Chapter 10: One For The Earth

Blaze sighed as he stood in his room at the window, gazing out as he listened to Roller Brawl say good night to her parents and telling their girls to mind their grandparents. He had already said good night to them and had been amazed that his daughters hadn't been afraid of his new form, but now he was brooding over what had happened while he was under Hydrana's control. He didn't know why, but he was the only one who not only regained his full memories, but also remembered what Hydrana had made him do and how he had been forced to kiss her and act like a love-struck fool that followed her every whim. The others only recalled that Hydrana had sent them to fight the Elemental Guardians and then the Skylanders, but nothing else. "Perhaps because she had her claws so sunk into me, I remember how she made me kiss her and treat her like a lover," he said to himself.

To say the least, he was disgusted with himself and felt like he had just corrupted his honor, something he held in high regard. "Blaze?" He heard Roller say as she came up behind him and hugged him. "The girls are with Mom and Dad and we have the room to ourselves."

He sighed. "Roller, she made me do…dishonorable things," he said.

That piqued her curiosity. "Like?" She prompted gently.

"That witch forced me to treat her like a lover," Blaze responded. "She made me kiss her, hold her close, and lavish love upon her as if she was the one I had fallen for." Tears began gathering in his eyes. "I…I don't deserve you, Roller. Not after that. My honor…has been corrupted."

The skater didn't like seeing her husband like this and so placed a hand on his face, making him look at her. "Blaze, you listen to me and you listen good, alright?" She asked. He nodded. "You were under her spell and she's very powerful. As Rachel said, she no doubt focused on you because you're the other leader of the Portal Masters and she was looking to try to accomplish her goals with only one leader after she lost Rachel."

She took a deep breath. "She forced you to kiss her because she was trying to hurt me and you, but there was one thing she forgot: you're my flaming fire and you always return to me. Sure, she had you under a strong spell, but it got broken when Flare cried out for you and I kissed you. My kiss was more powerful than hers. Her kisses were empty while mine are filled with love for you."

He looked at her and she smiled. "I love you, Blaze, no matter what," she said. "Besides, I know that wasn't the real you with that witch. The real you is here with me and underneath all this that she did to you is the man that I know loves me forever and will never abandon me or our children. The real you is here."

She placed a hand over his heart and looked at him. "My flaming fire," she said softly.

He looked at her. "My beautiful rose," he said, holding her close. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but you are so good to me."

"And you are good to me," she said. "That's what made you earn my love."

She gave him lovey eyes now. "Come on, my flaming fire," she whispered. "Your lady has been very lonely and cold and needs you to warm her up."

Blaze smiled at her, gazing at her with his green eyes. "What does my lady wish of me?" He asked. "Whatever you wish is my command."

Giggling, Roller guided him to the bed and both love and the bed covers wrapped around them for the night.

A week and a half later…

"She's been too quiet," Rachel said.

Vortech nodded in agreement. "She was so eager to get the artifacts," he said. "Why the sudden quiet?"

"Could be because she lost her key player?" Isabel suggested. "She was focusing a lot on Blaze and using him as her slave."

"That's true," Kairi said. "Perhaps she's merely licking her wounds because her pride took a blow?"

"Or she could be focusing her power on Drew, Jamie, or Amelia," Bree said. "Though, with what she is, I'd say she's going to focus her power on either Drew or Jamie."

Katie came out, looking excited. "Guys! Master Eon found the next artifact!" She exclaimed. "It's a giant shield made of the most rare jewels."

"If we can get that, we'll have another relic," Elliott said.

"Then let's go see Master Eon," Sage said as the nine Portal Masters raced to go find the guardian of Skylands, who smiled as they entered his office.

"I have already sent out the Skylanders," he said. "I have a feeling Hydrana will be sending out Drew this time."

"Why is that, Master Eon?" Blaze asked.

"Because the Earth artifact is too tempting for her not to get," he replied. "The flaming sword revealed the location, but if the artifacts Hydrana has are placed a certain way, then she too can find the location of the shield."

"Wish there was some way we could get those artifacts from her," Rachel said.

Master Eon smiled. "Ah, that is the beauty of this next artifact," he said.

"What do you mean, Master Eon?" Crystal asked.

He only smiled again. "You'll see, my Portal Masters," he said mysteriously.

Meantime, Knightmare galloped across Cascade Glade, carrying Flameslinger and Stealth Elf on her back while Crusher, Terrafin, Hot Dog, and Magna Charge followed. "Master Eon said it was near the Elemental Gate!" Flameslinger said.

"There's three Elemental Gates here!" Crusher pointed out.

"Where would the shield best be hidden?" Stealth Elf asked.

"Well, probably not the Tech/Earth Gate," Terrafin said. "Too obvious."

"The Undead Gate would make it stand out," Crusher said.

"So the Fire Gate is the only one," Knightmare said. "Let's have a look."

Making it to the Fire Gate, Flameslinger jumped down from the dark Trapper's back. "Allow me," he said, standing near the gate and unlocking it. They went inside and Flameslinger noticed a strange door. "I don't recall that door being there."

Stealth Elf took a look. "It's a rock formation," she said. "But you have to be at the right angle to see it."

Crusher lifted his hammer and smashed it against the door, which opened to another room and Knightmare went in, gasping as she found the shield. "Whoa," she said. "It is a giant shield, too big to take out the door."

"Then I'll make the door bigger," said Crusher and he smashed at the rocks around the artifact after Knightmare galloped clear. A few moments later, the giant had the shield on his arm.

"That…seemed way to easy," Stealth Elf admitted. "Shouldn't we have run into an elemental guardian by now? Or Drew?"

The earth started shaking. "Um, I think we've just awoken something big," said Flameslinger.

Magna Charge's head spun. "Sensors are picking up Earth elemental energy," he said. "I think we just found the guardian."

Just then, a giant made entirely of earth rose over them and roared at them. "Okay, how can we defeat this one?" Stealth Elf asked.

"This is where we could really use some water!" Magna Charge said.

"And that's where we come in!"

They turned to see Punk Shock coming towards them with Snap Shot and Echo behind her. "Someone call for some water support?" Snap Shot asked.

"Perfect timing!" Flameslinger said.

They threw everything they had at the guardian and thanks to the water Skylanders' help, the guardian was soon defeated. But then they looked up and saw Drew standing on a ledge nearby and glaring at them. "Oh, no. Drew," Knightmare said in horror.

"We need to help him remember," Crusher said.

"Knightmare, you're Drew's girl. We can slow him down, but you have to help him remember," Stealth Elf said.

The Trapper nodded. "Okay," she said. "I'll get him back."

Drew landed near them, but they rushed at him, trapping him to a rock wall as Knightmare approached him and leaned close to his ear. "My guardian," she whispered, making him freeze before she kissed him.

Drew's eyes opened wide as a brown light flashed around him and he groaned, making Knightmare pull back and smile at him. "Knightmare?" He asked. "What…Where am I?"

"Cascade Glade," she replied. "Welcome back, my guardian."

He looked at her and smiled. "Thanks for bringing me back, my beautiful star," he said, making her blush.

They returned to the Academy and everyone cheered happily at getting not only the next artifact, but that Drew was free from Hydrana. "There's only Amelia and Jamie left now," Rachel said. "Who knows what Hydrana will do to them?"

"We'll keep hoping," Master Eon said, knowing that Rachel was worried for the last two Portal Masters, especially with Jamie being her cousin. "For now, the shield has revealed the next artifact."

"What is it?" Crystal asked.

"The Quartz Sun Bottle," the guardian of Skylands said. "A bottle that works similar to Ninjini's bottle, only it stores sun energy. If that energy fell into Hydrana's hands, it would turn into black energy similar to the darkness. Only one that is one with light can open it."

"Which means she'll be sending Amelia out next," Isabel said.

"And we'll be waiting to get both the bottle and Amelia," Doom Stone said with a firm nod.

Back at Hydrana's lair…

The succubus screamed in anger. "They got to the shield before he did!" She screamed, throwing something at the wall. Suddenly, she felt a powerful energy in the air and turned in time to see the crown of silver flowers flying through the air too fast for her to catch. "NO!"

She had not only lost another Portal Master, but now two artifacts. Her plans were falling apart and she growled. "No, I cannot lose!" She declared. "Amelia! Come forth!"

The mutated Light Portal Master stepped forward. "Yes, Master?" She asked.

"Go find the Light Artifact for me! I don't care how long it takes! You search for it until you find it and then bring it to me! Understood?!"

"Yes, Master," Amelia said and headed off while Hydrana seethed on her throne.

"I will get that bottle," she growled.

Back at the Academy, Master Eon smiled at the crown of silver flowers landed in his hand, having been called back by the Earth Artifact. "Ah, good. The Life Artifact," he said.

Cassandra smiled. "Claire and Daniel are keeping an eye on the Quartz Sun Bottle," she said. "Won't be long before we find out when Hydrana will send out Amelia, if she does, and what she'll do now that she's lost the Life Artifact."

"We'll know soon enough," Master Eon said.

For now, it was looking like victory just might be in reach for the Portal Masters.

Whoa! Quite a twist, huh? The Portal Masters have not only gained back a friend, but gained two artifacts too. Will they get the Quartz Sun Bottle too and Amelia back? Stay tuned to find out! :)

And please leave a review for robotman25 and myself, but no flames!

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