THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

Twenty-Five |

Twenty-Five |

"No," I cried, stumbling forward. "No!"

I was a monster.

My knees gave out and I barely felt it as they slammed into the ground. My eyes stayed on Oris. He let out a final gasp of air, his head going slack as life left him. Another wave of pure horror filled me and I just looked around the room. I'd killed everyone. Bodies left so mutilated I couldn't see which lump of flesh belonged to which smeared corpse. My air caught in my lungs as my lips peeled back to a soundless scream. I could feel the dry tears run down my face like fire. My magic—it was beyond kept. My mind had wandered, the chains containing my magic had broken and now all that was left was this pathetic vessel of flesh that caged my soul.

My hands flew to my face, I dug my nails into my soft flesh and peeled my skin back as if that could free my soul. My magic whipped around me, I could feel the immeasurable power as if it had become something tangible and wrapped around my neck.

It was too much.

Too much of everything—so much of nothing.

"No, do not let go."

A voice.

My head tilted towards the sky as cold hands cut through the darkness behind me. Sharp claws that did not cut linked through my fingers, pulling them way from my face. Someone was kneeling behind me, large black wings darkened everything in my vision. It plunged me into darkness in an attempt to stifle my soul—no. It was trying to stifle my magic back into my body.

But who?

"Hold on tightly."

I didn't know what that meant. My magic surged once more as I tried to shake this shadow from my body. I tried to pull my flesh from this creature, my wrist burning so hot I wondered if it would fall off. Perhaps that's what I needed—I needed to burn off this mortal body so that I may become something more. My eyes shut, a sudden heaviness filling my mind.

"Go back little one."

Nothing made sense.

Go back to where—go back when? The burning that echoed through my ribs lessened as a moment of clarity dragged through my hollow bones. Back my magic went, back to it's chains that forced it to remain inside a shiny soul armored by soft flesh. I was tumbling now, through the darkness at a rapid pace. My mind thick and foggy as I went, further away and into the after which should have come before.

Go back to when the before spoke so much softer.

"Get up Raggy Princess," he taunts.

Oris' voice has my eyes flying open as I sat up. A foggy confusion echoed through my mind at the tail end of a terrible headache, and I rubbed my eyes as if he wasn't trying to murder me. I held up my hand and he paused, confusion clouding his eyes as I slowly stood. However, just as I got to my feet, my body echoed with exhaust and I dropped down to one knee, bile flying from my mouth.

"Raggy Princess?" he called curiously.

Embarrassment heated my cheeks, and I watched the servants quickly run from the room. It was a small mercy. That foggy confusion rolled over me with a cold and cruel disgust and when I looked at Oris I couldn't stop imagining him bloody and dead.

It didn't make sense.

"What is this?" he demanded, coming to my side.

My head shook. "I don't know. I felt ill suddenly."

Not to mention this stupid headache.

"Is this a ploy?"

"Yes. You caught me. It's a ploy to finally win. I've told you five times that this is not the proper place," I said slowly, anger seeping into my words. "But that didn't work so I thought you know, perhaps I should publicly humiliate myself. Maybe then he'll listen?"

He frowned. "I don't appreciate your attitude."

"Well, I don't appreciate any of this!" I yelled, throwing my hands up.

"You think your enemies will only appear in the training room? Perhaps they'll ask you for a time in an arena or challenge you to a duel?" he sneered at me. "The whole point of this is to prepare for an unexpected attack or an assassin."

I could feel the blood drain from my face. "Y-you think assassins are after me?"

"It's possible. You're wanted by a kingdom."

His bloodied form flashed in my mind and I shivered. He was right—perhaps I was being silly. If I couldn't protect myself then how could I protect anyone else? Oris annoyed me but did I want him die protecting me? No. I wished to be stronger and fight for those around me.

Which meant, I needed to figure out my own way to do so. It clicked in my mind—I couldn't summon like Oris, and I couldn't fight like Kahuna—but maybe my strength lay in my unpredictable abilities. I stood and faced him. His head tilted to one side, his blonde locks shifting as he smirked at me.

"What's this?" he mused.

I could feel my magic buzzing under my skin felt strange—different—I didn't know what caused it's sudden change but I wouldn't question it. My body warmed with a new vigor and I rocked back on my heels. Perhaps it was that strange image that haunted my mind—maybe imagining Oris' terrible death was the perfect thing to remind me of my purpose.

"I'll try again," I said loudly.

His grin grew. "Show me."

We lunged for each other. A wave of petals drove for me, I pivoted on my heel, my dagger sliced through them, as it did, the petals dropped. I could feel it, I realized, I could feel my magic throbbing through my dagger. As soon as those petals touched my dagger, they dissolved into little puffs of light. For a moment we both paused.

"Not bad," he mused.

It gave me a confidence boost. I lunged across the way at him. My blade grazed his cheek. He let out a grunt, shoving the butt of his palm into my shoulder. I stumbled back a step to which he took the opportunity to kick my dagger from my hand. A brief flash of panic filled me. He flicked his wrist, petals rose from the ground, swirling in the shape of a snake.

"Oris," I murmured fearfully.

"It's not the blade," he called. "It's you."

Annoyance flickered through me. "What does that mean?"

He smirked. That snake shot through the air, gliding towards me. I let out a strangling noise, my hand flying up. There wasn't enough time to create another dagger! My magic singed through my blood as it reacted. Panic flared through me and I shut my eyes.

"Do not control it."

I had no choice. I had to trust my magic—

"What have you done?"

My eyes opened. Determination filling me as I grabbed me petals. I called to my magic, ordering it to obey and it did. As if the hot touch of the sun itself had grasped the back of my hand. I led it forward, driving forth my point and purpose. I could fight and I could do so with my own magic, and it would obey because I was it's master. I gritted my teeth, a few petals passed and slicing my flesh. I flexed my magic, it surged outwards.

Until there was only shining dust around us.

I grinned, dropping my hand and looking at Oris. There was a new look in those brown orbs—a look of pure pride. It had my heart swelling. My magic cooled until my skin was only the slightest warmed. As I lifted my foot, I noticed a small, sapling had sprouted under my foot. I stepped over it, moving over to my trainer.

"Well," I laughed. "Did I win?"

He smiled slightly.

"Yeah, you won."