Chapter Twelve

During their fight with Carrion, the group soon come to find their powers are no longer with them

With another downward motion of his hand, Carrion’s soldiers left his side quickly surrounding the small group of seven. Their forces were vast and each one of them was well equipped with a weapon of their choice.

Jade rose as much of earth she could grasp her mind around into the air before sending them flying towards her enemies telepathically. Asha came to her side at once, summoning a wall of fire before their group. Each piece of earth Jade had sent out towards the soldiers dove into the fire like speeding bullets emerging from the other side engulfed in flames. The soldiers cried in pain as the molten rocks pierced through their bodies, knocking them harshly back to the ground, the pieces of earth burning within their wounds.

Tygra raised her hands from her sides, calling the water from the river to her side. Her gaze fell upon those who hadn’t been taken down by her fellow guardians’ attack then she carried out an assault of her own. As Asha’s firewall relinquished, Tygra began moving her arms in a wave like motion. The water began to split into segments, each looking to be the tentacles of the legendary giant squid.

She began moving her fingers as if touching the keys to a piano and the tentacles of water shot from her sides, hitting each one of the soldiers she had laid eyes upon. Each hit pierced through the soldiers’ armor with their ice covered tips as though it were nothing but mere paper.

Once the soldiers were down, Tygra lowered her hands back to her sides and as a result, the water came crashing down around her, leaving nothing but a muddy mess in its place.

"Yes! There down!" Asha cried in victory.

Carrion merely smiled as he looked over his fallen troops. He looked back to the guardians, triumph already gleaming in his eyes. "Don't act so brash; the battle has only begun." With a raise of his hands, his fallen troops began standing to their feet, each ready for more battle, no sign of fatigue or pain could be seen.

Tygra took a step back in dismay. "This can't be!"

Gritting her teeth angrily Asha gripped the handle of her sword tightly. "It's Carrion! If we are going to win this we must take him down first!" and with that she rushed off, her sights set on taking Carrion‘s head.

"No, Asha!" Tygra exclaimed beginning to follow after her however she was stopped by a few soldiers standing in her path. She grabbed her whip from her side, snapping out its fine leather towards her foes in an attempt to put some distance between them. "Drake!" She called seeing him from the corner of her eye. "Stop Asha!"

Drake gave a nod as he looked to Haru and without and exchange of words they both followed after Asha in an attempt to stop her impetuous attack.

Asha sliced her way through the soldiers before her, irrationality and determination running through her mind. She slashed the last solider before her and as he fell to the cold wet ground, she could see Carrion standing there, waiting for her arrival. Their gazes locked for what seemed like an eternity.

A smile then curled upon his lips. "Don't you think you should be helping your friends? A little girl such as you is no match for me."

Asha scowled. "My friends are able to cut through your boys without a problem, don't you worry." She raised her sword threateningly. "Until then, you will just have to fight it out with this 'little girl'."

Carrion raised his sword and struck out at her with a quick motion. Asha raised her sword blocking the attack and pushed him back. As he was off balance she immediately ducked down and kicked his legs from beneath him. He landed hard and began scrambling upright but stopped all movement when Asha placed the tip of her sword to his throat.

"You are nothing without your army." She said with superiority. Her gaze then shifted upwards; a soldier was making his way towards her a sword in hand. A smirk crossed her face as she raised her hand, summoning a fireball…yet nothing came. Looking down to her hand she gasped. What the?  She soon jumped back when the solider brought his blade down on her and instantly moved her blade back out before her as she took a quick look around seeing that everyone was still engaged in their own battles.

"Confused my dear girl?"

She turned to look back to Carrion; the soldier now standing still at his side. He laughed as he studied her bewildered expression. "I have more up my sleeve then you know."

Drake just cut down another solider in his path. He raised a hand out before him summoning his powers in an attempt to stop a group of soldiers heading towards Tygra and Jade, yet nothing came to his call. He looked back to Haru who was engaged in battle. What’s going on? Why can't I use my powers? He looked to Asha who was battling Carrion. Damn it…she got to him before we could stop her… She then knocked him to the ground the tip of her sword to his throat. Well, at least she seems to be doing fine-

He then saw her jump back from an oncoming attack from another solider, a puzzled and fearful expression upon her face. There seemed to be a few exchanges of words before Carrion knocked her to the ground. "Asha!"

Tygra was pushed back to the muddy ground. A soldier loomed before her, his sword held high, ready to strike her. She tried to stand, but failed as she slipped on the mud beneath her. Now stuck in the mud Tygra closed her eyes trying to summon any energy to protect herself against the soldier. But nothing; not even a single twinge of power came to her aid.

A loud clank followed by a thud sounded as the solider was pushed back from her. Tygra opened her eyes and looked up to see Jade now standing before her, her spear at her side. "You need to get up and fight." She said impassively. "If you don't, something may happen."

Rose twirled, bringing her weapon down on her foe before her, digging the hook deeply within his chest, stopping his advance in mid-step. She placed her foot to his stomach and pushed back, ripping the blade free from his body. “Gina?” She called, searching the area for her. There, a few yards to her right, she could see Gina walking aimlessly around the battle field with not even her dagger drawn for protection. “Gina!” Rose ran towards her, fighting off all who stood in her path and once at her side, she grasped her shoulder, turning her towards her. “Gina! What are you doing wondering around like this?”

Gina met her gaze. “There is someone tampering with the elements in these woods…” her voice was soft as she spoke. She closed her eyes. “It’ll take but a moment…but I believe I can find where this person is located…”

Rose lowered her hand back down to her side and grasped the chain to her weapon once more, swinging the hook and chain at her side preparing for any unexpected encounters. Someone is tampering with the elements? She looked around the battlefield. Everyone seemed to be in their own battles, yet not one of them seemed to be using their powers. Come to think of it, I do feel strange myself… she looked back to Gina; her eyes still closed as she searched for this person. What kind of powers does this girl have…to be able to sense such things as this?

Gina’s eyes suddenly came open as she turned to her left. “There! The magic dweller is over in that direction!” She grasped Rose’s arm, pulling her in that direction. “We must hurry! At this rate, your friends will not last much longer!”