INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS

CHAPTER X: TESSA

Her body smashed on a large tree when a force so powerful rocketed towards her and knocked the life out of her. She let go of her bag as she untangled herself from the branch of the tree. God. It hurts so much. She hissed out of pain and saw the bruises on her arms. The impact ripped her jacket. She started coughing but managed to jump off the tree.

She landed on her feet but felt them turning jelly. She let out another hiss as she grabbed her bag on the ground and slowly placed it on her shoulder. If that attack did not kill her, what will?

The four men emerged in front of her. Their glare made her want to crawl below the surface of the earth. She placed her hands around her throbbing stomach as her eyes looked for a safe exit.

"You've got balls, Morgan." She decided to call the man she saw walked out of the forest as Curly. He had dirty blond curly hair.

"That smoke messed with my eyes." The man who stood behind her earlier had the same dirty blond hair but styled it so it appeared spiky. They might be twins.

She saw Ash, the quietest one, covered a long cut on his left arm with a white cloth. His eyes looked murderous. He had ash brown cropped hair.

"Okay. Let's finish it with one blow!" Redhead exclaimed and gripped his brass knuckles. He brushed his auburn bangs across his eyes and stepped forward.

I'm gonna die here huh.

An image of her dad flashed before her eyes. It was before he ran out of her room after he told her that he loves her.

She was not aware when Redhead ran towards her and punched her on the stomach. The force swept her and her back smashed on the hard tree trunk. She started coughing blood. Her breath was ragged. Her whole body numbed of pain.

Another image flashed before her eyes. This time, Steve bowed down, smiled at her and ran outside her room. Her cheeks wet with tears. Her body was still trapped in the trunk. She looked down the four men on the ground. If Steve was telling the truth, if Concordians protected its people, these men were not them.

"Don't glare at us, Morgan. It cannot kill us." Curly smirked as he said this. Tessa wanted to wipe his smirk off his ugly face. He swung his battle-ax and a blinding light rushed towards her. The force smacked the trunk below her feet, separated the tree from its roots and sent the tree flying.

She closed her eyes and waited for the impact. She heard the splash as the trunk hit the water. Her wet body swayed with the tree as it glided the water. Water.

Her mother's Elemental was Water. What if...

But she had no idea how to use her power. She slowly removed her body from the shattered trunk. Every movement increased the pain she felt. She stood up, her hands clasping her stomach. Sunlight and white clouds reflected on the clear water of the river soothe her. Pain pulsed together with her heartbeat.

She felt them before she saw them. The trunk swayed violently as the intruders jumped one by one from the bank.

"How are you still alive?" Ash said for the first time.

"Finish it." Curly nodded towards Spikey.

"This one is weak compared to Margarette." Tessa darted her eyes to Spikey. Mom?

"Yes, we know your mother." Redhead clenched his fist around the knuckles as he smirked.

"We were with her before she died." Curly laughed as if it was the funniest thing he ever heard in his life.