Chapter 9 – The Black Flame

Most of the students were back Monday morning with the others arriving in the afternoon and Sapphire felt a strange tingling sensation running through her body she ran to the woods not sure what was happening, and her magic erupted, all the magic she had held in for months had broken lose and moved around her dangerously, all four elements were out at once and she struggled to get them under control. Dimity had followed her, her eyes wide with fear as she watched the girl's magic seep out of her and out of control. She shouted words of encouragement to Sapphire of whom was too busy panicking whilst trying to get the element magic under control.

Sapphire blacked out as something had hit her.

Dimity had seen what had hit her, it was black flame it wasn't technically a flame as it was smoke of different shades of grey. The school was in danger, she picked Sapphire up and carried her back to the school, thankful the girl wasn't heavy. In fact, she was strangely light for a thirteen-year-old.

She put her in her bed, a good portion of those that had returned from half break had seen her bring Sapphire in and rush her to her room, Hecate and Ada had followed her. Dimity was too shaken to speak.

"Dimity?" Ada questioned.

"Dimity you going to have to speak, what the hell happened" Hecate asked with worry after seeing the look of fear on her best friend's face.

"Black flame" Dimity spoke in such a small voice that both the women couldn't hear.

"You're going to have to speak up" Hecate stated.

Dimity started from the beginning whilst shaking and in a very scared tone " I followed Sapphire to the woods I had noticed her tense and run there, she was near the lake and her magic burst its way out of her, all four elements surrounding her out of control ready for a fight, and she struggled to get it under control, looked almost pointless to try, she did try, she really did, the magic scared her I could see it, she was scared. She put up a good fight and then out of nowhere black flame hit her" Soon as she had stopped talking, she pulled Sapphires top up just above her stomach and there on her stomach was a wound so deep and bloodless, it had destroyed her stomach.

Sapphire woke up a week later screaming in excruciating pain her parents beside her and the wound was bigger and septic. The elements were talking in a corner using an ancient language. They turned to Sapphire and nodded. They left for the woods. Sapphire had passed out from the pain.

She woke up again the next day to a cooling sensation around the injury. The elements had found a way to heal the injury and Aqua the Water Element in the shape of a woman was applying some kind of healing ointment on her.

Dimity walked in a breathed a sigh of relief. "You put up quite a fight, I'll take it your magic sensed danger and rose to the occasion to protect you, yet it went out of control?" Sapphire nodded.

"The schools on lockdown, so no-one is allowed outside including staff" Dimity wanted Sapphire to know that the situation was being taking seriously. "There are no classes, all staff are on high alert".

Sapphire was well enough to be out of bed a few days later and as she walked around the school there were many students whispering between each other, and she didn't like it. How have I been found, I was as discrete as I could be, no-one except certain members of staff knew.

All students and staff had gathered in the hall, so everyone was accounted for.

Thunder roared bringing heavy winds and out of nowhere a dark mysterious voice could be heard loud and clear "Give me the girl and I will leave the rest of you alone; give me the girl and I will leave you all alive and your school intact".

Sapphire had heard the voice before it was the black flame it had come back for her.

"Don't listen to it" Dimity shouted so everyone could hear her "No matter what we do handing Sapphire over will not prevent anyone's deaths, black flame leaves nothing untouched, ever. It's a dark entity, it cannot under any circumstances be trusted".

Students started screaming and Miss Hardbroom who hated the sound of screaming silenced everyone with a flick of her wrist. The students looked around confused.

"Give me the girl, your magic isn't strong enough Cackles, not even the staffs are, the element bender is all I require, nothing more, nothing less". Black flames voice could be heard once more.

After a couple of minutes in silence, the Smokey greyness of the black flame burst into the hall, shattering all the windows, fear spread round the school and everyone except Hecate had gotten as close to the walls as they possibly could.

Hecate stood there and spoke loud and clear "The element bender will not be handed over; I however would like to know how you heard she was here?"

"That is not your concern" The dark entity responded.

Hecate not being one to back down, spoke again "I think you will find it is my concern, look around you, you have entered without authorisation into our territory and terrorising the school".

Black flame wasn't too bothered about Hecate as her words meant nothing to it, it had come for one thing, the girl, and then to kill all witnesses and destroy the school.

The black flame looked around until he saw the multi-coloured eyes of a pale girl in different attire to the other students. It hesitated until she stepped forward with a smirk on her face and a braced body, this was the girl it had injured.

Sapphire moved her hands in circles and a stunning Bull shark appeared in the air behind the dark entity made entirely out of water. Black flame turned around and felt fear. The Shark was expertly conjured and Sapphire eyes had turned a teal colour. It tuned to look back at the girl who raised her head knowing what was to come she would have to come out of the shadows and show who and what she really was to everyone, the thought terrified her, but it had to be done. With a smooth circular motion of her right leg a large plant came out of the floor tall with 6 petals closed as if to insinuate a mouth, it was carnivorous, it had stem green and its head was red with black spots. The roots ran up the stem to create 4 legs and as it stretched as though waking from a deep sleep it took its first steps and then stared, braised as though ready to attack. Her eyes were both teal and forest green.

Sapphire then raised her arms in a circular motion and out from behind her emerged a grey dragon made entirely out of air also expertly conjured. Her eyes now , teal, forest green and a bluey grey.

One more flick of her hands by her side a fire of all colours roared she was ready for a fight. She was still in a lot of pain, but no one would have guessed buy her stance. Her eyes were now all four colours, teal, forest green, bluey grey and yellow.

Black flame tried to flee, but Sapphire wouldn't make it that easy for it she had the carnivorous plant wrap around it first, the black flame tried to attack her from above, then the shark attacked it, which turned into a thick bubble and then the flames which turned pink and then a sparkling white last to go was the dragon, which much like the last two elements wrapped itself around the ball. The black flame knew it was game over, it hadn't been told of the powers this element bender had, it was terrified. Sapphire held her hands in front of her crossed them and then flicked them to the sides to tell the elements to disperse and the dark entity had gone.

Everyone in the room looked at Sapphire in amazement whose eye's were multi coloured. Sapphire left the room after letting them all know it was safe again and the windows had been fixed. She did not want to hang around and listen to anyone's opinions or answer any questions.