Fifty-Three- Jasper

Chapter 53

Jasper

We wake up in the morning and everyone's jittery. No one talks, but we notice Marina avoiding Wren, and Wren trying to talk to her. We all want to know what happened, so I'm thrilled when Ray pulls Marina into the woods to investigate.

She walks out with a poker face on, obviously by Marina's instruction, and makes no move to tell any of us. I send her a puzzled look from across the silent camp, and she mouths, “Love troubles”. And I roll my eyes. Less interested.

Sunset starts and the sky turns a blood red.

“Does that, by any chance, happen to be you?” I choke to Ray, staring in horror at the color.

“I wish.” She says, her hands starting to shake. Then we hear a steady pounding, like a heart beat. It's different from when the giant took me, it obviously comes from the surface of earth. I press my fingers to the ground as an instinct. An image takes over my vision, I no longer see the grass, the wildflowers, the pebbles, the bloodiness of the sky. I watch an army, marching in perfect unison. Just Fire Children and Satelles. They underestimate us. The vision moves and I see a solemn line of humans, their hands bound behind their backs, gagged as well.

I gasp, taking my fingers from the ground, and I realize I've been describing in exquisite detail what I've just seen out loud to the others. Bry backs up from where she stood, visibly terrified, her hands shaking beyond control. She reaches for my hand, hers flutters before her fingers twine with mine.

We are silent. But before, there was the singing of the birds and the buzzing of insects, squirrels running through dead leaves. Just general background noise. But now all is quiet but for our breathing and the rhythmic pounding of the army which matches the beat of my heart.

The pounding gets more violent and louder as it approaches. And soon the army appears around the line of the trees. My heart pounds in my chest as they slow to a stop a few yards in front of us. A woman in the line of humans has managed to slip out of her gag and shouts, “Don't take them! They're just children!”

Satelles is only supposed to be able to speak in five syllables, he's supposed to be stupid, but lately, he's been completely normal, as if his power is weakening, and he's returning to human. I even see the smallest hint of a sunburn when a breeze lifts up his sleeve. Satelles is invincible, he doesn't get sunburned.

“Take them?” Satelles barks, laughing a cold laugh, “We don't plan to take them. And they're not just children.” The humans look puzzled, while the Fire Children grin. The first row advances and sends a fire blast. I send up a wall of rock around me, shielding me from the flames, I see Airborne jump up and stay up, the others all protect themselves in someway, while Ash just stands there.

When the fire subsides I lower the wall and take in the faces of the captured people. The one woman who isn't gagged has her mouth hanging open.

“Why are they here, Satelles?” Nox demands.

“Nox! You survived the explosion?” Satelles says, ignoring the question.

“Yeah, I was hoping you hadn't.” Ray says, stepping forward.

“Bellum, how did you awaken?”

“Don't CALL ME THAT!” Ray roars.

“But it's fitting. It means 'war'.” Satelles sneers, “And after your little light show, killing almost everything in the manor, I think I should still call you it.”

“I know what it means.” She growls, “But I'm not war.”

The humans are watching this exchange confused. Ray shakes with both rage and fear, I see light beginning to glow from her finger tips. She clenches her fists keeping it in.

“Again, why are people here, Satelles.” Nox demands monotonously.

“Oh we thought, after we won, we'd celebrate with a Creation! You're invited, Malum developed a special new serum for you.” Satelles says cheerfully.

A black wall drops on the first row of Fire Children. But they raise their hands and lift it up.

“Actually, two new serums.” Satelles grins. “The Fire Children are stronger now.”

“But, it's not even really there! How can they hold it?” Nox says, almost whining. Satelles merely shrugs, and Nox makes the wall of darkness disappear. Satelles seems to decide to stop playing around and he nods. Instantly the Fire Children advance, fire balling in their hands. Next to me, Wren bursts into an elephant, and I can't help but laugh at Marina's expression. But there's not much time for laughter, because a Fire Child grabs my arm, I cry out in pain and send a pillar of pointed rock into the beast's side. It lets go momentarily in pain, and I send a boulder to it's head. It ducks and spins, sending a rope of fire toward me. I send up a piece of rock and it breaks the strand. Then I trap the beast's feet in earth and go to hit it with a boulder. The boulder is above the beast's head, I'm about to hit the Child with it when a blast of fire hits my shoulder. I'm distracted and the boulder falls, the first Fire Child turns to ashes.

I spin to face my attacker. And we fight, but I can't move my left shoulder from pain, and the Fire Child is getting a lot of blows in.

Around me the others are faring the same. We're losing.

Author's Note

reviews please!