Chapter 6: The Conclusion!

 

“Alright lads! Now please get into a line and settle down! Because the time has come that you choose your elements!”

Hephaestus yelled and caught all of our attention. We formed a ‘perfect’ line and the god snapped his fingers, and the walls of the room opened, revealing some abnormal crystals that glowed in different colors.

Those must be the elements. I thought.

Hephaestus turned to us, “Now, who would like to volunteer to go first?”. Everyone looked at each other with excited looks and began to talk, and their voices were so quiet, it makes my ears hurt for some reason. Most of them began to walk towards the door, but Hephaestus interrupted, “One at a time!”.

They halted. And one of them began to walk in, it was that douchebag that was harassing Felix. The god then followed into the room, and he snapped his fingers again, and the door slammed shut.

“Aisha, what element would you want to get?” Felix asked. I already knew that Felix, for some reason, wanted to choose Fairy, and I was also dying to know what element Aisha would like to choose.

“Probably, the Element of Water.” She replied. Felix and I nodded, “Not bad, inspired by that story huh?” Aisha glared at the walls. “I only wished, that I can become a kind person like him too.” Well, I believe that she can be that person, since she has a cool personality.

The doors eventually opened, Hephaestus and that fellow walked out of the room, with the latter holding a crystal, grinning in satisfaction.  “Welp, congrats! Now next one, step forward!” After saying that, many people began shuffling against each other, arguing on who should get in first. “You know what? Fine! I’ll choose!” Hephaestus yelled in annoyance, and the angry chattering died out. “You there! That girl with a red hair! You turn!” The god pointed to the girl he mentioned, according to my memory, she was the one who said ‘what must we do’, when Felix was getting humiliated.

All of us stared at the girl, who looked at each and every one of us, confused on why were we staring at her as if she was a pop singer or something. Hephaestus scoffed, “It’s your turn, come on!”. The girl gasped in realisation, and rushed towards the room, the door closed again once Hephaestus entered it with her.

While waiting, people started to come up with conversations, like what element would they like to choose, where were they from, or when would they like to begin their trainings. “So Edward, I heard that you’re a prince from a kingdom, right?” Felix asked, “Hmm? Oh! Um, yeah. I am the prince of a kingdom called Paxsalam.” I replied. Felix and Aisha looked at each other in amazement, like they can’t believe that a guy like me is actually a prince. “Is it true, that your parents were?”  “Yeah, please don’t try to bring that up, it just… reminds me of, those unfortunate time…” I closed my eyes, trying not to tear up, which I did that every time I accidentally remembered that.

Moments passed, and the god of the forge called out people by their appearances, and one by one, folks entered and exited with crystals in their hands. Eventually, it was Felix’s and later, Aisha’s turn. They came out from the room with the crystals, Felix’s crystal is pink and has wings like that of a dragonfly, or more specifically, a fairy. While Aisha’s crystal looks colourless and I can see through the insides of it, just like water.

You guys want to know what Hephaestus had described me as? The boy with a depressed face.

It was eventually my turn to enter, which I was the last one remaining for some reason, Hephaestus literally called me out by that description in front of the crowd. Most of them laughed (including Felix), and some started asking on another questions I can barely analyse, like “How did he looked so depressed by the fact that he backed someone up?”. I never knew that I looked that despair-looking I don’t even know that people would care… I sighed, and walked into the room, ignoring jokes yelled out by the others like ‘Do you need a hug?’, or ‘You look sad, you better get over it!’.

Once the door closed, the voices faded away, leaving us in the cold room with the crystals being the only light source.

“Now, which element would you like?” The god asked. Oh crap, I remembered.  I haven’t even confirmed my elements… But, don’t panic me, I have three options. And those were; fire, wind, or ice. I started to get into deep thought, which one of these three elements would suit me the most?

I kept analysing the benefits to me if I used these elements. Okay, so if I had used fire, I can set my opponents on fire, or literally burning away their clothes. That idea made me smile, but… a dark thought gloomed inside my head; What if I can’t fully control it? What if I screw up, and ended up burning my opponent alive… Stop it, I calmed down, so I don’t think fire will be my type. Next one.

What if I used the Element of the Wind? What good will it bring? I can’t think much because I don’t understand wind, the only thing I know about wind is that it is the movement of air caused by the Earth being heated by the Sun. But I don’t know what can I do with it… Blow things away I guess? Okay, so not wind. So, should I use fire? I’m sure that Claude can be a good magician tutor and hopefully I am able to play with fire.

Just as I was about to confirm it, I suddenly had a memory turned on.

I was six, in my bedroom, wondering when my parents will return. Claude had entered the room, and he calmed me down by… using his magic to produce ice shards in the air to cheer me up. That was one of the happiest moments in my life. I recalled that I wanted to do that too, and the only way to do that is…

I made up my mind.

“Lord Hephaestus,” I bowed, “I would like to have the Element of Ice.” The god nodded, “You don’t need to do that you know, ice huh?” Hephaestus teleported to the shelf with crystals that all looked similar, he took one out and teleported back to me. “I, Hephaestus, the fricking God of Fire, grants you, The Element of Ice.”

When I held the crystal in my hand, I expected it to be freezing. But, it was freezing, but it’s not like it will give me frostbite or something. I bowed to the god, “Thank you my lord.”, (which he replied that it is unnecessary to do that). He snapped his fingers, the door opened, the others were looking at me as I walked out, I didn’t hear any jokes from them and it seems like they had forgotten that I had existed.

“That’s all for today!” Hephaestus said. “I hope that you will use your chosen elements well!”. And after that, everyone started to head out from the room, which signifies that the ceremony is over. I was chatting with Felix and Aisha while we were on the way up, I was so delighted to have these two by my side. I had never made any friends before, due to spending most of my life in the palace. And Felix and Aisha might be my first two friends…

“Element of Ice? That’s sick dude!” Felix elbowed me. We discussed on what cool things we can do with our new elements, like maybe I can create an ice sculpture, Felix can help children by doing, fairy stuff (he himself doesn’t know what a fairy does too), and Aisha can do something that can make her stay underwater for long periods.

We laughed as we told jokes about our elements. “You’re back Edward!” We heard a voice form the top of the stairs. It was my brother Claude, waving at us from the top. “Oh, that’s my cue guys.” I told them, I held out my hand. “Hope that we can meet again soon someday!” Both of them shook my hand. “See you later!” Aisha called out, “Make some snowballs for me!” Felix added. I laughed as I waved back at them, and I rushed to Claude and the guards’ side.

“You look happy.” Claude noted, “I’m glad that you had made some new friends already.” “Yup, their names are Felix and Aisha.” I nodded and replied. “So, brother. When will be my first training?” I asked. Claude pated my head, “Fine, we can start whenever you want.” The subway train eventually arrived, and we all boarded it, retuning to our kingdom.