Hola motherhopers.
I enjoy the extra theatricality (How did CJzilla know that word?) that Avatar: The Last Air bender brings to element manipulation (How did CJzilla know THAT word?) and when this, and other fighting chapters, came to my head, CJzilla saw element "bending". The cast of WITCH are performing their powers as would the characters of ATLA. CJzilla thinks it much more entertaining than… a blast of water shooting someone in the face. Blah… I'm not asking you to visualize, I'll do that for you with words. It's my job as fiction MONSTER AUTHOR OVERLORD! Ah ha ha ha ha! Ahem… Sorry… But keep in mind, that my fiction has NOTHIN' to do with Avatar. I just said I liked their element "bending" techniques. I wanna make that clear… Clear? GOOD! On with the story!
As I crash through this city and march toward the ocean, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R motherhopers! Flame and/or fluff. I don't give a dang!
Though she was still very weak, Irma could feel that her strength was slowly returning. She just had to keep Frost talking and in front of that over-sized magical tanning lamp. She only had to feed the gullible gun for hire more tasty tidbits about the Guardians, Lord Cedric and the other important magical creatures she's had contact with. Though she was playing with Frost's desires, Irma was being filled with the manipulation of the moon, turning her down a dark path.
"You lie!" Frost barked turning on his heel and walking back up to the Water Guardian.
Irma smirked as the elfin mercenary stepped in front of the light again.
"Why would I?" she teased the elf on. "You'd be stupid not to believe me."
The Water Guardian got sick kicks out of seeing Frost's face twist with different thoughts.
"Phobos was hasty and sloppy," Irma went on. "Don't tell me you've never pictured yourself on the Meridian throne Frost. I can see your lust for power in your eyes."
The elf gun for hire listened intently, looking deep into Irma's eyes.
"Even though Eylon has great power coursing through her veins, Eylon is still a girl," the Water Guardian tantalized. "You take away her support and she will cave like a sand-castle under a wave."
Frost was transfixed.
"How would you do such a thing?" the mercenary asked.
Irma closed her eyes and felt her frustration and anger coursing through her veins.
"Simple," she answered. "Get rid of them. One at a time until Eylon is alone. She will put up a fight at first, but she will be defeated quite easily."
It wasn't like Irma didn't know how to take Eylon down… she was a Guardian and sworn to protect the Queen of Meridian. The Guardians spent a lot of time with the teenage queen and saw her weaknesses daily. Irma knew that without the support of Caleb, the Guardians and those closest to her, Eylon would never stand much pressure. Heck, the stress from Phobos invading nearly killed her.
Then Irma noticed that Frost's head drew back in surprise.
"What? You think that since I am a Guardian, I'm not allowed to think about it?" the Water Guardian questioned with a sinister smile, seeing the surprise on the mercenary's face.
Frost studied her for a moment.
"I'm impressed at… your wickedness Guardian," he replied, getting back his composure.
She dropped her eyes to the ground.
"It makes my fingers twitch and my mouth water at the sight of all that power within my reach," Irma returned, a shadow of darkness coming over her face.
Bringing her eyes back up to Frost's, Irma felt her mouth curl into a wicked grin. Frost seemed to enjoy Irma's evil side, but he folded his arms.
"But you would never go through with it Guardian," the elfin mercenary voiced with a smirk.
The Water Guardian gave the mercenary a stare that cut right through him.
"…For now," Irma stated.
Frost gave a mocking chuckle.
"Then you are just another idle dreamer," the elfin merc smiled a toothy smile. "Nerissa, Prince Phobos and Lord Cedric have been clawing for the Meridian throne for a long time now. But they can't get their fingers around it."
Irma chuckled wickedly.
"And who has been cutting them off at every attempt to overthrow Eylon?" the Water Guardian snickered.
Frost narrowed his eyes and a frown formed on his face. The answer was obvious.
"The Guardians," Irma continued. "The very same Guardians that have put you in your place Frost. So I don't need to prove anything to you elf."
The mercenary's frown lightened.
"Nerissa is just short of taking care of you Water Guardian," Frost jeered. "The rest of the Guardians will fall after you."
Irma shook her head.
"Who says Nerissa is going to succeed this time around Frost?" the Water Guardian returned. "Capturing me shows how truly desperate and powerless the old witch really is."
Irma pulled on her iron restraints and the sound of rattling chains echoed through the cave.
"If she was so all powerful, why would she need you at all?" she smiled. "Why didn't Nerissa come to earth and get me?"
The Water Guardian knew she'd hit pay dirt when she saw Frost's figurative "ears" perk up. Now she was picking up on Frost's giant ego. Irma just needed to massage it and get him a little closer…
"Phobos and Nerissa are from the same nut Frost," the Water Guardian added. "Weak and sloppy. I'd think someone as strong and tough as you would be commanding them."
He was taking the bait. Frost turned to the Water Guardian and unfolded his arms, his frown continuing to lighten.
"Kudos to you for capturing me," Irma led on. "Not too many could say that they captured a Guardian. But here I am."
Irma looked at the shackle on her right wrist.
"Lord Cedric couldn't have done it," she continued. "And he's the right hand of Phobos. I think Cedric should take notes from you Frost."
Now Frost was completely relaxed, a full-on egotistic smile on his face. Irma gave the smelly elf mercenary a sweet but deadly smile. He drew closer.
"It is almost a pity to for you to die Water Guardian," Frost voiced, growing so close that Irma almost died of his stench. "You have drive. I admire that."
The mercenary's breath felt like dragon's breath on Irma's face. But she was drawing in moisture from his nearness. The Water Guardian needed just a little more and she'd be able to break out of here. Irma shifted in her shackles, still trying to keep an interested look on her face.
"I'm going to get free Frost," the Water Guardian told the merc. "Just give it up and make it easy on yourself."
And Frost swallowed it, hook, line and sinker! The elfin mercenary reached out and seized Irma's chin.
"Highly unlikely," Frost returned.
The elfin mercenary kissed Irma. Frost's kiss was more of a hot blooded nip than Cedric's affectionate embrace.
Though Irma's lunch threatened to come up, she flicked her wrists. The chains of her shackles wrapped around Frosts' wrists, securing him. Frost drew back in surprise as he felt something being drained out of him, but Irma held him in place. In a quick second, the Water Guardian derived enough of Frost's moisture to revitalize her strength. Irma let the mercenary go. Before the merc could react, Irma shot a condensed ball of water into his face. Frost reeled backwards and fell onto the cave floor.
The Water Guardian called out to the water ball. Catching it in her hand, she passed it back and forth, cutting through her iron shackles. With her hands free, Irma cut the chains holding her feet to the cave wall. The Water Guardian stepped forward, free.
Frost got to his feet. Irma smirked at the mercenary as the ball of water fluttered around her head. Spinning, Irma held the water in her hand before hurling it at Frost. The concentrated mass of water slammed into Frost's stomach, sending him to his knees. Irma spread her arms the water obeying and moving with her body. The water lashed across the mercenary's shoulders and arms, sending Frost smashing against the cave wall where Irma was once shackled. Frost fell on his face, dazed and confused.
"Kiss and tell wishing well," the Water Guardian said in a singsong voice as she balanced her ball of water on her finger. "And I'm all about granting wishes."
The hair stood up on the back of Irma's neck. She whirled around and saw the ghostly shape of Nerissa hovering just above the ground. The old witch was smiling her signature devilish smile, her power staff firmly in hand.
"I do admire your power over men Water Guardian," Nerissa grinned. "First Lord Cedric and now Frost… You've got quite powerful men eating out of your hands."
Irma scowled as she swirled her water into her hands.
"You leave Cedric out of this Nerissa," the Water Guardian snapped. "This is between you and me."
Nerissa's empty gray eyes starred right through Irma.
"This was never between the two of us Water Guardian," the witch returned. "I seek to put an end to all of the Guardians."
"Well, I'm taking it personal Nerissa," Irma returned, weaving the water through her fingers.
Nerissa shook her head.
"You are foolish girl, to pick a fight with me!" the witch grinned. "Without the Guardian of the Heart, you do not have full control over your powers."
Irma scowled.
"I don't need Will to defeat you Nerissa," the Water Guardian returned. "I can take you down right now!"
The witch passed her staff to her other hand.
"So be it," Nerissa smiled. "I shall still end the cycle of Guardians myself. Starting with you."
Summoning a blast of black magic, Nerissa cackled and let it fly toward Irma. The Water Guardian dodged the attack, only to have Frost grab her.
Meanwhile, Will, Taranee and Hay Lin flew above Meridian's farmland covering as much ground as they could. Lord Cedric had morphed into an eagle and was soaring beside the Guardians.
"Any of you picking up on Irma's presence?" Will mentally called out to her fellow Guardians.
"No," Cornelia who was with Caleb and Eylon mentally answered.
"I got nothing," Hay Lin telepathically returned.
"Sorry Will," Taranee answered with her thoughts.
The Guardian of the Heart was now starting to feel scared. She had no idea where Irma was, what Nerissa was doing to her and how long the Water Guardian had been captured. But the thought that frightened her most was they could be searching for a dead friend.
"Easy Guardian," Lord Cedric snapped Will out of her thoughts as he soared next to her. "You're much more valuable to me and the Water Guardian if you keep a level head."
The Heart Guardian sneered at the shape-shifter.
"If I find that you are behind Irma's capture-" Will threatened, "you're gonna regret every minuet of it, you snake."
Though he was in the form of a soaring eagle, Will saw that Cedric turned an eye to her.
"I reported the Water Guardian's absence did I not?" the shape-shifter returned.
That still wasn't enough to convince the Heart Guardian.
"That only gets you so far Cedric," Will snapped. "You have been an enemy of ours for too long. I'm not turning my back on you for one second."
Cedric let out a small snicker.
"Fair enough Guardian," he retorted.
Just as Will was about to reply to the snake-man, her Guardian senses shrieked in her ears, making the Heart Guardian fall out of the sky for a moment. Gathering her shaken thoughts, Will felt Irma's presence.
"Guys!" Will shouted. "I found Irma!"
Taranee and Hay Lin stopped on a dime and flew over to Will.
"Where? Where Will, where?!" the Wind Guardian pleaded.
Will held up her hand in a command for silence as she concentrated. The Guardian of the Heart reached out to Irma and for a moment, saw what Irma was seeing at the moment, but only in choppy burst.
Darkness.
Cave.
Frost.
Nerissa.
Black magic.
Pain.
Blows landing.
Anger.
Will gasped as she came out of Irma's mind.
"Irma's in danger!" the Heart Guardian blurted out. "She's got her back to the wall with Nerissa and Frost kicking her around like an old soccer ball!"
Hay Lin gasped desperately.
"Where is she Will? Where is Irma?!" Taranee pleaded.
Will concentrated again, wishing on every lucky star she had to find her friend. Then she got Irma's presence.
"Down there!" the Heart Guardian pointed to the dark forest below them.
Without waiting, Will dove toward the forest, her Guardian senses guiding her through the dark night. Cedric, Hay Lin and Taranee followed the Guardian of the Heart, praying that they were not too late.
R&R. Long Live Rock!