Power of the 8 Elements

Chapter Nine

I walked on the dock by myself.

"Look at what you've done. Stand still, falling away from me. When it takes so long. Fire's out, what do you want to be? Now I'm holding on. Myself was never enough for me. Gotta be so strong. There's a power in what you do. Now every other day I'll be watching you. Oh-ah, oh-ah. I'll show you what it feels like. Now I'm on the outside. Oh-ah. We did everything right. Now I'm on the outside. Oh-ah. I'll show you what it feels like. Now I'm on the outside. Oh-ah. We did everything right. Now I'm on the outside. So you give me no reason. For me to stay close to you. Tell me what lovers do. How are we still breathing? It's never for us to choose. I'll be the strength in you. Now I'm holding on. Myself was never enough for me-"

Everything went black.

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I woke up, wet, and sitting by a...dog? I sat up quickly and backed away from the animal. It was sitting patiently. I looked closer and realized that it wasn't a dog, but a wolf.

"Stay back!" I said, holding up an icy hand, "I will not hesitate to kill you."

"Kill? That's a bit harsh, considering I just saved your life."

"Y-you can talk?"

"Well, of course I can talk. I mean, you'd be seeing things if I couldn't."

I cocked my head, confused.

"What's your name?"

"Terry."

"Well, then, Terry, you're welcome. You know, you should watch where you're going sometimes."

"Fill me in on what happened," I said.

"Well, you were singing in the most beautiful voice."

"Skip that bit," I said.

"Oh, okay, and then you fell off the dock into the water. I didn't think you knew how to swim, so I jumped in and saved you. You're welcome."

"Oh, sorry, thank you," I said, "But I still don't get how you can talk. Who are you?"

"I'm Alexander Xilin Odarium Tustrum III." 

"Can we shorten that?"

"Okay then. I also go by Alex, Xander, AXOT3...once, Xan-"

"Stop at that part. I'll call you Xan. Is that alright?" 

He nodded, "What are you doing out here, young glacier?"

"I got marked by some villain," I said, showing him the marking.

"Poor thing, I hate to tell you that I can't remove it. Only the person who gave it to you can."

"I doubt that virus will."

"Oh, dear."

I hung my tentacles off the side of the dock and sighed, "I wanted to start a group. A team of heroes."

"Well, why don't you?"

"The people I recruited can't fight. And the ones that can only use those skills on each other."

Xan cocked his head.

I groaned. Looks like I'll have to explain everything. "I've got two cats. One socializes too much. The other, is sassy and stubborn. One bull is a super fast extra talkative flame. The other is a shy fernial---I've NEVER heard him talk. And I've got a light one and a dark one who hate each other. And when I say hate. I mean hate."

"And where's your position in this?"

"I don't have a position."

"Maybe you do. Maybe you're supposed to bring them all together."

"I doubt it. They won't even listen to me."

"Have you tried?"

"Obviously."

"Well, if they're not listening to you, then you haven't."

I turned towards him. He smiled and put a paw on my nose.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I can help you, you know."

I smiled and stood up.

"Alright, Phoenix, we've got a group to round up." And we began walking towards the house.

'Wait, Phoenix? That wasn't my name. And no one calls me Phoenix except...who was that? And how long has it been?'