{SHORTLIST OpenNovellaContest 2021}
{ONC 2021 Round One Ambassador Picks}
Aithne Pan, a Chinese-Irish girl living in the futuristic city of Venice has to decide between what her heart tells her is correct, and what she has always been taught is righ...
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"Amber!" Vulcan shouts once she gets a glimpse of us. She is fighting off a small number of police officers, people I don't recognize who have managed to get past Hemlock who should be right outside the secret door, protecting the victims from the fast-approaching officers.
The girl who I have basically been carrying for the past few minutes moves away from me, waving her hands in front of her as she shields her twin from the man behind her before staggering. I quickly catch her, her knees grazing the floor as her body gives out.
Everyone is tired, even Gold seems to be overexerting herself as she concentrates on the cables between her fingers, her eyes scrunched shut as her fingers slowly move over the metal strings, sweat dripping from her temples.
"We need to buy Gold some time!" I shout over the clashing sounds coming down the pathway from above. Leaving Amber on the floor near Gold, I move to help Vulcan.
Vulcan looks less than pleased to see me, sweat trickling down her body as she moves like a snake, deflecting the electrical beams being thrown towards her from above, "That's what I have been doing,".
I don't say anything, instead pulling the liquid from the water dispenser in the computer room Gold is in. My body might be tired, but the currents of energy beneath my skin are begging to be let loose, for me to use my powers and let everything go. So I do, moving in zigzags to avoid the electrical beams, the stones and ice spears being aimed at us, melting the water coming towards us and turning it back towards the men up the stairs, the broken door between us in splinters as we continue our fight.
Pushing against them, I try to make them retreat, although not enough for them to turn back and face Hemlock. She probably has enough things on her plate.
"Done!" Gold gasps, getting up quickly - I can tell the world spins for her because she has to grab onto the table in front of her, but she recovers rapidly - and moves towards Amber, whose fire is circling the door with flickering flames. She is trying to close it off, to give us a few seconds to regain our breath, but there is no time left.
"Get Amber and let's go, then!"
Vulcan goes towards Gold while I keep guard in front of the fiery door, both girls placing Amber's arms around their shoulders and helping her come out.
Once they have Amber secured between them, I move first, stepping through the fire and climbing the stone stairs, water hovering in front of me as a transparent shield as the men in front of us keep throwing things towards us. One of the Flexuram Lorem behind me keeps a fire burning to illuminate the path as we ascend,
We need to get Amber out of here, I need to get all of them out of here.
"Gold, tell Eagle to come and pick everyone up," I grit out, my body starting to sweat from the exertion. I have more power, but underneath this historical building, between these tight walls, it is hard to control myself, making it take a bigger toll on me.
