Earth(111)

He looked up at the sky. The clouds were beginning to dissipate, revealing the aurora borealis above. "I don't know. I'm very tired."

"There might be a way for you to get Akasha back." I swallowed hard, forcing the words out. "For good."

Micah moved under my hand, probably ready to protest. I squeezed his shoulder, reassuring him.

"How?" Shawn asked.

I held out my other hand to Shawn. "Help me."

He hesitated, but only for a second. What choice did he have?

Shawn's hand was cool. Shawn's cold to Micah's hot. Balance. Because too much of one thing was never good.

I closed my eyes, calling the elements and letting power envelope me. It threatened to tear me apart, but outside forces squeezed in, pressing against each other, holding everything together.

Akasha formed above us – a brilliant sphere, infused with color and charged energy. The three of us squinted as we looked up, our hands squeezing tight. I raised it, using more energy sent willingly by Shawn and Micah.

Akasha surpassed the height of the monolithic cliffs and peaked. I held it there, suspended, like a miniature sun in the sky. The rumbling avalanches and fire tornados ceased. With amplified senses, I felt Elementals retreating. Many took cover.

I pulled Akasha back down, bringing it in between the cliffs. I clenched my insides, forcing more and more energy up. I drew magic from the Earth. I borrowed it from the moisture-filled sky, and the wind that blew in. I called on what energy had almost dissipated from the fire tornadoes. All of it combined, and I made adjustments to Akasha along the way. It held together, expanding.

I was growing weak, and still needed more for the final infusion. "I need the rest of what you have," I told both Shawn and Micah.

I felt a boost from Micah almost immediately, but I held it back. Both needed to come at the same time.

"Will we survive it?" Shawn yelled over the howling winds.

"I…don't know," I answered honestly. I couldn't lie about something like that now – not with Akasha hanging over my head.

He looked at me, then nodded. He obliged with more energy. I would have happily drawn from him only, leaving Micah alone. But it wasn't about what I wanted – it was about what I needed, and I needed balance.

One final push, and Akasha burst out. The huge, monolithic cliffs of Red Rocks only contained the blast for so long. The intense inner core of Akasha rolled across the Rockies and the plains toward downtown Denver. Explosions shook the Earth. A deep cracking sound echoed across the Amphitheatre. I looked up – the cliff to our right shifted.

Akasha was a magnet, attracting pockets of power. The increased energy sent Akasha further, miles and miles across the Earth. I recalled a spell I’d used to cleanse Shawn's Athame. I chanted, mixing the spell with the power of Akasha. "I consecrate you with Earth; the Great Mother shall provide you protection." This hills rumbled as the avalanches started up again. Shawn's hand squeezed my own. I squeezed back, willing him to stay.

My voice was louder now, "I consecrate you with Fire, so that you are empowered with the strength of the Fire that burns in the core of the Earth." A surge of heat shot through Akasha like a wave. I adjusted the other three elements to maintain balance. Micah's breathing grew shallow. Still on one knee, I looked up at Akasha in a panic. I had to finish it.

"I consecrate you with Air so that you may obtain the knowledge of infinite places." My energy began to wane, and Akasha flickered above us. What light left Akasha was balanced by the signals of Elementals. They were scattered, many behind the walls I left for them, but the blue, gold, red, and brown telltale signatures were strong. One by one, they began to send their own energies, contributing to the strength of Akasha. As a result, Akasha reached further. This, plus a surge of Air extended my power, covering entire states now. I felt the Chakra Centers join the surge. First Denver, then the one in Evansville. There were others along the way.

A large boulder smashed into the stage of the Amphitheatre. All three of us looked up. The cliff hung at a precarious angle. It had to be the momentum of Akasha alone keeping it from falling on us.

"Hurry, Kaitlyn!" Micah coughed out.

I nodded, continuing with the last element, "I consecrate you with Water so that understanding and wisdom of great mysteries will be yours." It was as if the oceans of the world became conductive. Our power combined with another.

"Galapagos," Shawn whispered, glancing at me.

I could almost taste the ash from the volcano that had erupted when I was trying to escape.

"And the Chakra," Micah countered through pasty, cracked lips.

He was right, the Galapagos had reached for its balance halfway across the world. The rest of the Earth's points of power were quick to respond. Our forest in Indonesia and its counter, Easter Island. Then Heard and McDonald Islands and back to us. Six of the chakra points along the body of the Earth were accessed. There was just one left.