The Six of Swords predicts peace after a period of turmoil. It gives a gentle a push towards a new direction, towards a calmer destination. On the contrary, the Five of Swords indicates conflicts, hostility, defeat and dishonor. The energy of the Five of Swords is very disruptive and it manifests as chaotic energies and people acting out of self-interest. The combination of the Six of Swords and the Five of Swords feels like going backwards instead of moving ahead.
To understand the elemental relationships between the cards, we should always take into account their actual meaning. The elements of the cards are Air (Six of Swords) and Air (Five of Swords). Two Air cards can generate quite a powerful and intense combination. In their negative expression, these two cards will bring feelings of restlessness, failure, futility. In most cases the strong air of these two cards cards shows a dynamic situation that's subject to change.