Elemental Zero: A Spark of Fire | Teen Ink

Elemental Zero: A Spark of Fire

May 13, 2015
By Tinakoo_Tinoco, Chicago, Illinois
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Tinakoo_Tinoco, Chicago, Illinois
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Favorite Quote:
"Its better off to get up and move on, than to sit there and watch your misery go by"


Author's note:

After a LONG hiatus, i have returned with another short shorty. This was a project for my creative writing class, and i don't plan to touch on this until a later time. But i hope you enjoy my first attempt at a fantasy/adventure/mystery novel. And i'm sorry for l the unanswered questions, this has a long story to it, and this is only a shortened version of it.

I wake. My vision strikes a glimpse of the white light from above, but it’s blurry. I can’t feel my body, the blood in my arms and legs have stopped flowing, leaving them numb as a doll. With all my efforts, I raise my right arm; it’s just as blurry as the light. I’m too drowsy to be quizzical about my surroundings. This looks nothing like my room in the orphanage. I turn my head to the right, all white, to the left, almost all white.
My vision clears, and I can feel my arms and legs again. I spring up and feel the bed I lay on (but it’s not as comfortable as my own), and take one more glance of the room. There’s a toilet and sink next to the bed, and a large CRT television hanging from the corner of the ceiling. There’s no sound besides the blowing of the cool breeze, and the buzzing ambiance, in the room.
Though I can move my limbs, my muscles are still tense. I move apprehensively off of the bed. When I stand, I get a good look at myself in the mirror above the sink. I’m still wearing the same black sweatpants and plain white T-shirt. The small white Nike symbols on both pieces of clothing blend in with the walls. I touch my long, yellow hair. It’s soft and warm. My blue eyes reflect the light from the mirror. It’s so bright, I feel blind.
The silence makes it cumbersome for me to stay awake. There’s no resonant noise to keep me from passing out. I want to fall back asleep right now where I stand, but I know that wouldn’t be a good idea. I have to take a look around my new surroundings. For all I know, I’ve been kidnapped. I turn to my right and see a white door, with no window on it whatsoever, standing tall. I slowly edge for the door, take a hold of the handle, and twist. There’s a slight click and clank as I twist and pull.
My brain jumps awake and my eyes widen. The first and only thing that catches my attention stood directly in front of me. A colossal stadium, separated by glass, sat there, the size of a football field. One half was a bright, the other an ocean blue. A giant bold Z was printed in the center in black. The stadium covered the entire ground. It’s on a lower level. Another set of mirrors, separating the room from the stadium, can be seen from this level. Though my head fills with questions, I stay placid.
I don’t know where I am. Have I really been kidnapped? How did I get here in the matter of one night? Why did they bring me here? Who brought me here? So many questions, but no one to ask them to. It’s driving me insane.
The next thing I know, I’m sprinting down the hall. Every corridor leads me to a new one. I’m going to get lost in this place! No matter where I turn, not a single soul can be found. This place seems dilapidated. I’d expect weeds and moss to be growing in every corner of these hallways, yet it’s relatively clean.
Checking every single door I came across, there remained one. Straight down a narrow dead end. I lunged forward at the handle, expecting it to be locked like all the others, twisted it with all my might and pulled. It opens. Upon examination of the outside, I leap back in terror. There were no floors underneath this building. A bright orange sunlight shined in my eyes. I peak downwards to the earth below me; there are clouds directing below the building, like they’re the support. The wind blew in my face and I continue to examine the scenery.  Something about the smell of stratosphere high above the sky gave me a melodic sensation.
“Ezio…” A voice from behind calls. It was soft, and calm; almost sounding frightened. I turn and see someone standing a few feet away from me. It’s my own best from the orphanage, Andrew. His eyes are filled with terror as he approaches me. “What is this place?”
Before I have time to respond, I hear a collection of footsteps. They’re loud, and they’re coming this way!
Two, three, no… Six men (or women), dressed in dark grey armor, appearing as members of the S.W.A.T team, slid passed the corner and point fingers at us.
“Stop! You’re not allowed to leave the premises!” One of them yells in a deep manly voice.
Two rush over, pinning me and Andrew down to the ground and cuff our hands with what feels like metal chains. They pick us up and begin walking- or should I say, dragging us down the same narrow corridor I ran down. Eventually, we stumble upon a large white set of doors. One of the six men approaches the door, takes off his helmet and holds out his hand. A small, dark grey liquid began to form over his palm. It grows, and then hardens, morphing into the shape of a small key! He unlocks the doors and throws the key aside, only to turn into a small puddle of grey liquid again.
He pushes both doors forward and enters through. We follow. A large crowd stands in front of us, backs turned, all silent. A small isle is formed to help us pass through. Eyes begin turning, and staring at me and only me! I don’t like it one bit!
“What are you all looking at!?” I shout in a loud and aggressive tone. The guard next to me creates a metal baton and whacks me aside the head with it. “Ow! What the hell is wrong with-?” Another baton is from behind whacks me aside the head. I look behind and stare at the other guard holding the baton angrily. He simply stares back, waving his baton at me slowly. I keep quiet and continue walking.
We stop halfway across the gigantic crowd and step inside a line of people. There’s a slight sound of static, then the sound of someone clearing their throat.
“Welcome one, welcome all to the thirty sixth annual ‘Games’!” The voice sounds lackadaisical. I didn’t like it at all. “Each and everyone one of you will prove your strengths as Elementals. Show us all who is the true superior race! And who shall be the one to fall!”
I hear Andrew behind me whisper, “The hell is an Elemental?”
The voice continues. “There will be no backing out during any participation in this tournament. Any attempts of leaving will result in instant execution!”
Silence.
“This room shall be used at your new sparing room. As of now you are dismissed. Report back to your rooms immediately, or stay here if you wish to train,” Groups began to pace out through the door, some shocked and petrified, others are calm and cool. The remaining people stayed, sparing with each other, they threw punches and kicks at one another in a variety of fighting styles. I couldn’t move, neither did I want to. I instead, stood silent, staring at the white wall ahead of me.
The wall clicked, and then began to slowly descend, revealing another wall. A tournament grid was stamped on the wall.  Two grid layouts stood on their side, both connecting on the last line with the lines “FINAL ROUND” directly below it. I started to count the number of participants on the grid in my head, but lost track after sixty on the first side on the left.
The chains on my hands melt as I try to find my place.
“Will you get moving already?” The guard behind me shouts. He shoves me and I lose my balance. For a second, I feel like I’m going to fall through the floor; but I catch myself before I make impact, and turn over to see the guard’s face.
He’s taken off his mask, so now I’m able to see his orange skin and shaved head. He stares with a not-so-enthusiastic expression. “So are you gonna get going or what?” He interrogates.
“What do you want from me,” I’m raising my voice.
“As the Master said before; you and everyone else here are participants in ‘The games.’ It’s your job for elementals like yourself to fight, or should I say, kill each other,” I spring up to my feet.
“That’s insane! You’re lying to me,” The man shakes his head. “People, especially the government, would never allow for something like this to happen!”
“That’s because they’re not. The Games were created for the purpose of determining the superior group of all existing Elementals,”
“Okay, now tell me, what the hell is an Elemental?” I shout at the top of my lungs. The man sighs.
“You’re one of those newbies, aren’t you? Fine, I’ll give you a quick rundown: Elementals are supernatural humans with abilities simply known as ‘Elements.’ You know, like the substances of the earth formed by atoms? Each elemental controls a different element from the earth, and from the looks of it, you haven’t unlocked your powers yet,” the man opens his palm like a dandelion on a warm spring day and dashes towards me striking me with his fingers in various parts of my chest and abdominals. With one final push,  I fly back, and fall on my bottom. My chest begins to sting, and I feel a warm sensation inside my body.
“There you go,” The man begins. “Now you can use your powers as you please. But seeing how you are, you’ll never make it passed round one.”
“Wait, you didn’t even tell me how to use my powers. I don’t even know what kind of elemental I am,” I say. The man looks at his wrist like he’s staring at a wristwatch and taps on his gloves. A holographic screen displays in front of him, almost like a projector. He scrolls around for a few seconds, then stops.
“Says here you’re a flame Elemental, That means you control fire in case you didn’t get it,”
I can see the text on the transparent screen, though they’re mirrored, I can still read them.
NAME: EZIO AUTUMNS.

AGE: 17.

ELEMENTAL: FLAME.

OFFSRING OF: N/A.
“What about the powers itself? Why do I have them, and most importantly, how do I use them?” I ask.
“You’re on your own there,” The man says, then turns around and walks off through the double doors.
I remain seated where I am on the floor. I place my hand on my chest and feel the warmth inside. My hand begins to feel warmer along with my forehead. I’m sweating. I think about only the warmth in my hand, and how it turns red. Now I’m only thinking about my hand. It feels hotter and hotter the more I stare into my palm. Now I’m thinking about controlling my elemental powers. My hand is burning!
With a quick spark, a white flame bursts into the air and hovers over my hand. I can’t feel the flame, but I see it bright as day. The pungent order of the smoke fills my nostrils, making me cough. I’m amazed at this discovery, but one question still floats about: “Why is the flame white?”

I’m remembering the tournament grid. After many matches, many fights, many days, many deaths, I was next, and I was up against my best friend, Andrew. We both make our way inside the ring, face each other at the center, and stare at each other for what seems like the longest minute of my life. If I try to resist now, I’ll be killed on the spot. No bother trying to fight back. I have to fight to survive, and get back home. We shake hands, back up a few feet, and wait. There’s a giant screen above the center on the arena, counting down from ten. I don’t pay attention, but before I knew it, a horn is blown, and the games begin!
I’ve finally grown used to my flame powers, and have been able to use them as projectiles. I summon the heat inside me and out comes a white ball of fire. One-by-one, I shoot them towards Andrew feel, trying my hardest not to injure him. Andrew is a water Elemental; it’s quite ironic. He morphs a large rod out of water and swings with all his might. He hits the side of my head and the rod breaks in half. Although it’s just water, it feels like getting hit with a jet ski.
I lose my balance, but summersault back to my feet again, firing more fireballs simultaneously. He brings up a wall of water, and the flame is put out before they reach him. Andrew creates a smaller rod and begins swinging at me with it. He swings, and then swings again, and again. My hand heats up and I grab a hold of the rod, evaporating it on impact. With my free hand I shoot out as many fireballs as I can. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
Andrew is knocked back, falling to his back. He slowly begins twitching. I look around me. Everyone around the glass is in cold lock eye contact with me. I can’t stand it. As I turn back, two guards begin picking up Andrew off the ground.
“You have two options,” The female guard says. “One: we execute the loser. Or two: You execute him yourself.” Andrew slowly begins to puck his head up.
“Ezio…” He starts. “Please…Do the honors…I’d rather die by you than by the hands of these bastards,”
“Stop messing around!” I shout.
“Do it,”
“I’m not going to-”
“You’re only wasting time arguing,” The woman interrupts. “If your friend wants to go out this way, then let him have it. It’s his final wish after all,” I stare at Andrew, and he stares at me. Then with one final fireball, I shoot into his chest. Andrew is shot out of the guards’ hands and flies even further than before, and lies on the floor. Motionless.



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