Chapter 5
The Victory
Icefire watched in horror as Snowburner writhed on the floor. She let rage consume her and she slammed into Sotako's side, causing him to fall. As he regained his footing, her foot connected with his stomach and he flew back, hitting the wall. Icefire helped Snowburner to his feet, keeping his uninjured arm over her neck and walking quickly to the exit. She shoved him through the hole in the door and turned to see if Sotako was up. She saw the black-haired boy stand dizzily and stumble around a bit before seeing her and giving chase. Icefire turned and fled, pushing a slow Snowburner forward and guiding him to the exit. She didn't dare glance back in fear of what she might see. She ran faster, keeping Snowburner in the right direction. She pulled him outside, slipping through the melted door, and made a break for HomeOak. Icefire could see he wouldn't make it there; he was just too weak, the skin around his wound gave off a greenish glow. She tried to pull him along, but he kept falling back. She let out a howl for help and almost immediately, Wolf, Tiger, and Nightsky dropped out of HomeOak and raced toward them. Icefire hurried Snowburner along while Nightsky and Tiger fought off oncoming attackers and Wolf kept Sotako at bay. Snowburner began to unsteadily climb the low branches of HomeOak. Wolf jumped up to help him while Icefire bounded wearily ahead of them. She reached the top as Falcon rushed over to pull Snowburner up the last few steps. As soon as he got to the top, he collapsed on the wooden floor, panting in exhaustion.
"Thanks." He gasped gratefully, rolling onto his back and clutching his now green arm. Silver noticed his arm and rushed to tend to his wound. She focused on his arm and muttered something under her breath. Diamond-white light flared out of the palm of her hand, enveloping Snowburner in a shining iridescent cocoon. The pain in the boy's face softened to an expression of peace as the magic wove around his wound. As the wound healed, the white light faded and was replaced by a sickly gray-green color. Silver's hand quivered with strain as she sucked the poison from Snowburner's arm. The blue-eyed girl's entire body trembled at the amount of power that was being used. The gray-green light dimmed and went out. Silver finally sat back, her face ghostly pale.
She gathered herself as best she could and spoke in a wavering voice. "He only needs to rest now." She tried to stand but fell back, only to be caught by Falcon.
"Easy. Don't strain yourself." The black-haired girl told her, setting her down gently beside Azalea.
Icefire noticed that Sotako's sister looked much better and that most of the other Guardians' wounds were healed completely. Silver must have used her magic on them.
No wonder she is called The Healer, she thought, noticing that Silver's eye was no longer swollen.
Azalea was sitting upright and bright-eyed, braiding her snow-colored hair. Icefire sat down behind her and gently took the messy strands from her hands, starting over.
"You like your hair braided?" she asked Azalea, twining the locks of hair.
"It is a war braid, from the Tribes of the Oceans. My people were at war with those who controlled the flames-"
"There is a proper name for my people, you know." Pyro interrupted Azalea from where she sat in a corner of HomeOak's main room. "They are the Fire Clans."
The white-haired girl continued. "Sorry. My people were at war with the Fire Clans. All the female warriors wore their hair in a braid. Our hair is thicker when braided and protected the backs of our necks from the sword."
"I see…. How is it that you come to know of these things?" Icefire asked, still braiding. "I thought you were found here when you were young."
"I can tap into the memories of my people. I can see their past. The Fire Clans, the Sky Kingdoms, and the Earthen Cities can do it as well."
"And last time I checked, the Fire Clans won that war, against all odds." Pyro told her.
Azalea rolled her eyes. "That's Pyro for you; just as proud as her ancestors, maybe even more so."
"If I didn't know you well enough to know that you're just kidding, I'd have gotten you so bad, you'd have taken that back."
"Dream on, Sparky." As soon as Icefire had finished braiding her hair, Azalea leaped playfully onto Pyro, bowling her over. The raven-haired girl pushed her off, enjoying the game, and squished her flat against the wall. The two tussled around the wooden floor for a while before tiring and sitting side-by-side, panting and laughing.
Icefire leaned against the wall and stared out of the gap in the wall, her eyes widening at what she saw. She crawled closer and looked out again, confirming her suspicion. Many members of the enemy stood outside, holding flaming torches.
Fear tightened her stomach as she shouted, "They're going to smoke us out! They're going to set fire to HomeOak!"
Her friends gathered around her, following her gaze.
"You're right!" Echo exclaimed.
"Any ideas?" Falcon asked.
Icefire glanced at her friends; she stared at the fear in each ones eyes. Even Echo's blind gaze revealed fright.
Realization hit her like a lightning bolt. "Pyro!" she called to the black-haired girl, "You control fire. Can you use that ability to keep the flames away?"
Pyro nodded and Azalea volunteered to help extinguish the fire. The two set to work turning the blazing sticks away from the branches of HomeOak and putting out the flames completely.
Icefire's gaze fell on Echo. "Protect Snowburner at all costs." She told the blind girl. The purple-eyed kid nodded and crouched in front of their leader's resting form.
She turned to Silver and Nebelung, "I need you two to guard the entrance. Once they realize that their fire attacks aren't working, they'll swarm up HomeOak like locusts." The two girls agreed and firmly placed their feet by the branches leading to the main room of the giant tree that they called home.
"Icefire," she turned to see who had whispered, but no one was paying any attention. Nightsky was talking to Wolf while Tiger and Bramble devised a plan.
"Icefire…." It seemed that the very air was speaking to her, but no matter how hard she concentrated, Icefire couldn't see anyone. "Icefire…" There it was again! The voice tickled her brain, breathing inside her head. "Come to me, Icefire… fall into the trap of The Headmaster." The sound hissed.
"No." she whispered, closing her eyes and trying to block out the voice. "I won't."
"Come to me…" the voice breathed softly, intoxicating her mind.
"No, go away!" she gasped as the sound shrieked at her.
"You will come!" it screamed shrilly.
Icefire dropped to her knees, clutching her head in pain as the voice pierced her thoughts. Her head became fuzzy, as though she were fighting through a thick fog. "Leave me alone!"
The voice grew louder and shriller, until it threatened to engulf her in high-pitched sounds. Icefire struggled to stay alert and focused. Suddenly, there was a loud blast of energy and the voice was torn from her head. She shakily opened her eyes and came face-to-face with Falcon. The raven-haired girl was struggling with a dark shadowy figure. It slashed at her face, but she shielded herself with dark energy. The creature had a pointed head, four sharp spider-like legs, clawed hands, and no face. It was completely black and hissed like an enraged snake. Falcon, arms outstretched, shrieked something in an unearthly language and the dark creature dissolved, flowing into the girl.
"I eternally bind you to my service, Night-mare!" She breathed, her eyes closed. She opened them and lurched forward, her cape swirling as she fell to her knees. Silver rushed to her side, inspecting the trembling girl. The others stood back and gave them room, Nightsky taking Silver's place at the entrance to HomeOak.
Icefire was too weak to move; she stayed where she was, hugging her sides. Falcon regained her footing and, though still gasping, managed to stand straight. Silver checked Icefire, studying her with concerned azure eyes.
"Are you okay?" the silvery-blonde-haired girl asked.
Icefire gathered herself up as much she could. "Yeah…. What was that thing?"
"A Night-mare, and a fully grown one too." Falcon spoke first, straightening up. "They are very dangerous creatures, at that."
"You need to rest," Silver ordered firmly, but gently. She turned to Icefire, "both of you. Handling a Night-mare takes a lot of energy."
Icefire had to know. "Why was it inside my head to begin with?"
Silver paused, as though choosing her words. "I don't know." She began, "Night-mares are usually nocturnal creatures, unless given the chance to be let into a mind."
Icefire flashed back to a time when she was left in a dark room for six days with a shadow creature. At the time, the thing appeared to be a giant, blunt-headed salamander with glowing pink eyes and two rows of serrated triangular teeth. "How long can a Night-mare remain inside a mind?"
"For as long as needed." Silver told her gravely. "Why?"
"Many years ago, when I was about six, I was locked in a cold, lightless room. There was a dark creature in the room with me. It looked like a big salamander with sharp teeth and glowing pink eyes. Just before they released me, the creature disappeared." She explained.
"I see," Silver said thoughtfully. "That was a premature Night-mare you saw. It had somehow found a way into your mind and had stayed there until the present moment."
Icefire shuddered at the thought of a creature living inside her head for almost seven years. "So, why did it wait until now to come out?" she asked.
"Who knows. It could be a number of reasons." Silver responded. "Night-mares are drawn to power, serving only the strongest and their army, if one had such a thing. Perhaps The Headmaster purposely placed the premature Night-mare in the room with you, in hopes of it reaching your mind. Maybe that was what he had intended to happen."
Icefire thought back, and considering what happened in the last few days, she could almost be sure it was true.
Suddenly, a group of enemy soldiers swarmed up the branches of HomeOak. Tiger and his twin leaped onto the leading kid, an older student called Lonek. Nightsky was wrestling with a young girl with a scar on her arm, and Nebelung barreled into a boy called Zapher. Echo scratched at a boy well older than she was, and heavier to add another fact. He knocked her over in an attempt to get to Snowburner, who stirred at the sound of Echo's scream. She lay pinned to the floor by the larger kid's foot, which lay heavily on her thin stomach.
"Get off her!" Snowburner screeched, pouncing on the boy. He stumbled backward and while he and blonde-haired boy wrestled, Icefire rushed to Echo's side. The blind girl was on her back, motionless, her sightless eyes shut tightly. Her breath came out in ragged gasps.
Relief escaped Icefire in immeasurable amounts as the black-haired coughed, opening her purple eyes, and struggled to sit before leaping back into battle, bowling over a girl who was sneaking up on Snowburner, who was still occupied with the brown-haired kid.
Icefire crouched and swung her extended leg around to trip a redheaded boy. Two other kids, one with blonde hair and the other a brunette, instantly crushed her. The weight of the two was too much for her to handle. She thought about giving up, but quickly pushed it away. She gathered as much strength as she possibly could, and rolled, flattening her attackers as best she could. Their grip loosened enough for her get up, only to be tackled by the redhead who she had tripped moments earlier. He pinned her to the ground, but she pushed him off.
Icefire leaped onto a stumbling girl, knocking her over before racing toward Silver, who was fending off four kids at once. She high-kicked a surprised girl, catching her on the side of the head with the top of her foot. The brown-haired girl fell hard, and Icefire moved to a boy whose full attention she had. She faked a left and lashed out with her right foot, slamming into the tendon in the back of his knee, causing him to fall. Silver allowed to keep still until the last two attackers leaped for her. She then lunged forward, her opponents slamming onto the ground in a pile. As they struggled to untangle themselves, Silver and Icefire moved on to another set of kids, pushing through the throng. When Icefire reached Falcon, wrestling with a boy much older than her, Silver had been sidetracked with a couple of dark-haired girls. The boy who was fighting Falcon grabbed her raven-colored hair and pulled her down. Falcon screeched in pain, in an attempt to throw the boy off her back, sent waves of uncontrolled black magic flying in all directions.
To protect her friends, Icefire created a shield of ice over Falcon to keep her magic contained. "Falcon! Calm down!" she shouted, trying hold together the faltering ice-bubble.
The red-eyed girl heard her friend, slammed the boy into the wall of the circular shield, and fell to her knees, exhausted.
Icefire let the ice melt and hurried to inspect Falcon for any wounds she might have caused herself. She noticed the same greenish glow that had emitted from Snowburner's wound color the skin on black-haired girl's neck. Falcon gasped for air, her breathing failing quickly. Icefire had to do something fast.
Without thinking, a tumble of words spilled out of her mouth in a rhyme she had never heard before,

"Spirit's breath,
of noble death,
give me the burden to bear,
my friend's life, please spare.
I free you, Falcon, from the
poison that steals your life.
No longer with you feel the pain."
Falcon's body quivered with unconscious relief as the poison left her. Icefire trembled as she felt her friend's pain enter her body. From her head to her toes, the hurt flowed through her, making cry out. She felt Falcon instinctively shut her out, leaving her pain behind. Icefire fell back and lay on the floor, shivering as the poison ran through her body in an uncontrolled river. She tried to hold it in one place, tried to keep it contained.
Through blurred vision, Icefire saw Snowburner race to her side, shaking her shoulders with fear in his eyes. She tried to respond, but if she did, the poison would slip from her grasp.
Hold on, she told herself. Hold on.
Then she heard Snowburner. "Hold on!" he shouted frantically. "Hold on!"
Icefire's sight failed more and everything lost shape. She saw many colors shift by in rapid motions, flying by almost so fast she thought they mixed into new colors. She had a firm grip over the poison that leaked only slightly through her tight hold on life. She clenched it so tightly she thought it would burst under the pressure. The colors swirled faster and faster, until she felt dizzy and started to lose her grasp. To prevent that, she closed her eyes and concentrated on one thing: containing the threat.
Just as she was about to give up, Icefire felt the presence of a new force: one of good. She let it flow through her, dissolving the poison, making it smaller. Her vision started to slow and clear, she saw shapes and began to distinguish the faces of each person. She tasted something in her mouth and instinctively started to chew it. The object felt fuzzy and tasted of plants and the forest floor. She felt its strong juice trickle down her throat and strengthen her. She fought against the poison and allowed the leaf in her mouth to fall into her stomach. Her sight came back fully and she saw Nebelung leaning over her, green eyes sparkling with relief.
"She's going to be fine." The blue-gray-haired girl said, sitting back. "I'm still surprised that she made it this far."
Icefire looked around her, watching the faces around her stare back with relieved expressions. Snowburner leaned forward, gazing into her face. She struggled to sit upright and her friend helped her.
Icefire glanced around. This wasn't where she had been a few minutes ago! She thought as she recognized the second story of HomeOak, used as an infirmary. "How'd I get here? I was just on the first floor, defending HomeOak. What happened to the battle? I was only down for a couple of minutes!" the questions tumbled out of her mouth so fast she was surprised that her friends even registered any of it.
"You were out for over five days." Silver told her worriedly. "Everyone thought you were dead. It was Nebelung who had noticed that you were still breathing."
Icefire glanced gratefully at the blue-gray-haired girl, but she still had one unanswered question, "But I was conscious for the entire time and I was only down for a few minutes. How can that be?"
"It's the effect on Dragon's Poison. It makes time speed up for the one who is infected with it." Snowburner explained. "When I it ran through my veins, it felt like only seconds when in reality, it had been almost ten minutes."
"And for you it must have only felt like minutes when it was actually days." Silver continued.
"Then what did you cure me with?" Icefire asked.
"Yarrow mixed a little Lamb's Ear." The silver-haired girl replied.
Icefire didn't understand, but she thanked The Healer anyway.
"What I don't get is how you held on for so long. How did the poison get in you?"
"It was originally in my blood stream." Falcon spoke up when Icefire faltered. "She saved me somehow and when I came to, she was glowing green with Dragon's Poison."
Silver inspected Icefire closely. "How interesting…. Do you remember what you did to receive the poison from Falcon?"
Icefire thought hard, then answered. "I think I said, 'Spirit's breath, of noble death, give me to burden to bear…..my friend's life, please spare. I free you, Falcon, from the poison that steals your life. No longer will you feel the pain.' And then the poison flowed into me and….." her voice faltered.
"I see." Silver said thoughtfully, "I don't know what you did, but it sounds like a spell of some sort."
"That's because it is a spell." Everyone turned to Pyro. "It is an ancient spell from the depths of the Fire Clans history." The black-haired leaned closer, "What you did was a Fire Clan healing spell."
"But I don't know any spells, especially not ones from a place I've never been or even heard of until these past few days." Icefire said incredulously, eyes widening.
"Maybe there's more to it." Azalea whispered. Pyro nodded her agreement.
Icefire didn't know where this was going, but if it were about her past, especially part that she didn't remember, she was ready for anything.