The Element People

13. "It Was A Celebration"

An hour or so later, Liam decided to go back to Niall's tent. Wanting to see if Zayn had gone there as well and if the blond had calmed down.

He found Louis sitting on the bed with Niall softly snoring in his arms and Harry sitting on the end of the bed.

Zayn was nowhere to be seen.

As quiet as he could, Liam grabbed a chair and pulled it next to the bed.

"What happened?" He whispered to Harry. Careful not to wake the boy.

Harry sadly shook his head. "I don't know. When we came in, he had already trashed the tent and was beating up the cupboard. It was awful to see him lose control like that."

"Maybe it's a way of coping?" Louis asked as he gently caressed the boy's fluffy hair. He quickly stopped when the boy started to whine in his sleep a bit.

"I think so. It would be logical. He has been quiet and drawn into himself, he was waiting for a moment to lash out," Harry said. "Maybe hearing our stories was too much for him. He has probably been through so much, maybe it made him angry. Or it reminded him once again of what he had been through."

Liam nodded. "I wish he would talk about it."

Harry agreed. "Yeah. But I understand that he doesn't want to. He has only been here for a few weeks. He's still very weak and probably emotionally a wreck. Maybe we could ask Caroline to talk to him? He does seem to like her."

"No," Liam immediately said to Harry's supprise. "He's our responsibility. We need to be the ones to help him. I guess we just need to take small steps."

.
.

Zayn took a deep breath.

You can do it.

You are not your element.

You're the one controlling it.

He formed a small flame in his hand, brought his other hand under it and let it gradually grow bigger.

He had been training since he was with the Peace Protectors. It was usually Mark who helped him. Sometimes Lou. But Mark was more professionalized on fire and earth, while water and air was more Lou's field. They had done a lot of research on the elements. It was part of their family's job. Their ancestors had trained with two other Element people, but that was only earth and water.

He only used firebending in his training. He hated his element.

Fire, the element of power. Something that had never appealed him. He wasn't his father.

No. The only power Zayn wanted, was power over himself. Freedom.

"I want you to make them suffer. They need to pay for their sins," his father whispers in his ear.

He had been woken up early that morning, by servant.

The waterbender had been found. At midnight.

He and his family had been arrested.

They were going to be punished for all the eyes of the nation.

It was going to be a big day.

He nods at his father's orders, because that's what he always did. That was what he was expected to do. So he complied.

He didn't know why, but he had expected an adult. A strong big man. With a scowl on his face.

Not this small boy. With the look of pure fear. Eyes red from all the crying he had done.