Ice

2

There is a loud crack. The sound of cracking and shattering ice.

Ice splinters drop around me, the cold spines of ice jumping off my skin and clattering on the icy floor.

A gasp from my throat, has me coughing and waking up, suddenly opening my eyes.

It is dark with a few shadows cast by fire. The shadows of people. Fear swells in me. Panic consumes me. I cannot let myself fall victim to this trap.

I watch the shadows whilst beginning to slowly ready my ice.

I have never loved Everest. I hardly know him as any more than an acquaintance; yet his betrayal stabs me. It is a knife plunged into my back.

I know I can outmatch him in a fight, but I know he is not here. There is no way he could get down here so quickly. These must be associates, lying in wait for me. I know I am good with my abilities. The landscape being an icy cave makes it better.

I send out spikes at the shadows in warning.

A sudden burst of pain strikes me. My side burns in pain where I was struck by jagged spikes of ice when I fell in here. Well I am not sure if they were jagged spikes of ice, but in such a place, one can only assume it was that. How else would my side be dripping in blood from a fall as if a dagger were plunged into my side.

I need to escape this cavern of ice. I have no idea how though. All I can do is defend myself. Fast surprise attacks will only make my pain worse. I need to do something.

I drop to my side on the ground. It hurts too much to stay sitting. This is torture beyond anything I have experienced.

A cold hand touches my side.

I need to fight. I cannot move. As long as I can at the very least move some fingers, I can fight but I cannot even do that. My body is freezing up. It is colder than the surface I here. I can handle cold very well, but something seems wrong, either with me or my environment.

Cold water brushes against my side before freezing, covering the wounds in a thin, extremely breakable sheet of ice. This is probably a water inclined ice user, but they are definitely not a healer.

"Call the rescue unit, she is losing blood."

There is warmth radiating beside me. I can see a small flame lit on wood. They have made a fire,

Their intentions are vague, do they wish to help or mislead me. How did a simple refusal of a marriage proposal turn into this mess?

Blood dripping from my skin, cuts, and tears all over my body. These scum will be punished. I will ensure that happens. Their crimes must be punished.

I just need to move. I can collapse parts of this cavern on them. I can shift the ground to slowly freeze them until their hearts are nothing more than ice, frozen, silent. I will not allow them to gain any power over me, not now, not ever.

These people. They seem to use ice and water but are not well trained. Defectors. I have no doubts. They defected to the Earth and came back here to attack me or kidnap me. Probably kill me- no not kill. If they wanted to kill me, it would have been done.

"We are here. It is all- "One of the defectors approaches me. His guard is down.

"Get away from me!" I manage to speak, my voice hoarse with pain.

I struggle, my shaking hand moves. I slam it down on the ground. The ground cracks and prices of sharp ice shoot up in a cage, surrounding me. I am too weak to engage in battle as I am now, this barrier will give me time.