Death of the Elements

CHAPTER 3

Quara hurried down the hallway as fast as her long and slender dress would allow. Her shoulder length blonde hair matched her dress, red and white jewels inlaid in various patterns all across the soft fabric. The woman herself was gorgeous, her curvy body filling the dress in just the right places, pushing her beauty past objectivity and closer to fact. Even the look of despair on her face did nothing to hide her flawlessness. She ran though the elegant but empty corridors that were styled with red stone floors and white walls; gold trim filling every corner. Quara went down hallway after hallway, all of them decorated with the same bland elegance. The blonde came to a stop when she finally reached a tall white door, gold and red leaves running up its length in a circular shape. She pushed it open with both hands, hearing a very familiar argument coming from inside.

"Princess you have to dress like a lady of the court. Your father hasn't given you the finest of everything so you can dress like a mercenary!" Tarishi yelled, her plain grey dress matching her thinning hair.

The weathered old woman was holding up a green and gold dress, emphatically shaking it in the face of Quara's sister. Her sister was scowling back but paying her no mind as she tucked a handgun into her belt next to her knife. Although they were family the two of them looked nearly nothing alike, her younger sister a slender brunette with plain features and angry yellow eyes. A black leather outfit hugged her body tightly from neck to toe, covering her arms down to her wrists.

"I don't care. I'm not wearing that crap!" She screamed back, ripping the dress from the elderly woman's hands and throwing it onto the stone floor.

The old woman started to retort a reply but Quara cut her off.

"Analie we have a problem." She said, the tone in her voice stopping the argument.

"What is it sister?" Analie replied casually, pushing past Tarishi.

The two sisters shared a look before staring at the old maid.

"Get out." Analie said sharply.

The old woman clenched her jaw in anger but held her tongue as she picked the dress from off the floor and strode out of the room.

"Alright Quara what's so important?" Analie said, raising her eyebrows impatiently.

Now that she was here Quara could hardly bring herself to say it. Analie stepped closer to her older sister, looking up at her quivering lips as she started to speak.

"Father's finally done it, he's got the military rounding up all the elementals and putting them into camps somewhere outside of the city!" She said with growing conviction, spitting out the sentence with one breath.

"Damn him!" Analie shouted, clenching her fists before grabbing her sister by the shoulders. "What is he doing? We have to stop him!"

"It's too late for that. 'The relocation is being broadcast on the government channel so it could be over already." Quara said, taking her sister by the hands. "But if it's not we might be able to get to Bannon first."

"Bannon. I have to call him."

Analie grabbed the narrow silver band from her desk and put it on her wrist, a small blue screen coming up as the bracelet locked together.

"Bannon, connect." Analie directed the machinery.

The screen flickered for a few seconds before disappearing, the metal band's clasps releasing.

"Father must have blocked the communications." Quara said as her sister tossed the useless bracelet back onto the desk.

"And of course he's locked down the manor." Analie said, Quara nodding. "But he can't stop us. Let's go."