It wasn’t longer after Thema had given her approval that a girl named Cora decided to speak her mind. Her words were moving and she played the victim card well, even if her tone was a bit condescending. I can’t really blame her. We’ve all been through hell, it seems. Everyone had now given their two cents and unanimously decided it was time to catch some shuteye. The elementals scattered off to different sections of the cave, claiming their bit of land as their resting place for the night. After scanning the grove for a few seconds, Thema took notice of a large tree and decided to call dibs on it before anyone else could.
As she lay near the tree, Thema could feel her powers pulsating throughout her body. She wasn’t used to being near such a vast amount of nature and it was causing her powers to act up. The grass she slept upon snaked upwards, giving her body a nice cushion rest on. The trees branches reached out even farther than before, blooming flowers of an unknown fruit. It was like her body was radiating life and she couldn’t stop it, even if she wanted to. Maybe this is all a dream? she asked herself. Maybe I’ll wake up back in my shed and everything will be back to normal…A part of her feared falling asleep, afraid of what her powers could commit while she rested. But the bioluminescent bugs that twinkled on the cave ceiling were hypnotic and soon before long, the young witch was sound asleep.
Thema was one of the last to rise the following morning. The fruity scent of the blossoms that bloomed overnight invaded her scent glands, putting her in a good mood as soon as she awoke. The grass bedding was plush and comfortable and for a moment, she had forgotten she was about to embark on a journey to try and save humanity. From her resting place, she could see the Hygrons gathered around the old man, feasting on his hearty breakfast. Thema was never a big eater. So instead, she picked out a single fruit and decided that would satiate her hunger for most of the day. As she bit into her apple, Wolgran began explaining the task the group would need to fulfil. It all seemed a bit too surreal for Thema, but before she had too much time to ponder on it, the old man revealed a large rack filled with weaponry. The Hygrons gazed in awe. Swords, chains, and other various weapons lined the rack. Most of the elementals rushed over like they had just found a new toy to play with. Thema on the other hand was quite content without being armed. But as she watched over the others, she couldn’t help but feel a bit left out. As she munched on her apple, she decided she would give it a go. It couldn’t hurt, right?
Placing the stem of her apple on a dirty plate someone left behind, she walked over towards the weapons rack, unsure of what to expect. All that seemed left was a dagger, some gloves, and a utility belt. The belt was filled with various powders, seeds, and extracts, much like those back at her greenhouse. Nobody else seemed to give a shit about plants, so she decided to claim the belt as her own. Down the line, a pair of gardener gloves rested and she couldn’t help but laugh at how cliché it was. Though she was reluctant to try the gloves on, she admitted that they were a perfect fit. “Anything else to add to my gardening kit?” she asked rhetorically. All that seemed to be left was a lone dagger. Besides the glossy texture, it was quite plain. When Thema zeroed in on the blade, she realized that it wasn’t glossy, but that it was covered in a thick translucent slime. As Thema wielded the blade, she picked at the slime. She observed that it had a green tinge to it, but it seemed to serve no purpose. All she knew was that it was a perfect fit for the sheath in her utility belt. She wished to inquire more about the blade, so she scoped out Wolgren to understand why there was goop on her dagger and what exactly said goop was.
As she approached the elder, he was conversing with another elemental. This one had long brown hair with blonde highlights and wore a leather jacket. He seemed irritated by her questions, so Thema decided against inquiring more about her blade. As she walked away from the duo, she heard the old man speak up. "You Hygrons should talk less and act more, it’s almost noon already."
Thema stood a few feet away, listening as a few of the Hygrons discussed their plan of action. It was hard to hear the fine details, but it seemed as though they planned to split into two separate groups. As much as she would have loved to hear more, their words were being drowned out by two rather rowdy elementals. Just watching the fire and water Hygrons tussle turned her off. They could seriously harm each other, or more importantly, this haven. It was none of her business how foolish they acted on their own time, but to carelessly toss around fireballs in such a lush grove was enough to put the fire elemental on her blacklist. Unfortunately, her distaste for him didn’t stop there. He decided to open up his vile mouth and say, "If this is the last piece of nature, I don't think the grass here is gonna stop growing anytime soon."
Thema wasn’t one for emotional outbursts, but his ignorance was really beginning to wear down the witch. The grass he burned and the trees he charred all hold life. They were an extension of her, and she was an extension of them. Thema walked over towards the fire elemental and began restoring a little too much life to the ground he destroyed. Soon the grass reached knee length and thick vines burst through the earth’s crust. “It’s called respect you piece of—“ But before she could finish her scolding, a high pitched shriek had captured everyones attention.
Quickly turning to see the source of the scream, a young girl seemed to be emitting the sound. Beams of light shot from her palms and soon after her screaming intensified. Thema didn’t need any more convincing when Wolgran suggested the rest of the Hygrons take cover. Wolgran tried his best to contain her power, but beams of light protruded through his shield. Their intensity was blinding and her screams reached ear shattering levels. Thema tried her best to cover her ears but her screams still echoed in her head. But just as swiftly as it had begun, it had ended. When Thema looked over to see the girl, she was no longer there. It was as if she disappeared into thin air. Dusting himself off, Wolgran cleared his throat and gave the Hygrons a lesson they will never forget. "Don't believe your element can't hurt you... Luce was eaten by her own power, her light. She would have disappeared anyways, whether I keep the light in or not. At least none of you were hurt, and for that, at least, I am glad."
Thema stood there, mortified. That… that could have been me! All she could think about was last night and how her powers seemed out of her control. When rogue blades of grass wrapped around her and when the flowers bloomed, it all kept replaying in her mind over and over again. No… She needed to snap out of it, or she could be next. This can’t be a dream. This is my life.