Kisara's P.O.V.:
"A Dramatic entrance," Yugi joked. "We spoke with them through the crystal in Galleus Elda's attic before we came here."
'Ah, now their disappearances made sense,' I thought as the trio came into the circle and walked to the centre.
"What of the villagers?" somebody asked.
Alex scoffed and threw a bewilderin head into the centre for all to see.
"There was no village," Atem said clearly. "It was a trap, meant to delay us no doubt."
Lord Hamthar stared at the head in disgust. "The timing with that of the Elemental council disappearances is too much of a coincidence. At least it means the passage will stay open for a shorter period of time."
"And it seems we have our first volunteers," Macarm Elda smiled lightly at Siren who beamed at him happily but obviously still exhausted.
A shiver ran through the crowd. Suddenly Rein chimed, "I will help too."
Everyone suddenly remembered the grave task that was required of them. Lord Ghislayn chuckled quietly, "Well now I can't be outdone by mere apprentices."
A few more chimed in as well and before long half the people in the clearing had volunteered for the daunting task. The congregation broke up and those who had volunteered remained to receive their instructions and broke into their own groups. Elementals went with Lord Ghislayn and Tearim Elda, Sorcerers were whisked off by Koram Elda and a high ranking sorcerer, and Callan Elda went with the Enchanters to meet up with the High Enchanter and her lieutenant. Anyone else was taken to the side by Macarm Elda and Galleus Elda to be given instruction on how to aid the others in their preparations. I joined that group and Yugi went off to find Rebecca. I saw Seto going off with Atem and Sthenos and the other Sorcerers.
Time passed quickly after that and before anyone realised it was late evening. I went off to Galleus Elda's house and was greeted over-enthusiastically by Mokuba. Akrab, to my surprise was there too. He smiled at me in greeting and explained that there were too many people in Tearim Elda's home so he had decided to eat here for the peace and quiet. I joined the small supper party and helped clean up a bit.
I was about to head to my room for a bath when Siren's grandmother called out to me. "Please could you take this to Koram and Callan Elda's house for me?" she asked sweetly, gesturing to 2 trays of food on the table.
I smiled at her, there was no way I could refuse this old lady; she was always too nice to me. I made the trip to Callan Elda's house first. He smiled at me gently and thanked me at least 5 times before I left and he continued pouring over his books with Macarm Elda. I went to Kallan Elda's house next. There was no answer the first or second knock. I tested the handle and the door opened and I entered cautiously.
"Kallan Elda, Lady Helen sent some food," I called, putting the food down on the Kitchen table.
"Bring it here please, if it's not a bother, child," came the wizened voice from the study.
"I completely forgot about supper!" exclaimed Sthenos suddenly.
"Focus," another voice scolded. I recognised it as Seto.
I followed the voices to the study and peeked in, my long hair swaying behind me. Atem, Lord Hamthar, and Kallan Elda were on the floor pouring over notes and books on Sorcery, Enchanting, and magic manipulation. Or Atem and Hamthar was, Kallan Elda was amusing himself watching Sthenos and Seto – play fighting, I guess…
"Hello. Can I help?" I asked as I entered and threw a croissant at Sthenos's head.
I ignored the yelps of joy and walked over to the notes and Seto and Sthenos both rejoined the search for something that was still unknown to me.
"We're trying to find a way to get even the people holding the barrier open to get across to Empuier," Lord Hamthat said, rubbing his eyes under his reading glasses.
Atem continued pouring through the notes but absent-mindedly grabbed a steak roll and passed it to Lord Hamthar, who took it and passed Atem a book. Atem took a drink of water and took the book, opening and flipping through it with one hand while Hamthar read the notes in Atem's other hand. Hamthar himself was scribbling in a journal with his left hand and eating with his right.
Lord Kallan chuckled and I realised I wasn't the only one watching them in wonder and bewilderment. Well I guess they were a father-and-son duo for a long time, so they must have been doing things like this for a long time. They were the only ones not looking totally exhausted.
Atem noticed me, "Kisara could you read these and mark everything you see of note about portals and energy requirements?"
I sat and took the tome and sticky notes and began pouring over it too. I marked off a few things on specific energy types and similarities between manipulators energy and environmental energy but at some point I drifted off…
Only to be jolted awake by Sthenos yelping in pain. I blinked at him wearily, "What the feathers?"
"Sorry," Sthenos apologized. "I hit my head on the corner of the side table when I sat up too fast." He gestured behind him.
I yawned and blinked a few times. Seto, Lord Hamthar, and Atem were still wide awake.
"How?" was all I managed, still groggy.
Seto shrugged, "Used to pulling all-nighters."
"Yeah," the other two answered in unison.
"Ok, let's start from the beginning," Lord Kallan said, re-entering the room with a jug of coffee.
"Well -," was all Sthenos got to say before he was smacked.
"Wait," Seto said.
Sthenos pouted at him irritably and rubbed his cheek. Atem, meanwhile, had suddenly lunged across Hamthar for his journal and pulled his own notes to him for comparison. Seto passed him his own compilation and Lord Kallan and Sthenos leaned in.
"I think this is it," Atem whispered, his voice laced with both fatigue and excitement.
"What is?" I asked curiously, also leaning closer.
"Usually, it takes a lot of elementals to open the passage because it is impossible to manipulate all the energy at once. A single elemental can only manipulate the energy that is likeliest to theirs," Hamthar started. "Siren's magic was used to prime the atmosphere with magical particles to open the passage because the magic wasn't saturated enough here."
He stopped to drink some coffee and Atem continued excitedly, "That means that Siren can access a larger amount of energy and manipulate it into the passage than the other elementals. This is added to by the fact that she's familiar with the energy on the Isles in the first place. So Siren can actually make up for a large part of the resources and people required on her own. So if the elementals can maintain a balance in the energy, we can send everyone through the passage in increments, leaving nobody behind!"
I tilted my head, "I'm sorry, I'm too tired, somebody dumb it down a bit for me."
They chuckled at me before Seto started explaining, "If we take Yugi's explanation of the barrier needing 100%. That side is putting in 50%. We need to put in 50%. Without Siren, we can muster 50% and the people putting in the effort have to stay behind. But Siren on her own is about 15 to 20%. We'll use the less optimistic 15%, for safety, then when you add her to the other elemetals we have 65%."
I nodded and Sthenos joined in, "So if we put Siren in we have 65% but if we take out enough people, then Siren and the volunteers will be 50%. The extra 15% can go across the passage and join the people on that side making their side 65%. We can then take out a few more slowly and gradually, so that they go from this side to that side and join in to keep up the 100%."
"Eventually, only Sirena and the Sorcerers will be left to cross on this side but the other side will be at 100% so Siren and whoever is left can come through safely!" Kallan Elda finished happily.
We celebrated our discovery for a little while till we noticed the sun through the curtains. We got up quickly and neatened up the room. Wolfing down breakfast before hurrying out to inform everyone else of our findings. There was only 24 hours left before the passage opened; the last Evacuation form Earth.
Siren 15%
Volunteers 35%
Crossing 15%
50%
Does anyone even read this story anymore?