Birds were singing outside.

There was a draft in the cabin and the fire had gone out. Stilas stretched and realized that Bethany was no longer leaning on him. He stood up and turned around to see her standing by a window on the other side of the cabin.

Stilas walked up behind her and ran his fingers through her red locks.

“Good morning.” Bethany said

Stilas nodded out the window, “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Bethany replied, “It's just so peaceful here.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Stilas said. He took a deep breath, “I have to go.”

Bethany spun around, “Where?”

Stilas glanced away from her green eyes and picked at his uniform. He had never felt ashamed for anything he had done for the Dark Legion before. It was a strange feeling.

“Hey.” Bethany touched his chin with her right hand and gently lifted his face to meet hers, “You can tell me.”

“My master brought me here to harvest Elementals.” Stilas began

“Those things that come out of people’s bodies when they die now?” Bethany asked

“Yes.” Stilas said, “We have a Fleet of ships and troops that are set to land on Earth tomorrow. There is a group of powerful Mages that are going to try to stop us from taking Earth from them. Those Elementals are how he is planning on beating them.”

Bethany thought for a moment, “Why does your master want to beat these people?”

“High Elves have practiced speciesism for almost two thousand years.” Stilas set his jaw, “Anyone that doesn’t conform to their idea of how things should be gets branded a traitor, and is fair game to be hunted like an animal.”

“That’s awful.” Bethany said

“They have wiped entire races from the universe simply because they wanted to and could. They even have a Fleet whose sole purpose is to hunt down the Congress’ most wanted.”

“And you think that they are going to wipe out Earth?” Bethany asked

“They plan on doing something far worse,” Stilas said, “They plan on using the humans of Earth to bolster their troops and fight their battles for them.”

“They will label us monsters, and teach humans how to kill us.” Stilas moved away from the window, “After humans have gotten a taste for our blood, they will turn them loose. They even have a prophecy that says that the human Triftion will destroy the Dark Legion.”

“What’s a Triftion?” Bethany asked as she walked over to the couch and sat down.

Stilas sat down on the opposite edge of the couch, “There are four different Elements. Fire, Wind, Water, Earth.” He put up a finger each time he said an element, “Most beings can only control one Element. The Triftion can control all four.”

“What if some Triftions decide to fight for you guys?” Bethany asked

“It’s just Triftion.” Stilas corrected, “Each race can only have one at a time, but that doesn’t mean that there is always one. We haven’t seen a Triftion from any race in almost seven hundred years.”

“So there’s not much of a chance that the human Triftion is out there right now.” Bethany said,

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“There are thousands of humans that could have inherited all four abilities.” Stilas said, “The mantle has to be active.”

“Oh.” Bethany said, “Would you kill the Triftion if you found him?”

Stilas thought for a moment, “Yes. I can’t chance the prophecy coming true.” He stood up, “I could do so much with an Elemental that strong.”

“Like defeat the High Elves?” Bethany’s voice had grown softer

“I would use it against the Elders first.” Stilas said, “They tried to kill me back when I was a young Mage.” He sat back down, “And they are the Congress’ big muscle.”

Bethany just sat in silence.

Stilas leaned closer to her, “Are you okay?”

Bethany nodded, “It’s just a lot of information.”

Stilas backed away and stood up, “I’ll go find you something to eat before I go.”

Bethany stood up and grabbed his arm, “Please don’t leave me!”

Stilas looked down at her desperate grip on his sleeve. He followed her arm up to her face and stared into her scared eyes, “It wouldn’t be safe for you.”

“I don’t have powers.” Bethany said, “The entire world is going to be a battlefield tomorrow.” A tear rolled down her cheek, “Don’t leave me.”

“If I don’t meet my quota, my master will kill me.” Stilas said, “I have to go.”

Bethany sniffled as she blinked back tears, “Do you have a map?”

Stilas reached into his dimensional pocket and pulled out a map of Arizona.

“I mean a map of the country.” Bethany said

He didn’t, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t improvise. Stilas pulled out his pen and gestured at the wall. Black ink leached from the tattoo on his right hand through the pen and sprayed onto the wall. When he was finished he stepped back and looked at his work. It wouldn’t win him any art prizes, but he had outlined the entire United States and the states within.

Bethany held out her hand for the pen.

“It won’t write.” Stilas said as he offered it to her

“What good is a pen that won’t write?” Bethany asked

Stilas gestured at the wall, “To draw.”

Bethany walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a piece of mostly burnt wood out of the ashes. She stepped up to the map and began marking Xs in various spots.

Bethany tossed the charred wood on the floor and brushed her hands on her pants, “These.” She pointed at the Xs, “Are prisons where the stronger of the people with powers are being kept.”

Stilas glanced at the map. Most of the Xs were in the larger towns. “Do you know exactly where they are?”

“Some.” Bethany answered, “I can tell you if you’ll take me.”

“How do you know that these places will have stronger Elementalists?” Stilas asked,

“Part of my job before I got sent to check out the prison break was to arrange transport for our more powerful prisoners.” Bethany pointed at three of the Xs in California and one in Louisiana, “I know the addresses of these four.”

Stilas looked at the map. He could understand the three in southern California, but he was curious about the one in Louisiana. “How do you know that one?”

Bethany blushed, “I spent spring break there earlier this year. It kinda left an impression.”

Stilas nodded. He could hit that one last. By the time the humans realized what he was doing, he would need to be somewhere else anyway.

“You’re okay with this?” Stilas asked,

“If some people who have been misusing their powers have to be sacrificed. To give you the power to protect the rest of us from getting wiped out. I’m okay with that.” Bethany answered

Stilas sat down and drew a small circle on the floor. He couldn’t make a portal to somewhere that he hadn’t been before. But if he could see it, then he could make a portal there. He pushed some magic into the circle and began to focus on the northernmost of the three Xs in California. A cloudy image began to materialize in the scrying circle. He found a grocery store that looked abandoned and still had some food on the shelves. He brushed his hand over the edge of the circle to break the connection and turned to the wall by the fireplace. He drew a portal on the wall that would open to where he had just seen.

“Come on.” Stilas held out his hand to Bethany.

Bethany took Stilas's hand and followed him through the portal. They walked out in the produce section.

Stilas nodded at the shelves, “After we get something to eat, we’ll go to the prisons.”

Bethany dashed down the aisles. Stilas watched her go then turned to look out at the front of the store. He picked up an apple and bit into it. He could have gone another day without eating and not suffered any ill effects, but he had the opportunity to eat. After today things were going to get crazy, so it would be best to take a little break before hitting the prison. Not that these wouldn’t be more than a routine. After they were done, he would find somewhere to hide Bethany. He doubted his friend would care for a human much.

Stilas finished his apple and picked up a second one. There was no reason to think about that now. Right now all he had to think about were these three prisons.