(very old) the Seals of Elements (discontinued for now)

[Chapter 31]

---Hunter---

It took Jade another week and a half to fully recover.
In that time I found out that my connection with the Seal of Air had given me all kinds of new abilities.
One day I was doing a foot race with some of the guards who were just bored.
Just before the finish, one started to catch up and I knew that I wasn't going to make it.
I don't really know how I did it, but the world around me fell away in a flash.
Then I was all of a sudden standing on the other side of the finish line.
When I asked the guards they told me that I had turned into lightning.
When they told me that I thought that they were just joking, but Alexander told me that he had the same ability.
It was called lighting riding.

In the days that followed after that Alexander taught me how to control my newfound power.
In between training, I went to Jade and brought her some food.
Her father hadn't been happy with our declaration of love for each other.
He one day came to me and told me;
"I don't want you to bring her in any trouble, you hear me?"
I had laughed and replied, "With all due respect your Highness, but your daughter is just as much a trouble magnet as I am."
After that, he had scoffed and left me.

I also had been training hard to forge a connection with the other Seals.
My most powerful Element was Fire.
Alexander told me that it wouldn't be long before I forged a connection with its Seal.
Then the Elements of Water and Earth came second.
But Time manipulation was still hard.
It just comes and goes.
Alexander figured, that when I was in mortal danger time would slow down.
I asked one of the archers to one day during training shoot me.
I asked him to do it when I least expected it.
It worked.
That day I had been training my Earth control.
All the hair on my arms stood straight up and I could feel time slow down.
I turned around and saw the arrow a couple of centimeters away from my shoulder, moving so slowly that it was almost noticeable.
I grabbed it out of the air and time sped up again.
So it at least works sometimes. I thought.
It must be because you knew it was going to happen so you had your magic prepared. Alexander theorized.
Yeah, maybe. I replied absently.

On the last day of Jade's recovery, I counted how long I had been in Akeridia already. I came to a rough conclusion of three months, three weeks, and five days.
It is my eighteenth birthday next month. I thought.
I decided to tell Jade.
She was sitting upright in her bed, eating some cake Ayra had brought her.
"Morning sunshine," I said.
She put down the fork and looked at me. "Good morning Hunter."
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling great. Better than before. But I still can't use my magic." She replied.
I shrugged. "Soon. Now just physically recover, magic can do that later."
"Remember that I told you that I wanted to show you something?"
"Yes, I do," I said, a little confused.
"Tomorrow at nearly midnight. Come to the garden."
"Okay..." I said, still confused.
"I actually wanted to tell you that my birthday is in a month."
She sat up a little straighter.
"Really? That is amazing. Then we can give you a party."
I laughed. "Sure. Just keep it small. I don't want the entirety of Akeridia to know I'm turning eighteen."
She also laughed. "Don't worry about that."
We chatted for some more and when I was about to leave she grabbed my wrist. "Garden, midnight. Don't forget, okay?"
"I will be there," I said.

I stood there in the cold in the middle of the garden.
It was beautiful.
There were all kinds of flowers in all kinds of colors and shapes.
And in the middle of it, there was a giant tree.
Then I heard footsteps behind me.
I turned around and saw Jade.
"So what did you want to show me?"
"Can you climb trees?" She asked, walking over to the big tree in the middle of the garden.
"Yes," I said, not sure what she wanted.
"Good," she replied and she started climbing.
I shrugged and followed her.
Between the higher branches, there was a big wooden platform with a rug, pillows, and books everywhere.
"What is this?" I asked.
Jade took a lantern and held it out to me.
I understood what she wanted and sent a small stream of fire into it.
"This was built for me when I was little, but I sometimes still come here for some rest. This is one of the last Shadow-blossom trees. It doesn't lose its leaves during the autumn or winter, meaning that almost nobody knows of this place."
"Cool." And I meant it. As a kid, I always wanted a treehouse, but it is rather hard to build a treehouse without trees.
I looked up and through an opening in the leaves, I could see the stars.
I pointed upward. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" I asked.
Jade came sitting next to me. "Yes."
She laid her head on my shoulder and covered the lantern with a thin cloth.
"It is amazing," I said, resting my head against hers.
"Do they have the same stars where you come from?"
I looked if I could see the Big Dipper. Then I found it.
"Yes, I think we do."
Then an explosion sounded.
We both shot up.
"What was that?" Jade asked.
"I don't know but it came from the city."
Then I heard another explosion and shouting.
"To arms! The city is under attack!"