Spring of Discovery (Celestia Chronicles Book 1/Seasons Arc: Book 1)

Chapter 22: "Not the Chosen One"

That night as everyone slept Jade tossed and turned. She lay atop the earth and yet it felt lifeless. Restless, she rose and headed towards the top of a nearby hill with a single tree at its pinnacle. She reached the top to find she was not alone. Flint lay against the tree, gazing up at the sky. She considered leaving him alone.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," he spoke.

Jade looked up and observed the celestial bounty for what was really the first time. Her village had always been so active at night; its constant light pollution obscured most of the stars.

"There's a spot next to me," Flint continued, motioning to toward the ground at his side.

Jade looked at the spot and considered turning the golem down when he added, "Despite earlier, I don't bite."

She sat down next to him and leaned against the tree. The leaves were parted, leaving the field of vision open. So many clusters of stars made Jade feel somewhat small. Flint pointed to one cluster.

"That one is the great bear, or Ursa Major," he explained. He then traced his finger to another nearby cluster. "That one is the hunter, Orion."

"A hunter and a bear," said Jade. "Kind of sounds like a story."

"That's how I heard it," agreed Flint. "The hunter became obsessed with the bear and sacrificed all of his morals and values to kill it. In the end he became a monster, more so than the bear ever could have been"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I understand your conviction for not wanting to kill. It's an admirable trait, but you can't let that be what separates you from evil. In war death is inevitable, it's just a matter of how much you can tolerate before you look to stop the source of conflict. I will admit there are the rare occasions where death is avoidable. If you can imprison your foe or take their influence away those are desirable alternatives. There are some cases where a peaceful solution comes out of nowhere, but those cases are rare. In the end if you have to kill let the morals behind it be what makes you different from them. The intent, not the method, is what's important."

"Are you saying this to convince me of what I have to do as the Chosen One?"

"You're not the Chosen One," said Flint.

Jade was taken aback.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You cannot be. You lack the will and conviction of a Chosen One. It's as simple as that."

"How could you say that?" she demanded.

"Are these not the words you've been desperate to hear this whole time?"

He was right. Everything Flint said was to point out her insecurities and doubts.

"You are held back by your doubt. The Chosen One needs to be the embodiment of the elements and all this doubt brings you further from being an embodiment of earth."

"I can't sense the earth anymore," cried Jade, voicing her latest fears.

"Makes sense," said Flint in a steady voice. "You are held back by doubt. Such a mindset interferes with your ability to control the earth. I assume it happened after your face off with Xaug. I saw the whole thing; though you were quick with using the situation to your advantage, your doubt was was obvious."

"What about when I held up the temple? That was after my fight with Xaug!"

"Did you doubt you could? No, you did so without a second thought. Until you have a more complete grasp of the earth, you will not have complete control. Its current state doesn't help the matter." Flint sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"The earth is weaker than it used to be. The crystals are meant to maintain the state of the elements until, well, they're no longer needed. They were meant to keep balance for a period of two thousand years but now two of them have been stripped before even reaching half their quota. The wind has been stale for years but now the earth is weaker. I suspect we will find food scarce during the coming months. Without the usual energy in the earth, crops will die and famine will ensue. Unless you confront your doubt you won't be able to utilize the earth anymore. Then again it's probably for the best. You are, after all, not the Chosen One."

As Jade considered everything Flint had said, she could not help but to think about how right he was. She knew he wasn't saying this to hurt her, but rather because it was the truth. He was being blunt and honest about it. This seemed to suit him perfectly; he was, after all, a rock.