The Trials of the Elements

Chapter 3: The Wind Trial

The following day Hope returned to the portal to complete the first task - Isaure's wind trial. She hadn't been told what the trial was or how it would be completed, so Hope felt doubtful of her abilities. She had never been very good at taking exams and tests at school, so how she was going to complete an ancient spirit's trial to receive powerful magic - she wasn't sure. As she made her way through the willow tree, Isaure greeted her.

"Ah, Hope! I'm glad you came back. To tell you the truth, we were afraid you'd left us..." The white wisp said guiltily.

"Anyway are you ready for your first trial?" Isaure asked excitedly.

"I don't think ready is the right word for it, but I guess so?" Hope replied chuckling nervously.

"Ah don't you worry, my trial isn't that hard! Let's go shall we?"

Together, the orb and the girl walked towards the birch with the flying leaves.

As they got closer Isaure turned to Hope and said, "Before we enter there are a few things you need to know. As you progress and gain the other elemental powers, you need to keep in mind that you cannot use those powers in the other trials. Also, you will receive physical markings of each of the elements on your skin as you gain it's powers, okay?

Hope nodded in reply.

"Right we've arrived. Just grab a hold of one of the leaves and you'll be teleported to the trial. I wish you the best of luck!"

Raising an eyebrow at the strange request, Hope sighed heavily.

It's now or never... the girl thought to herself.

Taking a step closer to the tree, Hope looked upwards at the various leaves dancing in the wind, and spotted a pure white leaf slowly drifting towards her. As the small leaf neared, she stood on her tiptoes and stretched out her hand to grab it. Just as her fingertips touched it, Hope was pulled into the small leaf at such a force that she felt her arm was going to come out of it's socket. Wind and white light swirled around her, thus making the circular clearing and Isaure to disappear.

Without any warning, the wind and light stopped, thus dropping Hope on a patch of dead grass that had suddenly appeared below her. Having landed face first into the ground, the girl spat out some of the brown grass that had somehow ended up in her mouth. After having finished brushing off the dust on her clothes, Hope found herself situated on a small round island about 10 meters in diameter, covered in nothing but weeds and dust. Cautiously walking towards the edge of the island Hope leaned over the brink of it and gasped in shock - she couldn't see anything but the blue sky and clouds surrounding her. Suddenly, a loud crashing sound came from behind her. Turning around, the girl could see a massive storm of black clouds and wind coming straight towards the island. In desperation Hope looked around the isle for anything she could hold onto, but it was no use. As the hurricane neared, she could already feel the wind whipping her hair and clothes. Instinctively, Hope stood facing the storm in a fighting stance, using her arms to block her face from the already flying debris. With the wind speeds increasing rapidly, Hope could do nothing but, well, hope that she'd survive.

Then it hit.

The strong gust of wind felt like someone had punched her straight in the gut, thus knocking the air out her. Her ears rang with the sound of the high-pitched wind, almost making her go deaf. Her feet slid backwards towards the edge of the island because of its loose soil. Quickly, Hope began walking with all her might against the wind. It felt as if she had blocks of cement set around her feet as she tried to move. Leaves, dirt, grass and dust began hitting Hope's small body like bullets, forcing her to close her eyes. No matter how hard she tried, she could feel her body being pushed towards the abyss.

"What are you trying to do Isaure? Kill me?!" Hope shouted helplessly into the wind.

"What's the point of this?" Hope continued, "You're not making me prove that I'm worthy of your magic, you're just making me suffer!"

"Why can't you just let go of the fact that-" Hope stopped herself.

Let go...

In one swift motion Hope turned around and felt her back being pushed with such a force that she almost lost her balance. Nearing the edge of the island, Hope breathed rapidly as fear took her over.

I have to do it. I have to let go.

Raising her arms out straight, she let the wind push her over the edge. As her body fell through the air, Hope let out an ear splitting scream. The resistance of air against her open eyes caused water to stream down her face and fly up into the air. Suddenly, she could see the ground growing larger and larger. Closing her eyes, Hope braced herself for impact - but it never came. Slowly opening her eyes, she could see the ground just inches away from her body, and yet she wasn't falling. Surrounding her was a breeze of white and silver leaves.

"I'm glade you made it Hope!" Isaure said happily.

Standing up Hope slowly turned to the white wisp and stated, "I am never doing that again."

Laughing Isaure replied, "Oh you won't have to! My trial was made purely to show that sometimes, you just have to let go and go with the flow. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in a perpetual state of going nowhere and prolonging the inevitable."

As Isaure explained this, a small breeze began to swirl around Hope's body once more, causing her to slowly lift up into the air.

"Isaure? What's happening?!" Hope shouted.

"You're receiving your well earned powers!" The wisp replied.

With the leaves flying around her faster and faster, Hope noticed strange white threads of wispy magic circle around her and attach itself to some of the leaves. These particular leaves began to float towards her, unaffected by the wind. As each leaf touched her skin, Hope felt pulses of energy and power rush about her body. With one final flash of white light, the ritual ended. As she was slowly set back down on the ground, Hope stared at her arms. She could see that each of the silver and white leaves that had touched her had absorbed into her skin and left imprints of their existence there, along with small lines representing the wind blowing them.

"So, I have the magic now?" Hope asked bewilderedly.

"Yes, yes you do. Why don't you give it a try?" Isaure asked excitedly.

"How? I don't know how to cast magic!"

"But you do now Hope..."

Looking down at her hands, the girl frowned.

What can I do with you? Hope asked herself.

Without even realizing what she was doing, she put out her index finger and slowly began twirling it. Out of nowhere, a mini tornado began to form a few meters away.

"See... I told you..." Said the wisp as their voice began to fade away.

Looking around, the world around her slowly began to disappear, and started to reveal the familiar grass and trees of Broken Myth Forest.