1PROLOGUE

"You will be the Protectors of the Earth someday, my children."

Old Horace looked down with a smile at the five infant girls that had been placed under his care several months ago by The Ellimist. One for every basic element. One for Earth, Fire, Water, Wind and Light. They will make good mates to the boys someday. If they don't take after their mother.

The girls grew, and so did their abilities. Like all young children, they pranked each other and yelped when frightened, got messy and out-and-out defied Old Horace. It was a wonderful playground in Guardian's Haven, when Horace lived to keep watch over Time. Soon, the girls grew old enough to visit other Elemental children. The girls banded together and pranked the boys, who mercilessly pranked them back. These pranks were not always safe, however, as the children grew older. Once, the boys conspired to play a good prank on one of the girls named Sharina. Carefully, they laid their trap out and waited. Sharina, a naturally curious girl, pounced on the strange parcel they had left.

BLAM!!

With a blinding flash of emerald light, Sharina disappeared, only to re-appear in the human realm. Still curious, she looked around. There were many other kids about her age not too far away, playing on a strange contraption made of metal bars and swings. Dusting herself off, Sharina slowly moved toward the mass of children. Suddenly, a boy with tan skin and ruffled black hair noticed her and came over.

"Hi, I'm Marco! Are you new to town?"

"I guess."

Marco wrinkled his nose. "You don't know?"

"...Not really, no."

"Oh, ok. How old are you, then? I'm six, but I'm seven next month!"

"I'm five-hundred sixty-two!"

"No, you can't be that old or you'd be deaded!"

"Fine! I'm five and a half, then!"

"Hmph, I thought girls were trouble, but you just prove my point!"

"And you proved mine that boys are idiots!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"That's enough, children."

Sharina gasped and twirled around. There was Old Horace, smiling away at the pair.

"Please excuse my granddaughter and me, little boy. We must be getting home."

Marco shrugged and went to play with less annoying people. Sharina just stared at Horace.

"How did you find me?"

"When you disappeared, the boys were very frightened and sorry. They came to me and admitted everything. But tell me, how did you like the human realm?"

"It stinks. The boys here are bigger jerks than the boys at home."

Horace chuckled. "Give them time and you may think differently some day, little lass."

(A/N: Hooray for a better prologue!! And also hooray for more time to get a sequel written!)