Akasha 4 - Earth (37 page)

Dragon waited for me across the ring.
He wasn't going to make the next move. It had to be me. I walked
toward him. He met me in the middle. I lifted my hand, slowly,
hoping he didn't mistake it for a punch. Then I extended it toward
him, palm to the side. It stayed there, hovering in
midair.

He glanced at it, then over at a man
in a black shirt standing just outside the ring.

I rolled my eyes. "You forgot to
shake, first."

"Um, that's not in the
rules."

I sniffed, and tears stung my eyes
from the pain. "Come on – it's just good manners."

A few snickers from those close enough
to hear our conversation. Dragon glanced at the man in black again,
then shrugged, and extended his own hand.

I lunged for the ground, the momentum
carrying one foot back then up above my head. The sole of my boot
connected with his nose. Before I was all the way up, I closed my
fist, swinging it into his side. He was softer than I
expected.

He doubled over, clutching at his
midsection. Gravity still had my same leg in motion. I swung it up
in front of me this time, my knee hitting its target – the nose
again.

Dragon flew back, stumbling over his
own feet. He crashed hard on top of a filing cabinet. The crowd
roared; the sound echoing across the small enclosed room. It was
almost deafening.

I turned, taking the opportunity to
reach out and establish which Elementals were in the room. At least
fifty Fires, and just a handful of each of the others.

"That’s cheating!" Dragon
yelled, lifting himself up then marching to the man in
black.
The ref, maybe?
"Call the fight – she cheated!"

I stepped closer to the pair, staring
down Dragon. "Sorry," I shrugged. "Shaking isn't in the
rules."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the
ref's mouth twitch.

"No call. Continue the
fight."

Dragon wiped his nose, now also
trickling blood. He turned toward me, face red, fists closed, and
sweat beading down his temples.

There were no words. Just one step
toward me, then a flurry of fists. I ducked under the first bout,
spinning in a crouch. My elbow hit the same soft spot at his side.
I felt his breath against the back of my neck, leaving in one,
large, involuntary gust.

I spun back out and stepped away
before he had the chance to grab ahold of me. If I let him do that,
it would be over.

Dragon clutched his side, trying to
get his breath back.

I could match him blow for blow, but
my punches weren't nearly as powerful. There'd have to be more –
and well-placed. If I could just keep at it, I could probably
outlast him. I'd just have to take care not to get knocked
unconscious.

Stamina
, I told myself.
It will be a long
fight. You should probably stretch.

I bent down to touch my toes, then
reached up high.

Again, snickers behind me.

I bent one leg, with the other just in
front of me, extending my calves. No matter what the crowd thought,
it wasn't a taunt, I was just being practical. Still, Dragon wasn't
taking it the right way. He glared at me through lowered lids. A
growl escaped his lips, then he charged.

He covered the distance quickly. I had
just enough time to step forward – I feigned right, then spun out
to the left allowing him to pass me. His hand shot out, just
reaching the ends of my hair. My head jolted back before his
fingers slipped through. Had my hair been any longer, I'd have been
in trouble.

I turned. He was off-balance. I
jumped, landing one foot in the middle of his back. He went down to
his knees. Again, I stepped away, narrowly avoiding a swipe of his
hand.

My heart raced; there had already been
too many close calls. I had to be quicker.

He was on his feet again.
He wiped his nose – the bleeding had already stopped.
Had mine?
I didn't want
to check. Instead, I walked to the filing cabinet that still held
Dragon's imprint.

I sat down, wiggling my backside. I
looked up at Dragon as he walked toward me.

"My ass!" I shouted, forcing surprise
in my tone.

He paused, mid-step.

"It's just so…comfortable." I didn't
know if he could hear me. The people behind me sure
could.

The smile on my own face was fake.
Inside, I knew I needed to bring the fight to a whole new level. We
needed to start using magic.

Chapter
56

Playing with Fire

Dragon moved to the middle of the
ring, crossed his arms, and stared me down. I hopped up, keeping my
senses open to the beginning weaves of flame.

Is this it? Is he mad
enough?

I prepared myself,
recalling Clay's intel on the earth below us.
We’re on top of the Denver basin – a layer of sedimentary
rock runs all the way to the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains.
Much of the basin is
large, flat and
reddish slabs of rock, the kind prevalent in the Red Rocks Park and
Amphitheatre fifteen miles west of us. The basin runs deep, though.
Before you reach it, there is sandstone and shale.

Only rock, at my disposal. Rock, and
nothing else.

Dragon put one foot back and his hands
in fists, near his face – ready to parry a blow. My shoulders
sagged. This wasn't it – he still needed some
convincing.

So be it.

I lunged, hopping wide and
to his left, then to his right. I could see his muscles tense as he
tried to anticipate my next move, so I cartwheeled. Arms by my
ears, legs wide, I completed a star pattern. Hand, hand, foot,
foot.
My elementary school gym teacher
would be proud.

As soon as my second foot hit the
ground, I ducked and sent a right hook into his soft spot. He
winced, grabbing at it and turning away. I circled around, meeting
him halfway with a spinning back roundhouse kick. At least that's
what Alex had told me it was. My heel connected with the same
spot.

He stumbled away from me. "Damn it –
stop hitting me there!"

I walked casually to the right, toward
the ref. "Why, Dragon? Is that a rule too?"

I looked to the ref for clarification.
He just shrugged.

Next I tried a somersault, not nearly
as pretty as my cartwheel. I didn't expect the ground to be so
hard. I managed to kick up as soon as I unfolded, but Dragon
twisted, and it wasn't a direct blow. He stomped down. I rolled to
the side. Another close call.

On the ground, facing away from him,
there was no time to get up. His boot came down, hard and fast –
aiming for my temple. I kicked back, and caught him behind his
knee. With one leg in the air, he lost balance. I hopped up as he
fell. With our situation reversed, I took the opportunity to kick
him hard – in the side.

A long string of curse words came out
of his mouth.

I stepped back, hoping
that would do the trick. I let him pick himself up while I brushed
dirt from my clothes.
Should've worn a
leotard.

Hung up on appearance, I barely had
time to dodge the fireball. Its heat licked at my bicep as it
passed. It flew into the audience, exploding across the chest of
someone who didn't move quickly enough. The man started screaming,
alternately hitting himself in the chest and rolling on the floor.
Neither put the flame out.

I felt Dragon drawing some of the
flame from the shirt, weave it into another ball, and wing it at
me. Now that I was on edge, it was easy enough to dodge. While I
rode my energy high, the rest of the world moved in slow
motion.

Before Dragon could react, I moved in,
taking a shot at his nose and then again at his side. When he
recovered, I held up his lighter for him to see. "Seriously, dude?
Is this the extent of your fire?"

His neck went red, and his face
actually shook. His mouth contorted in rage. He drew another
fireball. I didn't even have to move for it to miss me. Anger threw
off his aim.

The man rolling around on the floor
continued screaming.

"For crying out loud," I picked up my
shirt, discarded earlier in the fight, and threw it at his buddy.
Within seconds they had the fire out.

Could no one else do that?
Though, I suppose my shirt was already ruined.

I turned to Dragon and crossed my
arms. "Your flame is weak, Dragon. A little too damp for you, down
here in the catacombs?"

He put two fingers in his mouth. A
loud, shrill whistle cut through the chatter, bringing the
catacombs to a dead silence. A smile lit his face.

What is he up
to?

After a few moments of nothing
happening, he turned to the audience – staring them down. A few
flinched, digging in their pockets for something. Another step
toward them by Dragon, and they hurried to roll their thumb across
a small gear, then hold the object up. Tiny flames danced atop each
of the lighters. The fire spread across the room, most everyone
holding up a lighter.

My mouth dropped open. I looked at the
ref. Behind me, Dragon must have been spewing some unspoken threat,
because the ref took out a lighter, too.

"You have got to be kidding me," I
said out loud. The ref kept his gaze on the filing cabinet in front
of him.

Further behind him, I felt someone
reach for air. My eyes snapped to him. He didn't have a lighter. He
sent his element out, starting to distinguish each of the flames
near him first. I glared – I couldn't risk the match being called.
The ref was obviously corrupt.

The Air continued, flipping his around
like he was using an invisible lasso. It came to an abrupt stop
when Clay grabbed him at the wrist, pulling the hand down. Lighters
were relit without anyone thinking twice.

My eyes went back to the ref. His
flame bent inward – directly toward me. My eyes followed the circle
of people around me. Individually, the tiny flickering flames
didn't seem so bad. But there were dozens of them, each reaching
toward me – an ominous threat. Chills raked up and down my
spine.

Out of the corner of my eye, Dragon
swung his arm wide. Fire responded, growing longer and longer out
of the lighters. The flames circled, joining together in a swirling
mass above the ring. I felt the entire atmosphere pulsate out. When
it paused at its peak, I dove for a filing cabinet. With my back to
the floor, I pulled the cabinet on top of me, balancing it on my
feet and hands. Intense heat hit the other side of the cabinet,
while flame rained down around me.

I had no idea how Dragon was shielded
from his own element, but I could hear his laughter over the
crackling rush. It kept coming; I supposed there wouldn't be an end
until the lighters ran out of fluid – or until all the air was
sucked out of the room. I couldn't use water or air to help me
here. Heat crept into my unwrapped palm – I looked at the filing
cabinet I held above me. The entire thing was turning red. I didn't
have much longer before my skin would start sizzling
away.

I bounced it up slightly,
testing the weight and repositioning my hands. I looked toward
Dragon. He walked toward me.
Good.
He was walking slowly.
Bad.

He needed to be closer. A few more
steps, and my hands started to burn with pain.

Palms heal
fast
, I told myself.
Hang in there.
I would only have one
chance at this.

"Now you know the extent of my fire."
Dragon was still laughing. "Look at you cowering under there, like
an earthworm."

My arms shook. I tried holding the
weight with the edge of my hands. I blew air against my exposed
palm, cooling it off. The bandaged hand would last a little longer.
A few thin pieces of material made all the difference.

Dragon paused a few feet
away.
Still too far, just by a
bit.

"By the time I'm done with you, you'll
look like an earthworm that was left to shrivel up in the
sun."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I get it. I'm
a worm. Come here!"

"Was that the worm talking?" He leaned
in closer, cocking his head and putting his hand to his
ear.

That'll do.

I bent my limbs, then pushed all four
of them up and out. As soon as my makeshift shield left me, I
cowered – covering my head against the falling flame. I didn't see
the filing cabinet hit him, but I heard it. The fire stopped all at
once, and I peeked out. Dragon stumbled back, eyes
dazed.

"Your hair!" someone squeaked behind
me.

I rolled automatically. Even the once
cool, concrete floor was too hot. I stood, checking my hair. Singed
at the back. My shoulders were hot, but not enough to blister. The
newly healed tattoos stung just a bit more; same with Shawn's
mark.

I waited for Dragon to gain his
balance, and to stop seeing stars. When his eyes finally focused
back on me, I smiled. "My turn."