Relentless

Chapter 18: Ashton

I am not my sister. I know that Celeste has always wanted to be like me but in reality I envy her. She has always been so sweet and kind. She always saw the best in people. She is crazy naive and I lot it. I hope she never changes and remains innocent forever.

Unfortunately, that is wishful thinking. That's not the world we live in. Our world is cruel. It takes everything that is good and innocent and consumes it with darkness.

Celeste has always imagined a better world than the one around her. Whenever we used to play together, she hated violence and characters that lied and cheated. Sure, it was pretend to me, but to her it never was. I just wish that we lived in the world of her making. Everyone would be better off that way.

"Ash! Wait!"

I thought it would be funny to hide from my sister so I ran ahead and ducked around a corner. I faced toward the direction she'd appear. Little did I know that I wasn't the only one hiding.

I tried to scream when someone grabbed me from behind, but a hand clamped tightly over my mouth. Failing to shake free I stomped on his foot, which wasn't enough to free myself but it was enough for me to twist my hands. With them, I sent fire coursing up his arms.

When his arms were loose enough, I pulled away and spun to face him. His face contorted in agony. In an attempt not to shout in pain, I can tell that he bit his lip so hard that blood dripped down his mouth.

I take a deep breath and flames unfurl from my fingertips. My ability is different from Celeste. She has to focus her power in order to conduct the lightning but my fire likes to be wild and free. I simply have to let it grow. The hard part is keeping it contained not creating it.

I throw two fiery fists toward my attacker and he lifts his hands to block them. I smirk, knowing that he is no match for my fire. To my surprise, in his palms grow vortexes of air that caused the flames to die in an instant.

He knocked me off my feet with a sudden gust. I flew into the mirror behind me, screaming as I fell. The glass shattered on impact, falling around me and cutting through my skin like ribbons.

I screamed in pain, but I am cut short but a sudden loss of air. I frantically claw at my throat, hoping to remove whatever snare is holding me. My neck became raw from my struggle as I continued to choke.

My eyes rise to my attacker as he smirks at me. I realize that I am looking at him through an air current of motion. It hits me that he is using his ability to suffocate me.

As my vision blurs, I make one final attempt for freedom. I began to shoot flames blindly at him. Soon, my body begins to go numb as lack of oxygen causes my body to shut down.

The last thing heard before losing consciousness is the scream Celeste. Nothing is more terrifying than being helpless to save the person you love the most. A jolt of fear rose in me as I realized that this is the first time that I wasn't there to protect her and I fear it won't be my last.

When I wake up, my cuts are engaged and I'm lying on a stone floor. I can tell by how far along my wounds have healed and how clear my head is after suffocating that I have been unconscious for some time.

Flames dimly lit the room. I thought I was alone until I hear an unfamiliar voice.

"I'm glad to see that you're finally awake. I'm glad your wounds weren't serious or else we wouldn't have been able to heal them so quickly."

She stepped out of the shadows. I am greeted by a woman who looks only a few years older than me. She has chestnut brown hair, freckles on her face and piercing blue eyes.