Elements

Chapter 10

"Ira!" Someone cried, shaking her shoulder. "Get up. Get up!"

Ira opened her eyes lazily and saw the face of Jane. She got up and rubbed her eyes, "What...why are you in my room?"

"I don't have time to explain," Jane said nervously, and anxiously looked around the room. She was rubbing her ring. "But we have to hurry. The Destroyer's after you."

Ira blinked several times. "Who?"

Jane sighed. "The Destroyer. He's the one who kidnapped you as a baby! Look, I can't explain everything now but-"

"Tell me," Ira demanded.

Jane crossed her arms. "You're stubborn, aren't you? Fine. I'll explain. But I'll try to talk fast, and I'm not going to repeat." Jane sat down at the end of the bed, and took a breath.

"When Mother became the queen, some people were jealous of her fame, her beauty, her power. They tried to rebel against her. Fortunately, they all failed. But one of those people was the Destroyer. He managed to invade the kingdom, and steal Mother's most loved value...you. A prophecy his servant had learned from the enchantress, the one who told you your prophecy, recited these lines; One will rise and conquer the evil Lord, from the depths of magic like ice. A short, yet very sophisticated prophecy."

"When you were born, word got around that you were...different. Scratch that, you were special. You were born as the goddess of an...I don't know, object? The point is, you weren't the god or goddess of an element, like me, Nick, Sammy, and Blake. When Mother announced that you were the goddess of ice and snow-"

"Wait, hold up!" Ira interrupted. "I'm also the goddess of snow? So I can make it snow whenever I want!?"

Jane sighs. "Yes. But you have to make it snow responsibly. That's why it barely snows where we live. Mother had to control the snow while you were missing, and she rarely had time to do it, considering she had to control every part of nature every single day, make sure it's not harmed...you know what I mean. So now that we found you, it's your responsibility. You have to make it snow in the winter when the weather seems right. Don't make it snow on a random day in July. No pressure."

"No pressure. Sure." Ira mumbled to herself. 

"Anyways, some of the fairies that like to gossip saw you come to the palace and were dumb enough to tell everyone. Pretty soon, the Destroyer found out. And this time, he wants to destroy you."

"That shouldn't be hard. It's his job, anyway."

"I'm serious. You're in danger." She stood up and opened the door to Ira's room. 

"Wait," Ira sat up. "Who's really the Destroyer? What's his real identity?"

Jane shrugged. "No one knows. Why?"

"Just curious," Ira stood up and walked over to Jane. "But maybe, if we figure out his true identity, we can learn more about him, and more about his weaknesses. That way, we can be more prepared, and we will know what we're facing."

"That's smart," Jane started to rub her ring again. "Mention that to Mother."

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Ira brushed her teeth, took a quick shower, put her clothes down, and ran downstairs into the kitchen. She was wearing a light blue t-shirt, with blue sweatpants. Her hair was slicked back in a ponytail, and she looked more beautiful than ever.

"Let's go." Ira nodded. 

"Go where?" Mrs. Thomson walked up to them and put her hands on their shoulders. "And who's your friend?"

"Umm...I'm Jane." Jane turned around and shook Mrs. Thomson's hand. "Is it OK if Ira spends the day at my house? We have to something really important for school."

Mrs. Thomson frowned. "But Ira, Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Arnold are coming over today for lunch. And you haven't eaten breakfast yet."

"Please, mom?" Ira begged. "It's really important."

Mrs. Thomson sighed. "Sure, honey. But you have to back by 10 pm, otherwise, you're grounded, missy!" She winked at Ira.

Ira smiled. "I promise."

After wearing their shoes, Ira and Jane stepped outside the house and ran into some bushes nearby. 

"How did my mom not see you come into the house and into my room? She had no idea that you existed until you introduced yourself!" Ira whispered.

"I teleported straight from the kingdom. But if I do get caught in your house, I need to have backup lies."

Ira sighed. "I hate lying to my mom."

"Correction...your foster mom." Jane pulled out two stones from her pocket. One had the plant symbol on it, and one had frost designs on it. Jane handed the frost one to Ira. "Here. This is your ticket to the Element Kingdom."

"Cool." Ira held it in her hand. It felt cool and smooth.

"Press and hold the symbol in the center." Jane pointed to the symbol of a tree made of ice at the center of Ira's stone. "You'll be teleported to the kingdom instantly. On the count of three. One, two, three!"

They both pressed and held the symbol at the center of the stone, and it glowed. The scene around them changed, and they were sucked inside their stones. But before Ira was sucked inside, she felt someone touch her shoulder, and the scream of a familiar boy.