Scaling the fence, she dropped to the ground on the other side. Barely looking back, she hurried through the foliage to get herself out of reach of the compound. Once she figured she was far enough away, her pace slowed. Inhaling deep, she realized it was the first true breath she'd dared to take since she'd gotten here.
Hiding who and what she was... it was getting harder every damn day. She knew the way people would look at her. She'd be degraded. Insulted. Spit on and shoved aside. Moved to the outskirts of the compound so she wouldn't dare mingle with "pure" folks. It was sickening. There was damn well nothing wrong with her, there was something wrong with them.
Finding the hidden alcove she'd scouted days earlier, she sank to her knees on the hard packed earth. Pressing her fingers to the dirt, she pushed out her senses... trembling, hesitant, but there. Slowly, her powers woke from their self-imposed exile. Tiny green shoots poked through the ground. Leaves stretched, reaching out towards her before spiraling around tree trunks to pull themselves closer to the sun.
Letting out a giggle, she lifted her fingers, watching the sparks of emerald energy dance over her fingertips. Gone were the worries of the compound, of the other Elementals catching her. Gone was the feeling of being beneath them because she was a mutt. Here, in this moment, she felt as powerful as she'd ever been.
Mother Earth coiled around her, the energy feeding and revitalizing her. Her powers flared outward, the ferns and buds awakening from their winter slumber. Spring was here at last, and she would help herald it in. All around her, life celebrated. The joy, the turning of the seasons... it's what Elementals were created for, and a duty they held sacred. Being with the water Elementals, she'd had to only feed her Fire half, which left her Earthen side malnourished.
Now, she felt free and relaxed. Laying down, she let the earth soothe her, skin to skin contact feeding her with a soft contentment she could find nowhere else. Staring up at the fluffy wisps of clouds in the sky, she closed her eyes. Deep breath in, exhale. Over and over she continued, the motions soothing her ragged soul. Once she'd stirred as much energy as she could, she glanced down at herself. Swirling whorls of emerald sparks drifted from her skin like dust in a breeze.
Hearing the bells ring from the compound, she sighed. Hurriedly pulling her power tightly around her like a cloak, she almost moaned in sorrow as she felt the light that had just filled her diminishing. In its place, she allowed the heat to flare, sparks catching fire, smoke rising gently from her flesh. She was a Fire Elemental. A Fire Elemental. Dammit, she could do this. She had to. It was only until they found the way back home, and then she could be herself, her dual sides no longer warring with each other.
Hurrying back towards the gates, she scurried up the uneven bricks, coming to rest behind her small one room cabin they'd allocated to her. Wiping her hands on her pants quickly, she headed inside to clean up. Dinner would be held soon, and no one needed to know she'd escaped for the day. Her magic, her powers... they would stay her little secret.
Finding the hidden alcove she'd scouted days earlier, she sank to her knees on the hard packed earth. Pressing her fingers to the dirt, she pushed out her senses... trembling, hesitant, but there. Slowly, her powers woke from their self-imposed exile. Tiny green shoots poked through the ground. Leaves stretched, reaching out towards her before spiraling around tree trunks to pull themselves closer to the sun.
Letting out a giggle, she lifted her fingers, watching the sparks of emerald energy dance over her fingertips. Gone were the worries of the compound, of the other Elementals catching her. Gone was the feeling of being beneath them because she was a mutt. Here, in this moment, she felt as powerful as she'd ever been.
Mother Earth coiled around her, the energy feeding and revitalizing her. Her powers flared outward, the ferns and buds awakening from their winter slumber. Spring was here at last, and she would help herald it in. All around her, life celebrated. The joy, the turning of the seasons... it's what Elementals were created for, and a duty they held sacred. Being with the water Elementals, she'd had to only feed her Fire half, which left her Earthen side malnourished.
Now, she felt free and relaxed. Laying down, she let the earth soothe her, skin to skin contact feeding her with a soft contentment she could find nowhere else. Staring up at the fluffy wisps of clouds in the sky, she closed her eyes. Deep breath in, exhale. Over and over she continued, the motions soothing her ragged soul. Once she'd stirred as much energy as she could, she glanced down at herself. Swirling whorls of emerald sparks drifted from her skin like dust in a breeze.
Hearing the bells ring from the compound, she sighed. Hurriedly pulling her power tightly around her like a cloak, she almost moaned in sorrow as she felt the light that had just filled her diminishing. In its place, she allowed the heat to flare, sparks catching fire, smoke rising gently from her flesh. She was a Fire Elemental. A Fire Elemental. Dammit, she could do this. She had to. It was only until they found the way back home, and then she could be herself, her dual sides no longer warring with each other.
Hurrying back towards the gates, she scurried up the uneven bricks, coming to rest behind her small one room cabin they'd allocated to her. Wiping her hands on her pants quickly, she headed inside to clean up. Dinner would be held soon, and no one needed to know she'd escaped for the day. Her magic, her powers... they would stay her little secret.