Tales Of Elementia The Astral Return

Chapter 12: The Attack

Blaze slowly looked over the camp. Everyone was training with the new powers he had given them. Everyone injured had fully recovered. Aqua was the worst with the trident through the stomach, but her water powers managed to stop the bleeding in time. The water formed around the wound and sealed it until healed. Damian everyone hurt by the wind blades were easily healed. Now everyone had these powers and were learning. A majority ranged from water, earth, wind, fire, and lightning. Yet some had more unique. Slash possessed dark abilities and Ken produced nature. He couldn't help but think of what was in their souls that tie to their abilities. Blaze stared, watching over when he heard someone walk up behind him. He slowly turned to see Roren. "Hey Blaze." Blaze nodded his head. "Hey Roren. What's up?"
"Wellllll, you had a fun night a few nights ago, huh?" Blaze felt his heart race and face warm. "What do you mean?"
"Aqua heard it from inside the cabin when grabbing a late night snack. She told me and Bio." He chuckled as Blaze looked at the ground, embarrassed everyone heard his and Nyli's night together. "Well, since the whole thing with Keado is over," Roren continued. "Maybe Ezra could come back to the camp." Blaze froze. He forgot to tell Ezra of Keado's death. "Oh shit! You're right! Thanks Roren!"
"After all... He is kinda hot."
"What."
"Relax, I'm jokinggggg." Roren winked. Blaze stared blankly before chucking. Suddenly, his ears rung as a sudden shockwave pushed him. Blaze looked over and saw what seemed to be a large explosion. He stared in shock. Thats where Ezra's cabin was. Quickly, he turned to Roren. "Set defenses!" Roren nodded and quickly rushed off. Blaze then turned. Nyli quickly landed next to him. "Blaze, what was that?"
"I don't know. Gather Phera, Roushe, and Aqua. We'll go investigate." Nyli nodded. As she quickly rushed over. Blaze turned to the smoke raising in the sky. "Ezra... please be ok..."

    Blaze sprinted through the forest towards the smoke. He heard the footsteps of his group following behind him. He kept pushing forward. Please... Please! Blaze felt his heart sink as he saw Ezra's cottage in flames. He slid to a stop and stared in horror. "EZRAAAA!!!" He yelled. He quickly rushed in. The fire was warm, but it wasn't burning him. Fire Astrals were immune to fire, so it wouldn't hurt them. "EZRA! ARE YOU-" He froze as he saw a burnt corpse on the ground. The black body was burned badly, but Blaze could see the remainder of Ezra's black fur. "No... no no no!" He yelled as he grabbed the corpse. It was burning hot, yet Blaze dragged him out. He dropped the corpse when he was away from the burning house. Blaze knelt next to the body as tears welled in his eyes. He felt Aqua kneel next to Ezra. "No... Uncle Ezra..." Blaze then spotted something engraved in the burnt skin.

"You shouldn't have left camp."

    Blaze felt his heart stop. This was a plan... kill Ezra to distract them, making the camp vulnerable. "EVERYONE! GET BACK TO CAMP!!!" There was a sudden yell and multiple humans jumped from the bushes. They were surrounded.

    Roren drew his four swords. "Everyone! Keep together and protect the camp! Blaze and the others should be back soon!" Everyone rushed to the edges, all had weapons drawn. "Be prepared! They could-" There was a sudden explosion on the left side of camp. A snake hybrid, which Roren knew as Hammel, flew back and landed on the ground. He yelled in pain. His arm was gone and his legs were mangled. There was a gunshot and Hammel fell limp. Everyone immediately turned and charged. Humans started flooding into camp. Roren quickly jumped from a post and rolled. He laced his blades with his poison and slashed a human. Almost instantly, the human gagged and fell to the ground, foaming and bleeding from the mouth. Roren then jabbed with his scorpion tail, stabbing another human and killing it. He heard the yells of battle around him. This was it. They had the power to win now. They are unbeatable!
Sudden, a large black mist spread through the crowd. Many coughed as humans attack. What is this?!
"Darkness Type, Shade... Blinding Night."
Suddenly, Roren's visions went dark. What?! An Astral move? Only hybrids can be Astrals! The only thing he could see was a purple light moving in the air. The light came to him, and moved from his shoulder to stomach. Roren flew back, feeling his chest burn. He gripped it in pain, feeling the place where the light hit, stinging. The wound felt almost uneven. What was I cut with! He stood, trying to see if he could regain his vision. Slowly, the darkness faded and Roren looked down. His armor was cut, and blood ran down the wound. "H-How! Who did that!" Sudden, he felt wind from behind him, he twirled his sword and parried against a sword. The figure was cloaked in a black and purple cloak. Their sword was curved like snake. "What... you're a hybrid... TRAITOR!!!" He suddenly felt something strike his back. He fell forward, and turned, seeing a figure in a white and grey cloak, holding a spear. Another!? Roren then felt something hit him in the back of the head, and everything went dark.

    Blaze quickly rushed towards the camp. The humans were easy to deal with there, but they needed to get back. "Nyli! Can you see the camp?!"
"Yes! There's an entire hoard!"
Blaze gritted his teeth. "Aqua, with me! Nyli, stick with Phera!" Everyone nodded and split. Blaze then slid into camp, slashing a humans legs off. Aqua came from behind and swung her staff into the humans neck, breaking it. Blaze looked around the camp. By now, smoke from fires and explosions clouded the sky. Chaos had entirely broken out. There were corpses of humans and hybrids. Others were fighting for their lives. How have we not won! Our powers should have helped us! Blaze then spotted Roren fall too the ground, two cloaked figures around him. "ROREN!!!" He dashed forward, flourishing his swords. The black and purple cloaked figure didn't even turn, and parried the attack. Blaze stared in shock but immediately swung, flames blasting at the figure. The figure cartwheeled back and flourished his sword. The figure then traced his blade against the ground, a black cloud raising behind it. Blaze stared in shock. This was an Astral... A hybrid... Blaze glared. "How could you... You lead an attack on your own kind..."
"Foolish boy... I was the reason the humans overran the hybrids... I've been doing this for years now..."
"That voice... Blaze get back!"
Blaze immediately jumped back as a blade of black fog followed the blade. Blaze flourished his swords and charged, clashing his swords against the figures. The blades ignited in flames and darkness. "A Hino Astral... I figured I killed them all... well... I'LL MAKE SURE YOU ARE THE LAST!!!" The figure swung at Blaze's head with his curving blade. Blaze leaned back, dodging it. Blaze then placed his swords down in front of him. "Fire Type Hino! Burst Fo-" As he spoke, the other figure held out his hand. His spear turned into ice and it flew at Blaze, stabbing him in the stomach. Blaze gasped as he flew back. The figures walked over to Blaze. Blaze coughed and gasped as he felt blood pooling from his stomach. "Pathetic..." Said the black and purple figure. Blaze felt as if he was gonna pass out. "Round up the others. I'll kill this one." The black figure said to the white one. The white one nodded and whistled. The humans started to knock out multiple hybrids and chain them. He saw Damian, Mazzy, Bio, Marie, and Phera fighting, only for the next to be them all loosing, getting knocked out. "BLAZE!!" Aqua tried to reach for him but the white cloaked figure struck her in the back of the neck, knocking her out. Blaze tried to call out but he could only cough up blood. The figure chuckled as he slowly pulled down his hood. It was a grey wolf with red splotches around his hair, eyes, and ears. His eyes shown a bright purple. He gave a sadistic smile. All Blaze could feel was horror. "I... She told me you died!"
"Ah... you recognize this body I possess too... like my dear friend in the white cloak..."
Blaze slowly looked over at the white cloaked figure as he pulled down his hood. Fear and pain filled his eyes as he saw Ezra. Ezra turned to Blaze. "You had to make this harder... you should have just kept it to yourself..." Blaze gritted his teeth. "Ezra... YOU FUCKER!!! YOU KNEW WHO WAS LEADING!"
"I had to help my brother... no matter what..."
Blaze turned to look up at the grey wolf... the wolf he had known before the raid... Pheno Ashfall... his dad. Anger started to build up in him. Those weren't the sweet eyes he remembered. They were a new horror... something controlling him. "I don't know who the fuck you are... but you sure as hell aren't my dad... and I will kill you!" Pheno laughed as Ezra chuckled. "You think you can kill a god?!?!" Blaze immediately began to shake from anger. "I can sure as hell try!" Blaze suddenly yelled as a large flame shockwave shot out of him from all directions. It hurt like hell, and everything went white. Everything went silent.