I STAND BEFORE THE ETERNAL ELEMENTALS.

It is a rematch. Previously, I lost simply because I did not understand their nature. Now, however, I do.

They are immortal beings. No matter the damage they take, they can regenerate. Grow stronger than before. It is as long as they have access to matter. They can suck the world in and live forever. The only way to defeat them is destroy the world itself— rid the resources that allows them to sustain their being.

But that is too destructive. That brings death to all of Utana. And I do not want that. Neither does Kalmat, Keshiy, Nindran— no one does. After all, sacrificing the world is beyond

There is another option. One that does not require sacrifice. It does not require for the end of Utana. Nor does it require the Pishtim’s intervention.

We have to contain the Eternal Elementals.

I can imagine it. A box. One made entirely out of metal. Something that cannot be absorbed or used by these living calamities. But it has to be in a vacuum. So there is no air for them to grow from. Nothing to absorb to regenerate.

I need to trap them. I look down, my Aspect coalescing behind me into wings, carrying me high into the air. I hover below the Lifelood-tainted sky, arms spread wide. I bring my hands together as the magic coalesces into my call, and I breathe.

“Soul Cycle.”

I can feel the my core sifting through the magic, converting it into Qi. The outline of a cube begins to form above me. Massive, engulfing the entire area as the Lifeblood gathered rapidly depletes. Down below, I watch on as my friends battle the Eternal Elementals, keeping it at bay. Nindran unleashes a pillar or flame that streaks up and touches the sky. Beihal tosses a dozen metal trinkets into the abomination of the elements, before they glow and explode.

A terrible tremor rips across the earth, only for Nindran to join in. She is calm and collected, bringing her hands up in a wide pose. All the elements gather around her. Earth, fire, water, and air. It lashes out in precise strikes, destroying parts of the living calamity before it can reform.

They fight their hardest to hold it back. Meanwhile, I continue forging the prison to hold the Eternal Elementals. I see exactly what I need in my head. The same cell that they came to this world in. Not just them— but the others that came.

They were all prisoners. Slaves sent ahead of time. So, I shall bind them back with the same material they came in.

The cube begins to take proper form. Not just the vague shape of one. Metallic walls form— not steel, but an alien material I do not recognize. However, simply not knowing what it is does not stop me from creating it. I exhale Orange Essence, calling forth the School of Transmutation. My eyes flash and the metal hardens, becoming the exact material needed to contain the Eternal Elementals.

I then reshape it. It shifts from being a cube, spiking out in all directions before bending back together. It forms the shape of a capsule. Similar to the ships that came crashing down. There is a single opening, and I look back down.

The Eternal Elemental lashes out, knocking Nelrel back. The elderly woman is caught by Beihal as Nindran dashes forward. The azure-haired woman unleashes her own Ray of Esh, keeping the living calamity back. Unfortunately, it is not enough to stop it from reforming.

The single morbidly shaped creature grows in size as the earth rips apart. The air thins and the trees catch on fire before flying into it. It lets out a terrible roar— one that sounds like the elements themselves screaming in its twisted pain.

It rises up as Nindran leaps back. She sends an ice spike up at it, keeping it back. It easily shatters the ice and consumes the water particles into its body.

“Uh, Tian! I don’t know if we can hold it off for long!” she shouts up at me.

“I am finished,” I say as I exhale. “Get back, everyone!”

I bring my palm down. The prison falls down, as if it has been unhinged from something invisible that is holding it. It speeds up in its descent, and Nindran, Nelrel, and Beihal flee. They escape the scene, sending blasts of magic back into the Eternal Elemental.

It recoils, receding back a bit as it tries to regenerate. But it does not notice the shadow falling towards it. But I do not wish to simply encase it. It can dig under the prison if that happens. I pull back, and the prison stops its descent right above the Eternal Elementals.

“And now—” I bring my hand up, like tugging a string connected to the living calamities. “Aura Pull.”

I can feel the Feat tugging me towards it too. But I hold myself steady, overpowering the mass of elements down below. It goes flying up and lands straight in its prison. There is still an exit for it to escape, and it looks around in confusion.

I fly down to it, creating a golden phoenix at my back. I face down the Eternal Elemental as it tries to flee the prison.

“You shall not escape!” I unleash the Sacred Technique onto it, burning it and keeping it back for a moment. Then I turn to my friends. “Now!”

They run back towards me. The three Elementalists take the same stance, like they are drawing from the prison. All at once, they pull. I can see their magic take hold. The elements inside the prison are sucked out rapidly, leaving behind, for a moment, a vacuum. No matter. Nothing besides what the Eternal Elements are composed of.

The Eternal Elements do not regenerate as they are ripped apart by the phoenix. Instead, they are left much smaller. They reach out for the exit of the prison— trying to grab the air just outside of the metallic capsule.

And I bring my palms together. The prison rapidly seals. The Eternal Elements strike the metal, unable to break through. Far smaller than they just were. Far weaker. I pant as I descend to my friends, finally victorious.

For defeating the Eternal Elementals, you are awarded a level in your Class!

- Soulborne Level 7 advances to Soulborne Level 8

Tian

Race: Ren

Class: Soulborne Level 8

Feats:

- Void Walk

- Ray of Esh

- Dual Core

- The Guardian’s Blessing

- Soul Cycle

- Lifeblood’s Call

- Aura Pull

- Imprisonment