Elemental Children

Chapter 5: Weapon of Choice

"That's Max. His wind power is wicked although weapons and fighting are not his strong-suit. Wonder what he's doing here."

Once we got inside, I immediately felt like a medieval Nikita. Swords of different shapes and sizes hung on one side of the wall. They were arranged according to the material they were made of, from bronze to silver to gold, I even found a steel blade that was studded with different colored gems all over it. The wall to the right of the room had an array of bows and arrows pinned on it. Not much variation on the bows, just a few cross-bows and regular ones with different designs. The real deal were the arrows, each was unique with a silver plate below them. I spotted a clear transparent arrow that had a green mist swirling inside it, the label read: Poison arrow. I kept looking through them, wincing as I go along while imagining the deadly effect of the ammo. Electric, explosive, acid arrow, paralyzing - Ugh. Stop, I told myself.

"Who use these?" I asked.

"No one. They are just for display. The school doesn't issue them to trainees."

We barreled down a hallway lined with transparent doors like the one on the entrance. I saw more kids sparring with each other inside the rooms. The corridor ended on a doorway that led to a circular room the size of a gym with a dome ceiling. The sound of swords clashing against each other echoed throughout the place. I recognized one of the two swordsman. He looked the same as he had last night but looking at him now while performing a swordplay made me cringe away from him. Eric wielded the sword with incredible speed. His strokes were accurately piercing through the holes in the enemy's defense. And with one kick and a thrust, the other guy was defeated.

"That's sick," Brittani said.

"Hey. Didn't notice your here," He sheathed his blade and saw me. "Hello, you."

"Hello." I mumbled.

"Kate has not yet picked a weapon of her own." Brittani explained.

"Okay. Then come with me Kate,"

We followed him but Eric held Brittani by the shoulder. "Kate alone."

"Have fun," She said smugly as she rolled her eyes and stomped out of the room.

"She's a brat, that one." He said.

"Why do I have to go alone?" I asked.

"Walk now, Explain later."

We walked out of the room. Outside was a tiny garden of bushes with a stone fountain, pristine water was sloshing through it.

"Take this," Eric handed me an unevenly cut clear crystal. It glittered under the sunlight, throwing a shower of sparks.

"Wow," I muttered. "What is it?"

"It's called a Weapon Stone." He said.

"You gave me a rock for a weapon?" I examined the transparent gem.

"It's more than what meets the eye," He chuckled.

I was starting to lose faith that this man was the only sane person I can count on.

"Sit beside the fountain." He ordered.

I did what he asked and held my arms open. "Now what?"

"Close your eyes."

"Why?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Trust me. Just do what I ask" He said.

"I don't do the 'trust' thing, just so you know." I told him "But I'll do it so we can get this over with."

I closed my eyes and waited.

"Now, clutch that crystal. Feel it in your palms." He prompted.

I squeezed the rock and felt warmth coming from it.

"Kate, what makes you feel powerful?" He asked.

"Why do I need to answer that?" I said with my eyes closed.

"What makes you feel powerful?" He repeated.

"Uh," I racked my brain for something. Powerful, when did I felt that way? I somehow feel powerful when I eat pancakes. No, that's not what he meant. My mind did a time travel, back to the time that I witnessed when Brittani was cornered by two girls that belong to the popular clique during Parent's Day in 5th grade.

"Where's your mama, huh Goldstein?" One of them asked.

"Your stupid she doesn't have a mama, she's an alien." The other one said.

They laughed all around her and she just crumbled. I was shocked to see her crying. Normally, she would spat back something like 'I'm sorry, but were you talking about yourself?' But not when she is being picked on about her parents. She was more sensitive about that stuff than she was letting on.

"Back off!" I charged at them and yanked their hair so hard, I had a handful of brown and blond locks. They cried and ratted me out to our teacher that rewarded me with a two-hour detention. But it was worth it.

I felt the rock heat up in my palms. It was hot that I stood up and opened my eyes but I did not let it go.

"What's happening?" I demanded.

"Throw it on the water, Now!"

I lobbed the crystal towards the fountain and it sank. It is more lustrous than it was before, that the entire fountain glowed with a blinding light. The rock was lost in the aura of illumination.

A moment later a small object floated out of the water. I was still distracted by the light that I cannot make out what it was. The light of the fountain started to dim slowly until it returned to normal. Now that I could see clearly, I realized that the object still drifted at head level near the top basin.

It was a silver dagger with a blade that slithered in a series of curve, like a snake. It's hilt was a leather material with a clear rock embedded on it - a piece of the Weapon Stone.

Just then, a deep voice spoke in my mind. A voice that seemed so old and powerful. Old to the point of immortality, the sound of someone that had witnessed every lose and triumph, every pain and pleasure, every life and death.

You are small yet lethal,

You won't attack unless provoked,

You have the ability to conceal your stealth and use it when needed,

Katherine Hale you are a dagger.

The voice died and I approached the water work to retrieve the blade. The feeling of handling it wasn't alien, it fit in my hands like it had been mine all along. I grasped it with such longing - the same way you would hold a lost item of yours once you found it.

"Congratulations, Katherine. You are now an official Wind Guardian"

Eric proclaimed. "Let's call it Bane, shall we?"