The Elementalists: Dawn of Shady Schemes

Chapter 7

  In the middle of the night, I suddenly felt a jolt of energy, and awoke with a start. Although, I wasn't able to have any vocal control. I wondered why...

I was directed out of our den by silent communication. I felt her emotions, and recognized her wanting to leave. I followed her, confused and curious.

She led me out on a clearing of tall grass.

Where are you? I asked. I couldn't sense where she was, exactly.

The grass suddenly glowed a bright turquoise, and began to shorten in height. Standing almost on the opposite side of the clearing where I was standing, she stood, eyes glowing a bright turquoise.

Creepy, yet cool.

She approached me as her eyes faded, and seated before me. I sat down, which seemed to be a necessity.

Our first lesson, she began. To be able to learn how to summon the spiritual element.

You sound like one of my old elemental professors... I said.

She chuckled. That's the point. Atlas seemed to extract small blue ribbons from dead blades of grass. They all formed into a ball of swirling turquoise ribbons.

These little tiny ribbons represent the spirit of every living thing, including humans, animals, and even plants. As you can see, I extracted the spirits from this dead grass. She nodded her head towards the lifeless, brown grass. They are truly dead now, because they're soul-less.

I thought things had to be... I don't know, not breathing to be dead... I said.

When they can't physically breath or function no longer, think of them as if they're in a mental coma. Atlas said. When you extract the spirit from their body, they're technically and truly dead, then. That is, unless you summon them.

And how do you do that?

I felt Atlas's amusement. Simple, you just politely ask them to come to you so you can talk to them. Either that, or they will naturally come and you'll hear advice from the back of your head. Of course, if will at first spook you, but you'll get used to it.

I shivered. I imagined old, "dead" people's voices whispering advice from my head. I was kind of creeped out.

Don't worry, she chuckled. It's not so bad once you get used to it.

I smiled, although it didn't really help. Instead of keeping my mind on the thought of old spirits, I looked at each of the tiny ribbons swirling. Wouldn't it take more energy to keep control of the spirits?

Yes, Atlas said. It will, because most of them would want to return back to their "bodies". But first, I'm going to give you a few of them, and then increase the amount so that way, you're able to handle them like any other element.

She gave me a few ribbons. I felt almost, a mental weight pushing on my concentration. The tension, the strain, was familiar, as I recalled memories of learning the four other elements. I remember the breathing techniques I used whenever learning something new, elemental wise. I closed my eyes, and I concentrated on the sphere, and before I knew it, all of the ribbons were under my control.

She gave me a nod of approval as I looked at her. Like earlier, as I was told, your eyes are glowing again. I'm going to make a water mirror and float it in front of your face. I want you to stare at your own reflection, while maintaining your concentration. No matter what, don't let the water get to you... nor your own reflection.