The Great Quest

shouts and cries just make my headache worse. The swarm of people rushing into the streets makes the air warm and sticky and it's getting harder to breathe without the feeling that I'm suffocating. The pounding in my head is too loud to overcome my fear of what will happen if I don’t relax. I look at Zehra and the emerging realization and panic that comes to her face when we meet eyes tells me enough. She pulls me to a stop and grabs my shoulders.

“Emeren’s technology has been breached,” she shouts.

“What! This can't be happening.”

My eyes are wide in panic and my thoughts are stumbling like an ongoing wave filled with panic. We continue running and this time my mind can't help but welcome my fear. My fear of how our technology-ridden country is getting breached. Fear of who could possibly be overriding our system. With the flow of people pushing and shoving past, I stumble and trip. My knee comes rushing to the floor, but before it can crash into the pavement, a group of vines tear out of the floor and catch it. Zehra, who is standing over me trying to lift me up, locks eyes with me. She looks around to see if anyone has noticed and the next wave of worry washes over her face. I look around and note that what just happened didn't draw any attention from the pool of people running around. When I follow her eyes I can see the origin of her worry. A drone, one of the many that are placed all around Emeren, is facing directly at us. And with the news of Emeren’s breached technology I know that whoever is watching us isn’t from Emeren's security.

A rush of clarity comes to me like a pound to my

chest. All the times my mother didn't allow me outside Illi, Emeren’s capital, and also the place with the best security in the country. I thought she was just trying to be controlling, unlike my dad who would sneak me out. They never saw eye to eye when it came to me. But now I see why, I see why there were always officials from other countries over. What they were there for. I look at Zehra and the alarm on her face confirms my thoughts. Whoever has broken into Emeren is here looking for something, for me. And a drone just caught vines coming out of the floor to brace a girl from her fall. A girl who shouldn't even have been there. Who should have listened.

Zehra grabs me even tighter and we run, falling into the crowd. But I know that it's too late. We can't possibly outrun it, and surely more are on their way to us right now. I pull us to a stop and grab Zehra’s hands.

“You know we can't outrun them,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

“No, no, no. We have to keep going, we can keep going,” she says while trying to tug me along.

She diverts her eyes from me, like she always does when she doesn't want to acknowledge something. By this time dozens of drones have made their way around us and most of the people left. I begin to hear footsteps pounding, hundreds, maybe thousands.

“Hey,” I say, calling for Zehra’s attention. “Its okay, we’ll be okay”

“No, I shouldn't have let you come. I never should have let you come, I knew the risks–” she says, her voice trembling.

Her eyes are beginning to swell with tears and I can't help but let mine swell too. Zehra never cries. She was always the strong one.

I close my eyes and hold onto Zehra even tighter. I let myself become aware. Aware of the still air as if even the planet is holding its breath, waiting. I become aware of the trees and even flowers that are miles away. And I call to it. When I open my eyes I know it's answered. The rush of assurance that comes to me leaves me, letting a breath escape. The planet calls to me, urging me to sink deeper. But Zehra squeezes my hand, grounding me, and I lose that temptation. When I look around I see thousands of soldiers on their way to us. Wearing the colors of their country. Orivin, one of the country's that Emeren had peace with. I also notice that the screens that once lit up with my mother’s face now light up with the colors of Orivin, blue and grey. And the drones that were once circling around us have left. At this point I can see the soldiers clearly. And in the middle, leading everyone to us, is Caiden, the head of Orivin.

“We don't want a fight,” he shouts.

But what he doesn't know is that he didn't need to. That the wind is carrying his words to me. Not only his, but his soldiers’ too. Soldiers carrying guns and wearing all the newest technology designed for war. There's so many of them saying one thing.

“She isn't natural.”

The anger that comes with hearing this makes the wind move faster. It makes the trees sway. Hearing what I've

been hearing since I was a little girl. A girl born who could do things that others couldn't, who could feel what others couldn't. Some thought I was a miracle, others thought I was an abomination. The soldiers begin to shift on their feet as the wind gets harsher. I can tell they’re getting tense. I don't waste time. I urge the ground, the trees, the wind, to follow me. It does. I take the roots from the ground, growing them out until it creates a blockade. I let the wind grow harsh and unbearable on the other side. By this time the drones are back. Even more than there were before. I grow branches from the tree and grab them, pulling them down into the ground. I look over to Zehra and she's in tears. I take her hand, unsure of when to let it go, and I send her the rush of assurance that comes to me. Her eyes go wide and she relaxes. I take this time to close my eyes and search for my mother, I look for her through the ground, reach for her. But before I get to her I hear screams.

“Zemira, get up!” she says as I bring myself back.

“What is it?” I say, not noticing anything other than the shouts and angst from the soldiers behind the nature-made blockade. I look behind us and see another group of soldiers. But it's clear from the black and gold colors these soldiers are wearing, they aren't from Orivin. They’re from Emeren.

My hesitation and confusion end up costing me. When I push myself out of my confusion, it's too late. When I look around the air buzzes with energy and I know it's over. I’ve lost. With the clear feeling of assurance lost to me, I let myself get lost in my feelings of confusion and worry. Why am I being attacked by my own country? Is my mother involved?

Where is she? But before I can continue, a loud screeching sound becomes loud in my ears. Antagonizing. I fall to my knees. I look around, holding my hands up to my ears, my hair pressed against my cheeks. The hood that I used to cover my face is long gone. I see that the forcefield is down and Zehra is shouting to me trying to help, unfazed along with the soldiers walking toward us. My eyes start to get heavy and I can't seem to reach the environment like I once had. But I can feel its presence anyways, not just there, but watching.

I open my eyes. My head is pounding like it did in the HST and I'm unsure of when I even closed my eyes. When I try to move I realize I'm underground. I’m confused and my head is pounding, so I call to the land. This time it answers. It shows me everything as if trying to shove the memories towards me. Once the forcefield left, my body naturally called to the land as a defence mechanism, even when I was unconscious. I see myself getting covered with vines, sinking into the ground. The surge of rush and panic amongst the soldiers and the brave face Zehra puts on in my wake. Zehra, who I left. I tremble.

They shoot her, not knowing who she is or what to do with her.

I scream, the ground shakes but I continue. I call to the land, grasping for the comfort and assurance it gives. When it answers, my heart calms. I continue looking, not at what happened, but at what's happening now. I close my eyes and see that most of the land is deserted. Most either fled or died. I search for my mother. When I find her, that rush of assurance falters. All I can do is