2Chihaki gasped in amazement, and asked "Two? How? You can't have the Earth curse. I cannot curse, I am but a runt! It's impossible! Maybe I am more powerful than I thought, and cursed you on accident. I don't know. Lets move on." Mazeki grimaced and said, hopefully "How about we go to the Fire clan. They are opposites of the water, so maybe nothing there can harm me." Chihaki nodded and the two friends continued on their trek to the Fire Clan.
After an uneventful, tiring, and slow journey, Mazeki and Chihaki approached plumes of Flames that soared out of the ground, ready for intruders to come and disrupt their peace. Mazeki saw these flames, and felt their glorious heat on the front of his body. Mazeki smiled, and shook off all thoughts of the Water Clan. Through the fire he progressed, and looked around for any inhabitants. At first, finding none, worried thoughts passed through his troubled head. 'What if they are expecting me, and will ambush! Or, what if they are all dead! Maybe they are just sleeping.'
Mazeki and Chihaki again parted, and Chihaki took off, avoiding the fire all around. Mazeki wandered through the Clan-grounds looking for any sign of life. In the fire, Mazeki saw what he thought to be eyes, but decided it was just paranoia. Continuing on, he came across a glazed clay hut. He put his hand against the door, and quickly brought it off, for his hand had burnt. 'OW! Damn, that hurt! Let's not do that . Ow.'
Sighing, Mazeki kicked the door open. Inside were two tables, and behind them were two tiny male fire elementals. Mazeki held his hands up in truce, and walked in. "Hello, little ones. If I scared you, I am sorry."
"LITTLE? YOU SHALL NOT CALL US LITTLE! DIE!" They lunged at him together, four tiny hands grasping for his neck. Mazeki turned on his heels and ran, only to trip over the door threshold. The little elementals attacked Mazeki with all their might, which turned out to be a good amount of power. One aimed straight at Mazeki's neck, while the other began punching Mazeki in the stomach. Mazeki groaned and grimaced in pain, hoping for something to help him. Water slowly rose out of his pores, and started to come out even faster and faster! Soon, Mazeki was seemingly overflowing, but he didn't mind, because the two elementals were now shrieking in pain! They tore away and ran off, still hissing and sizzling.
Mazeki stood up, limply, because of the pain, and looked around, then at himself. "The water curse? Perhaps it protects me from fire as well as fresh water . I must experiment with this." Mazeki groaned in pain, and slipped off his shirt. Across his entire chest were burn marks, some more severe than others, yet all causing near debilitating pain. "How I wish for water! CHIHAKI, COME HERE!"
Hearing the call, the diminutive little elemental came rushing to his friend, and sighed when he saw Mazeki's many bruises and burns. "What did you do this time, brainiac? Fight some fire elementals?"
Mazeki nodded simply.
" . Well, let's find the elder and explain."
Chihaki jumped up to Mazeki's shoulder, and Mazeki walked off, totally forgetting his tunic shirt.
After a few minutes more of walking, they came across one hut that was much superior to all others. Chiming merrily, Chihaki shouted "This must be the place!" Mazeki hushed him, and knocked on the door, making sure not to touch it for too long. A very regal, guard-looking fire elemental came to the door, holding a very nasty looking spear. Mazeki went on the defensive, and lightened up his body, ready for anything. Chihaki raised a thorn into his hand when he realized what Mazeki was preparing for. Mazeki asked, "May I please see your chief, Sir?"
The guard looked in, and grunted a reply. " is however quite ill. First, we must search you. You understand. We can't let you in unless we know you pose no threat to our chief."
Mazeki nodded and replied, "I understand. Feel free to do whatever is needed for me to see the chief."
The guard performed a rather thorough search of Mazeki, looked angrily at Chihaki, who got the point, and dissolved the thorn. When it was found that Mazeki could cause no threat, he was allowed in. As Mazeki passed through the door, he noticed a number of rather odd symbols. He tried to memorize them, although he knew not what they meant.
Mazeki, having actually memorized how the symbols looked, and their order, looked up into the room, and saw a tall, regale, flaming Fire elemental sitting atop a pedestal throne. Mazeki knew this to be the elder, so he bowed customarily. The elder hissed at Mazeki, and said, "What do you want, human brat? Why would you, the boy of the curses, bother us? If you are here for a reason such as to cause danger to us, then I suggest you leave before you die." The elder looked away in a state of near fury.
Mazeki stood and spoke with great determination. "I approached this village looked for a solution to my problem, and maybe a few answers. Could you answer these?" Mazeki looked at the elder pleadingly.
The elder spoke again, still not looking at Mazeki. "Child, what is your name? Tell me this and I shall consider helping you."
"My name, Elder, is Mazeki."
"Mazeki? Well then, Mazeki, what do you want? Make it quick, for I am tiring."
Mazeki snickered to himself, and then asked, "How is it possible that Chihaki," he began, while pointing to the runt elemental, "could have bestowed the Earth Curse upon me? He doesn't have the power to do so, since he is not an elder. Also, how can I get rid of these curses?"
The elder pondered these questions, and replied, "You do have the Earth Curse, as you know. And, obviously, your little friend is meant to be an elder, little did anyone know. As for the other thing, you must appease the respective God or Goddess of each Elemental Clan to remove the curses, respectively. I cannot, I do not think, help you find the deities of which I speak, but maybe I can aid you from here, with some spells carried by Razoza, my Phoenix. Also, the flame curse might aid you in some ways, but make your trip longer. It is up to you wish for it?"
Mazeki thought over the offer and consulted Chihaki, then told the Elder, "Yes.I believe I shall, actually, take the curse. Thank you."
The elder worked a quick magick and began the curse, just like Mazeki had seen once before, from the ever beautiful Water Elder.
((Afternote: Short chapter, I know, and it took forever, I know, but hey.I am busy. Sorry I took so long. I will be updating more stories more often!))