The Elementalists

 I don't understand it," I said, frustrated at what had occurred. We all met back at the inn and were discussing what had happened with Ethan to Tom. He was interested in it as he was the opposite of the element Seth controlled. "How could Seth possibly brainwash Ethan? I didn't even know that was possible."
 Tom put his hand up, possibly as a way to tell me to calm down. "Now Dark, we need to clear our minds and focus. If Seth really did bring out the madness in Ethan, than the solution is simple."
 "I... It is?"
 "Yes of course. Next time you face him I will join you. This way, just by me being there, the madness will fade a bit. If you can get him to me I should be able to turn him back to normal."
 "That's easier said than done. Seth is powerful and it seems either he or Death has enhanced Ethan's physical condition. Plus, Ethan has his armor, I guess Death took it when he saved them from us. The kid will be more resilient now."
 "True, but still I believe in all of you. Besides Jasmine now has her Elemental weapon so you should stand more of a fighting chance now."
 We all turned to her to be met with a smiling face. She acquired a staff and was now much more powerful. That left just Sapphire and me to get ours. Still though, if we didn't have time to get them then I wouldn't. Saving Ethan came first. My weapon could wait.
 "Yes well I'll try my best not to let any of you down." The water Elementalist said as she noticed us still gazing at her.
 Tom clasped his hands together. "Good. Well then I propose that we continue our search for your weapons."
 "And just leave Ethan?" I countered.
 "We can't just wait around here Dark. We must keep travelling and getting stronger."
 "I...guess." I didn't like the idea of just leaving him, but we really couldn't just wait around for the two of them to show up.
 "Good, then let's be on our way."

 Back on the road we had left behind the ruined town (which I still felt bad about).
 Although I hated to do it, we had to leave if Sapphire or me were going to become stronger. The girl seemed excited to get her weapon and the upgraded powers that came with it. Maybe even a little...obsessed...
 "How are you feeling Dark?" Jasmine asked, snapping me back to reality.
 I sighed. "I really don't know. I just wish that I could have done something more for him you know? I wasn't strong enough."
 "Of course you're strong enough. You're just... going through a phase. It's alright though because you'll move on and be even stronger because of it."
 Here's hoping right?" I let out an awkward laugh.
 Jasmine gave me a sympathetic look. It was then I realized how much she was like a sister to me. She cared about me and looked after me. I smiled at this revelation.
 I turned my gaze over to Blaze, who had his hands in his pockets and was kicking loose stones. I walked over to him, catching his look and he raised an eyebrow.
 "Hey." He muttered and looked down at the ground.
 "H-hi." I stuttered in response. A moment of silence passed as I thought about what to say.
 "Did you come over here for a reason or just to stare at me?"
 "O-oh. Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
 "Of course I am. I'm not weak like you." However I noticed that his tone was off.
 "Are you sure? Because your words are lacking their usual...fire."
 Blaze sighed and scratched his head. "No, I guess I'm not."
 "What's bothering you?"
 "It's the fact that I'm the oldest, yet I'm not fulfilling my duties."
 "Duties?"
 "Yeah. As the oldest I should be the one who guards everyone and protects them. But every time we get in a fight I'm always the first one to go down, even with my Elemental weapon. I'm not strong enough to protect all of you."
 After hearing this, I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
 "What? You think that's funny?"
 I waved a hand at him, signalling the older boy to calm down. "No, no of course not. I just find it funny how similar we are."
 "Why do you say that?"
 "Well, I feel the same way. I couldn't protect Ethan or the rest of you because I'm too weak to rely on the darkness. As an Elementalist my primary weapon should be my powers and I don't even use them. Most of the time I need all of you to come to my rescue."
 "Are you kidding me? First, the fight with the Scorpos. I couldn't defend you or the others and blacked out. You were the one to save us all.
 Second, the fight with you. Even with my full powers I couldn't defeat you. That was just embarrassing. I went full throttle and you swatted me aside like a fly.
 Lastly, the fight we just had. In the very beginning I was taken out by Seth. All he did was block me and I was done. Then, to make matters worse, you saved me. Too scared to use your element but brave enough to help me out. I just don't understand why, with all my new powers, I can't ever protect any of you."
 I stared at him for a moment before responding. "Blaze, when you're in battle what do you think about?"
 "Well I think about what I'm doing wrong and how I can improve on it, or what if I did this instead of that."
 "That's the problem. You have to stop thinking about what you can't do and more about what you can do. Think about how to use your abilities to their fullest potential, not what you wish they could do. Focus on protecting us with your powers that you have and maybe, just maybe let that ego slip a little." I grinned at him when I said that last part.
 In return he laughed and nodded his head. "Alright, Dark. I'll think about what you said. I really mean it. However as for the ego," he turned to me. "You may be able to tell me how to think, but not how to feel you runt." He ruffled my mop of black hair and laughed not at me, but with me.
 This was the Blaze that I had grown close to, the one I called my friend.
 "Seems like you're getting along again." Sapphire said as she walked back to match our pace.
 Blaze nodded. "Yeah. We're all good now."
 "That's great. Feel lucky Dark, you're in the presence of a king." She did a mock bow.
 I laughed while Blaze frowned.
 "I'm kidding, lighten up you big lug."
 "Yeah, yeah." The boy mumbled.
 "So how are you holding up?" I asked her. "You really took a beating in that fight."
 She shrugged and tilted her hand back and forth. "I'm alright. Mostly I'm disappointed that I didn't get a few more hits in on Eth- uh, Seth."
 "Don't worry about it you did fine," I said not noticing her slip up. "You and I just need to get stronger. Then we'll be kicking butt." I punched the air a few times to emphasize my point.
 "Ha. Yeah you're right. All we need is more power."
 "Yeah. Exactly."
 Sapphire nodded and shifted the topic to me. "So, Dark any idea why Death wants you so badly?"
 "No idea. I would think that he wants to get rid of the weakest link first I guess."
 "Maybe, it's a good theory at least." Sapphire then muttered lower than I could hear. "Still, it's only a theory."
 "Blaze finally spoke up again. "So, do you guys think that we can do it?"
 "What? Do what?" I asked.
 "Defeat Death. I mean, it's Death! How do we beat him?"
 "I don't know. But we have Tom who can help us and we have Aether and Nether."
 "Yeah but we don't even know who they are! Who knows if they even want to help us."
 "Of course they want to help. They led Tom to us so they must want to beat Death as much as we do."
 "Oh I don't doubt they want Death gone. What I'm asking is if they care about us. Would they sacrifice us for it?"
 I said nothing as I didn't have an answer to that. These two god like beings wanted Death gone, but Blaze was right. Did they even care about us? Did it even matter though? This was our fight we couldn't rely on them. We had to use our own...powers.
 I shook my head. I was one to talk. Too scared to use my own element.
 That didn't matter though, I survived with my swords before and I would do it again, until I could overcome my fears.
 "Dark? We're stopping for a break." Blaze told me.
 I stopped walking and saw that I had gone quite a bit before noticing they had stopped to set up camp.
 "S-sorry." I laughed and walked over to join them.
 I helped them set up and finally sat down.
 Although still worried about Ethan and what they were doing with him, for the first time in days I felt safe.
 I sat back in my chair and finally began to relax, wondering what the future had in store for us.