The Book of Elements - Chapter Two

Bull stared into the distance, where smoky fog had appeared. From there, two people stumbled out, coughing. One had angel blonde hair, with silvery gray eyes, and the other had curly brown hair, that bounced on her shoulders, with leaf green eyes.1

"Amanda-"2

"Mandy!" I burst out, annoyed. Why did he have to address me so formally?3

"Caitlin," Bull continued, as though uninterrupted. "This is Patricia Hart, and Daniel Specks, our Earth and ice."4

"What?" the blonde boy, Daniel, puzzled. "What's going on?"5

"Apparently," I sighed, "we're going to have to do some Quest thingy, to 'save the world'," I quoted with my fingers. "I'm in doubt, though. Okay, so I have some weird Elemental Symbol tattooed to my ankle, but that doesn't mean anything. I think we're in some sort of practical joke for losers."6

"Okay..." said the girl, Patricia. She looked around. "Sure, but how did we get here?"7

"I summoned you, in an illusion," explained Bull. "I created an illusion that you needed to find what this cloud of fog was, and what was on the other side of it. Just like the gravel path I created for Amanda and Caitlin here."8

Caitlin looked up at the sky, her small, pink mouth in wonder, obviously finally getting how the gravel path had gotten there. I was thinking the same.9

"Anyway," Bull continued. "We must get going. Patricia Hart, you are the Element of Earth, you have the green eyes and Elemental Symbol to prove it."10

"Um, please call me Pat," she said. "And I don't have any Elemental Symbols to prove it."11

"It's a tattoo on your ankle," Caitlin whispered, as Bull started announcing Daniel's element.12

"Daniel Specks, you are the Element of Ice. You have the silver eyes and Elemental Symbol to prove it," Bull told Daniel.13

"And to all of you, I am honoured to say welcome to the world of magic, also known as Munjen," Bull said, bowing. He then straightened up and waved his hand.14

Where probably everyone thought was a cliff was what seemed like a huge banner painted like a backdrop of a play. Bull pulled it away when he waved his hand. A whole world with bumpy green grass and pink flowers blossoming on trees, and bustling markets. I opened my mouth in awe. A world full of magic? Cool!15

Bull cleared his throat and said, "Well, then. I must be seeing you to the Queen. She'd want to see you, and talk to you." He started to walk at quite a fast pace, heading towards a huge castle, with a mixture of brick, wood and glass to keep it up. I imagined the view to be spectacular from the top two turrets, waving with a candy purple with a lime green star flag. Blue sparks spat magically from the flag, and I guessed it to be Munjen's flag.16

Bull bowed down deeply when we got to the grand front glass door. He whispered between gritted teeth. "Girls curtsy deeply, and boys bow."17

I curtsied politely. My short skirt seemed to go up higher, and I worried if I was flashing to anyone. Daniel sniggered behind me, so I put my hands behind my back, underneath my bum just in case my knickers were showing.18

The door opened, and a grand looking lady walked out to us, her hands opened wide. "Ah, our new Elementals. How nice to meet you all! I am Queen Kettleberry, Royal leader of Munjen," the Queen said. She had salt and pepper fly away hair, tied up in a messy bun.19

She looked around fifty or sixty, but masked her age well. I could hardly see a line or wrinkle. Her eyes had creases, and her smile had laughter lines, but besides that her skin was smooth. Her eyes were amber, smoldering gold amber, just like a cat's. 20

"I know all of you," Queen Kettleberry said. "Amanda Sakura Cheung, Caitlin Rice, Patricia Hart, and Daniel Specks." She pointed to us each in turn. "My stargazer and astronomist, Meerlie, told me all about you. She said you were destined to come by a young man trying to prove himself."21

I turned to Bull, who I saw blush.22

"Christopher, you may leave now. These children are under my care," Queen Kettleberry ordered. She turned on her heels, and motioned for us to follow her. Daniel shut the door behind him.23

The Queen walked for what seemed like ages, twisting and turning through the castle. Up stairs, around rooms, along corridors, through doors, until we got to a room labelled Meerlie.24

"This is a special room, where you need to be quiet," Queen Kettleberry said. "Shhh..."25

She pushed the door open, and led us to the centre of the room, where a small, round coffee table was. But it didn't have any feet; it just levitated in the air. Five chairs hovered in the same way around it.26

Queen Kettleberry walked over and sat down in the biggest chair. The rest of us sat down, too. Queen Kettleberry leaned forward towards us and asked, "Would you like to know why you're here?"27