Chapter 7

Fire VS Earth. For those of you who have read Elemental. You know how this ended.

I imagine you could see what happened next coming from a mile away. I asked Daniel who had a heart that was kinder than most. The same kindness that gave me a friend against all odds. Was also what took him away from me.

Daniel who had never not felt safe thanks to a stable upbringing. Who had not almost been killed by another Elemental didn’t see the logic in my plan. He refused, told me that he couldn’t murder people because of what they might do.

I regretted afterwards what happened next, I lost my temper as I have done many times. This time however, I didn’t let Daniel calm me down. I hurt him, I do not know how he would ever forgive me. Then again this is Daniel, he may control the earth but he is not a hard man.

My memory of exactly what happened next is blurred but some things will always stick with me. The odd balance between blistering rage and an urge to show off what I was capable of. The smell of flying embers, and the sounds. Those sounds will stay with me forever.

Thump. Daniel hitting the ground after I sent him flying. Bleeding red from the wounds that I had given him. I wouldn’t back down and I pushed him and pushed him until he fought back.

Snap. The bones in my hand breaking as a boulder collided with me. I should have expected it after forcing him to attack. My hand never worked quite the same after that.

Eric! Please! Please Eric, Stop! The sound of my old friend screaming in pain. As I tortured him. I’d already won, I burned his knee so badly that the tendons melted together and it would never heal. Yet, I didn’t stop. I kept going until there was barely any skin on his back that was free of angry burns.

I should have felt remorse; I know I should have. As I burned a message into the grass for Daniel when he woke. I only felt satisfaction and a strange glee at how much damage I could do.

You will all burn. Fitting, the kind of message you would expect from someone who is out to cause war. I didn’t stick around to see if he read it, but I am sure that he would have.

I regretted it, many times after I wished I hadn’t hurt him. I knew he would never stand by my side after what I did to him. I was reluctant to hunt him down especially after my daughter was born.

I’m sure you want to hear about her. If you haven’t heard already from one of my men. I will tell you, but I just need some time.

It always…. Brings out the human in me. Whenever I think back on the day I broke ties with Daniel. This is a rare sight I am sure, Eric Fairless with tears in his eyes. I told you before, I’m not a monster.

Though I wouldn’t be surprised if now you know what I did. You think that I am.

Author's Note

No one would have expected Eric to feel remorse and to be honest, I don't think Eric expected himself to be sorry for his actions.