Fifty-Five-Airborne

Chapter 55

Airborne

Wren's howl of anguish is chilling, terrifying. We watch the flames rise higher at new fuel. Fuel that was one of us. On my left, Wren sobs. On my right, Ash was unconscious, now he only pretends to be. And slowly but steadily, the flames under all of us extinguish.

Satelles lowers us to the ground, content with the result of the day. His expression easy to read: I'm going to let you suffer grief.

A Fire Child retrieves Marina's charred body from the pit she dropped into, of her own will. For us. She knew we would be released if she sacrificed herself, and so she did.

All the birds in the trees settle around Wren who crouches at her body. The start to sing a mournful song. Night has fallen, and the nightingale sings a terrible song. The human prisoners are silent, no longer struggling, only watching the scene with teary eyes. I will cry later, I have something to do. I inch toward the prisoners and cut their bindings with blades of air, one by one, silently. They nod their thanks and start to walk away very slowly.

I reach the other six again, and begin to let the grief take over.

“Turn them.” Satelles says to the nearest monster. He noticed the humans leaving. The beast turns around and sends a blast of flame at them. Everyone falls to the floor of the field, burned beyond recognition.

It is a light-less night, but something begins to glow. We look down at the huddled shape of Marina, where the glow emits from. And in a flash of red light, she rises, a new creature. She looks completely human, but her eyes are blank, staring at nothing. There is no sign of injury, she's completely healed. But under Malum's power.

“That's what they did to me.” Ray whispers.

“Exactly, Bellum!” Satelles says. Ray makes no move to contradict him. “Except refined, I think it may be harder to get her out of it.”

“Marina, come back to me.” Wren whispers. Nothing happens.

“Marina, please.” He says, his voice cracking. I can't look at this. The stony faced version of Marina, the broken version of Wren.

“Wren, tell her you love her.” Nox whispers. I am startled, and Ray blushes. That's how he got her out of it. That's why they won't talk.

Wren manages to choke out the words, but Marina still stands, stony faced.

“Well, it seems to be time we're leaving. We'll be back.” Satelles says, “Water, come.” The statue that was once our friend moves toward him, still staring blindly. Wren grabs her hand. She shakes it off.

“Do not touch me.” Her voice is cold. He tries to stop her from walking away, taking her in an embrace. She whirls on him in an instant and holds out her hand. A garbled sound chokes from his throat. He can't move. She sends him flying across the field and he slams into a boulder.

“Do not touch me.” She repeats, but she blinks. Something she had not done before. And her outstretched fingers curl in the slightest bit, but then straighten. She drops her arm. It swings back and forth like an inanimate object would.

“Remember your parents.” Nox whispers as she walks away. She stumbles, but continues walking, never looking back.

The people a Fire Child burned now rise as new Fire Children, bearing only the slightest resemblance to themselves. Marina, Satelles, and the Fire Children disappear, back to Malum.

Wren is inconsolable, and none of us want to stay in the field any longer, it feels like death and sadness. The trees seem to wilt, and birds don't sing anymore. We pack up our things, Marina's things as well, and head off for home. There's no where else to go, and now that everyone is in danger, we see no reason standing as to why not.

We reach the alcove where the first battle was and walk in dejected silence to our homes.

We came to the conclusion that the formulas we were all forced to drink would come into effect unless any of us happened to die by being burned alive, and we decided the odds of that were... actually way too high, considering who's after us.

Nox says as long as within a week we aren't burned alive, that we should be good though.

Ash and I reach my apartment door and I ring the doorbell. We wait a minute and the knob turns and opens and my dad stands there.

“Airborne?” He breathes. I realize how awful I must look: burned, bloodied, scarred, dirty.

“Hi Daddy.” I say quietly. Without another word he takes me in for a huge hug.

“You're home.” He whispers, stroking my hair.

“Yeah, sorry I had to leave.” I say, trying not to cry. He releases me.

“Where did you go? Are the others back too?” He asks, directed at both of us.

“Yeah, mostly.” Ash says.

“Mostly?”

“We lost Marina.” I say, looking down.

“Lost her to what? What happened?” He asks, we walk inside.

“Can I shower first, Ash will tell you, and then I'll pick up where he left off.” I walk into my room and drop my bag after taking a homesick look around. Then I go to the bathroom, use the toilet (an actual TOILET!) and turn on the shower.

I stay in until the water is icy, crying my frustration and sadness and washing away everything, wishing I could actually see it going down the drain.

I step out and get dressed in my room. Then walk out, feeling a lot better.

My dad's face is pale and Ash is silent, seeming to have finished the story. I don't know how, it seems like it would take years to explain what occurred. I feel older, mature, but at the same time I'd like to cuddle a teddy bear to fall asleep.

“You can really fly?” He chokes.

I turn to Ash, “Did you demonstrate anything?” He shakes his head, not looking at me, per usual, since the kiss. I throw my towel onto the couch and rise up to the ceiling, and a flame erupts in his palm, then he extinguishes it. I land and plop down on the couch next to Ash, because that's the only place to sit.

“I'm gonna go take a shower.” He says, getting up as I settle down.

“Not much hot water.” I say.

“I think I'll manage.” He says, wiggling candle like flames on the tips of his fingers.

“So, this Marina girl sacrificed herself to save everyone? And now she's on the other side?”

“Yeah.” I say. “I'm going to go to sleep.” I get up from the couch.

“Hey, you grew a bit.” He says, but I'm asleep before I'm even in bed.

Author's Note

reviews please!

Reviews

[MandaBear]

Perfection as always!

[Wild Willow Blue]

I had three chapters in my requests, and I read them all, just now. You are really a good writer. I love the way you use your words to pull the reader in. I still love this story.