Death of the Elements

CHAPTER 15

Mireen looked up at him, seeing that he had been in pretty bad shape before the knife. His left ear was missing and four wide cuts covered most of his face. The open wounds had left him red from the shoulders up, his blonde hair matted down flat against his head with sweat and blood. Mireen locked onto his light blue eyes, their intensity reminding her of Jazun. His reached towards her again, this time going right at her throat. She grabbed onto his wrist with both hands, pushing up with a shout but all she heard was a whisper. His arm came down anyways, her scrawny arms bowing out as his fingers wrapped around her neck. The soldier squeezed and stars flashed in front of her eyes, Mireen hammering his bicep. His armor was rock against her soft hands, his fingers digging deeper into her throat. She gasped for breath, the pain radiating down to where the dagger had hit her chest. Mireen tried to reach his cut face but her arms were too short, she couldn't stop him. Her vision started to narrow as his hand closed off her windpipe.

Everything was fading now. Her father's face drifted into her mind's eye, his warm smile welcoming her. NO. Mireen was going to be the best water elemental to have ever lived. She was not going to die here. That was not part of her plan. Mireen lifted her feet up off the ground and kicked forward. Her feet hit his chest, her right foot pressing against the knife handle. She pulled her feet back and kicked again, this time hitting the dagger with the middle of her foot. The soldier grimaced in pain, air rushing into her lungs as his grip on her neck loosened. Mireen kicked the weapon repeatedly now, his hand letting her go as he tried to get away. The bloody soldier sat back, his blue eyes wide as Mireen sent out one last kick. His face softened and his eyes glossed over, the dying man opening his mouth wordlessly before he fell backwards. Mireen dropped as well, landing on her back as she tried to keep her focus on the muscled soldier.

Mireen breathed heavily, her throat still throbbing as she got back to her feet. She watched him carefully, making sure that his chest was still before climbing on top of him to get her dagger back. Mireen took the handle with both hands and pulled but it stayed buried. She looked around for anyone else as she tried to get the blade free, feeling it scraping against his ribcage. She rocked her whole body back and forth for leverage but it still wouldn't budge.

"Damnit." She cursed, the fog taking away all the volume.

Mireen jiggled harder, feeling her desperation lift when the dagger finally budged inside the dead man's torso. She put her feet on either side of the knife and yanked with a grunt but it was still stuck. She yanked again, feeling the blade shift further. A flash of movement made her pause, maybe Duatta climbed down after all.

It wasn't the Diaelee girl but two more soldiers. They were both women, a smaller brunette and a tall blonde. One of the blonde's legs was badly mangled from the knee down, the brunette helping her fellow soldier along. Mireen froze when she saw them, watching them hobble through the fog. The blonde had lost her weapon but the brunette was still holding her rifle in one hand, the end of the barrel almost dragging on the ground as she struggled to keep the other woman from falling.

"Don't look over. Don't look over." Mireen repeated, knowing it wouldn't matter.

She subtly pulled on the dagger now, freezing again when the brunette started to turn her head. The armed soldier's gaze passed right by Mireen to stare behind her. Had she seen her? Mireen was pondering pulling on the knife again when the soldier turned her head back. This time she spotted Mireen right away, stopping dead in her tracks as she stared at the young girl. Her eyes went down to the dagger sticking out of her dead comrade, the girl's hands on the weapon.

Mireen watched the woman's lips form the word 'shit' while the blonde obliviously used the pause to look down at her mostly eaten foot. She would have to let go of the blonde to bring her weapon up which would give Mireen just a few seconds. Her mind raced through her options; fight or run? If the knife didn't come free right away Mireen would be facing the soldier unarmed. She gripped the weapon with white knuckles; even if she did get it free could she kill the other woman? Mireen didn't know how to throw a dagger and she doubted she could close the five feet between them before the soldier could get her gun up. That left running. If she could get a few steps ahead she should be able to lose them in the fog. She moved her eyes left to the path she would take, looking back at the brunette and hoping she hadn't noticed her quick side glance.