Vigilant Vanquish: Apocalypse Awakening

Element of Earth

They're on an adventure with the Earth Gem guiding them, throughout the adventure they have learnt that the full power of the Earth Gem hasn't been unlocked, and that's their first quest to unlock it's full power. They have to pass various tests and eventually win the power.

Guided by the haze of the Earth Gem fused with Robin's beating heart, the new defenders followers as they passed through a mystical rain-forest.

It was a majestic undergrowth, the sleeping trees provided a canopy against the harsh moonlight that bombed their heads with an abnormal heat. Droplets of water were showered on the leaves, glimmering brightly illuminating the forest below as if there were a slightly tinted white light present.

"It's unusual." George said, "It's unusual that we're experiencing this. This really is a once in a lifetime, or even a once in a generation opportunity to experience this rain-forest in a light it's found in the darkness."

Meandering endlessly to explore the sustaining and unique forest, they eventually broke apart from their group and started going their own ways seamlessly.

Tom was alone; George was alone; Emily was alone; Lewis was alone; Rob was alone. Robin wasn't alone - he had his stone.

Suddenly, a strong spark surged through Robin, most definitively by his jewel. He dared to speak, as the Earth communicated with him...

"We are the foundation of this planet. We carry every step mankind is taking, and we will continue to do so. We are the most powerful." Randomly, the voice in Robin's head stopped and the screams of everyone reverberated throughout the forest of light.

Robin ran rapidly, trying to find them. They were split up.

"Who will you save? Your brother? The team leader? The trained soldier?" the voiced suddenly spoke. An agitated Robin had many dilemma's run through his head... His brother is the closest person to him... Tomas has the best chance of saving the world... Rob had fighting-pedigree that could save him...

"No." Robin declared, "Earth carries every step of mankind, right? Then the steps of my team - my friends - shall be carried too!" He gripped his heart with a passion that shrieked the trees, the trees grew taller and taller, they were hair for the Earth.

SHOOT! Spires of dirt shot into the air, each with a person. The trees started to shrink, while everyone ran down hurriedly down the staircase. Wrestling winds cross fired past the lanky staircases, Emily and Tom were caught unguarded and they were about to meet death as they hopelessly fell hundreds of feet...

SPLAT! Was crimson trails of blood searing out the corpses of two great people? Did there bodies become a compost heap, supplementing the Earth?

"No - no one will die today." Robin stated as the trees that caught the falling stones safely lowered them to the safety of the ground. Everyone reached the safety of the ground. They regrouped, and exchanged words.

"What even happened? Why did you scream?"

"We didn't..." they all said, as they all started towards Robin.

"Then..."

"Then what..?" Parker replied.

"You see, I felt the Earth talking to me... It was bragging, in a sense. It said it was the most important, it carried all of mankind's steps. And then I heard the screams, and it was asking me-" suddenly realising it may hurt some of their feelings, he skipped it "it was asking me what to do... Confusing my mind... I then remembered that it said it carried the footsteps of mankind, and I told it to lift with my heart."

"That doesn't explain the wind... That was the biggest nightmare I have ever experienced, after this apocalypse of course..." George said while panting.

"I told you the gems work together...."

"It's a test. I know it is." Tom quickly stated, "Why else would they do this? This voice in your head, it has to be a test. We haven't fully unlocked the power of the Earth."

Ambling on talkatively, they started discussing the possibilities of the tests...

"If this is a test, then this has to be a showcase of power. I think it wants to show us its potential, its power to help us... Practice make perfect, right Rob?" Lewis said.

Rob replied, "Yes!"

Ripping through the air, another impulsive wave recurred around the world, amplified with more power than ever. It tore through the wills of everyone, torturing them to make them change. They dropped, including Robin.

Incredibly, the Earth gem independently dragged rocks and swirled them in an orbit around them, generating a brown tornado that threw the pulse out and restored the wills of everyone.

"Thank you Earth." Robin looked up and thought.

"We're running out of time, look above, the stars have aligned, and the moon's getting a greenish tint, the pulse is getting even powerful. We have to pass these tests fast." Lewis uttered in frustration.

"You have already passed. I have carried the footsteps of all of mankind, and I have seen your teamwork and wills work. Despite the torture, you never gave in. You have succeeded, not as an individual, not as a group, but as friends." A mysterious voice spoke silently in the heads of everyone.

"Did everyone else get that too?" Robin asked, it wasn't his first time, "That's the Earth gem."

"Yes, I got it." everyone said as they celebrated joyously.

As they set up camp, they went to sleep in their hanging tents, and inside Tomas thought to himself.. "One gem is down but we still have five more to get through, this one was hard enough... We have the power of the Earth, which we interact with each and every day, but what about the rest..." He put his head down onto the scrawny pillow, "I guess we'll find out.", as he drifted off to a deep slumber...