The Elementiels

Early the next day, Jason left the kingdom and rode south to Stacey's house. Her upcoming wedding was the talk of the family, and Jason had been entrusted with the most important task: delivering the cake.

By midday, he arrived at her place, nestled in a tranquil setting that seemed untouched by time. The small cottage stood proudly at the edge of a field filled with maize, the tall stalks swaying gently in the breeze.

Beyond the field, a dense forest stretched into the horizon, its towering trees forming a wall of deep green that shimmered under the sunlight.

Stacey's fiancé, Jonathan Taylor, opened the door with a welcoming smile. He was tall and well-built, his chiseled features softened by the warmth in his eyes. His dark hair was slicked back, and his finely tailored tunic hinted at his noble background.

"Jason! Just the person I wanted to see. Come in, we've been waiting for you," Jonathan said, ushering him inside.

"Thanks Jon. So... where's the lucky lady?" he teases him with a sassy look on his face.

The two of them goof off until Stacey appeared, her presence like a burst of sunlight in the room. Her long, orange hair was intricately braided, and her blue eyes sparkled with joy. She greeted Jason with a playful ruffle of his hair. "Look at you, all grown up, my little wildfire."

Jason blushed, ducking away from her teasing touch. "Come on, Sis. I'm not a kid anymore."

Stacey grinned, clearly enjoying his embarrassment. "Oh, really?" she teased, ruffling his hair even more. "You'll always be my little wildfire."

Jason groaned, finally succeeding in removing her hand. "Alright, alright! Enough with the hair thing!"

"Okay, okay, don't cry, you big baby," she said, laughing as she stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender.

The three of them settled at the table, and Jason leaned forward with a playful smile. "Alright," he said, resting his elbows on the wooden surface, "let's get down to business. What flavor should the wedding cake be?"

Jonathan didn't miss a beat. "Banana," he declared, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world. "A truly magnificent flavor, don't you think?"

Stacey raised an eyebrow at him, a teasing grin curling on her lips. "Oh, come on, honey. Banana? Really? Vanilla is the classic choice—it's timeless, elegant, and, let's be honest, the best."

Their playful banter continued, each defending their choice with increasing fervor, until Jason finally intervened, raising a hand for peace. "Alright, alright, you two lovebirds. I've got the perfect solution. Two layers. The first will be vanilla for Stacey, and the second will be banana for Jonathan. Deal?"

Jonathan and Stacey exchanged a glance, their stubbornness giving way to a unified smile. "Deal," they chimed in unison.

Laughter rippled through the room, but Jason soon pushed back his chair. "Well, I should be heading back."

Stacey's eyes widened in mock dismay. "Leaving so soon?" she asked, a pout forming on her lips. "You just got here, wildfire. Stay a little longer."

Jonathan joined her plea, both of them fixing Jason with exaggerated puppy-dog eyes. Jason sighed, shaking his head with a grin. "You two are impossible," he said, laughing. "Alright, fine. I'll stay."

As Stacey brought out food, the three of them fell into easy conversation, their voices mingling with the soft creak of the old wooden chairs. After a while, Stacey leaned back in her chair, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "This is nice and all, but… everything's a bit dull. Let's play some music."

Jonathan lit up. "Great idea, honey. Let's show Jason what we've been working on."

Stacey disappeared briefly, returning with her vielle, while Jonathan retrieved his flute from its stand by the window. She turned to Jason with a sly smile. "I'll start."

As Stacey began to play, the notes filled the room, rich and lively. Her fingers danced over the strings with practiced precision, her movements fluid and graceful. The music lifted the mood instantly, transforming the small house into a haven of sound and energy.

Jonathan didn't need further encouragement. He grabbed Jason by the arm, pulling him to his feet. "Come on, Jason! Let's dance!"

At first, Jason resisted, his cheeks flushing, but the infectious rhythm soon won him over. They spun around the room, their laughter ringing out as they stumbled over their own feet.

When the song ended, Jason collapsed onto the floor, breathing hard. "Alright, alright," he said between gasps. "That was impressive."

Stacey grinned down at him, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "If you thought that was impressive, just you wait."

She and Jonathan exchanged a glance, stepping closer together as they began to play in harmony. The melody was slower this time, tender and haunting. Jason watched them, captivated by the way their movements synchronized effortlessly, the love and dedication in their performance shining through every note.

When they finished, Jason stood, clapping. "That was… incredible," he said, his voice sincere. "You two are amazing."

Jonathan smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, Jason. We've been practicing for months. Stacey is really amazing."

"Noooo, you're amazing," Stacey replied, leaning closer to Jonathan, her voice soft and teasing. 

Jonathan chuckled, meeting her halfway. "Noooo, you're amazing." 

Their foreheads touched as they held each other, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. Without another word, they closed the distance and shared a tender, heartfelt kiss. 

Jason raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in mock disbelief. "You guys know I'm still here, right?" he quipped, crossing his arms dramatically. 

Jonathan and Stacey broke apart, bursting into laughter as the moment dissolved into playful joy. 

"Sorry, Jason," Jonathan said between chuckles. "Guess we got a little carried away." 

The three of them laughed together, the room filled with warmth and joy.

After a while, Jason slipped out onto the front steps, the cool breeze blowing his hair. He stared at the clouds, lost in thought, until Stacey appeared beside him. "Hey, wildfire," she said, sitting down with a grin. "What are you doing out here?"

Jason shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "Just needed a breather."

She smirked, leaning closer. "Admit it," she teased. "You're thinking about me. You're missing me already, aren't you?"

Jason's face turned crimson. "What? No!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking slightly. "If anything, I'm glad you're leaving! At least I won't have to deal with you messing up my hair every time we meet!"

Stacey laughed, and Jason couldn't help but join in. They fell into a comfortable silence, the wind wrapping around them like a blanket.

"I've always loved music," Stacey said after a moment, her voice soft. "The way it feels… the way it changes everything. Even on the worst days, music always finds a way to lift me up."

She tilted her head back, her gaze fixed on the sky. "That's why I learned to play. I want to share that feeling, to brighten someone's day. I want my songs to warm the hearts of others, to make them forget the pain they might be going through. Even if it's for a moment."

Jason watched her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You've always been good at that. Your music… it makes people feel better. I've always admired that about you."

She turned to him, her eyes shining. "Aww, Jason," she said, her voice teasing but warm. "That's so sweet. Coming from you, it means a lot."

"Yeah, well," he muttered, looking away, "don't get used to it."

They sat in silence for a while longer until Stacey broke the quiet. "When I get to Nova, I'll send letters. To you and Grandpa. Every chance I get."

Jason smiled. "Yeah. Us too."

The moment lingered before Jason stood, brushing off his pants. "I should get going now."

Stacey stood as well, nodding. "Yeah. Wouldn't want grandpa to worry."

As they stood up, Jonathan joined them, the three of them looking at one another.

Before he could to leave, Stacey pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of the man you're becoming," she whispered. "Don't let that big head of yours get in the way of your heart."

Jason hugged her back, his throat tight. "Don't worry about me, Sis. I'll be just fine."

Jonathan smiled at Jason as they parted. "Don't worry, I'll protect her."

Jason waved as he climbed back onto his cart, but as he prepared to leave, Belle, his horse, began to grow restless. Her sudden neighing drew his attention, and he turned to see something rustling in the maize fields. His heart skipped a beat.

Emerging from the tall stalks was a creature Jason had only heard of in stories-a small earth dragon, its body covered in thick, scaly hide. It had no wings, and unlike its fiery cousins, it did not breathe fire, but it was no less dangerous. Its eyes gleamed with malevolent intelligence as it stalked toward Stacey's house.

Without thinking, Jason leapt from the cart and sprinted toward the house. Jonathan, already armed with a pitchfork, stood between the dragon and the door, shouting for Stacey to get inside. But the dragon was faster than they anticipated. With a swipe of its massive tail, it sent Jonathan flying, his body crumpling to the ground and lays unconscious.

"Jonathan!" Stacey screamed, rushing to his side.

Jason's mind raced. He grabbed the pitchfork from where it had fallen and faced the dragon, fear coursing through his veins. The beast roared, its claws digging into the earth as it charged. Jason struck out, aiming for its legs, but the dragon retaliated, slashing his arm with its claws.

Pain shot through Jason's body as he fell to the ground, blood seeping from the wound. He could barely move, barely think. Was this it? Was this how his story would end?

But just as the dragon reared back to strike, Stacey threw herself in front of him, shielding her brother with her body. The dragon's claws tore into her chest, and she fell to the ground, her blood staining the earth.

Jason's world shattered.

"Stacey!" he screamed, his voice raw with grief. Memories of his childhood together flooded his mind as tears blurred his vision. The dragon loomed over her body, ready to devour her.

Jason starts running towards the dragon filled with sadness and anger in his heart. "Don't you dare touch her you monster!!!!!!!!"

But something deep inside Jason snapped. A surge of energy, hot and electric, erupted from his right arm. He didn't understand it, didn't have time to, but in a single motion, he unleashed this power on the dragon, punching it so hard that the beast was sent flying into the forest nearby and the forest was nearly destroyed by the impact alone.

Jason with confusion on his face, looks at his right hand and says "What... what was that?????"

After the dust cleared, Jason Marquoid finds himself in a state of utter confusion, fear and despair, trying he's hardest to understand what just happened, as his sister lays nearly dead on the ground.