Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

142 - A Glimmer of Hope

Evelynn Zephyr - POV;

"Damn it, this just keeps getting worse and worse. I feel like even I am reaching my breaking point right now," Dagan groaned.

"We have to stay strong! For everyone's sake we can't give up now," Celes insisted.

"But can we really do anything? At this point it feels like we don't have a choice but to listen to them," Winter spoke up.

"Yeah. We have gotten away so far with our slightly rebellious acts against them but you saw what they did to Nero. It's like they said: they were letting it slide for a while but they're serious now. They know we're too close to ruining their plans for them to be lenient," Storm chimed in.

"You're right. But we'll have to wait for Xyder to make the final choice. He's our leader," Jacqueline murmered.

"Speaking of which, where is Xyder?" Satella questioned.

"He said he had to step out for a minute to catch a breather and calm his nerves," I answered her.

"That's for the best... especially after what he did to our television," Sorine sighed, looking at the mangled device in the corner.

As if by clockwork, my brother appeared in the doorway at that precise moment.

"Xy! Are you alright?" I asked him worriedly.

"I'm fine. Sorry about earlier. You shouldn't have seen me that way," he apologised to everyone.

"Don't be sorry. We all understand how you feel. I just might have done something similar if I could," Satella assured him.

"We're at a crossroads Xyder. Do we continue to defy Blaze and risk our friends, hoping that Blaze continues to not hurt them?" Dagan proposed.

"No, they will definitely be harmed. Duran Blaze has finally gotten serious," Xyder said.

"Our other choice is to submit to them and accept defeat at the risk of Blaze achieving their goal... whatever that may be," Dagan answered.

"No, we can't let Blaze have their way. If they do, then the world itself would be at stake," I objected.

"Then it's obvious what must be done," Xyder spoke, "We have to save our friends before our battle against Blaze. Then we can pound them into oblivion without fear."

"But we don't even know where they are. How can we ever do that?" Winter pointed out.

"Then we have to do everything we can to make sure we figure out where those bastards have holed themselves up, and soon," he growled.

"That's alot easier said than done. Blaze has been hiding for so long. No one has ever been able to pinpoint then exactly. Look at how long we've been chasing them for and we still have nothing. Only now, we've lost many of our greateat allies most capable of tracking them down," Dagan noted.

"That's where you're incorrect Dagan. The truth is that we have a major towards discovering Blaze that none of you have heard of. Some time ago, Neor called a select few of us: myself, Evelynn, Emiko and Zeliel, in order to discuss breakthroughs he has had in chasing Blaze. Nero may have been captured but he left us with one vital piece of information," Xyder said as ge formed a dart-shaped icicle in his fingers and launched it into a map on the wall showing Fenix City and the surrounding regions. "They are somewhere in that general area. Zeliel and Emiko have been scouring it for the past few days in order to find them once and for all. I should have said something sooner but it slipped my mind. You guys were still recovering and everyone was still woth you guys so I didn't want to bring up anything unnecessary."

"Wait, are you saying that we almost have them? That is amazing news!" Dagan exclaimed.

"We've all been at Blaze's mercy for far too long! Well I say no more. They've been playing and toying with us like a grouo of fools but we are no playthings. We are Zephyr. Proud, strong and undefeated. We may sometimes lose a battle but we never lose the war. They've made a grave mistake by making enemies out of Zephyr and our friends. Stamd with me everyone and trust in my words. We will show them what it means to stand against us!" My brother declared.

Abruptly, the door flew open as a male barged in and dropped to the ground panting.

"Zeliel?" Xyder called out to the newcomer.

"We... we did it," he panted, "Emiko is keeping an eye out but we found them. We found Blaze!"

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??? - POV;

"Do you sense it? Do you smell the moment approaching; that moment I've been waiting for, for over a thousand thousand years," I cackled.

"A thousand thousand? You mean a million my lord?" the black haired demon chuckled with a smug smile.

"Time is relevant. For me, these long years have felt like an eternity. My dear, loyal servant... Demon Xyder was it... I ask again: Do you see it?" I hissed.

"My eyes see not as clearly as yours. If you so see fit, can you tell me this future you see?" he asked.

"Freedom," I snickered, "The chains which bind me have all but shattered. The time in which I shall be rid of this cage and be free to roam this world once more is on the cusp of being here. All I need is for the boy to get one little push. One small fracture through which I can reach him and then... then I shall have my way. I will return to the land of mortals and I will have my revenge on the ones who wronged me... on the brothers and sisters who locked me away! This world will regret the moment they stood against me... not that siding with me then would have saved them. After all, it is my destiny to see this universe rid of the plague that is humanity!"