Through Smoke and Ashes

Fourty One||Through Smoke & Ashes

I fought against Fin's arms wrapped around me in a tight hold as I stared at the burning Academy. Fire licked at every surface, and smoke billowed out of broken holes in the walls. As part of the structure fell to the ground, sparks flew into the sky alight with a burning orange glow from the fire. All around me, ashes fell to the ground, covering my body in soot.

"Let go of me!" I yelled as Fin's arms snaked into a tighter grasp.

"Be rational, Navi." Baylen's voice was sharp. "If she's in there, there's no telling where she could be. There's no sense in you going after her."

"I have to try," I choked out, staring at the orange flames as they devoured every surface they touched. Forgive me, Fin, I prayed as I sent out my powers into his arm, and with a sickening crack, the bones in his arm broke. I ignored his cry of pain and fought out of his weak grasp, running toward the open doors to the burning building. Once inside, my skin seared with the heat around me, and my lungs constricted against the lack of air. I ripped a piece of my dress off and tied it around my face. It gave me little protection, but at least it was something.

"Stupid, Twoleg," Naxan growled as he flew circles around the Academy. I could feel his agitation, but underneath, he understood why I would be doing this. He knew I would do the same for him, and he would do the same for me.

I searched the ground full of Kellso bodies, but I couldn't see anything human lying on the floor. I hurriedly rushed over the bodies, stumbling in the process, nothing. I wasn't sure if I should feel pleased or disappointed. Where are you, mom?

I scanned my eyes over the floor once again, just in case. A piece of fabric caught my eye. I ran over toward the body and nearly choked as I saw it was human. I pushed pieces of stone off of the body, all the while hoping this wasn't her. If it were, that would mean she was gone, and I would never see her again.

I felt relief wash over me as it was, in fact, not her. It was someone else, a man. Sorrow washed over my relief as I realized this was someone's family member. Heaving out a shaky breath, I stood to my feet and continued looking for my mother.

"Navi, you idiot!" I whirled around to see Baylen running in through the open doors of the Academy.

"You can't make me leave. Not until I find her." My voice sounded drowned out by the roaring fire around us.

I could hear Baylen's groan through the fabric he had wrapped around the lower half of his face. "Only because I don't want you to snap my bones into pieces." I cringed slightly. I knew what I did was harsh, but I would apologize to Fin later. "You've looked in here?"

"She's not in here. Maybe she's in another room?" I asked hopefully, trying to convince myself more than Baylen.

"We have to be quick. I'm not sure how long this building will hold." Baylen grabbed my arm and led me to different rooms in search of her. We looked in the Library, the multiple offices and the cafeteria, but she wasn't on the ground floor.

"Navi," Baylen started to say, but I didn't want to hear it.

"Maybe she's on another level," I said as I made my way toward the staircase.

"Navi!" Baylen yelled as I climbed the stairs two at a time. I had to find her. I wasn't going to leave her. My heart pounded in my chest as I made it to the second floor. I scanned the hallways but couldn't see anything. Where are you, mom?

Baylen was behind me in an instant, holding onto my arm. "She wouldn't be up here." Baylen's grip tightened around my skin. A piece of burning lumber came crashing down from above us. Jumping out of the way, the two of us narrowly dodged part of the roof caving in. I looked up from where I was on the ground and felt immense pain in my chest when I realized the wreckage had blocked off the stairs. Smaller pieces of the roof were slowly falling around us from the new weak point in the structure.