by A. N. Sage
This should be good, Ruby thought and followed Liam into the shop.
The door hit a bell on the way in and the chime startled Ruby. She jumped from the sound and bumped into Liam’s shoulder. His hand reached out to hers as if to reassure her that she was safe and she grabbed hold of him without hesitation.
There was an older man at the counter who watched Ruby warily as they made their way to the back of the shop. Was she the first non-Elemental he’d brought here?
They walked towards a rusty, metal door.She heard a buzzer go off as they approached; it was followed by the click of a lock. Liam twisted the handle and as he opened the door, she could see, over his shoulder, a staircase leading to a lower level. The door slammed heavily behind them leaving them covered in a blanket of darkness.
“Almost there.” Liam whispered. He fumbled with his hand on the wall and a brief second later flipped a switch. Ruby’s eyes widened as she looked down. The metal stairs were illuminated by the blue light from the overhead bulbs and seemed to be never ending. When they finally reached the floor below, they were met by another metal door at the end of the long hallway in front of them, this one much larger in size.
Liam pulled out a card from his back pocket and slid it into the lock. The vastness of the space on the other side was shocking and Ruby looked around, open-mouthed in disbelief. There were hallways upon hallways and the entire sub-basement of this tiny pawn shop went on farther than several city blocks.
“But... how?” Was all she could muster to say.
“Oh, right!” Liam laughed, “I sometimes forget most people don’t live like us, so this is probably a shock.”
“How big is this place? It looks the size of the museum!”
“Twice as big actually.” He smirked. She could tell he was proud of that fact.
“Don’t the people upstairs know you’re here?”
“We own all the buildings in this area. There are entryways like the one we came through throughout the facility, so we don’t attract attention. It’s just less obvious that way.”
“When you say ‘we’ you mean...?”
“We share this community with Earth Elementals. It helps to have friends in city planning. They built out this entire place and kept it off city records.”
“Wait, what?” Ruby leaned on the yellow railing so as to not fall down, she felt like she just set foot on an alien spacecraft, and to be bombarded with more Elemental secrets right away made her dizzy.
“Well, Elementals choose human careers that are close to their house powers. There are instances of a few going rogue but usually it doesn’t happen.”
“Human careers?”
“Yeah. What they do when they grow up,” He smiled, “it’s how we blend in. Fire Elementals like me usually go into training-based careers. Cops, military...”
“Firefighters.” Ruby interrupted.
“Exactly! Earth Elementals are more nature and space focused, so they end up in things like farming and hospitals and such. Some go into city planning which is how we ended up with all of this.” He waved his arm around like he was presenting a prized bull at a rodeo. “There are quite a few of us who have managed to climb up the ladder, which is great for getting resources and funding the resistance. At least, the ones we’ve been able to recruit.”
Ruby’s face scrunched into a worried expression. She didn’t realize how much of the city had been absorbed by these demi-Gods. What about other cities? Were there Elementals there, too? Questions were running through her mind non-stop.
“So, why can’t you recruit more? Don’t you need as many people as you can to get this Sword of Puma back, or whatever?”
“Enuma. The Sword of Enuma. And yes, we do, but we don’t know who is an Elemental and who isn’t until they make themselves known. You’re the only one who can do that without the Sword’s help, remember?”
How could she forget? After all, she was convinced this was the only reason Liam was showing her any of this.
“So, do you want the grand tour or what?” He reached his hand out.
“Hell, yes!” Ruby grabbed hold of his hand and followed him down the hallway. The heat she felt before was even stronger this time, making her wonder why she didn’t feel it with anyone else in her life. Her mind drifted off, but she quickly refocused her thoughts back to reality. Time to find out exactly what she was dealing with here.
The entire facility was made of metal. The walls were metal sheets, the floors were metal grates and even the few chairs sitting out in the hall looked like they were copper. The blue light illuminating the place was bright enough to see everything clearly, and Ruby took the chance to try and memorize everything she saw. She wished she could take her camera out and take some photos but was pretty sure that was against the rules.
They had since turned a few corners and Ruby was shocked to find they were in a completely different area of the facility. “This is one of the classrooms.” Liam pointed for her to look through a window.
“They’re so young.” She said, eyeing a very normal classroom setting with about a dozen students all between five and eight years of age.
“These guys are the youngest of all of us. It’s rare for Elementals to get any showing of powers so young, but sometimes it happens. They’re lucky their parents were already part of the resistance, so it was a pretty smooth transition for them.” He knocked on the window and waved. The kids all looked up from their books and smiled at Ruby. A little girl in the back of the class lifted up her bangs and made a face, she reminded Ruby of herself when she was young.
“They look like regular kids...”
“They are regular kids, Ruby. They are just able to do certain things that humans can’t. There’s nothing wrong with them.” He seemed to be upset with her comment and Ruby realized how offensive it must have come across.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that...”
“I know. It’s fine. I forget this isn’t something you’re used to. Don’t worry about it.”
He pulled on her hand, and she realized she was still holding onto him. He must think I’m an idiot, she thought, but it was too late to let go now.
“What’s this place?” She asked, as they walked past a window covered by a large metal sheet.
“That’s one of the training areas. There are a few those around. The covered ones are for Fire Elementals. Just to be safe.”
“Oh. Right. In case you guys set the place on fire or something?” She laughed.
“Exactly. The entire facility was designed in such a way as to protect everyone here from each other’s powers.”
“That’s why the metal everywhere?”
“Yep. Metal, fireproofing, sound-proofing, and other security measures to keep this place operational. See? This is probably the safest place for you in the city.” he smiled.
Too bad she can’t move Jake in. She thought.
The tour continued for quite some time. Ruby got to see their medical area, kitchen and lunch space, a few more classrooms and training rooms, and was even shown two empty living quarters. It turns out that a lot of the Elementals, Liam included, preferred to stay as close to the resistance as possible and ended up moving in. The rooms weren’t large, but they reminded Ruby of the attic in her parents’ home, so she actually found them to be comforting.
The entire resistance was designed like a rabbit burrow. Hallways with rooms on either side of them that opened up to larger, central areas. Followed by more hallways and more rooms. If Ruby had a few more hours in the place, she was sure she could memorize the entire layout by heart.
“Oh, come this way!” Liam shouted, and pulled her towards a tented space in the middle of the next big open area. “This is my favorite part!”
“What is this place?” Her eyes scanned the room as they entered. It was full of plants and botanicals that climbed the walls. Rows of herbs and vegetables lined the tent and there was an overwhelming scent of tropical florals in the air. “It�
��s amazing!”
“About time you came back!” A voice greeted them from behind. Ruby spun around to see a boy her age with the messiest shag of red hair she’d ever seen. He was wearing an outfit that Ruby could swear was made entirely of hemp and seemed to have not shaved since last Christmas. “I see you brought a friend?”
“Zag! Ruby, this is Zag, our little gardening genius.” Liam reached out and patted Zag on the back then pulled him in for a hug, “this is Ruby.”
“Oh, right. I’ve heard a lot about you, milady.” Zag flipped his long bead necklace around his back and bowed down with a smirk. As he moved closer to her, a whiff of patchouli hit her nose and she almost sneezed in his face. She blinked a few times to get her eyes to stop watering, but her nose was still itchy from the scent.
“All right, that’s enough.” Liam shoved his friend out of the way, “it’s looking great in here!”
“Yeah, man. I got the kiddies working their powers in here now. Some of them can do stuff I never even dreamed of at their age!”
“Zag created a way to use the Earth House powers to sustain this place by growing vegetation without seeds or sun or water.” Liam explained. When Ruby looked up, she realized that there were no sun lamps or connecting hoses anywhere in the greenhouse, but it was flourishing with plant life. “He and his dad are brilliant with this stuff.”
“Comes with the territory I suppose.” Zag said and ran his fingers through a leafy bush next to him.
“So, you’re an Earth Elemental?” Ruby was finally starting to get the hang of their lineage.
“Yep. He gave you a run-down of the place already?
“He sure did. It’s pretty cool down here. Totally unexpected. I mean, it seems like you have a whole other city built for yourselves.”
“It’s not as great as it might seem, you know.” Zag looked around the greenhouse, “we’ve been down here for generations. Looking for clues, training our people, forming alliances. Nothing worked. We’re still nowhere closer to being free. Or did Liam leave that part out? The part where we’re doing all of this just to be able to live without fear. To have a life where we don’t have to look over our shoulder every day. To have choices.”
“Zag, leave her alone. She doesn’t need to hear all this right now.” Liam stepped in front of her as if to shield her from his friend’s words.
She was so close to him that she could almost hear every quiet breath forming in his chest. She watched the back of his muscular back rise and fall, mesmerized by the movement. Why could she not stop staring at this guy? She needed to snap out of it, and quickly. “It’s fine, Liam. I want to hear more. I want to learn.” She said, poking her head out from behind him.
“Well, buckle up, sister! You’re about to get a crash course in all things Elemental!”
She started to follow Zag out of the greenhouse but looked back to see if Liam was behind them. He was still standing where they left him, with obvious concern on his face. Was he regretting bringing her here? It was his idea to use her to help their resistance, he couldn’t very well be worried about her now.
Forget about him, Ruby. She urged herself. You came here for a reason, so stick to it.
But she couldn’t forget about him. Whether she liked it or not, he was the only thing that made her feel safe here, and something made her not want to go anywhere without him. She ran back and grabbed his hand.
“You coming?” she said and dragged him towards Zag.
Chapter 14
Tomatoes
Ruby could feel her temples pulsate. She’d been underground in the resistance for hours listening to Zag’s animated attempt at making Elemental history sound exciting. Aside from the blood-stained war story Liam told her about in The Library, the Elementals tended to stay inconspicuous and away from human eyes. What Ruby started to realize, as she heard more about each house, was that they coveted a very controlled living structure. There was no allowance of power use and anyone caught using their powers around humans would be dealt with immediately. Ruby did not need to ask what that meant, judging by Liam’s and Zag’s somber faces, she knew it could only mean one thing: death.
“So, who does this doling out of punishment, exactly? If no one knows who the other houses are in human form?” she asked, not being able to imagine living in constant fear of being herself.
“Who do you think?” Zag rolled his eyes, “the Air and Water Houses. Having the Sword doesn’t just mean they can strengthen their powers, it also means they’re able to use it to hone in on Elemental activity in the city.”
“But...” she interrupted.
“What? This place?” Zag was answering her question before she even finished, “Totally safe. The walls are a mixture of lead and copper so no one can see what goes on down here. Not even those elite inbreds.”
“Zag!” Liam shot him a look of distaste.
“Sorry! They’re so pretentious. You’d think they earned their spot in society or something while the rest of us are just the help. It’s really annoying and you know it!”
“Well, even still, we need to let Ruby form her own opinions. She is a guest here after all.”
“Wait,” Ruby chimed in, “what do you mean by earn their spot?”
“Girl, keep up.” Zag laughed and fist bumped her on the shoulder, “You know how we go into professions based on what our houses are best at controlling on an Elemental level?”
“Yes, I know. Liam told me already. So, how do they have to earn their spot?”
“They don’t. That’s the point. Conveniently enough, the two houses that have the Sword and hold all the power are the ones that are also in the most controlling professions in the human world. Between Air’s involvement in politics and Water’s financial influence they are basically in the top tier of society. Human and Elemental.”
“So, you’re saying that our politicians can be what? Air Elementals? How far up the chain does this go?”
“Who knows? We have no way of actually knowing who they are. Could be as far as the president.”
She was starting to understand their frustration. It’s like they were labs rats in a maze and had no means of making any real choices for themselves. Ruby had no idea what she would do if someone else was directing how she should live her life. She’d grown up in such a supportive environment that it was difficult for her to picture herself in their shoes. She was sure of one thing though, she would likely react in a very similar fashion.
“You really think the president could be an Elemental?” she asked.
“Honestly, I have no idea. But having the Sword means they have a much bigger grasp on their powers than we do, so, really there is no end of the road for them. Airs can pretty much cut off all the oxygen from the entire city, so I’m sure no one messed with them back in the day when they started moving in on the political ground.”
“So, what can Water do, then?”
“They’ve got the weather cornered. Basically, if you piss one off, they can drop a hurricane on you in no time.”
“Wow.” She said, remembering the hurricane she formed in her coffee. It must have been a coincidence, there was no way she could have powers from both Fire and Water, could she?
“Oh, and they can move through space using water. That’s pretty cool, too.”
“Wait, what? Like teleport?”
“Yeah, kind of. Liam’s house can do it, too, with fire, but apparently it hurts like hell, so he doesn’t try it.”
She looked over at Liam to see if Zag was joking around but he seemed to be treating this like regular, run of the mill information. Do these guys not realize how insane this sounds? I mean teleportation, hurricanes on demand, full political control? This is nuts.
“Unreal, right?” Liam said. Once again, he was able to get ahead of her racing thoughts and calm her down. She still needed to figure out how he could do that.
“I mean, it’s not normal that’s for sure!” The more she heard about their kind, the more intrigued she wa
s about how she fit in here. Why did she have the visions that led her here and why was she the only one who could see the Elementals when even they themselves couldn’t.
“So, the Sword, if you get it, will give you more power?”
“Not just more power, girl!” Zag exclaimed, “It would give us control back. We wouldn’t live in constant fear of someone power-tripping and wiping us all out. We could practice our abilities and pass on our history to our children without fear of being caught. More importantly, we could use our powers to help. I mean, being human is cool and all, but do you know how much more Liam could do if he could help prevent fires before they start, instead of just hosing them down?”
“But what would happen to Air and Water if you get it?”
“Who cares!” Liam burst in, “Let them try living like this for a change!”
Ruby jumped almost an inch off the chair; she was shocked to see this side of him. A brooding, angry side that she wasn’t sure she liked very much. His eyes were shining a bright green, and she could almost see his hatred reflected in them. When she looked down, she noticed a red glow coming from below his collar and the tip of a solid triangle shining through.
“What’s the symbol for your house, Liam?” She asked.
“Right side up triangle, shaded in. Why?”
Ruby laughed. “Your colors are showing.”
“Wait, you can see it now?” Zag ran around the table towards her, “Check me next! Can you see anything? This is awesome!”
“I don’t see anything, Zag,” she looked back at Liam and saw his mark was starting to fade slowly, “it doesn’t happen all the time. I don’t know why it happened this time, even. I didn’t see anything on Liam before.”
“Well, what changed?” Liam asked.
“I don’t know. One minute it was fine, then you got upset and the air just kind of changed a little, it was like I could feel how angry you were. Then the marks appeared.”