Deep Roots

Chapter One

Phoenix

I stare at the lake. The beautiful blue giving an indication the sky is clear as the sun is slowly trickling to the center of the sky. The lake is so smooth, like a flat piece of blue glass and resembles the shape of a wonky lily pad. Reflected in the very corner I see a few twisted branches that seem to trying to reach out and grab something.

Turning around, I spot the tree. Not an ordinary tree, a massive tree.

The base took 5 minutes to walk around and it stretches up towards the clouds. The gnarled roots are the size of giant's arms as they snake in and out of the smooth, grassy earth. The leaves are as big as my hand and they lay on the ground like a thick, green carpet.

The founders of the tree are Montem, Tempest, Ignis, Flumine, Ipsum and Follis. They provide us with a safe home in the hollow trunk. We are separated on different levels by the element we have abilities to wield. Earth is at the base, they wield the magic of stone and dirt. They sometimes have capabilities to morph into rocks and their personality is quite stubborn, they never liked being proved wrong. But despite that, they are honest and trustworthy and have a major part to play in keeping our tree safe.

The next level up is Fire, that's the element I'm in. They have a strong-willed personality, tongue's as sharp as thorns and wild and unpredictable tempers. They sometimes have the ability to morph into fire creatures, for instance, dragons and phoenix's. And can create fire at the click of their fingers. They are extremely loyal and will stand up for what's right, even though they may make a mistake in the heat of the moment, they will always mend things in the end.

Then taking a step up, we are met with Water. They are as calm as a gentle flowing river; they are collected but can have some wild mood swings at times. Just like how suddenly a placid ocean can turn into a raging storm, tipping boats upside down and unforgivingly watching the sailors flail in the whirling currants. They can wield water, bending it and morphing it into shapes with a wave of their hand. They are a very kind group and can deal with tricky situations easily.

Nearing the top of the tree, there is Air. They are free-willed and independent people, always relying on themselves. They stand up for what's right but will occasionally tell a white lie for the greater good. The people of Air are very claustrophobic, tight spaces make them fidget a lot because the long for the open spaces and freedom. They have capabilities of flying, and can morph into species that can spread their wings and lift their feet off the ground. Most of them are born with wings on their back, and they enjoy the feeling of a breeze pressing against their skin.

Now that we are at the tangled branches at the top, we are greeted with our last element, Spirit. They are the vague and out of touch sort of people, but when you strike up a conversation with them, they are the most intelligent people you will ever meet. They have the qualities of telekinesis, visions of the future and can dive deep into your mine. It's sounds creepy when you put it like that , but honestly they are very nice people.

All of these elements are hidden behind an old wooden door at the base of the ginormous tree.

Shaking my head, I snap back to reality. Similar to how a wave suddenly slaps against a rock at the beach and the spray leaps high into the air. Looking down at the lily-pad shaped lake; I notice my reflection settling into the smooth water.

Shiny ginger hair greets me, streaming down my shoulders like a cascading waterfall. The hair being so silky and soft was unlike the hair of any person living in Fire. The iris of my eyes was a striking blue, sometimes indigo like the deepest sea, and then it sometimes is as blue as the sky. But despite what shade of blue it was, there were always golden flecks dancing around the pupil. It made my eyes look like a pool of water with fairy lights glittering at the bottom. They would be nice if I was in a different element, but they're definitely not what my eyes should look like. They should be a warm brown, gold or amber, like the eyes of other Fire people.

Freckles are sprinkled on my cheeks like fairy kisses and my skin is a pale shade, making me look fragile. It was like I would just blow away in the wind. I should have tanned skin, but I don't. So I am stuck looking like the ugly duckling compared to everyone else in the element I supposedly belong in.

There is something strange going on. I feel like I don't belong in Fire. I feel like I should be in Water. It's like someone decided to twist my destiny so I would end up with my least favourite element. So when I was sorted into the element Fire, I thought it was a joke. Any element would be better, Spirit, Earth, Air or Water. Anything just not Fire.

When you are ready to be sorted into your element, you are taken to a special room. The room has the roots of the giant tree dangling from the ceiling, twisting and tangling in mesmerizing patterns. Five larger roots spread across the room like a starfish, these five represent the elements and they all have intricate patterns and symbols carved into the smooth wood. The roots spiral down the walls and join together in the middle, where it forms a small table. A book rests on the table, an old weathered book with the yellow pages that have started curling at the corners. A book so old the spine was falling apart.

This book has the capabilities of sorting you into the element you belong with. You simply place your hand on the open pages of the book, and tiny delicate writing will appear on the page. Fire, Water, Earth, Air  or Spirit becomes written on the page in delicate cursive writing. Whichever one is written on the page is the one you are sorted into.

After you are sorted into your new element, you are given a necklace. All of them are the shape of a teardrop, and have a similar size to your eye. Dark and light dance in the gemstone in loose swirls and the colour of it depends on your element. If you are in Earth, it is a green, similar to the colour of a grassy bank, or a dense jungle. If you're in Fire, it glows with amber, almost like the gemstone is a small sun. Water is blue, the color  of the ocean, and is flecked with white as if it has foam crashing against the shore in gentle waves. The gemstone for Air is a pure white, with streaks of light grey as if it is a soft fluffy cloud. Then there is Spirit which is the strangest coloured of them all, a queer pale turquoise which could almost be called grey.

After you get your precious necklace, you are then ushered out of the small room and out into the open, to face the real world.

But there is no certain age that you become chosen; it is when the world decides you are ready. Not when you decide.

You get sorted into your element when you started showing signs of power. It is often noticed when you begin to feel strange tingling sensations in your fingers. It's just a faint sensation at first, like a small voice in the back of your mind. But then it grows, like sparks are dancing on your fingertips. Whispers float around your head like wispy clouds. You can't manage to make out the soft sounds, but the gibberish words fill you with strength. Pretty soon your brain starts tuning into every detail; your eyes, ears, mouth and nose pick up everything. Soon all of the tingling, whispering and focusing makes your head feel overloaded. At that very moment is the time you are ready to be sorted into the element that you are destined to live with and be guided with forever. At that moment, was when my whole life started turning south.

I was a late bloomer, the average of showing your signs of magic are around 12 years of age. Some might even be early, but I was late. It was only till the age of 14 that my powers showed up. I was so disappointed when I didn't get it at the age of 12, but when it was my fourteenth birthday; the tingling happened I was filled with hope and excitement that I would be sorted into Water.

Little did I know that when I was sorted into my element, the future I believed I'd have, would dissolve like a bath bomb in water.

Hello Everyone! In this story, or this little adventure, the chapters will be alternating between Eve's, and my (Miranda's) writing. My character is darling Phoenix, as you have already met. And Eve's character is Lynn, who you will be meeting in the next chapter. I hope you like our little creative writing. It's a concept that Eve made up a while ago, and I decided to hop in and join the fun! We had been debating to publish this on Wattpad or just keep it to ourselves. So I guess you know which one we chose... Anyhow, enjoy the next chapter!

Miranda

xx