Elements

Chapter 6

The woman smiled, and embraced Ira lovingly. "Yes...I am your real mother. I can't believe you're still alive!"

Tears streaked down Ira's cheeks and she wiped them away with her shirt sleeve. "I can't believe I found my mother!"

When they finally stopped hugging, the woman grinned. "What's your name? I never named you when you were born. You were...never mind. I'll tell you later."

"Oh," Ira said. "Ira."

The woman took her hands into hers and massaged her skin. "Ira...I love that name. My name is Nature...Mother Nature."

Ira's eyes widened. "You're Mother Nature? As in, the Mother Nature? The one in the myth?"

Mother Nature shook her head. "It's not a myth. And..." she smiled. "Yes, I'm the Mother Nature."

Ira's jaw dropped to the floor. "I'm the daughter of a queen? Or a fairy? I'm so confused..."

"I'm a goddess, actually," Mother Nature replied smoothly. "You're the daughter of a goddess. Actually, you're a goddess yourself."

"Wait, what?"

"Yes, it's true!"

"Oh my god..."

"Welcome to the Element Kingdom. And..." Mother Nature stepped out of the way. "Meet your siblings. You have encountered all of them recently. I know this is all new for you, being in this magical world. But don't worry. You will adjust. We're just happy to have you home."

Ira smiled and turned. She gasped. There stood the two girls that had brought her here, Nick, and Jane.

"Nice to meet you, sister." Jane grinned and shook Ira's hand. "Remember me?"

"You're my sister?" Ira asked. 

Jane grinned. "You saw me in my garden, right? Well, I'm the goddess of the earth. I tend to nature and protect it from harm."

"I'm the god of fire," said Nick, taking a step forward and reaching out his hand. "I can withstand any heat temperature, and use fire to protect others. I also use fire to burn the homes of evil spirits."

"I'm the goddess of water," The black-haired girl took a step forward and glanced Ira up and down as if trying to see if she's worth the attention. "I control the sea and the ocean. If I get mad, then I cause tsunamis. I use water to my advantage; I help fishermen when they look for fish, although I hate the idea that my poor fish are being eaten by mortals."

"She's a vegetarian," Nick whispered into Ira's ear. "She is adamant to the fact that all living things have feelings, and no creature should be hunted for such a thing. Same thing with Jane."

"Yes, and you better not interrupt me again, Nick. Anyways, I'm the best student in my level, if you know what I mean. But, you don't. Oh well. Just know I'm the best." The black-haired girl sneered.

"And I'm the goddess of air!" The hazel-colored haired girl rushed up to Ira and shook her hand fast. "I create tornadoes when I get mad, and I control the wind. When I'm excited, it is windy outside."

The black-haired girl sighed. "Yes...that happens often. Oh, by the way, my name is Samantha, but my friends call me Sammy. But YOU are to call me Samantha, OK? And that's Blake," she motioned towards the girl with the hazel-colored hair, who was jumping up and down, with the wind roaring outside. "She's always jumpy and bubbly. It's pretty annoying."

"Their god/goddess names are Fury-" Mother Nature motioned toward Nick. "Earthalina-" she motioned towards Jane. "Aquafina-" she motioned towards Sammy. "Breezy-" she motioned towards Blake. "And, last but not least, Crystal."

Ira blinked. "Who's Crystal?"

Mother Nature chuckles. "Why, you, of course!"

"Wait..." Ira hesitated. "What am I the goddess of again?"

Mother Nature grinned. "I've always wanted to tell you. However, hasn't the beautiful enchantress already told you?"

"Wha-" Ira stopped. "Wait, you mean that weird lady that told me a riddle or something in the woods?"

"Precisely."

"She never told me anything about this place," Ira said softly. "She just said a weird riddle. It went like this...I think;

O thee must yelp to Rome,

Where the elements freely go home,

It was a kingdom of pieces,

Bet it now truly sees creases,

Of a destroyer's victory.

It possesses the immortality we seek,

As being Mother's tweak,

Of power.

Mother Nature chuckled. "Close enough." Samantha rolled her eyes.

Ira shrugged. "Mother, please tell me what I am truly the goddess of."

Mother Nature smiled. "You're the goddess of ice and snow."