Elvey and Tintagel were clearly nervous. They already knew which elemental was planning to challenge them. They were not happy.
"Fire wants to be last," Tintagel grimaced.
"I don't know how strong Wind is," Elvey sighed. "I can only assume an aerial training."
"That's going to hurt," Jericho frowned.
"I know," Tintagel nodded. Elvey was already calling in various Titans to help witness the training. Hot Spot, Bushido, and Starfire were the first ones to appear.
"I understand that Cheshire appeared?" Hot Spot frowned.
"Yeah. She's under control of the Unseelie, so she can't do anything," Robin shrugged.
"What will happen if she fails?" Starfire asked.
"I don't want to know," Robin admitted. "We might not ever hear from any of them again."
"I hope Madam Rouge is one of them that I never have to see!" Hot Spot snorted.
"If Katarou vanishes, I will not complain," Bushido nodded. "But, I do not know if he is one or not. If he is...I will only train that much harder."
"Everyone will train," Robin said. "It's why the elementals are here. It's safer here. If we try to train out there, it may become deadly. It's better in a controlled dream environment."
"Duuude!" Beast Boy said when he appeared. "Cheshire is so dead!"
"She's not fighting me. She may live. I hope Speedy's up to it. She did say that she wanted to challenge him. Maybe we can get them to gloat over who they want to challenge. Slade already knows that he's dead if he goes against me. That's a given," Robin grinned.
"You mean against us," Elvey nodded.
"Yes, Father," he smiled. He scowled at the knuckle rub, and Elvey easily dodged the half-hearted swing at him. Another rub was given as a mild punishment. Bruce was next to appear, and he nodded to the powerful Fae. At a glance to Robin fixing his hair, he rose a brow.
"So, who am I witnessing tonight?" the man grinned.
"Wind," Tintagel sighed. "I have no idea what to expect."
"I'm sure of that," Bruce mused. Ambrosia nodded to him and yawned. Her belly was a bit larger now, and he was able to give a fond rub over it. The kick given back showed it was appreciated. "How many more weeks?"
"It's three months in total," Elvey chuckled. "About a month and a half went by. So, if you figure a month in a week, you'll get your answer."
"Wow," Bruce paused with amazement. "That's gotta be rough!"
"We know," Jericho grimaced. At how his wife started to fall asleep, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "Okay. We'll go sit down."
She only nodded and let Robin help her sit down with Jericho at the gazebo stands. Esmiralda was waiting there with a look of concern in her eyes. "My daughter is going to become exhausted rather quickly now. It can't be helped. I was very much the same way."
"I see..." Robin frowned. He suddenly stammered at Ambrosia's sudden thought on bursting into tears. Beast Boy rushed to her side to comfort her. Elvey and Tintagel both looked over with alarm.
"It is the pregnancy," Esmiralda said with a soft frown. "It is taking its toll."
"All the stress," Robin frowned. At the sight of the elementals appearing, Earth looked over with a concerned rumble. On being told what was going on, it looked to the other elementals there. Wind now looked over at Tintagel and Elvey to let out a smirking laugh. Ambrosia actually found herself giggling at what it was telling her. Esmiralda found herself giggling, too.
"When you girls giggle, something isn't right," Tintagel groaned.
"I have to pull in a few more," Elvey muttered and focused to see who else was sleeping. Kole, Pantha, Aqualad, and Speedy were next. Raven, Cyborg, Jinx, Herald, and Kid Flash finally made it in. Only after they were seated did Elvey nod that they had enough there.
"We need more here," Cyborg frowned.
"Until Ambrosia is stable enough, we can only do small amounts," Elvey shrugged. "It cannot be helped right now. What more is there to say?"
"I wonder," Cyborg mused. He activated a recording device. "If this works, I'm gonna be trippin' up! If it does, it will make things much easier!"
"And, if it doesn't, I can make a vision on a wall," Jericho chuckled.
"You may have to do that," Tintagel nodded. Wind gave a howling call to remind them that it was waiting. Elvey sighed and looked at his brother-in-arms. Tintagel gave a small shrug, and they started to walk down the dirt path once again to the expanse of dirt. Elvey was rather glad that Starfire's clinginess was put in check. He knew it was there, but she had it under control.
"Friend Ambrosia? Are you okay?" Starfire asked.
"I should be fine," she sighed. "I am just...very tired. All the time now."
"Is the crystal helping?" Raven asked.
"It does help," Ambrosia nodded. "There are times that I feel I use it more than I should."
"The crystal knows. You are bearing a child that is not normal. It was prepared," Esmiralda smiled down at her daughter. "Don't worry, my dear. Everything is fine."
Ambrosia watched Tintagel and Elvey walk away, and she found herself shivering. Esmeralda gasped and waved for them both to come back. Wind now helped with that decision by sending a rather strong gust to push both strong Fae back. They looked at each other and ran back over to their daughter.
"What is it?!" Elvey hissed. He found himself getting hugged, and Tintagel was in the same predicament. "My daughter? What's wrong?"
"Not yet. Don't train yet," she whispered.
"It is Aelfric," Esmiralda frowned. "The child knows that you both are a part of young Robin and King Jericho. He wishes for you all to be close. Just for a little bit."
"Spoiled child," Tintagel chuckled.
"Were there any Kings that wanted to be here?" Bushido asked.
"Good question," Elvey said. He scanned and chuckled. "None are sleeping. We're fine."
"Ambrosia?" Tintagel whispered to her. She had fallen asleep on him. Wind was actually being sympathetic. It knew that Ambrosia was in a delicate state. All of the elementals knew. When Tintagel tried to pull away, she whimpered. Esmiralda stopped him with a smile.
"Give her ten minutes. Elvey, dear, help him. Young ones, give them some space around King Jericho and Robin, please?" Esmiralda asked. Beast Boy scooted aside, and the others were quick to take his example. Bruce mused and seemed to chuckle.
"Do you think I could go up against that Earth guy? Just to see what it's like?" Bruce asked.
"Ahh..." Elvey gaped with a touch of shock. That look alone should be a warning.
"You weren't here when Earth tested us," Tintagel said grimly. "I will not give any details."
"That's fine. I won't get hurt, right?" Bruce asked.
"No. When you know all is lost, it will end," Esmiralda nodded at Earth's rumble.
"Are you sure?" Robin asked his mentor.
"If I lose, you can call me an idiot," Bruce grinned.
"I'll take you up on that!" Robin grinned back.
"Dude..." Beast Boy sniggered. The other Titans were just as amazed. The older man stood up and jogged down to the dirt patch. He wanted to test the Earth Elemental for himself. Earth now towered over him and thought. Then, before Bruce could blink, it slammed its fists into the ground to cause a sudden shift into the land. A large crack appeared and splintered towards him at break-neck speed.
Bruce gaped and barely jumped out of the way in time before falling into the crevice. Water urged for him to run to Earth. He nodded and started to sprint over. Much like Elvey and Tintagel's testing, Earth had spikes of rock shoot up from the land. It wasn't as intense, since Bruce was still human, but it wasn't as lenient, either.
When the pillars of stone started to splinter and fall down, his jaw dropped in complete shock. He bolted past the first one, ran up the second one, and fluidly jumped and ran down the third one. Right as the ground was about to drop away underneath him, he jumped once more and landed next to a massive hand of Earth. He skidded to a stop with shock that he survived the whole ordeal. The elemental roared with laughter, as the land reformed. Bruce was completely out of breath and on his knees. Elvey knew that Earth wasn't so hard on him. Earth now helped him get back to the others with a massive hand.
"It was twice as bad with us," Tintagel chuckled.
"Are...you...serious...?!" Bruce panted. Elvey nodded with a tight smile. Jericho was clearly worried about his wife's condition.
"Father, you're going to hate me," Jericho muttered. "You may need Wind and Fire to test you together. After this training, you both will need to be close."
"What?" Tintagel gaped at him.
"He's right," Robin said with a worried tone. "I mean, if you both are a part of us, then Aelfric sees you both as just as important. I think tonight will be okay for you guys to train. But...we can't do another dream session with you guys away from us."
"Essi? What do you think?" Elvey asked.
"I fear that young Robin is correct," Esmiralda winced. "You may have to do this training with both Wind and Fire against you. I am sorry..."
"No. We'll do this," Tintagel nodded. "Can we do this now? The sooner we get it done, the sooner our daughter can truly rest with us."
"Aelfric, you can do this," Elvey smiled and ran a hand over Ambrosia's belly. "One more training away from us. Okay? Just for tonight. We'll be with you during all the others."
A massive bought of kicking happened before calming down. The baby clearly didn't want them to leave, but he understood, too. Two more kicks were given to show it was fine. Esmiralda beamed when Ambrosia woke with a small cough. Jericho rocked her and kissed her temple.
"Twenty minutes," Robin judged. "I think each kick stands for ten minutes."
"You may be right," Elvey nodded. "You alive, Mr. Wayne?"
"Barely," Bruce said, as he rested in a chair. The Titans giggled and laughed. Elvey and Tintagel nodded again and looked over at the ground. They paused in shock. Wind and Fire were side by side and waiting for them. And both looked rather eager to test them. They nervously walked to the middle of the dirt arena and stood tall to show they were ready. Bruce's jaw dropped at how Fire made a lake of molten lava around them. Wind howled and shot up several large chunks of earth into the air to float seemingly out of reach. Burning tornados and dust devils now blazed around them with super-heated force.
"Nice knowing you," Tintagel muttered.
"You, too," Elvey smirked. They both leapt as one when they felt the ground shudder beneath them. The lava had just eaten it away when they landed on a floating slab of earth. It tilted dangerously, and they managed to move to keep it level. A gust of searing hot wind scorched under their feet to make them hiss with pain, but they endured it. They had to jump from one slab to another, as lava erupted from the molten pool to eat away at each slab.
It was when they felt the wind getting stronger around them that they started to panic.
"To the center!" Tintagel hissed. Elvey nodded and they jumped from slab to slab. They dodged flying bits of molten rocks in the fiery tornado they were now in. Wind howled its rage, as they evaded everything. Fire chuckled, and the molten lava start to raise up to form a volcano. The two of them were now dodging debris that started to fly out of the mouth of the mini volcano under them. It was getting ready to erupt, and they were scrambling to get back out into the gales of wind that barraged them. This was by far the toughest they ever had to endure. It almost rivaled that of Earth, but it was because they were against two elementals. Just as they started making progress, the worst thing possible happened.
"Father!" Ambrosia cried out at the pain Aelfric gave her. Robin gasped and tried to calm her. Jericho now gave a hard glare at the two Fae men on the field of lava. Wind and Fire both stopped everything abruptly. The two Fae men survived everything, even though the test wasn't done. Ambrosia was showing severe signs of stress. She needed them close now. Even Esmiralda was in shock at how bad this had gotten. Aelfric couldn't wait anymore.
"Hurry!" Beast Boy cringed. Wind was able to carry them over on the slab of rock they were on. Ambrosia burst into tears when they both hugged her. The other Titans were stunned. Even Bruce didn't know what to think about this.
"It's not your fault, my daughter," Elvey whispered, as he rocked her. "It's fine. The elementals aren't going anywhere. We can train again after Aelfric is born."
"Yeah," Tintagel nodded, as he held his daughter. She was still sobbing against him and clinging to him. "It's all right. I'm here now."
"Why...did Sinlus...do such...?!" she whimpered. Elvey hissed and hugged her tighter.
"My daughter, your crown will protect you. King Jericho will protect you. Everyone is ready to rise up to defend you at all hours," Esmiralda soothed. "You have nothing to fear."
:My Queen, he cannot even touch you in your dreams anymore. Can you only imagine what would happen if he tried with four of the strongest elementals in existence bearing down on him?: Robin chuckled to her. That got a tiny giggle from her. Elvey nodded to him with a small smile. It was a good thought to give her.
"I think he might give them indigestion," Jericho grinned.
"Who?" Beast Boy asked.
"Sinlus if he got here. With those elementals tearing at him," Robin smirked.
"Dude! That would make an awesome video game!" Beast Boy gaped. That got them all laughing. "Seriously! It would be so cool!"
"I'd beat you at it! Besides, what would the point of the game be?" Cyborg asked.
"Rack up points for mass beating on him with various elementals!" Beast Boy said proudly.
"Sounds better than Stinkball," Raven chuckled.
"Stinkball is the ultimate game!" Beast Boy scowled. "We just need a referee!"
"Count me out," Herald smirked.
"I think I'll be busy," Bushido smiled. Ambrosia listened to the light bickers with a complete wave of exhaustion. When she started to cry again, Elvey was able to rock her close.
"Hush," he whispered. "Yes. What happened was wrong. But, we're here now. Nothing will happen. I vow this. You have my absolute word."
"I think this training is done," Tintagel sighed. "Overall, it wasn't that bad."
"No, it wasn't," Elvey smiled softly. Bruce thought and leaned over to whisper to them.
"I want you all to come over. Maybe when everyone is awake," he said. "I think it would be good. We'll have some breakfast and talk about current events."
"We can plan for that," Elvey nodded. "Is a moon crystal by your front door?"
"Yes. I even put one in the backyard garden," he chuckled.
"Okay. We may be able to build a teleporter there for other Fae to reach you. That shouldn't be too hard to do. We'll even show you how it works," Tintagel nodded with a small grin.
"I can look forward to that," Bruce nodded back. They shook hands, and Bruce vanished away. When all that remained was the six of them with Beast Boy, they were able to calm her a bit more.
"Star didn't want to go, but she had to," Robin frowned. "She worries about My Queen, too."
"I know," Elvey nodded. "Hush, now. Are you ready to wake up?"
"No," Ambrosia trembled. "You'll...be gone..."
"I'll be there through Robin," he whispered.
"It...isn't the same anymore..." she admitted. That had him stiffen. This wasn't good.
"We can't have physical forms right now. We will likely never get them back," Tintagel said. "If we tried, we would need our crowns. They have moved on, and mine has died. Our bodies were also destroyed. We are only here in spirit."
"Ambrosia, we are always with you. Why do you feel this way?" Elvey asked.
"I spent...over a thousand years..." she whimpered. Elvey was able to think to Robin, and he let his son move forward to pull her close and kiss her. Elvey then rose up and pulled Esmiralda close to kiss her in the same manner. Beast Boy was very confused.
"You forget that Elvey is her father. He is not in Robin in the dream session," Tintagel smiled. "He won't kiss her, so he had Robin do it. He's satisfying his own urge to kiss her by kissing Esmiralda."
"Oh!" Beast Boy blinked.
"I love you, my Queen," Robin whispered to her.
"I love you, too, Robin," she whispered back. She let him rock her gently in his arms, and she sighed softly. He kissed her again and muttered lightly in her ear. "Will you?"
"I'll be the first one you see when you wake," he smiled.
"Promise?" she asked.
:I vow.: he mentally whispered with a loving, masked gaze. Elvey rested a hand on his son's shoulder to nod. Robin looked over at Beast Boy and said, "If Star is trying to look for me, can you keep her busy for a bit? Ambrosia really needs me close."
"I can do that," Beast Boy nodded with a large grin. "I'll have her play with Silkie with me. I'm sure he's lonely. Oh! We can use Silkie as a trap for Cyborg's next lunch!"
That got them all laughing and giggling, as the dream session ended.