Chapter Sixteen – Breaking Down Walls and Forming Bonds
While everyone trained and prepared for a fight, Rosiepuff asked Kai, Eclipse, Peppy, and Joy to help review the research. Quincy and Essence pulled down all the books they had found the most helpful.
"Is this what you were looking for?" Joy showed the book to Rosiepuff.
"Yes! The portal." Rosiepuff perused the text.
"Can we open this thing?" Peppy asked. "Force Titan through it and back to the Spirit Realm?"
"In theory, yes." Kai said after reading the passage over Rosiepuff's shoulder. "The Cleaver should 'kill' him, and the portal would help to pull him back to the Spirit Realm."
"We would need to carve this symbol somewhere." Eclipse said. "In the ground. Then, you'd have to draw Titan there and stab him with The Cleaver. As long as he's within the borders of this symbol, the portal will open and provide a direct route to the Spirit Realm. The only concern is mortals can be sucked in with him if they're still within the circle."
"Not to add another problem, but there is the question on the effectiveness of The Cleaver." Peppy added. "Titan is a demon now. Will The Cleaver still kill him in this stronger form?"
"We do not have a way to make him weaker without fighting him, wearing him down." Eclipse reminded him.
Rosiepuff noticed a shadow on the floor, and the glanced to the window. She only saw a flash of color, but she could've sworn Symphony was floating there a moment ago. She shook her head. "If we can get him on top of the portal, then I think we can use the combined power of the portal and The Cleaver to defeat him. What we need to do now is make sure everyone is strong enough to fight. He'll come with a few tricks up his sleeve."
Suki met with the other air-benders in the village, learning new techniques. Trollzart, Thrash, Essence, and even Coral Blush invited her to a sparring session where she could demonstrate her skills.
"How impressive!" Trollzart applauded her. "You have learned well."
"I owe a lot of that to my teacher." Suki said, bowing to Rosiepuff.
"I'm glad you have some actual air-benders to teach you." Rosiepuff said. She had been stopping by each group of benders training around the village, offering advice. "I may have all the elements available with the Nymph's Amulet, but I'm a water-bender by training."
"You're doing great, Suki!" Cooper and Smidge cheered.
"There you all are!" Eclipse jogged up to them, Branch close behind. "Trollzart, you are needed elsewhere. Thrash, Baby Bun, and Darnell want some tutoring on advanced air-bending."
"I better join you, so my son doesn't hurt himself. Again." Essence laughed as the air-benders walked off.
"We're so glad you're doing better, Suki!" Cooper hugged the archer.
"Guys, I'm fine." Suki reassured. "We need to focus. How have you guys been doing with your training?"
"Great, as usual." Smidge shrugged. "I just wish we had our own elements."
"You two are great fighters in your own rights." Rosiepuff assured. "Every bit helps."
"Still, we could use as much firepower as we can get. Come here, you two." Eclipse gestured for Cooper and Smidge to come closer. She put one hand at Cooper's chest and the other hand on his forehead. He yelped, as though someone pinched him. Eclipse did the same thing to Smidge, who had a similar reaction. "Try some moves Rosiepuff taught you. Find your element."
It took a few tries, but Cooper and Smidge were ecstatic to find themselves bending the elements around them.
"Oh my gah! I'm an earth-bender!" Smidge gasped.
"I'm a fire-bender! Awesome!" Cooper bounced excitedly on his toes.
"Suki, why don't you take these two to find some other fire- and earth-benders?" Rosiepuff suggested. "Let's get a handle on those powers." Suki nodded and herded her friends away. Once they were out of earshot, Rosiepuff snapped at Eclipse, "What was that?"
"What did it look like to you?" Eclipse shrugged. Branch and Symphony looked back and forth between them, confused.
"Is that how everyone here got their element?" Rosiepuff demanded. "Is that why everyone is a bender in this village?"
"Mostly, yes." Eclipse said. "I did say that it was my job to help unlock elemental bending abilities. Sometimes, they needed an extra push."
"What's so wrong about Eclipse unlocking everyone's bending abilities?" Symphony asked. "The more the merrier, right?"
Rosiepuff sighed through her nose. "I suppose I have a different viewpoint because of my family history."
"What does that mean?" Branch asked curiously.
"There was once a time in the Golden Rose Clan when only benders were allowed to be part of the family." Rosiepuff explained. "Kids born into the family are born with their powers unlocked. But if a Golden Rose wanted to marry a non-bender, the non-bender had to have their powers forcibly awakened by the Nymph Queen."
"Why her?" Symphony asked.
"Because she was the only one who had the power to unlock or inhibit element-bending powers." Eclipse explained. "Rosiepuff, there is not a troll here who didn't want their powers. I would not have awakened those abilities if—"
"If Kai didn't say he wanted this to be a haven for benders?" Rosiepuff said. "I know he was trying to help, but some people were not meant to be benders. Either because they would use those powers for evil, or because some people have a hard time mastering their powers. In the latter, these abilities become more of a curse than a gift."
"I understand." Eclipse said. "Not much we can do about that now."
Rosiepuff sighed again. "I know. I'm going to find Delta Dawn. She's good to spar with."
Branch watched his grandmother leave. "Eclipse? Have you always had this power to unlock bending in a troll?"
"Yes." Eclipse nodded.
"What about Wani?" Symphony asked. "Why didn't you unlock hers?"
"I tried." Eclipse shrugged. "Believe me, I tried to bring out her element. But there's something about her that she just cannot do it. That does not make her weaker than her sisters, nor is she more powerful than them. What makes the Element Sisters strong is how they work together."
Branch analyzed Eclipse's features. He suddenly noticed things about her that he had not seen before: the pointed ears that weren't the same as dark elf or wolf-troll ears, the unplaited strands of hair that hung down her back instead of standing upright, and the flecks of silver in her eyes.
"Grandma said that the ability to bring out or block bending was something only nymphs could do." Branch said.
Eclipse grinned mysteriously. "That is true."
Delta Dawn appreciated it when Rosiepuff agreed to spar with her. In all her life, Delta Dawn never found someone who could match or best her in fighting. Now, she had a challenge to help her improve.
"You're doing great, Delta Dawn." Rosiepuff said when they finished a spar.
"Let's go again!" Delta Dawn said.
"No, rest." Rosiepuff insisted. "Get some water. Get some food. Practice is good, but it means nothing if your health is poor."
"I just want to be ready." Delta Dawn said. "When I see Titan again, he's going to be sorry."
"Of that, I am certain." Rosiepuff said.
Delta Dawn's ear flicked, and she sighed. "What is up with that kid?"
"Clampers?" Rosiepuff giggled. "Yes, I noticed she was watching us. She's a very enthusiastic earth-bender. Despite my wish for the children to stay out of this, many of them are preparing to do their part. I think Clampers admires you."
"She can come out and tell me that, if she wants." Delta Dawn shrugged.
Rosiepuff hummed. "Hey Clampers! Come over here!"
The child scampered out from her hiding spot and stood next to Rosiepuff. She stared up at Delta Dawn. "Hi…."
"Hey there, kid." Delta Dawn greeted.
"Clampers, Delta Dawn was just asking if she could teach you some earth-bending." Rosiepuff said.
Clampers gasped in elation, not noticing Delta Dawn's surprised look. "Really?!"
"I mean, if Golden Rose thinks I would be a good teacher." Delta Dawn said uncertainly.
"Delta Dawn, I have the utmost confidence in you." Rosiepuff said. "They say you truly know a skill when you are able to teach it to others."
Delta Dawn smiled. "Okay, Clampers. Let's do this."
"Yeah!" Clampers cheered.
A night watch was established and a warning system agreed on so everyone could sleep easier. As strict as Kai was about keeping his village in, he was even stricter with the watch. He often began the watch, his eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary.
Branch stood on the porch of his grandfather's house, leaning on the railing and staring into the night scenery. Symphony yawned, perched on his shoulder.
"Go to bed, Symphony." Branch ordered gently. "You need your rest like we do."
"Fine. But you better get to bed soon, too." Symphony stretched and floated into the air. She paused. "Things are going to be really different when this is all over, huh?"
"Yeah." Branch grinned. "Sometimes, change is a good thing."
Symphony smiled back. "Agreed." She flew off into the house.
Branch looked out to the village again, and he saw a familiar pink troll. "Hey. Couldn't sleep either?"
"Not really." Poppy stood next to her boyfriend. "I thought a walk might help. Got a lot on my mind."
"Which are you thinking about this time? Your family or Titan?" Branch asked.
"My family." Poppy said. "Apollo is learning a lot more about Mom's life before Artemis. Dad doesn't blame Apollo for what Artemis did, and he certainly doesn't direct any anger at Apollo. But their relationship is shaky at best."
"Well, they both just got major bombshells dropped on them." Branch chuckled. "I think they just need time to process."
"Once this thing with Titan is over, things will be different." Poppy said. "Mom is already talking about moving back to Troll Valley and bringing Apollo with her."
"That's great." Branch suddenly remembered something, and he reached into the pocket in his vest. He pulled out the box with his engagement ring. In all the excitement, he had completely forgotten about it.
"What's that?" Poppy asked.
Well, so much for slipping it back into my pocket. Branch opened the box to show her the ring inside. "I bought it over a month ago. It was supposed to be…..well, I was going to…"
Poppy stared at him with wide eyes. "Branch?"
Branch exhaled. "Poppy, I love you with all my heart. I thought that I needed to do great things my entire life because I'm the Dragon Warrior. You helped me to realize that it's just a title, and I don't need to keep proving myself to everyone. I want to take the next step in my life, and I think that next step is with you. Would you marry me?"
Poppy smiled wide. "Branch, of course. But is now the best time?"
"Well, obviously, we need to get married after all this mess." Branch laughed, causing Poppy to giggle. "But I am tired of waiting and missing opportunities. After we survive this fight, let's get married. What do you say?"
Poppy answered by accepting the ring and then tackling him in a hug.
Joy and Peppy practiced with their children, sharing experiences and teaching Apollo and Poppy how to respond to certain situations. Peppy tried to let Joy train Apollo. He felt like Apollo would not listen to him. For his part, Apollo was equal parts relieved and frustrated that Peppy would not offer any advice. After all, they were both fire-benders. But he was also Artemis' worst enemy.
Peppy watched Poppy and Apollo perform a fire-bending kata Eclipse showed them. He noticed something, and he cleared his throat as he gathered his nerve. "Apollo…..uh, and Poppy…..you should adjust your stance. If you have a strong stance, it will propel your fire farther. A weak stance and light movements does not provide enough momentum for the fire."
"Like this?" Poppy adjusted her stance, and Apollo mimicked her. They redid the kata, and their fire came out stronger.
"Well done." Peppy nodded. "Uh, both of you." Apollo glanced to him, and then went back to his training. Peppy speed-walked to his wife.
Joy giggled. "That was better than it has been."
"You can't expect us to bond, especially not in a few days." Peppy said.
"I can and will expect you to be civil and move past your individual issues with Artemis." Joy said.
"I'm trying. It's just that the thought of him touching you in any way —"
"Peppy, we cannot do anything about that now. I will admit I am a bit disgusted by the things Artemis did. But I love Apollo with all my heart. He's my son. I don't expect you to be his father, but you better treat him nicely."
"I will if he shows the proper respect."
Joy analyzed her husband's face. All she saw was confliction. "Poppy, Apollo, that's enough! We're going to try something else."
"What will we do now?" Apollo asked.
"You and Peppy are going to spar with fire-bending, and Poppy and I will spar with water-bending." Joy announced.
Peppy and Apollo exchanged glances, equally surprised and a bit nervous.
"Is that such a good idea, Mother?" Apollo asked.
"Yes, perhaps Poppy and I should spar together." Peppy suggested.
"No. You two are fire-benders. Spar with each other." Joy ordered.
"But, Mother—" Apollo tried to protest.
"On the double!" Joy shouted.
"Yes ma'am!" Peppy and Apollo yelped simultaneously.
Poppy stifled a giggle. "Way to go, Mom."
"Thank you. But, just to be safe, I'm going to get Rosiepuff to supervise." Joy ran off to find her.
When Rosiepuff did arrive, she reminded the two fire-benders to not kill each other, something she said only half-jokingly. Peppy and Apollo still looked unsure, but one look from Joy kept them from abandoning the spar.
"Ready?" Rosiepuff called. Several villagers gathered around to watch. "Duel!"
Neither Apollo nor Peppy moved for a moment. Then, Apollo threw a wild fireball that sailed over Peppy's head. The spar finally began, the two exchanging blows from a distance. They never got close enough for hand-to-hand combat. They only ever shot fire at each other.
"They're really good." Rosiepuff mused.
"They're really frustrated." Delta Dawn said.
"You can sense that?" Rosiepuff asked.
"Our bodies have a physical response to our emotional states." Delta Dawn explained. "Hopefully, this spar will help them release some of that tension."
"Also, hopefully, they won't kill each other." Rosiepuff said. The spar got more intense as they talked. "I'm glad Joy asked me to supervise. I might need your help sensing when to step in."
"I'm focused." Delta Dawn assured.
The strikes thrown got wilder and more powerful, yet Peppy and Apollo refused to get closer to each other. It seemed they were afraid to even touch each other. They could only think about Artemis. Peppy tried to push those thoughts away. He was smart and mature enough to not place blame on Apollo for his father's actions. If Peppy was going to vent his anger at Artemis, he wasn't going to do it to Apollo. However, Apollo struggled with his emotions. He was confused, because Peppy was painted as a monster in his mind but he wasn't really cruel. Apollo was angry, because his father lied to him for years and practically neglected him. He was sad, because his sister now had both her parents but he doubted Peppy would ever really accept him. So much was changing, and Apollo didn't know how to handle it. Everything just built up inside him like a covered pot on the stove, and he was about to explode.
Finally, he did. Apollo deflected a fireball from Peppy and threw back a lightning bolt from his fingers. Reacting quickly, Peppy caught the lightning and, on instinct, redirected it back at Apollo. No one expected Apollo to shoot yet another bolt of lightning.
"Get down!" Delta Dawn shouted just before she stomped on the ground and kicked up a rock wall. The wall separated Peppy and Apollo from the bystanders just as the two bolts of lightning hit each other in a great explosion. Delta Dawn lowered the rock wall as the smoke cleared. Peppy and Apollo were both on the ground. Joy ran for Apollo and Poppy sprinted to Peppy.
"Are you two all right?" Rosiepuff called.
Peppy groaned as he sat up. He coughed out a little smoke. "Well that's new."
"Dad, are you hurt?" Poppy helped Peppy stand.
"No, I'm fine. That was quite a—" He gasped in realization. "Apollo! Is he all right?" He and Poppy ran over to Joy, who pulled Apollo to his feet.
"Are you okay?" Poppy asked her brother.
"Yeah, I'm good." Apollo's hair and eyebrows were singed.
"How did you do that?" Peppy asked incredulously.
"What? The lightning?" Apollo shrugged. "It's an advanced technique a fire-bender can learn. I mean, that was the first time I ever did it but—"
"What?!" Peppy gawked. "That was the first time you shot lightning, and you were able to shoot two bolts consecutively?"
"So what?" Apollo asked.
"What do you mean 'so what'?!" Peppy laughed. "That is incredible! Shooting lightning takes so much more energy than regular fire-bending, and you did it twice in a row? Are you kidding me? That's an amazing feat of strength, Apollo. I'm very impressed."
Apollo stared at Peppy in surprise. "You're….impressed?"
"You must have had some teacher." Peppy mused.
"Uh…." Apollo ticked people off on his fingers. "Eclipse helped…..and so did Hickory and Dickory and Barb and Gomdori…and Miss Rosiepuff gave me some lessons while she was here."
"Sounds like you are a good student." Peppy said.
Apollo was suddenly overwhelmed with a strange feeling of happiness. A different kind of happiness, a type of pride he hadn't experience before. Peppy was giving him praise. Not that he hadn't received compliments before from his mentors. But this felt different. It was the accolades one might receive from a father instead of a teacher.
"Apollo?" Poppy piped up. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah…." Apollo nodded. "Uh…..Master Peppy? Can we do more fire-bending practice? I'm sure you know a lot of stuff I don't know."
"I think we should wait until tomorrow." Joy said. "For all we know, you two might have head injuries."
"Then first thing tomorrow?" Apollo requested with his best pleading eyes.
Peppy chuckled and held out a hand. "Deal."
Apollo grinned widely and shook the master's hand. "Deal! Yes!"
Shadows crept over the village as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. The first shift of the watch began, and everyone else tried to sleep.
Rosiepuff stood on the porch of Kai's house, scanning the land. She had The Cleaver in its scabbard and clipped to her belt. She touched the Nymph's Amulet, still around her neck. She was ready for Titan's return.
"You should get some sleep." Kai suggested as he stepped outside.
"I will." Rosiepuff assured. "You should, too."
"Of course, I will." Kai kissed his wife's head. "Goodnight." He walked off into the darkness.
Rosiepuff looked to the stars. In all my training as a Golden Rose, I never prepared for fighting demons. This is something straight out of Aunt Oba's scary stories she used to tell to freak us kids out. She ran her fingers through her hair and returned to the house. Rosiepuff went to Branch's room and peered inside. Branch was fast asleep, snoring softly, with Symphony curled up on his chest. Rosiepuff could imagine her grandson as a young child, his baby dragon napping on his chest, back in their home in Troll Valley.
Branch hummed in his sleep. "Hide the coconuts…." He snorted a little and pulled the blanket farther over him. "I want a cookie, Grandma. Pretty please?"
Rosiepuff bit her lip to stifle her giggles. "Oh, I'm holding that against him in the morning." She tiptoed away so she wouldn't wake him. She stopped in the kitchen to make some tea, and she found a cup of chamomile ready for her. She grinned, realizing it was left by Kai.
A sound caught Rosiepuff's attention. Something moved outside the window. Rosiepuff stared at the window intensely, waiting, and she did not flinch when a beastly creature shot through the window. Rosiepuff grabbed the cup of hot tea and threw it into the beast's face, distracting it long enough for her to run. The beast tackled her from behind and sent them through the nearest wall. They tumbled across the grass, and Rosiepuff managed to kick the beast off her. She rolled to her feet and summoned water from the nearest patch of snow.
"About time you arrived, Titan." Rosiepuff growled.
The beast changed until the demon Titan stood before her. "I finally have you, Golden Rose."
A/N: I've decided I want to work on some original stuff after this story, and I finally got hit with multiple lightning bolts of inspiration. I'm making a poll in my profile with the one-sentence description of the stories I have planned. Vote on which you want to see first!