Akasha 4 - Earth

by Terra Harmony

  "You and I have different ideas of power." Micah said, looking out over the plains. In the distance, the chilling screech of twisting metal could be heard. Both pairs of eyes snapped northeast.

  "She's coming for you, Shawn," Micah said, voice low.

  Shawn nodded. "We'd better get ready." He pushed the tip of his knife into Micah's side.

  Chapter 64

  Fire

  Pain crashed through my head in waves. I lay on hard ground. Everything was dark.

  Probably because your eyes are closed.

  I tried squinting one eye open, but it hurt too much. I decided to concentrate on something further away from my eye. I wiggled my toes inside my boots.

  "Is she waking up? I think she's waking up," a voice said to my left.

  I stopped moving.

  "Who is she?" Another said to my right. "Is this the one we're running from?"

  At my head, "No, stupid. This is Artemis – from the fight tonight."

  "She can't be – she was using air. Artemis was an Earth."

  "No, no," said yet another at my feet. I was surrounded. "That’s Lucy – the one that brought in the wild dog. I recognize that ink – I helped put it on her."

  More voices chimed in. There had to be a dozen, though it was difficult to tell with the chaotic waves crashing through my head.

  If the swells wouldn't go away, I would have to embrace them. I waited for the next tide, it built slowly. First, tingling at the back of my neck. Then up my skull moving faster until my entire head was held in an unrelenting vise grip.

  I used the adrenaline it caused, pushing it down into the Earth, and coming up with only stone. A platform broke through the surface, raising me up above the circle of people. I pushed up from the swell, back flipping off the rock and using air for a steady landing.

  The group of people around the raised stone were trying to stay upright on top of the vibrating Earth. The crest of the wave was long past, but another was already coming. This time I used it to pull up more rock, surrounding the group. It caught all but one. A small guy, who stumbled back from the cage.

  "Get her, David!" encouraging shouts came from inside the rock. They'd be able to get out eventually, especially if the Earths inside were worth their salt. I hoped it would hold until after Akasha.

  David turned to me, pushing his glasses up on his nose, eyes wide. "Who…who are you really?"

  I picked up the crumpled iron rod at my feet, gripping it with a solid fist. "All of the above." I swung it at him, connecting with the side of his temple. He fell sideways, unconscious.

  I dragged him over to the rock cage, leaving his body on the opposite side from where I was headed. I placed my hand on the rocks. Energy was building up inside the cage as the group tried their various elements. I wiped dusty earth from my pants, and looked around. With the leather jacket nowhere in sight, and my energy quickly waning, I needed another form of transportation.

  Over the Earth's vibrations, was a high-pitched whinny. I followed the rock cage around, peering out. The field just off the parking lot held a pen of horses. Most were bucking, several throwing their front hooves in the air.

  I looked at the only horse that was staying on all fours, on the far side of the pen. I approached him, hand reaching out through the bars. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, sidling away. "Whoa, fella. There's a good boy."

  He paused, extending his long face toward my palm. I rubbed his neck and mane, glancing at the other horses, still bucking. They were larger and stronger – probably faster. This one even had a twinge of gray on his mane. But right now I didn't need large and strong, I needed steady. I needed a rock.

  I climbed halfway up the pen and pressed my forehead to the horse, nuzzling it. "I need Micah," I whispered, the lump bigger than ever in my throat. "Can you take me to him?"

  The horse snorted.

  "I'll take that as a yes." Climbing the top half of the pen, I jumped on his back, thankful he was saddled and ready to go. He headed for the gate and I kicked it open. He idled through the opening as I fit my feet into the stirrups.

  "Giddy up," I said, leaning forward, anticipating the rush of wind that would accompany his speed.

  He bent down to nibble on the grass.

  I bounced up and down. "Get on now – go boy, go!"

  His hooves stayed firmly planted. I sighed, hanging my head. It had begun to snow.

  The horse perked up, jerking his head back.

  "Whoa, you're gonna knock me out."

  I looked north as a blast of heat swept through the snow flurries. Dust swirled up from the ground in the distance, revealing the outline of a pair of sister tornadoes. I watched in horror as fire entwined. The atmosphere crackled with a new weather phenomenon. Fire tornadoes.

  The horse stepped away.

  "Whoa, there. It'll be alright. We're not going that way."

  I didn't say it out loud, but I was sure both the horse and I were thinking the same thing.

  The tornados are coming this way.

  "Kaitlyn!"

  I shook my head. This had to be a nightmare; they were calling my name.

  "Kaitlyn!" Natasha shouted, pulling me out of my shock. On horseback, she and several others gathered in front of me, partially blocking my view of the tornadoes. "We'll get this, then I'll head to the Chakra Center downtown – you go get Micah!"

  I shook my head. "No – I can't ask you…" I trailed off, my eye drawn to the fiery wind inching closer to us.

  "Go!" Natasha shouted over the roar. "I'm telling you." She urged her horse forward, and slapped at the behind of my own ride. "Ya!"

  My horse bucked, then shot off in the other direction. I looked back in time to see Natasha turn. As she stared at the fire tornadoes, the scarred side of her face was to me. She kicked her legs, and her horse lurched, straight for the flame. Straight for the same element that had marred her for life.

  I angled my horse for Shawn. It was snowing harder, now. Fat, wet flakes brushed my cheeks as we flew down the road. The horse stretched his neck out, knees bent, low to the ground. He opened up his stride. I squeezed the reins, standing in my stirrups. The wind grew loud in my ears.

  I scanned the horizon, spotting Elementals dotting the road. As we blew past them, they looked confused. I saw recognition in their eyes. They'd seen me around camp and let me go as one of their own. They turned toward the fire tornados, wondering who the enemy was. I raised rock along the way. Short but thick walls, near each Elemental, facing the way I was headed.

  The inside of my legs squeezed against the saddle, and below that the horses mid-section. My hips, slightly raised, rocked with the rhythm of powerful stallion’s muscles. My heels pushed down, stretching out each calf. We both panted. My heart raced, beating in time to the pounding of hooves against asphalt.

  Rumbling drew our attention to the mountains. One of the larger snow, covered peaks was shedding its white cloak. The avalanche was at a distance; no threat to us, but I knew all too well what it was like to be caught up in that beast.

  Who is up there? Micah's people?

  Shawn and Micah had their battle plans all along. Elementals were staged up and down the plains, and into the mountains. And I hadn't been privy to any of that information.

  Why not?

  Because I had never truly belonged to either army.

  I leaned into the horse, next to his ear. "It's just you and me, pal."

  He slowed, eyeing the mountains in the distance.

  "Come on, now….what can I call you?" I kept talking, doing my best to distract him. "How about 'Rock'?" I rubbed his mane. "That's it. Get on, Rock – ya!"

  He picked up speed, and I crouched down for fear of being blown off. The next Elemental we passed had his ear to a handheld radio. I snatched it as we flew past, making sure to leave a rock wall for him, too.

  Shawn's voice blasted over the airwaves, "No one passes! Everybody is in place – anyone moving forward is to be considered a threat."

/>   Shit.

  The group coming up all had radios, too. They saw me, and struggled to call their elements. We passed before the first managed it. I wouldn't be so lucky with the next group. I merged onto an interstate, honing in on Shawn's signal and following it. It was getting stronger with every stride covered, like a game of hot, hot, cold.

  The next group was ready for me. They stood as a wall across the road. A combination of Airs and Waters. Above us, the atmosphere swirled, and behind us heat from the fire tornados licked at our back.

  The wind picked up, swirling the snow. Infused with more moisture, the snow hit me from every angle. Icy cold pelted the back of my neck, and sloshed across my face. Thunder rolled overhead. Rock whinnied, coming to a stop.

  "Just a little thunder snow; can't hurt Rock," I coaxed the horse. I tried to exude enough confidence for the both of us. A draft moved upward, pulling the cold air to a higher altitude. More thunder.

  "Take a break for a minute," I said, climbing off of him. I looked into the faces of the Elementals as I approached them. I stopped at one face I knew well.

  Erika stepped forward. "Lucy – what are you doing?"

  Chapter 65

  Water

  "Are you the one he wants us to stop?" Erika asked.

  Can I lie my way past this one? I was sick of lies.

  "Yes," I said.

  "What is this – some sort of lover's quarrel?" She crossed her arms. "I helped you."

  I blinked, Erika's face was changing – growing thinner and darker. Her hair grew out into long, black braids. Then it was Ahi standing there, glaring at me. "I helped you."

  I was speechless; a lump formed in my throat. Her height dropped a full foot, and her sides expanded. Now it was Zola, holding her jar of dirt and mumbling, "I helped you."

  I closed my eyes, shaking my head. "I never asked for your help."

  It was Erika's face again. "Yes, you did. And I gave it! Time and time again." The black braids were back. "If I knew it was going to end like this, I never would have given it."

  My face crumpled, tears streaming down my face. My heart broke in half – for Ahi and her mother, for Andres, for Zola, and for countless others. Everyone that had given their lives to help me. I'd spend eternity on Galapogos with Shawn if I could give back what I took.

  Voices echoed in my head. They were all angry. I put my hands over my ears and shouted, "Stop!"

  Behind me, Rock whinnied.

  Erika took another step forward. "Why?"

  I looked at her, eyes wide. Stripped of my lies, and all confidence – there was nothing left but the truth. "I am Gaia, and I have a daughter. She is two. I left her behind because…because Shawn is her father." The horse stopped sidestepping, calming under my voice. I put my hand to my stomach, it had nearly dropped to the ground at the mention of Bee. "Shawn created Daybreak. And it may have been better for the Earth, but…how he intends to continue, nuclear power?"

  Erika looked over her shoulder at the rest of the Elementals.

  I continued, "He needs a Gaia's power to run the facilities. And he won't stop at me and my daughter. The power is an addiction; he wants it for himself. And it doesn't matter how he gets it. He has to be stopped."

  I glanced down the line of Elementals, trying to judge how they were receiving this. "I'm no longer asking for your help. All I want you to do is – get out of the way."

  Erika closed the distance between us. "I can't do that. It's gone too far, now."

  I bit my lips, squeezing my fists. "Please – I just need this one last favor."

  She shook her head. "No more favors, Lucy."

  My entire arm shook as energy gathered in my fist. "I don't want to—"

  "What about the favor you owe me, Erika?" Someone stepped forward, out of the line of Elementals. Mike, from the group of Earths at the wheat field. I narrowed my eyes at white splatter on his shoulder. Was that—?

  "And my favor?" Layla, the tattoo artist also spoke up, interrupting my thought.

  "That favor was for her!" Erika pointed at me, stomping her foot.

  Layla shrugged. "You asked me to use the rest of my ink – and now I'm asking you. Let's do what Lucy wants." Layla winked at me.

  "Any favor asked within reason – those were your exact words, Erika." Mike moved to stand next to Layla. "All she wants us to do is let her pass."

  I crossed my arms, releasing the energy in my fist. I felt awkward enough for me and Erika both. Caught between me and the Elementals, she was backed into a corner. Would she fight her way out?

  We all took a step back as Rock stepped forward. He nudged Erika with his nose. She fought her smile for a moment, but another nudge from Rock brightened her face. She rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine, but now we're even." She circled her finger in the air. "All of us."

  I laughed, wiping my own nose. "Thank you."

  Erika nodded and stepped away, motioning for the wall of the Elementals to do the same. Once they were out of the way, I climbed back on Rock and squeezed my knees into him. He cantered forward.

  "Lucy! What should we do now?"

  I looked over my shoulder at Erika. "Run. And when you see Akasha – take cover. And just so you know, my name is Kaitlyn!"

  I gripped the reins, "Ya!"

  Rock sprang into action. I was getting close; I could feel the familiar, sickly taint of Shawn's power humming in my veins. Micah was with him; I was sure of it now – I could feel them both together.

  There were Elementals still left; but I didn't have time to stop and convince them all to run away without looking back. I took moisture straight out of the air, driving it into the ground around each Elemental. The water sunk in, dissolving the sandstone underneath at an accelerated rate. As the small space collapsed, I poured more moisture in. Those left still standing rushed to the aide of others in the sinkholes. I was no longer their concern. I left more small walls along the way.

  I guided Rock off the interstate and down a thin, single lane road until we came to a small stone building. The sign read, 'Box Office'. I stood in the stirrups and swung one leg off. I walked around the building, making sure there were no Elementals waiting. Satisfied, I turned to Rock, rubbing his neck. "Thank you, sir."

  He whinnied.

  I flung my arm behind me, blasting open one side of the building. The horse skittered, but I kept a tight hold on his reins. "Shh, shh. That was the last one, I swear."

  He pulled his lips back, crinkling the skin on his long snout.

  "Okay I lied – there’s going to be one more. A big one. I'm going to leave you here. It'll be safe, I promise. Just don't leave until after the blast, okay?"

  He looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

  "I know, I know. I'm stalling." I took a deep breath. "Okay, come on."

  I led him into the tiny building, kicking stone and brick debris out of the way. There was just enough room for him. I tied his reins to a chair, then thought better of it and untied them. He looked at me again.

  "Still stalling, I know – but I gotta keep you here, somehow." I looked around. There was a large plastic bin filled with files. I dumped it out; papers went everywhere. I walked over to the open side and set the bin down outside. Then I drew in moisture from the air; lots of it. I kept drawing until the bin was full, keeping a wary eye out for stray Elementals.

  I dragged it back in, right under Rock's nose. He bent to drink.

  "All life comes from water – right?"

  He snorted at me.

  "Okay, okay, I'm going."

  I walked up the short hill. At the top, I looked toward where both Micah’s and Shawn's signals were emitting. Several large, monolithic, red rock cliffs jutted up in a semicircle. Red Rocks Amphitheatre was obscured by the cliffs and hills surrounding it, but the energy that circled within could not be missed.

  I glanced to my right, looking for Elementals, or more traps. My head snapped back to Red Rocks. Micah's signal was sputtering.

  That's never hap
pened before.

  It sputtered again. I waved my hand behind me, encircling Rock's building with several more stone walls. They had staggered openings. If he did finish his water it'd take him some time to get out. I faced the amphitheater and took a deep breath.

  I'm coming Micah…

  Chapter 66

  Laughter

  Micah couldn't hold it in any longer. He cried out.

  "There it is!" Shawn smiled. "Don't be afraid to just…scream!" Shawn's voice echoed throughout the amphitheater, followed by his laughter.

  Micah's blood pooled around his body, just beginning to drip over the edges of the steel tabletop. Shawn hadn't made any life threatening cuts – nothing a few stitches couldn't fix. But Kaitlyn wouldn't see that. She would just see blood.

  Micah turned, watching the plains, waiting.

  Shawn placed the tip of the knife at Micah's forehead, running it down the temple and just past the ear lobe. Micah flinched when it reached his neck.

  "Just think…" Shawn said, pulling the knife away. "You'll have some really great scars."

  "Untie me," Micah said.

  "I don't think so."

  He turned to look at Shawn. "I'm drained – I'm not going anywhere. Can't you tell?"

  Shawn looked at Micah, wiping his nose with the back of his sleeve. He put the knife to Micah's wrist.

  Micah flinched, expecting a deeper cut. Instead, the constricting bind around his hand was released. Shawn moved to Micah's feet and around to his other hand, slicing through the rope as he went.

  Micah watched, keeping a wary eye on the Athame once his final limb was freed. When Shawn sheathed his knife, Micah closed his eyes and let out a slow sigh of relief.

  Shawn noticed. "You've bled enough for the cause."

  "Now what?" Micah asked, eyes still closed.

  "Now we wait." Shawn picked up the handheld and put it to his mouth. "Get those tornados closer."

  "Tornados won't stop her."