Disclaimer: I don't own anything.


The tea was bubbling in my mug. On this afternoon, I was sitting alone at the kitchen table after I had spent the past hour baking blueberry scones with lemon curd and clotted cream. Now, they were getting brown in the oven, and I brushed the flour from my apron while I watched the bubbles in my tea. First, there had only been a couple ones, but the more I was thinking about everything the more they got. With a splash, the hot water started spreading on the table. I gritted my teeth and tried to control my frustration, but it made the rest spill to the floor.

"Seriously?!"

Couldn't I just drink my tea in peace? Okay, peace was the wrong word considering there was a puddle of hot water on the floor and the liquids on the counter started seething as well now. The water pipes in the entire house sounded as if they would explode any moment.

"I'm not even doing anything!", I shouted while I looked up to the ceiling, without anyone particular to talk to. Great. Now I was talking to myself. Shaking my head, I went to the stove to look after the scones.

"So it really happened. You discovered your powers…"

I froze with the baking tray in my hands while I was surrounded by liquids that were drippling down the floor.

Carole was standing at the door, her jacket wet from the rain just like her short brown hair, her face full of concern and something like…regret? I swallowed the bitter taste of disappointment and hastily put down the baking tray. Then, I put off my baking gloves and started moping the hot water on the floor. "You can see that only because of a cup of tea?"

Instead of answering, she looked from the mess on the counter where every single plastic bottle had overflown, a puddle mix of soda and water was on the floor now. Then, she looked to the faucet that sprayed water even though it was turned off. Last but not least, she nodded to the window; outside, it was raining buckets. Only now, I realized the consequences of her words. Just like the fact that she didn't even look surprised. Something within me shattered. I didn't know what it was, but I felt how it was destroyed.

"You knew…", I whispered.

Carole slowly put off her jacket and put it onto the chair. "Your dad told me years ago. He always hoped it would never come that far."

I scoffed. Awesome. Another person that knew and didn't tell me. I needed to start making a list and ticking off people or something. "Did one of you ever come up with the idea to tell me?", I hissed while I put the floor mop into the sink and tried to will the faucet to stop spraying water. In vain.

"All the time." Carole took a piece of cloth as well and wiped the floor with me. "But it wasn't me who should tell you the truth. Your dad…he just wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?", I repeated incredulously.

Something behind me exploded. Sounded a lot like the water kettle even though it had only been half full. "How? By not telling me about those powers? Those elemental-like powers? That I…gosh, please don't tell me that I will become one of them."

That thought had only crossed my mind shortly, but now it was back. Would those weird powers turn me into one of those monsters? Would it come that far eventually?

"You won't." Carole stepped closer to me. I felt her hands on my shoulders before I lifted my head and looked at her. "We won't allow that. You just need to…"

"Don't say calm down now, or so help me …"

She grimaced.

The bang was ear piercing. Suddenly, a fountain of water shot out of the sink. We both jumped to the side. But it didn't help that much, everything including the both of us was drenched now. The water was spreading on a puddle on the floor.

"Oh god…" I backed away, shocked about what just happened. About what I had done. "I … I didn't mean to do that. I'm serious!"

"I know." Carole rushed to the sink, but the strength of the waterstream was pushing her back. "Take a deep breath…Calm down. And I will tell you everything you want to know. Alright?"

Nothing was alright. I couldn't just take a deep breath and sit down and chat with a cup of tea. I needed to leave. Only that way, I could make sure the water pipes of our house wouldn't burst. Without thinking, I grabbed my jacket and rushed out of the house.

"Kurt!"

I didn't react. The car keys were clinking in my hand while I ran to my car and almost slipped on the way. Was that…ice on the ground? I refused to examine it and jumped into the vehicle instead. I turned on the engine and drove off. I needed to get away. Away from here, to a water-less place. The rain was so heavy I could barely see the road, the darkness didn't make it better. The windscreen wipers brushed the water aside in high speed, but it didn't help that much. I didn't know where to go, I was just driving.

Only when I stopped the car, I saw where I had ended up. Not at the beach, not at the cliffs, and luckily not at the Dunvegan Castle, or else, the headquarters of the Campbells would have turned into some kind of British Atlantis. I guess that would be the worst way to get introduced to my alleged family.

I needed to smile against my will, but then I grit my teeth while I got out of the car. After I had locked it, I started the climb.

Normally, Fairy Glen was crowded thanks to the tourists, but this gloomy evening was different; it was deserted. I was alone. Alone with the nature and the heavy rain. I went past the circles of rocks that hadn't changed in centuries. Rumor has it the fairies put them into the right order again everytime the humans tried to change their positions. Once, a little girl that went to school with me had taken a small rock home. She had been new and didn't know better. However, she suddenly was down on her luck so that her parents had decided to move away from the island. I had no idea what she was doing now, but she brought the rock back, and lo and behold, everything went back to normal for her.

I never doubted that our world was slightly supernatural. Hell, I was fighting elementals that looked as if the were out of nightmares. But whether elementals were the only supernatural beings or whether there were other ones as well, I had no idea. I never thought about it that way, to be honest. But I never would have thought that I was part of this supernatural world. Dad prepared me for the fights against monsters, but not for the one against myself.

The waters next to me started seething and bubbling when I went past them. I pressed my lips together and gulped, but that did nothing about my dry throat. Or the pressure on my chest that made breathing harder for me. How could I belong to a clan even though I didn't know about them? And not just any clan. People say that the Campbells were one of the most powerful ones on the island. Still, they never even thought about accepting me as one of their own. People lied to me all my life. My dad did. My best friend and her family that was also my family. Even Carole. And Blaine…

I closed my eyes, but the seething wouldn't stop, it became louder instead. I fastened my pace, slipped on the mud, got up again, and wiped my forehead. Behind me, a water fountain shot up like a geyser. I flinched and tripped again. The humid grass was staining my trousers, rocks scratched the palms of my hands.

I took a deep breath, tried to breathe normally again, but it didn't work. I hated losing control, I hated it more than anything in the world. More than those monsters out there. More than knowing that I have been lied to my entire life. Again, a waterfountain shot up from the lake, but this time, a strong gust of wind hit me at the same time. I probably wouldn't have noticed if the wind wasn't that unexpected. But I knew better; the grass was not shaking because of the rain only.

Slowly, I got up again. Cold mud clung to my hands and knees. I shivered, my heart was still racing, but my braincells were working again. I actually should be grateful that elemental showed up. My own powers were still out of control, but now that this monster was close to me, I could at least think clearly again. And let the elemental feel my anger.

I instinctively wanted to grab my daggers – just to notice that I didn't have them on me. Not a single weapon. The blades were in my bedroom at home just like my metal chain. But there must be a dagger in my car I had never used before, just for emergencies like this. I looked back and tried to guess how far away my car was. It should be possible to reach my car in time, I just needed to run down the hill. But with all the rain, ice, and mud, every fast movement equaled suicide.

I glanced to the Fairy Castle above me. I should be safe between the rocks – but also an easy target for attacks from the air. I considered taking that risk, but eventually decided against it. Instead of climbing farther up, I turned around, climbed up the next acclivity and pressed myself against the humid rock. What had looked like the entry of a cave turned out to be nothing more than a small embayment that didn't even protect me from the rain properly. At least, I could see everything now from where I was. The sea calmed down somewhat, the farther I went away until the seething stopped altogether. Now, it was calm. A little too calm. I narrowed my eyes when I noticed something sparkling on the surface. Was that ice…?

A loud bang pulled me out of my thoughts. Pebbles, earth chunks and green stuff rained down on everything around me. I pressed myself more against the rock and threw up my arms to protect my face. The wind got stronger; I could feel the power of the elemental when it tried to sweep me off my feet. When I put down my arms, I looked into the face of the air creature. Or whatever I could call that face. In front of me was a creature that looked like a hurricane and kept changing its form. One second, it looked like a giant something of clouds, the next, it looked like a large bird of prey, and then it was a menacing storm front- without the lightning. As if it only waited for me to notice him, it started crying out loud. The cry was the last thing I noticed before its force sent me rolling down the acclivity.

I tried grabbing something for halt, but my hands only found humid grass which was not helping at all. Thorns were burying deeply into my skin. Just in time, I could grab the leaves of a bush to stop the fall. A glance to the back made me realize there was indeed a thick layer of ice on the lake. That was way too close for my liking. Again, there was a cry, but this time I took cover behind another rock. The wind was ruffling my hair violently and pressed my wet clothes against my body. I desperately tried to think. If I didn't make it to my car, I needed something I could use as a weapon. A sharp branch or something else to kill that monster. Or something I could set on fire. Air elementals didn't show up as often as their earth or water counterparts, but they were super agile and hard to defeat.

I rolled to the side when something was rumbling. A big rock flew over to my direction and landed exactly where I had been lying one second ago. Dammit, that creature was strong. Again, rocks were thrown at me. I jumped up, the monster was so close now. Its body was so windy it took my breath away. Instead of running away, I turned around and used the momentum to kick the creature in its guts – if he had some, anyway. Instead of hitting, I didn't feel any resistance. My foot just went through the monster as if it had no solid body.

"Hey", I wheezed, trying to keep my balance. "You're playing dirty."

What was this thing made of? Air? Despite his lacking body, it was super dangerous. The next wind attack almost knocked me over. Just when it wanted to attack me again, I was faster and hit him out of desperation. Just like before, my hand didn't grasp his body – but then, something weird happened. Ice started spreading on the spot where I touched the creature until the elemental was frozen solid. And then, it shattered into millions of pieces.

My heart was racing. I exhaled loudly; I must have held my breath without noticing. Stunned, I stared down my hands. They were humid from the rain, just like the rest of me, but there was more. If I looked closer, I could see the ice on my fingers. I turned that creature into ice and destroyed it with one single touch.

Kind of like Blaine – but still so different.

There was some movement behind me. I turned around quickly, threw my hands up and expected the next fight. But it was not me that got attacked. I was the one attacking. An icicle, so big I could barely grasp it with both my hands, sped right to the intruder. But it was no elemental.

It was Blaine.

I opened my mouth, wanted to shout something to warn him, but before I could gasp for air, lightning shot down from the sky that destroyed the icicle. The remains fell down like small snowflakes. He was just as drenched as me when he looked at me scrutinizingly, sword in hand.

"I don't need a savior, Sir Blaine."

"No", he confirmed grumpily "You can look after yourself. What you need is someone who teaches you how to handle your powers."

We were staring at each other for seconds, not saying anything. I was breathing heavily, he was calm. How long had he been there? Did he watch me? Did he see what happened? What I had done?

"How did you even find me?"

"I think the question should be how I could not find you." He demonstratively looked around and nodded to the surroundings. The heavy rain. The ice on the ground and the waters. The coldness. And now, thick snowflakes were floating around as if it was December all of a sudden.

"Your powers are out of control because you are freaking out." Blaine frowned at me. "You need to calm down."

Before I could open my mouth or react otherwise, new fountains shot up from the lake behind me. I couldn't do anything about it, I couldn't control or stop them.

"Do you know what I don't want to hear anymore?", I asked, but didn't wait for his answer and came closer to him instead. "Exactly that. What do you think am I doing out here? Throw a tea party? I'm trying the best I can to calm down!"

Blaine didn't even flinch. He only looked at me as if he wouldn't register the rain or the chaos around us.

"No, you aren't. You try to control yourself and those powers, but it doesn't work. The abilities of your clan are directly linked to your emotions, so stop trying to control them with your mind!"

I expected lightning or electrical sparks in the air – anything that indicated that his abilities were just as uncontrollable as mine. But there was nothing. Blaine kept himself in check perfectly. What just infuriated me even more.

"How?!" I spread my arms indignantly. "Nothing seems to work."

No rides across the island, no calming tea, no baking, no soft music, no bath, not even my favorite places helped me control those abilities. Instead, I almost drowned myself in my own bathtub the other day and almost waterlogged our house. The memories about it let me shudder. Like on cue, the rain got heavier and so loud I couldn't even understand what I was saying.

"Okay, look at me." Blaine was in front of me now. "Take a deep breath. Slowly, in and out. Again."

I did what he said, looked him deep in his brown eyes and breathed slowly. In and out. In and out. In…out…

...The weather stayed the same.

"Doesn't work?"

"What does it look like?", I scoffed with hot cheeks.

The corners of his mouth twitched. "I didn't expect it to work anyway. It didn't work with me back then either. Let's try something different." Before I could protest, he grabbed my shoulders and turned me around. "Let off all the steam. All your anger, the frustration, the panic, and everything else. Let it out. Now."

Now that he was directly behind me, his voice was low and quiet. I swore I felt his warm breath on my neck, but I must have imagined it because there was only the cold tremor of the sleet.

"There is no single person. No one you can hurt and nothing you could destroy", he said. "Come on. Do it. Let it out." One last time, he squeezed my shoulder and stepped back. Maybe to not disturb me, or to take cover.

I closed my eyes and focused on the chaos inside me. I wanted to cry out, I wanted to vent and get back the control over my thoughts, my emotions, and my body.

And that's what I did.

My scream echoed across the fairy hills, the green lawn to the mountains far away. I let out all the pain, the desperation, the powerlessness, and the terrible fear. I kicked and hit everything around me, grabbed the rock and threw it away with all the force I had. Again and again until my arms hurt and my voice felt hoarse. When I was done, I allowed myself to halt and look around. For a while, it was silent as if all the trees, bushes, the sky above us and even the birds held their breaths. Then, the Skye-like wind ruffled my hair and the clouds didn't burst again. The rain stopped as abruptly as it had started. I took a seat on a rock. The relief was so overwhelming that I needed a moment to realize what just happened.

I did it.

The rain, the ice, the seething of the lochs was gone. Now, only the leaves were moving around in the wind, the seagulls were squawking, the sheep and goats were bloating.

I slowly lifted my head and looked over to Blaine. He was not that far from me, his arms were crossed, he was just as wet as I was. He didn't smile, but there was that satisfaction in his face. And a hint of…pride?

"Thanks…", I croaked and cleared my throat so that my voice sounded normal again.

Whatever I had seen on his face disappeared again.

"That was just the beginning."

I nodded even though I wished he didn't tell the truth. I wanted to pretend that I got rid of those powers with that deliberate tantrum. But I knew better. It wasn't that easy. It was never easy.

"They became more." Blaine stepped next to me and stared into the dusk. "More elementals on the island."

I got up and suppressed a groan when my muscles started hurting as well as the heels of my hands. "First in Quiraing, then on the beach, and now here. What do they want?"

He looked me straight in the eyes. "You."

My stomach twisted painfully. Whether it was out of anger or fear, I had no idea.

"Why?", I pressed and balled my hands.

"They get attracted by uncontrollable power because they are made of it as well. Power is a drug for them, and you have so much of it, but you cannot control it yet."

"Hold up." I lifted my hands defensively. "Does that mean as long as I cannot control those powers…"

"…they will hunt you, that's right."

And destroy everything that got into their way. And just like that, I turned from the hunter to the hunted. A freaking mad one, at that.

"You need to learn how the keep your abilities in check, or else they will control you."

I scoffed. "And how the hell shall I learn it if I don't know how? If I don't even know where they come from or why I have them? If I don't even know who my freaking family is?"

Who I was. But I didn't say those words out loud. I didn't need to because he seemed to read me like an open book, just like in all those nights where we fought elementals together. We understood each other with no words. Just one glance was enough. Now, it was my undoing.

"You should find out", he said and nodded to my car. "Talk to your dad. He needs to know something, maybe he has the answers you are searching for."

"If he is back again and won't tell me lies again", I muttered dryly and looked Blaine up and down "What about you? You said I needed a trainer."

His face fell. "I'm the last one that should train you."

"Why? Are you scared you could accidently tell the truth instead of lies?"

He pressed his lips together and I could see how he was thinking. Good. I hit his sore point. Sadly it didn't feel as good as I had hoped.

"Because I'm not the right one", he pressed. "For the fight training, but not for your powers."

I let out a scoff. "I don't need fight training. I can send you to the ground anytime without breaking into sweat."

Maybe I exaggerated a little because Blaine was a quite skilled fighter. He moved so fast and agile like someone that had trained all his life. Good for me that dad had started with my training when I was little. Back then, it had merely been a hobby and a shared activity with dad. Now that I knew of elementals, it became serious.

"Don't exaggerate", he answered sneeringly. "You would be the first one to achieve that."

There it was again. Something of the Blaine I knew. Or at least I thought I knew him. Under other circumstances, I would have accepted that indirect challenge. But now, it was different. He was different. And I was…

"Go to your dad", he repeated as if he had noticed the change of mood as well. The rest of the old Blaine I caught a glimpse of was gone. He had put on that impenetrable mask again, the one I started to hate more and more.

Without another word, I turned around and started the descent. I slid more than climbed, but I didn't care. I didn't care that I could feel how he stared at me while I got into my car and started the engine. Why? Just to make sure I listened to him and drove home? To make sure my powers didn't go haywire again, that I didn't freak out again? The rain had long stopped and the traces of the sudden start of winter were gone as well, but it was only a matter of time until it would happen again. I knew it, I felt it like the hammering of my heart against my chest. At least, Blaine and I agreed on one point: I needed to learn more. And according to him, the only one who could give me answers was dad.