under his breath and Amber giggled softly beneath her hand, trying to hide her amusement.

Once I walked along the west passage from the pit and past the library I could hear the peaceful dripping of the water that came from the creek. The creek was basically a room full of water, it seemed like an impossible thing but the only floor in the room was a little ledge as soon as you walked in. The sandy rock walls and ceiling reflected the dark waves as I stood at the opening of the room and removed the band from my hair and my shoes. In my time at the institution I'd found that the creek in the large cave mansion - as I thought of it, was my favourite. It was just so beautiful and relaxing to be in. At times when I was upset about everything or angry I retreated to that place to swim in the water and to calm myself.

In much eagerness to be consumed by the tranquil pool I dived in head first and welcomed the shivers that rolled down my spine at the pleasantly cold temperature. I'd wondered about how the water could be so cold if it came from somewhere as hot as the desert but I was too grateful to dwell on the fact because at least I could still bathe. I could only assume the Undines had something to do with it.

I missed being back in the real world. I had no idea what the date was, let alone what was happening out there. Fortunately, I'd began to be able to tell roughly what time of day it was from the position of the sun and the light that occasionally trickled in from openings in the ceilings. There's no easy way to describe the institution, it was basically like a giant quarry yet it wasn't below the ground and you could easily walk out of the passage near my room to exit the never-ending tunnels.

 However, the few times I did exit the institution I climbed the rock sides of it and up towards the higher levels of the giant rock mountain. I sat and watched the sun rise and go down a couple of times when I got bored from that spot or I would do the same from the opening above my bed. I had no doubt that the institution was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen but I did long to be back home and to be able to use a running shower and my mobile. I hadn't even begun to imagine what people were thinking. My friends were probably losing their minds at my unexpected absence. As soon as I recharged my mobile and got reception again I bet I would be bombarded with missed calls and endless text messages wondering where the hell I was.