ELEMENT

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Puzzles

A crash rang in the empty castle. Everyone else was doing their own thing in the kingdom, and Meadow stayed behind. A crash, then another bang, and a final thud.

She was pacing, holding her head in pain, and sobbing. Screams filled her head, stabbing pain through her head and chest; she struggled to keep her breath.

It was supposed to be me, not you!

Please, no, this isn't how it's supposed to go-

How could you?! He did nothing to you!

You'll regret that. You'll regret all of this.

Don't say I never warned you.

You've ruined my life for the final time.

Meadow screamed, falling back onto the floor and leaning against the wall. "Please, stop- get out of my head!"

I'm not losing her! I won't lose her again!

You've done enough. Please.

Meadow!

Meadow, wake up—

"Meadow, wake up." Ethan sat over her, shaking her awake.

"Wh--"

The pain was over. She was on the floor still, but as she blinked and her eyes focused on Ethan, it wasn't the same.

"What are you doing down there?" He held his hand out to her. "Are you okay?"

She took his hand, pulling herself up. "Yeah, I'm fine, just probably dozed off—"

"Meadow!" Ethan gasped, having her look right at him. "What's that?!"

"What?" She blinked again confusedly.

"Look at your eyes!"

"I can't look at my eyes, they're my eyes. Just tell me."

"Look in the mirror, smartass." Ethan uncrossed his arms, pushing her towards the mirror.

Meadow leaned forward, staring into her own eyes. Their once brown hue was nearly gone, and two separate colors replaced them. A faint purple on the left, and a faint yellow on the right. And, despite how you had to look a little hard at them, they seemed to glow.

"Oh. Oh, my God."

"Hey, it's uh—it's a cool look." Ethan tried to be polite. "Is this a Celestial thing?"

"How should I know?" Meadow shrugged, seeming calmer. "I'm the only one. Not like I can consult anyone."

Actually, she could. But she'd only met her once, and it was in some kind of afterlife purgatory. If she could go back to the Mage for answers, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

She was probably listening to her now.

"...How did this happen?" Meadow continued, sort of talking to herself. But if anyone wanted to give some answer, it'd be great if they did now. Right now.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Ethan asked again.

"Uhhhhh... yeah," she replied hesitantly, unsure of her answer. "Yeah. I'm alright. I think."

"I mean, I came to get you because Robin made dinner."

Meadow snorted sarcastically. "Oh, no. Go get the fire extinguisher."

"It's still empty from the last time."

-

"Quincy!" Cole called, coming down the hill of the plains to a bush of purple hair. "I was hoping I'd find you out here. How are you?"

Quincy turned, waving and running over. "Coleslaw! I'm great, how are you?"

"Good! Just bored." He plopped down next to Quincy on the ground. "Sooooo bored."

"Why? Is being royal too mellow?" Quincy laughed.

"Meadow's the royal, not me!" Cole giggled. "But, uh, yeah, I guess."

"Go on an adventure, then!"

"Seems like an adventure is all I'm trying to avoid," Cole shrugged. "My sister and her ragtag friends are like magnets to that stuff."

"Oh, come on! You gotta let them do something!" Quincy snorted, turning to Cole again. "Worst that could happen is—I don't know, the world ends?"

"That already technically happened, and there could be worse." Cole giggled to himself. "Sage, Ethan, Robin and Meadow—especially her—are the LEAST responsible kids on earth, regardless of the fffffreaking kingdom they run. Literally anything they do could be worse."

"Right. The world ended already." Quincy nodded. "Well, you never told me how that happened!"

"Huh?"

"The story you told? It obviously sugarcoated some things."

"...... OH. WELL." Cole awkwardly laughed. "How do I make this PG."

"I see that you're trying, but you've already cursed like 20 times in front of me." Quincy nudged him jokingly.

"My dad used me and Meadow as a supersonic weapon to end the world about a year ago and it almost worked until all five of us beat his ass."

"...Damn."

"Damn is correct." Cole squinted jokingly. "And you should mind your own language!"

"Okay, okay! Mind my language one more time," Quincy said as they brought their knees to their chest, "but your dad sounds like a bitch."

"He was. And that's an understatement." Cole leaned back, looking up at the sky. "Funny thing is, he wasn't always one."

"Huh." Quincy smiled, looking up like he did. "Twins!"

"Bitchy dads, huh?" Cole flapped his lips. "Holy fuck. I mean uh holy balls."

"Too late to go back now, Coleslaw!"

Something echoed in Cole's brain. Something Quincy said. Like memories stitching back together. A strange sense of déjà vu.

"Don't worry, you're still cool. You won't lose brownie points for saying the fuck word in front of a kid." Quincy laughed.

Cole shook the feeling away. "I'm not nearly as cool as you are."

"Don't be humble, Coleslaw! You're awesome and smart!"

There it was again. What was 'it', anyway? "Well, so are you. Makes sense that we're such good friends."

There is something off about that. Something sparking.

"...I gotta go, bud. Meadow's calling. But I will see you ASAP." He lied.

"Bye, Coleslaw!" Quincy waved, heading back the other direction. "See ya!"

Cole waved, and as he walked, his mind was reeling.

Like the hands in his brain were clicking puzzle pieces together, trying to make sense of the picture it made. But it made such a blurry picture.

He thought, and he thought, and he thought some more, until a headache started to form in the back of his head.

And then, it clicked. Echoes of the same word, the same nickname, from years and years ago.

He started to speed his walk a little more, heading right for his house with an intent drive. It was clear what happened, what he told Meadow not to do.

"Oh, I am going to absolutely kill her."

To Be Continued in Chapter 29