Tev gripped the bag tightly. Her mother had packed it full of clothes, a couple of bathroom items, shoes, Jack, and twelve gifts, one from each member of her family.
But Tev doubted it was true. She was still angry at her family. Angry they were making her leave, angry they feared her, angry that they treated her differently, even if they were together only for a brief time after they found out.
When she had gotten home after leaving Amayas shed, everyone was spaced out from her. Fei dropped things whenever Tev entered the room. Neven talked to her a little, but she could tell his smile was fake. At least he was treating her better than he was treating his parents.
He didn’t speak to them and could barely look at them. Tev didn’t blame him. She felt betrayed too; it was easy to believe he was upset they kept such a big secret from their oldest child.
Kalani made sure to avoid Tev at all costs, and if Tev tried to talk to her, she only whispered back. The little ones were more caring, though. Probably because they didn’t really understand what was happening.
The twins stayed with her most of the time she was at home, making sure she never had to be alone in her thoughts. Or in an awkward conversation with another family member.
Tev sat the bag down on her house floor. Kalani was in the kitchen by herself, and it was Tev’s last chance to set things straight with her. Kalani was her best friend; she didn’t want to throw it all away and then leave, not knowing if she would return.
Tev silently walked into the kitchen and closed the door. “Kalani, we need to talk.” Kalani visibly tensed so much that Tev was thinking about walking away and considering it a lost cause.
But she didn’t.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, and because you won’t tell me, I’ll tell you what I’m thinking.” Tev wanted to be as straightforward as possible. She didn’t have much time until she walked down the dirt path, through the cobbled streets of the market, and to the edge of her town, not knowing when she would come back home.
“What are you thinking?” Kalani said, her voice flat. Tev didn’t know what Kalani was doing at the counter, but it wasn’t important to her right now.
“I’m thinking you think it was my choice to keep this a secret. I’m thinking you think it was my choice to have all four elements. I’m thinking you think I’m dangerous. That I’m different. That even though we have known each other most of our lives, it means nothing, and you are going to throw it all out the window because something is different.” Tev’s voice started to get a little louder, but as she continued, it started to crack as tears gathered in her eyes.
“I’m thinking that I am going to leave and never come back and never see any of you again.” Tev didn’t need to ask to know that she might… Well, she didn’t want to directly think about it. “I’m thinking that everyone thinks I’m some terrifying monster who’s going to crush or burn down the house. I’m thinking…” Her voice caught in her throat as tears started to drop from her chin.
“That I’m alone.” It was a known house rule to never let your family feel alone. Now that Tev had stopped talking, she heard Kalani sobbing; her head hung.
“K-Kalani?” Tev tried to look at her. “I’m so sorry.” Kalani turned around and threw herself at Tev. They both embraced each other in a hug, crying together. Tev didn’t feel alone anymore.
The kitchen door opened from behind Tev, but the two girls ignored it. Suddenly two more arms embraced them. It was Fei. Smaller arms wrapped around their waists, Celestine, and Caelus. Soon, all her siblings had joined in the hug, and Tev could hear them crying softly too.
Tev felt her anger wash away. She was with her family. She was with the people who loved her. She was safe. Now, as she walked down the dirt path, through the cobbled streets, and to the edge of her town, she didn’t have to look back, regretting that she didn’t fix things with her family.
“Ahem. It is time for us to leave.” Ms. Arcelias voice broke through the tears and sniffles. Once her siblings had let go, Tev saw her parents standing next to the door, sad smiles on their faces; they had watched the hug.
Ms. Arcelia looked a little uncomfortable now, but it was soon covered up by her original sternness. Tev sniffled but nodded. She wasn’t ready but was as close to being so as she ever would be. Lyra handed Tev her bag, and the whole family made their way out of the house.
They walked down the path, and Tev walked with Ms. Arcelia a little bit ahead of her family for a moment. “I’m guessing you want to bring an Air from here?” Ms. Arcelia asked, glancing at Tev. “Yeah. I can only choose one, right?” Tev was starting to think she would rather bring Kalani.
Kalani was her sister, and Zeru was… a list of things Tev didn’t have time to think about. “Yes. I recommend that you not bring family.” Tev looked up at Ms. Arcelia. “Why not?” Tev glanced back at her family; the two men were walking behind them.
“This is dangerous. You may end up in a life-threatening situation; do you want to risk your family’s life when you are already risking yours?” Tev looked back at the ground and mumbled, “Wow, thanks for letting me down easy.” Ms. Arcelia didn’t seem like the emotions type person, but did she not have a single thought about what telling a kid that they’re most likely going to die soon can do?
“So, did you choose someone already?” Ms. Arcelia asked, ignoring Tev’s comment. “Yeah. I made a promise to someone. I don’t know why, but I did.” Tev looked in the direction of Zeru’s house. They were at the cleared market.
Everyone was told to stay out, because going through the market was the fastest way through the town when it was empty. But Tev knew she was being watched from the houses of the people. After giving Ms. Arcelia directions to Zeru’s house, Tev slowed down to walk with her family.
When her siblings questioned Tev as to why she chose Zeru, she said it was dangerous to bring family and blamed it on Ms. Arcelia, saying that she said Zeru was advanced in his element and would make a practical choice. Tev didn’t know if Amaya wanted everyone to know her promise or not, so she decided to keep it a secret.
Tev knocked on the door. A shiver was sent down her spine. She used to always come down here and knock, asking to see Zeru. Even before they were dating, they were obviously friends, so she would come to see if he could hang out, and he would come to her house.
Amaya answered the door and greeted her with a smile. Only Tev saw the secrets and pain hidden in Amayas’ eyes. “Let us just say goodbye.” Amaya told them, and Tev watched Moe say goodbye to Zeru. She also saw him whisper something to Zeru that made him tense, then slip something in the side pocket of the travel backpack he was wearing.
Amaya also gave him something, but Zeru relaxed when he was talking to his mother. Zeru met Tev’s eyes as he walked through the door. “Bye, Amaya.” Tev said, and the group continued their original path to the edge of the town.
Tev separated from her family again, but this time to walk with Zeru. They walked side by side, and Tev thought about the chance that maybe they were equals again. No more fighting or competing to be better so they could put the other down. Maybe they could put their past behind them, at least long enough for them to defeat TBA and come back home.
Tev didn’t know if she should be the one who broke the silence between them, but she didn’t have to. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Zeru said, but Tev couldn’t tell if he blamed her or not. “Which-which part?” Tev asked, because, in all honesty, she felt the same about most of what was going on.
But years of pretending to be calm so the little ones wouldn’t be nervous or sad led her to still do it in other situations. But she was glad she could do that; it saved her many possible embarrassing moments.
“Most of it, actually.” He started to count off his fingers. “I’m leaving town for the first time ever. I’m on some crazy, dangerous mission. And that I’m actually talking to you.” Zeru glanced at her. Tev thought for a moment about how she should respond.
“Well, it was bound to happen.” Zeru looked directly at her this time and replied how Tev hoped he would. “Oh yeah, why?” Tev smirked and, with a flip of her hair, said, “Because I’m just that irresistible.” Zeru snorted and looped his thumbs through his backpack straps.
Tev looked up and saw the puffy cloud lining. A permanent cloud hung around the whole Air town land, marking that it was Air. It was the same for other small towns, but for the bigger cities they had tall gates to prevent other elements from coming in or attacks.
Tev inhaled sharply. She was really doing it. She was really living to go… she didn’t know where, really. Tev guessed she would ask Ms. Arcelia all her questions in a more private place.
“Okay… Ready, honey?” Tev’s mother came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Almost.” Tev gave everyone one last hug. When she was done kissing Abel on the cheek, she saw all her siblings gathered near a nervous-looking Zeru.
She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but before she could go over there, they dispersed and moved back to Tev to give her one last family hug. “Bye. I’ll see you soon.” Tev said and started to walk towards Ms. Arcelia, who was waiting at the gate.
Her family yelled for her to be safe and farewell; she even heard Abel say, “Bye, Tebby!” It made her heart swell to hear his cute voice.
One of the men who were with Ms. Arcelia opened the cloud gate with a special glove. Tev didn’t have a large understanding of how the gates work, but from what she knew, there was a special glove that somehow made it to where you did a special trick to open and build the gates and walls.
Tev and Zeru walked towards the gate, and with tears in her eyes, Tev looked back one more time to see her family waving at her before they passed the gate, and the man shut it.
Tev’s boots touched firm dirt, in front of her were thick woods with a pale dirt path leading into it. She looked around her; to her right was a little more dirt before trees; to her left was the same except there was a horse and carriage standing there.
It was the same one Tev had seen in front of her house a few days ago. Wait, wasn’t that just a few hours ago? She looked at the sun and saw it was low, meaning it was evening and her family would be going to the hotel to eat dinner.
“You two will sit on the left, and I will sit in front of you.” Ms. Arcelia said as one of the men opened the door and the other sat on the front to steer the two brown horses.
Tev side-eyed Zeru. They may have had one friendly conversation, but that doesn’t mean all is forgiven. “Do we have to?” Zeru asked, speaking her thoughts. “I’ll give you two one minute to get over whatever drama is going on before we leave.” Ms. Arcelia climbed into the white carriage and shut the door.
Tev turned to face Zeru, and he did the same. “What did my family tell you?” Tev asked instead of resolving the “drama” first. Zeru shrugged and then said, “To like be nice to you and stuff.” Tev laughed a little. She looked at the cloud fence; it blocked much of her vision, but she could see no one was there now.
“Alright. Let’s put everything behind us. Pretend it never happened. Start out on a clean slate.” Tev said. Zeru nodded. Tev stuck out her hand and said, “Hi. My name is Tevolia. Call me Tev.” Zeru glanced at her hand a moment before shaking it and saying, “Pretty name. I’m Zeru; call me Ze.” That was what they had said the first time they met.
The carriage door opened before they let go, and Ms. Arcelia said firmly, “Time’s up. In.” They dropped each other’s hand and climbed into the carriage. Ms. Arcelia told them to put their things under the yellow seats, and they did.
It was a spacious carriage with large leather seats dyed yellow, with enough room to fit a couple more people. Gold spirals of air decorated the white walls. Tev, oddly enough, felt underdressed in her yellow shirt with white spirals and grey pants for such a beautiful carriage.
Once they were situated, there was a jerk as the carriage started to move. Tev looked out the window of her door to see the trees start to surround her. She turned back to Ms. Arcelia.
“As you know, I am here to answer any questions you may have.” Ms. Arcelia said, her hands folded in her lap. Tev tried to think of which question would be the most important. Where were they going? Where was TBA? Would they die? How old would the other element people be? Would Ms. Arcelia be going with them to TBA?
“Where are we going?” Zeru asked first. “The Water City is the closest, so we will go there first. We will stay there for a couple of days to find someone suited for this task. I recommend that you choose someone around your age. Adults can be… untrustworthy these days.” So, that answered two of Tev’s questions.
“Do you know where The Black Abyss is?” Tev asked, deciding she didn’t really want to think about if she would really die. “We have been able to find their main hideout and prison. We will give you a map once everyone is collected.” That reminded Tev that her parents were alive.
She couldn’t believe she had almost forgotten. But she almost didn’t believe that they were alive at all. “Wait, we’re going to the main Water City? How will we even get in?” Zeru asked.
There were towns and cities all over the world with different elements. But there were four main cities that held the most people and were where a lot of people got their stuff from.
They were also the most heavily guarded. They had the tallest and strongest walls and gates. The only time other elements were allowed in were checked traders who went around the world during trading season selling things to people. Like Tev’s dad.
“You two will go in alone, disguised as Water people, after I get the guards to open the gates. I will not be entering, so I don’t draw attention to you. When you have agreed on a suitable person, you will come back and tell me without letting the person know yet. Then, I will have a guard retrieve them, we will ask if they want to join us, and, if you choose right, they should say yes. I will explain to their parents’ what’s happening, some other things, and we will move onto Fire.” Ms. Arcelia finished; Tev ran the plan through her head.
“How will we disguise as a Water person?” Zeru asked. Tev had guessed she would just use her Water abilities a little, maybe dress as a Water, and she’d be good. “Tev is easy; we just need some clothes for her. You will have to cover your hair and wear contacts because we don’t have time to try and dye your hair blue.” Zeru looked at Tev for a moment, as if he had forgotten she was technically part Water, too.
Water came easier to her than Fire or Earth, so she was glad to be going there first. Tev looked out the window again, getting distracted from her questions. The sun had almost fully set; only a thin line of gold was left.
A feeling of tiredness hit her suddenly as she leaned her head against the wall. Today had been such a long day. First Ms. Arcelia coming, then the fire, then everyone found out her secret, then she learned she would be going on this journey, then a lot of running, and here she is, sitting in a carriage with Zeru, her old nemesis, and Ms. Arcelia, a lady she wasn’t sure if she fully liked or not.
And she was going to the largest element cities to find people who could help her defeat a deadly organization. Soon, her eyelids got heavy, and she gave into the tiredness and fell asleep.
54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMpIRuAIL3
---(AUTHORS NOTE)---
Hey! Thanks for reading!
I enjoyed writing this chapter and I don't understand why I thought I may not make the date, I had a lot of inspiration for it! I didn't want it to end, but I wanted to get this chapter ready to be published.
I hope you enjoyed it, and that I see you in the next chapter! Leave a like so I know you're reading and enjoying it! Have an amazing day/night/endless abyss!
---(AUTHORS NOTE)---
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