[Miles’ POV]

“Sierra will be alright. She took a rough beating but I predict that she will be on her feet in a few days.” Jamie said as she walked down the stairs of Enzo’s house. It had been a long journey from Amesbury to Enzo’s town. Sierra was badly injured and needed medical attention. Archer was nowhere in sight.

I was woken up by a security guard at Stonehenge. I had to answer a few questions but fortunately, they allowed me to call Enzo. I still had no explanation as to why Tyson and Sylvia attacked me, why they sided with Alessandro, what they wanted with the pages and where they had been and gone.

“That’s pleasing to hear.” I said grimly.

Jamie walked up to the sofa area where Enzo and I waited.

“I gave her some herbal medicine. Don’t expect any miracles, though.” Jamie said as she sorted the folder that she was carrying. “You should have told me that the Stone Elemental was hiding the pages at Stonehenge. I understand that he would have kept the pages in the Forbidden Chambers as it is one of the safest places but to send you in there was not very clever of Mr Brunel. It was fortunate that you were strong. Archer would have killed Sierra.”

“Mr Brunel was very vague about what we would encounter. I’m still surprised that I was not affected.” I said.

“The Forbidden Chambers have elements that do not obey our will. It is such a forbidding place that even Mother Nature herself would only go there as a last resort. The forces there can drive a human to insanity. Only those who have the spirit to persevere may leave that place without so much as a scratch.”

“A spirit to persevere…or maybe I haven’t experienced anything tragic yet.”

“Perhaps.”

“Another question; What happened to Mr Brunel? He was dead and older when we left the chambers.”

Jamie corrected the glasses on her nose. “I know as much as you do. I am still looking into it and have yet to find any leads.”

Enzo rubbed his chin as he spoke. “Brunel was never in good health for the past few weeks. Maybe he had a sudden heart failure and died while the three of them were in there?”

“We are not ruling out natural death yet. The investigation is in its early stages and conclusion is not expected to be made anytime soon. I will update you if I find anything.”

“That’s fine. When I left the chambers, two old faces where waiting for me. My friend, Tyson, and his sister, Sylvia. I was surprised to see them but they weren’t very friendly.”

“Yes, I know about them.”

“And you did not bother to tell me?”

“The information that Mother Nature keeps are not free handouts. You will know what you need to know. Anything else is deemed unnecessary.” Jamie walked over to the window and looked out at the snowy streets. “I should not be sharing this information with you but things are not looking good. Before I reveal what I must, you must agree that what is said in here, stays here. Word of our conversation must not reach Mother Nature’s ears. You may wish to share it with Archer, if you find him, and Sierra, when she wakes up.”

I nodded and sat back. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

Jamie cleared her throat before she spoke. “Many centuries ago, the power of the wind was controlled by a single elemental as were the other elements. One wind elemental decided that humans should worship elementals. Few would have called it animism. Mother Nature frowned upon his ideas, however. Arguments struck and a long ferocious battle ensued over a long period of time. The humans were caught in the middle and many died. The ones who survived assumed that the gods were angry and were unaware of the real reason.”

Jamie turned around and shook her head. Sitting down, she continued. “It seemed like forever but Mother Nature came out victorious. She claimed that the power of the wind was too powerful to be controlled by one spirit. It was close to rivalling the power of the Dark Lord but by a generous margin. To ensure that nothing like this would ever happen again, she split the element of wind into five; Hurricane, Typhoon, Cyclone, Gale and Breeze. This would not have been possible for the Higher Elements like Light, Darkness and possibly Sound.”

Jamie searched through her folder and pulled a few papers. “Your friends, Tyson and Sylvia, are Typhoon and Cyclone respectively. I have a track record on their recent whereabouts. They have been travelling across the globe but there doesn’t seem to be a clear reason as to what they have in mind. One of their stops was Antarctica, strangely.”

I took a moment to soak it in and looked at Enzo. “Did you know about all this?”

Enzo shook his head. “This is the first time that I’m hearing like you. The latin American mechanic that you met, Gabe, I thought he was the only wind elemental, THE wind elemental. That’s why you saw him at the conference room.”

“Yes, Gabe is Gale.” Jamie said to Enzo, who sat back looking at the ceiling.

“Let me guess. Gabe doesn’t know about this.”

“No. I feel it is now the right time that you tell him. He has the right to know.”

I leaned forward and clasped my hands together. “That’s three. What of the other two?”

Jamie looked at a few more documents. “There is a female wind sibling in France. The notes say she is currently part of a fashion magazine company in one of France’s busiest towns. She might be Breeze. As for Hurricane, the documents are missing on him or her.”

“That will do for now. What I need to now is where Archer could have gone.” I said to her.

“The file I gave him is strictly confidential. It is one of the things that I am sworn by oath to the Great Mother herself not to speak. I wish I could share but this more serious stuff compared to the Wind siblings.”

I nodded my head. “I understand. I just need Archer to know that what happened in the chambers was beyond his control and not his fault. Where he is going and what he intends to do…he’s on his own now, it seems.”

[Archer’s POV]

I looked out of the window in my throne room, down at the silent waterfall. As I stood there, I sensed a presence approaching. It was my most trusted aide, Dokkalfar. He helped me sort books a long time ago. Now, he’s helping look for a temple. The Temple of the Einstein cult, it was called. That was the name I found in the documents that Jamie gave me.

“My lord, we have successfully discovered the area at which the temple is located it is a very thick jungle and the sun shines too bright for our kind.” Dokkalfar said as he kneeled before me.

“What do you mean too bright? We have some major injuries on the reconnaissance team. The wolves were panicking when the light shone on them.”

Syschela appeared out from the shadows. “You will survive, my lord, but you must head to this temple by yourself.”

Dokkalfar nodded. “I have discovered that there is a train that leaves from a large town that is safe for the shadow people and arrives at a small town that is a few several kilometres from the temple. The temple is reported to be surrounded by an extremely thick jungle. The humans may cut down the trees for years and never see the temple.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Dokkalfar. Go and take a rest. You have earned it.” I said to him.

“My lord.” He said before turning and leaving the throne room.

“I trust you are clear with your decision and know what to do when you reach the temple, my lord.” Syschela said to me.

“Not on the latter. The information that the Elemental of Wood gave me did not say what I should do when I reach the temple.”

“Be prepared then.”

I turned around and walked across the throne room. “Be prepared…if only I knew what the bigger picture of all this is, Syschela.”

“I am aware of that, my lord. I have seen that web that you made. What it is…I am not sure.”

We walked to the ‘web’ that she mentioned. On a wall was a spider web drawn by me. Several names littered the floor underneath the web.

“This, my dear Syschela, is what I call the Web of the Constant and its Variables.” I said introducing my idea to her.

“I would love to hear a more detailed explanation, my lord.”

“Well, when a constant, which can be anything for that matter, comes into existence, many different variables branch out from it. These branches can be characteristics of the constant, future fates of the constant or anything that can be derived from the constant’s existence. Should the constant change, then the variables are expected to change. The variables are dependent on the constant but not the other way around. Remove any variables, the constant would still hold the web together. However, should the constant be removed, the whole collapses. The variables have their own unique traits. All branches reach out to infinity no matter the situation. This would open up one’s mind if the idea of infinity is accepted. Also, each of the branches is connected to one another. This is a very important feature. Closer to the constant, the connections are more. Further out and closer to infinity, there are less and less connections until none exist anymore. In the region with no connections, the variables can be unstable. If no connections exist at all, the whole web would be in chaos and disorder but it would not be destroyed completely, however. The constant has the ability to form the connections if it has the power to do so.”

“That is…brilliant, my lord, but what would it do to help us?”

“The web is nearly universal. I could use it solve other things but I need to get this problem sorted out first.”

Syschela picked up a paper. “This paper has the name of the Elemental of Metal.”

“Yes, I have gathered the names of all the elementals of this generation that I know right now, living or deceased. Most of the elementals would be variables and their actions could be anything and result in anything, infinity in other words. However, there would be one elemental who would be the constant of the web. That elemental is the source of all this chaos.” I said to her.

“I have never seen such a degree of thinking, my lord. It's very simple and yet...how did you manage to think this up?”

“I’ve been trying to focus my dark powers for some time now to better control them. Whenever I do so, however, I see things. What seem like answers to questions that I know and also questions that I never knew. In fact, I have recently been having ideas on some simple inventions.”

“I look forward to seeing what you can create, my lord.”

“As do I. I have to put this aside first. I must get to the Temple of the Einstein cult. Whatever happens, I’m willing to take the risk.” I said confidently. The mood in the room changed as my thoughts switched to another matter.

Syschela sensed my busy mind. “Something is on your mind, my lord. Are you comfortable with sharing it?”

Sighing, I nodded my head. “When I was in the chamber, I voice spoke to me. It said that I had to ‘protect the truth’. What did it mean?”

Syschela kept quiet for a while. “You are not the first Dark Lord or Lady to have said that. It is most intriguing indeed. Perhaps protecting the truth is what the Dark Lord was meant to do? It could be the very purpose you have sought for the longest time. Think about it first, my lord. Do not make such rash decisions. Do not take my word completely, for I only advice you.”

I sat on the bench on the platform of the train as I thought again about what the voice said to me. ‘Protect the truth…the balance of verity…the scales of fact…’

“All aboard!” the station-master’s voice interrupted my thoughts. People on the platform started walking to the doors of the train. I followed suit. I boarded the train and sat in a seat at the back, next to the window. I placed my small backpack at my feet and looked out the window.

‘This had better be worth it,’ I thought to myself. The trip to my destination would be a long one. Feeling tired from constantly thinking and worrying, I fell asleep eventually.

“Ticket, please,” the ticket collector said as he woke me up from my sleep. I took out my ticket from my pocket and gave him my ticket. He thanked me and went to the next passenger. I leaned forward in my seat and shook my head to clear the grogginess.

‘I should go to the washroom and wash my face. I didn’t want to sleep too much,’ I thought to myself. I got up from my seat and headed to the washroom at the front of the carriage. No one was using the washroom, thankfully. I got in, locked the door and started washing myself with the cold water from the tap.

‘The Temple of the Einstein Cult…never heard of that before. I don’t know what to do when I get there but I should be on my guard. Cult usually equally looney fanatics.’

I opened the washroom door and headed back to my seat. At the opposite end of the carriage, I thought I saw a familiar face but the door on the other end of the carriage closed before I got a good look. The other passengers were all minding their own business; reading newspapers or sleeping. When I got back to my seat, I didn’t realise it but something felt wrong. Then, I realised it. Someone had taken my small backpack! I stood up and looked at the overhead compartment just in case someone placed it there. It wasn’t.

I quickly realised that whoever had just left the carriage through the door beside me must have taken my backpack. I opened the door and went into the next carriage. The other passengers gave me stares but didn’t bother me. I looked about but my backpack was nowhere to be seen. I had to find it. The twin daggers that Sun Tzu and the information Jamie gave me where in there!

Above me, I heard what sounded like footsteps. Could somebody be walking on top of the carriage? It might be the thief! I sneaked to an area in the train where no one would see me and opened the window. I wasn’t as scared as I thought as I would be but I was no less careful. One wrong slip and I would fall off the train and seriously hurt myself.

I finally got on top of the carriage and stabilised myself in a kneeling position. A few metres in front of me, someone was already waiting for me.

“I was almost starting to think that you were too stupid to realise that someone stole your backpack,” said a familiar voice. It was none other than the Elemental of Light, Alessandro.

“Al? What…what are you doing here?” I asked him, being on my guard.

“I came to finish off what I started. I know Jamie gave you some valuable information. Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to hold onto such information. You’re too destructive, Archer.”

“What? Why do you keep doing this to me, Al? What did I ever do to you? If it’s about what happened to Alexis, then I’ll just tell you what I told you the last time, I did not start that fire!” I shouted at him.

Alessandro glared at me. “It’s more than that! You’re forgetting who you are, Archer, what you are. You’re the Dark Lord. You leave nothing but chaos and destruction in your wake.”

“You don’t know me!” I shouted loudly over the sound of the train rumbling over the tracks.

“Is that so? I will let you go if you can even name me one good deed that you have done which involved your powers. Tell me, how has the power of darkness helped humanity?”

I wanted to shout back at him but nothing came out from my mouth. He was right. No good has ever come from my powers. Only suffering has happened due to them.

Alessandro smirked. “Nothing to say? That’s what I thought. I hope you understand why I need to deal with you once and for all and before you defend yourself, I should say that I am very well aware of the balance that our existences create. One of us dies and all goes to hell. If you remain, what hope has humanity? If I remain though, humanity can still make it. Humans have always basked in the light. They work, play and relax in my light but they hide in their homes and sleep in your darkness. I am disgusted by what I have to do, however. I really want you to be my friend, Archer, but I have a duty that needs to be done.”

I was held down by his words but I still one more thing to ask him. “What’s been holding you back all this time? Why wait so many years before this?”

Alessandro shook his head. “Ah, Archer. You know so little, such a pity. Why did it take several years to reach this moment? Well you see, Light and Darkness are two of the Higher Elements and the elementals are not so easily killed but they can still feel pain due to their human forms. If killed you with conventional methods, it would take you forever to die. Worse, you might just end up screaming in pain until you grow old. I’m not that heartless, Archer, so I sought out a way to make the deed quick and painless for you. Hidden deep within the mines of Paris, I discovered a secret type of metal that is undivided between human souls and elemental spirits. It took a long time but I crafted a blade that would not only destroy your human form but cause your elemental spirit to disperse into a million fragments. They will reassemble, of course, but it would be a millennia before they can form a conscience again.”

Just as he finished talking, he brought out a short blade from the bag he was carrying. It was sharp and gleamed at me, like a predator just before it pounced at its prey. As he was admiring his hand-crafted blade, several men climbed onto the roof of the carriage behind where Alessandro stood. They wore light armour and were obviously not civilians. These must be people from the same group of people that has been stalking us!

There must have been more of them behind me because Alessandro was looking behind me with a surprised look on his face. “What the hell?!” he yelled.

The men whipped out electrical devices. They obviously weren’t here to kill anyone but they weren’t going to be friendly with either Alessandro or me. Al looked down at me as he spoke. “I call a truce until these idiots are dealt with.”

I didn’t get a chance to say anything before he ran beside me with his blade and attacked the armoured men. I grabbed my backpack which Al had forgotten about and took out my twin daggers. The men charged me and tried to knock me out. I was a good fighter but I’ve never dealt with four men attacking me at the same time. I was quicker than them and successfully blocked their attacks. I tripped one of them and he fell of the train and onto the rocks on the side. The other three weren’t too happy with what I did because they got more aggressive. However, that meant they would be more careless with their attacks. I managed to knee one of them in the stomach and kicked him at one of his friends. They both fell of the train.

The last one grabbed me from behind. His hold was incredibly strong and I felt the air leave my lungs. I had to break his hold and fast. I drew my head forward and swung back at his face as fast as I could. The man screamed in pain. I swung my right dagger at him and stabbed him in his right chest. I pulled it out and watched him fall off the train, screaming.

Alessandro had two more attackers to deal with. Since he called a truce, I decided to help him. One of the attackers slipped to the side and grabbed Alessandro by the ankle. Al struggled to keep hold of the side of the train. Placing my daggers in my pockets, I rammed into the other man and he went off the edge. Up ahead, the train tracks were going over a river. It looked like at least a fifty metre drop. Alessandro was almost slipping with his grip but I caught his hand at the last second. Alessandro gave one good, strong kick to the man and he was never seen