Incoming Doom

ch. 16 (rewritten)

"So, what's your plan, master?" I inquired, facing a mysterious figure cloaked in black. "I need you to instill fear in the elemental masters we have; they've defied us too many times," my master declared. I nodded, seeking clarity, "How do we achieve that without eliminating them? The doomsday device relies on their cooperation." Master chuckled, dismissing the significance of the device, "The doomsday device is just a distraction. We don't need it."

Confused, I turned to my brother, questioning, "What do you mean?" Master laughed again, revealing a surprising ability, "I can extract your powers from the Timeblades and return them to you. I only ask for one thing in return." Intrigued, I asked, "And what might that be?" Master dropped her hood, introducing herself, "I am Aspheera, once known as Piro Snakes until the elemental master of fire, Ray, stripped us of that title." I nodded, prompting her to explain the connection, "You have Ray and Maya captive. This gives me the opportunity to travel back in time with you, ensuring that instead of being imprisoned, I will eliminate them, creating the tomb myself and hiding until the opportune moment. I seek revenge, not just on them but also their son, while their daughter is of no consequence to me."

Contemplating her proposal, I responded, "Very well. We will strike fear into their hearts and assist you in your vendetta. In return, you must restore our powers and grant us freedom once the task is complete." Aspheera agreed, promising, "Follow my instructions, and I shall spare you."

"We've been at this for hours!" I complained, stretching my fingers. "My hand hurts," I added, glancing at Griffin. "My legs do too, but we can't stop or else..." Griffin didn't finish his statement.

"Yeah, we know, Griffin. It's not smart to make them mad now," I said, still melting metal.

"The day should be over soon. We should be able to get water and food then," Neuro said optimistically.

"Eh, that's not food; it's disgusting," Griffin stated, running over to us. I laughed, "I have to agree with speed guy." Griffin nodded, "At least they give us something to eat. They could have starved us," Neuro remarked.

Suddenly, we heard the doors open. "Alright! All of you get over here!" Krux yelled at us. Following his orders, we gathered. "Today you guys are going to be working overtime since you messed up and destroyed the entire doomsday device. No food, but we brought water. If any of you get caught slacking off, there will be punishment. Any questions?" We all remained silent. "Good. Now get back to work," he said before walking out.

"Overtime!" Griffin complained. "I don't know how much longer I can do this without my legs giving out," he added, stretching. I nodded, looking at my hand with only lingering flames. "My power is starting to get exhausted too," I stated.

"I think all of ours are," Neuro said, walking back to his station. As we resumed our tasks, Griffin muttered, "If only we had some way to break out of here."

Karloff chimed in, "We need a plan, and fast. These conditions are unbearable." I agreed, "But we have to be cautious; any wrong move could make things worse."

In the midst of our conversation, we heard a distant clang. The sound made us tense, but we continued working. Griffin sighed, "I miss real food, not this slop they feed us."

Neuro chuckled, "Yeah, it's barely edible, but it keeps us going." As we toiled away, each passing moment felt like an eternity. The lingering flames in my hand served as a reminder of our dwindling strength.

Suddenly, the doors creaked open again. "Alright, enough chatter! Back to work!" Krux barked. We exchanged glances, our brief respite cut short. With heavy hearts, we returned to our labor, the hope of escape lingering in our minds like a distant mirage.