Deep in the amazons outside the Kiran kingdom, there was a quiet serenity that loomed over the area. The trees were bold and healthy, gripping each other and communicating through vines, branches, and the creatures that inhabited them.
Off in a clearing of the amazon, was a gathering of friends. Loki, Vida’s younger brother, was sitting on an old stump, laughing at the joke that his good friend Dakota had just told. They howled together, Dakota slapping his knee. Loki shook his head at him as he tried to regain his composure. A few feet away was the disturbed Avani, the mistress of all things earthy. She was rolling her eyes at the nature of the joke, and looking to her brother Mizuko, the master of water, who was trying his hardest not to chuckle along with them in front of her. She smacked his arm and scoffed, while Mizuko slowly lost control of his laughter.
“You guys are such pigs,” Avani spat, shaking her head and turning away from them to move closer to the enormous tortoise that was resting underneath the shade of a tree.
The tortoise groaned happily, shifting its head slowly over in Avani’s direction. Avani delicately placed her relatively small hand against the side of her friend’s face, smiling as its head nuzzled into her hand.
“Aw, lighten up, Avani,” Loki chuckled, leaning over his lap and resting his elbows on his knees.
“Yeah. Loosen your vines,” Dakota said, sending the boys into another fit of laughter.
Avani glared in their direction, sending a tremor along the ground’s surface, and shaking Loki right off of the stump he was sitting on. Dakota and Mizuko roared as Loki stood up, dusting himself off with a smirk.
“Oh, so you wanna play, huh?” he said, bouncing lightly on the tips of his toes. The oversized black lion that laid resting nearby him lifted its head somewhat at the shift in tone of Loki’s voice.
“Oh, trust me, Loki dear. You do not want to play with me,” Avani said, turning around completely to face the cocky Loki.
Mizuko smiled, crossing his arms and leaning against the tree behind him as his laughter died down.
“I’d listen to her, Loki,” he agreed, knowing firsthand what his sister’s rage could do. Loki scoffed, and shrugged his shoulders, lifting his hands in mockery.
“Mizuko! You don’t think I could take her?” Loki laughed. Mizuko smiled and raised his hands in defense.
“Hey – you do what you want. But I’m not bringin’ your body back to Vida. Nope.”
He and Dakota laughed, and Avani smirked.
“Listen to him, Loki,” Avani teased.
“Come on, then! I’ll take-“
All at once, all of their attention was facing towards the edge of the clearing they were in. Their bodies tensed when they heard the fast paced footsteps and rustling in the nearby distance. The lion that had been laying down stood up, an inch shorter than Loki’s six feet and three inches. It huffed and moved closer to Loki in preparation to protect him if the need arose. The tortoise stepped forward some, blocking Avani partially from whatever would be coming through. But what came stumbling through both surprised and relieved them. It was Artemis. A very exhausted Artemis. As soon as she broke through the dense leaves of the clearing’s edge, she tripped, and stumbled towards the lush grass. Avani quickly thrust her hand towards the falling Artemis. Four thornless vines rushed to catch her, while one went to save her delicate glasses.
“Artemis?” Avani said a bit startled as she started rushing towards her friend. Artemis panted heavily as she dangled from the vines that had saved her. She smiled and laughed through squinted eyes at the blurred image of Avani. The rest of the group looked on in shock at the sudden appearance of the kingdom’s royal advisor. The men looked to each other with concern and question. If she was there, there was something wrong.
“Avani! Thank you for catching me,” she laughed, jerking her head a bit to move a lose strand of hair from her face. Avani let her down and laughed with her after handing her glasses back to her. Her arms reached around her and gave her a welcoming hug.
“Of course. I’ve missed you! What are you doing all the way out here?” she asked, pulling away from the hug to look at her. Artemis dusted herself off of the mess that wasn’t there.
“I’m here to talk to Hydra,” she said, swallowing down the breath that she had lost. The group of men looked to each other confused. Mizuko glanced over to the water drakon that had popped her head out of the lake at the other end of the clearing. Loki frowned, and stepped forward towards the two women. Before Avani or Mizuko could say anything about the statement, Loki spoke up.
“Where’s Vida?” he asked sternly. There was a stillness in the air as Artemis took a bit too long to answer. He took another step forward before she could blurt out her response.
“She’s resting. She’s been growing weaker, Loki,” she said folding her hands with some guilt and averting her eyes.
“Weak? Weak from what?” he asked gruffly. “Has Ares sent something to the-“
“No,” Artemis said, shaking her head. “But Saphora has been in trouble on Earth.”
“Saphora?” They all seemed to ask at the same time, with the same level of concern.
“The princess,” Mizuko said, stepping away from the tree and coming closer. Dakota was right behind him. “Is she alright?” he asked with a frown.
“She is, for now. But Tebias has started going after her again. We suspect with stricter orders. But Saphora hasn’t mastered her power yet, and is poorly defended against him. She barely escaped with her life during their last altercation,” Artemis went on.
“What about Arol? Didn’t Vida send the beast with her?” Loki asked, remembering clearly that she had. Artemis nodded.
“Yes, but he was injured during the fall. His recovery has slowed because of their distance. They did not land together. And the humans – they’ve captured him and put him on some form of display as a discovery. He cannot fly. Not without healing further. Keeping him from Saphora is making him weak. And it is hindering the balance of her power as well. In attempt to help her in some way, Vida has been using her witchcraft to communicate to, and through Saphora. She’s been fighting off Tebias by launching her own power through her.”
Artemis pushed up her glasses.
“I fear that if it continues on like this that she may not survive it.”
The group fell silent, as their eyes fell to Loki. He too was silent, thinking of the information that was just given to him. What could be done to help her? To help the princess? His sister?
“That is why I am here to speak with Hydra,” Artemis said, getting back to the task at hand. The drakon in the lake lifted its head further, its eyes alert. Mizuko looked back from his friend to Artemis, not quite understanding.
“Why Hydra?” he asked.
“Vida wants to send someone to Earth to help Saphora. Someone who can train her to master her power. And –“
“Who can defend against his flames,” Mizuko finished. Artemis nodded. “But why Hydra, and not I?”
“Yes. Hydra is a water drakon, but Mizuko is the master of the element. Why not send him?” Avani asked, also curious.
“Because it is not certain when Ares will start her next assault on the kingdom, and she wants the strongest to stay here in preparation. She thinks it may be near.”
“Will Hydra be bringing Saphora back for the war?” Dakota asked, stepping out from behind Mizuko. Artemis nodded.
“Yes. But not until she is ready.”
“But what if the war happens before she is ready?” Avani asked.
“… Then she will have to come sooner. And hopefully it will be enough. That is why we must act now. Hydra?” she said, peeking past everyone to the lake.
Hydra had morphed into her hominoid form. She stood at just over five feet and nine inches. Her hair, a navy blue colour, hung just past her shoulders. A mixture of waves, curls, and straightness, reflecting the infinitely shifting ways of the water she resided in. Her eyes were a calm pale l
avender in contrast. There were no pupils, like most of the guardians.
“Yes,” she answered, stepping forward.
Her pale skin shifted in the light as she made her way closer to the group. Her clothing of choice, which morphed with her, was a white suit. It looked as if it were made for the water. For swift movements in the currents. It was sleek, and easily adjustable to her curving body. She wore no shoes, so that she could feel the current beneath the ground’s surface, if there was any to be felt.
The group parted to make room for her to come forward.
“Will you accept, Hydra? The kingdom needs you,” Artemis pleaded. Hydra did not hesitate.
“Yes.”