The next chapter is up! Got this one done faster than I thought I would. Anyway, I noticed in one of the reviews that I should maybe bold character names instead of italicize and underline them. While I'll still underline them, I'm going to bold them from now on. Please enjoy the chapter!
Spiral's eyes continued to glow ice blue and the water sphere suffocating him started to freeze.
"Yes!" Caspian said. "That's it!"
Spiral then shattered the ice and landed safely on the ground. "I swore myself I would never use that magic again!" He lifted his face and glared at Caspian. "Never-Melt… Sword."
Spiral had placed his backhanded sword in his left hand as an ice sword formed on his right side, which he held normally in his right hand.
"I told you, water is under my complete control." Caspian stated. "Even ice."
Caspian tried to control the water in Spiral's new ice sword, but nothing happened.
"So the legends were true." Caspian said. "Never-Melt is differs from ice magic only in that it cannot melt, break or be controlled. However, Dragon and God Slayers can still eat it."
"It's not as invincible as it sounds." Spiral said as he stood up. "But I'm not going to tell you its weakness."
Spiral charged toward Caspian.
"Ocean's Wrath: Waterspout!"
A magical seal appeared underneath Spiral and a waterspout came out of it.
"The pressure of the water against the wall will drown you in an instant." Caspian said as he turned and walked away.
Just then Caspian felt like he got stabbed by something. He looked down and saw that Spiral had pierced his abdomen with his ice sword. Spiral let go of the sword and placed his hands on Caspian's back.
"Never-Melt Prison!"
Caspian was encased in a chunk of ice and was unable to move. After completing the seal, Spiral sighed and fell on his back.
"Whew… I'm just glad the others aren't here to see this." Spiral said.
"Spiral!"
Spiral looked toward the hole in the ceiling and saw Jason was gliding down with his wind magic.
"Jason. You managed to defeat that guy?" Spiral asked.
"Yeah, but…" Jason noticed the ice. "What happened?"
"Oh, uh…" Spiral tried to find something to say. He was a terrible liar and didn't like to lie in general. "We should probably check up on the girls."
Spiral got up and walked out of the room.
"… Yeah…" Jason muttered as he followed Spiral.
As soon as they stepped outside, the boys saw Hikari using her Photon Magic to heal Wilson's wounds.
"Hikari, are you okay?" Spiral asked.
Hikari looked up and saw Spiral and Jason.
"Spiral!" Hikari exclaimed.
"What happened to him?" Jason asked.
"Our assailants got to him before they attacked us." Hikari answered.
"They called themselves the Element 4 and Spiral and I took out two of them. How many are left?" Jason asked.
"If there are four, then they've all been defeated." Hikari stated. "But there's still their client."
"Who's their client?" Spiral asked.
Xanders had finished grooming himself inside his room when someone walked in.
"Xanders, don't mind me coming in." A man said as he walked in. It was the same man that hired the Element 4.
"Ah, Lucius." Xanders said. "You're here early."
"You know that there's no chance of you defeating me." Lucius said.
"I don't know about that. I went through some pretty intensive training over the last few days."
"Is that so?" Lucius walked up to Xanders and touched him on the shoulder.
A spark of lightning appeared on Lucius's hand and then Xanders was electrocuted by lightning magic.
"GAAAAAH!" Xanders screamed in pain as he fell to the floor incredibly weakened.
"You are the only true threat standing between me and control over the Nosferatu Clan." Lucius said. "You discovered the extent of my power… or at least, the power of my Drain Magic. After witnessing what you thought I was capable of, you sought out powerful wizards to train you and become strong enough to take me down."
"But…" Xanders groaned as he struggled to get up. "What was that?"
"I am the true leader and fifth member of the Element 4… Lucius of the Great Thunder." Lucius said. "Though it should be called the Element 5 now, it does throw people off guard. Now to finish the job and tell the rest of the clan how you died in a 'tragic accident'."
"FOREST DRAGON…"
Lucius looked to his side to see that Sakura had barged into the room with her right arm surrounded in cherry blossom petals.
"THORN CLAW!"
Sakura had knocked Lucius back and away from Xanders.
"You must be Lucius." Sakura said.
"And I must be seeing things because I could have sworn you're supposed to be dead." Lucius said.
"Sakura…" Xanders said, struggling to keep his consciousness.
"Xanders!" Sakura shouted as he ran to him.
"This isn't… your fight." Xanders said.
"There's no way you can fight him in your condition!" Sakura said.
"I can beat him." Xanders said. "But first I need to drain your magic."
"I'm perfectly able to take him down." Sakura assured.
"It isn't a matter of strength." Xanders stated. "This is a fight between our clans; a matter of honor and pride."
Sakura didn't want to admit it, but Xanders had a point. "… All right."
Xanders's hand glowed orange and placed it on Sakura's shoulder. It took quite some time before Sakura was on her last bit of magic energy and Xanders stood up with renewed strength. Sakura gasped for breath from all the energy drained from her body and crawled to the corner to rest up. Flora flew up to Sakura and landed in front of her.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Flora asked.
Sakura was too tired to explain, so she kept it short and simple. "It's a matter of honor."
The two looked toward Xanders and Lucius as the two were about to duke it out right in front of them.
"That magic won't be yours for very long!" Lucius said before he charged toward Xanders with his arm glowing yellow. "Drain Rhino!"
Xanders ducked low and dodged Lucius's arm. Xanders's right hand glowed orange.
"Drain Rising Dragon!" Xanders uppercut Lucius with his fist and sent him flying toward the ceiling.
"Thunder Crash!" Lucius charged his hands with lightning and dropped to the ground, creating a shockwave of lightning that hit Xanders.
Xanders was able to retain his balance as Lucius stood up.
"Draining Lightning!" Lucius shot lightning imbued with drain magic right at Xanders.
The lightning struck Xanders and while he was injured, he was still standing.
"Will you just die already?" Lucius asked.
"I can't allow you to claim the right to rule the clan." Xanders said. "Someone like you isn't worthy of it."
That comment seemed to irritate Lucius and he shot another draining lightning bolt at Xanders. Xanders rolled out of the way and toward Lucius.
"No you don't!" Lucius shouted as he tried to grab Xanders.
In an attempt to sweep, Xanders avoided the grab and knocked Lucius off his feet. As Lucius fell to the ground, Xanders's elbow glowed orange.
"Time to end this!" Xanders said. "DRAIN ELBOW!"
Xanders slammed his elbow against Lucius and the force of the blow had knocked him unconscious. Xanders then walked over to Sakura and sat down in front of her.
"I'd say you were tough…" Sakura chuckled. "If you didn't borrow my magic."
Xanders chuckled with her. "But I did beat him… Sakura, could I get even stronger if I joined a guild?"
"Yeah, but considering your upbringing, it may not be your lifestyle." Sakura said. "Though if you wanted to join a guild, that's your decision."
Xanders pondered Sakura's words for a moment and smiled before standing up. "You and your friends should probably leave and while I go call the Magic Council so they can take Lucius and the others to prison. He'll be banished from the clan anyway."
"Don't you want us to come see your fight to see how you do?" Flora asked.
"It's okay." Xanders said as he walked out of the room. "I'll meet you at the nearest mountain crossroads to give you your reward."
Xanders left and Sakura got up to find the rest of her friends as Flora followed.
The ceremony for the Nosferatu Rite was about to begin and Xanders stood on a podium before the dozens of other people.
"Ahem… My fellow kin, I am afraid I have some bad news regarding one of the heirs of the Nosferatu lineage." Xanders started his speech. "Lucius has attempted to take not only my life, but that of my butler and dear friend, Wilson. His punishment is being dealt with as we speak and the Rite will proceed on schedule and without delay… However…"
At a crossroads in the mountains, the Magic Council had taken Lucius and Caspian into custody as the Phoenix Dawn wizards and Haru waited for Xanders.
"Are you sure you want to join our guild, Haru?" Hikari asked.
"You saved my life, Hikari." Haru said. "I am forever in your debt." Haru started bowing before Hikari. "Whatever you wish, I will be at your command."
"Okay, calm down…" Hikari said unenthusiastically with a sweat drop on the back of her head.
"What happened to those other guys that attacked us?" Spiral asked.
"We sent them flying." Jason and Sakura answered at the same time.
"By the way, how did that one guy get sealed in ice?" Sakura asked. "Did he accidentally freeze himself? That must have been hilarious to watch! Hahaha."
Spiral simply remained quiet and didn't answer to Sakura's question at all.
"Sorry I kept you all waiting!"
The group saw Xanders walking over to them carrying large bags with him.
"Holy crap, that's a lot of cash!" Spiral exclaimed.
Xanders handed them a few of his bags. "Here is your reward. Those bags contain a total of 200 million J."
"Wait…" Jason said. "Only THESE bags are our reward money?"
"Don't be greedy now." Xanders said.
"I didn't mean it like that." Jason said. "What I mean is what are those other bags for?"
"Oh, these?" Xanders asked, looking at his other bags. "These are clothes, food and some personal belongings."
"Wait, are you saying that-" Hikari was about to say.
"I plan to join you in your guild." Xanders said.
"Are you sure that's okay?" Jason asked. "Wouldn't that be like abandoning your clan?"
"Actually, it's more like an absence." Xanders clarified. "I want to become stronger and see the true extent of my powers. The only way to do so is to join a guild. Plus, you have all grown on me."
While everyone's attention was on Xanders, Spiral could sense someone watching them from somewhere else in the mountains. He tried looking around, but all he saw were cliffs and whatever trees and bushes were able to grow on them.
"Spiral, aren't you coming?" Hikari's voice spoke.
Spiral turned around to see that Hikari and the others were waiting for him. Spiral looked back at that bush for a moment and then went back with his friends.
In that bush, a man with green eyes and dark chestnut hair wearing a thin, grey sleeveless shirt with a strange emblem on it, black pants and a dark blue cape lined with golden rims. He seemed to be talking to a floating crystal ball.
"I think that young boy may have sensed my presence." He said to the crystal ball. "Though, to be fair I have a very god hiding place. If he didn't have that magic of his, he wouldn't have caught onto me at all."
"I understand, Foster (Age 20)." A voice from the crystal ball spoke. "How is this new guild coming along?"
"I've only seen four of their members in action." Foster replied. "But they all seem to have great potential. I dare even say they on their way to being on par with that guild you once told me about. You know? That one that fell from grace over the last seven years?"
"Yes, I know which one you're talking about." The voice in the crystal ball said. "Anyway, you can return to base now."
"Can't wait to get back." Foster said as he stretched his arms. "I think I've been away from you guys long enough, Ultear."
Upon closer inspection, the emblem on Foster's shirt was that of the independent guild Crime Sorcière.
A/N: That ends the current story arc! Get ready, readers! The next chapter will introduce some of the OCs you guys have submitted! It might take a bit longer because I want to make sure I come up with solid introductions for each character and at the beginning of the next chapter I'll say which OC belongs to which user. I also have other stories I want to work on. It probably won't be too long; maybe a week at most, but don't be surprised if it might take longer. Anyway, stay tuned for next time!