With a great heave the ball of fire engulfed Elvira Frost and she was prisoner within. It hissed and spluttered as it ate her up yet the fire ball did not show any signs of resistance. Unexpectedly a loud noise like an explosion reached my ears and sent shards of Ice in all directions. Blinking I stared at where the fire ball had once been. Nothing was there now. No fire. No Frost. Just an empty space before me. Even the throne was gone. Upon the floor was nothing more than a puddle of clear liquid.
As I heaved a sigh of relief the fire that consumed me died away, and my knees buckled. I lay upon the floor, the water around me bubbling and boiling away. Panting, I curled into the fetal position and attempted to cover most of my naked body. I heard footsteps behind me, and a moment later R?ven placed her hand upon my shoulder, though she withdrew it quickly with a gasp.
“I’m sorry.” I muttered. I felt blank.
“Come.” R?ven whispered, placing a cloak over me. I smelt burning fabric only seconds later, though it did not catch alight.
I got to my feet shakily and looked around the room very wet room. Sunlight poured into the room through large hole in the ceiling. I followed its rays downward until my eyes fell upon Jack. The water around him was red, and he still lay in the same position. My throat felt tight, and my eyes stung, yet I tried to control myself. R?ven and I walked across the room, splashing in the water as we went. Hawthorne’s whines could still be heard in the back corner. He made no escape for he could not fly through the ceiling, and I was blocking escape through the only door. I knew Hawthorne was afraid of me, but only because he still couldn’t remember me.
As we made it to Jack’s side I felt shaky. I dropped to my knees again at his side, and R?ven knelt beside me. I looked at her, and saw her face was shining with sweat, her hair was a burnt and tangled mess, yet she still managed to look pretty. Her eyes were quite red from crying.
“Is he …” I began, but I could not finish my sentence. My throat closed up and I clenched my fists into balls.
“He does not respond.” R?ven whispered, her voice breaking slightly.
I put my hand to my mouth and closed my eyes. The sorrow which consumed me was the most painful thing I had ever felt. More painful than any physical harm. I could not speak, could not think. R?ven touched my shoulder lightly but I shrunk away from her. Soon my shoulders were shaking, and my breath came in short gasps. Tears slid down my cheeks, and somewhere in the back of my mind I thought it odd that water should fall from my eyes. Of course water would fall from my eyes, for I was in control of my Power. I would always cry real tears from this moment on, and not tears of fire. I would cry real tears for Jack Greenwood. Before I knew it I was sobbing onto Jack’s chest. His bloody shirt pressed against my face. I breathed in his scent which barely remained and cried freely. R?ven’s hand was upon the small of my back, rubbing gently. I held Jack as though his body were about to fade away. Opening my eyes, with blurry vision I looked upon his cold, pale face His perfect face. I stared, and a sudden realization dawned upon me.
“R?ven.” I breathed.
“Yes?” She murmured.
“He was burnt.” I sat up straight and looked down upon Jack.
R?ven looked at me with confusion. But of course she did not know what had occurred during the time she was unconscious.
“The fire was everywhere. It seared his flesh. His skin was wounded.”
R?ven looked upon his pale skin then looked back at me, “There is nothing. Only Blood.”
“The burns are gone.” I breathed heavily and my head spun, “They are gone. Gone.”
“What does it mean?” R?ven asked in an undertone, “He is still.”
“His chest.” I said thinking fast.
With fumbling fingers I unfastened the blood soaked clothes to reveal his damp, red chest. Scooping water from the floor into my hands I poured it into him. The blood washed away easily and revealed …
“Nothing.” I gasped.
“What happened?” R?ven questioned.
“The spear of Ice, it was in his chest, but we couldn’t get it out. He was dying.” I spoke quickly, “I managed to melt it when my power returned but he had already stopped moving … breathing.”
“But there is no wound.” R?ven pointed out.
“He was still.” I recalled, “But he healed.”
“What does it mean?”
R?ven’s voice barely affected me for I was thinking far too fast, and barely noticed her beside me.
“Jack?” I whispered, leaning over him. I placed my hand upon his cold chest, and stroked the wet hair from his face, “Jack, please. You are healed. Please, wake up.” I spoke gently into his ear before pressing my lips to his forehead.
I felt R?ven fidget beside me, and I could tell she was eager to speak freely.
“Don’t say it.” I ordered her.
“But Avalon-”
“Don’t.” I repeated more firmly.
“He is dead.” She said apologetically.
“No.” I rounded on her, leaving Jack’s side.
R?ven looked at me sadly, “It’s not your fault.”
“How could he have healed?” I challenged her.
R?ven remained silent.
“Tell me. If he is dead, how could he have healed the wounds? How did his skin mend, and the gaping hole in his chest vanish?”