Elements

Prologue

So this is a story I've been working on for awhile in my spare time. It centers around four main characters with a supernatural theme.

Let me know what you think!! Comments and critiques are welcome and appreciated but don't feel obligated!! 

Prologue

  Thousands of years ago, when the earth was still young, and humanity was struggling to survive, a small spark of hope was born in the form of a young flame.

  A young boy, born to two inconsequential humans, changed the fate of the world forever. This boy had tremendous power, a power so strong and unstable that he could no more control it than he could understand where it had come from. But to understand is to control. This boy, who eventually grew into a man, had the power to control all four elements: wind, fire, water, and earth.

Some say the gods granted him this power, others claimed that he was created by an extremely powerful alchemist, the likes of which the world had never seen.

Either way, he saved many lives and fought in many battles. But he also ended many lives, for he could not fully control his power. He protected the lives of many and we must follow his example, for we are his descendants and we must continue his legacy. But we must also learn from his mistakes. For if we cannot understand these gifts, we cannot hope to control them...

         The boy put down the book with a sigh. He had read these words over and over his entire life. He had the entire passage memorized years ago, but he still liked to reread them every once in a while. It reminded him of why he was put on this earth: to protect it.

         He walked over to a potted tree sitting in the corner of the room and emptied his glass of water into it. He rested his hand on the sturdy trunk and concentrated. A contented humming was coming from deep within the center of the tree. Good. He feared that if he let this tree die, he would crumble. It seemed like the last thing he had. Everything else was gone: destroyed by the wind.

         The wind howled outside and it was getting cold in his room. A large black wolf -dog sat in the corner of the room and whined at the wind rushing through the curtained windows. With a sigh, the large dog stood up and slowly walked over toward the boy. He absently rested a hand on the dog’s head. A soft whine escaped the beast’s lips; he sensed his master’s distress. The wind always made the boy uneasy. Ever since he could remember it had usually preceded some awful event.

         He peered out the window and noticed that the clouds were gathering. It looked as if a storm was on its way. He could feel the electricity in the air: crackling, waiting for someone to command it to come down and wreak its havoc on the earth. The winds churned the clouds and tore things free, cascading them throughout the sky, and the trees swayed with the forceful gales. And yet, in the middle of it all, a small breeze drifted in his open window, bringing with it the promise of hope. This draft felt nothing like the strong winds that ripped and tore through everything; it caressed the boy’s face and made him think of old times, times when he’d felt loved.

         The boy sighed heavily. It was a sigh filled with deep longing and regret.  He didn’t like to think of those times. They were gone, and there was no point in dwelling on the past. It only hurt.

         The dog nudged the boy’s hand and whined softly. With a sigh, he scratched the dog’s ears once, then turned off the lights and sat on the bed quietly. The dog settled into its corner of the room and set down its massive head with a soft sigh.

         The boy wasn’t sure how long he stared out the window when he felt a shift and the wolf-dog let out a low growl. He jumped up out of bed and rushed to the window. A gasp escaped his lips when he saw the fox sitting patiently just beyond the edge of the forest watching him. When it saw him, the fox gave a squeak of pleasure and started towards him.

         The boy smiled ruefully down at the fox and whispered the word “Kaylee” under his breath. “I’ve missed you...” he muttered.