The Glade and Its Glitch: Book 2 Allies or Enemies

Chapter 16

"Because he used to be one of us."

After Huntress said those words the Glade erupted into chaos. Huntress glanced over to Dani and Rex. The couple stood together still, Rex's arm still slung over Dani's shoulder. His eyes were fixed on the ground, zoned out and unfocused. Dani smiled up at Huntress, but she was clearly nervous.

"Hey!" Skylight called out getting everyone's attention. "Pay attention. Please," his voice trailed off.

Skye's face flushed, TJ looked somewhat attractive when he was trying to be scary. She did a double take, 'Am I attracted to TJ?' She shook her head, 'No I don't think so...' she looked back up at where TJ was standing. She took in the way he had one elbow over the railing, and how he lifted his chin and puffed his chest.

TJ looked down and made eye contact with Skye in the crowd. He smiled at her stance. She had one hand hooked resting on her satchel strap, and one hip was angled higher in a sassy way. TJ rubbed the back of his neck and looked away quickly.

Skye did the same and bit her lip, 'Oh my gosh. I'm totally attracted to TJ.'

Huntress nodded to TJ, "Thank you Skylight. Now as most of you know Soar also used to be one of us. Glitch was as well. He was even born here in the Glade. He's the same age as Skylight and Supernova, they're all only a few months apart. But Glitch is very different from Skylight and Supernova."

Back before Glitch left the Glade he'd been almost friends with Skylight. The boys were around thirteen, and in their minds girls had cooties, so they didn't hang around Supernova as much. Skylight did though, the King family had taken a liking to the young girl. But Glitch did not.

"Glitch was born powerless, as most of you here probably were. Many of you like Supernova," Huntress waved to her friend on the ground, "were born without elemental powers. When Supernova first came to us she was only called Skye. Now we call her Supernova, as she's an elemental master and had earned her Glade name. Neither of her parents were elemental masters, and she was not born in the Glade."

Huntress shot another glance in Dani and Rex's direction. Dani gave her a supportive smile, and Huntress continued. "Glitch, on the other hand, was born from two elemental masters. Here in the Glade."

The people of the Glade let out another cry of outrage. Despite Huntress' attempts to calm the crowd, they kept getting louder. Skylight tried to help as well but failed.

Supernova stalked forward. She soon reached the base of the tree that Skylight and Huntress were in. Reaching for one of the vines that hung down the entire height of the tree, she began to climb. Sunbeam shot her a confused look from the ground, but he trusted whatever she was doing. Once Supernova was around halfway up the trunk, she stopped. The vines around her were lush and leafy, yet still thick and sturdy. After wrapping one around her right hand to steady herself, she made sure her feet were secure as well.

She looked down at the crowd gathered beneath her. Huntress and Skylight were still trying to calm everyone down. Spreading her left arm out wide, she narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she concentrated on her hand, Supernova pulled on her power. With a snap of her fingers, the air around her burst. Her fingers had summoned an orange and yellow explosion.

The sound caused everyone in the Glade to stop and look in her direction. "Pay attention!" Supernova yelled.

This elicited a laugh from Skylight. It was a funny sight to see the petite elemental master so angry. Combined with the fact that her power was to make things explode, she was just as terrifying as any other master in the Glade. He hummed in amusement as even the scariest fighters in the Glade looked ashamed, or averted their eyes from her gaze.

"Thank you." With a curt nod, Supernova began her descent. There were even a few scattered bits of applause from the crowd.

"Well now we know how to contain a crowd," Huntress laughed to herself. "As I was saying, Glitch was born here in the Glade. He stayed here until he was thirteen, but then he left. Now he has formed his own army, composed of elemental masters, many who are powerless like him, and some people from here in the Glade."

"Like Soar!" "Yeah Soar!" "Quake!" A few voices from the group called out.

Huntress nodded, acknowledging the speakers, "Yes, like them. Those people and others. They thought Glitch was right and that we were in the wrong, so they joined him. But I want to focus more on who Glitch used to be. Before ambition and power went to his head."

"Because both of his parents were elemental masters, he was jealous. Though his parents had no control over his turning. I want that to be absolutely clear. Glitch's parents are not to blame." Huntress looked into the crowd once more. "They are Dani and Rex."

The Glade turned to look at the couple. Putting on a brave face Dani stared right back. Rex, still focused on the ground, made no movements.

"And they are not to blame." Skylight jumped in, defending the couple. He pulled the light out of the lamps surrounding the meeting area, "Are we clear?" The ball of light danced in his palm as he clarified.

There was a round of nods as the people took the hint from Skylight. Anyone who challenged this statement would not be a friend of Skylights. Supernova just grinned, she was starting to like this side of TJ.