Part 3- Chapter 8

Ego is okay. Until it becomes all-absorbing
Phoebe walked alone in the forest, painful, traitorous thoughts ripping her heart. She brushed her fingers along the bumpy trunks, darkness pouring out of them, and felt tears begin to fall down her face. She looked up, and took a slow, shuddering breath. 

       Aether was her father. A demigod, some would call her. A demigod cast off by her father and disowned by her mother. And now, for the past month, she has been forced to suppress her powers, and hide them from her friends. Hide them from her friends while each developed powers and made great strides in their talents. Maia was able to control and manipulate Water as easily as she was able to breathe. Or at least she made it look that way. Tim had developed Fire and was having much trouble controlling it, much to his bedroom’s disappointment. Now that Anna was gone, Darling was the only one who could help him control his fire. In addition, Sydney developed Earth and Air. 

Thinking this, Phoebe felt a surge of anger towards her father. He had limited their powers, by dividing the Elements. Who knew, perhaps Sydney you developed Water in addition to Air. But thanks to her father, all of them could only develop one or two Elements- and of the same section. 

Phoebe felt Aether’s touch on her mind even now- urging her to betray her friends, and to foil their plans. They all knew Maia was too go searching for the Elements, subdue Aether -destroying him would cause a Rift-, and restore Natural Balance to the world. Despite the fact that Aether was omniscient, he could only prepare so much for Maia’s attack- especially because he didn’t know in what form it would come. Phoebe didn't either. And Maia didn't either.  

But how could Phoebe betray them? How could she turn away from the man - and definitely the woman- who were more her parents than the people who created her? She couldn’t.

+++

Maia tossed up a ball of Water into the air. 

״Got it!” Cried Benjamin, holding the ball above his outstretched arm. Maia laughed, turning the ball into a butterfly, which floated up, and then popped, dropping liquid atop Sydney, who I cried out,

“Hey!” He cried, quickly gathering up the liquid with Air, and shooting it towards Maia. She stepped back, lifting a finger carelessly, and letting the Water shoot over to Tim, who threw Fire at the ball, causing the Fire to go out, and the Water to burn up. Events like this often took place. Darling called them, “wastes of time” while Benjamin preferred to refer to them as “wonderful learning opportunities.” Very time Maia manipulated Water in front of someone, she felt a sense of pride rise up in her. Pride turned to cockiness, which quickly developed into dark ego. Her brother noticed it. Her father said something to her. Phoebe averted her eyes. And Sydney was terribly disappointed. But Maia didn't even see anything was wrong. Didn't she have a right to be proud? And who was her father to tell her - her! Maia! The one who resote the world to Natural Balance- she was being conceited? She had every right too!