Chapter Two; Part One

 “Alright, now, breathe in deeply, and channel your energy into your fingertips,” Carson said gently. Rene nodded and closed her eyes. She drew in the ordered breath, and cleared her mind, visualizing her chakra as a river in her body, and directed the river to her hands. She smiled in excitement as she felt her fingertips warm in response.

“Good, now, concentrate it with the moves I showed you,” Carson said in approval. Rene let out the breath and slowly spread her arms, bending her legs, and arced her arms upward over her head. Then she drew them down in front of her face, keeping her palms pressed firmly together. The heat in her flesh grew hotter as it settled into pinpoints in her fingers.

“Now, release it,” Carson ordered. Rene opened her eyes and whipped her hands outward, urging the energy out. Two twin jets of flame burst from her fingers, each over twenty feet long, illuminating the sand pit training ring, and Carson's amazed face. Rene looked at Carson in pride, smiling to herself and thinking how Gabriel would be so proud. In her distraction, she lost her concentration and the jets died, as did the heat in her fingers. A wave of exhaustion slammed into her, making her intake sharply. Carson looked at her in concern.

“Are you alright?” she asked. Rene nodded.

“I'm fine. Can I try again?”

Carson hesitated, but nodded. Rene clapped her hands together and slowly repeated the process, producing two slightly smaller jets. She maintained these for a much longer time, intent on keeping her focus, until eventually Carson waved her hand for her to stop. Rene let the fires die, not without some disappointment and more exhaustion.

“What's wrong?” Rene wondered. Carson shook her head.

“Nothing. That's just all for now. We don't want to wear you out. Come on, Glain will be worried. Besides, I heard the Elders wanted to speak with us in the Library,” she explained, somewhat distantly. Rene cocked her head in confusion but followed Carson out of the ring. The training area sat a half mile to the east of the temple, far enough away no amount of allowed magic would reach it, but close enough that they could easily be watched by the Elders. The starry sky stretched endlessly above them, filled with an infinite number of small, twinkling stars. Without any fires to distract the eye, Rene could see the multicolored formations in the sky, like giant clouds of star-dust. It was a silent beautiful spectacle. It took her breath right out of her.

Too soon they entered the wide open temple doors and the night view was obscured by the intricately carved stone dome ceiling. Glain, Gabriel, and the blonde haired, green eyed Isis were waiting by the closed Library doors.

“Sorry we're late. Rene was doing well in her training. Very large jets,” Carson explained shortly. Gabriel smiled, Isis nodded in approval, and Glain raised an eyebrow.

“Very good, Rene. And it's no bother. They haven't opened the doors yet. We're waiting on them now,” he said slowly. Rene went over and leaned against the wall next to Gabriel.

“So what do they want to talk to us about?” she asked sheepishly. Gabriel shrugged.

“Dunno. If we did, we wouldn't be talking to them, now would we?” she teased. Rene frowned.

“What do you think it's about?” she persisted. Glain sighed.

“Rene, calm yourself. We will see when we will see. Let it go,” he huffed. Rene lapsed into embarrassed silence. Gabriel patted her shoulder and shot Glain a venomous look, which he rolled his eyes to.

They waited for another half hour, before a sound, like a giant lock unhinging, reverberated through the air. A shudder passed down the black wood doors, then with a giant creaking noise, the doors slowly spread open. Rene looked in and felt the familiar tingle of amazement.

To anyone else, the Library would have been misnamed, as it held only a single book. In the exact center of the cavernous room sat a pedestal. The Book of All lay closed on its surface, its iridescent bindings glowing with the light from the five foot long hanging crystal directly above it. An enchanted glass dome covered the Book, protecting it from prying fingers and eyes, mainly Rene's. And around the pedestal, lounging against the walls, lay the Five Elders. Each was over 300 feet in length, and they were shaped like muscular snakes with legs, horse-like heads, brilliantly colored carp-like scales, and eagle-like five toed feet. They were Ferocia, Ignis, Aqua, Terra, and Aer, for the five elements; Spirit, Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.

Ignis and Aer were the males, Ferocia, Aqua, and Terra, females. Ferocia and Terra had stag-like antlers crowing their heads, Ferocia having strings of precious gems adorning hers, and Terra having vines of ivy and leaves tangled in her rack. Ignis had a crest that rose up behind his head, with a flame-like display of colors in the center that constantly moved with his mood. Aqua had a row of webbed spikes that ran down her back from the base of her muzzle to the tip of her tail, which peaked at the back of her head, and had a large fin at the end of her tail, with her ankles and elbows sporting smaller collections of spikes and webbing. Aer had long fur on his body where Aqua had spikes. They all had short spikey whiskers, with the exception of Aqua, who had long catfish-like barbels. They were each of the five royal colors; Ferocia was silver-white, Ignis was red, Aqua was blue, Terra was green, and Aer was yellow-gold.

They lined the walls like solemn guardians, Ferocia at the center in the back. They lay like cats, their long necks holding their massive heads almost 60 feet from the floor. Ferocia dipped her head, beckoning the Sentinels in.

“Enter, Children,” she said softly, her voice as gentle and musical as a bell. Glain took the lead into the Library, then Gabriel, Carson, Isis, and finally Rene. They went to stand before the Elders, hearing the doors boom shut behind them. The Sentinels bowed in respect.

“Welcome, dear Children. How have you been? Be at ease,” Terra purred soothingly. The Sentinels sat cross legged on the floor.

We have been well, Elders. We are honored to have been called here. What is it that you need speak of to us?” Glain answered. Aqua chuckled, the sound light, a rippling effect in her throat.

“Must there always be a reason for us to want to speak with our beloved Sentinels?” she said.

“Not at all. Forgive me for presuming it to be so,” Glain apologized. Terra's leaves shook with her laughter.

“Don't apologize, you've done no wrong. Besides, you are in the right. There is a matter in which we need to speak with you about. Tell us, how is your training coming?” she wondered smoothly.

“Yes, tell us. I have heard one of you is making remarkable progress,” Aer inquired. Rene felt her breath catch when the Air Elder's golden eyes fell upon her.

“Indeed, this is true. Rene is making great strides in her chakra control. She is excelling in Fire, and soon we will work on Water. She mastered Earth and Air exceptionally quickly,” Carson explained. Rene's heart lifted when the Elders looked at her in approval.

“But what of Spirit? Has she a foot-hold in our leader's element yet?” Ever critical, Ignis stared down at Rene. Her heart wilted. She hung her head.

“Not yet. But soon, she will. With her progress, her struggle with Spirit shall soon be overcome, I am sure of it,” Gabriel intoned in Rene's defense. Rene sent her a silent thank you. Ferocia looked down at Rene gently.

“Don't worry, young one. What you struggle at most will become your greatest achievement when you master it,” she promised. Rene nodded, barely able to look the lead Elder in the eye.

“Well, as for the rest of you, how is your training coming?” Terra asked.

“We are working on training our dragons in special attacks. In that matter, Rene should be commended. The other day, she sneak attacked me in the field and had managed to get her dragon to become a doppelganger. I was intensely surprised. Because of it, we tied in battle,” Gabriel said, pride in her voice. The Elders looked at each other, their looks unreadable. Rene felt herself quake in trepidation.

“Thank you. That is all we needed to talk about, for now. See us in here tomorrow for your real assignment please. Sleep well, dear Children, and dream sweet dreams. Ah, Rene, however, could you stay for a moment longer?” Ferocia directed. A chill passed down Rene's spine as the others obediently got up and left the Library. As she passed, Gabriel reassuringly patted Rene's shoulder. Rene flinched when the great doors opened and closed behind her friends. She looked up at the Elders, completely terrified. she thought, staring deer-eyed at the Grand Dragons.

“Rene, darling, do not look so fearful, you have done nothing wrong. We only want to speak with you privately,” Terra soothed. Rene nodded, only slightly less unafraid.

“Dear Child, you're shaking like a leaf. What do you think you've done?” Aqua wondered.

“I-I don't know.” Rene could barely manage the whisper. Aer shook the Library with his laughter.

“Be at peace, Child. You've done nothing wrong. In fact, you're progressing much as we intended you to, better even. That is why we wish to speak with you alone,” he chuckled. Rene frowned.

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.

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