✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

55

Mia's POV

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The next day, Rose stays true to her word and spends from 9 till 2 teaching me how to use the Heartstone for battle. It's super tiring, and I learn that the more I try to do with the stone, the more power radiates from it in the form of heat. Using it to fight and knock people back works just fine, but if I try to obliterate any fighting dummies or lift too many people off the ground at once the stone gets almost too hot to keep holding.

Once Rose calls it quits- probably because I'm exhausted- she takes the stone to be set into my armor, so I don't have to worry about holding it while I'm fighting. To be honest, Rose doesn't seem happy at all with my decision to fight, but I can tell she respects my choice, and is trying to accommodate me as best she can.

"How'd it go?" Elanil asks as I exit the training arena, where El is waiting for me, fine snowflakes catching on her long brown hair.

"I'm tired to say the least," I sigh, laughing. 

"I can imagine. So, do you want to just chill at your room?" 

"Hmm... Actually, I kinda wanted to go swimming. We could invite the whole crew again," I suggest. El gives me a look.

"I promise I won't pass out again," I laugh, thinking back to the last time we all were in the pool room.

"Ooookay, if you say so," El jokes, hooking her arm through mine as we wave through the midday crowds of elves on the path. "If you do again I swear I'm just letting you drown."

I smile and nod, watching my breath fog out in front of me as I exhale. "Sounds good!"

We both laugh and fall into a comfortable silence as we head to the castle.

-

I try to swallow down the ravenous fear that has been clawing at my throat since I woke up. My white armor shines like newly fallen snow in the dawn light. I still can't believe it's me I'm looking at in the mirror, not some fairy tale or movie character.

The sage green stone is a stark contrast to the white of my armor, set firmly into the center of my chest plate. There is a long sword strapped to my hip, daggers in sheaths at my back, and my opal knives in sheaths on my thighs. As I move around my room I am awed yet again by how lightweight and movable my armor is. Maybe it's just the elf in me- who knows at this point. 

It's about 7am, and everyone is preparing for battle. The kids and adults who aren't fighting are hunkering down in their homes and the many, many soldiers are gearing up and making their way to the city walls. I can see it from my window- Elves on horses make multiple rows in the front, with soldiers on foot behind them in too many rows to count. Archers line the top of the wall, and some are even in the trees, blended in so well that I wouldn't be able to see them if I didn't know that's where Halion was.

Elanil and Knox said they would meet me outside my door and walk out with me once I'm done getting ready. I don't know if I even want to be ready, but I am. Last night Knox told me for the hundredth time I don't have to fight. I told him again that I need to. For my dad, for one. For this world and Earth, for another. Plus I have the Heartstone, and who really knows how much I can do with it. It's an asset that could help us win the war. And considering I'm the only one who can use it, it would be pretty selfish of me to sit back with such a power while my friends go out to die. I would never be able to do that.

-

I spent the rest of the day with all of my friends, except it wasn't a usual hang out. We spent the whole day moving equipment and weapons to the wall, building small medical tents and fires in the snow as well. We had even dug a trench right in front of the wall yesterday. Today was just about filling it with soldiers. It wasn't hard work, and I didn't feel drained of energy by the time we were done. Nor any less drained of adrenaline.