The Elementiels

Jason's grandfather's words echoed in his mind: "People move on, Jason. Not everyone you love will be around forever. The older you get, the sooner you'll realize that."

Those words, heavy with wisdom and loss, now seemed more real than ever as he surveyed the chaos around him. His left arm miraculously began to heal itself, the torn skin knitting together before his eyes. His gaze flickered, a spark of lightning illuminating his irises, before they returned to their usual red hue. Confusion swirled through him, but there was no time to dwell on it.

With a heart filled with dread, Jason dashed toward Stacey. He called her name, his voice hoarse, thick with tears. Blood poured from her wounds, staining his clothes as he cradled her fragile body in his arms. "Help!" he screamed, though the word felt small and insignificant against the enormity of his fear.

A crowd soon gathered, and hands reached out to help. The doctors arrived swiftly, whisking Stacey and Jonathan away into separate tents, their faces grim as they moved with practiced urgency. One doctor paused to examine Jason's arm, his brow furrowed.

"You said you were attacked by the dragon?" the doctor asked, incredulity lacing his tone. "But there's not a scratch on you."

Jason stared at him, baffled. "I was," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "I don't understand it either."

The doctor shook his head, equal parts perplexed and intrigued. But there was no time to ponder this mystery. Jason's mind was elsewhere. "What about Jonathan? And Stacey-will they be alright?"

The doctor hesitated. "Jonathan will recover," he said, his voice cautious. "But your sister... her injuries are severe. We're doing everything we can."

Jason's heart sank. The words felt like a punch to the chest. "Oh," was all he could manage, his voice hollow. He slumped onto a bench outside the tent, staring blankly at the flaps as they fluttered in the wind, waiting for news that never seemed to come.

Moments passed like hours. Jason waited in agonizing silence, his hands trembling as the cold breeze brushed against his skin. Soon, Grandpa Mark appeared, his presence solid and comforting. The old man immediately wrapped Jason in a tight embrace, his hands rough but reassuring.

"Jason... are you alright? I came as soon as I heard," Mark said, his voice heavy with worry.

Jason pulled back slightly, his face pale and strained. "I'm alright, Grandpa. But... Stacey... she's not doing well," he choked out.

As if on cue, a doctor emerged from the tent, her face drawn with sorrow. She approached them slowly, the weight of her news dragging her steps. "Mr. Marquoid, I'm afraid I have some difficult news," she began, her voice faltering. "We've done everything we can... but she might not make it."

Jason's world seemed to collapse in on itself. He stared at the doctor, unblinking, as her words washed over him like icy water. Grandpa Mark gripped the doctor's hands tightly, his knuckles white. "How much time does she have?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Not much, I'm afraid. But you can see her now," she replied, her eyes soft with sympathy.

Jason's legs felt like lead as he followed his grandfather into the tent. Inside, Stacey lay still, her breaths shallow and labored. Jonathan sat beside her, his hand clasped around hers, his face etched with fear and grief. Jason and Grandpa Mark sat down, the weight of the moment pressing down on them like a dark cloud.

Stacey stirred, her eyes fluttering open weakly. "Are... are you all here?" she rasped, her voice barely audible.

"Yes, my love, we're here," Jonathan whispered, his voice trembling as he tightened his grip on her hand.

Her gaze shifted to Grandpa Mark. "Grandpa... thank you... for raising me... like your own." she managed, her breath hitching with each word.

Tears welled up in Grandpa Mark's eyes. "Of course, my dear. You've always been the daughter I never had," he said, his voice breaking.

Turning her head slightly, Stacey looked at Jonathan. "I'm sorry, my love... I wanted to spend my life with you... but now we... can't." She whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Jonathan, his voice thick with emotion, clung to her hand. "Don't say that... you'll be fine. You have to be," he pleaded, though his voice betrayed his own doubt.

Stacey's eyes found Jason next. "My little wildfire... I'm so glad you're..." She struggled for breath, her voice fading. But Jason, overcome with anguish, interrupted her.

"Why, Stacey? Why did you do it?!" Jason's voice cracked, tears streaming down his face. "I was fine, you didn't have to protect me like that!"

A soft smile tugged at Stacey's lips. "I was... looking out for you. You have so much ahead of you, Jason... so much potential... I couldn't let you..." Her words faltered, but Jason, overcome with a mixture of grief and anger, cut her off again.

"What about you?! Don't you have your own life? Why do you always neglect yourself for others?" Jason cried, his voice rising.

Grandpa Mark pulled him close, trying to comfort him, but the pain in Stacey's eyes was evident. "Jason..." she whispered.

Jason moved closer, his hands shaking as he reached out for hers. "I'm here," he said softly.

"Bake Jason," she murmured, her voice growing fainter. "Use your baking... to warm the hearts of others. Protect the ones you love... and accept others for who they are... just like you accepted me."

Her hand slipped from his, falling limply to the ground. Her chest stilled, and her eyes closed for the final time.

Silence hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Jason stared at her lifeless body, his heart a mess of shattered pieces. Grandpa Mark, Jonathan, and Jason sat there, their grief shared but each dealing with the loss in their own way.

The doctors entered quietly, covering Stacey's body with a white sheet. One by one, they left the tent, their faces etched with sorrow.

As they were about to leave, a knight clad in silver armor approached with deliberate steps. His face, shadowed by the visor of his helm, bore a look of quiet authority, though there was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes. He cleared his throat before speaking, his voice measured and respectful.

"My deepest apologies," the knight began, "I know this is a difficult time, but I must ask your grandson a question."

Grandpa Mark, weary from the day's events, nodded solemnly. "Of course, good sir. Go ahead."

The knight shifted his gaze to Jason, his eyes studying him with the scrutiny of someone used to piecing together mysteries. "We've been investigating the incident in the forest," the knight said, his tone steady but probing. "The area was heavily damaged, far beyond what we expected from a single dragon. It seems... something powerful killed that creature. Could you explain what happened out there?"

Jason's breath caught in his throat, his mind spinning. He glanced at his grandfather before meeting the knight's gaze. "Well... another dragon appeared," he began, his voice faltering slightly, "It attacked the first one, and then it flew away."

The knight tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as if weighing the truth of Jason's words. "Another dragon, you say?" His voice was calm, but there was a sharpness to it now. "Are you absolutely certain that's what happened?"

Jason's throat tightened under the knight's scrutiny, but before he could respond, Grandpa Mark stepped forward, placing a protective hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Please, sir," Mark said, his voice soft but firm, "My grandson has been through enough today. He needs rest."

The knight's gaze lingered on Jason for a moment longer, his brow furrowed in thought. But eventually, he nodded, recognizing the weight of the moment. "Of course, forgive my intrusion. Please, go home and take care."

With a final respectful nod, the knight turned on his heel and walked away, though Jason could feel the unspoken questions hanging in the air, lingering like a shadow that would surely return.

Outside, the sky darkened, and the first drops of rain began to fall, as if the heavens themselves mourned her passing. The funeral was a somber affair, a sea of dark umbrellas and tear-streaked faces.

As the crowd dispersed, Jason remained, standing by Stacey's grave, the rain soaking through his clothes. He didn't move, didn't speak, he just stared, lost in his grief.

"Jason, you can't stay out here," Adam's voice broke through the rain, soft but insistent. "You're getting soaked. Let's go back home."

Jason shook his head, his eyes never leaving the grave. "This should've been me, Adam. I should've died, not her."

Adam grabbed Jason by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Don't say that! It's not your fault! You did everything you could."

Jason's eyes, full of pain, finally met Adam's. "I'll be fine. Just... go without me."

Adam, his own heart aching for his friend, pulled Jason into a hug. "I'm not going anywhere without you. I'll always be here for you Jason. No matter what."

They stood there for a moment, clinging to each other as the rain poured down around them. Then, together, they turned and walked away from the grave, leaving behind the last piece of a life that could never be again.

Later, back at home, Jason sat with his grandfather, both of them enveloped in silence, the weight of Stacey's absence pressing down on them. Finally, Jason broke the quiet.

"Grandpa... I need to tell you something," he said, his voice low.

Grandpa Mark looked at him, concern etched on his face. "You can tell me anything, Jason."

Jason hesitated, his hands trembling. "I lied to the knight. About what happened in the forest."

Grandpa Mark's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"There was... something inside me, Grandpa. Some kind of power. I don't know how, but I... I attacked the dragon. I sent it flying. That's why the forest was destroyed." Jason's voice cracked as he spoke, fear and confusion swirling in his eyes. "I don't understand what's happening to me."

Grandpa Mark sighed deeply, his face lined with an unspoken secret. He placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, his grip firm but gentle. "Jason... it's time you knew the truth. The truth about your father, and about what you are."

Jason's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of confusion and dread creeping up his spine. "What do you mean, Grandpa? My father... he died of an illness, didn't he?"

Grandpa Mark's face tightened, his eyes distant, filled with memories that weighed heavily on him. "Jason, remember the stories I told you when you were little? The ones about the elementiels?"

Jason nodded slowly, his mind racing. "Yeah, I do Grandpa. What about them?"

Mark shook his head, the gravity of his next words sinking in. "I was one of them, an Elementiel. The fire Elementiel."

Jason's eyes widened in shock, disbelief flooding through him. "What? No, that doesn't make any sense, Grandpa! You, an Elementiel?!"

Grandpa Mark's voice softened, but there was no mistaking the seriousness in his tone. "After years of wielding the power, I passed it on to your father. He, along with other Elementiels, went on a mission to stop a great evil. But something went wrong, Jason. Your father returned, but... something had corrupted him. An unknown energy poisoned his body, and he was dying."

Jason stumbled backward, the walls of reality closing in on him. His mind raced, trying to comprehend the magnitude of what his grandfather was saying. "But... but you told me he died from an illness... why would you hide this from me?" His voice was trembling, barely containing the turmoil raging inside him.

Grandpa Mark continued, his voice tinged with regret. "Before he passed, your father transferred that power to you, Jason. The fire and lightning you felt... that's your birthright. I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect you. I thought if you never knew, you'd live a normal life. But now... now it's awakened, and I can't keep it from you any longer."

Jason's eyes filled with a mixture of shock and fury. "I could have used that power!" he shouted, his voice cracking with grief. "I could have saved Stacey! She didn't have to die!"

Suddenly, Jason's body ignited with energy, flames danced across his skin, and streaks of lightning crackled around him. The ground beneath his feet trembled as his emotions surged out of control. "This power could have saved her, Grandpa! And you kept it from me!"

Grandpa Mark stepped back, his eyes wide with a mix of sorrow and fear. "Jason, please, I only wanted to..."

"Wanted to what?" Jason's voice boomed, filled with a burning rage. "Protect me? Well, look where that's gotten us! Stacey is gone because of you!" His fists clenched, the energy swirling more violently around him.

Mark tried to calm him, his voice gentle yet pleading. "Jason, I'm sorry... I thought it was the right choice. I never wanted this burden for you."

"Burden?!" Jason's voice was hoarse, raw from shouting. "She's dead, Grandpa! She's dead, and it's your fault!"

With a surge of emotion, Jason ran to his room, slamming the door with such force that the wood splintered and broke apart. The house fell into a thick silence, the echoes of Jason's anger lingering in the air. Grandpa Mark stood there, his heart heavy with guilt, his hands trembling with the weight of his secret.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at the broken door. "I'm so sorry, Jason," he whispered to the empty hallway.

Later that night, Jonathan arrived at the bakery. His face was pale, exhaustion hanging heavily on him. "Hey, Grandpa, I... I just wanted to tell you something," he said quietly.

Mark, still reeling from his confrontation with Jason, forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "What is it, Jon?"

Jonathan shifted uncomfortably. "I'm heading back to my hometown tomorrow. My family wants to see me. I... I think it's time."

Mark nodded solemnly. "I understand, Jon. Take care of yourself. Things have been hard for all of us."

"Yeah." Jonathan hesitated, glancing up at the stairs. "Is Jason here? I wanted to talk to him before I go."

Mark sighed, the sadness creeping back into his voice. "I'm afraid he's... not ready to talk to anyone right now. I'll tell him you stopped by."

Jonathan nodded, though disappointment flashed in his eyes. "Alright. Thanks, Grandpa."

They exchanged a handshake, and Jonathan left, the sound of the door closing softly behind him. Mark stood there for a moment, his thoughts swirling like the storm clouds outside.

Later, Mark climbed the stairs, his heart heavy as he approached Jason's room. "Jason?" he called softly, "I'm sorry, son. I never wanted to hurt you."

But when he entered the room, his heart sank. The window was wide open, curtains billowing in the night breeze, and Jason was gone.

Mark walked to the window, staring out into the dark, empty streets below. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he whispered into the night, "I'm so sorry, Jason."

Where had Jason gone? What would become of him now that he knew the truth? Mark's heart ached with uncertainty, his mind filled with fears of what was to come. The world had changed, and with it, Jason's fate.

Find out what happens next in the following chapter..