The Elements

[DeletedUser25825]

Crystal nodded at Jack, before looking at the elemental while saying, "Humanus certus usus validus ornamentum ut exsisto bonus ut tutaminis. Meus socius est rumex pro suus pannosa quod did non animadverto suum penitus", explaining that humans long ago accepted that to possess harmful weapons was an acceptable defense, and that Jack was sorry his tattoos hurt the elemental.


She closed her eyes, and frowned thoughtfully as she began unconsciously rolling her chair back and forth as she formulated some manner of explanation that wasn't overly harsh on humanity, though humans were to blame, to something that was thinking primordially. She opened her eyes and looked up at the elemental. She began to explain hesitantly at first, because Latin lacked many words for numbers, which were decided upon later in history, "Vestri somnus eram a vicis quod humanus recipero ut triginta centum orbis of sol solis", describing Water's slumber had lasted about three thousand years, using human method of counting the passage of time by counting the planet's revolution around the sun. She had no idea if the elemental understood astrophysics, but it might help ecplain time that it could fathom.


Crystal smiled, feeling she was actually fairly clever at figuring that out, and continued saying with a little more confidence, "Dum vos sileo humanus verto", she frowned and blinked. She had started describing humans transforming Earth, but found herself quite uncertain how Water would interpret that so she paused trying to think. She nodded and continued, "Dum vos sileo humanus verto orbis terrarum ut quis interpellatio humanus", explaining humans had transformed the planet to their needs while Water slumbered.


She continued, "Etiam is est cupiditas quod obnoxius ut plagiarius", explaining it was greedy of humans to do this, but quickly defended that statement by saying, "Humanus ago in plagiarius parumper valde brevis vicis", explaining that humans have only lived on the planet for a very short time. She smiled and stated, "Humanus etiam capto perceptum", trying to convey humans were still trying to learn. She frowned and shook her head as she said, "Plures humanus teneo vulnero perfectus quod capto subsisto is. Plures humanus subsisto audio", explaining there are humans that know the harm and try to stop it, but many stopped listening. She concluded by saying, "Ut est quare plagiarius est vulnero", informing Water that is why the planet was hurt.

She smiled, and then frowned. She was unsure if she had adequately explained what the elemental had wanted to know, but she wasn't really sure her Latin was all that good anyways. She was very far out of her league with this whole situation. She was mostly hoping she didn't anger the alemental enough that it would opt to just destroy them all, rather than do some manner of good to form some manner of balance from chaos.

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

The element thought for a moment before replying. "Ut plures orbis of orbis terrarum." It shook its head, obviously stunned. It then continued. "Quare operor humanus non ago via they did plures orbis abhinc? Totus erant contentus , quod plures valde empires rose ex ut vicis. Inviso Egypt quod you'll animadverto ut in presencia. Proh. Egypt. quantus EGO requiro is." It looked off, lost in thought. It returned to the present. "EGO animadverto vos es futurus inquisitor. vir , EGO cannot dico , tamen vos es putus. EGO puto vos gero haud peius mos versus mihi , quod per vestri permission EGO would vestigium vos ut talis , ut ceterus elementum would teneo ut. EGO must quoque perceptum lingua vos narro , ut EGO can dico vos have a ferreus vicis narro is unus. EGO operor ignoro quis procurator ceterus elementum have , tamen EGO teneo quis EGO mos operor. EGO mos succurro humanus regius suum ago. Is est non victus , is est superstes. May EGO scisco vestri nomen quod gens?" The element had visibly relaxed by this point.


(Translations: "That many rotations of the earth."

"Why do humans not live the way they did many rotations ago? All were satisfied, and many great empires rose from that time. Look at Egypt and you'll see that in effect. Ah ... Egypt ... how much I miss it."

"I see you are to be trusted. The man, I cannot tell, but you are pure. I believe you bear no ill will towards me, and with your permission I would mark you as such, so that the other elements would know that. I must also learn the language you speak, as I can tell you have a hard time speaking this one. I do not know what agendas the other elements have, but I know what I will do ... I will help the humans regain their lives. This is not living, this is surviving. May I ask your name and clan?")

 

[DeletedUser25825]

She translated what she'd said to the elemental to Jack, and then its response to her explanation. She also interpreted its mistrust of Jack, though she couldn't blame the elemental when its first encounter with Jack involved mistrust. She thought about Water's question about why humankind moved away from older ways. She frowned slightly and answered, "Humanus anhelo magis usquequaque. Illic est rare gaudium per quis humanus usus", explaining the human condition to always want more, and rarely being content with what they already possess.

She thought about Water's reminiscences about Egypt. She envisioned Water most likely was remembering the River Nile basin, and wasn't quite sure how it would react to desert destroying much of what it probably recalled. She let that sleeping dog lie, as she was making some headway with the elemental.

She was perplexed by the last question and permission which Water had asked of her. She wasn't quite sure what being marked as pure to an element would convey. It obviously meant Water trusted her, but to what possible detriment if the path she seemed to be suddenly traveling on brought her to other elements, or their trusted? She was intrigued by the thought, and being somebody who cherished knowledge and learning, and she quickly found herself unable to pass on the opportunity.

She nodded her head and said, "Vestigium mihi ut talis", telling it she gave her permission. While she waited for it to respond she said, "Meus nomen est Crystal. Ego sum ex a gens of scholasticus", informing the elemental her name was Crystal and that she was from a clan of scholars. She had no idea what it meant by clan, and seriously doubted Peters would mean anything to it, so opted to teach it a little more about herself.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Jack wasn't suprised by it's distrust of him he had gone on the offensive first not that he could have done much to it, he knew a few Sumerian words that would probably scare it a little, but was the full extent of his knowledge had Hayani lived things may have been a little different. "Tell him it has nothing to fear from me, i'll keep the sigils covered unless it gives me cause to reveal them. Also can you ask it by what name do we address it?"

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

The element nodded. "Is mos non vulnero." It outstretched a hand and a bubble of glowing water appeared in it. It maneuvered the water to its finger, then gently touched the top of Crystal's head with it. Instantly, her whole body glowed brilliant blue. The effect quickly faded, but the element vaguely wondered what that felt like. "Iam ceterus elementum teneo non ut vulnero vos." When Crystal relayed Jack's question, it said, "EGO sum accersitus. haud , is eram. quis quare tamen EGO can non memor. quare est ut?" Obviously flustered, it became a lot more fidgety. It was definitely unnerved now.

Air awoke, feeling a strange power. It focused, and realized that water was using its form of blessing someone. Rising, it made the decision it would go and destroy water then and there...it couldn't DIRECTLY harm whoever it was water had blessed...but a building falling on them wasn't directly...and it was still bitter towards water for besting it before...so that would make a nice revenge. It launched itself towards the U.S., the air around it screaming in a sonic boom.


(translations: "This will not hurt" "Now the other elements know not to harm you." "I am called...no, it was...what?...why...but...I can not remember...why is that?")

 

[DeletedUser28032]

So that was the reason for all this mayhem, they'd been asleep for so long only to wake up find the house trashed and with a severe case of Amnesia. Jack considered the problem before answering Well from what he could gather it had been thousands of years since they were last a wake so it won't be a modern name... "Well in Sumerian mythology there were two water goddesses Akkadian was for salt water and Apsu was for fresh water do any of those ring a bell?"

It was whilst he was waiting for a response that he something in the distance...almost like a jet? but all the planes were grounded the news had said so rushing over to the window Jack stared out in the gathering darkness and it was there that he saw it. A billowing cloud the size of a lorry, a rudimentary face just about visible within the boiling mass could just about be made out, racing across the sky towards them and it didn't look at all friendly. Turning round quickly Jack demanded "What the hell have you done!" although the elemental couldn't understand the words it could tell by Jacks tone and body language that he was not happy "...One of your elemental buddies, Wind by the look of it, is on his way and he doesn't look too friendly, If i find out you've betrayed us..." Jack let the threat hang in the air. The noise outside was getting louder it would be upon them soon no hope of outrunning it "Crystal does this house have a basement" because we need to find some shelter and fast!"

 

[DeletedUser25825]

Crystal shivered involuntarily as the glowing bubble of water landed upon her brow. She closed her eyes as an invigorating sensation cascaded downward throughout her being. It was oddly cold, and caused goose bumps to cover her body. She opened her eyes as the sensation dissipated, leaving her feeling refreshed. She blinked, realizing she'd been caught up in focusing on being recognized by Water that she hadn't actually heard what the element had been saying, or asking, but she found herself instinctively knowing its current desire.

She frowned, while looking thoughtfully at the bath tub full of pure water as she said in English, "Water. You are called Water, as that is your being." She lifted her eyes, watching the ripples that had been agitating the surface of Water calm as it understood, contemplated, and accepted what she said, somehow verifying some manner of connection the two now shared had been tested and found to be harmonious. Crystal looked over at Jack and smiled, "It's very strange you know. But I think there's a lot of good that can be done through this epiphany."

She returned her attention toward Water, about to ask more, but instead gasped. She looked out the window as the tree branches began to whip about violently as the great cloud of dust and debris rattled the panes of glass of the windows of her home. She muttered in confusion, "Such malevolence." She looked at Water, leaned forward and jerked the plug out of the tub, turned in place and waved her hands for Jack to get going. "Jack, something's coming, and it's not happy at all. We need to get out of here as quickly as we can." She nodded listening to him and saying, "Yes, but you'll need to help me down please. It's this way." She navigated her way around him, out into the hallway, and into the living room. She screamed in terror and shielded her face as the tree from her front yard became uprooted and crashed into the room through the bay window.

She lowered her arms and looked at the large tree now occupying her front room. She looked at Jack and raised her arms up to him, hoping he'd lift her up. She nodded her head toward the opposite side of the room saying, "We need to go through there. It leads to the kitchen, and the basement is just on the other side. There's nothing down there for cover, but we could probably camp under the staircase. It's the center of the house, and probably the safest place I can think of."

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

Water had to inwardly smile...Crystal had indeed found its name...but for some reason it struck it as false. It came to the realization that while Water was indeed one of its names, it was not its true name...and it remembered that its true name was one of the things needed to control it...better, far better to let the humans think it only was called Water. It also was surprised by the nature of the bond created between itself and Crystal...no other connection had been this integral. It could sense Crystal's emotions, and it could understand her thoughts, although they were in the unknown language she was comfortable speaking...perhaps this new connection was needed to bring the world back to its former state...

It's concentration was broken by the intrusion of...Air, it would be called then. Transforming once again into its favorite war guise, the mighty Kraken, it rose up to meet Air. It yelled something in the most ancient of languages, from which a conversation arose, but due to Water's bond with Crystal, she could understand what was being said by both elements.

"You...you marked someone in this corrupt world?? How could you do that without judging them to be pure?????"

"You doubt my judgement? Remember that I was the one who distrusted humans the most when we first encountered them."

"But now you are nothing more than a soft human lover! How could you possibly know the human you marked is one to be trusted?"

"You go too far, Air. You have always been too hasty, as is air's nature. Take a moment to think before you do something you will regret...and remember, you cannot harm anyone marked by an element."

"You mean DIRECTLY harm. If I were to send this building tumbling around them, it would not harm them directly, and I could therefore kill them."

(softly)"You would dare incur my wrath?"

"If it meant payment for the way you disgraced me earlier!"

"So that is what this is about! You haven't changed a bit Air...I would have thought you'd be more mature by now."

"..."

"Do you honestly think my judgement to be that poor?"

"It matters not...all that matters is I get my atonement."

"Then I must defeat you again...you had your chance, there is no escape now."

Once again, the manholes burst open, forming a massive jet of water that launched itself at Air. Water followed the attack up by constricting Air with its watery tentacles. With a scream, Air forced Water to let go and slammed it against a building, where Water's form shimmered and exploded, only to reform as it hit the pavement. Water rose in the air again, and the fight continued.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Jack watched as the two elemental's started to battle it out in the street, a tree crashed through the front room,shards of glass and masonry went flying in all directions Jack just stood there momentarily dazed and confused about his current predicament "Its like be being it a damn Godzilla movie" Jack muttered to himself, grabbing his coat and gun from the bathroom floor, he ran over to where Crystal was, holding out her arms ready to be carried into the basement. Carefully picking her up he made his way towards the basement, Kicking the door open he made his way down the stairs as quickly as he dared, although Crystal seemed to weigh next to nothing in his arms he didn't want to risk dropping her down the stairs.

The basement was dark and dusty apart for a few boxes sat in a corner it looked for quite obvious reasons, relatively unused. Carefully setting her down by the stack of boxes Jack set about finding the light switch, he hated being underground it had always given him the creeps but being underground in the dark just wasn't an option he'd sooner chance it upstairs. Luckily for Jack however he soon found the pull cord turning on a single sixty Watt bulb suspended from the ceilling, casting eerie shadows throughout the small basement. They were in serious trouble, there was no telling the outcome of the fight, besides even if water (who was sort of on Crystal's if not his side) won they could very easily be killed in the fallout, a very terrifying thought suddenly gripped Jack, what if the building fell down? they'd be trapped down here in this dank, dusty underground tomb, no air no escape... CUT IT OUT! Taking deep breath's Jack tried to calm himself down, a sudden crash from above didn't help matters but he eventually managed to get a grip of himself. He had to get help there was no way he could deal with this by his self pulling his mobile out his pocket Jack started to dial Francis Cardinal's number. He didn't know how he'd be able to help but it was better than nothing.

 

[DeletedUser25825]

Crystal pulled herself along the floor and leaned back against the wall as the battle raged in the above street. She grabbed her legs and pulled them close to her body as she looked up at the ceiling while the single hanging bulb flickered nearly completely out, before returning to its gentle glimmer. She looked at Jack and smiled slightly as she noticed he appeared to be as unsettled as she was feeling.

She said, "I know it's hard to believe, but I can hear the two elements fighting, but in all that wind screaming and water rushing, I hear language. It seems Air is angry at Water for marking somebody, and I can assume that would be me. Water seemed to have been reluctant in its trust of humans, but challenged Air in its hasty conclusion of the current state of the world." She blinked and then paled, "Water reminded Air it couldn't harm any person marked by any of the elements, and then Air countered by saying it couldn't directly harm, but if it were to level the house and we happen to get crushed in the process it would be indirect." She shook her head and rested it back against the cold concrete wall as she said, "Water told Air that it would have to defeat Air again, which is why Air is here in the first place. To seek retribution for its previous defeat." She looked at Jack and said, "Almost a familiar human ring to all that isn't it? One attacks the other, the other attacks back , and the cycle continues."

 

[DeletedUser13682]

Francis was waiting, impatiently by now, for the guy to appear. Of course, there was nothing, maybe he died. Oh well. It wouldn't have been a major loss if he had died. Francis got into his Bimmer, and started to head home. Traffic had increased a little, why they thought Omaha was safe, it was beyond Francis's grasp. At least some of them were headed to Boulder and Sioux Falls, and other places. On the way back home, about halfway to be more exact, his cell phone rang. Of course, not wanting to cause a traffic jam, Francis pulled over into the nearest McDonald's parking lot, closed thankfully, and answered.

What came out of the speaker, over the roar of fighting of some sort was the very man Francis had been waiting for. Looks like Jackie was trapped in a basement, with some woman, with water and air fighting overhead. "Well, that is a predicament, now isn't it?" Francis replied, barely suppressing a laugh. "Well, let's see here. The book said something about Sumerian words that weaken them. Maybe that will control the fighting enough for you to escape. Or you could try talking to them, which just might work. Of course, you could also try fighting them, but they're fulids, and weapons don't work well against fluids. But it's your choice, not mine."

 

[Deleted User - 819397]

The element of earth was below where Water and Air were fighting. It watched with amusement at first, but then it scowled at Air's breaking of the oath never to harm a marked being. It let the fighting go on for a bit, knowing it would be easier to reason with Air when it was tired out, then surged upward, creating a massive earth wall. The kraken smashed into one side, the dragon into the other. Both forms collapsed and turned into more peaceful beings, a dolphin and heron respectively. Earth allowed it's form to turn into a small golem. "You utter fool Air." It rumbled in the ancient language that Water and Air had spoken earlier. "Direct or indirect, your harming the human marked by Water would have cursed you forever." Before Air could protest, Earth turned to Water. "I apologize to you, Water. My decision to impale you on that spear of earth was ill considered and I am truly sorry." Before Water could reply, Earth said. "Now, we need to turn our sights on the world we...wait, Water...how exactly DID you mark the human?"

Water shrugged, an interesting motion coming from a dolphin. "I meant to do it in the usual way, but something happened...I cannot describe it...the bond seems...more powerful."

"Then it seems safe to assume that the human could potentially understand us...which means we cannot talk of...THAT while the human is alive...but of course we will not kill them...but I digress. We need to focus on restoring the water, earth, and air of this land...and Fire...it is unaccounted for, but we need to get it to see our side of things...the other option is unacceptable. Do NOT fight anymore, do NOT make the humans more frightened of us than they are now...and..."

Air cut it off. "Who are you to boss us around? What happened to us being equals?"

"Oh, shut up. You know it's a sound plan. You're only angry because you didn't think of it first. You don't HAVE to follow the plan, but I don't see what else you'd do." With that, Earth dove back into the ground.

Air, in a huff, took off.

Water returned to the house that the human...Crystal, it was...was in. It absentmindedly removed the tree from the house and then looked around. The human was nowhere to be found. Puzzled, it returned to the bathroom it had entered the house from, looking at the water and wondering why it had not noticed how polluted the water had become...surely its sleep should not have been THAT deep...it might be that the tub contained the only pure water left in the world...

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Jack patiently listened to the suggestions put forth by Francis if only to take his mind of the small dark room he was currently in, he was right of course fighting them was not an option the 9mm on his belt would have absolutley no effect on them he also suspected that talking wouldn't be a wise move in their current mood either, that just left the Sumerian...Jack spoke Sumerian that much was true however he doubted its power. It was at around this point that he noticed that the sound from above had stopped only to be replaced with what he assumed was conversation? "...Francis it sounds like they've stopped for now but I think it would be better if you could meet us here after all we currently have a pair of elementals close to hand" Jack rattled off the aproximate address of the house pointing out that it currently had a tree in the front room so it shouldn't be too hard to spot.
Hanging up the phone Jack turned to Crystal "I think they've stopped fighting? It sounds like they are talking" the light overhead suddenly flashed out the power was starting to fail, Jack was already halfway up the stairs by the time it turned back on a few moments later, Waiting at the top the stairs long enough to stop the trembling in his hands Jack came back down "Sorry you may have noticed that I don't like small dark rooms, do you mind if I take you back upstairs? we might be able to hear what they're saying a little better" Jack knew full well how he looked but he didn't care he just wanted out

 

[DeletedUser25825]

Crystal nodded her head at Jack's request, simply holding her arms up toward him. The act looked so needy, yet somehow still seemed status quo. Rachel mumured, "The fighting stopped because another element has arrived. Earth I believe, and they're discussing something about returning the planet to how it was, but not details. Earth fears the connection I share with Water, and will not talk about what it wants to. Fire is missing, but they're going to try to rally it to their cause."

She shook her head and shrugged her slender shoulders before saying, "We might want to get out of my home. I can't be sure it's structurally sound any more. We should gather up that water in the tub before we do. I sense Water nearby, maybe we can get more answers."

 

[DeletedUser13682]

"Wait, that isn't exactly..." The line disconnected. Francis didn't want to leave the safehouse. Who knew what would happen to Omaha in the meantime, if he left? But, he felt that the best choice was to go to the others, where the elements were. Francis sighed, and got back into his Bimmer. The drive back was filled with ballad rock from a collection of CDs, tapes, and a few eight tracks. Ballad rock helped sooth Francis down, and a soothed Francis a prepared Francis makes. 20 minutes later, he had arrived back at home, and started packing. In went his rifle, his revolver, MREs, canned goods, clothes, ammunition, and of course, water and water purifiers. Being prepared to leave, Francis had only to find where he was going.

A quick check on the T.V. told him where the fight had taken place, the news station replaying some grainy footage from a cell phone. The elements really did look like some of the drawings in the book, which he now threw into the passenger seat. After a few more gas tanks of fuel, Francis was on the road again, toward the place of the latest fight.

 

[DeletedUser28032]

Gratefull that he was finally going to be out if this dank hell hole, Jack lifted Crystal into his arms, with one arm under her legs and the other around her back he carried her back upstairs into the house. The whole place had been anhilated...a pang of guilt struck Jack at the sight of this womans once beautiful home now destroyed so comprehensively. Lowering her back into her wheelchair Jack set about scavenging some bottles to carry the water in "I've got someone meeting us so we shouldn't go too far from here...that and the car I borrowed is pretty low on fuel so I doubt that we'd get very far anyway"
Walking into the devastation that was once the living room he found his laptop nestled amongst the rubble miraculously unharmed, it was also in here that he found the elemental standing in the doorway opposite him "Crystal your friends in here..."