The Elemental Warriors

I was standing in the center of the cobblestoned surface. Blood was splattered on the uneven floor and there were faint remnants of the battle that ensued just minutes ago. It was oddly calm.

The long, green grass swayed in the direction of the breeze and the cliff that Leon made stood out unnaturally against the flat grassland. The sun was gradually lowering behind the precipice, painting the sky with hues of orange, blue, pink, and purple.

My palms felt clammy as I rubbed my fingers against it. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I scanned the area. They should’ve been here already. My brothers had to turn back around, I bet, seeing how Daemon soared through the sky to where I was now.

Where was Daemon anyway? That’s what made me nervous. He should have been here by now.

There was rustling nearby and I jerked my head towards the source of the sound. Panting, my brothers sprinted over, looking exhausted and damaged. But yet, they were still active after all of this. And I don’t even want to think of what happened before they ended up here, passed out on the ground…

They somewhat created a square around me and waited, alert and ready to attack at the slightest movement.

Suddenly, I felt dizzy. However, at that same exact time, Daemon appeared. I staggered, nausea taking control. Without any warning, he charged at me and I fought to the best of my abilities. It didn’t help that I felt like throwing up.

My brothers helped me fight back, but it didn’t help. Daemon kept coming back for me. I dodged more than taking the offense to wait for my headache to ease up. It didn’t.

I managed to be a distance away from Daemon, which gave me a short respite. Besides that, it got him to sprint over and lunge at me. With both feet aimed at my torso, it was like he was a meteor waiting to hit the ground.

Then the impact came. I gasped for breath as I flew back. My vision began to black out and I strived to prevent it. But I was in another world. I didn’t even feel my body hit the ground, or anything else for that matter.

*****
Several voices were chanting my name. Together, they only seemed to be only one voice.

It was bright once again, causing me to squint. Shadows then surrounded me, towering over me. I didn’t like this feeling. I felt small. A few moments passed.

The shadows dispersed and it was bright once again. I looked around. It was as if there was nothing else but myself.

“Mira,” a familiar voice whispered in my ear. I jerked my head back. There was no one near me. But that voice sounded like-

A shadow appeared before me, just about my size. Then it formed into a female figure. I gasped.

“Hello, Mira,” she greeted. I smiled.

“Hi, Mama.”

She was just as I remembered. Her graying hair was tied into a loose bun. Her smile was warming and welcome. Her wrinkles that merged into laugh lines. She wore her brown long skirt and blue button down long sleeve. It always struck me as to why she always covered herself up. But I guess it doesn’t matter.

“You’re growing to be a beautiful woman,” she said. Then she tilted her head as if she was listening to something. “Darling, you only have a limited time here, so listen well. What you are about to hear will reveal your true self. Are you ready?”

I nodded in agreement, and she quickly began.

“You are Mira, daughter of Rowan and Kai. Your brothers, Daryll, Leon, Xaden, and Alek, each have an element; Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, respectively. They are the Elemental Warriors. That you already have known. But what about you? You are special. You, my dear Mira, are someone who only comes around every couple of centuries to prevent the greatest disaster. You can control every element without any trouble. Do you know who you are?”

A thought popped into my mind. Then I knew.

“I am the Elemental Princess,” I answered, starting uncertainly at first, then ending proudly. Mama smiled.

“Those voices in your head, the images you get, and the headaches because of them, they are the knowledge accumulated over time, only to guide the Elemental Princess.”

I thought back to those times, and sure enough Mama was right. But how could I be the Elemental Princess? I’m just a nobody. The youngest sibling to the Elemental Warriors. The powers I possess say otherwise. I felt my strength renewing, my powers increasing, my injuries disappearing.

“You must go now,” Mama started, looking shocked. “It is getting worse out there.”

“Out where?” An image popped into my mind. It was my brothers. They were still fighting Daemon. They were faced away from my body, trying to keep Daemon from getting to where I was. However, Xaden was sluggish. Something was wrong. Just then, there was a grunt.
*****

Immediately, I was back into my own body, looking through my own eyes. I quickly sat up and found the source of the grunt, watching wide eyed.

Xaden had fallen to the floor. And didn’t get back up.

“Xaden,” I cried, softly. He didn’t move. “Xaden?” I repeated. I looked at his lifeless body as tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t hold it in. Not anymore. First Daddy, and now Xaden?!

A pool of blood began to form around Xaden’s body. He’s dead. He died. He’s gone. What the hell just happened?!

“Xaden!” I shouted, running over to him. My brothers stopped me. They held me by my arms and wouldn’t let go. Their faces were impassive with no sign of any emotion. But I noticed their eyes were watering. I cried louder. “Xaden,” I called once more, desperately. This shouldn’t have happened.

Somehow, I willed myself to my deceased brother and escaped from the others’ grasp. Falling to my knees, I gingerly placed my hand on his heart. There was no beat.

It was too late. I couldn’t save him. His aura was slowly ebbing away. Away from him. Wait, away from him?!

I jerked my head towards Xaden’s red aura, following it with my eyes. Slowly, it was heading to Daemon. I hissed, but he didn’t notice. He was too busy waiting for Xaden’s aura to give him more power.

“Like hell I would let you do that!” I shouted. The tears had dried up, converted to anger. My body trembled, trying to unleash what was inside. I was the Elemental Princess. So everything was going to be much worse than it would originally be.

I took a running start, straight towards Daemon, leaped as high as I could, and kicked him with so much power; he stayed in mid-air for at least a few seconds. Right when Daemon hit the ground, my head felt like it got hit by a brick, and I struggled not to fall to my knees. A strange sensation came soon after.

Time seemed to stop. I was wrapped in my white aura, but this time, there was an intangible weight coming towards me like I was gravity itself. But what was that mysterious weight? I just needed to turn around to find the answer. It was Xaden’s aura. His red aura met mine and suddenly, it became hot.

My hair began to burn my skin, but before I could yelp from the pain, it started to float in the air. It was like being underwater and my hair was drifting above me. Then, with a burst of color, it turned red.

Time started again as I watched Daemon get up. I glared at him, wanting to harm him in every possible way. My hair had a mind of its own, I soon found out. It stretched and extended towards Daemon and wrapped it limbs around him. It pulled at him, like a snake wrapped around its prey to get its meal.

He was losing his breath, and consciousness. However, he disappeared before he did, and my hair retreated back to me, back to normal.

Daemon was taking a respite. He wouldn’t dare attack us without getting his health back up.

Soon after, both Xaden and my auras’ began to mix together, swirling around itself until it made the color pink. The soft pink of cotton candy, a newborn girl’s blanket; pink like a magnolia flower in full bloom.

Flames erupted from my hands, growing stronger. And I wondered what made it to be like this. Fire now seemed to be my instinct.

My head gave a short little tap and a feeling grew inside me. I lifted my hand up above me and a jet of flame shot out of my arm. It felt like a whip, something that I could move and control just by my will.

So I did. An image I had imagined was going to be a reality. I moved cunningly and quickly. Who knows how much time I had left?

I looked at my finished product etched on the side of Leon’s cliff. It burned gracefully until it left a scar. ‘Xaden’ was what I wrote. This was a tribute to him.

Xaden gave me this power and I will not abuse it.