The Tragedy of Flameza - Chapters 9 & 10

The Drawing World Elementals: The Tragedy of Flameza

Chapter IX: Flameza's Death

That night, Flameza and Lavia are sitting on a park bench in town talking about how beautiful the city looks at night. They are enjoying the beautiful sights of the city and having a peaceful time relaxing and looking at the night sky.
"Central Elemental City looks so breathtaking at night, doesn't it?" Lavia asked.
"It sure does!" Flameza answered. "We just can't resist the beauty of this city when it's dark outside. Hopefully, it will be better when time goes by."
"I sure hope so. Someday, you'll make the Realm of Elements a better place than ever before!"
"Aw, shucks. Maybe someday I will. What could go wrong?"
When Flameza and Lavia hear rustling in the bushes behind them, they check the bushes but didn't see anything.
"What was that?" Lavia asked?
"I don't know," Flameza said. "I guess it was nothing." He stood corrected when the bushes rustled again. They check the bushes again and still didn't see anything. Flameza shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head. "I stand corrected," he said.
"There better not be another monster trying to attack us from behind," Lavia said.
For the third time, Death jumps out of the bushes, pulls out what appears to be the Everdagger, and aims to slay Lavia. Since Flameza can't let his best friend die, however, he bravely sacrifices himself for her by pushing her off the bench and taking the pain instead.
Lavia was so stunned when she saw her best friend die in her face. "Flameza!" she screamed. Before Flameza could say anything to her, however, he dies, and the Elemental Hero Badge on his vest disappears and gets sent to the Royal Elemental Castle.
While Death was ripping Flameza to shreds with the Everdagger, he was laughing maniacally while Lavia was watching her best friend get torn apart. "Now that your best friend, and the hero of the Realm of Elements, is dead, there is no stopping me!" Death said. "Now I can-" He was interrupted, however, when Leafy shoots a bamboo arrow that hits his chest. "Ouch! Whoever shot that arrow at me will pay for this!" Before he leaves, Death takes the arrow out of his chest and throws it to the ground.
Lavia picks up the arrow. "Who fired this arrow at that monster?" she asked.
"I did it," Leafy confesses. "Before that monster was about to strike you again, I fired that arrow to save you." He gasped when he saw Flameza's corpse on the pavement. "What happened to Flameza?"
"That monster you just shot at, he killed Flameza and disappeared..." Lavia answered. As a result of the death of her best friend, she starts crying, grieving for Flameza.
"That's terrible! So terrible!" Leafy gasped.
When Hypnomind, Ratchet, Kilot, and Proarmor enter the death scene, they all gasp when they see Flameza's corpse on the pavement.
"I can't believe it!" Hypnomind gasped. "I can't believe Flameza's actually dead! What kind of monster would do such a thing?"
"I have no idea, Hypnomind..." Lavia answers in grief. "What are we going to do?"
"Whatever the problem is, we must tell the Princesses about Flameza's death as soon as possible," Ratchet said.
"That is quite right, big brother," Kilot added. "It's such a terrible tragedy, isn't it?"
"Indeed," Proarmor added when he nodded his head. "Come on, guys, we can't just leave Flameza's corpse in the middle of the streets. We must go to the castle before any monsters interfere with us."
"Yes," said Hypnomind. "Someday, we should plan Flameza's funeral at Cumulus Sanctuary, and we all need to be there."
"We must invite all our friends and relatives to the funeral," Ratchet said.
Lavia was crying over losing her best, and everyone was feeling so bad for her. "I just can't believe I saw my best friend die..." she said.
"I know, Lavia," Leafy said, comforting her. "Losing a friend is a terrible tragedy. Come on, let's take him with us."
"Don't worry, Lavia, he will be remembered," Kilot said sweetly to her.
While everyone Lavia, Leafy, Ratchet, and Kilot walk to the Royal Elemental Castle to warn the Royal Princesses about Flameza's death, Hypnomind and Proarmor carry his corpse there as they're trying to catch up.

Chapter X: The Funeral

A few days later, everyone gathers around Flameza's tomb at Cumulus Sanctuary, mourning for him, honored him not just as a friend, but also a hero. The most melancholy elemental of all was Lavia because Flameza was her best friend, and she was the first one to see him die.
While all the citizens of Elemental City and most of their relatives from other places around the world grieve for their fallen hero, Princess Arunika makes an announcement about Flameza's death and where he'll be buried as an honor for all the good he's done in the universe. "Citizens of Elemental City, we hereby honor Flameza Torriscald as the hero of the Realm of Elements as a result of his death. And the Elemental Hero Badge was sent back to me after he died. He was a great hero, and he's been saving the world a bunch of times from some of the greatest threats in the world, even with the help of all of you. Flameza never would have saved the world if it weren't for any of you, and you all did a great job helping him. For now, we shall bury Flameza Torriscald at the Shadow Ghetto Cemetary, where all the other elemental corpses get buried."
Lavia just still can't get over the death of her best friend and the loss of all the good times she's spent with him. "He was such a great friend to us, but I don't know what I'll do without him..." she said. "I'm going to miss him so much." She hugs Hypnomind while she's crying.
"There, there, Lavia," Hypnomind said, comforting her. "We all know how you feel about the death of your best friend, but we can't just keep mourning from him forever, right?"
"Flameza will always be in your heart, and he'll be in ours," Psygene added. "You know that you still have us, right?"
Lavia starts to feel a little better about having Flameza in her heart and having her other friends with her. "I suppose you're right...," she said. "He's always been there for us, and he always stood up for us whenever we get into some sort of trouble or danger."
Antimony also feels bad for Lavia for losing the best friend she's ever had. Antimony has also had difficult times in her life, such as the death of her parents and her older and only sister, Copper. "It's okay, friend," she said. "We will all have deaths in our families and between friends, and we'll always have difficult times in our lives, just like Flameza and me. I'm sure we'll have a new hero of Elemental City to save the world. I just hope we won't have any villains trying to take Flameza's place as hero, of course, especially the X Enders because they're always plotting to take over the universe for themselves. Even if they did, that would way worse than bad news."
"Definitely not," Hypnomind added. "Those idiots are way worse than bad news. Whatever they're up to will be way more disastrous than we all think."
"Agreed," Ratchet said, nodding his head. "We will do what we can to save the world once again... and retrieve the Everdagger from whoever stole it."
"I hope we do, big brother," Kilot said. "I sure hope so."
Meanwhile, the X Enders are hiding in the shadows away from the chapel and outside of the sanctuary. They all chat with each other, but they speak so quietly that nobody can hear them hiding in the distance.
"Is that it?" Duskdy asked. "Flameza's finally dead?"
"He sure is, Duskdy," Ignatius answered. "He's as good as gone. Now there should be nobody to stop us now."
"Now is our perfect chance to conquer the Realm of Elements and end all of Flameza's friends at once," Zephyr said impatiently.
"Not yet, Zephyr," Gaia whispers.
"That's right," Ignatius said. "We will attack Elemental City at the midnight hour on Saturday because it's more evil that way!"
"Yes, sir," Ivy agrees.
"We've got your back," Bayou added.
"Alright, listen up," Ignatius whispers. "Go on out and make sure Flameza's lackeys are behaving themselves after this funeral is over." They all answer him with a nod and go off quietly. "Run, run, run, as fast as you can, Lavia. And don't worry, Hypnomind, your big brother, Psygene, will fall in the same line as your hero." He laughs evilly.
Meanwhile, Netherrack, Netherball, and Frostmancer are hiding in the shadows above the chapel inside the sanctuary. They also talk softly so that nobody can hear them.
"What's this supposed to be, Netherrack?" Netherball asked. "Why do those elementals over there look so low?"
"Yeah, is this some kind of pity party or something?" Frostmancer asked. "I want ice-cream!"
"You idiots, it's a funeral," Netherrack whispered. "All those sad elementals are mourning for their fallen hero. They're doing this for Flameza, for which he's dead. I'm sorry, Frostmancer, but we can't have ice-cream here, so tough luck."
"Oh, shucks," Frostmancer said in disappointment.
"I guess you're right, but some of those guys are not as valiant as they think they are," Netherball said as he's starting to stalk the good guys. "Lavia is Flameza's best friend, and she clearly has no other relationship as close as with him."
"Don't be rude, Netherball," said Frostmancer. "Hypnomind is clearly the brain around here, and he'd say all the words in his head out loud if he wanted to."
"Shut up, you two!" Netherrack said. "It is not necessary to stalk anyone, especially during a funeral! Can we just talk normally and not disturb them during an important event?"
"Fine, if you say so," Netherball said, crossing his arms.
"Okay, but how were you feeling since the last time you saw Flameza?" Frostmancer asked Netherrack.
"The last time I saw him, I was displeased when he defeated one of King Florine's minions," Netherrack answered. "Before we left him, we said that we would one day strike him down, but now I guess it's too late. Now that Flameza's dead, there should be nobody to take his place, but I could be wrong. Do you guys think those elementals will have a new of hero of the Realm of Elements?"
"Maybe, but we will need to figure it out soon," Netherball answered.
"Agreed," Frostmancer added.
"Okay, let's get out of here before we ruin anything," Netherrack whispered as they all leave the sanctuary and head on home.
Back at the chapel, Lavia knows that her best friend and hero will always be with her, thanks to her other friends.
"I'm not sure if you know this, but some of our past heroes have come back as ghosts or spirits," Hypnomind said. "I'm sure Flameza will come back to see you again as a spirit as well."
"I didn't know that," Lavia said.
"Well, you do now," Psygene said.
"After this funeral is over, we should all go home," Antimony said.
"Indeed," Hypnomind agreed.
After the meeting was over, everybody leaves Cumulus Sanctuary with Princesses Arunika and Lucine carrying Flameza's tomb. The three Royal Sisters bury Flameza's tomb at the Shadow Ghetto Cemetery, where all the other dead elementals get buried.