ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs (ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏɴᴇ)

PROLOGUE

Who could imagine that a birthday would end in tragedy?
-
It was the fourteenth day of summer. The day had started out perfectly. There was no sign of fear or worry in the air and the weather was beautiful as well. There were a few fluffy white clouds dotting the pale blue sky and some blocked out the ever rising sun,

It had the promise of a day that nothing could go wrong with. Oh how wrong that assumption was...

Five young adults in their late thirties - each with bright hair - to men, three women each stood on a rocky sided cliff overlooking a beautiful field with a white marble gazebo in the center.

The woman with bright red hair stepped forward and walked down a stone staircase cut into the side of the cliff. A small smile was on her lips as she approached the grand white marble gazebo.

The remaining ones stood up there for a moment later, then a man with deep brown hair that appears to be mixtures of brown shades stepped forward slightly

He turned to the others with him before letting out a sigh and gesturing towards the staircase. The rest of them walked down with the brown haired man following close behind them

When the five of them reached the gazebo, they took a glance at glance at each other while standing at a point of the gazebo.

"Well, today's the day huh?" The women that had bright sandy blonde hair with ocean blue streaks said as she stood in front of a golden wave symbol that was on the gazebo's marble column.

"Indeed it is Atlantis," the man with silver hair said to the woman. His eyes were a bright sky blue and had moving white clouds in the irises. He stood in front of a swirling silver symbol that was also attached to the gazebo.

"Hush! I'm trying to concentrate!" The woman who had pale snow white colored hair exclaimed as she folded her hands in front of her. Her ice blue eyes watching the silver snowflake shaped symbol that was placed before her on the column.

The redheaded woman shot her a glare before turning around too peer at the rising sun behind them. She let out a soft sigh before looking back at the others that were gathered with her.

"We must start soon." The voice of the brown haired male broke the others out of their thoughts and arguments. They all turned to him and then glanced at each other. Nodding the five of them turned their attention to the symbols in front of them.

With a small chant, them and the symbols began to glow a bright golden color. The five kept their eyes closed as they continued their chant. A small gemstone came out of each symbol's glow and floated towards each of them.

Once it landed in their hands, they stopped their chanting and the glow faded away. They opened their eyes and smiled down at the small gemstones in their hands. Each of them turned away and walked back up the rocky stairs, onto the cliff, and away from the magical white marble gazebo.
-
The sound of chatter filled the air of a small cove as the five young adults sat at benches, each watching their eldest children play with their younger siblings.

Smiles were on everyone's face as they played and enjoyed the day. Today was the elemental royale's youngest children's birthday. For four of them, it was their first birthday, but for the last it was her second birthday.

All of the elementals, both young and old, were celebrating more than just a birthday today. They were celebrating the raising of rank for their eldest children. When they would become the Crown Prince or Princess of their element.

Yet, something felt off to the Queen of Ice. This wasn't right. But, she tried to shrug off the feeling, knowing that today was important for so many reasons.

As the day went on, the royal elementals began to gather their children so they could begin with the ceremony. Then a shadow loomed over the cove. A strange gust of wind blew through and the ground began covered in cement as did all of the plants and trees.

"Protect the children!" One of the elementals called while they struggled to shield their children from this dark force. "And save the elements!" The same elemental shouted as they stood their ground and hid the crystal they had gotten earlier.

"Let us help!" The eldest children cried out to their parents as they struggled to come forward from behind them. Looking at each other, the elementals gave a nod before turning back to their elder children.

"Take your siblings and leave," they said just as a loud boom echoed across the cove. The young teens looked at their parents with a pleasing look, but they gave them their response sternly.

"Run."