The Six Elemental

by Ali House

  On the night of the exhibit, Kit went through her entire closet searching for something to wear. Having never been to a gallery opening, she had no idea what the dress code was. Would it be evening-gown fancy or business-casual fancy? What if it turned out to be casual? No, the invitation had been embossed and sealed with wax, so it had to be fancy.

  There was only one item of clothing she owned that would be appropriate – a short, dark blue dress. Buying it had been an impulsive action, but she’d been having a terrible day and the purchase had made her feel better. She had never worn it in public, but it was a normal dress that a normal person might buy and simply owning it made her feel better. The short sleeves would show her Electricity Tattoo, but her Fire, Ice and Earth Tattoos would be covered up. The black cuffs around her wrist would cover up the Air Tattoo, even if they were a bit edgy for the outfit. That only left the Water Tattoo on her left ankle to be covered. She dug through her clothing, finding a pair of black leggings that she’d never worn. Paired with black boots, she’d be fully covered. Hopefully she’d blend into the crowd and nobody would pay her too much attention.

  The Stanton Museum was located on the east side of the island, near one of Stanton’s many parks. EarthAir Designs, a competitor of Skyline, had designed the building. Kit had applied to both companies, but her preference was always to work with Skyline. Looking at the Museum, she knew that she’d made the right choice. The building was okay, but it stood out like a sore thumb. It was shaped like a cube, but rotated so that one corner was stuck in the ground. A patio area jutted out to one side, giving the impression that the building could tip over at any second. She could appreciate the attempt, but it didn’t stop her from thinking that it was a bit physics-experiment-gone-wrong.

  After showing her invitation at the door, Kit looked around the lobby, wondering where to start. The room was full of an assortment of older and younger people, some of whom had gone the evening-gown/tuxedo route and some who were wearing jeans and t-shirts. Her concerns about her outfit suddenly seemed stupid. Maybe the guest list had been completely random after all.

  In the lobby were tables full of finger foods and champagne, but Kit was too nervous to sample any of them. She did, however, pick up a glass of champagne so that she’d have something to hold on to as she wandered around the gallery.

  The name of the exhibit was “99 Years Later” and it featured photography from the war with Tecken. The lobby had a few pictures of Stanton and some general information about the war, while the four main rooms each had their own theme.

  The first room was all about the world before the war. It showed a time-line of New Earth, marking the Last World War, the rebuilding period for New Earth, and then the 600 years of peace before the First Invasion. There was also a series of pictures that started with a comparison drawing of Archaic Earth and New Earth. Kit couldn’t believe how much land there had once been on Archaic Earth, and how little of it was still around today. Next up was a drawing of the Centre, the largest island on New Earth and the largest landmass to survive the Last World War; then a drawing of the islands that made up Segment Delta; and finally a drawing of the island of Stanton.

  The drawing of Segment Delta showed each of the six islands of the Segment – Briton, Cambria, Aesira, Drakkar, Stanton and Tecken. Each island was connected to at least two others by overseas highways, except for Tecken which had red Xs where the bridges had been. Tecken used to be connected to Stanton and Drakkar, but after the war the highways had been destroyed and it had been permanently cut off from the rest of the Segment.

  Looking at the picture of the Segment, Kit was suddenly aware of how close Tecken was to Stanton. There was something unnerving about that island and how nobody knew what was currently happening there. Tecken had been quiet for the past 99 years, but the quiet couldn’t last forever – could it? She tore her eyes away and moved on to the next room.

  The second room was filled with artistic photographs and was easier to take in. The photographs showed bright flowers growing out of rubble, buildings standing tall while surrounded by destroyed structures, and the sun shining like a beacon over the destroyed city. Kit found it strange that war could be the reason behind such beautiful photos.

  There was a darker element to the third room. The photographs showed injured soldiers, people crying out in pain, and bodies stacked on piles of rubble. All the photos were in black and white, but it was easy enough to figure out what was dirt and what was blood.

  Kit had learned about the war in school and she knew that it had never technically ended. Magnus Erikson the First had been killed and his army driven back to Tecken, but Magnus’ son, Titus, had taken over command. Titus was responsible for blowing up the highways. He forbid the Council of Twelve, the peacekeepers of New Earth, from ever setting foot on his island, by claiming that any interference from the Council would be considered an act of war. The Council would never dare to start a war, so they stayed away and the Eriksons never received any punishment.

  Now it was 99 years later and it felt like nothing had been settled. The Erikson family was still in charge of Tecken and the people of the island were still under their spell. Looking at the photos, Kit felt afraid. Her father’s family had fought in the war, but her mother didn’t like to talk about it. Until tonight, the war had felt more like a piece of fiction that everyone passed off as history.

  She quickly moved on to the last room, hoping that it wasn’t anything too graphic. As she looked around she noticed that the photographs were more hopeful. The pictures were of families reunited, friends celebrating, and homes being rebuilt. It wasn’t enough to completely shake the unsettled feeling that the last group of photos had given her, but it helped.

  As she looked around the room she noticed a tall, young man with spiked, dark red hair. He was looking at the pictures with a critical, yet thoughtful expression. Most of the patrons were merely glancing at the pictures before moving on, but he was interested in the art itself. If he wasn’t an artist then he was definitely someone who had studied art.

  She toyed with the idea of going up to him and asking what he thought of the exhibit, but she knew that she would never have the courage. He was probably dating someone or married or a jerk. He might be the kind of guy that took art way too seriously and had to find meaning in everything and looked down on anyone who couldn’t instantly comprehend the inherent beauty of all things. Besides, she tried to remind herself, she didn’t date.

  “Excuse me?”

  Kit turned away from the redhead. Standing behind her was a woman in a black suit with neatly gelled purple hair and a stance that alluded to authority. There was a smile on her face, but Kit had no idea who the woman was or why she was talking to her.

  “Yes?” Kit replied.

  “Are you Katherine Tyler?”

  She nodded.

  “If you don’t mind, Frederick has requested a word with you.”

  Kit’s mouth dropped open, but she quickly closed it. “With me?”

  “Yes. She would like to know what you think about the exhibit.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not much of an art critic.”

  “It’s no matter. Now if you don’t mind following me...” The woman walked out of the room and Kit obediently followed, putting her now-warm glass of champagne on a nearby table.

  The woman, who hadn’t bothered to introduce herself, showed Kit to an office. It belonged to the museum curator, but Augusta Frederick had taken it over for the night. After the woman had introduced her to Frederick she exited the room, leaving Kit alone with the most powerful woman on the island.

  Frederick looked much less imposing in person, with her average build, orange eyes and black hair – but she had a way of carrying herself that spoke to her importance. When she shook Kit’s hand it was strong and firm, and Kit was thankful that her palms weren’t sweaty.

  “Are you enjoying the exhibit, Tyler?” Frederick asked, offering her the seat across from the desk.

 
“Well, it’s very enlightening,” she replied, sitting down. “I’ve never known much about the war, except what I’d studied in school.”

  “And yet you decided to move to Stanton. The island famous for being invaded by Magnus Erikson the first. The island where the first war in 600 years took place.”

  “I had my reasons. I mean, I was able to get a job in my field, and Skyline is a great company.”

  “And I’m sure it’s better than living in Briton,” she said, smiling.

  Kit was taken aback, but she quickly recovered. Of course the leader of Stanton would know where she’d come from. She probably knew everything about her, including all of her fights during high school.

  “Well, that too,” she replied.

  Frederick regarded her carefully. “You must not have been an Elemental for long before moving here.”

  “I lived in Briton long enough to know what happens to Elementals.” She hoped the vague answer would be satisfactory. She didn’t feel like going into details about her past.

  “So you’re not one to put up a fight?”

  “I didn’t say that,” she said defensively. “There was nothing left for me in Briton. When my family found out-” She paused. “I know that the attitudes in Briton need to change, but I also know that it’s going to take a lot more than one person to change it. Getting bricks thrown at me isn’t the best way to bring about peace, and I don’t think that I’m a coward for wanting to avoid that.”

  Frederick was silent and Kit wondered if she’d offended her. Was it possible to get kicked off the island for insulting the leader?

  Finally Frederick smiled. “Well, I can’t very well call you a coward since you moved to Stanton. You could have lived in Cambria or Aesira, but instead you moved to an island that was once ravaged by war.”

  “I know, but I didn’t feel worried about that until tonight.”

  She didn’t say anything, but gave her a look that told her to continue.

  “The war always felt like a story to me, but looking at these pictures and knowing that nothing was ever done to stop the Eriksons from keeping their hold over the people of Tecken... Well, it all feels really real now. I mean, it’d be nice if the current Erikson was teaching his people to be tolerant, but I doubt it. I can’t help but worry that something like that might happen again.”

  “I think now you finally know what it’s like to live in Stanton. Ever since the war we’ve tried to return to our former state, but now we live with caution. Tecken was pushed back but not destroyed.”

  “But it would be difficult for them to attack now, right?” Kit said. This was such an odd conversation to be having. “I mean, the highways are destroyed and you’d see them coming if they used boats. There’s no need to worry, right?”

  Frederick smiled again, but her response was less comforting. “Some would say that.”

  “I hope they’re right. War doesn’t benefit anyone. I mean, the last was one was so horrible and absolutely nothing was achieved. Nobody won.”

  “That’s why history is so important. We get to learn from our mistakes and hopefully get it right next time.”

  She thought about the words. “Well, I hope that we don’t have the chance to get it right. I’d rather that we never have another war, ever.”

  Frederick looked at her with a thoughtful expression. “As do I.”

  After her conversation with Frederick, Kit went back to the exhibit, but she found it hard to concentrate. It felt as if she’d just come from a weird kind of job interview or work assessment. Never, in all her wondering what tonight might be like, had she considered that she might spend time talking with Augusta Frederick about Tecken.

  She wandered around the gallery for a few more minutes before deciding that it was time to go home. She didn’t feel like going through the exhibit again – especially not after that conversation. As she walked back to her apartment, she replayed the conversation over and over in her head, hoping that she hadn’t said anything stupid or offensive. Maybe she should have talked about Briton less. Did she sound too naive about the war? Why had Frederick wanted to talk to some girl from Briton anyway? For all she knew, she was nobody special. At least, she hoped that Frederick thought she was nobody special.

  The next day she tried to forget about what had happened. It was over and she couldn’t change it, no matter how much she wanted to go back in time and give different answers. She wanted to talk to someone, but there was nobody she trusted enough. The person she most wanted to discuss it with was the one person she couldn’t – her father.

  When her phone rang just after lunch, she eyed it suspiciously. Since moving to Stanton she hadn’t received many calls and the majority of them had been wrong numbers. Could this be a wrong number or could it be Frederick calling her to let her know that she wasn’t good enough to live here and that she should go back to Briton? The latter was pretty far-fetched, but she couldn’t help feeling anxious as she answered the phone.

  “Hello?” she said.

  “This is Triton Kolsovar, the Head of Identification from the Inter-Segment Security office.”

  Kit wondered if he had the wrong number, but then she realized that it would be pretty ironic for the Head of Identification to call the wrong person. Immediately she switched to ‘worst-case-scenario’ mode. Had he discovered something in her background check? Did he think that she might be a Humanist, like her step-father?

  “Is this Kit Tyler?” he asked.

  “Y-yes.” She braced herself for the worst.

  Of course, it was nothing so drastic. Kolsovar simply invited her to a meeting the next day at his office. He described it as a get-to-know-the-new-residents kind of meeting; to make sure that she was adjusting well to the island. It didn’t sound particularly strange, but when she thought about the discussion she’d had last night it all seemed rather odd.

  Kit tried to shake the strange thoughts out of her head. She was being paranoid. They probably did this with all the new residents of the island. Except that she wasn’t a new resident – she’d been here for months. Why did Kolsovar wait until now for the meeting?

  The ISS office was six stories high, which made it the tallest building in Stanton. It was also in the centre of the island, so it could be seen from any location. There was nothing artsy about the building at all – it was simply a rectangular structure that served its purpose of housing a government organization. The building had been damaged in the war, but it had been mended instead of torn down and so it was one of the oldest buildings on Stanton.

  Kolsovar’s office, which was on the fifth floor, was furnished with only the necessities – a desk, three chairs and a stack of filing cabinets. The office had large windows along the back wall which looked out over Stanton. It was a beautiful view and Kit guessed that it was one of the reasons why the room was so sparsely decorated. Who needed art when you had a view like that?

  The Head of Identification looked to be in his mid-thirties, but his light brown hair was already going white at the temples. His yellow eyes watched her carefully through wire-rimmed glasses, but not in a hostile way.

  “Thank you for coming, Tyler,” he greeted, gesturing to the seat across from him.

  “Please, call me Kit,” she said as she sat down.

  “Then you might as well call me Triton.” He smiled warmly and her suspicions about the meeting disappeared. “I trust that you’re adjusting well to Stanton?”

  She nodded. “It’s a nice place. It’s got a good... vibe.”

  “And your job at Skyline is going well?”

  “Yes. I’m learning lots.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” His expression turned serious as he leaned forward in his chair and rested his arms on the desk. “Now let’s get to the real purpose of this meeting.”

  “What?” All of those worst-case scenarios rushed forward in her mind. She had been right to be paranoid about this meeting.

  “I’d like to discuss the talk you had with Augusta
Frederick at the gallery opening.”

  “Ohh...” she said quietly. Had she accidentally offended the leader? Was this an official reprimand?

  “The exhibit was very important to us,” Triton explained. “There were people, much like you, who didn’t think of the war as something that had really happened. Almost 100 years have passed and it’s started to fade in people’s minds. We want the people of Stanton to see the past and to realize what would become of this island if something like that ever happened again.”

  “But the Council of Twelve would never allow another war,” Kit pointed out. It was one of the things she wished that she’d said to Frederick.

  “The Council’s laws didn’t work ninety-nine years ago,” he replied with just the slightest hint of a smile. “If Magnus Erikson the Second decided to march in here tomorrow with two thousand soldiers behind him, we wouldn’t be able to stop him by saying that it was against the law. It would be easier if we could keep an eye on him, but we are forbidden from entering the island of Tecken without permission. Do you see where we’re at? The Centre can’t make a move without provoking Erikson, and Erikson can’t be trusted to be left alone.”

  “So what does this have to do with me?” she asked.

  Triton held up a file. “This is your background check. You’ve had no prior affiliations with Tecken, you haven’t been to any rallies or been seen with any Tecken sympathizers. In the past you’ve had a few ‘scuffles’ with Humanists, but mostly at the defense of other people.” He referred to the file. “You’ve taken kickboxing classes in university, along with self-defense courses. You’re an Electricity Elemental, so you have that power. You’re also a random person out of 20,000 other people, and the discussion you had with Frederick leads me to believe that you’d rather avoid a war than fight in one.”