Felicity: The four elements

Prologue

Nathan, Edwin, Kerian and Jeremy found themselves in a new world. Before they could find their bearings, a voice resounded loudly in their heads.

Welcome to Akator. We have been waiting for you.

They turned around and saw four creatures before them, who looked stranger than anything their imaginations were capable of conjuring. They were sitting in a simple cross-legged position. Jeremy began studying their surroundings. They had clearly left one cave behind for another. No one dared to speak or take any action for a few moments. Edwin preferred examining their hosts’ faces. He revelled in observing them. Meeting another intelligent species had been a childhood fantasy of his; he had always believed in the existence of other creatures in the universe. Before the Apocalypse, he had often observed the starry night, feeding the hope that humans were not alone and that one day they would find another sentient species. To his disappointment, the humans had already divided themselves into races and were indifferent to any sense of unity. They were clearly not yet ready to encounter an alien species. He had to wait for a long time before his dream turned into reality.

Kerian, who shared Edwin’s wild hopes, also savoured this moment. As for Nathan, he was brimming with excitement. Jeremy was the most taken aback out of them all; his head bursting with questions. He also scrutinized their hosts, looking at their heads first which seemed very large, larger than those of humans and bald. Imposing horns, like those of a ram, rising out of their heads like vortexes, especially caught his eye. Their pupils looked like those of reptiles; dark, sharp and surrounded by yellowish irises. Their bodies seemed to be covered with a soft, scaly carapace. Their torso and abdomen were the only parts that were lighter than the rest of their body, the colour varying from individual to individual. One of them was orangish-red, while another was a shade of blue-purple. Another seemed to be yellow.

The four men exchanged brief glances which seemed to be enough for them to understand each other’s thoughts. They in turn sat cross-legged to meditate. A telepathic connection was established between them and their hosts. All four men belonging to each of the four different elements were connected. Since expressing what they had to say in words would have been too confusing, their hosts, considered to be interdimensional beings by the four, decided to show them visions that would should them a part of the existence’s abundant stores of knowledge. The four human beings felt as though they had attained enlightenment. In truth, it was barely anything. They had only managed to unleash a part of the potential which remains latent in every life form and had accessed a part of their memories hidden in the Akashic records. What they were experiencing at this moment undoubtedly had to be the most phantasmagorical experience of their existence. They felt as though they had been given front-row seats to the beginning of life and universe. The workings of the reincarnation cycle were revealed to them, they saw the Cycle of Water and the consequences of what happened in Atlantis with crystal clarity. Then, they saw other planets and other cycles. Next, they were back on Earth and witnessed the Apocalypse once again. It was then that they realized that a global catastrophe signified only the fall of a civilization. The nuclear war which was the last straw in the conflict between the Atlanteans and the Lemurians was an example which should never be repeated. Any species with the tendency to seize power and dominate another would be destroyed. Since all humans had to go through the cycle of reincarnation, they all had been culpable of participating in such actions. If they endeavoured to do good deeds in one life, then it did not mean that they had done the same in all their past lives. A collective consciousness united all members of a species and human beings were no exception. Unfortunately, they focused too much on the ephemeral aspects of their life, owing to their limited knowledge. So, they hardly thought about the consequences of their actions and went so far as to absolve themselves of any responsibility for their actions with the aid of religion.

They were divided into different races, religious communities and political factions. Those who were in power lied to others. During the Age of Atlantis and the Mu Empire, men had prospered by taking control of their spiritual faculties. The third eye, the pineal gland and other traits that allowed them to do so, were not unknown to them. This was a natural step in their evolution, which was not limited to the material world. However, they allowed their ego to blind them. Thirst for power and domination eventually led them to destruction. They were punished in the next cycle which was the Cycle of Fire. The people undergoing this cycle were left to fend for themselves. Their third eye lost its power. To take a step towards enlightenment, one had to open one’s third eye. Prove oneself in a way, as Buddha had. One had to attain a very high level of consciousness to allow this remarkable and inherent potential to blossom. To master the elements, one had to be at one with them. However, it was not easy; spirituality would often be sacrificed in favour of its enemy, materialism. This adversary was more tangible and accessible. It was easy to fall under the spell of material pleasures. Mankind invented and created as a result of its desires which led men to exploit nature rather than live in harmony with it. Numerous species perished under human domination. Humans progressed but their consciousness regressed, leading to a situation where several men had nuclear power. Then, a solar flare swept the Earth, leading to a series of insurmountable catastrophes. This was the Cycle of Fire after the Cycle of Water. That said, the nature was not unjust and the souls which succeeded in avoiding contamination by the Ego, that usually plagued ordinary men, had been spared. These men and women left their physical bodies to take over an astral body towards an eternal life. They had become Masters or enlightened beings at the end of the cycle. The Apocalypse was not the end; it encompassed destruction to herald the rebirth of a new cycle. As for the souls that could not benefit from the system of reincarnation, everything started again for them in the new cycle, the Cycle of Air. Everything was renewed. Humans were not the only ones to go through reincarnation. The species living on the planets in other galaxies also endured the same test. Thus, the four men or rather the Four Elements also quickly understood the stakes in the game when they saw Eyal, the soldier and Salina landing on a planet whose intelligent species was undergoing evolution. Every species had to undergo a specific evolution restricted to it and no other species could interfere with the process. With their quarry’s arrival on this unknown planet, the fate of an entire civilization was in peril.

Suddenly, their telepathic connection ended, and they opened their eyes at the same time. Their visions stopped as soon as their hosts’ faces reappeared before them. Then, they heard a muffled voice in their heads.

"You must stop these humans."

"Why us?" asked Edwin.

"Because you chose this path. Don’t worry; we shall see each other again. Now leave."

Baffled, they stood up and went through the Stellar Portal again.

A NEW WORLD

Chapter 1: Amaru

Nathan, Edwin, Kerian and Jeremy found themselves on the ground once again which felt different this time. It was composed of smooth tiles. Nathan quickly produced a flame to see better. They seemed to be in a room. Nathan turned around and noticed that the door was closed. It seemed that he was in the middle of the room. Each of them approached the walls and discovered several characters from an unknown language carved in stone. They conferred with each other and saw no reason to remain there any longer, so they headed towards the direction from where a small ray of sunlight reached them. They exited the cavernous room, crossed a short corridor and found themselves outside at last. The panorama before them was magnificent. A huge stone staircase in front of them led to a forest that stretched out as far as the eye could see. All four of them felt as though they were in Central America, expecting to find Mayan temples scattered in the jungle that lay before them. In the past, Kerian and Edwin had planned to go to the temple of Chichen Itzá in the city of Yucatan. Unfortunately, they could never fulfil their dream. However, destiny is a great trickster since their wish seemed to have been unexpectedly fulfilled. They were standing at the entrance of a temple that was built by an unknown civilization among tropical flora. They, who had always dreamed of adventure, finally saw their desires bearing fruit. They were ready to take a leap into the unknown.

At first, this place did not seem very different from their home planet, Earth. They just knew that they were in a new world and could not have guessed what surprises awaited them. Anyone in their place would be overcome with fear, curiosity and excitement. However, they were different. Their humility prevented them from realizing this, but they had already become men of wisdom. Channelizing one’s emotions to take dissociate and distance oneself emotionally was not an easy task. However, they were able to do so with ease. The Four Elements were extremely serene. A rustling sound disturbed the silence that had fallen around them. This did not disturb them unduly. They had no idea which path to take. The creatures that they had met earlier, had shown them everything without having said a word. Obviously, they had things to do which could only be done by them. So, they conferred again on what to do next. Edwin suggested that they follow their instincts. And thus, they decided to go down the steps that took them towards the forest.

Lush greenery buried in the tepidity of the mist awaited them at the foot of the temple. Kerian decided to lead the group and find a way through various trees and shrubs which seemed to be entangled together to form a single verdant undergrowth. The Air cleared out a path for them because of its ability to drift everywhere. No place could stay hidden from the Air. However, as they continued their exploration, it was Jeremy who proved to be a boon. It was him more than anyone else, who sensed the combination of the natural elements making up the forest. This forest was hardly comparable to the one where Kerian and Edwin had decided to live. It seemed primeval, uninhabitable and fatal to those who were not prepared for it. The rays of the sun hardly penetrated the dense foliage of gigantic trees, spanning the entire forest whose stifling heat and humidity were palpable. They also saw enormous flowers along their path. Everything they saw looked familiar yet, it was different. It seemed as though Earth’s flora had become humongous. However, this did not stop Jeremy from sensing the true nature of certain plants which helped them avoid certain carnivorous ones. He could even detect the presence of some animals. A giant snake seemed to be moving in their vicinity for some time. Jeremy could sense it slithering nearby but it did not dare to approach them. It contented itself by spying on them which showed a certain degree of intelligence. They could hear several sounds from different directions. However, with their highly developed sense of perception, every one of them could discern the noises and their origin. Thus, they could almost tell the location of each insect, bird and beast.

Their exploration lasted several days. They ate fruits that they found. But only because of indulgence and curiosity; the truth was that they did not need to eat. Their bodies sustained themselves on spiritual energy which was also present on this planet. In fact, this energy governed the entire universe. The four of them could meditate while walking and did not necessarily need to sit and allow themselves to be engulfed by a certain sense of calm. Fatigue was a stranger to them; their muscles experienced neither weariness nor pain due to overuse. They could walk several hours without stopping at any time of the day or night. Nathan certainly liked to seek refuge in his element and lit up the surroundings with light of the flames but they all had the ability to walk in the dark without any fear of tripping over a stone, branch or root sprouting above ground. The four of them could orient themselves without any difficulty. Only boredom could have crept up on them, but it did not since they each had distinct personality traits to bring a little colour to their adventure. In spite of everything, they had yet to encounter the inhabitants of this planet, since exploring a forest can fast become monotonous. Only Nathan started to express his impatience after a few days but soon, Kerian joined him. The latter felt as though they were whiling away their time doing nothing. But one evening, when they were all gathered around the fire, Jeremy brought up a subject that was painful to Nathan.

Nathan, I must tell you something.

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to him. Edwin’s telepathic abilities allowed him to read Jeremy’s thoughts. He knew what burden he wanted to share.

I need to tell you something about our revolt against the military.

Go ahead, Nathan urged him to continue, curious as to what Jeremy could have to say to him.

I along with Salina, Ayame and your uncle had planned to cause a diversion that would have given you a chance to meet your brother. But afterwards, we decided on a full-scale ambush rather than a simple diversion to weaken their side.

Jeremy hesitated before continuing.

Go on, please.

Each one of us had a role to play. We clearly knew what to do. My plan was simple with minimal risk. At the slightest sign of trouble, we had planned to retreat. Unfortunately, Yizrah did not stick to the original plan. We did not realize this immediately. I’m not sure what he exactly he did, but it seemed he charged straight ahead into the enemy lines. I think, he wanted to target them directly. This idea had even crossed my mind.

Do you think he is...?

I don’t think, I’m sure of it.

Kerian and Edwin remained silent, not daring to break the silence of the solemn moment. Nathan got up, eyes reddened by unshed tears. His face looked as though all joy had drained out of it. He felt vulnerable due to many contradictory emotions coursing through him, but he was determined not to give in to them and maintain his composure.

I’m going to take a walk. I’d like to move about a bit...alone, if you don’t mind.

They all nodded silently, averting their gaze. The three of them observed him disappear into the darkness.

Nathan walked alone for a long time. He thought about all that he had been through since the Apocalypse. His memories were crystal clear. Yizrah would continue to exist deep within them. He knew that the soul lasted for an eternity. His uncle would be reborn; a chapter may have ended for him, but another would begin. Only, he would not be there to see it happen. From now on, they would go their own separate ways. His destiny was closely linked to that of Jeremy, Edwin and Kerian. For an unknown reason, it seemed as though they had known each other in their past lives as well. A new reality was starting to unfold. After all that he had seen during the past few years, learnt from Aaron and felt during his meditations along with the revelations of those benevolent beings, his view of life and death had transformed. However, it was extremely difficult to stay objective while contemplating the fate of those who were closely linked to him. He had already lost a loved one once earlier, which had been quite different. For now, he felt himself to be stronger than the day on which he saw his mother collapse and die in his frail arms. Anyone could have been traumatised by such emotional shock. It was all a part of his destiny. But he regretted not getting an opportunity to express something that had been weighing on him for years. The unfortunate role that Yizrah had played in his mother’s death had haunted him at times. Yizrah was hardly ever wrong especially when it came to people. How could he have been deceived when it came to that man? It confounded him. Where could he look for answers? Or should he just let it go? After all, no one was immune to error of judgement. Moreover, the situation was critical then; Yizrah had only acted due to urgency. Panic was never a good counsellor. Maybe there was nothing deeper than that.

Nathan was not the one to wallow in despair, not even for Yizrah. He sometimes asked himself if he had become somewhat cold. The idea frightened him. Fire is warm and benevolent. But whenever he felt subdued, he feared that he would never regain his usual good cheer. However, only a small gust of wind was needed to rekindle the embers. So, Nathan decided to go back to his companions now that he had dispelled certain doubts which began to plague him when Jeremy had announced the bad news. Now, he suddenly felt the presence of a living being close to him. A surge of adrenaline coursed through him since he could sense its form surrounding him. Suddenly, he heard the leaves rustle. The creature that was secretly lurking in the dark was about to reveal itself.

Three metres above him, he saw a large creature with yellow, snake-like eyes, staring at him. Nathan decided to light a low-intensity flame so as not to appear hostile but to look at the creature clearly. The fire flickered slightly on his palm and the orange light allowed him to clearly see that the creature indeed looked like a giant snake. Years ago, he had heard of anacondas which wandered the depths of the Amazon jungles but even they would have paled in comparison to this creature. This snake’s size seemed to be comparable to certain dinosaurs. Its head was straight while its body remained on the ground, coiling around Nathan, though without cutting off his breath or movement. Its neck was wider than that of a cobra. Knowing the reputation of the latter, Nathan decided not to show any sign of aggression, he waited to see how this giant snake would react. He felt as though the snake was observing him rather than tracking a prey. He took this opportunity to admire the purplish tints which were discernible on its scales. A myriad of scintillating colours dazzled Nathan when he directed his flame carefully in the chosen direction. Then, the giant cobra’s head started moving along its body that had encircled him so that it kept moving closer to the ground until it reached his level. Its reptile-like pupils stared at him intently, as though they wanted to communicate with him. Nathan decided to close his eyes to forge a telepathic connection by trying to visualize the animal’s third eye. When he opened his eyes, the cobra had bowed its head as an invitation to hoist himself up on its neck. Nathan decided to follow his instincts. He put his trembling hand on the cobra’s head to establish contact and petted it to show his affection towards the animal. The cobra reacted immediately, using the tip of its head, which alone was as big as Nathan, to hoist and place him on its back. Nathan slipped a bit before finding purchase on the snake’s body. The cobra turned to look at him as though to reassure itself that its passenger was holding on and rushed forward when Nathan looked up. The snake slithered through the trees and plants at an astonishing speed. Everything passed by so quickly that Nathan could not observe anything; the only thing that he understood was that he was quickly moving away from his companions. However, the snake’s behaviour intrigued him. Where was it taking him? Why was it so friendly with a stranger? All the same, he would not forget his first snake ride so soon because of the wonderful sensation it gave him. With his small stature, Nathan was drawn to thrill of the speed experienced in man-made vehicles, but unfortunately, the Cycle of Fire had not allowed him to experience it.

Some time passed. Jeremy, Kerian and Edwin started to worry. They had decided to give him a few moments alone during which they would block out his energy, to give him some much-needed privacy. Then, they would reassure themselves by keeping track of their wayward friend somewhere close. He did not seem to have strayed that far. But soon, when daybreak came, none of them could sense his presence anymore.

Something’s wrong. We should look for him. He’s too far, now, Edwin pointed out.

Jeremy and Kerian agreed and followed him, preparing themselves for their pursuit through the forest.

By this time, the snake had led Nathan to a clearing outside the forest. Tropical trees and plants had given way to tall grasses. There were scratches on his cheeks, arms and legs but he did not blame his ride. Soon, he felt his ride slow down gradually. They had left the grasslands behind to find themselves next to a large wooden cabin that was supported by stilts in a swamp. A small, run-down, wooden staircase led up to the entrance. The snake stopped close to the staircase and bent his head as if it was asking him to get down. Nathan released his hold and jumped off, finally feeling his feet touch the ground. Instantaneously, the snake disappeared into the green depths of the bog near the cabin. Nathan did not even get a chance to pet it one last time as a gesture of gratitude for this unexpected ride. Before approaching the cabin, he carefully examined the surroundings. He could see the edge of the forest, but not the temple. Another forest that was not as dense and seemed to extend endlessly, lined the borders of the swamp behind the cabin. He looked up to search for the stars. He could sense their presence but could not see them because of the thick, nocturnal fog that had descended upon the place.

However, it seemed as though someone was reading his mind. The clouds scattered so quickly that it seemed as though he had moved them by sheer power of his will. Now, he could see a bit of clear sky, revealing two stars which resembled the moon. One of them was very tiny while the other was large. Since none of these celestial bodies could be seen from the forest, he realized how dense it was. He could not stop thinking about his friends but now that he was here, he wanted to know for being brought to such a place. Nathan did not believe in coincidences anymore; he knew that his presence here was due to his karma. Moreover, he imagined recounting his astonishing ride on the back of a giant serpent to his companions and it would not make sense to not have some answers. So, he went to assuage his curiosity. The stairs creaked as his feet came in contact with them. He reacted on a past impulse and knocked on the door to alert whoever was living within. No response. He knocked again. He could now sense the energy of the inhabitant and decided to follow his instincts that urged him to enter the cabin.

Once more, Nathan lit the fire on his palm to be able to see. He took a few steps forward, carefully and found a simple lodging. The cabin only had one room. A wooden table flanked by two chairs stood in the centre of the room. Some things were scattered on it: a blade attached to a wooden handle making up a knife, a type of earthenware jug half-filled with water and what looked like leftovers from a meal, but Nathan disregarded everything when he saw some papers. He rushed to examine them, only to see a script of an unknown language. Deep in thought, he turned around and saw a jacket and what resembled a tortoise’s shell hanging from a wooden peg on the door. The more he looked, the more he felt as though he had been transported back in ancient times in a different world. Suddenly, he heard a groan. He turned around and directed the light from the flames towards the other end of the room. Ironically, he had missed the most important aspect of his exploration even though it was right under his nose. A hammock swung slowly between two walls. Nathan moved closer to look at the cabin-dweller. Then he saw a long, furry tail that looked like a tiger’s, lifting up in the air and wagging left and right. His heart beat rapidly while his mind flitted through several possibilities of explanation. He stepped forward as noiselessly as possible, almost like a ballerina and saw a creature that looked like a biped but had feline appearance. A tortoise shell covered its face, held in place by a thread. However, it did nothing to muffle the soft snores of the dozing creature. Its left paw was hanging from the other side of the hammock, holding what resembled a transparent bottle. Nathan silently examined the creature’s body, which was certainly male since its appendage that was similar to a man’s. Given the position it was in and whatever Nathan could find in the cabin, the creature clearly moved and used its limbs the way humans did. Only, its appearance was different. It had claws and spotted and fluffy fur which also covered its tail which swung around as it slept.

Nathan had no intention to wake this creature and so, decided to retrace his steps. He felt that he had seen enough that night; it would be better to go look for his friends. As he was crossing the threshold of the door and breathing in the humid air of the swamp, an anxious voice reached him. At that moment, something unusual happened, something that he could not have expected. His ears heard a series of sounds that meant nothing to him, but his brain automatically interpreted them. Thus, the message became clear.

Who’re you, daring to enter my home while I was sleeping?

Nathan immediately turned around and the flame which was dancing in the hollow of his palm extinguished. The dozing creature jumped from the hammock, not without some difficulty, because of its fatigue. It blinked its eyes several times to let them adjust to the light. Then, after finding its bearings, it raised its right paw to look for something close to the wall. It was then that Nathan noticed a lance with a sharp blade.

When its eyes found Nathan, it got terrified and immediately picked up the weapon. It started growling while its fur stood on end all over its body. Its tail swelled and became rigid while its eyes narrowed and scrutinized what seemed to be an intruder. Nathan did not panic. It was not the first time that he saw a creature react like this, which was not out of aggression but out of a need to protect itself. The fear of unknown, the other and oddities often brought out the reflex for self-preservation which caused a hostile reaction first instead of an amicable gesture to avoid being harmed. Nathan held his hands in the air in a non-threatening fashion to make it understand that he meant no harm. This hardly reassured the feline creature which moved forward hesitantly, awash in suspicion, keeping the lance directed towards Nathan.

At the beginning of their journey, he and his companions had unanimously decided not to use their abilities when they met another intelligent species unless it was extremely important. This did this expressly to prevent any irreversible effects on a place that was not ready for them. However, in this case, he could not imagine being allowed to leave quietly after having disturbed this creature upon his stealthy entry in the cabin. Nathan then decided to break the rules that they had decided upon. In any case, his instincts told him that this creature was ready.

Nathan sat down cross-legged, paying no attention to the feline creature that kept on trying to intimidate him. He could see confusion in the creature’s eyes for a fraction of a second. He rested his hands facing upwards on his knees. Two flames flared up from his open palms suggesting a friendly warmth. It was not a flailing or a sinister-looking fire. Now, the feline creature did not look as aggressive as earlier, it tried to understand, and its growls did not seem as pronounced. He noticed that the paws on which it stood had stopped trembling. Its tail started moving again, resuming its to and fro motion. Then, it put the lance back in its former position and started pacing as if trying to understand the situation. At last, to Nathan’s surprise, it kneeled and then prostrated himself before him. It started murmuring, and then its voice gradually started to become louder. He heard the same word repeatedly. His ears heard something that sounded like Mezriah which his brain translated as Messenger.

The feline creature’s reaction upon seeing the fire flickering from nowhere, surprised Nathan. He had expected anything except being taken for a Messenger. There had to be a reason for its behaviour. He decided to try a new approach. After all, if his brain could process and interpret an unknown language, perhaps it could also do the reverse, thinking in his mother tongue and expressing his thoughts in the required language. The third eye gave him limitless perception. In any case, he had nothing to lose. Nathan thought for a while and then spoke:

Please stand up; I’d like to talk to you. Do you understand?

Nathan was surprised to find himself speaking an unknown language. The feline creature stopped its incantations which bordered on religious and lifted up its head towards him, surprised to see that he could communicate in its language. It got up hesitantly and indicated two chairs near the table. Nathan sat in one of them and invited his host to sit in the other opposite him. He saw a candle that had gone unnoticed earlier and took the initiative to light it.

First, I’d like to introduce myself, I’m Nathan. Who’re you?

My name is Amaru. I know who you are; you’re Nathaniah; the prophecy had announced your arrival. You have come to restore balance for the Felid people, isn’t it? But you must not be alone, where are the others? And what’re you doing here in my home?

Nathan was surprised to find himself assailed with so many questions. Amaru had completely set aside his earlier modesty and timidity. Nevertheless, Nathan could still not figure out what he meant. How did he know that he was not alone? Which prophecy was he referring to? This Amaru must surely be confused.

Take it easy, Amaru. I’ll reply to each of your questions. Let’s start with the prophecy if it’s alright with you. What does it say?

Amaru stared at him with a perplexed look on his face. He could not understand Nathaniah’s attitude. However, the prophecy was clear. Whatever it had said, was coming true.

Okay... I want to explain it all to you, but it’ll take some time.

I don’t mind. I’d like to know, Amaru. Tell me about this prophecy as well as your planet and your people.

Very well. To begin with, I don’t know the origins of my people; I only know that the Felids have existed on this planet for several moons. We call it Felicity because it has given us everything that we need to thrive; it has given us happiness and prosperity. Most of us had been leading simple but happy lives; we didn’t need a lot to be happy. But twenty-four big moons ago, creatures with white skin, like you, landed on our planet. Their arrival was predicted by the prophecy, but no one paid attention to it. Everyone followed these people blindly. I knew that they didn’t have good intentions as they portrayed to the others! I went into exile. Our people were already divided, and these white-skinned people only encouraged the divide.

You’re divided? interrupted Nathan.

"Yes, our planet is essentially water; we live on four continents divided by large oceans. Every continent enjoys a particular climate and their inhabitants differ in their customs. Nature separated us, but we exchange goods and services; we used to help each other even if things were strained between us. You see, this region is Merriadora. Swamps and dense forests are found here. Fishing and woodworking are our principle occupations. But I don’t follow the same path as others; I went into exile to live like a hermit. However, if you want, Nathaniah, I can take you to the city. It is necessary for