“I have nothing.”
“Nothing?” the man with dark hair and blue eyes looked down his sharp nose. An amused smile tugged his lips to one side.
“Poseidon, leave her alone.” Demeter said.
The girl looked up, meeting his ice blue eyes. “I have only myself to offer. I can clean, cook, anything you wish.”
A blonde woman with straight hair and purple shaded eyes, lifted her chin, “Clearly you are of no value to us; you must have something else to offer.”
“No, I…,” the poor girl cried, “I have nothing at all. I used everything I had of value to get here.”
The blonde woman stood, her long purple dress falling into perfect lines, “Well then, we cannot help you.”
“Let me help her,” Demeter pleaded as she stood.
The woman with crimson hair turned to her, “No. Sit down, Demeter. We can do nothing for this girl. She comes with no offering.”
“Why must we take an offering for our gifts?”
“We must,” the blonde woman said. “If we do not, no one will bring an offering. Eventually our kingdom would fall. Besides, we need to restore the sixth element.”
“The sixth element is a myth,” Demeter said, exasperated. “Our kingdom will not fall. Our lands are the most fertile in all the kingdom. Our army is undefeated, and our power is unmatched. We do not risk losing our kingdom by helping this starving girl.”
“Demeter, sit down and calm yourself,” the blonde woman commanded. “Leave us, girl.”
The young girl rose, tears streaming down her dirty face, her weak legs shaking beneath the rags she wore. She turned silently and left.
Demeter slammed her hands on the table, “You have to stop this selfishness. Our gifts should not be traded for power. It wasn’t always this way. We used to help the people.”
“Demeter. You talk of our fertile land and great power. Have you not walked the kingdom grounds lately? Parts of our lands are dying despite your earth element. Our water no longer tastes pure and the great fire flickers. We cannot afford to give what power we have to every poor girl that finds her way here.”
“Don’t you ever wonder why our land is dying? Why the flame flickers? Why the most gentle of spirits have moved away? Why the great beasts that once stayed deep in the forest roam the castle walls?”
“They’re not beasts,” the blonde said. “They are the strongest of the earth’s creatures. They are the leaders of the animal kingdom, protectors of our castle. My element builds while yours falls. That is because of my greater connection, not some loss.”
“None of it matters,” Demeter screamed. “We risk no more loss by helping those that need it. Our gifts are not for our own gain. Our gifts are to help the world. Instead you trade our power for jewels, gold, and power.”
“We cannot help everyone, Demeter. Stop being a weak child. If you are so opposed to our ways, then why do you join our circle when the moon is full and the storm needs to be called?”
“I join the circle because I fear the loss of our connection to the earth; because I know that without me, you would all fall.”
The woman with red hair laughed, “We do not need you, Demeter. Our power is enough to sustain us. You are the weakest of the elements and the strongest of nothing.”
“If you don’t feel you need me, then I shall leave you to your own demise.” Demeter turned and left the room, the ground shaking beneath her as she walked.
She ran outside and hurried after the girl.
The child turned and cowered when she saw her coming.
“It’s alright. Get up child. I won’t hurt you.”
The girl rose slowly.
“Here.” Demeter placed a hand full of seeds in the girls small hand.
“I don’t have anything to offer you.”
Demeter smiled, “No offer is needed. Plant these and your family will eat a full meal within a week. Care for the earth they are planted in and they will always eat.”
“Thank you.” Tears fell down the girls cheeks.
“You see, Ava. The past is muddied. Stories of what has passed are not always carried forward correctly.” Demeter said as the scene Ava had been watching dissipated into thin air.
“You helped her.”
“I did.”
“I don’t understand. Why were your brothers and sisters so greedy? And what is the sixth element?”
“Gold, metals of earth. They thought we would be stronger if we could restore it. A sixth was born in our circle, but died at birth. They were scared. They lost sight of everything and their greed grew and our land started to suffer. I had to do something.”
“Is that why you took their power?”
“Yes.”
“How did you do it?”
“I made a deal with Hades. He was a dark Elementor. Born in flame and cast to the pits of the earth by our circle. He offered me a new magic. A dark magic. I had to get rid of them before things got worse. It worked exactly how he said it would. I took each of their elements and watched them suffer their last breaths. I was the first True Elementris, but everything had a price.” She paused, “For me, there were many debts to pay. First the land healed and the balance seemed to be right again. I had my first child, and put the deal I made with Hades out of my mind. When she turned eighteen he took her. Persephone did not return to me for three months and when she did she was filled with dark power. I took her and ran. The lost city fell then. There was a great eruption and Atlantis fell into the sea.
We lived among others, moving from one kingdom to the next. Persephone was born in a circle of six just like I was. I found each of those born in her circle. Her power and the power of those born at the same time she was, was nowhere close to the power my circle claimed, despite having the sixth element. I knew I had to keep running, they could not help me. Persephone hurt many with her dark power and she taught others about it. Running did nothing. Persephone took that dark magic with her. Everywhere we went it spread like a plague. She passed it on to her own child. Her child was the first born True Elementris. When I was too old to run anymore, she left me.
“Is that when she returned to Element Island?”
“No. Persephone never returned. Generations after her were born and died. Her great, great, granddaughter, Catherine was the first to return. She travelled there with five women. Her niece, Sadona, and four others. Catherine was dying and she was worried that the power of the True Elementris would die with her. She had struggled with the power of dark and light her whole life and thought that might be why none of her own children were born with the power. Only her niece was left.
Catherine gathered the women and they found the island. The ship went down when they reached it. Only those five women survived. Their children are the five that your statue” she pointed up, “represents. Malinda Waevern, daughter of Sadona and great niece of Catherine Waevern.
…Alec…
After what seemed like hours they made it to the facility. They marked off the Coordinates Shawn had given them and began to dig.
“Where is it?” Alec screamed after what seemed like an eternity of digging at the endless sand pile and still not finding the entrance.
“Here. There’s something metal here.” Thomas said.
“Get it open.”
…Ava…
Ava was stunned, “Do you reveal this to every True Elementris?”
“No child. Only you.”
“Why me?”
“Because you need to know all of this to guide your own child. She will decide the future. She will lead our kind to dark or light. You will need to guide her and you need to know this to do that. Her biggest challenge will be you.”
“Me, but, I’m going to die.” Ava suddenly remembered exactly where she had been before she had fallen asleep. She remembered being knocked out.
“You both will find your way as long as you see clearly and remember that both dark and light exists inside you and all of those born of the element. Which side leads us is
what matters. The power of both can help you, balance you. You will have to teach her that. If she falls to the dark, you will die, and so will many others.”
“What does that mean? How am I supposed to use both?”
“You can, just don’t lose sight of who you are while you do it. Emberlee’s circle will be the first born with the forgotten element. There is a sixth child out there somewhere. I’m not sure a circle of six is a good thing. You see, the sixth element may change the balance of things. You changed things when you and Alec conceived. You see, The Vangeretta Curse was a sort of protection for the True Elementris. That’s why I made sure it fell into the right hands. You and Alec and those before you, Stone and Vangeretta, were never meant to have a child. Emberlee’s birth changed the cycle of the True Elementris. There will not be another True Elementris. With her birth the magic split equally between the six born in her circle. Six children together sharing the power of a True Elementris. If she’s going to survive you have to find the others.”
…Brea…
The phone rang. It was Alec.
“What do you mean there’s no one there?” Shawn asked.
“There’s no one here. I’m connecting with Ava. I keep seeing a dark-haired woman and a castle. It doesn’t look like the castle on Element Island though. We’re going to head to the island to see if they might have taken her there. Thomas said you believe they are planning an attack on the island. Maybe they took her back there for some reason. I’m sending some of the guards your way. They have the two mothers and all four babies.”
“Two mothers?”
“One was killed before we got here and they killed the other one right in front of me. There was nothing I could do to help her,” Alec said, grim now.
Shawn didn’t say anything for a moment; he could hear the pain in Alec’s voice. “Be careful, brother.”
“You too…, brother.”
“I’m sorry, Alec.”
“I know.”
Shawn snapped the phone shut and set it on the seat beside him.
“They didn’t find her?” Brea asked.
Shawn shook his head. “No. They were all gone.”
“That’s crazy!” Brea exclaimed. “Where do you think they took her?”
“Alec thinks they may have taken her back to the island.” He pressed the gas harder, “Maybe that’s why they were planning to attack the island. Maybe they are planning to take her power there. Maybe they have to do it there.”
“I hope Alec gets to her fast. I hate this,” Brea worried.
“Don’t worry. He’ll find her. After we get you to Alec’s dad’s house, and the others arrive, I’ll go help them find her.”
“We’re almost there already?”
“Yeah, it’s just ahead.” Shawn turned onto the long wooded road that led to Alec’s fathers property.
Head lights flashed behind them.
“That’s the others. They rescued all four babies, but only two of the four mothers were still alive.”
“We’re about to cross the bridge. Has Ava ever told you about it?” When Brea shook her head, he grinned, “No? Well, you’re in for a treat then!”
Brea braced herself.
…Alec…
“Alec could feel her so clearly as the boat raced through the storm. They pulled up to the dock. His bones ached and his muscles burned. His soul felt like it had left his body and become hers. He had to get to her. He had to save them. He felt his body shake as the realization of what had happened hit him. His lungs burned and his heart ached just as hers did. “Hurry!” he yelled.
Markson grabbed his shoulder as he climbed out of the boat. He was out of breath, “What is that?” He pointed to the sky. A helicopter was flying low over the island.
Everything started happening fast. The island shook and the storm cleared. The storm that had always been there just dissipated. As it cleared they saw them. Ships, boats, so many of them. They came from every direction. Helicopters filled the sky. Their lights shining on the island.
“Get ready!” Alec screamed. “Spread out.” He really wished his best friend was here, but he was hopeful that Shawn had gotten Emberlee to safety.
Every Clutch Guard and every Green that was there spread out along the beach. They stood in a long row. Others came, everyone came. Cook appeared and, nodding at Alec, filled the gap between Alec and Markson. Markson tossed him a sword. Cook swung it around impressively, slicing the air so hard you could hear it. It moved naturally in his wrinkled hands.
Reece looked over at him and then looked at the sky, shock evident on his face. The Whistler was a few people down, standing next to Thomas. Alec looked up, squinting to shield his eyes from the lights shining from the helicopters. They illuminated the row of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder, surrounding the castle. Even the council stood ready to defend the island.
Black smoke crept over the island walls and drifted toward them. As it drifted down, scores of shadowy men appeared within it. Alec lifted his sword and fire surrounded it. He brought his other hand up and clasped the hilt. A man appeared out of the smoke right in front of him. He wielded a strange weapon, one that appeared to have formed from the same black smoke that he had just risen from. He raised the weapon, a long shaft topped with spiked ends, and whirled it around with such force that you could hear the wind screaming around it as he ran. Alec met his speed, ducking beneath the shaft he swung his sword, cleanly decapitating the man with one stroke. The man fell at his feet and he and his weapon both turned back into smoke. Snakelike, the smoke began to wind its way up Alec’s body. All around him, people were coughing and choking on the thick, tarlike, smoke. Alec spun in a circle as the smoke reached his face and tried to force its way into his nose. Three men wearing battle armor and brandishing thick chains ran at him. Alec rolled and managed to knock two of them off their feet. The other fell on top of his sword. Gaining his feet, he swung again as the other two charged him. They came one behind the other and Alec, swinging backhanded, sliced the first man across the middle, then centered his sword and put it through the last man’s heart. Alec looked around and saw everyone fighting the same evil he was.
…Brea…
The two women emerged from the car holding their babies. Shawn and the other guards helped them inside. Emberlee calmed as Brea followed them inside. It was almost like she knew.
…Alec…
It was wild. They were surrounded in seconds, but they held the line. A monster of a man knocked Alec off his feet, but he quickly recovered. Alec saw the man heading towards him again and brought his sword up to meet him. Then something inexplicable happened, the man stopped and started backing away. He was staring in astonishment at something behind Alec. Alec turned around. The sky was filled with gray smoke and the ground beneath his feet was shaking. The noise was unreal. Mount Ella’s top glowed red and he could see lines of flame beginning to flow down the sides of the huge volcano. The heat was intense, even at this distance. The volcano was erupting. Alec was stunned, incapable of doing anything in that moment as he digested the reality of the situation they were now in.
Then he heard it. The most terrifying sound he could imagine, Ava’s scream.
He turned and ran. Others had also heard Ava’s scream and followed right behind him. He felt her then; her weakness, her overwhelming fear.
…Ava…
Ava felt the world spin around her. Demeter disappeared and Ava was on the ground. She sat up. She was back on the island somehow. She felt completely drained. As her vision cleared she realized she was surrounded by people. Waevern’s from the looks of it. Caslan and Macy were standing not far from where she was. In the distance she heard fighting. The elements were out of control. The sea rose and fell and the wind tossed debris around. Thunder boomed and dark clouds blocked the moons light. Ava tried to rise to her feet. It was painful. Her whole body ached. She wondered if she had travelled through time. If that’s why she felt so weak and terrible.
A circle ha
d been drawn in the sand and she was in the middle of it. It was just like the circle Demeter had drawn. Five points were connected in the circle and Ava realized it was a star. Just like the symbol those using dark magic used. She now knew where it came from. The rings were placed at the five points and floated over the element colored candles. Ava tried to walk out. Her foot burned as it touched the edge of the circle. She edged it a little further out of the circle and received an enormous shock. She tried another spot with the same results. She was trapped. She screamed at the top of her lungs, “Alec!”
Five people came forward from the crowd around her. Macy and Caslan were among them. The five rings floated in midair and then the five of them stepped forward. Caslan threw his head back and uttered a strange incantation. Then he smiled. Ava suddenly realized what they were doing. They were trying to split her magic. Maybe the five had decided to do that rather than sacrifice each other. Ava looked at each of them. They were all smiling.
The rings were now linked by a circle of light. The water rolled back revealing the lost city from her dreams. For a moment she thought she saw Demeter. She wore a long dress and the gold on her wrist gleamed in the moonlight. She blinked and Demeter was gone. Just the city remained.
That’s when she felt it. Heat building inside her. Sweat soaked her instantly. The ground started to shake. She balled her fist as she felt her body’s temperature rise. She couldn’t breathe. Flame shot from each of the rings. Each one burned the color of an element. She tried to roll away from the heat, but she couldn’t escape it. It appeared as if the flames were reaching for her. She closed her eyes as she felt her chest get tight and her heart pound. She wanted so badly to get up, but she couldn’t. She tried with all she had to move her legs. She squeezed her eyes shut as the heat of the flames engulfed her. This was it. It was over. “Alec!” She screamed again.
…Alec…
Alec tried to calm himself. She was there, on the beach, and she was screaming,. He started running, pushing people out of his way as he went. Everyone was fighting, even the council members and guests. The whole island was shaking and veiled by thick smoke. A strange glow emanated from the beach and the wall surrounding the island was crumbling. He ran faster than he ever had. When he reached the Brooden, he was stunned at what he saw. Where there had once been only water, there were now miles of new sand. A ship sat there, still dripping, and behind it stood the ruins of a city. Alec couldn’t believe his eyes. He could see people gathered in the ruined city and the strange glow originated from where they stood. Ava’s body floated in mid-air and flame of every color swirled around her.
Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series Page 84