Friday: 10/19/2007
Who: Go'al'enu and open (For either Q&A or post presentation mingling) Where: The Control: Earth classroom When: 8:00 P.M. What: Go'al'enu begins his lecture series.
Go’al’enu was standing in front of the small crowd of students and staff, appearing to be dressed in a very lavish suit and tie. In actuality, it was his own crafting that had made the suit/tie combo, as he generally avoided wearing real clothes when he knew he would have to shift, which his presentation would require. He had a series of note cards on a podium he had fashioned from obsidian, and he tapped the cards a couple times on the black stone to gather the crowd’s attention. As they began to quiet down, he cleared his throat and began.
“Good evening fellow staff and students. It is my honor to be speaking in front of you today, about the Elemental condition, and to be able to present some of the knowledge I have amassed in my extensive travels. For those who do not know me, I am an Earth Elemental who has existed upon this planet for 3000 years, give or take. During this time I have made it my mission to gather as much information about the supernatural world as I possibly could, and have in my possession a vast library of myth, fact, and personal experiences with creatures of all types of abilities.
Now then, today I have set forth to discuss rare types of elementalism. I will tackle this topic in two parts. First, I will discuss a type of elemental I have dubbed “transcended elementals.” Second, I will discuss elementals that seem to fit into none of the four base elements, at least in the way most people may view them. There will always be a debate over just how far reaching the four base elements are, but that is a discussion for another time. So what do I mean by “transcended elementals?
What I mean by this, is an elemental who is able to manipulate an extension of their own elemental characteristic that would normally require the aid of a different elemental force. I will use myself as a demonstration, as I have, in my lifetime, learned how to master manipulating metal, despite the fact that normally fire would be required to create some of the complex metals I can manipulate.”
At this he picked up a small piece of steel that he had placed on the podium and focused on it, beginning the slow transition of transforming his whole body into the substance. “Now, as my body transitions from stone to metal, you may notice that the transition takes a small amount of time. In comparison, if I were to change my bodily composition into a baser substance, say clay or carbon, or even gold, this process would be very quick, however steel requires not only the ability to compose myself of iron, but to arrange the very molecules of my being in such a way that there is a carbon consistency throughout. In simpler terms, I must be able to replicate the physical properties of something that requires intense heat to create, without actually utilizing that heat.
I do not mean to boast of my own abilities, only to demonstrate that with enough time and training, it becomes possible to ‘cross the elemental line’ so to speak. I will list a few more examples beyond myself to further solidify this idea, and then move on to rarer still elementals.
One of the most puzzling types of elementals I have encountered in my journey’s was a water elemental who used their power quite differently than other elementals of the same sort. Now I should mention that this elemental was well over 5000 years when I encountered him, and that was 1000 years ago. But I encountered him in what is now considered Russia, and he specialized in manipulating water vapor. That is to say, he used his ability to manipulate the weather. Now, I have met many an elemental who could utilize the water vapor around them to form puddles and what not, but his type of manipulation seemed to almost draw upon the air itself, thus why I have placed him in this classification.
Or for another example I will use a girl I met in China, roughly 1700 years ago. Now, here was a girl who by most definitions would be called a water elemental, however she was quite adept at manipulating molten lava, which for all intents and purposes is considered earth. In fact, the failure to manipulate lava has been a puzzle that confused me even to this day. When I asked her how she could manipulate the flow, she simply responded with ‘I just know where it wants to go, and where it doesn’t.’ Needless to say, I did not understand her then, and believe it to be easier for water elementals to manipulate liquids.
I could go on further, but if I need to clarify further, I encourage you to ask questions at the end of this lecture. However, I feel now I should change directions and discuss those elementals that do not seem to fit into any of the four base elements. Though again, it can be debated just how encompassing each of the four elements are.
To begin with, I return to discussing China again. This was only 300 years ago, when I had the misfortune of meeting a life elemental, or as it is referred to, a chi elemental. I say this was a misfortune, as the elemental in question I met was a manipulative, and destructive being, despite the assumption one might have that a life elemental would be peaceful and loving. This experience is partly responsible for my own belief that elementals are just as susceptible as any other life to be taught evil and how to relish in it.
Now, you may ask how a life elemental would utilize their power. Well it is not as easy to describe as simply sculpting my podium and displaying how an earth elemental operates. From what I could gather, this life elemental was capable of either strengthening others, or sapping them of their life force, even killing them with no more effort than swatting a fly. This elemental that I encountered was quite young and so not very well in control of his powers, and unfortunately I learned that he was only allowed to live two more years before being destroyed by a coalition of Chinese elementals.
Perhaps this does not seem too far of a stretch, however, as most eastern philosophies dictate the fifth element of life. For this reason I will discuss a creature that has plagued my curiosity for a long while, even so much as to cause me dreams, which I rarely have. Once in my journey I encountered a plant elemental. Now one could say that such a creature would be an earth elemental, after all plant material does go into many of the elements that an earth elemental can grow. However, plants are not only raw material. They are composed of water. There is life within them. Technically speaking, it seems that at the very least three out of the five elements are contained in this one elementals abilities.
But how? Is it simply from having lived upon this earth for so long and crossed the boundaries of the base elements? Or is it more than this? Was this creature created specifically with that ability? If the second option is the case, it seems that there should be other rarities out there as well. For instance, could there be a star elemental exploring the cosmos? An animal elemental? Could there be possibilities unimaginable?
I, nor any of the elementals I have met, have an answer to that question. However, in knowing that there is the possibility to realize a greater potential than what one might consider for elementals, we realize that there is always a greater plateau to strive towards, not only for elementals but all creatures. What I have said about elementals could easily be transferred to vampires, another race which is immortal and capable of different abilities as time passes. Or perhaps the human mages, could they not also find themselves transcending the barriers between elements. Or the demons, a race I have noticed sometimes similar to elementals, and yet different in their closer ties to humanity.
What I mean to say here, and what you could say might be my conclusion, is that we are all limited only by how hard we strive to go beyond our limits. That in life, we are held back only by what we perceive to be possible, and that over time, we can overcome any limitation we place on ourselves. Thank you for listening, I am Go’al’enu, and now if there are any questions, I would like to address them.”