Modern Elementals Part Two

Hello again friend :) Here is the second bit, once again I would like to bring to your attention that there are three writers here, the paragraphs that are from the point of view of either Matrias, Rozzland or Tyler were written by me. Enjoy!

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“Topaz. Topaz!” Her name had shot from his mouth, surprise clear in his tone, despite his anticipation he would get some objection from his subordinates. Pain ripped through his neck, claws puncturing his light skin as he was forced to the ground, the girls strength only slightly less then his own. Before his second in command could claw out his life artery he pulled her hands from his neck, a grunted gasp forcing its way from him as air flowed to his lungs. Clenched hands wrapped securely around Topaz’s wrists, he forced them out and to her sides, preventing any more attacks from them. For now. Rouge drops starting to slide out of the newly dug holes on his throat he asked through gritted teeth, tone surprisingly controlled and clam considering the situation, “What’s wrong with you?” But as quickly as the words left his lips, a blast of water ripped the girl from Matrias, slamming her at least six feet away. Simultaneously the words, spoken with an undercurrent of frustration and a cold, mocking, deadly tone, “Not yet.” came from behind Matrias. The purple eyed man moved with the speed he should have used earlier, into a position that left him standing protectively in front of Marth, and with both teammates in his alert line of vision. He would not let his guard down again. “What is the meaning of this? Explain your actions.” Matrias commanded, temporarily healing his wounds with his light. Another memory pushed at his mind, but he could not afford the luxury of nostalgia. “Tell me whose blood covers these walls.” His tone was just as collected, but it had a darker note on it, answering his demand nonnegotiable. With all this going on, the man had noticed Marth’s movement, but the words had been lost on him.

But someone had heard it.

After all that. Still. Still, Marth’s first concern was that one, simple, three lettered word. Roz. The monosyllable call was every other word that came from Marth, it seemed to Tyler, and frankly, he was getting tired of it. He had also been annoyed when Topaz lost all control, though unsurprised. Women could never control their emotions, always getting in the way with them. He had removed her so that The Rat would rise, but only with the intention of making him fall. The Rat deserved no easy death. He would die from the inside out. “The one you’re protecting,” Tyler sneered, those loathed purple eyes swiveling towards him, “would be more then happy to tell you. You hear me there, Man?” Tyler sneered down at Marth’s blood stained face, the last sentence directed towards him, making sure to get his attention. Making sure he heard and understood every word, despite the dark haired boy still being off in his stupid, oblivious haze. Tyler wanted Marth to get this through his pathetic head, shock his ex playmate back into reality, he and Topaz, mostly him, had tortured and killed his “Roz”, and she was never coming back. There was a challenging, mocking aura in the blue eyed boy’s words, they almost purred, “He knows all about it. He was watching as we cut Her hair, as I broke Her bones, stabbed Her once or twice, as She cried out in pain, bled all over this mother fucking place. I almost fucked Her, too, but I figured he would have enjoyed that too much. Wouldn’t you have, Marth? Would have turned you right on to see me fill up all those nice little holes of hers.” That sick smile never left his face, that evil glint only growing more with each word. “Too bad she’s dead now, huh?” He was having too much fun with this, and he hadn’t even gotten to the best part yet. He would save that for just a little bit longer though, indulging himself in the power and excitement rushing through him.

"Rozzland," Topaz hissed, crouching slightly. "That stupid, thieving bitch. It's not like it was a loss to anyone else." A soft, almost pretty-sounding laughing gurgled from her full, golden-glossed lips. "Well, not to anyone who'll care for long."

Each word that spilled from Tyler's mouth made Marth re-live each moment of Roz's death. He had to keep his eyes open, not blinking or else all he would see were the last few moments of the girl's life. Marth's face felt numb. The only part of it moving being the light in his eyes, fading then coming back, as if flinching without the physical movement. He wanted to put Tyler in his place. Beat him to a pulp and make him experience all the pain Roz had to go through. Knowing what he wanted to do, Marth breathing went from steady to slow and drawn out. He moved his gaze off of Tyler and to the floor, concentrating harder than he had ever before.

Tyler’s navy eyes widened in self-assurance, taking the others boy’s lowered gaze as a sign of defeat. “What Man,” he spoke his thoughts, taunting the golden boy of his childhood “Just sitting there again? I never thought of you as a weakling, but today’s just full of surprises, ain’t it?” He had won. He had beat Marth. But… Looking at the green eyed teen a small, weakened voice cried out to him that he had never felt that want. Never had resented Marth. Been jealous. He couldn’t. He loved him. He didn’t care if he never had control, never came first so long as it was Marth who won. This had never been the goal, breaking Marth. Marth, who had understood, accepted him even when no one else did. The little, chubby faced, blue eyed boy, so deeply buried in Tyler’s mind wept at the sight of the one he respected, loved, so hurt. Self loathing dragged at Tyler’s grin. He had just wanted to save Marth. Just wanted him to be safe, to be able to make up for all the times he had failed him as child. Tyler had just wanted to make Marth happy. That was all. How...how did it get like this? What had he done? The water elemental felt his eyes go hot, but nothing came from them. What he was feeling, it was too much, too much to cry at. But then the other voice, dominant and controlling spoke again, pressing Tyler’s heart to a place where its words were lost. Marth will never forgive you; you are stained with the blood of the one he loved! Even if you were to fall to his feet and beg, tears in your eyes, nothing can fix what you’ve done, and he would look at you with disgust before crushing you. There’s no going back. You have to finish this. Destroy his heart. There’s only one thing left to do…

And in the darkest corner of Tyler’s mind, the place where his soul lay locked away, the little boy’s heart broke. As quickly as it had come, it had passed, Tyler’s eyes growing freezing and this body taking back its arrogant aura. That smile at its worst.


Matrias highly disapproved of Tyler’s behavior, if only because the one he was addressing was almost an Elite himself. He glanced to Marth, about to say something, when Topaz spoke. Then he wasn’t thinking anything. It was the silence before the storm of thoughts slammed into his skull, crammed and pressing against each other in their haste to reach the front of the radiant mans head, all revolving around Topaz’s first word. Rozzland. For the first time his face lost that composed look it always possessed, though its replacement was not of a raging emotion. In fact, it was utterly empty. Though, seeing as it was facing Marth, it was out of the female Elites direct line of vision.



"Finally figured it out?" Topaz smiled a brittle, bitter smile. "Took you long enough."

Marth finally felt the familiar warmth of fire against his finger tip. It was only a tiny flicker, but it was there. For the first time in what felt days, Marth stood up. He brought his head and gaze up only to see Matrias first, not Tyler. The expression Matrias wore completely destroyed the flame Marth had concentrated so hard on. The man's face looked dead. It startled Marth, his face blatantly showing it.

“That’s one thing I could never fault you with, you were such a good dog. Excelled at it.” The voice cut through the anger. The uncontrollable fury that had started to turn his veins into bulging purple cords, pumping under skin that had moved to a pale yellow color. The anger that had been given to him, that had just been waiting to be tested. But Her light voice had stopped the results of hour upon hours of painful experimentation at the hands of The Group. Matrias focused his gaze ahead of him and there she was, as perfect and alive as the last time he saw her. “As the last time you saw me? Nahs.” The world had ceased to move, time it self seemed to stop. Everything was frozen as it had been, the last thing being Marth’s movement, and now he stood frozen in this other dimension, a twinkle eyed twelve year old wrapped around Marth’s shoulders, her head resting formally on his left despite the way her arms lazily draped on either side of his neck, fingers meeting up on the fire elementals chest, intertwined loosely together. How many times had Matrias seen her after she left, had he reached out for her, desperately clinging to the idea that it was one of those obnoxious clones of hers, or even more foolishly, that it was the girl herself, only to have his fingers cling to only empty air? How many times had he fallen to his knees, body shuddering with suppressed tears? Finally. After three years, the illusions had stopped the cruel and usual torture ended. But with the current situation, his walls had been cracked, and here he was again, face to face with- “A ghost.” The smile deepened, those dark eyes filled with sly humor, right eyebrow arching ever so. “Rozzland-" he began, her name a rasp from his lips “She, on the other hand,” the girl interrupted, referring back to the first topic, a satisfied look on her face. “is very naughty.” She was pointing at Topaz, frozen in that hunched position, her own smile on her face. “How did-" again he was silenced, “She is your second in command, it’s her purpose to devote herself to your word.” The young redhead slid from Marth’s frame, her right hand tracing him as it moved from his right shoulder to this left, then finally to her side. That confident stride closed the distance between herself and Matrias. He didn’t bother to try and speak this time, but instead just drank in her image. This illusion was perhaps the most realistic of them all, everything about the girl perfectly portrayed, more vivid then ever before. The way her lips tugged up at the sides of her mouth, enjoying the way he looked at her, that mischievous sparkle in her eyes, slightly narrowed at him as she looked up. Matrias fought the strong urge to touch her, feel her skin against his own, let her sent fill him, but he knew that if he tried, again he would be met with nothing but air. And he knew he wouldn’t survive that disappointment. To touch her would be imposs- She was touching him. She had moved to the tips of her toes, her twelve year old body much shorter then his older frame, and had placed her hand against his cheek. His breathe caught, looking down at her incredulously. The all knowing glint had not changed from her eyes, and if it was not for the lack of his glowing back and her illuminated shoulder, Matrias could almost believe this was real, despite the many other factors that stood in the way. His widened eyes softened as her hand trailed down his face to his jaw line. His hand moved up, ready to take the risk of returning the touch when his head snapped-unwillingly-in Topaz’s direction, his chin being held by Rozzland. “You commanded her not to harm me. She disobeyed. Shame.” She to looked towards ambitious blonde “Matrias,” he shivered as she spoke his name, partly from thought that he would never again hear it in real life. He felt her hand tighten against his chin, a response to the fury that started to creep into his eyes once again, “don't act like a darkness elemental on me now. Letting them win will make you filth." The 'them' Rozzland was talking about was not the other Elites, but the 'them' that had forced this lack of restraint, this blood lust into him. That had wanted, needed him to become their monster. The Group. “you remember the coconut contest, don’t you?” He felt Roz’s brown eyes move from Topaz to him, not having to look to know her sweet smile was deepening further as she saw the realization come to him of what she was asking him to do for is the girl punishment. She left him to look at the golden eyed girl for a moment longer before gently, firmly pulling his head back towards her, down closer to her face “ He,” She titled herself to the side, her free hand pointing to Tyler, where she said in that tone he knew so well, so light hearted despite the controlling undercurrent “gets the same treatment. But don't interfere with things you only think you know about.” Slowly, but unquestioning, Matrias nodded. He was, always, her second in command. “How did you die?” Somehow, the words had come out. In a random tumble, but they had come out. And now the pair simply looked at each other, Matrias head still in the young girls hand. “Do you really believe that?” She asked, head cocking ever so, though her dark eyes were unmoving; making it clear that this was another one of her tests “No. This could not have happened to you. I would have known.” “Don’t be so painfully useless,” she stated “you think they’re talking some other Rozzland? That the blood just magically splattered on everything? ‘Cuz it didn’t, ya know. What you should be thinking about was how that happened. I’m God. How did I end up someone else’s stabbing meat?” It wasn’t anger in her cheerful voice, but it seriousness. Her eyes were narrowed and her grip on his face had tightened, her eyes burning into his own with their intensity. “You’re missing something, Matrias. You were right about knowing if I was gone, but I assure you, I am dead. How is that? Find my body. Think. Bring me back.” Her last words where on the mono toned side, her fingers almost embedded into this jaw “Because,” she softened her grip, thumb brushing his cheek ever so, her omniscient little smile playing at her red lips “I am God. And I never lose.” The girl disappeared on that note, leaving him back in reality. He broke from his empty gaze in the real world he had been standing still as a statue, only a few moments passing between Topaz’s comments, Marth’s movement and now his own. His skin really had turned pale yellow, veins think purple lines. Now he turned from Marth, the color in his iris flooding out, leaving him with pupil-less purple orbs, past Tyler, and looked to Topaz.

Tyler had chuckled as Marth stood, eyeing that flicker of red in his finger tips, letting swirls of water surround his own. Tyler had been going to say something to taunt him, make him attack. But Marth’s face had quickly changed and before the Elite could speak, he noticed the rapid, monstrous mutation of his silent leaders flesh and then the slight of his completely purple eyes, and the water around his hands followed Marth’s flame into non existence. His heart had skipped a beat when those eyes had been on him, but continued its pattern, if not at a slightly faster tempo then previously, when the man’s gaze had ended on Topaz. Tyler’s glanced again to Rozzland’s body, mind moving fast as a feeling of dread whispered in his ear. He had to very careful about whatever he decided to do next. Very.

"It's only fair, y'know," Topaz whispered. "You made me into... this. I killed my goddamn parents because of what you made me. I can't stop killing. I can't stop this... this blood... on my hands. It's endless, this lust for killing and death and destruction. Sometimes I wish it would end. But then..." Topaz smiled faintly. "Then, sometimes, I see something when Amber looks at me with those stupid, innocent doe eyes. Something I COULD become." Topazs tilted her head back, like a wolf howling at the sky. "I am like moon in so many ways. I am different from angle, I'm beautiful-" another bitter laugh dripped like syrup from her lush lips. "-but I change every day, every night. Eventually, though, you get back to the original shape. Maybe I should just..." Topaz looked Matrias in the eyes. "let you kill me. It would be much simpler."


Matrias' eyes disturbed Marth further, leaving the young man with a sick feeling in his stomach. He felt like he needed to throw up. Marth followed the purple gaze to Topaz and heard the words she spoke. Nothing was making sense. Marth knew that regaining his weak flame wasn't going to be possible anytime soon. He simply stood there, staring blankly at the scene unfolding in front of him.


The power came now. The unlimited, beautiful, vile power. It raced through Matrias, always just a bit behind the outer transformation. Everything, from breathing and thought and the beat of his heart to his ability to control the elements increased at an insane rate. This, though unintentionally also in meant the power he was directing to ease Marth’s pain was also increasing. So much as to the point the fire elemental was receiving unnecessary amounts of energy from the white haired humanoid, defiantly more then enough to bring him back to full power, even considering the fatigue he was feeling before Tyler had hooked the collar to him. Matrias was unaware of just how much he was doing for the boy behind him, only a redhead’s words on his mind. Not to say the blondes weren’t heard. He looked back at his mutinous second in command, his monstrous face unable to convey the feeling behind the words; deadly, emotionless tone uninfluenced by these things he had needed to voice for so long “You are correct. Undeniably. And justified in any resentment you feel regarding myself. I’m sorry. I’ve always been sorry.” His white light had intensified and now focused around his left hand, “And I have no intention of killing you. Not now, or after you answer my questions. How were you able to restrain Rozzland from defending herself? Where is she now?” He had an idea, a plan forming hesitantly in his mind, knowing that depending on the answers to these questions it would be a useless attempt to follow Rozzland’s command. Bring her back.

While this had been going on Tyler had located the Collar he had used on Marth and had tried to inch towards it, only to find his feet would not move. He had cursed when he looked down, his shoes in a cocoon of stone, just enough room between him and the rock not to feel its presence until then. He had just sent a amazing roar of water at the side of one of the stones, managing to cut it without injuring his captive foot. To himself he snarled, not really in a quiet tone, “Cock-sucking mother-fucking goddamned Rat!” The rage filled blue-eyed boy yanked at the weakened stone, giving a wild smirk as it crumbled before hitting the other tomb with the start of the same treatment.

"A collar," Topaz murmured, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "She's... there," Topaz finished as she gestured.


Suddenly what Marth thought was impossible was happening. Energy and strength seemed to flow through his veins, coursing through his body thoroughly. Flames sprung from his wrists. The fire reaching well past his finger tips, dancing around them. It was effortless to keep the fire roaring while still under his control. Marth had looked down at his wrists when he felt the new energy. Seeing the simple flames made Marth's mind focus. His neck whipped his head up to look at the people around him. Matrias was no longer looking at him, causing Marth's eyes to land on Tyler. The vulgar words Tyler snarled barely registered in Marth's mind. Topaz's voice was much softer by comparison, but he was no longer even aware of Matrias and Topaz existing. All Marth knew was that Tyler, Roz's killer, was in front of him. Anger raged over the teen, the flames around his wrist now extending from his elbows to his fingertips.


Tyler hadn’t noticed Marth’s flames over the roar of his water, cutting through his foot prison. But when the stone finally cracked and he pulled his foot from the rubble, fire light caught his attention. Fear jolted through Tyler`s eyes; the utter rage- or was it bloodlust? - in Marth being something Tyler didn’t know he was capable of. A ring of water surrounded him as his mind raced. He was an Elite, Marth was just a normal elemental. Right? But look at that power… “Man, look at you! I knew you’d be a great Elite! Isn’t the power amazing? Aren’t you happy? Wasn’t it worth it?” His tone was elated, but his eyebrows were furrowed, his face and arms moving in jerks as he spoke, those baby blues huge. It was all a pitiful mix of terror and joy and pleading. The ring of water thickened a few inches, moving at a speed that turned it white.

Matrias had turned his purple gaze to the side as this played out, face unreadable in its expression. His eyes looked past Marth and Tyler, to the crumpled heap of flesh, tossed against the wall, hidden a bit, unnoticeable unless you knew it was there. His head moved back in a way that intimidating collectiveness he had and he spoke, “What is the deactivation code?”


"I don't know what you're talking about." Marth growled. His voice trembled in sync with his hands. He was struggling to restrain himself from lunging at Tyler. Marth knew he wasn't an Elite and he wanted it to stay that way. He wouldn't avenge Roz sloppily. She wouldn't want that. He would fight like she would have. Clean, precise, and finish Tyler off in one, maybe two, blows. He'd have to wait for the right moment. It felt wrong on a molecular level to just be standing there. His muscles flexed and the bottom of his feet ached to move, but Marth stood as still as he could while shaking ever so slightly.


“Look at yourself! I did that! I’m the reason you’re so strong now! I did that! She didn’t give you that!” Tyler shuddered, holding his hands to his head, eyes squeezing shut as he tried to regain control. The water ring grew spastic, the room growing drier as the surrounding moisture was pulled to the young water elemental, a transparent mist covering him. In moments his eyes snapped open, swirling and dark. His body straightened and his hands moved to his sides as he spoke “I don’t see why you care so goddamn much about the little firecunt. Or is it cared?” He smirked, anticipation creeping over him “She didn’t love you. Even if I hadn’t killed her she wouldn’t have wanted to touch you, Man. She was the Rat’s whore. She was one of us.” He had gestured to Matrias when he mentioned him, the Elite leader looking from Topaz just a bit, and whose eyes were fixed on the smirking Tyler. Martias’s eyes narrowed ever so and a low, inhuman snarl sliced the air around him “Topaz.” His voice dropped, “What. Is. The. Deactivation code?” rumbled from his currently pale orange lips.
Topaz drooped her head to the left. "Seven-seven-one-four-alpha-six."
Tyler's words were similar to a physical blow, penetrating Marth and shaking him almost to the core. Tyler didn't need to die. He needed to go through pain. All the pain. The confidence that Marth wielded his flames with was fading. He was losing control. They reached further, the now drier air of the atmosphere feeding the growing fire along Marth's arms; they were close to reaching his shoulders. Sweat trickled on his brow and down Marth's neck. Move. Attack. Wait. Don't. Turmoil and newfound confusion reigned supreme over Marth's mind. He wasn't sure of anything now. If what Tyler said about Roz was true.... It didn't matter. She's dead already. But that guy's power.... Marth looked at Matrias. Did he have the power to bring Roz back? Marth gritted his teeth together until he faintly tasted blood. He was looking back at Tyler. Maybe it would be best if Roz stayed the way she was.

Matrias was only hearing relevant things. The electronics in his head decoded Tyler’s words, telling his brain that Rozzland and himself where being discussed, but the main task at hand was preventing Matrias from hearing what was actually going on. Topaz’s code echoed through his ears, and the beast of a man turned, pupil-less eyes on the corpse, the ground surrendering to his will and raced the body towards his feet, earth moving in quick ripples and immediately flattening itself, a stripe of even leveled perfection within the dirt floor, its path dividing the fire and water elemental.

Tyler had watched with glee as the arrow pierced heart, “She lied to you, Man. They always do. Everything you thought she was; lies! She needed to die. See the truth, Marth. See the reality that I knew!” An arm had reached outstretched towards Roz, finger demanding Marth’s fury be directed onto her. When earth snapped what was left of the girl to Matrias, Tyler screeched, “What do you think you’re doing?” Rage radiated through his words, eyes darting to Marth for seconds before switching back to his leader. The creature wasn’t paying him mind, his head titled downward, at the one whose blood Tyler donned and whose soul still whispered in his ear.

Marth stared dumbly at Tyler as the ground flattened in Roz's direction. He couldn't take his words anymore. It would easier just to see what happened. This resolve brought Marth back into control of the fire. He was able to completely extinguish them. Marth noticed how angry Tyler looked. That was a good thing, Marth decided.

Matrias ignored Tyler, instead letting wind raise up the redhead’s corpse to his arm level. He held out his arms under the floating forms knees and upper back and dismissed the wind, catching the body gently across his arms, quickly tilting it against him enough to keep the dead weight from falling between the gap.
Tyler’s eyes widened “Answer me!” his tone quivered with anger “I killed her! I killed her! What are you doing?!” There was something in the way Matrias moved that made it clear that he had something planned, made it seem like the fact Tyler had killed the girl was only a minor bump, nothing he couldn’t fix. That the control Tyler had been feeling was false. A roar broke from his lips, the ring of water exploding across the room, headed straight for the light elemental with enough force to cut through titanium

Topaz threw up her light shield, covering Matrias and Roz.
"Leave them alone," she whispered hoarsely. "They've suffered enough. Let it be."

Marth almost felt his knees buckle from under him at the sight of Roz's corpse and then it falling into Matrias' arms. Tyler's ring of water then seemed to explode, or at least that's what Marth thought he saw out of the corner of his eye. His undivided attention was now on Matrias and Roz. He hadn't expected the ring of light. He hadn't even remembered Topaz being in the same room. His attention shifted to the blonde. Her words rang clear in his ears. Maybe it wasn't Topaz. She seemed...different

Tyler watched as his monstrous shot of water became sprinkles as it hit the wall of light, his current instability rendering it unable to hold its shape and power. He felt his neck twist, disbelief in his quivering eyes as the blonde spoke. “Whore.” The word was low, catching on pale, barely moving lips, more a taunting to himself then something others were to hear. His body had moved again, because those blue eyes had traveled past each in the room. “Whore. Whore. Whore. Whore. Whore. Whore.” His skin was taking on a noticeably navy blue hue, but unlike Matrias it was clear Tyler was too damaged for the complete change to an Elites Full Power. Pure white ice daggers suddenly broke from Tyler’s jerked palms, the air howling as it was sliced. The shards targets were unlimited, anything and everyone at risk of the water elementals inevitable explosion.

Matrias had simply held the rotting corpse close to him at Tyler’s first attack, and his grip had not lessened as he was shielded. Even without Topazs help, the water would have never touched him or the dead girl in his arms. And as Tyler’s fury soared out, a light sphere suddenly appeared, just an inch in front of the ice shard furthest on it’s journey, which was dangerously close to impaling Marth through his head. And when Tyler’s ice hit this sphere of light, instead of the ice slicing through it, the shards would simply hover until each and every shard was hovering, its tip just resting against the light. And for that moment, it was still. Then in a seraphic sparkle of light reflecting off ice, each and every shard turned simultaneously towards Tyler. And then they flew towards the boy. Through the light you could see the water elemental raise his hands in an attempt to control what had previously been his. You could see his mouth open, his eyelids stretch upward, and you knew he was screaming, but you couldn’t hear it through the light. Then the light grew stronger, so that you couldn’t see anything within that sphere. But then in the next moment there was no one who could have seen anything, anyways. Topaz would find herself under her blanket, in the home of her aunt and uncle. She would be clean of any blood, and of any filth. Marth would be somewhere very different. He would be in the center of a body of liquid that felt like water, but flickered like flame. Half the liquid would be illuminated and the other under a cover of darkness, but in intertwining swirls, like thousands of swirling yin and yang symbols. The vegetation surrounding this pool would more then rival that of the rainforest, yet would have evergreens and cactuses among it. The wind would be a low breeze, but would touch everything in sight and never dull. Rocks of all sizes would line the water, play hide and seek among the green. Sand so pure white would rest under him, jewels and precious metals would sprinkle the area. From some rocks, thin stripes of red lava would stream out and slowly flow to the ground, adding to the rock. And in the very center of this miracle, just above where Marth would be kneeling, two solid holes of amaranthine, imbedded in yellow leather and purple cords would be watching him. Rozzland was still in this creature arms, her neck and head carefully placed so that the weight of the collar wouldn’t decapitate her.

Topaz woke from her heavy slumber with bloody sunlight reaching from the sunrise, visible from her wide window. She closed her eyes, letting the red light stain her skin in a bath of warmth. In the sun, her red-gold mane bleached to a pale scarlet.
Pain. It ran through her like water, but thicker and more insidious.
Regret. It was a mark forever burned on the flesh of her past.
Hope. All she had left.
Slowly Topaz opened the window. Next, she found a hole in the screen, so she peeled it back until a large opening had been secured. Topaz stepped onto the windowsill, took a slow, angonized breath, and leapt.
Hours later, when Catalina found her body, she did not see clearly. Catalina saw the pool of blood staining the sidewalk and grass; she saw the pale pink nightgown black with the metallic fluid.
What Catalina did not see was the small movement along her nieces' abdomen.
Breath.
All that was left.

The last thing Marth realized before he couldn't keep his senses straight was that Tyler was dead. After this the fire bender couldn't understand anything occurring around him. Where was up, where was down, and what was even going all. All he knew was that he was in a new place.

Matrias gently lowered the girl into the water until the corpse was submerged, Rozzlands dead eyes clearly visible through the transparent liquid. On his knees, almost eye to eye with Marth, Matrias looked to him with those unblinking eyes, and spoke "I need you to help me."

Marth saw Roz's corpse be submerged into the water. He looked up to meet the unblinking eyes' gaze. Marth nodded dumbly, feeling that he was unable to speak.

Matrias grasped onto Marth’s wrist, placing the boy’s hand on his shoulder and then moved to Marth’s left hand, pulling it with his own into the liquid, now tainted red with Rozzland’s blood, onto the girl’s forehead. The creatures right hand switched with his left and met with Marth’s on the corpses head, his left hand sliding father down to her abdomen. And then he began. Drawing energy from Marth and himself, Matrias began to heal Rozzland’s wounds, connecting each nerve, each vessel. Just like the redhead had done for Marth after she had her revenge for a stolen a kiss. If Matrias could repair her body and have it jump started at just the right moment, right as the Collar was removed, then the energy that it held, the piece of Rozzland it had, should be enough to bring the girl back.

It took Marth a moment to understand what was happening. After that, the disturbing scene before was filled with hope. Roz would be back. And he was going to help as much as he could. With a silent breath Marth focused, trying to sense a rhythm or feel of the energy and how it moved. He wasn't sure how it all worked, but he knew it would.

Matrias felt the boy focus, his power flowing though Matrias willingly. The Elite leader worked painstakingly, needing to get each detail just right. He moved without time, the seconds irrelevant. The body was so mangled. Tyler had unleashed the agony of his life on the girl without mercy, and it showed. For every wound fixed it seemed ten others appeared. There was nothing left in what had been Rozzland, her blood everywhere but in her. And her brain, although untouched from the outside, was broken from within. What could Matrias do? He was putting together a puzzle without its pieces. His appearance had started to change, so much energy being drawn out that his veins where beginning to shrink, his skin dulling from gold. Only his eyes, unwavering and solid purple showed no signs of weakening. Finally he spoke; his voice still unstrained and controlled, “I am unable to keep you in this state. My power is needed to repair. You will revert back to how you were when the Elite transformation begun. You must not die.” Matrias needed Marth’s energy if there was to be hope in fixing Rozzland, but to continue to allow the distraction of numbing the boys pain, or giving him a slice of Elite strength was far riskier then to not.

"I won't." Marth repsonded without hesitation. Something churned uneasily in his stomach though as he took in the scene before him; the strength in the eyes yet the weakening flesh. He quickly pushed the feeling away.

Matrias focused everything on Rozzland. All the power of the Elite leader, in his most powerful state, focused on this corpse. The corpse that had the matching tattoo. He drank in the energy from everything around him, every element, and every form of life. And he filled Rozzland’s body, fixed what was broken, removed the faulty memory blockers that had tormented her with flashbacks and nightmares. He re-built the girl from his memory. And then he moved for the Collar.

Marth had tried to split his focus between bracing himself for the pain and Rozzland's. He knew that if he managed to keep at least part of his conciousness focused on her, he wouldn't die. Couldn't die. He had expected to revert back violently and suddenly but it wasn't. His green eyes widened slightly as he felt Matrias' focus and power shift away from him. It was gradual. The first pain that returned was in his head. The ache behind his eyes from crying, the soreness in his temple from where Tyler had knocked him unconcious, and a sharp pain everytime he moved his jaw. Pain errupted inside him next. The cut on his lips were still clotting and his mouth, throat, nose, and lungs felt raw. On the outside his skin seethed uncomfortably, attempting to cope with the rapid temperature changes it endured after being enclosed in ice then rapidly engulfed by flame. Through it all, Marth managed to maintain some of his focus on Roz. He continued to brace himself as he recalled how mind-numbing the pain of the beginnings of the transformation had been. The pain wihtin him steadily increased, he could feel Roz slipping away, but then it stopped. Marth had been teetering, about to go over the edge of conciousness when something caught him...and was steadily pulling him away from the edge. As if helping him recover. The pain was still immense, but Marth was still there. There was no way he could die. Not during this at least. He turned his gaze, which had been sightless as the pain began to consume him, to Matrias and Roz. He watched him move for her Collar with a new determined fire in his eyes.

To be continued....