Elementals

Chapter 7

The deafening sound of thunder echoes throughout the arena as the crowd squints to see what's going on through the flames left in the wake of the combined attack. The crowd watches with their breath held as the smoke clears to reveal a small crater with two bodies laying facedown.

"Do they allow ties here?" A newly healed Ro asks walking towards the rest of his team. "I don't know but it wouldn't be good if there were." Jerome says turning his attention back to the field. "Why not?" "Because that means we didn't win."

Luckily the referee chooses that very moment to come out and answer their question. "As I'm sure you're wondering there will be no ties in this tournament." The ref announces as he enters the field. "The winner in this case is decided by whichever fighter can stand up first or whichever team can refrain from helping the longest."

The crowd suddenly quiets down as they watch Alisa and Kyros for any signs of movement. "This seems like it could take a while." Ro says to himself. Turning his attention back to the match he watches intently with his teammates in anticipation of the outcome.

Alisa's finger twitches and she groans softly as her hand slowly makes a fist. "I see you've awakened as well." Kyros says with a cough. "I won't let you win this match." Alisa manages as she gets one arm under her before collapsing again. Kyros watches with a smile. "We did quite a number on each other you know. You were a worthy opponent. I doubt that I can even stand, so to speed this up I'll give you a hint." Alisa looks at Kyros in shock as he gives his advice. "Just take a deep breath."

Alisa takes a deep breath and exhales. She tries to stand and fails again before it clicks. "Deep breath." She looks at Kyros with gratitude. "Thank you." She takes a breath far larger than the last and blows out a stream of fire. 'Just like a dragon.' Ro would say.' The fire propels Alisa to her feet with little use of her own muscles and she struggles to stand until the referee is satisfied. He holds her arm up and shouts to the ground. "The winner is Alisaaaa and her squad Shaadyyyy!!!!!"

He visibly calms down after the announcing the winners for a second more serious announcement. "Now due to some unforeseen circumstances there will not be a final match between winners and the remaining two teams will both be sent to the capital to serve the kings special elemental squads."

A loud boo is heard from the crowd as the contestants let that information sink in. "So we made it huh?" Ro says with a genuine smile as he watches Alisa get dragged away by the stadium healers in tears. "It's too bad the main goal is to kill someone though." The squad barely has time to celebrate because a soldier suddenly appears from out of nowhere and ushers them towards a large horse drawn vehicle heading to the capital. "What's going on?" Alisa asks as she's pushed in after the others. "You will be briefed on arrival." A soldier says as he closes the door without another word.

"I hate those guys." Rico mutters. "Well we're one of them now. So now we have to act like them till the right time presents itself." Ro reminds them. Bruce looks around at the group of anti-soldier soldiers. "It's not so bad, let's just tough it out until we can leave." "We don't want to leave. We want to be the best damn soldiers we can be so we can get closer to the kings and gain more freedom. So we show no mercy." Ro says in a correcting tone as Alisa looks at him with interest. "You know a lot about kings even though you're from a different world." "We had kings in my world too. We called them Monarchies. They didn't usually work out." "What do you mean?" Bruce asks. "Kings got executed when they abused their power but now that I think about it, there is a country with a queen currently."

"A queen." Alisa says. "We rarely have queens. They usually get kidnapped or married off before they come to power." "Can we talk about something else?" Rico interrupts. "Why?" "I don't like politics. And we can just kill whoever's in charge with our powers if we don't like them anyway." Rico says as Ro smirks in response.

"Some worlds don't have super powers."

"I wonder who's in the other cart." Alisa wonders looking through to the second carriage. "Our finals opponents probably." Jerome answers. "It seems they are coming with us to our unknown destination." "So we finally get to see them in action?" "Not for another day or so at least." Bruce says. "It takes a while to get to the capital."

Come nightfall the squad gets ready to sleep and prepare for the day ahead. Who knows what kind of crap the king is going to make them do after acquiring their services? Nobody really has time to think about it as the capital comes into view. Just as the first rays of the sun peek over the horizon the first thing they see is smoke.

"It's just one thing after another." Ro says to himself as they exit the carriage. They look out at the view of the capital city in awe that only Bruce has seen previously. The city stretches on as far as the eye can see in front of them. Stone buildings of various heights up to five stories tall and wide as a large church in some cases line the confusing network of streets that lead to a huge castle in what looks to be the middle of the city.

"Snap out of it!" A soldier yells. "You've got work to do." "We? What about you?" Rico asks disrespectfully. "We tell you're sorry ass what to do! You got a problem with that?" The soldier yells back as Ro steps in front of Rico. "No, but you yell at us one more time and..." "You'll what?" The soldier asks interrupting Ro and getting in his face. Ro thinks about his next action for a second as the soldier pushes him and walks away. "That's what I thought fucking elemental trash." The soldier points to the origin of the smoke. "Now go clean up your brethren before we level the area." "With what?" Alisa asks. The soldier smirks before walking away. "Does it matter?"

"I don't think they like us here." Jerome observes. "He sounds like a hater to me." Ro comments. "Hater?" Rico asks. "Never mind."

Bruce sighs before speaking. "They treat elementals like garbage here. Especially if you aren't in the army."

"Oh so it gets worse?" Ro asks.

"Much worse."

"Why?" Alisa asks.

"Because they're afraid."