I do not own Shaman king.
A/N; Italics are flashback
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
Lord Acton.
This chapter is dedicated to one of my teachers who died on Mothers Day 2005 may she remain in our hearts forever.
Nobody knows this, it has been a well kept secret, shrouded in mystery although many think they know the truth.
At the dawn of time were created four beings who were for the most part human. They controlled the four elements-earth, air, fire and water. They maintained balance and protected the planet keeping peace, but as with all times of peace come times of discord following closely in the shadows.
The world at this time consisted of a vast ocean and one super continent known to the modern world as Pangaea. History and indeed science unknowingly had it all wrong. At the dawn of time when these beings were created by some unknown higher force many would call god they brought with them balance. The first gave the world heat to warm the very depths of the planet, the second gave the world air so that living beings could breath, the third created water with which beings could sustain themselves and the fourth introduced the beings to the world and so a balance was created.
I wonder how the world would be now if it had not happened if the world had remained at peace thought Ellena as she gazed at the sun rising on the horizon.
"YOU KNOW WE MUST NOT VENTURE INTO THE FOREST. YOU HEARD THE VOICE THAT TOLD US, THE SAME ONE THAT HAS GUIDED US FROM THE BEGINNING,I love you so much but I am worried that whatever lies through there will only lead to disaster. There must be a reason we cannot venture in, it may be something even our powers cannot hold." Her voice had changed now from anger to a more worried tone.
The man stood in front of her gripped her hands and pulled her towards him in a tight embrace.
"I love you too but you must not worry so much, I have to know. If it is something dangerous we must know." He whispered into her ear, "I must protect you Ellena"
Aki, he had been so loving and kind back then. Ellena could still picture him clearly in her mind. His fiery red hair was tied at the nape of his neck and hung down to his elbows. He was strong and muscular and stood at 6 feet tall. Tattooed over his body were markings similar to those that covered Ellena's skin. They were the marks of the elemental masters. He was wearing a maroon robe that stretched down to the floor, the sleeves stopped halfway down his forearm and were embroidered with amber beads. Ellena looked just as she did now her hair long enough to touch the ground, her fair skin. The only thing different was her eyes, back then her eyes had been blue a crystal like icy blue.
"Aki, Ellena, where are you?" two more voices called from the distance.
Aki closed his eyes and holding tightly to Ellena they both disappeared in a dancing cone of fire, quickly reappearing next to two startled people.
"Every time you do that you make me jump" said one of them.
"Sorry Meroko but it is the fastest way to travel!" said Aki grinning.
Meroko she was my best friend back then. The elemental master of earth I suppose who many would call mother nature. She had tanned skin her hair was cut short and framed her face it was a leaf green colour, she was more muscular than me and stronger too but no strong enough, thought Ellena. She also had the markings covering her skin. She wore a short green dress similar to Ellenas but hers fell past her knees. The light material quivered in the wind making her look as if she was to begin floating..
"Meroko! You hippocrite what about the time you appeared out of the ground when I was bathing in the lake!" cried the man she was standing next to.
"That was misdirection, I was aiming for the nearby forest and I missed I was still getting used to my abilities back then and don't say you didn't want me to come in and join you, Lahar!" said Meroko wagging her finger at him.
"You did come in and join me!"
Ellena and Aki looked at each other rolling their eyes. Meroko and Lahar were in love no doubt about it but their childish attitudes often got them in trouble with Aki who was the leader of the four.
Lahar was the master of the air his pure white hair was as long as Aki's but it hung loose. He was the shortest of the group although only just shorter than Meroko and he wore the same robe as Aki but his was a deep blue colour and the beads were made of Turquoise. He always had a short temper and him and Meroko argued a lot of the time, Ellena remembered with a smile. Yes, he was much different from Aki, Aki was a very serious person a lot of the time and he always managed to stay calm whatever happened, but there was something else, something he longed for. Ellena had seen it in his eyes before and she saw it that day too.
They all lived in a network of caves. The entrance was along a steep cliff path above a valley. The inside was dark but it was lit along the way with small balls of fire that lasted for an eternity, put their by Aki to light the way.
"So where's Lahar then?"
"Oh I left him sleeping in his chamber" replied Meroko.
"I have something to tell you, Meroko" said Ellena in a whisper, "and you cannot mention anything to the others until I have told them, in fact I am telling Aki as soon as he gets back"
"Well what is it?"
"I am carrying Aki's child"
"ELLENA!" squealed Meroko as she hugged her friend tightly.
"Shhhhhhh!"
"Oh yeah!"
Ellena and Meroko talked some more and eventually Meroko headed back to her chamber for the night. Ellena stood at the entrance to the cave and wondered where Aki had gotten too. The cool breeze caught her hair and it flicked about her as if it were alive.
Meroko and Lahar both woke up with a start as the earth began to quake beneath them. They stumbled out of their chambers clinging to the walls. The balls of fire began to brightly. Ellena clung to the cliff edge and watched as a great tower of light shot from the forest in the distance send a shockwave across the land and slamming Ellena back into the wall. Meroko and Lahar helped her to her feet.
"I CAN'T STOP IT, THE POWER IS BEYOND MINE SOMETHING BEYOND MY CONTROL IS CAUSING THE EARTH TO SHAKE!" cried Ellena over the sound of the earth cracking beneath them. "STAY HERE ELLENA. LAHAR AND I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE SOURCE OF ALL THIS. IT MUST BE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT LIGHT OVER THERE. YOU NEED TO PROTECT IT"
Lahar looked at Meroko in confusion but Ellena nodded knowing that Meroko wanted her to protect her baby. Then Lahar and Meroko sank into the ground(one of Meroko's abilities) to see what was happening. Ellena looked out at the light and it suddenly dawned on her, she gasped and got to her feet. She had to stop him. She disappeared within a tower of water quickly reappearing in the clearing where the light was coming from. Stood on a stone platform in the middle of the clearing was Aki, his hands held up in the air. He was stood in the middle of the light beam and it did not appear to harm him. Ellena gasped when she saw the crumpled bodies of Meroko and Lahar at the foot of the platform.
"ELLENA. JOIN ME, I HAVE GAINED THE ULTIMATE POWER I CAN FEEL IT SURGING THROUGH ME, FILLING EVERY CELL IN MY BODY."
Aki looked at her, a wild glint of madness in his eyes.
"AKI, COME DOWN NOW, PLEASE LET'S JUST GO HOME, I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU, PLEASE"
Tears formed in Ellena's eyes as Aki looked at her.
"ELLENA WITH ALL THIS POWER WE WON'T JUST TAKE CARE OF THIS WORLD. WE WILL RULE IT, YOU AND ME!"
"AKI, DON'T YOU SEE, YOU HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED, THIS POWER YOU ARE GAINING WILL DETROY EVERYTHING. IT ALREADY IS. PLEASE LEAVE IT BE"
"NEVER. IF YOU WON'T JOIN ME THEN YOU WILL PERISH LIKE THE OTHERS."
Aki's body began to change he began to look like a monster. His skin turned red, the markings white. The whole shape of his body altered. Ellena looked on in horror, knowing it was too late to stop him now. The light around him faded and the earth became still again.
"LOOK AT ME ELLENA, CAN'T YOU SEE THE POWER. LOOK AT ME, I AM NOW THE VERY SPIRIT OF FIRE"
Ellena stared and realised their was only one thing she could do to save the world. She lifted herself up with her powers to face him. His form had become gigantic and she was almost twenty feet in the air when she could finally look into her face.
"I am sorry to have to do this but I must protect the world... I love you Aki"
Tears began to stream down her face as she summoned all her strength.
"Aki before I do this... I am carrying your baby Aki"
Her eyes turned completely black and she let out a cry of pain as her body released all its energy at once creating an earth crushing torrent that engulfed her and Aki killing them both instantly.
A tear rolled down Ellena's face as she remembered all that had happened that night so long ago. She placed a hand to her stomach and weeped.
This has all been a well kept secret throughout time. The one who sent us their, he changed the truth to protect me. The stories Adam and Eve and the forbidden apple, and the flood was all the twisted truth of that night.
A/N: I must apologize if I have offended anyone with this please (all the religious stuff) remember it's just fiction. yay the chapters are actually getting longer i reckon