CHAPTER 7: “FIRST BATTLE WITH IMA”

“Real Wars?” I returned. “What the heck is that?”

USG had its own terminology, using “Wars” to denote each of the elements available that you could master. I’d heard of all the assigned elements like Water Wars and even Light Wars, which is rare, but I was stuck on this. After all, reality isn’t an element!

“Unlike USG,” 5 reiterated the words as though he were reading the Book of Legends, “Real Wars can harm people and nature. It’s literally real, hence the name.”

“But…” I stepped back, terrified. “How is that possible?” It didn’t sound like a created element, but rather an entirely new strain of powers.

“Again,” 5 explained, “it’s forbidden. So, no one has that capability.”

Calla regained her composure, sighing away her frustration.

“Except for Ima, apparently. She’s really batting a thousand lately.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, still lost.

No rustling swept across the fields; just startling snaps and crunching footsteps like walking on dead leaves. Just when I thought nothing more could bombard me and toss me along like a lost boat at sea, more worries and confusion drained me of my strength. There was so much I just didn’t know about I*V.

A feeble yell, like one would utter when falling over after tripping, projected into the atmosphere, and the three energetic kids stopped beside us, breathing heavily and hunched over.

“H-how did you…you guys get h-here so…fast?” Kiki asked us between gasps of air.

Cassie collapsed on the grass before she could utter a “yeah” to support Kiki.

“Transported, I guess,” I felt I was wrong to advocate for the group, for I knew nothing of transports—or anything that was happening, for that matter.

“That’s just dumb,” Jamesy said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Everyone knows you can’t transport unless you’re a Legendary or something,” Jamesy educated me, crossing his arms defiantly. “Even so, it’s just stupid to waste it on a short trip.”

5 stood confidently upon a knoll, his stern gaze attached to the horizon, as though forcing it closer to him just by his stare. The winter sun was beginning to die in the distance, and 5 illuminated strangely like the ocean absorbing and refracting the sun’s rays.

Calla waited beside me, her disposition still caught up in her unwillingness to move forward. Her stance was very reminiscent of how she acted in the hotel; additionally, her face was held over by a thick fog of worry.

Once Kiki helped Cassie recover, the girls froze in place when they saw what had happened to the landscape.

“What happened?!” Kiki screamed out.

“Duh. It was a fire,” Jamesy retorted, “You just saw it earlier, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but how?!” Cassie snapped back.

“It’s not important,” 5 returned.

The air was charged with tension, and a heavy aura weighed me down.

“5?” I questioned.

Shadows gathered around his feet, tangling about the ground like vines. Though he had a short stature, he looked as though he could pound mountains to dust if he tried. I shivered; he had changed so drastically all the sudden.

“What do you mean it’s not important?” Jamesy yelled up, making 5 explain himself. “It sort of is, you know. The whole prairie’s gone!”

“Glad we weren’t still here,” Cassie muttered under her breath, nervously wringing her hands.

“Don’t say things like that!” Kiki shouted in a whisper, elbowing her friend gently.

“It’s not,” 5 returned, “as I said. We have more important things to worry about now.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jamesy complained garishly. “Like what?”

Carefully, I inched up to 5 to try to intervene and make a compromise. The small journey to him felt like a crawl through flames; the air was thick with aggression. Once I arrived beside him, an errant calm danced in my heart—regret. A pained heart reaching forward for some kind of sign; a guilt emptied by care. Pushing the sensation away, I wondered how or why I could even sense these things. I mean, I wasn’t psychic or anything. Returning to my usual self, all traces of aggression and even quiet intensity were gone, and I shook him by the shoulders.

“Hey,” I shouted under my breath. “Shouldn’t we tell them about the whole ‘Real Wars’ thing?”

“No,” he bit back in a harsh whisper, “don’t tell them that. I don’t want them all to get scared or hurt.”

“But what if she uses it on us?”

“She won’t. It would be a stupid choice as Leader. Besides, I’m not going to let them try to solve this.”

“What?” I backed away as his foreboding stare returned.

“This is between us.”

A shiver ran through me. It was obvious now; he wanted revenge.

“What is happening?!” Jamesy yelled out, finally tired of everything.

“Ima, our sister, is here.” 5 declared, finally feeling like explaining. He turned around as though he were a diplomat giving a speech. “She kicked us out of the house and stole the Leadership position. She also…” 5 hesitated a second, swallowing painfully, “killed our dad.”

“What?!” The girls yelled out, horrified.

“That’s terrible!” Kiki suppressed some tears at the shock.

“You poor kids! I’m so sorry.” Cassie added, sending puppy-dog eyes to her idol.

Calla straightened, slightly elevating her meek tone. “My Dear 5. That is not what happened.”

“I know,” 5 returned. “But she still stole his post as Leader.”

“I…” Calla retreated inside herself, locking up her words.

What does he mean? I wondered. My body and soul felt weighed down again, and I could hardly move from the paralyzing emotions and tension.

Another chill crawled up my back; I shivered and jumped, surprised at the sensation.

“What’s wrong?” 5’s menacing aura evaporated, and he turned to me, concerned.

“I don’t know…” I felt as though someone were watching us, but that notion didn’t compare to all the other weird things that had happened earlier.

“Oh, lookie; they sent the kiddie brigade after me.” A snide voice called from the distance.

Call and I turned. The others (who were facing the other direction) tilted their heads up and let their mouths hang open. 5’s gaze pierced right through her silhouette like blades.

There, on an overlooking hill, stood Ima; her hair billowed in the wind like a flowing river of flames. Her malicious smile bent and bored into her face like a scimitar.

“Ima!” Kiki yelled.

“That wasn’t very nice what you did to 5 and Call!” Cassie got her two cents in.

“So what?” Ima responded noncaringly as she took a few steps, shortening the distance between us and her.

“So, you’re gonna pay!” Jamesy crossed his arms and puffed himself up, trying to act brave. The girls stood beside him in action poses.

“Oh, I’d like to see that,” Ima joked, calling them forward.

“No!” 5 tried to stop them, but it was too late.

Ima asked for it. On cue, Kiki, Jamesy, and Cassie charged at her, releasing all their power. Lights of pink floated through the air like streamers. Electricity charged the air and surged in waves toward Ima. Leaves danced in the wind, slashing at everything in their path.

Not intimidated at all by this work of child’s play, Ima summoned a giant USG inferno to put everyone in their place: ten feet behind Calla, 5, and me. The flames absorbed all their attacks, leaving them defenseless. The battle literally took about five seconds. But it was no ordinary USG attack she unleashed; the force of air it created almost pushed me off my feet. She must be over level 100 when it comes to Fire Wars. Meaning, she likely knew all the techniques—even the super-powerful ones.

“Yah, that figures,” I muttered under my breath, clenching my forehead.

“So, I guess that just leaves you three, huh?” Ima’s eyes burned straight into all three of ours. “Should be a piece of cake; after all, little Callie doesn’t fight, 5’s never had a taste of USG, and she’s too dumb to know anything!”

My heart surged with anger; it felt as though a tidal wave were stirring.

Calla had silently stepped beside me, and I could feel her vibrating—nervousness playing her like a violin. Though shy, I took her cold hand to try to relive her pain.

5 stomped forward, his footstep sending a shockwave through the ground. “I’m not scared of you, Ima.”

“Oh, really?” Ima asked curiously. She flipped back her long hair, possibly hoping it didn’t look unruly from all the wind. “Well, then. Show me what you got, brother.”

“Don’t do it, 5!” The girls yelled out.

“Shut up!” 5’s face glowed bright red, and his pained yell practically broke my heart. The girls slinked away into the silence.

What’s happening to that kid? Unbeknownst to me, I started shaking, too.

“Angry, huh?” Ima teased, giggling to herself. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so angry.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve made me this angry,” 5 returned with a smile.

At this, Ima’s face bent over in annoyance, and she sent out numerous daggers of fire.

5 side-stepped the entourage with barely a movement. “Not Real Wars, is it?” he volleyed his sarcasm back. “Wouldn’t want to hurt anyone nearby.”

Behind him, the kids shook together in a huddle, making themselves look like some kind of toy that bounces around nervously.

Just as I was about to shout to them all to run, Ima let out a laugh.

“Ha!” Ima brushed him off. “You wish.”

The entire time they shot insults and powers at each other, I had no idea how to respond. Waves of mixed emotions flowed through me, practically drowning me. What is this fight? What am I feeling? What can I do? Why do they both seem like the villains here?

Quickly becoming bored, 5 gained the advantage by utilizing his instantaneous transport to jump around the space and shoot ribbons of sunset orange at Ima from all sides. I’d never seen a USG power like that before.

“No cheating!” Ima yelled out, twirling up a ring of fire.

“It’s not cheating,” 5 teased in a kind voice. “It’s perfectly normal.”

“Why you!” Ima screamed, forming an orange and red orb of light between her cupped hands.

Just as 5 appeared before her, she released the blast, forming a laser blast tinged with embers, which sent him flying. Nowhere near the other kids, 5 kneeled on the ground, the frustration announcing itself on his face even from so far away.

I stepped forward. “Hey,” I shouted. “I know you said it’s between you and her, but can I join in, too?”

Ima bared a mischievous grin.

“No, I said…” 5 was winded, and his words barely projected themselves to me over the wind.

“I don’t care what you say.”

Calla remained in close contact with me, holding onto my jacket for security and for interference.

“I mean, if you got USG and can already use it like that, why can’t I do that?”

5 yelled out, “Ima used to teach me! Even though I couldn’t use it. You can, by the way! You just got it from the Seal!”

I flinched. “Wait, what’d you say?”

Ima’s eyes hollowed in surprise.

“The Seal! It granted you the powers! You can use USG now; didn’t you know that?”

A wave welled up in my heart—dancing. “No, idiot! You didn’t tell me that!”

“Well, now you know!”

Closing my eyes, I meditated on the tranquility of my soul. I saw the ocean—whispering in the sunset, playing along gently with the wind, forming waves elegantly.

Then, there came that voice again. You have the power, Dominant. Believe in yourself and summon your inner ocean.

Suddenly, my power returned. No, it was always there. I just forgot I still had it. An aura of blue danced about me, reaching up into the sky. Water surged through my veins, and my eyes sparkled with delight beneath my confident face. This is it. I smiled, looking forward to summoning my first power. This is who I am. Who I’ve always been and longed to be! Reaching my arms beside me, I geared up.

“Oh, no,” Ima muttered to herself.

Calla stepped back slowly and held her breath, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

As though I were contained in the ocean, I waved my arms beside me and formed waves, which shot across the field like blue beams arced and contained in raw auras of power. Then, twirling about, I held out my arm, pushing against the implied resistance of the mighty water, and a magnificent tidal wave manifested from thin air, raging towards Ima at miraculous speed.

“Ah!” Before Ima could think, the waves crashed upon her, extinguishing her flames.

The power surged through me. I felt so alive. All water was at my command, and my heart surged with purpose. “I am Zena Nena, Vessel to the AOB and the best at Water Wars!” I declared.

Calla stood beside me, speechless. “It is you…” she barely produced the words.

“Huh?” I turned to her, our eyes locked. The blue lights still played about me, and a strange serenity covered me, assuring me of some kind of eternity I had once known.

A warm blast of light smacked me in the face. It was Ima; she’d recovered—but just barely.

“Heh…” She stood up, looking like a drowned rat. “So, you think you can defeat fire with water, huh?”

“Of course,” I returned.

“I won’t be taken down that easily!” Ima, still upset, turned her daggers of eyes on me.

I prepped my arms beside me as though dancing; I was looking forward to summoning more water again.

But, to my surprise, Ima didn’t manifest any USG. In fact, she just stood there for a moment, as though meditating on something. The sun eclipsed in the distance, setting the sky on fire and swallowing the horizon before us in an inky void. I struggled to sense her actions, but my advantage was thwarted. I thought for a moment a tear glimmered from her face, but maybe it was just the light or the remnants of my water. Ima pulled out a black necklace with a dangling sword that glinted like onyx with small studs of blood red rubies.

Calla gasped audibly, and my heart stopped.

Barely forming words on her lips, Ima held the necklace before her shadowed face as tears swallowed her skin. Suddenly, a dark aura began twirling about her and rising up like vapor. It was such a tangible vapor, too—like it could ignite at any moment.

5 appeared directly behind me. “Don’t move,” he breathed directly in my ear, and I flinched. “I’ll try to take the necklace away. You just keep her busy.”

“No!” Calla strained, her pleasant voice marred and scraped. “We should stop her immediately. I am worried about what she would do. She…”

5 wiped her tears and tried to offer some confidence. “It’s not a big deal. Don’t worry about it. We can handle it.”

“No, My Dear 5,” Calla struggled in a whisper. “She has never summoned Xem before.”

5’s face turned serious, and he only responded with “I know.”

By now, the kids were conspiring to run away behind our backs because they had no idea what was going on and were scared to death. Unfortunately for them, 5 called out to them.

“Hey! You three.”

They flinched and stopped in place, slowly turning their heads to 5 as though they were caught skipping class.

He transported to them and instantly returned with the group. “Stay here with Calla.”

The three kids looked around uncertainly, worried that they’re doing something wrong, but then they all ran to Calla’s arms and shook like frightened puppies. Calla took them and wrapped them up in her arms, but she didn’t feel very qualified for the babysitting job she was given.

5 whispered to me, “Look. Ima is trying to summon an evil being, so we have to stop her.”

“Wait, what? What’s going on?!” I demanded.

“Quiet. Now, I’m going to take the necklace. You beat her up with Water Wars. Can you at least do that?”

“Yeah. That’s what I’m best at.”

As he turned away, he chuckled. “By the way, did you know?”

“What?”

“That it’s impossible to do Water Wars outside of the pool?”

I smiled as the cerulean light embraced me. “Yes, I know.”

He turned to me and winked. “Thought so.”