Sigma/Star

Chapter 84: Perception

General Goulet stopped his walking, shifting and moving his Goliath to sit next to a tree. He motioned for Grimsley to do the same and soon both their battlesuits were propped against some of the few trees dotting the road. "It is such a shame," Goulet started as he exited his cockpit, "that the forests that once existed were removed just for this path, and that his path, in turn, has become unused from modernization and border disputes. What a waste. One can only wonder what those trees were even turned into. Chairs? Decorations? Did we need those things at the time or could we have done without them?"

"I only wonder how much further we go. Where are we traveling to?" Grimsley scanned the horizon, finding nothing but open fields, with the mountains a fading image behind them. He felt uneasy the entire time he was here though, moving deeper and deeper into Artisan territory. At any moment he suspected a group would fly out and imprison him or worse, kill him. The tunnel the pair had travelled in had popped up through a cave in a mountain, spitting them out into these plains. Since then they had merely wandered onwards, with Goulet insisting he knew where they were going.

"It isn't much further." Goulet knelt down on the ground, glad to be outside of his metal suit. Grimsley stood next to him, watching him curiously. "The tunnels begin again soon, but this time we will go deeper, closer to the source. I didn't want to spend too long in there when we weren't close to the source."

"Why not?"

"They knew about us of course. Sooner or later they would have sent something to stop us and so if we were to casually wander back out of the tunnels, they would think nothing of us, not that they give us much credit to begin with."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Grimsley cocked his head to the side, feeling like a stupid little kid with all of his questions and his lack of understanding.

Goulet simply laughed, taking out his pipe and sticking it in the corner of his mouth. "What does that mean, what does that mean..." Goulet took in a long drag then puffed out a ring of smoke. "I am a scholar, Grimsley. I'm sure you have figured that out by spending this much time with me. My life is studying, learning, and gaining as much knowledge as I can. While there isn't much on the Jahari in the annals of history, from what I have gathered I can piece together their history and imagine where they fit in the grand scheme of the earth."

The general held up his hand as Grimsley went to say something, silencing him so Goulet could continue. "There is an ancient belief from an old country in the Eastern United States. The people of that country felt there were five elements in the world and they used these to explain almost everything in the world. They were water, wood, metal, earth, and fire. I'm sure you've heard of some variation of four or five elements in your lifetime, correct?" Goulet opened an eye to check Grimsley, but the young man shook his head. "Hmm, regardless, I strongly believe that each of the countries on this earth now are tied to these elements. Up until recently, I was always missing my fifth to prove my point."

More puffs of smoke floated up in the air between the two pilots. Grimsley tried to watch his mentor intently but his eyes were drawn to a hawk that circled in the sky nearby. "Each country," Goulet continued, "could be tied to an element. The Artisans are the wood, strong and sturdy yet varying in forms. We are always growing and shifting, changing shapes and rebounding from each strike down. While the Artisan Confederate has a national religion, we have many splinter organizations within that, with more appearing each year. The Enians would be metal, abundant in resources and that which they have crafted, the Enian Federation was a construct that took many years to create. Your way of living had to be built and it was forged from a singular belief, one consistent resource, just like how metal can be shaped into so much." Goulet paused for a moment to make sure Grimsley was still paying attention and the youth tore his eyes away from the hawk, nodding along. "The Eastern United States are water. Water is still, unmoving and serene. It holds itself in position and maintains itself for eons. They rely on tradition and knowledge of the past. But, just like water, when moving they will erode anything and, in some cases, can create a torrent of destruction. Dalarcya, to the west, is the earth. They are a people bound to the land, dependent on the arable portions they can find. They are strong though, and everlasting, and their mentality reflects their unity with their own lands. The last element, the one I was always lacking, was fire. Now I can associate it with the Jahari, fierce and warlike, they want to bring destruction and aggression. Their solution to everything is to burn it, with no respect for what they ignite. Do you follow now?"