Fate of the Forest (A KaoEarth Story)

Three: Kao

《Author Note: Finally finished Chapter Three! I hope it's not too much of an info dump!! Enjoy and let me know what you think!! ♡》

Kao couldn't take his eyes off of him. He watched as Earth absentmindedly bit his lip as he focused on cleaning Kao's wound, their faces mere inches apart. It wasn't until Earth pulled away when he was finished that Kao realized he had been holding his breath.

"There," Earth said, flashing that brilliant smile of his. "All better."

Kao managed to pry his eyes off of Earth long enough to look around the Meadow.
"What is this place?"

"We call it The Meadow."

Kao whipped his head back around to look at Earth. "We?!"

"Yes, there are five of us that live here."

As if on cue, the waterfall parted, revealing a young man who couldn't be much taller than Earth. Kao's jaw dropped when the boy started walking toward them on the water. He couldn't help giving a slight smile when he saw Earth roll his eyes at the other boy.

"Hello, P'Kao!" the young man said when he reached them. "My name is Fluke. I am the water spirit of this forest."

The boy wore a light blue shirt under a pair of overalls that looked almost too big for his slight stature. He looked around the same age as Earth, but if Earth never aged, were they really the same age? Did that mean Fluke never aged as well?

Kao was still trying to sort through his thoughts when a fiery explosion startled him, knocking him off the rock he was sitting on. When the smoke cleared, Kao saw a tall boy with dark hair standing in the middle wearing a deep burgundy shirt with black pants. "Hello, P'Kao. My name is Ohm. I am a fire spirit."

"Did you guys have to be so dramatic?" Earth whined from where he appeared by Kao's side. He frowned and furrowed his eyebrows as he helped Kao to sit back up on the rock again. "An explosion, Ohm? Really?"

"We had to make our grand entrance," Ohm said, wrapping his arms around Fluke from behind. Kao wondered if they were a couple, but it wasn't a mystery for long because he could see it in Fluke's eyes as he looked back up at Ohm. Their looks were so strikingly opposite, Fluke's bright, cool tones with Ohm's dark, warm tones, but Kao could see they were a match in every way just by the way they looked at each other.

"But you didn't have to frighten P'Kao," Earth pouted, which made Kao smile. He was cute when he was angry.

"I'm fine, really," Kao said, watching the three boys in awe. He had so many questions! "So you three are....?"

"We're called Elementals," Fluke said.

"But what are Elementals exactly?"

"We are the spirits that protect this forest and the world around it," Earth explained, pausing a moment as if to give Kao a chance to process, but he only watched Earth with curious eyes so he continued. "This forest, specifically this meadow, is a sort of doorway that connects our worlds."

"Another world?"

"It's only a spirit world," Ohm clarified. "We can only go there in our elemental spirit forms but it is where we connect with the other Elementals."

Kao was silent for a moment. It was a lot for his brain to process. "How many Elementals are there?"

"Hundreds," Fluke said. "But only five of us that reside in this forest. This forest is special and contains much power. That is why it is the home of the High Elemental and his four most powerful Guardians."

"Is the High Elemental like...a king? Or something?"

"He is the most powerful of all Elementals, with the ability to control all elements," said Ohm.

Kao looked around at the three boys before him. "And you guys are..."

"The Guardians," Earth said. "We were each gifted with the ability to control our elements, and we have become the most powerful of the Elementals and therefore chosen to protect this forest and the High Elemental. I am an earth Elemental."

"I kind of figured that much, with your name and all." Kao looked at Earth and their eyes locked for a brief moment as a smile played on Kao's lips which made Earth burst into laughter. Kao made a mental note to make Earth laugh more.

"So, where are the other two?" Kao asked, looking around the Meadow.

"Prem is the air spirit and the personal Guardian of the High Elemental," Earth explained.

"And by personal Guardian, Earth means Prem is the High Elemental's lover," Fluke added with a wink. "Prem and P'Boun should be back any minute now."

Before Fluke could even finish his sentence, the breeze in the Meadow started to pick up until Kao had to shield his eyes from the wind. When the wind died down, there were two figures standing before them.
Kao had to admit, they made a handsome couple. The shorter one with dark hair wore a white shirt with a wide collar tucked into the waist of his black pants. Kao figured that he must be Prem because he had a protective arm in front of the other boy.

The tall boy, Boun they called him, wore a long black shirt belted at the waist over long black pants which were a stark contrast to his silver hair which was pulled back neatly, showing off several pieces of jewelry adorning both of his ears. His dark eyes watched Kao suspiciously as Kao noticed the markings on his arms symbolizing the four elements.

Awestruck, and slightly intimidated, Kao knew he was face to face with the High Elemental himself.