Chapter 23-Team Noah vs Tungsten
I pant heavily as I limp throughout the maze of iron walls that Tungsten Brasher -the boss of Twilight Wolf- has created. As I make my way through the maze, I hang on to the iron walls for dear life, leaving a trail of blood and bloody handprints in my wake.
Until eventually…I reach the end of the maze.
Upon exiting the maze, I look to my right and then to my left, where I see a bloody, wounded Flint and Khione exit the maze on either side of me, as well.
"Khione! Old-Man F!"
"Noah! Master F!"
"Khione! Noah!"
"YAY!" The three of us rejoice as we throw our hands into the air.
"So we all won, huh?" I ask with a smile.
"I defeated Cherika," Khione replies.
"Is she…um…?" I ask.
"No…" Khione answers as she looks away, "Cherika is still alive…"
"I see…" I reply.
Old-Man F sadly looks to the ground.
"Is…something the matter…?" Khione asks.
"My Master…Doku…killed himself…" Old-Man F answers, causing our eyes to widen, "He was ashamed, yet at the same time…glad to be surpassed by his pupil…"
"What about you, Noah?" Khione asks as she turns to face me.
"Meh," I answer as I shrug, "I have nothing against Zippy, he's still kicking."
"AHEM!" A voice coughs, and the three of us turn to where we heard the cough, seeing Tungsten perched on top of Twilight Wolf's train-thing, a frantic, wide-eyed and bloody Mary sitting on the ground next to him, her entire bound by thick iron chains, that were probably constructed by Tungsten's Iron Charge.
"Aren't you…forgetting someone?" Tungsten asks.
"MARY!" I cry.
"NO!" Tungsten snaps as he stomps a foot against the ground, "WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME?!"
"That's right," Flint replies as he peers up at Tungsten and cracks his knuckles, "The heroes have to finish off the main villain after defeating his lackies."
"I had a feeling that you three would be able to get past Zippy, Doku, and Cherika," Tungsten smirks.
"How come you didn't retreat with Mary?" I ask.
"BECAUSE I'M AFTER YOU, WATER CHARGE!" Tungsten booms as he aims the tip of his staff at me, causing me to flinch, "YOU CAN MAKE ME RICHER THAN MARY EVER COULD!"
"What shallowing reasoning…" I growl.
"So that's why Tungsten didn't take Mary and run," Flint adds, "He was WAITING for Noah to come right to him…"
"Are you sure we can win…?" Khione pants, "We're all bloodied up, and the leader doesn't have a scratch on 'em."
"Of course we can win," I smirk as I peer up at Tungsten, "We're all fighting together!"
"LET'S GO, TEAM NOAH!"
"RIGHT!"
The three of us enter our Charge Stances as Tungsten slams his staff into the ground, and silver sparks of energy begin to burst and swirl around his body.
"IRON CHARGE, LEVEL ONE: POLE PISTOL!"
Giant, thick rods of iron then fly out of the train that Tungsten is perched on, all aimed towards the three of us.
"Tungsten is using the train as a weapon?!" Khione cries.
"No wonder Tungsten was waiting there," I add.
"Look sharp, you two!" Flint orders.
The three of us stare down Tungsten's spell flying towards us.
"WATER CHARGE, LEVEL TWO: RAPIDS CLAW!"
"SAND CHARGE, LEVEL TWO: SAND SPEAR!"
"ICE CHARGE, LEVEL THREE: SOLID LANCE"
Water begins swirling around my hand, which I then swings forwards, firing off a blade of water from each finger.
As for Flint, he launches a flurry of kicks towards Tungsten, firing off a spear of sand with each kick.
And finally, Khione swipes both hands outwards, freezing the air before her, and sending dozens of ice lances flying forwards.
Our spells collide with Tungsten's spell, but upon making contact, my water blades, Flint's sand spears, and Khione's ice lances fail to slash or pierce Tungsten's iron rods, or even so much as push them back a bit.
"What?!" I cry, "Our spells can't do a thing?!"
Tungsten's spell continues flying towards us, and before the three of us can even resume our Charge Stances, we're bombarded by Tungsten's iron rods.
The three of us drop to the ground on our knees in a pool of blood.
"D-damn…" Khione grunts.
"I forgot how strong Tungsten is…" Flint grunts as well.
Tungsten smirks as he peers down at our bloody bodies.
Mary lets out a muffled cry behind the iron chains wrapped around her mouth.
"Even if you three WEREN'T weakened by your previous battles, you'd still stand no chance," Tungsten says, "All that Zippy, Doku, and Cherika did was make MY JOB just a little bit easier. It's futile…just give up.
Slowly…Cherika, Old-Man F, and myself push ourselves back up to our feet and leer at him.
"Oh?" Tungsten asks, "So you still want to fight ME?"
"Save your breath…" Old-Man F begins to say.
"Don't ever tell us it's futile…" Khione continues.
"BECAUSE WE WON'T BACK DOWN EITHER WAY!" I finish.
"You're telling me not to waste my breath, however you are the one's waiting yours," Tungsten sighs, "You pathetic E-Chargers could NEVER hope to defeat me."
"That's what you think…" I growl.
"Speaking of waste, YOU'RE the one wasting your talent most of all, Water Charger!" Tungsten booms as he raises a hand to me, "What are you doing, lousing around with these two weaklings? With your power…we could rule the WORLD if you join me!"
"EH?!" I recoil.
"In this water-deprived world, the man who controls water controls all!" Tungsten continues, "Don't you realize how easy it will be to monopolize your Water Charge?"
"I don't care!" I snap.
"Then what DO you care about, Water Charge?" Tungsten asks, "What are you fighting for, Noah…?"
My eyes widen.
"What am…I fighting for…?" I softly ask myself as I stare down at the ground.
I then narrow my eyes as I peer back up at Tungsten.
"I'm fighting…" I begin to say, "TO PREVENT THE ELEMENTAL APOCALYPSE!"
Tungsten's eyes widen.
"You…REALLY believe that old rumor?" He asks.
"As the Water Charger, it'll be MY fault if the Elemental Apocalypse comes to be!" I explain, "So that's why…I'll reunite with the Wind, Earth, and Fire E-Chargers to prevent it! If I can do that…then I'll NEVER have to worry about whether or not I was a bad person in the life that I can't remember, because only a truly good person would save the world!"
"I see…" Tungsten replies, "In that case…"
"I'LL HAVE TO RECRUIT YOU BY FORCE."