Kai ran until she reached a gorgeous hut made of stones and flowers. This hut was bigger than the ones in the rest of the village.
She placed her hands on the wooden door and pushed it open to find three tall men. One of them had long wavy brown hair that matched a bushy long beard. His eyes were the same bright deep blue as Kai’s. “Father, humans!”
The man turned and hugged Kai. “We know.”
On a big table to the side of the room lay her village’s map and a bunch of drawings in black coal. “What is all this?”
“Our war plan.”
“War?” Kai let go of her father. “We mustn’t! It will not be fair.”
“Leave us,” he commanded the other two men. “They outnumber us.”
“You know what we can do!” Kai shuddered. “One of us can singly burn half of their army. One of us can singly drown an entire city!”
“That is the strategy our people will take.”
“And murder them?” she gasped in horror. “This is madness! They are living creatures.”
“Ay, living creatures who slaughter and destroy everything in their way.”
“Because they know no other way! They are not bad, they are only misguided. We can teach them.”
“They won’t listen. They’ll always take more than what they need.”
“They can learn. Have faith in them,” she begged her father.
“You are barely eighteen! You still know nothing about them. They won’t listen.”
“We’ll find a way!”
“You will obey me, Kai.” Frustrated, her father slammed his strong fist on top of the table. “I already lost your mother because of them, I will not lose my child.”
BANG!! The ground shook like an earthquake.
“King Cornelius.” the younger of two men from before came back into the hut. “The humans are attacking.”
“Father!”
Cornelius let go of his daughter. “We will talk later.”
“No!” Kai screamed, the thought of so much death paining her soul.
King Cornelius lifted his hands, wielding four walls to imprison Kai and left to fight the humans.
“Father, no!” Kai pushed her entire body against one of the walls, the pain increased each time her shoulder hit the wielded dirt. She could hear the screams outside.
As the war grew louder, Kai and Gaia didn’t just hear it, they could feel it, the pain and suffering of their people as they died, how they cursed their lives by killing humans. “Stop!” Kai cried as she tried to dig her way out with her hands, her fingertips almost to the point of bleeding.
Unsure of what else she could do, she kneeled down, dug her hands into the ground and took a deep breath. “Please Nature,” she begged, “help us.”
Her Five Fold birthmark warmed her skin. Kai took her hands off the ground and looked at the mark as it began to glow golden. A soft swirl of air surrounded her body. Her hair floated up above her head, and the triple spiral mark branded itself on the back of her neck. It was the same sensation Gaia felt the moment she turned her Eighteenth Spring.
Kai lowered her hands and the swirl followed her movement. Confused about what had just happened, she repeated the same movement and the swirl followed her once again. “Impossible!” Kai gasped with amazement since she could already wield water. There was no Terrian or anyone else who could wield more than one element.
Kai and Gaia were swiftly immersed in a sense of peace. As if Nature was telling them not to be scared. As if Nature was letting them know their cry of help had been answered.
Knowing now what to do, Kai closed her hands and pulled them tight against her body. The air followed the wield creating a compact ball of air around her. Concentrating, she pushed her hands as fast as she could to her sides. The air expanded with an intense force that the walls of dirt flew away setting her free. Kai stood up and walked outside her home.
Gaia thought the war in her dreams was the most horrifying thing she’d ever seen. She was wrong.
Gaia’s heart clenched with excruciating pain at the sight. The village was destroyed. The ground was covered in blood. The once fresh air was then replaced by smoke and the sweet smell of herbs was masked by the sickening smell of death.
Kai stopped cold. Sera’s dead brown eyes were now staring at her, empty. “Sera…” Kai knelt down and closed her friend’s eyes. “Be now one with Nature, my friend.” She gave a small bow before walking away.
As Kai stumbled across the war zone, Gaia could smell the metallic odor of blood. She could feel the flesh on her feet burning like the fire in the sky. She didn’t really know these people, but she could feel they were family, she knew they were her people. Gaia cried as she felt the loss. To see them kill each other like that was horrible.
Kai ran through the village. She needed to get to her father as soon as possible. The falling ashes morphed the village into Gaia’s nightmare. She saw the town where Tara and her baby girl Molly died. She saw the ice-cream place, the pink ribbon floating in the air. No, no! Molly… “Mama! Mama!” a boy screamed, ripping Gaia away from her mind into the previous vision. Kai followed the voice and saw a small child crying.
Seven cannonballs of fire flew from the sky towards the village, smashing and burning everything in sight.
A hissing sound became louder and louder in her direction. Kai lifted her head and saw a fireball flying towards the child. “No!”
Without thinking twice, Kai jumped in front of the child, she hugged the little boy so she could use her own body as a shield. On instinct, Kai pointed the palm of her hand towards the cannonball.
The ball of fire hit her skin but instead of burning, Kai absorbed the fire, and her body was covered in an aura of flames. “How is this happening?” Kai panted in awe, staring at her flaming body.
“Night arrows!” a wounded villager screamed.
Kai stood up and opened her arms. Dozens of fire strings came out of her body and flew up to the sky, burning all the arrows before they reached her village. The arrows burned in the sky and twinkled like dying stars.
“Lady Kai?” a villager whispered in awe. Knowing Kai was already a water wielder, the villagers were shocked to see her mastering fire in such way.
Kai gave the child to Mildred, the old lady who gifted her the fruit earlier that day. Mildred kept staring at Kai with amazement. “How’s this possible, Lady Kai?”
“Nature.” Kai looked at her hands, the fire danced around her fingers before she wielded it off. “Where’s my father?”
“On the hill.” Mildred pointed at the army standing at the top ready to fight.
Kai turned, focusing on where Mildred was pointing. Even Gaia could see Cornelius in the distance, giving orders to his loyal soldiers. “Get out of here and find shelter,” Kai ordered before sprinting towards her father.
The hike was insane and challenging. The hill was covered with fallen soldiers; it was full of weapons and blood. Gaia cringed at the sight of something so beautiful covered in so much death.
Reaching the top, Kai saw her father standing a few feet away from the First Tree. He was planning their next attack on a map that was on top of a massive rock. “Father stop!” she yelled, almost out of breath.
“Kai? How?” Cornelius’ mouth opened, unable to formulate all the questions he had. He cleared his throat. “Why are you here?”
BANG! One of the soldiers next to them had been shot. He fell to the floor and died. “Take her out of here!”
“No.” Kai pushed the guards by wielding wind.
Cornelius softly pulled his daughter close. “This is not possible. No one wields more than one element.”
“I do now.” Kai pointed her palm towards the end of the hill. The ground cracked and created a long crater that separated the humans and the Terrians without hurting anyone of them. “I’m sorry father, I can’t let anyone else die.”
SWISH! A javelin flew across the humans towards Kai. Cornelius pushed her away just when it was
about to pierce her chest, taking the weapon’s blade himself.
“Father!” Kai kneeled next to Cornelius. “No… Father. NO!” Sobbing with agony, Kai passed her hands over the bleeding wound. “Don’t, don’t leave me please.” She begged him.
“I won’t. I’ll be in every star you gaze at, every morning breeze that hugs you, every tree that gives you shadow. Just like your mother is.” Cornelius caressed her cheek. “Anon, my Kai.” His hand slid away from her cheek at the same time his life left his body.
No… The weight of her world crumbled, crushing Gaia’s soul. She knew Cornelius was not her real father yet she could feel Kai’s loss. She experienced the shock, the unimaginable void, an emptiness inside her. Her body was cold and burning at the same time. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t think. She wanted to scream, to cry and turn everything around her on fire.
Lost in grief, Kai levitated on the air. Her back arched and her palms opened wide. Just like Gaia did back on the day when her necklace was broken.
Gaia felt how Kai’s tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground. Before it touched the dirt, a diamond crystalized around the tear keeping it intact. She noticed how the First Tree cradled the diamond with his roots and hide it underneath its trunk.
“Please,” Kai pleaded Nature. “Help me stop this. Help me save your children.”
Obeying Kai’s wishes, the ocean’s water pulled back from the seashore and then it moved forwards in a steady rocking motion, each time flooding everything on its way.
As the oceans crawled around the land, humans fled and so did the Terrians.
Kai knelt down next to her father and hugged him as the ocean’s water submerged them both.
Gasping, Gaia opened her eyes. “Ahh!” she grabbed her throat while coughing. She could still feel the water crunching her lungs.
“Breathe, slowly.” Klog Mor patted her back. “Breathe. Try to calm down. Everything’s alright, my child.”
Gaia sobbed. “She died.” Kai’s pain and loss reverberated through every cell of her body.
“Yes, she did.” Klog Mor hugged Gaia as she shivered.
“I felt it, I lived it… Why?”
“Kai was the first Mother Nature. Her sacrifice saved the two tribes from ending each other.”
Gaia pushed herself away from the hug. “But she flooded the world!”
“A necessary act so no war like that would ever happen again.” Klog Mor stood up. “Come, child, it will do you good to get some air.”
Gaia followed Klog Mor to the kitchen where everyone waited for them. Klog Mor gave Shui a nod and she warmed a cup of water before throwing some of the First Tree’s white flowers.
Klog Mor gave Gaia the warm tea. “Here, drink this. It will calm you down,” Gaia grabbed the wooden cup and Klog Mor took a Corona for herself. “After the world was flooded, some humans survived with ships, and Terrians were protected by Le Gardien de la Vie. It took years for the water to go back but when it did, an invisible barrier was created keeping Earth and Terra separated forever. It was Kai’s way to ensure a war like that would never happen again. It was also from her that the rule of not harming humans was born.”
Calmer than before, Gaia sat down next to Priyam. “Edan said we’re going to Terra. If they are separated, how can we get in? How did we get out?”
“With a door of course,” said Edan. He placed a map on top of the table. “Eight to be exact. Four on this side of the world,” He marked each spot with an X on the map. “The door of fire is in the volcano of Villarica in Chile, the door of earth is in the Cave of Swallows in Mexico, the door of wind is in the tornados of Huntsville, USA and the door of water is in Jofree Lake, Canada.” Edan moved the map so he could reach the other side of it. “And four on the other side.” Edan marked an X on each one. “Fire in the volcano Batu Tara in Indonesia, earth is in the Tunnel of Love in Ukraine, wind is on the cliffs of Moher, Ireland, and the last door of water is on the Emerald lakes of New Zealand.”
As Priyam wondered how cool it would be to see all the doors, Edan placed his finger on one of the Xs. “This is the door we’ll use. Pack your bags, we are walking twelve clicks tonight.”
Priyam and Gaia leaned closer to see the place Edan was talking about. “Canada?” Priyam asked, excited.
Donovan tapped the map. “Joffre Lake to be exact.”
Irritated beyond belief, Synthia lifted her hand indicating the mark of Theta scared across her chest. “Question: Is this hideous thing going to magically disappear when we cross your door and stuff?”
The whole group looked at the only Terrian who could answer Synthia in a loving way.
“I’m sorry, Synthia,” said Shui with a soft, calm tone. “That type of curse is forever.”
“What?” Synthia choked. Her face turned whiter than a river pearl. “I thought you’ve been like, trying to find a way to erase it.”
“To erase the bond it has with Azazel,” Edan explained. “The mark can’t be touched.”
“Urrgh!” Synthia pushed Shui out of her way. She glared with hatred at Gaia before storming out of the door.
After a few seconds in silence, Donovan turned on his heels until he was staring right at Veter, who was lighting his vanilla cigar. “OK, whose turn is it?” he asked.
“No. Not mine, I went last time.” He shielded himself behind Shui. “It’s blondie’s turn.”
“No way.” Willow jumped back. “She hates me.”
“Big deal.” Priyam laughed. “She hates everyone.”
Willow crossed her arms under her crop top, covering a part of her Sakura tree tattoo. “Then you go.”
“I would love to volunteer myself,” Priyam said, leaning against the table, “but unfortunately, the point here is to help.”
“I’ll go.” Edan left the map on the table and went after Synthia.
Edan searched for a while until he found her, sitting on a rock halfway down the hill. “What do you want?” she whined.
“To see if you are alright,”
“Of course I’m not alright! How can you think that I’m OK when I’m this deformed?”
“It’s just a scar.” He walked close enough to let her know she wasn’t alone yet far enough to give her space. “It shouldn’t define who you are.”
“It does,” Synthia cried. “How am I going to get a boyfriend now?”
“Synthia.” Edan placed his hand on her shoulder for reassurance. “Flaws are meaningless when it comes to your match.”
“You think someone will find me attractive?”
“I do,” he said, and she could tell he meant it.
“You’re being nice to me.” She leaned closer. “Do you like me?”
“You are part of this team,” he said, unaware of the meaning she was referring to. “You should go eat something and try to relax. We leave camp in a few hours.”
Obeying without complaint for the first time, Synthia walked away towards the kitchen.
“That was good advice. You should follow it.”
Startled, Edan turned left and beheld Klog Mor, who was standing right next to him. “Where did you come from?”
“From there.” She pointed at her left. “Don’t change the subject boy, I know you heard me.”
“Mine is not just a flaw,” Edan murmured. “It’s a rule.”
“A rule?” She mocked him.
“Yes, the parliament set it.”
“The parliament, huh.” Klog Mor smiled at Edan. “You mean the same Terrians who forbid you to be the leader of The Six?” She circled Edan. “Yet here you are.”
“Your point being?”
“Stop giving excuses, young man.” She poked him in the chest with her long finger. “Besides, she already told you.”
“She was a kid when she did.” Edan followed Klog Mor’s movements until he saw Gaia laughing with Pink at the very top of the hill. Just looking at her he was left breathless. “She doesn’t remember.”
“Yet.” Klog Mor noticed t
he sudden pain in his eyes. “Is that why you keep pushing her away? Is that why you keep being mean to her? She forgot everything, Edan. Everyone, not just you.”
“I know.”
“That’s not what bothers you, is it?” she asked, but he said nothing. He didn’t have to, not with her. “You’re afraid she’ll regret it once she finds out who you are,” she said, and his jaw clenched. Bullseye. “Then stop! She knew when she was little and yet she never cared.” She slapped his arm. “You’re taking away her choice. Quit being an ass and let her take the decision.”
“But—”
“Nothing,” she interrupted him. “What are you going to do when she remembers?”
“Anything she decides,” he admitted, without looking away from Gaia. “You truly think it’s OK?”
“Is it?” Klog Mor questioned him.
Edan turned to Klog Mor but she wasn’t there anymore. “I hope it is,” he whispered to himself. He then ran uphill and met with the group. “Everyone! Let’s go.”
That night Willow dug a tunnel underneath Canada’s border where they all managed to pass undetected before continuing their long journey to Abbotsford, BC.
Unfortunately, for the whole journey, Edan stayed oblivious of Synthia’s stare, her new intentions, and the danger he had gotten Gaia and himself into.
Chapter 6
The Core Within Her Fire
THE PREVIOUS FEW NIGHTS were brutal. They ended up walking more than sixteen clicks each day before finding a place to build camp outside of the town of Abbotsford. Two days later, it was noon and most of the group were asleep or just resting in their bungalows.
Unable to move her sore legs, Gaia mimicked the signs the computer showed her for the ASL program Priyam created in order to speed up their way of communicating with Hunter. She was learning how to sign different types of food when Edan arrived with a worn-out book and a box of Purdys chocolates and sat down next to her.
Seasons Within Box Set Page 34