“I will not ask you again, Aurelia. Join your faction with mine. With both our affinities together, we would be unstoppable.”

Zenon stood close to her, his hands drifting down her hips as he brought his mouth close to her ear.

“The power we would hold would be like no other. Wouldn’t you like that?”

In a fleeting shimmer, her entire form seemed to dissolve into a mist before reappearing across the room. She stood with her arm gently wrapped around her waist, her other arm bent and resting lightly on it. Her fingers delicately brushed her lips as she drifted into deep thought. As she gazed out of the window, Zenon couldn’t help but smile at her striking beauty.

“Become mine.”

He knew the words would make her react, and he watched as she turned to him, her displeasure showing on her face as she stood tall.

“Are you hard of hearing? I do not know how many times I need to tell you that it will never happen!”

He smiled at her words, twisting his fingers around elegantly, drawing the water particles in the air to her body. They clustered on her skin and began to crawl across every inch of it.

“I’d make it worth your while.”

Watching as her breath caught within a moment, the water was pushed away from her. Watching as her power flared, she drew in breath and felt his own breath get pulled from his lungs. Beginning to choke, he grabbed at his throat, tried his best to breathe, but couldn’t. As she watched, he smiled, and he made sure it didn’t leave his face as he began to collapse forward. Seeing that he was only enjoying her attack, she stopped.

“You’re sick!” She hissed as she turned away from him.

“I have my fetishes. I cannot help that you can do that one so well,” he chuckled, and saw her jaw tighten as she stood there. Wandering over to her side, a seriousness came over him as he watched the higher-ups crawl into the sanctum like ants.

“They will demand a reaping, and the other houses will agree. Your only hope is me.”

He paused, watching her for a moment. To most, she seemed unfazed by his words, but he’d known her long enough to notice her eyes flicking ever so slightly to show her concern.

“If I vote against it. They will go by each faction’s power ranking. Right now, Water and Air trump Fire and Earth. If you say no to me, then the reaping will come and show you to be weak. Air users are fading. Everyone knows this.”

“Are they?” She asked, bringing her arms across her slender body, her pointed nails tapping as she stood there, “We have already seen the devastation from one unregistered Air user. Some are even saying they were a master. Maybe there are plenty more like that one, which we just don’t know about.”

Zenon felt the twitch of agitation as she spoke. He’d also considered that there was a huge risk in a reaping. Going around and pulling affinity users from across the globe just to do a mass registration always shifted the balance. Maybe there wouldn’t be many air users, but if the ones they had found turned out to be stronger than ten water users, it was problematic.

“Do not bank on that. If that person was a master of Air and they died so easily, then your faction truly is weak, and let’s not forget that the attack has damaged your reputation… badly. Many believe it is one of your own.”

Aurelia's gaze dropped to the floor, her frustration clear before she looked at him.

“We both know someone is setting me up to fail. People do not like that the mages of Ventus have become so strong.”

“Just like the mages of Aequor, but I make sure they are balanced. Strong enough is better than too strong.”

Staring him down, Aurelia went to move, but he caught her arms gently.

“You know this is your only way out. If you try to join me past this point, you will look desperate. It will only humiliate you further.”

Staring at him, she looked over his features. His beautifully sculpted face was framed by his silver hair; his eyes seemed to match, but if you were close enough, you would notice the hint of blue within them. Taller than most men, he towered above her and had stolen the hearts of many. Especially on days like today, as he stood, draped in intricately woven material that represented his house in every way. Matched with expertly applied makeup, he looked inhuman, living up to his title: God of the sea.

Zenon's family was renowned for producing strikingly beautiful children, and if this offer had come when she was younger and more enamoured with him, she would have accepted without hesitation. But now, she saw things differently.

“I am not my sister,” she whispered, watching as the smirk pulled at his lips.

“No, she is very much dead, isn’t she?”

He watched the flash in her eyes and avoided the attack, which would have cut him clean in two. Laughing, he held his hands up in mock surrender.

“You know I mean no offence. No one loved her more than I did. Just a shame she fell for that simpleton and ran off. If she hadn’t, she’d still be here today and in my arms.”

“Shut your mouth,” Aurelia hissed. “You are never to speak of her or her family in front of me.”

“Why?” He asked as he glanced at his painted nails, then to her, “You can’t still be blaming yourself for that, can you?”

Aurelia attacked again, but this time his image froze, his face becoming blank before he melted into water, pooling over the floor. Going to turn, she suddenly felt the proximity of him behind her, his arms pulling her into him as he held her there.

“I love playing these games with you, Aurelia, but now is not the time to bring up the past. Yes, I loved your sister whilst you loved me. I remember how you’d follow me around like a lost puppy. It was rather sweet.”

She struggled, but he made sure she couldn’t escape as a blade of ice came across her neck, its edge cutting into her delicate skin.

“But your sister is gone, and you are not. She was happy with her meagre power and a feeble, useless man, but you are different. You want it all. You want power. You want beauty, and you want to see Ventus rise above everyone. Stay by my side, and it’ll happen. I’ll give it all to you.”

She tried to struggle again before she felt the blade draw blood, enough for it to begin to crawl down her neck.

“I also have no qualms with slitting your throat where you stand," he grabbed her head, moving it to one side before his lips made contact with her neck, “but I’d rather take you alive. It’s no fun when you’re dead.”

Fading like smoke in his hands, she appeared just behind him, her hand holding her neck.

“You really are sick!” She spat as she glanced at the blood that stained her fingers, “Just like my sister, you will never have me. I do not need the likes of you to save Ventus. Let the reaping happen. Try claiming your throne, Zenon. I’ll happily watch you drown!”

She spun to walk to the door, and as she grabbed the handle, he spoke.

“I’d give you children, Aurelia. Rooms filled with them. Their laughter and joy would fill your ears every day. You could finally leave the ghost of the one you lost behind.”

Feeling her heart leap, she brought her hand to her chest before continuing onwards. Hearing the slam of the door, he smiled widely. Brushing his hands down his elegant garments.

“Seeing her get so riled up gets me excited.”

Looking down at the people below, he then opened his arms wide.

“Bring forth the reaping and all its benefits. Let’s unearth every last affinity user walking this earth and take the power that belongs to us. It’s Aequor's time to rise!”

Turning to one side, he smiled widely, a childish glee coming over him.

“What do you say to that, little brother?”

What had looked like an empty corner of the room suddenly dissolved, revealing a chair and a man who looked like him. His expression was devoid of emotion; its cold stillness was unsettling to most.

“Whatever you wish,” he mumbled as he rose to his feet.

“Do you think Aurelia will take me up on my offer?” Zenon wrapped his arm around his brother’s shoulders. Watching to see if there was a hint of a reaction, but nothing happened.

“She would have killed you if I hadn’t misdirected her attack.”

“You have so little faith in me.”

Zenon pouted and pinched his cheek, making him bat his hand away, but his expression stayed unfazed.

“I was ready to crystalise the water in her lungs the moment my life was in any real danger.”

Looking at him, his brother’s gaze went to the floor before he shrugged.

“If you say so.”

“I was. Granted, to kill Masters such as ourselves would take much more than these petty tricks.”

Zenon brushed his fingers through his hair before walking in front of his brother and opening his arms wide.

“What do you think, Malachi? Don’t I look stunning?”

Pausing for a moment, Malachi moved his hand, making various symbols before creating a beautiful, twisted slide, droplets hanging from it that reflected the light like diamonds. Placing it into Zenon's hair, he looked him up and down.

“As you walk, the droplets will make you shimmer. You will exude power despite not using any.”

Gasping childishly, Zenon hugged Malachi.

“If only my other siblings were as amazing as you are.”

Coming forward, Zenon grabbed the handle of the door before pausing. His whole composure changed.

“Next time, make it without the use of symbols. You’re a master. It makes you look weak when you do anything that way.”

The malice in his tone showed through before he turned and smiled brightly.

“Walk behind me, Malachi, and try to smile. Just make sure your face doesn’t crack when you do.”

Allowing him to go forward, Malachi stood for a moment, his eyes following his brother’s humming as he made his way out of the room. It took a long moment before he could release the breath that he was holding and shut his eyes. His composure was restored as he quelled the raging torrent of power his body wished to expel.

Watching as his brother turned to see where he was, he began to walk slowly towards him, his voice barely audible as he turned to close the room door.

“Try not to trip, brother. The fall might kill you when you do.”

* * *

Aurelia stood there, her hands unmoving as she leaned on the cold crystal bench of the sanctum’s moon slab table.

The declaration had been passed, and a reaping would occur. Ventus was to be monitored for misuse of power. The rogue mage being somehow linked to her. Her students and followers were to be watched at all times, and her power was to be limited. An idea put forward by none other than Zenon himself. He tearfully told them he suggested it with a heavy heart and did so only to ensure everyone was safe.

“Master, what do we do now? If they limit your power, Ventus is vulnerable,” the woman next to her asked.

“Pray,” Aurelia whispered as she stood up with dignity and grace, “Pray that by some miracle. This reaping hands us someone good.”

Watching as a Master from each faction waited for her, she was relieved when Malachi’s gaze met her own. Thankful that he was to put the water-binding spell on her, not his brother. As she walked towards them, she could see none of them wished to enact the punishment she’d been given, and all bowed in respect as she came to their side.

“Make this quick,” she breathed, her hands coming to clasp in front of her, “I have grown tired of today’s antics.”