The Tracker Hive Academy Year One - Avery Song Page 0,1
me in my fight for survival.
Our world was made of magic; the gods up in the sky blessed us humans with a fraction of their essence for us to use and learn. Some used their magic to heal, while others used it to destroy.
Not everyone was worthy of carrying these gifts and magic wasn’t distributed evenly. Though many had hints and bits of power, others carried a lot more than the average person should.
The world of magic had eight elements: fire, water, earth, wind, thunder, ice, spirit, and darkness.
No individual on record had all the elements; the most powerful mentioned in the history books had five out of eight at their disposal.
I am the first one with all eight.
From what I remembered of my mother's loving words, every birthday I'd obtained an element. Now that I was eight, darkness, the final and most compelling power of them all was mine. It was the company I needed to live another day on the streets.
With each year that I gained an element, I became more and more dangerous — and hunted. My family members were the only people I could rely on, but they were eradicated from this earth.
All because of me.
The sadness bore into my heart, and the darkness was my saving grace.
Now I was growing, learning about things eight-year-olds shouldn't, but it was for the best. If these men wanted me, they would have to fight really hard to catch me.
It was a game of hide-and-seek, and for ten months, I'd been winning.
Tonight worried me. I was tired from yesterday’s long chase. Sitting here in the dark alley while the rain poured upon my shivering body only made things feel more ironic.
My arms and legs ached, coated in bruises and scratches, and the emptiness of my stomach made it feel like something was biting my insides.
Tired, thirsty, hungry, and cold. The usual cycle of my new world.
Closing my eyes, I waited for morning to come, glad that my soaked hoody could give me a bit of shelter.
My black hair with white highlights was tied and tucked in the inner layer of the t-shirt that I wore underneath. My black leggings were baggy but helped me run the fastest rain or shine, and my black Converse sneakers were slowly deteriorating but still holding on — for now.
A suffocating flow of energy began to bubble inside me, strong enough for my eyes to dart open and have me standing up the next second.
That was the darkness's way to warn me of danger. I had to get moving.
Slipping my little hands in my pockets, I headed farther into the alley, only to bite my lip and push off the ground. The swift call of the wind shot me up, securing my rise to the top of the building, seconds before five men rushed into the alley I'd been hiding in.
The darkness came to my aid, wrapping around my body and hiding my presence completely.
I stayed frozen in place, not caring about the rain that beat harder against me or how the frigid steel plates of the roof aided in the cold’s mission to give me frostbite.
"Shit! Where did the brat go?! We're not going home until we got her!"
"Boss, she's just a brat. What's so special about her?"
"Did you not see the sign in the Black Market?! She apparently has six elements. She could even have seven! There's some big money on the line for us to retrieve her. Stop bickering and find her!"
The Black Market. I'd yet to figure out what the place was. There were no books on it in the library and I was too afraid to ask the librarian. There was no need to risk getting kicked out.
Holding my breath, I eyed their movement as they walked deeper into the alley, looking around the narrowed path. When they lifted their heads up, I prayed the darkness hid me well enough.
My nose caught onto the distinct scent of smoke when I silently took an inhale, and another scent bugged me, reminding me of metal.
Or blood.
They remained searching the alley for another minute. "She's not here. Let's go!"
Tracking their every step until they moved out of the alleyway and into the crowded night streets, I let out my breath and rose up.
I need to run away.
I spun around, and the darkness continued to cloak me protectively, like a chameleon who shifts its skin to match the color of its environment.
Who knew how effective it was, but I took advantage of it,