The Elementals (15 page)

           
“Yes. I can't remember much, how I got there, who my parents were...” She shrugged. “It wasn't so bad. You can't miss what you never had, but you do yearn for it. I was happier than I'd ever been when Marissa and Terra found me. I got to come home.”

           
He watched her for a few minutes, putting away the kits, contemplation and empathy in his gaze. “I thought you three were always together.”

           
“None of us has a good past. Marissa and Terra lost their mother when they were young. She died giving birth to Marissa. Aunt Gwen took them but she's awfully busy. Terra raised Marissa.”

           
“I... I had no idea.”

           
Terra pretended that she wasn't there. Talking about their mother was a rarity. There was no reason why they didn't speak about her other than there was nothing to say. Terra recalled enough to answer all of Marissa's questions when she was little. At some point, there were no more questions. She remained in their hearts and that was plenty for them.

           
When the kits were put away, they returned to their spots and thirty minutes later, just what Terra predicted, Marissa fell asleep, her head lolling on Era's shoulder. Era joined her soon after, her head on hers. Of course, Marissa was kicking, her fingers twitching with the dreams she was having. Terra hoped that it wasn't about Ian.

           
Bryne sat back, his legs stretched out in front of him. It wasn't long after that that his head fell back, his mouth hanging open, and he snored while he slept.

           
Terra couldn’t get any sleep, and she retreated to her room to sit on her bed and watch her clock. It was very much like waiting for a pot of water to boil.

           
Pot... To boil... She groaned, hating all of the terrible analogies her mind formed and how it all could be linked together.

           
Just past one-thirty AM, Terra hopped out of her bed and jogged downstairs. She grabbed all of their jackets and slung it at their sleeping bodies. "Wake up."

           
Era was already awake at the sound of her clunky footsteps from upstairs, and she prodded the other two to rouse. "It's time."

           
Groggily they sat up, Bryne wiping a thin trail of drool from the corner of his mouth. They pulled on their jackets and stumbled out the door to the car.

It was Marissa’s worst nightmare, innocents being hurt because of what they were and who they were born to be. The scene would forever haunt her, causing her horrid nightmares…

           
"You… Drive… Like… a
Maniac!
" Bryne said measuredly glaring at her wide-eyed and damning from the passenger seat.

           
Terra paid him no mind, her sights on the school before them. It was eerie at night, there were no children bustling on their way out the doors, or a few sneaking around the grounds to avoid their classes. There was no noise; it was dark and gloomy, like an unfinished castle, won over before its completion.

           
In the wet pavement their lights bleared, larger than they would have been. They were bright on the doors, glaring over the windows disallowing the view inside where she knew Hadrian and Ian were. She jerked the keys out of the ignition, the lights flickering off.

           
"This is creepy," Marissa voiced Terra's thoughts.

           
"No use sitting here. Let’s go inside." Bryne pushed open the door.

           
The girls followed, him leading the way to the door as any man would. Marissa stayed close to Era's side, the back of Terra's shirt in her grip.

           
The doors loomed in front of them, drawing closer, closer to the conclusion. Closer to Ian.

           
"Ready," Bryne asked, ready to pull on the double doors.

           
Era, Marissa, and Terra all checked with each other. They formed a line behind Bryne, and held each other's hands.

           
He flung open the doors and they filed in, Bryne falling in step beside Terra, linking their fingers. "I'm with you," he whispered.

           
Warmth filled her, from her heart to her gut, clenching it tightly, to her limbs until she felt like she was on fire. She was brimming with the strength and sincerity of his words. For the first time in her life, she felt her cheeks heat in what had to be a blush.

           
They looked ahead, and there in the center of the room was an elder man in a sweeping black cloak, his hood down revealing his tufts of thin white hair, his wrinkled skin, and the heavy dark bags beneath his ice cold blue eyes. He was paper white, like a vampire, a ghost.

           
At his feet was Ian, his sweatshirt ripped to show a bloody shoulder, a spark of albescent sticking out that appeared to be a bone. His face was ashen and sickly. There was a gash in his leg, blood seeping through his jeans. There was recognition in his eyes, but barely.

           
What was more disturbing was the recognition that Marissa had when she gazed at Hadrian. It was almost like she had seen him before, and maybe she had, but it was that small notice that would escape her later. In the light of what was happening, it was not something that she would ever think of again, driven out by other more vital worries.

           
The two caused a mirror image in the black tile floor, stretching taller than they were. They looked small in comparison to their shadows. There were no lights on to dull it, but they could see them clearly because of the parking lights outside, shining through to the floor from the ceiling windows.

           
"You have finally arrived," Hadrian greeted in a raspy tone, as though he hadn't spoken in centuries.

           
Terra stopped breathing at the sight of Ian, and broke from her line. Era's hand slipped through hers, but Bryne held tighter pulling her roughly back to him, knocking the wind from her lungs. He held her to him, his arms constricting around her struggling torso like a vice.

           
"Ah, I see we have hard feelings. I suppose this is
your
friend. What's your name?"

           
"Screw you, Hadrian," Bryne spat. "Let him go. You wanted us here and here we are. Ian has nothing to do with this."

           
"Oh, is this the human’s name? Hmm. I think I'll keep him, for your cooperation."

           
"You son of a bitch….”

           
He shook his finger, "we'll have none of that," he reprimanded in a way an adult would do to a naughty child. "We're all on the same page here. We all know the prophecy. We all know how this is going to end. You four are children."

           
Bryne took a step forward, ahead of the rest of them. His body turned; ready to shelter them from what he thought could be an attack. "Think again, grandpa."

           
"Are you the only one that can speak, Bryne? Let the others have their turn." Clasping his skeleton hands he deliberately turned to Era and Marissa.

           
Marissa shook with emotion not taking her eyes off of Ian. It was her worst nightmare, innocents being hurt because of what they were and who they were born to be. The scene would forever haunt her, causing her horrid nightmares.

           
Era was seemingly calm. "I believe that we can work something out," she compromised serenely.

           
"Yes, I believe we can. You must be..."

           
"Air."

           
"Air. Of course." Hadrian surveyed them as if they were an interesting class project, specifically worms in a jar. "I think... I’ll take one of you, for Ian. You may choose amongst yourselves."

           
There was no second thought. She would do anything to get Ian back, and she tried to loosen Bryne's grip again, trying to pry his fingers from the lock they had on her. There was no budging him, and she desperately attempted to convey her efforts to Ian, but he didn't look at her, his head bowed, his mouth moving. He was praying.

           
Bryne jerked her further back. "No. No deal. You let him go and we can fight right here for power."

           
"Is that the way you want it? Remember what I've done to you, my own son."

           
Everything stopped. Terra stopped squirming and looked up to Bryne. Through her thick lashes she could see that guard he placed over him. It was impenetrable.

           
"You didn't tell them." Hadrian chuckled. "Yes, Bryne Spark is my son. I am his only living relative. Do you want to tell them why, son?"
           
"Go to hell."

           
"I think you'd do just fine there yourself. After you." He raised his hand lazily, and the vices disappeared off of Terra. She spun and was just in time to see Bryne flying to the opposite wall, crashing against the brick and crumpling to the floor.

           
Marissa let go of Era's hand and ran forth, falling to her knees beside him. "Bryne?! Bryne!"

           
Terra knelt next to her. “Don't move him; he might've hit his head.” She felt along his skull, her fingers like a spiders legs, crawling over him, barely touching the sensitive skin beneath his thick hair. She skittered over a few lumps that were growing bigger on the back of
Bryan
’s head. “That's not a good sign,” she muttered to herself and to anyone else who was listening. Who was bothering to listen? It felt as though her world had fallen the moment Bryne did.
           
"He's fine," Hadrian said with no real concern. “While you four are gifted in your elements, I am gifted in my ability to push energy. It has come in quite handy and will continue to be so as I fight for my rights. My right to rule this pitiful world and the more pitiful humans in it, I should say. That would be more accounting for the truth.

           
"Hmm, I do think I should tell you the story since he's vehemently denying. It's a shame; you three have the right to know who your new brother is.”

           
Terra was gasping, tearing her eyes away from Bryne. “Who is he then?"

           
"A murderer. He killed his mother and brother. He set them on fire with his temper. Literally."

           
Bryne trembled; the lack of energy he could give to speak was pathetic and scary. "You... You hurt them..."

           
"But I didn't pull the trigger. You did. Their blood is on your head."

           
"Enough," Terra snapped. She stood and took stance beside Era who bravely hadn't broken rank choosing to shield them. "Lets get this over with."

           
"Oh? Is that what you really want? Tsk, tsk, tsk, I am having such fun with our game, don't you know." Hadrian sighed dramatically and placed a hand on top of Ian's head. "If that is the way you want it."

           
It happened so fast. Half a second left of life. Half a second to have aided him. Half a second gone. Ian's gray face became devoid of all color, his eyes wide and burning into hers where they would stay for years. He slumped and thudded on his side to the floor, his eyes went blank.