In Her Element

Frederick paced nervously. He was beginning to regret his decision to tell Matthew everything; it was reflecting in all his movements. His hands were wringing and he was all but wearing a whole in the ornate wall-to-wall carpet.

Unable to bear the tension any longer, Matthew blurted out, “Tell me!” He found Frederick’s behavior somewhat droll, although at the same time, slightly disconcerting. It had to be something immense if it was causing Frederick—the normally collected Frederick—to act like this, even though it was sort of melodramatic.

“What do you know of the Lady’s Prophecy?” Frederick asked abruptly, turning to face Matthew.

If Matthew was startled by the question, he didn’t show it, only answering, “I know a tad bit of the times of the Great King and his Lady, but not of any foretelling. Is this another story of your past?” A small twitch of the mouth was the only indication that Matthew was not entirely succeeding in taking this whole matter seriously.

Frederick breathed out slowly. “Not exactly,” he replied.

He sat on the edge of his bed, looking at Matthew intensely, and launched into yet another tale.

“The King and the Lady had granted their children the ability to manipulate the Four Elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. And a fifth one—Spirit—to keep them linked. For some unidentified reason, most likely exploitation of power, they were not all equal in their capabilities in utilizing these gifts. Those who were stronger put the weaker in servitude; some say it was more like slavery. Fighting began as the lords fought for power and control.

“To stop this, and to avoid the complete annihilation of the world, the King and his Lady opted that, with the assistance of the Council, they would take the Elements away from the control of the people.

“The more stalwart ones were denied everything. One man in each family would have the ability to call out with the mind—Spirit—so as not to lose them completely.

“Those who had been victimized, they too were left without the Elements, but they all had Spirit—as strong as ever, with which they then went on to prove they were of the better ones by not seeking advantage and revenge over the others.”

Frederick stopped, and Matthew nodded slowly. He had heard this story before; it was part of every child’s history lessons. Also, many parents told this tale as a warning of the ramifications that came when privileges were abused, and his were no different. He said as much, and then asked, “What does this have to do with anything?”

“I’m not finished, Matthew,” Frederick replied, a bit impatiently. He stood and went to his wardrobe. He opened it, and began moving things around. Matthew could not see what he was doing, but he heard a click and then Frederick came back to the bed with a small, beautiful chest. He pulled a key out from under his shirt and inserted it smoothly into the knothole, turning and opening the lock with a small snick.

Matthew stood from his place by the window seat and went to Frederick’s side, leaning over to peer at the few contents that the chest held. Before he could catch a glimpse of anything specific, though, Frederick extracted a scroll that was starting to yellow with age, and shut the chest.

Matthew sat back down, mentally chiding himself for trying to sneak a peek at another’s private possessions, and looked up at Frederick in anticipation. His eyes then traveled downwards to the string that was keeping the rolled parchment closed.

“In my school, this was more than just a story. It was the basis of all we did and learned…” Frederick’s complexion had turned a bit pale and waxy; Matthew was worried about the agitation on Frederick’s face, knowing anything about Frederick’s past—specifically the school—set him on edge. He took the scroll that was proffered to him by trembling hands, and slowly unraveled it, careful not to crumble the old document.

Frederick swallowed audibly, the protrusion by his throat bobbing up and down, and continued hoarsely, “…and there is more to it than what is known to people.

“They were assembled there in the court, the ruling was proclaimed, and the people lost their power over the elements. Overwhelmed by the melancholy of it all, the Lady, who was there on the balcony above, watching unknowingly to all but her husband and his Council, appeared to fall into a stupor—a faint. The King felt this somehow, and notified the guards. They rushed to help her, but before they could reach her, her eyes snapped open and she stood suddenly with complete steadiness and strength. Something must have been triggered in her, and she was deep in a trance; her eyes were entirely glazed over.”

Frederick pointed to a section a third’s way down the scroll, resuming his talking as he showed Matthew. “This was said by the Lady, in her trance.”

“Read,” he commanded quietly.

Matthew looked up from the writings, his eyebrows knitted in confusion at the obvious hurt on his friend’s features. He shook his head and squeezed Frederick’s arm compassionately, then lowered his head again, and complied.

“Earth, Air, Fire, Water.

Many shall rise,

Many will fall.

One alone shall remain,

In a time when

Spirit seeks to control.

Earth, Air, Fire, Water,

Join together

And confront a choice,

To fight or submit.

Some shall die,

Others shall live.

In the end,

All shall come together,

Spirit in one,

Elements in another.

She shall rule,

With Spirit by her side.”

Matthew finished and raised his eyes to Frederick’s. “The Lady’s Prophecy.”

Frederick nodded. “She had no recollection when she awoke from her trance. After, she grew ill. Some say she died, others say that she faded from existence, and yet others say that an immortal goddess cannot die and therefore she must still be existing.

“At any rate, since then, while the strength of Spirit was waning, in every number of generations there lived a girl who had control of the Elements. These girls were also more susceptible to Spirit; they could feel a mind in theirs, and some had ways to impede those who tried to enter their thoughts.

“Descendants of Lord Brent, the most powerful of all the King’s children—until they lost all of their abilities, that is—sought out these women. Not one got far, for all the women either hid or went insane.”

Frederick bit his lip. “Do you remember what I told you about in my story, three years back? How we always had everything working for us?”

Matthew nodded as realization hit. “Someone among your community must have held the Elements in their control!”

Frederick moved away and carried on with his pacing. “From the time that I learned of this prediction until now, I have never guessed who it was.”

“Your mother, perhaps?”

Frederick shook his head, almost fiercely. “No, it was not her; that much I’m sure of.

“Nevertheless, what I have come to believe is that all these Gifted are of one soul. Reincarnated over and over, until the time will come when shall join with the Master of Spirit.”

Frederick halted his marching, cutting his eyes to Matthew. “ I was nearly four at the time the adults of my village—among them, the Gifted one—were killed out.” He stared intensely at Matthew. “A year later, on that exact day, your sister was born.”

Matthew sat there frozen. He knew in his gut that Frederick was saying the truth. His little sister was destined for greatness, something he knew she would probably not want. But he knew what Almyra could do; with her stubbornness, this would all come true, and it made him sick to his stomach, knowing as he did what his baby sister would go through.

Frederick spoke softly, “She is the reason that I am here now. Almyra is Gifted, as I am sure you are aware of that by now, and she must decide whether to fulfill what she is destined to, or to hide away.”

As he said this, a gasp sounded, and both Frederick and Matthew froze, before breaking out of it and racing to the door. Frederick reached it first and wrenched it open. Standing there was Almyra, hazel eyes opened wide in shock and a hand covering her mouth.

This is not good, thought Frederick, mastering the talent of understatement.

Almyra was already escaping down the hall.