The Three Elements Theory (Fire, Water, Grass)

By Inuki **Ookami**

Each of the Elements is characterized by a dominant and a secondary Power or Quality: Earth is Dry and Cool, Water is Cool and Moist, Air is Moist and Warm, Fire is Warm and Dry.
Warmth and Coolness are the more active powers, according to Aristotle. Since Warmth is the dominant power of Fire and Coolness is the dominant power of Water, these are the most active Elements, and the primary opposition is between them (as represented in their signs; the signs for Air and Earth each contain a part of the sign of their opposite). Therefore, Fire and Water cannot be united directly, for they have nothing in common. The Two must be joined by a Third, which constitutes a mean linking the extremes, that is, a Harmonia, which is often translated Harmony, but more accurately means a seamless union in which the parts form a whole and yet retain their separate identities. In the Greek tradition, Harmonia is a Goddess, the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares (Love and Strife). She may unite any opposites, including the opposed Elements, Fire and Water. Empedocles (fr. 96) says that "the kindly Earth received in Her wide melting-pots" a mixture of Persephone (Water) and Hephaistos (Fire) held together by Harmonia. Unfortunately for us our harmony certainly is not going to be Inuki, for he is ice, which firstly is far too closely linked to water, and secondly wouldn't work in the story, because he needs to be seperated from the others at one point after SD's death.

Now, fire and Water may unite in Air, which has Warmth in common with Fire and Moistness in common with Water; the other intermediary is Earth, which is Dry like Fire and Cool like Water. However, Air functions more easily as a uniting Element, because it is also intermediate in subtlety between Fire and Water. Such a union takes place in a Pyria, which is the ancient Greek version of a sweat lodge (essentially the same as the Scythian version described in Herodotus 4.73). Woolen blankets are spread over a wooden frame, in the center of which is a cauldron in which red-hot stones are placed. The Pyria is a microcosm in which the Elements unite. When Water is thrown on the Fire, it creates steam, which is the Hot-Wet Air that unites the opposites. This all takes place in contact with, or even within, the (Cool, Dry) Earth.

There's just one little problem! We have our fire, (Ryashi) who will eventually meet up with Kai (our water) but now we just need a Harmonia. We can't use Air, because it's already been done, and Earth has too. So to be traditionally original and unique all in one (if that's possible) I have devised the following plan:
Demeter(Earth), Persephone (Water), Dionysos (Air) and Hekate/Hecate (Fire).
Kiryu Yuki(Grass), Kai (Water), None (We don't need one. We only need one Harmonia!)(Air) Ryashi (Fire)
Also note that the japanese names mean:
Inuki **Ookami** (Inuki Ookami = Magically Gifted Wolf)
Kai Junsui (Junsui Kai = Pure Sea)
Son Ryashi (Hi = Fire) Kiryu Yuki (Yuki Kiryu = Brave Leaf)

In fact, the original name for Inuki was supposed to be: Inuki Inochi, which means life wolf, or spirit wolf. Yuuki means leaf, and Kiyu means brave and Yuri means Lily. Somehow I kind of combined the three to get Kiryu Yuki. I may also decide to add in Shouri Kaze (Victory Wind) as a final Harmonia. Finally there has to be a combined character. A final Triad of them. I'm not sure who it will be, or how strong either.

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