Ethereal Stones [Ethereal Saga Book 1]

Astora Chapter 8: War Amongst the Snow (Shikon)

I glanced back as Sora followed closely behind. "So you've decided to pursue?" I asked, scoffing.

Sora smiled and threw a snowball at me.

I quickly hit the snow and rolled around as he continued to attack me. I grabbed a clump of snow as I rolled then threw it, nearly hitting his left arm.

I quickly got up and ran toward our castle, carefully avoiding the incoming snowballs. Shion's siblings aimed at me from nearby as well.

"Three versus one is unfair," I said, chuckling. I clapped my hands, causing the snowballs to plummet before they could reach me.

"Gravity, huh," Shion said, rushing over. When did she begin following me? Wait if she's here, then who was guarding her castle?

I was about to repel her attack when she drew the snow up with her own hands. 

"You've awakened," I said, eyes wide.

"I have," she said, hitting me with a small wave of snow.

"How? When?" I asked.

She smirked. "I noticed my siblings move the snow a bit earlier. That gave me the idea to copy them. Also, I've seen my other brother do it years ago too. It was all a matter of piecing together how they did it." She stared at her hands. "A strange cold energy."

I smiled. "Still, you're really something to have been able to do that from observation alone. Your siblings had to be pushed a bit for them to activate theirs. That cold energy you feel is ice chakra. Now, Repulsion!" I repealed the following waves, sending them back at her. I reached out and grabbed the door of our castle and entered it.

"Chakra. I think Dad said something like that before," she said, splitting the waves of snow in half.

The door swung open as Shion drew closer with another wave of snow ready.

"Leave my brother alone!" my sister said, descending the stairs. She caused the ice around her to break off from the castle and threw it at her.

Shion's siblings got in the way and returned the ice back at her.

"You annoying kids," she yelled, breaking the ice into small shards.

"Such power," Sora said, glancing at Shion.

"I know, she's terrifying," Shion said.

"Hmph, don't turn your backs on your opponents," I said, throwing a snowball at them.

Shion stopped them in their tracks and broke them down into water. A blue Topaz started to appear in the center of her forehead.

Sora's eyes bulged. "Shion, your forehead!"

She touched her head and started to wince at the pain. "What's going on? Why do I have this stone here?"

"You're about to complete your awakening," I said, drawing closer to get a better look.

"Brother, ignore her. Our flag is in danger!" my sister said as she followed after Shion's siblings.

"You'll be fine, it'll hurt for a while, but it'll pass in due time," I said, ignoring my sister. I turned around and followed Shizuka, leaving Sora and Shion alone.

"This place is huge. Where is that flag," Shion's brother's voice echoed from above.

"You won't find it that easily," I said, smirking as my sister and I stood by the stairs. I snapped my fingers, increasing gravity's pull on them.