She smiled, taking a step forward and reached out to brush her hand against my cheek. It reminded me of what a mother would do to calm her child who was scared or worried about something. I sighed in relief at the warm, comforting touch.
"We don't have any more time right now, but my instincts tell me that we will meet again. It doesn't mean I'll be able to answer everything, but I will be able to test if you can handle the trials that await you, young Elemental. May the Starlight gods protect you. Oh, and when you return, move away from the window,” she instructed.
"The window," I whispered, even as the vision began to fade.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed. The woman smiled, her white teeth and beautiful gold eyes reflecting her happiness.
* * *
"Scarlet? Hey guys, can you go check on her?" I heard Ethan ask through my earpiece.
I had to blink a few times, feeling disorientated. After a moment, I realized I was back in the old, dusty attic, which I knew to be the once gorgeous room I just visited.
I lowered my gaze to my hand, and spotted the bracelet in its gold velvet pouch. "Wow," I whispered, feeling amazed by what I'd just experienced.
I had no idea what to call it, but I was pleased that I'd found what we were looking for. Oh, the window?
I began to move back, my instincts telling me to stand to the left side of the room. Why did she want me to move from the window? Maybe someone's watching?
"Scarlet?" Ethan asked with a hard tone, which spooked me a little.
I quickly pressed the button to respond. "Ah...sorry, I'm ok-"
I flinched at a sudden loud explosive sound. Less than a second later, my body was sent crashing into a pile of boxes and a scream escaped me. Fuck!
"Scar!" I heard Jaxson and Michael shout, but a wave of heat hit me so fast it made me super dizzy while I tried to scramble to my feet. I groaned, moving to lay on my side and pushing the boxes and furniture out of the way. Then, I noticed the pain in my ankle. Ugh, stupid explosion...WAIT, EXPLOSION!
I quickly looked up, seeing the blaze raging from the middle of the room to where I once stood. The window had shattered, which freaked me out a little. I stared at the fire as it began to creep towards me and was already moving to the stairs, blocking the path for the guys to try to reach me.
My eyes lingered on the blaze, tuning out the guys’ shouts as I bit my lip. However, my heartbeat was rather calm, even though I was in a really heated situation.
I put the bracelet back in its pouch, which I slipped into the inner pocket of my leather jacket. I took a calming breath before taking a step forward, ensuring I didn't put much weight on my left ankle, which throbbed in pain.
The fire blazed with anger but I also felt its sorrow, its pain. I closed my eyes, taking another calming breath and felt my back burned as the tattoo there tingled.
I allowed my body to listen to the elements’ cries as it began to burn the wood, and smoke filled the air.
I could feel the wind's agony for the flames, the smoke a representation of the flame’s pain and a plea of help, not a form of pollution that humans would think had a negative effect on the sky above.
The ground below was calm with understanding and the water that ran through little tunnels of the earth sympathized for the blaze, and would come to my aid to calm its anger.
But I knew I didn't need the other elements. Fire was the hardest to tame, but the easiest to understand. It wasn't summoned to be here. It was triggered by someone's selfishness to destroy, not to heal or conduct something Mother Nature wanted.
This outburst of fire was due to a human's selfish actions and was not of natural cause, which was exactly why the fire burned wildly, because that's all it could do.
I opened my eyes slowly, feeling them burn with power; my hair began to float lightly. The once neon locks began to turn to silver. I lifted my free hand up towards the flow of fire, noticing the markings that ran from my fingers down my hand and arm, the ones that I remembered appeared the first time when I tamed the flames from the bomb explosion.
"Be calm for I am not your enemy. I'm here to aid and help you. Do not let what the man wants you to achieve be what motivates you. Be calm, thy flames, for I only want peace for you, just as the other elements want to comfort your pained heart. Hear my plea and return to a state of slumber until you are needed for good."
The power that had built up within me flowed outward at a slow pace, doing its part to gather the flames into one spot. I watched in awe as the flames formed into what looked like a tall woman; her glowing gold eyes that reminded me of lava stared down at my figure.
My hand remained out as if I was making a peace offering and she stared at it with interest. The smoke surrounded us, but somehow didn't make it hard to breathe.
I felt I was in a state of calm and that the outside world didn't exist. Only the flames and I were here, standing face to face, acknowledging each other's existence in a world where we could coexist without hurting one another.
The woman placed her burning hand on mine and it did nothing to harm me. The warm sensation made me smile, and I gave her a sympathetic look.
"Do not look at the hatred our kind has done. Forgive our errors and may I work towards stopping those who summon your power for selfish endeavors," I pleaded.
She slowly nodded before she closed her eyes, the flames beginning to dissipate. I felt the wind blow past me and I almost missed the three words that drifted to my ears.
"Thank you, Elemental."
I closed my eyes, feeling the heat lessen. The wind took that opportunity to remove the smoke from around me. When I opened my eyes, the fire was gone, leaving only lingering black and gray smoke that moved towards the window and upward into the sky. I could hear the sirens of the firetruck from afar, but paid them no mind, taking a few calming breaths as I urged my own power to retreat within me.
My legs felt weak, trembling as I fought to stay on my feet, but failed. I sighed as I fell back. "Fuck, Scar!" I heard Jaxson call out, just as arms caught me and slowly lowered me to the ground. I moaned, feeling really dizzy and disorientated. It took me a few moments to figure out what was going on.
"I'm...okay," I mumbled, but I had to work to open my tired eyes.
I felt a hand press against my cheek and I finally opened my eyes to see a blurry image of Michael, his eyes glowing brightly as he stared down at me. I knew he was beginning the process of assessing me before he’d see what needed healing. I realized he was the one who caught me. Jaxon lowered to his knees next to me on my left side.
Jaxson didn't say anything else, but I could see the immense worry in those amber jewels. I also caught a glimpse of anger in them.
I reached out my left hand and placed it on his lap. He sighed, grasping my hand supportively in his own.
I waited until I felt a little bit of my strength return, as Michael continued to do his thing. The pain in my ankle slowly dissipated until I didn't feel any discomfort at all. He removed his hand when he was finished, his eyes returning back to normal as he smiled down at me.
"How are you feeling now?" Michael asked.
"Better. Sorry about that."
Michael shook his head. "Don't worry about it."
"Is Scarlet okay?" Ethan asked through the headset, worry lacing his tone, which was a little higher than his normal pitch. I could tell right away he was concerned, just like Jaxson and Michael, and I felt bad that I'd worried him.
Jaxson pressed the button of his earpiece to respond. "She's okay. She was able to put the flames out. Is the fire truck that's closing in from us or the humans?"
"Us. After the incident that happened earlier with Christian and Junho, Kendrick informed all fire departments to dispatch their shifter units if a sudden fire erupted. If this gets out of hand, we’ll have to figure out a way to involve the humans, in order to help tame the flames," Ethan acknowledged.
"We'll deal with that tomorrow. Call Kendrick and let him know Team Seven is calling it a ni
ght," Jaxson instructed.
"Can we meet at Scarlet's place?" Ethan asked. I noticed Michael and Jaxson exchange glances before they both looked down at me.
"Scar? You want to go to your place tonight?" Michael inquired.
I gave them a weak smile. "That would be nice," I admitted, missing the comfort being in my place gave me. I also really wanted to gather there so I could explain about the Stone of Awakening. "I don't mind Jaxson's place, but I do miss home."
Jaxson squeezed my hand, leaning in and pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Don't worry, Scar. I understand." He gave me a reassuring smile and I sighed in relief, happy not to have upset him.
He pressed the button of his earpiece to talk. "Fine with us. Tell the others. We’ll talk about what we found when we get there," Jaxson replied.
"Roger that. See you in a few. Scarlet, rest up," Ethan urged. I closed my eyes, placing my head on Michael's chest while picturing the woman morphed by the flames and the feelings that flowed through me in that moment. Are the elements always so sad?
The agony I was currently feeling had really tugged at my heartstrings and it was hard for me to not react. I was angry on behalf of the fire element, and enraged about someone plotting yet another spell to cause destruction to this home that had been here for decades.
I had so many questions and needed answers, but first, we'd have to deal with finding the crystal and what we’d do with it when we did.
When I opened my eyes again, I realized we were in Jaxson's car. I was cradled in Michael's arms. He was looking out the window, his eyes looking like he was deep in thought.
"Michael?" I asked quietly
He looked down at me, giving me a small smile. "Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Uh, a lot better. Not as tired," I admitted, feeling a little more refreshed after what I assumed had been a cat nap.
His smile widened and he glanced forward, exchanging a look with Jaxson who was gazing back at us in the rear view mirror.
"Scar's awake?" Jaxson asked, his eyes returning to the road.
"Yes," Michael answered. "She's fine."
"Good," Jaxson replied and continued to focus on driving. It looked like we were stuck in traffic, but the familiar streets told me we were almost at my place.
Michael nodded before looking back down at me. "Want to rest a bit more?"
"I think I'll take you up on that offer," I admitted as I yawned, making me wonder if there would ever be a time I wouldn't feel so drained from using my powers. It was hard enough dealing with my fainting spells because of all my visions. I really didn't want to add “using my Elemental powers” as another reason why I'd earned the title of “Fainting Lady.”
I closed my eyes, ready to drift off when I remembered about the bracelet in my leather jacket pocket. "Michael?"
"Yes, Scarlet?"
"Inside pocket of my jacket. Right side," I muttered, trying to stay awake long enough to ensure he took it out. I felt his hand move my jacket slightly, slipping in to retrieve the pouch.
"Take it out and wear it for now. It will be safe if you do," I instructed, unsure how I knew that, but it felt like the right thing to do. Michael didn't question it. When I opened my eyes, I saw he'd managed to put the bracelet on his left wrist. I smiled, and slowly closed my eyes as I relaxed against his chest.
"May the Starlight gods bless you and grant you the powers within the Crystal of Dark Revelations. Let it allow you to see the truth from the lies, and reveal the past, present, and future to come. I grant you this role for as long as you shall live, until the day such power will be passed down to the next guardian. In stars, we trust," I proclaimed, feeling a hint of power attached to my words as I completed the vow.
"In stars, we trust," he whispered, his voice reflecting his astonishment.
I couldn't hear anything after that, darkness tugging at my consciousness. All I knew was that something new was brewing and I was now in the center of it.
"Kendrick. No, you don't need to come here. No. No. Also no. Michael healed me and I slept for a few hours. Yes, I'm going to eat. Ugh, no I haven't eaten yet, I'm about to. I promise. Please don't threaten the guys. Me losing weight has nothing to do with this. Alright, I'll let them know to feed me or you'll skin them alive." I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile as I leaned against the wall just outside of my flat, talking on the phone.
The guys were inside discussing the crystal, as well as the fire outburst that happened. Michael and Jaxson were the ones to explain what had happened at the house, as well as the whole bestowing the bracelet on Michael thing I did in the car, which I barely remembered. I must have been so out of it or just barely there, and fell asleep right after.
Kendrick had called after Jaxson had given him a report of what happened. Now I was having to deal with protective Kendrick, who was ready to ditch his meeting tonight just to come check on me.
I knew he meant well and it was comforting, especially now that I knew he was my dad and not just someone I saw as a father figure, but I didn't want him putting off work on my behalf.
With everything that was going on, him missing one meeting could essentially put everything off schedule and make it even harder for him to keep up. He didn't need that added stress just because of a little fire incident, which hadn't escalated into anything major.
I'd tried checking in on Serenity and Aurora, but they both seemed to be fast asleep in my mind, neither of them responding to my call.
I secretly was just checking in to make sure they were okay and to make sure that whatever had happened back at the investigation site hadn't affected them in a negative manner.
"Alright. I won't skip my meeting, but please make sure you rest," Kendrick stressed through the speaker. I nodded as if he could see my show of agreement.
"I'll be back to my badass self tomorrow, ready for another round of epic house searching," I hummed dramatically and giggled when he groaned. "Seriously, Dad, I'm okay. Thank you for caring, as always. I love you," I whispered, hoping he understood just how much I appreciated having him in my life.
He was quiet for a few moments before whispering, "I love you more, Scarlet. Just be safe for me." He sounded close to tears, which made me blink my eyes, fighting my own urge to cry. Ah, since when did I get moved so easily?
"Bye, Dad. See you later." He bid farewell and I hung up, letting the tension out of my shoulders as I worked on cracking my neck. I slipped my phone into the pocket of my jean shorts before running my hands through my now curly locks.
I wore a white tank top, jean shorts and my fuzzy whale slippers that Ethan had picked up for me the other day when he had gone to the mall to gather materials for some communication devices he wanted to build.
I adjusted my glasses and took a moment to make sure I wasn’t going to cry for no good reason. I wondered if my breakup with Jake had been the cause of me becoming more emotional by the little things people did for me? I wonder how he's doing. Now that Rebecca's gone, I guess he doesn't have a girlfriend anymore.
I'd found out Jake had been dating her during her funeral, when I heard one of her close friends discussing how he genuinely loved her and that they were shocked that he hadn't attend the service. For PINC, it was mandatory for us to go because she had been a member of the company. But it pained my heart to hear how kind he'd been to her for years, versus in our relationship, which had felt like I'd given all of me only to get 10% in return.
It was rather weird for him not to attend her funeral, but maybe he'd passed by her grave after all of us were gone to say his goodbyes. Maybe he thought I'd be a bitch and reveal to everyone how he'd been dating me too, which would just be a load of drama none of us wanted to deal with.
"I'll just shoot him a message giving my condolences," I mumbled to myself, pulling my phone back out and quickly texting him. I figured he'd ignore it anyway, but at least it would give me some piece of mind.
I finished the text and sent it, putting my phone back in my pocket before go
ing back inside, walking in during the middle of the guys’ current conversation.
"Well, I think that's a big problem if I can't take it off. Can I even shower with this thing? Looks rather expensive to put in water," Michael pointed out. I walked over to the cupboards near the sink to get a glass, then went over to the fridge to get some milk. We had a whole bunch of cartons in my fridge after distributing what was left from Junho's place after Makoto and her knights had departed.
We didn't want it to go to waste, so we had half brought here and the other half went to Jaxson's.
"Seeing as you hate water, I feel that's the least of your problems," Junho pointed out.
I grabbed a carton of milk and closed the fridge, picking my glass up and turning around to place them both on the kitchen island as I looked over at the guys.
Michael was the closest to me, standing at the end of the island with his wrist on display as he showed off the silver bracelet, the gold jewel still giving off a vibrant appearance.
Jaxson was standing two steps away from him, with his arms crossed, while Christian and Ethan stood to my right side, staring at Michael's wrist. Junho was sitting at the island, looking curiously at the gemstone.
Moonlight was on the sofa, curled up in a ball as he slept, seemingly unbothered by us coming home with the gemstone. It made me curious if he even knew about its significance.
Well, he WAS technically a Starlight god, so of course he knew about it, but maybe it wasn't as valuable as we were making it out to be.
"Still doesn't help me here. Don't we need to do a scan of this or something? Kinda hard to do when I can't take it off," Michael complained.
"Is it heavy?" I asked, joining the conversation as I opened the carton and began to pour myself a generous glass of 2% milk.
"Nope. Light as a feather. I'd probably forget it's there most of the time, but still." Michael looked thoughtful.
Visionary Awakened Page 6