Ice and Air (The Four Elements: Book 1)

Chapter Thirteen: An Awkward Night Turns Into A Great Planning Session

It's sunset right now and things are still... awkward. Brandon is having difficulties getting along with Chelsea since... I don't wanna say it.

"Brad, what kind of things do you do as a prefect?" Chelsea said.

"I told you Chels, mostly paperwork and guiding students with their things," Brandon replied in an agitated tone.

"I'm sure you do more than those. Have some fun with the other students, paperwork is boring," she suggested.

"I don't even know what made this girl want to hang with me..." Brandon muttered under his breath, then he raised his voice. "The teachers need the paperwork y'know."

"Come on..." she said.

I'm still having problems with Elias's mind-­reading, especially in Battleship.

"D5," Elias announced.

"Hit," I said. Stop cheating!

"Sorry, I don't know why I'm doing it!" he exclaimed.

"H2," I muttered.

"Miss." he smirked.

"Dammit." I cursed under my breath. Least I'm playing fair right?

"Yeah, you are." he replied.

STOP READING MY MIND!  I exclaimed.

And Carter has nothing to do and... everyone's occupied at the moment.

"Kayla? Elias? Can I join your Battleship game?" he asked us.

"You can join the next game alright? This thing is only for two players." Elias replied.

"How long 'till the next game?" Carter asked.

"After I try to sink Elias's last ship, which could prove impossible..." I replied in a bored tone. "You can play him if you want after, he's too good at this."

"Sure," he said.

* * *

"So, is everyone done with what they're doing? It's already almost dinner time in this realm." Carter announced.

"We're finally done, with Elias winning... twice," I said as I packed the Battleship gameboard.

"You didn't even give me a chance to play." Carter added.

"His fault." I said, pointing to Elias.

"Wait, how is it my fault?" Elias was a big shocked, yet he played along.

I chuckled at his reaction.

"My time was pretty boring..." Brandon said, glumly.

"Hashtag fun." Chelsea winked.

"At least all the beds here are twin beds..." Brandon muttered.

I feel sorry for you Brad... I thought.

"Anyways, we need to start planning on how we can stop the Ice Realm from melting."Carter began. "You know that dilly-dallying like this won't get us anywhere."

"That's true." Elias agreed.

"I know what we could do! Well, part of it by the way. Just like we did for the portal, Carter and I could try and make a protection barrier that can prevent excess heat from melting the ice here." Chelsea said.

"We need more than the two of us for that..." Carter commented.

"Oh, too bad," Chelsea muttered innocently, then went back to her serious tone. "But we can invite the most powerful ice creatures to help us. They can make the inside layer of the barrier while we make the outside. Basically, we make two different layers of the shield."

"Okay, I'll agree with that," I said. "Any more?"

"How about this, we split up and scan the area and see which parts of this realm is melted and damaged. Those parts, we can try and rebuild the ice and connect the ice to the melted parts. I know it's not simple but that's the least we could do, besides the shield." Brandon chimed in.

"That's another one," Elias said.

"Anybody else?" I asked.

"I think those suggestions are enough," Carter replied. "Everyone agree?"

"Agreed." all of us said in unison.

"I don't think I can think of anything else," Chelsea commented.

"True," Elias said.

"Alright, when can we start carrying these things out? Wake up tomorrow and we have about nine days left." I asked.

"We'll start gathering creatures to help us. The rest, we can put them in safe houses if their homes are in danger of melting." Brandon explained. "And how about the werewolves?"

"I have the chills whenever those varmints are mentioned. Keep away from them for now." I said.

"Okay... Now, how are we going to make a barrier, rebuild the realm, and build safe houses in nine days?" he pondered.

"How about we split up?" Elias suggested. "We could do the preparations faster."

"Good idea. Now, who's doing what?" Brandon asked.

"Elias and I can help rebuild," I suggested.

"I'll help get the creatures in whatever safe house we could find," Carter said.

"That leaves me doing the barrier..." Chelsea groaned.

"Alright, I guess I'll be the one rotating shifts. I'll also keep contact with the phoenix if we need anything." Brandon shrugged.

"Sure thing," I said.

"Is there such thing as time here in the realms?" Chelsea asked.

"We actually use solar time in the realms. There's no such thing as 5:32 pm or 10:30 am here. All creatures refer to time with sunset, sunrise, lunch, dinner, and such. In this case, all of you should get up before dawn so we can get a bit of a head start in this." Brandon explained.

"Alright then," Elias said.

"Sleep well," Brandon said before retreating to his room. "Oh, and there are granola bars in your room if you were wondering."

"Granola bars?! Yay!" I exclaimed.

"Kayla, calm down," Brandon muttered. "You can scream about granola bars when you get into the room..."

"Sorry!" I whispered.

"Alright, nights guys." Carter also retreated into his room.

"Same here," Chelsea said as she went after Brandon.

After the two doors to Carter's and Chelsea and Brandon's rooms shut, Elias and I were left alone in the living room.

Any further plans? I asked in my mind.

"No, not yet," he replied. "Shall we go sleep?"

"Sure," I said. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow..."

"Yeah..." Elias agreed.

Before I entered our room, I felt a breath of air on my neck.

No doubt that's Brandon... I thought.

Kayla, meet me outside the hideout well before dawn. I have to train you to use your powers before you rebuild the ice is what he said.

Sure. I answered in my mind.

Like I said, it's going to be a long day tomorrow...