Page 88 of A Sea of Secrets
I followed the guys, dodging shots and magic as we went. Powerful gusts of wind nearly knocked us off our feet, only to have a high-pitched, sonic scream bring us to our knees. The attack was short-lived with the Potential taken out by one of the soldiers. I could see the soldiers closest to her bleeding from the ears. At least she’d put up a fight.
Ace pushed on, leading us through the grounds again. We halted not long after as chunks of the cafeteria building flew by us in pieces. They narrowly missed us as Master Nolan fired bits of broken debris at the soldiers. Huge chunks of stone landed on a small group, squishing them into the ground before they could shout in fear, while shards of glass flew like spears, lodgingthemselves in other soldiers. Screams and destruction filled the air, a bone-chilling song that would never leave me.
“Nolan!” Zane shouted in warning as he, Ace, and Kayden shot at the soldiers, but their efforts were in vain. I didn’t have a gun, just a knife, so all I could do was watch the tragedy unfold.
The remaining soldiers aimed their guns at Nolan and fired, striking the Master in the chest. The loud blasts blocked out everything else as a light flashed and he flew backwards. Smoke drifted from the burns through his suit and scorched flesh. Cracks spread out on the wall behind him as his body collided with the already fractured cafeteria building.
I couldn’t help but freeze as I watched it all unfold. The domineering man who’d been like an unwavering pillar, was now dead. The building crumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust, burying Master Nolan with it.
“Look!” Kayden shouted, pointing to where a man surrounded by nasty-looking guys all in black was striding from the main building in the opposite direction as we’d come. “What do you think he’s got in his hands?”
“Fucking Cormac,” Ace hissed, taking off into a sprint towards his old gang leader.
The burly guy with neck tattoos and golden rings on his fingers clutched an ancient-looking chest with engravings marking its wooden sides.
“The weapon!” Kayden shouted as realisation dawned on us.
What a convenient time to come and collect it. I broke into a sprint, Kayden and Zane at my sides as we chased after Ace. He raised his hand, sparks ready to fly when a loud boom vibrated through the air and threw us backwards from the blast. I blinked, clearing my sight as the world came back into view.
The main building burned brightly as debris fell from the air and black smoke billowed into the sky above, blocking out the clouds. My ears rang and my eyes watered as I stumbled to myfeet and searched for the other guys. I’d gained a few extra cuts and bruises, but nothing was broken.
Kayden and Ace groaned but seemed fine, though Ace was lying just ahead of me, his leg twisted at a sickening angle. I rushed to his side, my stomach flipping at the bone jutting out.
“Kayden! Zane!” I shouted before gently lifting Ace’s leg. “Hold on, I’m going to fix this.”
Zane reached us first, his dusty face paling at the sight. “Oh, shit on a seashell.”
“Not helping, Merman,” I snapped. “Use your calming magic. Take his mind off the pain.”
Kayden dropped to the ground beside me. With one quick glance my way, he took hold of Ace’s leg.
“What is he about to do?” Ace hissed, trying to sit up. I shoved him down and he groaned in pain.
“He’s going to give you a quick tickle and it won't hurt a bit,” Zane told Ace, the latter’s face softening. “You’re actually going to enjoy it and thank Kayden afterwards.”
With that, Kayden shoved Ace’s leg back into the right angle and instead of a scream tearing from Ace as blood spilled from his wound, he simply laughed. “Thanks Boulder Boy.”
“No problem, Twiggy,” Kayden said, shaking his head.
I quickly placed my hands over Ace’s injury, letting my healing magic flow whilst Kayden and Zane stood over us, watching our backs. This would use whatever drop of magic I had left, but I had no choice. We needed Ace... Fallon needed him.
“He got away,” Ace said, bitterness lacing his words as he pointed up at the sky. “He got the weapon, and he fucking got away.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Zane replied. I could feel his magic settling over us all, calming my breathing, and I watched as Ace’s features smoothed. “All that matters is Starfish.”
He was right. As soon as Ace was healed to the best of my ability and bandaged with some torn-off strips of my shirt, we took off again. The wound wasn’t completely sealed, but the joint was mended, and the bone was partially set. We couldn’t delay any longer. I was terrified to think what would happen to Fallon if we were too late.
“Noah!” Zane called, and I shook my head, getting out of my thoughts and hurrying to catch up to the guys ahead of me.
Now was not the time to spectate or dwell on what-ifs.
We weaved through more fighting as dwindling Potentials and academy staff battled to defend the House of Ascension from the intruders. When we’d last seen Fallon, she was in the DH area, so that’s exactly where we headed.
We passed through the Verdant Plateau grounds, and I found myself gaping in awe at its transformation. Vines clung to anything and everything they could grasp, climbing up trees and creating nets between trunks. Soldiers hung suspended as the vines slowly strangled them to death. Master Luna was at the centre of the chaos, her hands twirling as she toyed with her prey like a spider with her webs.
Then the vines descended upon us, only to pause right before striking. They rose from the ground, writhing like snakes around her head, poised and awaiting her command.
“Oh, it’s you four!” Luna exclaimed, and I turned to see her wave her hands. The vines dispersed, moving away to prey on the soldiers instead. “My mistake!”
