The Elemental Trilogy Box Set

by Toni Cox

  Jasmin stuck the tip of her right index finger between her lips while she thought. “So, you will be gone for almost two Moons then?”

  “That’s right. I am glad you have finally learned your Moons.” Maia smiled at her.

  “Do you know that we have been here fourteen Moons already and in another four Moons it will be a year? That means we will have been away from Earth for ten years. It is incredible how time moves differently here on Elveron. I sometimes wonder what folk there think happened to us.” She smiled mischievously.

  Maia smiled back at her, but when her Human family spoke of Earth, she still felt a twinge of guilt. Time moved differently between the planets and for every one year here on Elveron, ten Earth years passed.

  Also, what she had done; bringing them here; was called Soul Reaping and was said to have terrible side effects. They monitored the Humans for any signs of these side effects, but none had displayed in the entire time they had been here. Maia was hopeful, but Silas cautioned that it might yet happen. However, he also said, when Maia brought them here, she wrought some changes within the Humans that should not have been possible. They immediately spoke the elven language, were healed of all their ailments, and were slowly adopting the physical traits of the Elves. Even Aaron’s dark grey hair was turning back to its original dark brown colour. Silas reasoned this was because of Maia’s extraordinary power, which came with being a Life Elemental, and, whether she meant to or not, she had instinctively achieved the Crossing correctly. Maia heeded Silas’ advice and kept an eye out for changes in the Humans’ behaviour, but deep down she felt everything was all right.

  “Do you still miss it?” Maia asked.

  “You know I don’t, Maia. I love it here and so do Papa and Luke. I would not go back, even if it was possible.” Jasmin folded another item of clothing she thought Maia had to take on her journey and added it to her bag. “But I must say that your winters are far worse than anything we have ever experienced on Earth. I have never seen snow like that; it truly is beautiful. The blizzards and the hail were frightening sometimes, but I love the thunder echoing off the mountains during a storm. Besides, your long summers make up for the cold winters. Your world is truly beautiful.”

  Maia gave her a rueful smile. Winter had been tough for her with her self-imposed isolation, so she had not given much thought as to how her human family was faring with the harsh Grildor winter. She was glad that Jasmin could accept everything so easily.

  “And I could never leave you; you are my mother, no matter what.” Jasmin smiled. “Or Wolf,” she added as an afterthought, and scratched the large, shaggy Forest Wolf behind his ear, making his hind leg twitch.

  Maia blushed. Technically, it was true; she had given birth to Luke and Jasmin during her stay on Earth. Spending twenty Earth years there had been her final test before becoming an Elemental; but here they were of an almost equal age and it seemed strange that they should still think of her as their mother.

  Maia took the few steps that separated her from her daughter and took her into her arms. The feelings she had for Jasmin were hard to describe; there was an almost maternal love there, but also the love of true friendship and that of siblings. She could not imagine her life without Jasmin. Wolf; whom Maia had rescued as a pup and who had grown up in the city; seemed to feel the same and he gave a short howl as the girls embraced.

  “Come, let us finish packing. It is a beautiful day and we should spend it outside.”

  Wolf wagged his tail in agreement.

  Later that evening, Maia and Jaik were summoned to the Hall of the Guardians, the command centre for everything relating to their armed forces. Wolf trotted ahead of them as they made their way to see their father. It felt good to be walking with her brother, holding his hand, and she wondered how she could have gone so long without it. Sure, they had spent time together over the past few Moons, but although she had been present in body, her mind had been elsewhere. She realised now that her brother had attempted to bring her out of her depression, but knew his sister too well and had not pushed the matter. He knew the damage she could cause when she was angry.

  She felt guilty that she had neglected him so. She realised that guilt was probably her most prominent emotion at the moment. She seemed to feel guilty about everything and wondered how a Life Elemental could do so much wrong. She bit her lip as they entered her father’s large chamber.

  Her brother felt her tension and gently squeezed her hand before guiding her to one of the chairs in front of the large, oaken table her father used as his desk. A large map of Grildor was spread upon it, weighed down on the corners with miniature horses made of stone.

  “Thank you for coming,” Jagaer said to the twins and brushed his right hand through his thick, dark hair. “You are scheduled to leave just after the Spring Feast celebrations. I assume you are ready?”

  Maia looked at her brother and Jaik nodded. They were ready to leave at any time. Maia still smarted over the fact that she would not travel with Jaik, but had been given the manifest of her caravan and was pleased with the people that would accompany her. In addition, she now saw the necessary separation from her brother as one of the many punishments she decided to inflict upon herself; she felt she had a lot to make up for.

  Travelling arrangements had already been confirmed. For obvious reasons, she would not be able to take her dragon, Midnight, but would ride on her stallion, Fire. Midnight; a Soul Dragon; was one of the largest species of dragons on their planet and although she thought he was beautiful, he was a truly fearsome creature. He was pitch black, with spikes all over his body, large, leathery wings, and a long tail with a razor-sharp caudal blade at its tip. The people of the other cities would feel uneasy with him around.

  The rest of her caravan would also be mounted, with two teams of horses pulling their supply wagons, which were suspended by materium; a crystal that reversed the effects of gravity and was such able to elevate heavy objects off the ground.

  One Elder and four Nobles were assigned as her aides to attend the meetings with her. Seven other people had requested to come along, to visit family in other cities. Riker Moonswain of the Guard had been assigned as her personal escort. Commander Rowlean Ridgewell and ten of his warriors of the first Regiment and two Scouts of Commander Mellowood’s command were to accompany them as their security detail. Four Horse Masters from Commander Kastenbrink’s command were assigned to look after their animals’ wellbeing during their travels. She had met most of them at one time or another and, as far as she knew, they were all good men and women. It also pleased her that Riker would be her escort. He was one of her brother’s finest Guard and good company. He would make it his personal mission to ensure that nothing happened to the sister of his Commander.

  “Yes, Father, all arrangements have been made,” Jaik answered.

  Jagaer nodded; he had expected nothing less. He shifted towards Maia.

  “I expect you to be away longer than your brother, as you are visiting more cities,” Jagaer continued, addressing her. “We have assigned you two materium floats to carry your provisions and gifts for the cities, plus the horses to pull them. Food will be replenished in every city you visit and food for the animals will also be provided.”

  Jagaer paused for a moment and shuffled papers on his desk. Maia and Jaik watched; they knew all of this already. The simple fact that their father had reiterated something they were fully aware of meant there was something else he actually wanted to say, but had difficulty expressing. Maia saw mixed emotions play across his face. She sensed turmoil from his Eläm, his Life Force, and she wondered what it could mean.

  “You both know what is expected of you and I don’t need to lecture you about what needs to be done and what I hope to accomplish with these Good Will missions.” He cleared his throat. “Just be safe out there. More reports of Vampyre sightings have come in and I could not bear it should anything happen to you while you are away.”

  He dropped the papers he still he
ld in his hands and then, in three long strides, he walked around the table and took Maia into his arms. Over her shoulder, Jagaer gave Jaik a meaningful glance. Jaik nodded.

  Spring Feast; it was one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. It celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of new life. Normally it was one of Maia’s favourite celebrations, but this year she could not find it within herself to be happy; too much had happened in the last few Moons. Nonetheless, she was expected to participate and she was determined to be there for her people. It was important to give the people hope and Spring Feast would give them something other to concentrate on besides the threats they faced.

  A whole host of sporting and cultural events were held each year at Spring Feast and her duty, as princess of her people, was to present the winners’ trophies as well as a kiss for the victors. Celebrations would last three days, during which more than fifty events would be held. People had been preparing and practicing for this during the long Moons of winter. Now it was time.

  Maia rose on the morning of the first day and selected one of the dresses her mother had commissioned for her for this occasion. It was still cool during the day and nights were sometimes cold enough for a light frost to form. The garment was made from a thick, yet soft and light material woven from fibres of the downy coat of the Angora rabbit. It had not been dyed and its natural ivory colour contrasted nicely with Maia’s dark mahogany hair. The dress fitted her perfectly, its body-hugging top accented her shapely bust and narrow waist, while the flowing arms and skirt made it seem she was dancing with every movement she made. Although it was a plain dress, adorned along the hems with tiny embroidered leaves, it made her look more like the princess she was, than those dark clothes she had been wearing all winter.

  Saddened, she turned away from the mirror. He was not here to see her like this; what was the point of her looking this beautiful? She wiped the tear from her eye and tried to erase the thought of Blaid from her mind. He was the Death Elemental; clad in superstition and feared by her people; and they would never be allowed to be together.

  The celebrations were for her people and she had to pull herself together. It did no good to dwell on what she could not have.

  First up were the events for the children, followed later that day with horse trials and musical events. Shadow Hall had a total of thirty-two children, a high number given the nature of Elves. In general, an Elven couple would have one child during their entire lifetime. Twins, like Maia and Jaik, were extremely rare.

  Maia loved the children and put on a brave face as she sat on the throne built for the games. The children paraded on the grounds in front of her, each doing their very best in their chosen event and each trying to win her approval. The younger ones fought with staves, swords and knives made from wood. They wrestled, shot arrows and navigated obstacle courses. They performed songs, recited poems and created artful masterpieces out of flowers, clay, or wood. The older ones demonstrated their skills with bow and arrow, knife-throwing, fencing and sword fighting and some even showed off their barely developed elemental powers. Most common was the magic of Earth, but three of the children had abilities with Water and Fire.

  By the end of day one, Maia felt her spirits rising. She had kissed so many children and seen hope and admiration in their eyes, which awoke something within her that had been dormant for many Moons. She was smiling when she laid her head on her pillow and fell into a peaceful sleep; Wolf curled on the bed at her feet.

  When she woke the next morning, she looked forward to the day; excitement coursed through her veins. She selected the second gown her mother ordered for her. This one was made from the wool of a strange animal that lived far to the south; a llama. Maia had never seen one, but it was often described as a pony-sized animal with a long neck and fluffy coat like that of a sheep. She had been told that they spat when they felt threatened. Their wool came in a range of different colours and was thick and warm, yet soft and comfortable. Her dress for today was of a light tan colour. Small, dark brown wooden beads; carved to look like acorns; were sown onto her bodice in the shape of a tree; the branches curling seductively; and in a straight line on the hem of her skirt. Although Maia could not quite explain why, this dress made her feel more woman than the dress from yesterday.

  She stepped out of her house with her head held high and a smile on her face.

  He caught his breath as he saw her ascend the steps to her throne. She was even more beautiful today than she had been yesterday. Every day he marvelled at her beauty and it took his breath away every time.

  He stood on the Parade Ground with a group of other young men and women registered for the novice sword fighting class. He had been training right through the winter and although he was far from accomplished with the weapon, he wanted to prove himself against the others and to show Maia that he was capable of learning and, most important, able to protect her. He felt a little silly all dressed up as if going to war, but if he had to be honest, it did make him look good. He was tall and lanky and the sparring uniform made him look like he had more muscle than he actually did. It gave him confidence.

  The class he had signed up for was for beginners only and the others were as inexperienced as he was. They had the advantage of their natural elven speed and strength, but he reckoned it would come down to the determination of the winner in the end and therein lay his strength. Besides, the changes within his body were becoming more noticeable with every Moon that passed and he was now stronger, faster, and fitter than he had ever been on Earth.

  Maia had taken her seat and a speaker announced the class. She nodded to each contestant in turn and he noticed her hesitate as her eyes met his. He held her gaze for just a moment and his heart beat frantically within his chest.

  “Aaron Nightingale, short sword,” the speaker announced.

  Aaron smiled at her and she blushed, making him smile even more. He had not told her about his training or about his desire to compete in the games. The fact that he had been able to surprise her pleased him greatly.

  Now it was time. The competitors were divided into four pairs. The winner of each would go on to the next round and so on until there were only two left to compete in the final. Aaron concentrated on his first opponent and, feeling Maia’s eyes on him, went to it with determination. The fight was over surprisingly quickly. He incapacitated his opponent with a heavy blow to his shield, which jarred his opponent’s arm to such an extent that he was unable to continue. At the end of round one, the four victors stood in front of the throne and they bowed to their princess. Maia graced them all with a smile, but Aaron fancied that she smiled brighter when she looked at him.

  After a short break of drinks and songs, the fighters assembled for round two. This time Aaron was paired against a girl. She was maybe the same age as his daughter, of slender build and looked too fragile to hold a sword. However, his eyes deceived him.

  Once the gong sounded, she surprised him with a fast technique and flighty movements. More than once did her sword connect with the padding on his arms and legs and, although the training swords were blunted, he knew he would go home with a few bruises tonight. He had to think quickly to keep up with her, panting with the effort it cost him, but in the end, it was sheer luck that he came out of the round victorious. She stumbled slightly during her attack and he ducked just in time to avoid the sword aimed at his chest. As he ran under her outstretched arm, he swung his sword to keep his balance and accidentally connected with her Achilles tendon, sending her sprawling on the ground. He was standing over her, sword to her throat, when the gong sounded.

  Again, the victors bowed to Maia and this time he was sure he saw admiration in her eyes as she nodded to him. It bolstered his confidence.

  The final round began. He stood opposite a tall Elf, who looked pretty sure of himself and held the sword with what seemed like practiced ease. Aaron worried for a moment, but after the initial bout, he realised, although his opponent could strike with much force,
he was slow in the turn due to his inexperience. Aaron took advantage of this and danced around the Elf until an opening presented itself and then dealt a hard blow to the thick padding that protected the kidneys. Almost immediately, the gong sounded. Had they been fighting with sharpened swords and without the sporting padding, the blow would have been fatal.

  The crowd erupted into cheers. Aaron’s ears glowed red. The tall Elf bowed to Aaron in congratulation and walked off the grounds. Aaron was then led to the front of the stage, where he was presented with a small scroll that pronounced him winner of the novice class. He held his breath as Maia rose from her throne. Gracefully she walked up to him and presented him with a tiny silver statue of a warrior holding a sword. He took it with shaking hands. Maia leaned in and kissed him on both cheeks; he could smell her breath, of mint and honey; and he shivered as she whispered in his ear.

  “May the victorious be blessed with the joy of life.”

  The soothing rhythm of Fire’s smooth stride lulled her into a semi-sleep. They had been riding all morning, travelling north along the Trade Route that followed the edge of Grildor-Bron Forest. The weather was mild; the sun rising in the east in a milky-blue sky and a hint of warmth on the breeze that promised warmer weather. It was easy to forget the reason for this mission - the brutal attack by the Vampyres and the senseless killing of over one thousand Elves - and she kept her eyes half closed, trying to hold the peaceful mood that had sprouted tentative roots in her mind.

  “An acorn for your thoughts, My Lady,” Riker interrupted her trance-like state with the old adage.

  Reluctantly she opened her eyes and fought the disappointment of being brought back to reality. She knew Riker was not trying to be rude, but was simply making polite conversation; it was, after all, his responsibility to make sure she had everything she needed on this trip.