(ROUGH DRAFT) Endless Sky ~Elemental Chaos~

Chapter Twentyfour

"It's all a nightmare, it has to be all a nightmare!" Avaro pleaded in his mind, eyes blurry from tears.
"How can you be sure it's a nightmare?" The black cat meowed, Avaro having nearly forgot she was there.
"L-Lucerne wouldnt," he gasped "Give up on me that easily,"
"You caused the death of hundreds of innocent creatures," she purred, circling him once again. "I'd rethink my friendship too if someone did that,"
Avaro shook his head, his chest tightening more. "I've done worse shit! He wouldn't give up that easily!" He leaned forward, putting his hands on the cold ground. Tears dropping down.
"What could be more worse than a genocide?" The cat asked, intrigued.
"I don't know!" Avaro cried, punching the ground. "I don't know..."
She laughed. "What do you plan on doing now?"
Avaro didn't reply. He couldn't reply.
What was he going to do? He had no home now. No friends. He had nothing.
"I'll be better off dead..."
"What was that now?" The cat slid up next to him, getting close to his face. "What did you say?"
"...I didn't say anything," Avaro blinked away his tears before shoving the cat away. "This is all fake!" He yelled, getting to his feet and pointing and accusing finger.
"You keep reading my mind! OCTown shouldn't be deserted! I have no idea how I got here, all of this is just one bad nightmare!"
The black feline hissed, unfurling her red wings. "Then how do you plan on waking up huh?" She snarled.
"Just watch me!" Avaro replied before closing his eyes, concentrating hard.
"...That's the best you got?" The cat meowed before laughing.
"Shut up! Let me focus!" Avaro snapped, keeping his eyes closed.
For a second he thought it worked, but upon opening his eyes, he was still in the dull, lifeless world.
"DAMMIT!" Avaro roared before storming off.
"Where do you think you're going? There's no place for you! You're pointless!" The feline hissed, quickly following him.
"I am not!"
"You are! No one cares about you anymore! You caused the death of so many!"
"I did not!"
Avaro heard a frustrated snarl behind him, but ignored it. He needed out of this hell hole.
He headed out of the town, spotting the giant golden field ahead of him. Except it was grey like everything else, as well as still and motionless.
It sent shivers down Avaro's spine, seeing a once lively and beautiful field grey and almost dead looking.
"Can't get distracted," Avaro told himself, quickening his pace.
The cat behind him has been oddly quiet. He glanced back, noticing she was gone.
"Good..."
Avaro continued onward, trekking through the tall grey grass. He had no idea what he was doing or where he was going. Avaro just walked. Putting as much distance from himself and OCTown.
"I gotta wake up. I gotta wake up," he repeated over and over, the grass getting shorter and shorter as it came to an end. Opening up to a grey lifeless meadow full of hills.
Avaro stopped to take a short break, sitting down and trying once more to wake up. But he remained where he was.
"Dammit..." He cursed, flopping back to stare at the sky.
Avaro felt cold and alone, worried that he wont wake up, worried he'll live here forever.
"Lucerne," he called out to the sky. "Can you help me?"
No response.
"What did I expect? Lucerne to just descend from the sky and take me away?" Avaro thought, snorting.
"That would be pretty funny though," he admitted to himself, chuckling a bit more. He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes, just hoping Lucerne is waiting for him at the elemental world. All the cats still alive. The world still in tact. His friends waiting for him as well.
The world shook around Avaro, making him snap his eyes open.
"Eh?" He sat up, looking around at the shaking world. "What's going on?!"
"Is the world collapsing?!" Avaro feared, watching as everything started getting darker. He shook his head and covered his head, closing his eyes. If he was going to die, he didn't want to watch.

"Avaro! Avaro wake up!" Lucerne yelled, shaking his friend.
"Hhh?" Avaro groaned, his head suddenly splitting in pain.
"Stop! Stop! I'm up!" He begged, the shaking only hurting his head.
Lucerne stopped, setting Avaro back down. He opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. Everything was in full color again, Lucerne worried in front of him, Renny and Sunset behind him.
"What..?" Avaro looked around, slowly, his head still aching.
He seemed to be underground, dirt all around him, the only light source being a glowing vial in Renny's hand and Lucerne. His hair, eyes, and white specks giving off a glow that wasn't bright nor dull.
"Lucerne!" Avaro exclaimed, rushing forward and hugging his friend tightly.
"Avaro? What happened?" Lucerne yelped, confused.
"It was all a bad dream," Avaro said quietly, "Just a bad dream..."
Lucerne frowned and hugged back, still confused, but also worried for his friend.
"We can't stay here for long," Sunset huffed, looking up a small hole in the wall. The exit.
Avaro pulled back, wincing at his headache. "Where am I?" He finally asked.
"Basically prison. This is where Cinder and his parents were at," the old cat responded, keeping her eyes on the hole.
"How did you find me?"
"A wild cat told me he saw Zeru dragging you away," Lucerne answered this time. "Renny left to get Sunset and I wanted to go with,"
"What about the evacuation?!" Avaro exclaimed, getting up onto his feet while his head pounds.
"Spike took control, though with Lucerne here there's only one portal," Sunset meowed, flicking her tail and narrowing her eyes.
"You shouldn't move too much," Lucerne advised, getting up as well. "I can see that you're in pain."
"I'm fine," Avaro dismissed, stepping over to Sunset. "Where did Zeru go?"
The elemental shrugged. "I don't know, that's why we need to leave," she answered before looking at Renny.
"Oh, right right," the potion maker dug into one of her pockets and got a vial, opening a portal. "Let's go, it leads back to the den hollow," she explained.
"What about Sunset? She can't go there!" Avaro protested, remembering what dream Lucerne had said.
"I can make my own port you idiot, just go!" Sunset hissed.
Avaro frowned, but obliged. Heading over to the portal and slipping through it, Renny and Lucerne just behind him.
The hollow was much less crowded now, still a lot of cats remaining, but significantly less than last time Avaro was there.
"I'm going to find Zeru," he instantly announced before rushing off.
"Avaro!" Lucerne protested, but he ignored him.
Zeru had to be close by, but why hasn't he done anything to stop the evacuation yet? Is he unable to control large masses?
Avaro headed to the deserted central clearing, frowning and moving on. He found a random prophet near the fresh kill and shooed him away, but other than that. Zeru was no where.
Avaro groaned in irritation and headed out of the village, going half dragon to clear more distance, his clothes stretching and ripping. He sniffed the air, trying to distinguish scents, but his nose wasn't that much better than his human nose. Avaro shook his head and started running through the forest, searching for pink among the green and brown.
"He's going to pay for what he did," Avaro growled, leaping over a bush.
A flash of pink caught his attention and he quickly made a sharp turn, roaring and pouncing on his victim.
Whoops. It was a stray prophet, their fur a dark magenta.
She screamed in fear as Avaro held her down, startled.
"O-Oh sorry sorry!" He apologized, lifting the cat up to put her back on her paws.
"ARE YOU INSANE?! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" she screeched, puffing out her fur.
"I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Avaro tried explaining.
"Who else could you possibly want to attack like that?! Why are you here, you beast!" The prophet spat, making Avaro flinch.
"We're evacuating the village, anyone left here is going to die when the world collapses," Avaro said instead, backing away. "I suggest you head back!" He added before hurrying away, not giving the furious cat a chance to reply.
"I need to be more careful before I actually hurt someone..." Avaro sighed, slowing down to a trot. He continued to search the area, but couldn't find much. He didn't even find anymore cats, which was a good thing. Even one innocent cat being left behind was detrimental.
After about ten minutes, Avaro gave up and headed back to the village. Hoping Zeru isn't there already.
"If you're out here Zeru, come face me! Coward!" Avaro tried in a last ditch effort, not exactly expecting a response.
To his surprise, and maybe horror, a bush rustled as Zeru pushed his way passed to face Avaro.
"Woah okay, I didn't think that would actually work," Avaro said, eyebrows raised.
"Well it did," Zeru hissed. "I was hoping you'd stay unconscious for a bit longer,"
"Well it didn't, sucks to be you then," Avaro huffed, lashing his tail.
Zeru narrowed his eyes, stiff with the fur on his spine spiking up.
"You've caused a lot of damage Zeru. You're staying here," Avaro growled, straightening up and puffing out his chest. Trying to look intimidating.
Zeru scoffed. "How do you plan to stop me? I don't think the elementals would like it if you refused to let me pass,"
"Then I wont give you the chance to try," Avaro replied, stepping forward. It scared him knowing what he planned on doing, but he knew it was necessary.
There was no way anyone would be safe if Zeru was still alive.
"You dont have the gall to kill me," the alpha sneered, raising his hackles.
"Wanna bet?" Avaro leaped at Zeru, talons outstretched.
The cat was quick, anticapating the attack as he bolted away. Jumping over a bush and hiding.
"COWARD!" Avaro roared, facing the bush and advancing to it. "RUNNING AWAY ALREADY?!"
He growled, looking for pink fur.
Something big suddenly erupted from the bush, scalely and spikey and just as big as half dragon Avaro.
Avaro yelped and staggered back as the dark pink beast slammed into him, nearly knocking him off his feet.
Shaking violently, Avaro managed to throw off Zeru, staggering away from him.
The sudden change caught him off guard. What once was a pink furry cat, was now a strange beast. Dark pink scales covering his body, spikes everywhere. On his head, back, legs, tail. Everywhere. Solid neon pink eyes, whip thin tail, sharp thin teeth sticking out from his upper jaw. This was a completely different Zeru.
"What the shit?!" Avaro yelped, staring at the beast. Zeru laughed, turning to Avaro. "Finally have a reason to use my proper form," he hissed.
Avaro's face twisted in disgust and fear, suddenly faced up to an actual challenge. If he failed, he was surely going to die.
"What's the matter? Afraid?" The alpha sneered, grinning. "What happened to me being a coward?"
"I'm not afraid!" Avaro growled, repositioning himself for attack.
"Sure," Zeru snickered before charging, his long claws digging into the dirt as he ran.
Avaro readied himself before surging forward, slamming his body into Zeru. They both crashed into the ground, thrashing as they tried to both attack and avoid claws and teeth. Avaro managed to kick the beast in the chest and scramble away. Leaving Zeru wheezing.
Avaro's face stung from a cut on his cheek, his head still hurting from the rock. Moreso now. The pain was getting so intense that his vision was starting to get blurred.
Zeru rose back to his feet, snarling in rage. He didn't wait before charging again.
Avaro couldn't prepare in time before the alpha tackled him to the ground, making his head scream in pain and starts burst in his vision.
He squirmed, kicking and clawing, trying to escape. At some point Avaro felt teeth dig into his shoulder, prompting a screech of pain.
"I'm losing," Avaro realized as he wrenched his should free, feeling the warm blood spew.
Zeru reached for a killing blow, Avaro just barely managing to stop him with a slap. "I keep this up," he kicked harshly, Zeru jerking back, but remaining on top.
No matter how hard Avaro squirmed and fought, the pain in his head was draining all his energy. After being bashed with a rock then slammed around, he wouldn't be surprised if his skull was fractured.
Avaro's eyes watered as he felt his consciousness starting to fade, his attacks getting weaker.
Zeru noticed this, hissing out a chilling laughter as he rose his head.
Time slowed down as Avaro spotted an opening, knowing now was the time.
He summoned all his strength and lashed out, opening his jaws and clamping down on Zeru's exposed throat. The beast made an odd choking noise and tried to pull back, but Avaro held on. Biting down harder and harder until he punctured something important. Zeru thrashed and tried to get away, but it was too late. Avaro let go and spat out some blood, shoving the creature away.
Zeru collasped on the spot, gurgling as he tried to breathe through the blood.
Avaro pulled himself up, keeping his left leg up as his shoulder bled.
If Zeru was trying to say anything, Avaro couldn't understand it. He didn't care either. He watched the beast die. Watched as he grew weaker and weaker before going still. His eyes glazing over as hr succumbed to death.
Avaro had killed Zeru.