Chapter 17

"Demitree," I stuttered out. "What happened to your eye?"

He turned his head to look at me, his left eye back to being a strong dirt brown. He looked sad and shameful as Tricen stood up and walked over to us, a depressed look on his face.

"We were attacked, separated from the others." Tricen started as he rubbed Demitree's back. "I was about to be attacked from behind and Demitree moved fast enough to block it…"

"But not fast enough to defend myself." Demitree finished as he looked down at the ground. "I…I can't see out of my right eye anymore."

It didn't truly hit me until he actually said that sentence. Demitree was now blind in his right eye… I just didn't want to believe it, that something like this happened to such a sweet and friendly person like him. I was the one looking at the ground now, the weight of this…war feeling heavier by the second. The quiet couldn't have gotten any more awkward, in my opinion. Riven was the first to break the silence.

"Well, we can't stay here for much longer." He stated as he stood up, a serious expression on his face. It didn't fit him. "Since Tricen pretty much destroyed this building, plus we need to find the others."

I wanted to object, that none of us were fit to move anytime soon, but I looked around first. He was right, the building was completely wrecked, and finding the others now held utmost importance. I swallowed the bile of my objection and moved to stand up, quietly groaning as I heard my shoulder squeak in protest. Demitree and Tricen followed as I noticed the older woman, who I still didn't know the name of, was unconscious.

Tricen picked her up with ease and placed her in a bed that was standing firm, but also partially charred. We stood there, for who knows how long, looking at the ground, each other and even the sky, before we started walking away. I shuddered unintentionally when we exited the village and I looked back for a second. Besides the destroyed building, it was peaceful and calm. I knew better than to even hope it would stay that way for long, but I still did it anyways.

My mind kept wandering between the remaining missing brothers, and the new people I had met, and the war that was starting. It was so peaceful when I first got here, but now danger lies behind every rock and plant. I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around all of it. That, or I didn't really want too.

Riven was walking out in front and I was tailing behind. I felt powerless as well as confused. All of them held some kind of elemental ability, I was a normal person. I saved Riven once, out of pure impulse and luck. I doubt it could happen again. When this fight, this war, truly begins, will I be an asset or just be in the way?

I honestly had no idea how long we had been walking this time. The sky was still dark from Tricen's power surge or, maybe, it was nighttime already. I didn't really care though. Riven was no longer limping and the burn marks on his stomach were barely visible. His strength seemed to return just fine, luckily for him. I felt weak, afraid and in the way. Plus, I had no idea where we were, but that part wasn't new.

We were walking along a rocky terrain with little greenery. A couple times I lost my footing and, if it wasn't for Demitree, would've busted my head on the rocks. I kept silently cursing myself for being clumsy. I had slipped and almost fallen a few more times before Riven decided we needed to stop for a rest. I looked around and shivered, the air was getting a lot colder.

Demitree shivered as well after closing his eyes as he tried to curl up. Then, he shot up, his eyes wide open as he began to look around. He didn't say anything as his head whipped back and forth before he started to walk further ahead. It took us a minute to realize, we should probably follow him.

He was already a good deal in front and he had started running too. The air was getting colder and the rocks were now slippery. He finally stopped, but he was still a good deal a head of us and there was someone with him. Sadly, I didn't realize Noah was the person until I could see his face. His expression was a mix of happiness and pain.

"Noah!" Demitree stammered before hugging him tightly. "I was afraid I wouldn't find you."

Noah almost started crying instantly, but he sniffled and held it in as he hugged Demitree back tightly. As he hugged his brother, the air got colder and the rocks cracked under his feet.

"I don't mean to sound rude." Tricen had started, his voice back to being monotone. "But some of us can't stand the cold like you, Noah."

Noah grimaced in response before sucking in a deep breath. As he exhaled slowly through his nose, the ice started to disappear. I looked around at our area. Nothing really besides barren, rocky terrain. Sin, Aster and Fahren were still missing as far as I knew. Everyone was quiet again as Noah and Demitree had parted.

Another piercing headache happened. I was down on my knees in pain, squeezing my eyes shut. The pressure was horrible and there was a loud shrieking noise behind my ears. I felt Riven's hand on my shoulder as well as Demitree's. It was gentle and calming at first, then both became a grip. I opened my eyes as much as I could and regretted it.

It looked like a giant lizard made out of dirt, leaves and vines. Riven and Tricen growled a little, Demitree looked a little scared while Noah stood in front of him protectively. I felt confused for a second. Noah looked the most ready to fight while the other three seemed more willing to run. The cold came back faster this time and Riven had picked me up.

"Noah, be careful." Demitree almost pleaded as they turned and walked away. Noah nodded and gave his brother a small smile.

We go to far away, enough we were a good distance away from the fight, but not enough that we couldn't see it. Noah did not look like the shy and timid little kid I had originally met anymore and he hadn't started fighting yet. My headache was still there, but I managed to ignore it for now. Noah's 'ice armor' had covered his body now.

I couldn't see much of him, but I could still make out the scorpion like tail. I could still feel the cold air, but it wasn't below freezing where we were standing. The rocks near Noah had cracked from the cold, I didn't even want to try guessing what the temperature was like around them.

The next thing I saw that did actually surprise me was fog surrounded the area around their feet. But it wasn't fog exactly. It wasn't as thick and it didn't seem to hard visibility. It was a transparent, dust-like fog. I had no clue what to think about it.

The lizard finally decided to move and attack Noah, but he was faster than the creature. The thing was actually pretty slow moving. It only got slower as the weird fog rose and started to become denser. I turned and looked at the others. Riven and Tricen were watching intense interest while Demitree looked nervous and scared.

I heard a crack sound and snapped my head back to the fight. The creature foot had broken off from being frozen, but it had regenerated and managed to throw Noah back a bit. Noah now had a large cut down his right arm. Demitree took a step towards the fight, but Tricen held him back.

Noah stood up, holding his arm, and glared at the creature. The thing took another swipe at Noah, who barely managed to dodge a fatal blow. The rocks started to rupture, bursting into several pieces, from the intense temperature drop. The creature's legs kept freezing and breaking off, but it only regenerated the limbs back. Noah looked like he was breathing heavy.

The armor around his hands melted away as he dodged another close attack. Placing his hands on the ground, I saw all of the armor melt away except for the tail. The creature was moving slower now, but it was making its way to Noah. He didn't move, but kept his eyes trained on the rocks in front of him.

"I swear, the kid's gotten a lot smarter." Riven said quietly. "And stronger."

I looked at the other guys for a second. Though the expressions were a little different, all were in awe of their little brother. I looked back at Noah, only to be in shock. The creature was completely frozen in place with ice spikes, formed from the cracks in the rocks and exposed dirt, spearing into its body. Noah had fallen over a bit, sitting on the ground and holding his weight on his left arm.

I sighed out of relief, glad that was over quickly. Riven had finally set me down as Noah started making his way towards us. He had a small, weak smile on his face. To me, it made him look like a child again. He hadn't moved to far away when a huge crack appeared in the ice surrounding the creature. Its eyes moved enough to look at Noah.

I felt the color drain from my face as the ice completely shattered. It wasn't just the ice. I saw dirt and leaves flying as well. Now standing there was a reptilian canine looking creature. It had a few cuts, bleeding even a little, on its legs and neck. Noah eyes started to glow a light blue. Then he did something that really made him look like a kid. He stuck out his tongue.

That seem to enrage the creature as it roared and moved to swipe at Noah, long and sharp looking claws glistened now. I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. It happened in slow motion as I watched. Actually, the creature was slowly down. Right before the claws touched him, it stopped moving completely. I took one good look at it.

The body looked stiff and statue-like, its eyes resembled frozen ice crystals. Even just looking at it, it looked like one of the most fragile statues ever. I only got a few seconds to look at it though because once Noah pulled his tongue back inside, the creature itself broke into several and small pieces. I saw Noah fall onto his knees as Riven moved towards him.