Now the dark begins to rise[END]

Pushing against the wind, Skyler was doing everything he could to get out of the pressure. So strong. So intense. It felt as if he was being torn from 2 different positions. As he pushed forward, the harshness of the wild wind pulled him back, but it made no difference from the progress he was making. If he kept things up, soon he would make it to the school.

But things got worse fast. It wasn't just rain that fell from the heavens, but also ice and snow. He couldn't understand what was going on. Weather never acted like this. There was not 3 different things fall from the sky, but only 1. Why now? Why was it doing it now?

Trees, signs, snow, fallen branches, all being thrown his way. Everything around him was being picked out off the earth and just brushing past him. He couldn't do anything about it, but to keep pressing on. He knew soon enough he would get tired from using his power so much, but it was the only thing that helped him at this point.

The roughness of the weather made things impossible to see what was ahead of him, so he had no chance of dodging what was coming fast at him. In a speed of light, a long branch smashed against Skyler's chest. Blasting him far back.

Everything he did. All the work he placed in on getting closer to the school vanished. All hope was lost. He could feel the earth shack underneath him and the wind was to strong now. This branch held him to the ground. Where he no longer had a chance to win.

He watched as everything flew above him, only giving him slight scratches here and there, but something was being formed and Skyler couldn't see it. Fear... Only fear... Was what Skyler felt...

Claire could hear people now, but only a little as the storm was getting worse. People trying to find each other and get inside safely. No one was looking for her. No one cared to make sure that she was safe. It was almost hopeless, to try to find people in this storm. She could barely see in-front of her as it is. Claire sighed as she slowly made her way back. At this point though, she really didn't know with way the school was.

She extended both arms out, to make the places around her not have as much snow or rain, but the wind was really the problem. Now being able to see a few feet ahead of her, she searched for signs of people. "Hello? Anyone?" She shouted, though her voice shouted muffled in the wind. "Shit." She coughed, as it was hard to breathe with the wind going everywhere. She needed to take a break, to recharge herself and to figure out as to where she needed to go.

As she slowly put her arms down, as huge gust of wind hit her. She lost her balance, and hit her head a bit, going back a long ways. Everything was blurry, she was unable to see for a few seconds. 'This is it.' She thought as she kept moving, unable to grab onto anything.

There was no use using her powers, as they wouldn't give her enough traction to get back on her feet. 'Stupid!' She said in her mind. She now was scared, as she kept moving around, going in the air sometimes, and hitting things as she struggled to grab something. As she tried to look back, she was surprised to see a wall, but she then saw how fast she was going, unable to stop herself, and feared for the worse. "No, no, NO!" She screamed as the wall got closer. A few seconds later, she hit the wall, as well as hitting her head, and blacked out.

For awhile, Jacob thought he might have been reeling in a large bird or something. Whatever was on the other end of the tentacle was in the air, and he was pulling it against the wind. But there was a change in tension, and he watched the mass on the other end descend to the ground, making it a little easier to drag it closer. He took the opportunity to pull faster, and he simply had to assume that the mass of tendrils was a student or contained a student.

As Jacob let go of the tendril, the sounds all around him quieted strangely enough. Suffice it to say, it was a very strange phenomenon and Jacob wished he could take the time to observe to some more. All around him was evidence of a loud and chaotic storm, including wind and rain, but no sound came from any of it. It was like someone had his the Mute button on the world. But he had no time for admiration of Nature's quirks. It was quiet enough to talk and he had to use it.

Looking around, Jacob saw that Noelle had been blown away a few feet. He raced over to her and pulled her back closer to him and the tendril-wrapped student.

"Listen! Both of you! Get inside the main building! Find a side door or smash a window if you have to! Now go!"

Jacob pointed to the main school building, and its blocked main entrance. He wished he could help them but in the momentary calm he had to trust that those two could handle themselves while he went after other students. After patting the tendril mass and Noelle's back, Jacob stood up and made his way through the silent wind to find other students.

He was fortunate to find one near the tree, but he was pinned by a branch. Immediately, Jacob jumped to the students aid and, using adrenaline-fueled strength, he yanked the branch off of him out of the way. Without waiting, he took the students hand and tried to help him to his feet.

"Follow them! Get to the main building!"

He pointed out Felix and Noelle. That was when a very unfortunate fourth student literally flew by in the wind. There was no denying it, he had to help this one now. Jacob gave Skyler a push in the right direction before pushing his way to the blacked out girl and picking her up, then struggling to the main building.

"Stay with me. Stay with me..."

The wind still cut across his ears, but there was an unusual silence once he approached the school. Through the rain, Félix could see the tornado coming closer to the school. Tornadoes shouldn't exist on an island like this... it was something unnatural, without a doubt. The earth was shaking as well, but not as disastrously as it could. Perhaps there was a stronger quake out at the ocean. That meant a tsunami.

So what would it be? Go into the basement to escape the tornado, risking drowning from a wave? Or find high ground to escape the water and be whipped away by a tornado? Félix could only see the tornado so far, so the answer was simple enough.

The big teacher directed Félix and Noelle together, pointing to the school. There was no time for introductions, so Félix simply waved at her with one of his tentacles and pointed it straight at the school. The way he wrapped the tendrils over himself, he managed to cover his head and keep some of the water from splashing his eyes. He could see better than the girl.

“Excuse me, miss. I'm going to wrap something around you.” Félix warned Noelle just before he coiled one of his tendrils around her waist. That way they wouldn't split up. Once she was secure, he pushed as hard as he could to the school building.

Unfortunately, the front entrance was covered in debris. There was no time to try and lift the rubble, if he even could.

“Miss! Hug yourself against the wall!” Félix pulled her over to the school, but she would have to walk lest she be dragged through the mud. Another tendril rapidly flickered against the wall, trying to find a window.

Once he found one, he yelled out to Noelle one last time, “Cover your face, miss! I'm going to smash the glass apart!” The tentacle uncoiled from her, along with the many wrapped around Félix. He closed his eyes and pulled the tentacles behind him. Like one great fist, he launched them in unison against the glass. After a few tries, he sheer force managed to crush the glass. Some of the shards suck deep into his black tendrils, and he nearly squealed in pain. It was like shoving his own bare arms through razors.

He continued to shove broken shards out of the window pane, cutting his tendrils up in the process. “Go through, miss! Now!” Félix screamed. He waited for her to run through first before entering himself. The pain he experienced still lingered even as his tentacles slowly vanished into the ether. A few holes remained in his shirt, but his coat remained intact.

They were out of the wind, and the rain only partially reached them. He and Noelle were out of immediate danger, but there was still the tornado.

“Are you alright, miss?” Félix asked Noelle. He remained as calm and polite as he could, though his breathing was visibly short and difficult. “My name is Félix. But more importantly, we need to find a basement to escape the tornado.”

And secondly, he needed to find a way to show Jacob where he could direct the students.

Noelle really had no idea what was going. She was up on her feet, and being pushed into somebody. The young man was wrapped in tentacles, his own, and he seemed to think that they could help her as well. She groaned inwardly as one wrapped around her waist, she'd never had any experiences with such things.

She stumbled across the court yard, half walking, and half being dragged. Water hit her skin, but as she looked up she saw ice as well. She towards her right, where the ocean was, and saw something that she had much experience with. Tornado.

Her father was the element of wind, and although he never used tornadoes against people, she knew all about them. She also had a feeling that dear old mother nature was doing this herself, but if she wasn't, what in the world was.

Noelle looked at the blocked entrance, then attempted to dodge puddles of mud as she pulled herself to the wall. She closed her eyes, and criss-crossed her arms over her face, and she could hear the young man breaking the glass. Finally, it shattered, and Noelle ducked in, doing her best to avoid the glass, but a little piece cut her arm as she entered.

Noelle breathed hard as she gripped her arm. She looked at the young man. Then, he introduced himself. “My name is Félix. But more importantly, we need to find a basement to escape the tornado.” Noelle nodded. 'I'm Noelle, thanks for helping me. Let me see if this makes your tentacles feel better." She produced a nice little block of ice, and let it levitate in front of him so he could take it. She produced a little for herself, holding it to her arm.

"Right, but first was should stay here to help. I'll stay in here to help all who enter in, and you do what you can. I don't know if you should risk going out there, but other's lives are in danger. I'll go out there again too if you need me.'

Hope was lost in the darkness that consumed Skyler. His eye lids were dropping closed, as the angels of death came to take him away. Everywhere, something had scratched his face and clothing. The blood slipped its way down his face and stained his clothes.

It was easy to feel. Death. He didn't want to die, but it wasn't much of a choice in his behave. The wind was strong, so strong it pinned Skyler to the ground with a branch, and his ability's were exhausted. He couldn't do anything now, but wait for the end to near closer.

Just as he was about to leave the world. Death, could no longer be felt. The air felt lighter then before, and someone was coming. The foot steps were easy enough to hear, but who could it be? As he slowly opened his eyes to see the face of his rescuer, his ear perked up.

Just before he could truly see who it was, the guy was pulling the branch off and pulling Skyler to his feet. There was no word to say how he felt. His life was just saved by this kind man. But who was this kind man?

The man pointed out 2 figures that ran to the school. One was larger then the other. I mean a lot larger. It didn't seem human in anyway. It kind of nerved Skyler.
"Follow them! Get to the main building!"

No... I can't leave him! Even when the guy pushed Skyler towards the school, he wasn't going to leave this guy alone in such place. Everything was falling, flying. He was going to get killed if Skyler doesn't help him.

"I'm not leaving you!"
He said to the guy, just as another student flew passed them in a flash. Luckily the man had good reflects and grabbed the girl before she was out of reach.

Once he had the girl, he began to ran, with Skyler following him not to far behind.
"Hurry to the building!"

The girl wasn't waking up, but there was hope. Through their soaked clothes, both his and hers, Jacob could feel her body heat mingling with his. He could also feel her faint heartbeat against his. She was still alive, but not conscious. For what it was worth, that was a good sign. It gave him the motivation to push through the storm and wind. And he would need it, the moment of silence ended with God slamming the door to Heaven, and kicking the earth in its gut.

The reasons behind the massive, apocalyptic storm never entered Jacob's mind. His mind was solely and utterly focused on getting what students he could to safety, and that included the young man that chose to stay by his side. He was unable to give any kind of audible reply to Skyler over the noise of the typhoon, but he nodded and lead the way to the school.

His eyes were constantly being battered and washed over by the blowing rain, and anything he could see was obscured by sheets of more wind and debris. But as they neared the building, he was able to make out a broken window. That would have to be their entrance. There was no time to look for another.

Jacob lead the way to the window. However, with his arms full and his legs busy with keeping him upright in the wind, there was no way he was going to get either himself and the girl in at the same time.

Looking at Skyler, he leaned in very close to ear so he could hear.

"Climb inside and I'll her to you! I'll come in after!"

Félix didn't have time to argue over where they should go. He was grateful enough for the block of ice, albeit sceptical of how much it would truly dull the pain. His tendrils were cut in several places, and though they did not bleed they were every bit in pain as a limb of his own.

“Suit yourself then,” Félix looked outside, or at least attempted to. He could hear the rapid twirl of wind come ever closer to the school. If they didn't get underground they'd be as good as dead. Félix was just about ready on giving up waiting for anyone when a couple silhouettes broke from the massive downpour.

“I see a couple students, I think,” Félix described to Noelle. It was too dangerous to go outside, however. He had a better idea. With the glass broken, Félix freely extended his tentacles out of the window and tried to feel their way around Skyler.

Skyler himself would notice two pitch black tendrils emerge from the opening. They were quick, albeit a bit rough in coiling around him. The next thing he'd know, he was being jerked straight through the window and into a group of students.

“Glad you could join us,” Félix sarcastically welcomed Skyler. “Noelle, can you help get him out of the way?”

The tendrils unwrapped from him and extended out again, this time for the young girl in the bigger man's arms. Granted, Jacob would have to let go for Félix to carry her inside, but Jacob was already familiar with these black appendages. As soon as Félix had a grip on Claire, he screamed out of the window, “I have her! Let go!” before yanking Claire through the window as well. Félix stepped back to let the larger man charge through.