Avlora paced back and forth in front of the White One, the other three Emelets were in similar states of irritation and anxiety. “Damn!” she said finally. Nearby, Silvya hung her head, ashamed at their failure.
“I AM NOT ANGERED AT YOU FOR EVENTS THAT HAVE PASSED. YOU DID YOUR BEST AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN EVENTULLY,” the White One explained to It’s creations’ children.
“But we lost the Seals...” Falthnna mourned aloud, “We screwed up big-time.”
“YOU WILL FIND THEM AGAIN. THE TNEMELELIVES ARE CARELESS AND EVEN NOW ARE MISPLACING YOUR SEALS.” There was a collective sigh from the Emelets. They knew that the White One couldn’t tell them where their Seals were being misplaced at. Avlora was about to sit on the air, but decided not to because that would be a waste of power, they all needed to hoard their power because it wasn’t free anymore. Instead, Avlora collapsed to the ground, putting her face in her hands. Mentally, she’d been beating herself up over the outcome of the fight that had ended with the Emelets on the losing side.
She stifled a sigh and held back her tears, as she’d been doing since the end of the fight. Now, things were going to be even worse for her and Seacil. She’d finally conceived, after so long of trying to find some way to get rid of her power to do it, and she’d managed to do it at the worst time in all the world. A hand touched her shoulder, then an arm went around her shoulders, pulling her against Seacil’s broad chest.
“Don’t worry, things will get better someday,” he whispered in her ear. Avlora turned and buried her face in the curve of his shoulder and neck, his cheek resting against the top of her head. Above her, Seacil’s eyes met Falthnna’s and Silvya’s. Silvya, as always, was confused, Falthnna was another story, however. The fire Emelet looked scandalized and astonished. Not that she hadn’t suspected before, but it was a shock.
“MY CREATIONS, YOUR NEW MISSION AND OBJECTIVE IS TO RIGHT ANY WRONGS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND. THOUGH YOUR POWER IS REDUSED, YOU WILL FIND THAT IT IS MUCH EASYER TO HIDE FROM THE TNEMELELIVES. MAY YOU HAVE LUCK, AND MAY YOUR CHILDREN BE STRONG, SEACIL, AVLORA.” The White One dipped Its head near the ground.
“Thank you, Creator,” Seacil was the first to mumble as he stood, helping Avlora to her feet. All four of them bowed to the White One instead of becoming spirit for It, that taking power that they couldn’t waste. The White One understood and nodded Its head in return. With a four colored flash, the Emelets transported themselves to their respective temples.
**
Avlora stood looking down at her two daughters, frowning faintly, as she always did now. “Your father and I have made sure that you both know what is important... Now is the time for you to put that knowledge to use.”
Cecilia looked at her older sister Alanora a bit apprehensively. “What do you mean?” Alanora, who had just turned fifteen a month before found the voice to ask.
Avlora looked at each in turn and didn’t answer that question the way Alanora had wanted. “I will now tell you something your father and I left out of your lessons. This will probably come as a very big surprise to both of you,” perhaps it was a shadow of a smile that flitted across her mother’s lips, Alanora wasn’t quite sure. “Emelets are real. Both your father and I are Emelets, and we choose you two as our heirs.” Avlora and Seacil had been at odds about asking Cecilia to be the next Emelet, Seacil said she was too young. She was fourteen, Avlora had said, old enough, and they wouldn’t be sent out as full Emelets until they knew to run from a Tnemelelive instead of trying to fight him.
Cecilia started giggling. “Oh mom! You’re funny!”
“Shut up, twirp,” Alanora hissed at her little sister, knowing that their mother didn’t joke like that and look so serious. “She’s not joking. Are you Mom?”
“You’re right, I’m not joking. This is all very serious...” Avlora took a breath. “I wouldn’t be asking you if both your father and I didn’t think you were capable of doing the job. Will you? Accept the powers, that is... As I taught you, the Seals were lost, so we can’t exactly do it the way it should be done, but this’ll have to work.” Alanora looked up at her mother, saw the serious look in those gold eyes, saw how much this meant to her.
“I agree,” Alanora said without thinking about it further.
“Air or water, you have your choice,” there was a flicker of a smile as she looked down at her daughter, like her father, caring and serious with a hint of playfulness. That would probably change during the next few years.
Alanora considered, looking up at her mother. “Air,” came her reply as she remembered that gold was the air Emelet’s color, she’d always wanted to do some of the things the air Emelets were supposed to be able to do.
A true smile- something that her mother did only for her husband- came to Avlora’s lips. “Thank you...” the words were a whisper and choked.
