Elemental outcast games.., p.1
Elemental Outcast Games: Air (Magic Blood Academy Book 4), page 1
MAGIC BLOOD ACADEMY
Elemental Outcast Games: Air
RASHELLE WORKMAN
Booklover Legion
Copyright © 2022 by RaShelle Workman
Polished Pen Press dba Booklover Legion
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Edited by: Booklover Legion & Debbie Davis
For Jacob.
Thanks for helping me create the backstory for the Shade Rasa.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
About the Author
Also by RaShelle Workman
INTRODUCTION
My name is Harla Flint, and I'm an elemental.
I’m still in the Elemental Outcast Games, but the landscape has changed and is more sinister than ever. But then, so am I.
During a fight between the Daranea monsters and the other contestants, an unknown entity attacks Kai and me. They whisk us to an air city. There I must confront my demons and find my air magic. Otherwise, Kai will be killed.
But when a secret so treacherous is revealed, my whole world is shattered, and I must decide who to trust and whether I truly can love Kai.
Can love alter destiny? I’m about to find out.
CHAPTER ONE
"You all will effing die," I raged, even though no one could hear me.
My body was still comforting Yara and her wounded body while my consciousness was with my shadow magic. My shadow self had climbed up the side of the broken-down building like King Kong in an old movie. It was across the street from the one my body still resided on.
Once I reached the roof, a quick glance around revealed the scope and detail of the dilapidated city. In the distance, I saw what might’ve been the shimmer of water, but I couldn't know for sure. It might be a metal graveyard for all I could tell.
My shadow tracked two competitors who came out of their hiding spots. One was the old lady, Meredith, and the other was Rose. Neither had a bow and arrow, which meant the one who'd shot Yara was still out of sight. But that didn't mean I would let these two live, did it?
"Harla," the old lady said, her voice filled with astonishment. One hand glowed with her fire element. The other with her water magic. And then she rose into the air. The woman possessed three elements. That explained so much. "You needn't fight with us. Return your shadow to your body, and we will not harm you."
I believed Meredith. The elderly woman had a kind face. The face of a teacher as she'd been at one time before she murdered a student.
In response, my shadow huffed, confused. Should I return? The fury that had brought my shadow out in the first place had fizzled. I glanced back at the building where my body and Yara could be seen.
Before I could make a choice, though, heat scorched its way over my shadow.
I roared in pain and returned my focus. The woman who’d made out with Kai—Rose was consumed by her fire magic, and energy burned from her fingers and hands.
Meredith might let me leave in peace, but Rose wouldn't.
"Bitch," she shouted and flung several spheres of heat at me. My instinct was to move out of the way, but my shadow had other plans. She caught the fiery orbs and chucked them back at Rose.
She yelped in surprise and dove out of the way just in time. "You'll pay for that, bitch." Her hand and knees were cut up from the gravel on the rooftop, and her magic sputtered out.
Still, my wrath ratcheted up a notch. I hated that word, and I didn't like Rose much either. She'd enjoyed her time with Kai. But that wasn't enough to murder someone. My shadow sulked toward her.
“Go on,” Meredith said, standing in front of Rose, blocking her.
My shadow stopped, seemingly confused. Then she turned, searching for what to do next.
As she jumped onto the ledge, she glanced back in time to see Rick, the man who'd propositioned my body at the BBQ. He sauntered out from his hiding spot near the fan. My shadow searched his face for the teardrop tattoo and found it still under his right eye.
"I'm just going to go ahead and kill you now." He had an arrow knocked. "You're too crazy even for me," he said and fired the arrow.
My shadow zeroed in on him, and her full-on fury returned. She plucked the arrow out of the air. Turned it around, so the sharpened tip pointed out. Then she took off like a bolt of lightning toward him.
Death, she thought and rammed the arrow into his eye socket.
My consciousness recoiled at the violence.
Rick screamed and fell to his knees, dropping the bow and wrapping both hands around the arrow.
A sense of satisfaction burned as my shadow, and I watched blood pool around the rod in the same way that had happened to Yara. My shadow wanted…
Before she could finish her thought, something heavy weighed over her mind—my mind like a wet blanket. It was hot, thick, and heavy. My shadow slowed as though she were walking through mud. With effort, she—we searched for whoever had done that to my shadow magic.
“Meredith,” I hissed, but all that came from my shadow was a roar of irritation.
The old woman was chanting words. Her eyes were closed as her elements combed into a silvery gray cloud before exiting her hands. The spell encircled me in a magical forcefield.
It felt as though the spell was un-aliving my shadow magic. The magical weight intensified, and I started to panic. It occurred to me that I would be too if my shadow were destroyed. And that would mean Yara would die.
At such a thought, my shadow dissipated, and my consciousness returned to my body.
Back, friend, Yara said. One of her hairy spider legs lifted as though she would touch my face. But it took too much out of her and dropped to her stomach.
"I've got you, Yara." I shook my head, working to disperse Meredith’s magic with my own countermagic. Hers was strong and still clung to me, but the weight was gone, and then that even evaporated.
Able to breathe freely once again, I gave Yara a quick perusal. Though I didn’t want to admit it, I might be unable to help her. "Why did you come for me?" I mourned, biting back tears as I lifted her into my arms. She was so tiny, though bigger than when I first met her. Still, I didn't think she would be okay. The arrow covered half her body, and blood and gore spilled around the rod.
"Stay with me," I whimpered, cuddling her against my stomach with one arm. At the exit, I tugged on the handle with too much force. The heavy metal door flew open, banging the concrete wall. I held it in place with a foot before stepping into the darkness of the building.
The door closed behind me, engulfing me like a gloomy tomb. I waited for my eyes to adjust. Carefully, I took the stairs down, doing my best not to jostle Yara until I reached the first landing. Concrete chunks and debris littered the floor. With my feet, I moved the rubble out of the way until there was space enough for me to lay Yara down and kneel beside her.
In the distance, I heard the drones coming. A reminder that I was in the Elemental Outcast Games, and death was the only way to win. Slay or be slayed was the effing slogan, after all. If I didn't kill the other contestants, they would kill me. That was the nature of the Games, and I'd agreed to play.
All of that was beside the point, though, because I needed to focus on Yara. Gallen had said he recaptured her and released her into the Games. His vile behavior had me seething. How could I hate someone who had a part in creating me? Iris wasn't any better. They were both awful. The Flints, on the other hand? I mourned them daily.
The high-pitched motors of the drones whirred softly as they flew up each flight of stairs, reminding me that I didn't have much time. If they were coming, then so were the other contestants.
When the first drone appeared, its cyclops light blinded me momentarily, and I lifted my hand to ease the pain. “Get away from us.”
Another quickly appeared beside it, followed by another. They circled me like a pack of starving vultures, desperate to record my emotions and facial expressions from every angle.
I gritted my teeth, knowing that saving Yara was a bad idea if I wanted to survive. I'd already fought for the monsters once, which was why my royal parents had tortured me. But doing nothing was out of the question. Yara didn't have the time, and I wasn't inclined to care. Yara would die unless I used my elements to heal her.
"Hang on," I whispered to Yara.
Friend. Her little voice filtered into my mind. She sounded weak. Nearly gone. Her little mouth hung open, and a gurgling sound bubbled up with some blood.
I moaned in frustration, ignoring the drones and only half sensing my shadow still hung out of my reach. She hadn't returned to my ribs but was still on the roof somewhere.
Perhaps she’d gone after Rick to make sure he was truly dead.
A scream came from outside, and I couldn't help but smile at the wickedly glorious sound.
You mustn't allow your shadow e
I did my best to calm down and call my shadow back, but I couldn't find the harmony required to make it happen. My worry for Yara, as well as insurmountable pain at the possibility of losing her, consumed all my emotions. "This might hurt," I said, steeling myself. Carefully, I broke off the end of the arrow and pulled it through her little body.
She let out a chittering sound, her eight legs twitching as her one good wing fluttered at an odd angle beneath her.
CHAPTER TWO
"Easy," I said, holding her in place with one hand and tossing the bloodied shaft at one of the drones. It tried to fly out of the way, but I'd been too quick, and the rod clanged against its metal body.
Now that the arrow was gone, blood poured from Yara’s wound more profusely. I placed two fingers over the hole as a spell formulated. In order to accomplish it, I needed my shadow magic. Or at least her strength. So, I took a cleansing breath. Closed my eyes.
Help me, damn you, I called to her.
Like the stretch of a rubber band, she fought. Roared like a ferocious lion. Her clawed fingers seemed to scrape the inside of my mind like she no longer wanted to be part of me. I felt my consciousness giving way, bending to her intense spirit. She wanted to dominate, and a small piece of myself believed it would be easier just to give in and let her. Because what was the point of having such powerful magic if she couldn’t do what she wanted? She was me, after all. Right?
It's okay, friend. I will return to Mother Earth.
That Yara thought I would let her die had me furious. "No!" I battled my shadow until she finally relinquished and appeared on the landing. Sweat beaded along my hairline as her dark shape moved closer.
With my shadow back, I called upon my other elements. The heat of my fire magic manifested, along with my earth and water. I did my best to harness my shadow magic too. She was like a lightning rod—wild and uncontrollable. Light emanated from my hand, keeping Yara's insides from spilling out. I watched the elements swirl and combine, feeling awed at the power Mother Earth had bestowed on me. That I could heal was such a new feeling. Had I known I possessed such a skill, could I have saved my parents?
It wasn’t the first time I asked that question and probably wouldn’t be the last. Shaking myself from those thoughts, I focused on the spell I was using, but my strength was fading fast.
You will live, Yara. Do. You. Understand? Each word took effort, and I tensed my shoulders, fighting to keep the spell going. Because I wouldn't stop. Not until Yara was healed. Her body was responding. The blood that had been pouring out of her was gone, which gave me a small semblance of hope.
But after several long seconds, I knew that my spell, while powerful, wasn't going to be enough. All because I couldn’t access my air element. Why had it failed me? It’d been there when I tried to escape the juvenile detention center. And I’d felt it stir within at the BBQ when I wanted to give Rose’s face sea horse boils. Yet, for some reason, my air element was out of my reach, just as the earth magic had been. As though, like my past and what had happened to my family, my air element was shut away or lost.
At that realization, I screamed, desperate for it to come out of hiding or wherever the hell it’d gone.
Help me, I called out.
I wasn't sure whether it was to Mother Earth, my shadow, or something unknown. I just knew I couldn't do this alone. Either Yara would be healed, or I would be dead. There was no other option.
I closed my eyes. Clenched my teeth together and dug deep. My body began to shake, and my arms quivered at the effort, but I didn't let go. Even when darkness started to close in around me. I refused to stop the spell until Yara was made whole again.
Abruptly and without warning, my burden lightened. Large, warm hands covered mine.
I gasped at the immediate relief. Opened my eyes and saw Kai squatted across from me, his gaze locked on mine.
Peaceful tingles skittered along my fingers, up my arms, and straight into my heart at the sight of him and the feel of his hands on mine.
"You’re here," I heard myself say.
He nodded, giving me his signature grin, his vibrant blue eyes shining, and then he turned his attention to the spell. Though he didn't possess multiple elements, his water magic buoyed mine, encircling my hands and holding my magic together. His element fortified mine to the point that I wanted to cry.
Thanks to the boost of Kai’s magic, Yara’s wound healed in record time. With amazing wonder, I watched the winged spider monster regain her strength and the life return to her creepy yet somehow adorable eyes.
Friend, you did it, she said.
“We did it,” I replied, stroking the top of her head with one of my fingers. She made a chittering, almost purring sound of contentment, and I glanced at Kai. Though I was beyond exhausted, my pulse quickened at his nearness. Despite his betrayal, he was still the man I’d fallen for. If only we could get past our differences and work together.
Questions abounded, but I didn’t utter any of them. Instead, I nudged Yara over and onto her legs. She shook, sending a bit of her fiery webbing out in all directions. One of them struck my arm, singeing it slightly, but I didn’t care. Her wings were whole again and extended above her. They beat at her back as though she wanted to make sure they worked. When her gaze caught hold of Kai, she hissed in surprise. He is the enemy, she said, her mind angry.
Maybe so, but for now, we’ll leave him be. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to save you. We owe him.
That seemed to placate her, and she lifted into the air. When she was level with the drones, she sent fiery webs at them.
“Don’t,” I said, instantly worried they would retaliate, as they’d done to the others.
Each place her web touched branded the metal. Other than that, they seemed fine. They still worked and continued to buzz around us like blood-sucking mosquitoes hungry for sustenance.
They did go higher into the air, recording us from a distance.
Still not trusting them, I stood. Wiped the concrete dust off my pants. Then glanced at Kai again. He was extra quiet, and I worried about what he might be thinking. His gaze found mine, and he tilted his head to one side as though he were looking at me for the first time.
Perhaps he saw me as a monster as well. “What?” I asked. My shadow had slinked back into my ribs at some point during the spell, and I felt a bit more like myself. But the way Kai was looking at me had me confused and slightly self-conscious.
“You really do care about them, don’t you?” he asked, indicating Yara. He stood and placed his hands on his hips. It was then I noticed he wore a sword strapped to his back, like a modern-day knight in shining armor or something.
“You should too, you know. Our magic comes from them. Without the monsters of the Shade—without Mother Earth—we would be nothing more than regular humans.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “We are a part of them and vice versa,” I added, wishing I could say something that would help him to understand my feelings.
He swallowed. Shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet, kicking at a wayward piece of broken concrete. “I didn’t really believe our magic could heal,” he said, looking up at the drones. What was he searching for? Was he communicating something to Gallen and Iris? Had he saved Yara just so the world could watch him destroy her? While I’d been in the bunker and before I’d trained, he’d made it clear he agreed with the Royals and their stance on what should happen to all the Shade monsters. He believed they should be destroyed. Was that what he intended to do now?
