The Elementals: Return Of Creation

Chapter 1: Familiar Shackles

 Trode’s thin lips curved up halfway.

 The Boy reached the last step, where he tripped and fell on his chest with a loud grunt. He didn't waste a moment to push himself back up and said, without breath, "I was running with my kite but I saw the trees moving so fast. Then I saw my feet and I knew it was because I was running super fast!"

 Trode approached the boy, slowly swishing out of the pool.

"Well done, Jack," he said, baritone but soft with pride. "Did you run all the way out here?"

"Yup!" grinned Jack.

 Trode stepped out of the pool. "Isn't Nym supposed to be with you?"

 "I.. kind of left her," Jack hesitated. "When I accesedentely dropped my kite’s line after that we chased it, but then I remember you told me that I can do cool stuff like you when I grow up so I came here because I really wanted to tell you that I'm fast now,"

 "You shouldn't have left without her," said Trode, opening his palm to hold Jack’s hand. “They all must be frightened stiff for you,”

 “I’m sorry…”

  He could hear the disappointment and the growing regret in The Boy’s voice. "But yes, you are very fast,"

  The Boy was amused at the thought. They walked down the stairs, this time he tried to watch every step. “Faster than people?"

 "Which people?" Trode looked at him.

 "Well, people people,"

 "You mean humans?"

 "Yeah, people like," the boy looked at himself. "me,"

 "Are elves not people?" Trode teased.

 "Well, your people are amazing," he said, with an unhidden tone of jealousy. "Humans are boring,"

 Trode glanced to The Boy's ears, rounder compared to his own. "Because elves can use magic, and most humans can't?"

 "Yeah, yeah!" The boy exclaimed.

 "Jack," Trode said softly. "The fact that your people can survive without magic, only using their minds and bare strength alone, is what's truly amazing,"

 "I guess.." Jack admitted, looking down at his filthy feet.

 "Besides," Trode scoffed. "You're not really one of them,"

 "I'm not?" asked Jack, nearly missing a step.

 "Oh, no," Trode shook his head gently. "Not at all,"

 "But I look like everyone else!" Said Jack.

  Trode smiled. Though there was little to no joy behind his expression.

 Everything felt so much larger now that he had returned to the face of the planet. The stone area around the mountain's base seemed so vast, and the acres of pine beyond it was as endless as the ocean. What small sense of positivity he grasped from seeing young Jack faded out. He did not like returning- being bound to his mortal form.

 "Did I keep you waiting?" asked Trode, trying to lighten their conversation.

 "Nope!" said Jack. "You were faster than me! I called you a few times then," he made explosion noises with his mouth, "you magically came here!"

 "That wasn't magic," Trode chuckled in a mildly demeaning tone. "That was lightning. I used it to move really fast, like you do,"

 "But I don't glow and bzzzz like you do,"