Path to Victory (Or Not)

Slender fingers plucked restlessly at the smooth linen shirt as green eyes followed the globe of water that marked the beginning of the ‘game’.  Kaia did not see much of what happened, taking the time to move into the center of her team instead while embracing saidar. She was shorter than many of her teammates but she caught glimpses of what was happening through the spaces and gaps of moving bodies.

The initial volley left three novices soaked and on the proverbial sidelines, wildly gesturing accompanied by yelling and pointing at the opposite team.  Kaia’s heart was racing, saidar singing through her body as Yasmene Sedai lobbed another water globe into the air.  The Novice girl who had pelted Willim caught the ball deftly, giving another little twirl before throwing it at one of the girls on the opposing team who had managed to straggle off to the side.  The ball was deflected, trembling dangerously back towards a male who only barely managed to escape the ensuing drenching as the water orb lost cohesion and exploded in a shower of blue tinted water.

So far, Kaia had managed to stay situated in the center of the pack, only having to duck behind taller Novices anytime the ball shot towards her general direction.  It wasn’t a very spectacular strategy, but it had kept her from being among the first who’d been thrown out.  It was an uncertain thing though; there was no way to predict which way her team would move.  She knew it was only a matter of time before she’d have to either catch the ball or deflect it as she was determined to stay in the game as long as possible.

An elbow nudged her in the ribs along with a breathless question of whether or not she could weave Water well, the question being repeated on sides as a teammate in the front caught the ball, buying them precious seconds by passing the ball from hand to hand before hurling it at the closest target, the ball of water catching a girl square in the chest.  All Kaia could do was make a face and shake her head, the others near her either nodding in the affirmative or shaking their heads as she was in the negative.  “Air comes easily though,” was all she had time to add before she had to jump out of the way, the ball passing scant inches by her.

That was the chance that the other team needed, a second ball flying through the empty space to further separate her from her teammates, Kaia nearly landing on a tall, rather lanky male Novice as she threw herself to the side.  A third ball and she was out in the open, empty space on either side of her.  Light, how quickly was Yasmene Sedai making these things?  Green eyes narrowed slightly as she realized she had been singled out, her already rapid pulse quickening even further as she frantically began weaving strands of Water around her hands like Yasmene Sedai had done.  Kaia held no illusions she could simply catch the ball with her bare hands; the previous two lessons had been difficult enough, but the Air that would help stretch out the water net came very easily.  She had no time to inspect her weave, no time to adjust for any errors she had made as the water ball came hurtling at her.  With a little gasp and a silent sort of prayer that made her stomach clench reflexively, Kaia managed to catch the ball, if only just.  The net barely held together, a few Water threads snapping.  The shape of the ball rippled and the teammates closet to her backed away as best they could.  Throw it, throw it, throw it!  Before it collapses! Gritting her teeth, Kaia launched it at the nearest target she could find, the water ball wobbling a few feet before it simply buckled in on itself, the water splashing harmlessly onto the training grounds.

Panting, Kaia stepped back into the safety that was found with numbers, fairly certain that she wouldn’t be able to duplicate that feat again.  Still, she wasn’t about to make it easy for the other team to out her.