The air was tense as Jason and Grandpa Mark sat at the table, their eyes fixed on the two strangers before them. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the faint creak of wood. Finally, Grandpa Mark broke the silence.
"Forgive me," he began, "but I'll have to ask you a few questions. First, your names?"
The man with the glowing blue eyes nodded. "My name is Aman Adetokunbo. But you can call me Connor," he said, his voice steady and composed.
The young woman spoke next, her voice softer but confident. "And I'm Annabelle Wayra," she said, her eyes flicking briefly to Jason before settling on Mark.
Mark's sharp gaze shifted between the two, his fingers stroking his beard in thought. "Alright," he said at last. "How did you come to possess your elementiel powers?"
Connor leaned forward slightly, his face serious. "My father was the king of West Africa and the wielder of the water elementiel. Fifteen years ago, he joined a mission with other elementiels. When he returned…" His voice faltered for a moment. "He was infected with a dark power. It weakened him, consumed him. Before he died, he transferred his power to me."
Annabelle glanced at Connor before adding, "My father, Samuel Wayra, suffered the same fate. He, too, was infected by this… darkness. Before he passed, he entrusted his power to me."
Jason leaned forward. "That's exactly what happened to my father!"
Mark's brow furrowed deeply as he absorbed their words. "While I never met your fathers personally," he said, "my son did mention those names to me in the past. I believe you're telling the truth."
"But," Mark continued, his voice tinged with curiosity and caution, "why have you come here?"
Connor straightened in his seat. "We've been traveling across different lands, helping people wherever we can. Recently, we heard about dragons causing trouble in Eirene—specifically in Camelot. So, we decided to come and investigate."
Annabelle nodded in agreement. "When we arrived, we heard tales of the fire elementiel protecting the land. We wanted to see this protector for ourselves. That's how we ended up here."
Mark nodded slowly, processing their words. After a long pause, he said, "Excuse us for a moment. I need to speak with Jason alone. While you wait, help yourselves to some cakes."
The two visitors exchanged a glance before smiling gratefully. "Thank you," Connor said, as Annabelle eagerly grabbed a plate.
Mark led Jason into the kitchen, shutting the door behind them. He leaned in close and whispered, "Do you think we can trust them, Jason?"
Jason rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "I mean, they came all this way to help people, and they seem genuine. Plus, they're like me. I could learn a lot from them."
Mark stroked his beard again, his expression thoughtful. "Yes… if you train with other elementiels, your growth could accelerate significantly. Alright then. Let's give them a chance."
When they returned to the main room, they were greeted by the sight of Annabelle enthusiastically licking her plate clean, her yellow eyes wide with delight. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, "but, uh… can we have more, please?"
Grandpa Mark's laughter boomed through the room. "Of course, you can!" he said, clapping Jason on the back.
Grandpa Mark handed Connor and Annabelle another slice of cake as Jason leaned forward eagerly. "So," Jason asked, "do you guys plan on staying in Camelot?"
Connor paused mid-bite. "Hmm, Camelot does seem like a nice place," he mused. "Yeah, I guess we could stay here. But we'd need a place to live though."
Jason grinned. "You can stay with us!"
Grandpa Mark, caught mid-sip, spat out his water in shock.
Jason continued undeterred. "We have extra rooms upstairs. It's perfect."
Mark pulled Jason aside, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing?" he hissed.
"Come on, Grandpa," Jason whispered back. "We've got the space, and honestly, things get pretty dull around here sometimes. It'll be fun."
Mark sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before finally relenting. "Alright, fine."
He turned back to the two of them. "You can stay here if you want. We'd be happy to have you."
Before Connor could respond, he froze, his expression suddenly alert. "Anna, do you hear that?"
Annabelle's glowing yellow eyes narrowed as she tilted her head slightly. "Yeah… it's coming from miles away. Underground."
Jason listened carefully, his senses sharpening. "Whatever it is," he said, his voice tense, "it's not alone."
Annabelle's expression hardened. "Let's check it out."
Without hesitation, the three bolted outside. Jason hesitated briefly, glancing at his grandfather, who gave him a silent nod of approval. Jason smiled and sprinted to join the others.
At the kingdom's outer walls, the two of them stood scanning the horizon. Jason leaped up to join Connor and Annabelle. "Have you spotted anything?" he asked.
Before anyone could answer, the ground rumbled violently. Suddenly, massive earth dragons erupted from the soil, their rocky bodies shimmering in the sunlight as they advanced toward the kingdom. Jason's eyes widened. "There are so many of them. Why are they here?"
Annabelle smirked. "Who knows? Maybe they've come looking for revenge."
Connor looks at the beast and said "Doesn't matter. We have to protect the kingdom. Let's go!"
With that, they shot forward at incredible speeds, engaging the dragons head-on. Jason followed, flames erupting from his hands as he prepared to fight.
Annabelle was a blur of motion, her wind attacks blew the dragons away with precision. Connor conjured a large body of water and pushed them back. Jason tried to land a hit but Annabelle has already taken them down at hyperspeed.
"They're too fast," Jason thought, frustration bubbling within him. "I can't keep up… They're on a completely different level."
Annabelle, noticing a cluster of dragons, summoned a massive tornado. The winds howled as it sucked the creatures in and hurled them far from the kingdom. Terrified, the remaining dragons retreated underground.
Dusting off her hands, Annabelle turned to Connor with a satisfied grin. "Well, that was easy." They exchanged a victorious high-five.
Jason approached them, his tone a mixture of awe and humility. "You guys were… incredible! I could barely keep up. I couldn't even see you move."
Annabelle frowned, genuinely surprised. "Wait, seriously?"
Connor crossed his arms, scrutinizing Jason. "How long have you been training?"
Jason rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Over a week now. I still have a lot to learn."
Connor and Annabelle exchanged a look, their expressions unreadable. Connor said simply. "Oh, I see."
Before they could say more, a group of knights rode towards them, their armor gleaming as they surveyed the scene. The lead knight asked, "What happened here?"
Jason stepped forward. "Don't worry, Ser. We've taken care of the situation."
The knight's gaze shifted to Connor and Annabelle, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And who are you two?"
Connor stepped forward confidently. "My name is Connor, and this is Anna. We're elementiels, just like Jason."
The knights exchanged murmurs, their curiosity evident. Finally, the lead knight nodded. "More elementiels, huh? Strange times indeed. Very well, come with me."
As the group began to walk, Annabelle leaned toward Jason and whispered, "Hey, so… where exactly are they taking us?"
Jason's grin returned, his voice carrying a note of excitement. "We're going to see the king."
The group stood in the grand chamber of Camelot's castle, its high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings of legendary battles and mythical creatures. Despite the room's splendor, Annabelle shifted restlessly in her seat, her eyes flickering with impatience.
"How much longer do we have to wait?" she muttered, leaning back with a sigh. "I'm getting bored."
Jason chuckled. "I get it. I had to wait a while, too, the first time I met the king. But trust me, it's worth it. Just a little more patience."
Annabelle gave him a skeptical glance but said nothing. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, and just as Annabelle opened her mouth to complain again, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.
The large oak doors creaked open, revealing a procession of knights in polished armor. Their disciplined movements parted to reveal the king walking behind them.
Jason nudged Annabelle. "That's him," he whispered.
The three bowed deeply as King Arthur approached. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
His voice, warm and unassuming, carried through the hall. "Please, please, rise. There's no need for such formality among friends."
As they stood upright, the king rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I owe you all an apology for keeping you waiting. Unfortunately, my counselors are preoccupied, so you'll have to settle for me today. Come, let's discuss this over a meal."
He motioned for them to follow, and they walked through the expansive halls of the castle. Annabelle leaned toward Jason, her voice low. "I heard King Arthur was kind, but I didn't expect him to be this… normal. It's kind of refreshing."
Jason smiled knowingly. "He's not like most kings. You'll see."
They entered the dining hall, a grand space with a long, polished table that stretched nearly the length of the room. Maids appeared almost silently, placing trays of steaming food before each guest. The aromas of roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and seasoned vegetables filled the room.
Once everyone was seated, King Arthur clasped his hands together and smiled. "Alright," he said, his tone light but resolute. "Shall we begin?"