Elemental

Daniel was in his bedroom, working away at the puzzle that was before him. Usually he would have been talking on the phone with his men or furiously researching. Now he was simply staring at the wall.

This was not just business, trying to save kids from Eric. This was personal, because Eric was dead and no one should have to investigate the murder of their ex best friend. Eric had chosen a dark path, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt Daniel every time he had to fight him.

He hadn’t given Sebastian many details when he had gotten home. Partly because he’d had some Peacemakers intrude not long after but also because he didn’t want him to know.

He didn’t want Sebastian to know that when he’d walked into the house that Eric had been staying in he’d already known that Eric was dead. Or that he had sobbed next to his corpse for twenty minutes, or that he’d had to go outside and vomit when he examined the wounds he’d had.

Eric had been burned to death, and that only ruled out half the Peacemakers as suspects because Eric had recruited many who had the capacity to cause injuries like the ones that had killed him.

An oversight on Eric’s part really, but he probably thought that since he was the most powerful Fire Elemental alive, that he would be able to defend himself if they turned on him.

He hadn’t though, and any hope that Daniel might have had, that his old friend would one day go back to being how he used to be were gone. Daniel wasn’t the type to give up on anyone, and he had believed that Eric had good inside of him.

It didn’t matter now because the boy who had been his best friend and the man who had been his sworn enemy had been killed. He would never get the opportunity to redeem himself, or stand once more by Daniel’s side.

All this is giving me a headache; I need a coffee. Daniel went downstairs and noticed that Sebastian wasn’t in the house. The boy must be with Gabrielle; he’d been training with her for most of this week. Daniel had even seen him laughing with her. It was an improvement on the sad teen who Daniel had lived with until now.

I wonder if he knows what today is? Daniel did, it was the other reason he just couldn’t work today. Today was the anniversary of his sister and her husband’s death. Sebastian’s parents.

Daniel noticed that the kettle suddenly stopped boiling and began to whine a high pitched whistle. It was shaking intensely and as Daniel stared at it in puzzlement, it exploded.

Daniel ducked as the hot water from the kettle shot out of the broken pieces and out under his front window. One piece of the kettle had cut his hand and he was bleeding. He hardly noticed as he watched in awe as all the water from the taps, from the sewers. Rose up and followed the kettle water down the street.

Sebastian! My boy what are you doing? Since his near death experience at Sacred Heart Sebastian had no problems with his powers. Daniel had no reason to worry until this very moment.

The ground shook and it wasn’t because of Daniel. It was all the water in the city, flowing in the same direction. Daniel had no doubt in his mind that Sebastian needed him right now.

Daniel used to be awful at helping Sebastian to calm down but he had to do it right this time. Daniel left the house and he didn’t even have to follow the water because he could clearly see where Sebastian was.

There was a water funnel stretching up into the sky, thankfully it was not far from where they lived. So maybe Sebastian had been on his way home? Either way the great swirling water spout was sucking up all the city’s water. Hopefully the humans would think it was a natural storm.

The closer Daniel got to the funnel the harder it was to avoid the jets of water coming out of it. The middle glowed a bright blue and Daniel knew that was where Sebastian was.

“Sebastian! Sebastian it’s me! You have to stop!” Daniel didn’t think Sebastian could hear him and despite the dangers, he would have to go in and help him. He ducked to avoid a water tentacle and planted his hands on the ground. He hadn’t done this in a long time, but hopefully he still could.

He took a deep breath, and allowed the earth to swallow him. He could not see beneath the surface but he didn’t need to. He couldn’t breathe either but he was of the earth. He was fine. Connected to every part of the rock above and below him. This was what it truly meant to be an Earth Elemental.

Through the earth he sensed the thudding tempo of Sebastian’s heart, it was so fast. Sebastian must be terrified. Which meant he was conscious even if he couldn’t stop himself. Daniel gathered power around himself. Knowing without looking that the rock around him was green with his power.

He sent it forth, commanding the rock to wrap around Sebastian, cutting off the funnel to protect the people, and keeping Sebastian in place so he could gather himself. With a flick of his wrist which moved through the rock like butter, he joined Sebastian inside the earth igloo.

He opened his eyes and breathed in dusty air. On his knees in front of him with his hands on his head and glowing blue was his Nephew. His eyes were open but glazed, he appeared almost comatose. Daniel wrapped Sebastian in a hug.

“Come on my boy, I know you can hear me, Sebastian I know that you are connected to all the water in this city right now. I know it feels amazing” Daniel remembered when he found out Eric was dead. How Sebastian had bought him back to himself and saved their home.

“Don’t stay there Sebastian, you can’t control that kind of power, it’s not where you belong!” Daniel was shaking, He could feel water starting to seep in to the igloo. They might drown if Sebastian didn’t come back.

“I am proud; of the way you have dealt with everything Sebastian. It’s not really easy for me to express that to you but I am. I am so proud of the person you are. It’s not just about your powers” one of Sebastian’s hands moved so it was gripping his wrist. Sebastian was fighting, he just needed to win.

“It doesn’t matter to me whether you are the most powerful Elemental in the world or not, I love the compassion that you show and the courage. Just like your mother did and just like Gabrielle does…” as Daniel mentioned Sebastian’s mother the blue light began to fade. The water receded, the sound of the funnel stopped.

“I’m sorry, I know this was about your parents, and that if I had been here with you this might not have happened. You did it though my boy, you took back control all by yourself” Sebastian was no longer conscious. Sleeping, not surprising considering the amount of power he just spent.

Even though he was almost Fifteen, and looked more like a man then the boy Daniel was used to. He could still carry him. He picked him and decided that maybe he shouldn’t just walk away. Who knows how much the public saw, he didn’t want to deal with the Police.

He took a deep breath and allowed the earth to swallow them both. His earth powers would protect Sebastian. Just like Daniel always would, he’d promised Loretta and he intended to keep that promise.