Orange flames licked at the mossy earth, and smoke held a thick presence in the air. Kai's nostrils burned as she stumbled backward, her bloody feet scraping against the rocky ledge. She had nowhere left to go as the fire crept toward her. Kai held her breath and sneaked a peek at the cliff behind her. That would certainly be a quicker death than burning alive. 

"No!" I cry, blinking out of Kai's mind. My heart hammers as I throw myself forward, following the billowing clouds of smoke rising above the treetops. My brother yelps in surprise but hurries to keep pace with me. 

"Is Kai alive?" Dex asks. 

"Barely!" I reply, my feet moving faster as the words leave my lips. Dex matches my stride with ease, but his face betrays his worry. 

A trickling sense of alarm grips me, and I'm pulled back into Kai's mind. Her fear is palpable as she struggles to keep her distance from the flames. The ledge grows closer, and her thoughts darken. Falling is much better than burning. 

"Cole!" My brother yanks hard on my arm, and I snap back to my surroundings, coming to an abrupt stop before the burnt remains of our friends. My stomach twists as what little food I've had begins to crawl up my throat. 

"We can't stop!" I say, nearly gagging at my declaration. Not one part of me wanted to walk over the charred bodies of our friends. But Kai was on the other side of them, barely alive. 

Dex nods sharply, and together we dredge on, our eyes set ahead and not at who lay at our feet. For a brief moment, I'm transported back to the encounter that led us to this grim fate. 

"Dead or alive, you're coming with me!" The Professor bellowed, his fierce eyes beseeching us all. 

His army had descended on us before we'd had time to unite our power, leaving us separated and disadvantaged. Only Kai and I had managed to link up. 

Nonetheless, three of us survived. 

"There!" Dex yells, jerking his head at the fire, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. My heart soars. 

"Kai!" I scream as loudly as I can manage. Through the bond comes a small burst of hope. 

Dex and I come to a screeching halt at the fire's edge. Sweat drips down our faces as we grasp hands. Our eyes lock, and as I stare, Dex's hazel gaze burns a bright violet. Rays of light burst forth, surrounding us in a circle of warmth. 

The sky roars and dark clouds form, their bodies plump and quivering. Huge drops of water rain down and charges of electricity arc through the moist air. The fire sings as it's snuffed out, and loud booms erupt overhead. 

As the last tendril dies, Dex and I break apart. Through the mist and fading light, I see her curled up by the cliff's edge. 

Kai looks up, relief clear on her face. 

She was alive.