“What’s wrong with you, what were you doing with those androids? Playing house?” Rod snapped. As the rest of the Elementals gathered in the middle of the street with De and Mo, the black t-shirt and jeans-clad hero confronted his teammate.
“I have been practicing powers, you know, trying to get better! You should try it sometime,” Mo said angrily. He tossed the blonde hair out of his face and continued. “There’s no reason you should be stealing whatever that was from a toilet! But I guess you can’t help it, huh?”
“Just like you can’t help making folks have to come save you all the time right? Just like how you’re too sorry to do anything but cry to your boyfriend or whine to us all the time? Ain’t that right?” Rod shoved Mo so forcefully that the latter fell onto the ground, and it took De and Jas grabbing Rod to keep him from doing anything else to Mo.
“Calm down!” De yelled as he looked from Rod to Mo. On both sides of him, M had stooped down to help Mo up, and Jas was trying to calm Rod. “We do NOT have time for this right now!” Both Rod and Mo continued to argue as Kiara and Lucas, two of the more reserved Elementals, looked on.
“Do they ever stop trying to kill each other?” Kiara asked Lucas. Kiara had only been with the team for a few months, but she had seen plenty of Rod and Mo’s fights. Even when she interviewed them at the end of the previous year she had sensed the tension between them.
Lucas shook his head. “They get better sometimes, but most of the time they hate each other’s existence.” Kiara shook her head sadly. She could hardly believe sometimes that these were the same people who saved their world not even a year ago. As she turned her focus back toward De in the center of the chaos (as he often was) she noticed that he was finishing up one of his “teamwork” speeches.
“…and we can’t keep letting this stuff happen! We still have androids to get rid of in case you two forgot!” Though De was a year younger than both of the people he was yelling at and two years younger than Lucas, the team had long ago elected him as their leader, and his ability to keep them grounded in stressful situations made them all respect his authority. Sure enough, Rod and Mo (finally) started to look slightly remorseful and stopped yelling back and forth. De sighed and turned to the smallest of the group. “What did we learn, if anything?”
“I only got to one of them, but it still says what all the others said,” M held up a small circular device. “I didn’t see any of the signals that Don told us to look for, but I sent the info to him just in case. He said he would be calling once he had a chance to analyze it.”
Don, the Elementals’ resident technology expert, had stayed behind to help coordinate the true purpose of this mission. Knowing that any androids still active in the Great Lands had to be getting orders from somewhere, Don gave the Elementals a device of his own creation that he hoped could track the signal that the androids were getting their orders from.
Almost on cue, the phone in Mo’s pocket began ringing. Mo reached for it and he immediately perked up when he answered.
“Hey,” Mo said. He smiled and nodded for a moment before he held the phone away from his ear and in his hand. He pressed a button on the side and his enhanced phone projected a hologram of Don small enough to sit just above the phone screen. The other Elementals moved in to get a better look at the tiny image of Don’s chunky frame.
Don was as good-natured as ever. He turned so he could wave at the Elementals with both hands before he explained why he called in the first place. “So, I looked at the data M sent, and as far as I can tell, the androids are still acting on normal orders,” he explained.
“But how is that? A.G.’s gone, so what orders are they following?” Jas asked.
“There’s a possibility that the programming is so absolute that they can carry it out even without A.G. directly leading them, but that doesn’t explain what they are actually doing. I can’t figure out why they would be attacking cities randomly. There has to be a reason,” Don continued.
“Maybe they’re claiming places for the Empire?” De suggested.
“But why Quten? It ain’t like it’s a big city or anything,” Rod gestured to the area around them. Sure enough, the town of Quten was noticeably calmer and quieter than many of the other cities in the Great Lands. It didn’t have the flair of a place like Rumas, Rivera, or even the expansion projects of Black City.
“Does Quten have any major history?” De asked M and Kiara. M’s knowledge of older Elementals and Kiara’s work as a journalist made both of them De’s go-to sources about the history of Colorius.
M answered first. “Nothing that I know of. The closest important location to us is Cree Glen, and even that was only important because it was where the old Water Elemental Issa first lived when she got to the Great Lands.”
“Why does that sound familiar…?” Mo wondered out loud.
“You’re probably thinking of the CreatureGlen, where the villains from Frame and Lock used to train. We watched that show last night, remember?” Don answered.
“Oh yeah! That was a good one. Do you remember how the-”
“I think Kiara has to speak,” De interrupted the two. “Go ahead, Kiara,” he said with a smile.
Kiara smiled back. “I can’t remember us ever doing a story on Quten. As far as I know, nothing major has ever happened here, but it might just not have been big enough to make it to our news stations.”
De sighed. “Well, I guess we have something. We at least know that some random person isn’t controlling them.”
“Yea. I’ll keep looking at what I have but who knows if I’ll find anything more. You guys should come on back anyway, we have a big day tomorrow,” Don reminded them.
“Oh, right! I forgot all about The Unveiling!” De looked at the others to signal it was time for them to head back.
Mo said goodbye and hung up from Don, and five of the seven Elementals headed out of the town to De’s convertible and Lucas’ compact car for the ride home.
“You have got to do better with the time management, oh fearless leader,” Jas joked, she had hung back to help him get the androids in one spot. De approached her and she showed him the time on her phone. It was the early evening and it would take the two cars at least two hours to drop everyone off at home.
“I know, I know,” De admitted.
“So what time are we gonna meet up in the morning?” she asked. She had already started to set an alarm on her phone.
“Well the Unveiling is at noon and six of us will have to travel, so seven?” De suggested.
Jas nodded and the two joined Rod and M already sitting in De’s vehicle. Since the four of them lived in Black City and the other three all lived in Rumas, this would be where they would part ways.
“See you in the morning,” Lucas said and drove away with Kiara and Mo waving goodbye. The others returned the gesture and De started his car to speed them all back to their homes.
***
“There should be a manual for this stuff. Nobody explains all the work that goes into being an Elemental, let alone the leader. I thought this was all about saving people, but it seems like we spend all our time making appearances, doing interviews, and kissing babies. It’s hard enough trying to keep Rod and Mo from killing each other, keep M from smothering me in my sleep, and make Kiara and Jas feel welcome while still trying to get rid of all A.G.’s goons. Now they want us to do it all in front of cameras? That’s just too much. If I had known it would be all of this I probably would’ve let M keep thinking he was the leader. *sigh* Guess it’s too late now.”
-De
“Now, why don’t we get to go on an adventure to another continent?” Jas asked De over the phone. She held it out as far as her arm could go so both she and Rod could see De’s exasperated face on the screen.
“Because, the Shrine of Kashiro is the only place that we know for certain has water around it, and since-”
“-since I gotta be around some water you just stuck us here,” Rod finished. De looked sligh
tly sad for his friend, it wasn’t the first time Rod’s slow developing powers had hindered him.
“Can I just say I’m perfectly fine with leaving him here and coming to one of the places you guys are?” Jas looked serious, but burst into laughter when De actually started to consider switching her with someone else. “It’s okay. We’ll be okay. Just take pictures! Bye!”
As soon as Jas hung up Rod looked at her seriously. “You really could go if you wanna.”
Jas shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Besides, we probably need to talk about stuff anyway. You know the facility is out this way, why don’t we go see J when we leave? He called yesterday and said he gets out in a few months.”
“I don’t care,” Rod lied. Truthfully, the idea that his best friend was finally getting released from the detention facility made him anxious in a lot of ways, but there were too many other things on his mind to give too much thought to Javari Meadows.
Jas nodded. “Alright. Well, can we at least go in? I’m about to pass out out here,” she was using her powers to keep a steady breeze blowing over herself, but because she requested that her Skin Armor be made to compliment her shape, she was still quite warm. Rod agreed and the two walked a little faster so that they could enter the oasis-like entrance to the Shrine of Kashiro.
Immediately it seemed as if the temperature got more pleasant inside the gates of the Shrine. Just like its three sister shrines across the world, the Shrine of Kashiro was built to house a powerful national treasure and was home to a number of monks dedicated to worship of the Mystics and protecting the item. Today, however, the Shrine was also home to a number of media personalities and journalists. In fact, it was a number of them, and not the monks, who greeted the two Elementals at the gates.
“Rodrik!” “Jasmin!” “Over here!” “Tell us how you feel today!”
“Are you excited?”
The chorus of reporters and their flashing cameras ambushed the siblings inside the Shrine, but it was Jas who composed herself first to answer.
“Well, we are definitely excited. It’s not every day we get to witness a gift from the Mystics themselves. We look forward to meeting the Guardian Beast and hope that you all are excited too!” she waved to the cameras and dragged her brother past the rest of them asking questions into the main building of the shrine. “Maybe we can hide out in here until the actual Unveiling,” Jas suggested.
Inside the building there was a small foyer where a number of monks were busy preparing for the event. Men and women in brown robes carried chairs to and from the antechamber, and several others shouted instructions to each other. None of them noticed the two Elementals, so Rod had to stop one to get their attention.
“Oh! Friends! Hello! The Unveiling will be starting momentarily. We just have a few more things to get ready. If you would like, you can enter the chamber. HighPhoenix is already inside.” Rod and Jas exchanged looks, and when it was clear neither of them had any idea who or what a HighPhoenix was, they both walked cautiously into the chamber.
“Oh!” Jas gasped.
“Wow…” Rod breathed.
Inside the antechamber stood what looked at first glance to be a large and colorful humanoid bird. The bird stood about nine feet tall on two talons, and several sets of wings protruded from its back. The blonde plume on its head seemed to coordinate beautifully with its mostly red feathers and golden wings, and it became clear that this must have been the HighPhoenix that the monk outside spoke of. The bird turned its head toward the Elementals and spoke, not through its beak, but inside their minds.
“Hello Elementals.”
“Umm, hey,” Rod said back.
“Can I just say that I am SO glad I stayed here?” Jas said in awe. She approached HighPhoenix and the monks surrounding it carefully, as though afraid to offend or frighten any of them.
“Well, this just got really interesting,” Rod said as he walked behind his sister.
***
“J would probably laugh if he saw me right now. Three years ago I woulda been in here trying to snatch everything I could put my hands on, but now, I’m in here representing the whole country as one of the ‘Elemental Heroes’. He’d laugh and ask me how I got so lame so quick; tell me that if I didn’t start grabbing some of this stuff he would. Sometimes I miss those days. I mean, we got more money and stuff now for sure, but it was fun back then, I can’t lie. I don’t know. I ain’t going to that facility but maybe I’ll see what J talking about when he get out…nah. I bet not. Jas, Ma, and even De already gave me speeches about ‘being better’ now. Too bad I don’t feel better, but it’s cool.
-Rod
“…and we of course have Elementals, like young Rodrick and Jasmin here, to thank for ridding us of the A.G. problem,” the newly elected president of the Great Lands, Harvey Bradley, spoke to the crowd from a podium right beside HighPhoenix. “Without their efforts, our entire continent would still be in the clutches of the androids, and the Orange Scepter that HighPhoenix now protects would still be in the hands of a mad dictator. We owe these young heroes extreme gratitude!” he led the crowd in a roaring applause, and both Jas and Rod gave a quick wave of gratitude.
After the actual unveiling of The Unveiling, several of the reporters asked HighPhoenix how she – it was revealed that the Guardian Beasts all had some sort of gender expression – planned to serve the people of Redd Continent, and the council of leaders from the various countries all gave speeches, with President Bradley being last. After the applause for Rod and Jas stopped, President Bradley finished his speech.
“But perhaps the largest thanks goes out to you, the people who live and work all over Redd Continent. Without your tireless efforts to keep our nations moving smoothly, we would have fallen with A.G., but thanks to you, we have risen stronger than ever! Thanks to you, we can welcome HighPhoenix to the list of beings dedicated to our success and thanks to you, we continue to move toward the dreams that our Mystics had for us when they formed our world! You, my brothers and sisters, are the true heroes here, and HighPhoenix, the Elementals, the nation leaders and myself exist to serve you! Thank you, and may the Mystics keep you all.”
The thunderous applause that followed President Bradley rang throughout the antechamber for a full minute before the olive skinned monk at the podium could get their attention.
“He’s good,” Rod said and Jas nodded as the room finally quieted down.
“We thank you all for coming to The Unveiling, and we hope that the people of Redd Continent, as well as our brothers and sisters in Bleu, Sylver, and Golde Continents will all be able to rest a little easier knowing that four Guardian Beasts are keeping watch over the shrines to ensure that no living creature gets his, her, or its hands on one of the Mystic Items ever again. The Orange Scepter is safe here with HighPhoenix, and with the Elementals protecting the rest of our world we can continue to grow. Thank you all for your time, and have a good rest of your day.” The monk left the podium, ignoring the questions from the crowd, so Rod, Jas, the nation leaders, and HighPhoenix took this as a cue for them to leave the stage as well. HighPhoenix had left through the back exit (the only one large enough for her) and the rest of them walked slowly to the front entrance.
“Well that was cool, I can’t wait to hear what-” Jas started, but she was cut off by screams and an explosion. She and Rod turned around to see the table the leaders were sitting at destroyed, the actual leaders and the crowd running, and a number of androids rushing into the building. As people tried to file out of the doors, their way was blocked by more androids pouring into the antechamber.
“Great! Just great,” Rod groaned. He looked outside at the small lake. He would have to bring the water through the chamber’s high windows if he wanted to be of any help taking out these androids. Jas was similarly in a bind. Any wind she created in such a closed space could risk harming the people inside it.
“Media-civilians, out of the way! Our leader requires the leader-civilians alone!” several of t
he androids spoke at once to threaten the media and other onlookers. Jas and Rod backed against the wall as well, biding their time until they could relax.
“Where are the national leaders?” the chorus of androids asked. When no one responded and President Bradley and the other nations’ leaders didn’t budge, the androids continued, “Kill them all, then.” The androids filed in front of the citizens and all raised their hands to unleash laser blasts.
Rod and Jas looked at each other. They would have to act now. But before either of the Elementals could react, there was a terrible screeching sound that brought everyone to their knees.
HighPhoenix had glided back into the chamber. Rod took this chance to bring the water he had been focusing on into the chamber and used it to wash over the still dazed androids. Jas screamed as loud as she could for the civilians to run, and as they raced out of the building she was free to unleash her wind powers on the room. She spun her arms in front of her as fast as she could, getting the wind to mix with the water Rod spun and created a whirlpool-like effect that kept the androids off their feet.
“Keep that up and they should fall apart!” Rod encouraged his sister, and sure enough, the androids started to break up from the extreme force of the swirling water and wind. This wasn’t fast enough for HighPhoenix, it seemed, as the Guardian Beast took this moment to aim the Orange Scepter at the spinning androids. A blast of silver energy, larger than even what Rod remembered A.G. using, erupted from the Scepter, instantly destroying all the androids it touched. Jas and Rod stopped their efforts and looked at HighPhoenix.
“You Elementals need to deal with these androids. Now,” was all she said.
Though it was obvious that both of them were disappointed at not being able to finish the androids themselves, neither of them wanted to anger the nine foot being capable of something like what they had just seen. “Yes ma’am,” was all they said instead.
***
“See! This is what they get! This is what happens when you remove the true leader from power. They put De in charge and look at what happened! We’ve been fighting androids for over a year and there are still enough of them to go to all four continents and mess up The Unveiling! Those folks in Sylver Continent were lucky Lucas and I were there; otherwise, the Guardian Beast would’ve never beaten them! Maybe they will finally realize now that they made a mistake and put me back in charge. They know they need me now!
Black Power- The Superhero Anthology Page 15