Helpono tapped his staff on the ground. Standing on alert, Mervin noticed ripples just below his feet. "WHAAA!!"

Leaping out of the way, a jet pillar of water suddenly burst from the ground where he stood. He ran as five more water shots where launched, narrowly dodging each one.

Three water spheres surrounded Helpono, orbiting him like satellites. After Melvin recovered he aimed his wand and launched Fireballs at his opponent. The spell bounced harmlessly off the barrier that surrounded the cackling priest.

"Weak weak weak....."

Helpono slammed his staff on the ground; one of the water spheres positioned itself in front of him, firing off water needles. Not wanting to take the risk of taking it on his own barrier, Melvin swiped his wand out before him, forming another barrier. The water slammed against the invisible wall, forming cracks where they hit.

After the barrage, Melvin's barrier cracked and fell apart. "Looks like that was a good call."

Before he could catch his breath, the large whale monster burst from the thin layers of the water cage right behind him. Melvin instinctively leaped left as the monster opened its mouth wide, scooping up dirt before turning around, disappearing again into the water cage.

"Ahhh.... Oliver.... He can be such a tease...."

Melvin's attention returned to Helpono as he brought his staff closer to him. He raised it again, one of the water spheres positioned itself in front of the mad wizard. "Water Cannon."

Melvin leaped out of the way as the jet stream fired past, slamming into the water cage, causing a massive splash.

That was way too close... Melvin thought as he got back to his feet, drenched from the backlash of the blast.

"You..... who looks like him...." Helpono cackled as another of the water spheres took a position in front of him, "Shhh..... it won't be long now..... hehehehehe...." The water sphere then fired a portion of its water into the ground. "Water spear."

Melvin leaped out of the way as a jet of water burst from the ground. The water shot right to the ceiling of the cage with as much force as the cannon before it.

"You best not keep her waiting.... Apprentice of Dran...." Helpono cackled tears still pouring from his eyes, looking more deranged as he did before.

Behind him, Bush tumbled out of the way as the giant water humanoid (Which Helpono referred to as Boart) slammed its foot in the ground, just missing him.

As Bush recovered, the creature pulled back both arms, stretching as though made from rubber.

With his hand on the ground, a thick wave of mud rose just as the monster's two fists rocketed forwards, smashing against the mud, which circled around the brown carapace of its hands.

"Got it!"

Bush's joy was short-lived as the monster detached its water limbs, the water growing back as the water grew out once again. It twirled its body, wrapping its stretched arms around its body. Bush cursed and leaped out of the way as the monster released its tension, spinning its arms around like a whirlwind.

Bush leaped out of the way, narrowly avoiding the oncoming attack, which grazed the ground with its swing. The ground underneath the monster began to soften as Bush tried to sing the creature, using its own body against it.

Just then, the fish monster burst from the cage wall, coming up from behind Bush. "GODDESS!!" Bush rolled out of the way as the monster passed, crashing into the water monster, destroying its water body.

"OLIVER! BOART! NO FIGHTING!!!" Helpono yelled as the fish disappeared back into the cage's walls. Bush's respite was brief as the upper body of the monster retained its form and carapace. "Such bad boys... always fighting.... Yesyesyesyes... she gets so angry...."

"Heed me, origins of the flame that gives us life and will, gather together and smite down my foe. Burning Hearts!"

Helpono turned his head back to Melvin, seeing a large fireball coming his way. The fireball hit in a loud bang, obscuring the cackling monk from view.

"Whew... did that get him?" Melvin said to himself. His question was answered when the flames receded, seeing a blackened shell positioned just before Helpono.

That again?!

"Look.... Yomon came to my aid..." Helpono cackled, resting a hand on the black shell. "He hates him... him.... him.... him...." As the shell began to fall apart, Helpono's had slammed through the weakened shell. "She won't forgive.... Won't forgive.... Won't forgive won't forgive WON'T FORGIVE WON'T FORGIVE!!! BOART! DESTROY HIM!!"

On his instruction, the water monster twitched and leaped into the air, twirling around, its arms outstretched.

"Ohh come ON!!!" Melvin leaped out of the way as the monster's armored hands smashed into the ground.

He rolled on the ground, trying to get his wand out, as the monster dug its hands out. "Wind Blades!"

Melvin's four blades splashed against the monster, cutting apart the monster, severing its right arm, its body both horizontally and vertically, and it's left leg.

The monster collapsed to the ground in four parts.

Melvin's relief was short-lived when Helpono pointed his staff at the boy. One of his water spheres positioned it in front of him and fired water needles out at him.

Melvin rolled out of the way, not wanting to risk taking the barrage on his own barrier. This proved a good move as those that managed to find its mark left cracks at the sphere barrier that surrounded him.

As he recovered from his roll, the monster had just regenerated itself, growing back its main body, lost arm and leg, all the while stretching its remaining arm high in the sky, bringing it down on Melvin's position. Melvin rolled out of the way as the monster's right arm finished regenerating, slamming the newly grown appendage on his position.

"MELVIN!" Bush called out from the opposite end of the plateau.

"I'm fine! Just focus on him!" Melvin said as he recovered facing Helpono. Another water sphere positioned itself in front of him, firing the water cannon. This nut's definitely aiming for me.

On the opposite end, Bush placed both hands to the ground. Mud rose in front of him, coiling together to form a large fist. It then descended towards Helpono. Before it could crush him, however, a black shell sprouted from the ground, blocking the fist that lost its shape and crumbled apart.

"You irk me..."

A fourth water sphere rose from the ground, bursting forth the water tendrils that coiled around, aiming for the old man. With his hand still on the ground, a mud wall rose up, blocking the incoming tendrils. The Three-pronged hand struck deep into the softened earth as they tried to drill themselves through to hit their mark.

Suddenly, the tendrils of water curved off the surface into the air, curving around to strike Bush from above. The man narrowly avoided each strike.

"So many pests.... So many pests...." Helpono muttered, tears continuing to fall down his cheeks. "She.... doesn't like the noise..... The noise... the noise...."

Melvin dodged another blow from the water monster, waiving his want to fire off some fireballs, which hit the water surface before being extinguished. The monster pulled back its fist, swinging its body in a full 360 degrees while swinging its arm out. Melvin narrowly dodged the first blow, onto seeing its other fist, that followed another 360 degrees turn. Melvin was thrown across the ground, his barrier absorbing most of the impact. "Oww...."

"The noise.... His face... his hair...." Helpono raised his staff. "OLIVER!! RID ME OF THAT BLIGHT!!!"

Melvin got up just as the giant fish burst from the water directly behind him, its mouth opened wide aiming to devour Melvin, who only just noticed the monster behind him.

All of a sudden, two massive roots pierced through the water cage, one branching off; burying itself into the ground while the other caught the Fish's caudal fin. The monster yelled in pain as the root splintered, anchoring itself in the ground.

"Wh-What the....?" Melvin could only stare in stunned silence, realizing how close his life had come to end, while confused as to what had just saved his life.

Bush gazed up at the roots that had seemed to pierce through the cage. "Is.... Is that...?"

"Oliver...?" Helpono muttered before letting out a loud, unsettling cry, water pouring from his eyes. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY PRECIOUS OLIVER?!! OLLIIIVVVEEERRRRR!!!"

As he wailed, a dark figure approached from behind him. The black shell rose from the ground, blocking a blow from a mallet.

The waterworks stopped as Helpono turned to the now raised wall, "Who-" not noticing the small marbles coming at him from the front.

BOOOOMMMM!!!

A large explosion erupted at his position.

"D-D-Did that get him." Standing a few feet before the rising smoke was Fred, holding his slingshot.

"That should have at least done some damage," Behind the smoke and the raised shell was Gura, crouched on the ground with a wooden mallet.

"Wh-What...?" Melvin was speechless. And he wasn't the only one.

"What are you two....?" Bush could only mutter a small response at the new back up they had.

"Grampa!"

"W-We really shouldn't be doing this...."

"No one was forcing you to come."

Standing in the shadow of the second root was Dora and Redwool.

"Dora? F-Fred?" Melvin got back to his feet. "What- What are you two doing here?!"

Rodger and Steve vs. Robin

Robin floated downwards, narrowly missing an earth spear that jutted out from the earth.

"Missed," Robin said as he loaded another arrow. He then realized Rodger wasn't behind the spear that had jutted from the earth.

Suddenly, two rock hands appeared behind him, slamming together before lunging towards Robin. Just before it hit, Robin disappeared as the hands passed through, smashing the ground.

"I-I missed?!" Rodger gritted his teeth from his position behind the rock hands.

"Forget I can teleport?" Robin reappeared a few feet in the air, pulling back his silver arrow just before a ball of compressed air slammed into the left side of his face.

"Forget I'm still here?" Steve said with his blowgun held in both hands.

Robin twirled in the air, aiming his arrow at his second opponent. "No." He said casually as he let the arrow loose. Steve leaped out of the way just as the arrow struck the ground with a loud blast, blowing him away as it shot through the plateau.

D-Damn it....Steve muttered, glancing at the hole that had just been created. If I take a direct hit, that'll kill me....

"I can understand wanting to protect your home and all, but don't you think you're a little over your head?" Robin said as another arrow loaded.

Gritting his teeth, Steve faced down his opponent. "What I don't understand is what an elf is doing working for humans! Your kind should hate them more than anything else!"

"You're the point?" Robin said nonchalantly. "I'm sure my 'partner' made it clear the world isn't as black and white as you think."

Steve bit down on his lip, feeling frustration build up.

"I honestly don't care about any of that stuff," Robin said as he pulled back on his bow.

Just then, the rock hands moved once again, trying to swat Robin in the air.

On the ground Rodger had his hands on the ground, his magic forming two golems by his side. "Come on Steve! Get ya head in the game!"

The left arm of the left golem morphed into a sword while the right arm of the right golem morphed into a hammer. "Otherwise I'm gonna beat this bastard!" Rodger said with a grin as the golems charged forwards.

Robin hovered to his left as the golem with the hammer swung down, shattering the ground with the impact. "Got a sense of style with your magic, I'll give you that." He said as he fired his arrow that shattered the golem to pieces. "Not very effective if they can't hit me."

He then flew back, missing another ball of compressed air shot past him, hitting one of the fragmented rocks.

"I'm the one who's gonna take him down, loser!" Steve raised his blowgun to his lips. He sent two crescent waves of compressed air at the floating elf that formed into an X shape. Robin suddenly vanished from his position, reappearing directly above Steve.

"You really sure now's the time to be competing?" He said, pulling back on his bow as a silver arrow formed.

Suddenly, a rock spear flew past Robin, missing by a small fracture.

"Holding a competition to take down a strong opponent," Rodger rose on a stone pillar, holding out his hammer in his right hand. "Is what it means to be a real man!"

Steve raised his blowgun and fired another compressed air bubble towards Robin, causing him to dodge. As he did, Rodger leaped from the pillar as a second grew and launched from the base. Robin twirled around as a cylinder appeared on his bow. He fired at the incoming pillar, bursting into a whirlwind that destroyed the entire column.

Rodger had leaped off, using his levitation to guide a rock below his feet while collecting more to his hammer.

Meanwhile, Steve moved back, positioning himself to sandwiched Robin between himself and Rodger.

"Not gonna take the glory this time!" Rodger said, twirling his hammer.

"Ha! No chance loser!" Steve said, raising his blowgun.

"You guys are idiots," Robin said as he disappeared, reappearing behind Rodger, a silver arrow forming on his bow.

Rodger grinned.

Behind Robin, the remaining stone golem approached, raising its sword.

Robin turned around to intercept but took a hit from an air shot from Steve's blow gun, hitting his right side as he turned. The golem then swung its sword vertically. Taken off guard, Robin looked up to see the incoming swing and vanished just as the rock sword slammed into the ground.

Rodger landed on the ground, keeping his footing as the rock skidded across the ground.

"Finally got a hit on him!" Steve cheered.

"Hey! I told ya I didn't need ya help!" Rodger yelled at him.

"Who said I was helping you?"

"Shut up! I told ya- GAAA!!"

Before Rodger could rebuttal, Robin reappeared in a dropkick, slamming into his left cheek, aiming his bow at the dumbstruck Steve.

"You didn't think that would be enough?"

Eyes wide, Steve jumped out of the way as a silver arrow shot passed, the arrows backlash leaping a scratch on his back. The arrow continued and on, slamming into a nearby plateau, obliterating it.

Gritting his teeth, Rodger's hand touched the ground, launching an earth spear at his opponent. Robin disappeared in a flash. Rodger stumbled on the ground until before righting himself. "Did I get him?"

"What do you think?" Robin said behind him.

Rodger swings his hammer out behind him. Robin disappeared again, reappearing by Rodgers back, floating away.

"D-Damn you!!" Steve recovered and put his blowgun to his lips and blew another air shot at Robin who fired another arrow at the incoming projectile. The arrow struck the air and broke off into five shots.

It broke?

Suddenly, the fragments then launched themselves at Steve.

Two missed while one struck his arm, chest, and left thigh.

?!!

"STEVE!!" Rodger yelled as he saw Steve collapse to the ground.

"Don't worry, that shouldn't kill him," Robin said nonchalantly as he pulled back another arrow. "This struck you in the back and your still alive."

The remaining stone golem with a sword raised its blade to strike down the floating elf. Robin turned, facing the monster upside down before firing his arrow that destroyed it, blasting a hole through the center.

Robin then turned around as Rodger helped up Steve. "It's been fun, but I guess I need to put this to an end.

Two silver arrows appeared on the bow. "Looks like my partner's having trouble with her old friend."

He then fired his arrows that immediately broke apart in a total of twenty projectiles.

"What the-!"

"No good!"

Rodger slammed his hammer to the ground with his free hand creating two walls. Half the projectiles slammed against the first wall with enough force to destroy it, with the remaining projectiles hitting the second, destroying that one, peppering both boys with the rubble.

"I... didn't ask for your help!" Steve snapped.

"Who said I was helping you!" Rodger rebutted just as a green cylinder came from behind, hitting the ground from a 40 degrees angle.

The resulting cyclone blasted throughout half the plateau. Rodger and Steve were sent hurtling by the violent winds, both screaming as the violent winds threatened to tear them apart. When they finally subsided, both boys landed in the center of the damaged plateau with a thud.

"Still alive you two?" Robin asked as he hovered to the boys.

"......." Steve groaned as he tried to push himself up, his helmet falling off.

Rodger did the same next to him. His clothes were now torn apart, and he had some small cuts and grazes across his body. His hammer had been blown away following the cyclone and rested further away near one of the ruined huts.

"Y-Ya still alive Steve....?" Rodger groaned as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"I.... Think so..."

In the air, Robin floated forwards, staring down at the two boys below him. "You two are more sturdy then you let on,"

"Ha! Don't underestimate the captain of the Walloping Willows ya bastard!" Rodger said, rubbing his cheeks.

"Captain of the loser brigade, it's the captain of the Awesome Frogs is who you need to be afraid of." Steve butted in.

"Both those names suck," Robin said bluntly as two arrows materialized on his bow. "Not that it matters I suppose," He pulled back on his bow, aiming at the two boys who tensed. It was then when Rodger realized he didn't have his hammer with him.

Robin then aimed his arrows at Steve, who flinched when he realized he'll be targeted. He then fired the arrows.

Without thinking, Rodger slammed a hand to the ground, raising two walls before him. The arrows curved before hitting the wall, flying in a V shape while flying away.

"Huh? It missed?" Rodger glanced at the arrows.

"Hey! I didn't ask for your help, loser!" Steve snapped at him.

Wait..... Is that..? Rodger thought, ignoring Steve's yells. He then saw the arrows begin to curve around. "LOOK OUT!!"

Steve followed Rodger's gaze and saw one of the arrows coming back towards him.

"OH CRAP!!" Steve leaped out of the way as the arrow aimed at him embedded itself into the wall behind him.

Rodger slammed his hand into the ground, rising up a wall in front of him before the arrow struck. The arrow then broke apart into five, circling around.

Not falling for that again!

With his hand on the ground, a pillar shot up from Rodger's feet, elevating him in the air. The arrow fragments slammed into the pillar, causing small dents.

From his vantage point, Rodger grinned and pointed at Robin. "Don't forget I saw all ya moves before! Ya got that powerful arrow, that tornado arrow, that one ya follows ya and that one that splits.

"I saw it all that last time we fought! Don't think ya gonna get the drop on me so easily."

"Really?" Robin said as another arrow materialized on his bow. "That's all you got then you really are as dumb as you look."

Small thorns then jutted out from the shaft of the arrow. He then fired his arrow at the pillar. When traveling, the arrow disappeared. Suddenly, the pillar was sliced into four pieces.

"Wha-!"

Rodger stumbled as the rock supporting him began to give way. All of a sudden, Robin appeared above him, pulling back a cylinder arrow mixed with the same thorny arrow. He let loose both simultaneously. Unable to dodge, Rodger was caught up in the resulting tornado, screaming as he felt his body being cut multiple times.

"RODGER!!"

Steve screamed as he witnessed Rodger being flung from the tornado, which subsided soon after. He landed on the ground close to the destroyed hut where his hammer was located. Sprawling across the ground with bad cuts all over his body. Even his helmet that had fallen off had some shallow cuts and dents.

"How pathetic," Robin said as he floated towards the injured Rodger, who was even now trying to get back to his feet.

"D-Damn it...." Rodger groaned. His body racked with pain as he tried to get back to his feet.

"Don't bother. You're just prolonging the inevitable." Robin said as he watched the young samiet crawling on his hands and knees.

"S-Shut up...." Rodger groaned as he crawled to the building, spying his hammer. "The others..... won't give up.... cause of somethin' like this....." He wheezed with a grin, "No way.... I'm gonna....

"What a reckless idiot," As though losing interest, Robin then moved his head to the right, just avoiding an air shot passing by. "Guess you're left, huh?" Robin drifted his eyes back, seeing Steve with his blowgun raised.

"I told you," Steve threw out his hand with the blowgun, scowling at the floating boy. "I'm the one who's gonna take you down."

****

It was known as the king.

The name was given by the residence of the woods. In the middle of the lake of the residence, the king fought the monsters that assailed the home of the residence it must protect.

It bit, ripped, tore, crushed the monsters that assailed it, trying to bring the majesty down.

In the center of the lake, it lured the monster's attention. They continued to come. Strange monstrosities of all shapes and sizes, leaping off to bite and scratch at the king's tough hide.

They were nothing. Mealy flies on its skin.

The larger eel monsters were different. They were more frightening, with teeth that could sink more into the side of the king. They were relentless. Springing from the lake, letting out an ear-bleeding roar before lunging to the king.

The King roared back, lunging at the incoming monster, raising its head to plunge its remaining horn into the lunging monster's open jaw. From behind, another eel burst from the lake's surface.

With a roar, the king heaved the impaled eel around, slamming it into the body of the coming monster. The eel staggered as the body of its twin splashed in the water. The king lunged forwards, using its talons to tare through the skin of the attacking eel.

From above, more of the flying monstrosities descended, wailing with sharp, blade beaks. The king bit into one of the dead eels and span around, swatting each one away with the wide serpent body of its prey, releasing the pray to allow it to smash into another of the plateaus.

The king stood in the center of the lake, the water going red from the monstrosity's blood. The behemoth stood supreme once again, letting out a triumphant roar.

BOOOMM!!!

Its celebration was cut short as lightning struck its back, forcing it down into the lake below. Sparks of blue lightning retracted, flowing like a serpent one of the fragmented pillars.

Smoldering, the king glanced around to see the creature responsible.

The lightning phased out, taking the form of a long, thin wolf-like creature, standing on its hind legs. Arms longer than its body, which it held before it. Its black fur crackled with blue lightning as it let out a low growl.

Despite the difference in size, the king could sense an ominous danger from this monster, unlike anything it had faced before. Unlike the dragon in human skin, this monster was out for blood.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

****

Robin swerved, dodging air shots fired by Steve.

"Damn it!" Steve took a deep breath and blew on the gun, sending out another shot towards Robin.

"Don't you have any other tricks?" Robin groaned as he drew a silver arrow back. Behind him, the air bubble curved and came back around, slamming into the floating boys back. Startled, Robin loosed his arrow, missing his intended target completely, sending it crashing into the lake with a large splash.

"You ain't the only one who can fire homing shots!" Steve said while firing off more shots towards Robin. The floating elf dodged each one, continuing to fly around as they began to follow after him.

Steve parted his legs, nodding while he blew on his blowgun, sending a crescent arc towards Robin followed by another, who still had six of the air shots following him. The incoming arcs left him boxed in with little room to dodge.

Robin, however, disappeared completely before either hit.

"What?" Steve looked startled at the disappearance of his opponent.

"You forgot I could do that?" Robin reappeared behind him pulling back a thorny arrow. "Game over."

Steve grinned. "Wouldn't be so sure of that."

Robin glanced up to see the air shots coming back around, breaking off into smaller fragments. They then increased speed. Without any means to dodge, Robin was peppered by the incoming shots. He spun, after being hurtled back several feet.

"Ow... that hurt," Robin said. He'd taken several hits from that attack.

While Staggered, Steve blew into his blowpipe directly into the sky. The air released gathered and compressed into a sphere above Robin.

"Eat this, Air Compress; Pancake!"

Before Robin could properly recover, the air slammed him into the ground, hitting hard enough to form a small crater in the ground.

Keeping with the momentum, Steve blew into the pipe again, a small sphere formed in front of him. My ultimate attack. Been saving it for that loser, but now’s no time to be stingy.

"Air Bomber!" Steve kicked the air forwards towards its intended target, who was recovering from the previous attack. The air hit and exploded. A wave of dust spilled forth, obscuring the target from view.

"All right.... did it..." Steve said with a large smug grin. "Looks like I win loser.... I-?" As the dust settled down, Steve's smile faded. "N-No way...."

"That really hurt...." Floating back into the sky was Robin. His clothes were more torn than before but he was mostly unharmed. "Yeash, gotta give you credit. That really hurt."

Steve took a step back, his optimism and motivation in the fight had drained. His strongest attack he had in his arsenal and the floating elf had taken the full brunt of and was still moving.

"I take it that was your strongest attack?" Robin said as he drew back his arrow. "What a shame."

He then fired the arrow that quickly disappeared. Deep opened, spraying blood as he collapsed to the ground. His blowgun was split in two, rendering it useless. N-No way.....

"That other kid couldn't beat me. What makes you think you could possibly stand a chance?" Robin lowered himself to the ground, landing just before the injured samiet youth.

"D-Don't compare... me to him..." Steve hissed as he tried to get back up."Th-That loser..."

"You call him a loser, but you realize you're a lot weaker then he is?"

Steve's eye's widened, feeling as though a dagger had just pierced his heart. "Wh-What?"

"I mean, don't get me wrong. Just cause your mana's a lot weaker doesn't mean you're completely useless. I mean there's that human swordsman that held his own against Sokaku and Ling.

"But its like my loud partner was getting at, you say these things like they're back and white. But you've never been outside this forest once in your life, have you?"

"I-I....."

"You asked why I'm working with humans cause you can't imagine any none humans working with them. Am I wrong?"

"....."

"You just assumed that, but you've never once left this place to find out yourself. That's the big difference between you and that irritating kid. He may not have stood much of a fighting chance back then, but he had the guts to leave this place cut off from the outside world. That's not your story is it?"

As though placed under a magic spell, Steve's strength went. Despite his wounds, the words by this floating elf cut deeper than anything before. He wanted to get back up, to keep fighting, to prove he was better than Rodger, a boy who could barely defeat him in a one on one battle. And now...just like that, his usually unshakable resolve, resolve his father had drilled into him, resolve to protect the village from the vial humans... suddenly, all that vanished.

The sound of earth moving attracted Robin's attention. He glanced up, seeing Rodger descending on him with his hammer raised, rocks gathered around increasing its size.

Robin teleported out of the way as the hammer landed in his position, cracking the ground as the hammer shattered.

"Woho, you can still move?" Robin said as he repapered back in the air. "Damn, you're annoyingly stubborn like those other idiots you're traveling with.

Rodger painted, ignoring the wounds to face towards Robin, his back turned to Steve. "You know.... You really are one evil bastard...." He muttered, raising his hammer. "I told ya... A real Man always settles the score....!

"R-Rodger...." Steve was speechless. Rodger was even worse off then he was. Yet he stood, wearing his tattered helmet on his head.

"Hey Steve..." Rodger smiled. "I told ya I'm the one who's gonna take this bastard down. After that.... we're gonna settle the score." Rodger lowered his hammer, pushing the rim of his helmet. "So sit tight while I mop the floor with this guy!"

"You really like to talk big," Robin said as he materialized another arrow. "I'll play along I guess. Let's see if you'll make it out in one piece."

"I should say that to you," Rodger rebutted.