Elements Joined

Chapter 9

Written by: DP, FK, and Z77

DP: Hello, and welcome to another chapter

FK & Z77/play cheesy music/

DP: So, today we take back up on all those cliffhangers we left you off on.

FK/dodges rotten fruit/ I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDN'T OF HAD THOSE CLIFFHANGERS!

ALL: Onward

Z77/gets nailed with a tomato/ OWW! That's my EYE!

OoOoO

Chaos ruled the large field, as the three fighters tried, seemingly in vain, to defeat the army. Soldier after soldier…an endless supply of fire benders. And yet, like hope, the three warriors still stood up against the Fire Nation…

OoOoO

At the last second, Kidate twisted to one side. The large hammer slammed the ground where her head had been only a minute ago. Kidate's red bangs blew back from the misplaced air.

Not even having the time to curse, Kidate jumped, using the earth below her as a pillar. She flipped, landing heavily behind the hammer-wielder.

With a strangled roar the gargantuan man swung around, hammer making a sinister whoosh. Kidate cursed under her breath, surprised that such a large weapon could be moved so fast. Clothes ripped to near shreds, and face smudged with dirt, she realized this was true battle. Kill, or be killed. There was no holding back.

Kidate held out her arms, making the ground under the hammer man hard and stiff. With a jerk of her hands, she pulled the earth from under him. The warrior tumbled, landing on his hands and knees. But, in the process, knocked Kidate over as well. The man, though weakened, still towered over Kidate.

With a feral roar, Kidate bolted the man down to the rocks beneath him, using twirls of rocks to grab his arms and legs.

For the first time, the hammer-wielder looked at Kidate with fright. Kidate ignored the look- knowing what must be done. She took out one of her arrows, twirling it in her hand once, before stabbing it directly between the man's ribs.

The man fell, head lobbing to one side. Kidate could see the man's life force leave him, even as his eyes rolled back into his head. She sat back, gasping, unaware of all the fighting and chaos around her. How? How could she do that?

She had killed another being- another human.

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Kaze held on for his life, as the Rhino bucked desperately. One slip and he would be the dirt in the Rhino's claws.

The warrior attempted to blast Kaze, but the Rhino's jumping caused it to miss. With a glare, Kaze used Airbending to knock the man off his Rhino. He was smashed underfoot before he could even scream.

With a grunt, Kaze pulled himself on the saddle. "YEE-HAW!" He cried, swinging his hand around. From his vantage point, he was able to blow many a soldier off balance, even causing some to fly away, into trees and rubble.

The Rhino destroyed all in its path, but eventually tired. Instead of taking the chance the Rhino would attack him; Kaze used airbending to trip the beast, than flip it over. Kaze landed lightly, but the animal didn't. Its horns were jabbed into the ground, making it stuck upside down.

Kaze smirked, than ran off into the fray, eager to find his next opponent- and maybe his comrades.

OoOoO

Shino stood confident, throwing off his robes, exposing his muscular girth. He knew what he was up against, his student. No, his BEST student. They circled each other, peering into each others eyes. They were pools of flame reflecting the mass chaos that surrounded them. Time seemed to stop around the two; all that mattered was the fight; a fight Kaji intended to win.

Kaji's usual strategy was to dash in headlong, without a care for his own well being, as long as his enemies were defeated and his allies safe. But this tactic would accomplish nothing here; this was an Agni Kai. He felt the flame rushing through his veins, burning with power. He had to use firebending- any other attack would be useless against Shino.

"Your armors changed," Kaji muttered. "So, you have a few more fancy medals to try to intimidate me with?"

"I'm a general now, young one; a rank that you could have achieved if you had stayed with us. I remember when I told you of our plans; our plan to destroy the other nations. I could see the fear in you, that's why you ran away- like a scared little boy!"

"I didn't run away, I left so I could destroy you- which I intend to do right now!" Kaji rushed forward, every memory of his past welling in him, and with those memories came anger. He spun around unleashing every feeling he had right into Shino.

Shino effortlessly dodged the blast, muttering arrogantly, "Surprised? I'll teach you what it means to be a real firebender!" He shouted. Shino dashed forth, right into position where he could easily scorch Kaji. He shot a flaming kick toward him.

Kaji ducked; surprised that he had dodged such an attack. He retaliated with a flaming low kick. Shino jumped over it and landed behind him.

Conjuring his inner breath Kaji unleashed a barrage of furious kicks and punches toward Shino. Shino dodged all but one, which hit him in the leg. He shook it off; countering with a new move- he took the energy from inside the earth. Soon he had a gigantic ball of magma aimed right for Kaji.

Kaji couldn't believe what he was seeing; he had never witnessed true lava techniques in person. With some hand motions Shino launched the burning sphere toward Kaji.

Quickly thinking, Kaji did the first thing that came to mind- shoot more fire at it. Hoping that he would knock the ball back towards Shino, he fired at huge blast of flame towards it. This just added to the giant flaming mass. Kaji thought the worst; it was all over, and everything he had worked for was gone.

He wouldn't accept these thoughts as reality. Quickly banishing them, he dove toward the right. The magma still trailed towards him. He crawled franticly trying to get out of range. The burning meteor hit the ground, creating a huge shockwave that knocked Kaji back at least 15 feet.

Kaji was stunned; he thought he couldn't move. But, he knew that he couldn't lose. He sprung back to his feet preparing himself for battle.

Shino was amazed that Kaji, his old apprentice, had dodged such a high level fire bending move. He stood their in bewilderment, but quickly took to his fighting stance.

Kaji smirked, knowing that this would finish him. He stepped back and shot a gigantic blast of flame towards Shino. In this flame were everything he had kept back for so long, his suffering, his family's suffering, and all the wrong that had been done to him. He put forth every ounce of feeling from within; creating an enormous blast of fire so huge it couldn't be dodged.

On impact, smoke immediately rose from the blast, and everything around it was scorched. Kaji laughed arrogantly turning his back on the scene, walking towards Kaze and Kidate he rubbed the back of his head, laughing, and proud of what he had done. Kaze and Kidate waved to him, smiling and proud of themselves and of Kaji.

Kaji thought the day was saved; he thought he had beaten Shino, and with him a large fire Nation army. But he was wrong. Just as the smoke cleared, Kaze yelled, "KAJI! LOOK OUT!"

Kaji looked behind him, only to see Shino squatting right behind him ready to fire. He laughed manically, chuckling at Kaji's expression. "What's the matter, you look as if you've seen a ghost." And with that he unleashed a furious blow to Kaji's back.

The last thing he saw was Shino's triumphant smirk. The world whirled around him, as the last thing he felt was his own element burning into his flesh. And with that, Kaji knew no more.

OoOoO

DP: Okay! Next chapter- Dream!

FK: Oh..and this time review more, throw less fruit. I mean, really!

Z77/Whimper/ My eye still hurts.

All: REVIEW!