Rising Power (#1 of the Canton Chronicles Series)

Punishment

Val emerged out of the water, gasping for air, her two arms extended and her palms open. Tobias and Will were already flying backwards, creating an arch and hitting the benches with their backs.

Alice also flew, the electric current destined to hit Val coming out of her hand, turning upwards, hitting the lamps and shattering them into pieces. Alice's back hit the wall, the air leaving her lungs. And then Val knew, a feeling of certainty deep within her muscles, bones and soul. She was finally truly awake.

She turned around slowly, water trickling from her head to her clothes. Will was the first to face her wrath. She moved her wrist swiftly upwards and opened up her palm. Will flew down the stairs, his body falling down like a sack, making dump sounds, as his bones cracked on the stair's edges.

One down, she thought, two to go. Time for the big fish.

Tobias was slowly recovering from Val's first attack, shaking his head. He looked up at her, and raised his fists, determined to hit her once again in his blind rage, charging at her.

Not this time, fucker. Val's left arm closed in a fist, and Tobias felt every sense of control leaving his body.

You are mine now.

Val opened her palm and her enemy was lifted slowly from the ground, elevating, his mouth a small surprised circle, his face white. She moved her hand up and down, and Tobias fell, hitting one of the Atrium's benches. A second later his body was being lifted again, only to fall in the ground. His body was moving, rising and falling, directed by her all-powerful hand. After five consequent attacks, Val stopped her wave movement and Tobias was left on the ground, unconscious.

One more to go.

Alice was already recovering, her eyes two wide bulbs looking Tobias's body with dubious disbelief.

"You fucking bitch. You killed him!"

You wanted to kill me first, Alice.

Her enemy raised her hand abruptly, trying to throw an electric current at Val, missing her entirely, hitting and breaking the bench on her right in half.

She is still dizzy from the hit, Val thought. Perfect.

She could have ended it right there and now, like she did with the other two. One swift attack against Alice, and she was a goner. But that wasn't enough. Just hitting her once wouldn't do the trick. Val wanted to truly scare her, and then maybe, she would finally had a change of being left alone.

I've suffered so long at your hands. Revenge is sweet, after all.

Val raised her arm again, while taking a few steps to her left, avoiding one of Alice's currents. She lifted her opponent of the ground and with a sudden jerk of her arm, Alice flew upwards, hitting the ceiling, breaking her nose in the process.

The jets of blood were massive, as Alice screamed and moved her arms frantically, shooting her wild electric energy everywhere, smashing lights, benches and tiles alike.

Val let Alice go and raised both her arms in front of her torso, creating a sort of an invisible shield, protecting herself from the flying debris.

Alice got up once again, but this time the possibility of an upcoming defeat, made her lose her composure. She tried to run towards the stairs, only to be lifted high up the air again, and screamed as Val dropped her wrist, leading her head first in the water, a dive Alice was not prepared for. Her body dropped with a big splash, submerging in the pool water.