“We can go tomorrow,” proposed Noiro.
Argon raised an eyebrow. “Tomorrow?”
Noiro nodded. “The sooner we move, the better. If something already happened, she may already be spooked. And she never came to us for help in the future,” Noiro pointed out. “She might have been feeling threatened, scared, alone.”
Argon fell silent, a feeling of guilt creeping over him. How could he have abandoned his sister in the future? He couldn’t even remember what their falling out was over; it was so long ago.
“What about Yun Zeru?” Elara asked suddenly, breaking Argon out of his thoughts. He shuddered at the thought of the man; he had never seen anyone so ruthless before. He couldn’t erase the image of him burning Noiro out of his mind, the screams etched into his memory forever.
He never wanted to hear another sound like that again.
Miela turned her attention to Argon. “You were celebrating with him the night of your attack,” she said. “You seem to be the common connection here with Inana, your sister Estelle, and Yun Zeru.”
Argon shrugged. “I mean, he’s approached me a few times…” he trailed off thoughtfully.
“Most of the men he’s approached seem to have risen incredibly fast in their military career,” Miela said pointedly. “If he’s approaching you, it means he’s interested in you.”
“Do you think he’s recruiting?” asked Argon, his eyebrows pulled together in worry.
Miela shrugged. “It’s possible. To pull off something that big, he’s had to be planning it for a long time.”
“Let’s see if we can use that to our advantage,” Noiro suggested. “If you start acting differently now, anyway, something might tip him off. It’s best to remain neutral for now.”
“Agreed,” Miela said. “Okay. Let’s get to work.”
Elara stood in front of her mirror, brushing her hair to the side with a small clip. She examined herself for a moment before shaking her head and pulling the clip out. She sighed, giving up experimenting with her hair, settling on pulling it back into a high ponytail.
A soft knock rapped against her front door, and she headed towards the main entrance, peeking through the window to catch a glimpse of who was at her door.
“Hello,” she chimed cheerfully.
“Good morning, Elara,” Noiro greeted. “Am I the first one here?”
“Yep. Argon and Miela should be here soon,” Elara said, leading Noiro into her home. “I just dropped off Helia at Tami’s. She’s delighted with the puppies there.”
“Hello,” Miela called out from the front door, letting herself in. Argon nodded in greeting as he followed.
“We stopped by the office before coming here,” Miela explained, lifting a small book in her hand. “I wanted to dig for any more information on the Erifs before Argon’s dinner with Inana this week.”
“Did you find anything interesting?” asked Elara, showing Miela and Argon into the sitting room. She avoided Argon’s gaze as she offered him a seat. She still felt a little uneasy after all that they had seen from the future.
Elara felt confused. There was no other way to describe what she felt when she looked at Argon. To see their future together, watching the two of them fall in love in the midst of wars and battles, raising a child together while on the run, watching him risk his life to save their child… The loss she felt when she watched him die. She never imagined herself being able to love like that, or to have someone love her like that.
Looking at him now, she felt baffled. She did not know him. She knew the man she saw in the future, but Argon was not that man right now.
She recalled Argon’s initial reaction to Helia, and how horrid he was to her at first. A small, sudden wave of rage washed over her as she remembered his first words to her child, “Move, you little brat.”
Her mind flipped back to the scene of Argon’s retreating back as he raced through Polaris Castle, with Helia wailing in his arms as he raced to protect her. How the blood spilled from his body after he was brutally slaughtered while shielding his daughter.
It was unsettling, to say the least, to watch him be so devoted to her and Helia. She wondered how he felt. After all, he had seen the same things she did. He saw Helia’s unconditional love for him. He saw her own devotion to him in the future.
He watched himself die protecting his family.
“We didn’t find much,” Miela admitted, pulling Elara away from her internal reflections. “Only one thing: Inana’s father had his home broken into a few months ago.”
“I remember Inana telling me about that,” said Argon pensively. “It was a while ago, though.”
Miela pressed her lips together. “I was looking through any reports that mentioned the Erifs. Mr. Erif’s home was broken into around four months ago. Nothing was taken, but Mr. Erif reported that the intruder turned their house completely upside down, and his dog was slaughtered on his doorstep. He came in completely distraught, demanding that the intruder be caught and put away. Two days later, he came in and retracted his report, dropping all the charges.”
“Why would he drop the charges?” Elara questioned.
“He said he was overreacting,” Argon replied, recalling his conversation with Mr. Erif. “Strange. I didn’t know his dog was killed, too.”
“It’s all here in the report,” said Miela.
“It sounds like he’s being threatened,” added Noiro thoughtfully.
“That’s what I think,” agreed Miela. “But why?”
“That’s what I’ll find out when I see Inana for dinner tomorrow,” vowed Argon. “I know she was pretty shaken up about the break in.”
“Okay, that sounds good,” approved Miela. “Now, for our task today: Are we ready to see Estelle?”
The group stood up, feeling a little uneasy as they prepared to leave Elara’s home. Elara felt a sinking feeling in her gut; they were attacked the last time she saw Estelle. And they never found out who was watching Estelle, or why she was driven to taking her own life in front of them.
It was a lengthy trip to Estelle’s house, seeing as they needed to take a boat out to reach the Ursa Isles. Their trip was rather silent, each of them concentrating on their own thoughts. Argon felt his stomach twist as they drew nearer to his sister’s home. It had been years since they last spoke.
“We’re here,” Argon announced, coming to a stop in front of the familiar little house. He led the group down the pathway and towards the front door.
“Ready?” Miela asked firmly. She couldn’t help but feel the tension in the air. Unlike herself in the future, she kept a focused gaze on the door in front of them, watching vigilantly for any signs of danger. Argon nodded, and rapped his knuckles sharply against the door.
The group could hear a small shuffle of footsteps. There was a small pause before the door opened, and a tall woman poked her head out of the door. Estelle looked much younger than the version they had seen in the future, and much more at ease. Her face broke out into a smile as her eyes met Argon, and she pulled him in for a hug.
“Argon!” she cried happily. Argon stiffened uncomfortably, confused. Had she forgotten their grudge? He slowly moved his hands to hug his sister back.
“Er—Hello, Estelle,” Argon greeted solemnly. “How have you been?”
“Great! And you?” Estelle beamed, taking a step back to look at her brother. “It’s been a long time.”
“It has,” Argon admitted, the twinge of guilt twisting tighter in his stomach. Yet his lips curved into a small smile as Estelle grinned, clearly elated at his appearance. “I’m doing well. It’s good to see you.”
“It is!” And you’ve brought friends?” She boldly turned her head to Miela, Elara, and Norio, curiously, yet not impolitely.
“Uh, they’re…yes,” Argon faltered, turning to the group behind them. Could he call them friends? They certainly did not hold the same animosity they shared as children anymore. In fact, he began to find himself looking forward to their meetings
. Noiro was an insightful, curious fellow, who almost always steered their conversations to interesting discussions. Miela was spunky, lively, spontaneous, and fun to be around. He glanced at Elara, feeling his face grow hot. Elara was… Well, he was not entirely sure what he could call her. They were growing to be friends, indeed. But he couldn’t shake off what he had seen through the Aether Stone: their future together, their life together.
Miela stepped forward with her hand outstretched, glancing perplexedly at Argon as he fell silent. “I’m Miela. And this is Elara and Noiro.”
“You’re a Guardian,” Estelle noted coolly, her eyes glancing at the small tattoo on Miela’s wrist.
“Yes… Captain, actually,” Miela said with a smile.
Estelle smiled back, although this time, it did not quite reach her eyes. She shook Miela’s hand. “Very nice to meet you, Captain. Please, come in,” she urged, moving aside to let the group in. If Estelle was surprised at the visit, she hid it well. She graciously led the foursome into her home and into her main sitting room.
“May I offer you something to drink?” she asked, gesturing at the four to take their seats.
“Oh, it’s okay,” Miela declined. “This is just meant to be a short visit.”
“I insist,” Estelle said firmly, and quickly rushed over to her kitchen. She appeared back with a tea tray, smiling at the group as she set it down onto the table in the middle of the sitting room.
The group had some tea.
“So, what brings you here today?” Estelle asked pleasantly. “Is this about the complaint I filed a few days ago?”
“Complaint?” Miela echoed curiously, exchanging a look with her friends. “Er—frankly, no. But I’d be happy to address it.”
Estelle smiled. “I’d appreciate that. But we can get to that in a bit,” she said. The woman looked at the group seated in her sitting room. “So, if you’re not here for my complaint, then what is it you’re here for, exactly?”
“Well,” Miela began, her host’s boldness taking her by surprise. Although Estelle’s cheeriness was a stark contrast to her brother’s solemnness, their brashness was something they apparently shared. “We were hoping you could help us. We’re working on a case.”
“Oh?” Estelle raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“We were wondering if you had seen anything suspicious take place around here, lately?” Estelle inquired apprehensively, unsure of what exactly to ask her. She had been so nervous about coming to visit Estelle, especially after watching what had happened in the future, that she hadn’t had time to really prepare her line of questions.
Estelle leaned back in her chair, bemused at the question. “Around the neighborhood? No, not really,” she answered thoughtfully. “I mean, the neighbor’s boys keep pestering me with their incessant noise they make at all hours of the night. You’d think they’d get tired of playing whatever games they’ve been tinkering around with, but no.” She shook her head, slightly amused. “They’re going to be my students next year.”
“Students? You’re teaching?” asked Argon, surprised.
Estelle beamed, nodding.
“Estelle is a historian,” Argon explained to the group.
Estelle nodded proudly. “Not much else to do around here for a historian. More opportunities in Polaris, I guess,” mused Estelle.
“Why don’t you come to Polaris, then?” asked Elara. “I know that the Old Archive are always looking for historians.”
“I don’t really want to leave the Ursa Isles,” Estelle admitted, sighing wistfully. She looked around her home, a small smile playing on her lips. “It’s my family’s home… We—I could never leave here.”
She glanced at Argon. He looked away.
“Besides, I’m teaching at the local school. History, of course,” Estelle said with a grin, turning her head back to the group.
Miela smiled at Estelle. “I’m sure your students love your class.” She paused, turning back to her original question. “So, other than the neighbors, notice anything unusual?”
Estelle shook her head again. “Nothing. It’s a quiet little neighborhood,” she replied thoughtfully. “Not much happens around here.”
Miela nodded, crossing her arms as she thought.
“I’m sorry,” Estelle sighed. “I don’t seem to be much help…”
“No, it’s okay.” Miela waved her hands. “It’s actually a relief.”
“Is there something wrong?” Estelle asked, concerned. “Do I need to be on the lookout for something?”
“No,” Miela repeated firmly. “Nothing to worry about… But if you do see something, please get in touch with us.”
“All right,” replied Estelle, looking unconvinced. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“No—”
“Actually,” Argon interrupted, “there is something.”
“Oh?” Estelle looked at Argon expectantly.
“It’s a little random, really. But I was wondering if you could tell us about the Queen’s Diadem.”
Estelle looked surprised at the question. To her, it definitely appeared to be a random request. However, to Miela, Elara, and Noiro, the question was a brilliant stroke of genius. There was little they knew about the Diadem, other than the fact that they risked their lives in the future to get it.
“The Queen’s Diadem?” Estelle echoed pensively. “Sure. Let me think… It’s a beautiful piece of royal jewelry, passed down to the royal descendants for generations. Is there anything specific that you’d like to know about?”
Argon shook his head. “Nothing specific. I’m not sure exactly what I’m asking for either,” he admitted, feeling rather silly.
“That’s all right,” she said with a wave. She looked delighted at the chance to give a history lesson. “I’ll just tell you what I know, and if anything comes to mind, you can stop me and ask questions.”
Argon smiled.
“The Queen’s Diadem… It’s a unique piece, really. It has four sets of sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds embedded into the Diadem itself. The choice of gem is very intentional. Each gem represents the Earth’s elements: sapphire for water, rubies for fire, emeralds for earth, and diamonds for air.”
Elara frowned. Again, the mention of the Elements.
Estelle noticed Elara’s fixation and continued: “You see, the royals pay a heavy tribute to the Earth’s Elements, with each descendant claiming to possess an affinity for a specific element.”
“An affinity?” Noiro repeated. “So, they’re claiming to be Elementals?”
Estelle shrugged. “Not really. The royals claim they’re connected to the elements, but they don’t exactly have the power to influence the elements. There’ve been a lot of claims of Elementals popping up in their bloodline every few generations, but they’re all unsubstantiated.” She shook her head. “By my mark, they’re not Elementals. But being able to make those claims certainly gave the Royal Family their foundation for power and legitimized their rule over the lands.”
“But they’re not Elementals?”
“Not quite,” Estelle said firmly. “But the Royal Family is certainly quite captivated by the elements. Which is why the Queen’s Diadem was fashioned in that way, to pay tribute to the terrestrial elements.”
“What makes the Diadem so special?” asked Miela curiously.
“Well, it’s certainly valuable,” Estelle replied with a smirk. “I guess you could ask why anyone would covet a piece of royal treasure. It’s a symbol of power. It’s a symbol of royalty. Authority.”
Miela tilted her head. “Hmm. I guess you’re right.”
Elara frowned. In the future, she’d found the Queen’s Diadem in the castle. She remembered the beautiful stones encrusted into the Diadem, and the pure disbelief she felt as she grasped the royal artifact in her hand. An inkling of realization surfaced in her mind, and she looked curiously at the enthusiastic historian. “Estelle,” she said. “What do you mean when you say stones in the Diadem we
re very intentional?”
“The Diadem’s design itself is a tribute to the elements. It tells a story—hold on…” Estelle pushed herself off of her seat and hastily left the sitting room. The group exchanged curious glances at each other once again, before Estelle scurried back into the sitting room, a large book in hand.
She flipped through the pages, licking her fingers as she turned the pages, and paused for a moment, her eyes studying the pages before her. She turned the book around, showing the visiting group before her what she found.
A detailed painting of an intricate ornate platinum Diadem was spread across the book’s pages. It was just as they saw it in the future: large emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds lined the Diadem’s base. A platinum vine swirled around each gem, wrapping around each other into an intricate tangle that met in the center of the Diadem.
“The Queen’s Diadem,” said Estelle, pointing at the painting. “Each gem is connected; the diamonds, the emeralds, the rubies, and the sapphires are all intertwined with each other to signify how the elements of the world are connected to each other.”
“I see.”
“I can do some more digging on the Diadem, if you’d like,” offered Estelle. “I have to admit, it’s been a very long time since I studied up on royal artifacts.”
Elara smiled gratefully. “I’d appreciate that.”
Estelle smiled back. “It’s no trouble. It’s not often I come across someone so interested in history.” She reached out for her cup of tea, which, until that moment, sat forgotten on the table between them. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Er, no, thank you,” Miela replied. “I appreciate the time you took to answer our questions. We’d best be going now” She stood up, nodding at her friends.
“Oh, Captain?” chirped Estelle. “Would you mind taking a report of my complaint?”
“Yes! Of course,” said Miela smacking her forehead. “Thank you for reminding me. I’ll just take a few notes…” She pulled out her notebook and began jotting down a few points as Estelle spoke.
The Elemental Page 18