"Woah..." Otto stared at the sparks in his hands,
"Now try to focus it in to any form," Syd pointed at the wall,
"Alright," He formed it into a ball, "like this?"
Syd bounced, "Yeah!"

Otto focused on three bricks, all of them already chipped, in the wall that Syd had pointed at. He pushed the ball of sparks at the bricks in the wall. When it hit, a few other bricks crashed out of it. A biting wind flew in. Jade grasses fluttered from outside as flame-orange leaves sprinkled inside, blocking the azure blue light of the sky; the birds passing  the bleached-white clouds over the pink seas.

Otto looked at Syd, watching his perfectly curled hair bouncing with the excitement of a child at a ceremony. But this had a true reason, he was special.

Otto had always been crushing on Syd, ever since they became best friends. In fact, that was why he had never told him. Otto was terrified of losing his closest friend since he was four, twelve years ago. But times like this made him wish he had the confidence, and less fear.

Suddenly, interrupting Otto's thoughts, an elf walked into the castle.

"You!" They said, "you're all the ones!"
"I guess," Syd stepped back,
"You were chosen by The Mother, my Mother!"
"Wait, what? Shouldn't you?"
"No. She has been taken."
"Where to?"
"No one knows. It's been 20 years. I barely remember her. I was four."

The group froze with uncomfortable energy hanging over them.

Syd was scratching at his nails, chipping at the keratin. Feeling the subtle anxiety hit him, he worried with no real reason.

"Well, I'm Bowie," They changed the subject, awkwardly tapping against their leg,
"I'm Syd Nightshade," Syd smiled,
"Otto Amans."
"Chromia Layna."
"Oh," Bowie paused, "just as an explanation, I use they and them pronouns."
"Ah," Syd nodded, "I use he and him."
"Same," Otto nodded,
"She and her."

They all walked quietly through the castle.

"I must leave." Bowie turned and ran.