Air {Elements of Power 3}

Chapter 22: Jasmine

The next attack began at sundown. We had been lucky that day-the sky had been clear and cloudless, so the Helians hadn't been able to attack. But when night fell they could take shelter in the darkness.

A searing torrent of flames poured down from the sky in a concentrated spiral of heat and death. From this distance, it looked like a thick stream of lightning, tearing the dark clouds in two and casting an eerie glow over the burning buildings below. But unlike lightning, the flames didn't strike and vanish: the torrent endured, often growing in strength as it moved across the debris.

We rushed into the streets, desperate to help, as a cloud of thick black smoke billowed up into the air in the west. Even from this distance, I could hear the crackling of the flames and the screams of Arcans who had refused to leave their homes. But there was another sound too. A strange, animal like call; high-pitched, but deadly.

Roxy blanched. "No. He couldn't..." she whispered before running in the direction of the smoke.

There was nothing we could do but follow.

I could feel my skin tingling in anticipation of the approaching heat. My body craved the fire, while my mind yearned for the fight.

Brae had caught up with Roxy by the time we reached the blaze, and the two of them headed off into the chaos together. The air around us was thick with dust and smoke.

"Devon, Brody!" Cameron called, gesturing to a pile of white stone that had been a busy shop just a few days ago.

"Got it, Cam," Devon said, weaving left and heading for the debris.

I felt the wind rustling through my hair as her powers kicked into gear. A lump of white rock lifted from the heap and Devon placed it down carefully to one side. Cameron worked from the other side of the disaster.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" Brody called from the edge, shouting at the top of his lungs to be heard over the crackling of the flames.

He must have heard something in response, as he called across to the others, his voice urgent. "Here! Here! Lift here!"

The Arcan Protectors took no time to get started. Devon was at Brody's side in a flash, using her powers to lift off heavy blocks of stone. Dust flew through the air, filling our lungs and making Devon splutter. But she didn't stop. Another chunk of stone came off, then another, and another, before the trapped Arcan appeared. He was bruised, cut and curled up in a ball, but two large chunks of wall had collided and balanced above his head, shielding him from the full weight of the debris. He crawled out of the gap, praying and crying with relief.

"Fancy giving them a hand with those flames?" Tristan asked beside me, gesturing to the fire that was fast approaching my friends. I had been too busy watching the chaos around me to do anything to help.

Shaking my head, I thrust my hands out in front of me, feeling for the flow. Water sprung from my fingertips, shooting forcefully in the direction of the closest inferno.

It sparkled in the sunlight before hitting down onto the fire, extinguishing it with a hiss and a cloud of light grey smoke.

"Perfect," Tristan grinned beside me. "Now how about we put that lightning of yours to good use?"

"Shouldn't you be helping yourself, Tris?" I asked, slightly annoyed. "You know, putting your own powers to use?"

"I am helping-I'm ensuring that you are utilised to your full potential. Besides, what do you want me to do? Grow some vegetation, creating more fuel for the fire? Cause an earthquake? I'm not really sure that's what this disaster needs right now, do you?"