Chapter 3

Eric meets the boy he will call. Brother, Friend, and Enemy.

I was Eleven when I became known by those who lived on the streets of London as 'The Fire Lord' not the most original name but I liked it.

I had become royalty amongst the beggars and thieves and I had done so by threatening those more powerful and bigger than me with my fire.

My control grew as I did, so two years after escaping from prison I could create small flames and heat anything in sight with a single glance. I stole a red hoodie and used my abilities to convince those who interested me to join my growing league of servants.

It was while I was engaging with my new servants that I realized that this would be a good way to get something that I was lacking. Information, so as well as ordering my servants to find me food I asked them to listen out for interesting information.

I'd never been to school, much like other street kids I learned through experiences but through my network of servants I began to hear whispers of a school where strange things happened.

They said the ground there never stopped shaking from the moment the first bell rang until all the children went home. I didn't know at the time but this was how I would come to meet another who was like me.

He would be the reason for my life turning out how it did. Without him I might have travelled down the path of light instead of the one I chose. I'd say I owe my success to him but for the fact that he really should be dead.

I've tracked him for decades, I've tried to have him killed more times than I care to count. Yet he always pops back up ready to fight me another day, I don't like him but I will admit that Daniel Stone is either a very skilled Elemental, or extremely lucky.

Ah but I'm getting ahead of myself, we still must officially meet Daniel and his annoying sister whose name I could never remember.

Daniel was the reason behind the strange happenings at his school, at the age of ten he hadn't learnt to fully control his powers yet. Hence the earthquakes, I visited the school on several occasions to see what all the fuss was about.

He was ordinary looking for someone so powerful, stocky and short with brown hair and a tendency to limp. His eyes were the brightest shade of green I had ever laid eyes on, and that was how I knew he was the one.

He was bullied and ostracized by the other children for being a 'freak'. It was rather amusing to watch him cower in the corner while children stood around him calling him names and laughing.

"Stop teasing him! You flea infested pests! Get going or I’ll give you a present called my fist!" that was his sister Loretta, the only child who ever stood up for Daniel. She was very tough for an eight-year-old.

She looked very much like her brother, same dark brown hair and pale skin. She had a backbone to her that Daniel did not though and her eyes were blue.

I watched them for quite a while before I thought to follow them home. It seemed harmless enough, I could trail behind them so that they wouldn't know they were being followed.

As the two siblings left the school after another day I casually followed behind them careful to stay far enough away that it wouldn't seem strange.

Before I even knew what was happening the ground underneath me rumbled and I found myself trapped up to my waist in earth. Daniel was walking over to me and a frown was on his face.

"I knew you were following us, to the ground you feel like burning fire. If you want to pick on someone you'll have to find another kid" he turned to go and I saw my chances of finding someone else like me slipping away.

"Wait! I don't want to tease you; I want to show you something" Daniel didn't stop walking but Loretta couldn't help herself. She approached me where I was stuck in the ground.

I winked at her and allowed two flames to appear in my hands. They were small and hardly impressive but Loretta's eyes lit up at the sight.

"Daniel! Look, he can hold fire!" Daniel turned back around but he was still frowning, the prospect of meeting a fellow freak wasn't very appealing to him.

"Come away from him Loretta, the earth doesn't trust him and neither should we" he grabbed his sister's hand and dragged her away. Once he was out of sight the ground released me from its grip.

I staggered upright and shook the dust from my hair, Daniel wasn't interested but no matter. I would find a way to make him believe I was trustworthy. Whether I was or not was none of his concern.

Yes, as a young boy I was convinced that Daniel and I would work well together, that we might even become friends. I'd never had a friend before, Daniel was strange though, just like me.

We grew up to be different but we started off the same, two lonely young boys longing for a friend. If only we could have known that we would be enemies in the end. I would have crushed him long ago.

Author's Note

If you've read Elemental, you know exactly who Daniel Stone is. Along with why his part in all of this matters.