ELEMENTALIA: Tale of the Elemental Guardians

Chapter 2: SEAL AND PROTECTION

Mina and the girls wept because they remembered the hardships they've been through before they were found by Charles. Charles embraced Mina while patting her back and said, "There, there… I understand now. I'm sorry for your loss. I just lost my wife too, so I know how you feel." Then he also hugged the girls.

Mina also told Charles what happened to Manang, Mr. Chef, and Manong Ben. “So this happened because of your super powers?" Charles asked the girls.

"Yes, Sir. We are deeply sorry,” the girls apologized.

"It's okay. They will wake up soon. The problem is they know about your powers now," Charles said.

"What will happen if people learn about us?" Sarah asked.

"People will be afraid and panic. They will chase you or even hurt you,” Charles said.

"Thats terrible!" Peach cried and the other girls grew afraid.

" I will do anything so that it will not happen!" Mina promised the children.

"What are you doing out here at the veranda, Mina?" Charles asked Mina that night. She was drawing a big circle and some lines on the floor using a piece of charcoal, and with many candles around it.

"I'm preparing a Sealing Ritual. This will seal away the powers of my children so that they will not use it accidentally while also protecting them from evil creatures,” Mina explained.

"And what did you do to Manang and the others? It seems they don't remember anything about what happened."

"I made them forget about it. I can control people's mind."

"That's convenient. But please don't you ever use that on me, okay?" Charles said.

Mina laughed. “Sure.”

"This is the perfect time to perform a ritual because its full moon, but I still need few more materials," Mina continued while finishing the drawing.

"What materials do you need?" Charles asked curiously.

Mina’s expression turned serious. "I need a part of their body,” she said with a creepy look.

“He-hey! You’re not serious, right?"

Mina laughed at Charles’s reaction before they head to the children's room.

" We need to cut some of Joy's hair, get some eyelashes from Sarah, and some toenails from Peach. For baby Ian, since I still don't know what is his power, I'll just get some droplets of his blood." Mina pulled a small knife.

“Wait, don't use that! Just use a pair of scissors, nail cutter, and a needle,” Charles suggested.

After getting the materials from the three girls, Mina wrapped it separately using a paper with strange symbols. Then they went quietly to baby Ian's crib. "Is there a way that you can make it not painful for him. He might wake up, you know?" Charles asked.

“Yeah, I'll just paralyze his feet for a while,” Mina said. Her hand glowed as she touched Ian's feet, then she pierced the heel with needle, dripping the blood on the paper.

Outside, Mina was about to start the ritual when Charles asked her, "Why do you need all of these?"

"For the ritual to be effective, I need a part of their body that represents their power. But I don't know what will be the side effect of this ritual to them. They might hate me because of this,” Mina said worriedly.

“Don't worry. I'm sure they will understand,” Charles said.

To start the ritual, Mina placed each paper separately at the center of the circle that she draw then chanted the magic words repeatedly while burning them. "Sa ilalim ng buwan, pakinggan ang aking kahilingan. Sila'y inyong proteksyonan at itago ang kapangyarihan, gang sumapit ang pangangailangan." Then she put the ashes in separate bottles.

"We will make them drink this while they are sleeping,” Mina said, but she looked really worried.

"I'll help you explain to them when they wake up, so don't worry." Charles held her hands.

“Thank you so much for helping us!" Mina said while looking in his eyes.

The next morning...

Joy woke up and went to the window while yawning, then she did some stretches. She noticed a young boy running at the garden toward the exit at the back of the house.

Liel made sure that no one will see him going outside because he wanted to run away from his home. "I don't want to live in this house anymore! I hate my dad! I hate them all!" he said while running aimlessly in the orchard.

"HEEEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? SIR CHARLES SAID DON'T GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION!!!" Joy shouted at him.

“GO AWAY! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Liel shouted back.

“BUSINESS? WHAT IS THAT?" Joy asked.

"WHATEVER! DON'T FOLLOW ME! GET LOST!!!" Liel ran as fast as he could without looking ahead. He didn't realize there's a cliff and he almost fell. Fortunately, Joy grabbed his hand just in time.

"Why are you so heavy? Did I lose my power?" Joy wondered.

"Your mother cursed you! Look at your hair!" Liel said.

Joy glanced at her hair and noticed that it had become shorter. The color was different too. "EEH-EEEHHH! Hey! Don't distract me while I'm saving you!" Joy tried to use her power to lift Liel up.

"Then let go of me! No one cares for me anyway!" Liel cried.

“YOU’RE WRONG! Everyone cares about you, especially your Dad! They all love you!" Joy said.

Back at the house...

"MAAAMAAAAAH!" Peach shouted. Mina and Charles rushed to the children's room and saw Peach and Ian crying. Mina pick uped Ian and asked Peach, "Why are you shouting? What's wrong!?"

"It's-Its my toenails. They are gone!" Peach cried.

Then suddenly Sarah also woke up. "What's happening? She rubbed her eyes while yawning, but when she opened them, everything looked blurry. “E-eeehhh!?” She rubbed her eyes again. “Why can't I see? HELP ME!" She was also crying now.

"Mina, what is happening?" Charles asked.

"It's the side effect of the ritual!?" Mina checked on Ian, but he seemed fine.

"LOOK!" Charles pointed at their shadow on the floor. "This can't be! His shadow, IT'S GONE!" Mina's tears fell.

"SIR CHARLES! SIR CHARLES! THE YOUNG MASTER! HE'S GONE!" Manang was panicking.

Everyone in the house went searching. "Joy is not here either. Where could they be?" Mina said.

"They are not in the house or in the garden,” Manong Ben added.

Suddenly, Mina sensed that Joy was trying to use her power.

“Charles, follow me!" she said.

"Waaaah! That was exhausting!" Joy lay on the ground, trying to catch her breath.

“Why? WHY DID YOU SAVE ME??!!" Liel shouted while crying and shivering.

"Because..... BECAUSE I WANT TO SAVE YOU!" Joy shouted back to Liel's face. "And I know Sir Charles will be so sad if something happens to you. So come back home with me, okay?” she added, offering Liel a hand.

Liel could barely stand up. His knees hurt because of what happened, so Joy offered him a piggyback ride. "Don't worry, I always do this with my sisters! Hehe,” she said.

Liel hesitated, but he had no choice because Joy already carried him. "By the way, my name is Joy. That's what your father calls me. And your name is..... L-li-la-Ledric!?"

"Ahaha! Just call me Li!" Liel said.

"JOY!" shouted Mina.

“Liel, my son!" Charles sounded so worried. They both ran after they saw Joy and Li at the back of the orchard.

“Are you both alright?" Mina asked.

"Liel, you made me worried sick! Are you hurt? Let me take you to the hospital!" Charles said.

Liel was amazed how worried his father to him, and now he realized that Joy was right.

Author: TenTenJOY03

Editor: Kenneth Villa