[Angelino's Journal ~ For Elros Namasi Only]

[Elros Namasi]

Spirit Guardian Post

Angelino woke to the sound of early-morning birdsong. He laid there in his bed for a few moments, wondering why on earth he was up at such an ungodly hour. When he realized he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep, Angie rolled out of bed and stretched then paused to look out his window at the distant Iinao Mountains like he did every morning. Today was different..

The sight stirred him more than usual. It seemed like the mountains were tugging at him.. Calling him.. In fact, he could almost swear he heard a voice.. "Nah. Just my imagination," he muttered then tore his gaze from the window and started toward the bathroom he shared with two of his three younger brothers.

"Well, that's one good thing about being up this early," Angie thought aloud. "At least I don't have to fight with Harry and Devon over who gets to use the bathroom first."

When he finished washing up, he wandered downstairs, smiling at his mom's surprised expression when he stepped into the kitchen. "Wow. I never thought you were capable of getting up at this hour, Ang," Elros said, grinning at him as she pulled out his chair at the table for him.

"Came as a shock to me, too," Angelino remarked then went on to tell her about what he had felt earlier that morning. The catgirl didn't say anything at first, just stood there with her arms folded beaneath her breasts and her right hip braced against a countertop, a thoughtful expression on her face. When her silence was starting to worry Angie, she finally spoke.

"Maybe you should go. Just remember to pack warm clothes. It's still chilly up in those mountains even this time of year." Elros smiled and moved to ruffle his hair then went about getting breakfast started.

Angie spent the day agonizing over whether or not he should go. By that evening he still hadn't decided. He went to bed telling himself it didn't matter, that by tomorrow he'd have forgotten the daydream and the desire to go to the Iinao Mountains. Angelino was wrong.

The next morning, the pull was even stronger. So strong that he skipped breakfast and started packing straight away. When he didn't come down to eat, Elros made up a plate for him and brought it to his room. She found him stuffing clothes into his duffle bag. Quietly, she set his plate down on his dresser then slipped out and went to put together a care package.

By midmorning, Angie was ready to set off--weighted down by a first aid kit, sleeping bag, tent, food, water and all the other little necessities Elros had thought of. He grumbled a bit about the extra weight but he knew his mom was right. With a hug and a quick reassurance that he'd come back in one piece, Angelino started for the Iinao Mountains.

Tamashii Island wasn't very large by any standards and the distance to the Atona Springs from his house just outside Koshimada wasn't great but it felt like it to Angie, alone as he was. Even so, he made it to the springs by early evening that first day and decided to make camp there for the night. While he was setting up his one-person tent among the redwoods, that half-heard voice came back to him but more clearly this time. I can't wait to meet you in person, Angelino.. and then it was gone.

Angie wondered at it for a while but made himself brush it aside when he sat down to eat dinner and then crawled into his tent and slipped into his sleeping bag.

The next morning he was up early again, trying his best to ignore the tugging sensation while he packed up his gear and broke camp. He made sure to change into some warmer clothes and then set off toward the base of the mountains. He made it to them by midday. He spent the next day and a half climbing into the mountain range, wondering more and more with each step whether or not there was a point to this.

He should have known, though, given he was a shaman and could see and speak to spirits. But his talents were limited. Little did he know, he was an elemental shaman--an ice elemental to be precise--and could only clearly see and hear spirits of his element. Since the spring thaw, the voices and images had stopped and he had started to believe that maybe being a shaman had just been a phase. That's why none of these goings on sparked the possibility that he might be on a 'quest' to meet his guardian spirit. And it didn't help any that Ang wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer..

The morning of the fourth day out, he opened the tent flap and was met with the sight of fresh snow. He guessed it must have fallen during the night. For some reason, Angie liked winter best out of all the seasons and seeing the snow instantly lifted his mood. The snowman standing not four feet from his tent gave him pause, though. At first, Angelino looked around wildly to see if the person who must have built the snowman was still around but then it dawned on him that the snowman was insubstantial, that he could see right through it to what lay beyond.

Before he could react, the snowman moved toward him--Angie noted that it didn't leave any footprints in the powdery snow--and stopped right in front of him, smiling as it lifted an arm in greeting. It's good to see you, Angelino. My name is Albin. You may not remember me.. Angie lost the thread of what the snowman was saying after that. The name sounded familiar..

"I've got it!" he shouted a moment later, startling the little snowman. "You used to talk to me when I was little. I remember you now Albin. You must be my spirit guide." It wasn't really a question but Albin answered as if it were.

Yes, that I am. And it should interest you to know that you are an ice shaman. I'd advise you to find an elder--preferrably one who shares your element--and learn what you can from them about your abilities. I can teach you quite a bit myself but not everything. He paused to adjust his scarf and smile again.

"How come I had to meet you here? Couldn't you have visited me?" Angie asked after a moment, studying his spirit guardian. He took in the matching hat and scarf, striped pink and red. And the big shining eyes that couldn't have been coal. The mouth and Albin's lack of a carrot nose and buttons down his front threw Angie but then the boy reminded himself this wasn't your average snowman.

Luckily for Angelino, his musings hadn't lasted longer than the time Albin needed to decide how to answer. No, I couldn't just come visit you. I'm tied to this place. At least, I was until my shaman came and got me. Now, I'll remain with you. We can talk of this more if you like but some other time, please.

Angelino agreed, deciding that now he had Albin, he need not stay here in the mountains any longer. The return trip took just as much time but it felt like half as much with company.