Orbs of Power

Chapter Six

The road was dusty.  It hadn't rained in a few weeks, so every footstep made them dirtier.  Sean ruefully thought about how water powers would be handy right about now.  It only took a few hours for the coughing to start.  It was hard to see, even at the side of the road, because of the passing government vehicles.  When the forest loomed closer, relief washed over Sean. 

They slipped past the fence surrounding the trees and stalked in, glancing left and right for people.

The shade of the trees was cooler, and the ground was moister and not, well, dust.

It was two hours into their journey when the birds started going off.

It had been quiet so far, their journey unobtruded by any creature, living or dead.  They had not spoken, resolute in their purpose.

And then the birds.

It started with a few caws, then the flutter of wings.  Slience.

Then more caws were added, and they filled the trees, staring with their beady eyes.  Their feathers ruffled and they hopped along the branches to keep pace with the trio.

One of the birds flew a few feet in front of Sean, Sapphire, and Allison, lighting on the ground.  The cawing stopped, and so did the three.

The bird pecked at the ground twice, then turned its head to fix its eye on the humans before it.  It had a scar under the gleam of the expresionless fixture.  It took a step forward.

They took a step back.

It crowed once and birds everywhere flew in front of their faces, in every direction.  

They heard wings flying away as the air cleared.

No one spoke.  Well, Sean did.

"What was that?"

Allison looked to the sky.  "There has been a long standing theory that those with certain powers may have an... affinity with animals in their domains.  Water have a natural bond with all manners of aquatic creatures, earth with the animals of the undergrounds, fire even have a few reptiles to their name, and air has an affinity with...birds.  Powerful users can even exert some amount of control over their select creatures.  I can only assume that this was the case."

She looked troubled.  "Only..."

"There aren't many people with the wind powers, right?"  Sapphire butted in.

Allison nodded.  "Air is often at very high speeds when it has enough power to create an orb.  They try and keep a list of all the people who have certain powers, so if we can get our hands on the Air list, we might be able to find who sent those birds."

Sean was confused.  "How do we know someone sent those birds? What if it was just a turn of fate?"

Sapphire shook her head.  "Not with that organization.  That bird was the leader for sure; the others all waited on his signals to do anything."

Allison looked at Sean.  "I will bet that he/she was the flock leader, and the only one actually being controlled.  If you had him or her under your power, you have the entire fleet at your beck and call."

Sean gulped.  "That sounds bad." He glanced at the sky nervously.  "So all we have to do is get our hands on a list of Air users?"

Sapphire titled her head, thinking.  "Well, that's one of those annoying things that is easier said than done.  The nearest city is...half a day's walk from here, by my best guess, and Allison might have the security clearance to get us a list.  If not though..."

Allison looked at her adoptive family member.  "They will probably give a slap on the wrist and ask us a few questions.  A better plan is to offer my name and check what I do have access to, that way there will be no confusion."

Sean looked at Sapphire, then Allison, then back and forth.  "Wait, clearance?"

Sapphire looked at him.  "Yeah, it's restricted information, not available to the general public.  Alison, however," she glanced at her, "actually had an important posistion for our area."

Sean stared at Allison.  "Doing what?"

Allison smiled.  "Spoilers."