The Inter Elementals | An Elemental Story

Chapter 1 - Ignis Irae (the Fire of Anger)

"Change is inevitable, and our fear of it doubly so. We will experience it in our lives. It is a part of the Elemental condition. In an ideal coming of age, our guardians equip us with the appropriate tools to deal with it, though it depends on one's upbringing. You'll face it regardless, and when you do, you'll learn when to stand in defence or yield the sword and let the bridge down.

If not? Well, heh- you can't play a flamin' hot game of chess without moving a piece forward.

In your case, what happened during that fateful week was merely part of the Elemental condition; the transition into adulthood. Understanding the weight of responsibility, building discipline, and healthy habits, all the while dealing with your emotions. Yet, funnily enough, the latter is the one most struggle with.

We find it easy to do 'important stuff' like having a work ethic, but love, happiness, and purpose. They're treated as 'temporary escapes via external validation'. That is until life gives you a reality check by picking you up by the face and throwing you to the ground. That is when you're faced with your real enemy...

Anger.

Whatever form that comes in, be it stress, frustration, anxiety, self-deprecating thoughts, or a throttling sensation to burn everything on sight. At rare times, it's glorious! However, 95% of the time, it's a result of our deepest insecurities rearing their head into the fray.

Anger is a window to a soul at its most vulnerable.

Hence why we're here.

I am to equip you with tools to recognize anger - to say it out loud, to control what you can of it, and to accept that it will always be with you. Anger isn't something that can simply be eradicated, so you need to learn how to channel it in a way that won't harm yourself or others, and that starts with small - excruciatingly small steps.

Do you understand?"

. . .

Tick, tock, tick, tock went an antique clock on the wall. A tense silence spoke loud - deafening, it's call. The room was comfortable yet sterile all the same, with an eerie, slithering whisper past the ear of "there's no shame."

A gentleman of fire sat with glasses, a clipboard and a stabbing stare, prodding, prodding the poor fire girl to share. Her fiery fingers gently wrapped around her opposite elbow. Usually, these kinds of talks were a lot easier with her beau.

Alas, her free hand balled into a fist, clenching with tense might. In her chest, a fiery chamber, responding fight-or-flight. Like a dragon breathing fire into a balloon, her stomach flexed in and out with an exhale, strewn.

She finally spoke up to the gentleman's demand...

"Yeah. Yeah- I understand."

This wasn't coming from an elemental who wanted to be there. But, she had to. It was for 'the necessity of the job', or however Lin put it. She couldn't quite recall that. All she could was 'Go to anger management to keep a job, underlying tones of Elementism', yadda-yadda. What she failed to realise was that she had a public outburst, which endangered several lives in the process and prompted a city-wide hunt for her.

So perhaps anger management could help.

"You have a tinge of hesitation in your speech," the therapist spoke.

The little flame lady could tell her stress was getting to her, as could her on-the-ball therapist. One leg of hers crossed over the other, feet pointed outward.

"Yes. I understand," she responded.

The therapist pursed his lips, his brows furrowing. He looked to Ember, leaning forward.