STORMBORNS

The Cliff Of Storm

The tunnels wound down further and further, tunnels which were narrow and suffocating. Each was echoed with a sound of the steps of boots above, which still reminded that the forces of the Academy were never far behind. Storms swam in Aria, thrummed at the breast, and was a caged predator. Her hands went up by reflex and a shower of little lightning flashed along the rough walls. Kael flashed her blue fire at her side, which bathed the path with an unperturbed intensity and directed them.

But there--there, he said to himself, with the hand that was always firm upon her back, the other stroking the flames and exposing the passage. "Keep your focus. Don't let it control you."

Aria gulp and he grabbed him by the arm and they turned a sharp curve. The tunnel was a break-out on a ledge of cliff, its wind blowing down on the sea. Sweet relief came, as near as possible, to overwhelm her. Her tempest above was a reflection of her own beating, dark clouds coming rolling in, lightning playing dismally on the horizon. They had done it... as she believed.

There was a body in the way of the thin exit. Unruffled. Immobile. Faint glimmer flashed through the low light of the storm as silver trimmed robes shone. Lord Sereth.

Aria froze. Her chest tightened. This was the man who had hunted her family, the presence of which contained centuries of oppression. The censor of tempest, the last weapon of the Council against whoever might be considered uncontrollable.

Kael moved in her way, blaze up his arm as a shield of fire. We... we can still go round, he said to himself, yet there was no other way out of the ledge.

The cold calculating eyes of Sereth flashed. There is no escaping what has to be in it, he said. His hands were uplifted, and an energy of repressive power was pressing forth, and was bending the wind itself. The tempest which enclosed them answered, and snarled and whipped about like Sereth was the god of the air.

Aria's heart pounded. She attempted to lift her hands and lightning was spurting out uncontrollably out of her fingertips, but the presence of Sereth dampened it, dragging it away. Her storm mixed with the blue fire flaring of Kael and sheltered them against the first hurling of wind.

Fight, Kael jumped in, and put his nose close. "Together."

They moved as one. The lightning Aria threw flanked away, and struck the aura of force with which Sereth defended herself, and cut the sparks into the rock. The blue fire of Kael came behind and enclosed the arches of storm in a band of controlled shield, adding to their assault. But Sereth was a nightmare-fast in his movement, as he flung aside their concerted attack with a gesture which was so natural almost as to be human.

You are mighty, he is saying, calm--nearingly amused. "But not enough."

There was a flash of wind, which struck Kael off his footing. Aria reclined, and lightning shot to and fro about her. Sereth could feel the energy of a silver halo in his hands and he swapped the attack out like he was swatting flies. The cliffside trembled. Rocks were set at liberty, to smash down to sea.

"Now, Aria!" Kael screamed and clutched her shoulders and drew her against her as a buffer against the new spurt of strength. "Trust the storm!"

Her heart beat, her chest distended with savoury strength. The lightning flashed off her fingers, still keener and brighter than ever. She did this intentionally and hit the rocks under the feet of Sereth. Even little boulders fell against him, a diversion, yet he scarcely moved. The earth tremulous beneath them shook.

Fire and her storm met, both in energy, and both wound round and round Sereth, but he rejected them effortlessly, and the discharge struck them both back again. Kael bumped himself on the ledge of stone with a groan. Aria slipped nearly as near as she dared to the side, and her heart ran wild with the thought that she was on the edge of the sea.

Sereth moved on, painfully and steadily. "It is inevitable," he said. Storm can not get out of what was born to end it.

Adrenaline made all the senses clear. Kael grasped her hand. "We have one chance. Follow me."

Sprinting up the narrow extremity of the cliffs, they hurried without stopping. The lightning danced around the skin of Aria and fed on her fear and determination. The blue fire of Kael shot up and defended them against falling debris. The power discharged by Sereth struck them and ripped rock off the cliff, and it howled like a living creature.

The ledge ended abruptly. The waves dashed down hundreds of feet upon sharp rocks, as illustrated below. The storm surged of Aria instinctively threw itself around them. She was caught by her waist, her hands crossed her to jump over the precipice together.

The wind screamed past them. Long lightning was flashing through the clouds. Blue flame leaped along their fall, and hurled aside the sharp stones. Aria was exhilarated and terrified at the same time her heart was racing. Time slowed. The cliff dropped away.

They struck the rocky coastline beneath and water broke and stone broke. The two fell over the rough surface, battered, sodden and choking. The storm which twittered round Aria was like dim rain, wetened yet alive, a throb in her veins. Coughing, Kael rolled beside her, his fire gone dead but still warm against her.

They and another lay there breathing deeply awhile. The above storm was rattling like their fight. They had survived. But Sereth had not been overcome. The man had expected them to get away, had trained them to know their boundaries.

Aria's eyes met Kael's. Weariness, reprieve, a new gradation passed between them. It was her storm--and it would be some time before it was mastered. And the Council could not be spared.

Then above towards the storm above the Academy was glimmering slightly in the stormlight the silver-trimmed robes. Sereth stood and watched them go down the road into the night, serene, serene. The hunt was only beginning.

Aria lifted himself, and his hand brushed past Kael. Go, said she, and it was with her aching voice, though she stayed unwavering in her voice. "We run... but not away. We go to the heart of it. To the truth."

Kael nodded, and had in his eyes the admiration, the something even more kindly. "Then let them chase. When we are ready, we will have met them.

Thunder rolled. Lightning split the sky. And way down below the tempest within Aria Doth throb in response, wild, vigilant, and eager.

The kingdom was never to forget that day the storm broke loose.