A flame flickered in the distance, setting the connections around us alight, shifting them, and sending us careening down. Cove's grip on my arm tightened until I felt myself begin to bruise as our magic continued to push us down our new path.
___________________________________________________________
The sun shone brightly overhead, reflecting off the ruined buildings before her. Mattie hefted her all-but-empty bookbag onto her shoulder with one last searching look towards the hidden city. When she saw no one in the trees, she pressed onward, peering carefully through the ruins around her.
Diners, stores, and homes all fell behind her as she continued through the familiar streets. When she reached her landmark, the golden arches of a long destroyed and forgotten rubble, she paused, pulling a hand-drawn map out of the pack. Mattie studied it, then tucked it back away with a nod.
She stopped outside of a large crumbling building, passing the fallen and rusted sign for "Mall." The roof of the building had partially collapsed, walls crumbling to piles beneath it. Spying a hole near the top, she paced to the bottom of the pile of bricks, placing a careful foot on one of the bricks, her hands outstretched. When it didn't shift beneath her, Mattie began her climb, steadily making her way to the hole at the top of the pile of bricks.
Pulling a flashlight out of her backpack, Mattie flipped it on, taking careful note of the apparent sturdiness of the path down. She stuck the flashlight in her mouth, reaching back into her backpack to pull out the rope. With deft and experienced hands, she tied it on the remains of some kind of pole or pipe. She wasn't quite sure which.
Giving it an experimental tug, she tossed the free end down the hole and started her descent. Once she reached the bottom, she pulled the flashlight from her mouth, taking a glance around. The mall before her opened up, cavelike, some of the stores in the center preserved nicely. Spotting a clothing store, Mattie began to rummage through the merchandise. Any well-preserved piece of clothing she shoved in her back, cramming it down tightly. If the fabric quality was high enough, she shoved that deep in her bag, too, filling it quickly.
CLANG.
She spun around, her long ponytail flying behind her head. Her flashlight caught the trail of a mouse scurrying back into the rubble, and she relaxed.
When her backpack was full, she zipped it shut and cast one more careful look around, committing the place to memory. She'd add it to the map, later, when she was out of danger. Mattie used the rope to climb back up, peering carefully out the hole before climbing entirely out. Bangs and clatters from stray animals startled her a few times, but she caught no sight of the dreadful red eyes.
Back at the arches, about halfway out of the city, she heard another CLANG behind her. Heart in her mouth, she spun around, searching for the source of the noise. Her eyes landed on the two bright red pinpricks of the monsters in the city facing her direction. Mattie reached toward her pockets, pulling out a slingshot and a rock.
Carefully, she took aim. Just as those red eyes landed on her, she let the stone fly. It slammed into the artificial head, shattering the delicate sensors that acted as the eyes. The ruby lights died, and Mattie took off, her feet flying over the rubble and destruction on the streets. An alarm sounded in the distance, and she pumped her legs faster.
___________________________________________________________
Air hardened into solid ground beneath my feet, sunlight beating into my eyelids. Cove's hand unfruled from it's bruising grip around my arm, and I, in turn, released my grip on Ani, letting him drop to the ground with a squeak.
A warm breeze caressed my face, brining with it the smell of dust and pollen–like fresh spring air. Taking a deep breath of the sweet air, I opened my eyes to the sight of a ruined city, looking straight out of a zombie movie. The skyscraper carcasses and rubble stared back. The rusty remains of vehicles lined the broken concret, flowers and weeds fully grown through the creacks.
I rounded on Cove. "This isn't Cretaceous."
Pale-faced, Cove said. "No, no it isn't. Someone interfered. But how –who–?" He cut himself off, mumbling to himself.
His head jerked in my direction, and his wide and panicked eyes landed on me. "I didn't notice anything unusual–did you?"
I thought of the fire, setting the connections alight. My mouth opened, and I said, "Nothing."
It wasn't what I'd meant to say.
Cove frowned, the lines etching themselves deep into his face. A tired hand moved to rub his temples, a sign of frustration and exhaustion. A sigh escaped his lips. "I'm going to try and see if I can sense any fragments." He flopped a hand around at the scenery "Or anything else."
"Go ahead." I said, my eyes landing on a comfortable-looking slab of stone a few feet away. I plopped myself down on it, closing my eyes and reaching out with my own sense. Cove hadn't taught me any mental magic yet, but I'd already noticed his magic felt like an ocean, and I was curious to see if I could feel what I was doing.
Pulling on the ember burning deep within my chest, I let the sparks fly outward, brushing against the deep black waters of Cove's. His magic stretched for lack of a better word, reaching deep past the black, glancing by small stars and sparks. I let my embers fly along side him, stretching myself thin before withdrawing in on myself, sweat dripping down my neck.
My muscles jumped under my skin, a sign that I'd nearly pushed myself too far. I sighed, reclining backwards onto my hands and letting my gaze drift over to Ani and Ranch, toying with a small mouse. They batted it back and forth, before getting bored and letting it vanish into the city.
From my side came a frustrated growl. "Nothing."
I sighed, feeling unsurprised. "Can we get back?"
Cove shook his head, sweat-plastered bangs sticking to his forehead. He, too, must have stretched himself too thin. "Can't try until tomorrow at the earliest. I'm exhausted."
"Perfect," I said. Then, with a smug pat on my backpack, I added, "Good thing I brought the backpack, then."
He glared, his blue eyes turning to ice. "This wasn't supposed to happen. You were terrified of your first mission. Why are you so calm?"
I shrugged, foraging in my backpack for the granola bars I'd stuck there. "I was expecting dinosaurs to try and kill us. This is better." My hands brushed plastic and wrapped around two granola bars.
Pulling one out and offering it to Cove, I asked, "Do you want one?"
"No."
With another shrug, I stuck the plastic of my granola bar between my teeth and stuffed the other back in, forcing the zipper shut.
"So, what next?" I asked, unwrapping my snack and shoving it into my mouth. Crumbs dusted my palm, and I brushed them off, watching as ants scurried out of their hiding places for the food.
"Find somewhere to bunker down for the night, I guess."
My spine tingled. Cursing, I jumped up, reaching a hand to swipe any lost ants off of it. I didn't feel anything, but the sensation didn't subside.
Disgust dripping from my voice, I said, "Great."
"If you have any other ideas, by all means." Cove snapped back.
"I have one. Don't bring the newbie mage on missions guaranteed to go wrong."
He rolled his eyes. "Well–"
CLANK.
The tingling sensation returned to full force. I cursed again, brushing my back "What is it with these–" Cove's face paled, and I turned, "--Oh." I finished. My hands dropped. The ants had never climbed up my back at all.
"What the hell is that?" Cove asked, referring to the red-eyed metal and plastic thing staring at us. It stared at us, then rushed forward—towards us.
Hurriedly, I picked up my backpack and whistled for Ani. Ani's head spun in my direction, and he took off without further prompting, Ranch on his heels. "I'm not sure I want to know," I called, over my shoulder, leaving Cove in the dust behind me.
He appeared at my side seconds later, the exertion taking a clear toll on his exhausted body. Sweat poured from his pale face, and he stumbled.
"Know any lightning spells?"
Cove looked at me, uncomprehending. I jerked my thumb backward, speaking through my pants, "To deal with that."
Breathing heavily, he answered, "I don't have enough power."
I swore yet again, Cove echoing the sentiment.