I've been busy working on final projects for my classes lately, so not much time for personal art/drawings. ^^"

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The Angels of Earth and Water
Chapter 18

Caza slung both chakrams into the air. Both shining wheels of spikes flew gracefully into the sky. Caza manipulated the Wind to guide the chakrams to their targets more efficiently. Both chakrams flew into groups of Camarians, severing them all in near their stomachs. The spinning motion of the chakrams slid the blood off, and Caza sent the chakrams swerving into more Camarians.
Davis focused hard, and was able to summon a flare that grew around Camarians, scorching them alive. He knew he shouldn't, but he closed his eyes to shield himself from their burning bodies.
The Camarians on the surrounding rooftops all held machine guns. Jim skimmered along the rooftops, flying swiftly, doing his best to distract them. The Camarians fired, doing all they could to shoot Jim down. He summoned violent Winds to veer the bullets away from him as he flew, and redirected the bullets into other Camarians.
Ken created more cracks in the Earth that Camarians fell into, while Roxanne struck them down with her Lightning and thunder. The noise was nearly deafening, and far away in the city, the rest of their comrades heard the explosions and thunder and felt small quakes.
A Camarian Earth User, on the ground from one of Roxanne's Lightning strikes, pressed his forehead on the ground, making his own shockwave. Davis was hit by the shockwave. He fell to the ground, his fires dying, and striking his head hard against the ground. His vision went blank for a moment, and he felt dizzy. He summoned flames to his body, and burst them out to blast any nearby enemies away from him.
"Get up!" Davis heard Caza's voice. He looked up to see Caza standing over him, with one chakram in hand. The second chakram still flew through Camarian lines, mowing down multiple Users unfortunate enough to become severed by it.
Jim landed on the rooftops, seeing no more living Camarian soldiers. He looked down into the plaza, and saw most of those Users had been defeated too. Roxanne and Ken left their spots and entered the plaza to Caza and Davis. Caza's chakram cut its way through the last Camarian officer, and made its way back into Caza's hand. Without a word or emotion, Caza tied his chakrams back to his waist.
Roxanne looked around at the massacre of corpses and burnt bodies. She knew they were her enemies, and they would have done the same to her, but she couldn't help but feel some sadness in it.
"Are you all right Miss Roxanne...?" Jim said, landing softly next to them.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine Jim..." Roxanne said, still looking around. "I'm just worrying..."
"Your head's bleeding," Ken said, looking at Davis' head where he had hit it.
"I've had worst..." Davis said, giving a weak laugh. He then touched the spot on his head where he had hit it, and flinched from a sting of pain.
"Maybe it was better that you had come with us..." Roxanne said kindly.
In the fight none of them had given any attention to the Cathedral standing over them. It was made out of some dark metal, and everywhere it crackled with electricity that made its own violet light. It looked older that the Cathedral of Wind or Ice, and had pillars surrounding the building. The Cathedral had three spiked towers, that all came near the same point. Between those towers was a sphere of pure Lightning Energy that crackled and sent lightning bolts down the towers at regular intervals.
Roxanne stared up at her Cathedral in amazement. She believed this Cathedral was more brilliant that the Cathedral of Ice.
"Will any of us get shocked of we try to go in there?" Jim asked nervously, staring at the electricity crackling throughout the whole building.
"I don't believe so..." Roxanne said. She walked towards her Cathedral, still staring up at its dark beauty. At its doors, she placed both of her hands against them, and pushed. The Lightning in the metal did nothing to her, but it sent a shock into her bracelet, breaking the string, and making the beads fall to her feet. Roxanne gasped, and quickly knelt down to pick up the remaining beads.
"Oh no..." Roxanne said sadly as she collected the remains.
"I'm sorry..." Jim said softly, helping her.
"It's not your fault..." Roxanne said, looking at the remains they had managed to collect. She tried thinking of what she would tell Ryo when he found out.
Then again, he might not even care...
She slid the beads into her pocket and she continued to push the doors open with Ken and Caza. The doors opened very slowly, until it was big enough for Roxanne and the rest to pass through. The Lightning emitted from the walls did nothing to harm the humans inside. Occasionally small amounts of static electricity traveled up their bodies, but did nothing to harm them.
Inside the Cathedral was complete darkness. The only source of light was the light emitted from the cracks of Lightning in the walls and ceilings. The altar was in the far corner of the room, inside what appeared to be a cage of iron bars. Roxanne took a deep breath before approaching the altar. As she passed, Lightning surged more in the walls, making their light brighter.
On the walls were grooves and lines that the Lightning traveled along, creating pictures. The lighted pictures on the doors and closest to the exit depicted thunder and lightning storms. The lightning traveling across the pictures and glyphs gave them a real quality. The next row depicted flashes of Lightning wiping out entire races of humans, with bombs and explosions engulfing everything else. Surrounding the altar were pictures in the Lightning of people praying among flashes of Lightning and thunder. Above the Altar itself, was an electric outline of an Angel, decorated in violet Lightning.
Roxanne took her place in the center in the altar. She looked at the spiked that seemed to imprison her inside the altar. She remembered what Janon had done what seemed like hours ago at the Cathedral of Ice. Roxanne brought both of her hands close to her heart, then summoned Lightning. Shocks and flashes of light emitted from her body that grew into Lightning. The yellow streaks of Lightning from Roxanne collided with the violet Lightning from the walls of the Cathedral. The electric atmosphere in the Cathedral rose around Roxanne as she powered the spikes surrounding her.
Roxanne's power lighted the inside of the Cathedral and outside, the three towers leading to the sphere in the sky crackled louder with newfound energy. The Sphere grew larger, turning from a light violet shade to a bright yellow one. Gradually all of the Lightning inside the temple turned into a golden yellow at Roxanne's Lightning. She slowly stopped fueling the Cathedral, until she had completely stopped. The Lightning illuminating the glyphs and pictures on the wall faded, leaving only dull markings barely visible on the walls. The Lighting died out with Roxanne's power, and the vibrant yellow Lightning ceased to power the Cathedral.
The Lightning vanished and Ken, Caza, Davis, Jim and Roxanne were all thrown into complete darkness. Davis lit both of his hand son fire to create some light.
"It should be closed...right?" Roxanne asked looking around at the powerless spiked around her Altar.
"I think it is..." Ken said slowly. They all made their way back out to the plaza surrounding the Cathedral. The sphere of energy at the top of the three towers had died, and nothing was in its place. The second after Roxanne left through the doors, the Cathedral creaked, and cracks traveled through the metal that made up the Cathedral.
Roxanne sighed deeply, taking a step back to look at the Cathedral's ruined beauty.
"There's just two Gates left, right?" she said to no one in particular.
"Yeah..." Jim said quietly.
"Do you think any of us can even get to the Seventh Gate?" Davis asked. "I mean...the Camarians are gonna realize they can't stop the normal Elemental gates, so...won't they be putting most of their forces at the Last gate, since it's the one that really takes away their Users' powers?"
"That's where we're going..." Caza said dully. "Everyone knows to go there in the end."
"Even if all the Camarians are gathered there?" Jim asked.
"Especially if they're gathered there."

There was a high pitched screeching, the same as before. Ryo and Leo both stopped, shielding their ears from the deafening sound.
"Okay, now it's just getting annoying!" Ryo yelled over the screeching. Leo didn't say anything back. He stared up, waiting for the voice to return.
"People of our beloved country, Camaria," The same voice came back on the intercoms throughout the city. "The Cathedrals of Water and Lightning have fallen. Now, our only Cathedrals of Fire and Earth are left!"
"Good. Looks like Roxanne made it to her Gate too..." Kalon said. Dimi's normal look of naiveness and stupidity left him when the voice returned around the city. Now his face was slightly more serious. They were still a ways off from the Earth Gate.
"Camarians," the voice went on around the city, "Every available body should be out now! Out, scouring our city for these remaining two Angels. It is our top priority! If you are near the Grand Gate, at the heart of our city, then please, for Camaria, guard the final Gate! We will bring down our assailants!"
Steel smirked as he cleaned the blood from his metal arm. He was still alone, in a desolate section of the city.
"Those fools..." Steel laughed softly to himself, throwing a bloody rag away. "They're not used to being under attack. They have no idea what they're even doing! Just as I suspected...this country...is helpless without their 'beloved' Angels to guide them..."
"And we have aid coming to us!" the intercom voice announced. "Our situation has been told to the Family in the mountains..."
"Kain...?" Leo said aloud. "They're trying to get Kain to help them?"
Ryo scoffed, almost laughing. "Kain won't help them..."
"The Razada Family, our only remaining loyal Angels have decided to aid us in our battle for our very lives!" The man in the intercom held hope in his voice. "Lord Kain had decided to help us in our struggle, and will provide warriors to protect our Cathedral of Fire! Do not worry yourselves with the Fire Gate, focus your energy on the Seventh Gate."
Steel's smile had faded. He hadn't anticipated Kain getting involved with this. At least, not this early in his plans. Steel glanced around at the bodies that littered the ground around him. He considered following his two sons to the Fire Gate. But Kain still posed a slight threat. Steel regained his momentary lost confidence and smirked again. Ryo could handle anything thrown at him with ease if he just felt the need and urgency. And he wouldn't let anything happen to Leo as long as he was with him. Steel had no worries Ryo would take care of everything. With what he knew, he wouldn't do anything else.
"As for the two perpetrators from Hollow..." the voice continued on, "They have been spotted again. In Sector 11 of the city, they have been seen by several of our scouts. If you are near Sector 11, please, don't hesitate to search for these spies of Hollow. It's time to take our city back from these traitorous Angels."
The intercoms around the city beeped, then after a short screech, cut out. Everywhere in the city, Camarians began their moves, based on the instructions given to them.
"Since when did Kain have his own army?!" Ryo yelled when the intercoms cut out. "I don't remember an army in our backyard! Do you?!"
"No..." Leo answered quietly. He wondered what kind of army, or warriors Kain would send. He didn't doubt Kain had suspected something like this would happen when they first left the Razada House. But he couldn't figure out where Kain would find an army, especially one he would trust himself.
Ryo sighed and looked away. He wasn't educated the way Leo was, but he knew enough to know Kain wouldn't be very merciful on him.
"So do you still wanna go?" Ryo asked, bringing Leo out of his thinking state.
"What?"
"Do you still wanna go to your Cathedral?"
"Of course I do!" Leo said. "Why wouldn't I?"
"I was just asking....to make sure you were okay with it," Ryo said. "I mean, we're still far away from it, so it's still gonna take awhile. You're not tired?"
"No, I'm fine..." Leo said quietly. "You should be more worried for Kaira than me, Ryo..."
Ryo didn't reply for a minute. The announcer had said they were spotted near Sector 11, wherever that was. "Where's Sector 11?" Ryo asked. Leo shrugged.
"I don't know."
"I thought you memorized the map!"
"I didn't have time to memorize sectors or sections of the city! I just focused on the Cathedrals! I didn't think Kaira or Taj would be back in the city after midnight..."
Ryo looked up at the moon. It was the only source of light in these early hours of the new day. He closed his eyes and thought that dawn would be coming in a few hours.
"You can go look for her, if you really want to..." Leo offered quietly as they rested in the small street. "I can go on by myself."
"No..." Ryo said. He wanted nothing more than find Kaira himself, but he still couldn't just let Leo go to his Gate alone.
"I mean it," Leo insisted. "You can go find her, I'll go on. I can take care of myself enough to go close the Gate of Fire. I'll catch up with you afterwards..."
"No..." Ryo repeated. "You could be out there looking for Davis, but you're still going to your Gate, and so can I. I'll find her after we close the Gate..."
"Davis can take care of himself, he doesn't need me as much," Leo said.
"And Kaira has Kyo and Taj both watching her," Ryo said. "She'll be fine. I'll go with you anyways..."

"Your kid's an idiot!" Kalon said when the intercom cut out. They were in a small park in the city that was completely deserted. Dimi didn't reply. His back was still to Kalon, and he was looking up at one of the speakers that had announced where Taj and Kaira were. Kalon lit a cigarette and took a long drag.
"Did you hear me?" Kalon said louder, wondering if Dimi had heard him. "Come on now, we're almost to my Gate, we need to get there soon..."
"Go on without me..." Dimi said, still facing away from Kalon. Kalon took his cigarette out of his mouth, and stared at Dimi. His voice had changed somehow, it sounded a little deeper, more serious. This was Dimi, he was never serious when people needed him to be.
"Go on? I'm not going on without you, you moron!" Kalon said, putting his cigarette back to his mouth. "I can't let an idiot like you run around alone..."
"I wasn't offering to go..." Dimi said. He had put his bag of drinks on the ground next to him, and was standing still, his head slightly lowered.
"What?" Kalon said. "You're not making sense...now that you ever did. Now come on, let's get going!"
"Where's Sector 11?" Dimi asked, finally turning to Kalon. His normally friendly blue eyes were now lowered, and more serious. His face wasn't mischief or comic, it also read seriousness as he waited for Kalon to answer him.
"Sector 11? You're not seriously going there after that announcement?" Kalon asked, not believing it. He saw the difference in Dimi, but he didn't think it meant anything at a time like this. But he still couldn't stop eyeing the twin swords strapped to Dimi's back.
"You heard what the voice said," Dimi said, speaking in a low voice. "Taj is somewhere near Sector 11, and now they're sending Users there to find him!"
"So?" Kalon said. "It's not like you cared before! Even your kid's not dumb enough to stay there after hearing that announcement! He'd be getting his ass out of there!"
"I'm still going to find him..." Dimi said finally. "I'm not gonna let those Camarians find him."
"You're not going anywhere but with me!" Kalon yelled, putting out his cigarette. "You're an idiot to try and go find him now! It's what they're expecting you to do!"
"But I still have to go!" Dimi yelled back. He began walking southward away from Kalon, the opposite direction they had been going. Kalon deliberatly stood on Dimi's way.
"You can't do anything by yourself Dimi. You can't even save your own son."
Dimi reached behind his back and drew one of his two swords, pointing it at Kalon's chest. "I'm going..."
Kalon's eyes opened slightly wider. He then lowered his eyebrows, now clearly seeing the change in Dimi. He slowly reached into his pocket and withdrew two metal plates with brass knuckles on them. He slowly put both of them on over his gloves.
"I can't have you cutting up my gloves..." Kalon said. He placed both metal pieces over his gloves, then let them hang at his side. Dimi reached behind with his free hand and drew his second sword. He crossed them both in front of himself, and waited.
Kalon watched Dimi's blue eyes, wondering if Dimi was really being serious. He clenched his fists tightly, then took his stance facing Dimi.
"All right Kalon, you took it too far!" Dimi yelled.
"I've been waiting to put my fist in your face for a long time...it's payback time..." Kalon said. His voice was steady and concentrated.
For nearly a minute Kalon and Dimi glared at each other, their fists and blades ready. At the same moment, they ran towards the other. Kalon his right fist cocked back behind him. Dimi ran with his left blade in front of him, his right sword was cocked far back behind him.
The instant they passed eachother, sparks ignited from blade clashing with Kalon's metal fists. Kalon spun on the spot, sending a roundhouse kick against Dimi's lower abdomen. Dimi stumbled, but caught himself in time to swing both of his blades around at Kalon.
Kalon had both metal fists raised, and caught both swords in his knuckles. Kalon held his ground, pushing back on Dimi's swords. Dimi pushed back, glaring into Kalon's gray eyes.
Kalon smirked at Dimi, showing his teeth. Dimi clenched his teeth tighter, then slammed his forehead into Kalon's. Kalon's head snapped back, and his grip on the swords was released. Dimi turned both of his swords away, and with the butt of his sword hilts, jammed them into Kalon's stomach. He fell to the ground in his back in front of Dimi, blinking his blindness away.
Dimi quickly held his swords together and raised them above his head. Kalon raised his foot in time to watch Dimi's swords coming down on him. The metal on in Kalon's boot stopped the blades, making sparks as they collided. Kalon kicked Dimi's swords away from himself, then flipped back onto his feet. As he flipped back, he hit one fist to the ground, concentrating his Earth Energy to make a small shockwave.
The ground trembled a moment, making Dimi stumble off his balance. Kalon took this instant to run at Dimi again. Dimi only had time to cross his swords in front of him in defense when he regained balance. But Kalon wasn't planning on hitting Dimi high up.
Kalon ran at Dimi, then when eh was nearly upon Dimi, he slid on one knee. He hit Dimi's leg with his foot, bringing him down to one knee, and temporarily dropping his sword defense. Kalon put both hands on the ground, then swung his legs back around, kicking Dimi's feet out from under him.
Dimi landed on his back next to Kalon, who was kneeling. He had dropped both of his swords in his fall, and Kalon had picked them both up and thrown them a distant ways away. Kalon grabbed Dimi by the scruff of his shirt and brought him up to his level. He punched Dimi across the face once. Dimi smiled in his pain, then grabbed Kalon by the shoulders. Once again, he headbutted Kalon, making his head slam back.
Kalon's grip on his neck loosened enough for Dimi to free himself, and stand up. Dimi made a sprint for his swords, and Kalon got up, running after him. He tackled Dimi from behind just feet from the two swords. Kalon attempted to hold Dimi down, but Dimi kicked violently at Kalon. He managed to kick Kalon off enough to reach one of his short swords. He sent the blade in a stabbing notion down at Kalon. Kalon barely raised his fist in time to stop the blade. The end of the sword reflected off Kalon's brass knuckles, and cut into his forearm.
Kalon flinched from the pain inflicted to his arm. He was lying halfway on Dimi's legs. He reached up, grabbing Dimi's shirt with his free, unstabbed hand. He pulled hard on Dimi's shirt, forcing Dimi's upper body to rise. His head rose right onto the butt of his hilt. Dimi screwed up his face, holding his eye with the hand that wasn't holding his sword hilt. Dimi then placed his hand on the ground, summoning Water.
A geyser erupted at Dimi's feet, under Kalon. Kalon was blasted back off Dimi's legs, and removing his arm from Dimi's sword. Dimi shuffled back to his feet and got his second sword, letting the geyser die. He crossed his swords in front of his body, breathing deeply. Kalon slowly stumbled to his feet, holding his bleeding arm. He laughed weakly at Dimi's strength and determination he'd never seen before.
Dimi raised an eyebrow in confusion. Kalon hardly ever laughed. Not like this. Now when he was bleeding and fighting a friend.
"You little...tough...bastard..." Kalon said quietly in his laugh. Dimi ran at Kalon again. Kalon released his bleeding arm at run at Dimi a second time, with the same stance. They cut across each other as fast as lightning, creating sparks where their blades and fists met. Kalon and Dimi both turned back around, and ran at each other again. They ran back and fourth at each other, going faster and faster with every turn.
On the last one, Kalon turned to run at Dimi one more time, but stumbled in doing so. Dimi slowly turned around, his swords handing at his side. Both were breathing deeply.
There was a bang heard in the park, and a small rift of dirt show up at Dimi's feet. Dimi jumped back, forcing himself to raise his swords again. Kalon spun his head around, looking for the one who fired the rifle. He saw a Camarian soldier at the far side of the park, on a rooftop, loading his rifle a second time.
"They found us!" Dimi said, slowly taking steps back away.
"Shit!" Kalon swore under his breath. He was holding his bleeding arm again. "Let's get out of here!"
Dimi sheathed both swords on his back. Kalon removed the metal plates that protected his gloves, and ran after Dimi. Dimi grabbed his bag of drinks as they passed it into an alleyway. Another shot rang out behind them, and the brick wall near Kalon's head exploded, followed by another shot near Dimi's.
"There's more of them!" Dimi yelled back, still being serious. Kalon gripped his arm tighter, trying to stop the blood-flow. He knew he couldn't make it very far. Now after their fight. He stopped when they reached the next street. There were trucks parked along the road. He ran up to one window and looked in for keys.
"Come on Kalon!" Dimi yelled back, stopping.
"No! Let's take a truck!" Kalon yelled, dodged more shots from Camarian snipers. He found a truck with the keys, and opened the driver's door.
"Get in!" Kalon yelled, as the truck across the street exploded from a fired missile. Dimi hesitated, then jumped into the passenger seat with his bag. They both slammed their doors, and Kalon turned the key, praying it would start. The engine roared up with no trouble, and he shifted into drive.