Book I : Reincarnation

Episode 6: The Past and Temples

-with James-

I sit in a small flat area on the mountain, that the southern air temple is located on, a small distance away from appa and the water tribe siblings. Only thoughts of the events i had just told them about plague my mind.

'You're not very good at lying, there were holes in your story.'

I hear spirit Aang's voice in my head. I sigh and think back with,

'So...And where were you three?'

'So, your lying to them. I thought we said we wouldn't do that...And they're asleep. I was watching your memories.'

I shake my head.

'No, we agreed that you shouldn't lie. Not me...You can do that?'

I hear the exasperated sigh of the spirit.

'Why didn't you tell them the truth?'

I growl in frustration.

'Yeah, cause thats a good idea...Tell them i was-...That I crippled my mentor...'

A long silence follows my words before I decide to speak again.

'Besides, Aang is already suspicious. I don't know if you were paying attention to us, or not, but he questioned if katara and sokka are safe.'

I sigh and look to the clouds.

'So i dont have to tell them the whole truth...they get the point. Besides, that monster is locked behind a goddess's magic binding spell.'

I think and close my eyes.

'so why tell them at all?'

The spirit asks.

'Bullshit!'

I hear that voice...The voice that used to plague my nightmares. It used to constantly try to break me down. But it held no power now.

"I wonder how they would think of you, if they knew you almost killed the elf?"

'I don't think it matters demon...Now how are you talking?'

The voice laughs heartily.

"Do you think this little cage will hold forever? Already i feel it's walls weakening. Your soul is being tempered. Soon your soul will try to mend itself. Me included."

It laughs again. I sigh.

'What the fuck does that mean? My soul is being tempered?'

"Yes. You had your soul merged with those spirits. And soon i will break free...And when i do-"

'oh just shut up!'

I cut the demonic voice off.

'You will never be free again, monster. I will never submit to that darkness ever again!'

"Ha! You think you can avoid your emotions forever? Sooner or later, you will become consumed with rage and grief. I felt the cracks in this spell when you fought that dragon. Knowing a Hero like you, someone you care for will die, and when they do, i will break free of this prison."

I scoff and open my eyes. I now stand in front of a hanging cage surrounded by darkness. The only light in the space coming from a magic circle under the cage.

"you see that's the thing, dumbass, I can't loose anyone if I don't care!"

The creature laughs at my words. I can see his red, glowing eyes, watching me from the shadows of the cage.

"You keep telling yourself that, kid. But i know differently. You cared for that healer you barely knew. Maybe not the entire party, but that girl meant something to you. Even now you think of her in the back of your mind. Along with that doctor from before i was awakened."

I growl in frustration at the creature. He just laughs at me again.

"But maybe you really don't care. Not a single thought for your best friend, ji, but you used his name in this world."

I hear the cage rattling as the entity steps forward. When he is illuminated by the faint light of the cirlce, i see my friend's face appear.

"Why, jim? Don't you care?"

"Very funny, Semaj."

The creature growls at me and screams,

"Don't you call me that!"

I smirk.

"Aaww. Did I ruffle your feathers? Your tricks don't work on me anymore, remember?"

The demon's face twists and morphs until it looks just like me. Well not this me. He has always preferred to take my original form, military uniform and all. He smiles at me, showing his sharp, white teeth.

"So, why try now after all this time?"

He laughs.

"I have new tricks now."

Suddenly everything goes black.

-With Aang-

Aang walks the grounds of the southern air temple, a place he had called home all his life. It was a deserted, dilapidated mess.

'How could this happen? How did the fire nation even get up here?'

The monk thought to himself.

'This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds.'

Aang continues, past a stadium consisting of many tall poles.

'This is where my friends and I would play airball.'

His eyes well with tears as he walks.

'I can't believe how much things have changed. This all feels...unreal.'

He walks over to one of the poles and places his hand on it. He closes his eyes and remembers his life here. His friends. All of it.

'This isn't right!'

He pulls away from the pole, his foot kicking something buried in the snow as he did. A metallic ring fills the air.

"ow!"

Aang yells and starts hopping on one foot while holding the other. He stops when a glint catches his eye. He bends down and rubs the the snow off the object, revealing an old Fire Nation helmet lying in the snow. He picks it up and examines it. It has been battered by the elements, and shows signs of cracks and burns.

Pure rage and sadness wells within Aang in that moment.

"This is all my fault."

He drops the helmet and watches it as it clanks to the ground.

'I knew they weren't lying but...I hoped they were just wrong..."

He sighs and thinks of his time here as he walks towards a statue. He looks up and sees the face of his mentor.

"Gyatso..."

The statue seems to be looking down on him, smiling. Tears freely flow from his eyes as he starts to remember a conversation the two had.

-southern air temple, 100 years ago-

"But the true secret, is in the gooey center."

Monk Gyatso says, standing in front of an oven. With the use of a long wooden paddle, he retracts an orange, fruit pie out of the oven. Then with the use of his airbending, he creates a miniature tornado to spin out the fruity center of the pie.

"Hmm.."

Aang hums sitting on the ledge of the balcony, resting his left hand on his knee while staring into nothing. Gyatso walks over to the ledge as well and places his newly baked cake next to three others that were already standing there.

"My ancient cake-making technique isn't the only thing on your mind, is it, Aang?"

Gyatso asks the young man.

"This whole Avatar thing, m-maybe the monks made a mistake."

Aang replies.

"The only mistake they made was telling you before you turned sixteen, but we can't concern ourselves with what was. We must act on what is."

The boy furrows his brow at the man.

"But Gyatso? How do I know if I'm ready for this?"

The old monk sighs.

"Your questions will be answered when you're old enough to enter the air temple sanctuary. Inside, you will meet someone who will guide you on your journey."

Aang He uses his airbending to shift positions on the ledge, now facing his guardian and teacher.

"Who is it?"

Aang asks excitedly.

"When you are ready, he will reveal himself to you."

Aang, annoyed by this vague answer, grunts softly and looks up to the sky before cupping his face in his hands.

"Now, are you going to help me with these, or not?"

Aang hops up happily.

"All right."

Aang and Gyatso take on an airbending stance, bringing their hands back.

"One."

Gyatso says as the duo conjures a small air ball.

"Two. Three!"

They shift their weight to the front, launching their air balls. The balls send the four fruit pies flying high in the air, disappearing in the clouds. Down below four monks in lotus, sit meditating quietly between some trees.

Suddenly, the cakes drop out of the sky and each of the monks is hit on the head by one of the colorful desserts. The monk at the far left of the line topples over upon impact. Several flying lemurs appear and start to stuff their faces. One of the lemurs jumps up and down on the stomach of the toppled-over monk, while another grabs some cake right off the head of the monk on the far right. Aang and Gyatso, are laughing loudly at the scene.

Aang clutches his stomach, while Monk Gyatso leans on the railing of the balcony. They both move back from the railing when they are done laughing. The two monks bow at each other.

"Your aim has improved greatly, my young pupil."

-present-

Aang rubs the tears from his eyes and bows the same way before the statue as he had done for the real Gyatso. Aang erects himself with a sad look upon his face.

"I miss you already... I guess its time to meet this person."

Aang starts to ascend up some stairs that lead to a corridor behind the statue. Aang slowly enters the hallway, gently rubbing his hand against its walls. The round symbol of intertwined air currents, the national symbol of the Air Nomads is largely embedded in the floor, surrounded by two square shapes that form some sort of sun together.

Aang approaches a gaint door. The door supports a combination of metal colored pipes and three, blue, rolled up, pipes that are similar looking and arranges like the symbol for airbending. The large wooden door is framed by the branches of an old tree standing on the left of it and the hallway is illuminated by sunlight that falls through little, round windows.

Aang breathes in deeply, mentally preparing himself for what may lie on the other side. He spreads his arms and thrusts them forward, sending an air current into both of the tubes on the door.

The wind makes one of the blue curled tube turn around. When it does, the tube changes colors to purple and the wind blows out like a horn. The process is repeated for the other two blue tubes as well. When the three blue tubes have turned and become purple, the door cracks open and light penetrates the dark room.

The doors sway open and Aang stands there watching cautiously.

"Hello?...Anyone home?"

Aang inhales deeply and enters the sanctuary, disappearing into the darkness.

-with james-

"Why does this shit keep happening!?"

I see nothing. I hear nothing except the sound of my own voice. I can't sense any presence. There is just nothing.

"What the fuck is this, semaj? Where did you send my mind?"

A deep, menacing laugh fills my ears.

"I didn't send it anywhere. Oh, but we don't have everyone, do we?"

I suddenly sense four other beings enter the space. Slowly, three figures start to become barely visible.

"Wow it's really dark in here."

I hear Haru's chipper voice before he creates a small fire to give off some more light.

"Very perceptive, fox."

Ragga says sarcastically and steps into the light.

"What? How? Where are we?"

I hear spirit Aang's voice as he steps up. I sigh.

"So that means you brought us all here...Why?"

I ask the entity and look in the direction i felt the fourth presence. It gives a small laugh and steps foward, revealing himself.

"No ruining the surprise, James. Let's take a look at the past."

-With Zuko-

Zuko, flanked by two Fire Nation soldiers while another fire nation soldier is pacing back and forth, is sitting in a chair in this soldier's tent.

"So a boy bested you and your firebenders? You're more pathetic than I thought."

The man stops pacing and gives a small laugh.

"I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again!"

Zuko says angrily.

"No, it will not. Because you won't have a second chance."

The man says aggressively.

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I -"

Zhao angrily turns around, spreading flames in an arc, and walks up to Zuko and says,

"And you failed! Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now."

Zuko's face contorts with anger and he jumps at Zhao. Before Zuko can reach the commander, however, he is held back by the two guards.

"Keep them here."

Zhao says to his soldiers before walking away, leaving an angrily panting Zuko. Enraged, he kicks the table in front of Iroh, breaking it clean in two, sending the objects that were on it flying through the room.

"More tea, please."

Iroh says, a hint of amusement in his voice.

-Near house wingblade-

"Good. Now show them who you really are."

"I remember hearing that deep, forbidding voice. I remember seeing myself rip off the ninjas head, as if i was an evil Superman. My speed was off the charts, too fast for me to even really see what was happening, and my strength was monumental."

I say as the scene starts to form in front of us. The three spirits within me all look to it, all remaining silent.

"kill."

I stand there holding up the ninjas head, watching as the blood drains from its neck hole.

"James, what is going on?"

I hear Val's voice, drop the head, and let my arms fall to my sides. The wind howled across the deserted street, carrying a biting chill from the frost-covered ground. I stood still, my arms loose at my sides and covered in the ninjas blood, my body radiating a faint shimmer as if vibrating in anticipation, murderous grin adorning my face. Across from me, Val stood holding her blade that gleamed with a layer of mist.

I tilt my head to look at the half-elf. Our eyes locked, and in that instant, the battle began. I hated this. I could feel, see, and hear everything. But I couldn't control my actions. I moved first, disappearing in a blur.

I reappeared inches from Valnala, my fist already arcing down with thunderous force. Val's eyes flashed icy blue, and she twisted her hand, summoning a wall of ice between us. My fist slammed into the barrier, shattering it instantly, but the split second was enough for her to dart to the side, swinging her leg at me in a wide arc.

I duck, feeling the cold wind it created just above me, but Val left a trail of ice on the ground, freezing it solid, trying to trap me. I slide, thrown off balance, and Val takes advantage, sending a wave of blunt ice shards hurtling toward me.

I recover instantly, shattering the ice shards mid-air with rapid punches, my fists a blur. I lunge again, this time faster, aiming to grapple her. But Val was ready. She swings her sword downward, coating it in thick ice that extended to her hands, forming an armor around her forearms. My hand collides with the ice-covered blade, and for the first time, i felt a shock of cold penetrate my skin.

Val spins, using my grip against me, to pull me off balance. She flipped over me, her blade flashing in the final twinkling of sunlight. I barely dodged it. But as i spun around, she struck the ground, sending a ripple of frost out in all directions. Instantly, the battlefield transformed into a frozen tundra, the air biting and dense with cold.

My breath formed clouds as I breathed, i was momentarily slowed by the drop in temperature. Val's eyes started glowing blue again, and she raises her sword.

"James I promised you that you would never be at the end of my blade, don't make me break that promise!"

She Summons spears of ice from the ground that shoot toward me, long and sharp. I weave through them, my movements a blur, sidestepping one after another with incredible speed. But Val was controlling their path; each spear twisted mid-flight, trying to trap me in a, rudimentary, ice cage.

I duck, and feint left, then charge straight toward her, muscles coiling. She doesn't flinch. Instead, she plants her feet and drives her sword into the ground, sending a blast of frost outward. I skid to a stop as ice climbs up my legs, freezing me in place.

"Not fast enough,"

she whispered, raising her sword.

I grin wickedly. With a surge of strength, i shatter the ice around my legs and closed the distance in a fraction of a second. I grab Val's sword arm and flung her across the icy street. She hits the ground hard, skidding back but quickly rolling to her feet. Blood streaks down her arm,courtesy of a gash on her shoulder, but her eyes only burn brighter with determination.

She raised her sword and swung in a wide arc, sending a massive crescent wave of frost toward me. I dash straight at it, fist cocked back, and with one powerful punch, shatter the ice wave into a spray of snow and shards. I close the gap in an instant, aiming a strike at her chest. Val crosses her sword in front of her, summoning an ice barrier just in time to absorb the impact, but the force pushes her back, her feet leaving grooves in the snow.

Val gasps, her energy waning. I see the opening and lunge in, my fist a blur as i throw a series of rapid punches, each one more powerful than the last. Val parried with her sword, each clash ringing out as ice shards sprayed from the blade. But i was relentless, my speed overwhelming her defenses.

Desperate, Val slams her sword into the ground, and ice erupts around her in a massive sphere, trapping us both within a glistening, frozen dome. I stop, glancing around at the frosted prison. Val's voice echoes throughout the icy walls.

"This is my domain, James. I don't know what has happened to you, but you can't defeat me here!"

She lunges, moving faster than before, the cold seeming to fuel her agility. She strikes with precision, her blade dancing in swift, fluid arcs, each slice creating trails of frost that hang in the air. I block and counter, but every missed punch sends a chill through my bones, slowing my movements.

Finally, Val leaps high, and with a shout, brings her blade crashing down, summoning a spike of ice beneath her. I dodge, but the spike explodes on impact, sending icy shrapnel in all directions. I shield my face, feeling the cold cut through my skin.

As the frost clears, Val stands, breathing heavily, her sword trembling in her hand. I, virtually unscathed, stood a few feet from her, grinning wickedly.

"Is that all you've got elf!"

The demonic voice rings out. Val is barely standing. She is exhausted, that much is obvious.

"Y-Young master...what happened?"

Was all she could get out as she struggled to get a good breath in.

"Im going to stop playing with you. So be ready with the strongest attack you can muster, woman!"

I launch myself at her. All the while, i wish this would stop. Both then...and now.

-With Aang-

Aang ventures further down into the sanctuary. The only light comes from the open door behind him and illuminates the area with bluish light. He stops and stands in the light that comes in through the door, his shadow cast over the floor. He looks around and sees a large amount of statues of people, lined up in a circular pattern.

"What is this?"

He says to himself as he walks around observing each statue.

"I'm not sure Who these people are. But it feels like I know them somehow."

Aang stops at a statue of a man with airbending mastery tattoos.

"This one's an airbender."

Aang continues to walk down the circular structure, looking at the statues as he passed.

"Wait...there's a pattern here...air,"

He points to the airbender statue.

"water, earth and fire."

He points to each statue in line after the air bender. Realization hits him at that moment.

"They're Avatars. All these people are my past lives!...There are so many."

Aang walks over to the last statue in the formation. He looks up at the stone figure and the he bows.

"Avatar Roku...I don't know how i know you're name...But i need help. I seek guidance."

Aang startles and stares with big eyes when he hears something. He turns around quickly. A long-eared shadow of another being that is approaching moves over the blue light on the floor that comes in through the door. Aang looks in front of him as the shadow creeps closer.

The shadow reaches the bases of the statues and is revealed to be a small figure standing in the doorway. It chitters. A flying lemur sits in the doorway. It lowers it's ears, blinking at the monk.

"Lemur!"

Aang says happily, forgetting all about the statues. the animal pricks his ears and slightly tilts his head.

"Hey buddy. Are you all alone out here?"

Aang walks up to the lemur very calmly. The lemur arcs his back in fright, his ears, hair and tail standing upright as the boy inches closer.

"Im not gonna hurt you, little guy."

The animal shrieks, quickly turns around and makes a break for it. Aang quickly chases after the animal.

"Wait! Come back!"

Aang comes sliding around the corner as the lemur bounces off the wall. Aang chases the small animal all throughout the corridor, until it finally stops and sits on the ledge of the balcony, looking back at the approaching Aang. He pricks his ears again and takes flight with a scared look on his face.

Aang too exits the hallway and without slowing down, he jumps over the ledge of the balcony, behind the lemur. The airbender turns in the air and uses some of the rocks to break his freefall, jumping from one rock to the other. The lemur lands on the ground.

The animal erects his ears as Aang touches down on the ground behind him as well and launches forward. The lemur jumps out of the way and runs through some ripped drapes, which once formed a tent.

"Hey! Come back!"

Aang says as he follows the lemur. Aang pushes the decaying curtain of drapes out of the way and cautiously looks around.

"Come on out, little lemur. I won't hurt you."

Aang slowly walks up to another curtain of drapes. Aang parts them and looks in the room, but suddenly takes a sharp breath in shock. He falls back in horror as his eyes fall upon several skeletons, dressed in Fire Nation uniforms, lying scattered over the floor.

His eyes slowly pan up to see a skeleton lying in the snow, surrounded by many more skeletons of Fire Nation soldiers.

"Firebenders? They were here?...and there really aren't any survivors...except me."

Aang gets to his feet, enters the room, and looks around with a sad expression on his face. The boy takes a closer look at the skeleton in the snow. The skeleton is adorned with a round necklace that supports the symbol of airbending and dressed in yellow monk robes.

"Gyatso."

He says trembling with sadness and trying to hold back tears. Aang drops to his knees and lets out a mournful sigh. Tears start flowing freely down his face. Suddenly, Aang's arrow tattoos begin to glow a bluish white, his eyes glowing in the same color.

"Aaaahhh!"

Aang lets out a blood curdling scream that everyone on the floating island can hear.

-With james-

"Okay, I've had enough of this...Stop!"

The scene before us slows to a hault. Me and Val inches from one another, her blade shimmering with ice, my fist enveloped in a dark flame.

"Scatter!"

The memory fades, revealing the four of us standing as we were in the dark space.

"seems I wasn't as strong as I thought."

The Evil creature growls.

"Im done with this shit! You want me to tell them what happened so bad?!"

I shout at the demon and turn to my spirit guides.

"Fine...I blew Val's arm from its socket with that attack...and while she lay bleeding and begging, i broke both her legs. And then, just when I thought it couldn't get worse, i took the shattered remains of her ice blade and dug her eye from it's socket."

Tears well in my eyes as rage fills my heart.

"And thats why i spent the next five years of my life with the church, learning from them and Athena, to find a way to be rid of you. But the more i found, the clearer it was that I'd never be rid of you."

The demon laughs.

"Yes. I am half your soul after all."

"So me and the goddess came up with the seal that separated and binded you here. But i still had to keep my emotions in check...or he could influence me again."

The three spirits look at me with varying emotions.

"James...Im so sorry."

Was all spirit Aang could say. Haru rubs his head against my leg. The demon laughs as the scene shifts back to the cage hanging above the magic circle. Spirit Aang stands besinde me, haru and Ragga at my feet.

"Hmmm yes. This damn spell is too strong for even me to break. Only the one who cast it, can dispel it."

The demon says looking directly at Aang's spirit.

"So you can't take him over anymore, only influence him...Good to know. Now, james can we leave this place?"

The spirit says and i nod.

"See ya Semaj."

The scene fades as the entity screams with rage. I open my eyes to find myself still sitting in the clearing as the wind blows gently by.

"Huh?"

I close my eyes and just feel the breeze.

'what is it?'

Spirit Aang asks.

"Nothing...its just been a while since I've had even a scrap of tranquility like this."

"Aaaahhh!"

A loud scream fills the air.

"And there it goes, just like that."

'That can't be good...we going to check it out.'

I sigh as i hear Aang's voice.

"Yeah, but I already know what that was."

I can hear Spirit Aang gasp.

-Fire temple-

The large tower, a five-tiered pagoda built atop a craggy hill on Crescent Island in the outer Fire Nation, its roof glowing with a reddish light. On the inside a Fire Sage is leaning out of the room from which the light emanates.

"Send word to the Fire Lord immediately! The Avatar has returned!"

The expression on the recipient Fire Sage's face turns to fright as he runs off, presumably to do just that.

-With james-

"Was that Aang?"

Katara asks while she runs up to me. I nod and say,

"Yeah it was."

I look to the shining light emitting from the temple, then back to Katara and her brother.

"You guys stay here with Appa. I'll go see if he's okay."

Katara and Sokka nod and i set off towards Aang, running as fast as my legs will take me. As i run i start to feel the wind around me kick up.

"shit!"

I breathe out as i reach Aangs location. I see a sphere of air surrounding Aang, his eyes and tattoos glowing brightly. Aang's clothes flutter heavily in the wind.

'How did you forget about this!'

I hear spirit Aang yell as i think of what to do.

'I don't fucking know! I don't remember every little thing about the story! Why didn't you remember this?'

The spirit is silent for a moment.

'Just stop me...him.'

I shake my head and shout,

"Aang! Snap out of it!"

I hold up my arms to protect myself against the raging winds. Suddenly, the air sphere around Aang expands and sends me flying backward. I hit a wall with enough force to knock the wind outta me.

"Ooof!"

The roof of the building we stand in explodes by the force of the hurricane and debris is catapulted high into the air.

"That's...not good."

I say while trying to catch my breath. When i look back up, The air sphere has expanded to a raging tornado with Aang in its center.

"The fuck do i do?"

As i start to panic Katara walks into the building, holding her arm protectively before her face.

"What happened?!"

She shouts above the raging winds.

"I don-"

I begin but get cut off by Spirit Aang.

'I found out firebenders killed Gyatso.'

"He found out firebenders killed Gyatso!"

I shout to Katara.

"Who?"

I sigh and think,

'I forgot he didn't tell them because i was yapping.'

"His teacher and father figure!"

i shout and then stand up.

"So he triggered his Avatar State!?"

I nod. Katara raises her hand to protect herself against the winds and the flying debris and shouts,

"I'm going to try and calm him down!"

"What the fuck are you gon-You know what never mind, go ahead."

She gives me a side eye before closing an eye against the wind and starts making her way toward Aang. The sphere of wind that engulfs slowly starts to rise in the air. Katara is pushed back by the strong wind currents that fill the remains of the building as the sphere ascends higher and higher.

I grab her out of the air, saving her from smashing into the wall.

"Well, so much for that idea."

Katara pushes away from me and stands back up.

"Aang! I know you're upset and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom."

Katara shouts calmly with a sad expression on her face.

"Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka,Ji, and I! We're your family now!"

I decide to stand up at that moment and shout.

"Yeah, baldy! You're not alone! We got your back!"

Aang begins to descend, no emotions on his face. The winds start to die down and the air sphere that surrounded Aang disappears as he touches the ground. Katara and I slowly approach him, stopping on either side of him.

"Ji and I aren't going to let anything happen to you. We promise."

I nod.

"Its the whole reason im here. Its my mission...but more importantly, we're friends dude."

'What happened to not caring?'

I ignore the voice and put my hand on the monk's shoulder. Katara takes Aang's hand. The moment she does, the glowing fades away. Aang slants his eyes with a saddened expression, before he collapses from exhaustion in Katara's arms.

"I'm sorry."

Aang says quietly. Katara shakes her head and says,

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

Aang pulls back to look at both of us.

"But you three were right. And if the firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones, too... I really am the last airbender."

I shake my head and say,

"We don't know that...things are..different here. There may be survivors out there."

I once again put my hand on his shoulder.

"And if there are, we will find them."

Aang smiles softly and nods.

"Okay."

Katara hugs Aang tightly. I smile as i watch the beginning of a confusing, messy, but lovely romance.

-waterdeep, 16 years ago-

Valnala was getting real tired of this ninja's shit, him and all his group. He was good but not strong enough to beat her. If she wasn't holding back, trying to catch him not kill him, he'd have been dead long ago. But more pressingly, james hadn't listened and was now watching the fight from a small distance away.

She wanted to tell him to run but she knew that if she looked away from her opponent, it wouldn't end well. He would most likely try to use the opportunity to attack her, but there was a small chance he would dart after james, and she couldn't have that.

"I grow weary of your running and hiding."

Her sword started to glow even brighter. Suddenly the rogue appeared behind her, katana raised. But before he could strike, The elven woman spun around, slamming the blunt end of her sword into the mans chest. A shockwave of cold air blasted outward, sending the ninja skidding backward. Ice began creeping throughout his body, threatening to freeze him solid.

'he substituted a clone at the last second...I Hate these pajama wearing assholes'

She thought to herself. With a laugh the rouge turned into a shadow and dispersed, leaving behind an ice sculpture of half his body.

'Fucking ninjas...Now where did he go?'

The woman started to sense where the ninja was. But her efforts were in vain as the man grabbed her from behind, twisting her sword arm with one hand, and wrapping the other around her neck. Another shadow clone reforms in front of her and goes in for a spinning kick.

The woman, with seemingly no effort, grabs the kick out of the air with her free hand. The shadowy leg freezes in her hand and spreads until the clone is,in an instant, an ice statue. The elf smiles as the ninjas arms behind her started to freeze.

"You're finished. No one can outrun winter."

The ninja lets go as the woman turns and raises her sword for a final strike. He quickly faded back into the shadows narrowly avoiding the attack. He reconstituted a few feet in front of her, reached into his belt, and tossed a smoke bomb at her feet while laughing.

"Who needs to outrun it. I thrive in it."

The cloud erupted, thick and black, obscuring her vision. For a moment, she hesitated, the cold swirling around her growing even more intense as she tried to clear the smoke. As she coughed and waved her hand she heard the Mans voice,

"Because there is nothing colder than the shadows themselves"

Suddenly, the ninja was on her again, emerging from the smoke like a wraith. His katana flashed, striking toward her. She blocked it with her sword, but the force of the blow sent her stumbling back. Before she could recover, he struck again, this time aiming for her exposed side.

The half-elf barely managed to raise an ice shield in time, but it cracked under the force of his attack. She gasped, the cold biting into her skin as the ninja pressed the assault, each strike faster and more precise than the last.

With a cry, she summoned all her power, and a massive glacier erupted from the ground, throwing the ninja backward. Ice shot up in jagged spikes, cutting off his path. She staggered, breathing hard, her icy façade cracking along with the glacier.

The ninja stood on the other side of the newly erected ice barrier, his katana held low, his eyes fixed on her.

"what happened to all of that bravado, ice witch!?"

Valnala laughs.

"You want bravado, Bastard? Fine, how about this."

The ninja scoffed at her, and shifted his stance, his katana gleaming in the pale light. His eyes, dark and unreadable, held no fear.

"Feel death's shadowy embrace,"

He says as Valnala starts to chant an actual spell.

"Beasts of ice in coldest depths, grant my foes a fridgid death, let it freeze their soul with arctic dust...draconic power...Ice drake rush!"

without another word, the icy barrier falls, and they charged at each other. As they clash in the middle, a bright light flashes, followed by a massive shockwave.

"Ahhgg!!!"

Val hears james scream out as she and the ninja are blade-locked.

"James?!"

She doesn't take her eyes of the ninja but comes to a conclusion.

"Sorry, but i can no longer afford to capture you."

The ninja jumps back as Val releases a massive wave of ice. The ninja scoffs once more at the woman.

"As if you could capture me."

Val just smiles and points up. The ninja lets out a confused 'huh' before looking to the sky. What he saw almost made him lose his will to fight. Hovering above him were hundreds of spikes made of ice.

"Now die! Ice storm!"

All of the spikes instantly launch towards the ninja. He starts to flip, jump, and dodge the falling ice, but it was too much. A spike grazes him as he jumps throwing him off balance. He quickly recovers and spins in the air to land back on his feet correctly before continuing to dodge.

'This woman is fearsome.'

The ninja flips out of the way of another flurry of ice as he thinks to himself. Suddenly he feels a sharp pain in his side and looks down to see an ice spike lodged in his ribs.

"How?"

The ninja asks indignantly. Val laughs.

"Maybe pay less attention to the ice above you, and more attention to the ice below you!"

The elven woman throws her left hand up and her right one down, trapping the ninja in a storm of razor sharp ice. The ninja's body explodes into a black, inky substance as soon as the ice pierces him.

"Figured you were saving one more use."

With that the woman lifts her sword into the air.

"But you can't hide if there are no shadows Daylight!"

The elf's sword begins to glow as bright as the sun itself, illuminating the entire street. As the light spreads it reveals the ninja on his hands and knees, gripping his injury and trying to stop the bleeding.

"There you are."

Valnala stabs her sword into the stone road below her feet, which still glows, and starts to approach the injured man.

"You think this is over, witch? Ha! We will not stop. My clan has been given a task by the goddess Chirasu!"

Val stops as she hears that.

"Hmmm. I haven't heard about anyone worshipping that irrelevant goddess in a while."

The ninja spits blood at the elfs feet.

"Cease your disrespect and kill me."

Val creates another sword of ice.

"As you wish."

She says and goes for the finishing blow. The sword swipes in one smooth arch. The ninjas eyes widen for a brief moment before his head slowly slides off his shoulders, falling to the ground with a thud.

"Friggin ninjas."

She quickly turns to go attend to james, but when she looks to where he was, there is no one there.

"young master!"

She shouts and starts running around frantically trying to find him.

"James!...Jimmy!"

After searching the immediate area she stops in the street, panting heavily.

'What happened to him!? I heard him screa- No. I didn't look because that assassin-...Did they get him while i was fighting?'

She starts to panic as her mind races. She falls to her knees and looks down at the ground.

'I was supposed to protect him...it was supposed to be different this time."

Tears stream down the elf's face as she begins to wail.

"Jimmy...even with all this power...you were wrong...I don't got this.'

AN: I really don't know how to word this...Im not really good at relaying my feelings...even in this text form...i just don't quite know how to say what i want to say...I don't even know where to begin, but if i dont say anything i fear i may finally break...look im a very awkward and depressive guy. Im normally the guy who is constantly in emotional pain (most of which is self inflicted due to my self hatred) and just smiles and cracks jokes so im not a burden...but lately I've been more down than usual and just have kinda been going to work then coming home and lying in bed and doing nothing...with that being said, writing this and having people read it and favorite it means a lot to me. Because just that makes me happy and gives me hope...idk where this is going or even why im typing this. I dont want sympathy or anything i just feel this need to let some of this out and if i do it here no one has to see me...idk. Thank you for the support. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Im gonna get the next chapter out asap. Peace.

-Sage