“So, what does this mean then, us being elementals?” Michael said as he sipped at his steaming mug of herbal tea that Sam had created to help bring some clarity to their situation.

“Well, I can’t be certain for sure, but you are a metal elemental, I am earth and Sabrina here is wood, so, tha-” Sam was cut off by an over-excited Sabrina.

“..that means that there are people out there who are fire, water and air! Of course, this also means that if people find out, then we could become wanted for various reasons and be used in all sorts of horrible and terrifying experiments and stuff like that!” Sabrina said a little too excitedly.

“Well...I have no family so I have no one to worry about, but, how do we find these other people then?” Michael queried, looking at Sam but blushing subconsciously at Sabrina who he could see was staring at him intently from out of the corner of his eyes. 

“Well air, would most likely be found in the Sanctum, fire in Onyx and water in Mul, but where to go first? We must find them, I can feel it, the winds of change have been blowing, there’s been more violence out there in the world, the darkness is rising, I can feel it in the ground, the rocks, they grumble about something I can’t quite tell.” Sam mused seriously, as he pulled out a map of the world.

“Woah! This isn’t going to turn into some kind of adventure story, where we go all and go on a journey around the world righting the wrongs! No, thank you! That’s not for me. It’s just nice to know that there are people with these elemental abilities in the world, and that, I'm not alone, so, I’ll be off now.” Michael got up and made his way to the door, Sam and Sabrina got up to go after him, but Michael already had his hand on the doorknob. 

Michael opened the door and was greeted by a pair of red-purple glowing eyes, long silvery hair and a smile most devious. 

-_-_-_-_-

Under the cover of darkness, Li slipped into the back entrance of The King’s River bar and inn. She was shown into a small back room, where two people sat. One in a blue and purple satin cloak, the other in a blue and white satin cloak. There was another person standing next to the door, they were shrouded in a cloak as black as night; it was the head of the royal guard of the Bards of the Waves.

The pair pulled back their hoods to reveal the King and Queen of The Bards of the Waves kingdom. 

Li took a deep breath as she sat down at the small dark wooden table.  

-_-_-_-_-

Will wandered the streets of Onyx, it was a feast for the senses being in this city. Will had led a fairly sheltered life living in the Sanctum, the only interaction he had was with the people who visited the markets or had moved to the floating island in the sky. 

Onyx was big, very big! The architecture had been carved and moulded thousands of years ago from the molten rock from the nearby volcano. The designs were intricate and surprisingly delicate and floral. The city was full of a multitude of bars, cafes, restaurants, parks, hot springs and public baths, as Will noted on his map of the city. 

“Right, well, I want to explore a little before I head to where this Harry might live.” Just then his belly made a thunderous sound as he realised he had a small breakfast that day and it was beginning to get later already. “Oh, sorry, stomach! Food is coming-right-up! I also need a base, someplace to stay.” Will said aloud as he continued to study the map. “Ah! I’ll stay there I think!” Will had spotted a place on the map that wasn’t too far from his location; and soon he was in front of a large light blue building, with an adjoining bar and restaurant. There was even an air shrine, according to the cloud-shaped sign. The place was called: A Cloudless Sky.

Will entered the establishment and was given a lovely little room to stay in, it was bright and airy, the walls were pale blue ombre with white paint and fresh incense had been set to turn in the room. He put his things down and decided to try out their restaurant. 

He ordered a bowl of sky noodles, a side of cloud bread and a basket of steamed storm dumplings. ‘Oh, by the good gods of the wind and sky and thunder and all heavenly creatures, THIS is the BEST Sanctum food I have EVER tasted!’ He internally screamed as he ate the food happily. It was beyond ‘authentic’. 

When he sadly finished his last bite, he headed back up to bed early, all this travel had tired him out somewhat and being on the solid ground made him feel a little bit heavy, he needed to sleep it off.

-_-_-_-_-

“Oh! Hello! You are coming with me, child!” Lilith said darkly, as she grabbed Michael and held an enchanted sleeping cloth to his mouth tightly as she dragged him towards the carriage that awaited her. Her small army waited outside the city limits, so as to not draw too much attention. 

“Michael!” Sabrina shouted and reached the door just in time to witness him being bundled into the darkly ornate carriage. “Sam!” she shouted.

“Go! Go, I say!!!” Lilith screamed at the horses she had enchanted to obey her long ago, as they began to speed off at seemingly breakneck speed.

“ W-w-what do we do!?!” Sabrina racked her brain for a solution while failing to remain calm as she witnessed the carriage went careering down the lane almost silently.

“Don’t worry, Sabs, let me try something!” Sam said as he closed his eyes and knelt, placing his hands on the ground, eyes closed.

A moment later the ground was shaking, Sam opened his eyes; they were glowing a bright yellow-gold. The earth below the stone road burst up from underneath, following the carriage, trying to throw it off-balance.

Seeing an opening, Sabrina followed her instincts and called forth roots and vines from the now exposed ground and shot them after the carriage. The vines caught the carriage wheels and wound themselves around the frame speedily, throwing the carriage off its course and crashing into the nearby bridge.

The siblings went running after the wreck, but only Michael was to be found, bruised and a little battered, but was in one piece. Lilith, her horses and her inner circle of ninja guards had seemingly disappeared into thin air. 

The pair swiftly gathered up Michael and conveyed him to the relative safety of the shop.

When they got in, Sam saw to it that every window, door, and gaps were sealed with solid earth to prevent any more unwanted visitors. 

Sam brewed one of his special healing elixirs out the back, while Sabrina fawned over an unconscious Michael on the couch next to Sam’s desk in the back, private part of the ‘Herbalicious!’ store. She applied soothing leaves and compresses over any wounds she could see.

‘He really does have a face sculpted by the gods themselves. How soft and perfect his skin is, his plump lips are so, so, enticing -’ Sabrina stopped her thoughts from running away from her any further when Sam came over with the mixture.

The pair managed to get Michael’s mouth open, just enough to get a few drops of the glittering mixture into him. Soon he was fast asleep and would wake in the morning, hopefully right as rain. 

Sabrina stayed by his side all through the night.

-_-_-_-_-

“Li, please do tell us what you have found out about Damian” the King spoke softly to the young woman before him.

“I, ah, Damian is a pure, happy and sweetly innocent person! He wouldn’t harm a fly! Let alone a human being! I think you have nothing to worry about in terms of his powers. I’m sorry but I can’t spy for you anymore.” Li knew that using her love for Damian as a spy for the King and Queen was wrong, but they stopped her from being sent away and tested on by her own parents and extended family, she owed them. Besides, they only wanted to keep Damian safe, She reminded herself of this anytime she felt small or bad about the situation.

“We need to be extra careful, however, there have been rumours of an ancient malicious evil awakening somewhere in the world, which could mean the total destruction of our very world! We need to know as much as possible.” The Queen said sweetly.

“But, he still loves Harry! I can see it in his eyes, and I’ve read his thoughts, even though I know I shouldn’t and I promised that I would never do it again! But I couldn’t help it, he, he wants to leave Mul and search for Harry, who holds his heart…. I don’t know how long I can keep him here, your majesties.” Li said sadly. 

Li was chosen for this job, as she, at a young age had been discovered to be able to read minds, that, and she was seemingly close to Harry and Damian when they were younger. Naturally, to make sure Li remains accessible, the King and Queen saw to it that she was looked after and her family too so that they wouldn’t ship her off to Dr Kamari and his experimental hospital for the ‘Uniquely Possesed’. 

“Damian is our son, and we shall do all that we can to protect him and others, we do not want a mishap; it is better that he is away from that blacksmith’s son,” the King said, an unusual disdain clear in his voice. 

“Don’t you worry about Damian, Li, you are released from service as of now. We can take it from here, now that we know the situation. Thank you for your good work.” the Queen said curtly, as Li was shown the door by the guard. Turning back, she said a small, “Thank you” and bobbed a little then off into the gloom of night she went, back to her home. 

She could only hope that Damian would be okay in their hands as she took a slow walk home. 

‘Argh, what have I done? I always have loved him, but I know he will always love Harry. Damian, for whatever happens, I’m sorry!’ Li’s head drowned in thoughts, as she found herself eventually standing outside a red door, it was not her door, it was Kalendra’s door, she always subconsciously turned to Kalendra when she needed a shoulder to cry on and a gentle but firm grip on reality. She knocked on the door.