Elementalists (completed)

Chapter 11

As we walk back over to the frozen wave, I can't help wondering about the other teams. Did they get past it? Did they even get a wave? Or something else?

We reach the wave and Terro conjures a bunch of dirt, warping it into a bridge. It was too dry to climb so Anemos asks Nero to get it wet. Once he does, the wind boy asks Ignis to bake it. She does and we walk up the hard clay.

We get over the wave and keep walking in silence. I start to cough and Nero gives me a drink of water, asking if I'm okay.

"Yeah, I'm just tired is all." I say. My lungs burn from running and the water helps some, but it keeps getting worse as we move. Eventually my coughing fits get so bad we have to stop.

I sit down on the trimmed grass and lean against the wall, coughing. With each cough it seems to get worse.

"Oh my gosh Blitz! I don't think this is all from running." Anemos exclaims, kneeling down in front of me.

"No....me....neither....." I say though coughs. God, this hurts! What the heck? It's feels like my throat is being burned alive!

Wait.

Burned alive.

Wow. I am such an idiot.

Of course, smoke! I've never really been good against smoke.

Neve coughs a little and I look at her knowingly.

"Smoke." I cough, "I think it's smoke."

Anemos' eyes widen as it hits him. "Of course! You were running and out of breath so you inhale more smoke then us!" He smacks his forehead with his hand, "I'm such an idiot!" His eyes widen as another thought strikes him, "Oh my gosh! We have to move and put it out probably!"

Kin gasps, "I forgot we're being timed!"

I just groan. Seriously?!?! My throat feels like it just got drilled and we have to put out a fire!

"Come on, we have to move." Terro says. Neve helps me to my feet again and I try to take shallow breaths as we half walk half run down the maze. My lungs start to burn more and I know for sure it's smoke. Sure enough, minutes later we come to a large hole in the ground.

We peer over it and see a bunch of huge fires filling up the hole, smoke coming off them in billows. I cough and move away from the edge. Everyone follows except Anemos, who stays there for another minute before backing up also.

"Okay, team huddle!" Anemos exclaims, bending over with his arms out. We huddle and he continues, "Nero, obviously you will be a big part in this. Neve and Ignis, you can work together to melt ice and put it out while Terro throws dirt and sand over it, okay?" Anemos asks.

We all nod.

"And remember," He adds, "this is a race!"

We break and get to business. Nero immediately starts conjuring water and throwing it onto the fire. Neve creates ice above the fires and Ignis melts it, sending drops of water down into the fire, which makes the dreaded flames hiss and pop. Terro conjures dirt and warps it so it covers the fires.

One by one the flames go out, but I just sit against the wall, my body being racked with coughs. Each time I inhale it feels like I'm inhaling fire instead of smoke, and each time I cough it feels like a knife is being stabbed into my ribs while someone runs sandpaper up my throat.

Anemos and Kin, who couldn't find anything to do to help put out the fires, crouch down next to me and try to help. Anemos uses his wind to push the smoke away and give me some fresh air, which I take such deep breaths of I feel like a drowning man finally getting some air. Kin makes a metal barrier and tries to block the smoke, but soon she's coughing like an old man too.