While the cleaning duty was supposed to be an excuse for Zehno to use the former gym for training, that didn't mean he was not required to actually clean the facility. Commander Zarin made it quite clear on their first training session, that she expects Zehno to keep the place in a pristine condition.

"Is that understood, Private?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. Now about your training. Though we are both elementals, you are a water elemental, while I am a fire elemental. This means that I can teach you only the most basic things about elementalism. The rest, you need to figure out by yourself, just like I did."

"So, you're a neophyte too, ma'am?"

"Of course I am. I've never met another elemental before you. Or at least I don't think I did."

Zehno was disappointed. At first, he was terrified when he realized he is an elemental, knowing full well, that even though the Purge– now known as the First Purge, since the war against the zombies is called the Second Purge– was centuries ago, his life would still be in danger if anyone found out.

But then it turned out, that the commander herself was an elemental too, and it all started to seem more like an adventure, to discover his powers and other elementals, forming a team of superheroes and saving the world from the Taint. Foolish fantasies, of course, especially now, that it seemed, that maybe they are the only elementals left.

"But, ma'am, you said that you don't believe that all the elementals were killed during the Purge."

Zarin didn't answer immediately, seemed to consider him.

"Before I tell you anything more, I have to be sure, that I can trust you. Do you know what that means?"

Zehno knew. So he nodded.

"You can read my mind, ma'am. I am not going to resist."

Zarin smiled at that. "Actually, I don't think you could resist me, even if you wanted. I already read some of your thoughts without much problem. Of course if you are aware that I am using my power on you, you could try to fake your thoughts. But even then, I spent decades to train my abilities, so I doubt you could fool me. It is possible to learn to resist mental intrusions, and it will be part of our training. Just because I didn't meet with any other fire elemental, that doesn't mean there aren't any.

"But first, back to earning my trust. I am going to read your thoughts, while you will answer some questions I ask to be absolutely sure that you are trustworthy. It will take time, so that will be all what we will do today. Well, for me anyway. You'll still have to clean the gym. Are you ready, Private?"

"Yes, ma'am."

***

Zarin seemed thoughtful, after she was finished with the reading of his mind.

"You think, I am being unfair with you," said the commander, at last.

"N-no, ma'am, of c..."

"Don't lie to me, Private, I just read your mind."

"Erm, yes... sorry, ma'am."

"Apology accepted, Private. Especially, since you are right. I am being unfair."

Zehno was shocked that the commander just admitted that. He hoped they are getting closer, as one elemental to another in a world filled with golems and zombies, but...

"I am being unfair," repeated the commander. "Because if it were anyone else I just would have sent them to work at the Purged Ruins or the salterns. Not because I am cruel, mind you, but because I am practical. Because I have to be practical. We are fighting a war for humanity's survival, and we are losing it. You heard me right. We are losing."

"But the Second Purge..."

"We are being purged. Elementals and golems alike. Don't believe everything the Protectorate's propaganda tells you. I don't believe it. More importantly, the lord protector himself doesn't believe it. There is a small circle of us, led by Lord Protector Seidon himself, who knows the truth. There are sentient zombies, known as vampires, and these vampires lead a Purge against us. And they have elementals of their own. As I said I never met a single one of them, but the stories about them getting more numerous and more believable."

"But how is that possible?"

"We don't know. There are theories, but that's all we have."

"I see... But even then, we have the technological advantage. It was enough against the elementals in the past. Should be enough against the zombies."

"Well, it wasn't enough during the Apocalypse, and it sure as Void isn't enough now. They have the numbers. In the end, war is about the numbers.

"Because of that, I don't think we can win this war, unless we can deny the enemy their most important resource and increase our own numbers at the same time. And that's why you are not in a saltern. That's why I am unfairly giving you a second chance, when we normally don't have that luxury. Because of your potential."

"Because I can enter the Mist?"

"No. That's a useful ability. But I said potential, meaning a potential aspect. You only have one power so far, and while having more than one aspect is rare, according some historians it's possible.

"The aspect, that I am actually interested in is the Axis. There is no guarantee that you have it, but still, that's the best chance we've got."

"I see..."

"Have you ever heard about the Axis and the confluxes?"

"Yes, ma'am. They are some fifth dimension stuff."

"Yes, well. The fifth dimension is the stratum, or rather are the strata. The strata are different layers of reality, ours is called the Materia. One of the other layers is called the Veil, which separates our material stratum from the shadow stratum, the Umbra. Your aspect, allows you to travel in the Mist, a layer which surrounds the Veil. Now the confluxes are actually creases on the Veil which are connected to each other by the Axis, another stratum. Water elementals with the right aspect can enter the Axis at will and can leave it through one of the confluxes. Actually, they leave it as soon as they enter, since there are no space or time in the Axis. Bottom line, traveling in the Axis is a fifth dimensional relocation, just as traveling in the Mist. That's why I hope, you might be able to do it."

Zarim gave a little time to Zehno to think it through. He needed it, and felt that his head hurt. Thinking in five dimensions sure wasn't easy.

"So, you think, the elementals ran away, using the Axis?" Zehno finally asked.

"Yes. Maybe even to a different planet, or planets."

"And you want to follow them?"

"Well, not necessarily, I just want to leave this planet with as much refugees and resources as possible, and colonize another world. Then, once our number is great enough, while the number of the zombies thinned we can take our world back."

Zehno didn't know what to say about that. It was a lot to swallow.

"Alright, that's enough for today," said Zarin. "Tomorrow we start with the real training. We won't use zombies for a while, only after you've got the hang of your ability."

"Zombies?! You want me to train with zombies?!"

"But of course! Why do you think we need the gym? Or your cleaning service?"