(Outdated) The King of Elements (part 2)

Chapter 95

Inside of the foyer was eerily quiet. The lights were still on, and there hadn't been any signs that the school was a part of a battlefield. The flags of the elements still hung proudly on the wall without as much as a smudge on it. The group ran to the barred iron door leading to the tunnel of the Edge Walker's forest. They could hear the gurgling roars of the Edge Walkers from behind the door. There was a loud thug against the door, making Dre jump out of his skin. "Sounds like something wants to get out."

"Do we really want to let them out, Dre?" Megumi asked with a dry stare.

"I didn't say to let them out," Dre pouted. "Can you sense any Amians in there, Katherine?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. Her hair swayed slowly, as if it was swaying in the wind in slow motion. She opened her eyes; they were all-white and glowing for a moment before they returned back to normal. "I can only feel the Edge Walkers."

"Good. I'll need you and Ian to open the door. Kim. Megumi. Once the doors open, I'll need the both of you to unleash a fire wave. If you can do a fira wave, that'll be even better."

"You know I can do it," Megumi said at the same time that Kim said, "You got it."

"Alright." The three held their hands in front of them and formed a fireball. "Open the door."

Both Ian and Katherine pulled at the bars before they heaved the door open. A dark ocean flooded the tunnel, stretching all the way back to the opened door leading to the Edge Walker's forest. Not wasting any time, the three of them unleashed their fire. A large blue wave washed over them; the air filled with the anguished cries of the Edge Walkers caught in the fira. The fira disappeared, leaving mounds of black ash covering the ground and walls.

"Awesome!" Dre said with a raised victorious hand.

"We're not out of the woods yet," Ian said as he and Katherine walked past Megumi, Kim, and Dre. The rest of the group followed. He was right. Both Samantha and Aggaron was in the forest. Too many people have died because of them. Not to mention he had to put an end to Aggaron.

The ash crunched under his boots, mixing in with what Dre thought was the remains of the Edge Walkers. He didn't want to imagine that. The thought of it turned his stomach. Either that, or being this close to Aggaron. The rest of the group marched on. He was stunned to see just how fearless they looked. Even though they were walking towards a leader of a rebellion and the ultimate evil, they moved forward as if they knew they could easily topple over Samantha and Aggaron. He gulped before he looked towards the door. They weren't afraid, so neither should he.

"Wait," Katherine said, both of her arms outstretched to keep them from walking any closer. "Do you guys hear that?"

Dre perked his ears, trying to listen closely to what she was talking about. Then, he heard it, the sounds of battle going on at the outside of the Edge Walkers Forest. He couldn't pick out any distinguishable voices, but he knew that they had to have been members of the school faculty. "Let's get in there."

The group rushed inside.

In front of the Peacekeeper, Dre could barely make out two figures; Samantha, who was in what looked like a forest-green, ornamental dress, and a dark figure standing beside her. In the middle of the entrance, in the same place where they'd stood almost a year ago, a battle between Amians and Edge Walkers. He could make out Toney, slashing with his Zweihander, and McManus, surprisingly striking with kicks as swift as lightning. There was a figure in a dark-red trench coat fighting with them, his blond hair sticking out among the darkness. He was slaying Edge Walkers with a pair of twin swords. Thrusting one in the chest of an Edge Walker, he sent a bolt of lightning careening towards one behind him before he retrieved his sword and beheaded the Edge Walker in front of him. "Fight me, Samantha!" he cried out, sounding too familiar.

He didn't even notice his friends rush forward. He followed with a cry, his sword flying through the air, the crystal-like blade slicing through Edge Walker after Edge Walker. He figured his fire would be too dangerous to unleash in the forest. So instead, he stuck with the Suscéptor. The group closed in on Toney and McManus. He saw Megumi's Aunt Sophie and Uncle Christian fire bolts of electricity into the crowd of Edge Walkers. Members of the Kurai Elites were using ice-crafted blades on the beasts, some were wearing a completely different uniform than the one he saw Ian and Marcus wear. Beside each of the Kurai Elites were heavily armored Amians, water bubbling around their metal-clad hands.

And behind them, he saw Aggaron. It was the boy, the same boy he'd seen when Dixon was strangling him. The same boy who'd sent those dark ribbons at Samantha when she was dropping him off. So, that was Aggaron? Just a little kid? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he shook it out of his head. Aggaron was more than just a kid. He's a demon who was generations older than even his grandfather. He was the one who forced Toney to kill Hiro. He's the one who been trying countless times to end life on Amity. Dre furrowed his brows as he dashed towards the monument.

"Dre?!" Toney called after halving an Edge Walker. The man in the trench coat turned to him. Dre was shocked to see that it was Daven Hero. After taking a look at Dre, he went back to slaying Edge Walkers. "Dammit! First Daven and now you?! You know you're not supposed to be here!"

"I'm the only one who can do anything to Aggaron. I have to be here." Toney snarled before he turned to kill an Edge Walker. Dre sprinted towards the monument before Toney turned back around.

He hopped up the steps, standing his ground as he gripped the sword with both hands, glaring at Samantha and Aggaron. Smiling, Aggaron said, "So, the prodigal hero has arrived."

"I'm going to assume that was an insult." He could feel his heart racing as his eyes went back from Aggaron to Samantha. For a split second, he was surprised to see Samantha out of her monstrous form. What was even more shocking was the remorseful look on her face. A ruse. It had to be a ruse. "You're both going down."

"Not only a prodigal hero, but also a compulsive liar," Aggaron mused. "Oh? And would you look at that. You have the Suscéptor. So, you're the King of Elements. I honestly didn't expect to fight you until my power came back. It's funny that your ex-girlfriend became my underling in this slaughter. Oh, and speaking of." He turned to Samantha. "Since you've had more time with the King, I'll give you the pleasure of doing away with him. Do try not to kill him, though. That'll be my pleasure."

His focus slid to Samantha. She flinched as he shifted towards her. Dre blinked at the subtle movement. It wasn't a ruse. She shook her head quickly as she backed away. "N-no. I don't want to do this anymore."

"What?" both Dre and Aggaron asked simultaneously.

Shaking her head more vigorously, she said, "I don't want this anymore. If I am to become the queen, I want to do it on my own merit. I don't want your wish anymore, Aggaron. I'm turning myself in."

"You wretched, little bird!" Aggaron exploded. He snarled at her before he said, "Fine then. I'll destroy our contract. In return, I keep something of equal or greater value." Smiling demonically, he said, "And I think I know just what I'll do. Your Siren powers will be extracted. Your sisters will turn their backs on you. The life you once knew, those that you've once trusted, they will all disappear." Samantha backpedaled, fearful. She turned towards the stairs leading off of the pedestal holding the Peacekeeper. In a flash, Aggaron zipped in front of her and placed his hand on Samantha's forehead, producing a black orb, tasseled with black, velvet-like ribbons. Samantha began to fall forward, until Aggaron swiped his hand toward Dre's direction, sending Samantha careening into him. He caught her, glaring at Aggaron as he gingerly placed Samantha on the ground beside him.

"You have no one else here to defend you, Aggaron. It's time to put an end to you."

"Defend me? Who needs a canary to protect a freak of nature?" Aggaron sneered. He revealed a paper-white arm from behind his cloak. "Since you've been such a good sport, I'll make this fair for you. I will only use this one hand to defend me, which is more than I'll need for you."

"I'll make you eat those words!" Dre roared as he pounded towards Aggaron and lifted himself in the air. Using gravity against him, he brought the sword down hard at Aggaron's head. He choked back on his cry as he stared at Aggaron, holding Dre up with his hand around the blade of the Suscéptor, smiling.