Elemental Roommates

Chapter 21 Outside Safe Haven

Whoosh!

Zane's eyes widened at the sudden force field surrounding him. He blinked a few times, processing the escalated situation. He opened his mouth to speak--

"Move!" the warrior exclaimed before shoving Zane away. The two nearly stumbled to the ground. They dashed behind one of the only trees that remained within the miniature barrier. It was just large enough to hide a single body, so the ice master stood in front of his new ally. Zane looked past them to see his ice shield had shattered against the crustacean's tentacles. The creature tried to crush the warrior's contraption. It remained intact with each blow, but the slightest bit of cracks began to surface. "I told you to leave..." Zane turned back to the warrior. Their blue and yellow armor resembled a technological samurai.

"I couldn't leave you alone with a Cala-Pod..." Zane answered before diving out of the monster's view. Its tentacles swayed in the air now while its crab-like legs moved in circles, seeking its prey.

"If you know that it's a Cala-Pod, then you also know that it preys on elemental powers..." the warrior trailed off, causing Zane to make direct eye contact with them. The two stared for a moment in complete silence.

"How did a Cala-Pod even get so far from the ocean---"

ROAR!!!

Zane and the samurai jumped while their hiding tree was torn from the earth. The Cala-Pod chucked it away with its tentacle. The tree smacked against the force field before dropping back to the ground. Samurai then ripped back out their swords.

"Your presence is causing the Cala-Pod to grow more unstable. You need to stay back," they said before dashing towards the creature. Zane joined the warrior, trapping tentacles in blocks of ice. The two continued to dodge swift blows from the crustacean. Zane slid underneath the creature before blasting its legs with more freezing water.

"Then why create the force field!?" Zane exclaimed over the roaring Cala-Pod.

"Because the college can't know this creature's presence. It's soundproof to everyone outside of it!" Samurai exclaimed after getting flung into their own force field.

"We need more assistance. We can't--AH!" Zane spat before a tentacle wrapped around him, keeping his arms to his sides. It lifted the ice master into the air. Zane could have sworn the creature was smiling with its jagged teeth. It opened its mouth. A vaccum-like vortex then began sucking the power out of the ice master, showing a pale light leaving his body. The android's body went limp. His gaze grew dull as he could feel himself growing weaker. The second android sprinted into action. They tossed a throwing star directing onto the monster's exposed tongue.

The beast then let out a loud screech in pain before releasing the ice master. Zane nearly landed face first into the dirt until the Samurai caught him. The two tumbled before sitting up to stare at the crying beast. Despite his pounding headache, Zane could hear sizzling from within the monster's mouth as the Samurai raced to him.

"It seems to not find your throwing star edible..."

"It's because of the metal," Samurai replied. Zane raised an eyebrow towards the warrior, but he didn't reply. Instead, the two allies jolted at another realization. They turned towards each other simultaneously.

"I have a plan!"

...

After their dinner, Kai and Skylor waltzed back to their apartment building. Their chatter carried throughout the night air.

"Okay, okay, wait, you said what to him?"

"I told the dude, hey! Only I can call my sister a snob! And then I punched him and scared him off," Kai bragged as they walked side-by-side down the sidewalk. Skylor raised an eyebrow. The fire master noticed her look before letting out a sigh."Okay! The two of us got in a fist fight until a teacher ripped us apart." A laugh escaped his girlfriend's lips.