Jeremiah glanced through the crack of the door to peer at the growing crowd. Even though the Earths were not required to come to the Ceremony, many were lined up against the ball walls to witness the event.

?Do you really need to peek?? Patrice surprised him by placing a dark hand on his shoulder, ?You will be just fine.?

Jeremiah looked over his shoulder and down at the shorter Earth. Her Guardian silks reflected the greens and yellows of her title. The corner of his lips tugged up, ?Are you not supposed to already be up there?? He nodded inside, where he had seen all the other Guardians, except for Andrew, Renan, and Storm.

?Mike was being fussy.? She flashed him a grin before she opened the door and drew a more sober expression as she joined the other Elementals.

He let out a slow breath as he received a fuller view of the large enclosure. There were bold and bright colors to represent the four major elements; colors that usually would not be complimentary, but the history and symbolism had him looking in awe.

His eyes then moved to the several long tables, spaced to a specific number and set accordingly to The Word. On each table held several different trinkets that varied from hats to blankets and weaponry. Each eligible Elemental had brought an item that meant most to them, and left in on a table in hopes of being chosen.

A smaller table held nine different goblets that were a variation of three different drinks. It was these concoctions that made Jeremiah the most nervous. He did not know all of the different ingredients, but he did know a few that held the power to alter the mind.

Taking a deep breath he caught the door just before it closed on his face, and stepped out to the quiet crowd.

It was time to begin.

"See? Even Devin put in his item." Celeste whispered under her breath to the Air. Her short, dark curls were unusual for a Water, but her eyes reflected the darkest blue Paola had ever seen. "If he is eligible, then you are too."

Paola seemed severely unaffected by her friends words. Florescent and bright blue eyes revolved in a perfect circle, "Devon has time to waste here. I do not."

Celeste burst into laughter, and it encouraged several multicolored heads to turn and stare. This was not a time for such humor! The Water's pale skin made it difficult to hide her red flush of embarrassment. She waited until the smirks and stares were over before leaning in to whisper, "Since when were you so high and mighty?"

"Birth." Paola quipped, pushing back all of her curls behind her shoulders, "I do not have time to waste." Incredibly impatient, her foot started to tap on the flooring. There were too many people around, stuffed in the large enclosure. There was not even a window to peer through! Eyes settling on the Guardians, she smirked, "They do not want to be here, either. We should just go home and do this the old-fashioned way."

"This is the old-fashioned way."

"No, there was a time when-"

"Please, don't start." Celeste cringed as the history started to come out of Paola's mouth. "No one needs to know that nonsense. You are here now, your book is on the table, and you will just have to wait."

Paola could see the door creaking open, but she had to deliver the last line, "You mean I have to waste my time." The words were whispered, and said at just the last possible moment. The knowledgeable Air gave a great smile of satisfaction.

When Jeremiah moved towards the table, Celeste watched with fascination and excitement; Paola watched to learn and record history.

?I pledge to drink this cup, to allow my senses to rule, and to pick the best Guardians that are presented to me.? The words were repeated, before Jeremiah reached for one of the goblets for Andrew to drink. Adrienne started to fret for him, knowing what the starroot what do, the way it would alter his sight and mind. The ceremony had truly begun.

Andrew?s eyes instantly glowed as soon as he finished the lasts drop of the brewed drink. He swayed, finding a way to set the goblet back on the table, and started for the Water?s table. His bright, white eyes seemed to see things that his eyes usually did not, and he viewed the gathered crowd with a new interest. Adrienne could only watch as The Word?s instructions slowly began to make sense.

It did not take long for Andrew to recover his balance, resting a hand on the table that no doubt, held the most valuable and shiny objects. He rested only a moment before lifting his hands and shooting them down to touch and cover several small objects that shined. Several in the crowd either gasped, cried out, laughed, or grumbled. The unseen connections between Elemental and possessions was made apparent as Andrew continued to touch as many objects as possible. When he found them unsatisfactory, he almost carelessly dropped them onto the floor. No matter how each Water reacted to the touch, whenever their object was dropped, they sighed with great relief.

Andrew was obviously unsatisfied until he found his ultimate goal. With grabby hands, he snatched an old, rolled up piece of parchment, and heard a single hiss within the crowd. Adrienne moved slightly to get a better look at the Water, and was more than surprised to see Emeric. He was standing as straight as could be, with sweat forming around his brows and his jaw tight. His skin and hair reflected his older age, but it was his personality that brought the curiosity to Adrienne. He was completely traditional in his views, proud of his pure bloodline of bonding only with other Waters. Why would the Goddess want him? She did not have time to ponder the issue longer before Andrew set the paper down on the table with great care. He then picked up a polished, but simple silver ring, and there was a whoop of excitement from the crowd. The voice was Celeste, who was practically bubbling with excitement as Andrew?s fingers carefully examined the item. He set the ring back down next to the rolled paper, and examined what else was on the table.

A full minute pasted where he did nothing, and Adrienne began to fear for his health. Perhaps they had prepared a glass wrong, perhaps the timing was off. Perhaps ? and then with a broad sweep of his hand, Andrew wiped everything off of the table except for the rolled paper and the silver ring.

?I choose Emeric and Celeste. Come forth and claim the Guardianships that is rightfully yours.? Andrew seemed to know to seek Jeremiah?s approval, and he nodded. As the chosen ones started forward, Andrew grabbed the two goblets that was to be theirs, and stood before them. ?Emeric, accept your title of the Guardian of Ice, and drink.? The older Water said nothing, but he reached for the goblet and did as he was told. Adrienne watched as his gift overcame him, chilling the room for a few moments. ?Celeste, accept your title of the Guardian of Brume, and drink.? Andrew repeated the simple vows, and Celeste was eager to fulfill his request. The air hand a moment of moisture, before it past and Jeremiah stepped forward.

?The new Guardians are to bond with Andrew, to learn the secrets that are never to be spoken.? Jeremiah pulled out a ceremonial dagger along with several strips of linen. Adrienne continued to watch as he carefully cut both of Andrew?s wrist, along with one of Celeste?s and one of Emeric's. He bound their small incisions with the linen, and tied the three of them together as blood was exchanged. Adrienne noticed the effects of the starflower, helping the new Guardian?s receive Andrew?s memories through their growing blood bond. All three of them had dazed expressions of their face as Jeremiah gently lead them out of another door to complete the short bonding experience. She could feel the Guardians around her relax as the first choosing process proved to be successful.

?Renan.?

Unlike Andrew, Renan did not have a sense of urgency as he stood in front of the table. Instead, he would stroke the different weapons at random, occasionally touching the few items that did not create destruction. Jeremiah?s eyes moved with each item to the owner, seeing a more painful and angered expression on their face each time Renan touched their possession. Their reasons for Renan?s touch to be painful was not knowledge that the starwood granted him.

Devin watched with the amber light flickering at the back of his eyes as Renan approached the table. Tension straightened his spine as he watched the reactions of some of the other candidates. When Renan?s fingertip only brushed over his pendant, the stab of piercing pain ? emotional, rather than physical ? was enough to make him shake. He stilled the reaction, and any show of disappointment, when Renan moved on without even hesitating.

Renan paced the full parameter of the table, stopping to pick up a weapon and study it in greater detail. There was a broadsword that seemed very old but in fine working condition that the Fire Guardian had much interest in. The owner, Faraji, was standing as straight as can be, trying to struggle against his own pained expression. Whenever Renan stroked the blade, Faraji?s fingers twitched and his expression worsened.

The light was dead in Devin?s eyes as his gaze slid to watch Renan examining Faraji?s sword, and Devin?s lips thinned with bitter disappointment and resentment. The broadsword was in fine condition, there was no doubt about it ? because Faraji loved to use it, and would often pass up the chance to resolve things more simply just to have an excuse to pull his blade.

Devin didn?t know what caused the sickened, pained lines to show in Faraji?s features. He did know that Faraji was passionate about defending what was his ? until the other man was thwarted, and his passion turned to rage. As far as Devin was concerned, Faraji had the potential to be almost as much of a threat as the dead brothers. Faraji and Devin were too similar in some ways, and too different in many others, to ever get along. They had been rivals for years.

Moving down the line, Renan?s glowing eyes spotted a larger and thick stick. Carefully fitting the blade along the belt of his silks, he took up the stick with curiosity. There was a deep, breathy female laughter that Jeremiah knew well. Rukiya was a young and bold flame, with burnt orange hair and off-yellow eyes. It was still evident that Renan?s touch brought pain to her, but her face reflected more of a challenge than the pain. As Renan now held both items in his hand, Jeremiah looked past the obvious connections between person and possession. There was something about the broadsword and the way it shone in his eyes. There was something that was just not right.

Rukiya. That was a choice that brought further disappointment, but no resentment. Devin respected her, with her boldness and unflinching manner. They had shared a brief time together and parted with good humor from both sides; she was one of the rare women who remained simply and purely his friend. What they had shared had brought them into a better understanding of each other, and she was as close to a sibling as he felt likely have. He couldn?t resent her choosing.

?I choose Faraji and Rukiya to-?


?No.? Jeremiah could feel that his answer was right, and the confidence was evident.
?You must pick another for Faraji.?

Devin stiffened again at Jeremiah?s words, though he did not contribute anything to the rippling whisper of astonishment that passed through the room. He had never heard of such interference in the Choice. It was obvious that The Word guided Jeremiah ? but why?

Rather than creating an argument, Renan quickly dropped the broadsword as if it had burned his hand. Moving forward, a smaller item caught his interest, and he picked up the small pendent that showed a trio of metals. ?I will choose Devin and Rukiya. Come and accept the calling of your Guardianship.?

When Renan?s hand closed around Devin?s pendant, the flash of pain that had passed earlier was given to be nothing. All his faults, his flaws ? every loss of temper or hurtful word ? they all lit in his mind at once, and more, he felt the impact of those actions on those he had harmed. The sensation twisted his face and held him rigid until Renan?s words broke the spell.

He stepped forward with Rukiya, and Renan moved to pick up two more goblets. "Devin, accept and fulfill your role as the Guardian of White Fire, and Rukiya, accept andfulfill your role as the Guardian of Conflagration." Renan waited to give them the goblets so that they could drink together.

Renan looked at her across the rim of the goblet in his hands as they both lifted the liquid to their mouths. She was excited, proud, and confident and it showed even through the lethargy and drowsiness that enveloped them. Devin could not share the emotions. He was troubled by Faraji?s initial choosing, and Jeremiah?s change. What had been found lacking in Devin originally that was present in Faraji? More ? what turned Renan?s hand to Devin in the end?

All questions slowly faded away as the liquid seeped through him, and Jeremiah watched the ingredients have their effects.
"The New Guardians are to develop a blood bond with Renan." Repeating the simple cut to each wrist and wrapping the linen around to keep them binded together, he gently escorted them out of the room; only one more to go.


"Storm."

She could not see Jeremiah's eyes move to the items at the table as he considered her words, "Not everything is as it seems."

Normally she would be irritated at the riddle, but instead she turned her attention back to the items, and tried again. She raised a hand to hover just a breath over the items, slowly moving her hand up and down across every inch. Many bodies tensed in anticipation of her fingers touching, but they did not. With each beloved item her hand past, there was a distinct dissonance in her ears, the sound clashing against the continuous pitch in her mind. Almost going over every item, she paused as a dual-toned note crossed her. Eyes moving, she saw with clarity a book that she had just past. She could not read the title, and so she gently reached out to pick it up and flip open to a page. It was blank - all the pages were blank, but when the book was opened, the note adjusted to a perfect harmony. "I choose Paola. Come forward, please."

Paola's breath released in a rush as her book was picked up with gentle hands. The pain did not hurt in the way that brought grunts and gritted teeth. No, this dug into the core of all her wants, everything she had ever dreamed of, and fulfilled. Overwhelmed, there were tears flowing freely down her cheeks as she started forward as told.

Storm's focus was gradually regaining details and the blurry colors faded. Reaching out for the very last goblet, her attention was entirely focused on Paola, "Drink, and accept your calling as Guardian of the North Winds."

The young woman drank as she was told, and Jeremiah stepped forward to join them, "It is time now for the last blood bond, to unite all of the Guardians as one."

Storm blinked as Jeremiah rolled up her right sleeve to reveal the tattoo that rested on the underside of her wrist. Alarmed, her breath quickened and her eyes tried desperately to focus, "Jeremiah, I-"

"It must be done." His tone was flat and did not leave room for more question, efficiently cutting her wrist and then Paola's, before bringing them together and using the linen to keep them binded.

The pain was so bright and unexpected, Storm's other hand quickly reached out to grab Jeremiah's arm for support. She could feel her memories slip away, but she could not gather. Her mind tried to grasp, but everything flickered away into nothing.

She did not notice the pained expression on Paola, nor did she notice that Jeremiah helped them into another room to allow the bond to complete.

It was done, and the Guardianships were fulfilled.