Initor doesn't know how to feel about this all, he almost kissed Aless. She was about to fall, and he, like every normal person, caught her before it happened. But he wasn't prepared for the feelings that hit him afterward. The soft rose scent that circled around her, those violet eyes trapped behind those round glasses. The beating of his heart, no, he wasn't prepared for that at all, but that doesn't mean that he hated it. He wished that he was able to turn back the time. And he hoped that they would be able to stay at that moment a bit longer. But turning back time wasn't possible, but the headmaster didn't help by sharing that mind-blowing news. His brother would be out of jail, next month.

"He is not allowed to get near me, who says that would stop him?" 

That is what she said, and he was wondering the same thing. 

"He wasn't allowed to kill my parents, and yet he did it anyway."

She was right about that, Edalf was not known to follow the rules and no matter how hard they would try to enforce this boundary. If he really wanted to hurt Aless, he would find a way to do so. 

"This time he has to go to me," 

Who was he kidding, not Aless that much was clear. She had left him alone, to be by herself. And he wished that he could help her. But he knew that she needed to be by herself for now. He walked back to the couch and sat down with a sigh. What a mess, and this was only the beginning. His brother would be out and about in a month. The door of the cabin flew open, Ixis and Raldor entered.

"Hey, headmaster Gritt has given us the rest of the day off. But he didn't tell us why?" Ixis said loudly. Raldor lay a hand on her shoulder.

"We brought some snacks, and hot cocoa. Just in case." he said. Initor smiled softly, they were good friends and just what they needed. At least he couldn't speak on Aless behave, but they were what he needed. Raldor placed the basket with snacks on the coffee table. "Oh, nice, I see that one of you already did the dishes. Thanks, I was planning to do that after dinner." Initor tried to smile, but he knew that this wouldn't convince his friends. Instead, it might be better to share the news with them, and he did.

"I agree with Aless," Ixis said, with a low voice. "Your brother wanted to kill her, just on the odd change that she might have seen the murder of her parents. He didn't know, still he wanted her dead. No, he is not going to listen to the council, or the leaders of the rebellion. If he wants to finish the job, he will." Initor nodded, and his glance went towards the closed bedroom door. Aless was in there, did she just hear them talking? He wanted to get up and ask her how she was doing? Raldor slammed his flat hand upon the table, this made Initor jump up.

"Now that we know that, let us prepare." Raldor said loudly. "I do not know about the two of you, but I don't like to wait and hope for the best outcome. We almost know for sure that he will turn up, so let us train." Initor knew that he looked confused. What did Raldor mean by train? "Don't look at me like that" Raldor snapped. "I mean we are elementals after all, Ixis and I have unlocked our Metal element, and Aless and you have unlocked three. We train with them and our familiars until we are skilled enough to defend ourselves." That was indeed something they could do, it was not forbidden by any law or school rule. And if it was, they had a very good excuse to do it anyway.

"I think it is a great idea," Ixis chimed in, and Initor nodded in agreement. "There are bound to be books in the library about the subject." The door of Aless room opened up and she stepped outside.

"No, there aren't any books about that inside our library, the council forbade that years ago. If an elemental needs to learn how to fight, they either go to the police academy, or the rebellion." Aless said, and Initor was able to see Ixis shrink a bit in defeat. He knew that this wouldn't be that easy, but the fact that there was no material that could teach them anything, well it made things difficult. "But I was thinking the same thing, we need to be able to defend ourselves against a mad man. So there is rumored that a heavy storm comes this way, the perfect timing for us to train." Initor frowned, why would it be perfect timing. A storm would make things more dangerous, especially if they would go into the woods. The sound of thunder was already audible in the background, it was the exact same sound as the day before. The day that Aless almost lost control, Initor's eyes grew. She was controlling the storm, by the elements he knew that Aless was powerful, but he never knew how powerful. The storm would cover their asses, because it was otherwise too dangerous inside the forests. "Let's eat those snacks and cocoa, to give the storm a bit more time." Aless sat down and picked one of the cups Raldor had filled up, and drank from it. The wind outside the cabin picked up, the wood moaned and creaked. There was no rain, that is because Aless has not unlocked the water element yet. It seemed that Raldor has noticed it too, Raldor closed his eyes and not much later rain started to pour down from the skies. "Thank you," Aless said.

"It was not a problem," Raldor replied. "I never knew you were this strong Aless. You are a first year, after all." Ixis snorted.

"A first year that grew up in a council member's household, she has learned almost all that there is to know about the air element. And besides, it is almost a well known fact that not all the elementals show how powerful they really are. I am not showing it to all, and neither do you, Raldor." Ixis said. Raldor nodded slowly, and Initor did the same thing. "But Aless, where do you want to go for training?"

"The pavilion, by the lake. It is the one place I know inside the forest with enough open space, and all the elements present. We have to take all our familiars with us too, because we are stronger with them there." Aless said, and once again Initor was surprised by her. Something he apparently needed to get used to, it seemed. Aless placed her empty cup on the table, and sighed. "Well, it is time for us to go, grab all the small familiars." Her bunny and hedgehog were in arm's reach. Ixis, Raldor and he jumped up to pick up their familiars. It was easy for them, Ixis had her bunny, Raldor his turtle and he had his crab. Their other familiars were outside the cabin, and were waiting for them at the door as if they knew that something was going on. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the pavilion. Which was the only spot that the rain wasn't falling, the wind wasn't blowing, and the thunder didn't crash in to. But they were not alone on the field, there were two figures. Figures he never imagined seeing on school grounds, they were Asitiye and Owyn Fusilis, leaders of rebellion. Aless spread her arms and ran towards them. "Da, Ma, you came!"

*********

It has being so long, too long when she had seen them last. But it felt so good to see them again. 

"Da, Ma, you came!" she screamed when she ran into their arms. Knowing that this might confuse her friends, but right now all she wanted to do is huge them and hold them tight.

"Of course we came, silly girl." Ma said loudly. "I always said we would, it is so good to finally hold you in my arms again. My sweet, look how much you have grown." Ma squeezed her a bit harder, when she said that, and Aless didn't mind. Because Ma was right, it has being too long. "So now, let's get down to business. Because there are a lot of things that needs to be done. First things first, who are your friends? I see Initor, but who are the others?" Aless was surprised that Ma knew Initor, but then again, Da and she lived inside the fire elemental neighborhood so it might be that they have seen him pass by.

"Ma, Da, these are my other roommates. Ixis and Raldor. Guys, these are my mother's parents." Aless said, and she already expected to see their shocked faces. "They are going to teach us how to protect ourselves against Edalf." Da stepped forward. 

"It is nice meeting Aless's friends. So, as my wife said, let's get started. I am doubting that the fine headmaster of this school is fooled by this sudden storm, and it will not be long before he comes to see what is going on here. Raldor and Ixis, I see that the two of you have two unlocked elements. And Initor, you have three. Alright, Initor you and Aless are going to train together with Asitiye. Ixis and Raldor, the two of you, are with me." Da said, Initor nodded and walked towards her and Ma. Together with his small group of familiars.

"It is good to see you, Initor, and Rapid of course." Ma said, she stretched out to pet Rapid. "Looking strong, you have taken good care of him. Now I see that you have unlocked water and air." Then Ma turned towards her. "And Aless has unlocked fire and earth. Alright, this is a good start, we can work with those. But I want the two of you to focus on unlocking wood and metal as soon as possible." Aless could feel a frown appear onto her forehead. "Edalf, and a lot of Elementals that haven't connected with a familiar, are currently using a weapon called a gun. Which is made by a crazy metal elemental who thought that he was helping them. Does guns are forbidden inside the rebellion, but that doesn't mean that we didn't study them. Because the weapon was made by an elemental, it means that the weapon has the same weaknesses as the elementals themselves. Wood and metal are each other's opposites, so unlocking both of them is crucial." Aless slowly turned her head towards Ixis and Raldor. "Da is currently telling them the same thing, my sweet, so do not worry about that." Aless nodded, and slowly bit her underlip. "Your mother used to that too, always at times when she tried to hid things from me. So spill the beans, my sweet."

"I can help Initor unlock metal, and wood. And I in return can unlock wood and metal." Aless said softly. She didn't know if her mother ever told Ma about her gift. A gift that she inherited. Ma smiled.

"Just like your mother, why am I not surprised." Ma said. "But that is something for later, right now let's focus on the elements that you have." This confused Aless a bit, Ma just told them that they needed to unlock the wood and metal element. And now it was something that could wait until later. "Alright, Initor I want you to teach Aless everything you know about fire, and Aless the same thing goes for you but then about air. And I mean everything, do not anything back, do you hear me." The both of them nodded. "Good now, Initor I am going to teach you everything I know about water, and Aless I am going to teach you about earth." Aless was used to being drilled, her grandmother did that for the last couple of years. Day in, day out. There might be some things about air that she doesn't know, but those were not many. Still being drilled in earth, was even harder than she originally thought. That didn't mean that she was slacking off, she moved rocks that were bigger than she was. She split the earth, made pillars of stone raise up and fall. Next to her, Initor was not wasting time either. Water rose up from the lake, he froze it with the help of air, or boiling hot with the help of fire. In other words, he was already incorporating his other elements. She never knew that he was this strong, and she was amazed about how quick he picked things up. The daylight faded away, into the darkness of the night.

"Alright, I believe that this has being enough." Da shouted over the field, Raldor dropped towards the ground together with his tiger familiar. Heavily grasping for air, Aless rushed towards him and helped him with her element. "Good job Aless." She glanced at him and he grinned. "Don't look at me like that, this is part of your lesson." She rolled with her eyes and sighed, that was something she could have known. "The four of you have worked pretty hard today, and I have seen you grown a lot in just a couple of hours." He turned. "You should be really proud of them, Gritt." Aless's heart stopped inside her chest, headmaster Gritt stepped out of the thicket. His eyes were locked on Da.

"I am," Gritt said, through gritted teeth. "But do the two care to explain why you are here?" Da nodded.

"Our granddaughter needed us, and we jumped to answer her need for lessons. You know as well as I that Edalf and his cronies will not listen to the council, and Asitiye and I have seen signs that they no longer listen to us either. So do you really believe that he is going to stay away? No, you aren't otherwise you would have stopped the training a few hours ago." Da said. The headmaster was here for hours, so that means Da was right. He doesn't believe in that false sense of hope, either. "And do not worry about the council, Lady Cerulea knows that we are here. She already warned us that this was going to happen." A dark black hole was forming in Aless's stomach. Her grandmother knew that she has contacted Da and Ma. That would be something that was going to be used against her, she was sure of it.

"The police are patrolling the area," headmaster Gritt countered.

"And still we found a way to get in here," Ma snapped at him. "Do not be so naive, Irius, it doesn't suite you." Headmaster Gritt lowered his head a bit, but he didn't say anything. "And do not beat yourself up either, now children it is time for you to go back to your cabin and rest." Raldor stood up slowly, and was quickly supported by Ixis. Aless turned towards Da and gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you, Da." she whispered. He squeezed her before letting go of her.

"There is no need to thank me. And by the elements, I see so much of my little girl in you. The same fire, of course, I am also able to see your father. But by the elements, what have I missed you." Da said, tears were appearing into his eyes. "Go, I will see you the day after tomorrow. Remember what your grandmother asked of you, teach Initor all that you know, and let him do the same. And unlock the other two elements." Aless nodded, she gave Ma a soft smile before turning around. Initor was by her side as they walked through the forest.

"I am going to drill you tomorrow," she warned him.

"Good, because I am going to do the same thing," he replied with a wide grin upon his face. "It is time that we are going to take back our lives." She nodded, agreeing with every word. 

*********

Ixis and Raldor were standing behind the cabin.

"Alright, first things first. Your father's mother is the leader of the air elementals, and your mother's parents are the leaders of the rebellion. Doesn't that course any conflict?" Ixis asked, and Raldor rolled with his eyes.

"Of course, it does." Raldor said. Aless was glad that he interjected himself here. "So your grandmother told you about unlocking the wood and metal elements." Initor nodded. "I want to try something, if you are cool with it. Ixis and I, only need to unlock wood. So..." He looked at her, and she narrowed her eyes slightly, was he really suggesting that she tried to help the three of them at the same time? She never tried that before.

"I can try, but to be honest with you. I do not know if it would work." she said. Which of course was the truth, what was also the truth is the fact that she was willing to see where the limits of this ability were. So she saw no reason for not trying it. Ixis and Raldor nodded, as a sign that they understood.

"Are you sure about this?" Initor asked. It was so sweet of him.

"Alright, Raldor, Ixis and Initor lay your hand on each other's shoulders. To make a chain, of energy." she said, and they did just that. She laid her hands on Initor's shoulders. "Close your eyes, and focus all your energy on the element you want to unlock." She wanted to give more instructions, but there it was. The same type of flow of energy that she had felt when she helped Initor unlock water and air. The feeling that they were just a small part of this large world. Then something heavy landed upon her shoulder, something hairy. Her eyes flew open and saw the white raccoon, looking at her with its large brown eyes. Another white familiar, what does that mean?

"I have a squirrel," Ixis said. "It worked, my new familiar is a squirrel."

"Mine is a groundhog, hello little one." Raldor said to the creature that was hopping over his shoes. Initor had a large brown rat on his shoulder. But he was not looking at his new familiar, instead his eyes were glued on hers. She was able to guess what went through his mind, the same thing that went through hers when she saw the white raccoon. "Aless, I do not know where the limits of your powers lay, but this is crazy." Raldor said loudly, and she couldn't agree more. "I am going to do a resource on this, in order to help you understand it more." Aless didn't know how to feel about this. "Are you, alright?" She wanted to nod, but she was not able to. Her vision became a little blurry. Someone wrapped his or hers arms around her.

"Let's take her inside," it was Initor. His warmth and scent wrapped around her as he picked her up. Like it was nothing.

"Maybe we should have waited until tomorrow, we have spend a lot of engery while training." Raldor whispered.

"You think," Initor's voice sounded hars. The door of the cabin opened up, and soon after that her bedroom door. She didn't know what happened after that, because she was fast a sleep.