It came in a blur.

Eira was engulfed in a white light, it stung her eyes and the warmth was too much.

The next time she opened her eyes, she felt like she had just woken up. Except, it wasn't morning, nor was it in the comforts of her bed. There was that annoyingly suffocating heat, a tightness in her chest that forced a cough out of her lungs.

Her skin felt hot to touch and when she looked, the room was in a furious colour of red. She tried to move, there was a weight-

She froze as Jason's hand slipped from her abdomen.

"Jason?" She quaked, her head swaying. She crawled closer to him, rested her hand on his arm but his eyes remained closed. She shook him, but his body only swayed lifelessly.

"Shoot!" Eira cursed. "Don't do this! Please!"

"Shoot indeed."

Eira snapped her head to the voice, fury in her eyes. Eden stood calmly, unaffected by the elements around her. It was burning. They were burning in it. It was a fiery furnace.

"How annoying is it that you guys killed off our explosive man," Eden continued, "now we have to find someone else."

"What are you talking about?" Eira frowned, she slowly rose from the ground. "You monster. Look what you've done."

"It's not my doing, Eira," Eden said, her voice apathetic, but there was a smile that clawed on. "It was in him all along-"

Eira threw up her hands, the ice grew with a rage that was unseen before. Eira didn't care, and she didn't bother controlling it.

There was a dangerous, reckless, indifference in her aim and movement. She released them, and the frost willingly leaped forward at Eden.

Eden was unprepared, her green eyes had rounded. She bent and took a step back, and watched as Eira's ice blasted the ground before her.

The ice grew like glaciers and the fire around them was growing weak. Eira heard the structure groan, she was pushing too hard. Eden escaped through the gaps, slipping out like a fox.

Eira pulled back her powers, the ice melting to water. Unguarded, she recoiled when she saw someone enter the view.

They wore a hood, a long dark cape that covered every part of their body. The fire didn't affect them, the ice didn't affect them.

Eira witnessed a gloved hand, a black feather dangled from it as an accessory. A thousand birds fluttered from the floor and Eira's ice powers couldn't hold them back. Soon, they surrounded her and Eira felt herself sinking like quicksand.

Eira was screaming, but she couldn't hear her voice. No one else could in the endless darkness. She was shouting into the void.

She felt around and realised she could stand, so she stood. She stretched out her hand, but her fingers felt nothing.

She blinked her eyes. Closing her eyes and opening them made no difference. It was pitch black.

"Hello!?" She called, her voice didn't travel. It was tiny, powerless and weak; even if she mustered all her energy, her sound didn't travel or echo. It stopped right in front of her.

The pain came next, something crawling beneath her skin, making their way to her chest, pricking every vein and artery along the way.

"Stop! Make it stop!" She screamed, her knees bending in surrender as she clutched her head, warm tears streaming down her face. The pain ignored her, it bent, wrestled and hauled itself into her core.

***

She woke gasping.

What just happened? She thought. She looked around.

The fire was still burning in the corner, her ice was on the other side. Eden was gone. The figure with a cape was gone.

Her legs felt weak, but her gaze was on Jason, who laid irresponsive.

She stood, shaking. When she buckled, her palm landed on a piece of metal and she screamed in pain.

Within seconds her hand was red, leaving her with ugly burns and blisters. There was an agonising throb that probed her skin, but she ignored it. She composed herself, wiping her tears with her other hand.

"Jason, come on..." She placed her hands under his shoulder. What replaced her fearful eyes was a look of force. She was going to drag him out, no matter what it took.

When they were outside, Eira was puffing. She stumbled to the red box, her fingers were slippery and clumsy as she searched for the way to open it.

Flipping the handle and pulling the door open, she dragged the oxygen mask out, inhaled a few breathes herself before she secured it on Jason's head.

There were a group of men rushing toward them, a few scattered and made their run for the exit. A few, though, charged at her.

She widened her stance, drawing the water from her core. Her tiredness making her unstable.

The water extended, made a powerful whip. The man threw up his leg and a vine wiggles through the liquid and penetrated through. Eira spun to the side, freezing the vine and breaking the statue. The other went low, weaving past her like the wind. She whipped her free arm down, whacking the man to the side. As the pressure of the two drew in on her, she found herself trapped. Left, right, leap, jump, dodge...

Her eyes flickered. A man with flame in his fists lowered and it was aimed at Jason.

Eira wanted to fire an icicle to stop him, but the man drew air and threw off her aim.

"Jason!" She yelled, desperately. Her hand was caught in sharp vines. "Jason, wake up!"

The fire lowered. The fire came closer and closer and closer.

"Jason!!!"

***

"Jason!!!"

There was a sharp alertness that bounced against his skull. His eyes snapped open, and he was staring directly into flames. He reached, caught the man's wrist. His own flame took over, the orange threatening to turn blue as it climbed along the man's arm. The wielder recoiled with a pained cry.

Jason pulled off the oxygen mask, rising unsteadily. He leaned his arm against the wall, closing his eyes and willing his dizziness to settle.

The fire wielder advanced forward, and Jason took a step back, lifting his chin to dodge each punch. Catching the man off guard, he gave the man a hard kick at the back of his knees and forced them to bend. Jason then proceeded to throw him over the railing and he was history.

As Eira managed to untangle herself, freezing the men into statues, she came close to Jason. Her blue eyes ran over him, relief flooding them.

"You alright?" She placed a hand on his upper arm, ready to hold him if he goes unsteady.

Jason nodded, a slight tingle and flutter but it was brief. He detached himself from the railing, stumbled on his feet a bit before they broke off into a jog, leaving the flames and darkness behind.

***

Breaking the mist, breaking the walls, and breaking into the light... Eira almost couldn't believe it. They made it out. She turned, eyeing the building. It did not collapse. The parking lot was empty, they made their way through the front door rather than the stairway.

Eira could hear voices in her earpiece.

"Eira, do you copy?"

"We're outside..." she muttered weakly.

The view was overwhelming: Jayden flew into the air, but was almost shot down. Nick threw matter around - including humans - in the air, but everyone could tell, he was swaying from exhaustion.

"Some stubbornly refused to leave due to their so-called comradery," it was clear who Liona was referring to, "most of them have evacuated. I don't know how you did it, but you saved them," she was trying her best to hold her excitement. "It's a miracle. You even saved the building!"

"I-" Just when Eira was about to speak, there was a sound of an explosion. The wind shot out in alarming speed. They fell down, bracing themselves. The building had collapsed, the internal structures and iron breaking. The building gave its last cry before rock against rock, concrete against concrete, it all fell down.

All that was moving was dust. Everyone was quiet.

"Was that the building?"

"That was the building."

"Never mind, the building is not important anyways," Liona said, then suddenly her voice peaked. "Get in a car and go! Leave!"

They all made their way to a random SUV parked outside. Someone was climbing into the car, but Jason, using the last of his strength, pulled him out savagely and booted him in the head, knocking the man out of consciousness.

"Nick!"

Nick obliged willingly, coming around the corner. "Go to the back. I'll drive. You look terrible."

"Same with you," Jason muttered, retreating. He turned around, nudged Eira into the car. 

The SUV started and drove out to meet the team. Nick lowered his window, and Eira had never heard him shout before but that was the occasion where he did.

"GET IN HERE, NOW!!!"

The hollering sent Jayden flying down. He did a tornado boost that blew the remaining wielders away from him. A wielder zapped a yellow light by his feet, and it exploded underneath him, sending him flipping and flying across the concrete floor.

"QUICKLY!" Jayden heard someone scream.

He made a rough contact with the floor, before flipping back up and proceeded to sprint, racing for the open door. The SUV was already moving and he flew, right into the door before it swung shut.

The party raced off onto the road, swerving from side to side as Nick attempted to balance the car. Everyone on the car had moved along with it, shoving each other to the windows or almost flying off their seat as they did.

"No! Wait!" Jayden climbed up, grabbing Nick's sleeve and speaking in a raspy breath. "We forgot Skyler!"

"No..." Jason shook his head, exhaling painfully. When Jayden turned, everyone could see the confusion swirling in the stormy eyes.

Jayden suddenly swung forwards. Jason and Eira caught him by the edge of his shirt. Nick had stomped his foot on the brake, and the car jerked to a stop.

"I-It's Skyler..."

The pairs of eyes stared through the windshield in front, at the blonde hair and grey eyes. Skyler was standing in front of their car, her eyes cold and emotionless.

"What's going on?" Jayden shook his head. He waved, "Skyler! Come in!" and reached for the door.

"No, Jayden..." Eira grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "She's the reason we ended up like this."

"What?" Nick and Jayden gasped at the same time.

"It's true," Jason added with a cough. "Drive, Nick."

Nick looked forward, swallowing.

"Nick, you won't seriously-"

Nick stomped his foot on the gas. The car roared into motion, picking up its speed.

"Nick-"

Nick turned the wheel and the car moved around Skyler and left dust in its wake.

"Impossible!" Jayden protested, moving around in his seat, turning his head to look at Skyler, now abandoned far behind. "We have to go back! I'm not leaving her!"

"She's a traitor, Jayden. Don't you ever feel like they expected you guys to make the rescue today?" Eira tried her best to hold her patience, but the throbbing in her hand got worse and her mood took a sky dive.

Jayden shook his head, still in denial when Jason leaned forward to meet him in the eyes. "Enough. Everyone's tired. You're not wrong to ask for an explanation, though. You will get one. Just not right now."

The car grew silent. Jayden's demands died down and his exhaustion caught up, perhaps feeling that it would be selfish to continue. He slumped back on the seat and stifled a frustrated groan, muttering an apology soon after.

The lights flickered red as Nick made the exit of the motorway, and as if Nick was asleep, he didn't notice.

Jason grabbed Nick's headrest, "Nick, the lights."

When he realised, he had panicked, pressing hard on the brakes, the car shrieked to a stop. Everyone in the car jerked forwards. As everyone's gasp can be heard in the background, Nick inhaled a quick breath.

"Sorry... my mistake."

Jason stared at his friend worryingly, watching as he gripped onto the steering wheel tightly. Knuckles white and a slow trail of blood coming down to his cheek from his forehead.

"Almost there," Jason patted him on the shoulder and Nick gave a small nod, feeling the sensation in his forehead cut grow a tiny bit better.

Everyone sunk back into the seats, half-asleep.

Eira was between Jayden and Jason. She eyed Jayden carefully, the usual hot temper of the team. His silence mixed with a glazed look of confusion and denial. She bit her lower lip, even she had trouble accepting the truth. 

Eira felt a small nudge. It did not alarm her, she knew who it was. Jason was looking at her with a weary gaze, his exhaustion written all over his face. His glance moved down his arm and Eira followed.

His fist, once closed, was now open. Eira knew what he was trying to do, she clenched her injured hand and looked back with reluctance and protest. She gave a small shake of her head to make her refusal visible. But Jason subtly nodded his head, his fingers extending to make his hand bigger.

He was trying to whisper. Eira could see that the voice died in his dry throat, but she made out the words.

"It's okay..." He nodded once. "It's alright."

Then, he gave a faint smile. Eira looked back at his palm, one hand releasing the other, she slipped her injured hand into his.

Jayden and Nick did not notice, their attention thinning by the second as the car swayed on, driving consistently on the road. And all Eira could feel was her pain subsiding, and a warmth spreading in her chest.

She leaned back on the seat, her eyes back on Jason, checking his expression for any pain, for anything he can't withstand. She was prepared to withdraw her hand anytime, but she saw no twitch, no wince, just Jason's copper eyes staring back at her. He smiled wider, then closed his eyes, his smile fading. Eira tensed, her hand escaping, but Jason gave a gentle squeeze, holding her.

"It's okay," he whispered again.

***

A/N

That was a massive chapter.

Hope you enjoyed it tho!

Did you expect Skyler to be a baddie?

😁

L