The Elementals
by Kittie

I'll kill you! Come back here, you little bastard! Worthless....

Justin choked back a sob, hearing the angry, drunken words echoing behind him. He slapped branches out of his way and ran as fast as he could, knowing that if he was caught, it would mean his life. It would not be simply a beating this time—he had seen a madness in his stepfather's eyes that terrified him. For the first time, the man had truly meant to carry out his threats.

His lungs were burning. The wind shrieked all around him, pelting his face and body with snow, half-blinding him, but he kept running. He had to keep running.

Worthless. Little bastard. Should have killed you years ago. Should have killed you—

Justin let out a sharp cry as he suddenly pitched forward, landing hard on the snow-covered ground. He lay there for a moment, dazed and gasping for breath, before he came to his senses. The panic flared up again, but his limbs would not obey him. He whimpered, feeling the tears on his cheeks beginning to turn to ice. He looked back and saw his foot caught on a root, the ankle twisted strangely. He sobbed at the sight of it. His feet were pale white, the toes so blue they were nearly black, and the snow behind him was streaked with blood. He rolled onto his back and sat up slowly, tugging at his legs frantically, willing them to move. But he couldn't feel anything, and his body refused to cooperate with him. Soon his arms, too, ceased to obey his commends, and he fell back into the snow, his body numb. He blinked up at the sky, unable to even cry any longer. The wind continued to howl, and he realized he had left his stepfather behind a long time before. He had only been running from his own mind, and his own memories.

He had escaped that death only to fall into this one.

His chest continued to heave, each breath more painful and labored than the last. He pictured the humble, drafty cottage where he lived; the warm fireplace where his parents surely sat right now, perhaps sharing a drink to toast his demise. They would have known he wouldn't last long, not out here, not in this blizzard, not when his boots still lay neatly by the door, not when his coat hung useless by the fireplace with the rest.

Justin blinked and his eyes stayed shut, the lashes frozen together with tears. At least he wouldn't hurt anymore.

~*~

"Oh, Christopher, won't you please go get me some more parchment?" muttered the dark-haired man irritably as he flew slowly through the forest. "I'm almost out, and I have so many more poems still inside me." He gave his shoulders a sharp shrug, the fiery wings at his back flaring and crackling with intense heat. Behind him he left a trail of ice as the snow he had melted with his passing froze again in his wake.

"Oh, of course, Joshua," he continued in his monologue, wrinkling his turned-up nose adorably and drawing together his brows. "Of course I will fetch you some parchment out in the forest, because goodness knows you don't have any wings of your own, being only an Air Elemental after all, and not a Fire Elemental, who is so much more suited to such menial labor. Are you certain you don't require quills for your pen as well?" Christopher spat out a harsh laugh and landed with much more force than was needed on the forest floor. His landing shook the tree next to which he stood, bringing a cascade of snow down on his head. Christopher glowered, seething as the snow immediately melted, then evaporated into a cloud of steam as it touched him. He imagined he saw a flash of glitter in the wind and heard a tinkle of laughter, and resolved to kill Joshua when he returned.

He sighed and leaned over to tear a sheet of bark from the nearest tree, only to stop with his fingers inches from the trunk. His eyes narrowed and he looked around, knowing that something was out of place but not entirely sure what. Then his eyes fell upon a mound of snow on the forest floor.

"Oh!" He leapt forward and knelt by the lump, frantically clearing away the snow covering it, and his face fell, his heart jumping in sympathy. There on the ground lay a young boy, his skin as white as the snow that had covered it, except for the traces of blue around his eyes and lips. His feet and hands were almost entirely blue-black, and there were crystalline tears staining that too-still face.

His hand reached out to brush the boy's cheek. A human, and so young. No more than sixteen or seventeen, he guessed. His clothing was torn and thin, no match for the harsh blizzard that still raged around them. He wore no shoes and no coat, either. Nothing to protect him from the elements.

Christopher grimaced at that. Joshua would be quite upset to know that his winter winds had contributed to this. They all knew that they had the capacity for destruction as well as creation, but chose not to think upon it very often. Joshua had an especially soft heart, and they all tried to shield him from the harsh realities of the all-too-short lives of the humans.

He sighed and curled his wings around the both of them, letting the heat melt the snow that cushioned the body. Then he leaned close and placed a hand on the boy's chest, closing his eyes to utter a blessing and a prayer for his safe passage to the afterlife. But then he felt something flutter beneath his fingertips.

"Oh!" He eyes flew open and he drew the boy hastily into his arms, spreading his wings and taking off into the sky. He was still alive, but barely. If the boy were to remain so, he would require much more help than Christopher would give him here. He only hoped that Lance wouldn't be too angry....

~*~

"Joseph!"

The Earth Elemental jumped, startled as Christopher burst into their home, calling his name with fear and tension in his voice. He turned, alarmed, and gasped when he saw what Christopher held in his arms.

"I found him," Christopher explained rapidly as he set the boy gently down on the floor. "In the forest. I thought that he had died already, but he still lives. Joseph, can we help him? Please?"

Joseph didn't bother to answer. He was already stripping the boy of his sodden clothes, his big hands encircling the frozen limbs to better gauge the damage done by the storm. "Stay nearby," he ordered his brother, seeing the relieved nod out of the corner of his eyes. "He mustn't be warmed too quickly—it will do more harm than good—but he will need your heat to survive." Once the boy was nude, he set to drying him with a large, soft blanket. "Where is Joshua? We will require more blankets."

As though he had heard his name mentioned, Joshua glided into the room, as always leaving a trail of silver glitter in his wake. "Christopher?" he asked sweetly, a smile on his lips, "Did you get my—Oh!"

He flew to them with haste, his filmy blue wings fluttering nervously. "Oh, Christopher, it's just a boy!"

"I found him, in the forest," Christopher explained again, absently brushing glitter out of his hair. "Can you help him?"

Joshua took the boy's ravaged feet into his hands and clucked with sympathy. "He must have been running long and hard," he observed, his long, thin fingers soothing the angry, torn skin. "See this? There are traces of fabric in these wounds. He would have been wearing stockings, before, but they have been worn away from running."

Joseph shook his head, his large, black wings folding around the boy protectively. "What would make him run, so?"

"And cry so desperately?" Christopher continued, remembering the tears frozen to that young face. He looked up at Joseph, his dark eyes troubled. "Perhaps it would have been better to leave him," he said quietly. "If he was running so determinedly. Perhaps Death would have been kinder than whatever it is he was trying to escape."

"Perhaps so," came an angry voice behind him. "And perhaps you have done something foolish, as you are wont to do."

Christopher cringed and turned slowly, shrugging one flaming wing to acknowledge Joseph's supportive hand on his shoulder. "Oh, hello, Lance."

The Water Elemental stepped into the room, his pale-green eyes furious. "What is this, then? A human? You have brought a human here? And you, Joseph, accepting it? I might have expected that from Joshua, having less than half the sense the Great Being gave a tree gnome, but you?" Lance ignored Joshua's small sound of protest, choosing instead to focus his wrath upon the man he considered the more responsible of his brothers. "You know the danger this will cause us. Humans cannot be trusted!"

Joseph met his brother's eyes without flinching. "Perhaps not, Lance," he replied, still calmly administering care to his charge. "But this is merely a child. An innocent."

"It is much more than a child," Lance spat, stepping forward and glaring down that the human. "I have seen humans of that age committing the same cruelties as those of much more advanced years. No human above the age of one is an innocent, you know that."

"I know no such thing." Joseph motioned Christopher closer. The human was beginning to shiver now, and would require more warmth. Christopher unfolded his wings and wrapped them around Joseph and the boy, letting the flames do their work. Joshua sang quietly as he worked within their confines, rubbing a healing potion upon the torn flesh and wrapping it in silken cloth. Christopher hummed along with him, barely seeming to notice the glitter that continued to shake loose from Joshua's wings to settle in his hair.

Lance grunted and folded his arms, his anger evident in his posture. "Very well, then. Do what you will, but I warn you, brothers. He will cause us nothing but grief, mark my words."

He turned and stormed from the room, his wings scoring the opening of the doorway as he went, sending several slivers of wood to the floor. Joseph sighed and shrugged his shoulders at his brothers. "There goes another doorway. You'd think by now he would remember to fold up his wings when he feels the need to make a dramatic exit."

Christopher giggled at that. It did seem that Joseph replaced that doorway at least five times a season.

"Brothers, look!" Joshua suddenly cried, his voice joyful. "He is waking!"

~*~

Justin moaned and shivered violently. He was so cold. There was warmth nearby, and he wanted to get nearer to it, but couldn't move. It felt as though he was bound, somehow. He forced his eyes open and blinked a few times to clear his sight. A pale-skinned man with dark eyes and hair hovered over him, his curiosity evident in his face. "Hello," said the strange man, in a voice a trifle higher than Justin might have expected. He opened his mouth to answer when he suddenly noticed a wall of flames behind the man's back. No.... He squinted. No, attached to his back! This man had wings made of fire!

He let out a terror-filled gasp and threw himself backward, away from the demon. "No!" he cried, "No, get away!" But when his feet touched the floor, a horrible pain shot up his legs and he fell. It was then that he became aware of a greater pain, all over his body. His feet burned horribly, as did his hands. The demon must have burned him....

"Please...." he moaned, feeling tears begin to fall from his eyes and hating himself for it, "Please, don't...."

Another, larger man came into view. A man with large and powerful wings with feathers as black as ebony. Justin moaned again, deep in his throat, and closed his eyes as he held his hands out in front of him, knowing they would provide no protection against these creatures. "No, no...."

"Wait," someone said softly, and he felt a tickle against his cheek. "Please don't be afraid. Open your eyes."

The voice was so gentle, and the touch so warm and soothing. Justin leaned into it, and heard a humming by his ear. A nameless melody. He opened his eyes, and gasped. "You're beautiful!"

The creature blushed a little, and smiled. He was beautiful. Tall and thin, with gentle blue eyes and a mane of light brown hair. But most beautiful of all were the wings—a pale shade of baby blue, shimmery, glittery, and so sheer he could almost see through them. And with every breath the man took, a cascade of sparkling glitter fell from them to float lazily in the air. "Are... are you an angel?"

The man laughed somewhat bashfully, ducking his head. "Oh, no, I'm not an angel." There came a rude snort from somewhere behind the beautiful creature, and then "shh, christopher, let them speak," spoken by a voice Justin hadn't yet heard.

"What are you?"

"My name is Joshua," answered the man, reaching out and wiping the last of Justin's tears from his face. "What is yours?"

"I.... My name is Justin."

"Hello." Joshua stood, folding up his beautiful wings, and Justin saw behind him the fire demon and the large man. He shrank back, but Joshua put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Justin. These are my brothers. That is Christopher, and Joseph."

The fire demon smiled at him, and waved a little. The large man with the ebony-black wings did as well, and nodded politely.

"Your... your brothers?"

"Yes." Joshua shrugged his shoulders and dislodged a cloud of glitter, most of which floated directly over to Christopher and settled in his hair. "We are the Elementals."

Christopher scowled and brushed at the glitter ineffectually. "Joshua!"

Joseph turned away and hid a smile, and Joshua grinned at Justin, winking. Justin found himself smiling back.

The man with the black wings stepped forward and held out a large hand for Justin to shake. "I am Joseph, Elemental of the Earth. Pleased to meet you, Justin."

Justin took the hand hesitantly, and noticed how gently Joseph held it, and how kindly his brown eyes were. The large wings weren't as threatening as he'd first thought. Rather, they were quite beautiful. They were a shade of black darker than anything Justin had ever seen before, and the feathers were long and smooth. He thought they might be quite soft and warm to the touch, just as Joseph's hand seemed to be.

"And I'm Christopher. Fire Elemental, if you couldn't tell," said the man with the wings of fire, stepping up beside Joseph. Justin couldn't help but be a little afraid of him, despite what Joshua said. He was shorter than his brothers, his skin paler and his hair and eyes darker. His wings were shorter, too, but seemed wider to compensate, as did the rest of his body. Not that there was an excess of fat, but his shoulders were broad, his torso wide. Solid, Justin thought. His beard was sculpted where Joseph's was much more natural, and Joshua had none at all. Strange men, these three brothers, but kind, he thought. Even Christopher, with his wings of fire, looked kind.

"Hello, Christopher," Justin said hesitantly, and was rewarded with a wide, delighted smile.

"There is another of us," Joseph said, shrugging his strong shoulders. "The Water Elemental. You will meet him, I'm sure. His name is Lance. He is...." He paused, seemingly unsure of what to say.

"Lance is a hard man to know," Joshua explained, his eyes somewhat sad. "He is distrustful of humans, because of something that happened to him long ago. Try not to be afraid. He wouldn't harm you, despite what he might say."

Justin gulped, already afraid of this Lance. "Is he... is he like you?"

"He is," Christopher answered, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Only not nearly as much fun."

"Christopher, hush!" Joshua scolded, though without venom.

Joseph chuckled and cuffed his brother on the back of his head. "One would think you were the youngest of us, instead of the eldest."

Christopher ignored him, coming to sit close beside Justin, his wings nearly touching him, but not burning him as Justin had feared they might. Rather, they simply warmed him as though he were sitting in front of a hearth. "So tell us, Justin, how did you come to be in the forest tonight? What was it that made you run so desperately, in such a blizzard?"

~*~

Lance crept up to the doorway, noting with a grimace the damage he had done when he'd left the room. Joseph would need to repair it again, and it would give Christopher days of teasing rights. He stifled a sigh, knowing that if his brothers heard it, they would request for him to join them, with that human, and he had no wish to do so. Instead he hung back, listening.

The human told a sad story, of a mother and second father who cared not for him, who drank the days and nights away, and who considered it sport to beat upon him whenever the mood struck. An unfortunate tale, certainly, if one chose to believe it. Lance was unsure of the wisdom in that. He knew first-hand of the treachery of humans, especially the likes of those described in Justin's story, and it was only his brothers' timely rescue that had saved his life. He would not be fooled again.

Never again.

He paused. Regardless of his species, this human was truly hurt. Lance had seen the terrible damage done to the boy's feet and hands. He could only have been in such shape if he had been running barefoot through the forest, in the rags of clothing he still wore now. Perhaps the boy was telling the truth.

Before he could convince himself otherwise, he had conjured a pair of strong moccasins for the boy's feet, and a warm woolen sweater. Then he backed away from the open doorway and left the four to their conversation.

There was much he had to do if he wished to find out for himself if Justin's story had been truthful.

~*~

Joshua smiled to himself as he heard Lance's departure. He had felt his brother's presence there, and was grateful for the new clothing he had provided. The giddy sound of Christopher's laughter drew his attention back to the room. Lance would learn, of that he was certain. There was still time, yet.

~*~

The evening time brought with it thoughts of food. Justin lay quietly on a pallet in front of a hearth-fire, his healing hand resting overtop his stomach in an attempt to quiet its rumbling. Christopher found the noise quite amusing, and proceeded to poke Justin's middle constantly with his finger, laughing in delight with each new irritated growl it made. Joseph simply rolled his eyes at his older brother and conjured bowls of hearty stew, which he served at a round table of mahogany wood.

Justin watched the brothers as he ate, unsure as to whether his numerous questions would be welcome. Joseph noticed his scrutiny and smiled kindly at him, placing his soup-spoon down upon the table. "You have many questions, Justin," he stated, gaining the attention of Joshua and Christopher as well. "Feel free to ask them. We will answer, if we can."

"Well...." Justin looked at the three of them in turn, then at the doorway ruined by Lance's wings. "I.... Are you really brothers? Where did you come from? Do you have parents? What sorts of powers do you have? Why is Lance—"

"Ho, now!" Joseph laughed, holding up a hand to forestall his words. "There are only so many questions we can answer at a time!"

Justin blushed and dropped his gaze down to his stew. "My apologies, I meant no—" He broke off when Joshua's hand fell upon his forearm.

"No harm has been done, Justin," the Air Elemental assured him with a gentle smile. "It was merely the speed at which you asked that gave us momentary pause. But I will attempt to answer your questions with a tale, if I may." He looked to his brothers for permission, and they nodded their agreement.

"Certainly," Christopher grinned. "I do enjoy your stories, Joshua. You always tell them so lyrically, as though they were one of your poems."

"Yes," Joseph agreed, taking a spoonful of his stew. "Do tell us the story. It will be enjoyable for us all, I think."

"Alright." Joshua took the last spoonful of his stew and set down his utensil, closing his eyes for a moment in thought. Then, he began....

~*~

A long, long ago, before the conception of the world, there lived a powerful being. This being ruled over all of nothing, and nothing was more powerful than he. Being a ruler of nothing, this being soon became overwhelmed with boredom. "I grow bored," he cried desperately to nothing, "there must be something more than what there is!" But there was not, for there is never anything in nothing.

This being, being the most powerful being in all of nothing, realized one day that he had the power to create something out of nothing, so he did. And so the Earth came to be.

Now this most powerful of beings was the ruler of something. But this something was very plain, and afforded him very little to do. "I am bored," cried out this being in desperation, to all of the Earth. "There must be more that I can do!" And so there came great quakes all over the Earth, that split apart the ground. And into these cracks came something else. And so the Water came to be.

And now this most powerful of beings was the ruler of not only something, but of something else. But these somethings were still rather plain, and he soon grew tired of them. "I am bored," he cried out in desperation, to all of the Water and the Earth. "Still, there must be more that I can do!" And there came a great wind that stirred up the Earth and the Water, and so the Air came to be.

This most powerful being of all of everything was happy, now, for he had all of Earth, and all of Water, and all of Air to occupy him. But as most powerful rulers of all of everything are wont to do, he soon grew bored of all of these. "Lo," he cried in great desperation, "Lo, I grow bored once again! There must be something else that I can do!" And so out of the Earth and out of the Air there came a great destructive power. It was hot and crackling and it destroyed much of what it touched. It devoured the Air and consumed the Earth, and it turned the Water to steam which floated to the heavens. And so was born Fire.

And now this most powerful being, ruler of all that was, was satisfied. For he had the Earth, and the Water, and the Air, and finally the Fire to entertain him. But there was no life in this, so he once again grew bored. "Woe," he cried to the Earth, and the Water, and the Air, and the Fire. "Woe, for there is no one but myself to enjoy you." And so, he created Life.

Many years passed. There was Life on the Earth, and the Water and the Air and the Fire all worked together with the Earth to sustain it. And this most powerful ruler of all was never bored anymore, for there was so much to do. But soon this being began to grow tired once more. "Hark," he cried aloud in dismay, giving a mighty yawn, "I grow weary! I no longer wish to rule the Earth, and the Water, and the Air, and the Fire!"

All of the living creatures were very afraid, for without these things there was no Life. And they cried out to their ruler, "Please, O Ruler of All There Is, do not destroy these things, for we cannot exist without them!"

The most powerful being of all of everything thought about this, and he made a decision. "Do not fear," he told them. "I will create four servants who will rule the Earth, the Air, the Water, and the Fire, and I will continue to be the ruler of Life. And you will not be destroyed."

And so came to be The Elementals, Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. And these four ruled together under the most powerful ruler of all that is, who has never grown bored or tired ever since.

~*~

"Hah!" Christopher crossed his arms and his eyes at his brother. "You tell a good fairy-tale, Joshua, but you haven't answered any of his questions."

"I have!" Joshua protested quickly. "I have told him where Elementals come from, which was one of them."

"And he'll answer the rest as well," Joseph added. "Still your tongue, Christopher, and be patient."

"I liked it," Justin said shyly, smiling at the flustered Air Elemental. "It was a beautiful story."

"Thank you." Joshua blushed faintly, and shot a petulant look at Christopher. "Would you like to hear another?"

"Yes, please." Justin sat forward in his chair, folding his arms upon the table. "Were you the Elementals created so long ago?"

"Oh, no." Joseph shook his head with a laugh. "There have been two generations before us. Brothers all, though the elves are buzzing with news that perhaps the next will be sisters."

"The most powerful being has become bored again?" Justin asked, in jest, and the brothers laughed with him.

"Perhaps," Joshua giggled. "But listen, and I will tell you of those who came before."

~*~

"First there was Jonathan, Elemental of Earth. With him came his brothers: Donald of Fire, Jordan of Air, and Joseph of Water. These four brothers were faithful to their creator, but also to the Life dependent upon them.

Of all of the Elementals, Jonathan was the gentlest. He was tall and thin, with hair the color of honey and eyes that changed colors like the leaves in season. He was quiet and wise, and all of the creatures of his Earth loved him, as did his brothers.

Donald, true to his element, was as wild and unpredictable as Fire itself. He had a quick grin and an even quicker temper, but still his brothers loved him, for he was loyal to the last, for those he loved.

Jordan was the most beautiful of the brothers, with dark brown hair that curled upon his head, and the deepest eyes of a similar color. He was most like Jonathan in temperament, and he, too, was greatly loved.

Joseph, of water, was young and brash. His eyes were as blue as the bluest of seas, his hair a wild mane of golden curls. There was hardly a time when he was not laughing or telling a joke, his laughter long and loud and echoing throughout the land.

These four brothers ruled over the elements for many hundreds of years, but there came a time when Jonathan grew tired of this. He went to visit the most powerful ruler of all that was, asking him, "Please, I grow weary. Is there not one who may take my place?"

And so the most powerful ruler of everything granted his wish. Out from the very ground there sprung an infant who was named Richard. This infant had the blackest of hair and the greenest of eyes, and Jonathan loved him very much. He took the infant back to the place where he lived with his brothers, and raised him along with them.

Not long after Jonathan made this plea, Jordan, too, decided that he did not wish to be Air Elemental for all of time. And so, out of a gust of wind there fell an infant who he named Thomas. Thomas had golden hair with curls, so he looked more like Joseph than he did Jordan, but Jordan loved him despite this and raised him as his son to take his place.

Next there was Alexander, who rose out of the fire to be raised by Donald, and Nikolas, who washed up upon the shore as Joseph's own. These infants were raised by the Elementals to take their place.

There came a day when Richard was old enough to become the Earth Elemental, instead of Jonathan. And so Jonathan bid farewell to his brothers and to the youngsters, all of whom he loved as his own, and he went to join the most powerful of all there is in the great everything. The other Elementals were very sad, for they knew that they would miss Jonathan greatly, but they also knew that he would be happy now, and at peace.

Not many years later, Thomas came of age, and then Alexander, and then Nikolas, and so the first Elementals all joined their creator in the great everything, and the four children became men and Elementals.

These four, Richard, Thomas, Alexander, and Nikolas, lived happily for many hundreds of years, ruling over the Earth and the Air and the Fire and the Water. But then there came a day when Alexander grew tired of being Fire Elemental. And out of the flame was born Christopher, whose brown eyes flashed with even greater mischief than his father's. And then Thomas, too, grew weary, and out from the wind came Joshua, who was nothing very special, really. And then Richard decided that he was becoming old, and should have a successor as well, and so out from the ground came Joseph, who was sturdy and strong. And then Nikolas, not wishing to be left behind, saw Lance wash up upon the shore.

These four children were raised as brothers with four fathers, and all went well until there came a terrible day. The four were still children, and did not yet know of the dangers that awaited them outside their fathers' cottage. And so Lance, still only coming to his father's knee, ventured out into the forest to look for berries, for it was soon to be Nikolas' birthday and he wished to surprise him.

When he was out in the forest, Lance was beset upon by four humans, who saw his wings of titanium and took him for a demon. Lance, being only a child and still weak, and not yet an Elemental as long as his father still lived, could not defend himself. He was near to death when his three brothers, only children themselves, came upon him. Had it not been for the humans' cowardice at seeing three more "demons" alight from the woods, all four children would surely have died. But the humans were especially fearful of Christopher's wings of flame, and they fled.

The three brothers brought Lance back to their cottage, shaken and weeping, where he took many weeks to heal. And Lance was never again the same, no matter what Nikolas could do. And it was for this that Nikolas waited so long before joining his brothers in the great everything. He missed them terribly, but he was afraid for Lance, who was still angry and distrustful of the humans he was meant to serve. But Lance, now a man, assured him that all would be resolved, and so Nikolas, too, departed the Earth.

And now there are four brothers—Christopher, Elemental of Fire, Joshua, Elemental of Air, Joseph, Elemental of Earth, and Lance, Elemental of Water—who rule under the most powerful ruler of all there is, who is the ruler also of Life.

And one day, out of the ground, or the wind, or the fire, or upon the shore, there will be an infant who will start the cycle anew.

~*~

Justin was quiet when Joshua finished his story. Christopher, too, was subdued, his eyes remaining on the scored doorway where Lance had gone. Joseph cleared away their plates while Joshua led Justin back to his pallet and covered him with a blanket.

"I...." Justin was not at all sure what he wished to say. "Not all humans are like that," he managed, ashamed that he, too, had thought Christopher and Joseph to be demons when he awoke. "I am not like that."

Joshua smiled at him and kissed him gently on his head. "I know," he said, and used his long fingers to close Justin's eyes. "Go to sleep."

And so he did.

~*~

Justin sighed in contentment, snuggling deeper into the blankets provided to him by his new protectors. He had slept for many hours before awakening again, his body warm and heavy as if it still slept. There was no one in the room, and he guessed the brothers were asleep somewhere, in their beds. A small fire still burned in the hearth, keeping him from growing cold in the blizzard that still raged outside.

Awake now, but still tired, Justin wondered vaguely what the brothers would do with him come the morrow. Would they allow him to stay, or would they cast him back out into the cold? At least he had a new pair of shoes and a nice warm sweater, if they did. At least there was that.

He was almost asleep again when the door to the smallish cabin blew open, bringing with it a burst of freezing cold air, and a man with cold green eyes and wings made of a strong and shiny metal.

Justin's eyes widened, and he grasped the blankets with whitened knuckles, feeling fear again for the first time since Joshua had assured him of his safety. For this man must be Lance.

The man closed the door and stood there staring at him, his green eyes expressionless. He shook his wings, which were almost as large as Joseph's, and icicles fell from them to melt in the warmth of the cabin.

"What is the thing you want most in life?" Lance asked.

Justin marveled at him. This man was a contrast to Christopher in every way, for where Christopher was warm, he was cold. Where Christopher was dark, he was light. Where Christopher's voice was high and carefree, this man's voice was deep and rumbling, as though it rose up from the very tips of his toes. They didn't seem to be brothers at all.

Lance frowned at him, and Justin remembered that he had been asked a question. He swallowed hard, his eyes casting about for the other three, who were nowhere to be found. He comforted himself with the memory of Joshua's words, that Lance would not harm him, despite how he seemed.

"I...." He stopped, and thought about it. An odd question, especially from such a hard stranger. But he did his best to answer. "I think that most of all, I would like to have a family."

Lance glared at him, seeming to grow even colder, directly before his eyes. "You have a family, human. Your lies have no place here."

"No, no!" Justin hastened to pacify him, no longer so sure of Joshua's promise. "I want.... I want a real family! One that cares about me, that loves me, that wants me. A family without fear and hatred and poverty. A... a family." He clutched the blankets ever closer, shivering once again. The cabin was no colder with Lance's presence, but it felt that way.

Lance paused, his eyes boring into Justin's very soul. Then he nodded, seemingly satisfied. "And what of those who bore you? Those with whom you have lived all these years? What of them?"

Justin stared down at his now-healed hands, and thought also of his feet, now tucked securely beneath the blanket. He was surprised at the answer that left his lips. "I wish them no ill will. I only wish to be free of them. And for no others to be forced to suffer as I have."

Another long silence. Justin was afraid to look up, for fear of what he would see. Then there appeared a hand in front of him, and he startled, looking up to find Lance directly in front of him. He hesitantly offered up his own hand, and Lance shook it with a firm but gentle grip. "My name is Lance," he said, and he turned and swept from the room, folding his wings so as not to score the doorway again. Justin watched him go numbly, still feeling the warmth of Lance's hand on his own.

Joshua appeared at his side in a burst of glitter, as did Christopher in a column of flame. Joseph rose up from the floor as a statue of wood that then took on life. "He has been hurt, Justin," Joshua explained quietly, "but he is not a cruel man. There is kindness in him."

Justin nodded, once more placing his hand beneath the covers. "He was warm," he said, unnecessarily. "I thought.... I...."

Joseph nodded. "I know."

And Justin knew that they understood.

~*~

Humans were not to be trusted, Lance thought as he stared down at the two forms lying in the snow, their dead faces still contorted in pain. He could see some of Justin in the woman's lined and age-worn face, but none of him in the man.

"He isn't anything like you," he said aloud to the still bodies, his voice impassive. "And you won't harm him anymore."

He unfurled his wings, the titanium feathers gleaming as the sun reflected off the snow. "You reap what you sow," he said grimly, taking off into the sky. "And now no others must suffer for your sins."

He flew back toward the cottage he called home, leaving their bodies to be covered with snow on the forest floor. There was still much to be done. If Justin was to be staying with them, he would need a room to call his own. And there was still the doorway.... Lance smiled to himself. Perhaps he would even help to repair it, this time. Perhaps.

End

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