Kacie
Before I could say anything to Jade the ground beneath me started to separate even more. I grabbed a handful of grass with my right hand and pulled myself up. I reached forward with my left hand and dug my nails into the ground. I hardened my core as I tried to pull myself onto solid ground before I fell into an abyss I didn’t want to look down at. The last thing I wanted to do was look down at what lay at the bottom of the split earth.
Even though my brain kept screaming for me to look I focused on pulling myself up. When I was sure I wouldn’t fall to my death I got to my feet and moved as far away from the cracks as possible. I stared at Jade incredulously. She was muttering under her breath but I wasn’t paying attention to that. The words didn’t make sense anyway. I couldn’t believe that this was her gift. She was like Toph from The Last Air bender. Not only was I surprised but I was in awe of her.
“Can you make rocks fly?” I asked. The chanting stopped as she looked at me.
“What?” Jade asked. She blinked two times and I watched as she processed my question. A smile spread across her lips as she closed her eyes and she shook her head. “I guess you’ll have to find out.” She started to chant again but I wasn’t done. I had questions, multiple questions.
“No wonder you’re so cocky,” I scoffed. “You’re an earth bender.”
“I am not an earth bender. I’m a witch,” Jade said as she rolled her eyes.
While she was distracted I darted towards her again. The ground trembled but I didn’t stop. She didn’t try to get away just like the first time I darted towards her. Her lips were moving as her chanting continued. Whatever she was doing I needed to stop it. I need to stop her because whatever it was couldn’t be good.
I was so close, close enough that I could burn her. Just as I reached out for her, mud wrapped around my wrist. Her eyes opened and shMy legs flew forward as I was held in the air. By mud. A hard thick hand held me tight.
Standing to my feet I tried to rip my hand free but I couldn’t get away. The hand made of wet clay or dirt led way to an ripped arm that was connected to a large mud monster. Leaves stuck out this way and that and my nose wrinkled in disgust as I spotted a few worms wiggling to the surface.
What the hell?
What is it, Kacie? I don’t now Ath… it looks like… a humanoid.
A humanoid?
A large mound of clay or soil stood next to me. It wasn’t a pile of dirt, the mud monster had the shape of a large man. A ripped mud man stared down at me. Or at least, looked like it was staring down at me. He or it didn’t have eyes, but his chin was low and it felt like he was watching me. Ripping my gaze from the monster, I turned to look at Jade. She stared back at me with distaste. Jade yawned as if she were bored. I couldn’t help but bite down on my bottom lip. A metallic taste filled my mouth as I focused back on mud man.
Think, think, think. What do I do?
I was stuck between to possibilities. This mud man could be something she built and was controlling, or it could be something she created, breathed life into, and could make it’s own decisions. I was really hoping it was the first possibility. The only thing that came to mind was fire.
I called on the flames and instantly my hands were covered in flames. The mud man didn’t flinch or move. The flames weren’t having an effect on him. My gaze darted back and forth between the mud monster and Jade. She watched me curiously and I hated that I was her entertainment for the day. The mud man didn’t move and I was sure he wouldn’t move unless she made him.
Perfect.
I focused on my gift and sweat began to bead on my forehead as I tried to turn the heat up. His grip on my wrist tightened and dirt dried and began to fall to the floor. A hard fist connected with my face followed by the mud man running at me. I felt as if I’d been tackled by a bull made of brick. The air flew from my mouth and I was unable to breathe. The air had been knocked out of me before I hit the ground. He lifted his fist, his elbow pulling back before it flew forward and slammed into my stomach.
Fuck!
Get up, Kacie! Get up right now!
I can’t even breathe, Ath. How am I supposed to get up?
GET UP!
The mud man had me pinned beneath him, both thighs were on either side of my body. Leaves and worms fell from him as I stared up at him. Fist after fist met with my stomach and I groaned as stars danced in front of my eyes. I needed to do something and fast. I tried to do what I did just a few minutes before.
I focused on the fire as another fist slammed into my stomach. I screamed as something cracked and all I could feel was pain. The flames grew and covered my body. Punch after punch landed and I was getting dizzy.
Gravity pulled me down and my head slammed back against the ground. The punches began to weaken and dry dirt sprinkled across my skin with each one. My body fell slack and my hands fell to the ground. The punches stopped but I could still feel it above me. I blinked as particles of dirt fell into my eye to find the mud monster falling apart. He looked like he was melting. Before I could laugh, I tasted blood before the world went black and I was pushed down, down, down.