An awesome friend of mine drew this shot of the Tundara spire, i can't put links in but it can be found on Deviantart .com by searching for Icy Lone Tower, she's promised to do some more as well :)
Chapter Four – Element Unsealed
The spire rose up above him and Felix paused one last time feeling the awe overtaking him, apart from its height that instantly struck you the tower was wide enough that it would have probably taken him a minute to run around the base, far above he could see the blue shinning light issuing from the very top of the spire, its source was a mystery to him.
Before him were a massive set of ornate redwood doors, moving cautiously forwards he knocked loudly on the wood three times making a deep reverberating sound. He waited a few moments; when no-one came to the door he carefully pushed at the right door which slid easily open.
Carefully he walked inside as the door swung shut behind him, he was in a massive circular chamber which was the same size as the base of the spire with a roof above him and a set of winding stairs on the other side of the chamber going up. All around on the walls were strange mosaics and pictures but apart from that the chamber was barren and largely lifeless. The floor was made of hard gleaming marble that shone in the light that was projected from strange lights embedded in the spire walls that did not give out smoke, so they couldn't be candles and the light that came forth from them was far brighter then the steam run lights he had once seen on an airship far above…
"Ah, another arrival from afar." The voice came from right behind him and he span round to come face to face with a tall middle aged man. Black robes clung to him and his flashing eyes under his dark rough hair made him almost look mad, he lent somewhat awkwardly on a long, silver topped cane, his voice was that of dried paper rubbing.
"Oh, err sorry…" Felix tried, how had the man appeared like that behind him? There was no-one in when he had entered and the only stairs were on the other side of the chamber? "When I came in I saw no-one about so I was just taking a look around."
"Hmm, you're first time to a spire?" The man asked as he tapped the ground with his cane, tap, tap, tap, it rung clear against the marble floor.
"Yes sir." Felix nodded; he wasn't sure why he called him 'sir' it just felt appropriate.
"Have you come to have you're element unsealed within you then?" The man asked raising his cane again, his voice becoming animated. "You know that inside ever Beroc, human born male or female, an elemental power resides. Everyone feels it, it's a sense of energy, of exertion, some feel it more then others, some are never aware, some think of it as a source of untapped energy, others as a soul of your own body, they are all wrong."
"You're elemental energy..." The man continued as Felix watched in fascination as he tapped the cane faster to the beat of his words, tap, tap, tap, tap. "Elemental energy is force, pure and simple. It is an extension of you're will, by unsealing you're element that resides within you; you shall gain its powers. It will empower you, protect you, enable you to strike down foes, it is however tempered with danger…learning proper elemental use takes much practising, if you wish to learn seriously you should enrol in a temple somewhere if not you must always be careful not to overexert yourself, draw too much power too quickly and you will surely die." The man looked at him through fevered eyes. "Do you my son, wish to have you're element unsealed from within you?"
"I do." Felix replied with not a second of hesitation, he was surprised, so this was a kin-idreal…somehow Felix had imagined them to be more, religious or…normal.
The man moved round Felix and began moving across the chamber towards the stairs. "Follow me then young man and we shall begin the ritual…"
Felix followed steadily, starting to feel a little nervous again, what sort of ritual? Would there be a trial? A test to see his worthiness? He followed the man up the stairs onto the second floor.
The second floor was identical to the lower except there was no floor above this, above the inside of the spire rose up, black as it had been outside, far, far up, hanging above the floor was a massive blue crystal, levitating there at the roof of the tower, turning slowly on its axis allowing its warm deep blue light to bring dancing shadows and life to the spire.
Felix gasped as he took in the enormity of the crystal, how was it levitating up there? How had it got up there in the first place? What was its purpose? He realised he had stopped walking when the kin-idreal priest turned to see where he was looking up at the crystal.
"Magnificent is it not?" The man spoke softly now, as if too a loved one. "She has lit this spire for four thousand years, a never-ending light to burn away the darkness. She has given the elemental powers to hundreds of thousands throughout the years, now where once there was a daily flood of people coming to this spire you are the first I have seen in three months."
Felix swallowed. "Many now prefer to go to the Cartilge Spire in the south." He pointed out. "It's close to the City of Cartilge and thus can easily be reached by airship." (also its warmer, he would have pointed out) "Anyway, what is that crystal made out of? How did it get up there?" He asked pointing up at it.
"How should I know what its made of or how it got up there?" The man snapped. "Ever since this spire was assigned to me to watch over by the kin-idreal council I have done my duties well, if you have questions about the great spire crystals you should direct you're questions to the master of Tundara temple, to the south-east of here."
"I will." Felix replied. "I'm looking for a man, my uncle; he is my last living blood relative alive, I believe he is to be found at the temple, which was what his last letter to me a year back suggested."
"I see." The man nodded. "Then you wish to be off as soon as possible." It was not a question. "Come, walk forwards with me."
The man led the way forwards towards the centre of the chamber, directly under the crystal. For the first time Felix noticed a strange statue at the centre of the chamber. It looked like some sort of mythical creature with four legs and a mane around its head, snapping jaws jutted forth from its half opened maw, the statue was stunningly realistic despite being cold, hard, grey stone.
When Felix tore his eyes away from the statue the man was standing directly next to one side of it. "Please come and stand before the statue and lay you're hand here." The man indicated the creature's smooth rounded head.
Felix moved dutifully forwards and laid his right hand on the statues head, it felt cold and hard just like any old stone and he looked at the man in confusion but the strange man was looking up at the crystal and Felix could hear him murmuring words under his breath, too fast and jumbled for Felix to make out and Felix found himself instinctively looked up as well.
The crystal above blazed with sudden blinding blue light, a shaft of pure light issued forth from the crystal like an arrow of judgement, it took less then a second to pour directly down from the crystal to crash onto the statues head complete with Felix's hand resting on top.
Felix jolted, he would have pulled his hand away but for some reason he felt stuck, rooted in place, the energy? Light? Power? Pulsed over his hand steadily with a cool icy touch then Felix felt something in him…twitch, and then the light went out, the crystal returned to normal above and Felix removed his hand with a sudden cry, gasping as if exhausted.
"Reach into the creature's mouth, past the jaws." The man spoke softly, Felix looked at him in further confusion, when the man didn't say anything Felix moved forwards and reached out into the creature's dark maw, feeling his hand trembling slightly, he touched something, something loose.
"Pull it out." The man commanded and Felix did so, the small object came easily, pulled forth from the jaws of the statue.
It was a small blue crystal.
It was smaller then the length of Felix's smallest finger and small but it shone faintly and inside the crystal a strange blue energy pulsed as if some sort of liquid rested inside it, Felix suddenly noticed the metal pin at the top of the crystal on which a small coil of silver rope was wound around.
"Now place the crystal over you're neck." The man softly spoke watching intently now and Felix once again did as he was commanded, lifting the coil around his neck and allowing the crystal to rest down inside his tunic top above his breast.
"You are now a fully fledged elementalist, you're element is that of Water." The man inclined his head slightly.
"Th…that was it?" Felix asked unbelieving, he felt the same, he held out his hand and flexed it, nothing felt different. "So, what just happened?"
The man nodded as if expecting the question. "You're element has been unsealed within you, right now it burns within you, like a candle and as fragile as one, but it will grow steadily with time and practice. It will be sometime, from the passing of the sun to several weeks before you are able to use you're power. Elements vary in power from person to person, some people are able to train themselves to a very basic degree while others can change the history of our world, and they have done in the past, I wish you all the best in you're future."
"But…I expected more guidance of some sort." Felix tried.
"I can't teach you." The man shrugged. "Go to the temple if you wish to learn more about the powers under you're control. Practice with it daily if you can, focus all you're might and will on projecting yourself and you will be able to master it. Be aware, elements are not magic, not petty tricks to be used to impress people. Elements are weapons and are used in times of need, you cannot just call on them, you have to need them."
"I think I see…" Felix replied slowly, he wasn't really sure he did.
"The crystal around you're neck represents the power you have been given, it is a sign that you wield an element, hold it close to yourself for several weeks until you're power manifests." The man continued. "The crystal serves as a catalyst that will cause you're power to grow, once you're power has manifested itself you can keep or rid yourself of the crystal, I imagine with time you will simply forget that you are wearing it."
"How will I know how to use elemental power?" Felix asked.
"Just give it time." The man nodded as if satisfied. "Now I shall take my leave of you, good luck in the path you choose in life young elementalist." He inclined his head again and Felix bowed towards him, and then the man turned and began moving towards the stairs from which they had came up.
Felix waited until the man had moved down the stairs wondering where he could stay in this spire, as far as he knew there was no rooms or the like as a part of the spire, shrugging he decided it didn't matter, he had accomplished what he had come to do.
Touching the crystal around his neck he focused himself and decided that it was time move on to the temple, maybe there he could find more information out about elementals and the like, maybe he would bump into Cassandra again and maybe he would meet his uncle…
When he left the spire he wasn't at all surprised by the fact that he didn't see the strange old man again.
'Elements' - They always seem to play a part don't they? In this case the main elements are Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Darkness and Light, more or less.
'Crystals' - Seem to walk hand in hand with magic, everything from the Cruxis crystals from Tales of Symphonia (GC) to Final Fantasy IX and XII (PS2) crystals are always important!