Chapter 14
Zach came to in a white space. In fact, his first impression when he opened his eyes was "it's just like the void space in the games I like to play on my computer."
Zach cleaned his feet, checking himself for the injuries that he expected to have. To his surprise his skin didn't even have a mark. He expected that he would have some type of injury because of the fight that he had been in just before waking up. In fact, he wondered how he got here, when he had been fighting that individual in the Ombra forest.
I wonder where this is, and how did I get here."
"I summoned you here when it looked like you were going to fall to that fiend that you were facing".
Zack swung around at the voice he could hear. Looking over he was surprised to find someone that was very familiar to him. "Mom?"
The woman opened her arms. "Yes honey. It's me."
Zack fairly flung himself into his mother's arms. "We've all missed you" he said trying unsuccessfully to hold back the tears that he could feel falling from his eyes.
"I know honey" she said stroking his back. "And I'm so sorry that I had to leave you three behind. Did you find my journal?"
"Yeah" Zack said drying his eyes on his sleeve. "About half an hour before I set out on this journey."
"Then you know that I had to go with my friends or should I say my elemental team to take on a fiend that could control all six elements."
"That's what I don't understand mom. What are these elements?"
Sun smiled. "Get comfortable then" she said waving her hand making a couch appear. Zach settled down to listen to what his mom had to say.
"The six elements are light, air, water, shadow, earth, and fire. Each is indicated by a specific color."
"Light elementals are often called white elementals. That's because any attacks that they unleash that draw specifically on their elemental power come out as a white color. That's what you and I are. I don't know of any others, although my grandmother was one."
"The element of air is often indicated by those who like to wear green. They can quite honestly control every aspect of the air around them. And yes, that includes preventing somebody else from breathing. As I said in my journal, they are often very good at using a bow, or another type of firearm. But their most distinguishing feature is their grace. It is often said that the air elementals are the most dexterous of all the other types, and you'll find them often dodging things that they can't even see."
"The water elementals are indicated by the color blue. Like the air elementals control over air, the water elemental has control over water. They can swim to incredible deaths, have no need for any type of breathing apparatus, and can often use water to keep other people alive. They are often found to be singers, or blacksmiths. You'll often find them wielding a hammer or an ax if they have to go into combat."
Zach was smiling as he listened to his mother's words.
"Shadow elementals are actually the opposite of light elementals. However, that does not make them evil. Instead, they are found to be the Master of Technology. Because of this I expect there are a lot of them, especially in the central city nowadays. Though their attacks are often colored black, you will find that a shadow elemental is willing to fight alongside a light so long as they don't have to come in to contact with each other's attacks."
"Earth elementals witches are the opposite of air are often dressed in yellow. At least you'll often find that's their favorite color. They are the physically strongest of all the elemental types. Often able to slam their fist through solid steel, or even stone. They are the fastest runners on the teams and have absolute control of the ground under people's feet. They need to be careful not to be hit by air attacks though, as they take far more damage from it than others do."
"Last but not least the fire elementals. Often distinguished by the color red, these are the passionate elementals. You can often find them hanging out and taverns, as they love to gossip with people, and play games of chance. They naturally have control over the element of fire, and when not having fun, they have very short tempers. Unlike the earth elemental who uses a glove to fight with, or shadow elementals who use a dart or a javelin, the fire elementals will often use a spear or boomerang to attack."
Zack looked thoughtful for a second. "And you said you were on one of these teams once?"
"Indeed, I was sweetie, what are you thinking?"
"The day before I started this journey" Zach said settling himself more into the couch. "I had a very weird dream. I think I actually dreamed of when you and your friends went to take on the dark fiend."
The sun's eyes widened an alarm. "Are you sure?"
Zach nodded. "If I'm not mistaken since your code name is Sun, your air elemental friend was named Sky, your water elemental was named Storm, your shadow elemental was named Night, your earth elemental was named Nature, and your fire elemental which led your team through the tunnel in the mountain was named Torch."
Sun fairly fell onto the couch beside Zack. "How much did you see?"
Zach took note of the fact that his mom looked down. "Right up to the point where you, Nature, Night, and Torch left Sky and Storm behind at the first set of doors. I don't know what happened after that, and I don't know how you ended up here."
Sun side. "If you like sweetie, I will show you what happened after that point."
Zach studied his mother for a few minutes. "Apparently" he said "it's not a very pleasant memory."
Sun laughed. "That's putting it mildly" she said rising from the couch. "But I promise if you want to see, I will show you what happened."
"I think I would like to know," Zach said looking at his mother. "At least so I can tell Christine and Alain why you are no longer around."
Sun nodded, then walked over to a device that Zack had not seen before. It made him think of a projector, except that there was no screen, and he didn't see anywhere to put on a disk.
"This is known as a memory ball" Sun said tapping the side of the device. "It attaches to the head of whoever is trying to display a memory, and it will display the image of that memory in the air above in the center of their current location for everybody to see."
Zach frowned. "Isn't that a little big to attach to a person's head?"
Sun actually laughed. "Yeah, I thought the same thing the first time I saw it" she said reaching into the device and pulling out a helmet. "The answers are really simple. It's this helmet that attaches you to the memory ball."
Zack grinned and appreciated it. Sun placed the helmet on her head, then closed her eyes for a minute.
As Zach waited, he noticed the air around him starting to shimmer. Then without warning an image appeared above him in the air. Zach saw that it was the end of the dream that he himself had. Where Sky and Storm were taking on the skeletons as the others walked through the door.
As Torch led the other three through the next section of tunnel, they came across another pair of doors. However, unlike the last ones they had seen, these doors appeared to be locked.
"Should we see what's behind these?"
Sun stepped out of line and walking up to the doors seemed to project a beam from her ring towards the door. With a gasp she pulled back.
"There are prisoners in there" she said leaning against the wall. "They've been tortured significantly."
Night walked to the door on the opposite side of the hall and fired a black beam through the door. To her surprise she found that there were even more prisoners on this side. "We can't let them stay here, but if we let them out, they'll probably get killed by the skeletons out there."
Nature walked over to the door that Sun was leaning against. "If you two are willing to continue the task, torch and I could get the prisoner's out of here."
Night looked up. "Are you sure about that Nature?"
Nature nodded. "Our task is to not only take out the dark themed, but also save as many lives as we possibly can."
Torch Nodded. "From what I am sensing further down the tunnel, our powers won't be all that useful. So, it would be advantageous for us to help Sky and Storm to get any survivors out of here."
Sun straightened after breathing deeply for a couple of minutes. "All right" she said straightening to her full height. "Night and I will continue down the tunnel and do everything we can to take the dark fiend out. In the meantime, it will be up to the two of you to get those prisoners out of here and do whatever you can to make sure that Sky and Storm survive as well."
Nature and Torch saluted her. "Let's go" Torch said raising her right hand and firing a red beam at the lock on 1 of the doors.
As Nature and Torch set about freeing the prisoner's and hurting them back down the hall, the final two remaining women walked down the tunnel. After traveling around three corners and appearing to double back on themselves more than once, the two of them came to a solid steel door. That to Sun's and Night's surprise had runes engraved all along preventing an elemental from just blasting it open.
Night turned to her companion. "Think this is where he is?"
Her companion's side, but not it. "I think it's the only place he could be."
Raising their rings in unison they fired a white beam and a black beam that destroyed the doors lock. As they pushed it open, they saw the one they had come to destroy or steal. He took the form of a man. But both of them knew that he was only the container for a beast that could control all six elements. His power had not grown much since they had first heard of him, but they had not expected to have to face him so soon.
The dark fiend, as the two thought of him turned towards the two women. "Well, well well" he said, his voice rumbling like thunder. "Sun and Night. I wasn't sure you would even make it this far; however, I am pleased to see that I was wrong."
Sun raised her sword. "We will not allow you to plunge this world into darkness like you did the last three."
Night raised her javelin. "Your reign of terror ends here" she said pulling her arm back "one way, or another."
The dark fiend let off a booming cackle. TG and security failed to catch the table number on a file and accepted the wrong file for the table. "And you two believe that you have enough power to defeat me?"
Sun calmly walked forward. "We will not allow you to harm anybody else," she said.
"Very well" the fiend said stepping down off of his throne. "Come and meet your death"
Sun began launching barrages of light at the fiend, who just stood there absorbing the power as she lost it. Night walked behind her, then seemed to melt into the shadows. Not having to keep an eye on the two of them anymore, the fiend started firing black beams back at sun.
Every time one came Close Sun simply destroyed it with one of her own beans and continued to fire back at the fiend.
"One of these has got to get through" she muttered to herself. "We can't allow this thing to get out and unleash destruction on the world."
Since the friend was seemingly distracted, Night popped up and fired her own black beams back. It didn't seem to do any good however, as he simply absorbed that power as well.
"What part of control all six elements did you not understand" he said yawning. "I can absorb anything that you throw at me, and I can return the opposite as well."
So, saying the fiend fired white beans out of one hand and black out of the other.
Without a thought the two women simply crossed paths absorbing the beam that matched their own color.
"This is getting us nowhere Sun" knight said dodging a white bean and absorbing the black one.
"I'm afraid you're right" Sun said absorbing a white beam and launching a meteorite at the fiend. "I need time" she said glancing at Night.
"You're not going to use that are you?"
Do you have any other ideas" she said absorbing another white beam.
Night shook her head in frustration. "No" she said, her teeth grinding. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."
Sun smiled as she absorbed another white beam and began to glow. "I'm counting on you to make sure that my ring gets back to my family Night" she said absorbing another white beam, then ducking under a black one.
"Can't we find another path" Night said plaintively. "Then you can take your room back to your family yourself."
"You know I would like nothing better Night" Sun said ducking all the black beams that the fiend was just sending at her continuously. Night stepped in front of Sun and started absorbing the black beams without comment.
Realizing that his black attack was being blocked, the fiend switched back to white. Without a pause Night ducked out of the way and ducked behind the Sun again. Sun continued to absorb the white beams that were fired at her.
"Very well Sun" Night said sighing. "I'll buy you as much time as I can, but I want to go on record as saying I don't agree with this."
"Duly noted Night" Sun said. "And if this doesn't do what we think it does, I'll step down and you can find another white elemental."
"That's the problem" Night said launching her own attacks to block the fiend's attacks. "We know it's going to do what it's supposed to do. And I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye to my cousin."
"I feel the same way Marie, but we must seal this guy away until somebody stronger than us can take him on."
There was no more talking between the two girls, as Night used her own powers to knock out the black beams that the fiend was sending, and just simply ducked away from the white ones. Whenever he started launching streams of white attacks, Sun simply stood in the way and absorbed every single one. He tried to get clever, however, he mixed up black attacks with his white ones. One came very close to hitting Sun, but she ducked at the last possible instant causing the black one to miss, and causing the white one that was directly behind it to be absorbed by Sun.
Sun by this time began to glow pure white. Looking all over the world like a supernova. In fact, Night had to start ducking out of her range because the light was hurting her eyes.
"It's now or never Sun" she said.
Nodding Sun raised her hands in a crosswise pattern. "Elemental lifestyle" she hissed aiming her right hand at the fiend, and her left at her own chest.
The fiend suddenly, realizing the danger that he was in, launched a wave of black attacks trying to knock the sun out before she could complete her task. Night, however, simply launched a wall that absorbed all of the attacks.
Sun began to glow even brighter. This also made it more difficult to see the fact that a cross appeared on her chest and launched out of her right hand. The fiend was so focused on hitting her with one of his attacks, that he didn't see the cross approaching him until it was too late. The cross slammed into the fiend's chest, and the two were suddenly connected.
"What do you think this is going to do" he said sneering at Sun and Night. "I told you I can absorb any attack that you send at me."
"A lot of good that'll do you" Night said backing away from the wall. "Especially since we're not sending energy at you, but rather forming a prison."
The fiend found that suddenly he couldn't launch any attacks, but to his delight Sun suddenly dropped to the floor lifeless.
"I may be sealed" he said laughing maniacally. "But so is your leader."
Night looked over to Sun in surprise, and saw that she was still breathing, but she was giving off no power at all. "I don't like it" she said staring the friend down. "But I accept her sacrifice to hold you back long enough for her descendent to come forth and kick your backside into the next millennium."
With that Night bent down, and with a glove removed the ring from Suns hand. Her body vanished in a sparkle of light, and turning Night walked out of the cave.
"And so now you are stuck here?"
Sun nodded. "When I placed the life seal on the fiend it drained my power and sent me here."
"What did Night mean by her descendent growing powerful enough to take on that fiend. I couldn't even take on a fiend that knocked me out in the forest."
"She was right about you" Sun said settling back on the couch after placing the helmet back in the device. "But you can't do it alone. However, just like I did you will have to earn the right to lead a team. Even though you are an elemental as I am, that does not automatically make you a team leader. Even if you found a team, the elemental power will not respond to you if you do not take the trials."
"What trials" Zack said looking around. He was surprised when four doors appeared, one on each wall that he hadn't seen before.
"The trials through one of those doors" Sun said with a smile. "You will need to go to each trial behind one of these doors. However, the catch here is I have no idea what door leads to which trial. You will have to decide the order that you take the trials in, without knowing the trials ahead of time."
"Are they always the same 4 trials?"
Sun smiled. "Yes" she said relaxing back. "There's the trial of knowledge, the trial of courage, the trial of chivalry, and the trial of compassion. However, as I said I don't know which door leads to witch trial, so I Can't tell you where to go first."
Zach nodded, closed his eyes, and spun in a slow circle. His hand was up, finger pointed out. When he stopped, he opened his eyes and looked at the door that his finger was pointing at. "Looks like I'm going to be taking this trial first" he said shrugging his shoulders.
Sun smiled at Zack. "Then I wish you luck on your first trial Zack" she said rising from the couch and embracing him. "You'll have to go through these trials alone, and so when you come back, I will no longer be here. I will, however, see you again once you complete all four trials. Good luck my son."
Zack hugged his mother one more time, and turning walked straight to the door and without pausing opened it and stepped through.