Ethan felt a sense of calm as he passed through the light. The rain ceased falling and the sounds of birds filled his ears. The cold, wet air was now warm and comfortable. Looking around, he could see the rain still fell in the forest but a clear path had opened up for him. Like he was in a glass hallway separating himself from the rest of the world.
He walked through the strange passage slowly, absorbing the wonders around. Outside of his immediate area, squirrels huddled against trees in a futile attempt to stay dry, inside he could see them jump from trees above him in the warm sunlight. Birds sang and flew overhead. A stag leapt from the side of his path, looked at him and bounded off, disappearing when it reached the border between rain and sunlight.
Where am I? Am I still part of the world, or is this something else? He thought to himself in awe and confusion.
After several minutes he was standing on charred ground at the entrance to an idyllic clearing roughly the size of a football field back home. Heat radiated from small bushes that were on fire scattered around the scorched earth. He stepped carefully, trying not to burn himself on an errant flame.
One of the bushes flared brightly as he passed too close to it. In an explosion of light, a dark form emerged from the fire and landed nimbly in front of Ethan. The figure shook its small body and smoke rose in the air. Before him sat a coal black fox. Fire crackled around its paws and the tip of its tail.
“I’m not surprised you made it here.” A voice like twigs crackling in a fire invaded his mind as the fox stared up at him, it’s eyes glowing with blue light.
Ethan hurriedly dropped to one knee in respect.
“Vættr of Fire, you honor me.” He said, his head bowed low.
“Get up boy.” The Elemental Spirit swatted his hand with one of its paws, it’s mental voice amused.
“I am sorry honored Spirit, I didn’t expect to see you here.” He said apologetically, shaking his hands from the hot touch of the Vættr of Fire.
“Where else would I be?” The fox twitched it’s ears and cocked it’s head to the side. “I have known you since your rebirth, of course I’d be here when you meet Her.”
Ethan’s brow furrowed in confusion by the Fire Spirit’s statement. NPCs weren’t supposed to understand about the cycle players went through. That was part of what made Miguel and Tara’s situation so hard.
“You are here to meet Her, aren’t you?” The spirit continued to stare up at him.
“I don’t know,” he pushed his thoughts down. He had a quest to complete, that was what he needed to focus on. “I don’t know who she is.”
The fox barked out a laugh at him.
“Ve, the Spirit of Life. Or did you stumble into the Hearg of Life on accident?” The fox smiled.
“Oh, no.” Ethan stuttered, embarrassed again. “Hertha sent me here to commune with the Spirit of Life, well, Ve.”
“Yes, I know.” The fox stood up on all fours and flicked its tail, sending out a small gout of flame. “You should maybe go talk to Grenat, Bríse and, ugh, Vewa.” The last word was spat out with disgust.
“Who?” Ethan looked around, not seeing anyone other than himself and the Spirit of Fire.
“Hertha said you were dense, but I thought you would have at least known our names.” The fox frowned and swept its ears back again, it’s mental voice tinted with annoyance. “You didn’t think everyone just called us ‘Great Spirit’ all the time did you?”
“Ummm… yes?” Ethan could maintain eye contact with the disappointment in the Fire Spirit’s eyes.
“Denser than Grenat it appears.” It said, shaking its head.
“So what do I call you?” He asked it.
“Reás.” It said “and frankly, I’m appalled it took you so long to ask.”
Before Ethan could respond, the fox turned and jumped back into the bush it had erupted from, disappearing in a flame.
“I guess I’m dismissed.” He said aloud, and the bush flared again in response.
Ethan looked around the shrine. He could see where he assumed the Earth and Air Spirits would probably reside, but a large and misshapen, moss covered tree stump in the middle of the field prevented him from seeing where the Water Spirit could be.
The moss covered ground was soft to walk across as he entered the sacred area. He could see black lines burned contrasting against the green, forming a pattern across the ground he’d just left towards the stone in the middle. When he bent down to look at the line he could see individual runes of lines and angles forming the larger line, he assumed they formed a pattern that could be seen from higher but he couldn’t make it out on ground level.
If the Spirit of Earth was the second connection I made, then I should probably visit them first. Ethan reasoned as he headed left towards the rocky area.
The lines in the ground changed from black burns to smooth grey rock when he crossed into the quadrant of Earth. He took care not to step on any of them, unsure of their significance.
Unlike the burned area Reas had been inhabiting, the section devoted to Earth was completely bare stone except for what looked like twin stalagmites poking out of the ground.
“Hello? Umm… Grenat?” Ethan called out hesitantly from the border of rock and moss. After several seconds of no response he took a tentative step forward.
At the touch of his boot on the rock, the ground under him trembled causing him to lose his footing and he fell forward onto his face. Ethan pushed himself to his hands and knees in time to see the stalagmites shudder in a cloud of pebbles and lift out of the ground. The dust prevented him from seeing what form the Spirit of Earth took, but from his right the sound of thunder shook him back to his stomach. Another thud echoed from his left and two more quickly followed in front of him.
He could hear rocks falling to the ground so he stayed low and covered his head. When the shaking stopped he changed a glance to see the being that had appeared in the chaos.
The head of a massive bull greeted him as he opened his eyes. It looked like a stone statue had come to life, the Spirit of Earth’s head was easily as big as his entire body.
“Yes. You are close to the ground. Good.” It’s voice thundered loud and slow in his head.
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“Grenat, Spirit of Earth.” Ethan said, having raised himself to keel in respect. “Thank you for your gifts.”
“You were already set on the path. I just guided you closer.” The massive bull snorted and small pebbles rolled across the ground.
“Do you have any advice for me when I meet Ve?” Ethan asked hopefully.
“Be solid and true. Ve sees through falsehoods and half truths. She will test and push you, but hold firm to who you are.” Grenat shook their massive horns as it spoke into his mind.
“I will try to remember that.” Ethan bowed his head in gratitude.
“See that you do little one.” The Spirit of stamped one of its mighty rock hooves against the ground again, the rupture shaking Ethan again, and disappeared. Only it’s horns jutted above the ground once again.
Ethan stood and brushed the dirt and pebbles the Earth Spirit had showered him in from his clothes and walked in the direction of the Water Spirit’s shrine. He assumed it was named Vewa from the disgust Reás had shown when they said its name. He hoped that even thought Fire was his natural connection, the Water Spirit would still be welcoming of him.
He could see a creek winding through the forest ending in a shallow, leaf shaped pool away from the stump in the middle of the Hearg. Cautiously, he sat cross legged in front of the pond.
“Vewa, Spirit of Water, I have come before you looking for guidance.” He prayed quietly at the water's edge.
Instantly, a wave formed several feet up the gentle creek, cresting as it reached the pool. Ethan closed his eyes and braced himself for the soaking he was surely about to receive. But it never came.
“Why do you close your eyes, little human? Are you afraid I will extinguish the fire inside of you?” A gentle, feminine voice filled his mind and he quickly opened his eyes.
Inches away from his face, a pair of huge blue eyes blinked at him. Vewa, the Water Spirit, was a massive blue-green serpent. Water dripped from their body as they pulled their head back so he could see them in their entirety.
“I will not strike you, young Shaman.” Their voice was full of mirth and seemed to flow playfully. Ethan recognized the voice of the Water Spirit from the conversation they’d had when he’d made the initial connection with it.
“I’m sorry, Reás…” he began, but was interrupted.
“Reás believes that we are opposed, that I will extinguish all they burn.” Vewa raised the upper portion of their body to look over the middle of the Hearg. “But we are balanced. Where Reás sears, I flow and create new life. This is the way of the Spirits.”
“Harmony.” He whispered.
“Yes. All things are connected, through Ve.” Vewa lowered themselves once again until they were once again at his eye level. “Who you have come to meet.”
“Yes,” Ethan nodded. “But also, to thank you.”
“Your gratitude is appreciated. But unnecessary. Balance is important, you proved you understood that to me.” The colossal serpent continued to stare at him, as if expecting more from the young Shaman in training.
“Vewa, do you have any advice for when I meet Ve?” Ethan, hoping the Water Spirit would answer his question.
The embodiment of Water blinked as it held eye contact with him.
“Water flows and changes. Whatever task Ve sets before you, be as strong as Grenat. But remember that the direct path is not always the only choice. Do not be afraid to change course.” With a bow of their massive head, Vewa retreated back into their pond. Their body once again liquid.
“That was actually less helpful.” He mumbled sarcastically and the creek playfully splashed him.
The Air Spirit’s home was much simpler than the other three. Only a gnarled oak tree above a patch of knee high grass. Ethan was about to step foot into the grass when a strong gust of wind pushed him back. He looked up to see a beautiful red and brown hawk staring down at him from a branch.
“Why am I always last, child?” The sharp female voice seemed to rush through his mind with the force of a hurricane. “Do you place so little value on me, that you think me unimportant?”
“Not at all, Great Bríse.” Ethan bowed his head low as he braced himself against the wind their wings had created. “I just approached each Spirit in the order I first met them.”
“Still, why was I last?” The hawk cocked their head at him, it’s brown eyes piercing through him as it’s voice remained annoyed.
Ethan paused. Grenat had told him to be honest with Ve, surely he should be honest with all the Spirits.
“I sought out Vewa before you, initially, because Reás’ influence was so strong I had become afraid of myself.” He dropped his head lower in his own shame. “I hoped their calming influence would temper the Fire within me so I wasn’t a danger to myself or my loved ones.”
“Hmph.” The hawk puffed out their feathers at his response. “A well thought out and honest answer. I accept your apology. When you meet Her, show her the same respect and honesty and She will gladly accept you.”
“Thank you, Bríse.” Ethan smiled. He’d always loved hawks in the real world. Seeing the Spirit of Air as one was surely a sign.
“And what did my siblings say about meeting Ve?” The hawk hopped to a lower branch, directly at eye level with Ethan.
“To be true to myself, to be determined and still accepting of change.” He said softly, wanting to be honest with the Vættr of Air.
“Hmph. They probably used much more flowery speech than that.” Bríse ruffled their feathers in annoyance again. “Wasn’t much help at all, was it?”
“Honestly,” Ethan paused, unsure if he should speak poorly of the other Spirits to this one. “Not really. Reás was short with me, Grenat didn’t say much, and Vewa seemed to talk in circles.”
“That is their way. Vewa may talk a great deal about change and compassion, but the truth is water can only flow in one direction. It adapts well to obstacles, but can still only go forward.” Once again, the hawk’s brown eyes seemed to pierce through him. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I think so.” Ethan stuttered, not completely sure he did.
“I don’t think you do yet.” Bríse fluttered their wings, ruffling their feathers before continuing. “Passion, determination and compassion are all aspects gifted from my siblings. What is missing?”
“Creativity.” When Ethan had been attempting to forge the connection between himself and the vættr of Air, he’d used memories of Miguel as an anchor. Creative solutions to problems were a specialty of his. Both in game and out. He was another chef, but focused on molecular gastronomy. Miguel used all sorts of food chemicals and components to truly turn his meals into an artistic endeavor.
“Too broad. What inspires that creativity and pushes the rest forward?”
Ethan thought for several minutes but was unable to come up with an answer.
“Fire and Earth are certainly strong with you.” The mental voice seemed to chuckle in his head. “Intelligence is the answer. If you’re too passionate, too determined, or too flexible, you will get nowhere without intelligence. That’s the lesson you need to learn here. All the elements must work together to accomplish any goal. And the culmination of that is Ve.”
“Thank you great Bríse.” Ethan bowed his head in respect to the Vættr of Air. From this one encounter, he’d learned more about the balance of life than any of the other vættr had attempted to teach him.
“Just remember: like Life and Water, Air is all around you. Often more so than any other of the Spirits. Maybe you show me the proper respect more often and our relationship can flourish.” With that, the beautiful hawk took flight, once again pushing Ethan back.
“I will try.”