Chapter 30: Convergence
Darius stood with his eyes fixed on the darkened sky. Around him, wind howled and mana raged. "There is no way I can survive this," he stated, facing the disaster.
Darius spun, scanning his surroundings, "There has to be more to this!"
A streak of light split the darkness. Moments later, the air trembled with a sharp, unexpected boom. The sound of surging energy swelled, growing ever closer.
"Alright, I was in the library, absorbing mana to activate my tattoos, then I woke up here." His gaze widened at the sight of the approaching elements. "OK, OK, OK!"
The columns of wind merged with the ground, picking up rock debris and water, creating massive water spouts and swirling tornadoes laden with boulders.
His words were hurried while he frantically paced. "Assuming I'm inside myself right now, this is a reaction from my tattoo's, these are the manifestations of the element's entering my body."
"So if that is all true...." Darius's hands gripped his hair as he closed his eye's.
'Comon! If thats all true, then....'
Darius's furious pacing abruptly stopped, his face eased into serenity. Eyes opened wide, and with a voice steady and clear, he announced, "then there is nowhere to run."
Gently, he lowered himself to the ground, settling into a seated position.
Darius gazed unwaveringly at the tidal wave advancing toward him. "I have nothing to fear, for water forms the very core of my being."
"Water is my ally, my protector. It possesses the power to give life, and thus, it holds no dominion over me until I deem it so. It shall only claim me when I surrender, ready to merge once more with the cycle of creation and dissolution."
Like an ant beneath an elephant's foot, Darius observed the mountainous wave descend upon him.
Water exploded around him, throwing spray high into the air. The water surged, twisted, and roared, forming whirlpools and waves that crashed against each other with thunderous force.
Amidst this destruction, Darius was a silent anchor, the water's fury swirling, breaking, and flowing around him without moving him an inch.
Darius's voice emerged from the maelstrom, strong and clear, "This is the essence of my being. Water, in its endless cycle, represents both beginning and end. Here, enveloped in its embrace, I stand at the heart of creation, an arbiter of life, and death."
As the mana coursed through and over him, it became a part of him, reinforcing his resolve and deepening his bond with the element, it was clear: Darius was not just withstanding the wave; he was one with it.
A terrifying whirlpool formed, its roar echoing, reminiscent of a dragon's bellow. Lightning streaked from the dark clouds above, momentarily igniting the void. The flashes exposed numerous waterspouts, each carrying massive rocks, spinning and colliding, sending ripples of energy through the air.
The dark void turned battlefield was suddenly split by a beam of bright blue light. It surged from the whirlpool's core, illuminating everything, pushing back the raging waters. In the aftermath, Darius was revealed, standing at the heart of the turmoil.
While the other elements remained unchecked, the water halted around Darius. Instantly, every molecule of water converged on him, drawn into his presence. Darius's aura flared, mimicking the spray of a mighty waterfall. Directly to his chest, the water mana streamed, magically reconstructing the water tattoo. It pulsed with life, casting a mystical glow akin to moonlight rippling over dark waters.
"Stop hiding and come forward," Darius called out, his voice echoing through the void with undeniable authority.
The chaos of the remaining elements persisted for a moment longer. Then, piercing the noise, a raspy voice of a young woman whispered directly to Darius, "this one is different." The wind seemed to touch him gently, making his hair whip about as if caught in a playful storm. "I think he's cute."
The storm that filled the void, the raging elements and debris, dissolved into nothingness. The darkness lightened, revealing a clear, calm white space.
A young boy's voice, dripping with disdain, pierced the silence around Darius, "He's old," accompanied by a sudden spike in temperature enveloping him. "Ugly too!"
"He is still a child Agni," intervened a old man's voice, deep and resonant.
Lightning slammed into the earth before Darius, a brilliant flash preceding thunder that ripped across the void.
When Darius's vision cleared, a towering humanoid figure loomed before him, reaching a height of three meters. Its long arms dangled down to its knees, and despite its slender frame, its muscles were pronounced, sculpted. The entity's skin, a pale shade of grey, shimmered under the light, giving off a crystalline glow. Completely devoid of hair except for a cascade of purple strands that fell straight from its scalp, the creature's physique bore no signs of gender. Notably, its face remained featureless—devoid of eyes, nose, or mouth. Electricity flickered and danced around the newcomer, highlighting it's strange form.
A low hum of static filled the air as the creature leaned forward, towering over Darius. "Mmmmmmm," an unsettling vibration seemed to come directly from its being.
"Not what I was expecting," Darius remarked slowly, his gaze lifting to confront the featureless face. "You must be?"
"Please forgive Kidlat, he doesn't talk," came a nurturing voice suddenly beside him.
'When did she approach?' Scanning his surroundings, he only found Kidlat's towering presence, with no one else in sight.
"No need to fear, dear, we've already bonded," the comforting voice resonated beside Darius once more. "Let me reveal myself," followed by a soft laugh from the unseen speaker.
Water flowed from the tattoo on Darius's chest, gathering and swirling in the air before him. Gradually, the droplets merged, crafting the silhouette of a figure that shimmered with the tranquil colors of the deep sea. As the form solidified, it revealed a merwoman, her features soft and inviting. She bore a gentle smile, her turqoise eyes alight with a quiet understanding and warmth that drew Darius's gaze. Her white hair literally cascaded like a waterfall, catching phantom light and casting serene reflections around them. The merwoman's tail flickered through the air, the blue scales catching light with every subtle movement, mirroring the calm of still waters. Watching her, Darius felt an inexplicable sense of calm and safety.
Darius reached for the tattoo on his chest, offering a genuine smile. "Thank you for your earlier guidance," he said, inclining his head respectfully towards the merwoman.
From beside Kidlat, flames of deep crimson surged upward, giving way to a boy with golden hair and strikingly fair features, his eyes a vivid red. Clad in white and gold suit reminiscent of royalty, Agni stepped forward from the fire. He aimed an accusatory finger at the merwoman, declaring, "I knew you ratted! There is no way he wasn't scared," his chest swelling with pride as he spoke.
Next to Darius, the merwoman's voice carried a gentle firmness, "There truly was no call for further teasing; he has clearly shown he is not like to those mages, and furthermore, technically, I did not say anything," As she encircled Darius, her tone softened, "I am called Maguayan, and we find ourselves deeply intrigued by your origin child," her eyes meticulously appraising him as she gracefully swam around.
Agni's fiery gaze sharpened as he scrutinized Darius, "Yes, and how did you trick the young ones into following you?"
"Young ones?" Darius echoed, confusion flitting across his face. Before he could ponder further, the ground under him shook with sudden ferocity.
As the void's silence was shattered, the ground itself rebelled, splitting wide open. From this chasm, a colossus began to rise, not of flesh and blood but of the earth itself. Massive chunks of rock and dense clods of earth, bound together by a network of thick, gnarled roots, converged into a giant bear-like creature. Each movement caused stones and dirt to shift, roots to tighten and flex.
As it rose, towering above, its body bore countless scars etched into its stone and soil, crisscrossing its rocky hide. These scars glowed faintly, lines of energy that pulsed with the bear's every breath.
Then, from the emptiness of the void, a figure of green and white wind mana appeared, shaping itself into the form of a young woman entirely composed of swirling currents and breezes. Her appearance was ethereal, defined by the constant motion of air that seemed to weave and dance around her. This air-made woman had no solid features, yet her presence was undeniably feminine, her contours shifting and reforming with each gust. Wisps of air acted as strands of green hair, floating and fluttering around her head, while her gaze, though lacking physical eyes, seemed focused and alive.
"I, am Barrond, warden of the Lithic Bastion," the voice, gravelly and deep as before, emanated from the towering bear form as it fixed its gaze on Darius. "Please forgive Agni, as you have noticed he is a bit...hot-headed," the words rumbled forth, a slow, deliberate smile forming across the bear's maw.
A collective groan resonated from the other elements. Agni, with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, shook his head. "How many times do we have to hear that one?"
"I don't care where he came from, the only thing that matters is can he do it?" The intensity in the wind lady's voice marked a sharp change from her earlier friendly tone.
'These guys are a bunch of weirdos,' Darius moved a step back, 'I need to make sure I don't get tangled up in whatever "it" is. I just need to figure out how to get out of this,' Darius thought as he scanned his surroundings.
The void's charged atmosphere buzzed as the elements converged, their distinct presences swirling around Darius. Agni, flames licking the air around him, paced with youthful impatience. "But why did he summon us? There's a trick, there must be!" His voice crackled like firewood, his gaze sharp on Darius.
"Your essence, child, it's unfamiliar, yet not entirely so. From whence do you hail?" Maguayan's voice flowed soothingly, yet carried an undercurrent of earnest inquiry.
Barrond let out a low rumble, his rocky form shifting with a semblance of mirth. "Perhaps he's just got that magnetic personality, eh?" A grin crept across his stony face, though the joke landed with a thud, met by groans from the others.
The wind element, her form a whirlwind of beauty and fierceness, flickered between moods like the wind itself. One moment, she playfully circled Darius, her voice teasing, "you can call me, Ayowyn." The next, her tone sharpened, "But seriously, what's your deal?"
Kidlat remained silent, his featureless face tilting side to side at Darius, sparks of electricity arcing across his skin.
Darius, amidst this strange scene, took another step back. His eyes darted between his unusual interrogators, seeking an opening or an answer to quell the rising storm of questions. He remained silent, letting the elements' personalities unfold before him, each interaction a clue to their nature and their possible motives.
Agni's impatience bubbled over, "Enough with the bad jokes, Barrond! We need answers!" His aura flaring as he glared at the earth bear.
Maguayan gently interjected, her voice a calming wave, "Patience, Agni. Understanding comes not from haste." Her eyes remained fixed on Darius as she spoke.
Barrond chuckled, undeterred, "Ah, but humor is the soil from which comprehension grows!"
Ayolyn's form coalesced into a more defined shape, "we're not here for jests. Boy," she said, her voice carrying the weight of the winds, "reveal your purpose among us."
Darius, caught in the eye of this elemental storm, weighed his words carefully. His situation was precarious, surrounded by beings of immense power and unpredictable temperaments. "I'm...just trying to understand," he began tentatively, his voice steady but his posture ready.
The elements paused, their collective attention now fully on Darius.
"First I do not know how you were all summoned," Darius began, pausing to clear his throat. "But I suspect it was due to my technique, for which I am deeply sorry. You must know, I have no ill intentions." His expression softened, eyes widening slightly.
"Cut the bad acting; you shouldn't act like some human child when it's obvious you're not one. Now, tell us the truth." Agni's glare intensified, his eyes a fiery red. He raised his hand, conjuring a sphere of flame. The sudden spike in temperature made even Darius shift uncomfortably. "What are you?! Why pretend to be human, and how did you summon an elemental king?!"
'Fuck! Elemental kings?!' Darius felt beads of sweat form. 'What should I say? It feels like one wrong word and I'll have to fight my way out of here,' he thought, slowly tapping into the mana stored in his bones.
"Tch, stupid," Agni's grin bore no warmth as he hurled the fireball towards Darius. The moment it left his grasp, it swelled to match the earth bear in size.
Darius stood immobilized, the distance too short for any form of escape. The air around him crackled as the fireball approached, a deep, roaring hiss filling the void.
Darius's expression hardened. 'I can't die here!' Urgently, he surged his water mana to its peak, flooding his palms. They brightened, casting a glow akin to sunlight filtering through a cresting wave.
In those final moments, the sharp, acrid scent of singed hair began to permeate the air as his skin tightened. Darius could do nothing but watch as his unjust end hurtled toward him.