1Hay Lin passed out the food which taken from her with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Will dig in like a starving animal while the rest save for herself just mildly picked at it...except Taranee who looked sick to her stomach which given what she'd done was understandable. Hay Lin just nibbled on her meal as she watched the others pick at their food. Will finished her meal and noticed that no one else was eating save for herself, possibly Hay Lin and Juan she sighed.
"Amigas, I hate to be that person, but you're gonna need that energy later. Especially when we look for a shelter that'll take us in."
"Easy for you to say," Irma countered crossing her arms her earlier appetite gone.
"Shelter?" Cornelia asked sounding a little startled. Oh right she wouldn't think of that considering she'd always stayed at a hotel like the others. Hay Lin herself would've thought the same were it not for last night's experience.
"Well, we can't sleep in hotel obviously porque no dinero and unless you guys want to experience what it's like sleeping rough is like in the cold then it's a shelter for tonight. So that means walking if we want to get there before they close their doors," Will insisted. "Come on guys eat un poco."
"Fine, but I just want you to know that I am NOT going to look at barbecue the same way again," Taranee said as she finally started eating the food. Finally the others started eating the food or in the case of Irma and Hay Lin finishing her food. Slowly all the rest began to finish up the meal wrapping up the trash and throwing it into the proper receptacles. Once they'd finished with it they threw it away and began to walk off from school with the silent person following them like an eerie shadow. The rather creepy thing that unnerved Hay Lin thought was the fact that guy just stared. Like creepily. He didn't join the conversation or even react at all. He just followed them like a shadow.
Juan turned around and barked at the shadow trailing behind them: "You know you can talk if you like."
"Since no one has bidden me permission to speak I interfered that I was to remain silent for my duration of servitude."
"Okay, who's tall, dark and creepy?"
"I'll explain soon chica," Will said shaking her head.
"That'd better be soon soon because I'm not liking this okay?"
"Yeah what's up with his speaking?" Hay Lin asked giving him a sidelong glance.
"I know it's weird," Cornelia said. "I feel like I'm in a back in a Shakespearean play or something."
"Big words Blonde."
"Look here you-"
"Beep, beep chica," Juan interrupted making Will stiffen for some reason.
"Hermano you aren't allowed to refer to IT," she hissed at him. "We've got enough weirdness without that in mind. Besides you've only seen the miniseries and tú hermanó read it to you up until a point and that was edited to boot..."
"Well all you need is one more person your age to complete the ritual of Chüd."
"I hope you have the Shining if that's that case."
"...Didn't take you for a Stephan King fan," Irma commented covering up the awkward silence that came after it. It was then that Hay Lin realized that doing that had inadvertently relieved the tension from the oncoming argument and from the situation in general. Maybe this was how they relaxed. Made sense otherwise they'd would've died from the stress and weirdness.
"I like his ideas and have seen some of the movie adaptations but as for his books...well..."
"Pollo."
"Like you're any better," Juan retorted playfully.
"Cheep, cheep," Irma goaded playfully joining into the fun.
"Oye no ganging up on me!"
"Yeah don't gang up on poor-" Hay Lin jumped in.
"No llamas." Will interrupted snapping a look behind her.
"¿Por qué?"
"La problema no necesitó saber nuestros nombres," Will answered earnestly to Taranee. It took a second for the less fluent to get the gist. "Confié en mí."
"Si," Taranee answered for them all as Hay Lin and the others trusted that Taranee who had a better grasp of Spanish would convey their trust. "Confiamos tu."
"Gracias."
Elyon looked thoughtful. She was chewing her lower lip as she thought ignoring the conversation.
"Ah hello you there!" Hay Lin called getting her attention.
"Huh? Oh sorry I was just thinking."
"A dangerous prospect."
"Really?!"
"Hey," Elyon cut in argument before Taranee snapped at the two of them as she looked on the verge of doing. "Aw man I hope I get this right...Um. ¿Podemos tenemos que hablamos sobre el bruja? ¿Por favor?"
"Por supuesto," Will nodded as everyone including Hay Lin mentally translated it in their heads. Taranee got it first with Hay Lin following close behind. Cornelia and Irma were tied in last place amusingly. "Pero esta plática. Si es un sustantivo entonces ocupas plática si es un verbo entonces hablar. También es brujo no bruja. Bruja es feminino no masculino."
"Um...I think I got it...I think."
"No comprende," Irma shrugged.
"Explicaré tarde, ahora vamos en algún lugar más."
"Daré vos el espacio y entretendré el brujo," Juan nodded as he walked back to the shadow matching his pace. Hay Lin took a bit to translate the information in her head. Naturally Taranee got it first and nodded for them. She then turned and began following Will into an alleyway off the main drag. There was a sound of an argument in the background but they steadfastly ignored it in favor for what Elyon wanted to talked about.
"Okay first thing," Elyon said. "What's up with creeper? What does he want?"
"According him to train us."
"That's...weird..." Irma said. "Because...um. Ah screw it my weird totem talked to me."
"It did?" Hay Lin asked. "What'd it say?"
"Well first off it turned of my leaky faucet hands and said something about looking forward to training."
"So do we train via Shadow man or our totems?" Taranee looked confused. "And how would that even work?"
"Wait guys I've got an idea!" Elyon exclaimed. "How's about you guys train with your totems and I'll distract him with asking him if he can teach me how to forge?"
"You sure about that Elyon? And wait what do mean forge?"
"Positive Cornelia," Elyon replied her look was resolute. "And...to be completely honest I don't know what she meant by learning to forge unless it literally means I'm learning to be a blacksmith or..something. But she said I had to learn and I going to learn to forge things it's a thing now."
"What about your totem?" Hay Lin asked.
"Yeah don't you need to train too?" Taranee interjected. "If we got to go through this then we need to do this together otherwise we'll be unbalanced."
"Sí," Will agreed. "We are stronger together then separated. If it wasn't for you guys working together we would've been killed or worse."
"Fine but my totem mentioned that I need to learn forging from the guy."
"Focus on totem then forging," Will said. "We'll figure this out together."
"Well why don't we start now?" Hay Lin asked looking at all of them. "There's no time like the present."
"In the cold? Out here? Thanks but no."
"Unfortunately I'm with Corny on this one," Irma nodded. "I don't feel cold and I don't think you do either Hay Lin..."
"Neither do I but Will, Elyon and Cornelia need warmth," Taranee finished before Cornelia could snap about the usage of her least favorite nickname bestowed by Irma. "Let's go to a sheltered area or something and..." Whatever Taranee was saying was drowned out by a rush of wind accompanied with joyful laughter.
"Okay I wasn't the only one that heard that right?"
"No Irma you weren't," Taranee said her eyes darting around like everyone else's.
"Thanks good to know."
"Never fear," a voice said in Hay Lin's mind. "'Twas I. I shall take you to a place to practice with me and the rest of the totems will do the same. Hold on."
"What about Juan?"
"Hay Lin who are you talking to?" Cornelia asked.
"Juan will be informed via feathered one once the training has begun. Don't fear, the Knight will be present when you return and you all will no doubt find shelter for the night."
"Um okay," Hay Lin answered now focusing on her freaked out friends. "Guys my totem said they'd take care of it."
"Could they possibly not talk to us in a manner that doesn't make us look insane?... At more so then normal."
"I don't know Irma but I'll ask the totem when I get the telegraph-" Cornelia didn't finish her sentence since in a split second she was literally swallowed by the earth?!
"What the-" Irma soon dissolved into the snow with a splash while Taranee was suddenly engulfed with flames that was augmented when Elyon burned with bright light. Will was zapped with a current from the cable from above and disappeared. Hay Lin was soon enveloped with a huge gust of wind that shot her into the sky into a bunch of clouds heavy with snow ready to fall. This should've been thrilling but all she could think of was the sheer drop. Well that and the fact her friends had been abducted dissolving into ancient elements.
"My apologies for the abrupt entrance," her wind totem said as she that voice was definitely feminine flew into view. Her plume and crest was a bright red with golden highlights in the tips of her feathers. Her claws were slender, elegant looked razor sharp but her gaze was soft and playful which relaxed Hay Lin slightly. "I felt that making my presence know in a rather gaudy manner would attract your attention since your mind was occupied with other matters such as how to contact us."
"Well it worked," Hay Lin assured her shakily. "So who are you?
"I am Xiaoqing," the fengsheng said with a formal bow. "Now as you said before there is no time like the present. So first I must show you some basic moves so I can get a feel for you."
"Um like what?"
"Flight for example," the bird said playfully as she opened her wings calling up a gust of air pushed Hay Lin out of the cloud they were sitting into the open air.
Hay Lin reacted with the most sensible reaction in her arsenal. She screamed with terror as she careened down.
Elyon stared at Opala annoyed at her melodramatic summoning. They were standing in a multicolored area that looked like they were standing in an aurora borealis dancing in the night sky.
"Ya know there's a thing called a warning and that'd be greatly appreciated next time."
"My apologies, I was under the impression that introduction via Xiaoqing, the wind totem, was sufficient," the raven bowed her multicolored head with contrition. "Very well, I shall give you sufficient warning the next time we are to train."
"Okay...So what can you teach me?"
"Well first off what do you know of the Light?"
"It's...bright."
The raven laughed. "That is accurate but mayhap a bit simplistic in scope. True light is bright but...perhaps a better name of the element at your command is that it is magic itself."
"Huh?"
"Magic is inherently connected to light like the Light of Wixtiua long ago who was a powerful sorcerer that ruled over the land.
"Do I want to know what happened to that guy?"
"He was destroyed by Terios a minion of one know as Durza. Far as I know. Being disconnected from things since I was sealed"
"Who...and why were you sealed up?"
"All shall be explained in time."
"Great answer there," Elyon quipped crossing her arms a bit annoyed at the runaround. "Appreciate the none response."
"I do not intent to be enigmatic," Opala apologized bowing her head. "But now isn't the time for a history lesson. We will concentrate on powers then more on the origins. Fear not all will be explained so you know as much as I. Fortunately the Fire totem will be more enlightened if you'll pardon the pun by her training."
"Why the Fire one?"
"Because I was the first one sealed away. The second was Quintessence. Fire and Air fought on but Earth last I remembered was neutral."
"There's a story to that isn't there?"
"Precisely but first we must concentrate on helping you channel your abilities so I can bestow my power less chaotically upon you. Now let us begin..."
Will wasn't expecting to land on what looked like an stone platform but landed on one she did rolling a bit before stopping. She got up and looked over to see the platform was on something that resembled an Aztecan pyramid.
She looked around she saw the feathered serpent that she'd seen before but it's feathers were now multicolored instead of silhouetted like before now the feathers looked like they were from a tropical bird. The serpent had a plume that seemed to go up and down according to her mood like a reptilian cocktail upon her head hovering a distance away looking excited. When she at last noticed Will was watching she slithered forward to her.
"Bienvenida me llama es Yoltzin," the feathered serpent bowed to her. "Es honro conocer tú."
"Mucha gusta, me llama es Will Hernandez" Will said. "¿Por qué estoy aquí?"
"A entrenar con me. Aprenderás a controlar su capacidades," Yoltzin said excitedly. "¡Ahora empecemos!"
"¡Espera!"
"¿Pero por qué?"
"¿Eres me tótem?"
"Si. Soy tótem."
Vaya, whatever she expected from the serpent she wasn't expecting a hyperactive totem. Well she was eager she'd give Yoltzin that but...well might as well work with what she'd got.
"Órale, muéstrame lo que tienes."
"Bueno! Vamos!" Yoltzin shouted happily as she called down from the sky...a bolt of lighting?!
Esto va doler, she grumbled to herself as she raised her hands over her head as she readied herself for the bolt. Well here goes nothing.
Cornelia screamed as she appeared in what looked to be a luscious grove of trees. It was a beautiful sight filled with flowers and trees...it was a shame that she was too shaken to appreciate it.
"What the heck was that?!" Cornelia bellowed pulling out some debris that had gotten lodged in her hair. She looked around to see the Qilin that she'd seen before resting under what looked like a swampy tree.
"Ah so you arrived? Good."
"Still doesn't explain what you are," Cornelia glared at her crossing her arms.
"A good point, Earth is blunt and to the point. The fates have chosen well this time," the Qilin said pleased. "I am Chunhua."
"I'm Cornelia and wait," Cornelia held up her hand. "What do you mean this time?"
"Yes this time because my last wielder though wise tended to be passive in matters," the Qilin shook her head sadly. "She wasn't willing to make a stand against her friends once the fight for dominance began and so sat out the conflict to my shame, frustration and ultimately her guilt."
"Dominance? What happened?"
"Least to say there was a fight between the wielders of the totems a long time ago. I was forced to sit out for most of it until they came and sealed me. Fire and water were the last to be sealed so they know more about it. But it is not my tale to tell...for now at least. But I have summoned you here for more then just a history lesson."
"Yeah about that, next time less theatrics on the summoning and where's everyone else?"
"They are off training with their totem in a pocket dimension," Chunhua answered. "I am to train you in the ways of the Earth so that you might use them well. First I want you to mediate."
"So you want me to...what?"
"Meditate child," the Qilin said gesturing with a hoof to the grove that surrounded them. "You need to become one with the element. The rest have their own ways of doing this. I prefer a slightly more contemplative way. After all Earth is patient."
"But you just said that your last wielder was passive," Cornelia argued as she sat down in the grass. "So what's the difference?"
"Passive means not acting with even if able to and possessing the foresight. Patient is seeing from all angle then acting in the best manner possible."
"So in other words don't rush into a situation."
"Precisely," Chunhua smiled at her. "Now you at least grasp the basics. Now let us mediate. Afterwards we'll start on basic exercises."
"Fine," Cornelia sighed as she relaxed. "Let's do this then."
Taranee screamed the entire time she was on fire. She saw around her brighten passages and lava flows beneath her which didn't help with her fear. The lava licked at her feet and hands. Finally she landed on a cool lava bank that seemed to spew out of the volcano she'd found herself in. She quickly jumped to her feet and wiped her hands as if to ward off the remaining lava although there was none on her. Looking around she saw that she was on a tropical with bleak rocks and volcanoes surrounding her some active and others not.
"Welcome," a gravel voice said to her catching her off guard and making her screech with fear. Jumping up she saw a...dwarf. There was really no explanation for someone with that short of stature and braided beard dressed in leather and some armor scattered throughout his robes complete with leather boots. Only unlike what she'd expected from a dwarf he was dark skinned like herself. In fact possibly darker.
"Who are you?"
"I am Bjarte son of Gunter at your service," he bowed. Okay that was a dwarfish trait. Score for Tolkien. "I am here to escort you to Blaze of Knowledge library. "For you to properly work with your totem you must dedicate yourself to the pursuit of knowledge. Therefore, research is key to understanding how the totem works...She will meet you...once you've solved the riddle."
"Riddle?!" Taranee yelled. "I get a riddle?!"
"Indeed, the Fire totem suffers no fools to her power," Bjarte said shaking his head with amusement as he began to walk with Taranee scrambling to catch up with him. "The test will be if you can solve the riddle. If you can she will teach you."
"If I don't?"
"Well I shall assist, the point of learning isn't to fail but to grow. The only way to do so is to make mistakes," Bjarte assured her. "She's not setting you up for failure. She wants you to learn."
"So no pressure there," she muttered as she followed him into a the biggest library she'd ever seen. She could feel her excitement begin to over take her nerves in spite of herself.
"No pressure?"
Taranee gasped at Bjarte's question. She hadn't expected him to hear her comment. "It's slang where I come from. It means no big deal but I kinda meant it as well..."
"Ironic?"
"Yeah," Taranee admitted. "I was using it ironically."
"Well as I said you needn't worry. I will help. I wouldn't be a good librarian if I wasn't."
"You're a librarian?" Taranee stared at him. "I'd thought...well it's just that..."
"Not all dwarfs forge in the forge," Bjarte corrected her with a smile. "I forge new minds and thoughts with knowledge. What greater joy is there then to create new paths of thought? It's say it's better then many of the crafts that my kin makes."
"So there are more dwarfs here?"
"There some in this pocket dimension but not many. Most interact with the caravan now."
"A caravan?"
"Yes a caravan," Bjarte said. "We travel from place to place since the Cataclysm of the Suns."
"What happened during the Cataclysm of the Suns?"
"The Water totem or rather the Water Initiate rebelled against the others and turned rogue. Because of this there was a schism in the Oceans and by the time the forces of good prevail it was all for naught. Fire fought for the Light but Water Initiate had already sealed it. Quintessence and Air fought against it but Water Initiate brought in a dark magic that defeated Quintessence and tricked the Air totem. After that Water Initiate rejected his element all together to claim the Light totem but the wielder cursed him with the last of her magic and Earth totem finally stood up and saved the people left after the fighting. It was then that he turned to darker magics and from it he became a tyrant."
"What was his name?"
"It is lost to us," Bjarte said frustrated shaking his head. "But once that happened the lands withered and dead. From there people under the patronage of the former totems left the land in droves and soon evil and twisted creatures came from the shadows and began to rally to the Evil Initiate. He then created a mockery of the totems that he called Custodians. From that came the Runics from another faction which in turn were weakened versions of the Watchers. Thus do we roam in the Wastelands going from place to place in the hopes of finding a home awaiting the Watchers once more."
Taranee boggled at this information. This was quite a lot to take in now. So there was a war and now...wait.
"How did the totems get unsealed then?"
"The mighty sorceress Avilerra said that she castled in Unbinding Array with the help of the bearer of the Light Totem. Clearly it has worked for you a Watcher are now among us once more."
"How did she know that there'd even be a Light totem bearer?"
"The sorceress is known to have visions," Bjarte said. "I understand that can be a bit...hard to swallow as they say but it's true."
"Yeah I can melt things and I'm talking to previously thought to be a fictional race. I think my suspension of disbelief is well and truly stretched pretty far out now."
"I can see how this is overwhelming," Bjarte placed a comforting hand on her arm. "We can wait if you feel a need to assimilate this information."
That was tempting indeed to Taranee right now. Just to allow herself a pause for breath but...what about the others?
"What about my friends?"
"They must be training with their totems in their own pocket dimensions."
Well that settled it. She wasn't going to slack off if they were hard at work.
"Then let's get on with that riddle." Was she scared? Of course, but she wasn't going to back down from a challenge like this. She owed it to her friends and to herself to learn as much as she could. So what if she had a riddle? She'd figure it out.
"Very well, what 8 letter word can have a letter taken away and it still makes a word. Take another letter away and it still makes a word. Keep on doing that until you have one letter left. What is the word?"
Taranee paused and thought to herself. What could be a eight letter word and still be broken down into smaller words? What would it start with? What could it...Taranee felt something tickle in the back of her mind demanding her attention. There was something she was missing. Something important...Was it the word important? No one too many letters there... So what could be starting...Wait a second! That's it!
"It's starting!"
"Well done," Bjarte laughed happily. "The fates have chosen well."
"They have indeed," said a melodious voice from her left. Looking over Taranee saw a huge fiery looking lizard.
"The Fire totem I presume?"
"You presume correctly, I am Alyssa," the salamander bowed her head. "Now if you'll follow me out into the plains once more we can start mastering the flame that burns within."
Irma splashed into a vast ocean. Not something she was expecting when talking to her friends. But then who did? She slammed into water but strangely it felt falling into a cozy bed instead of brick wall like she should've given how fast she'd been falling before. Around her there was...nothing. No fishes, crabs or even coral. The ocean was a vast empty void save for the water itself. It was unnerving and really sad at the same time.
"Now ye see the devastation wrought upon the waves," the otter's voice said as she swam towards her. "The previous totem could've stopped but did not."
"Previous? So you're not the first?"
"Nay, I am the second," Deidrie sighed. "As is the Quintessence one I be young and I'm still learnin' the ropes of being a totem. The only skilled ones are of course the Earth, Air, Light and Fire o' course."
"Oh great I've got a novice!"
"I ain't that much of a novice. I know how to use my power and together we're supposed to work as one."
"Do you even know how to do that?"
"In theory..."
"That doesn't bolster me with confidence ya know," Irma commented crossing her arms.
"Well as I said ye and I will figure somethin' out I reckon. So best if we figure it out 'ere."
"So...how do totems get chosen?"
"Once ye be chosen it's a for as long as you serve good, lose sight of that then the Light strips you from your title then it goes to another. I got chosen. My predecessor was a bit of a cow so she got debunked."
"What'd she do?"
"I-I'd rather not say now lass."
Irma got the distinct impression she wasn't happy about what had happened and Irma was many things but she did try to be sensitive towards others.
"Alright for a later info dump then. So what we do?"
"Well let's work with gettin' in sync."
"And how do we do that?"
"Well some mediate others hit with their element...so...I reckon we can mediate. Best not to rush in afer all."
"Okay..."
"Or I could take away ye powers..."
"HEY! I'D DROWN GENIUS!"
"So mediating it is then."
"Great," Irma grumbled as she closed her eyes to concentrate. "I'm the lucky one to get an amateur."
"Oi, I can still let ye drown."
"Thank you but no."
"Then's git started then."
"Joy I can't wait to see this one."
Translations:
Porque no dinero- because no money
Pollo- chicken
La problema no necesitó saber nuestros nombres- The problem doesn't need to know our names
Confié en mí.- Trust me.
Confiamos tu- We trust you.
¿Podemos tenemos que hablamos sobre el bruja? ¿Por favor?- Can we have that talk about the wizard please (incorrectly said)
Por supuesto- But of course
Pero la palabra esta plática. Si es un sustantivo entonces ocupas plática si es un verbo entonces hablar.- But the word is talk. If it is the noun then you use(Mexican Spanish) plática (talk in Latin America Spanish) if it is the verb then it's to talk.
También es brujo no bruja. Bruja es feminino no masculino.- Also it's brujo(wizard) not bruja(witch). Bruja is feminine not masculine
Explicaré tarde, ahora vamos en algún lugar más.- I will explain later, now let's go somewhere else.
Daré vos el espacio y entretendré el brujo- I will give you all space and entertain the wizard.
En cierto modo- in a way
Es honro conocer tú- It is an honor to know you
A entrenar con me. Aprenderás a controlar su (formal way of saying you) capacidades,- to train with me. You will learn to control your abilities
Espera- Wait imperative
¿Pro qué estoy aquí?- why am I here?
¿Eres me tótem?- you're my totem?
Si soy tótem- yes I am the totem
Vaya- whoa
Órale muéstrame lo que tienes- okay show me what you've got
Esto va dólar- this is going to hurt
