Shcielle (Draeyer Academy 2)

Chapter 17-Deep Within (Part 2)

When I said "updateS" in the previous chapter I meant it. No, I'm not planning on an April Fool's prank. Not my thing. ENJOY!

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Icefall Academy-Ferrin Lake
Arktis Skyland
Northern Space

The creature's vine-like limbs wrapped around his torso and tossed him across the water once more. He was sent spinning until he collided with another chunk of ice submerged into the water. He groaned at the impact before ignoring the pain again.

For a brief moment, he caught sight of something red floating close to him. He had no doubts that it was his blood, but he banished all thoughts of confirming his wounds. He pushed himself to the right, avoiding the pointed end of another tentacle aimed for his stomach. As it pulled back, he wrapped his hands around the limb, allowing it to quickly drag him back to the main body of the hideous creature.

He neared and raised his palm. The moment his hand came in contact with the glutinous body, he called on his Flame. Like before, it appeared as a ball of light; unable to shape into its usual form because of the water pressure. Another screech traveled through the water. The area he touched frosted over and two tentacles tried to pry him off. Before it could succeed, Alec punched through the ice with his power and the area created a gaping hole on the monster.

It was then his turn to scream―it was muffled though. The wound closed up and swallowed his entire forearm. He tugged with all his strength. Despite the creature's soft body, he felt it crushing his arm bit by bit.

He conjured his Flame. Nothing. He tried again. Still nothing. Once he realized he was panicking, he stopped. For that brief calm moment, he remembered he had another arm. His left hand came down on the sticky spot where his arm was and froze it. He punched, the ice cracked, and his trapped arm broke free.

As if on instinct, he swam for the surface, using all the strength he had left. It wasn't far and he soon found his soaking self lying and heaving on top of an ice. The droplets on him slowly froze but it was not a problem for him. He looked up in time to spot three of the creature's thick limbs break through the surface and reach for him. His brows creased and he stopped himself from moving away.

The vine limbs froze. It remained in their position before, for a brief moment, he saw them dry and crack. They submerged in the water soon after. It was too brief, too short, but he knew what he saw. He knew how to defeat it.

Familiar sounds of flapping from none other than a Drae drifted to his ears and he looked up. A black adult Drae swopped by as Alec heard a yell.

"Get on!" Gael yelled as they rose higher. Asher dipped down, and Alec took hold of Gael's hand as they passed above. In one fluid motion, he swung himself behind the man.

"Thanks Gael," Alec said between pants, "you too Asher." The Drae roared as it hovered while Alec stroked his side.

"What happened?" Gael asked as they flew to land. "When we saw you save Philisa and you suddenly sunk, she started waving her arms, signaling for help."

"Monster."

Gael paused before he bobbed his head in a stiff nod.

"The race was called off by August...Gayus," Gael said. "Philisa and Cynn were brought back safely."

The moment he finished speaking, Asher roared and flapped his wings in a way that sent them backward. Alec clung to Gael's shoulders to avoid falling back into the water. A split second later, a large pillar of water shot out, missing them by a hair's breathe. More followed and Asher flew back, forward, left, right, and spun to avoid the attacks, while Gael and Alec busied themselves to remain on despite his rapid movements.

"If we can―" Alec started only to be interrupted when Asher jerked away from two water towers. "If we can draw it out of the water, we can get rid of it."

"Exactly how―Drae's shit!" Gael yelled as Asher twirled like a tornado.

"By using myself as bait! It wants me!"

"There's no way in all the pits of Blazen I will allow―"

A force struck Asher from below and sent them hurtling upward. Alec managed to hear the Drae's roar of pain before the only sound in his ears was the rush of air as he fell.

His eyes widened when he remained suspended in the air, watching as Gael and Asher fell to the scattering flood of people. Asher folded his wings and dipped toward his Draeyer. When he reached Gael, he wrapped his wings around the man. He twisted to use his body as a cushion and avoid crushing his master under his weight.

For a brief second, the only sound Alec heard was the heart wrenching scream of agony from the creature. Also for a short moment, all he saw was the blood marring the white ground where Asher and his guardian lay.

He paid no heed to the vine-like limb constricting around his torso. He ignored the pain as few of his bones slowly gave in to the literally inhuman force. Even as he was lowered back to the water, his eyes remained glued on the unconscious black Drae's blood. Seconds ticked by and his gaze grew dimmer. For once, he didn't seek his Draelings calming presence. For the first time, he allowed the darkness to take over of his own free will.

Deep within his throat, a sound he never knew he could make made itself known. He cried―roared! He gave a roar so loud that all beasts would be proud to hear.

He saw his blue Flames through the darkness in his line of sight and he could feel the fire roaring around him. With another cry, he released a burst of energy. The power caused the tentacle around him to freeze and crack. He fell from the air, expecting the water to swallow him but it never happened. The moment his Flame-covered body touched the water, an area turned to solid ice. His body had moved on its accord and he had somehow landed crouched on one knee. His eyes fell on the blob monster beneath him and his right hand touched the water.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

His Flames crawled away from his body and seeped into the lake, going deeper than the surface. Beneath the water, it was a bright blue light trying to turn everything in its path to ice.

A smirk tugged at his lips when he heard the angered shriek which came from the dark green beast. Violet eyes narrowed at him before his Flame transformed it to crystal ice orbs. It gave another cry of pain before the blue power crawled over its body, turning it into nothing but an ice statue. It was an ice statue inside of another ice.

However, Alec didn't stop. Not a single bud of satisfaction grew in him and it angered him. He placed his other hand on the ice and released more power. Thick cold mist rose and they formed a thick cloud around him. The fire covering his body continued to grow in size. The power felt exhilarating. The destruction―more like creation―he made using his fingertips gave him a dark kind of pleasure. He had never felt so alive.

Just when he was about to reach the peak, he felt it. It was so light, he could barely feel it, but it was there.

A hand.

A soft hand cupped his face, as the person's fingers glided across his skin so delicately he leaned in to it. The person's thumb stroked loving circles on his cheek and he oddly felt calm. He felt himself weaken. He didn't mind at all.

His body dropped to the solid lake on his side and the hand never ceased its caress. The darkness dimming his vision vanished and he felt the terrible ache all over his body, emitting a groan from his throat.

He ignored it and focused on the hand. It was warm and he sought for more of the heat. The feeling wasn't foreign, but somehow familiar. He felt like he was in a dream―no a memory. It was one from so long ago where he could feel the same hand and hear a soft humming voice lulling him to sleep.

That's when his mind clicked. He smiled as his eyes drifted closed from the gentle touch on his cheek. He never met her. He wasn't even sure that it was her. But somehow, a part of him had stored a simple memory of her touch and voice. He never even knew he had one until now.

"Mother," he whispered. He chuckled at himself for some reason he didn't know, and he gave in to the calm engulfing his entire being.