Ray held on to Max who wanted to help his friend, gripping his clothes and keeping his gaze away. Ray knew better that to survive, they were going to have to survive the winter and wait for spring to come. He wished to help his friends too, but for now, he had to lead them out of the darkness that was consuming the earth as they spoke.

Tala turned away from his frozen prisoners and led them through a long hall, both hoping to get their coats soon as a draft came in from the outside. They took one last look at their frozen allies and each vowed to free them in whatever way they could.

As soon as they stepped into another room, Ray remembered it as Kai's underground room. He turned to the place they just stepped out of and noticed that it was the pathway the servant had told of.

"You were the one Kai was keeping in the ice lands," Ray concluded.

"Of course and I'm glad we have an understanding of how cruel that was," Tala replied as he climbed the stairs out. Ray remembered his own words and scowled as they pressed on. He wondered what the desert resembled when cold weather moved in and hoped that his people were doing well. They stepped above ground and saw nothing had changed except for the temperature; the sand shifting from the cold winds and losing its golden tone. Max and Ray noticed that Tala looked displeased and returned down the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Max asked him, stopping Tala.

"Care for your people. I'll return shortly," he said, leaving them to return below ground. Max and Ray glanced at one another then looked on to the desert.

"Are we going to live here?" Max whimpered, not liking the dry area one bit.

"I suppose… at least until spring," Ray replied, keeping an eye out for the people of his land to arrive.

"But what about eternal winter?" Max asked.

"Let Tala believe he's won; we'll take control again," Ray replied, determined for his plans to succeed, but it would be a long season.

"When Ray's people came, they were exhausted, frozen and some were even sick. Max helped as much as he could to keep them warm with the materials they found in the fire ruler's temple. Ray helped them recover, but as the weeks rolled by, he could see the effects of this ice age. The people got sicker and weaker without the sun that gave them warmth and vitamins. It was always dark and cold, but Tala refused to let them light a fire. They were slowly dying, but the suffering was much worse. Ray couldn't help but notice that none could die, none could escape this torture and none could attain the light. All the remaining rulers could do was try to keep them happy.

"There is no more hell to go to, but now heaven has also closed its doors to us too," said the woman Ray had met when he first arrived at the fire ruler's temple.

"How do you know this?" Ray questioned, wrapping a blanket around an old man.

"Both messengers are frozen in the chamber. Tala captured both so we'd never escape and simply balance the soul flow,"

"Who are you? Whose side are you on?"

"On Kai's of course! I'm one of his damned souls," she replied.

"Then wouldn't you want to go to heaven?"

"Despite what I wanted before, I know my place," she assured.

"If you intend to help me then give me your name,"

"Mariah,"

It was a few weeks before spring and Ray was making his move. Mariah and Max were the only ones he spoke to about his plan of course in case Tala caught wind of their doings.

"Can you keep Tala occupied Mariah?" Rays asked.

"I'll do my best," she agreed.

"Alright, Max and I are still making the ceiling windows," Ray whispered. It was always dark so it wasn't difficult to keep themselves hidden, but it was hard to see what they were doing. Max and Ray worked hard to move the ice and earth between the surface and where Kai and Tyson were frozen. It didn't matter what was day or night anymore since the only time they could actually see in front of them was during the night when the moon shone brightly over them. They made one hole at a time, making sure that the snow covered the surface to camouflage their project. Soon there were enough holes that the light could illuminate the room completely, but they kept it sealed for now. It wasn't until spring was scheduled that they were ready.

"How is the sun going to thaw Kai and Tyson if there is no sun?" Max asked.

"As soon as the moonlight hits Kai, the sun will know it's time," Ray said.

"I hope you're right. Tala has been depressed lately," Max noted.

"He's starting to understand his wrongs. As long as he doesn't find out about this then he'll accept defeat without too much of a hassle,"

"Alright are we ready?" Max asked, anxious to see the summer oceans again.

"Yeah, go up and wait for the moon to be overhead," Ray instructed, taking a last look around the chamber. Max made sure he was well covered before heading back out into the icy winds. Ray gazed at the frozen rulers and wondered if he was truly about to liberate two angels. He wondered if he was one too, and Max as well. Perhaps even Tala was a sort of angel. Angels weren't always good beings according to the people's stories; they were more like humans which disappointed him since he preferred to see them as superior. Tyson, Kai, Max and himself were gifted, but God never once spoke to them directly.

Suddenly the holes were blown open, letting the moonlight in. It shone brightly on the ice sculptures and reflected like a mirror, lighting the room with a blinding light. Ray shielded his eyes and was about to get out of the room, but Max came in.

"Ah! The light! It burns!" Ray heard Max cry. Both covered their eyes with their arms and escaped the chamber. Ray covered himself as he joined Max in the blistering winds again.

"Now what?" the blond asked.

"Now we wait," he replied. "Just make sure Tala doesn't try to visit his prisoners any time soon," With that, Ray walked off towards his people's shelter. The sight before him was horrible, but it soothed him to know that it would soon be over. "Ray, are they-" Mariah was cut short.

"Soon," he said then turned to the people. "Your suffering will soon end. Spring will come and God will accept your souls once more,"

Anyone could see that the people trusted the earth ruler completely. They smiled at him despite their pain. Many were ready to die and took this message as a sign that they were about to be freed. They were relieved to hear such news and held each other close in their final moments.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this. Please leave in peace and forgive all the wrongs," Ray said, showing them respect.

"Thank-you Ray," said a small boy, lying beside a dying old man who smiled softly in return.

There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't wish they could have lived better. Ray was born with these people and he was still young; it wasn't fair that they had to suffer.

"Once Kai wakes up, he'll take care of Tala," Mariah assured

"I hope so," Max added. Ray turned quickly.

"You're supposed to be watching the chamber!" Ray hissed.

"It's bright and I'm not sure what's going on," Max shivered as the wind passed. Ray admitted that it was unfair to leave Max on his own so went out with him.

"Alright, I'll stand watch with you," he said, stepping out of the shelter and going back into the temple. They noticed that the sun was rising as they were about to descended the stairs to the underground room.

"The sun!" Max cheered. They rushed down and saw the light shining through the red drapery. They rushed in just in time to see their friends break free from the ice.

"Hahahahahaha! You have a thing for Ray!" Tyson laughed as he escaped the ice. "Geez Kai, you should show your feelings more often- Hey look, we're free!" A ball of fire was sent passed his head, burning the tips, making the air ruler realize that they were free and the fire ruler was free to attack him.

"Tyson Granger! Burn in hell!" Kai growled, finally able to cook the blabbering young man alive. He blasted flames at the nay haired man who ran for his life around the large room. The next shot almost hit his head, the third grilled his butt and the fourth was evaded. The heat rising in the room was making the ice above them start to melt. It dripped down through the ceiling and drenched the floor. Kai kept blasting angrily until Tyson ran out the chamber to the next room. Max now lay in the small pond of water, splashing in it joyfully.

"Water! Water!" Max swooned.

"Kai! Nevermind him! We have to get you into full sunlight!" Ray said, removing his thick coat as the temperature rose. "Spring is here," Kai nodded his understanding, but didn't move, keeping Ray from going ahead of him. "Kai, what's-" the fire ruler rose one arm and blasted the fireball into the hall between the room and the chamber. Ray saw no point in doing this until icicles came flying back at them like arrows. Ray tossed himself in the water with Max and covered the blond as they flew over their heads. Kai on the other hand stood motionless, letting the ice become water splashing against his body. The heat radiating off the fire ruler was so intense that it made Ray sweat for the first time since winter had begun. It was soon like an oven in the chamber, Max and Ray having no choice, but to get out. Tala came in creating a strong wind that hit them before they could go out.

Kai came at Tala with a flaming fist, striking the redhead towards the face. The ice ruler blocked with his arm that was covered with ice. Unfortunately for him, the ice melted from the heat and didn't last long under Kai's wrath. Tala went back out the way, evading the fire ruler's attacks, trying to get to the cooler exterior, but found that the temperature was increasing as he stepped out of the temple. His pale face started to sweat as he turned to see Kai rise against him, Max and Ray behind him.

"You can't do this to me!" Tala gasped, trying to create his ice to attack with, but nothing would come to him, the sun much too powerful now. "No! My power…" he moaned.

"It's time I got rid of you once and for all," Kai said, creating a ball of flames in his palm, increasing its size until Tala's adrenalin kicked in to take a distance and attack again.

"Enough of this!" Tyson yelled, swatting his hand up in Tala's direction. The redhead lost the air in his lungs and collapsed onto his knees, gasping for the air he just lost. Tala lay weakly on the dirt as Kai let his flame die.

"What was that?" Kai asked in irritation.

"Oh, I just pulled the air out of him," he replied. "He'll be fine,"

"Why didn't you do that before?" the fire ruler growled.

"I guess I didn't think about it," he shrugged.

Kai was about to start another session of air ruler blasting when a figure came down from the skies.

"I've come for you," said the man with feathered wings on his back.

"Hiro?" Tyson asked.

"Yeah, it's me little brother," he smiled. "It's time you all came home," With that, they each grew wings of their own color. Tyson was thrilled by them, Max was in awe by the light blue, but Kai was looked rather unsure for the first time since Ray had seen him. His red wings looked like those of a phoenix while Ray's were a brown like those of a falcon.

"You mean we're going to be together in the heavens?" Kai asked. Hiro nodded which made the fire ruler groan.

"What's wrong?" Ray asked.

"Don't you think I've had enough of Tyson to last me a life time?" he gritted his teeth. Tyson laughed, but the others didn't understand what was meant as they started rising without even spreading their wings.

"We had the greatest conversation! While we were frozen I kept myself occupied by talking with him. It was great!" Tyson chuckled, getting a flashback.

flashback

"Damn him. How did you get suckered into this?"

"A tidal wave hit me and ragged me in the water,"

"Dude! I can hear you! Oh my god! Awesome!"

"Hurray…" Kai groaned.

"Don't take it that way; at least you have company now,"

"I don't need company,"

"Everyone needs company! Oh! That reminds me of a song!"

"Lord almighty no!"

"Everybody's gotta have friends!" Tyson chanted.

"Ah! Shut-up! If I could move you'd be cooked!"

"Cooked? I don't think I taste very good… Hey! I wonder how long it'll be before we thaw and I can get something to eat. Am I gonna starve because I'm frozen or will it not matter? You know, this is gonna be a long wait so tell me the life story,"

"No,"

"Okay then I'll tell you mine,"

"Somebody help me!!!"

"It all started out in the mountains where me and my bro grew up. I was always catching those…"

"This is going to be a long winter…" Kai hissed.

End

Thanks for reading and I should be back some other time to continue that crazy fic called My Chocolate Mints and to add a sequel to Ray's Birthday! Judging the time it took for this to get here… it might be a while, but keep an eye out for me anyways cuz I have lots of work to do! 3