We all instinctively swarmed the wall farthest from Zed. His skin was a firey red and he had black tattoos of flames that licked up his arms, neck, and face. My cheeks and eyes burned everytime I faced him. Only those born of fire could face others born of fire without nearly combusting with the heat. It was especially bad for us, born of Earth. We were basically made of wood, our skin like paper that acted as kindling to flames.

Zed motioned for a girl standing at the opposite end of the group. “Elyria, come.”

Elyria stepped forward with the grace that came from the Water born. Her hair was black at first glance, but as she sauntered toward Zed, her hair caught the light from a torch, turning it a dark blue. Unlike Earth born and Air born, Water born weren’t afraid of Zed and his kind. They were the only elemental that balanced out their power, able to easily douse their flames when it became to much. Still, I could sense a protective layer of ice covering her body though I could not see it.

“What do you think of my new home, El? The ocean view is gorgeous from here”

Elyria smiled but I could sense the hate radiating off her aura. “It is beautiful, Z. My ancestors were genius architects.”

Elyria was the leader of the Water born, and rightfully so. She came from a long line of feirce women but many of her kind doubted her ability to lead in the wake of the Fire born envaiding her territory. She seemed like a weak leader to the general public but I couldn’t shake the feeling she had something up her sleeve.

Zeds black eyes roamed over the rest of us. He planned on taking over all our territories, the threat was obvious. Why else would he invite us all here? The room was filled with royal families and military leaders from all 4 elements. Air, Water, Earth and Fire. He wanted us to be afraid of him.

Being grown from Mother Nature herself, us Earth born had a strong intuition. We had never told anyone, but my family didn’t just have a strong intuition, but we were often plagued with visions of the future. That’s how my ancestors rose to power. We knew everything before it happened. But as I looked at Zed and Elyria, a deep panic welled within me. Elyrias crystal blue eyes found mine and suddenly she was sitting on a throne woven from wood, flames tattooed up and down her arms. I couldn’t see Zed but I could feel the burning heat of his body to my right, a hand holding mine.

I gasped as I came out of the vision, feeling like I was about to pass out. Ayra, the heir to the Air born throne, steadied me with a concerned look. “I am not looking forward to being ruler one day. I can feel the stress raidiating from you.”

Ayra had grown up like a sister to me, despite our glaring differences. Ayra was brash, often saying the first thing that came to her mind, while I was more reserved, careful. This was really the first meeting I’ve been to as offical ruler of the Earth born. My parents had passed trying to defend Elyria and the Water born from Zed. They’d been nothing but ash. My heart panged at the thought of them returning to the Earth. I was at least grateful for having an excuse for the shock and nerves I knew were raidiating from me right now. I didn’t know what was coming, but I knew it wouldn’t be good.