Goraldia: The Element Wielders

11: Sendoff

I wake up to Max shaking me. I apparently slept far longer than Frominon had expected. Regardless, There was still plenty of breakfast food, warm and ready. I sit down and enjoy two large fried eggs and a bread food like a waffle. I wonder what animal the eggs came from. I notice Max was given more feminine clothes, but still ready for anything. After the Breakfast, Frominon sets us up with our gear, and hands me a map, showing me where our path would take us. It looked simple, but I could not be more wrong.

We all step onto the elevator and it takes us down. Once on ground floor, Max, Yrisi, Frominon, and I walk through town to the main gate. "Once far enough away, you need to send another lightning beacon. You are missing three and there was another transport over night," Frominon instructs us. I reply, "I guess I should inform you that Icarus and I already ran into Airic. He's been corrupted. That's all I know about the people here." Frominon says to us, "I see." Then he gets his usual charm back. "Then gather the two others and be on your way to collect the essences and relics."

"Will do, Frominon. It's been a pleasure to meet you," I say in our goodbyes. They would not be our last.

"Thanks for everything, From," Max tells him.

"You are very welcome, and it has been a pleasure to meet you, too. Keep Yrisi safe," Frominon says.

We wave as we walk off. Turning around, we hear Frominon saying to himself, "From. That's new." We head in the direction of the first and closest item on the map, the first essence of the gods. Our walk through the plains was a long one. It took till mid afternoon. Once there we enter a temple dedicated to a god. There wasn't much inside, besides a few statues. There was no essence here.

"Where is it?" Max asks.

"I don't know," I respond.

"The essence should be right here. Why isn't it here? The temple is full of life, so it has to be here, but it isn't," Yrisi explains in confusion.

"While you guys work this out, I'm gonna create another beacon," I tell both of them.

"We'll be in here," Max says, redundantly.

I head outside the columns of the temple and walk away a good ways, then set my stance. I have gained a lot of energy from the last beacon, but I did that up on a mountain; I was standing in the middle of the plains. Ok, let's see how strong I am, I think. I once again close my eyes and shut off my senses. My energy begins to charge, much faster than before. Soon I had created the same energy as before, but it wouldn't be enough. More energy is poured into the beacon, until I think the amount will suffice. I raise my arms and unleash the blast. The plasma courses out of me and into the sky. It takes longer, but at it's speed, barely any longer. Once again I call the lightning outward, and it obeys my command. Out the lightning spreads, across the plains and into other biomes I am unaware of. I let the beacon go on for a short time. I have gained quite the amount of power, but I still drain quickly. Seeming satisfied with the distance spread, I let the beacon go. Off the rest of the lightning spreads, crackling all the way.

Once out of sight I head back into the temple. "Find anything?" I ask. 

"The essence showed itself once you unleashed the beacon. I think it reacts to power," Max informs me.

"One has to be worthy of the essence," Yrisi remembers. "You are worthy."

"I... am?" I say confused.

"The essence has rejected both me and Max. You should be able to absorb it."

"Absorb it. I wasn't told about any absorbing."

"Just do it," Max pushes.

"Ok, ok. Um, where is it?" I ask

"Over this way," Yrisi instructs. I follow her to an altar with a glowing blue orb. It looked like fire that doesn't obey gravity. Wisps floating around inside the orb. I walk up to it slowly, and, not really knowing what I was supposed to do, I hold out my hands to it. The orb ignores both hands. I wait there for it to do something. It did not.

"What? Do you need an invite or somethin'?" I ask futily. after a moment I sigh. "I accept you," I say, expecting no response. instead the orb starts to move towards me. But the orb had 'bursted' on the nearest point. the broken edge moved gingerly to me before speeding up. As the first bit of the essence enters my body, actually more like spirit, the orb speeds up and is soon engulfed in me. All the energy I lost from the beacon has been restored. "I guess it did need an invite." 

I come back out with Yrisi to find Max with another girl. We found another. "God, I wish Icarus was with us," I think out loud, which makes Max and the girl turn to me. 

"Ace, this is Ophelia," Max tells me. "She and I have been talking for a long time."

"What do you mean? How could you have met her before?" I prod.

"I haven't. You've just been inside the temple for an hour or so."

"What? No, it was only a minute," I assure her with an unnerved smile.

"The sun is near the horizon. You can't tell me that happened in a minute."

I look at the lighting. Everything is darker. More orangy. I had been in there for hours. "Wow.... I guess we should get going now."

We head off, four of us now with a carrier automaton, to the next objective. At this rate, everything should be very easy. I still wish Icarus were here with us. Unbenounced to me, the journey will get exponentially more difficult. Not only did I want Icarus here, but I would need him.