The Elementalists: Dawn of Shady Schemes

Chapter 8

I awoke the next morning, my mind stuck on the strange poem that has seemed to keep echoing in my head. I knew this was part of learning the element of spirit. I hoped that it wouldn't distract me.

Kate had forgotten to set the plan-of-action, and was hard at work, hunched over her computer in deep concentration, meanwhile Trent was cooking omelettes out of birds' eggs, which Winter had provided. I mean, of course she is a bird and knows where other birds are nesting, but why would she bring bird eggs?

As if she read my mind, Atlas answered, She's able to go into the birds' mind through the eggs, and get a sense of where the mother is. Turns out, she got shot down by one of the shades. They don't like any elemental animals, preferably eagles. But hey, she was able to obtain their crystals, which you can transport into your crystal for future use.

I agreed, and stored the crystals on the egg shells into my crystal. Although, I wished she had never died.

Kate announced she was finished after breakfast, and I went down to see what was the plan.

She tossed me a bottle of Shade Scent and began: "OK, so here's the plan. After you soak yourself in some of that stuff, I want you to become invisible and walk down the dungeon steps..."

Here's the REAL plan, Atlas said. She had blocked out Kate's voice, but then explained, You and I are going to fly up onto one of the roofs with the gutters. All the gutters go down by the dungeon. But, we're going to fly up by wind and drip down by water...

Wait, are you saying I have to turn into wind and water?

Yes, yes you have to. she said.

I don't know how to! I exclaimed.

Well then, she said. Allow me to introduce you to lesson two: learn how to transform into all the elements.

Not funny, I replied agitated.

"...you got it?" Kate said. Her voice came back.

"Oh, uh.. yea." I said.

She tossed me the duffel bag of cameras. "OK, go get em' tiger!"

I smiled, nervous, and walked out.

So tell me, I said. You're going to risk a mission for a lesson?

No, she said. I'm not going to "risk it", 'cause I know you can do it. It's way less complex than you think.

Atlas stopped. So, imagine you are the wind..

That's a lot more complex than you say it is, I immediately stated.

No no, she said. The only thing that's impossible is impossibility.

I thought about how she said it... You're right. I said, feeling more confident and optimistic. Let's do this! I closed my eyes, and thoughts rolled through my head...

I am a gust. I gust of wind that will blow into the gutters and turn into water. Water that rained from the sky and slip down into the dungeon. I am no wind...

I AM the wind.

I felt like I was air suddenly, I looked down, and saw my self sundering into tiny air particles, and Atlas and I began to blow as a gust over the kingdom.

I thought similar thoughts as out air particles swirled into water particles, and we poured as water down the gutters, and dripped into the dungeon. Our particles blended together and formed us again, only we were invisible.

What just happened? I asked, as I felt chilly and paranormal reforming back into a human body.

You BECAME the elements. Atlas announced, in a proud tone.

After that, we divided and conquered, setting up the different camera locations. For some odd reason, I memorized the positions of the cameras.

As I finished the last camera, I turned and saw someone.

A girl..
she was a redhead. She was skinny and looked sick and scared. She sat on a wooden bench, rocking back and fourth, scared.

The poem repeated in my head:
There shall be a girl with head aflame,
her spark to expire, her condition lame,
direct the spirits, be her voice,
to free her from the downpour, will be your choice.

I realized, she was the one.

I need to save her. I told Atlas.

You save her, she said. You know what to do.

I knew.

I turned into wind, and saw a single key, hanging from a hook, and guided the keys towards her. The girl stared at the floating keys in amazement. I flowed through the bars and then rested the key in my hands. I had gone unnoticed by the guards. I reformed into my invisible body, and then wrote on the dusty walls:
My name is Scarlet, I'm here to rescue you. This is real.

She nodded, and rubbed the letters, then I wrote:
The guards are going to hear two cell mates arguing and run over by them. Open the cell door slowly. You'll feel a gust of wind: follow the gust.

She nodded at the lettering. I conducted a gust of wind to heighten the noise of two cell mates located in the guards' hallway where they were patrolling. They suddenly began to hiss and run to the cell. She put the key in the lock through the outside. Her arms were so thin, they could slip through the bars without difficulty. She then opened the door slowly. I materialized into the particles of air once more, and slowly guided her to the door, shutting the door and returning the key to the hook as if nothing happened.

I suddenly heard Atlas's voice as she directed to both me and the girl, Walk into the puddle of water.

She did so, and fell through, as if there was a huge hole.

I suddenly heard hisses of alarm as the shades realized her absence. I reformed back into my invisible human form, and Atlas instructed me quickly Go into the puddle... NOW!

I did and fell through