TARO TARO THREW ROCKS at Sugriva. Throw wasn't exactly the right word, as they exuded from her body and were shot at him.
Thump. Right in the shoulder. The monkey flinched.
Thump. Right in the gut. He doubled over.
Thump. Right in the leg. He fell to his knees.
This was the training for earth.
Taro said, "You won't become truly immune, but it will take more force for the earth to hurt you. When you fall from heights, while air is preferable, the earth will give way. The spirits will recognize you as one of them, and they will cradle you in gentle arms. I mean, those arms are made of stone, but they'll try to be gentle, little monkey."
Thump. She struck his forehead and he blacked out.
BRACING WATER WOKE Sugriva. He inhaled as if brought back from the dead.
"Thought I killed you." Taro helped Sugriva up. "Back to training."
He wanted to curse the Ashtadash. Who would ever think these spirits good? They were brutal at best. Taro was straight up sadistic.
Before Sugriva could continue the thought, a barrage of projectiles struck him. Taro laughed maniacally, as she continued the assault. Sugriva curled up into a ball and took it.
This went on for three days, until one day the rocks bounced off Sugriva. There was no pain, and he didn’t flinch. Taro jumped up, clapping her hands. "He did it. The earth accepts you." She went up and hugged him. As they embraced, she whispered, "But my training is easy compared to water and fire." She kissed him on the cheek and pranced off into the temple.
Wuzi floated up to him, her body connected to the pond through a pillar of water. Sugriva watched her and asked, "Don't we have a feast? Don't I get to set the pace?"
"No. If we had time, sure, but we don't." Her face was stern. "Most people only pick one element. If you picked one you would currently be learning how to feel through the earth and sense what it can sense, relying on the spirits to give you information."
"What happens instead?"
"I'll drown you." She reached out with a lash of water, absorbed Sugriva, and then pulled him to the bottom of the pond.
Sugriva tried to escape, but invisible tendrils kept him under, leashing him to the bottom. He could hear a voice, though he couldn't see her face. "Breathe," she said. "Breathe until your lungs fill with water and you die. You will die again and again and again, all so you cannot drown." Then it felt as if the pool licked his cheek.
Finally, he gave in. Water filled his lungs. His vision went purple as he struggled. Then the water left his lungs, and he breathed air before the pond brought him back under. Every drowning he recalled the torture Pankatav put him through, though at least Wuzi was gentle about removing the water from his lungs.
This happened again and again until the sun set. Then Wuzi spat him out on land. The monkey heaved for air, coughing between gulped down breaths. She said, "I'm tired. Get rest. I will drown you in the morning."
It took three weeks before he could breathe water. When he finally could, Wuzi looked at him and said, "I truly thought I was going to kill you. You have a great deal of endurance, but I'm afraid being drowned for several weeks will diminish that vigor. Rebuild your body." She floated back into the pond. When her head alone was above the water, she turned and said, "I almost forgot. Congratulations." Then she sank below the surface.
Ishva waited next to him. "You know what is next," she said, brow creasing.
"I do. Are we starting right away?"
She shook her head. "Water is punishing. Eat. I will give you until you feel ready."
"What if I never feel ready?" His chest ached at the thought. He knew the corruption was spreading. While he was being drowned, Wuzi tried to heal it with water, but she barely kept it in check. The voice was even returning, though it was only a mild nagging in the back of his thoughts.
“Then I incinerate you.” She walked away.
"Wait, Ishva." She paused and turned. Sugriva reached out with a hand. "I will eat when fire doesn't hurt me."
A sad smile was painted on her face. "Truly, I am sorry."
A patch of fur sizzled. Then it reached his skin, and his flesh turned red. At first it felt cold, then blazing hot. He screamed out as little fires bit at him. After hours of torture, his flesh had boils. He shifted into a man, and there was no hair. He only shifted because it looked a little less ridiculous than being a hairless monkey.
"Should I continue?" she asked.
"While you're burning me," he grabbed his crotch, "do you think you can heal this?" He tired of the itch, and the heat made it worse. Burning started there, and he could feel relief. Then he curled up in pain, as the fire took hold of the rest of him. After a couple hours, the blisters were absorbed. His flesh was no longer a raw pink. The fire couldn't harm him.
Ishva smiled. "I was worried; prolonged fire training isn't good, and you took far too long with water. Now we can start your healing. Eat and rest. We start in three days."
THE FOLLOWING DAY, Wuzi watched Sugriva intently, head cocked.
"Wuzi, you can talk to me." He rolled over to her, doing somersaults.
"No," she said with little inflection. "I don't want to get attached in case you die."
"I'll try not to." He moved toward her, face lifting up to hers, and she snapped at him with liquid teeth. He didn't back down. "It doesn't
