Ch 4

'Amergin! What be going on?' Naida called from her bed as the old man came storming into the cabin. He was soaked through, panting and moving at light speed. His coat and pants seemed as if it had been plastered to his form and not allowing much movement.

'Naida grab your things now, we're leaving.' Amergin practically yelled as he went over to where his things were found beside the bed and hastily began throwing them into his bag.

'But… why?'

'Something has happened… unexpected… Never mind, just hurry up! We have to leave!' Naida was lost for words but she complied with just as much haste. The two of them bumping into one another and running all over the cabin trying to gather all of their belongings. It was amazing how far your things can travel in one day. Naida had to go through many of Reilly's clothes to find her favorite boots and leather jacket. It wasn't long before both of them were out the door and running towards the jetty.

'Amergin!' Naida yelled out above the noise coming from the beach. Many trucks and machinery had come early in the morning to help remove the rubble from the previous night. 'Amergin! Where be Reilly?'

'He is going to meet us at my place. Now would you please hurry up!'

A boat that was completely different from the one they had boarded the day before greeted them by the jetty. This one was newer and more advanced then the old ferry. Naida thought this looked like a floating version of the car that had scared her the day Reilly had taken out for a walk. Amergin jumped in, and after putting his bag away, held out his hand to help Naida.

She was frightened but something else now filled her mind; fear. She had no idea where or when she was, she had no idea how to get back home, she was now lost in time. Naida no longer had Reilly with her, her only companion, and now she was traveling with a man that resembled a close friend she once knew. He had told her some fantastic things but mistrust still lined her thoughts about him and what he spoke of. She was stuck in a time where everything was strange and unusual. She didn't want to be here anymore, she wanted to go back to her friends and family in a time where she understood everything and nothing was completely out of the ordinary. But wishing won't get her back home. Wishing does nothing but fill little children with hope and create disappointment when it doesn't come true. Only children and the dreamers wish.

Amergin and Naida sped off towards the main land leaving behind all that was familiar and safe.

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The two, very quiet, companions finally arrived at the long awaited Pan Island. The entire landscape was bush land and scrub. Despite all the native flora and fauna, Naida could have sworn she was back in Dumnonia and it was a bitter reminder of her situation. Naida, still frustrated and annoyed about the lack of information on last night, quietly sat beside Amergin after a long argument of refusing to get into his car. She still had no idea what happened down on that beach last night and why Reilly wasn't with them, and all that Amergin said in the cabin kept running through her mind yet made little sense. She knew that there wasn't much she could do but this didn't prevent her from being angry about it. Amergin sat quietly through her sulking long enough into their two hour long drive through the countryside and bush before he could handle it no more.

'What's with the sulking Naida?'

'Nothing.'

'Look if it's about Reilly I told you, he's coming a little later.' He said as he wound down his window. The windscreen had begun to fog up.

'But why, Amergin? What actually happened?' She turned in her seat cautiously. She was still wary of the machine.

'I'm sure Reilly will explain it when he gets here.'

She turned back crossing her arms in a huff. She knew she was being childish but her annoyance with Amergin called for such a display.

'Naida he's fine, trust me.' He glanced at her and he could sense that there was more then Reilly troubling her. 'Now what is really annoying you?'

She gave a sigh 'Thou art. All that thee hast told me dost not make sense. Thee hast not even told me how I got here?'

A silence befell the two. Amergin, though still concentrating on the road, thought long and hard about what he was about to say. It was not a question of whether she should know the answer or not, but of if she was ready to hear it. Knowing there was still a bit of time to go till they arrived at their destination, he deuced that he couldn't avoid the question for very long.

'Ok, this will get confusing very quickly, but bear with me. You remember when I told you that there were four people chosen in the beginning of history to possess the power of the elements?' she gave a slight nod. 'Yes, well, the four souls have been reincarnated repeatedly over the years just like every one else has. Do you know of reincarnation?'

'Aye, a little. Be that where the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another? Or something like that.'

'Precisely. Now the four souls entrusted with the power of the elements have been together through every life and major event, reincarnating with the power when it is needed. Now you have never been split up. That is until now. It is because of this we saw fit to 'bridge the gap' this time round, so to speak.' The look on Naida's face said it all, she was lost.

'Ok, ok, I'll go slower. I wont go into details just yet but an agreement was created to join humans and the elements together. Now because the four souls have been split up over a great distance this time you all have lost touch and trust in one another as well as me. You see normally you all would have been placed together as siblings, relatives, close friends or lovers. It will always be thus, backwards and forwards through time. But we lost track of you all over the past few life times. But, thankfully, most of you ended up here in Australia, but we don't know where exactly. Now it is because of this divide that circumstances changed.'

'Circumstances? What circumstances?'

'Well you see the only way to obtain your powers and tap into the element energy is to experience physical death but, like I said before, only certain incarnations will have the elemental power. Serena, your 21st incarnation, had this power.'

'So she did die in that car accident. But if that be true then why am I here, why couldn't she just take control?'

'That is what usually happens and this is where the normal process changed. In the beginning it was agreed upon to make you all close emotionally thus creating a degree of trust. This in the past made my job a lot easier. But because of the split the connection between you all has been severed. To recreate that trust, the higher forces brought forth the souls of past incarnations who had known the others very well in their lifetime. Now it was very difficult to pluck souls from the exact same lifetime. So we had to make do with a few hundred years between you.'

'But due to reincarnation we will recognize one another as family or allies.' Naida said to show her understanding.

'Yes, you're getting it. So that is why you are here and why I am taking you to Tankerton.'

'Why couldn't thee tell me this before?'

'Would you have believed me? You didn't know me at all until you recognized me and even then you were skeptical. So I had to wait until you saw fit to ask me your self, to prove that you were ready to hear what I had to tell you.'

Naida sat quietly, watching the bush turn slowly into farmland, contemplating all that she had just learnt. It all seemed quiet possible what Amergin was telling her, and it did explain a fair bit. But the ideas of time travel and elemental powers seemed to hold back her willingness to fully comprehend and trust in all that he was saying. She saw no reason for him to lie to her though, so she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

'Amergin could I ask thee about the others?'

'Ah yes, you see -'

Many things happened at that precise moment.

A tractor from a near by farm, that backed onto the road, had just been driven by a couple of kids. The kids, being inexperienced, forgot to put on the breaks and the tractor began to roll down the hill towards the road gaining speed with every passing moment. In line with the driver's side, the machine was about to collide with the car. Naida, being the only one who saw the tractor coming, screamed and threw her arms in front of her face, and an icy jet of frost and icicles had flown from her hands. Amergin, now seeing the machine, slammed his foot down on the breaks to prevent a collision. The tractor, having been slowed down by the ice, rolled on past the front of the car.

Frozen in shock, Naida's heart was bashing it's self against her chest, her hands sweating, and her breathing heavy.

Amergin on the other hand began to smile. This near death experience had been avoided thanks to Naida and he was thrilled. He turned to her; she was still stiff. 'My dear you have just displayed your first power. How do you feel?'

Naida couldn't answer and it was clear that she wasn't as excited. Fumbling for the latch, she roughly got out of the car as fast as she could. Fear began to grasp her as the shock ran its course. Tears followed as hyperventilation consumed her. She couldn't breath let alone take in what she had just done. What was she? A freak? The trees and concrete around her started to spin. The fast motion of everything around her caused an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

'Feel any better?' Amergin asked from his seat behind the wheel of his car once Naida had stopped chundering up her dinner from the night before and regained her composure.

'Aye a little.' She said softly. Her face was still white and drained as she climbed into the car slowly. Little red spots appeared on her face. Naida noticed this in one of the mirrors and lifted her hand to her cheek.

'Don't worry, they only appeared due to all the pressure on your face.' Amergin said as she sat back in her chair still wide eyed and her breathing heavy.

'What… wast that?' She asked exhausted.

'That was your freezing power.'

'Freezing power?'

'Yes, like I just told you, you possess a great power within you Naida. This is only a small taste of what you can do.'

'Ah ha… right… Wait, thee did not say anything about powers.'

Amergin just gave her a comforting smile as the ignition chugged to life and the two set off for Tankerton.