Chapter Nine
I didn’t sleep at all. I just kept thinking about Valeska dying. I replayed it over and over again in my head, but it was different each time. I saw her being stabbed, shot, exploded, drowned… It was like a horror film but with the same person suffering multiple deaths, each one more disturbing than the last.
The Ventus were supposed to be our allies, but instead they had become our enemies. Perhaps it was because they were so new to the Elementus Populas, and didn’t fully understand their role in it all. We were meant to work together, side by side, to make the world a better place.
At about four o’clock, I got out of bed and visited the dojo. I knew that there was no point in trying to sleep when I just wanted to fight. I practised my hand to hand combat skills against one of the training dummies, and once that had worn me out, I began using my powers.
Babajide didn’t like me using them indoors, because I often set off the fire alarm or damaged something. It wasn’t my fault that my secondary power was fire. Ever since Shasa had gained her powers, at thirteen, I had felt this powerful sensation deep within me, and it refused to dissipate. But why should it? At first, as an eleven year old boy, I thought that there was something terribly wrong with me. But then I realised that the fire within burnt brightly for a reason. I was a warrior, as was Visola. We were the two members of the Aqua team who could defend and protect the others. It was our job: our duty.
I stared at the plastic mould of what was supposed to be a man, but the dummy didn’t really look like one. It didn’t even have a face. I held my right hand out, and focused. Sweat began to drip from my forehead, and my body began to heat up. Unlike Shasa, who hated the warmth, I revelled in it. I loved living in a hot and humid country and couldn’t imagine being in a climate that was any different. It was meant to be: fate in action.
As my body secreted sweat, the water vapour in the air surrounding me began to heat up. Ripples of steam began to emanate from both my flesh and the air. I held it tightly around me, like a gaseous cloud hovering close to my body. I cleared a space in front of my eyes so that I could see the plastic training dummy. I honed in on it, and then pointed at it. The steam shot across the space and latched onto the inanimate object, a cloud of sticky vapour entirely covering it. I moved my fingers rhythmically, instructing the warm haze to heat up. The steam burnt hotter, and within seconds I could smell the plastic beginning to melt. I watched as the human shaped object started to soften and contort. It dripped and dribbled, and soon a puddle of liquid plastic pooled onto the floor. When it was almost entirely melted, I let the vapour dissipate, and stopped the process.
Large drops of sweat trickled from my forehead, and I exhaled happily. It was good to see my powers in action. It made me feel more at ease. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt my family.
Suddenly, a blaring klaxon began to sound, and red lights flashed on and off. I jumped in terror, and automatically went into a defensive stance. My muscles tensed and my body stood firm. They were here. They were attacking us. I was ready for them.
It was only after a few seconds that I realised that no one was here to attack us: I had set the fire alarm off. Again. I had forgotten to turn the steam into water, to prevent this from happening. Babajide would be really pissed off at me. I had to make a decision: should I stay here and be screamed at, or should I run back to my room and hide like a coward? I decided to deal with my actions and suffer the consequences.
After receiving a stern telling off from both the fire marshal and the facilities manager, I slipped back into my bedroom. I was surprised that I hadn’t encountered any of my family members or Babajide. They were probably used to my false fire drills, and didn’t bother getting out of bed. Also, we had a very long day tomorrow, and it all kicked off at midday, when the Ventus were supposed to arrive.
I smiled to myself as I pulled the thick, warm covers over my soft skin. If the Ventus did attack us, then they wouldn’t know what hit them. We were far stronger and fiercer than they could ever expect. And most importantly, we were ready for them.
I was ready for them.
Aqua Page 10