Pentalements [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Four

Back in the woods, Ruth flung the binoculars to a side and leapt to his feet. "Angel! I'm going out to save her!" The ground trembled in sync with his voice.

"No you don't! Watch what Drake is planning to do." Angel shouted back. She was hovering anxiously in the sky, helpless to do anything. She didn't dare fire any air blasts for the fear of hurting Katie. Who knows when Drake will suddenly decide to use Katie as a human shield?

Angel lowered her altitude to catch a closer glimpse of what was actually happening. Katie was squirming in Drake's arms, struggling to free herself of his grip.

"Let...go...of...me...I...can't breathe..." Katie clawed at Drake's huge forearm, which was squeezing at her windpipe. Damn, this guy has arms made of steel.

Drake had felt the tremor too. "Still denying that you came alone huh, babe?" he whispered in Katie's ears.

What Katie could get out was a strangled cry. I must finish telling him to submit to his Element! Katie thought frantically.

"Sub...submit..." Katie managed.

Drake tightened his hold around Katie's neck. "Shut up!" he hissed angrily. "One more word and I'll wrench your backbone into two!" he threatened.

But Katie's words had already done its damage. Drake was now gritting his teeth, sweating profusely as the Lightning Element tried very hard to keep Drake under his control. His face was red with the exertion, and a low growl escaped from Drake's vibrating body. His hands were trembling, but still he maintained his grip on Katie.

Angel was now just a few feet above Drake. In her peripheral view, she saw Ruth creeping stealthily but rapidly over to where Drake held Katie, running and hiding behind boulders. She glanced back at Drake. His eyes were now blazing with a kind of craziness that was nothing but unnerving.

Deep inside Drake's mind, Drake who was once again imprisoned by the Lightning Element after merely ten seconds of freedom, heard everything. He saw Katie being captured in his hands, heard her strangled plea and her advice.

Don't fight against the Lightning Element.

Sub...submit.

What is she trying to tell me? Drake thought. Oh! You stupid moron. She's telling me to submit to that monster in me. But how can that be? If I submit to it, it'll kill her straightaway. Now that I'm fighting against it, at least I can still prevent it from twisting her neck, but if I submit to it? Drake shuddered as he imagined the consequences.

But she sounded so sure. And she is willing to risk her life, making an appointment with the evil Lightning Element and coming all the way here just to convince me about this. It must be something important. Drake reasoned.

Then, what if she's right? Why don't I give it a try then?

"Well, well, what do we have here? Air? Earth?" Drake taunted. "And where's that petty dumb little boyfriend of yours, Angel? What, is he lost?"

"Let her go, Drake. Killing her won't do you any good." Angel warned.

"Kill her?" Drake faked a surprised look. "Oh, I'm not gonna kill her. I'm just gonna-ARGHHH!"

The scream that came out of Drake's mouth was so terrible that Angel shut her ears instinctively. Even Ruth winced and flinched away. Then Drake started clawing at his brain with his free hand. His back went into a series of spasms and curled up like insects do when they die. But his hands still held on to Katie. In fact, they were squeezing even tighter, and Katie's face was turning purple.