Volcan's Fire (Guardians of The Elements #1)

by Cathy McAllister

  “That’s why we couldn’t fly here.” said Coreena, looking in amazement at the landscape around her.

  “Yes. The only way here is through the magic gate,” said Volcan.

  All around her long, bluish, shimmering grass was swaying, for as far as the eye could see. Flowers with bright red heads stood in little clusters in the midst of the grass, and in the distance lay a range of mountains.

  “Is it much further?”

  “No, we’re flying the rest of the way,” answered Volcan, and he had hardly said this when Ateo lifted into the air.

  Only from the air could Coreena see that there were small clearings in the swaying sea of grass, on which there were tiny houses.

  “What’s that?” she asked in amazement.

  “They’re grass fairies. They’re small but dangerous. They tend to attack anyone who gets lost in the sea of grass. Their touch is poisonous. The more fairies that touch you, the stronger the poison. In the worst cases it’s fatal.”

  “Is that why we’re flying? Would they attack us, too?”

  “No, they wouldn’t dare. But flying is quicker. Look! There it is already. Can you see the palace?”

  Coreena spotted a palace with lots of towers and golden, pointed roof-tops. The walls were a gleaming white colour and dazzled her eyes. The closer they got, the more details she could see. The palace was surrounded by a huge, paradisical garden and a high wall.

  “Is your friend something like a king?”

  “A prince. He’s the crown prince.”

  They had left the sea of grass behind them and landed about two miles from the palace.

  As they got closer Coreena saw that the walls were much huger than she had realised from the air. They must have been about ten metres high. The gate alone was about six metres high, fitted with iron railings. When they stopped in front of the gate it slowly swung open and they rode through. An alley of tremendous trees appeared before them. Coreena could not see a living soul. Who had opened the gate? How come there did not appear to be any guards or soldiers?

  “Does no one guard this wall?” she asked quietly.

  “No need. It guards itself.”

  “It does?”

  “The wall is a living being, Coreena,” explained Volcan.

  Coreena looked in disbelief at the massive stone wall.

  “Really?”

  He laughed quietly.

  “Yes. Really. You’ll see a lot more things that you haven’t seen before. Once you’re my queen we’ll visit a lot of worlds.”

  “How many worlds are there then?” asked Coreena in amazement.

  “Hmm. Well, I know of about fifty. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t more.” He brought Ateo to a halt. “We’re here,” he said, and Coreena looked around curiously.

  A young lad came and took Ateo by the rein.

  “Sir,” he greeted, bowing slightly.

  “Look after him well, boy,” said Volcan, swinging down from Ateo’s back.

  “Of course, sir. I’ll give him the brightest, biggest box.”

  Volcan nodded and held his hand out to Coreena to help her down from the horse. Coreena did not react immediately. She was so fascinated by the enormous palace with the huge door, decorated in gold, the high windows of colourful glass, the garden all around her, full of exotic plants, some of which seemed vaguely familiar to her.

  Once she was standing Volcan took her by the arm and walked with her up the broad staircase to the entrance door. Before they had even reached the top, the door opened wide and a servant was waiting for them, his head bowed in respect.

  Volcan stepped purposefully into the palace and they crossed an entrance hall that was almost as big as a football pitch. Everything was covered in blue tiles that looked almost like marble. Thick, golden pillars held up the ceiling that was decorated with paintings.

  “You’re so quiet,” Volcan remarked at her side.

  “I am… impressed! I’ve never seen anything like this. Such an enormous hall. Is… is your palace also this… big?”

  Volcan laughed. “Actually it’s more of a castle, and no, it’s not as big as this palace. I’m afraid that elves love a bit of grandeur.”

  “A bit? That’s the biggest understatement that I’ve ever heard,” remarked Coreena dryly.

  At the end of the hall a double door swung open as if moved by a ghost hand and they stepped into a long corridor. They went into a smaller hall where a wide, curved flight of steps lead upwards. A young woman was coming down the stairs and Coreena felt a pang of jealousy. The woman was an absolute beauty, despite her bluish skin colour and her pointed ears. Her black hair hung down way past her slim waist. She was wearing tightly fitting suede trousers which accentuated her slim legs and well-formed bottom. Instead of a tunic she was wearing a type of leather corset. She had a bow in her hand and was carrying a quiver of arrows over her shoulder. As she spotted Volcan, she beamed and became even more beautiful. Coreena tensed up inside.

  “Volcan! How great that you have wandered into our palace again,” she called out in a clear and melodious voice.

  “Ifitia! I hardly recognised you. Is that the same little girl that stole my trousers?” Volcan answered, laughing.

  Ifitia laughed.

  Coreena felt so miserable. What was she doing here? She could not compete with such a beauty.

  “It was a little girl’s trick. You’re not going to hold it against me, are you?” said Ifitia, looking up at him coquettishly.

  “Not if you tell me where your brother is.”

  “In the planetarium – where else?” sighed Ifitia.

  “Thank you. May I introduce my chosen one to you? Coreena. Coreena, this Ifitia, Merlon’s little sister.”

  Ifitia took Coreena’s hand and shook it warmly.

  “I’m pleased to meet you. I hope we’ll see one another often. Unfortunately I’ve now got a hunting date with a very difficult person. If I put him off… uh oh! It’s best not to think about that.”

  “Who is it then?” asked Volcan.

  “Prince Rrandon.”

  “Oh! I understand,” said Volcan, smiling. “In that case we won’t delay you.”

  “See you later,” and Ifitia departed with a friendly smile.

  “Have fun with the ice block,” Volcan wished her.

  “Thank you very much!” Ifitia’s voice was full of sarcasm. “OK, see you later!”

  As they went up the stairs Coreena felt relieved. Ifitia seemed to be a nice woman, but Coreena could not quite shake off her jealousy.

  “Who’s this Rrandon?” she asked, curious.

  “The Prince of the Kanninerr. His kingdom and the Amarantus are enemies. There hasn’t been a war for a long time but relationships are still difficult. A connection between the two royal houses would ensure lasting peace.”

  “You mean, if Ifitia were to marry this ice block?”

  “Exactly!”

  “But it probably wouldn’t make her particularly happy, would it?” Suddenly Coreena felt for the young woman.

  “She knows where her duties lie,” Volcan said concisely, and in a tone that declared the matter closed.

  Coreena looked around in amazement when they reached the top of the staircase and arrived in the large hall with a glass dome. The hall was actually more like a type of winter garden. There were trees everywhere in enormous pots and big tubs containing colourful flowers. In the middle was a huge, magnificent fountain.

  “Wow!” she gasped in amazement.

  “Do you like it?”

  “Yes, it’s absolutely beautiful.”

  “There are fish in the fountain. Come on over!”

  He led her to the fountain in which there were large fish, similar to the Koi Carp that her parents used to have in their garden pond. They were blue with green spots and yellow fins. Their wide mouths were moving as if they were speaking. Their big eyes appeared to be watching them carefully.

  “I think they’re hungry,” said Coreena.<
br />
  “They’re fed plenty. Don’t worry.” smiled Volcan. “Let’s carry on. The planetarium is a bit further on from here.”

  “This is honestly the biggest building that I’ve ever seen. It must take days to walk around all the rooms.”

  Volcan laughed.

  “When Merlon and I were children we used to have fun running away from the nannies and hiding.”

  “Oh! You naughty things! The poor nannies must have hated you.”

  “Let’s just say that we didn’t make it easy for them,” smiled Volcan. “Come along here.”

  They went along another long corridor and turned left into a wide corridor that led to a curved staircase. Once at the top they went across a covered bridge into another part of the building and yet another floor higher. After three further corridors and a small hall they finally arrived at the planetarium.

  “Finally!” sighed Coreena who had already doubted whether they would ever arrive.

  In the middle of the planetarium stood an enormous telescope. One could get to it by going up a spiral staircase. A man was standing up there with the bluish skin of the elves and pointed ears, dressed in knee-length trousers, embroidered in gold, and a green tunic. His long blue-black hair was tied back with a green band. He was looking with full concentration through the telescope and did not seem to have noticed them entering. Volcan had to draw attention to himself.

  “Still searching for a shooting star, my friend?” he called, with laughter in his voice.

  The elf turned around and looked down at them, beaming.

  “Volcan! Hey! I’m coming down. Wait!”

  The two friends hugged and slapped one another on the back – a gesture that clearly did not differentiate elves and guardians from normal men, Coreena observed with a smile.

  “I’m so pleased that you’ve visited,” said Merlon, once they had let one another go. He looked at Coreena with unconcealed interest.

  “Coreena. This is Merlon, Prince of Amarantus. Merlon, this is Coreena.”

  “I’m so pleased to finally meet you after Volcan has enthused about you so much.” Merlon took her lightly by the upper arms and kissed her on the right cheek, then on the left.

  “I… I’m pleased, too,” responded Coreena. “You have a wonderful palace.”

  “Thank you. If it were up to me, it could definitely be a bit smaller,” said Merlon, sighing. “I need half an eternity to get from my bedroom to the planetarium.”

  “Can’t you teleport yourself?” asked Coreena.

  “Not allowed. In the palace no magic or supernatural powers are permitted,” explained Volcan.

  “Oh!”

  “”Let’s go into the morning room and have a little snack. I still haven’t eaten anything today.”

  Thay sat in a room flooded with sunshine and drank hot chocolate. The little snack was anything but small. It was much more like the deluxe version of a buffet brunch.

  “We met your little sister earlier on the staircase,” remarked Volcan.

  “Ifitia?”

  Volcan nodded.

  “She’s intended for Prince Rrandon?”

  “Did she say that?” asked Merlon in despair.

  “No! She said she was meeting him, but she didn’t seem very happy about it. I know about state matters so it’s not difficult to add one and one together. Kanninerra and Amarantus are still dealing with the events of days gone by. It’s hard for both sides to forget the hatred and wars of several centuries. A connection between your two houses would be a peace treaty.”

  “You’re right. It’s an urgently needed step for our people. Ifitia knows where her duties lie.”

  “Even if for her it means a life at the side of a monster?” Coreena interjected.

  “Coreena, you must…”

  “I know Rrandon,” interrupted Merlon. “He’s not as bad as you think. Actually I even consider him to be the only man I know who can make my unmanageable little sister happy on a long-term basis.”

  “How come?” asked Volcan sceptically.

  “He’s strong – dominant. He’ll defy her sufficiently. She would wrap a gentle man around her little finger and within a very short time she would be very bored. Moreover I suspect that he doesn’t leave her as cold as she likes to make out.” Merlon turned to Coreena. “You haven’t seen him, have you?”

  “She shook her head. “No.”

  “He’s a damned attractive lad. Cool, arrogant, but still very good-looking. As far as I can judge that as a man. I would of course prefer to say that he’s an ugly bird…” Merlon laughed. “… but unfortunately that would be a lie.”

  “But for love you need more than sexual attraction.” interjected Coreena.

  “Certainly. I agree with you. It’s definitely not going to be love at first sight. But with time Ifitia will realise that he is exactly what she needs. They’re very similar. Both of them love hunting and have a weakness for horses. Ifitia is passionate and impetuous. Rrandon is controlled and rational. Therefore they complete one another. My sister needs someone with a calming influence. But a person who is strong and doesn’t give in to her on everything.”

  “I trust your judgement. I only know Rrandon fleetingly. But I think you could be right.”

  Chapter 12

  Coreena stretched out her hand grumpily and pressed the off-button on her alarm clock. She felt absolutely exhausted. Sex with Volcan and the trip into foreign worlds had really taken all her strength. But still she would not have wanted to miss a second of it. Sighing, she turned and opened her eyes. Next to her the bed was empty. A dark red rose lay on her pillow and a piece of paper with a note on it.

  Good morning princess

  Will meet you at 1pm in Ricky’s Diner

  Thinking of you every second.

  Volcan

  Coreena’s heartbeat accelerated. She reached out for the rose and turned onto her back, holding the flower to her nose. Its scent was intense and its petals were velvety and cool. Coreena moved the rose down over her lips to her breasts and caressed her erect nipples. A sigh came from her lips and she felt a burning desire in her pussy. Unbelievable – after such a weekend she should actually be satiated, but exactly the opposite was the case.

  ‘Damn it!’

  Coreena put the flower aside and forced herself to get up. She went into the bathroom and showered for a long time. After that she went to the kitchen in her dressing gown. There she let out an astonished cry. On the table was a complete breakfast with a mug of steaming coffee, fresh orange juice, lovely-smelling croissants and a scrambled egg with bacon. Everything was still warm as if someone had just served it. There must be some magic behind this. She laughed at this little observation. Never before had a man made her feel so loved and desired. She still could not believe her luck.

  She sat down at the table and first she took a sip of orange juice. It was obviously freshly squeezed. And yet she had no oranges. Her thoughts wandered to her trip to Ignigena. So far she had only seen the little clearing with the waterfall and yet she had already fallen in love with Volcan’s world. The colours there seemed stronger, the air fresher and the water clearer than anything that she had ever experienced before. She wondered whether her world had once been that beautiful? Before people had destroyed everything with their industry and their destructive mania? Merlon’s world was also fascinating. His palace alone was as if out of a fairy tale. It was just the fact that the princess had to marry a monster that gave her a headache. It was, however, perfect for a fairy tale. Didn’t Beauty transform the Beast into a prince through her love? Merlon appeared to be certain, anyway, that his sister would be happy at the monster’s side.

  Lost in thought, she slurped on her coffee and ate her breakfast. Then she went into the bathroom to get ready for work. When she went back into the kitchen half an hour later, dressed and with make-up on, to fetch her mobile, she could hardly believe her eyes. The table was clear and clean. Not a crumb was to be seen.

  “I could get
used to this sort of service,” she murmured.

  She thought she heard a quiet giggling. It sounded like the laughter of children. Confused, she looked around, but there was no one to be seen. Just a short while ago something like that would have frightened her but she was certain that she was not in danger. Volcan was behind this, however he had done it, so it was definitely not dangerous.

  *

  Volcan lay in the whirlpool with his eyes closed and thought about Coreena. He hoped she would enjoy her breakfast. There was a need in him to make his chosen one happy and to spoil her. Today, when they were to meet for lunch, he would give her a little present. He had bought it after leaving her apartment. Hopefully she would like it. He did not, of course, know her tastes yet.

  “Love must be beautiful,” said a mocking voice suddenly.

  Volcan sighed loudly.

  “Why do my friends always have to burst into my apartment unannounced!” he grumbled. “What brings you here, Humos?”

  “Aerios told me how much it’s affected you and I just needed to see it for myself,” Humos, the Guardian of the Earth, admitted freely. He was sitting on the marble tiles, leaning against the wall.

  “Did he now?” groaned Volcan.

  “Hm,” said Humos and looked at his reflection in the big mirror next to the whirlpool. His brown shoulder-length hair was a little dishevelled. He blew a lock of hair out of his face, then he turned his attention back to his friend.

  “I also heard about an attack. I hope she’s OK again?”

  “She’s OK. She’s strong. But I’m still worried. Mendax and Exesor won’t let go easily. I’ll be glad when we’ve had the ceremony. Then the evil powers can’t do anything more. “

  “You can count on me at all times if you need me,” offered Humos.

  “I know. Thank you.”

  “Is there nothing to drink in your place?” asked Humos a little reproachfully.

  “Help yourself,”said Volcan.

  Humos shrugged his broad shoulders. He blinked and immediately there was a glass of vodka and orange in his hand. He took a sip and stretched out his long legs, contented.