The Wastelands

Four Years Ago.

Lilia stood looking through a window into a room where lots of machines were hooked up to a tiny body. It was her sister, Stella, only eight years old. She pressed her hands up against the window frame. She wanted to go in so badly.

"Why can't I go in?"

The mean lady looked down at her with a stern look. "It's better for you and for her that you stay away…at least until you have control."

'Control? What did that even mean?'

All she cared about was her sister. She looked so hurt, so helpless. Lilia wished that Mom was there.

"I don't care! I still want to see her," Lilia's desperation grew.

The mean lady sighed. "Look, kid, your lucky that we didn't leave your sister behind; her medical care is costly. Her only worth is her connection to you."

Lilia saw red as her big sister instincts to protect surfaced. "You wouldn't!"

"In a heartbeat. That's the world we live in kid, Get used to it." Came the Lady's cold response.

Lilia's fist tightened around the window frame. She heard a crack and a shattering sound. It was startling enough to propel her back and onto the floor. People were scrambling around everywhere, but all Lilia could do was stare at her very dangerous hands.

"What?"

"You see, that's why you can't see your sister just yet," the mean lady scoffed, and Lilia could hear her heels cl.i.c.k.i.n.g on the floor, moving down the hall. "Come on, keep up. I am a very busy woman."

Still shaken, Lilia scrambled to her feet. She grabbed the bag at her feet, which contained everything she owned, including her precious flute that her mother gave her. She was surprised and delighted when she saw it…especially her flute. How did she know to grab that?

Lilia followed the mean lady but kept her distance. She was a telepath, and she knew that the mean lady wasn't kidding about Stella.

Lilia was led by the mean lady and the white coats somewhere. She didn't know what would happen to her. Then they stopped, and the mean lady turned to her. "This will be your home until you get your powers under control. If you are good, I will let you see your sister. Under limited supervision, of course," she said sternly.

Before they entered through the door. The mean lady stopped and looked down at her. No, not at her and her arm. Lilia glanced down and saw a tattoo with an entwined cat and bird.

'A tattoo? How did that get there?' But she was so numb that it wasn't much of an issue.

"Give me a medkit." She ordered a white coat. When he came back. She grabbed something white and shoved the rest back to him. "Here." The mean lady grabbed her wrist.

Lilia tried to pull it away, but her grip was tight. "Ha kid, stay still. This is for your own good." The mean lady wrapped gaze around her tattoo. "Better keep that from prying eyes. There was a man with a similar tattoo that started a war. I don't want you to be painted with the same brush. Being a Lumeye is hard enough."

Lilia was confused. 'Was she trying to be nice?'

Just as suddenly, the mean lady moved away and towards the door. Like nothing had happened.

She let herself be guided through the door. "Attention!" one of the white coats yelled out.

Five children, three older, two younger, stood at attention. The mean lady spoke up sternly. "This is your new teammate. She just went through the manifestation, so she is feeling raw. I want you older kids to make sure she feels comfortable, and more importantly, make sure that she knows the rules." The mean lady said in a stern voice.

"Yes, Headmistress!" they yelled in unison.

"Any questions?"

One of the older kids, a girl, stepped forward. "May I ask her name, Ma'am?"

"Oh, thank you for reminding me, Druid," said the mean lady, aka Headmistress Weatherly, a little bit kinder, but not by much. "Her name is Lilia Spencer; she is a Life Elemental. Treat her well." The mean lady turned with the white coats and left, leaving her behind.

Lilia didn't know what else to do but stand there. She didn't know what the mean lady was talking about; 'Life Elemental,' what was that? Something different than her reading minds? Or was it the same?

Everything was so confusing.

"Confused, right?" the same girl who spoke before, asked. She was close, which made Lilia step back. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. We are all the same."

"The same?" Lilia asked.

"You will find out soon enough," she said, with a mysterious air. "Your sister will be fine."

"How…"

"Would I know?" The older girl finished Lilia's sentences. "Like how you can read minds." The older girl glanced at the others. "…we all have our little quirks. Here you will discover them and many more things. We are going to spend a long time together."

Lilia was still confused, but the older girl was nice. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

The older girl continued talking. "Now it's time for introductions. My name is Druid. The uptight boy over there is Bryson. The black-haired boy is Sean."

"Shadow." The black-haired boy interrupted.

"Shadow." Druid corrects herself. Giving him a look which clearly said 'boys.' "The twins are Heather and Terran." Both looked similar. With their deep brown eyes and shaggy brown hair. Though the boy had something shaved on the back of his head. Numbers?

The female twin, Heather, was it? Almost pounced on her in excitement. "Ha, what's your medium? Terran and I hadn't manifested one yet, so I am curious. Please, please, please can you tell me? Is it in that bag your holding? Can I see it?"

Lilia had to step back. Very confused, she had a hard time following what the younger girl was saying. Medium? Her hands tightened around her bag and nodded.

Heather made a grab at the bag but was stopped by her brother. "You know that a person's medium is private. Stop being so nosy." He turned to Lilia with an apologetic look, whereas his sister began to pout. "Sorry for all the trouble."

Lilia gave him a strained smile. This was all too overwhelming. She had a hard time following what was going on.

Then she felt it, and she bent over with the pressure. What was it? It was like breathing with three extra sets of lungs. It hurt. It was like she had forgotten how to breathe, in and out. In and out. Until the breathing became synced, then it became easier.

What was that? Lilia looked up in bafflement and was shocked to see the everyone was bent over like she was. Druid looked up with sweat pouring down her face. "That never gets any easier. The link feels more complete, but the twins haven't manifested yet, so it's not complete yet."

"Link?" Lilia asked.

"The link is what defines us as Lumeye," Druid explained. "Come on, let's get you settled." Druid led her further into the room.

***

Lilia was given permission by the mean lady to see the night sky. She said this place was very private, so not many had access.

So now she was alone.

Lilia was grateful. She had a massive headache. Too many new people, too many new thoughts. She needed the space needed to breath fresh air.

Though what met her eyes wasn't the plastic bubble that surrounded Towa, the city she used to live in, but buildings and stones walls. Beyond the walls, there were a lot of trees and a black sky. It was so vivid. So pretty.

She was outside the city, something she thought she would never see in her lifetime. The trees sang such a beautiful sound. It brought tears to her eyes.

Lilia wanted to play so bad. She hadn't had that feeling in a while. She unzipped her case and pulled out her flute. Feeling the wooden texture against her fingertips. Closing her eyes, trying to dry up her tears.

Lilia tightened her grip on her flute and brought it to her lips, and a sweet but mournful sound resounded. Lilia poured her very being in every note.

She thought of Stella, who was still with her but broken. And even though she wasn't human, Lilia was still alive. Then what about her mother? Maybe there was a chance that she was as well. Then there was Rachel…

But more than anything else, everything inside her screamed out that she wanted to be free. Free of this pain. Free of this place. Free of everything.

Her right arm began to tingle where her tattoo was. It made her stop playing, and she looks down in wonderment. It was glowing through the bandages! Not only that, she felt like they were trying to escape from her skin.

'IT HURTS!' She had to tare apart her gaze, just to relieve the pressure.

Then all she could do was look on in bewilderment. While the tattooed cat and the bird pushed out and dropped down onto the floor. They got bigger and took shape. They became real.

Lilia felt her abilities weaken, but she felt more in control. More balanced.

*Don't worry, child,* a female voice purred in her head. *We are yours to command.* The leopard, female, bowed down. *I am Va. He is Sil.*

*What are your orders?* The hawk, no, a falcon voice was masculine.

When Lilia spoke, it was barely a whisper, "Be free."

They both bowed before headed toward the Wastelands beyond the wall. They said in one voice. *When you need us, just call. We are still yours, after all.*

And they disappeared.

Her tattoos tingled a little bit, then dulled.

***

A boy with grey eyes, watched while the new girl came back from the roof. His eyes widened in recognition. 'This girl is the one, the one I was waiting for. She came just like that no- face man said she would.'

Never letting his gaze fall away from Lillia, he thought with cold certainty. 'It's finally time.'