Chapter 28: Shield Them

A Chapter by Ashheart15

It begins... with a single strike.

When Sebastian was very young. He convinced himself that there was a monster under his bed. Black with tentacles that ate little boys when they were sleeping.

It had taken his mother several months to make him realise that there was no monster. Except for in his imagination. His life right now sort of felt like that, but the monster was real.

Gabrielle made him afraid, and even though there was a real reason to be scared of her Sebastian still felt like that little boy all those years ago. Terrified to close his eyes in case the monster was there the next time he opened them.

He hadn’t been sleeping very well, so when Gabrielle made her next move he was awake to witness it.

It was late, and Sebastian had been awake so long he didn’t even know what day it was anymore. He was thinking, deeply thinking. Illuminated by his desk lamp.

The first sign that something was wrong was the hair on Sebastian’s arms starting to stand up straight. Static in the air causes that. He glanced down at his arms and then out of the window.

It had been a clear night up until now, the moon gently filtering out some of the darkness of the night. This was no longer the case, far off in the distance but growing ever closer. A thunderstorm that Sebastian knew wasn’t natural in the slightest.

It takes time for storm clouds to build up the electrical charge necessary to produce lightning. In the cooler areas of Australia such as where Sydney was located, storms weren’t usually capable of giving off constant lightning. If there was an exception it was usually sheet lightning. Not forked.

This storm was like looking at a fireworks show. Bright yellow forked lightning branching off in all directions. It was heading straight for Sebastian’s neighbourhood regardless of wind direction.

He felt that same panic that had taken him out of action only a few days before, but he didn't have time for it right now. So he pushed it away, he needed to focus right now.

“Uncle! Shaft! Wake up!” Sebastian ripped open his bedroom door and yelled for the adults in the house to wake. They needed to prepare, they needed to protect the Twins. The Peacemakers wouldn’t have the advantage of surprise when they got here.

“What is it my boy? Damn the Elements…” uncle couldn’t believe what he was seeing outside. Which was why Sebastian hadn’t tried to deal with it alone or protect them from the truth. If it could catch his uncle off guard it wasn’t worth fighting without help.

“Get the Twins somewhere safe!” Sebastian knew they were meant to be more powerful than him but he didn’t want them here. If they were killed they wouldn’t be of any use to anyone. A battle wasn’t safe for them.

“No! They have been training all their lives for this fight! They will show you that you don’t need to worry” his uncle had much more faith in them than Sebastian did. Then again, he had raised them. Whereas Sebastian had never seen them unleash their powers before.

“It may not hold the storm and whatever comes with it at bay but If you could create an ice shield around the building, we may be able to avoid the worst of the storm” Sebastian had been in his pyjamas but he threw his black hoodie over the top. Best to fight with some protection.

“I can do that, find a good spot for Shaft and the Twins, make sure they can’t be surrounded” Sebastian left the room and his uncle to go downstairs and out onto the street. It was a cool night with a light wind. Certainly cold enough for an ice shield.

He planted his hands palm down on the road and summoned water from deep within the earth. He rose it in a dome shape above and around the apartments, then he clenched his hand into a fist and froze the water into ice. The result was a transparent ice dome as thick as he dared make it.

It was the best he could do on short notice; he could have made a thicker more reinforced one if danger didn’t loom. In fact, he should have done it earlier, why didn’t he think of that?

With any luck it would slow the Peacemakers down, and give them a better chance of winning. They would need either a water Elemental or a very powerful fire or lava Elemental to break it. Unless Gabrielle decided to create hot lightning.

She hadn’t been able to do that before, but it had been so long since he had seen her in a way that would allow him to judge her skills. She could be capable of anything.

He turned and went back inside after making sure that the shield would hold at least until the Peacemakers started attacking it.

If you dare to come here Gabrielle, I hope you’re ready for a fight. If she hoped he would go down easily she didn’t know as much about him as she thought she did. There was no way he would give her that victory.

“Darcy it’s night time, so I hope you will use the shadows to your advantage” uncle was giving the Twins some advice on how best to fight. Shaft stood with one hand on Alina’s shoulder. The light Elemental was at a slight disadvantage because the sun wasn’t up. Night was perfect for Darcy but less so for her.

“It’s ok Ali, I won’t let anything happen to you” It was one of those rare moments. When Darcy spoke without a hint of sarcasm or defiance. When the deep depths of his pitch black eyes softened with love. He would fight, but he wouldn’t leave Alina to stand in the darkness alone.

“I know you won’t, and the night can’t stop my light” the two of them were very brave. When Sebastian had been their age he had lost his Mum and Dad, and he hadn’t been able to do anything about it. They also had lost their families but they never let it bring them down.

I have to keep them safe along with Shaft and uncle. I can’t let anything happen to them when all of this happened because I let down my guard.

The deep rumble of approaching thunder spread through the sky as the deep purple clouds loomed. Almost touching the roof of the apartments opposite them.

Sebastian thanked the Elements that humans are deep sleepers, the media wouldn’t be able to call what was about to happen a gas leak.

I’ve known this was coming for so long, that now it’s here and death a possibility. I’m not even afraid, if I go down, I’m taking Gabrielle with me.

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