(The New) Power of the 8 Elements: Part One

Chapter Thirty Four: Portal

"Loneliness is part of being human. It reminds us that we are not complete in ourselves." - David Runcorn
PRESENT DAY
PHOENIX

I lay in the bed, moping. It was Saturday morning. The team didn't talk at all. I forgot to give the time piece to Bellroc. It sat on my nightstand. When I wake up, my hair is all over my pillow. My eyes are dry. Quite frankly, I do not look as graceful as people say winter is. But that's how I've been all week—all over the place. Mom and Dad's schedules have gone crazy, too. I don't know when they're going to be at the house or not, but it's not like it matters. The team has been disbanded.

We are nothing to each other. Celeste and Lucifer sometimes talk. Ferdinand and Bones were always friends. Amaya and Terri sit together at lunch, but I refuse to sit near anyone, and I chose a spot where no one sits. Sometimes I get letters from Skrael. That's the one thing that cheers me up now. That and the pictures of smiley faces Nari draws in the corner of the page.

Mom and Dad are working almost all day, so Terri and I pretty much have the entire house to ourselves. The sunlight is peaking through my window. The blinds are wide open, so there's a lot of light. I check my phone, and it reads 11:00. I usually don't sleep this late. I jump out of my bed and transform into demigod form. What's the point in hiding if everyone in the house right now knows?

I look through my closet and try to find something that fits me. Skrael and Nari raided a store a few days ago and "bought" clothes that were my size, so I've been trying some on. A simple blouse and jeans will do. I go downstairs, and Terri is on the couch with a piece of toast.

"Good morning," He says. "I didn't want to wake you up, so I waited until you woke yourself up."

"Thank you," I say.

"So...what are we doing today?"

"I'm probably organizing my dresser. Then I'll go to the Arcane Order's place."

"You always go to the Arcane Order's place. Don't leave me here alone."

"You can take care of yourself just fine," I say, putting a bagel in the toaster and pushing the button down.

"Do you only go because of Skrael?"

"What? No! We are friends."

"What about Nari? You always talk about Nari."

"Nari and I are friends, too. You don't see me talking about you and Bones, do you? You two seemed to get along just fine when the team was still together."

Terri groans. "Terry, stop treating the team like it's dead. It's not!"

"Oh, really? I don't see you going to Celeste's house to talk."

"I was talking to her the other day, and she says she misses us. She misses all of us. You know, you don't have to always sit alone. Just because you're a demigod doesn't mean we don't-"

"-I thought I was dangerous."

"Glamour's just stupid."

I jump on the island and look at Terri, tilting my head to the side. I sigh. "You're probably right. Besides, I miss Xan."

"Same. I'll probably check on him later. I want to see how long it'll be before we get Ava to go home."

"Not really, I like staying here," Ava says, coming from the living room, holding a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies.

"When did you wake up?"

"At 7:23."

"She's an early bird," Terri says.

"I see, but don't you want to go back home?"

"Well, it's not as interesting there. Of course, I miss my family, but I would like to either bring them here or bring you there."

"It won't work that way," I say. "Maybe I could ask Bell to transport you. I'll see."

The bagel comes up from the toaster, and I open the refrigerator to get some butter.

"There have been a series of robberies..." a reporter on the news says.

My ears and wings perk up. I realize she is talking about here and the robberies from the Evil Angel, Nereid, and Thrax. I look at Terri, and he looks at Ava.

"We should've stopped her," I say, aggressively covering the bread in butter.

"We had no idea what we were walking into," Terri says. "Besides, with Thrax injured, she'll probably have to back down."

"No, I bet they're all out there robbing a store somewhere." I take the plate up the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"To eat this in my room."

"But you'll get crumbs in your bed. Crumbs mean ants."

"Honestly, I don't care. I'll be cleaning my room anyway."

I close the door and lie in bed. The bagel with butter sits on my nightstand. I grab my phone and check to see if I have any new text messages. None. I don't blame the others for blocking me. I did put them in danger, and I bet the last thing they wanted was for me to send them a call or a text saying that I needed their help. Had I been them, I totally would've ignored myself, too.

I could hear Terri and Ava's footsteps coming upstairs. I was too lazy to close the door, so I just left it wide open. I close my eyes while eating the bagel. As soon as I take a bite, I hear a metallic rattling noise. I sit up, thinking that something is in the bagel, but I realize that the time piece is shaking, and the ruby is glowing.

"What the...?"

The time piece begins shaking faster and faster. I get out of the bed and stand over it. Terri walks into the room.

"What's going on?" He asks.

"The time piece..."

"Like a timepiece?"

"No, Terri, it's an Arcane Order thing, but it's glowing."

I reach to pick it up, but there is a flash of light in my face and a portal opens behind me, sucking me into a world I'd never known.