The Elementals

Chapter 2: Further Orders

Alexis woke early the next day and packed a small bag of clothes. She stopped at the front door as she prepared to leave, glancing over her shoulder at her parents' room one last time, then quietly stepped out. She followed the stone path as if going to school but stopped barely halfway up the hill, turning right onto the grass and walking through the trees. Stepping carefully through he undergrowth around her and turning her attention to the side of the hill, she spotted the hidden opening crafted from the earth that was the armory. It was outlined in stone so that it held strong, the small detail near invisible from the sheen of vines covering its entrance.

Upon entering, she saw Noah, Elizabeth, and Candice sitting at a large round table in the center of the room. Around them, swords, bows, axes, maces, and other weapons lined the walls. She took in the sight briefly before sighing.

"Good Morning, Air," Sivath greeted as he came out of a separate room in the back and approached her. He looked down at her with piercing yellow eyes and circled her, giving her body a quick once-over. "Small... I think we have a cloak you can fit," he said, going back to where he had come from.

"O-Okay," Alexis stuttered, moving towards the table and tossing her bag to the ground.

"Yeah, he's pretty intimidating," Candice said softly with a smile as the other girl took her seat. Noah leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, staring at Alexis. She nervously glanced at him and then back to the table, straightening her dark blue shirt in a self-conscious manner. Galzra suddenly came out of the back room where Sivath had gone, carrying a mass of dark colored cloth. He walked over to the table and pulled apart the tangled fabric to show they were a type of hood.

"These are the cloaks that members of the Guard have. We wear them when we leave town; they're yours to keep," he said, giving Noah, Candice, and Elizabeth medium and a small to Alexis. "The large is for Earth and this other medium is for Fire. When they get here you won't have much longer to wait before you can start travelling." As he went back to the other room, the teens stood and put on their cloak, the soft fabric hugging their bodies.

They were a dark purple color, like that of wine, with a hood on the top end and no sort of design. A single black button and a loop of string made it to where it would hold at the neck when connected, allowing the fabric to barely touch the ground. As they adjusted, Brandon and Kyle made their appearance.

"Perfect timing," Sivath said, exiting the back room once again, but this time with a large duffel bag in hand. "Clear the table." Noah didn't hesitate to move the things they had off of the surface while Alexis walked over to Brandon and Kyle with their cloaks.

"Medium for you," she said with a smile as she handed Kyle his. Glancing up at Brandon, she looked back to the cloak and held it up against her body for a size comparison. "A large for you." He gave a light smile and took the item from her.

"I'm literally a whole foot taller than you," he said, throwing it over his shoulders and buttoning it.

"All of you over here," Galzra growled from his spot beside Sivath. The six elements got around the table and looked at the weapons the dragons had laid out. Large swords, steel maces, heavy axes, and sharpened daggers were neatly lined up with their proper sheath beside them.

"Although you control something powerful, there are times in combat when you will not be fast enough to conjure something for protection. At some point while you are out there, I guarantee there will be a time that an enemy will get close enough to you that your element cannot help," Sivath explained, leaning over the table. "You need some sort of close range weapon with you, ready to be drawn, at all times. Before you know it you could be in a life or death situation, and what happens all depends on how fast you reach for your weapon."

"We will allow you to choose what you wish to carry with you, but you need to know how to use it effectively. I know it does not take much to know how to use a sword, for example, but you do not swing it around carelessly," Galzra said. The teens exchanged a few looks with eachother, then started to pick their weapons.

Kyle was the first to grab a sword, Noah and Elizabeth choosing the same, while Brandon grabbed two axes and weighed them in his hands. Candice continued to examine the weapons, then took a mace. Alexis reached for a dagger yet hesitated, grazing the leather grip with her fingers.

"Can I take two?" she asked, looking to Brandon and then at the dragons. They nodded in response and started to help them with getting their sheaths on in the desired location; they were hidden under the cloaks they wore perfectly. They picked up their bags and faced the dragons, waiting for more instruction.

"The King has asked us to mention that He wants you to check the surrounding area of each town as you go, and wants it to be clear that there are villages not too far from some. Many farther down have already been destroyed, we are well aware of that, but if you stumble upon one there needs to be a thorough search done on what is left to see if we can gather survivors," Sivath explained. The six nodded and shuffled their feet, fiddling with their gear.

"Keep this among yourselves; the town mayors have not yet been notified that help is on the way, and we do not need the news of the King sending the elite members of the Guard spreading. If word gets out, you will be hunted," Galzra warned, resting his red eyes on everyone. "Most of all, do not forget you need each other. Your greatest opposite may become your best ally." Noah and Kyle glared at each other as Candice nervously glanced at Elizabeth.

"Go now. Keep everything we have said here in mind as you travel," Sivath growled. The teens filed out on command with Elizabeth in the lead, getting back onto the path and heading towards the front gate. They took in the sights and sounds of the sleeping town and cherished each moment. Members of the Guard that patrolled in the mornings nodded to them and continued on without a second glance. Passing through the gate, the two centaurs keeping watch wished them luck briefly. The six walked at a well-paced speed, leaving the town behind them to slowly grow smaller.