Konichiwa Motherhopers! A long over-due chapter here! Hey, I've been busy. (CJzilla shrugs) But it's up. In this chapter, it's action packed and took me forever to get it perfect. Please, enjoy. (CJzilla bows honorably)
As I uproot buildings int his town, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R MOTHERHOPERS! Flame... Fluff... W'ever...
Taranee and Hay Lin stuck close to Will as the Guardian of the Heart deflected Nerissa's blast. A burst of energy from the Heart canceled out the witch's black magic.
Zipping out from behind their leader, Taranee and Hay Lin joined hands. Opening their free hands, the Fire and Wind Guardians formed a spinning inferno vortex. Guiding the super-heated whirlwind, it shot right for Nerissa. The witch tapped her staff on the cave's floor. A wall of stone shot up from the flat ground and shielded the dark woman from the Guardians' attack. The powerful fire vortex dissipated with a hiss, but shattered the stone blocking Nerissa.
Will formed a lightning bolt between her middle and index finger. Like flicking a card, the Guardian of the Heart shot it at Nerissa. The black magic woman teleported away from the lightning's path. Grinning like a psychotic murderer, the witch's usually dead eyes began to glow. Ribbons of black energy shot from Nerissa's eyes. The beams were quicker, more accurate and deadlier since anything the witch looks at is automatically in her targeting cross-hairs.
With a grunt of effort the Guardians of Heart, Wind and Fire flew out of the way at the last second. The bolt of black lightning shot through the air the Guardians were once standing and struck a cave wall. Rubble blew in all directions.
Hay Lin opened her hands and swiped the air. In a gust of strong wind doubling as a shield to her friends and weapon, the Wind Guardian boomeranged it back at the witch. Nerissa was caught off guard and was blown back by a blast of dirt-laced wind. The witch had a hard time blinking the rubble dust out of her eyes.
"You annoying brats!" the dark magic woman snarled.
Taranee flew towards the witch. Whipping her hand in an arch around her body, the Fire Guardian created a circular wave of flames. The wall of fire struck the blinded Nerissa. Flames covered the witch, falling like a canopy of combustion on her and the ground around her. Then the blazing wave suddenly dissolved, since nothing was there to feed it. Taranee's eyes widened in surprise.
The Fire Guardian instinctively looked to her friends.
Behind Will, Nerissa had teleported. The witch pointed the tip of her power staff to the back of the Heart Guardian's head.
"WILL!" Taranee cried.
The Guardian of the Heart spun. Will opened her hands and in a throwing motion, commanded a burst of jagged magic. The burst was sizable enough to destroy the precious dark stone at the tip of Nerissa's staff. The witch's mouth fell open when her staff was destroyed, disintegrated into ashes.
"Horrible girl!" Nerissa fumed.
Throwing her hands together, the witch commanded a spiral black magic beam.
Will was too close to avoid the blast.
The ever-widening spiral struck the Guardian of the Heart dead on. With a yelp of pain Will was blow back. While Nerissa was busy with Will, Hay Lin had began to summon a huge just of gale-force wind. In the equivalent of a storm within the cave, Hay Lin's hair and clothing flapped violently as her gust gathered strength. With a grunt of strain, the Wind Guardian hurled the powerful squall at the witch.
Nerissa planted her feet on the ground and magically adhered to the rocky ground. Though her body was almost ripped off her anchored legs, Nerissa stood through the wind. The witch remained but she paused, catching her breath.
Lord Cedric and Frost were still wrestling, going toe to toe in strength. Locking hands the two magical men tried to force the latter to his knees.
"You function poorly without Prince Phobos, Cedric!" the elfin mercenary jeered. "You're a symbiotic worm, having no will of your own! Pathetic!"
The shape-shifter gritted his teeth at Frost.
"And you are a blind fool, Frost!" Cedric shot back. "Fighting against a force that should not be tampered with. Destroying the balance of the Guardians will kill us all!"
Frost gave a mocking laugh.
"You just want the credit of destroying the Guardians for yourself!" the elfin merc snickered.
"Stealing the Heart of Kanthracar is far different from destroying the Guardians' balance!" Cedric defended. "A balance must be kept! And you are a spineless coward that would pick the Guardians off one by one! You have no honor!"
With a lash of his snaky tail across Frost's ankles, the mercenary was on his back. Taking a handful of Frost's animal skin shirt, Cedric hurled the elfin merc across the cavern. Snarling out of rage, the shape-shifter morphed into a huge cat and bounded after the thrown Frost.
Taking each other's hands Will, Taranee and Hay Lin concentrated their power. Glowing with united energy, the Guardians created an energy hand that stretched out and seized Nerissa. Gripping the old black magic woman like a doll, the magically summoned energy hand brought Nerissa to eye level.
"Surrender Nerissa," Will voiced, opening her eyes that were white with power. "The Guardians cannot be destroyed."
Nerissa frowned before she smiled.
"On the contrary my sweet," the witch returned. "You will be destroyed."
Closing her eyes, Nerissa began absorbing the energy hand that held her. The Guardians' power was converted into black magic. Crackling dark magic took over the girls' beam. Shooting up the magical "arm" of their energy hand, Nerissa's attack hit the Guardians. With a cry of pain Guardians of Wind, Heart and Fire fell from the sky. Now that she was recharged, the witch gave an evil cackle as she descended from the air to the fallen Guardians.
"Weak! All of you!" Nerissa declared. "And your presences will not be missed."
Nerissa's dress came to life and lashed out. Grabbing the weakened Guardians of Heart, Wind and Fire, the darkly energized fabric picked them from the ground and brought them closer to the witch. The black magic woman let out a malicious cackle, now having a veritable power-essence buffet.
"HEY!" came a voice from the mouth of the cavern.
Nerissa spun and saw the Earth Guardian flying through the air toward her. Cornelia pointed at the witch, a thorny vine magically formed on the tips of her fingers. The vine shot toward Nerissa in a ribbon. It lashed around the dark woman. Nerissa merely smiled. With a thought the vine shredded from around her. The witch's cloak zipped out and plucked Cornelia from the air and wrapping tightly around her. All four Guardians of Wind, Earth, Fire and Heart were bound motionless.
"Now, I feel the presence of the gullible Queen of Meridian," Nerissa hissed, inhaling the air like she could smell the teen queen.
As if on cue Queen Eylon came magically soaring into the cavern. When her innocent blue eyes came to Nerissa and her dress holding four of the five Guardians, Eylon's mouth fell open. Stunned, she was easily yanked from the air and bound with Nerissa's cloak. The witch let out a truly evil laugh as her cloak began leeching power from the five powerful teens.
Then an arrow came whizzing through the air, aimed straight for Nerissa's forehead. The witch caught it with a thought, just as the weapon nearly broke her skin. Passing her increasingly glowing eyes to Queen Eylon's little entourage, the black magic woman gave a fierce smile.
"Ah, the Royal Entourage," Nerissa hissed greedily. "You all shall make fine mindless lackeys!"
"You're crazy, you old sponge!" Caleb snarled, loading another arrow into his bow. "We shall never bend a knee to you!"
The teen warrior aimed the arrow, but Nerissa was still smiling. Whipping Eylon, Cornelia and Will into the arrow's path, the witch made it clear who was in control here. Caleb lowered his bow as did the other soldiers in Eylon's small army.
"Resistance is futile fools!" the dark woman cheered. "Surrender or die!"
Through the corner of her eye, Nerissa caught Lord Cedric morph into an eagle. Flying toward her, Cedric morphed again into his true form ready to tear into the witch. Spinning, Nerissa's increasingly hungry dress caught the shape-shifter in its unbreakable fabric.
"I am truly fortunate," Nerissa cackled. "The Guardians of Meridian, Lord Cedric and the very Queen herself. I will be unstoppable!"
Leeching power from all those she held in her grasp, the witch began glowing with a foreboding evil aura. The Guardians, Eylon and Cedric let out cried of pain as their lives and power was being sucked from their bodies.
As things looked hopeless, a blade of water came from below, cutting through the fabric of Nerissa's dark cloak in a razor-clean blow. The Guardians, Queen Eylon and Cedric fell to the ground as the dark fabric melted off of them. The Guardians caught their fall with their wings, Will snatched Eylon before she splattered on the ground and Cedric morphed into a giant feline and landed on his feet.
Nerissa snarled and whirled into the direction of the water. There was Irma, conscious and standing on her feet weaving another blast of water into her hands.
"I said I wasn't done, witch!" the Water Guardian took to her wings.
"Wretch!" Nerissa blasted back as Irma flew up to her. "Die and stay dead!"
The witch opened her palm. Dark energy began draining into her hand. With a thought the black magic woman fired the black blast at the Water Guardian. Waving her hand, Irma created a shield of water that absorbed the attack. Using the same water, Irma shot the pillar of liquid and it struck the witch. Nerissa was blown out of the air and slammed onto the cave's ceiling.
"Rock your heart out!" Irma smiled and followed the witch.
"Irma!" Will cried happily as she zipped up to her friend. "You're okay!"
But the Water Guardian held out a hand. With another blast of water, Irma wrapped Will up to her neck in a cocoon of water. Shocked and not able to move, Will looked up to her friend. Fear hit the Heart Guardian's chest like an icy knife when she saw the insatiable anger on Irma's face.
"She's mine," the Water Guardian hissed.
With another thought, Irma commanded the Will's water bonds to freeze. With her wings immobile in the ice, the Heart Guardian gave a surprised yelp as she fell out of the air to the ground.
"Will!" Taranee cried as the ball of ice and Heart Guardian hit the ground.
Unharmed Will struggled to free herself as Irma confronted Nerissa alone.
Nerissa shook the blur from her head after hitting the jagged ceiling. Opening her eyes, she immediately saw the little Water Guardian flying toward her with a ball of water in her palms. Now raging mad, the witch conjured a huge dark blast. Wind suddenly shot through the cave as Nerissa sucked energy from the air around her into her attack.
The Guardians, Eylon, Cedric and the royal entourage could just watch as Irma flew straight at the old witch. Their mouths fell completely open when Irma grabbed Nerissa's wrists and forced them back at her. Not able to hold onto her blast any longer, Nerissa gave a scream of effort and reluctantly let it go. With an otherworldly explosion and flash of darkness, the energy blast blew rubble in every direction, even raining down on those below.
Queen Eylon managed to throw up a magical shield before the debris could harm them.
The dust was thick and nothing could be seen. Without another word, Cornelia shoved her hands into the air and stomped her foot into the ground. At the Earth Guardian's command, rock, dirt and rubble lifted off of Eylon's protective shield. Hay Lin spun, opening her arms and shooting a blast of wind that cleared the cave of dust. Taranee pressed her hand to Will's icy bonds. The Fire Guardian heated the ice until it released the Heart Guardian.
"Something's wrong," Will immediately voiced, shivering from the ice. "Something's very wrong."
Everyone looked to the air, surprised to see that the ceiling of the cave was gone. And, shimmering in the full moon-light Irma hovered high above them, a surging shield of water protecting her from Nerissa's misfired black magic blast.
Opening her hand and passing it in front of her, the Water Guardian's water shield disintegrated and was absorbed back into Irma's body. Her expression could not be seen from the cave floor, but one thing was certain. Irma wasn't herself. Without warning the Water Guardian zipped on her wings toward the mouth of the cave and out of sight.
"Guardian," Cedric voiced passing his blue cat eyes to Will. "The Water Guardian is being overpowered by her own dark side."
Will, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin gave Cedric a surprised glance.
"How could you know that?" Cornelia immediately questioned, gritting her teeth.
Cedric gave them all a frightened look. Everyone nearly fell over in surprise.
"The full moon," the shape-shifter pointed to the sky. "You should know this by now Heart Guardian."
Will got an angry look from Cedric that cut right through her. The Guardian of the Heart never thought Irma would be capable of this. Will gulped hard as she motioned for her Guardian team.
"C'mon!" Will motioned for the Guardians to follow her. "We need to stop Irma before she hurts herself!"
Irma glanced around the area from the air. She knew Nerissa had landed somewhere around the mouth of the cave, but cold not see her. Irma gritted her teeth. Wicked witch attacking her friends! She would pick her apart for that! Suddenly Irma saw something stir in the forest below. Steadily there was the shaky figure of Nerissa that stood from the ground. The Water Guardian gave a malicious smile and darted down to the ground.
Just as Nerissa stood on her own two feet, the witch was blasted onto her back again. Peeling herself from the ground, she opened her eyes. Nerissa felt her eyes widen as the rare sensation of fear overpowered her cockiness. At first glance, no one could have known that just minuets before the Water Guardian was lifeless. Now the Guardian of Water looked as powerful as ever.
"It'll take more than that to destroy me witch," Irma voiced.
Nerissa stood.
"Presumptuous Guardian," the witch hissed. "Many have tried and all have failed at killing me! You will be no different! Once I get a hold of you, I will make sure there is nothing left to salvage!"
Irma didn't move from hovering just above the ground.
"You want my power," she returned, her ocean blue eyes lighting with the glow of the full moon, "take it."
The witch let out a snarl as she bolted into the air. Pointing her finger at Irma, dark energy bled from Nerissa's body and to her finger tips. With a grunt of strain the witch released it. In something that resembled a ball of dark electric energy. Ordering a wave of water from her body, Irma caught the blast of energy in something like a liquid matador cape. Spinning, the Water Guardian threw it right back at Nerissa. It hit the witch.
Nerissa was pushed back a little but she absorbed her own energy. Gritting her teeth, the blast was reabsorbed with a violent dark effervescent crackle erupting over Nerissa's body. Shaking the sting out of her arms, Nerissa looked up too late.
Irma threw a Guardian-enhanced punch into the witch's face. With every blow she threw at the witch, Nerissa grew weaker. But then the witch caught Irma's fist before she could strike her again. Tightening her grip on the Water Guardian's hand, Nerissa gave Irma a malicious leer. Irma felt Nerissa sucking out her energy again.
Zipping out of the cave, Will, Taranee, Hay Lin and Cornelia saw Irma and Nerissa. The Heart Guardian gasped. Irma was once again in Nerissa's grasp! The witch would surly finish off the Water Guardian now! The Guardian of the Heart did the first thing that came to her mind.
"Girls!" Will called out. "On three! The melee move!"
Hay Lin and Taranee held hands and clapped their free hands together. Cornelia and Will did the same.
"Now!" Will gave the signal.
Their faces contorting with strain Taranee and Hay Lin shared their power, summoning a blast of fire and air. The Guardians of Wind and Fire held it at their finger tips. Cornelia reached out to the ground below Nerissa and Irma. With the Earth Guardian's powers tripled by Will, she caused a pillar of earth to shoot up from the ground. Before the rock could reach Irma and Nerissa, Taranee and Hay Lin released their blast of fire and air. The super heated blast hit the rock and instantly melted it into molten liquid.
As Nerissa gave an evil cackle, the molten liquid in-cased the Water Guardian and the witch. With a blast of wind from Hay Lin, the molten rock solidified.
All was silent.
"It's not over," Cornelia voiced, not taking her eyes from the magical statue.
Before the Guardians' eyes, the solidified rock shook and then blew apart. Nerissa and Irma levitated unharmed. The witch cast her evil eyes toward the Guardians, letting an evil smile cover her face. The power was enormous! Enough to smite all those who opposed her.
"I shall destroy-!" Nerissa cackled before her glee just fell from her face.
Peeling her eyes from the Guardians of Heart, Wind, Fire and Earth, Nerissa's eyes were wide as she craned her attention back to Irma. The Water Guardian was increasingly unfazed by the energy the witch was sucking from her. Now the witch was absorbing in more power than she could handle. The strain was unbearable!
"That's enough!" Nerissa shrieked releasing Irma's hand.
But the Water Guardian gripped her other wrist before she could pull away.
"You want power?" Irma hissed forcing more energy into the witch's body. "Take it all."
A horrible fear came to Nerissa's face as the two began to glow like a molten ember. Will, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin shielded their eyes as the Water Guardian and Nerissa lit up the night. Eylon, Caleb and the rest of the Queen's entourage left the cave just as this was happening.
"Holy!..." Caleb awed as he flinched under the bright light.
Then they heard Nerissa scream from within the ball of bright light. The light expanded in a blast of a blinding flash before the dark of night returned. Everyone blinked the bright dots out of their eyes.
Nerissa had fallen to the ground, struggling to get up as Irma descended from the air. There was an unnatural fury in the light-hearted Water Guardian's eyes as her feet touched the ground again. The witch's normally cocky, evil and selfish demeanor was gone, leaving nothing but a quivering woman who was frightened out of her mind. Irma approached as Nerissa tried to scramble away.
"Enough," the witch held out her hand trying to sound confident.
Irma didn't waver from her steady gate to the witch.
"Enough?" she questioned with an icy tone. "You would not have hesitated to drain the life out of my friends, so why should I?"
Nerissa's mouth fell open as Irma stopped before her. The Water Guardian's eyes shone with power as the witch awaited her next move. With a lightning fast motion of her hands, Irma ordered a torrent of tsunami-force water to surround the Nerissa. The witch held up a shield of what dark magic was left in her. But Irma, making a fist with her free hand, closed the flood of surging water over Nerissa. With one last strain, the witch's power gave out. Water flooded in over her.
"Irma!" Will called out zipping out of the air to her friend's side.
The Water Guardian didn't lift her eyes to the Heart Guardian. Within the Irma's torrent of water, the witch didn't appear to be wet, instead she looked as if the Water Guardian was draining moisture from her. Irma was draining the life right out of her!
"Enough Irma!" Will pulled on Irma's shirt to get her attention. "Stop! You're killing her!"
As if an answer to the Guardian of the Heart, Irma waved her free hand and the ground around her and the witch erupted into raising water. Will was pushed away from the Water Guardian.
"Cut her transformation Will!" Taranee and Cornelia blurted out.
"Irma can't use her powers to the full if you cut her off!" Taranee added.
Will nodded and with a thought cut the Guardian's transformation. As Hay Lin, Will, Taranee and Cornelia returned to remained fully transformed Guardians, Irma's appearance altered to normal but her power did not wane. That's when Will was very scared.
"Irma will kill Nerissa!" Hay Lin gasped, hand over her mouth.
Will knew that as long as the full moon was out, Irma's anger and power would only increase. Will's mind raced for options.
"Eylon!" she called out to the Queen of Meridian. "Help us block the moon!"
The teen queen gave a nod.
"Hay Lin," Will looked at the Wind Guardian. "I need your help to conjure up a storm."
Hay Lin gave a timid nod but did just as the Heart Guardian told her.
Will and Hay Lin stood, backs together, as they pushed and pulled the air, making dark and heavy clouds. Eylon waved her hand aiding the Guardians. With a second not too soon, dark clouds blocked the full moon's light.
As lightning flashed overhead and rain began to fall, Irma turned. They had blocked the moon's light, not its power. The Water Guardian raised a hand, forming a ball of dense water. But before Irma could strike her friends and end Nerissa's life, Lord Cedric crept out of the woods behind the Water Guardian.
Taking Irma by surprise, Cedric plunged one of his fingers into her neck, hitting a pressure point. Sending her brain into overload, the Water Guardian crashed to the ground, unconscious.
Irma's hold on the liquid around her dissipated and the water fell to calm standing puddles of rain. Nerissa was released from the watery sphere that was almost her tomb. Both witch and Water Guardian lie motionless in puddles of water as a rain fell over them.
Soaked, dazed and confused the rest of the Guardians, Eylon and Caleb could just stare at Cedric as he lifted the Water Guardian from the water soaked ground and held her in his arms.
Whoa. A little dark... Hmmm... Maybe not... R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!