“A long time ago this world had no magic. People relied on technology, computers, now outdated, were capable of most tasks. Most people actually thought of magic as something utterly impossible, but technology was highly respected, and developing almost too fast…entirely to fast actually. Finally they decided that there really wasn’t that much nuclear waste and sending it to the sun wouldn’t be a problem.

“They were wrong.

“The nuclear waste sparked an enormous reaction in the sun, the moon caught fire, becoming the second sun we have now. The radiation that hit the earth wasn’t fatal, but human’s began to mutate. Their brains began to mutate. The magic that lies dormant in the unused portions of peoples brains began to develop and humans began to evolve along with it. Some of those who retreated into the comfort of the earth with the possibility of radiation remained the same but the others became the elementals. Those with an affinity towards earth were drawn into it, their new magic concentrated into it, until they became the dwarves. Those who liked water went to it and evolved into naiads, those who went to air became the elves but those who kept with fire…those who kept with fire stayed human. It must have been something in the genetic make up, something about the use of fire that made humans human, allowing them to remain so if it was their center.

“But this wasn’t the only form of magic that came to the surface. There were the Byirin, the ones we now call Controllers. Those who had had a gift before it all started to happen, those who had seen it coming, watched it all happen. They’re connected with the old earth as well as the new one, connected with the mutations in each species. Their…powers aren’t so element based as simply *old*. No one’s quite sure. But there’s been fewer and fewer of them as the years have passed, they don’t so much grow old as fade in and out. They can, however be killed, they are human.

“Originally they simply cleaned up when the other, slowly mutating humans made messes. They can control…things. Other people’s powers and various forces, each of the elements to a certain point, but something else also. There has been speculation that they could control *everything*, or perhaps that they simply control life itself. No scientist has ever been able to get one to stick around long enough to figure it out, or even ask questions. This is because they have become something of outlaws.

“About two or three generations into the new ways, our ways, someone started a group of, basically, paranoids. They started up about how the Byirin were dangerous to all of us with simple elemental magic. It’s true that they can probably kill us far more easily than we can them, and this was built up till almost everyone is terrified of them. One got stoned after they were found with the body of a human who was later found to have burnt himself out. But it’s always ’what about next time? What happens when they decide to take over?’ And the Byirin, instead of fighting back, stepped out.

“but you see Loki, without them it’s all together too possible that the world would simply fall apart. They’re sort of like the pins that hold a model together. Or the punctuation in a sentence. We elementals balance each other, but they balance us against the world.”

Loki sat for a minute, adding this information to the hissing warning he had gotten from the Kellings and from Erik.

“So they’re dangerous?”

“Yes, dangerous, but also too necessary to ever go without. But Loki,” M. Cadwell leaned forward to pet Loki’s hair. “They’re human, you can never stick them as one lump sum. Some of them many be simply dangerous, some may be only powerful, some may be entirely normal. You kind of have to see for yourself.”

“But…” he was never allowed near them. Admittedly he wasn’t quite able to defend himself, small and without magic of his own. The one he had seen had drawn him though. And he didn’t quite understand it. He couldn’t put it enough into words to ask the Monsieur, however, another question sprung to mind.

“Monsieur, what about Michael?”

“Michael?” The deep blue eyes gained something at the sound of the name.

“I mean, what exactly *is* Michael to you? I thought he was your son maybe, but…” Loki blushed, he couldn’t very well tell his rescuer that he had seen him and the young man together. But Louis Cadwell smiled at him.

“Michael is my lover. Which is perhaps not *entirely* acceptable in society, and you might not want to mention it in public. But we’ve been together going on six years now.”

“Lover?”

“It’s like husband, but you’re not married,” he shrugged, “can’t get married.”

“Oh”

“I love him. Perhaps,” the Monsieur winked, “a little how you feel about Erik.”

Loki purred, warmed by the strength in the man’s tone. But he knew what he said wasn’t true. What he and Erik had was no where near what the Monsieur and Michael had. And he was realizing he wanted that.


A'right this hasn't really been proof read but I thought I put it out before I don't do *anything* for got only knows how long (college! weeee!)sorry so short again, but there may be more...someday

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