Confrontation

Aria One step at a time, we slogged through damp, uneven ground. For half a second, I smirked at the thought of Ares sinking into the ground, but a quick glance showed that he was making better progress than I was. I sulked. The steam had cleared up. Now we could see the fire. Everything was burning. The trees, the shrubs... even the animals! As I watched a flaming squirrel skitter up a flaming tree, I knew I had seen all there was to see in the world. Because what the hell!? I didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity or be scared at the freakishness of nature. I shivered and looked away when the squirrel's small, black, beady eyes turned to me. From the corner of my eyes, I could see several aflame figures running about in the bushes, spooked by the unexpected visitors and probably wondering what the foolish humans were doing in their blazing territory. "Don't touch the trees," May called. I rolled my eyes. "Oh gee, thanks for telling me," I began. "Or else I wouldn't have known not to..." I slapped my hand over my mouth. I gave her a stiff smile. "Sorry, I've been a little..." She arched a single brow. I changed my words. "...a whole lot testy," I frowned. "I don't know why..." May opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but she shook her head a little and smiled. "Your parents are missing, and you're in a burning forest. It'd be odd if you weren't a bit cranky." "But don't worry," she added. "We'll get the glasses and find them, and then you can get answers to your questions." I nodded and turned away. I didn't ask her how she knew I had questions to ask my parents. But then again, who wouldn't have questions? I, for one, don't think both of them going missing at the same time is just a coincidence! Hisssss. It was the sound of water meeting a hot surface. Responding steam blasted us from the left. Hisssss. Another blast from the right. I tightened my hold on the rope that bound us. I gave it a cautious yet firm tug. "I think it's close," I whispered. May gave me a 'ya think' look. She raised her hand to her lips. "Shh." She pulled me behind her. She reached for Ares to do the same, but he halted her advance with a scathing look. I felt it before I saw it. When the first ball of fire hit us. I stared at Ares as if to will him forward. He moved, and just as the chief said, his eyes flickered a swirling violet and glowed. And about us, a translucent dome appeared just in time for the flaming ball to slam into it. The dome trembled, and so did Ares, but it held. The ball wasn't alone. More followed in its wake. One. Two. Three... Six. A thin layer of sweat shone on Ares' face, and his outstretched hands shook. But his lips were pursed in determination as the dome shield held, protecting us from the fiery barrage. When another ball flew out from the forest, I finally noticed a detail I had missed. The orb was both fire and water. It was divided into that kind of Yin Yang Kung Fu Panda ball thingy. I squinted at the sight. "I thought it was a water beast?" I asked. "It is!" May replied. She held a long thin stick and seemed to be chanting over it. She shook her head at my distractions and continued. "Then why is it setting off fire?" "I don't know—just shut up!" she snapped. I stared in open-mouthed surprise. She'd never lost her temper before. The space brightened, and I looked up in time to see another Yin Yang water-fireball slam into our dome. The name is long, but in this precarious situation, there is really no room for clever alternatives. But a long name was not our major problem because a larger ball struck the dome this time with more purpose and precision. "I guess it's done having fun with us," Ares strained to speak. He was bone pale but otherwise looked fine. I stared at the charred ground outside our dome, smoking with gurgling puddles of liquid fire. "Fun!?" I screeched. "This was it having fun with us!?!" "What did you expect, a dramatic Disney fight and a happily ever after?" May teased, back to her old self. She removed a small knife from her belt and slid it across her palm. Then she used her bleeding hand to hold onto the stick. The ordinary brown stick took on a red hue as it—and I am sure—fed on her blood. "You can let go, Ares," she said. Ares duly put down his hand with a sigh too deep for a kid. The protective dome went down as well. "Blood," May whispered. A rather unnerving wall of blood rose from the ground, set between us and our yet unseen assailant. A second passed, and a thump let us know that a ball had hit the shield. But May, unlike Ares, didn't remain on the defensive. She waved the stick er... wand and muttered, "seek." At the command, three blades of blood chipped from the wall and sliced into the forest. Barely a second later, an ear-piercing shriek sent the few birds in the forest aflight. The ground beneath us shook as something large and furious charged towards us. May squared her shoulders and raised the wand. Even Ares held a glowing dagger—he got from who knows where—deftly in one hand while the other waved about a dark mist that flared with sparks of lightning. Then I felt so... useless, particularly as May nodded from me to the wall. I knew what she was saying. Hide. I gathered my thoughts and asked in worry, "Will you be fine?" I whisper-yelled. She shrugged as yet another angry footstep shook the ground. "You know what they say, 'blood is thicker than water.'" "I'm sure this is not the situation they were referring to!" I hissed. But as much as I wanted to play hero, I knew I'd only be a burden. So I slunk behind the wall, where I would be safe while hoping they are as well.