A normal day.
Or as normal as it gets on a magical island.
An angry Pyro Peck chased a dragon across the building, Chase running after them along with Samantha. A very sleep-deprived fairy peeked out from behind a door, took one look at the scene, and promptly closed it, the rest of the group passing by soon after in chase of... Chase.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Academy, a group of students was getting ready for class, one of them yelling "That half-brained hedgehog!" as another dashed through the crowd, paying no mind to the people they knocked over.
Chase finally caught his Pyro Peck, rolling across the ground before coming to a halt at Professor Greenheart's feet. An irritated baby dragon growled at the Pyro Peck before retreating.
Ansat dashed through the crowd of the other students, intent on wreaking more havoc.
Behind a door, a fairy was ticking fingers on a gray hand, counting down to when the speedy wizard would pass the door and slamming it open to intercept Ansat.
"...what have I told you about running in the halls?"
"...Uhh, only do it if there's a fire?" said the wizard with attitude.
Gale crossed his arms, evidently tired, "And is there a fire Ansat?"
"Y-yes. Someone lit a lighter in my hair, I was running to get it to cool off!" lied Ansat.
Annabelle walked through the halls and looked at Ansat. Even though she didn't know him, she sensed he could be a troublemaker. "Shush, you fast-headed coward!" she snapped. She walked over to class and sat down.
Ian, meanwhile, looked disapproved - in both directions. He'd gotten into the habit of making multitudes of Spearicle golems to cope with the issue of the ice magic poisoning he'd been experiencing recently. Of course, none of them could take the form of the Ice To Meet You golems, but they still had those same dark eyes, and boy were they so quietly distasted- at both the fire buddy quarreling and the supersonic annoyance.
Ansat revved up to try and dash away.
Every single one of the 5 golems immediately guarded the hallway, with the most stoic eyes of disfavor.
"Nothin' I can't dash out of!" said Ansat.
Ian seemed even more annoyed, now in the direction of south. He proceeded to summon over 4 times as many golems, now in a speartip formation. He'd been getting cold, anyway.
"Still nothin' I can't speed out of!"
Ian's gaze narrowed.
"Dare you?"
A massive chill filled the room as Ian's eyes glew bright blizzard white. Many wizards present began to shiver- and Ian started feeling warm.
"5. 4. 3. 2. 1."
And as soon as it started, the chill left.
"Yeah, you're not getting away from Gale now. You've been charging for... 3 minutes now? No amount of peel-out's gonna rescue this, you know."
Annabelle overheard Ansat talking. she got up from her seat and threw her hairclip at ansat. " 'NoThiN' I cAnT sPeEd OuT oF'. yeah, except a hairclip attack" she laughed.
Lucas somehow managed to find a way around the whole mess, and stepped up next to Ian. "Just please stop trying to avoid Gale, Ansat. You're only making it worse for yourself." Lucas said softly, a warm gust of air in the chilly mess Ian made.
Ansat was frozen solid.
Annabelle was outside. "That's what you get, fast-headed coward! think before you act, will ya?" she shouted from outside the room.
"How the hell?"
Ian lightly tapped Ansat, shattering whatever physical or mental ice he had. No one wants to get frozen twice, and the actual ice always cooperated.
"Welp, now that I'm not frozen..." said Ansat. He revved up and dashed away.
"Oh for the love of-"
Ian tore his map from his backpack and tapped roughly where the Ice Tower was. He set up a trap near the pedestals once he'd teleported, a simple set of roadspikes. Ansat was basically immortal to them as long as he had cash, so it wouldn't hurt him that badly. Maybe.
"Why must Ansat be an idiot all the time-" Lucas muttered before realizing what he just said and clapping his hand over his mouth.
What- no I don't mean that! It's rude! Stop making me say those things!
But you do mean it and you do think it. I'm just helping you... express your thoughts :]
I. Don't. Think. He's. An. Idiot! He just has trouble submitting to authority-
Which makes him an idiot.
That's you talking. Not me. Not me. Not. Me.
By this point, the fairy had an arched an eyebrow whilst gazing at the unfurling chaos, before noticing Greenheart's expression. Sighing, he teleported into Ansat's path, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and bit back a yawn. "Apologies Ansat, but you know where I'm about to send you."
"Crap baskets..." said Ansat.
Gale shot him a withering glance before Ansat shuffled into a nearby room. After that was taken care of, he slinked off to a different room, leaving the students to whatever mishap they get into.
"Sigh... I can always write another note. Hopefully this time it doesn't end as badly!" said Ansat.
Ian sensed a crisis had been averted. He dematerialized the roadspikes and returned to the hallway where the whole buddybattle thing had happened.
Ansat started to get bored, and got up from his seat.
Annabelle was casting bubble barrages to see which bubbles would go the farthest.
Ansat jumped up into an air shaft, and crawled through it.
Just when Gale thought he could catch a wink of sleep, his ears perked a scratching sound came from the ceiling. He looked up, pinpointing the sound and discovering it originated in the direction of the detention room.
"Ansat... I know you're there."
"Oh! sh*t!" said Ansat. Ansat crawls faster until he gets to an opening in another room.
Which, was just a joint of the first room. Deciding to deal with this before it got out of hand, the fairy flew up, pushed up the ceiling tile, and yanked the wizard down into the room.
He set foot next to him and glared, "You do realize what's going to happen now, correct?"
"If it's expulsion again, in my defense, escaping detention is a much more minor offense than vandalizing Felix's room!"
He chuckled, "Oh, no, I wouldn't dare with such boring- I mean, drastic measures."
Ansat shakes himself free and dashes off, assuming Gale will murder him.
Annabelle saw Ansat rush past her and got knocked down. "HEY! get back here, fast-headed coward! think before you act next time!" She snapped while chasing Ansat down the hall.
Gale stared at the open door and huffed discontentedly, He would've of gone after him but... he yawned, and instead closed the door.
So, you're not doing anything about that idiot?
-Must you always give bad insight?
It's not bad insight if I have a point.
I wouldn't have been able to do anything, even if I wanted to, especially since YOU kept me up all night.
-Either way-
Oh shut up. I had enough of both of your nonsense.
The fairy crossly curled up on the library's couch and tried to fall asleep, blocking out the voices both in his head and the ones growing increasingly louder outside in the hall.
Greenheart exhaled, tangling Ansat and Chase to prevent any further chaos, taking them to class.
"Hey, what did I do?" Chase protested.
"It's not what you did, it's what you're about to do."
"...fair."
Across the island, a wizard stood in brittle cold, watching a golem. Out of nowhere, purple light seemed through the cracks of ice, bringing thousands of crystals to life.
"What in the name of-"
Back at the Academy, the keystones suddenly seemed... dimmer? Their usual pulse was weaker, slower, and their colors grew dull as the day progressed.
Ansat was running around the academy.
Lane simply held out his fist as the speedy wizard ran into it, sliding foot-first to a stop on the floor, groaning. "Glad that wasn't me," Chase remarked.
"Ow..." groaned Ansat before he got up.
As the racket subsided, and the fairy succeeded in having a brisk, but uninterrupted nap, Gale had gotten to doing his usual routine when he noticed the keystones.
He shot an alarmed look in the young wardens' direction, but said nothing, as someone else had decided to strike a conversation.
Pity. You noticed. Well, I suppose I can always do this the hard way...
Do what the hard way? What the hell is going on here?
Fool, it's too late for you to do anything.
-No.
What-
Another headache, worse this time. He gritted his teeth, trying to block it out.
We- I'll be fine.
Just wait for him...
...no. That wasn't me talking. Wait. Him?
Ansat got right back to running, but slipped in a puddle of water.
Lucas bit his lip, quivering. His whole body seemed to be reflecting everything going on inside his head.
You can't keep me off forever. I'm growing more powerful every minute.
Astral overpowers shadow. Light over dark. I will not let you control me.
Still believe in that old garbage? No. You're just being hopeful.
Leave me alone.
I can feel it. You're silly mindtrap weakens along with your own mind.
Leave me ALONE.
I can already see the outside world. Which one of your pathetic friends should I kill first, hmm?
LEAVE ME-
"-ALONE."
A shadow took shape, turning into a figure that Lucas knew all too well. A wicked smile with two wicked eyes to match answered Lucas' call.
"Wish granted." Possessed-Lucas smiled.
He bit his lip through, blood spilling across his chin.
Ansat got up and decided to sit down for a while.
"Lucas, you've been quiet for a while. You o...Lucas?" Chase turned to the possessed Astral Warden.
"Not again..." Dylan stared at Lucas.
Ansat started to get bored, so he got up and started running.
A sharp, snappy, British voice rang out as a barrier separated Lucas from them. "No, I'm not standing by again."
What makes you think that'll do anything?
Because... I'm not a warden you b**ch.
He felt the voice mentally recoil, his amber gaze cold as he eyed the warden.
Ian turned to face the possessed warden. Some form of dread choked up his throat, sent him into a state of confusion. Only one question encompassed his thoughts.
How?
Gale's tail lashed as he glanced at the group, "Do yourselves a favor and leave. I don't know how long this thing's going to hold, especially since Astral apparently weak enough for-"
As if fate had heard, the barrier shattered at being pummeled with shadow shocks.
"Oh screw this."
Jade emerges from the staircase, eyes wide. She clenches her fists. “Order work? I thought they were gone.”
Another barrier, this time enforced by other elements.
"No, worse." The fairy answered Jade, gritting his teeth to shut out an all too familiar voice.
Give in.
No.
Don't you want to be better than this? Don't you want the power you were denied-
SHUT. UP.
Determined as always, I see. Shame you're wasting it on them.
“I’m not even the Prodigy anymore, can’t I just settle down for A FEW YEARS?” Her right hand clenches her sword’s handle.
"Haha...not on this island," Marielle said to Jade.
"Oh for heaven's sake, LEAVE, this thing isn't going to hold forever." Gale snapped at the group.
And I don't know how long I'll be able to fend you off either...
The voice didn't answer, for once, but that didn't settle the unease he felt.
Jade rolls her eyes. “Ugh… what’s wrong with Lucas? How’d that-“ She gestures at the disturbed Warden. “-happen?”
Frustration.
That's the word for what he felt.
Sheer frustration. Before he could even begin to snap at them again, a flash of cyan occurred at the edge of his vision and-
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GUYS DO- ...Jesus."
"...Jesus?" Samantha asked.
Jade rolls her eyes. “I hate hero stuff.”
The gray hair wizard eyed Lucas warily, clearly doubting the barrier, "Er- it's complicated, but that's not the point - the point is what on Earth you guys did to the keystones to cause... this. AND DON'T ASK WHERE EARTH IS."
“Lucas… are you okay?” She says, turning back to the Warden. Concern and fear flicker through her face, only to be replaced by false confidence.
"We didn't do anything to the keystones," Lane snapped.
Storm gestured to the very dull-looking gemstones, "Then who the heck did that?"
Jade frowns. “No idea… and Greenie never said anything about it. Last time something like this happened, there was a literal war.”
Meanwhile, Samantha slowly approaching the possessed Astral Warden. "Lucas?" Immediately, she was tossed back a couple feet, her breath knocked out of her as she hit the ground, unsure of what just happened.
“Samantha, what happened?” Jade cries. A hand fingers her sword handle tersely. “Guys, is Lucas alright?”
"Yeah, he's fine. The nicest of us just attacked one of our friends, he's FINE," Lane said sarcastically. Chase dashed towards Samantha, before being quickly pinned to the wall by a shadowy tentacle.
"Nobody bothered the keystones, it's ignorance that caused this. And to answer your question, Lucas isn't alright, and won't be until we do something." The Academy Keeper informed them coldly, reminding them he was there.
He reinstated another barrier, this one weaker than the past two.
Jade rolls her eyes. “You’re so kind, Gale. Now, do we have to hurt Lucas? Because…”
"NO." This time Gale and Storm spoke in unison, glancing at each other in surprise.
“But, don’t we kind of-“
Shadow magic hurtles towards Jade, making her duck.
“-have to?”
"Then Abner will have to kill you," Greenheart replied.
Jade sighs, blowing a strand of green hair out of her face. “So we let him attack us?”
"This is caused by an imbalance of the elements." Gale stated dryly, "Which means this can be fixed by dealing with whatever is causing Shadow to be this powerful."
“How do we fix it? I hope it doesn’t involve any torture or capture or ‘experiments’… I’ve had enough of those.” She shudders.
"The only place I can think of with a strong source of Shadow Magic is Crystal Caverns. However, one of us is going to have to stay here to deal with... Lucas."
Jade frowns. “I’d really hate disturbing Winston again.”
"No need," the fairy answered, "Storm will be taking you to Aly's corner of the caverns."
Storm stared, "When did I agree to anything?"
He ignored him, "I suppose I can stay, however..."
“Aly?” She asks, eyes following Lucas.
"Yeah, who exactly is Aly?" Annabelle asked.
From the ceiling, a different tech wizard grimaced. Raid peered through a one-way rift attached to the roof, silently cursing out the fact he could barely get a break when working with the Warden's timeline. Cloud tossed Curio's drone orb thing down into the room before Raid closed the rift. Immediately, the drone activated, hovering silently behind everyone.
"Uh guys, help?" Chase said, wiggling the the shadow's grasp, unable to get free.
Annabelle stared at chase. she casted a falling star smash.
Gale avoided their gazes, "Someone who'll you'll meet soon enough. Storm?"
With that, a rift opened up below them, promptly closing after everyone excluding Lucas, Curio, and Gale, fell into snow.
Jade frowns, surveying the snowy landscape. “Now can you tell me who Aly is? I’ve heard you guys mention them.”
Annabelle shivered.
Storm glanced at the group, "They don't know Aly, and frankly, she would've preferred to keep it that way."
Meanwhile, a drone becomes apparent in use.
"Oh, so this is why they tossed me down here!" Curio chirped. The small drone rushed forward, positioning in front of the possessed wizard. After a couple floating screens and holographic dials, rifts containing the points of various spellcasting weapons appeared in the air, all firing various forms of astral magic haphazardly at Lucas. Non-fatal, but looking to KO. If the warden was knocked out, it'd likely be easier to purify him- if possible.
Storm got up, noticing something squirming in the snow next to him. He pulled it out... finding himself holding a bright orange baby dragon. "Oh, hi Scarlet."
She promptly growled at him, and he held her slightly farther away from his face.
"Er, Chase? I think your dragon's holding a grudge."
“Who is Aly? Seriously, are they a monster or something? Because I can handle them.”
Storm glanced at her with a look of horror, "That's a death wish right there."
Jade glares at the cyborg. “I dealt with the Puppet Master. I can handle this Aly.”
Annabella glared. "Y'know that's VERY rude!" she snapped, casting a Downpoutral over Jade, only for it to freeze in mid air. "Uh oh..." she said.
Jade blocks it with Astral magic, but a flurry of snow still lands on her head. “Ugh.”
Annabelle still glared at Jade. "Don't call anybody who isn't a part of the order a "monster," even if ya' don't know 'em, species-assuming jerk!" she snapped.
Storm treaded through the snow, shoved Scarlet in Chase's grasp, and looked at Annabelle. "Get yourself under control please? We don't need to get icy. Anyhow, forget about Aly and follow me."
The second they arrived all the group could see were crystals, but there was something different about them - they were... moving? These crystals were crystal monsters, and more than any of them seen before.
"There!" Storm exclaimed, pointing towards the source of the eerie purple light filling the caverns. "That must of have been what Gale meant."
"But how are we supposed to get there-" Jade didn't get to finish as something caused a disruption below in the mine field of crystals.
A blue-haired wizard, sword in-hand, was hacking there way through the crystalline fiends. Or at least, they seemed like a wizard until blue wings unfurled an launched them into the air, sword changing to bow and picking off crystal monsters that were tossed into the air. With a flash of blue, light-infested ice cracked the crystals inside out, and the wizard-now-fairy landed, bow changing back to sword and continuing the onslaught.
Finally, the wave of crystal monsters were reduced to shards, and they stood panting in the center of the field, lowering their sword when-
It couldn't be.
The crystals reconstructed, becoming crystal beasts.
The blue-haired personnel immediately exclaimed, "OH COME ON. LUCY GIVE ME A BREAK." Before launching back into battle, yelling foreign profanity at the top of their lungs with every swing of their weapon.
Storm grimaced, "Annnd there's Aly acting like Icetalon. We should probably help-"
As if she had heard them and was determined to prove that wasn't the case, her choker glowed and time froze, each creature soon being shattered by the blade.
That's when she looked up.
"Storm? What are you doing here? And who are they?"
“That’s Aly?” Jade says, raising an eyebrow.
"Well as you can see she isn't a "monster" so don't go around assuming stuff, you jerky assuming fairy!" Anabelle snapped.
“I only know one person who lives here full time!” Jade retorts, outraged. “So of course I assumed they were a monster, what with everyone saying she was dangerous.” Astral magic begins swirling around the very annoyed half-fairy.
At this point, Aly had flown up to the ledge. "You do realize I can hear you... right?"
“Hello.” Jade says, looking the ice fairy up and down. “You’re Aly?”
She sheathed her blade, which had turned into a staff, before setting foot, notably not sinking into the snow. "I believe Storm already answered that, knowing him. Alright, names and business. Now."
“Jade Landcrafter. Gale brought us here.” Jade responds, slowly unsheathing her sword.
"Cold attitude much?" Chase said to Aly. "I'm Chase Flamemaster, that's Samantha Waterwhisper, Lane Stormclaw, Ian Frostbreaker, Marielle Magiccatcher, Professor Greenheart, Felix Frostblade, and Olivia Stormchaser."
"I'm Annabella Oceancaller."
"By brought you mean sent, yes." Storm corrected the half-fairy.
Aly waved off Chase, eying Jade, "I know who Jacob is, just not the rest of you, and sent by Gale doesn't mean much unless you explain why. Frankly, he's the unpredictable type."
Suddenly, something started whirring in the sky. A rift tore open in the air, and the other two time travelers dropped in. Raid started explaining while Cloud remotely amped up Curio. "Astral warden's possessed. These are the rest of 'em, remember? Plus a bunch of random kids that weren't here before." Raid muttered something under his breath before continuing. "Your boyfriend's holding off the shadow with Curio. These people are here so they don't die from murder."
That earned Raid of shade of pink from Aly. "Would've preferred if you didn't mention that but that explains things."
"Hey, how long do you think time's going to stay frozen down there?" Storm asked out of the blue, gazing at the terrain from the edge of the ledge.
"As long as your Ice Warden friend doesn't do anything, twenty minutes at minimum." She answered, "Why?"
The tech-wizard lifted his right hand, pulling out a screwdriver with the left and messing with metal plating on his wrist. "Because we need to get over to whatever had a bright idea over there and brought these crystals to life - assuming that's what happened, seeing Lucy hasn't been chipped in a bit."
"I think I blacked out for a second..." said Ansat.
Storm, frankly, ignored him, putting away the screwdriver and backing up before jumping off the ledge, skiing down on the snow to "ground level". He looked up at the group before shouting, "Are you coming or not?"
Ian took 2 steps forward and cata-pushed off the edge with an ice pillar, landing next to Storm.
Cloud and Raid fell back into their rift, waiting to be relevant again.
Aly flew down, soon being followed by the rest of the group.
As soon as everyone reached the ground, Storm turned and took off at a run, pushing his components to the max. He wasn't sure exactly when Aly froze the crystals, but if they didn't reach the other side before they unfreezed, it would be like fighting an army without knowing if your weapon works anymore.
Ansat dashed off too. "Why are we running?"
"So that we don't get mauled by another army of Crystal Monsters," Samantha huffed.
He glanced at the speedy wizard, "I'm pretty sure none of us want to fight an army of crystal monstrosities."
"Right. I'll deal with 'em the next time we see 'em!"
"You must be stupid enough to try and do that", Olivia said, "You'd be outnumbered 1 to around 100."
"A thousand, actually, coming at you in ten separate waves." Corrected Aly, "And then when you destroy those, they reconstruct into 4 golems, all which you have to fight at once. Not too hard to deal with if you can use fire magic or fly but..."
Storm sighed, "Just hurry up!"
They were only halfway across when the crystals began to glow purple, slowly reconstructing into a multitude of Crystal Monsters.
"Well crap!" said Ansat. "Time to speed through!"
The tech-wizard swore under his breath before pulling out a device, a bright blade of light forming as he turned it on.
Likewise, Aly drew staff, which reformed into a sword the instant she did.
Ian tried to stall for time, walling off individual Crystal Monsters with hardened snow as they passed by them. He'd begun to pick up the pace now, creating ice floors and hastily skate-sliding across them.
Ansat went 10 mph above his normal speed.
Aly and Storm slowed to be at the back of the group, fighting off anything that got too close.
The more the group neared the glowing source, the more the crystal monsters seemed to be determined to swarm them.
Chase thrust his arms out, nothing happening. "What the-oh right, Razorfire doesn't exist now," the disappointed fire warden sighed, promptly using Volcannons on nearby Crystal Monsters.
Jade frowns. “Stupid monsters… why would Gale even bring us here?” She calls over the clash of battle and roaring wind.
"Alright, screw this," Chase muttered. He jumped off a Crystal Monster, firing flames as a boost to gain extra height. He slammed his fist into the ground, flames erupting out of the ground in a large area, the ground slightly buckling around the point of impact.
Well, before the keystones in their entirety stopped glowing and the flames sputtered out before being able to do significant damage.
"...well that was anticlimactic."
Ansat bashed into two Crystal Monsters, only suffering minimal harm. He ran around another one and kept continually firing Ion Cannons at it.
"Can't we just drown the crystal monsters?" Annabelle asked, casting a Downpoutral.
"No, we gotta light 'em up with lightning!" said Ansat, firing another Ion Cannon.
Jade glares at Aly. “You going to help with the monsters?” She flicks a hand and knocks an array of them back.
"I am helping!" Aly snapped at Jade, slicing through a Crystal Monster. "And you can't drown them!"
Storm, however, had stopped his onslaught and looked at Chase, "What happened?"
Ansat stopped beating up the Crystal Monsters to lay down and look cool.
Ian's pupils constricted as the snow and ice fell away. Something inside him went cold, and it wasn't the ice poisoning.
Yet.
Pushing himself onward, he continued the sprint, lungs choking up in the same sensation he had when Lucy took his Warden powers that one time. But no matter how he tried, the cold was overbearing him, inside and out. His stride visibly slackened, and he knew what was happening.
"It... it took down the keystones..."
By this point, Raid had sent Cloud down through a rift in the Trance state to assist in the fight, a continuous stream of hits across the mass.
Earth magic explodes under the monsters, making them stumble backward. Jade looks exhausted. “Well, that’ll hold them back.”
“I could’ve done something better… but this stupid Ice Magic isn’t helping my own.” She glance at the nearby crystals and rocks. “Hm, I wonder…”
Ansat got back up and started his slaughter on the Crystal Monsters back up again.
"Well that...explains something," Chase said looking at Ian, suddenly feeling colder, likely due to his self-increased body temperature returning to the normal temperature for a wizard.
Aly sighed, "If they can't do anything, Storm and I can't do anything either. We're both Warden Trainees."
Ansat ran up towards a monster, and tripped over a rock. Ansat started rolling very fast, crashing into several Crystal Monsters. Unfortunately, since Ansat is not a hedgehog, his back is hurting from this.
“Well, can’t you help? You’re supposedly gifted in Ice Magic.” Jade snaps, shivering. She promptly collapses, catching herself on a crystal. “My Earth magic can’t do much to Crystal.” She feels a tug in her gut from the imploding crystal monsters near her.
Aly inhaled deeply at that, "I. CAN'T. USE. MAGIC." To prove it, she attempted an spell, only for the glowing orb of Ice Magic to flicker and fade.
"Welp, that's gotta hurt." Ansat commented.
Ian hacked a close CM to bits with his sickle before responding. "That shadow took out the keystones! Every warden-related magic user... we're no more than a brick right now!
That's when it struck him, "Well, not all of us. Ansat, Olivia, you're both Storm Magic users, right?" Storm didn't wait for an answer before saying, "So zap me with all you got."
"Okay, I needed something to do anyways." said Ansat. He fired dozens of Ion Cannons at Storm.
There was a flash of lightning as Olivia proceeded to do the same.
Instead of taking a shock, Storm started to amplify the electricity, static crackling in the air around him.
Just a little bit more...
He released all the storm energy at once, the Crystal Monsters around him being blasted by an all-to-familiar electrical shockwave.
Ansat was in awe. "That was way past cool!" he said.
The borg stared at him, "Er- thanks...? Though we should probably get to the source of this mess before they recover."
"Alright! Gotta speed through!" said the speedster before he dashed off.
Storm sighed before bursting into a run, being followed by the rest of the group.
Finally they reached a cave entrance, shadow magic glowing brightly from within.
Upon entering, veins of magic ran down the wall like roots, meeting at the center and enveloping something. Nearby crystals shone purple from the infesting magic, and the whole cave was bathed in an eerie glow.
"Whoa, this is creepy..." said Ansat.
"Ugh! Who knew my Water Magic would be no help at all in this stupid situation? thanks a lot, stupid Ice Magic! now I can't do anything to help, it'll just reduce to ice!" Annabelle proved her point by casting a Water Spell, only for it to freeze into ice.
Aly rolled her eyes, "You're lucky to cast any form of magic, just find a way to work with it. As for this being creepy... that only begins to describe it." She gestured at the concentrated magic at the center, which had begun to move.
Ansat got goosebumps when he saw the concentrated magic.
The magic took form of a Glacias made of pure Shadow, whose gaze immediately locked on Aly.
"Why..."
"You absolutely destroyed that Shadow Glacias in the Ice Tower, remember?" Storm said while glancing at her.
"But that was years ago."
"Well this thing does have a conscious, why not memory?"
Shadow Magic began to snake towards the group, malicious intent clear.
"Alright, It's time to kick the bucket, dark for brains!" said Ansat towards the Shadow Magic. He fired a Falling Star Smash.
Which, shockingly, barely did anything. Yes, the creature recoiled, but it went right back to blasting them as if nothing happened.
Ansat stared in shock for a bit, before exclaiming; "Oh sh*t!"
"F**k this."
Storm charged, saber raised, and attempted mundane combat. The Glacias looked mostly annoyed, reforming any limb that was vaporized into nothing. Yet at least, it was distracted.
Ansat fired an Ion Cannon at the Glacias.
Felix slashed the Glacias with his Celestial sword.
Aly looked ticked off, trying to figure out a way she could help outside of magic. Maybe I can try to twist this in our favor.
She recalled the Astral Arrows she had in her satchel, yet if Astral magic didn't work then how would that help...
Shadow is darkness.
Astral is light.
And if Astral is weak right now...
They just need a stronger light.
"Oi! Is there a way for us to light this place up?"
"I can try!", Felix yelled.
Anast glanced at her, "I could call Ben, but he probably wouldn't make it in time."
"Who's Ben- Nevermind, Felix, try to get it as bright as possible," Aly responded.
Felix lit up his dual blade as brightest as possible.
Still not enough...
She pulled out an arrow as her sword reformed into a bow - at least that didn't require her own magic - then took aim for a crystal above the Glacias.
The arrow of the light struck rock, weak light fracturing through the crystal.
Yet still, it was not enough.
"We need more light."
Olivia managed to double the light energy Felix produced.
Another arrow was let loose.
A fraction of the room was now lit, causing the Glacias to step out of the range of the light, but it was nothing compared to the great expanse of the cave.
A Royal Roar was cast in their direction, causing the group to have to scatter out of the way.
Felix was hit by it and was sent flying towards a wall.
Annabelle attacked the Glacias with a water spell.
"Won't work!" Olivia yelled.
Ansat was laying back, wearing sunglasses. "Seems like you guys can handle this one!"
Lane crossed his arms, stormed towards Ansat, picked him up by the back of his collar and tossed him back into battle, taking out his scythe and hacking away at the Crystal Monsters shortly after.
Ansat fell onto a particularly spiky Crystal Monster. "Ow! What the F**k?!"
Jade fights another Crystal Monster with her sword. “Sh*t… there’s too many!”
The Crystal Monsters continue swarming the group, until they’re forced into that cliché where everybody is in a circle and surrounded completely situation.
"Not this again," Dylan muttered, gripping his scythe so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Jade brandishes her sword, but the monsters keep pushing them in. She mutters some naughty naughties under her breath.
Ansat blasts some Crystal Monsters at point blank range.
Jade blasts some back with Earth magic, but they reconvene and surround the group again, even tighter.
Out of random, the Crystal Monsters were set alight with Fire Magic, immediately being blasted back by a round of Astral.
Behind the group, Aly had clutched her choker and was shaking it angrily. "Now you decide to do something?"
Jade falls backwards. “ALY!”
She glanced up, "What? I didn't do anything."
Jade rolls her eyes. “Mmhm. What is that thing, anyway?”
"Er-" Aly glanced at Storm and Greenheart, expression reading "HELP".
"It's a gift from her overprotective boyfriend," Storm said calmly. Aly reddened.
“Boyfriend?” Jade asks, gesturing to Aly. “Who’d like that?”
Aly shoots Jade a death stare.
”I was joking." She sighs. "Jeez."
Ansat hops onto a Crystal Monster and crushes it.
Jade slices straight through a Crystal Monster, but just as it disappears, another appears directly behind it.
That's when the Glacias and Crystal Monsters were blasted by a cascade of light, snowballs falling on Storm and Jade's heads synchronously.
"HEY!"
Jade wipes snow out of her hair and turns back to the Crystal Monsters, but now there are only half left. The group spreads out.
Annabelle made a huge Downpoutral, hoping it would freeze in mid-air and crush a few crystal monsters. it did freeze over mid-air but fell behind the crystal monsters.
"Ugh, why can't I aim right?" she complained.
Jade knocks down another dozen Crystal Monsters.
Finally, the group managed to cut down every Crystal Monster, Lane crushing a slightly twitching crystal under the sole of his shoe.
Storm walked to the center of the room where the Shadow Magic originally concentrated, "Hey what's this?"
The group stared at the blue orb in Storm's hand. Recognition dawned on each of the wardens' faces. "The water orb...," Samantha breathed.
The tech-wizard cocked his head in confusement, "The what?"
Aly sighed, "Exactly how much did you pay attention in class when we were still students?"
"Er- if this is a history thing then not at all."
At that, Greenheart facepalmed.
The orb was dim, but still glew faintly. It appeared it retained at least a bit of magic of its own, and it was likely each elemental orb respectively was required for the wardens to do... anything with their element.
Elsewhere, runes glimmer and fade back to stone in an instant.
Elsewhere, a fairy holds a shadow by the neck while a drone beats the hell out of it.
Storm wasn't quite sure what it was, but he gave the orb to Samantha. It just felt right.
Ansat tapped his foot impatiently.
Meanwhile, in the Academy, an older wizard with dark blonde hair and yellow streaks going through the edges, had entered the room. "Gale, put him down now."
"Alright, can we go now?" said the impatient speedster.
Storm sighed, "No. At this point it's obvious that Gale sent use here to get... whatever that thing is-"
"Water Orb." Greenheart and Aly corrected in unison.
"So we have to figure out what we have to do with it- why are you two looking at me like that?"
"I got a better idea! How about we leave, and take that thing with us?! I'm freezing my culo off in here!"
That's when Storm's left arm went limp. "The irony." He stated while staring at his brace.
Ansat sighs. "It's so COLD, that I can see my f**king breath!"
Aly glared, "And is there anything wrong with that? May I remind you I live on this mountain."
"Yeah, well I don't, so I'm obviously not used to this temperature!"
"That orb was part of the Astral Relic, which the shadow now possessing Lucas destroyed," Greenheart explained to everyone other than the wardens and Dylan, who shuffled uncomfortably. "As of now, we have all of them except Fire-"
"Which someone chucked into a volcano and sent it halfway across the island when it erupted," Lane said accusingly, glaring at Ian.
"My best friend is the fire element! I'll just call him."
Ansat tried to call Ben, but there was no signal.
"Wait, Lucas is possessed??", Felix asked, stirring.
"Hey. Did you want the thing grabbing it or not?" Ian responded coldly, staring at Lane with uncharacteristic irritation. "Chase was dead, shadow was on our a**es. I wasn't going to risk it."
The others went silent upon hearing the phrase "Chase was dead." Dylan shuffled a bit more.
"No signal? Motherfu- know what? I'm outta here!" said Ansat.
He backflipped into a crystal.
At this point, both Aly and Storm were shooting Greenheart... questionable expressions, but they soon got over it.
Storm took off his visor right handedly, pretending to inspect it, but noticeably clutching it in rage. "Well. It seems that we'll be visiting Ignis."
"Who the f**k's Ignis?" asked Ansat, after he got down from that crystal he backflipped into.
Aly answered that, voice tinged with disgust, "Igni is the Fire Warden Trainee and frankly the only person I'm aware of that might have taken the fire orb into their possession - seeing he lives in that blasted volcano."
"Oh, the Spire! I steal food from that place all the time!"
Cloud stepped forward, tearing open a rift where the water orb had been. "Alright, hop in when you're ready. And don't mind the heat- you're basically jumping into an active lava geyser, after all."
Storm was the first to go in, muttering something about "tempestuous", "fire grouch", and "lizard-brain".
Aly reluctantly shuffled in after him.
Ansat jumped in, not caring about the task at hand, and more willing to steal some food.
"Wait, so you're telling me. Lucas is possessed and Chase is dead?", Felix said.
Ian hung back near the portal, uncomfortable near fire. "He's not dead right now, but he was."
"Hm", Felix got up.
Ansat dashes off, not intending to tell anyone where he is.
After all the group had gone through the rift, they were met with an immediate wave of heat.
Storm put his visor again, glad that the heat was enough to make his brace usable again. "Right, now to find that firey liz-"
The instant he cracked the pun he was immediately attacked by a furious lizard, falling from the ceiling and biting his nose.
"OW, IGNI LET GO, THAT HURTS. ALLLLY-"
The ice fairy immediately walked over and yanked off the reptile - which turned out to be a... salamander?
Ansat came running back with his arms full of food. "What'd I miss?"
"Awww cute!" Chase said. The trainees tensed as the salamander glared at Chase, who was now trying to pet it.
Cloud smirked and fell back into a rift.
"Oh hey, it's a lizard!" said Ansat.
The instant Chase touched it, it bit down, hard.
The next few minutes were filled with a fire warden running around in pain whilst a techy wizard chased after him, trying to catch the pesky amphibian.
Aly tapped Annabelle on the back, and soon enough Chase, Storm, and the salamander were drenched.
The salamander promptly turned into a ticked-off brown-hair and red-eyed wizard, who snarled. "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?"
Aly rolled her eyes, while Greenheart sighed.
Storm glared at the shapeshifter, "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO PICKED ON A KID."
"In my defense, he's an idiot - JUST LIKE YOU, YOU STUPID BOT KID."
"I'M NOT A BOT, AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION I'M TWEN- er...."
Ansat was laughing noticeably loud.
If Ian had his powers then, everything would have been frozen. Everything. But instead, he resolved for slapping the bantering wizards in quick succession. "Silence. Silence." He proceeded to pre-emptively slap Chase "silence" and Lane "silence". He finished the chain with Ansat, winding up particularly forcefully. "Si*slap*-lence*slap*."
"Come on! I was just trying to laugh a little!"
"Shameful hedgehog," Ian responded, trying to get that point driven through Ansat's head.
"Just because I don't have my powers doesn't mean i can't hit y-" Lane was cut off as Ian slapped him again. "Hey-" *slap* "Ian-" *slap* "Alright-" *slap*
"That's enough," Lane caught Ian's arm and raised a fist before being slapped by Ian's other hand followed by the first one, which Lane had let go of. "...you know what, I'll let that slide," Lane muttered. Marielle simply facepalmed.
"Oh, so now I'm shameful?!"
"Perhaps." Ian then decided to address the matter at hand, now that relative order had been achieved. "So, do you happen to be in possession of that fire orb thing I launched into a volcano a couple months ago? Orange, hot, spherical, glows near fire wardens and or trainees..."
Ansat scoffed and ate the food he stole.
Ignis had an unreadable expression, "Why do you want it."
Storm sighed, "Can you just hand it over-"
"Shut up you disgrace."
The tech wizard opened his mouth to say something, saw Aly's expression and Ian's raised hand, then decided the better of it.
Felix watched.
Ansat dashed off to go steal more food.
Jade limps on, still grumbling about “stupid Crystal Monsters”
Jade winces. “I also hate fire.”
The volcano continues bubbling menacingly, lava splashing over the sides of the rock.
The water orb in Samantha's hand started glowing, water bubbles hovering around her. "We. Need. That. Orb."
"I don't think so."
Ignis had turned back into a salamander, Storm diving after him but failing to grab the amphibian before he scurried into the molten rock.
"IGNIS, F**K YOU."
The borg immediately got up and abruptly ran off into a cave, Aly glancing at the group before running after him as well.
“Who is Ignis?” Jade says, dislike apparent. “Any fire wizard is a no for me.”
Felix summoned his Prodraxis to catch up to Storm, pulling Olivia on with him as well.
Meanwhile, at the Academy, an Ivory Fairy let out a displeased harrumph after binding both wizards. That's when he heard the voice again.
Jade glares at the lava and trudges on.
The rest of the group followed on foot.
Storm slowed once reaching a dead-end - which, in reality, was a island in the middle of an underground lake of lava.
He glanced around, soon finding his target - a salamander panting out of breath on top of a rock.
To his surprise, Scarlet hopped off Chase and pounced on it, the salamander self-combusting while furiously scratching and biting in vain.
Chase's Pyro Peck ran over to the salamander, aggressively pecking it's head.
Aly glanced at Samantha, "Do you mind drenching them?"
Chase whistled and the two creatures returned. Samantha proceeded to launch balls of water at Ignis repeatedly.
Jade thrusts her hands out, trapping the salamander in earth for a split second before it scuttles out. “Stupid shapeshifting.” Jade grumbles.
Samantha fired a stream of water at the salamander, forcing it back.
Ignis soon enough turned back to a wizard, soaking wet, angry, and fully unaware of the fairy sneaking up behind him.
Aly put him in a chokehold, Ignis gasping for breath as she squeezed harder around his neck. "Aight, what happens next is simple. ADMIT IT."
"There is no way you're tricking me into-" he was cut off due to oxygen deprivation, the fairy glaring.
"So, you want to die in the shame that your whole species went extinct because you wouldn't confirm a simple statement? How tragic."
He squirmed, attempted to loosen her hold, but that was hard to do when your attacker has a particularly prehensile tail holding you in place.
This went on for how long? Seconds? Minutes? Until Ignis finally wheezed "Fine, you're alpha" and she dropped him.
Struggling to catch his breath, he added, "You know you're more like your father than you- OW." Aly had kicked him right where it hurt, turning around and walking over to Greenheart.
"Alright, he's yours."
Jade smiles. “If this involved beating up fire wizards, I’m all for it.”
"That won't happen. Earth gets destroyed by fire," Felix said, "However, physical damage can work"
Storm rolled his eyes, "He's been beaten enough. Igni, hand it over, we all been inflamed enough."
He glared, "No."
"DO IT." Aly snapped, clenching her fists.
Ignis sighed, sitting up, "Remind me why you invited that monster again? Anyhow, I don't have it on me."
The tech-wizard stared, gray hair falling into his eyes, "Why do I not believe you?"
"He'll burn out eventually and tell us where it is," Chase said. "Storm, Pun War?"
The shapeshifting wizard's eyes widened exponentially, as did Lane's.
Taking the opportunity, Ian raised both hands and slapped Igni at least 20 times in rapid succession while saying "handitoverhanditoverhanditoverhanditover" continuously. On the last slap, he reared back before the slap, forcefully saying "GIVE."
Storm had a very interesting expression when he answered the fire warden, "To not have one would be static."
"Let's ignite the lizard's desire to give us that orb, shall we?"
Every single pun was followed by a slap.
"What's with the frosty attitude? It's just words- OW."
Everyone nearby was being slapped - punsters and fire boys alike.
Aly sighed, "Igni just give us the Orb."
"No. I am not giving that Fire element disgrace anything."
"You agreed to this."
"YOU FORCED ME."
"Well someone's feeling a flare of irritation," Chase said, directed at Lane, Ignis, and Ian, who was now trying to slap the dodging Fire Warden.
Jade sighs. “Ignis, the orb.” She curls her fists and he sinks knee-deep into the rock. “Or you can stay under the earth. Forever.” He sinks slightly lower.
Ignis sinks up to his hip.
That's when he... vanished???
A salamander crawled out of the ground, irritated.
Jade sighs with annoyance. “Stupid, stupid shapeshifters.” She grabs the salamander, but it wiggles out of her hand and scuttles away.
"I've had enough of this scaly sh*t."
Have you ever seen an angry borg?
Well it goes something like this.
Cyan energy enveloped around him as he pushed his brace to the max, slamming his hand on the salamander.
Light flashed below his visor, but he ignored the warning and glared at the capture amphibian, saber powering up in the opposing hand. Metal glinted below his bangs as he spoke, "IGNIS. THE ORB. NOW. OR I WILL VAPORIZE YOU."
The salamander blinked before lifting a claw and pointing at the lava.
There, on the other side of the burn bath, was a spherical orange crystal tucked between two stones.
Aly crossed her arms in displeasure, "How did we not notice that?"
“Because life is stupid.” Jade responds, reaching for the orb. With a crackle of flame, Jade recedes her slightly red hand. “Ow! On second thought, maybe Chase should do it.”
Aly facepalmed, "Have you paid attention to nothing? He can't do it either. Ignis, get your sorry behind over there or I'll let Storm finish the job."
Jade sighs. "Bit hard to pay attention when certain fairies are being useless."
One blink, two, then the salamander scurried into the lava before going to the other side, tapping the orb before seating itself on a nearby rock.
Even now he had the audacity to protest.
Samantha simply blasted water across the lava to where the orb was, walked across the bridge, grabbed the orb, and tossed it to the group.
Ignis was apparently hanging onto the orb, unbeknownst to the Water Warden.
Aly looked like she was on the brink of picking a fight when Greenheart stepped between her and Jade.
Chase picked up the orb... only to bitten yet again.
The Fire Warden yelped in pain, shaking his hand wildly, until a blast of water knocked Ignis into a wall.
The salamander stuck to the wall for a few seconds, fell on its feet, then made a faint sound before actually fainting.
Storm powered down his lightsaber before walking over and grabbing Ignis, shoving the amphibian in his coat pocket. "Well then, we should head back to the Academy now, I'm assuming that's where you kept the rest of the orbs?"
"Cool!" said Ansat.
"Yeah," Dylan said. "Only issue, they're in Lucas' backpack."
"Aight, I feel like everyone knows about something I don't, so can anyone tell me who the hell Lucas is?" said the confused speedster.
Everyone stared at Ansat as if to say "Are you serious?"
"What?"
"Lucas Herolight. The Astral Warden. You know, the one who got possessed in the Academy in front of us," Dylan said, facepalming.
Storm let out a lengthy sigh, while Aly just shrugged.
"So what?" She began, "Gale's still there, right? Then no problem."
"Okay, if Gale's involved, I ain't going back there!" Ansat interjected.
Suddenly, Samantha felt control of her body slipping away. Someone or something was in her head. Her hair changed to that of a light purple coloration, as well as her eyes.
“S-Samantha?” Chase took a step towards Samantha. Her arms stretched outwards, water magic swirling around them. She struggled to regain control of them, but the corruption was too powerful. Torrents of water blasted the others away and spheres of water clustered around Chase’s head, combining into a single, large sphere of water, lifting him into the air. Tears started streaming from Samantha’s eyes. Chase just stared at the Water Warden, silent acceptance in his eyes. Then, he went limp. The sphere of water dropped onto the ground, along with the Fire Warden.
What have I done? Possessed-Samantha teleported away, tears wetting the ground where she stood.
"Chase! You idiot, get up!" Lane yelled, running over to him, pushing down on his chest repeatedly. Eventually, the Fire Warden coughed up water, the rise and fall of his chest.
Ian rushed over to Chase, pulling him onto his feet. He looked on at where Samantha had stood, only one word exiting his mouth.
"F**k."
Ansat coughs up some water before saying; "Damn, did water really knock me down?"
Storm stared at where the scene took place, spun around, and reacted in the strangest way possible, "Uh... Aly have you happened to have any weird dreams relating to water recently? Yes? No?"
The fairy stared at him in confusion, "Why are you asking that-"
"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION."
"....No? Well, there was this one thing about Se-"
He didn't let her finish, "Alright then, we're going to Shipwreck Shore."
"..."
"Ah, the shore! I robbed some treasure there!" said Ansat. He revved up. "I'll see you guys there!" he said. Ansat dashed off.
"How are you not jailed yet-no wait, nevermind," Dylan said.
Storm rolled his eyes before tearing open a rift, "Are you coming or not?"
The group shuffled through, it promptly closing behind them.
Ansat dashes to Shipwreck Shore, and runs under the sea, intending to scare the others.
Lane skipped a rock on the water, nailing a surfacing Ansat in the head.
Ansat runs up from the water. "That wasn't funny, you know!"
Storm sighed, "Aly, do you remember where Sea-"
"Over there, but she's normally out at the shipwrecks, helping Eve with something or another."
"Right."
Storm dashed off, Aly sighing before following, the rest of the group tailing behind.
They soon arrived at a shipwreck, Storm evidently looking for something but not explaining what.
"What're you looking for?" said Ansat.
"Someone." He corrected, then kept looking.
Ansat tapped his foot impatiently. "Are you looking for that lady who attacked us earlier?"
"Sort of. Not exactly-" That was when he was drenched, head to toe, in salt water.
"You're not really a storm unless there's rain y'know."
"...found her."
A wizard stood knee-deep in water, arms crossed. However, what was strange about her was that she had Merling ears and a tail.
"Why are you looking for me?"
"Excellent question." Aly muttered, staring at the borg.
"Well... Uh... Hm... Do any of know anything about warden level of Water magic? Like that orb?"
"Who the hell are you?" asked Ansat.
"Sea," She answered before looking at Storm, "Did you turn off you ability to reason or something?"
He chuckled nervously, "No."
Ansat sat down, pondering the existence of his bada**itude. Man, am I ever gonna do something bada**? he thought.
Annabelle attacked Ansat with a bubble barrage.
Ansat gets up, and fires an Ion Cannon at Annabelle.
Annabelle fires him back with a Downpoutral, hoping to at least knock him out.
The Downpoutral only drenches Ansat. "Hey dumba**! Maybe next time, don't use a water type move on a (half) storm type wizard!"
Ansat fires back with two Ion Cannons.
She fired 4 Downpoutrals back.
They still don't affect Ansat by much, and he dashes at Annabelle.
Annabelle rolled out the way. "Back off, Lighting-fast jerk!"
"No way, Deep Sea Douche!" said Ansat. He dashed up to Annabelle again, an circled her as fast as he could. "Dodge this one, and you'll get hurt!"
"Alright, that's enough," Dylan said, turning. "Lane?" Lane grinned, cracking his knuckles.
Soon, Annabelle and Ansat were being held in headlocks by the two wizards.
Meanwhile, the trainees were talking amongst themselves. "Storm, did you actually think this through?"
Annabelle threw her hairclip at Ansat so he got distracted and she sped off, using water as an escape route from Ansat and his horrible actions.
Ansat fired an Ion Cannon at the water, electrifying everything touching it.
Storm was now ruffling his hair, causing a bit of metal plating to be visible, "Yes?"
"Nope," Aly said expressionlessly.
Sea and Greenheart promptly facepalmed, a salamander peeking out of a coat pocket and facepalming as well.
The tech wizard chuckled nervously, "It's okay, I have an idea."
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
"You should."
As the borg explained his badly thought-out plan, chaos broke loose nearby.
Lane clonked Ansat on the top of the head, knocking him unconscious.
Ansat launches a punch to her gut, sure to knock the wind out of anyone.
Ansat gets up after a few minutes. "F**k! I got a f**king headache!"
After Storm finished, Sea stared at him blankly, "Let me get this straight, you want me to use my magic - which doesn't work - to find a corrupt water warden who just happens to have the one thing you need to fix things to begin with???"
"Well, something of that sort."
Aly pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, sometimes Storm was enough to give one a headache. "How would that work if she can't use magic?"
"Er- well the orbs shine brighter around wardens and trainees of their element, right?"
Greenheart crossed his arms, monotonous as usual, "Correct."
"I'm guessing it affects the warden/trainee equally?"
"I think so," Aly answered.
"So Sea just might be able to sense it with or without magic." Storm finished.
Sea pulled a face, "Well I haven't felt off or anything so it's definitely not around here."
The Ice Fairy glanced at the borg, "Does anyone know where Samantha might have gone?"
That was responded with stares being pointed at Chase.
Or, where Chase was.
Where he was standing previously laid the Fire Orb.
"Hey, where'd that fire guy go?" said Ansat.
"Oh sh*t", Felix looked around.
Ansat ran around, looking for Chase.
In Firefly Forest, a certain red haired wizard walked over to a familiar fish statue which a wizard with a light purple hair coloration was sitting next to. "Don't come any closer."
"Samantha, I-"
"If you come any closer, there's no telling what the corruption will do. I'm a monster now."
"Not to me you're not."
"Chase, for your sake and my own, just leave."
"I'm not leaving you, Sammy."
"I was afraid you'd say that."
A dark tentacle grabbed Chase, pinning him to the ground. The corrupted water warden stood over him. A voice not belonging to her said, "You should have left when you had the chance."
Ansat ran from Shipwreck Shore to Bonfire Spire.
Cloud fell from an overhead rift, scanning every island where Ansat wasn't. He locked onto Firefly Forest, sensing shadow and flame elements interlocked as he scanned. He sharply inhaled and exhaled, turning to face the rest- and it looked like he planned to stay.
"I've good news and bad news. What do you want first?"
Ansat, after running from some guards, stumbled into Firefly Forest.
"Bad news," said Lane.
"Good news," said Marielle, almost simultaneously.
They looked at each other.
"Okay good news," Lane said.
Ansat stopped to catch his breath. "Phew, those guards'll never find me here!"
"Bad news as usual," Storm replied, picking up the fire orb and keeping it arm's distance away from the salamander in his pocket, "Please."
Cloud split the vote. "Good news: Chase is in Firefly. Bad news: He's actively being attacked by Samantha." Cloud disappeared back into the rift, reappearing on top of the Stonefish in the forest.
Ansat wandered around Firefly Forest for a while until finding Samantha and Chase. "Holy- Aight, I'mma have to stop her!" he said before revving up.
A semi-conscious Chase was now held up against a tree by Samantha, of whom had shadow magic snaking up her arms, drawing nearer to Chase.
Ansat dashed off and tried to punch Samantha.
Another rift opened, allowing causing the group to fall out in Firefly Forest while shockingly, the only person who landed on their feet was Storm.
"Crap! I was gonna be a BAMF!" complained Ansat.
Cloud raced up with Ansat in Trance state, matching his speed- with a slightly more electric shuffle.
Oh, and the sucker punch, that was zappy too.
"I don't think that's the highest priority, Ansat!" Storm exclaimed while ducking to avoid a shadowy tentacle.
Ansat followed up with a kick to the gut.
Cloud grabbed the tentacle and discharged electricity directly into it. The shock coursed through the tentacle, shocking the shadow- and Samantha. Collateral damage... would be necessary, he concluded.
Ansat falls back, before grabbing his Magite Staff, and whacking Samantha.
Storm powered up his saber, the light causing nearby tendrils of the shadow to recede.
Nearby, Aly had gotten up and turned her staff into a bow, drawing an arrow and aiming for above Chase's head. If she can't fight the shadow, then she'll repel it.
Ansat whacked Samantha a few more times before landing.
Felix was still weak but he still shot rays of light at Samantha's arms, trying to make then recoil from her body.
Ansat jumped back up and did a backflip kick.
Cloud laid his hand on the ground, static discharge coating the floor where the corrupted warden stood. The shadow and Samantha were locked in place, but that didn't prevent the massive burst of shadow energy that flew forth from the warden. Anyone in proximity was knocked back.
Chase, accidentally released from Samantha's grasp, collapsed to the ground with a groan.
Ansat flew into a tree. "Screw this!"
Ansat dashed at Samantha, and landed two Astral infused punches on her.
Felix managed to dodge the burst narrowly and shot another ray of light at Samantha
The Fire Warden looked up and the blurred images of the others attacking the corrupted Samantha. "Guys, stop," he said almost inaudibly. "Stop. Stop! STOP! STOP!" A black mist materialized around the edge of Chase's vision as he slammed Ansat into the ground, punching him repeatedly before turning on Felix.
Felix stopped, out of breath.
Ansat, visibly bloody, got up and charged at Chase. He bellowed a loud kiai before kicking Chase in the head.
Chase rubbed his head before glaring at Ansat. Infused with shadow magic, Chase punched Felix in the jaw before firing a Shadow Shock at him and Ansat.
Meanwhile, Samantha unleashed multiple Torrents infused with shadow crystals on the rest of the group. Getting hit by one equals corruption.
Ansat deflected it with his Magite Staff, then charged at Chase and whacked his legs with it.
Felix dodged it and blocked it. He shot a flash of red light at Samantha.
Ansat follows up by whacking him in the face.
CHAOS DRIVE ACTIVATED
SUB_STRAND: PANIC
COURSE OF ACTION?
PLAN A
>>PLAN B
STATIC GENERATION: 75%
OVERDRIVE?
>>YES
NO
Storm, at spotting the Water Orb in Samantha's hand, powered down his saber and dove, kicking the orb out of her grasp as soon as he slid on the ground.
He tossed both the Fire and Water orb to Greenheart, yelling "just get your f**king a**es to the Academy" before amplifying the remaining electricity to knock both wardens into unconsciousness - but not without succumbing to corruption himself.
Felix steadied himself with his dual blade.
Greenheart looked sadly at the corrupted Storm, before pulling out his map and teleporting the group to the Academy.
Ansat was still whacking things with his Magite Staff, but didn't realize he was at he was at the Academy until he whacked a lamp.
Cloud staggered back, momentarily leaving trance state, before returning to it in an instant. He dropped the unconscious wardens into a rift and stared down the other corrupted time traveler.
"So this is how it is, huh?"
Olivia gave Felix a slice of pizza.
The Academy was oddly dim as the group arrived. No light welcomed them, and it was desolate.
"This is oddly dark", Felix said quietly, eating his pizza.
Ansat pulled out a lighter, which gave the group a little bit of light.
An Astral Arrow zoomed down the hall, millimeters from Sea's cheek.
"Holy-", Olivia yelped.
"The f**k? Aight, I'm checking that out!" said Ansat. He dashed down the hall in the direction of where the arrow came from.
A wave of water pushed Ansat back, "No you're not, Ansat", a familiar voice said
"I-Is that..?" wondered the confused speedster.
Kayley zoomed into the hall on a wave of water.
Ansat's face lit up. "Kayley!" he said.
"I've been watching."
"So do you know who shot that arrow?"
"Not exactly, but I have a guess."
"Who do you think?"
"That possessed astral warden, er-what's his name? Anyways, he has a bow, and that's an astral arrow."
"Wait, if he's possessed by Shadow magic, how can he use Astral arrows?"
"Well, that's where i don't know," Kayley said, descending down to the floor.
"Same way I can," snapped Aly, reminding them she was there, "A reasonable archer saves arrows for later."
Felix looked around.
"Aight, should we stay here and wait for him to come to us, or go to him?" asked Ansat.
"I don't know."
"Neither," A new voice belonging to a wizard who oddly resembled a very specific Astral Warden answered, "at least, not until one of you explain why I happened to have to come out of my retirement this early."
Aly swore, causing Sea and Greenheart to immediately glance at her.
"Heh... I was sorta hoping he wouldn't get involved."
"Who is that?"
Jade turns to the voice, readying her sword. “Who are you?”
He eyed her sword, but paid little mind to it, "My name is Abner."
“And?” She says, stepping closer with her blade pointing directly between his eyes.
Ansat tapped his foot.
"He's the Astral Warden trainee, and I don't recommend doing that unless you want to be lectured for an hour," Sea answered.
Jade sighs. “Precautions. Besides, I’m new to the Academy. I’m allowed to not know anything.”
"Of course, every new person must be subject to not knowing sh*t!" snarked Ansat.
The trainees exchanged a glance.
"Either way you wouldn't of known anything unless you happened to be around two decades ago." Aly finally said aloud, "As for your question Abner, Lucas is possessed, the keystones are toast, and we're all doomed unless we do anything."
He glared at her, "The pessimism is unappreciated, as well as the fact you didn't tell me anything earlier."
"Well not all of us are philosophers Abner, and none of us wanted to deal with your bad side."
Ansat laid down, once again wearing sunglasses. He snapped his fingers, and nobody came.
Jade sheathes her sword. “So, can you help?”
Ansat kept snapping his fingers, until Ben showed up with a soda. What a coincidence.
"Help? As much as I would like to I'm afraid I can't." That was said with much displeasure, he was clearly bothered by something, but didn't say what.
Ben saw Ansat laying down and gave him the soda.
Jade rolls her eyes. “So what was the point of even being here?”
"I have no idea!" said Ansat.
Jade facepalms. “What do we do with the possessed people?”
"Beat 'em up!"
Jade elbows the wizard. “How about we beat you up? The possessed are powerful, and besides…” She winces. “I really hate Shadow magic.”
Abner sighed, "I thought Gale said you would be back with the missing orbs..."
Jade turns to the others. “Well, I sure as hell don’t have them. You?”
Greenheart held out the Fire and Water Orbs. "They're all here...but the other 3 are in Lucas' backpack as well as the three fragments of the relic itself."
Abner sighed, "I know. Gale tried to get them but..."
"But what?"
"N-nothing. I have them here." He held up the backpack, bearing an unreadable expression.
Foolish boy, just give in.
N-no.
What makes you think you can fight me?
Jade stares curiously at Abner. “Are you alright?” Before he can answer, something clicks in her head and she pounces for the backpack.
The wizard took a startled step back, "What-"
“Give us the backpack, now.” She says frantically. When he hesitates, she snaps. “Now!”
Jade grabs the pack, only to be pushed back by Abner.
Don't you dare.
I have to.
DON'T. YOU. DARE.
"How does Gale do this..." he said, inaudible. As soon as the bag left his grasp there was a sharp feeling of pain.
You made your choice.
Jade grabs her sword. “Guys, Abner’s not okay…”
Felix unsheathed his dual blade, "The corruption isn't over..."
Jade sighs, blowing her hair off her face. “I hate this.”
Ansat got into a fighting position. "Damn corruption!" said Ansat. Ben was confused, but got into a stance too.
The Astral Trainee seemed to be suffering from a migraine, fingers on the sides of his head.
No, you won't. I won't let you.
Just give in.
No!
Once they get past you, what do you think they're gonna do to your son then?
What?
Abner picked up his Sagittarius Star Wand, loaded it, and aimed it at the group, arm trembling.
I have to fight it. Resist the urge.
A single word came from his mouth. "Run." He stopped fighting it.
And launched the arrow.
The group scattered as Abner lowered his arm, the Astral Arrow in the roof dissolving into particles of Astral magic.
I'm sorry Abner. We'll make this right, Greenheart thought, running with the group to the main hall, dodging another arrow that was launched down the hall.
Abner steps in front of Annabelle, Ansat, Ben, and Jade, an arrow nocked.
Cursing, Annabelle reaches for her map, but an arrow zooms past her, slicing the map in two.
Before the others can stop him, Ansat leaps towards Abner, Storm magic sparking on his fingertips.
“Ansat!” Annabelle yells.
Ben grabs him, but arrows whiz past them, cutting lines of red across their faces.
Jade encased the corrupted wizard in earth, yelling at the others, “RUN!”
Annabelle nods and rushes towards the exit, tackling Ansat. “Calm down, and get out.”
As the four barrel out the door, another person steps in front of them.
Lucas.
”Sh*t.” Ben mutters.
A shadowy hand, reaching from somewhere else…
Blackness.
A left, a right, then finally the arrows stopped.
Aly looked at Greenheart, "Jacob, put the relic together before someone else gets corrupted." She kept glancing down the hall nervously, how long until Abner caught up?
Greenheart fumbled with the pieces of the relic, inserting the orbs in the fractured holders. The Astral Relic glowed a shade of yellow, repairing itself, a yellow orb reappearing in the center.
But the sense of triumph was short lived, as a shadowy tentacle, evidently having pinpointed the glow, snatched it away. "Oh great-"
An astral arrow made contact with the tentacle, Aly grimacing at how little she had left.
"Did Lucas keep any arrows in that backpack of his?"
Lane pulled 2 arrows out of the bookbag. "This is all," he shrugged.
Aly swore, loading another arrow, "Save them for later then."
She would just have to make this shot count.
Aiming for the tip of the tentacle where the relic was grasped, she let loose the arrow - nailing the relic to the wall.
"Quick, grab it before it does!"
A hand grabs the relic. Jade smiles down at the others.
Do it. Destroy it!
No! You can’t-
Can’t control you? I’m doing it right now.
Stop!
I’m helping you, foolish girl.
Aly watches in confusion as Jade grabs the relic jerkily, like a puppet on marionette strings.
Annabelle turned around for a second and saw Jade. Jade's corrupted. Ugh, what do I do? Think, think...
A tentacle of shadow silently creeps up behind Annabelle, pulling her back.
Annabelle pulled against the shadow.
Let go, you stupid illusion! I'm not letting some brainless shadow take me over!
Jade fey steps next to Aly. “Let’s go.”
I said, stop!
So weak, begging is.
I’ll beg if I have to to get you out of my head.
What a shame. I suppose you’re a weaker puppet.
I’m not your puppet, b*tch.
Language…
The shadow begins creeping over Jade’s mind, little by little…
"Jade..." She began slowly, "Seeing the relic is a warden related it object, and all the wardens and trainees who could use Astral besides me are corrupted... would you mind giving it to me?"
“I-“
So, you’re going to expose me?
I’ve got a better plan, little puppet.
”Sure.” Jade says, passing the relic over. There’s the slightest hesitation, but it’s barely noticeable.
"Right, so we have to get to the keystones. If we restore some sort of balance over them, we have a chance at helping the others. Only problem is that Gale is the only one who knows how they work, and Abner's still down the hall." The ice fairy fingered the relic, anticipating its glow.
Annabelle kicked the shadow back and walked forward to the others. "Now, what were you guys talking about again?" she asked.
Jade back away, rubbing her temples.
Get OUT!
Willful, too… you’re not the easiest to control
Good, you b*tch.
I suppose I’ll need a little more force, then, eh?
No…
Pain erupts across Jade’s scars.
Stop!
Annabelle walked backward a little bit, waiting for a response whilst twirling her long hair.
"We need to get to the keystones." Aly explained bluntly.
Jade shudders, then rights herself. “W-well, let’s get started.”
Very good…
She stared at Jade, then dismissed whatever she was going to say and turned, "We still need to find a way to get around Abner... or Lucas, depending on which one of them is in the way."
“We could try to find them first.”
The words slip out of her mouth uninvited.
"We don't know how to find them. I guess we'll just have to hope they don't notice."
"Well, fate is fate." she said.
Attracted to Jade's shadowy mess, a corrupted person was quietly stepping towards the group. His mind was screaming a warning, but it never surfaced to his mouth.
On the opposite wall, the possessed Astral Warden was about to blast the whole wall down. And he did exactly that.
"And what makes you think I'm letting you- get out of h- get to them?"
The figure quivered slightly and his voice cracked in the middle of his sentence, trying to form a new one. At the same time the other wall of the room crashed down in the same way. Abner stared at Lucas with some form of hope- but was then forced to look at the others, dangerously drawing his bow, him and Lucas wishing for the exact same thing.
You've possessed him long enough. Now leave him alone!
Like father like son.
"Lucas, don't make us do this."
Annabelle stood behind the others, her wand in her hand.
Felix illuminated his dual blade, making it give off a sort of golden glow.
Ansat was trying to run away from corruption, thinking it'd escape his mind, but it wouldn't leave.
Half Brained Hedgehog! You can't run away from me!
Yes I can, I just need to go faster!
No, you can't!
Yes, I can!
Fine then...
Ansat tried to stop running, sensing that he'll get hurt if he keeps running, but his legs wouldn't cooperate. He crashed into a wall and blacked out.
Jade shudders, trying to scream, to tell the others something was off.
Don’t you dare.
You can’t control what I do!
I am right now.
“I’m c-“
Shut up!
”Abner-“
Shut. Up!
Jade manages to step away before an invisible force pulls her towards the others. A blackness, a darkness covers her mind.
”Well, now what?”
"...what was that, Jade?" Marielle asks, slightly trembling, as she turned to face the wizard-fairy hybrid.
“N-now what do we do?” Jade responds, eyes frantic and darting.
Take them to Abner and corrupt them…
"...is your voice okay...?"
Jade takes a deep breath. ”I’m fine. Worry about-stop-the corrupted.”
Ansat walks up to everyone. He looks weird, though. The noticeable blue streak in his hair is now purple. He was oddly silent.
Another puppet… corrupt more.
“Good, there’s Ansat.”
He’s corrupted as well?! You can’t do this!
I do what I want.
Get out of his head. Out of mine!
Too late… far too late.
”Ansat, Aly, Marielle… let’s go.”
Ansat yawns.
“How do we get around Abner and Lucas?” Jade says, seemingly normal except for her faintly glowing scars and frantic eyes with a tinge of purple in them.
Stop! P-please!
That won’t help you, idiot.
"I have no idea, you lamebrain!" said Ansat
I do not make bad insults like that!
Are you sure about that?
”Abner’s coming-“
Shut up now, you idiot.
No.
You’ve signed your own death warrant…
"Alright!"
Jade winces in pain.
Enough!
You don’t control me. I control you.
The half-fairy curls her first, a shadow snaking towards the others behind them.
Nonononono…
Yes.
Ben flies up to Ansat.
I control you like a machine!
Don't use machine related phrases against me, you bastard!
Jade turns to the others.
All my puppets in one place… perfect.
Shadows continue reaching for the others, but it’s all Jade can do to hold them back.
What do you want with them? Just take me!
You think playing the hero will help you?
I’m not-
There are always more puppets do handle… some are better than others. The bad ones can die.
A shudder runs through Jade’s body.
So you’ll just dispose of me?
Depends.
Before the quarrel can continue, an arrow goes full speed at Jade.
Let the chaos begin, my puppet.
Ansat tries to punch himself in the face, to try and make his corruption go away, but his arm makes him punch Jade in the back of the head instead.
”Ow!” Jade says, for just a moment sounding like herself.
Take some pain, puppet.
”You idiot, Ansat! Just take care of the Astral users and we can get out of here.”
Ansat tries to punch himself again, but hits Jade, again.
Arrows hit both Jade and Ansat, but she blocks them with her sword.
“Are you all stupid? Get out!” Jade yells in a voice unlike her own.
Finally, control.
Stop-
Oh, shut up.
Ansat tried to punch himself one more time, and this time, the corruption didn't make him punch Jade. He punched himself square in the face, giving himself a bloody nose.
Arrows and shadows attack the group, but all of them miraculously miss Jade, Ansat, and Ben.
Why not just kill me now? Do it! I dare you! Jade screams in her mind.
I will not be forced into losing a puppet. Believe me, when the time comes, I’ll gladly kill you.
Abner and Lucas advance, closing in on them.
Have fun, puppets…
That's when an Astral Arrow formed in Aly's hand, and she aimed her bow... right at Jade. "You really thought I wouldn't notice? Pathetic, even for you."
Ben tried to move, but was paralyzed.
You will not move unless I want you to!
Shut up!
Ben eventually started flying up, but hit his head on the ceiling, and fell down.
That'll teach you.
“Really? I’m pathetic? You’re the one who can’t even use magic.”
A shadow comes out of Jade’s hand and strangles Aly, lifting her into the air.
”Another puppet… perfect.”
Let her go! Jade thinks, struggling to drop Aly.
I thought you’d approve.
Well, honestly, I do, but that doesn’t mean I want her turning into your puppet!
Shadows surround Aly completely.
Stop!
Suddenly, the shadow’s hole on Aly loosens… but it tightens again.
No!
Yes… NOW GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
For a second, Jade’s vision clears, but, just as quickly, purple clouds her mind again.
Stupid willful puppet…
Lane stood behind Jade, a single fist raised into the air, before bringing it down repeatedly, hoping she would go unconscious at some point.
A shadow traps Lane too, but the effort it takes forces Jade to her knees.
Get out. Get out. Get out!
Two allies trapped… you really aren’t concerned about them?
Get out of my f*cking head!
Aly, surprisingly, just smirked before reforming her bow into an icy sword, infusing it with Astral. She jutted it upwards, dissipating the shadows, then keeping aloft using her wings.
Sword to bow, one arrow, two, three...
She nailed Jade to the wall, before landing, Ansat preparing to charge at her.
The fairy spun around, stopping his fist with her open palm before knee kicking him where it hurt.
Three more...
She caught an arrow mid-flight and let it loose, weakly pinning Ben.
That'll have to do for now.
She turned to Lucas and Abner, tail lashing to give her balance.
Now, it's time to make you hurt the others and make them my puppets!
Fat chance, a**hole!
Well then, I'll just have to make you.
Ansat charged at the nearest person, and choked them.
Jade struggles to her feet. Get out, or…
Or what? You can’t possibly hurt yourself.
That’s where you’re wrong.
Shaking, Jade fumbles her sword out of its sheath and presses it against her throat.
I’ll take you with me if I have to.
Ben, actually gaining some control and not knowing what's going on, sees Jade with the sword and flies over to her to try and stop her. Unfortunately...
Don't you dare!
Shut up, you... You... You SHADOWY A**CLOWN!!
Just when things looked like they couldn't get any worse, corrupted Academy students exited the Elemental Towers and came into view on the stairs of the Great Hall. On top of that, more wizards materialized from the shadowy corners of the Academy, slowly forcing the Wardens and the trainees into a circle as they approached.
My puppets are here-
Before the voice can continue, Jade presses the sword harder against her throat, red dots appearing.
Get out, or I’ll kill you along with me.
Ben kept trying to pry the sword from Jade's hands.
Go ahead. See what happens when you do that!
The hell do you mean?
"I'VE HAD ENOUGH." A British accented voice cried out, Astral Magic cascading. "You've done enough..."
It’s too late…
The sword clatters out of Jade’s hand.
There are too many puppets…
Jade continues struggling, the shadow beginning to sap away.
Stop!
You stop-
A blast of yellow and purple light.
Jade blinks, confused. Her left eye glows purple, while her right turns back to green.
”What happened?”
"If I were to explain that to you none of you would trust me again." A familiar gray fairy responded.
A barrier of Astral separated the group from the mass of corrupted students, and Gale stood with them, disgust filling his gaze.
“You-what is happening-kill them all!” A mixed voice erupts from Jade’s mouth.
Ansat, thoroughly confused, dashes at Gale, except, it's not the corruption controlling him.
He stopped Ansat by holding him arm's distance away with his left hand, "You're fending her off, would've been moderately impressive but seeing you can't block her off entirely... it's not. What is impressive, however, is how you managed to make such a mess of things." Amber eyes glinted coldly, and a knife was being twirled in his right hand.
"Sh*t..." said Ansat.
Jade staggers around, trying to get the shadows out.
"Alright, Gale, let's be logical about this! If you kill me, there's gonna be one angry 12 year old who can make machines who will definitely try to kill you!" said the panicked speedster.
"I have no need to kill you at the moment, not while you're useful to me... Well then, do you have it?" He asked, eying Jade and Ansat warily. At seeing the group's confusion - and Greenheart's inability to respond, he sighed, "The relic."
"H-How the hell should I know? I was too busy stealing stuff from the Spire and Shipwreck Shore!"
A disapproving glare, then someone spoke up.
"Gale. calm down, I have it right here."
Aly held up the relic, which was responded with a sigh of relief and a slight smile - which quickly faded.
"We have to fix the keystones, that's for sure, but then the problem will getting past them. Not to mention cleansing them from Shadow Magic afterwards."
And one other minor detail.
And what would that be?
You'll find out if you leave me be.
I no longer have need for you, as you can see, I'm doing well enough on my own.
You can tell yourself that...
Well, I can still-
DON'T.
Feisty eh? My other puppets are better than you anyways. Controllable, obedient-
Just shut up already.
"Nothing's ever easy now is it?" Dylan said, firing a Super Nova at some of the corrupted wizards.
Ansat gained some more control. "Hey, dude! Fire somethin' at me so I can not be plagued by this wannabe zombie infection!" he said.
You wouldn't dare!
I did, a**clown!
Dylan looked at the rest of the group who shrugged. He blasted Ansat repeatedly with Falling Star Smashes.
Ansat fell back and coughed out blood.
Everyone turned to Dylan. "Well he asked flor it...literally!" the wizard protested.
Ansat coughed more blood.
Damn it!
Let's face it, wizard! I'll be here controlling your every move!
Bullsh*t! I literally took control 5 seconds ago!
Jade opens her now-green eyes. “I-what…” She passes out.
Aly aimed her bow, "I think I have an idea." The arrow flew in the direction of the keystones, the corrupt wizards moving out of the way of it, before time froze.
"I really don't know how long that'll last so you might want to hurry up and get to the keystones!" She took off at a run, Gale following soon after.
Ansat was frozen, and between blacking out and consciousness, and it was like hell to him.
Jade wakes up… and lets loose an earth shattering scream. Literally. The earth under her erupts, dust clouding everywhere.
She crumples to the ground, sobbing and screaming.
Ben was on the ground also between blacking out and consciousness.
Ansat was still in the inbetween state.
Well crap. When will this nuisance go away?
I heard that, you Half Brained Hedgehog!
Dylan looked at Jade sympathetically, helping her to her feet. "Not your first time either, I presume?"
Ansat and Ben both blacked out.
Aly stopped, turned, and bit her lip, "I hate to sound insensitive but we don't have a lot of time before these guys start moving again."
Ansat was in a coma, and was aware of it, again.
COWA F*CKING PIECE OF DOG SH*T! NOW I'M OUT COLD!
Does it look like I care?
Aw f*ck you, you sh*tload of f*ck! If you were a human being, I'd bash your head in with my Magite Staff and impale you with the pointy end of it, then throw my Aracute in your mouth and have him burn your insides!
Jade shakes her head. “I-“ her voice breaks. “I thought I’d felt pain before. This…”
Aly sighed, shot the group a look, then turn and ran, reaching the keystones where Gale was waiting.
She gripped the relic, glancing back occasionally.
Come on, come on... please work.
The Ice Keystone shone dimly, before a burst of cyan light filled the space.
Across the hall, a certain Ice Warden felt a familiar surge of power.
A flash of green.
The mass of corrupted began to move again, Earth Warden wary.
The ice fairy gazed at the remaining keystones, grimacing at seeing the swirl of purple corroding the Water, Storm, and Fire keystones.
Ben was also in a coma, but unlike Ansat, he was not aware of it, and instead, was having a dream where nothing ever happened, and he was just sitting with Fatima, watching the sun set.
“How do we fix the other keystones?” Jade asks, limping in behind Aly. The fairy shoots her a look, but doesn’t respond.
Aly gritted her teeth, hand above the Storm keystone, before yelping in pain as the looming shadows reacted.
"SHADOW YOU BIT-" she slapped a hand over her mouth.
Gale flinched, bearing an unreadable expression.
She bit her lip, opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Returning to the Storm Keystone, she focused.
A flash of gray.
Across the island, a corrupt time traveler became more powerful. Across the hall, a Storm Warden grinned mischievously as a familiar course of electricity ran through him. Around the room, time unfroze - and every corrupt wizard turned to face Aly.
Ben's dreams kept getting corrupted with images of Fatima getting gruesomely killed. Ben woke up when he believes Fatima has really gotten killed, but is fully corrupted.
Ansat woke up when the shadow told him that Kayley got kissed by Felix (despite how that would make no sense).
“Oh.. sh*t.” Jade mutters. “I really don’t think I’ll be of much help, considering…”
She notices the corrupted Ben.
”Ben’s in trouble.”
"Keep going, I'll handle things." Gale muttered as a blade made of Astral Energy formed in his grasp.
One blow, two, and the wizards recalled enough for him to step forward. They were in agony... but had no physical damage, easily healed later on.... if there is a later.
A flash of blue, and a bit back scream.
A corrupt Water Warden grew stronger, and a half-Merling unleashed a Downpourtal on nearby wizards.
Ben's happy demeanor has turned into an angry scowl. His orange goggles were purple. His eyes were purple, and if you stared into them for too long, it was hypnotizing.
Ansat, on the other hand, looked completely fine, except for the fact that his eyes were a blackish purple, and the streak in his hair was a blueish purple.
“Ansat, Ben-“ A Shadow Shock blasts her in the shoulder, and she immediately falls to the ground.
"Uh oh!" said Ansat. "Ben, can you see if she's okay?"
"I'm not your servant, you low life a**hat!" said Ben, except, he wasn't the one saying it.
Jade grabs Aly by the shoulder and slams her to the ground. “No… not again, Puppet Master. You will die!”
"Hey that's not the- Ben, isn't this some mental disorder? What was it called...? ZTPD?" said Ansat.
"It's PTSD, you Half Brained Hedgehog!" said Ben.
A barrier was cast between Jade, Aly, and the surrounding mass, the source being Gale looking at her in... pity???
What are you doing?
The right thing.
How do you know I'm not doing the right thing?
I never said your were right, or that they were right, I just said I'm doing the right thing.
Meanwhile, Aly gazed at the Fire Keystone, already recoiling at the shadows winding around it.
One more...
It was the same routine. Relic hand over the keystone, concentrating, then-
A flash of red.
Two firey wizards burning with their power.
And an unearthly scream of pain.
Gale instantly faltered and looked at her, alarm filling his gaze.
So you do care about someone...
What if I do?
What if I were to... let say, hurt her again?
DON'T. YOU. DARE.
It was only a suggestion, but I could always-
If you do, I will send you to hell, even if it means I have to go with you.
Bold words...
Ben was crying on the inside, which led to him shedding tears on the outside.
"You okay, buddy?" asked Ansat.
"I'm fine, now leave me alone!" replied Ben.
"You sure?"
"YES! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Jade grabs the Ivory fairy, looking completely unhinged.
”Stop! Please, STOP!” She cries, looking in pain.
Gale yanks away his tail, startled by Jade's outburst.
Felix was laying back, watching.
Jade jerks away from the fairy, looking around as if everyone has a weapon pointed at her. Screaming, she backs away. “No… stop…”
Ansat dashes over to Jade to try and help her, actually being concerned about someone's mental health for once.
Felix had his blade ready.
Ben clutched his head, while his goggles flashed from purple to orange, then to purple again.
You're worthless and weak!
I'm not!
You are!
I'm not!
Ben started shedding tears as he went into a rage.
"MAKE IT STOP!!" he cried.
"Stop....what?" Felix said
Ben started crying and clutching his head even harder.
"MAKEITSTOP! MAKEITSTOP!"
Felix gripped his blade harder, should I do it?
Ben fell to his knees. Ansat dashed over to help him.
"Ben, you okay..?" asked Ansat.
"IT FEELS LIKE MY BRAIN IS BEING DRILLED INTO!" yelled Ben.
Ben started crying even harder.
"Ansat......I think he's corrupted..." Kayley said.
"I've still gotta help him! He was the first person I met that treated me like I'm actually cool! He treated me like a friend! I can't just stand there and let him get corrupted!" said Ansat.
"You can't help him, there's no end to corruption. The only way to end corruption that I know is death"
"I-I can't let him..."
Ben finally blacked out from extreme pain, but he didn't die. Ansat didn't know that, though.
Ansat started getting really angry.
"Ben..." said Ansat.
Kayley checked Ben for a pulse, "He's still alive."
Ansat didn't hear Kayley. He was too angry to hear her. Suddenly, Ansat had no more control. He was fully corrupted.
"EVERYONE'S GONNA DIE!!" he screamed.
Ansat decided to start with Kayley, except (of course) Ansat didn't want to hurt her.
Kayley backed away.
"Kayley, get back", Felix said, starting towards them.
"Oh lOoK! iT's ICicLE BRAins! TIME FOR YOU TO DIE!" yelled the corrupted speedster.
Ansat ran towards Felix, and delivered a heavy punch to the gut.
Felix blocked, he cast an astral phoenix. Which started chasing down Ansat.
Ansat simply fired a corrupted Ion Cannon at it.
The phoenix dodged it.
Ansat decided to take the hit.
The phoenix entered him.
Ansat dashes past Felix and charges straight at Kayley. He pins her against a wall.
Kayley screamed.
Felix directed the phoenix to go after Ansat.
Ansat dodged the phoenix, and was about to kill Kayley.
"Say goodbye to living, you- beautiful woman!" said Ansat. The end of the sentence sounded a lot like his real voice. He prepared to fire off a Shadow Shock.
"NO!", Olivia fired a ball of lightning at Ansat knocking him in the wall.
"Oh! It's that stupid DJ who dumped me for Felix!" yelled Ansat.
"For your information, you son of a b*tch you shadow. I never dated Ansat!", Olivia yelled.
"Does it look like I care?!" said Ansat, able to get a full sentence in.
"Wasn't talking to you, Ansat. Talking to the stupid shadow!"
"Still don't give a sh- Whatever! You worthless wizards I can save for later. Killing Kayley however, I will enjoy every last second of this!" said Ansat.
He raised his fist and struck Kayley across the face.
Kayley fell limp.
Felix struck Ansat with his blade.
Ansat blocked with his Magite Staff, and stabbed Felix with the pointy end of it.
You hurt Kayley!
Yeah, and?
You...
Felix yanked the bloody point out of his arm and threw Ansat across the room.
Ansat got right back up, grabbed a wrench off of Ben's unconscious body, and throws it at Felix, hoping it would crack his skull.
Felix made a huge dent on the half of it by striking it with his blade.
Ansat got out his lighter, and threw it at Felix, hoping it would burn him.
Aly stood next to the pedestals, breathing heavily, sucking in air through gritted teeth. Shadows bound Gale's arms and legs together, causing the fairy to topple over, the barrier dissolving. And he watched in horror as the wizards swarmed around him, charging at the one person he loved.
An unsuspecting Aly was launched forwards by a Shadow Shock from behind that sent her sprawling on the floor, her breath knocked out of her. As she tried to stand up, she was blasted to the ground again. And again. And again. She fey stepped away, only for another shadow to reform into a wizard and blast her into a wall with a sickening crack. The ice fairy went limp as she hit the ground, another shadow ball that was slowly growing in size pointed at her.
Jade, without warning, begins attacking them… even her friends. She looks unhinged, even vicious.
Ansat grabs Felix and punches him across the face.
Aren't you gonna complain?
Nah, you can kill him.
Ansat goes after Olivia.
Jade, noticing Ansat, fey steps over and proceeds to strangle him. “Stop! Get out of my mind, get out of me!” She pressed her sword against his throat, encasing him in earth.
"Jade, you gotta stop!" Dylan headlocked the Earth Fairy with his left arm and grabs her arm with his right, pulling the sword away from Ansat's neck. "Don't let it manipulate you like this!"
Jade tackles the boy, giving him a concussion, and runs, panicking and sobbing.
White purple, amber to amethyst, and a loud "STOP!"
That may seem like an outrageous thing to do, seeing all the wizards were corrupted, but...
Everything stopped
and turned to face the voice.
A desperate platinum and purple haired fairy was the source of it. Shadows swirled around his outward palm, and his now-amethyst eyes were pleading.
"Stop... please."
How DARE you-
How dare YOU. You have no idea what you've just done, and now you're going to pay.
That's impossible-
Oh is it?
Without a warning, Jade runs up to the desperate fairy. Throwing him against a wall, she causes a plant to erupt from his side, entangling him. She charges him, still crying, but his eyes are focused on Aly.
Sea lowered wand, having no need to fight, and stared in the direction of the fairy, "Now he decides to do something?"
Meanwhile, Gale glanced at Jade, and the plants turned against her - restraining her instead of him.
His hair and eyes changed back to their usual coloration, and with an almost apologetic glance, he dashed over to Aly.
Jade cuts the plants open, running after Gale. Beams of light that he blocks easily reflect back at the crazed Jade.
Gale was on his knees next to Aly, clutching her hand. Jade was about to blast him again when he looked up.
White to purple.
"No."
What-
The purple scars on Jade's wrists let off a glow, the Ivory Fairy shedding silent tears as he put the half-fairy in the same pain he felt.
Jade sobs louder, this time out of pure pain and agony. With a guttural scream, she charges the Ivory Fairy… but something inside her makes her stop.
“What happened…”
She looks around at the group, at the pain she caused. “What did I do…”
Shocked and broken, she passes out again.
Gale stared at her and sighed.
Purple to white, and he looked back at Aly.
The Ice Fairy was unconscious, face a deathly pale and arm at a strange angle.
What. have. you. done.
I honestly wasn't expecting you to react like that-
STOP AVOIDING THE QUESTION
I did you a favor.
Felix stabbed Ansat and hovered above them all on his rainbow cloud.
Ansat was bleeding a lot, but got up, and fired off a huge corrupted Ion Cannon.
Felix blocked it with an astral dome.
"All of you can burn in HELL!"
Jade hovers in subconsciousness, traumatic memories back in full force. She bolts up, screaming.
Ansat charges at Gale. "I'll kill you!" roared Ansat.
Jade notices the speedy wizard and dodges just in time, still trapped partly in memories… but she’s too shaken up and scared to scream or speak. Silent tears run down her cheeks.
Ansat boosted forwards.
Can't you give me a break?
It's funner this way.
Now I see where I got my horrible sense of humor from.
Gale held up his hand, Ansat charging right into a barrier. He took the opportunity to surveil the collection of corrupted personnel, looking.
So you remembered my final puppets? It's too late for that.
So you say.
Shadows flickered, but none of it was caused by who he was looking for. "Where are they..."
"LET ME KILL YOU!" roared Ansat.
'Let me kill you?' do you know how dumb that sounds?
I ran out of ideas, okay?
Jade sits paralyzed, a scream inside her mind but no sound escaping her mouth.
Gale shot Ansat an inquisitive look, "Very odd tactic, killing yourself, that is. Are you really sure you're in control of that one?"
He turned back to Aly, a frown forming.
Ansat momentarily takes control and runs away from Gale, then loses control as he tries to kill someone else.
Meanwhile in the shadows cast by a pillar, a wizard lined a shot, pulling back on the worn bowstring as an arrow formed.
On the opposing side of the room, another figure mirrored this movement, taking aim...
and letting lose an arrow - straight at the remaining young wardens.
Ian rushed to the front in response, barely stopping the arrow by tearing it off-course with his sickle.
"I won't let you do this, you bastard."
The ice warden felt his elemental poisoning constricting and pulsing in his chest- an ice magic he'd never get rid of, no matter how hard he would ever try. About time he'd used it.
The golem he produced subsequently appeared more rigid, stronger- and at the same time, somehow more brittle. As it charged forward, the sound of a bowstring pulling back resounded from the dark.
Two arrows pressed together, something the figure had been practicing for a long time... but right now he hated it.
They were let loose, both head straight towards the golem.
Behind the group, an Astral Warden slinked in the shadows, bow ready as he neared.
Ben, disoriented and fully corrupted, wakes up.
Groaning, Jade gets up. “I really just want to die.”
"I'll grant your wish!" said Ben. He rushed towards Jade. Ansat saw and rushed towards Jade too.
Lane released a shockwave that knocked all the corrupted wizards within a 20-foot radius out cold.
Unfortunately, that included his group too, except for Ian, who barely deflected the electricity in time and glared at Lane. "...don't give me that look," he growled. Just then, the doors of the academy were blown off their hinges as 3 particular wizards stood in the doorway. "Oh, great. Just great."
Bubbles of water were launched at Lane, who dodged them and fired a bolt of lightning at them.
Only, they weren't there anymore.
Lane looked in all directions around him, trying to locate anything that would give their position away. He felt an onrush of heat emanating from behind him, and quickly dodged a fireball from behind him, tackling Chase before he could retreat into the shadows again. An angry growl came from behind him. You've got to be kidding me-
A distance away, an irritated fairy moved to stand, only to find he couldn't move.
Oh no you don't.
You b*tch.
LANGUAGE.
Jade holds out her sword as Ansat barrels towards her, stabbing him. Not a single emotion appears.
I’m psychotic? That’s fine. I’ll kill him if I have to.
Lane finally removed Scarlet from his face, only to see Corrupted Storm with a lightsaber raised over his head. Lane rolled to the side, dodging the saber as it gouged a hole in the floor, springing to his feet as he fired several lightning bolts at Storm.
Unfortunately, the electricity did nothing, as it was only fired back at Lane with more power and intensity as well as being laced with shadow magic, sending the Storm Warden into the wall once more with a sickening thud. Lane rose to his feet, wincing. "That all you got?" He chuckled, before glaring at Storm, a spark of determination in his eyes. "You won't live to see the light of my lightning."
The Storm keystone glowed, as Lane bolted behind Storm-literally-and overloaded all of his components. Corrupted-Storm collapsed forward, now unconscious. Lane turned to Chase. "Put the dragon down. Me versus you."
Ansat coughs up blood while Ben grabs his wrench and hits her over the head with it.
Jade steps forward, a cold determination glinting in her eyes. She rushes towards Abner and Lucas, slicing the arrows that come at her.
Smiling cruelly at the two, she encases them both in earth, making Lucas sink into the ground while Abner is pinned to the wall.
“Come and get it.”
Let... me.... GO.
A blast knocked Jade back, anger burning in a certain Ivory Fairy's gaze.
"We need them alive, Jade."
“I DON’T CARE!” She screams. “If they’re corrupted, they don’t have emotion. We just have to get rid of Shadow!”
Ian grimaced, turning away from the freezing water droplets he'd been reflecting for the past few minutes. The next arrow that came toward him was sent back next to Jade- and the weird globs of darkness that kept emanating from her became apparent. Instability was proof enough.
Jade turns to Ian. “What are you doing? Just kill the corrupted!”
Ansat and Ben snuck up on Jade, and beat her down to the ground.
Ian's gaze narrowed at Jade, Ansat, and Ben- and the cold he felt inside doubled. Without a second thought, he swept his hand up, and the three were encased in ice. He couldn't hold up this control for much longer, though... and the poisoning was only getting worse.
Jade hammers at the ice trapping her with her sword hilt, little fissure lines appearing.
Stupid ice.
The earth under her erupts, ice spraying everywhere.
Jade kicks Ansat across the room and grabs Ben, making plants grow out of the ground and strangle him. Another arrow zooms at her, hitting her in the shoulder. She winces, but still focuses on strangling Ben.
Meanwhile, Lane was dodging fireballs, firing the occasional bolt of lightning whilst approaching Chase. He slipped out of Chase's line of fire and quickly headlocked the warden. "You haven't ever beat me in a sparring match and you never will," Lane said.
"But you aren't fighting against him. You're fighting against me." Chase's body temperature jumped, causing the Storm Warden to release Chase, swearing. "Language, PLEASE."
"Shut it," Lane shot back, clonking Possessed Chase on the head.
You won't beat him.
Are you sure about that?
You'd be shocked.
I should have killed you instead of taking you as a puppet.
That's dark.
Get back in the subconscious.
Ducking under a lightning bolt, Possessed Chase delivered a shadow-boosted punch to Lane, sending the Storm Warden into the wall. Lane staggered out. "Screw this." Calling on the Storm Keystone once more, Lane fired a massive Ion Cannon at Chase, the latter doing the same with his respective element, shadow laced into it, sending the corrupted Fire Warden into a state of paralysis within unconsciousness.
Ansat almost blacks out until he grabs the lighter from his pocket and burns the vines.
Ansat dashes at Jade, and kicks her in the back of the head, then yanks her hair.
Jade pulls away from the corrupted wizard and slashes her blade at him, shoulder bleeding dangerously.
Ansat dashes around Jade and repeatedly fires Ion Cannon.
Jade glares at the speedy wizard and blasts him away with Astral magic.
”I will destroy you, Shadow. You dare hide behind him?”
Another blast of Astral magic, more blood spilling out of Jade’s shoulder.
Almost all of them.
What am I doing?
Why can't I finish this?
Why am I trying?
Is this... useless?
Ian was two seconds away from collapsing under pressure...
and then he stopped holding back.
Immediately, a horrible cold filled the room. Everything appeared to slow down- water being fired immediately froze, rendering Samantha useless for the time. The ice warden's eyes glew an intense bright white, but... without the nobility or presence of the normal powers.
Instead of channeling the keystone, he channeled the cold within.
Algor.
The area around him was immediately covered by spinning Spearicles, forming a radius of "walk here and get sliced". Snowflakes formed and broke in the air repeatedly, and the Spearicles were now reforming into golems. The ice warden appeared to be floating now- and he was appearing somehow incredibly vulnerable in the state.
Pinned to the ground by an icicle, Jade finally notices the wound in her shoulder. “Oh, sh*t…”
Lucas' arm raised his bow.
Please. No. Don't do this. Please!
An arrow was loaded, the string drawn back.
Possessed Lucas readjusted the aim several times, trying to find an opening.
No! Stop! Not to him!
Why should I?
Why are you doing this?
One less warden, one more opportunity to break the balance.
And the arrow was released.
And as short-lived as the state was, the damage had been done. While ice indeed ravaged the Academy...
The arrow had landed.
Ian coughed once. Twice. The third was met with blood, spraying from his mouth- the heart had been hit. The warden looked down at the wound, arrow plunged into his heart, his own blood snapping him out of the Algor use. As he fell from the air, the ice keystone dimmed to a complete nothing. Memories flashed past his mindscape as crimson fluid stained the carpet floor, and while his eyes remained white, the glow forever faded. His last breath was not one of grace, or well-wishing, or reflection- it was one of complete and total shock.
The former ice warden, Ian Frostbreaker, hero in both past and present, fell faceflat on the ground, blood pooling and disgracing the place he'd once called home.
Ben passes out.
Ansat gets up and goes after Jade again, this time, he jumped on her stomach.
Jade grabs Ansat’s ankle and slams him into the ground.
Ansat grabs his Magite Staff, gets up, and whacks Jade with it while she's on the ground several times.
A distance away, Gale looked onto the scene with a mixture of shock and horror.
He was unable to do nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Because of her.
He gritted his teeth as a familiar wave of agony overcame him, instantly reminded of the events fifteen years ago.
It was his fault.
It was always his fault.
Because of being a stupid host for the elements.
The pain faded, and through pain-blurred vision, he could see that the Ice Keystone was shining again, but dimly.
He gripped Aly's hand, tears flowing from hate - hate towards himself.
I'm not letting you die.
He expected Shadow to intrude on his thoughts, whispering nightmares, but there was nothing.
Except another wave of pain.
This time, it wasn't the island's magic attempting to stabilize. This time, it was the one thing he dreaded... Shadow was feeding off his hate.
The shadows near the center of the Academy swirled, concentrating and forming into the one thing that haunted him for the past three decades, the one thing that cause this mess, the one thing that was enough to drive him to insanity-
Shadow.
A horned humanoid formed from the shadows, crowned in the essence of nightmares, a pale infinity sign hovering above the flowing mass of tentacle-like hair.
Purple eyes surveilled the hall in disgust, pale amethyst skin letting off an unearthly glow - strangely enough absorbing light instead of creating it. It's gazed fixed on the previous Ice Warden's corpse, and a horrid smile formed.
"I told you so, foolish boy."
Stinging tears flowed as Gale looked at the ground in shame.
He failed.
His nightmares... are reality.
Jade ignores Ansat bludgeoning her and watches in horror as the Shadow rises.
Ansat whacks her on the head.
“Stop!” Jade snaps. The wizard flies across the room and gets swallowed up in earth.
SUPERBOSS ACTIVE
Element of Shadow
AVAILABLE NON-CORRUPTED FIGHTERS:
Lane
Dylan
Gale(?)
INCAPACITATED/CORRUPTED/DEAD
Literally everyone else
OVERVIEW SURVIVAL AND VICTORY RATING:
GIGAFUCKED SS+++
RANK:
-AW S+++
Ansat starts clutching his head.
"OH GOD IT'S LIKE GETTING A MIGRAINE BUT AMPLIFIED TIMES 90!!" he yelled.
Lane stared at Ian's corpse, horrified, before shooting a glare at the figure. "How. Could. YOU?!"
He launched himself at the Shadow element's physical form, driving his fists into it repeatedly, electricity violently released with each punch. "Just DIE ALREADY!"
Ben wakes up, confused and scared.
"Wha-what's happening?"
Ben then starts clutching his head and crying.
"WAAAAAHH! MAKE IT STOP!!"
Jade stares at the thing that haunts her memories, her trauma, her nightmares. Her scars glow, each pulse sending a wave of pain into her body.
The face changes, changing into the face of the Puppet Master… then to that of Florian's, then to her own, but with purple eyes and hair and a cruel smile. The worst part? She’s made that smile before.
Shadows, darkness, emptiness… they fill her head, her heart, her very being.
Pain. That's all Jade felt.
Samantha clutched her sides, collapsing to her knees, screaming in a mix of agony and sadness.
A throbbing pain slowly spread throughput Lane's body, ignored by the enraged Storm Warden, who simply put more volts into every punch, adrenaline taking over.
The tendrils of shadow around it absorbed the storm energy, wisping towards the Storm Warden as it formed into a set of dark claws.
At the other side of the Academy, an Ivory Fairy crumpled to the ground, visibly agonized.
-Idiot, get up, it doesn't hurt that much.
:What if it does Astral?
-Well he still needs to get up unless he wants all of us to die. Target those wardens of mine... please.
I-I can't-
-Yes you can, it's not that hard, just cleanse them. THEN you can sulk in the corner.
:Astral...
He looked up, amber gaze searching until- Lucas.
Sucking air through gritted teeth, he held back a scream as Astral Magic wisped around the warden.
Even his natural elements were turned against him.
He turned to look at the other side of the room, doing the same for Abner - then collapsed from the pain.
An unearthly cry from Jade, and painful sobs fill the soundlessness of the hall.
”STOP! PLEASE!”
Shadow only smiles. “Hate, anger, sadness… now pain as well. You only help me.”
Yellow-gold eyes snapped open as a wizard pressed a hand to his forehead. The pain soon subsided... and then his gaze fixed on the creature at the center of the room.
Shadow's attention snapped to Abner, who stepped back.
"You know Astral... I wanted to be friends with you once, but that was a long time ago. You choose this petty imbalance, so I shall right it... even if it means destroying ALL of you."
A certain elemental heard it all... but could say nothing.
Jade watches the scene through a haze of purple-black. Pain so intense she never knew could happen fills her body, so horrible that it seems pleasing at first.
Then she screamed.
“PLEASE!” She cries, sobbing and unable to move or see.
A blast of Astral originated from Abner, knocking Shadow off-guard for a bit.
Then it hissed. "You know you can't destroy darkness, why don't you give up already? Your pathetic light can do nothing."
Jade attempts to move and passes out from the pain… but a wave of Shadow forces her up.
“I want you all suffering, like I did.”
”Stop…”
Ansat and Ben try to escape from the chaos, only to trip over some debris and start rolling.
Jade slips between consciousness, her body unable to take the pain without passing out.
Please, stop! Stop, I’ll do anything…
She tries to scream but there is only a strangled cry… the pain restricts her.
Another blast of Astral, Abner's gaze hard as stone.
Ansat and Ben were crashing into everything like the Academy was a pinball table.
Jade just lies there, wanting to scream, to cry, to beg, to resist, but she cannot. All she can do is feel the pain.
Abner shot another ray of Astral magic at Shadow, who immediately put the corrupted in more pain, drawing from their power to launch a Shadow Shock at him...
Only for another ray of Astral to knock the blast off course.
By the keystones, Aly was propping herself up on the Ice Keystone, anguish in her gaze - not from corruption, but her own injuries.
She didn't care if she had broken a rib or two, she wasn't going down without a fight... however delayed it might be.
Felix saw Ian's dead corpse, an aura of ice cold anger could be felt if someone- or something, was near him. 13 years of hatred filled his body, he released a massive super nova while speeding towards- who? Lane, no. Ansat, no. He was rushing towards Lucas, and struck him with his blade. 1 eye blue, 1 eye amber.
Olivia just started shooting bolts of lightning every second.
Dylan tackled Felix. "You idiot, that wasn't him, that was the shadow!"
Jade curls into a fetal position, watching helplessly as everybody fights.
Just. Kill. Me.
Annabelle, who was knocked out cold, had regained some energy. she stood up, only for chaos to meet her view. "Sh*t rackets.." she mumbles. She turned around to see a very, very weak Jade.
"JADE! are you okay??" she asked.
What do you think? Jade thinks, shuddering. It comes out as “What. Think?”
"I don't know what's going on but I'll grab some hot chocolate from my bag."
She pulled out a cup of hot cocoa and handed it to Jade.
The chill appeared to slow everything to a crawl again- someway, somehow. Even as dead as Ian was, the Ice warden mantle needed to be passed on.
So it was that the cyan glyph arising from Ian's dead body appeared to merge with Aly, and with that power came the innate feeling of passed-on last wishes.
Ian's last thread of any consciousness carried one message for the new warden as the ice keystone shone and the injuries were healed through the transfer.
"make it right."
The ice keystone pulsated and glew unreasonably bright for the happenstance, appearing to be passing on every single technique and ability from wardens of old- and amplifying the abilities unique to the fairy.
And even through all of this...
the keystone returned to a dim, ambient glow.
“Aly-“
Another surge of pain. Jade grits her teeth, sucking in a sharp breath.
Aly stood, staring at the origin of the glyph - where she saw the body.
No
Nononononono
But no amount of denial could change the past...
She reacted entirely out of impulse.
Everything froze in place, time thawing where allies stood - as well as thawing near a particular Shadow.
The elemental turned to stare at her, about to ready a Shadow Shock... but found it couldn't.
All the corrupted... the Shadow's source of power... was stuck in the past.
And this time, the ice wouldn't thaw, not as long as she had control.
Control she dreaded.
Lane punched the Shadow with more violence and force. "Die! Die! Die! Die! DIE!" The punches were slowly being laced with more shadow magic. Suddenly the Shadow found itself growing in power.
You're pathetically stupid.
Does it look like I care?
Lane unleashed a massive shadow-boosted uppercut that sent the Shadow sailing 10 feet away.
Okay, that stung a little.
Lane was then blasted into the wall by a Shadow Shock.
Astral magic from both Abner and Aly blasted Shadow back further, who immediately drew power from Lane and sent a Royal Roar in all directions.
Felix slowed down, he hated deaths. Ever since his entire astral family died.
Another blast of Astral, a hiss of irritation, and a shadow shock sent in the Keystones' direction.
A wall of ice formed, shattering but sparing the gems from damage,
Lane drove the Shadow into the wall, punching its face aggressively, shadow energy rippling on the wall with each impact.
A tendril of shadow slowly made it's way up Lane's arm, a malicious glint in Shadow's gaze.
A ray of Astral originated from Abner, meanwhile, Lucas had made his way to the group.
Felix just hovered above them, shaken.
Another blast of Astral from Aly, another Shadow Shock, another wall of ice.
"Stop hiding from me!"
Shadow was growing increasingly aggravated, but thankfully, it didn't notice what was amiss.
Astral magic flew at it from Abner's direction, lighting Shadow up enough for one to notice it was fading wherever it was struck.
Lane was about to punch the shadow again, before realizing he couldn't. He tugged at the shadow tendril, only for it to wrap around his arm tighter.
What the-
You are a very hard person to control. Props to you.
Shut it and let me punch you aga-
Lane felt a sharp pain rush through his body, collapsing to his knees, bending over, hands on the floor in front of him.
Shadow smirked, shadows lacing around Lane, drawing from his magic.
"Well. This a pleasant change of events-"
A flash of yellow.
Instantly a shadow shock knocked the ray of Astral magic off course, Abner glaring in annoyance.
Lucas gaze fixed on the blood stained on the carpet, stomach churning as he followed the blood to-
Ian's body...
No. No, no, no.
He could barely recall what happened, but enough of a picture formed in his mind to know it was his arrow, his hand, that did this. Tears beginning to flow, he felt something he never felt before - a thirst for revenge. Revenge on Shadow.
He focused on connecting to every Astral user he could find. Through astral magic shenanigans he squeezed his eyes shut and started removing the shadow from most of them.
In the background, Aly carefully unfroze most of time at seeing what he was doing.
After cleansing the shadow out of nearly half the Academy students, he almost collapsed from exhaustion.
It's so much harder than last time.
But it was worth it. Shadow was going to pay.
Jade shudders and lies still, empty eyes staring up at the ceiling.
Around her, wizards begin to stir.
Annabelle was shaking. "W-what h-happened???"
Ansat is fine while Ben is visibly shaken.
The Academy Students gazed at their surroundings blearily. The groaning of pained students reached their ears. They blinked, looking around, seeing some of their classmates doubled over, a dark aura wafting around them, leading to a shadow-elemented figure in the main hall. Their classmates. Their friends.
The wizards seemed to be thinking the same thing.
How. Dare. You.
Immediately the Shadow was pelted by nonstop Star Smashes, Light Waves, Supernovas, as well as Starbit Blasts. The Shadow attempted to draw more power from the remaining possessed, only to fail and lose control as the academy was filled with a yellow glow.
A click of a bow being loaded. The twang of a bow string.
A single astral arrow rushed towards the weakened Shadow.
Ansat charged at the Shadow while Ben was in a fetal position.
Groaning, Jade gets to her feet. Little needles of pain run up her body, but she manages to cast a spell.
”You can’t keep me down.”
Ansat landed two swift punches.
Blasts of light emit from Jade’s hand, irritating the already weakened Shadow.
Ansat did a fancy looking spin kick.
The arrow struck true, an arrow protruding from the creature's chest, Shadow's eyes widening in shock before dissolving into nothing... or, at least, a small wisp of a shadow, a stream of yellow marking the spot where it had been hit.
Abner gazed at the elemental, yellow eyes narrowed as he slowly lowered the bow.
An Ice Fairy released all control over time, and the shadow finally faded, unbeknownst merging with an unconscious Ivory Fairy.
Over the silence of the room came the sound of teleportation. Ian's body had suddenly disappeared.
1 WEEK LATER
Wizards from every corner of the island gathered in rows in an ancient chamber of the Academy. The ice glyph was marked into the wall in cyan, the sickle of the former Ice Warden framed upon the wall. An unremarkable preacher stood at the forefront, adressing the masses.
"Today we gather to consider the life of Ian Frostbreaker, once our Ice Warden, defender of his element. His existence and deeds in life proved his own worth- rumored both in history and proven today. His last efforts were to stop the very thing that plagued everyone in this building. The Element of Shadow. It was by his sacrifice that the key moves to eliminate the accursed being could come into play, and his heroism was not in vain."
Quiet sobs fill the hall, the group that had watched his death immersed in memories.
At the back, a makeshift group of adults watched on silently.
An Ice Fairy was hugging herself, a confusing mixture of emotion plastered across her expression.
A few looked on silently, and one in-particular looked mostly annoyed.
Near the entrance of the hall, however, a certain fairy looked at the ground in shame, amber eyes filled with guilt.
Ansat was silent, being serious for once, while Ben was seconds away from having a breakdown.
An Earth fairy-wizard watches silently, regret and barely concealed hatred in her eyes. One hand traces a glowing purple scar on her wrist, despite her wincing as she does so.
"For once, I have no snarky remarks..." mumbled Ansat. Ben had tears in his eyes.
“My fault. My fault.” Jade chants over and over under her breath, like a mantra. With each word, she digs her fingers seeping into her scar until tears fill her eyes.
Raid and Cloud leaned against the back wall, visors grey with contemplation- but not contempt. They knew this would have had to happen. They took a few moments of silence before recalling back into a rift.
As the preacher opened his mouth to speak again, a chill filled the room. Many began to glance around in confusion, tears beginning to freeze and shatter on the floor. Some eyes focused on Aly- others on their friends or allies. And just as soon as it arrived...
the chill faded.
Samantha half-heartedly smiled. "He's still here, isn't he?"
As if responding, a cold mist vaguely resembling Ian formed near the rest of the young wardens. It stood in silence, looking upon each of the group respectively- drawing no more attention than that of the group, through some miracle.
And then it gestured, beckoning.
The mist faded through the door, resembling the dead warden more and more as it became nothing. It seemed as though it wanted the rest to follow it.
The wardens stood up, walking towards the door, slowly breaking into a run. The preacher stared at the empty seats, then the door in confusion.
"Uhh, C'mon, Ben!" said Ansat as he ran to the door, wanting to see what was going on. Ben followed behind, but was growing more unstable.
The mist continued to drift in and out, the vague facial features seeming oddly satisfied. The cold continued to lead the group, up the Ice Tower and into the office. There, the mist appeared to be reaching to a cabinet under the desk.
Ansat stood on guard. Ben stood still.
The mist reformed and stared intently at the group, as if silently saying-
"follow my lead."
Ansat checked inside the cabinet under the desk.
Jade, without a second thought, runs after the mist.
The mist disappeared. The cabinet contained a single letter, locked by some kind of elemental lock with the Astral symbol on it. It appeared to be containing multiple other messages within.
"Welp, I have no idea how to use that!" said Ansat. "Any other Astral users who wanna take a crack at this?" asked Ansat.
"I can try", Felix said, then there was a flash of light.
"You got it open yet, Felix?" said Ansat.
Felix shook his head, "This is some magic that is way beyond our hands."
Lucas hesitated before carefully aiming a beam of light towards the symbol. His hand wavered a bit, before the beam disappeared. Please tell me it worked.
The lock burst open in a blinding shower of light. A note unfurled out of the container, along with a circular purple fragment of a crystal. The mist faded out of sight- and the note awaited a reader.
Ansat read the note out loud.
The note was scribbled roughly in a hurry, but still legible.
"So if you're reading this, I'm dead. That's bad for me, I guess. But even so, i'm still glad I got to know you all while I was alive. You guys, the wardens, are probably the best people o've ever known. No matter what happens now, just keep going on, keep going forward, and i'll see you on the other side.
Forever grateful,
Ian Frostbreaker"
Jade stared at the note. “No regrets. No blame. No… just, well… happiness, I guess.”
She considers the word, like it’s a nostalgic delicacy from childhood. “Happiness.”
Lucas seemed half hurt and half disappointed. He expected Ian to at least add something brief about him, but felt guilty knowing that. Ian cared about all of them, and said so in the note, which was probably the friendliest thing he'd ever say. Yet... was just another sign that Ian loved him, even after death, too much to ask for?
Ben stopped looking like he was about to kill someone, and more like how he was before.
Jade turns to the Astral Warden, still rubbing her scar. “You okay?”
Aly's tail twitched, the only sign of emotion besides silence. She just didn't know how to react.
The trainees hung by the doorway solemnly, a certain salamander respecting the moment for once. However, one of them made their way towards a particular Astral Warden.
Abner placed a comforting hand on Lucas' shoulder, knowing how he felt all too well.
Meanwhile, a certain Ivory Fairy had listened in the hall, one thing on his mind.
Look what you've done.
Ansat was kicking back, able to feel happy again.
Jade tried to smile… but settled for just leaning back and watching everyone.
The Ice Warden looked about the room, she didn't belong here, and she knew it. But there was a person who did belong.
She slipped out of the room, walking into the hall where a certain fairy was fiddling with an amulet, most likely figuring out the best place to vanish to for the next few days.
"When are you going to stop blaming yourself for everything?"
Amber eyes meet blue, dull with guilt, "Aly..."
"Little rat, already forgot that one?"
"Oh shut up."
She crossed her arms, "Look, taking the blame for something that wasn't your fault won't change what happened."
"Says the person who always tells me not to be hypocritical," he responded.
"This isn't about me."
Gale stepped back, startled as she hugged him.
"Aly. You know I don't..."
"I don't care,"
At this point, Storm had realized who was missing, the group eventually following as he walked out into the hall.
"I just want to see you smile."
The Academy Keeper sighed as if irritated - but was indeed in fact smiling. A certain something had been slipped into his palm, something he didn't even have to look at to know what it was.
He breathed a "yes" before hugging her back.
Then-
"It took you thirteen years? Seriously?"
"STORM!" Two voices yelled in unison, a certain tech wizard soon being in pursuit by both fairies, the wizard laughing and the gathered group smiling.
In that moment, death was forgotten.
The ghost of a yeti smiled, before vanishing along with that of an Ice Warden.
An Astral Fairy arrived at the door of the Academy, smiling at seeing what was going on within.
Everything was going to be alright.
Maybe.