The three Elementalists

17 Etiquette

Clara, Ray, and Jessica stepped into the Grand Hall of Realms, a shimmering ballroom where representatives of every elemental faction gathered under a swirling ceiling of crystal and light. Some corners glowed with gentle flame, others shimmered with watery reflections or rustled with invisible breezes. The air smelled of magic and perfume, and the clink of glass blended with soft conversation in dozens of dialects. Jessica glanced down at her robe, still scorched from a lightning dodge earlier that week. Ray’s was worse, rumpled and dotted with spark burns from a Sparkle Stick experiment gone sideways. Jessica muttered a little too loudly that they were the only ones who looked like they'd just escaped a magical kitchen fire. Ray, ever unbothered, stood taller and adjusted his Sparkle Stick like it was a walking cane made for royalty. He whispered to no one in particular that diplomacy was about impressions and that he looked dignified. Clara rolled her eyes and kept walking, hoping they wouldn’t trip on etiquette before the appetizers. As they moved deeper into the hall, glances turned toward them. Some curious, others entertained. The elemental representatives had come for unity or, more realistically, the illusion of it. Clara and the others were supposed to represent balance, a beacon of all elemental forces working in harmony. That would be easier if they didn’t look like they had crash-landed through a portal and skipped the dress code memo. A tall Water Elemental glided forward, his body formed of ice and ocean, tuxedo shimmering with crystalline frost that refracted the chandelier’s glow like moonlight over calm seas. He looked at the picture of grace and diplomacy. He introduced himself as Curran, emissary of the Tide Court, and extended a slender hand. His gaze paused on Jessica’s sneakers, still dripping from her rushed water trip. Small puddles trailed her steps. Jessica grinned and explained it was a water thing and not to judge. Her voice was unapologetic and cheerful as she splashed a drop of water directly onto Curran’s icy shoes. He blinked, then chuckled softly, noting her fluid presence. Clara resisted groaning at the pun, while Jessica tossed a wink toward her. Curran bowed his head in amusement and stepped back, letting his ice-threaded clothes reshape with an elegant crunch as new frost reformed. They barely had time to recover before a walking flame in a vest floated over them. The Fire Elemental’s waistcoat flickered with live embers and his voice danced like a spark, bright, fast, and hard to pin down. He introduced himself as Ignis Prime and called them Sparks with the casual familiarity of someone who lived in an eternal blaze. Ray, ever the show-man, bowed with a flourish and accidentally flicked his Sparkle Stick too close to a tray of appetizers. A puff of smoke rose from a pile of toasted mushrooms. Ignis teased that Ray might overcook the hors d’oeuvres, to which Ray insisted his wand merely under-cooked things. That earned a burst of laughter and a declaration that Ray had passed the first test. Jessica asked what test that was. Ignis replied that a sense of humor was essential, since they couldn’t incinerate every awkward conversation, no matter how tempting. Clara almost laughed, almost. The scent of jasmine and thunder changed as the wind shifted, and a new figure appeared like she had blown in with the breeze. Her silver hair moved as if caught in an invisible draft, never still. Her dress shimmered like morning mist. She called herself Zephyra and asked if she could clear the air. Before anyone could respond, she summoned a gentle vortex that was definitely more dramatic than diplomatic. Napkins, glitter, and party decorations whirled around their heads like a tiny indoor tornado. Ray shouted in mock despair that this was not the breeze he had ordered. Zephyra giggled and replied that diplomacy was about impact, and her breezes were always impactful. Ray muttered that next time, he’d prefer less gust and more chill. Then came the Earth Elemental, Terra Gravus, moving with the grace of tectonic plates and the wardrobe of a garden boulder. His clothes were made of living moss and embedded gemstones that glowed softly with stored sunlight. He greeted them in a deep voice like distant thunder, giving Clara a handshake that could snap tree trunks. Clara matched his strength and replied with a formal tone that they came seeking alliance. Terra nodded slowly, picking up a tiny flower from a table centerpiece and tucking it behind her ear. He rumbled that etiquette came first, and that the flower looked nice. Clara blinked, unsure whether she’d just been charmed or insulted. Jessica raised her glass and said it was certainly charming, her voice laced with amusement. The trio began adapting, slowly weaving through conversations with laughter, awkward bows, and improvised compliments. Jessica praised the humidity of the Water Elementals, Ray complimented the sparkle density of a Fire Elemental’s lapel, and Clara even managed to discuss soil quality with an Earth delegate without sounding like a lost gardener. But just as they started to relax, the hall’s entrance darkened. A familiar figure stepped in. It was Kai. Clara’s body went rigid. Kai had once fought by their side, only to betray them in pursuit of the Heart of Ice. His presence now, in a gathering built on trust and diplomacy, stirred unease. He looked different. Not hostile, but composed. He wore a suit made from swirling clouds and storm energy. Lightning crackled across his sleeves like it was stitched in as decoration. He approached casually, voice low but smirking. He remarked that diplomacy was easier than betrayal, eyes twinkling with mischief. Ray snorted and said if diplomacy came with sparkly drinks and fruit skewers, it was definitely more fun. Jessica added that at least this time they didn’t have to fight a dragon made of fries. Clara chuckled despite herself, noting they weren’t under attack yet. Kai paused, looking at them not with his usual edge, but something different. Almost curious. He admitted they weren’t as unbearable as he expected and suggested that maybe diplomacy suited them after all. Ray lifted his drink and proposed a toast to new friends, whether elemental, human, or somewhere in between. Clara followed with one of the strange alliances. Jessica hesitated, then raised her glass as well, saying she’d toast to less accidental destruction. Their glasses clinked. The sound rippled through the room. Elementals all around turned toward them, briefly united in shared curiosity. The flames flickered a little higher. The air carried laughter and the scent of sea salt. Small tremors rolled gently underfoot like polite applause from the stone beneath. Clara looked around and allowed herself a moment of hope. Maybe they were building bridges instead of burning them. Maybe they could find balance, even in chaos. But as she glanced back at Kai, his eyes didn’t gleam with malice. They shimmered with something stranger. Understanding. Familiarity. And in that gaze, Clara knew this night was not the end of the conflict. It was only the calm before the storm.