Phoenix

Battle Part IV

Ash spun her chains so fast they disappeared and used her force to repel the soldiers bullets as fiery comets. Her fellow fire-wielders followed her lead, though none of them could deflect the bullets with quite as much power. Behind them, the earth-wielders continued their assault as before, ripping up rocks with their clubs and sending them into the Establishment's ranks. Miki and her water-speakers used their force to conjure ice arrows from the rain, while Shorty and his air-wielders directed the arrows into the weak spots on the soldiers' armour.

The battle was a blur—perceived by Ash as though she were underwater. Voices slowed to an indecipherable garble, bullets moved slowly, as though through jelly, the whisper of wind currents appeared like grains of swirling sand and she could feel every particle of dust brushing her skin. Her senses were on fire, connecting her to the earth and the treetops overhead. She heard each ragged out breath of the soldiers as they fell, ice arrows gliding through their throats, or slicing the weak points in their leathers. She heard their hearts pumping fast, and the sickly trickle of blood as it pulsed from bullet wounds. The world became one living breathing organism and the dying cries of those around her a passing experience that would soon be over.

Sensing defeat, the Commander ordered his soldiers to take shelter behind the trees, providing a pause, like a breath, as both sides re-grouped. His voice boomed, "You've been warned."

Eli returned, "You can still leave."

His reply was met with silence.

Just when it looked like the two sides were in stale-mate, Ash saw the flicker of the commander's shadow moving behind the tree, his hands unlatching something small and round from his belt. She watched in horror as his fingers made the movements of pulling a pin from the object and she knew immediately—bomb.

Ash glanced at Eli, who returned her look. They both knew their chains would be no use if the bomb exploded on impact.

The Commander leapt from the trees just as Eli gave the signal to retreat. He needn't have bothered, however, for just as the Commander wound up for release, he tripped and fell, the bomb flying vertically into the air and landing with a heavy thud a few meters from the springy bark, right next to Jacob's left arm.

All eyes were on the bomb as it sat in the dirt, ticking down the seconds. But Ash's eyes were on Jacob, whose body wasn't splayed in the same position as before.

The commander growled and stooped to pick up the bomb when suddenly, Jacob's hand shot out and ripped it from his grasp. And with the last of his strength, he threw the bomb into the ranks of the hiding solders and as far away from his people as possible. It was his dying gift to them.

BOOM.

The scene disappeared behind a mushroom explosion which, despite its power, raised nothing but a slight graft of heat on Ash's skin.

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