The Elementals (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 39

The doors, which were made of sparkling crystal (No surprise there) and decorated with shining gold and silver designs, swung inwards silently. Bright light from inside shone outside, momentarily blinding all of us.

I turned my head away, eyes squinted and arms lifted to block as much light as possible. "Damn, this is exactly like some dramatic movie scene." Noah chuckled as the light soon slowly slipped away, finally allowing us a clear view of the Palace's inside.

"Wow," Maddie breathed out.

"This is...oh my God, there are no words to describe this at all." Flynn's voice was full of awe as he glanced around the large hall.

The whole place was transparent crystal (Of course) that allowed the bright sunlight to pass through, while still keeping privacy. It looked like the scene from Frozen where Anna first steps into Elsa's castle, just made of crystal instead of ice.

Small bursts of magic could be felt everywhere in the Palace, even just by standing still in the room. I gently placed a hand on the wall next to me. The crystal at the spot underneath my hand lit up and it glowed gold. Through it, I could see a beautiful view of the forest we had spent two days walking through and a small bubbling stream where clear water flowed. Just then, a flock of white birds flew past me and further down above the stream, before scattering into the woods.

It was simply breathtaking.

The hall also served as a throne room. When I shifted my view to the other side of the room, there were 9 thrones arranged in a perfect semi-circle, all shining brightly with different colours of each Element.

A flurry of colours whizzed past my eyes and into my mind. The Leaders were arranged in the typical Element order, with Light and Electricity at the outer ends, before slowly reaching to the Supreme Leader sitting in the middle.

My eyes drifted past the Leaders of their own accord and a pair of familiar clear blue eyes met my own blue ones. Thorne smiled at me warmly and I sent a polite one back.

He then stood up from his elegant crystal throne that shimmered different colours and addressed us with his hands outstretched. "Welcome, young ones."

The Leaders didn't even seem the least bit surprised or taken aback once we entered the Palace. That's weird. I frowned a little.

In fact, by the way things seemed, they were sitting in the throne room, looking regal as always, counting down the minutes till we walked into the room.

"We have been expecting you." Suspicions now confirmed.

"Uh...okay. We were sent by Sara Nicholson, your former trusted spokesperson?" Daniel spoke up bravely.

The Life Leader, Fayre, nodded and rose up gracefully from her seat on her golden throne with a gentle smiling face. She looked at Daniel and spoke, "We already know, of course. There's not much you don't know when you're a Life Elemental, especially after becoming a Leader." That sounded like she was telling Daniel about the time when he would take the position of Life Leader soon.

"Then, as you already know," I stepped in. "We want to consult you about what to do. Our friends and classmates are getting possessed one by one and we have no idea how to stop them."

"The numbers of the possessed Elementals are increasing by the second. With every person being controlled, everyone else is put at risk, including the other Elementals, supernaturals and even humans." Lily said, shaking her head sadly.

A man stood up from a sea blue throne. Waves were created to enhance the effect of the crashing ocean. They even bobbed around like the real sea. Wait. I peered closer. Those were actually real waves. My eyes widened. He was sitting on a throne made of water. Can you say cool?

But then again, I've seen Mrs Underwood trap Liam inside a cage of water. That plus the liquidfied chair, greatly pushed up my standards of awesomeness.

The man, whom I now concluded to be Sandon, the Water Leader, cleared his throat. "I assumed you've already talked to Marina Underwood, my former apprentice?"

"Yes," Logan nodded. "She then sent us to Principal Nicholson, who then sent for an audience to you."

Sandon nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. "So I can spare the boring stuff - I mean less important things." He quickly amended after the female Earth Elemental shot him a look.

I smirked a little. It was nice to know that the Leaders could still be like normal people and not sticklers to the laws all the time, which was totally the opposite of what I was expecting.

"So, back to business," Thorne clapped his hands and sat back down again along with Fayre.

"This controlling of Elementals...it's saddening to say that this isn't the first time that this has occured. And it wasn't easy ending it the first time."

"Wait, Thorne. My, you're still as rude as ever." The Electric Leader then shot up from the sparking yellow bolts of her electric throne.

"What?" Thorne sounded so confused with what he had done wrong. "Blanche, what did I do?"

Blanche made a tsking sound, chiding him gently. "It's what you didn't do. Offer them a seat! Poor children, they must be tired from all the walking they had to do. Have I not taught you anything, Thorne, after all these years?"

"Oh," Thorne chuckled. "Alright, Blanche." He snapped his fingers and 9 armchairs magically appeared, right behind us.

"Please sit, Blanche will have my head if you don't."

"Oh yes, I will. Sit, make yourselves at home." Blanche beamed at us.

We then exchanged looks with one another before bending down to sit. And wow, let me tell you from experience, that armchair was the most comfortable one ever.

A sigh of content and satisfaction escaped all our lips simultanously. "Armchair, I am never letting you go." Rachel cooed to the chair, nestling in further.

Thorne laughed again, along with the other Leaders and us. Rachel blushed a little in embarrassment as if she just remembered that she was in the presence of the 9 rulers of the Elemental species. And partially also because of the amused face the Ice Leader was giving her. When I looked closer, I could actually see in his eyes this...look of...pride? More of like he was impressed by something.

"Well," Fayre broke our laughing fit by interjecting. "It's good that you're seated anyway, thanks to Blanche's motherly instincts." She raised an eyebrow at Thorne. "Unlike her husband who has no basic manners whatsoever."

Thorne opened his mouth to protest while Fayre cut him off smoothly. "I've lived with you for a thousand years and I see you shoveling food down your mouth so fast during dinner every day it's scary. So don't argue with me here."

Thorne closed his mouth. "Point taken. But she's right. At least you can be in comfort when we tell you the news we have been keeping specially just for you until this very moment. Let's just hope that you don't fall off the chair once you hear it."

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Hey y'all lovely peeps :D Early update woooo for like the first time in forever lol. I might might might be updating twice but I'll have to see 'cause there's been a mixup and Chapter 13 is gone and replaced by Chapter 23. Somehow. Like seriously, how did that even happen in the first place? *Shrugs* So I'm gonna have to rewrite it and set it straight.

The pic above is kinda how I imagined the Palace. At least, this was the best I could find on Google :P This is sorta a filler chapter and next chapter the Leaders will tell the gang the very important news which will probably make them fall off the chairs. Sorry Thorne :P

So the usual: Comment, vote and hope that I'll update again with Chapter 40! :)