A Time to Die (Elemental Rage Book 2) by Jeanette Raleigh Page A

It seemed easy, and yet Raven knew that the
risk was enormous.
    I release
myself from the Void.  I appreciate your help in providing a service for a
service.  The words came from Emptiness.
    Raven heard a pop
and then she was staring at her body from the tree tops. She peered down on her
physical form.  Her face was blank with no eyes, no mouth, and no nose.  As the
Void withdrew, her features appeared again.  One moment Raven was above the
trees, the next she was lying on the cold ground staring at the tree tops.
    Air and Emptiness
both vied for attention. Are you okay? You’re back! What happened?
    Raven groaned. 
Every part of her body felt like it had been submersed in an ice bath.  She
felt alternately numb and on fire, cold fire.
    That was when the
attack started.  The Void had no intention of releasing Raven. She could feel
the pressure from within, a cold force stronger than anything she had ever felt
before.  Air’s tornado had nothing on the Void.
    She felt her body
start to freeze from the toes up, and her shivering turned to violent shaking. 
    Air’s voice faded
again into the frost.
    Her new Element,
Emptiness, whispered encouragement. Air will find Jade. Don’t let him into
your mind.
    But it was too
late.  The Unmaker’s path into her mind was paved by the memories of her
father.  The Void crept slowly across her soul, leaving barren footprints where
it touched. She went blind first. Next, her sense of smell disappeared.  This
time she stayed inside herself, feeling the void’s icy touch as it tried to
take her body. 
    Awash with horror,
Raven realized too late.  The Void’s prior dealings with her were just pokes
and prods, not a serious attempt to take over, a test of her power, her
ability, her style of defense.  Now, the Void was eating her from the
inside-out. She felt those first memories fade and then disappear.
    The more Raven
panicked, the quicker the Void progressed.
    She didn’t know
how to hold onto herself.  Feeling disoriented and confused, Raven no longer
even knew what she had lost.  Emptiness whispered Make your mind quiet.
    Raven didn’t know
how. 
    She tried not to
think. 
    When she did, the
thoughts were snatched up by the Void.  Even trying to talk to the Emptiness
was difficult.  She lost track of her thoughts and her words became garbled and
confused. 
    The Void pressed
further and Raven’s sense of self dissolved. Aunt Bertha’s wisdom saved Raven
at that moment.  The Emptiness latched onto Raven’s spirit and held firm as the
Void reached into the space where she hid, looking for the last vestige of
Raven.
    Raven’s body lay
stiff and frozen, her face that of the Void servants, empty of all senses and
expression.
     
     
     
    ~~ Mindy ~~
     
    Earth surrounded
Mindy. 
    A warning.
    Raven.
    Darkness.
    Void.
    Frightened, Mindy
reached out to all of the Elements at once.  Earth first, then Fire, Water,
Air.  There were others, the quiet Elements, Gravity and Emptiness.  Mindy
sought them all.
    As she hid in the
depths of Earth, Mindy made a simple request, Save Raven.
     
    ~~ Claire~~
     
    Water felt the
Void’s footsteps on the mountain and led Claire away from Raven.  She tumbled
anxiously along the creek.  Claire asked, “What is wrong?”
    He wants you.
Join me as Water. We’ll run.
    Claire had no idea
who ‘he’ was, but she trusted Water.
    Water carried
Claire far down the mountainside, away from the Void, away from Raven’s losing
battle. Claire followed along, wondering who they were running from.
     
    ~~Jade~~
     
    Jade had never
been a strong Elemental, but she heard three Elements call for her at the same
time.  Fire, Air, and Emptiness all clamored for her attention.  When she found
out Raven was in danger, Jade ran up the mountain.  She wasn’t fast enough, so
Air picked her up, giving her the power to fly.
    When Jade reached
her sister, she thought Raven was dead.  Kneeling beside her, Jade put her hand
at the side of