Whistling Cliffs

Samantha waved her hand as Talvi glanced her way.  " I'll see you there." She said. She braced herself as the door opened and the icy wind hit her. She was finally glad she had her hoodie with her.  She pulled the hood over as she got to her feet, her emerald eyes gazing out at the snow and it's icy grip on the terrain.  She moved her arms as she willed herself to move outside. 


She looked around as she heard the pod leave her there. The wind was nice because she was insulated but she pressed on knowing the dangers of staying in one place. The snow was more ice than anything and she made up her mind to walk. Well she was walking with a brisk pace, no like her normal strides.  She was glad she was wearing decent enough shoes as she continued on, it was longer than what she expected though.




The shelter of the door gave her a warmth that created her renewed vigor as she looked at them. Knowing the temperature outside was freezing at best she declined the urge to touch it. She reminded herself not to linger and when she saw Talvi was there she smiled. "Here, I'll get the door for us." She murmured and pulled open the door. The relief of the warm air hit her full on. She gazed back to Talvi as she decided to let her go through first. Her thoughts wandered as she thought about where they were. She had never been to Rome but she had seen the pictures of their temples.


The future loomed ahead of her in this temple out in the middle of nowhere. 

"Here, I'll get the door for us." Sam said as she reached Talvi. She opened the door with little effort making Talvi raise her eyebrow. Either the girl was stronger than she looked or the door wanted to be open. A strange thought but then again this was a strange world. She noticed Samantha waiting on her and headed inside.

The entire room was filled with torches their shadows dancing on the walls. The center was taken over by a crystal easily worth more than any country. She stepped forward her gaze drawn to it. she stepped off the path circling the giant crystal examining its features. He gaze went to the back wall and she finally came to realize this was all there was. A single room with a large crystal. No doubt it wasn't normal. For if this was to be their place of trial then the crystal had to do something. She stopped staring at it expecting to see shadows moving in it.

Her mind was in the here and now her body tense with expectation. Her sensed heightened slightly an she could hear her own heart beat loud and slightly erratic in her ear. This is the place they came to find their hybrid selves. Now that she thought about it; it truly felt like it could be a tomb.

The door had offered no resistance for her at all which surprised her. So they were expected after all. That confirmation sent her nerves into the 9th inning with bases loaded. She watched as Talvi walked in then she followed. She was not expecting what she saw next.

It was a room that made her feel like the inside of a Pharaoh like Tut or Ramses. She caught herself staring at the crystal as she walked closer to it. She wanted to touch it so badly but something told her not to. The walls made her feel like she was in Egypt and not in a temple in the middle of the Tundra. It was beautifully well made and the crystal made her realize the gravity of the situation. They could survive and stay strong or break like glass and turn to dust. She shook her head as she made up her mind to be brave. 

It was a beautiful crystal that any high bidder would want in their collection and she felt drawn to it. Was there a reason to it's being here? Part of a test? She kept her eyes on it waiting and wondering. The flames of the torches lit up the room that was more or less a tomb.  Was it theirs?

As the girls walked into the room, the door that pushed open so easily slammed shut behind them and no amount of pushing or pulling would open them again. A moment went by and then another with nothing happening but yet the tension of the room gradually built. What was to happen? Was there something still left undone? Perhaps they were to figure something out? Just before either girl could utter a word the entire room went black with the torches blowing out at once. The room remained blacker then the darkest night for a moment, then one by one a blue flame lit on the torches until all thirty torches burned blue. The room was now dimly lit with a blue tint from the torches but still dark enough to warrant caution, then what happened next would catch the girls attention immediately. A cold wind blew through them from the crystals direction, colder then even the wind blown from the outside. A visible mist came from below the crystal, creeping across the floor bringing with it an eerie feeling. It stretched to the middle of the room but reached no farther, then the smell of rotting fetid corpses rose off of the mist, choking all who inhaled it's foul stench. The two girls would begin to feel deathly cold, much colder then the ice and snow outside. It felt like their very lives were being drawn in to the mist, the feeling of death itself manifest. Then a small black flame no bigger then a fingernail came out from the center of the crystal and hovered in place. It slowly fell to the temple floor, it landed in the mist and like a lighter to gas, ignited the mist. The black flame raced across the mist covered ground burning it away, the strong smell of death was mixed with a strong smell of sulfur. The fire burned to form a circle in the middle of the room, suddenly in a burst of horror ghoulish figures burst out from the flames center and scattered across the room.

Their faces, the only feature these spirits had, were distorted. Half depicted endless joy and the other depicted deadly sorrow, but the bone chilling screams that these spirits let out could be felt through the body. The torture that these fallen were going through was heard through their wails and crying and was near unbearable. It was as if they were begging for freedom, the spirits flew through the room to every corner, flying in between the girls and around them. It was like the girls were given a vision of Hell itself. The spirits then in unison flew back towards the black flames and it burned their ghoulish bodies until they were moving spectacles of flame. They circled each other and flew up towards the ceiling and merged together, the flame began to take shape as a mighty figure took form. It took the form of a winged dog whose body was made up of the ephemeral flame with soul piercing yellow orb glowing eyes. It's size knew no equal that the girls had ever seen, and it's very being struck fear into those ill prepared to receive his audience. "I am Anubismon, Angel of Death." It's hallowed voice said, ringing through the room in it's deep tone. "You who have entered here, do you know on what ground you walk?" He bellowed "How brazen of you children to enter in to this holy place. Begone from here, your kind is not welcomed." He roared the temple shaking slightly at his mighty sound.

Talvi jumped as the torches went out her gaze remaining where she saw Samantha last. As the torches relighted themselves one by one up to the crystal casting all in a blue hue she watched them. A sense of dread over came her. Wind that went straight to the bones came from the crystal and she turned her face away as though to protect herself. A smell drifted into her nose and she pinched it shut as she turned her gaze back. A mist covered the floor in front of the crystal. Between the wind, the smell, and the fear a deathly chill set in just furthering her feeling. It made her want to run but she stood still her body refusing to move away. As a black flame appeared dancing across the floor the mist evaporated the stench growing stronger. Just pinching her nose didn't seem to help. The flames spread and from them rose despairingly hellish beasts. They flew up their cries of terror raining on her ears. She was overwhelmed between the smell and the noise she didn't know what to cover. She crouched down as the figures loomed over head as though they might attack her.

The beastly figures retreated back to the flame and she felt a faint sense of relief. As they merged together like clay taking a form she looked up trying to understand what they were making. Her gaze took it all in but she stopped t those piercing eyes. Powerful and beautiful it was like they commanded respect.

"I am Anubismon, Angel of Death." It's hallowed voice said, ringing through the room in it's deep tone. "You who have entered here, do you know on what ground you walk?" As he said this she thought back to her feeling as though this was a tomb. "How brazen of you children to enter in to this holy place. Begone from here, your kind is not welcomed." She crouched back low to the ground as the temple shook at his voice.

She was awed and terrified and couldn't respond. Her mouth was dry and she swallowed trying to salivate. Finally she got up from her crouched position. Her nerves were all on end and she felt numb her body tingling. She grinded her teeth trying to work up the need to speak. If they didn't respond or responded wrong who knew what this powerful being could do.

"I am Talvi Taika. I am here to take the Temple of Elements trial. I do not mean disrespect by walking upon your hollowed ground. However I will also not leave by your command alone without reason." She said bravely her voice cracking at the beginning but slowly getting stronger. For all she knew this was a light show meant to frighten them after all. She wouldn't be turned away so easily.

She had all but forgotten Samantha in the moment. Her gaze and attention solely focused on Anubismon. Her gaze remaining on his golden eyes. She doubt she could stare him down but she wished to show her resolve in this action. Her hands clinched and unclinched in uneasiness as she stood there.

 Yes Sam could sense it as the sensations moved through her entire being. The sudden darkness didn't scare her as much as she had thought but it it sent a warning down her spine into her toes. This was a place that few walked away from, the blue flickering of the torches confirmed her thoughts as she watched them come to life. She kept her gaze on them as each came to life, she felt each one bring up new emotions like never before. This was the start of something and she felt it deeply. The hellish beasts that sprang up from the dark had caught her attention yet she was rooted to the ground. Every hair stood up on its own as her heart became the only sound she could hear. The goosebumps kept growing as the shrieking grew louder and louder. It resonated withing her soul and body and she felt the struggle between the joy and sorrow. It was overwhelming but her body refused to move. 

As they began to form something she got the immediate sense that she needed to be respectful and cautious. This was nothing she would have seen before and the eyes that she now saw made her believe it. They were hauntingly beautiful and they spoke to her. The hallowed voice spoke His name and who it was and she knew she had been right about a tomb. This Digimon was a sight to behold and its name came from the Egyptian God of the Underworld, He  meant business and they had come onto hollowed ground. His tone of voice spoke of it and more. The very room shook as he spoke and she felt her resolve to be polite and respectful grow by leaps and bounds. 


"Great Anubismon, I, Samantha Allison Anderson beg your forgiveness on intruding on your sacred ground. My friend and I were summoned here to under take a great and dangerous task, one mere mortals have no right to have. We were told of the great risk our bodies and souls will under take to heed the call of The Elements Wind and Earth. They have called for us and we wish to test our worthiness. I humbly ask that we see if we are truly worthy of this great honor. we mean you no harm and we will not stay more than we are needed. I know not of my calling or my destiny but I want to know and I need your approval or else we cannot continue." She said pulling off her hoodie and holding it. She bowed deeply to him not looking down or away. she wanted to show him the greatest respect that she could. She looked over at Talvi and smiled at her then she looked back to Anubismon.




Their new adventure was about to begin, all that was needed was Anubismon's approval.

Anubismon heard their pleas and remained silent for a moment his body of flame crackling every now and again. "You speak with a silver tongue human child, I have not heard such words since the time of Daimon Sanji. You honor your kind and elders." Anubismon floated from where he spawned to he ground standing a massive twenty feet, he watched the girls and his eyes flashed a bright yellow. "Indeed, the ancient spirits have found their way into your souls. Even now I sense their dormant power. The strength of Earth and the flow of Wind. I was to hasty in my judgement, you are allies of Ino and Sanji and I will honor the agreement I made with them. Know this human children, the trial in which you seek to take is a test of death or life. If you do not quell and control the spirits of wind and earth, they will quell you." Anubismon eyed them for a moment. "The spirits of wind and earth have taken lives of humans before, wind has failed four times before you and earth has failed five. As the next chosen do you still wish to undertake this task?" Anubismon asked, his voice had softened so that the temple did not shake but the strength could still be felt behind it. "I shall honor what ever wish you desire." Anubismon looked up to the temple doors and a small section opened up, big enough for a human to walk through. "Should you wish to retreat, you may leave now." He said.

She looked at him as he spoke to both of them. She listened closely as he mentioned the four lives taken by Wind and the five taken by The Earth. This was a great thing to consider and she was not one to jump in head first. She tilted her head as she listened to her beating heart as it spoke to her. "Four humans have died trying to quell Wind and Five for The Earth. It is a great task to be able to merge and stay true to one's self. This is not something I will take lightly, the Elements are as important as anything and mortals come and go. I speak of my own morality knowing that I too have a limited time in this world. But the Elements are ever lasting, though I wish to be one with them and tame them. Well taming is a harsh term for me, befriending and understanding them is my way of being here. I don't want to be master of anything, it is not who I am. I will accept whatever happens to me during my trial and I wish both of you love and happiness. Anubismon, I wish to undergo this." She said bowing as she finished speaking. She stood back up and looked at Talvi then back to Anubismon. 




Whatever Talvi decided she would respect. She had her own destiny that was different from her own. Perhaps they would meet again or one would live on. Or both would die but she had hope one or both of them would survive. She looked at the door that had opened then back to Anubismon. She was not leaving now, she had been called and now she needed to know if she was worthy. She was listening as her heart began to steadily sync with her breathing. She was calm, how was that even possible? Was it a sign that she was indeed worthy or had she finally accepted her destiny? There was only one way of knowing.

"You speak with a silver tongue human child, I have not heard such words since the time of Daimon Sanji. You honor your kind and elders." Talvi felt pleased that they had spoken the right words. "Indeed, the ancient spirits have found their way into your souls. Even now I sense their dormant power. The strength of Earth and the flow of Wind. I was to hasty in my judgement, you are allies of Ino and Sanji and I will honor the agreement I made with them. Know this human children, the trial in which you seek to take is a test of death or life. If you do not quell and control the spirits of wind and earth, they will quell you." Talvi nodded she understood this. One must be the master. "The spirits of wind and earth have taken lives of humans before, wind has failed four times before you and earth has failed five. As the next chosen do you still wish to undertake this task?" She was starting to calm and as his voice softened she took strength by the strength behind it. "I shall honor what ever wish you desire." She turned her head as she heard the doors open slightly. "Should you wish to retreat, you may leave now." She had accepted those terms at the Guild Masters office she was not about to change her mind.

"Four humans have died trying to quell Wind and Five for The Earth. It is a great task to be able to merge and stay true to one's self. This is not something I will take lightly, the Elements are as important as anything and mortals come and go. I speak of my own morality knowing that I too have a limited time in this world. But the Elements are ever lasting, though I wish to be one with them and tame them. Well taming is a harsh term for me, befriending and understanding them is my way of being here. I don't want to be master of anything, it is not who I am. I will accept whatever happens to me during my trial and I wish both of you love and happiness. Anubismon, I wish to undergo this." Talvi looked at Samantha as she said this. She seemed to be as sturdy as a rock. It surprised her since her first impression was how shy seemed to be. She had guessed wrong; sharing a look with Samntha she turns her attention back to Anubismon.

"My answer does not waver. I accept my fate what ever it may be." Talvi says bluntly. "I hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Allow me this trial Anubismon. For I feel my fate lies on this path I have chosen."

Anubismon heard their answer and the matter settled he would move into the testing phase, "Then it is set. Fire was birthed from the heart of your leader, it melted the never ending snowstorm of ice revealing it's path, both now walk through the peace and tranquility of darkness hand in hand towards the light which has shown the solid earth and from it births green life in which is cooled by the soft touch of the wind. It is not coincidence that the elements are starting to revive, they wish to live alongside each other together again. Now it is earth and wind who seek their true vessels, from these words I have no doubt that you are indeed the ones to join your peers. It is up to you to take your place." Anubismon's ephemeral body shrank to share the size of each girl. He began to walk towards them and stopped standing in front of each of them, "I shall now extract the spirits." Anubismon lifted his hand towards Sam's chest, "From this point on--" He began and thrust his hand through Sam's chest, he reached straight to her very soul and grabbed a hold of the piece holding her element. It was very brief but in the short moment, Sam would lose sense of time and the pain coursing through her body would feel eternal. It felt like nothing she had ever felt in all her years, or would she ever feel again in the years to come. "--you must fight to become the foundation your comrades can walk on. A foundation they can rely on to be their pillar in the bleakest of times." He opened up his palm and a small brownish flame flickered. Loose gravel from the temple floor gravitated towards it until it was orbiting the spirit like a moon. He then thrust his other hand through Talvi's chest and she to would feel the insurmountable, unfathomable pain of ones very soul being torn. "You must fight to become the cool breeze which blows in the right direction, the raging gust that blows away the shadows." He opened up his palm to reveal a greenish flame, it gave off a faint breeze.

"To do this, you must win the spirits themselves over, as they will seek their own freedom. With these spirits I open to you both the realm of the dead, where your test will be decided. The realm of the dead will remain open for only three hours, fail to pass in this time limit and the realm of the dead you shall stay for your physical bodies will have turned to dust. As guests in the spirit world, you will not have a sense of time as spirits require no such thing so be wary. You will also be spirits yourselves, immortal so do not fear death only assimilation. Should the spirits win, your consciousness will cease to exist." Anubismon at this point had walked towards the crystal itself. "I cannot interfere unless another interferes first so do not expect assistance. I wish you the best of luck and may Yggdrasil be with you both." He tossed the spirits into the crystal and a black portal opened up. "Approach the portal, your souls will be drawn into it and your physical bodies will remain behind. The test begins when you gain consciousness on the other side. I will be watching." Anubismon moved aside to make way. Once the girls were ready and they approached the portal, they would feel themselves slowly losing consciousness until they would black out, only to wake on the other side alone with no other but their spirit. Wherever it might be in the darkness that awaits them.

"Then it is set. Fire was birthed from the heart of your leader, it melted the never ending snowstorm of ice revealing it's path, both now walk through the peace and tranquility of darkness hand in hand towards the light which has shown the solid earth and from it births green life in which is cooled by the soft touch of the wind. It is not coincidence that the elements are starting to revive, they wish to live alongside each other together again. Now it is earth and wind who seek their true vessels, from these words I have no doubt that you are indeed the ones to join your peers. It is up to you to take your place." As Anubismon shrank to their size Talvi felt like he was being whimsical. A poet like Shakespear perhaps. "I shall now extract the spirits." Talvi would watch Sams reaction. Tensing as she did. "From this point on--" Talvi was awestruck. "--you must fight to become the foundation your comrades can walk on. A foundation they can rely on to be their pillar in the bleakest of times." Talvi was busy watching Samantha's spirit up to the moment she felt Anubismons hand. She gasped as the pain hit her in a near blinding wave. Her knees give out and she ends up falling to them trying to catch her breath as his hand retreats. The orb that was her soul in hand. "You must fight to become the cool breeze which blows in the right direction, the raging gust that blows away the shadows." She looked to the greenish flame in some way it was prettier than she had imagined.

"To do this, you must win the spirits themselves over, as they will seek their own freedom. With these spirits I open to you both the realm of the dead, where your test will be decided. The realm of the dead will remain open for only three hours, fail to pass in this time limit and the realm of the dead you shall stay for your physical bodies will have turned to dust. As guests in the spirit world, you will not have a sense of time as spirits require no such thing so be wary. You will also be spirits yourselves, immortal so do not fear death only assimilation. Should the spirits win, your consciousness will cease to exist." Talvi frowned at the time limit. That put a lot of pressure on them. Then again a body could only survive so long with nobody home. "I cannot interfere unless another interferes first so do not expect assistance. I wish you the best of luck and may Yggdrasil be with you both." Talvi wondered what promted that sentence. Did tht means others could interfere. And why? "Approach the portal, your souls will be drawn into it and your physical bodies will remain behind. The test begins when you gain consciousness on the other side. I will be watching." Talvi looked t the portal and stood her mind made up. She wasn't going to waste time here.

"See you in the next life." She says to Samantha. Success or fail their lives would be drastically altered forever. She approached the crystal her hand touching it and she felt a sense of floating. Her vision blurred and she could faintly hear the dull thud of her body hitting the floor. Then all went black.

Sam listened to the beginning with Fire that had unlocked Ice's path and together they had carved the way in Darkness before Light could shine through. Now Earth and Wind were next, two strong Elements that could work together or destroy each other if the balance was upset just like the others. But Fire was Earth's true opposite not that it mattered now. Her eyes widened as he became her size and the fact that he could this astounded her. Her body stayed still even as he tore into her very soul. Her entire body reacted in a way that she could only describe as roots breaking out of its soil. It was exactly this because the spirit had been uprooted and it was like she had been ripped apart. He now held the spirit that had called her and she stared at it. It was Earth, Earth had chosen her. She nodded her head as she fought for the words. The time had indeed stopped for her and the pain still echoed harshly as she stood there. Nothing was ever going to be the same and she felt it. She looked to Talvi as he did the same to her and she marveled at the greenish flame that came out. "We can do this Talvi, I believe in both of us. I won't be there with you but I am thinking about you. Anubismon, It has been an honor and I hope we meet again. If not then thank you both of you: I will do my best and I hope Earth accepts me. If not then I will accept it." She said bowing to each in turn. It was then her knees gave in. She sat there dazed for a second or two.


She sat there trying to remember the last time she had felt like falling. It was then that Talvi spoke up. "May the Wind be with you." She said smiling. Sure it was a play on The epic "May The Force be with you." But it fit the situation at hand.  She watched as Talvi's body fell to the ground and she gazed at it. She shook her head as she willed herself to get up. "I promised to do my best and I will not start letting down others not now not ever. Anubismon, I believe in us, more than I ever had before. I must protect them, even if it means I fall."She said. She pulled on her hoodie and turned to look at him once more. She waved giving him a wink before she put her hand on the crystal.  She felt the pull and the same feeling of being pulled apart. The sound of her body falling was the last thing she knew of before it went black. Her body fell before she blacked out and there it would be forever unless.... She succeeded but would she?


Three hours to go before Samantha would assimilate. Curiously she had fallen next to Talvi with her hand out as if to clutch it.

Topic continue from Then the Tundra Quaked and Zephyr's Ascent

Anubismon had looked to Talvi who had already been awake for quite some time. "It seems the test of Earth has concluded. She should wake in mere moments." Anubismon had said looking to the body of Samantha. "It is just as I predicted, the true heirs of the elements are succeeding ever since the element of Fire had succeeded. It seems there is hope for this world yet." Anubismon said. He would wait to see if Sam awoke and ask if she to had any unwanted visitors, though he knew the answer. Anubismon felt powerless to stop these constant incursions. All he could do was hope that these new hybrids would be enough to stop the nefarious deeds of the suspected beings.