A voice echoed through the leafs. {One who bears Gemini Lilies in his soul? Could he be the experiment the four main elemental kings were hoping to create?}
Jericho looked up. {Glaw, did you say something?}
{No I did not. What is it that you heard?} Glaw replied.
Jericho tried thinking back to the strange words he heard. {Something about Lilies and an experiment?} He replied confused.
{Ah yes. I suspected they would find out.}
{Who find out what?} Jericho felt really confused.
{Jericho, I was originally hoping to keep this a secret longer, but your existence is something the other types of elementals have been expecting. You probably didn't notice but we have actually been in wood elemental territory for a while. The wood elementals are peaceful enough and blend with the plants in the forest that they are rarely hunted or even found. They have been by a few times but seem to be speaking only now.}
{Now I am curious. Thankfully I'm not a cat like Ken is.} Jericho mildly joked.
{I think you are making a joke, but I don't get it.}
{I'll explain it another time. You were saying?}
Glaw drooped. {Do you remember the Gemini Lilies I gave you with your elemental core?}
Jericho nodded. {Yeah, what about it?}
{Let me explain the context first. Eternity is a long time. So, we elementals can end up bored. The Elemental Kings of the four main elements agreed to try an experiment of sorts to alleviate some of that boredom.}
Jericho nodded, thinking that eternity was quite a long time to live.
{Of course, experimenting is better than wreaking havoc upon the world like last time... We were wondering if it was possible to have a creature that was all 8 of the natural elements. The main four came up with the idea and the other elementals agreed. We, the water elementals, chose you to be our first experiment. I came along with you as a representative of the water elementals to help with negotiations.}
{Wait… You wanted me to become all the elements? Is that why I was given 18 Lilies? If I recall correctly only one was consumed.} Jericho inquired before confirming it with his detailed status page.
{Are you against the idea? It would be considered very helpful to you if you were. Of course we don't know what will happen if you do become more than one elemental at the same time or what will happen once you become all eight, but that is what makes this so fascinating.}
{Well, I guess the other elementals would have skills that are useful to me as a musician right?}
{Indeed they would. We originally planned on giving you eight lilies but your sister picked more than enough for us to give you more of them.}
Jericho thought for a bit. {I think i understand thanks Glaw. Can you tell me about the 8th element now? I recall Wind, Fire, Earth, Water, Electricity, Crystal, and Wood but you never told me the eighth.}
{The eighth element is a bit more ambiguous to mortal minds and there is not much mortal magic related to it. The element that is represented by the northwest is Aether. As you humans would put it, the ethereal and nethereal lie between death and chaos. The Aether lies between water and wind. There is a reason mortals sometimes refer to this element as Limbo. When an undying adventurer like yourself dies, they eject the Aether element from their body to reform a new body later. The Aether is the element that fills in the gaps of mater in your human body. Meeting an Aether elemental is rare and will be the hardest challenge in completing the experiment.}
Jericho frowned. {So, it is basically the soul element?}
{Well, I guess you could call it that but the Aether elementals would be quite irritated to hear you call it that since it is not entirely accurate.}
The bard nodded. {Then why give me 18 Gemini Lilies? Wouldn't 8 have been enough?}
Glaw gave a nod. {Indeed. The extra ten are just for insurance. That and you may get to meet the unnatural elementals which come from other unique sources of power like Light, Dark, Unholy, and Void Elementals. I doubt we could convince them to participate in the experiment but you never know. During our journey you may run across a terrible situation you cannot avoid. They may save your life. If we only had eight then if one were to be consumed prematurely then the experiment couldn't be completed.}
Jericho shook his head. {Wow, I had no idea you all had such extensive plans for me.}
{Well, you had things to get done and you never asked why we would make you a water elemental in the first place.}
{I see, so earlier you mentioned elemental kings?} Jericho half questioned.
Glaw gave a nod. {Indeed I did. Tier 4 elementals like Llyn are known as Elemental Lords. While it is hard to reach that stage, it isn't so uncommon. However breaking through to Tier 5 is extremely hard. These rare Tier 5 elementals are known as the Elemental Kings. Unless something very special happens to allow a breakthrough, an elemental will never grow past that state of growth. In the entire history of the natural world, none of us have ever broken through that barrier. Part of our curiosity is to see if creating an existence with all the elements would allow such a breakthrough.}
Jericho frowned in thought. {So, an elemental King is the highest stage for an elemental? There are limits?}
The water elemental nodded once more. {Every creature has its racial limits. Unless something happens to allow a breakthrough, their skill line will stop. If you are a success, and are able to grow to tier 6, you will be the highest ranked elemental in the world and will likely become our new ruler. Because of this, we couldn't choose any random human, we had to find a human that thought similarly to an elemental.} Glaw interrupted.
{I see, becoming all the elements or becoming your ruler is not my goal. However, I will continue with your plan because of the skills that will help my musical goals.}
{That is what I expected. I do not plan on forcing our will upon you. I have grown to enjoy watching you make your choices.}
Jericho touched his mouth. {Huh. So all of you are wanting to see if I can break through to a stage of elemental none of you have ever broken through before. I could see why that would be fascinating to things that have lived forever.}
{Yes,} Glaw replied. {We already know many methods for most creatures to break through their racial limitations but we have yet to discover any means to break through our own. The side effect of trying to break through your own racial restrictions is being blind to your own potential.}
Jericho laughed. {I have heard people say similar things when it comes to spirituality. Can you explain one of these limitations and breakthrough methods for me?}
{Alright, take two of your everyday animals for example. A rat is a Tier 1 creature. Unless it undergoes some sort of mutation like a growth effect, it will remain a rat. If for example you gave it a growth effect it could then break through the barrier and become a Tier 2 dire-rat.
For the next example I will use a coyote. A Tier 1 coyote is a pup while a Tier 2 coyote is an adult. Within the adult coyotes there are many sub-categories and trait specific creatures but that is their natural limit. Unless they can break, change, or add to the title of animal, that is as far as they will go…}
***
Ken and Lux stared at the ghostly lynx figure that floated above them. They still had pieces of the shattered treasure box in their claws.
(Greetings young ones,) the aged ghost said with a nod. (Congratulations on opening the box. A long time ago, lynxes started to lose their true power. I sealed away my power in this box in order to bring that power back. The two of you are worthy to inherit my power.)
Ken looked excited. This was basically a special event to make lynxes stronger and he was lucky enough to have experienced enough misfortune to be a part of it. (Greetings elder,) Ken replied.
Lux copied his older brother's actions.
(Come closer and look at what was being stored inside the box. Your inheritance is there.)
The two adult lynxes came closer.
Ken looked at the moist yellow amber looking stones.
(Lyngurium?) Lux asked, thinking that he had created plenty of it on his own. (Why is the secret treasure only this stone? I carried these around for so long. I thought my treasure was special.) Lux laid down depressed. (I thought the secret treasure was something really awesome. I'm disappointed that it is something so lame. Ken why did you have to help me open the box? It was better not knowing what was in it.)
The old lynx laughed. (Indeed these are Lyngurium stones. However, these ones are special. They are tier 4 Spirit Beast Lyngurium stones. You don't have to be sad because you will become a much stronger lynx with these. These contain my spiritual essence and can awaken your own spiritual power.)
Ken looked excited. (How do we gain the inheritance?)
(To the point then, you must swallow one or both of the two Lynguriums of Truth and try to keep it down. The longer you can keep it inside of you the more power I can pass onto you. If you are successful in absorbing all my power then it will be even better.)
Lux looked ill. (Swallow a Lyngurium stone? There is no way I am doing that. You are a gross old ghost that should go away. No lynx in their right mind would ever swallow it.)
The old ghost looked confused. (What is wrong? Do you not know that the most effective way to pass on our power to another one of our kind is through this stone? What is the problem?)
Ken was confused and started laughing. (Lux, I thought you were a brave Lynx. It is only swallowing a stone. It isn't like he is asking you to swallow one of his hairballs.)
The ghostly lynx chuckled. (I did consider that option, but Lyngurium is luckier and a much better vessel for spiritual power.)
(Ignorant former human of an older brother,) Lux muttered. (You wouldn't be so casual about it if you knew.) His voice was progressively getting quieter.
The ghostly lynx looked surprised. (Wait, he was formally a human? Truly? How unusual, not that it matters too much. The conditions remain the same. In order to pass on the inheritance you must swallow one or both.)
Lux grimaced as he slowly approached what he viewed as a disgusting object. (Nope! They're both yours.) He looked up at the ghost. (Do you have something else?)
(I do.) The old ghostly lynx pulled out a strange green cloth. (If you want my other power accept this.)
Lux used his mouth to snag the cloth. (What is it?) He asked as the green cloth encompassed his head briefly.
Ken looked over at the old ghostly lynx. (What did you just give him?)
The old ghost laughed. (It is a special hat that used to belong to a very heroic lynx. It is a semi-bound object that has some cool abilities. Now are you going to swallow the Lyngurium?)
© J Eranoth