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7 days of winter solstice: day 2: the elements (1)
-keep the Artely potions and don't forget to use them when needed, good luck to you on your upcoming visit to Stilitra"
...
Alan floated towards Stilitra, the elders helped guide him direction wise. When he arrived, he saw one of the sub islands and after he got closer, he saw part of the main island from afar. He landed on the sub island and everyone that saw him was shocked of his floating. Everyone started whispering to each other, then one person approached him, he was dressed just like the human Buddhist monks.
"What are you?" The old man asked
"I am Alan, my spirit is called Velta. We came here to learn about the elements. In which sub island am I?
-the air island. And you seem to have already mastered the air element, as floating is a sign of complete mastery. Only two airshifters in our documented history have been able to achieve it. Come back with me to the air temple, we need to discover what kind of spirit holds this power.
-my spirit is a Yawthom spirit
-is it? That's...impossible. Only the gods are at the Yawthom level
-test me."
...
"..but..how, you are a Yawthom spirit.
-I told you so
-How did you achieve it?
-you see, I have a very unique ability, and it's that I'm able to learn any form of magic from any type of native, unlike most of you here who can only learn one type. Through countless hours of training and attempts of perfection, I have reached this level. I have come to Stilitra to learn about the elements. How can I do so?
-the closest you can get to an element is by talking to its balancer.
-balancers?
-yes, the five elemental balancers, sometimes called guardians; Shango, Oya, Yemoja, Asase Ya, Ala, the respective balancers of the fire, air, water, earth, and void elements.
-there's five elements? I thought there's only four. And who are the balancers? What do they do?
-the fifth element is so strong no current shifter of it exists, only its balancer does. Elemental balancers are the half body half spirit creatures that hold the responsibility of maintaining the elements' existence. They protect it from extinction, and try to also regulate its use and only allow it to be used for the good of the masses. If you really want to learn about the elements, talk to their balancers.
-and where can I find them?
-in the middle of the elemental volcanos. To reach each, you need to display complete mastery of the element, the volcano will test you, and if it deems you deserving, it will open its innards, revealing the throne room of the balancer.
-but wouldn't meeting the balancers grant me knowledge that will turn me into a master? How do they expect me to be a master before meeting them?
-in order to be deserving to know about the absolute truths of the element, you need to have already discovered it yourself, so the volcano's test is a confirmation of whether you went through the strenuous journey of discovery or not.
-then I guess my safest bet is to start with the earth element, since I master it the most out of the rest. Thank you for your guidance.
...
Alan floated towards the earth volcano. When he landed on it and looked down, he saw the symbol of the earth element carved on the insides of it; an upside down triangle with a line in the middle.
The earth volcano spoke: "who dares disturb the earth element's guardian
-I do, my name is Alan, I came here to learn about the earth element
-learn? Get through my test first"
The earth's magma suddenly errupted and floated up, then directed itself at Alan, he shifted a chunk of the ground up creating a shield with it, but the shield he created melted upon contact and turned into magma too, then started heading towards him
"If you think you are a true earthshifter, you need to show that you are able to manipulate the element at its most impure and unstable states, which include metal, and lava" the volcano said
A guenara rock glowed inside of Alan's pocket, and he quickly drank an Ite potion to amplify its effects. He stopped the magma with a rock wall and curved its edges to put the lava down.
"Very well, you have earned the right to speak to the earth element, come inside"
The volcano's inside opened to reveal a room, Alan got inside then the ceiling closed.
The room was lit by magma lines coming from the wall and cooling down into a cavity inside of the ground.
"In order to speak to the earth element's guardian, you need to close your eyes, and disassociate from your body, as only the soul can talk to the guardians"
Velta did as told, and she disassociated from Alan. Suddenly she heard a voice
"Welcome, Velta.
-Asase Ya, I am so honoured to be graced by your presence.
-you indeed are. I haven't had a visitor in one hundred and fifty years. Even Sov doesn't visit me anymore
-did he outgrew you?
-quite the contrary, he drowned in envy and greed so much he forgot about his spiritual needs, his spirit weakened, so did Qyn's
-how do you know?
-I am earth's guardian, guardian of the sand they built their lands on, the rocks they carved into thrones, the stones they shaped into scepters. I am connected to them, and will always be.
-tell me, what should I know about the earth element.
-the earth element is stubborn, you have to be as hard as a rock, fierce, and mentally unbreakable, in order to properly handle the earth element. Put armour of steel over your heart and shift earth, control it, or else it will control you. Throughout history, the first rockshifters were named the Steady Terraformers, direct ancestors of our native shifters, the Steadies, and partial ancestors of the praying Terraformers. The Steady Terraformers acquired their ability by connecting to the ground, feeling it on a level nobody had been able to feel before. Being able to tell where every small hole is, without ever seeing it. The steady terraformers were blind, their only way to connect with the ground was to feel it, they had no other choice. They felt it, as if it was not something on its own but rather an extension of their bodies, and that's when they learned how to control it for their benefit. You need to feel the earth, you need to work with it not on it, I know you mortals have a love towards possessions, but you need to view the earth as your equal, not your property. Now that I have taught you about how to feel the element, I will test you for one last time before I eject you out. Get ready."
Suddenly, all of the room got filled with lava and magma, Alan had to feel the little earth particles in the magma, after he felt them, she shifted them and cooled them down to harden them.
"Congratulations, you have survived the earth element's test, the fire element awaits you"
Alan got ejected out of the volcano
"The fire element?"
...