The second the wind came out through the chimney, Elementa told the crystal to change her back, so she could assess the dangerous situation. "If I do not put out this fire, the forest will be lost forever!"
        At that exact moment, Sheriff Sanderson's patrol car arrived on the scene, along with many units from the fire department. All wore special suits to protect them from the seering heat the fire created.
        "This is a serious situation," the sheriff noted. "The fire is extremely out of control." He then turned to Fire Chief Ryan and asked, "Is there anything we can do at this point?"
        "Not much, I'm afraid," Ryan answered. "This fire's covered a lot of the forest already, and the state budget won't even let us get a plane out here."
        "In other words, there's no chance to save the forest." The sheriff hung his head and said, "Well, the least we can do is try to keep the fire from going into town."
        The units acted immediately, utilizing their hoses and hoping to contain the blaze.
        Princess Elementa, in the air above the fire, looked down and noticed the authorities trying vainly to control the fire. "They are going to need help against this blaze," she softly said to herself.
        Quickly calculating a formula to put out the fire, she placed her arms high into the sky, closed her eyes, and let out another chant with intense concentration. She yelled out, "By the poyer of the Nature Crystal, I call forth a gigantic cloud of rain to douse the flames!"
        As the crystal glowed brightly on her forehead, a surge of energy came through both her arms. Both hands soon released condensed water vapor, and a large cloud began to form.
        When the cloud was above the immediate area, lightning began to strike in the night. However, Elementa was concerned about the direction of the lightning. "Keep the lightning at cloud-to-cloud level only, for any ground strikes will spark more fires."
        The cloud followed her command, and seconds later rain began to fall on the trees, which began to put control to the blaze.
        On the ground, the firefighters could not believe what they saw. The fire chief said, "That's strange. The forecast called for clear skies tonight, not a chance of heavy rain."
        In mere minutes, Elementa had put out a part of the fire, but she knew there was much more to do. "Now, cloud," she bellowed, "split and go into four directions: south, east, north, and west. Continue with this until the dry area has been quenched!"
        At her whim the cloud split off and went into the four directions as she requested.
        The sheriff was totally surprised by what the cloud was able to do. "I've never seen a storm do a total split like that ever before. It's amazing!"
        In a ten-minute span, the fire had been completely controlled and put out. Many of the trees survived the blaze, despite the majority of them being singed.
        The authorities cheered with excitement at the dousing of the fire by the rain. One of the firemen, though, saw something very strange in the sky above. "Hey," he yelled, "someone's up there!"
        "Are you sure?" asked Ryan. After the man nodded, he took his binoculars and looked into the sky. "I honestly don't believe it! There really is someone up in the air, but it's no one I've ever seen around here before."
        The moment Elementa saw the fire was out, she chanted, "Your work is done, great rainstorm. Now, disintegrate into nothingness and do not return unless I need you once more."
        As the cloud disappeared completely, Sheriff Sanderson could see the person in the sky without any binoculars. He then grabbed the megaphone from his patrol car and yelled, "Excuse me, you, up there. Would you mind coming down here please?"
        The princess was a little confused about what to do. "Maybe I should do as they ask. This is not my world, and I have no authority here." She flew down and landed softly on the ground, next to the authorities.
        She felt apprehensive, never being close to others different than her before this point.
        Slowly approaching her, Sanderson was first to greet her. When he noticed her stepping back in fear, he said, "It's all right, young lady. We're friends here. We won't hurt you." He then extended out his right hand. "Just shake my hand, that's all I ask. I mean you no harm."
        She slowly put out her right hand, she still being nervous. Her fear disappeared when the hands made contact. She breathed easier, knowing she and the authorities were on the same side.
        The sheriff then said, "Young lady, you saved our forest from total destruction."
        "You sure did," added Chief Ryan. "You pulled off something which would've taken us at least two weeks to do."
        Sanderson's curiosity aroused him. "Yes, but who are you?"
        The young lady calmly answered, "I am Princess Elementa, sworn protector of the innocent, defender of justice . . . and the lone survivor of the lost planet of Naturia."
        "You mean, you're from another world?"
        "Yes, sir. My home world was obliterated by volcanic explosions and fires. This forest reminded me of my home, and I did not want to see it destroyed in the same way."
        While they talked, Ryan took out a piece of equipment used to detect gasoline and kerosene, two substances most commonly used in arson-related fires. The detector picked up traces of gasoline.
        The conversation between Princess Elementa and Sheriff Sanderson was interrupted when she smelled something awful. "Oohh," she said in disgust, "what is this horrible stench in the air?"
        Ryan asked, "You don't know what that smell is?"
        "No, I do not, but it smells terrible."
        "Well, that automatically rules you out as an arson suspect."
        "What is 'arson'?" the princess asked curiously.
        Sanderson quickly answered her question. "Arson means the fire was set on purpose, not by accident like it is for lightning."
        "You mean someone deliberately started the forest fire? But why?"
        Ryan replied, "There could be hundreds of reasons why someone would set the forest on fire. At least we now know you didn't do it. That foul-smelling substance is called gasoline, a fuel man-made from natural petroleum here on Earth."
        "We never had man-made fuels on Naturia," Princess Elementa said, trying not to take in the awful scent. "Do all fuels here smell like this?"
        "No, but there's an odorless and tasteless gas called carbon monoxide which is very deadly. These special suits protect all of us from the gaseous fumes as well as the tremendous heat."
        Sheriff Sanderson just then remembered something important. "It's a good thing you put out the fire, Princess, because we're also looking for two runaway teenagers. Were you able to see them at all?"
        Elementa considered telling him the truth, but she knew the difficulty in doing so. "I cannot reveal the truth," she thought to herself, "for to do so will compromise this double life I have established. I must convince him otherwise."
        She looked at the sheriff and answered, "I fear I could not see anything through the flames."
        "That's okay, Princess. It was probably impossible to notice anything anyway."
        Suddenly, one of the firefighters came to the group and said, "I just found a brown car and a red bicycle on the outskirts of the forest, about two miles south of here."
        "That must be Rob's car and Ellie's bike," Sheriff Sanderson said tersely. "Any sign of gasoline or kerosene on either of the vehicles?"
        "No, sir, just gas from the exhaust pipe on Rob's car."
        "Well, we now know they're not suspects, either, but it also means Rob and Ellie are around here somewhere."
        "I hope you find them to be safe," the princess spoke with hope in her voice. "For now, though, I must leave."
        The sheriff then said, "Um, Princess Elementa, before you go, I want to ask you this question: will we ever see you again?"
        Calmly she answered, "In times of great danger to either life or property, I shall come to your aid if you need it." Starting
to float into the night sky, she added, "Just remember, all of you are the real heroes, for you are the ones who truly protect the lives of the people who have made this area their home." She then gave a salute and flew away.
        Sanderson, Ryan, and the other firefighters stood straight and gave the young hero a salute of their own.
        Ryan proudly said, "If this girl really is a princess, her nobility truly shines through."
        Sanderson agreed, "Yes, she is a special young woman." Then, he changed the subject. "Now, we have a more important matter at hand, finding Rob and Ellie. We know there are seven cabins in the area, but the closest is about two miles away." Organizing the firemen into groups, he said, "We'll split up and check them all. Let's hope they're both all right when we do find them."
        As the authorities started their search, Elementa flew just out of their sight. "I must return to the cabin, or the sheriff will discover only Rob and no Ellie." She then closed her eyes and quietly chanted, "Nature Crystal, convert me into winds once more, and quickly."
        In seconds she became pure wind and literally blew her way back to the cabin to meet Rob.
        There, he was pacing around the living room nervously when he felt a strong gust of wind coming from the fireplace. "That must be her," he thought to himself.
        The wind came into the living room and conformed to the shape of the princess, materializing into her true form once again.
        Rob came up to her and excitedly said, "You did it, Ellie! The fire's out!"
        When Elementa heard her other name, she gasped. "Oh, no, my other identity. I must change back into Ellie Peterson before the authorities find us."
        "Hmm. Did you lead them to this cabin?"
        "No, they are examining all the cabins in the general area, including this one. The closest team is about ten minutes away."
        "Then maybe you better go ahead and change back, but how do you go back to being Ellie?"
        A female voice softly said, "Perhaps I can answer the young man's question."
        Rob looked around strangely. "I must be delirious. Now I'm hearing voices."
        "No, Robert," Princess Elementa said, sensing who the voice was. "That is the spirit of the Nature Crystal."
        "Say what?"
        She closed her eyes and chanted, "Great spirit of the Nature Crystal, please appear before us!"
        The crystal emitted a beam of light which formed the woman Elementa met in her mind, pink hair, green eyes, white dress and all. "I am here for you, Princess Elementa."
        "Thank you, dear friend. I seek some important advice. Can I revert back into my Earthly form?"
        "Of course, my child," the soft-spoken spirit noted. "You need only to ask the Nature Crystal itself. It will allow you to become your Earth form again."
        "That is some good news. After all that has happened so far, my life seems to be taking another strange turn for the better."
        "Your parents, King Argon and Queen Hydrana, would be proud of their dear daughter." As the spirit began to fade, she said, "If you ever need me at any time, as Elementa or your Earth form, you can summon me directly or contact me telepathically."
        "Thank you," Elementa said happily. "Farewell for now."
        When the spirit disappeared, Elementa looked at Rob and said, "Listen to me, Robert. What you have seen must never be known by anyone else. Can I trust you to keep this newly created double life a closely guarded secret?"
        "You bet, Princess," Rob replied. "This is a sweet secret to keep, but I think someone else needs to know about this."
        "Who?"
        "Mr. Peterson, your adopted father."
        She realized, "You are right, Robert. I must tell Dad the truth. This is much too important, since he has been there for me." She then had one more caution. "From this moment, only you and Dad will know the connection between Ellie Peterson and Princess Elementa. We cannot tell anyone else, including the sheriff and your mother."
        Rob nodded in agreement. "It's a deal. Now, I suggest you change back to Ellie fast. Any of the search parties could come at any moment."
        "Yes, I better." Elementa quickly chanted, "Nature Crystal, my work is done. Change me back into my Earthly form, Ellie Peterson!"
        At her command, the crystal converted her costume back to the outfit she had worn at the forest festival. Although the clothes were slightly smoked by the fire, the charred clothing would help conceal the truth. Her purple eyes reverted to blue, her purple hair returned to brown, and her purple eyeglasses reappeared. As for the headband and the crystal, they vanished into nothingness, guaranteeing the safety of her double identity.
        Rob was amazed by everything that happened in the last half hour. "Ellie, you're definitely one very lucky girl."
        Back to sounding like herself, she said, "Yeah, but remember, don't tell anybody about this, okay?"
        "I promise, Ellie. No one's going to know about this, not even my own mother."
        Ellie smiled when they both heard a knock on the door of the cabin.
        Rob quickly ran to the door and asked, "Who's out there?"
        A male voice said, "We're from the fire department. Robert, Ellie, are you both here?"
        Ellie yelled, "Yes, we are. Come in!"
        The firefighters quickly entered the cabin and checked to see if they were all right.
        One notified the sheriff to let him know they had survived the forest fire.
        The units decided to take the teens to Gurney Hospital as a precautionary measure, making sure they had not inhaled smoke.
        At the sheriff's office, Mr. Peterson and Mrs. Walker waited anxiously to hear from Sheriff Sanderson about the safety of their respective kids.
        When the telephone rang, Mr. Peterson answered. "Hello?"
        "Harold, it's Dan. Good news about Ellie and Rob. They're both all right."
        "That's great news!" Mr. Peterson exclaimed.
        Mrs. Walker ran up to him and frantically asked, "What is it? What's going on?"
        Mr. Peterson said, "Hold on, Kim. Let me make sure what he said is absolutely true." He went back to the phone and asked, "Could you repeat that last sentence one more time?"
        "You and Kim come to the hospital immediately. They're being checked out for smoke inhalation."
        "We're on our way." He hung up the phone and turned to Rob's mother. "Kim, let's go. The kids are safe."
        Mrs. Walker expressed her happiness in tears. "Thank God! They're probably getting checked out for smoke inhalation at the hospital. Let's move!"
        They quickly left the office and drove to the hospital for a reunion with their children.
        When they arrived at the hospital, the doctor on call had already released Rob and Ellie after learning they had not taken in any smoke.
        The pair had just walked out of the emergency room when they saw their parents.
        "Dad!" Ellie yelled.
        "Mom!" Rob shouted.
        All four came together in hugs and kisses.
        Mrs. Walker gave her son a long hug and said, "Rob, I am so sorry for the way I've treated both you and Ellie. I should have known better than to control every aspect of your life." She then broke down in tears.
        Rob smiled and said, "I know, Mom. You just want me to stay on the right road, and I truly appreciate that. However, I want to be my own person, an individual. I just want to grow up and have a good life, that's all."
        "Oh, son, can you ever forgive me?"
        "Of course I can, Mom. You've been there for me since Dad died those years ago, raising me to be on a straight line. Even though I never gave you a chance for so long, you never gave up on me. I'll always love you for what you've done for me."
        They kept up the hugging for a while and walked off together, agreeing to discuss their problems to each other when they felt it necessary.
        Mr. Peterson was happy as well, knowing Ellie was all right. "Oh, pumpkin, I was so worried when the fire broke out. I thought I was going to lose you."
        "Don't worry, Dad, I'm all right. Really."
        Sheriff Sanderson came up to the Petersons and said, "Harold, you should have seen what happened. A young woman named Princess Elementa came out of nowhere and put out the fire with a cleverly constructed rainstorm. She didn't let any of the lightning touch the ground, and most of the trees are still standing."
        "Incredible! Is there any information on her?"
        "Well, I can tell you she's from another planet, and she has purple eyes and purple hair. I tell you, she's one girl with a true sense of heroism if I ever saw it." The sheriff looked at Ellie and asked, "Did you see that girl?"
        Without any hesitation she answered, "How could I? I was too busy trying to keep cool in the cabin during the fire." Ellie did not want to say anything which could accidentally give away the secret.
        Mr. Peterson then asked a serious question. "What happened out there, Dan?"
        "It was an arson fire," the sheriff replied. "Someone was out there trying to destroy the forest, but it was neither Ellie
nor Rob. Princess Elementa didn't start it, either, especially since she couldn't stand the smell of gasoline."
        "I see. I guess there's a pyromaniac on the loose."
        "It sure seems that way. Well, I need to go. The fire chief and I need to file a report concerning the fire. As for the Princess Elementa factor, both of us agreed to say a freak rainstorm quelled the fire in a matter of minutes."
        "Sounds like a good idea," Ellie said happily. "Now, I need to get some sleep. I'm really tired."
        "Sure thing, pumpkin," Mr. Peterson said, hugging her once again.
        All three laughed and then parted ways.
        When Ellie and her dad walked out of the hospital and toward the truck, Ellie said, "Urn, Dad, if you don't mind, there's something really important I need to tell you tomorrow. Is that all right with you?"
        "Of course, pumpkin," Mr. Peterson said calmly. "Let's get out of here so you can get some much needed sleep."
        It did not take long for Ellie to fall asleep on the way back to the home. When they got home, Mr. Peterson took her into the living room and let her sleep on the sofa.

        A couple of hours later, Ellie woke up after experiencing a completely different dream. For the first time, she could see her home world, only to watch it explode. She felt uneasy about it, but she finally remembered everything about her childhood. "It's incredible. All those memories flooding back to me. Now I know what happened to Naturia, but now there's another problem: how to explain this to Dad."
        She thought for a minute wheh an idea popped into her mind. "Maybe the spirit can help me about this." She lay back on her pillow and closed her eyes. "I don't want to wake up Dad in the middle of the hight, so I'll contact her telepathically."
        Going deep into the recesses of her mind, she established her communication with the spirit. "Great spirit of the Nature Crystal, can you hear my thoughts? Can you sense my feelings?"
        In her mind, she could see the wispy spirit, flowing in the wind. "I hear you, Princess. I can sense your thoughts and feelings. Do you need my help?"
        "Yes, but I need more advice than help. I don't know what to do in terms of telling Dad the truth. I'm afraid he'll freak out or faint. Should I break the news to him straight out, change into Princess Elementa, what should I do?"
        The spirit answered, "You want to tell him about the return of your childhood memories, but you fear he may react negatively. My suggestion is to start with the fire, for it will lead you to the point of your past coming back to you. Then, tell him who you reallyare. If he does not believe you, transform into the princess with the crystal."
        "Okay, let's assume he does believe me. Then what?"
        "The rest is up to you and him. My question is, do you have all your memories back yet?"
        "All except for one large piece: what happened to me after Naturia exploded and all the events leading to meeting Dad."
        "If you must, call me for that portion of the story. I can explain what happened to you."
        "Thanks, spirit. You've been a big help to me through all the mess I've dealt with in the past few hours."
        "I am glad I can help you, Princess Elementa. Remember, I will always be here for you when you seek help or advice. Farewell, my child."
        "Farewell, spirit."
        Ellie's mind returned to reality and she slept comfortably. In her sleeping, though, she could not help having two troubling thoughts: how her adopted father would take her news and how she would ever lead a normal life again, knowing she was not only a royal princess of an alien planet but also a new super hero. "I wonder how King Argon and Queen Hydrana, my real parents, would handle a life like this?"
        Ellie made it through the rest of the night in a sound sleep, no longer having the nightmares she had had every night for a long time.

        Ellie did not wake up until 9 a.m. the next morning, and she was still feeling smokey from the forest blaze hours earlier. She went upstairs to take a morning shower to feel better.
        A half-an-hour later, she came down to the kitchen to eat her breakfast, which was waiting for her. One whiff and she was ready to eat. "Mmm, smells good, Dad. What is it this time?"
        "It's another favorite of yours: French toast, eggs, and homemade apple juice."
        Finishing her breakfast in only 20 minutes, she cleaned her mouth and plate and placed the plate into the sink.
        Ellie then turned to her father and said, "Dad, could we invite Rob over for lunch later today?"
        "Why, pumpkin?"
        She looked down and answered, "Dad, there's something in this affair you don't know about, and I think it's important that I do tell you, but I need Rob here . . . because he also knows about the truth. I want to be fair to both you and him when I explain."
        With a perplexed look, her dad said, "All right, but if it's that important, shouldn't you tell the sheriff, too?"
        "I wish I could, Dad, but it's too dangerous for him to know the truth now."
        Mr. Peterson came up to her and said, "All right, pumpkin, I understand. I'll call him and invite him to come over for lunch."
        "Thanks, Dad." She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
        At his house, Rob received a telephone call from Mr. Peterson. Rob then asked his mother whether he could go to visit Ellie at her house.
        Mrs. Walker said, "Of course, son. I know you just want to see her to make sure she's all right. Go ahead and have lunch at her house. Just do me one favor."
        "What's that, Mom?"
        "Tell her she's got my blessings now."
        "Mom, we're not getting married or anything."
        "I know, but after the indirect way I treated her, that's the least I could do after the horrible ordeal you and she had to go through last night."
        "I'm glad you're giving me a chance, Mom."
        As the two started hugging each other again, the mother said, "I'm just happy you're around for me to give you that chance."

        At about 2 p.m., Rob came over in his brown car to the Peterson house on the farm. The lunch went as planned, consisting of fried chicken, red beans, and boiled broccoli, a delicious meal, considering Mr. Peterson had no idea what to expect in a matter of the next few minutes.
        When all three finished their meal, Ellie calmly asked both her father and her best friend to go into the living room and sit on the sofa.
        She then got to the point. "Dad, Rob arid I know more of this story than Sheriff Sanderson does."
        "What do you mean, honey?" Mr. Peterson asked curiously.
        Rob answered, "There's something about this you don't know, Mr. Peterson, and I think we should start from where we were stuck in the forest fire."
        "Okay, kids, I'm listening."
        "For starters, Dad," Ellie started, "I should tell you that nothing was going on between us in the cabin. In fact, I wasn't in the cabin the entire time."
        "But you told the sheriff you were in the cabin. "
        "Yes, for a part of the time. Remember when he mentioned a young hero named Princess Elementa?"
        "Of course, but all Dan mentioned was her purple eyes, purple .hair, and the fact she's from another planet."
        "Well," Rob said, smiling, "I can give you a more accurate description of the princess. In addition to the eyes, hair, and being an alien, she wears a turquoise mini-dress, a purple jumpsuit, a pair of arm-length gloves and thigh-high boots in a jade-green color, and a jade-green headband which holds a very special emerald crystal in the middle."
        "How do you know what she looks like, Rob?"
        "I saw her change into her true identity, during the fire, in the cabin." In a very serious tone, Rob said, "Mr. Peterson, your adopted daughter was the one who stopped the forest fire."
        Mr. Peterson jokingly said, "No, it's not possible. Ellie does not look like one who could be a princess. I just can't believe any of this. It sounds too good to be true."
        "I know, Dad," Ellie spoke, her voice beginning to sound very somber, "but something did happen to me in the fire." Pausing for a moment, she finally said, "Dad, my memories came back to me."
        Her father gasped in total surprise. "Wait a minute, Ellie. You know your past? Do you know who you really are?"
        "Yeah, I do. Remember that joke you made a couple of nights ago, saying I may be from another planet?"
        "Sure, honey, I--" Mr. Peterson stopped when he figured out what Ellie was trying to say. With his eyes as wide as possible, he said, "You mean to say you are from another planet!?"
        "Yes, Dad, I am from another world. That joke turned out to be no joke after all. I am Princess Elementa."
        "I still don't believe this."
        "I understand, Dad, but I'm prepared to prove to you that I am telling the truth."
        Getting up from the sofa and standing in front of them, Ellie crossed her arms, left wrist over right, and loudly chanted, "O ancient Nature Crystal, by my royal birthright, I, Elementa, Princess of Naturia, hereby call upon your power!"
        Once again, like the forest fire, the jade headband and the emerald crystal appeared on her forehead. The flames changed her clothes into the purple jumpsuit, the snow created her gloves and boots, the wind morphed into her mini-dress, the lightning made the purple belt, and the water quickly made her glasses disappear while transforming her blue eyes and brown hair into the purple eyes and purple hair.
        The man who adopted her could not believe his eyes at what he had just seen. "Oh, my God! I can't believe it! It's true; you really are the person who saved the forest!"
        "Yes, Dad," Elementa said to him. "The time Ellie was not in the cabin was the time that I stopped the forest fire."
        Mr. Peterson shook his head in total disbelief. "This must be the most incredible thing that's ever happened to me. My adopted daughter is really a royal princess of an alien planet!"
        She sat down next to her adopted father, took his hand and said, "Yes, Dad, this is very true. However, I hope you are not angry with me for being what I am." She put her face down, her eyes starting to fill with tears of regret.
        "Oh, pumpkin," her Earth father said, comforting her, "don't you remember what I said when you discussed about whether you were a bad person in your past? I told you I would still love you for who you are now, and now that I know you were a wonderful person in your past, I love you more now than ever before."
        Elementa's tears of regret changed to tears of joy because of how much love her father on Earth had for her. "Oh, Dad, I love you so much." She gave him a heartfelt hug and cried some more.
        "It's all right, pumpkin," Mr. Peterson said calmly, "I know who you really are now, and you're still the sweet, caring girl I adopted."
        Looking at him with a smile, she said, "Dad, I must ask you for one important favor."
        "Anything, sweetie, you name it."
        "You must not reveal the connection between Ellie Peterson and Princess Elementa to anyone else, which I fear includes the sheriff."
        "Don't worry, sweetie. This secret's too good to keep, so I won't tell anyone else."
        Rob interjected, "I made the same promise last night, which means I can't tell Mom about it, either, but this secret's a sweet one to keep anyhow."
        Elementa felt happy like never before. "Thank you, both of you. I am so happy to share this secret with two people I trust and care about very much."
        Rob happily said, "Well, Princess Elementa, you have two people who also care about you very much, too, and we'll trust you always."
        Mr. Peterson then asked the one question his daughter waited to hear. "Ellie, exactly where in the universe are you from?"
        "I'd like to know, too," Rob said. "Please, why don't you tell us about yourself and your home world?"
        "Of course, Robert," Elementa said calmly. She then started from the very beginning. "I was born on the planet Naturia, which lay about 30 to 32 light years away from Earth. It was a beautiful and peaceful planet. Like Earth, there were forests, ice caps, deserts, and farmlands. The valleys had plenty of trees, the streams and rivers were as clear as crystal, and there never was a problem with maintaining the balance of nature. Everyone would receive their rains at the right time to harvest the crops and grow flowers, highly similar to what you do here, Dad."
        "So," Mr. Peterson said, "Naturia was almost exactly like our Earth, right?"
        "Yes, Dad, so full of life and hope."
        Rob asked, "What about your people, Princess?"
        As her mind began to focus back on her home planet, she told the next part of her story. "The Naturians had been in existence for hundreds of thousands of years, far advanced in technology, yet when some people had their differences, they would go to the castle to seek help from the king and queen to solve the problem."
        "Like a judge in a civil case. He has to listen to the two sides of the story to determine if a peaceful compromise could be found."
        "Exactly, Robert. We would never resort to fighting unless we were threatened by invasion forces from other worlds. Many had tried to take over us, assuming we were easy to conquer. Those would-be conquerors discovered the hard way about us being able to defend ourselves. However, there were times to worry about in the future."
        "How does that involve you, Princess?" Mr. Peterson asked.
        "Well, Dad, there was a wizard on our planet named Ostro. He was a wise and powerful sorcerer and royal advisor to the king and queen for 15 generations. One day, he gave a stern warning to our people. He said, 'One day our world will face its greatest challenge from space, and there will be a point where the mystic power of the Nature Crystal will have to be used to defend Naturia.'
        "The great wizard also noted a very important destiny. He explained that if a daughter were born to the king and queen, she she would inherit the ancient Nature Crystal and possess all its power."
        "Wait a sec," Rob said, feeling confused. "You mean to say before you were born, every heir to the throne was male?"
        "Yes, my friend. All kings were gifted with unique powers of their own, but only a female could control the immense powers of the Nature Crystal.
        "At the time of my birth, King Argon and Queen Hydrana were the rulers of Naturia. Like the past generations, they were fair and just rulers, being helpful to all the people.
        "When I was born, the Naturians celebrated with great joy and pleasure. Then they began to wonder about Ostro's warning. Will the invasion come within the princess's lifetime? And if so, will she be ready to aid in the defense of Naturia? No one could stop thinking about the possibility of danger."
        Mr. Peterson said, "In other words, your birth started to set the stage for an impending disaster?"
        "Yes. Although I did not know about my legacy until I was seven years of age, something inside me knew the legacy would come to pass one day.
        "Fortunately, during my early childhood, my parents took care of me and gave me all the love any two parents could give their child. I could never forget all they did for me as I was growing up, teaching me right from wrong, how to be fair to others, and so forth.
        "The moment I learned the truth of my destiny came about on my seventh birthday. That day, many Naturians showered me with presents, but the most important present was yet to come. After the great celebration ended, my father wanted me to sit down in my quarters. He said, 'Elementa, my dear daughter, I have saved this special gift for after this occasion, for it will be important not only to you, but one day for our whole world. ' King Argon then told the story, including Ostro's warning and what it meant for me. From that point on, I understood why I came into possession of Naturia's most important treasure and symbol."
        "How'd you train on the proper use of the crystal?" Rob asked curiously.
        "Before undergoing intense training, Ostro introduced me to someone who would become my friend, advisor, teacher, and future guardian: the spirit of the Nature Crystal. The spirit, Ostro, and my parents all helped me in mastering the use of the crystal. During the three-year learning process, I found out some important information. The crystal was to be used only for times when it was needed most and never for personal purposes. Also, if I ever became separated from the crystal, I would temporarily lose those powers, and the spirit of the crystal would weaken. Because the spirit and I are telepathically bonded, I can track the crystal through her. However, if the crystal and I are separated for too long, the spirit will die, and my powers will be lost forever."
        Rob then asked a somber question. "Could the crystal itself be destroyed?"
        "Yes, it could, if evil forces knew what devices to use and where the crystal's weak point is. Even I do not know its point of vulnerability."
        "My goodness," Mr. Peterson said, "you sure had a tremendous responsibility on your shoulders."
        "Yes, Dad," Elementa said, "I had to take on what could prove to be the most important responsibility one person would have. I had to use the crystal to defend my world for the first time when I was ten years of age.
        "When invaders from the planet Nocora attempted to conquer Naturia, our bravest fighters discovered the weaponry they had was not enough to stop their advancements. I was called in to use the crystal, for this was the moment of truth after the three years of training. I stood at the top of our planet's highest mountain and put out a powerful chant for the sake of Naturia. Guided by the spirit, I said, 'By the combined powers of the Nature Crystal, I banish these invaders back to space!' All the universal forces of nature came unleashed from the crystal. The fire, wind, and lightning filled the sky, frightening the Nocorans into retreat. Our people rejoiced, knowing Naturia was safe once more."
        "Wow!" Rob said excitedly. "You sure showed them a thing or two about trying to conquer your planet."
        "Maybe so, Robert, but five years later, our planet was being threatened again, but this time by an invasion force much stronger than the Nocorans.
        "Powerful warriors from the planet Auklon came along, and the force this time had already conquered planet after planet. Our planet was to be next on their list of taken-over worlds. The Auklonians closely studied the Nocorans' defeat and were able to develop special weapons allowing their forces to penetrate the fire, lightning, and wind-filled sky generated by the crystal. I called upon the same powers that saved us before, but this time, it was not enough to stop them. They moved from one spot to the next, systematically conquering Naturia."
        "What happened to you and your parents?" asked Mr. Peterson.
        "We were able to take refuge in the castle. The best defenders successfully prevented the Auklonian forces from infiltrating our palace. Unfortunately, disaster was about to strike upon our world.
        "One of the Naturian cities sat on top of a fault line which lay dormant for thousands of years. When the Auklonians tried to plunder some iron ore from that city, one of their special mining machines hit that fault line, triggering massive earthquakes and explosive volcanic eruptions allover the planet. As a result of that action, the worst possible fear was realized: Naturia was doomed, and nothing could be done to save anything or anyone. I thought I would perish with everyone else, yet my parents had a different plan for me.
        "King Argon was not only a great ruler, but also a brilliant scientist. He constructed a special escape ship in order for me
to escape any disaster and preserve my future. He and Mother were willing to give their lives for me, and in this case, they did. I wanted so much to stay with them, but they disagreed, saying I was the only one meant for the escape ship. My father used his own power and emitted a sleeping gas on me. I do not exactly know how I got into the ship, but I assume my father placed me into the vehicle. The next thing I knew, I awoke inside the ship and leaving my world. Then, finally, in a matter of seconds, the planet exploded into millions of pieces, killing both Naturians and Auklonians.
        "I was so upset about not being able to save my parents, but then I fell asleep again, not to be awakened for a certain time, until the fire last night. Unfortunately, I do not know the details of what happened between falling asleep in the escape ship and being here on Earth."
        Mr. Peterson then said, "Princess, why don't you ask the--"
        "Spirit of the Nature Crystal?" Elementa interrupted. "That is what she suggested." She then looked away from her adopted father and chanted, "Spirit of the Nature Crystal, I summon you to appear before us."
        When the spirit appeared in front of them, Mr. Peterson was more amazed again. "You're certainly full of surprises today, my dear."
        They all laughed heartily, knowing the rest of the story was still to come.
        "Hello, Mr. Peterson," said the spirit in a calm voice. "You must be the one raising the princess here on Earth. I can understand your being very shocked by what you have learned so far."
        "You're right, Miss. I'm still trying to comprehend the fact my adopted daughter is the princess of a lost world." Then, he asked the most important question. "What happened to her from the time she was asleep on the ship to me finding her lost?"
        "I shall tell you now. When Princess Elementa fell asleep once more, I took command of the Nature Crystal. I asked it to convert her and the ship into a tiny particle, in order to prevent detection by satellite or space telescope. It took a couple of months to reach this planet, as it was exactly what we seeked, a planet rich in oxygen for breathing. We did make it safely."
        "That's good," Rob said, "but where did you end up?"
        The spirit answered, "We landed in a mountain range about 140 miles northwest of this area."
        "What about the look? I mean, the alien look wouldn't work around here."
        "True, so I split away from the crystal just long enough to see two young people in a vehicle, a car, passing by. I returned to the ship, still in the form of a tiny particle, and changed her clothing into that which would help her look like a young person of Earth. I also asked the crystal to change her eyes and hair, knowing that no one would ever understand an Earth girl with purple eyes and purple hair. As for the escape ship itself, I called upon the crystal to change it into a tiny acorn. In the process, the princess lay unconscious on the ground, with the ship next to her in the acorn form.
        "When Elementa awakened, however, she suffered amnesia and lost all memory of her past. As for me, I was in a deep state of sleep, making me unable to communicate with her at all to tell her the truth. She walked around the area, feeling very lost, scared, and confused. When you found her, Mr. Peterson, I was in a sleep trance so deep, I could not tell her what was happening. I tried to communicate with her by any means necessary, including those dreams and flashes."
        "Of course," Elementa said with a gasp. "The dreams I had every night for over two months and the flashes I experienced were your inert ways of trying to contact me."
        "Yes, my dear princess. I had tried and feared all efforts would fail, until the forest fire. When you touched my hand in your mind, I was able to reestablish my contact with you, and you finally remembered your true identity as Elementa, Princess of Naturia and possessor of the ancient Nature Crystal."
        Elementa calmly said, "Thank you, dear guardian, for helping me to remember everything about my past." Starting to grow teary-eyed again, she spoke, "I just hope my parents do not think I had abandoned them, or them abandoning me."
        "No, Princess Elementa. Your parents knew what they did was in your best interest, to protect you and your future. You also should not feel bad, for your parents are not completely gone. I know they are with you, within your heart."
        Drying her eyes, the princess said, "Now I know just about everything, but where do I go from here?"
        "You have now regained your powers given to you in your legacy. And even though we are no longer on Naturia, you must still maintain your responsibility of using the crystal properly as you always have."
        "I understand, great spirit. However, there is now another problem I have to face. How can I explain to everyone I have regained my memories? I cannot just say, 'I have my memories back, and I know I am princess of an alien world.' What can I do?"
        Rob quickly replied, "Maybe we can make up records for you."
        "It's no good," Mr. Peterson said, shaking his head. "Just trying to forge records is very difficult nowadays, with carefully screened papers. Besides, it's illegal to do it anyway."
        "Then, what are we gonna do? If anyone, even Mom, discovers Ellie's double life, that one could notify scientists who could go after her, as either Ellie or Elementa."
        The spirit considered the problem. "I think I have an answer to this situation. Princess, when you are assuming your Earthly identity as Ellie Peterson, just keep pretending you still have no memory of who your parents were and that you only remember them being killed in an explosion."
        "That could work," the princess said, "since, technically, my parents really were killed in an explosion, of a planet. Now, as for the name 'Ellie Peterson'?"
        "Stay with the name as well, for most people consider who you are now, not who you were in the past."
        "Good idea, spirit," Rob said, "and Mr. Peterson and I will keep it a secret, to make sure no one else knows about her past."
        "Very well," Elementa said. "I will keep pretending that I have amnesia and remember nothing about my childhood. It should throw off suspicious people."
        "Good, Princess," said the spirit. "Do you need me for anything else?"
        "No, my friend. You have done all you can to help me solve this particular problem."
        "Farewell, then. All of you." The spirit then faded away to nothingness.
        Princess Elementa stood up and said, "Now you know everything about me, so I believe it is time to change back. Nature Crystal, I am no longer needed. Change me back to Ellie!"
        In seconds the princess reverted back to her secret life as Ellie Peterson. "Well, that's that," she said, sounding like her Earth form. "It's back to normal, if you can consider any of this 'normal'."
        She, Rob, and Mr. Peterson all enjoyed a good laugh when they heard a knock at the front door.
        "Who could that be?" Mr. Peterson asked curiously. "Why is someone bothering us at a time like this?"
        He walked up to the door and answered it. "Yes, can I help you?"
        "Hello, Mr. Peterson. Do you remember me?"
        He smiled. "Well, Regina Johnson, North Carolina's top-notch newspaper reporter and local star at the Gurney Gazette."
        Dressed in a blue suit, Ms. Johnson said, "It's nice to see you again, especially after the good meal you gave me after that story on your adoption of the young lady, Ellie Peterson."
        "What can I do for you, Regina?"
        "Well, I have almost everything set to put in the forest fire story for tomorrow's paper, but you, Ellie, and Rob are the last three people to whom I need to talk to complete all sides of the story. Can I come in and talk to all of you?"
        "Let me ask Rob and Ellie first, to make sure they're both up to talking."
        "Of course, Mr. Peterson. I understand."
        Regina Johnson was an African-American reporter for Gurney's local newspaper. A native of the small city, the ebony-haired, brown-eyed woman graduated from Duke University with a degree in journalism. Interested in the field since she was a child, she had a deep respect for the journalism code of ethics. Unlike some unscrupulous reporters in bigger cities, she clearly understood the code and was never one to question source confidentiality or privacy. Also, she had no desire to push anyone she interviewed into saying somethIng that was not true. Upon graduation, she decided to return to her hometown and be a reporter for the smaller city paper instead of taking a job in a well-populated area.
        Her stories of fairness and human nature earned her the title of "North Carolina's Best Newspaper Reporter" for the last three years.
        This time, though, she waited patiently to see if she could enter the Peterson home.
        Mr. Peterson came back to the door and said, "Of course you can come in, Regina. Would you like anything to eat?"
        "No, thank you; I just ate lunch, but thanks for the offer anyway."
        Ms. Johnson and Mr. Peterson went into the living room. She went straight to the point, asking all three people about all the events leading up to the fire that night. "Now, you don't have to answer every question I ask, but I just want to know what happened which lead the teens into the forest that night."
        Rob explained about his running away after the argument with his mother and driving to the forest, since it was his one special place to clear his head.
        Mr. Peterson then spoke of Ellie taking off from her room to get to Rob in the forest and talk to him about his problem.
        Ellie then took over and told of she and Rob's first learning of the fire and where they went to take cover.
        The next line of Ms. Johnson's questioning put Ellie's secret identity to the test. "According to both Sanderson and Ryan, the fire was deliberately set, but both you and Rob were ruled out as suspects. Also, they said a freak rainstorm was responsible for putting out the fire. Do you know anything about what may have actually happened?"
        Ellie replied, "Unfortunately, no. I was in panic trying to keep cool, and I couldn't see anything except the fire."
        When the question-and-answer session was over, Ms. Johnson simply said, "Thank you for all your help. Now I have every side of the story. I should leave you alone so you can get some rest, but there's something I have to warn you about."
        "What is it, Regina?" Mr. Peterson asked in concern.
        "Word of this fire is spreading rapidly throughout the state. Reporters from everywhere are already flocking into the area, and many of them will try to force information out of all of you, as well as Mrs. Walker, Sheriff Sanderson, and Fire Chief Ryan."
        "Oh, great," Ellie worriedly said. "What'll we do about this situation? The last thing we need is too many reporters to ruin the normally quiet lifestyle around here."
        "Don't worry, Ellie," Ms. Johnson said in assurance. "The sheriff and I figured out a way to keep you safe from any rotten reporters determined to get info. We agreed to print only Fire Chief Ryan and Sheriff Sanderson's names in the next edition; this way, most of the other reporters will be kept guessing."
        "Okay," Rob said, "but what if one of them asks you something about the situation?"
        "I'll just say I got some of the information from a couple of confidential sources which I'll never give away. Whatever all of you do, try not to say too much to tip them off. After all, most of the people here in town have no idea what the reporters will be talking about."
        "Good idea, because the one reporter I don't want to see around here is Thomas Wilkins."
        "Oh, him," Ms. Johnson said. "He's the definition of trouble when it comes to forcing information out of anyone, even children. He'll do anything to get a story, even threaten a person who may or may not have any crucial details."
        Mr. Peterson remembered what happened once with Wilkins. "I know what he's like. He went way off the deep end when he went on to accuse me of trying to kill my wife when she died last year. I punched him out of spite because he had no right to say that."
        "That's awful, Dad," Ellie said. "How can someone stoop so low? "
        Ms. Johnson said, "That's always been his style. It's the same thing that got him into trouble last year at WALZ in Raleigh because he falsely reported about the mayor being involved in a drug operation. Although he was fired, Upline picked him up as a perfect reporter for their show."
        "He's the one to avoid then, huh?" Rob asked.
        "Right. Also, trust your instincts because he's pretty good at disguising himself and using any snooping devices."
        "Thanks for the warning, Regina," Mr. Peterson said. "We'll make sure nothing gets out about this."
        "Thanks, Mr. Peterson."
        "Please, just Harold will do."
        "Oh, all right. Well, I'm about to leave, but just keep the advice in mind."
        "You bet we will, Miss Johnson," Ellie said happily.
        "Just call me Regina, since we're going to get to know each other anyway."
        Ellie smiled as Regina stood up and walked to the door.
        As soon as Regina left, Mr. Peterson calmly said, "Nice job on telling the story, even if it isn't the whole truth."
        "No kidding, Dad," Ellie said. "Regina's a great reporter, and I'm sorry we couldn't tell her the whole story, but right now it's just too dangerous to say anything about Princess Elementa's existence."
        "Yeah," Rob said, "but there's only one question left in all this mess: Who was responsible for the forest fire in the first place?"
        "That's not all," added Mr. Peterson. "Why would someone do something this awful to begin with?"
        Those two questions were hard to answer, since the arsonist was still on the loose.
        As for Regina, she did not take more than a couple of steps when someone bumped a microphone in her face.  "What the--"
        "Well, well," said a male voice with sarcasm. "If it isn't the reporter who strongly--and stupidly--believes in the journalism code of ethics."
        She quickly recognized that terrible voice. "Tom Wilkins!? What are you doing here?"
        "Trying to get info on that little forest fire. You got any bits and pieces you wanna tell me?"
        "Tom, for your information, I was invited to lunch by the man who owns this house. He invited me to show his appreciation for the story I did of his adoption of the girl with no memory."
        "Oh, really? I guess there's nothing I can get out of them, can I?"
        "I've already warned them about you, loudmouth. Besides, your rotten rep's what's been getting you into so much trouble, isn't it?"
        "So, that's what people are after, good dirt!"
        "Maybe in the bigger cities, but not around here, pal. You are never going to get any info here because a lot of people still really don't know what happened in the forest last night."
        "Ha, we'll see about that!"
        "Suit yourself, Tom, but growing up here, I know how strong the people of Gurney, North Carolina, can be! So, why don't you scram, buddy-boy."
        "I will, for now, but don't expect me to give up so soon. I always get what I want!"
        "In your dreams. After all, everyone here knows about you being the 'Lemon' of reporters in the state." Regina then let out a good laugh.
        "You won't laugh at me when I get the truth about this story! Just wait and see, loser!"
        "We'll see who's the loser in the end."
        The blue-eyed blonde gentleman groaned in anger, since he was not getting anywhere in the story. And he had to report to his supervisors at the Upline show with an update. He took the rest of the day to consider what excuse to come up with for them.

Proceed forward to Part 4