thumbs-up.
They stood behind the line and held their hands up.
Falcon aimed his hand at the lion’s mouth at the bottom right hand corner. His emblem turned crimson as a line of fire flew forward.
He held his breath as his flames met Sheridan’s moon rock. The attacks collided and formed a perfect sphere that whizzed through the lion’s mouth.
“Eat that!” shouted Sheridan, pointing toward Laars gang. “That’s forty points.”
Laars frowned. He leaned over to Delita and whispered something in his ear. Then they released their attack.
Falcon’s jaw dropped as the their attack meshed together and travelled through the dragon’s mouth.
“One-hundred, points!” cried Laars. “This game is as good as over.”
Sheridan turned to Falcon; a frown had replaced his smile. “We have no choice but to go for the dragon and tie the match. Anything else will be useless.”
Falcon eyed the petite hole in the dragon’s mouth. His spirits dwindled down to the darkest corner within himself. “That thing is about three inches wide.”
“I know. But we can do it.” Sheridan patted Falcon’s back. “Listen, that last attack was losing air three-thirds through it. We need to shoot straight. Go with earth this time.”
Falcon bit his lip. “Are you sure? I think we are better off going with water and shooting a little high. The attack will arc down and go in. Hopefully.”
“Trust me. Straight and true.”
Sheridan sounded so hopeful that Falcon was left with little choice but to nod in agreement. “Earth it is.”
They stood behind the line.
“Traitor,” called Laars from behind him. His gang snickered in suppressed laughter.
Falcon breathed in, trying to ignore the comment. But no matter how hard he tried, Laars’ comment echoed in his head. He was so lost in his own thoughts that it barely registered when Sheridan let out his ball of stardust.
Panicking, he shot an earth rock forward. The large shapeless chunk of rock slammed into the stardust, dissolving into a puff of smoke. A second later the rock clanked loudly against the wall. Nowhere close to the circle where he had aimed.
Laars and his gang cheered loudly as they hopped and high-fived one another.
“See?” jeered Laars. “One-hundred and forty to forty. It wasn’t even close.”
Falcon’s air left him as he rubbed his aching head.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Sheridan. “We’ll get him next time.”
“There won’t be a next time, losers,” said Laars.
“Yes, losers,” added Putin.
Unable to continue hearing their celebration, Falcon hastily made his way back to the castle. His insides fumed more with each step he took. How could he have allowed Laars to insult his friend and get away with it?
“Relax, Hyatt.”
“I’m relaxed,” said Falcon, feeling anything but relaxed. “Listen, I’m going to my room. Faith might be there looking for me.”
“Are you sure you’re well?”
“Yes. See you around.” He marched into the castle and down the long corridors. As he passed the dining room, he noticed Aya sitting on a table, with a group of student girls gathered around her.
He collected his breathing and marched toward her.
“What about wielding water out of thin air?” said one of the girls. “I tried everything the books say, but I always fail.”
“Me too,” added a freckled-faced student. “It’s impossible.” The rest of the students nodded in agreement.
Aya set her spoon down. “It’s not impossible. You simply have to—” Her eye’s met Falcon’s. “Listen, girls. Can we continue this conversation at another time?”
“Yes. Of course, Miss Nakatomi,” said the freckled student. She and her group of star-eyed friends thanked Aya and walked away. Falcon noticed a slight spring in their step.
“Well, I was right,” said Aya. “Both my father and mother refuse to go see the emperor. They say there’s not enough proof to back up our claims.”
“It’s fine, Aya. We expected as much,
They stood behind the line and held their hands up.
Falcon aimed his hand at the lion’s mouth at the bottom right hand corner. His emblem turned crimson as a line of fire flew forward.
He held his breath as his flames met Sheridan’s moon rock. The attacks collided and formed a perfect sphere that whizzed through the lion’s mouth.
“Eat that!” shouted Sheridan, pointing toward Laars gang. “That’s forty points.”
Laars frowned. He leaned over to Delita and whispered something in his ear. Then they released their attack.
Falcon’s jaw dropped as the their attack meshed together and travelled through the dragon’s mouth.
“One-hundred, points!” cried Laars. “This game is as good as over.”
Sheridan turned to Falcon; a frown had replaced his smile. “We have no choice but to go for the dragon and tie the match. Anything else will be useless.”
Falcon eyed the petite hole in the dragon’s mouth. His spirits dwindled down to the darkest corner within himself. “That thing is about three inches wide.”
“I know. But we can do it.” Sheridan patted Falcon’s back. “Listen, that last attack was losing air three-thirds through it. We need to shoot straight. Go with earth this time.”
Falcon bit his lip. “Are you sure? I think we are better off going with water and shooting a little high. The attack will arc down and go in. Hopefully.”
“Trust me. Straight and true.”
Sheridan sounded so hopeful that Falcon was left with little choice but to nod in agreement. “Earth it is.”
They stood behind the line.
“Traitor,” called Laars from behind him. His gang snickered in suppressed laughter.
Falcon breathed in, trying to ignore the comment. But no matter how hard he tried, Laars’ comment echoed in his head. He was so lost in his own thoughts that it barely registered when Sheridan let out his ball of stardust.
Panicking, he shot an earth rock forward. The large shapeless chunk of rock slammed into the stardust, dissolving into a puff of smoke. A second later the rock clanked loudly against the wall. Nowhere close to the circle where he had aimed.
Laars and his gang cheered loudly as they hopped and high-fived one another.
“See?” jeered Laars. “One-hundred and forty to forty. It wasn’t even close.”
Falcon’s air left him as he rubbed his aching head.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Sheridan. “We’ll get him next time.”
“There won’t be a next time, losers,” said Laars.
“Yes, losers,” added Putin.
Unable to continue hearing their celebration, Falcon hastily made his way back to the castle. His insides fumed more with each step he took. How could he have allowed Laars to insult his friend and get away with it?
“Relax, Hyatt.”
“I’m relaxed,” said Falcon, feeling anything but relaxed. “Listen, I’m going to my room. Faith might be there looking for me.”
“Are you sure you’re well?”
“Yes. See you around.” He marched into the castle and down the long corridors. As he passed the dining room, he noticed Aya sitting on a table, with a group of student girls gathered around her.
He collected his breathing and marched toward her.
“What about wielding water out of thin air?” said one of the girls. “I tried everything the books say, but I always fail.”
“Me too,” added a freckled-faced student. “It’s impossible.” The rest of the students nodded in agreement.
Aya set her spoon down. “It’s not impossible. You simply have to—” Her eye’s met Falcon’s. “Listen, girls. Can we continue this conversation at another time?”
“Yes. Of course, Miss Nakatomi,” said the freckled student. She and her group of star-eyed friends thanked Aya and walked away. Falcon noticed a slight spring in their step.
“Well, I was right,” said Aya. “Both my father and mother refuse to go see the emperor. They say there’s not enough proof to back up our claims.”
“It’s fine, Aya. We expected as much,
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