Meadthros and I had been at it for longer than I normally fought adversaries. With his advanced-level water techniques, it was difficult to parry him, especially since I had been out of practice.
Most of the humans had gone to fight Helvetica, and I was too busy dodging Meadthros to level Linksys to a large enough size to help. If I could just muster up enough power to lay him off one good time, I could spare myself chanting time.
My entire life, knowing the weakness of water was earth, I had tried desperately to master some spells pertaining to the specific element but was never successful. That's when I turned to electricity, or lightning. It wasn't necessarily water's weakness, but when mixed they became a dangerous concoction of death. However, since it was not my natural affinity, using any sort of lightning technique harmed me in return, and in a battle such as this, with no other back-up, I simply could not take such measures.
Igniting my hands for the thousandth time, I threw fireball after fireball.
"Really, Elvinia. You've fallen out of practice, haven't you? This is what happens when you consort with humans!" He taunted as he dodged each and every one with nonchalant grace only to return my attack with enormous waves of water.
With a roar that split the air itself, a scalding jet of unforgiving streams relentlessly pounded me, sending me flying into the side of the cliff. My body slid to the ground as the waves subsided, only for my gaze to meet the yellow eyes of the serpent. Its maw was dripping in blood and water, telling me it was the origin of that powerful attack. Not only that, but the humans now also held casualties.
Why wasn't Meadthros taking this opportunity to finish me off?
I squinted my eyes, trying to see passed the blurriness only to realize that the serpent's strike was headed straight for me, his jaw wide and teeth sharp.
By the time I could react, I'd be dead.
Maybe my reprieve was finally near.
As these nightmarish thoughts plagued me, a blur of a man stepped before me, his hands gripping tightly to a metal rod that now kept the jaws of the creature forcibly open. He glanced back at me, deep ebony eye swirling in fever; however, his mask had been removed from over his other eye, a deep crimson staring into my soul. A jagged, gray scar ran from above his brow to his cheekbone and through the eye socket. But seeing as the eye was untouched, only one thought came to mind: implanted.
"Don't just sit there. I'm not standing here for fun." His casual tone made my senses snap back. He was right. I was in the midst of battle, sitting here hoping for death. It was something I deserved, but at the same time, these people didn't, and I was the only one here to really save them.
As I readied myself for the spell, Helvetica's slinky body suddenly rammed to the side, Kakashi's metal rod breaking from the dragon's jaws. I watched as an enormous slug creature continuously rammed its head into the flailing dragon, attempting to squash it against the unforgiving sides of the rocky cliff. What astounded me the most, however, was that a certain female stood atop the creature. As much as I hated to admit it, the Tsunade woman had style.
"Don't worry, Elvinia!" He suddenly appeared next to me out of nowhere, his normally bright face clouded with dirty mud. "We've got your back!" He cheered, slapping a hand to my shoulder.
What he didn't realize was the fact that those words only made me the more frustrated. How'd he know exactly what to say every time?
Before I could stop myself, my arm wrapped around his neck, bringing him into me. Burying my face into his bright blonde hair, I spoke, "quit saying such nonsense. It'll only make me want to stay." It was barely a whisper. I couldn't believe the words myself, even if they had come from my lips. But it made it so hard for me to keep up the act. Letting him go, I couldn't help but chuckle at his seemingly speechless self, cheeks ablaze for some reason unknown to me.
It was then that I took in the scene, watching as Yamato and the other humans in masks held off Meadthros. Their intelligence and agility no longer surprised me. The humans here were simply unique and astonishingly courageous.
"So," I smirked, giving Hatake and Naruto a devious look, "who's ready to actually start fighting?"
Kakashi shook his head in what I perceived as amused disbelief while Naruto pumped his fist in excitement.
Another splitting roar resounded as Helvetica swiped the enormous slug with his spiked, finned tail. Seemingly not prepared, the creature went sliding back toward the rows of trees, Tsunade struggling for equilibrium.
"Tsunade-sama!"
"Don't worry, Naruto. . . Linksys!" The dragon let out a tiny roar, my head snapping to the side to see him at the ready. "Vehemeh fevwoh!" (Level four.) Jumping as his body grew to an incredibly enormous size, he landed just in time to halt the large slug's slide into the trees, grunting as his claws dug into the earth for leverage. "Gaveh 'umah hemish!" (Give 'em hell!)
Seeing the side of his maw perk up a bit, I almost laughed at the sight of a dragon smirking.
"I-incredible." Hatake breathed in amazement, a rare expression of surprise on his face.
"That, my friend," I put a hand on his shoulder, "is a dragon." Giving a teasing wink, I turned away to focus on Meadthros. Seeing as Yamato had a form of Earth technique, he was giving Meadthros a run for his money with the help of the others. However, there were also many fallen humans.
Many had become pray to Helvetica's seemingly insatiable appetite.
"Hatake, Naruto," I addressed them as a plan formulated in my mind. I cursed myself for thinking it, but Naruto's words- him claiming he had my back- meant I had back-up. So I could finally go all out, "get the humans away from any stretch of water. I will take care of it from there." I demanded, watching as Tsunade ran toward us with her slug now gone.
"Elvinia, what are you going to do?" Naruto hesitantly asked. I knew what he was thinking. He had somewhat figured me out.
"I may be a fire type, but fire will not kill Meadthros. I didn't want to use my other techniques because I was under the sense I had no back-up if something went wrong, but I had forgotten where I was- I had forgotten who I underestimated last time." Not looking him in the face, I had no idea what he was thinking, but the waves of endearment wafting from him told me everything. He was happy.
"Elvinia. . ."
"However, that does not mean I hate any of you less. And yes, I wait for the day I can leave." I added, stubbornly crossing my arms and sending him a side glare.
"Well, then, let's hear your plan, Miss Mighty Elf." Her voice was as annoying as ever, my eyes closing in silent aggravation. I turned to see many more people present.
Some I recognized, others I hadn't met.
I recognized Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru among Sai, Sakura, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba as well. They had all gathered, Tsunade proudly standing before me.
"I need everyone away from any source of water connected to this fight. I have a way of killing him, but up until now, I avoided using it." I admitted reluctantly, averting my gaze from them all.
"Why not just use earth techniques? That's water's weakness, after all." Kiba butted in, letting the all too obvious be known. I sighed in aggravation.
"There are some things you humans don't quite understand about elves yet. We're born with a natural affiliation for one element," I began my rather quick explanation with my hand ablaze in fire, "I happen to be one with fire. However, any usage of another element can be highly detrimental to our bodies, not to mention the fact that it is harder to master other natures. And Earth, or any sort of flora and fauna technique for that matter, happens to be. . . my weakest affiliation." I added rather shyly, my cheeks hot in aggravation.
"Hah, well, we can't be good at everything, yea?" Another boy whom I had not met yet put his hand on my shoulder. His bowl cut hair and bushy brows were definitely one of a kind. I sighed.
"Well, I am good with a lot of things, which is why I need you all at a safe distance. Elven matters are not meant for humans. That is why so many have fallen." I shook my head, suddenly holding a steadfast gaze with Tsunade. "I tried to warn you."
And with that, they all dispersed and spread the message, Tsunade and Hatake staying behind.
"Just what is it, then, are you doing?" She inquired. "I know for a fact you aren't going to use a fire technique."
"If not fire, then what? Will it not harm you like you mentioned earlier?" Hatake added, his body beaten and bruised. I rolled my eyes.
"It's a little late to be worried about that. Hah, please, you all act as if this is my first fight. You can't really believe I've always relied on fire in a fight? Now that I have back-up, if my body is injured beyond mobility, it won't matter." I smirked deviously, watching as Linksys hounded Helvetica.
"Linksys, aun da cuvent ov flend, uweh Lilestra Bemas ta killeau Helvetica." I instructed the large beast who simply roared in reply, making me chuckle. (Linksys, on the count of three, use Lightning Beam to kill Helvetica.)
"Tsunade," Hatake's eyes were clouded in some emotion I couldn't read; he glanced at me once, "let's go." They both bounded away, everyone in the vicinity gone.
It was me, a panting Meadthros, Linksys, and Helvetica.
He was struggling to keep on his feet, the earth sopping wet everywhere I turned. Once this technique was initiated, there'd be no escape route for me, and I didn't have any insulating armor for this spell. However, it would be a prudent idea to change the armor I currently held, for death would happily greet me with my body the composition of water.
With that idea in mind, the familiar golden light seeped over me, leaving me in a simple elven clothing. A black dragonscale material went from around my neck and to my waist, hugging my skin tightly as a black cape wrapped around my shoulders like a muffler and trailed to the ground behind me. The pants were of similar material as the shirt, hugging tightly and fitting neatly under the boots that came to my knees. Strapped around my torso was the hilt to a sword, equipped for plan B measures.
"Hah. . . these humans. . . holding you captive or something? They're rather tenacious. . . in this land. Why not just come with. . . me? You'll be free again." His breathing was ragged, his sword dragging the ground due to his limp arms. I smiled gravely at him. His end was near.
"One thing I've learned here is that one is never truly free, Meadthros. I'd merely be prison-hopping, and I'd prefer not hopping back into my father's prison. It is a tempting offer, however, and if you weren't intent on returning me to Sativola, I would've gladly obliged." I smiled graciously, watching his twisted smile grow.
"Had you not killed my sister, I might've been inclined for negotiation." He seethed in regrown rage, running quickly for my casual figure.
"Vwon," I began, my magic seeping into the atmosphere as I slowly rose from the ground, "chee," Linksys roared as he reared back on his hind legs. The sky turned an ominous gray, the clouds swirling like a maelstrom in the sea. He was deadly close to piercing me with his sword when I announced, "flend!" (One, two, three!)
On queue, the sky roared with splitting heat as Linksys mimicked with a roar of his own. Two deadly flashes of light seeped across the open field, my partner's heated beam of flashing electricity searing the flesh of Helvetica. The sky responded with a similar hint of rage, beams of webbed light crashing toward me from the epicenter of the maelstrom in the clouds.
It only took a mere second to reach me, my body acting as a medium as the angry arms danced into the ground.
Meadthros let out a deafening scream along with his partner, Helvetica, for both had heated electricity flowing within them. My limbs shook with every volt that coursed through me; I could undoubtedly be receiving as much pain as Meadthros, but thankfully, I was not a water type, and my feet were not touching the earth.
His eyes rolled back into his head as his sword fell to the ground, limbs flailing and body smoking with heat.
The ground, sopping wet, made for a playground of light, little tid-bits here and there jumping in arches every few seconds. They spanned over every section of the field, up and over the waterfall and deep within the basin.
The lightning hadn't ceased, for I hadn't stopped spilling my magic into the atmosphere, calling on the heated devil. Meadthros wasn't dead yet. I could still feel his soul lingering.
He was tough.
"Let. . . go." I managed through the dryness of my throat, my thoughts no longer able to bear watching him suffer. Yes, he was an enemy, and yes, he was my most hated antithesis, but no one deserved death from war. Each and every soul claimed by war- I could practically feel their depraved and contemptuous emotions from beyond their graves. It was unfair.
And I had caused so many of them to feel that way.
Meadthros was simply an add-on.
"Be. . . with your. . . sister." I gasped in discomfort, holding on with much effort. My energy was highly depleted.
This last statement had an obvious effect on him, for I watched as he forcibly focused his strained pupils on me.
"See. . . you. . . in hell." He spat one last time before his body blew backward, heat searing the ground he had once stood on. I immediately ceased the spell, the lightning disappearing and the clouds dispersing. My body fell limp to the ground, little convulsions claiming me every few seconds as electricity coursed through me from the ground. A crater as deep as hell itself had formed where the lightning had coursed for so long.
I felt the ground tremor with a rhythm like that of footsteps, and a shadow loomed over me. It was Linksys's humongous self. I smiled and reached a hand to pet his nose. My body hurt, and I knew I'd be laying here for a while, so I simply enjoyed the view of my beautiful partner and the vast sky above him.
↭
3rd Person P.O.V:
The enormous creature landed a few yards from the recovering individuals, a figure in its jaws.
"Linksys?" Naruto was the first to react, his brow lined in nervous sweat.
The creature dropped its head, the figure rolling off his forked tongue. The dragon had a worry only Naruto perceived in its eyes, which enticed the ninja to run for the figure now on the ground.
Her clothing had changed, and her cape was tattered and smoking. Her breathing was irregular her faced pained.
"Elvinia?" Naruto looked at her in worry, but with no response, he knew she was unconscious. "Sakura! She needs medical attention!"
The latter mentioned hurried over from healing others, kneeling down next to the woman.
Suddenly, the enormous Linksys downsized to his normal cat-sized self, traces of Elvinia's magic seeping into her body.
Upon this event, her irregular breathing slowed to a dangerous lethargy.
"I-i think she's giving up!" Upon Sakura's disbelieving outburst, everyone gathered around. The pinkette put her hands to the elf, initiating her healing chakra. "It won't help much, seeing as Elvinia doesn't use chakra, but I can at least do triage to her damaged organs."
"Doesn't use chakra?" Lee butted in, his brows creased in worry.
"She uses what she called 'magical energy', and I can feel it fading." Tears were evident in the girl's eyes as she worked tirelessly to fix the woman's malady.
"So this is what she meant by other elements being detrimental." Tsunade mumbled quietly to herself; albeit, everyone heard anyway.
"I should've never let her do it." Naruto's eyes were distant and clouded over, his eyes also puffy and warm in tears. A hand rested casually on his shoulder.
"You and I both know how stubborn she is. It was her choice." Yamato gave a reassuring smile, worry lining his face as well.
"It w-wasn't your f-fault, Naruto." Hinata's quiet voice added as she watched from behind.
"She's right, you know. We can't always be responsible for other's actions." Neji commented, his round about way of saying it just like him.
It made no difference, however. The guilt Naruto felt would not subside. However better at hiding it, Tsunade felt the same burden. Elvinia's words ran clearly through her head.
"I tried to warn you."
And indeed she had. Elvinia had tried countless times to inconspicuously warn Tsunade. But being the stubborn woman she was, she had blatantly ignored the facts. And now countless deaths were on her hands- the one that had warned her about to meet the same fate.
"Wait!" Sakura suddenly perked up. "If I could get my hands on that juice of the Fire Flower stuff she had told us about! Yamato! Remember?!"
"Ah, yes! But where is her satchel?" He pondered for a moment before scowling. "She dissipated it with that eerie light of hers." This made Sakura's former elated anticipation lose its light and cloud over in depression. Tears fell unceremoniously over her long eyelashes and onto the elf's face.
"I can't heal her." She stated before pulling her hands away. "Tsunade-sama?"
Shrugging solemnly, the woman replied, "if chakra doesn't work, I can't help her without surgery. And then again, if some of her vital organs are fatally damaged, I can't just make new ones." She explained looking on at her medical student who still hadn't dealt with death enough times.
"Are you, perhaps, talking about this satchel?" All heads whipped into the direction of the male's voice to see Kakashi holding something up by the straps.
"That's it! How'd you get it?!" Sakura jumped up, retrieving the satchel and fumbling for the miracle medicine. Kakashi shrugged.
"I don't know. Instinct told me, I guess." He said casually, earning quizzical gazes.
"You mean, you used her magic?" Yamato eyed him playfully, as if he had figured something out. Kakashi, now seeming intentionally vague, merely averted his gaze, cheeks slightly red.
"Is this because they kissed?" Sai's seemingly innocent question left everyone momentarily silent. That is, until numerous outbursts of teasing and unbelieving exclamations claimed the group of ninja. Kakashi had a glare of hate seeping through to every one of them.
"This is it." Sakura breathed in anticipation as she poured the one drop into the elf's mouth and made sure to keep her nose clenched shut and mouth forcibly closed until she heard the indefinite gulp of a swallow. Everyone's eyes were glued to the woman as the burns and gashes on her skin slowly healed themselves, signs of scars hardly present.
"Amazing. . ." Ino breathed as everyone else watched with slacked jaws.
Suddenly, her eyes popped open, and her body shot up.
"Elvinia!" Naruto immediately pounced on the woman, capturing her in a breathtaking hug.
"Careful, Naruto!" Sakura flung him, sending him a reprimanding glare as to which he apologetically hung his head. The elf smirked.
"Damn, and I thought I was finally dead. Just couldn't let me go, huh?" She glanced up at a glaring Tsunade.
"Exactly." The woman retorted, turning her back and leaving the area.
"And you'd think I'd be better off that way." The elf muttered to herself, her eyes turning to the deepest of blacks as her closest friends gave her hug after hug, everyone celebrating the victory and congratulating her.
However, being the antithesis of the elated atmosphere, she couldn't help but feel far away from it all.