Chapter 11: Jade
While the group struggled inside the net, a group of muscular men came running up the hill.
They were wearing armors and dark clothing, beaming with joy.
Jade didn't understand why.
"Finally! We've caught something! Now we can go back without shame!"
One looked at the group entangled in the net. "They look very strong. Maybe they aren't humans."
"Ha! Are you afraid, Lilan? Of course, they're humans! What else would they be? A rat? This is a forest! They obviously aren't animals!"
"How do you know, Xiader? They might not be humans, but a closely related species!"
While the men were arguing, Jade stretched out her hand and pointed her finger towards the net. Fire zapped out of her finger, swirling around the rope, but then died down.
Jade cursed under her breath. "What kind of rope is this? I tried to burn it, but nothing happened!"
Xiader glanced at her, his eyes malicious. "Are you really that dumb? We wouldn't capture someone in a net that could break! Only her highness can break this net! Now shut it!"
"Throw them in the ocean!"
"The queen will be so glad!"
"No!" White shouted, straining to break the net. She summoned her ice sword and tried to cut through.
The men laughed and one threw a rock towards the girls.
It wasn't aimed well and landed in a bush a little towards the right of the net.
Animal Girl muttered, "Who taught him to aim like that."
"Silly Girl! We already told you that nothing can break the net!"
Jade created a barrier of light around the net, hoping to block the men from coming towards them. But it was no use. The men all put on peculiar top hats and ran through the light unharmed.
Jade was astonished.
Victims were supposed to sting with pain when touching the light, but the men seemed unharmed.
The men raised the net in the air, leaned back and threw the girls in the ocean.
Splash!
The net sank into the ocean with the girls trapped inside.
Jade held her breath and summoned three ribbons of light. They twisted towards the top of the net, looped into the holes and reached up into the sky.
Jade felt the net stop sinking.
"My ribbons must have reached something and tied around it, preventing this net from sinking."
White's jaw dropped.
Jade was confused. Did White think she was too powerful?
"Hold up!" She frowned and gasped once again.
"How are you talking? How am I talking?"
Oh.
"Well—"
Jade cleared her throat.
"Um… I honestly don't know!"
She faked a smile and glanced the other way.
That was embarrassing, Jade. Now how will the others think of you?
Jade heard her own voice in her mind.
She wanted to squeeze out of the net and sink down to the bottom of the ocean.
Her thoughts became darker, no light could warm it up.
Now how will the others think of you?
The words swirled around Jade's mind as though on a carousel.
Now how will the others think of you?
The voice morphed into something else. It seemed to be more like voices of a man and woman.
How will the others think of you? You are a failure, Jade.
Then everything blacked out momentarily.
She slowly opened her eyes.
"That was a bit—" Black started.
"STOP! I AM NOT A FAILURE!"
"What?"
Black, Animal, and White stared at Jade awkwardly.
"We didn't call you a failure and didn't mention you at all, Yellow!" White exclaimed.
"Oh. Sorry. I just thought of something, wasn't talking to you guys!" Jade pretended to smile once again.
"Well, Black just informed us that it may be White that formed a bubble of air around us. We don't know how." Animal glanced at Black and back to Jade.
"Okay."
"Not related to that, but I just had an idea that may help us get out of this net." Animal pressed her lips together and whistled.
A few moments later, a pod of dolphins arrived.
Obviously, Animal Girl had called them.
They obviously will start talking in their animal language again.
"Hurry, Animal Girl! I want to get out of here!"
"Wait!" Animal snapped and continued talking with the dolphins.
"Hand over the dagger, black!" Animal Girl demanded.
Black didn't protest and passed it to her.
One of the dolphins held the dagger in its mouth.
No one said anything at all. Perhaps they were anxious to get out too. That wasn't perhaps, it was definitely.
"Light girl, we need light."
Jade waved her hands and an orb of light hovered in the water.
As if the dolphins had commanded her, Animal Girl opened her mouth once again with no expression, "Ice girl. Freeze the dagger."
"Right away!" Soon, the dagger was frozen.
Together, the dolphins used the dagger to cut the rope. The net hissed and crackled, bits of the rope falling to the depts of the sea.
Soon, the net was opened, and all four girls swam out. However, the bubble of air was gone.
Jade held her breath. The others did too.
Jade was too tired to remember anything else.
Animal Girl lay on a dolphin's back and gestured for the others to do the same. The dolphins carried them back on the shore and they waved farewell.
Jade took of her sandals and left them on a rock to dry. She could've used her powers, but she wanted to forget about that.
Her toes dug into the soft, warm sand.
"Thank you, Animal Girl," Jade beamed. "That was impressive."
"Yeah, we can't thank you enough for saving us." Black added.
"There's no need to thank me. We worked together."
"Yes, we worked together.
"I guess you guys are not dangerous or evil at all!" White cheered.
"I think we need to find a shelter."
A smile formed on Animal Girl's lips. "I know the perfect place for that."
"Oh yeah! We forgot one thing!" White exclaimed. "I'm Artica Crystal, guardian of ice and weather."
"Jade Luminia, guardian of light and flame.
"Noami Nemesia, guardian of wildlife." Noami smirked. "Even if I seem to trust you now, I'm just warning you—I'm not a person to trust someone else so easily."
The others smiled and nodded.
"I'm Estella Nightshadow, guardian of dark and shadow."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone