The Chilling Change Of Air (Elemental Awakening, Book 3)

by Nicola Claire

  Within seconds I was down at sea level, somehow moving from Oriental Bay cliffs to Oriental Parade, and then suddenly being swept out to sea.

  Panic broke whatever hold Nero had, and I began to struggle.

  The Water pulled me under. With such ease it shocked me. I flailed, even as it soothed. I screamed, sucking in the sea in large mouthfuls. I couldn't drown. I was pretty sure of that, despite the fact the Rigas' doctor had not experimented with water boarding, surprisingly. But Athanatos cannot die from drowning, or being buried alive. We need our heads chopped off for that.

  The realisation that Nero couldn't kill me, unless it took my head, helped. I stopped fighting, forced myself to accept the water in my lungs and not search for air, and listened. Stilled my body. Opened my other senses and just felt.

  The click and clack of crustaceans, the mournful cry of a sea mammal in the distance. Scent was elusive in amongst water, but touch was not. Seaweed stroked down my arms, tugged at my pack trying to take it. It didn't weigh me down and my only thought was what if I needed it once I escaped? But Water was determined, and soon the bag was floating away into the darkness. I feared my clothes would follow, which made me shake my head, because who cared right now? I just wanted to survive. Embarrassment at nudity could take a hike.

  But my clothes remained, even as Water tingled across my skin, creating sensations that should not have existed right then. I leaned into them, despite my need to escape. I welcomed its touch, despite my desire to be on dry land. I opened my mouth and drank its taste down, savouring it, enjoying it, closing my eyes in delight.

  Despite it being salt water and it should not have tasted divine.

  I danced with abandon, water my stage, seaweed my companion. Twirling and diving and twisting and turning. If I had breath in my lungs it would have left me in delightful gasps as the ocean became a playground, sensations became my world, and the creatures of the sea entertained. It was surreal, but I felt every single moment. Fear was replaced with excitement. Angst became elation. Dread was soon anticipation.

  I didn't want it to end, all thoughts of what was happening back on dry land were forgotten. Only this moment. Only these sensations. Only the next dance.

  I'm not sure how long I was under the sea. How long it spun me, moved me, made me feel. Danced with me and me with it. I knew Nero had not yet Awakened, because no matter what I did, it would not respond or listen or even acknowledge me. The sublime movements were detached from conscious thought or conversation. Other than those first few words, it remained silent. Letting the sounds of sealife invade my ears.

  Letting me feel.

  By the time I washed ashore, it was late in the afternoon, the sun winking at me through a scattering of clouds, the rain stopped, the world once again washed clean, dripping and soggy, but glistening and pristine. It smelled so fresh. It shone so bright. I blinked, sat up and then spewed what felt like an entire ocean out over the road surface I lay on.

  It took a minute or two for me to realise it wasn't the beach. And when I turned back to look out at the sea I realised why. I was back up on Oriental Bay cliffs, Oriental Parade below us was submerged, houses floating away in the waves, possessions and people washed away with them. I looked over my shoulder, trying to get my bearings, but if I was back on our property even the stone wall had disappeared. Nothing looked like it had before.

  The scattered wood and metal and glass and belongings had all been swept away, leaving bare earth, soaked and destroyed gardens, an almost blank canvas to start all over again.

  I opened my mouth to call for Theo, but only started coughing, still too much water inside. I gasped and spluttered, but I felt like I was drowning all over again.

  Breathe, Air urged.

  Relax, the Earth encouraged.

  Be at ease, Aether, Fire instructed.

  Where are they? I demanded, relieved I could at least speak in my mind, even if verbalising was still out.

  Gone, they all intoned and my world shattered.

  No. No, not possible. They were Athanatos. My brother an Alchemist. And all of them, maybe not Isadora, but all the rest, would lay down their lives for Sonya.

  No, I said back firmly. Where have they gone?

  It was a yell. I instinctively drew on every ounce of Stoicheio I could manage, infusing my command with so much power lightning struck, the ground shuddered, and fire flared up around me drying off the last of the water that had licked my skin.

  The Mountain, they replied in sync. We have found them. The Mountain, they repeated, sounding chastened.

  Determination flushed through me, and before I knew it I was running. My only goal to climb the monstrosity that loomed in the distance, blotting out the sun and beckoning me. I imagined the mountaintop, the raised viewing platform, the fallen cannon, our SUV crushed under a tree.

  In a split second I was surrounded by pure white light, ozone invading my nostrils, and the crack of sizzling lightning filling my ears. When I blinked back from the brightness I was there.

  And Theo was running towards me.

  I'd forgotten what I could do with Aeras. I'd forgotten what I could do if I only put my mind to it and believed. I'd forgotten.

  And as he ran the short distance towards me, Sonya and Mark and Aktor and Isadora watching relieved from behind, I realised I'd forgotten a lot of things in the stress and fear that had enveloped me lately.

  I'd forgotten we are the Elementals of this world. We are responsible for the Elements' balance. And as long as we remembered that, succeeded in that, everything would be all right.

  "Balance," I said, letting the word register in my mind. My voice scratched and weakened, but the sound of that one word surrounding me on the hillside felt right.

  In the next instant I was wrapped up in Theo's arms and spun, cradled to his chest and kissed deeply. He pulled back suddenly, gold looking down at me.

  And said, "You taste salty."

  I offered a tired smile and then felt my knees give out. Theo lifted me up into his arms and carried me back to the others, who had allowed us our moment of reunion in private. That changed when we came abreast of them.

  "What the hell happened?" Mark demanded.

  "Nero," I rasped in my new husky voice. Sonya handed me a bottle of water, which I stared at for a moment, then reluctantly drank. It was fresh and clean and thankfully filtered. And surprisingly, after what I'd just been through, just what I needed.

  "Did you have an Awakening?" Aktor asked and I shook my head.

  "More of an introduction," I explained.

  "And?" Isadora queried, impatience clear on her face.

  The world dimmed slightly. I blinked, reached a hand up to my head, and Theo growled, "Back off."

  It was lovely watching Isadora jerk in surprise, even if I saw it through a cloud of haziness.

  "Theodoros," she began.

  "I wouldn't if I were you," he said in a lethally quiet voice. "I remember."

  Oh, goody. I hadn't missed this particular reunion.

  Her face blanched, then her shoulders stiffened and her chin rose in typical Isadora style.

  "Well, you'll remember her using Strychnos Toxifera on me in Brazil," she declared archly.

  "And I remember you telling her I had a Thisavros before her and Casey would only last ten short years in my favour before I'd be back in your arms."

  Oh, maybe it wasn't a good idea to be here for this. Gold was blazing from Theo's eyes, anger and righteousness from Isadora's, and I was stuck in the middle, still cradled in Theo's arms. Nico stepped forward, offering to take me, but Theo just growled, the Thisavros joining rearing its ugly head.

  "Allow me, master," Aktor suggested, his subservient tone somehow soothing Theo's ire.

  He handed me over reluctantly and said, voice clipped, "We settle this now."

  Isadora nodded her head, resigned, but my brother stepped forward.

  "Settle? How?" he asked, not bothering for an explanation on what needed settling
. That was pretty obvious from the few words just spoken.

  "This is not your concern, Alchemist," Theo informed him, imperiously.

  "Like hell it's not," he argued back. "I have an interest in Isadora."

  It wasn't a surprise, but Dora certainly looked a little shocked. Maybe to her, it had just been light relief at a stressful time and nothing more. From the look on my brother's face, that wasn't the case for him. I sighed quietly. When my brother fell, he tended to fall completely.

  And damn, he had to fall for the cow?

  "Give us ten minutes, Mark," Isadora requested. "I will return." It was a promise to him and a challenge to Theo. The woman did have guts, I'd give her that.

  "Maybe not in one piece," Theo murmured.

  "You harm her..." Mark started.

  "Be at ease, Alchemist," Nico offered, placing a hand on his shoulder and pulling him back from getting too close to Theo. "This needs to be dealt with and is long overdue. Let them have space and an opportunity to move past this. For all of our sakes." His eyes lifted to me and Mark followed their trajectory.

  God only knows what they both saw, but Mark acquiesced, watching after Theo and Dora as they walked some distance away.

  For a moment nothing more was said, then I looked up at Aktor and murmured, "You can put me down now."

  "Are you sure, Miss Eden?" he asked, while doing exactly as I requested.

  I wasn't sure about anything, but I was determined to follow my previous revelation and train of thought. Balance. Balance was the problem. Balance was the key.

  Or maybe I was? The only Ekmetalleftis who had been able to feed from Stoicheio. The only one able to reach a distant god. If I could pull on all five Elements at once, balance them when the world could not, would that work?

  With one last glance towards where Theo and Isadora had gone, I turned my attention to Aktor, saying, "Mark, I'm going to need your help, please."

  "Help for what?" he asked.

  I sucked in a breath of air as he approached, wrapped a hand around Aktor's wrist tightly, surprising him, while I slipped my free hand into Mark's and said, "Call Water," in answer.

  "What?" he demanded, but I was already calling Earth, Fire and Air, and he could feel it, reaching out to his own Stoicheio reflexively and handing me a full house.

  Well, almost.

  Aetheros, I called in my mind, backed by the power of all four Elements. If you're listening, now would be a good time to start re-entering your children's lives.

  Silence as Gi, Pyrkagia, Aeras, and Nero surrounded us on top of Mount Victoria, overlooking a decimated city, anticipation hanging in the air. The scent of wet leaves and new grass infused me. The heated touch of flames as they licked my skin tickled. The sound of wind whistling, moaning met my ears. The taste of salt and brine tingled on my tongue.

  And finally the dazzling, sparkling, effervescent glow of millions and millions of stars inside our minds, or in front of our eyes, or all around us, it was hard to say. Blinking, twinkling, winking. Making me smile. It was beautiful. Quintessence on loan from a god.

  "Call your Pyrkagia," I instructed Aktor, joy filling every inch of me as those stars danced and twirled.

  It was a testament to how much the old butler trusted me, because he didn't hesitate, despite recent experience telling him this would probably hurt. He reached for his Stoicheio. It came in a rush of flames and bright light and sizzling heat.

  And Theo's thunderous roar of, "Cassandra! What the hell are you doing?" as he pulled us abruptly apart.

  A boom of thunder exploded overhead, even though there were no clouds to signify a storm. Lightning rained down. Wind swept my hair around my face in a frenzy. The ground rumbled and shook, making everyone who wasn't cowering already fall down. A wave of movement buckled and uprooted what was left of the city, rolling outwards, further and further, in all directions. A circular ripple through the earth.

  Blinding lights flashed as rainbows appeared in the sky, stars offering an unexpected and incongruous backdrop. Rain lashed our faces, pounded into the dirt. Sizzling as it hit puddles, boiling up the mud and creating geysers that rocketed towards the heavens.

  "What the hell?" Isadora shouted and then promptly started convulsing on the ground.

  I only had a second to think, Oh, God. What have I done? when those last few stick-like trees left standing burst into flames and licked the storm tossed sky.

  Earth, Air, Water and now Fire. I'd outdone Genesis. And if those stars in the sky were Aetheros bearing witness to my idiotic attempts to return Aktor's Pyrkagia then I'd just delivered the whammy of Elemental packages for the imbalanced world to endure.

  I staggered to my feet, even as Theo tried to reach out for me, lifting my hands up to Aetheros and pleading for it all to end.

  "Stop!" I shouted. "Enough!" I screamed. My hands flung wide, my eyes blazing green and gold and white and ice blue. I could see the colours reflected against the rain, making the droplets into crystallised gems; emeralds, topaz, diamonds and sapphires.

  If I wasn't so scared and so desperate for it to end and feeling so freaking guilty about starting this horrendous disaster, I would have appreciated the beauty before me. The stunning glory of the Elements on display. The awesome power they wielded when joined together. The tremendous awe they forced you to feel.

  Weighted with a terror that stole all cognitive thought.

  Alone they had been stupendous. Combined they were simply monstrous in a stunning way.

  Tears streamed down my cheeks, my chest hurt with every single breath I took. Time seemed suspended, in an otherworldly stretch of pain. I could feel Earth's cries for help. I could hear Air's screams of fury. I could sense Fire's hiss of agony. I could taste Water's bitter torment.

  I was surrounded by Quintessence's stunned reverence.

  My arms lowered on registering that last. My brow furrowed as the ground slowed its roiling and bucking, the wind quietened to just a caress, the rain tempered itself until it was no more than a light drizzle, and the flames on the trees that still burned settled into a warm glow.

  Silence filled the air, eerie and unnatural. No birds sang. No people called out in wonder at the storm that had miraculously occurred.

  No one on Mount Victoria, staring up at me from their fallen positions on the ground, uttered a single word.

  What the hell had just happened?

  I glanced over at Isadora, who was sitting up with Mark's help. She looked wet and bedraggled, but otherwise unharmed. The rest were the same.

  Or at least I thought they were until Nico lifted his hand and the most wonderful thing happened. Fire licked from his fingers, dancing across the tips as though delighted to be returned.

  I spun to find Theo, he was looking up at me still with that look of shock and maybe awe on his face, but I think I was wishing for that last and it was probably more a healthy respect and fear for what I had just done.

  I opened my mouth, unsure what I was about to say, when Aetheros spoke.

  Aether. Oh, my Aether. The first hurdle has been climbed. The long road ahead waits.

  And then he was gone, the stars in the sky disappearing, the dazzling display of twinkling lights snuffing out. And replacing the wind and rain was the sun. The trees were just smoking now and the ground was solid beneath my feet.

  I turned around slowly and looked out over a devastated Wellington city, feeling numb.

  Theo's arms wrapped around my body, and they were more welcome than I would have thought when I'd been feeling so lost and alone and discombobulated right then.

  I'd caused an even larger catastrophe than Genesis.

  I'd possibly killed thousands. Ten of thousands. Oh, dear freaking God, maybe more.

  I turned into his chest and let out a silent scream of agony, somehow managing to hold my tears inside.

  "Cassandra," Theo urged. "Oraia," he pressed. "Why are you so distraught?"

  I pulled back, breathing heavily, and stared up at him in sho
ck.

  "I did this," I cried. "I made this happen. It's all my fault."

  His smile was unexpected. The laughter rumbling through his chest was so not right. Then Aktor and Nico joined in, making me feel like I'd missed something, and Isadora, the bitch-cow, walked over, eyebrows arched, superior look on her face.

  "Gi," she said, her favourite way to talk down to me; Gi being a derogatory term in her mind. "I have my Pyrkagia back."

  "So do I." Nico confirmed what I had witnessed only moments ago, a wide grin on his face, gold blazing from his eyes. "We owe you our sincerest thanks."

  "What?" I said, ineloquently.

  Theo turned me to look at him, lifted my face up to his with tender fingers under my chin.

  "I don't know how you did it, but Casey, you returned everyone's Stoicheio and I'd hazard a guess it wasn't just here in Wellington."

  "What?" I repeated, dumbfounded and sensing a burgeoning swell of hope.

  "That was quite an event," Aktor offered. "The epicentre was definitely you and the waves of your power rolled out in all directions."

  "Probably still are," Mark added. "They didn't look like they were ready to stop."

  Everyone was smiling at me, including Isadora, which was rather hard to take.

  And then Theo said, "I think you halted Genesis. I think you did it." He pulled me close, hugged me hard, kept laying kisses in amongst my hair.

  Then Aetheros' words came back to me, tempering the elation with a cold dose of reality.

  The first hurdle has been climbed. The long road ahead waits.

  Maybe I had stopped Genesis. But I hadn't balanced the world yet.

  I glanced over Theo's shoulder and took in the sight of a bruised and battered city, noting the few humans that had crawled out of their hiding spots and were facing the new day.

  And despite the realisation that we weren't yet done, hope continued to expand inside.

  If we could survive this, we could survive anything.

  At least, I prayed we could.

  Chapter 27

  Dance With Me

  Come dance with me, Aether.