Elements

Chapter 37

"Within your groups of four, you'll be breaking into two teams. Each group of four will receive two matching pieces of fabric to serve as flags: one will be given to each team of two. You will only be competing in your group of four- no interfering in other groups' games. Your goal will be to retrieve that other team's flag and bring it back to your base. Use your powers to the best of your ability to defend against the other team's attacks and to attack the other team yourself. Please come receive your group's flags when you've decided your teams."

All around us, teams broke in half and went to receive their flags. The four of us looked at each other. "I'll go with Ben, if that's alright with you guys. He and I need to discuss some... Recent events." Anita said. From the look in her eyes, something told me she wanted to know some more details about the events of New Years Eve.

That would be perfectly acceptable to me. Lizzy's hollow voice echoed in our heads. I jumped a little, still not used to get odd manner of communication.

"I'd be cool with it"

"Why not?"

We all agreed. Our teams were Ben and Anita, and Lizzy and myself. Together, we approached Ms. Wren and received our flags: two bright red pieces of fabric. "Good luck," she told us with a smile as she handed us the fabrics.

Once all the groups were ready, Ms. Wren counted us of. "On the count of three, you will all disperse to find your bases. Place your flag somewhere visible. It doesn't have to be easy to retrieve, but it does have to be something easily seen. Alright, everyone ready? On your marks," we all crowded near the doors, "get set," she raised her hand up in the air...

"Go!" We all flooded out of the gym as her hand dropped. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ben and Anita sprinting toward the cliffs at the edges of the island. Meanwhile, Lizzy grabbed my hand and towed me towards the main building.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we ran through the doors and down the hallway.

I took the liberty of downlo- memorizing a map of the school prior to my arrival here. I know a place that would be optimal to defend that's far enough out of the way that not many people would think of going there. Furthermore, my powers will be stronger in this area than anywhere else.

"Good enough for me!" I replied and dashed on. When we reached a flight of stairs, we ascended. Every now and then, we would hear the footsteps of other students or see a class in session. We climbed more flights of stairs and my breathing grew heavy. Lizzy, however, didn't seemed fazed.

"Where.... Huff... Are we... Huff... Going?" I asked, panting. Our pace hadn't slowed in the slightest.

The top floor, by the clock. Through the face we can see the quad and some of the surrounding area. We're almost there. You can catch your breath once we get there.

And we kept running.

Eventually, the hallway ended at a spiral staircase. After fighting my way up, we found ourselves in a room the size of a small hangar. The giant room was in a T shape: the top of the T having a spiral staircase on each end, descending to the lower levels, and the base of the T containing the back side of a clock face, which overlooked half the island. All over the walls and the back of the face, gears, springs, and various machinery spun, clicked, and whirred. Other than the machinery and the stairs, the room was empty. The floor was made of unfinished wood, the walls of stubborn stone. Every sound echoed around the room.

Lizzy, flag in hand, walked up to the clock face and hooked the piece of fabric around a belt in a way that would not interfere in the functionality of the clock.