The Elementals

Chapter 8 Awaken

"To start off this first lesson, I want you to think. What makes you stronger? What makes your fire burn brighter?" Asked Pyro as he paced around the room. I sat in the center of the room thinking to myself. "My fire burns brighter when I'm enraged. Anger is the reason why I ignite into a blaze. I can't control it though." I managed to say.

"That is your first mistake. You're foolish to use your anger as a reason to ignite in a blaze. You also say you can't control it, which means your weak minded. You need to learn to awaken that power without anger. There are two types of fire power. One being the heated hateful magma or the bright blue flame of wise strength. The path you choose will determine what heat you will emit. So, show me your powers, boy." Pyro said in a serious tone.

I stood up and got in a fighting stance. "Who are you? Who do you think you are? This will determine your destiny, boy." Said Pyro. I could feel the heat increase inside my body. Flames shot out of my hair and eyes as I charged at Pyro wildly. Pyro stood elegantly and dodged the burning fist. He grabbed my wrist, twisted it, and tossed me to the ground. "Is that all?" He asked jokingly.

I swung my leg around trying to sweep his leg, but he jumped into the air. Pyro came back down to the ground and slammed his fist onto the ground causing multiple pillars of fire to shoot around himself. My body was pushed back by the extreme flames. Pyro started spinning into a circle around the pillars forming them into one big inferno. He took the entire inferno and shot it towards me. My body ignited into a blaze of heat that I've never felt before. He was amazingly strong.

I collapsed to my knees as the flames dispersed. Pyro walked over to me and kneeled. "You have yet to awaken. There's something about you though. You remind me so much of another boy." Pyro said puzzled. "It's probably my brother Blaise. He was always stronger than me."

"So, you had a brother. Seems to me that you both had the same issue. Rage was the only answer in your minds. You remind me of him. He was a very strong fire elemental, but he lost control of his true flames. He just wanted revenge. That's what got him killed in the finals."

"Stop... talking about my brother." I mumbled in anger. Pyro looked at me and smiled. "I see something inside you. You can become much stronger, but like I said, the path you choose will determine what heat you'll emit. Do you want to end up being the boiling lava of hate and destruction, or the blue flames of light and hope. You continue to think hateful and it'll be your downfall."

I didn't know what to say as I sat still on the ground. "Come boy. Let me show you something." Pyro said as he took me to another room.

The room was filled with smoke. Pyro closed the door behind me as we sat in the center of the smoke filled room. "I want you to meditate. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Then tell me what you see." Said Pyro as he meditated as well. I closed my eyes and breathed heavily. I could feel the smoke poor into my nose as I breathed. The smoke was making me cough over and over. "Why... the smoke?" I managed to ask, but Pyro didn't respond.

"Pyro?" I mumbled waiting for answer. I opened my eyes instantly to see the smoke was everywhere around the room. The floor, the ceiling, the walls, and Pyro disappeared into the smoke. All I could see was smoke. "Hello! Anyone!" I yelled. No one answered, but I could breathe normally.

Beyond the smoke, I could see a human being. The person appeared from the smoke, revealing to be Lyra. "Lyra, what are you doing here?" I asked. "You have to lead them. Show them the way." Lyra said as she disappeared back into the smoke. "Lyra, come back! Who am I to lead?!" I yelled, but there was no answer.

Another person appeared from the smoke revealing to be Chase. "If it's what it takes to live then I'm in." Said Chase as he disappeared back into the smoke. My mind started racing as I waited to see who was next to appear.

Then the smoke started to clear, but to reveal a destroyed city. I looked around, puzzled only to see torn buildings and dust. Turning my head, I saw multiple bodies lying on the dirt. Blood was everywhere among the walls and ground. "What is this?! These aren't memories, so what is it you are showing me?!" I yelled as the smoke appeared again, blocking out the entire city.

My head was spinning in circles as the smoke disappeared again to reveal a forest. I walked throughout the forest only to see a house in the distance. "Wait... that's my house." I thought as I ran towards the front door. The door was already unlocked as I opened the door wildly. "Mom!" I yelled hoping for an answer.

"Hello there.. son." Said a familiar voice from behind. I turned my head slowly to see a middle aged man with black eyes, short brown hair, and an ax in his hand. "Dad...?"

The man smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. "Those who risk themselves for someone else, will be bright heroes. Be the bright blue hero." He said as his body turned into smoke. "Wait! Come back!" I yelled as the room turned back into smoke. I didn't know what was happening, until suddenly I opened my eyes.

I was laying in the training room with Pyro sitting next to me. I sat up and rubbed my head. "What happened?" I asked feeling sick. "The smoke in there isn't just smoke. It clears your mind and let's you see some things you shouldn't see. Sometimes it shows a future or a memory. What did you see, boy?"

"I saw... one my friends from my school, the girl I drove up with... to get here. She's one of the competitors. I saw a destroyed city with... dead bodies and finally, my... father. It's like it all showed me that I'd be a bright hero.., but I didn't understand why the smoke showed me the bodies." I said feeling confused.

Pyro thought to himself. "Only time can tell. The path you choose will determine what you saw was either real or fake." Said Pyro.

There was a slight knock at the door as I jumped up quickly to my feet. "I'll get it." Said Pyro as he opened the door gently. Pyro welcomed the guest revealing to be Sydney. Shocked, I walked over to her. "Sydney.., why are you here?" I asked her. "Because, in order for me to become stronger, I need to first be as strong as you." She said smiling.