Zephyr

by K. T. Rombough

  Still looking at the book, it continued to flip back and forth. The four of us crowded around the book, the lecturn shaking the closer we came to it.

  “Lets all but our hands on it like we did in the chamber, maybe something will happen,” I suggested, feeling a little silly. But if something was going to happen to me when I touched it, they would feel it to.

  Each of us placed our hand on each corner of the lecturn. The book stopped moving completely falling closed the cover of the book slamming shut.

  “The Elemental Pages” the cover read, ruin symbols covering the book, but as our hands got closer to the book, four lit up. Gripping the cover, I opened the book.

  “This book is the manifestation of the elementals. It contains the spells and history of the Immortals known as elementals. Each one bound by different laws of their element, but each powerful in their own right.” I started reading it aloud, the words didn’t look at first glance like English, but as I looked at the symbols the words formed English as if finding the language my mind could read easily.

  “Wind, Fire, Water and Earth, the four main elements to rule the world, to cause beauty, to cause destruction. They bring Life and Death with them every where they go, while the Light and Dark follow them closely no matter what they do. Love between them bonds them but the Spirit of the magic keep them together. As a collective of fourteen elementals they are strong, they are powerful and they rule the world.” I re-read the last sentence multiple times in my head and aloud, “fourteen of us?” I asked looking at Simone.

  “Since when, there have always only been twelve of us,” He replied looking as concerned as I was.

  “Kade you have all your past lives, Katterina you as well, do you remember a thirteenth and fourteenth member?” Piper asked looking between us,

  “It would make more sense than there only being twelve of us, think about it. Simone is connected to Love and Death, while Kade is connected to Life and Spirit, I am connected to Wood and Metal, while you are not connected to any of us? Light and Dark are on their own which would make sense why every time they are re-born they are twins. But Piper you have no one? Maybe the other two would be connected to you?” Kat said smiling at Piper.

  “I guess but why wouldn’t we have known about them before?” She asked looking at me now.

  “I don’t know but I will keep reading,” I replied looking back at the book.

  “When the fourteen come together, and are one they rule. This book allows the elementals to see and feel all elements. Not just the core elements and the secondary elements such as wood, ice, lightning, metal, life and death. This book give all the information the elementals need as well as the information for th Sin’s and the four horsemen, the natural elementals enemies. All the weaknesses and the strengths of each group. The dark magic contained in this book is great, be warned should this fall into the wrong hands, if could bring the end of the world, the gods and the elementals.” I finished reading as the words disappeared off the pages.

  “So the book is all about us? But how, I have never seen this book before. And we have natural enemies?” I looked at the three of them.

  “Don’t look at us, you have the memories,” Simone said shaking his head.

  “Who is going to keep this book?” Piper said looking at Simone.

  “Well my world and guardians were slaughtered, which we still need to find out why? So my realm is out. Kat what about your realm?” I asked looking at her.

  “Nope, my realm is a dead waste land now. Piper’s is the only one that hasn’t been attacked yet.” She replied looking at Piper.

  “I suppose we could keep it here in the chamber again? Can you open the door again Kade?” She asked looking at me,

  “Yeah, I can.” I replied shaking my hands out, green aura dripping from my hands as I did so, floating in the water. “Hold on to something,” I added, gesturing my hands in a circle. The water around us swirled like a vortex, over and over again, the girls hair hitting their face, whipping around them.

  Simone gripping the throne itself as the girls held on to the sconces on the wall. As I spun the water out, faster and faster, its dissipated from around me, slowly emptying the room itself. Looking over at Simone, he looked sick. Holding the throne with his arms, he was floating up and down, left and right being tossed about. Until the dissipated from around him, dropping him to the floor in a loud thud.

  The girls looked like drown rats as the remaining water evaporated through the walls, their hair both drenched and flat against their faces. Their clothes soaking wet.

  “Why are we completely wet, yet you two are completely dry?” Kat asked sounding upset, her face angry as she flipped her hair out of her face.

  “He is fire? No drying needed, I created a wind vortex, it dried me off. Need I say more?” I said laughing at them as Piper walked towards us, her dress slopping against the floor, leaving a trail of water.

  Waving my hand at them a tornado of warm air blew around them, Piper holding her dress down as to not have it blow up, her hair swirling around her face. While Kat stood still enjoying the feeling of being dry, after all that was the point of her element.

  “Thank you,” Kat said as she stepped away from the wall.

  Piper waved her hand at the throne, moving it forward again revealing the chamber stairs. We followed her into the chamber, hoping not to have to go through the same thing as before, but as we got to the end of the chamber stairs, there stood a stone lecturn. Simone placed the book on top of it, waving his hand over it. The red symbol on the book glowed bright as a barrier above it glowed red as well. Piper followed him, copying what he did, the blue symbol shown brightly, as the red barrier disappeared in the blood that was the water orb surrounding it. Kat followed her, leaving me to be the last. The four colors swirled around book, each guarding it in a special and unique way.

  Simone made the book hot to the touch, almost impossible to cool unless his powers stopped it. Piper chose something more substantial, an orb of water that traps the person inside, un able to breathe or break free. Kat created the sand monster from before, feeling like she was inspired by it. And I left the previous barrier that I had to go through, the sharp wind, cutting through metal, magic and skin if they could get through my barrier they would need a lot of healing, then Kat’s would cause a physical attack. Followed by Piper’s trap, it would take a lot of energy and power to break out of it. Then Simone’s burning, hotter than the sun I doubt anyone could survive that feeling without severe scaring.

  Once we all felt it was safe enough, we headed back up.

  Chapter 22

  Return

  We spent the next three days in Piper’s realm, planning, strategizing and locating wood and metal. I hadn’t had the heart to tell them yet that they were my best friends from mortal school, but I wanted to. Sitting around Piper’s round table for the fourth day Kat began with the plans we finalized yesterday.

  “So, we will portal to the mortal realm, get to this place called Melford. Simone and Kade you will talk to them about what we are, what they are,” She paused to take a breath.

  “You will find safe passage to a safe house,” I said pointing to Desmond,

  “Yes, my parents cabin in the mountains will do. They haven’t used them for years and its just the domestic help that live there year long,” Desmond said, turning to Piper, “You are responsible for getting information on Love, Solena and Selena will get information on Quart, if you three stick together you should be safe,” He finished looking at all three girls.

  “Gabby you are responsible for portal’s, we will need help with portals and your realm is the last place anyone would find us. Do you think you could handle that?” Simone said looking at Gabby, his head shaking, knowing Gabby wouldn’t have a problem with it, but he knew some of us wouldn’t survive long in her realm.

  Watching everyone talk about plans, placing faith in each other, working as a team it was magical to see.
We had our escape plan and our next steps should it go well. We worked as a true well oiled machine. We looked at each other smiling, “Well should we get into action? Once we awaken everyone, we have to figure out what to do with the murders in our realms.” I asked looking at Simone, everyone was silent for a moment.

  I didn’t think anyone wanted to think of the murders. It was as if everyone was scared of what was happening, scared of what we would uncover. Standing up at the table, I looked everyone in the eyes. “You all need to get some sleep, and we will leave first thing tomorrow morning. Simone and Desmond can you stay back a moment?” I asked as if to dismiss everyone from the room.

  Sure enough everyone did leave, Desmond and Simone moving closer to me, sitting next to where I stood. My heart raced, I wasn’t to sure if they would get mad at me for this. Gulping a couple times out of nerves for what I needed to reveal to them.

  “What is it Kade?” Simone asked holding my hand tight, as Desmond grabbed my other one.

  I motioned to seat myself, wiggling into the chair as if to get comfortable, the whole time there was nothing wrong with how I sat. I didn’t want to tell them my other little secret.

  “What is it hun?” Desmond asked concerned, his hand gripping tighter, as he wrapped his other arm around me.

  I felt like I was dragging this out on purpose, everything I was doing now felt like over kill, like I was grabbing for attention. I took a deep breath, hoping to force myself into talking.

  “I haven’t told you guys everything…” my mouth stopped moving, this was harder than I thought.

  I reached over to grab a sip of my water, to quench my mouth, it felt dry, it was like spitting saw dust under water of all things. Taking a few sips of the water, Desmond and Simone seemed to get antsy about what I was hiding from them.

  I had to remind myself to breath each time it came to that moment, my heart racing faster and faster, I felt like it was going to explode.

  “What is it Kade?” Desmond asked, his eyes softened. Looking me directly in the eye, he seemed to sense my hesitation.

  “I know… I know…” my mouth drying with each breath in. “I know who… I know who metal and wood are,” I said finally choking out my statement, I truly felt stupid telling them this. We all knew the identity of metal and wood but I had known them for years, I even taught them to use their magic without knowing anything about my past.

  “Yes Kade, we all do.” Simone said turning around, his eyes rolling as I thought they would. My worry was for nothing to him. I was being over dramatic.

  “No, I awakened them to their abilities without realizing it. I had no idea about you guys, I was still bound, but I taught them how to use their powers. They were my mortal best friends growing up, or I thought they were mortal.” I said turning to Desmond, holding his hand tighter.

  The more I spoke the more I felt like I truly was being a drama queen here, but I really didn’t want everyone to get upset with me that I kept it a secret.

  “Why are you so worried about that Kade?” Simone asked turning to me, our eyes meeting now, but instead of anger which I assumed he would have, it was joy. He smiled at me, “That perfect, then you can talk to them, bring them with us and away we go to find Love and Spirit,” He added wrapping his arm around my back patting me as if to say good job.

  He took off out the room, Desmond looked at me smiling widely. “You just made his day, you realize this right?” he said still grinning stupidly at me, rubbing my arm as his leaned in to kiss my cheek.

  “Here I thought I would make him mad at me, after we changed our mind and decided to get the girls first,” I said looking back at him, not able to copy his goofy smile.

  “We didn’t really decide to get the girls first, it was more of Katterina changing our minds, the book changed our minds.” He replied to me, as if to make me feel better.

  “I guess your right,” I replied to him, blinking multiple times, as if my eyes were dry.

  “Are you okay?” He asked noticing it was hard to keep my eyes open. But watching him, his skin turned white, even more white than before. His face was starting to turn cold looking, almost frozen, his eyes glossing over, his breath bubbles turned to ice.

  Not having a breath of my own I didn’t notice anything. My face began to hurt again, feeling more cold than I usually did. The water never seemed this cold, it was almost freezing. The water started crystalizing as little chards of ice floated between us.

  Desmond’s eyes completely froze over, the purple of his iris disappeared behind the ice, his breathing stopped. There were no more movements from him.

  “Des…” my voice stopped, nothing coming out after I started his name. I couldn’t move, my magic failing me, not keeping my body temperature warm. Not heating up around us.

  To the left a dark figure moved through the ice, circling around us.

  “Flurite, he is so pretty, can I keep him?” a tall woman with long blonde hair walked through the ice crystals. Her face elf life, her ears full point, her eyes ice blue. The tips of her hair were ice white almost as if crystals grew off them. Her movements flowing through the water as if it wasn’t even there.

  “Prue, down girl. We are only here for the book. I felt it awaken, keep looking for it.” A familiar voice from behind me spoke. The voice felt like burning hot coals raking against my face, burning down my body to my heart. I felt I knew the voice, it was strong to me. I was burning inside; the name didn’t even register to me. My body wanted to leap out and attack, something was driving me to fight the cold.

  “Can we get out of here, I don’t like this being under water thing. It was bad enough in the air thing, and then the hell realm. This is even worse, I don’t like water,” A sultry voice spoke, bringing to mind a picture of a frail thin woman standing at the doorway, long dark hair down to her waist, with long nails and some elegant black dress.

  I tried to blink, but nothing. The woman with ice blue hair continued to walk through us, around us, sliding her hand over Desmond’s face as it thawed out.

  “Now pretty boy, you should come with me, I can make you happy,” the lady called Prue said as she continued to touch and feel Desmond’s shoulders and face.

  He looked at me, his face looking sad. “No, I would never,” he replied to her getting upset. “Now let us go,” he added his voice raising.

  “You are turning me down! Nobody turns me down,” her voice grew louder, angrier. “Now where is the Elemental Pages?” She said pulling his face closer to her, as his eyes and face tried to turn away.

  “You will find that my ability stops your powers from working little one. What element are you?” The woman with the sultry voice spoke again.

  “Who are you?” Desmond asked, his voice muffled by Prue’s hand holding his face.

  “That’s not your problem,” The rough voice of Flurite spoke. “Get the book,” she added, her voice resonating with anger.

  “I don’t see anything in here,” Prue said as she slid her finger under Desmond’s face again, this time the frost following as it crystalized up his face. The purple glistening as it glossed over in white.

  Chapter 23

  Earth Realm

  After some time passed, our powers began to return to us. Desmond’s eyes brightened with purple, the ice began to fall from his face. I felt my aura flare up, green erupting around me, heating the air, the water swirling away from Desmond and myself. The ice melted completely from him, my powers drying us completely.

  Allowing the water to surround us again, Desmond shook as if to shiver, “Who was that?” He said as he continued to shake as if too cold.

  “Do you need me to heat you up more?” I asked clasping his hands in mine.

  He just shook his head to me, his look focusing on the door as if worried the women would be back.

  “I don’t know, but I knew the one person’s voice. Flurite, she was the creature that tried to kill me and my sister.” I answered his fir
st question, I was fuming with anger for what she did. We had been thawing for to long or I would have tried to find her.

  They knew about the book, yet we didn’t remember it? How was that possible? Taking a moment, I needed to calm down, I could feel the water around me bubbling. I was angry for what she did to me and Alexis, I was angry for what she did to Midnight, I was even more upset about what they did to Hecate and my realm. My poor guardians didn’t deserve to die at her hand.

  The door slammed open, Simone and Piper came running in panting. Each looking around the room for them, “Were they here? Are you guys okay?” Piper asked looking between us.

  “Yes, we are fine and they were here, but long gone,” I replied to her, trying to calm her panic, “I’m more concerned that they were able to stop us from using our powers,” I added looking at them for a moment, then turning to Desmond who was frozen solid, the pain he must have been in.

  “Yes, it was terrifying to feel the water around me freeze and not be able to do anything about it, do you know who they were?” Piper said still in a panic as if they were to return at any moment.

  “Kade knew one of them, Flurite she said her name was,” Desmond said pointing to me.

  “Yes, she was the one who attacked and sent me to the hospital,” I said looking between them all.

  “No way? Did she recognize you?” Simone asked now standing right next to me gripping my hand.

  “No she didn’t move from the doorway, Prue took more of an interest in Desmond. She said he was pretty, and wanted to take him with her. The other sultry like voice I couldn’t place, but did they get the book? They were looking for it?” I asked in a hurry, rushing out of the door.

  I needed to get to the chamber, the four of us needed to make sure it was still there. “Piper get Katterina now!” I said yelling at her when I really didn’t mean to.