Spark (Under Editing and Updating)

Chapter 80 (December 22nd, 1:28 am (pw), Hunter & Ella)

Hunter pats my back and I let out a little smile, my wings relaxing from my attack as rain beats down. I sense someone in agony and I rush to them, my hair whipping behind me as I gather speed. I see Ava hurt and I pick her up, grabbing her bow as she gets on my back.

I charge as fast as I can and carry her to Lahela before I see a clone with an arrow aimed on me. I feel my water powers come out as I create a water spout below, controlling it before I dive and whack him with my sword. Landing on the ground safely, I give Ava her bow back and see a dragon getting healed.

---

I jump over my opponent as I kick down, kicking her square in the back before pain rushes throughout me. I see her smirk as she lifts her shirt up in the back, a hard turtle shell revealing the problem for my pain. She sprints away and for a turtle hybrid, she's pretty fast.

I pull her back mentally and I place her on her back, driving my axe into her leg before seeing her disappear. An older clone walks up in front of me and it throws a tranquilizer dart at me, my fast reflexes kicking it and catching it in midair. I eye the clone up and see her reflection is similar to Reese's, her height the only thing different besides a pair of aviation goggles and a helmet on her head.

"Your her future self, aren't you?" I say, standing up as I dig the tranquilizer dart into the ground point first.

"You like this part of me better?" she asks. "Because Gilbert said to make everyone living hybrids."

I hear a sound and the future self looks in a different direction, the small action buying me time to run my axe through her back. I lift up and see Josie struggling to fight, Josie only having the power of her words and sword. Fire manipulates the rain and I make an inferno, it's circular range taking down the clones and making Josie safe.

"Thanks," she says as I hold her, lifting her up and carrying her out of the area she was in.

"No prob'," I reply, landing, my sunglasses staying clear.

I change into my troop form and run up to my next opponent, my axe spinning on my finger, my ducking allowing me to cut their legs. My empathy powers start to come out as I notice both teams are lower on people - my side only having 10 people in active battle vs about 50 clones plus Gilbert on the enemy side. I grunt and see Reese hovering above me, her glider device allowing her to have a sneak attack.

She glides towards two clones and free falls, spinning with her shovel in her hand as she kicks the clones in their gut. She hits them and the two eagle hybrids disappear, her glider appearing on her back as she runs away from me. Now it's 10 vs. 48 clones and Gilbert.

---

I fly in the visibly troop/hybrid clone sky, my wings spreading out to show their vibrant yellow wings. I dodge the trees and scan the emotional field, some emotions more powerful like Hunter's and Josie's. Flame flies to me and tells me where Gilbert is, his emotions being covered.

I nod and fly to the direction which Flame told me and land, eyeing Gilbert, both of us starting to circle each other. I see rage in his eyes, his fiery red and orange eyes locking onto my blue ones. Gilbert start to do a hand movement and a leaf tornado appears in front of me.

I react by sending boiling water through it before the leaves shatter, the illusion breaking into a shield, each reflecting back to me. I grunt as I land on my bad rib, flaps starting to form on my neck, the cold not even bothering me anymore. With my arms out, I do a flip and try to break Gilbert's shield which fails.

I land on my back and I see an Gilbert form a bow in his hand, the other reaching for an arrow. I try again to deflect the shield with my water powers but they fail, Gilbert's bow holding 10 flaming arrows trained on me. He fires and I dodge, falling into the sky and charging at him, a series of arrows flying toward me.

I dodge again and end up landing on the shield, the arrows an illusion produced by Gilbert. I mentally slap myself as Gilbert smirks, the army of clones gathering around us. He holds a hand up and I stop, Gilbert bowing his head to pause the battle for the time being.

"I would like to propose a 1 on 1 battle, just me and you," Gilbert says. "No one else."

I go deep into thought and look around all the clone's eyes eagerly looking at me, ready to tear me into pieces. I see Hunter emerge, his face full of shock and surprise but also full of worry. Looking back at Gilbert I realize I only have one choice - to fight.

"I accept."

---

Ella goes on defense and I see her shaking out of fear and panic, her emotions kicking in. I see her prep for an attack, preparing her emotions for it along with her body, ready for basically anything. She closes her eyes and gets down on the ground, trying to make herself a smaller target.

I see the rain starting to form a shield around her, the shield growing bigger and bigger until it's 5 feet from her in all directions. Gilbert sees this and starts to attack, Gilbert somehow hovering off the ground. I take a breath in and hold it, my nerves starting to come out.

If Ella failed at this, she would face serious injuries and punishments, possibly death if she doesn't react on time. If Ella is successful, she would be a hero for us and I could prove to her how great she is. I want to help Ella, and I will if push comes to shove, but I can see Gilbert has the power of me and Ella plus Zap.

That's our top 3.

I hear arrows being launched and I look to see arrows coming to Ella, Ella looking in the other direction. My mind goes on auto pilot as I charge toward Ella, trying to push her out of the way. My feet just race to her as I push her over, a pain entering my heart as I look to see an arrow in my side.

***

Oh. My. Gosh. Hunter's hurt as he tries to defend Ella while she duels.

By the way, what do you think about Ella accepting the challenge?

Recap: Last chapter is when the battle started.

Qotc: Was Hunter correct in making that choice?

Ps: Only 4 chapters left.