Chasing Water

Chapter 2 - Chasing Water

“What the hell is that?”

“Ha what?” Oh man am I still dreaming? I feel like I haven’t slept a wink.

“I believe you heard me just fine Kenna, what is that?” Someone shouted at me in my sleep induced haze.

I barely opened one eye to look at Aidan standing over my bed. “Aidan I have no idea what you are doing in my bedroom and without knocking, but I have no intention of getting up just yet so get out.”

Aidan did have the couth to be embarrassed for walking into my room unannounced, but only for a second. “Kenna how in the hell did you burn your hand?”

Oh s**t, play dumb, “what on earth are you talking about Aidan.” I look down at my hand to make it look good and, “holy s**t, how did that get there?”

“You don’t know how it happened?” He asked skeptically.

“Pretty sure I would remember burning myself. I don’t know maybe it has something to do with me being the one or something.” I tried to shrug it off.

“JAKE, come in here.” Aidan shouted.

Really Aidan is going to call Jake in here. I can’t do this, I just can’t anymore. I jumped out of bed as Jake run into my room, and I slammed the door with a puff of air, then encased them both in a kind of air box so that they couldn’t move.

Jake and Aidan look at me in shock.

“You two are going to stand there and listen to what I have to say, without saying a word,” and they both start yelling over each other at me. They can’t even hear me they are yelling so much. I guess it is time to be a little more extreme about this all. “JAKE, AIDAN!” Still nothing, they aren’t going to listen to me. Fine! I am gonna keep them encased in air for a while, I walked around them grabbed some clothes off my dresser and walked right out the door of my bedroom and neither of them were able to do a damn thing about it but yell, but that was easy to remedy too. Just closed the air box around them so no sound could get out and now no one can hear them except themselves.

The kitchen does smell good as I walk in to, oh Lexi is cooking breakfast, and she is a really great cook.

“Morning Kenna, is everything ok I thought I heard Aidan yelling for Jake.” Lexi looks at me with concern.

“Oh, it’s fine, they are taking a break from everything is all.” I shrug.

“Kenna what have you done?” Lexi turns from the stove to inspect me.

“What do you mean?” I ask innocently.

“I have known you my whole life, and the way those two have been treating you it was only a matter of time before you blew, so what have you done?” She says as she turns back to her cooking.

Oh, she knows me so well. “They are in my room encased in air, I didn’t hurt them.”

“Are you sure you can handle that?” again with the concern.

“Don’t start on me Lexi or I will put you right in there with them.” I snap out.

“So, what set Aidan off this morning?” She asked.

She is my best friend, but I haven’t told her about talking to the lord, should I tell her? I need to tell someone, keeping this all bottled up inside is driving me crazy. “This is what got him going this morning.”

Lexi grabbed my hand immediately, “oh Kenna are you ok?”

“See there is the big difference, you ask if I am ok, Aidan asks how the hell it happened.”

“He is just trying to protect you.” She reasoned.

“I know but I can take care of myself. I don’t care if you guys believe it or not, but I know what I am doing.” I plead to her.

“Ok, so do you want to explain this mark on your hand?” She asks casually.

“I don’t know, are you going to believe me if I tell you about it?”

“Kenna, I would believe you if you told me God came down and put that mark on your hand.”

“Oh, Lexi you have no idea how close to the truth you are with that statement.”

And of course, there is the look of worry on Lexi’s face I didn’t want to see there. “What do you mean Kenna?”

“I haven’t told Aidan this or Jake because I really don’t want to have to deal with their crap, but I can see and talk to the elemental lords.”

“Kenna, are you sure. I mean that is pretty out there.”

Not totally ‘you’re crazy’ so we are doing pretty good with Lexi’s reaction so far. “I know it seems nuts, but I really can. Nereus the lord of water has spoken with me a few times, and last night I had a run in with Aedus.”

“Aedus?”

“Big a*s hole really, he is the lord of fire. I kinda blew him off last night because he pissed me off and this flame brand is what I got in exchange.”

“But I thought you and Aidan couldn’t be burned.”

“Yeah so did I, but apparently, we cannot be burned by earths fire, and Aedus isn’t of earth, so his fire can burn us.”

“That is just great. But why did he come to speak with you anyway?”

“Lexi you are being pretty good about all of this, you really believe me?”

“Kenna your powers supposedly came from the Elemental Lords right, so it would make sense that you may be able to talk to them. I am your best friends, of course I believe you. It does help that this burn looks exactly like a flame, but who is counting.” She said with a smile.

“I love you Lexi, I just hope when I break all of this to Jake and Aidan they will be as understanding.” I say with conviction.

“Good luck with that, back to the lords though, why were they here to talk to you?”

“I kinda asked Nereus to come so I could ask him some questions.”

“What kinda questions?”

“If someone that isn’t of the direct line could have their powers taken away from them?”

“Not of the direct line? Why would you ask him something like that?”

“I once asked Nereus if they could just take my powers away, and don’t get your hopes up, they can’t. Taking my powers would take a big chunk of my soul with it, it would pretty much destroy me. It would take too big of a piece of me. But they got me thinking that maybe others could have their powers taken away or turned off.”

“Turned off? What do you mean by that?”

“I guess they turned my powers off when I was little, so that I would have a chance to grow up without the Restorers trying to kill me. That is why I didn’t know anything about this.”

“I get it, so can you turn off the others powers?”

“I can’t at least I don’t think I can, but after talking to Nereus I know they can. But Nereus can only turn off or take away the power of a water elemental. He is still pretty hesitant about taking power away at all.”

“But you are the only water elemental we know anyway, well besides the one in the cell. You didn’t ask him to turn that power back off did you?”

“No, nothing like that, I wanted to know if we could take the power away from someone who really hates having the power.”

“Oh, you mean Luke?”

“Yeah, I was asking about Luke, he hates that he has the elemental power he does because of how he was raised, and that makes him extremely dangerous to all of us. If Aidan or I don’t keep him contained he would burn this place to the ground in a heartbeat.”

“I have gathered that much from the few times I have been around him. So, can his powers be taken away from him?”

“I am pretty sure they can, but don’t look so hopeful, Aedus would have to take the power away, and he doesn’t seem too willing to do something like that. Plus it takes a part of his soul if he takes them away instead of turning them off. I don’t know if I am ok with that.”

“It may be what has to be done though. Sounds like a great one this Aedus. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet, I am going to have to deal with Aedus at some point anyways, but he isn’t one who would do something just because I asked him to. I’ll figure something out.”

“Well, if you need any help just let me know. I am not too sure what I could do, but if there is anything I will do it.”

“Thanks Lexi, enough about this, give me some of that delicious food you are cooking.” I said as I beat my hands on the table.

“Alright here is your bacon and eggs just the way you like them. How long are you gonna leave the boys locked in your room?” She asked as she set my food in front of me.

“Haven’t decided yet, I like having it be just me and you, we haven’t had that in forever.” I said trying to avoid the Aidan and Jake question.

“Man I know, what happen to our girl time?” And we both just laughed. I need this, I need time with someone that just listens to me and isn’t trying to tell me what to do.

I got up and gave Lexi a hug, “our lives have been pretty crazy lately, I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I love you to Kenna.” Lexi said as she gave me a big hug back.

“I suppose it is about time to release Aidan and Jake, I have kept them locked in that room for over an hour now.” I told Lexi, but it was nice getting to have breakfast with just Lexi and not have to listen to them tell me what to do and what not to do. But there will be hell to pay after what I did to those two this morning. I wonder if I should run while I still have the chance, I think with a smile. Well I guess it is time to face the music.

Is it horrible that I am nervous as heck just trying to get myself to walk back into the room Jake and Aidan are in? I haven't even known these guys a full year and I am scared about what they are going to do. I know they won't hurt me or anything dumb like that, but their disapproval can break me. I take a deep breath, Ok it is time to face the music.

Well if looks could kill I would definitely say I would have been dead the moment I stepped into the room. Do I drop the air wall or leave it there? That is the question, but I can't hear them and it would be safe to assume they can't hear me if I don't at least lessen the wall. But I should just drop the wall altogether. Take a deep breath and, "the wall is down. And based on the looks on your faces you are a little pissed."

"A little pissed! YOU LOCKED AIDAN AND I IN A BOX!" Jake yelled.

"If you are going to yell at me I can easily put it back up." I said as I stepped up to Jake. Aidan grabbed Jake's arm and just gave him a look, great they already have looks about me. I swear this is getting ridiculous. "That is it! I am done, neither one of you are my father! This is my life and I sought you out Aidan, you didn't even know I existed until I tracked your family down! I understand what happened at that castle scared the crap out of all of you, but that doesn't give you the right to control my life!"

"Kenna," Aidan said with all the caring I knew he had for me, "we can't sit back and watch you destroy yourself."

"Neither of you have any idea what happened back at that castle, and neither of you have ever even asked, all you do is tell me what I can and cannot do!" At least they both had the decency to look slightly ashamed.

"Kenna, do you know what happened there?" Jake asked.

"I know everything that happened, but both of you have lost the right to ask me about it. If I don't practice my body will never be able to handle what I am truly capable of. I have to practice, and to be honest there is nothing either of you can do to stop me!"

"You want us to sit back and watch you destroy yourself because you think you can handle something you can't," Jake threw at me.

"Screw you Jake, I am not your responsibility. And weather the two of you believe this or not, I knew what I did that day would not kill me!" I shouted at both of them.

"Kenna you couldn't have possibly known that," Aidan said.

"Really! I can't possibly have known! Aidan you have no idea what I know!" Oh I am going to regret this, but this is one way to make Aidan believe me without question. "Aedus, can you hear me?"

"Why are you bothering me child?" He replied immediately.

"I am sorry I tried to dismiss you earlier, but I can use your help….Please"

"Was that hard for you to ask for?” He asked smugly. “What is it you need?"

"Are you near? I need you to speak to Aidan."

"You would like me to speak to you brother? The fire element?"

"You know he is a fire element, and yes. Please."

And in an instant Aerus was standing next to me.

"Holy s**t! Who are you?" Aidan said, as he backed away.

He looks white, pretty sure that scared the hell outta him, trying really hard not to laugh at him.

"What are you talking about Aidan? Kenna and I are the only ones here." Jake said.

"No Jake we are not the only ones here.” I said to Jake, “Aedus is here, but of course you can't see him." I said.

"What do you mean I can't see him? You expect me to believe there is someone here I can't see, like an invisible man?" Jake said scornfully.

"I will not going to stay around for this child! That man is nothing, but a waste and I can easily make him disappear." Aerus said in my head.

Oh s**t, "Jake get out of my room!"

"What did you say Kenna?" Jake looked at me in shock.

"You and I will have a wonderful discussion later I am sure, but I need to speak to my brother right now. So get out of my room!"

"You want me to just leave after you locked me in an air prison this morning?" Jake spat.

"She is right Jake, Kenna and I need to talk." Aidan said quietly with unmistakable awe in his voice.

"This is not over Kenna, we will have this discussion." Jake said as he stormed out of my room.

"Ok Kenna, who is this guy?" Aidan said as soon as Jake was gone.

"Dig deep Aidan you know exactly who I am." Aedus said with a smug smile. "I am here at Kenna's request, and only because it was so hard for her to ask for help."

"You can't be him, if you are why haven't I ever seen you before?" Aidan asked Aedus.

"Because I do not waste my time with humans." Aedus told Aidan in his wonderfully condescending way.

"You don’t waste your time on humans?” Aidan questioned, “You do realize Kenna is a human right?”

“Of all on this world she is the closest to us and for our line we will help her.” Aedus easily replied.

“Kenna, why did you ask him to come here? I am pretty sure I can go the rest of my life without ever seeing him again and I would be pretty happy about it." Aidan asked without any awe left in his voice.

"I asked Aedus to come because he is the only one of the four that you can see." I said.

"The only one I can see, does that mean you can see all of them?" Aidan asked.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter right now. If you haven't noticed Aedus doesn't have a lot of patience, I asked him here because that day at the castle they told me I would be fine. That my powers would protect me, but it would be a great strain on my body. And they were right it was, and the only way for my body to handle the power I have is to practice with it is what they also told me.” I tried to reason with Aidan.

"Ok, ok, Aedus is this true, does she have to practice to build up her body and can her body handle it?" Aidan questioned.

"She does,” was Aedus’ simple reply.

"Will it kill her if she pushes to hard?"

"No, her body will shut down before it gets to the point of death."

"What do you mean shut down?"

"Like it did the last time, it will not kill her, it will knock her out and keep her that way until her body heals. But it will heal, you have to give her body the time it needs to heal when she pushes that far. But if she practices and conditions her body to handle her powers it won't knock her down the way it did before." Aedus easily explained to Aidan.

"Why are you helping Kenna?"

"That is between your sister and myself. Is that all you needed from me child?" Aedus said as he looked at me.

"Yes, thank you." I said quietly.

"I am sure we will be speaking again soon." Aedus said and he then he was gone.

"Thank you, truly, I know you didn't have to do that for me."

"Child I am not at your beck and call, but what is ahead of you is going to be very trying on you and you need strong people around you. Your brother is strong."

Maybe I was wrong about Aedus I thought, and just as quickly knew better because my hand started burning again. Ok, so I wasn't wrong about Aedus. "Aidan, I love you, but I need you to allow me to do the things I need to."

"What is going on Kenna, why haven't you told me about this?" Aidan said with worry.

"It's complicated Aidan, and as much as you can say you understand you really don't. Yes, you have your fire ability, but it isn't the same. I am sorry, a lot has happened, and I just have a lot of my plate." I signed.

"Kenna, I understand you have things you don't want to tell me, but this is pretty big, and from what he said you will need me.” Aidan reasoned.

"What do you want me to say, I have had multiple conversations with Nereus the god of water? And I have spoken with Aedus obviously, but I think he is an arrogant ass." I tried to make light of it.

"If you don't like him why did you have him come here?" Aidan questioned.

"Because he is the only one you can see." I said with a shrug.

"What about the others?"

"I have felt them before, but never spoken with them."

"Why? Is there something they want from you?"

"I don't know? Maybe they always appear to the one who carries all their powers." Which they don't, I know that for sure. But no need to worry Aidan any more than I already have. "They have just been trying to help me."

"Ok Kenna, I will back off some, but I will not allow you to push yourself to pretty much being in a coma for weeks on end. But I can't get Jake to back off, he is all your problem now." Aidan replied.

"Gee thanks Aidan, you have been in this with him, you could try and get him to stop.” I replied, “But thank you for your support in my training. And I truly hope I don't push myself to the point I did the last time."

"Sorry no, he is all yours. Just be careful please." Aidan gave me a hug and left.

That almost seemed too easy. Well it wasn't easy having to ask Aedus for help, but still easier than I thought it was going to be. Now what am I going to do about Jake. He is really pissed, and I can't imagine his temper improving with me kicking him out of my room. Man, it is barely mid-morning and already I am ready to go back to bed. This is getting ridiculous.