"I'm not … done … with you," Matthew said, slowly walking towards him in his Chain Armour.
"Just give up, Matt. You've lost."
"Not yet I haven't," Matthew said, retracting his chain and firing at Sam again.
Sam ducked out of the way and ran at Matthew with his Light Blade drawn. Matthew ducked down and fired both chains into the ground. They erupted out of the sand and grabbed Sam's hands, pulling him to the ground and dispersing both Elemental Blades. Matthew stood over Sam and looked down at him.
"Does this count as me winning?" Matthew asked.
"Not by a long shot."
Sam blinked out of the chains and above Matthew. He created his blades and fell on top of Matthew, with the blades on each side of Matthew's arms. He was now pinned. Matthew kicked outwards, hitting and flinging Sam away. Sam landed but didn't do anything. Matthew got up and fired both chains directly at him. Sam sliced both chains and walked over to Matthew. He could see Matthew's exhaustion. Sam kicked him over.
"Stay down, Matt. Please just stay down and surrender," Sam said, panting.
"Alright. We concede," Matthew said.
The crowd burst into cheers as a victor of the battle was named.
"Ladies and gentlemen. We have a winner for the B block first round. Give it up for the Brothers, Sam and Jareth," the announcer yelled over the already rowdy crowd.
"Well done, Sam. Good fight," Matthew said, his body aching from the battle.
16: Another Elemental Blade Comes Forth
Lachlan launched upwards to dodge one of Steven's low swipes. Steven followed him and Lachlan began to descend towards him. They collided midair, throwing both marines onto the ground. When Lachlan got up he found that Brin had been beaten and now had Steven and Emily advancing towards him.
"I give up. You guys win," Lachlan said, interlocking his fingers on his head.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner of the first A block battle. Give it up for The Kingdom Defenders, Steven and Emily!" the announcer said and the crowd burst into cheers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of the first battles. Winners head off and please welcome the next combatants."
Sam, Matthew, Malcolm and Jareth all sat on beds in the med bay after their first battle. They all had injuries, although Jareth was the worse off as Malcolm had broken his arm in several places.
"I'm sorry about that, Jareth. I didn't know it was you under that helmet," Malcolm apologised.
"Hey, don't worry about it. We still won in the end," Jareth replied.
"Well, even if I knew, I would've probably done it anyway," Malcolm joked.
"Hey, guys," Sam said as Steven, Emily, Brin and Lachlan walked in. "How'd your battle go?"
"Me and Emily won, clearly," Steven replied.
"Man, I would've loved to see that battle. When it was announced I gave Jareth a worried look. That would've been an intense battle. I mean, you've got the Weapon Master Brin, two of the legendary Kingdom Defenders, and probably the most seasoned marine I've ever met, Lachlan. It would've been insane to see," Sam said.
"It was insane. We barely lost," Brin said.
"Hah! No, you didn't. We won by miles," Steven said back.
"Alright guys, cut the crap," Matthew said.
Sam gave him a surprised look. "You really have taken over the team haven't you?"
"What did you expect? You've been away for months, not to mention the weeks you were off duty. Someone had to take over," Matthew replied.
"I guess now is as good a time as any. Can we come back to being marines?" Jareth asked.
Everyone went silent and looked around the room.
"I'm not sure," Malcolm said. "There's still the kill order on Sam, and most people still think you're Chaos' General. It would have to be approved by the High Council. They're the ones who ordered the kill order."
"Well, screw the High Council. By the sounds of it everyone in that arena liked us being back," Sam said.
"The people out there wanted to see a fight. They didn't care who was in it," Steven said from the other side of the room.
"If all of S1 try to convince the High Council to get the two of you back then it may happen," Malcolm suggested.
"Well, then, who wants us back?" Sam asked everyone.
Slowly but surely each of the marines raised their hands.
"Thanks, guys. That means a lot," Sam said.
The announcer voice came through the comm system of the base. "Ladies and gentlemen we have winners for the first A and B block battles. Winners prepare for the second round."
"Well, now what do we do?" Jareth asked.
"We wait for our next battle," Emily said.
Jareth, Sam, Emily and Steven waited for their next battle. Each pair got called up for another battle and completed it with ease. They finished their second, semi and final battles. All that was left was the final battle between the A block winner and the B block winner. Steven and Emily versus Sam and Jareth.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we now have the final battle of the tournament and it's going to be a good one too. The Kingdom Defenders versus the Brothers. Marines, get ready for the battle of a lifetime!" the announcer said.
Sam and Jareth stepped out into the arena and the crowd went crazy. Steven and Emily walked out the opposite gate and the crowd went nuts. Everyone was ready for the battle and they all wanted to see who would walk away victorious.
"On your marks, get set, Armours activate!"
"Solid Light!"
"Chimera Armour activate!"
"Morph Armour activate!"
As soon as everyone's armours were active, walls of earth erupted out of the sand and surrounded Sam and Jareth.
"Well, isn't this a turn of events," Jareth said.
"Drop 'em Jareth!" Sam yelled.
"Don't you think I've been trying?" Jareth screamed back.
"Let me try. Horus, Earth," Sam said. His eyes turned a deep shade of brown as his element changed. Sam concentrated hard and with all the energy he could muster. He punched the wall of rock, causing it to shatter and creating a dust cloud.
"Earthen Chimera!" Jareth ran out of the dust cloud in his beast form and straight for Emily.
Emily created more walls of Earth but Jareth just rammed through them. Emily smiled, her shadow expanding up the wall, becoming 3D and then stepping off of the wall. As Emily took control of it she ran at Jareth and they collided head on. Emily grabbed Jareth's jaw and held the upper and lower jaws separate. Jareth tried to claw at her but the claws just went through the Darkness.
Sam and Steven ran at each other with their blades drawn. They clashed again and again, neither one wanting to lose or give up. Steven ducked under one of Sam's swipes and launched himself upwards using the ground beneath him.
"Master, I suggest not following him. Knowing Steven he has some kind of plan," Horus said into his mind.
"I know that, but I can't defeat him unless I follow him. Just trust me, Horus."
"Very well, Master."
Sam activated Horus and flew after Steven. After creating chakrams out of air he threw them at Steven. They clipped Steven's armour but didn't stop or slow his ascension. The chakrams turned around midair but missed him the second time.
Steven turned around and began to descend towards Sam. It caught him off guard and Sam narrowly avoided getting hit by him. Sam stopped gaining altitude and hovered in the air and he looked around for something.
"Is everything okay, Master?"
"Yeah, yeah, I just thought I saw something fly past," Sam replied, turning in midair to get a look at the surrounding landscape.
Steven's voice came through his comms. "What are you doing up there Sam? Get down here and fight me."
"Okay, here I come," Sam said before blinking behind Steven. If it wasn't for Emily's warning, Sam would've finished Steven off.
Matthew was on the edge of his seat as he, Brin, Lachlan and Malcolm all sat watching Sam's fight against Emily and Steven.
<
br /> "Calm down, Matt. It's just a battle. No-one will get killed," Malcolm said, seeing his son getting all giddy.
"I know but it's weird seeing Sam fighting again," Matthew replied.
"I know what you mean, Matt, but c'mon, it's just one fight," Lachlan said.
"Yeah, but what if Sam does come back to the team? Then we'll get to see a lot more battles with him."
"I'm not even sure Sam will be able to come back, Matt. The High Council really don't like him or Jareth," Malcolm said harshly.
Matthew calmed down and sat back in his seat.
"Hey, did you guys see that?" Brin asked, leaning forward.
"See what?" Lachlan asked back.
"I dunno. I thought I saw a black streak over there," Brin said, pointing off across the red sand plains outside the base.
"That must've been what Sam saw," Matthew said.
"What are you talking about, Matt?"
"When he was up in the air just before, he hesitated and looked like he was looking for something. Maybe he saw the same thing Brin did."
"I'll see if I can get a hold of Sam," Lachlan said.
"You can't. The comm lines are dead inside the arena. We can't hear anything they're saying and they can't hear us," Malcolm said.
"So we just have to wait and see what happens?" Matthew asked.
"Yep," Lachlan replied.
"Jareth, swap fighters!" Sam yelled after he dodged yet another one of Steven's attacks.
"Rodger," Jareth said, jumping off a wall, passing over Emily and running towards Steven.
Sam deactivated Horus and activated his Solid Light Armour. He ran straight for Emily, who got ready to swipe at Sam. As Emily brought her clawed hand around, the Darkness began to disperse and the claw passed harmlessly over Sam's armour.
"What's going on?" Emily asked.
"Your Darkness Armour doesn't effect my Light Armour," Sam explained.
Sam created his blade and ran at Emily. He didn't get far before he felt all of his muscles tense up - he couldn't move. He heard screams and cries as everyone else was stuck in the position they were in.
"Sam, what the hell is going on?" Jareth asked.
"I'm not sure. Someone … something … must be controlling the gravity around us."
"Master, I can sense something big heading our way."
"What is it, Horus?"
"A dragon."
Sam, Jareth, Steven and Emily all felt their limbs loosen and the four of them turned to where the sound of wings beating could be heard. In the sky was a silver and black dragon that Sam knew all too well.
"What are you doing here, Alpha?!" Sam yelled as Alpha landed on one of the outer walls of the arena. Everyone began to scream but they couldn't do much else.
"Calm yourselves, Humans! Struggling only makes the effects of gravity worse, which may lead to you being permanently paralyzed. Now, Samuel, I have come here to fulfil my duty to aiding you in your quest," Alpha said.
"What quest?"
"The one to kill Chaos. You can only achieve your goal by unlocking the five Elemental Blades within the five hosts. I know who the hosts are and that's why I am here."
"How do you know who can and can't wield an Elemental Blade?"
"Because, I created them. Now I have come to help two more wielders realise their potential. Those two are here in this arena," Alpha said.
"Who else can wield an Elemental Blade?"
"Steven and Emily are two more. Add that to you and Theta, that makes four. You won't meet the last one until next year. Samuel, you meeting Steven and Emily was set in time. It was one of those events where no matter what you did up until that point, you would have met them. Same goes for the last wielder. You will meet him next year, no matter what you do," Alpha explained.
Sam looked at Steven and Emily, and then back at Alpha. Alpha's eyes had gone bone white, like Dialgus' had when he'd used his powers.
"Wielders of the Blades, unleash your power and show the world your might!" Alpha chanted.
A pulse emitted from him and hit the four marines in the arena. Jareth was flung back while Sam, while Emily and Steven all stood their ground. Sam's Elemental Blade appeared in his hand and when he turned to Steven and Emily, they both had theirs in their hands too. Steven carried a blade made from earth, with vines wrapped around it. Emily also wielded a Blade of Earth but hers was shrouded in Darkness.
"Now you are ready to face Chaos," Alpha said as he turned and flew off.
"Are we really ready?" Jareth asked, getting to his feet.
"We'll just have to wait and see," Sam replied.
17: Preparation
With Alpha gone, everybody left the arena screaming.
"I didn't know you trained a bunch of wusses, Sir," Sam said, seeing everyone but S1 leave.
"I didn't. I trained them to be strong. But no, as soon as they see a dragon, everyone loses it," Malcolm replied as the S1 team regrouped in the middle of the arena.
"So are we going to face Chaos?" Matthew asked.
"I have someone I want to see first. But the rest of you can," Sam replied as he turned to leave.
"What? Where do you think your going? We're a team. We fight together and we die together," Steven said.
"Okay, one - I am not a part of your "team". Two - the person I'm going to see can seriously help us fight Chaos. And three - think about what Alpha said. He said that we needed all five Elemental Blades to defeat Chaos and that we were ready to fight him. Also, we aren't supposed to meet the fifth wielder until next year. Nothing Alpha said made any sense, so I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure he doesn't succeed. I'll see you all when I get back. Be ready to strike," Sam said before blinking away.
"Alright team, you heard Sam. We need to be ready for when he comes back," Matthew said.
Chaos stirred atop his throne. Zac knelt in front of him, waiting for orders. Zac wanted to kill something. He was thirsty for blood - Matthew's blood.
"Zac."
"My Lord?" Zac smiled as Chaos called him.
"Get the other generals ready. We leave tonight."
"May I ask why, my Lord?"
"Sam and the S1 marines will be dead by sunrise. And I will allow you to kill Matthew."
"Yes, my Lord. Thank you, my Lord."
Zac ran off excitedly.
'My Host will be dead by daybreak. I need a new one. I just hope that there will be a suitable host for me in this battle as there's no way I will survive without one. Please, High King Draconis, grant me a new host so that I may one day reawaken you,' Chaos thought to himself.
Sam blinked to a theme park in Australia. He knew the ones he was looking for would be in one of the parks. They were still rebuilding the parks after they'd been destroyed by Nathan and his team, who were exactly who Sam was looking for. He found them in their fusion beast form, slowly rebuilding an old roller coaster.
"Nathan!" Sam yelled.
Mecha Rhynos jumped from the high metal frame and landed with a thud just in front of Sam. It raised its head and looked down upon Sam.
"What do you want, Sam?" it asked.
"I want you to help us take revenge on Chaos."
"Why us?"
"Because you've had experience with the Chaos Element and you'll know its weaknesses. Also I'm guessing that Chaos will do something to Matthew or Jareth and I need another veteran of Chaos to stop that from happening."
"What's in it for us?"
"Freedom. I've seen a few marines hanging around here, and they're here to kill you. I can tell who they are and I'm guessing you can't. Look, Nathan, you and your team have been tracked and are to be exterminated because of your crimes against the marines. I can make that all go away if you help us," Sam pleaded.
"We'll help you, but if we do and afterwards we find out that marines are following us, we'll have no choice but to kill them. Also, we want back on the team."
"That's fair. So you're in?"
"We are."
Sam blinked bac
k to base with Nathan and his team and found S1 ready to leave. It was getting dark and they all knew what had to happen by the end of the night. They left the base, unsure of who was coming back.
18: The Final Battle (Part One)
Sam, Matthew, Jareth, Emily, Steven, Lachlan, Nathan and his team all entered the school's main courtyard and found Chaos with several Chaos Generals behind him. One was Zac, one was Riley, and four others stood behind them.
"Lachlan, Riley's yours. Jareth, Emily, Steven, Nathan, take down the other four Chaos Generals. Matthew, I trust you can handle Zac?" Sam ordered.
"With pleasure," Matthew replied.
All at once everyone ran at their respective opponents. Lachlan ran straight for Riley, who stood his ground and began to move his hands in a mystical manner. Chaos spewed from his hands and began to surround Lachlan. Anubis activated on its own and the jackal helmet encased Lachlan's head.
"Do not worry, Master. I shall protect you from the Demon's spells," Anubis said.
"Thanks, Anubis," Lachlan replied, encasing his fist in ice and running at Riley. Lachlan swung his fist and Riley's image fizzled out of existence. More images of Riley circled Lachlan.
"Which one's the right one?" the clones asked in unison.
"Master, might I try something?" Anubis asked.
"Sure, Anubis," Lachlan replied.
The air around Lachlan suddenly dropped in temperature and frost formed on the ground at Lachlan's feet. Ice began to form on Anubis and encase him and Lachlan.
"What's happening, Anubis?"
"I saw Sam use his element to create an armour. I am attempting to recreate it with ice."
As Anubis spoke, the ice on the armour increased in density and began to shape itself into several pieces of armour. A long white mane of ice formed down Lachlan's back. Claws formed on his fingers and toes.
"Arctic Needle Spray!" Anubis said.
The frost around Lachlan's feet shattered and began to rise from the ground and form sharp needles. The needles fired in every direction, hitting each clone and dispersing most of them. Lachlan turned to the only clone that didn't disperse - it was covered in tiny Ice needles.
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