The practice room hadn't been used in a while. Glowing speckles of dust covered the black parquet floor, flying up and dancing as Elara Sillich's boots swiped across. It was almost dark, the glowering sunlight only illuminating some square areas.

It came with no warning. A plume of fire exploded into the blackness, the flame rolling outwards like the smoke of a mushroom cloud. Glowing embers leaped and twirled in a fiery dance as the flame faded, only to be replaced by a new one, a stronger one. Ela shoved her fist forward, a wide ribbon of heat shooting into the murk. Her opponent was still hiding in the shadows, and she could feel him nearby. Her mentor's voice sounded in her head like an echo, requesting control, but the longer she searched and found nothing the more it sounded like the buzz of a fly.

Her fire stopped. She tried to listen carefully, looking out for some footsteps or a breath louder than intended. She was met with silence. Releasing a frustrated groan, Ela moved her hands in a wide circular motion, creating a flaming halo around her.

"P-Please, your Excellency," a quivering voice sounded above her. Several sighs and scoffs followed, making her blood boil and her head spin with exasperation.

When I find you, she promised to her competitor, I'll make sure you burn like an overcooked steak.

She had gathered enough energy. Ela sprung her hands down, the fat golden ring spreading in the room like a curse, burning everything in its path to a crisp. For a split second, her careful eyes caught cowardly movement only a few feet to her right. She didn't even bother suppressing a smirk.

She thought of the Kingfisher, of the search party. She reminded herself what an inconsiderate asshole her father had spawned. Her golden eyes squeezed shut, embracing the darkness for a second.

The fire withered. She took a deep breath, and as if a switch snapped inside her heart, the heat in her body vanished. It only took a second for her to shift and prepare herself. Without measuring its brilliance or the consequences of her actions, the girl raised her right leg and slammed it on the already slick floor. Within moments, gleaming ice bloomed underneath her boot, spreading rapidly across the hooded stadium. Instead of creating the smooth surfaced she was trained to accomplish, Ela generated a complicated mix of hills and ditches, too thick to see through or break.

A harmony of gasps occupied the seats above. The arena roared in a medley of yells and screams as Ela approached the earth manipulator. He cursed as he scratched the ice covering his feet, striving desperately to break free. His features declared hopelessness, begging for her pity.

"Let me win," he whispered in agony. "For my family."

Ela snatched the cloth hanging from his waist, raising it to the air for everyone to see. The audience, both students and teachers, had to cheer; they valued their life, besides.

The girl didn't wait for a fire manipulator to come, nor did she pull her classmate out of her ice. She stormed off, exiting the large room, only to be greeted by curious faces outside.

"Elara!" her mentor, Karj, screamed, running to catch up with her. "What were you thinking? You know that's against the rules! Do you wish to be expelled?" He searched for some sense in her bright eyes. "Your Excellency," he added hastily.

Ela barked a terse, humorless laugh. "Expel me, banish me, crucify me for all I care. Anything to be away from that asshole."

Karj frowned, shaking his hand. "Balok is a good student, I do not know why you--"

"Kage Sillich is that asshole."

With a gasp, Karj leaned closer to Ela, whispering furiously. "Hush! Do not be disrespectful, young lady!"

"Give me a break." They entered a small sitting room with a few comfortable couches, void of any life. The girl plopped on one, freeing her raven hair from the painful ponytail that had occupied them before. "He's sending me away. He just wants to get rid of me!"

"Darling," Karj murmured, sitting next to Ela. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Now, do not take this personally, but... Are you sure you are ready for this?"

"No!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "Of course I'm not ready. I'm not strong enough!"

With a cautious smile, the mentor shook his head. "That is not the problem here. If anything..." He cleared his throat. "You are too strong. More than you can handle. Not to offend you, your Excellence, but you are not the ideal person to have the ability to bend dual elements. With some training, I'm sure you'll be great, but right now--"

"I've been training for years! I don't want to waste my power making cute snowballs and farting fire for the rest of my life, Karj. I want to fight because when I do, I feel what it means to be alive." She huffed, looking at the floor. "Not chase my brother's toys for an eternity."

"Be considerate. The Ascended Council has already lost one of its members."

Ela laughed, throwing her head back and shrugging Karj's hand off her. "Oh, gods! Who is going to light their lamps now? A tragedy, truly!" She stood up, dusting off her uniform. "It's getting late. I'll head to the dining hall."

The girl roamed the corridors for some time. Her mind kept going back to her mentor's words. She shook her head, banishing all negative thoughts from her brain. I have to become stronger. I have to prove myself. Yet the more she repeated those words, the more she felt like a fool for thinking anybody cared. She was a second child, almost eight years younger than her grand brother. By the time she was born, Kage had already been deemed 'talented' destined to become the fourth member of the Seyali Ascended Council. Tried as she might, she couldn't possibly escape his shadow. Yet she knew, and she knew he knew too, that she was the strongest one, the truly gifted one.

Dual elements were rare. Nobody could deny that, really. Most people who had been born with the ability to manipulate two opposites at once were always shielded from the world. For a long time, that's what Ela thought Kage was doing; protecting her, concealing her for her own safety. She had been taught that exposure in her case was bad and that it was best to abandon one element and focus on the other. Ela soon realized that all of these statements were bullcrap; her brother wasn't protecting her at all. He was hiding her in fear that people would see he wasn't, in fact, the most powerful in his bloodline, saving her to be used later. Exposure had been nothing but great, earning her status in her small paper world.

And finally, she had realized that a life suppressing her true nature was not a life worth living.

The dining hall was already packed, despite the fact that it had only opened half an hour ago. Different Ascended littered the place, some sitting on the large tables and eating away like their life depended on it, others standing in crowds and gossiping about trivial matters. For the most part, the saying 'like calls to like' seemed to apply, as similar colors could be seen on each table; the natural elements stuck together, a rainbow of colorful embroidery on each black uniform, while the alternative elements like darkness and light sat in isolated groups, whispering discreetly to each other.

Ela chose to sit by herself, in need of some time alone. She didn't want to think anymore or fret over things she couldn't change. If she needed to find the bird, she would find the damn bird. Hopefully, she would be allowed in the military later, despite her young age. She sat on the uncomfortable wooden bench and grabbed the sturdy metal plate that had already been placed in front of her, like on every table.

"Elara! Oh, Ela!"

The girl sighed. Here we go again.

Mara appeared out of nowhere, plopping next to Ela with a delighted smile. She was a strange girl, always annoyingly happy, and although Ela didn't know much about her, she seemed weirdly attached to her. "I saw you on the arena. How spectacular, that dual bending of yours!"

Ela nodded her head, devoting herself fully to her almost tasteless meal. Mara pouted and tapped her shoulder curiously. "Come, talk to the guys. They have so many questions! How did you freeze the floor so much? I mean, how did you make it fragile?"

"I don't know," she replied, hesitantly stabbing the peas on her plate.

"You really are a master of your art, are you not? Teach me sometime!"

Mara was a water manipulator, so Ela doubted she could really learn much from her. Still, she nodded, taking the spoon in her hands and poking the weirdly firm purée.

"I heard your brother attended as well! It was an honor to have him among the audience."

Ela tensed. She clutched the spoon, a chill escaping her palm. The piece of cutlery soon crystalized, breaking to a million pieces as she fasted her fist shut. Kage? Here?

"Yes," Mara cheered. "That is what I meant!"

Ela tried to calm herself down, begging to prevent herself from making the dining hall a refrigerator, or perhaps a steaming sauna. Instead, she forced a tight smile on her face, turning to glance at Mara. "And what was brother dear here for?"

"To see you, dummy!" Mara exclaimed like it was the event of the week. "Though, he did leave quite hastily. I think it was after one of his guards came to talk to him."

"I see." Her lips thinned dangerously. "Duty calls, I guess."

Ela didn't know how she was supposed to feel. Did she love Kage? Did he love her? The word made her gag. Yes, he had provided for her. Yes, he had and still paid for her tuition. Ela was shocked to find out that she would sacrifice all that if it meant they got to go out and eat ice cream or go for a walk by the pond or talk like normal people did. But Kage wasn't normal. He had better things to do than care for his little sister, of course, especially after her parents decided to go on a surprise ten-year vacation to Fabal.

And she finally realized. She would give anything to know what it meant to be loved unconditionally.

"Ela? Are you there?"

Her head snapped upwards. Mara was peering at her curiously, her eyebrows furrowed. Ela stood, pushing the disgusting meal away. "I'm sorry, I..." She desperately searched for the right words, yet she couldn't explain her thoughts. "I need some time alone. I'll see you tomorrow."

And she fled, something she didn't like doing. But the loud conversations in the dining hall felt like a sea of stupidity she was drowning in, and some air was exactly what she needed at the moment.

The atmosphere in the garden wasn't exactly fresh, but still relaxing. The sweet scent of roses filled her nostrils as she breathed deeply, purifying her head from all the toxic thoughts. I don't need love, she assured herself. Yet the pleasant odor of flowers had drastically changed her mind. For the first time in a while she felt truly alone, with only her power as a companion. She hugged the pale skin of her arms, pacing back and forth in the rich garden.

"Hey."

She spun around, suddenly alert. She had heard nobody walk behind her or around her, so the sound of a new, unfamiliar voice startled her greatly. A short hooded figure stood in front of her, dark hair showing out of its cloak. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The figure approached her, the hood falling from its head. A young looking girl, with only a few scars on her face. Ebony hair and eyes so dark they seemed jet black beneath the veil of the night. She hadn't seen such a girl before. She was quite memorable, admittedly. "You'll see soon."

Ela raised one brow, amusement washing over her face. The girl was about the same height as her and looked thinner than average. She could easily take her on and win in a matter of a few seconds. Yet they both stood there, looking at each other. The mysterious girl stared at the large building of the academy expectantly, then cleared her throat. "I said, you'll see soon."

Some rustling sounded from the bushes nearby. Ela's heart hammered against her ribs as she stepped back, ready to release a whole storm if she needed to. But before she could threaten the girl, or ask her what was going on exactly, a great roar erupted behind her.

She whipped around, bewildered. The academy's front windows had all burst open from the immense heat as flames flew around in a frenzy. Although the damage wasn't much, the inside of the building looked dilapidated, torn, burnt. An explosion, she realized, but it was too late.

A hand closed around her lips, concealing her screams. A light pinch sent electric chills up her left arm. She could hear multiple pairs of feet behind her, along with new voices.

"Grab her."

"Now, that's improper!"

"Do I look like I give a shit? Just seize her!"

"She'll blow us up, for the love of gods."

Someone snatched her arms, pinning them together behind her back. She released a series of weak flares and sparks from her hands and feet, yet they didn't seem to be hitting anyone. She strained her vocals but nothing came out. She reached for her power once more, for some fire, for ice, anything. Yet there was no response. Raw sobs burbled in her throat, sudden panic replacing her previous anger. Fright consumed every cell in her body, swelling them with terror. My power. Where is my power?

She kicked and wiggled in a desperate frenzy. Yet her feet were caught soon too, trapped in a strong grip which was quickly replaced by tight rope. This can't be happening. Gods, were the hell is my power?! Still, no response. Her vision seemed blurred and the sweet smell of roses didn't seem so sweet anymore, but she refused to give in to whatever drug they had put her under. Her muscles ached as she was thrown over a wide shoulder, carried across the garden.

She had no power. For the first time in her life, she felt useless.

Her lids strived to touch, but she forced them open every time they neared each other. The cries stuck to her throat, unable to escape. With what energy she had left, she weakly punched the back her face was buried in. It only seemed to cause mild irritation to her transporter.

"Uh, guys, I don't think she's asleep. She keeps nudging me."

"I couldn't care less about this brat's beauty sleep right now."

"Can't you keep your trap shut for a single second here? We don't want to be caught, remember?"

They all stayed silent after that. Ela couldn't remember where she was or what was happening. All she could see was the practice room and the dining hall, Karj's cautious features and the delighted chirp of Mara. The gentle back and forth of her body only served as a lullaby to her, and her mind was too fuzzy to comprehend what or why she was resisting before. Her vision faltered, and soon she was submerged into a peaceful shade of black.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

"Shoot them, shithead!"

Ela's eyes snapped open. She jumped up, but soon regretted it as a wave of vertigo came over her. Her butt fell on the cold grass once more and a hand cupped her shoulder. A set of vaguely familiar crystal eyes came into view, wide with concern.

"Elara! Don't make any sharp movements. For the sake of all of us," the woman cried, looking at Ela up and down with what suspiciously resembled a justified terror. "It's better if we lay low."

"You... I know you." How could she not? Ailyn Lacald had always roamed the halls of the Seyali Palace whenever Ela was there, and most of the time she clung to her brother's side like a blood-sucking flea. The woman couldn't be older than Kage, yet she acted so mature one could think she already had four kids. At the same time, however, she seemed so painfully ignorant and blissfully absent-minded, that for a moment Ela considered she could be a abductee like her. No way she ran away from her palace to be with some criminals. Yet the more she looked at Ailyn's apologetic features, the more she realized she was wrong.

Ailyn nodded, a sad smile plastered on her pink lips. "I didn't expect us to meet again this way, but I want you to know this was essential for--"

A loud laugh interrupted them. "Essential my ass! We just wanted to harass that smug brother of yours, dear. But I guess you could be useful."

Ela turned around. The veil of the night obscured her vision, yet she could still make out shiny raven hair and skin so fair it would be mistaken for snow. The girl who approached me at school, she realized, and the whole situation started dawning on her. I was kidnapped. Now I'm in... a forest? Two other men were with them, hiding behind trees and shooting anyone that got close with tiny revolvers. "Useful... for what?"

"We're going to find the Kingfisher," one of them blurted out before planting a bullet on another soldier's knee, generating a blood-curdling scream from her as she collapsed to the muddy soil.

Ela stayed still for a moment, processing his words. The Kingfisher? As in... But no, that would be impossible. She considered that the gods were playing some cruel joke on her, or perhaps the almost tan man was kidding. But when no 'got you!' or 'sike!' came, her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched like activated mouse traps. An almost forgotten flame sparked in her heart, begging to be let out.

"You cannot mean to tell me," she hissed, "that I escaped one search party only to be put in another." She knew she didn't want to find the damn artifact. No matter the boons it granted her, no matter the admiration she would gain from her greater brother. She couldn't compromise with whatever military power it gave her, because she would have earned none of it. Now that she was surrounded by rogues and thugs, she wouldn't be awarded whatsoever. "I won't help you, and if you think otherwise you must be mad."

"I'm sorry," the girl with the black hair gibbed, her bangs framing her face in an almost menacing manner. "You don't have much of a choice, love. You're not here on vacation; you're captured, and you do as we say."

Ela's fire was so close she could almost reach it. Her blood was boiling, rage overwhelming her senses. Nobody tells me what to do, she reminded herself as she breathed in and out deeply, trying to release her power and burn that whole forest down. An indiscreet cough behind her hindered her anger.

"Ahem. Will you be needing me or not?" another voice muttered.

Ela snapped her head around, making her neck ache immediately. The boy wasn't someone she recognized, but he looked foreign. Mushan, she realized as her lips thinned into a straight line. How many of them are there?

One of the men left his tree and walked towards them, as no guard had come close in a while. "Do your thing. Two percent."

The Mushan pouted, tilting his head to the side. "I'm betraying an already betrayed man here. Seven percent to help me sleep at night."

"Three. Take it or leave it."

A sigh, and then a smile. "The things I do for some money."

"Some? Eighteen beach houses, by your standard."

The Mushan man approached Ela, and she almost lunged at him. Two soft hands held her shoulders, squeezing them slightly. "Don't make this more difficult than it already is," Ailyn pleaded.

The man got to work immediately. At first, it wasn't clear what he was doing. Soon enough Ela realized that he was an illusion manipulator changing the look of her face, as his fingers brushed across her cheeks and the rest of her features. His previous words rang in her head uncontrollably. An already betrayed man. She couldn't keep her thoughts inside her. "Why? Why are you helping them?"

He shrugged, caution washing over him. He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I owed him big time. I tried to pay him back, and I failed. It is clear to me the gods don't particularly like him." Once he noticed the sheer horror of confirmation in Ela's eyes, he let out a short giggle. "I'll do whatever I can to help him after this. But tonight will be forgotten. This is a small price to be for a couple hundred thousand gold pieces, you see."

Yet Ela couldn't see. Was that why everyone was turning away from Kage? For a promise that would probably never be kept? For some money that would be spent in a matter of months? She was shocked to find out how quick people were to help the enemy, and for the first time in her eyes, she saw just how little power Kage had over people after all. A terrifying wave of satisfaction drowned her bitterness.

The Mushan -- Zhao, as he had revealed -- soon moved on to Ailyn, who eyed him suspiciously. Ela watched in awe how the princess's features changed with a graze of his fingertips; her golden hair turned a light brown; her dazzling blue eyes became a deep hazel; her face seemed to sharpen dangerously. When Zhao was done, Ailyn almost looked like a party girl straight out of a brothel.

The girl with the raven hair shook her head, a slight smile forming on her lips. "Was that really necessary?"

"I did get carried away." Zhao stood straight, examining each and every one of them. "It will last twelve hours at most, until I fall asleep. That's all I can do for you." He turned around and started walking away. Ailyn jumped up, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You mentioned a favor back then..." she trailed off, earning multiple confused and exasperated looks. "I know we owe you nothing but... what was it going to be?"

Zhao stood for a moment, staring at the princess. Then he grinned cheekily, shrugging her hand off. "Maybe we can go for dinner one day." And he was off, disappearing into the black forest.

Ela didn't know what he was talking about, and she surely didn't want to find out for herself.

Shortly after, the rope from her hands was cut off with a friendly reminder; "If you try anything, be prepared to have a bullet planted in your leg." It didn't take long for them to begin walking down the hill, wiping the dirt and mud from their clothes. Salo insisted on hauling Ailyn's hand around his shoulder as she leaned onto his side, limping her way behind the others.

Their names weren't difficult to remember once they were stated; Nora Smairde (to which Ailyn protested puzzled), Arden Vera, Salo Canbar. All foreign. Ela had hardly seen any foreigners inside the academy, and it felt weirdly eye-opening to finally face a person from the exotic Fabal, or a northerner from Flouron. They revealed nothing further about their life or their intentions, nothing about why they wanted the Kingfisher so badly. Ela stayed silent for most of the trek, answering with short answers whenever she was asked something.

The wet trail seemed endless after half an hour of following it. "Does anyone even know where the hell we're headed to?" groaned Canbar, looking expectantly at his crew. Ela thought how easy it would be to just run off with such dumbasses grouped together.

"We're looking for civilization, you crybaby," Nora replied with a sigh. She ran a hand through her hair. "I think this is a good time to talk."

Arden protested almost immediately. "No. Let's talk once we're there."

"I need to know why we're even all together right now. Or what we're going to do with this brat."

Ela tried not to feel offended at the characterization.

"You're carrying a walking gold bar. Don't wonder why we're a team. Besides, I think we all harbor the same feelings for Seyal."

The girl couldn't help but examine them as those words left Arden's mouth. They all looked at the ground, either furrowing their brows or biting their lips. Well, most of them, anyway.

"I'm not doing this out of hatred," Salo frowned, waving his free hand in the air. "Who would go through such trouble just for revenge?"

"For you to say that..." Nora clenched her fists. "They obviously haven't killed your family. They haven't stolen all you have." She took a deep breath, her voice coming out as a rasped mumble. "They haven't roasted your home to a crisp. And certainly, they haven't turned the whole world against you. Don't assume, especially when it comes to feelings as strong as rage."

Ela could understand, and that terrified her. She had based her whole power on rage, and if she was calmer, perhaps it wouldn't have spiked in the last years. Anger drove people, and so did desperation. The four people surrounding her seemed to possess both equally. There were so many questions in her head, many of which needed to be addressed soon for her own sanity. She sighed and knowing that she would regret it she turned to Ailyn. "I need to ask you something. It's urgent."

"No way. Remember that bullet we talked about?" Nora shook her head vigorously.

But Ailyn detached herself from Salo's grip, shuffling towards Ela as best as she could and grabbing her arm. As she pulled her forward, she sent a reassuring smile towards Nora. "We will be ahead."

The short walk to the point they were out of the rest's hearing range was plagued by silence. The woman didn't look like Ailyn and didn't act like the princess she thought she knew, yet those forgiving soft eyes had not changed in the slightest. Ela didn't want to be too direct, so she threw the bomb as lightly as possible.

"So. Did you and my brother screw?"

Ailyn gasped, the unintentionally deep breath sticking to her throat. She coughed out, hitting her chest with her fist. "Is that what you wanted to talk about?" she managed between hacks.

Ela reconsidered her words and finally shook her heavy head. "What is he really like?"

The woman appeared cautious. Her pink lips shrank and her eyes twitched narrow thoughtfully. "Well, he was kind, and--"

"I don't want your generic answer. What did he seem like to you?"

"Seem like..." Ailyn trailed off. "Kage was smart. Very strategic, certainly, but he could be funny too. He also seemed to care for others. Oh, and he laughed a lot, and his laugh was very pretty," she stated dreamily, as if she had fallen for a version of him that didn't truly exist. Those crystal eyes glittered under the bright moonlight, reflecting all the untold memories of her past. Her expression shifted in a matter of seconds as her gaze fell on Ela. "He was also an excellent actor. Truly exemplary," she added bitterly.

"I have barely ever met him."

"And it is better if it stays that way. Your brother..." She seemed to search for the right words. "It is not like he does not care. Perhaps he cares too much sometimes. Yet for all his good intentions, the one he cares about the most is his own self." The princess paused, gazing at the empty sky above. "I hope this can teach him."

Her words only confused Ela more. "But why search for the artifact? Is money really all you want?"

"I do not want money," Ailyn stated almost too quickly. "I am not a fool. I see others' intentions. But I hope to change the world for the better with the Kingfisher, and perhaps once we find it they will see that, too."

Ela knew that a simple vase with vague information contained in it could change nothing, but she stayed silent. The hopeful glint in Ailyn eyes wouldn't allow her to argue.

"I understand how you feel," Ela admitted, yet she could feel a sudden, harsh cold grow in her heart. She had it all, she realized with a shiver, and now she is weak. "But you cannot expect me to let you use me just because you have dreams. All you say about my brother may or may not be true. But I know one thing for sure; he would never abandon his country to run off to some childish goose chase along with some foreigners he has never interacted with before."

Ailyn ceased walking. She halted to a stop as she turned to Ela, pure shock occupying her now sharp features. "I... What is up with you all of a sudden?"

This is really happening. I am not dreaming. The reality of her situation was getting clearer the less fuzzy her brain became. She had feared the bullets before. She thought they were going to shoot her dead if she tried to run, and it was clear as day she was gravely outnumbered. But the sour chill in her bones was becoming louder, complaining and spreading around her. I am not alone.

Her toes were becoming numb. A small sprout of flowering ice escaped her, growing discreetly beneath her feet. She was ready to release the whole ice at any second. So she stood straight, keeping her murderous gaze locked with Ailyn's curious one.

The vibration of pounding hooves interrupted their eye contact. A rich feast of black, blue and silver appeared a few feet behind them, rushing down the muddy road. Even if the wagon somehow wasn't going to stomp them alive, something inside Ela desperately urged her to run and hide. A royal carriage. The royal carriage. Although the girl wanted to return to her academy, to her normal life, she didn't want to think about what Kage might do if he presumed she double-crossed him, too.

Ailyn tugged her sleeve, yanking her towards a dense bush. That's when she slipped on the very ice she had created, tumbling face first on the dirt and causing the two extravagantly armored mounts of the royal coach to halt to an abrupt stop.

***

Oof, that took a long time to write.

Okay, okay, you knew this was going to be a five POV story from the description, so don't let me hear you complain!

I'm currently on a short vacation so I don't know how much I'll be able to write, but if I have the chapter I'm working on ready by Wednesday-Thursday you can expect an off-schedule update 👀 Mainly because the eighth chapter has a loooot of talking and fighting and I mean the verbal kind of fighting, something that isn't everyone's cup of tea but is definitely important in the characters' relationships.

Please vote and comment, it's a huge motivation!

PUBLISH DATE — 19/06/17

EDIT DATES — 19/07/15