Fire Reawaken

Lynx's body trembled as he awoke from the terrible memory. Gasping for air, he barely had time to regain his senses before a voice emerged from the shadows. "Well… you're awake. I don't know why you came here, but you'll regret it." Lynx forced himself upright, his eyes flashing blue as he instinctively took a fighting stance. The white-haired woman from before stood before him, her piercing gaze unshaken.

"Who are you?" Lynx demanded. She smiled. "The name is Rhea Kawakami. I'm the Guardian of the Earth Elemento. And you are?" Lynx hesitated, then answered, "Lynx Hoshimoto. Guardian of the Water Elemento." Rhea burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the ruins. Lynx narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice. Finally, Rhea stopped laughing, fixing him with a serious expression. "You can't be the Guardian of the Water Elemento. I know the guardian, and you are definitely not them." Lynx clenched his fists, frustration building. In response, he created a sword of pure blue energy. The water around him spiraled toward the blade, reinforcing it as the familiar blue flame ignited in his left eye. "Do you believe me now?" Lynx asked.

Rhea's amused expression faded. She snapped her fingers, and instantly, vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Lynx's hands and legs, forcing him to his knees. His sword dissipated as the vines tightened, restraining him completely. A final vine coiled around his neck, locking him in place. Rhea's gaze darkened. "I'm going to ask you this once… How did you get the Water Elemento? Because I know damn well it wasn't given to you. As a Guardian, it is my duty to protect the Earth Elemento and the Guardian as well. If you don't answer truthfully… I will kill you and take it back." Panic settled into Lynx's chest. "I don't know! It just appeared when I entered the forest. A voice called my name, and a blue light appeared before me. It told me I was the chosen one!" Rhea scowled. The vines constricted tighter. "Liar," she spat. "The previous Guardian would never have passed it on to someone like you!" Out of sheer rage, she snapped her fingers again, and the walls around them shifted. Suddenly, Kris and Hiro emerged, bound by the same vines, trapped against the walls of the ruins.

Lynx's heart dropped. "KRIS! HIRO!" Lynx struggled against his restraints, fury evident in his eyes. "What have you done to them?!" Rhea scoffed. "Relax. They're alive. Us Guardians aren't allowed to kill unless someone harbors evil intent. I didn't sense any in them, so I couldn't kill them… but I could restrain them." Lynx glared. "Why are you doing this?! We don't mean any harm!" Rhea sighed. "Then tell me the truth. If you lie, I will have no choice but to take the Elemento from your dead body." Lynx gulped but spoke firmly. "We came here to ask for the Earth Elemento. Onyx—my brother—has turned pure evil. He's collecting them all to become a god and take over the universe. He's holding the people I love hostage. I need to collect the Elementos to stop him."

Rhea watched him closely, considering his words. "Even if that were true… what makes you think you can wield all six Elementos?" Lynx's eyes start to glow and his left eye has a blue flame surrounding it. Brighter than ever before. He smirked. "Give me a chance to prove it." Rhea rolled her eyes but smirked as well. With a snap of her fingers, the vines retreated, releasing Lynx and his companions. Lynx stretched his sore limbs, cautiously eyeing Rhea. "So… are you just going to hand it over?" She laughed. "Of course not. You have to earn it."

She took a step forward. "I'll give you one challenge. Complete it, and I'll give you the Earth Elemento and free your friends. But fail… and the Earth Elemento will forever be out of your reach." Lynx hesitated. If he failed, his mission would end here. But he had no choice. "I accept the challenge," he declared. Rhea smirked. "Your challenge is simple—defeat the opponent I summon. Kill him, and you win. However, no weapons made of pure energy. Energy blasts are allowed." Her eyes glowed green, and a green flame appeared in her left eye. A green flame erupted from the ruins. A massive creature, three times Lynx's size, emerged from the ground. The battlefield expanded around them, the ruins growing larger as Rhea, Kris, and Hiro ascended onto a viewing platform.

Lynx stared at the towering beast. His confidence wavered. "This thing is huge… How am I supposed to fight without my sword?" He clenched his fists. "I have no choice. I'll just have to give it everything I have." He took a deep breath, eyes burning with determination, and charged forward.

The creature roared, sending a shockwave that forced Lynx back. It launched vines from its arms like bullets. Lynx dodged, weaving through them, but as he closed the gap, the beast let out an even louder roar, knocking him off his feet. Lynx crashed into the ground but quickly rolled to his feet. "So much for a simple approach… Guess I have to think a little outside the box." He suddenly thought of something. "I wonder…" He took a deep breath and focused. His energy flared, and suddenly, two identical clones of himself appeared beside him. He laughed saying "I didn't expect that to work but here goes nothing…" Rhea raised an eyebrow. "Interesting tactic." Lynx and his clones each formed an energy sphere in their hands. The energy condensed, swirling with water, shaping into deadly shurikens. "Raging Whirlpool Shuriken!" they yelled in unison, hurling the attacks at the creature.

The beast roared again, but the shurikens tore through its defenses, exploding upon impact. Lynx grinned, believing he had won. But as the dust settled, the creature stood unharmed, shielded by thick vines. "Im- Impossible!" Lynx gasped. The creature roared, splitting into three smaller versions of itself. Two rushed toward Lynx's clones, gut-punching them before stabbing through them with sharp vines. The clones vanished instantly. Lynx barely had time to react before a massive vine struck his chest, sending him flying into the ruins. He hit the stone wall hard, pain erupting through his body. Before he could recover, vines wrapped around him, constricting tighter and tighter. His breath hitched as he struggled, but his strength was fading fast. The last thing Lynx managed to whisper before he was completely engulfed was—

"No…"

(End of Chapter 7)