Julia Lelieveld and the battle with the underworld

~9~

The rest of the circle was already seated at the table. They all looked at me intently. I sat down quietly, not knowing what to say.

I looked at Rob just a little longer. Tried to gauge him. Hoping that he would keep to himself some of the things the Elders had spoken. I'd rather talk to Rob alone first. But I knew the other of the circle was eager to know what had happened. They sat here in front of me and after what they did for me in the fight against Lucas, I couldn't pass them now.

"How were they?" asked Leo enthusiastically.

I looked at him in disbelief for a moment, why would he think it was great to meet them? I would rather not have met them at all.

"Leo, you must understand that the Elders are always with each other. When they have contact with the outside world, they are not always accessible", said Rob.

Leo looked questioningly from Rob to me. "What happened then?"

"They wanted to know if I can really control all five elements," I told him.

The other listened intently.

"Did you have to demonstrate it?" he asked.

I shook my head. Gosh, if only it had been that easy.

"No, they are very powerful, just taking my hand and he knew what I was."

"He? What are you?" Leo asked.

"Protus, the first Elder. He called me an Arcangelosa, or an earth angel."

I saw Leo's eyes widen, just like the others in the circle.

"And what does that mean?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "They couldn't answer that, because someone with my powers has often been destroyed by Evil before they find out."

Leo nodded briefly.

"And what else did they say?" Max asked.

I looked at Rob for a moment. Fortunately, he got the hint.

"Shall we talk some other time? The way to travel to the Elders is quite tiring. I think Julia, like me, wants to get some rest."

Max looked at me questioningly. I nodded. "Yeah right, I'm pretty tired." Grateful that Rob had rescued me from this situation, but also a little scared of what was to come, I knew Rob would be full of questions.

"And how was Renzo?" Sara asked.

"Renzo didn't come, the Elders had taken care of that. He had to wait."

Sarah nodded. "That's not fair," she said to my surprise. "No, I thought so too," I said affirmatively. She got up and gestured to the other three members of the circle. "Can we train in the shed?" And she looked questioningly at Rob.

Rob nodded. "Okay, we'll be a little later." And he gestured to me and himself.

They got up and left the house.

Rob turned to me and looked at me seriously. "We have to talk."

I looked at him pained, I didn't want to talk about it. As if he could read my mind. "I know it's hard for you, that you probably don't want to talk about it. But if I'm supposed to protect you my way, I'll have to know a thing or two."

I nodded in response.

"What we did find out is that the fifth element can only manifest itself if you have proven that you are strong enough for it. That you have survived such bad emotional and physical events, that only then can it be expressed." He looked at me for a moment.