You Make Me Stronger

@ Jinx...
Saber hesitated when Ember took off his shirt and asked if he had any other cuts. His pants were ripped and cut too but he said, "You don't have to worry about any of the cuts on the lower part of my body. They aren't as bad." Saber winced as she traced over a wound with her burning finger. It always stung to close it up but it did usually feel better in the long run. Saber looked over Ember but the most he could see was bruises. He guessed the person she fought hadn't used many sharp weapons, but he could tell she was pretty bent out of shape as well. "Are you sure you're alright now?" Saber asked feeling a little guilty about resting while she was looking over him.

@ Alphora
Ember blushed as he said she didn't have to worry about the cuts lower on his body. "Oh if you're sure." she said. Ember's hand was sure and steady even when his wince made her bite her lip in worry. She hated that fire had to hurt to heal.Ember moved from cut to cut taking a break now and then so that he wasn't in constant pain. She smiled as he asked if she was okay. "Yes I am okay. Tired but not really to hurt. She said and took the break to brush her hair back wincing at the bruise on her temple of where Phoenix had hit the ground with the gravity woman. "I'm worried about how much we're going to need Sylvia and Ryder." she said and bit her lip. "They sure did bring a lot of people for what they could have only sent a handful for. I am guessing they either have resources and men to spare or they want people to believe that." she said not wanting to bring up Orthrus again though she could feel Phoenix inside just churning with the desire to train and get stronger than that pompous old fool. Ember bit her lip trying not to laugh at how angry Phoenix was. It was a sight to see her so emotional. "Hey Saber... You don't think Kali would train me and Phoenix too do you? You see because yesterday Phoenix and I we tried this umm thing. It was kind of like fusing but it felt more like making a whole instead of putting two together if you can understand that..." she said and bit her lip. "And I can't think of anyone who is stronger than her right now... and well we etched the rock with our heat so I don't really want to practice on you..." she smiled and looked up at him. "Though I know you would want the challenge." she smiled. "Anyways..." she said shaking her head. "It was just a thought."

@ Jinx...
Saber looked doubtful and turned away. "Honestly, I wish she would but so far it seems like she isn't interested in anything besides me. Ryder says it's because she wants to fuse with me...and after looking at our enemy I feel like I might have to. It also doesn't help that Sylvia can only work at half of her potential. I even feel like Ryder's holding something back at times but that may just be me trying to be hopeful," Saber explained. Saber thought for a second and then agonized over a thought. "I'm an idiot," Saber said putting his face down in his hand then said, "When we saved you guys I told Kali to grab those two while I get you. I probably should not have left Ryder alone with Kali. Especially with Sylvia coming into the picture learning about all of this." At the very least, Saber was happy to have someone on their side even if the others didn't seem to quite trust her. It was a risk worth taking in his opinion. Saber wasn't even close enough to try and tap into Kali's thoughts so he knew she must be pretty far away...or he was just bad at reading her mind. He wasn't sure but it felt pointless worrying and thinking about it right now.

@ Alphora
Ember bit her lip and nodded. "I figured." Ember said and listened as he made the realization that he sent Ryder with Kali. "Well I think it was perhaps the wise thing to do unless you let her take me instead but you needed medical assistance so that wouldn't have worked anyways." Ember touched his hand. "You did the best with what you have. And Ryder respects you enough to not hurt her until he can convince you that he's right just like you would do if the roles were reversed." she said then smiled and finished up his cuts. She blew gently on the last one then handed his shirt back to him. "There you go that should make it easier." she said and then sat back and looked at him yawning.

@ Jinx...
"I would have been fine," Saber said not worrying about his wounds. He put on his shirt then said, "I want to agree with you about Ryder but from what it's sounds like the only people Ryder mostly listens to are Sylvia, Tawny, and his mom sometimes. That's why I wanted to bring Sylvia along but Ryder insisted."
"So that's it...," Sylvia said still completely shocked by Kali's appearance. "That's how it is," Kali said smiling then started walking along the perimeter of the mountains. "Where are you going?" Ryder asked suspiciously. "I'm going to find Saber. My job was to get you guys out of there and to safety. My job is done so I'm looking for me now," Kali said getting a kick out of being able to word it that way to bother Ryder. Ryder clenched his fist but simply followed and didn't say a word. He had no way to track Saber or Ember, and right now he really didn't want the others finding him. Sylvia watched her brother and frowned feeling sorry for him. She never got to know their mom as well and didn't feel as personally angry at her like Ryder did.

@ Alphora
Ember sighed. "Still I feel better when you have more strength." she said. Ember bit her lip. "Well don't know why Ryder listens to the women in his life better but maybe that will change some. After all Brooke is a sweet maybe he will listen to her now. Like you said everything is changed now." she said and smiled at him. "And you know what it's kind of nice that nothing is for sure now. As much as I would like everyone to be okay and happy in the future this way we can make our own destiny." she said and smiled at Saber and stretched. "Alright ready to get going again?" she asked.

@ Jinx...
"Guess so," Saber said standing up. Saber looked ahead as far as he could with Ember's light. The path definitely seemed to get much wider and harder to follow. He grabbed Ember's hand and said, "Try to keep your flame as low as possible. I'll hold onto you so we don't get separated, but if a bunch of those guys show up in here we'll be in trouble. Especially if they ambush us." Saber held tight and smiled reassuringly waiting for her to lead the way.

@ Alphora
Ember bit her lip. "That's no problem..." she said frowning that he thought someone might try to ambush them. "But umm Saber I can do this too." she said and put out her fire then reached for the ground. Under their feet twinning embers light the way. Her embers shinned brighter were there wasn't a flat surface like a rock or their feet. "Is that to dark?" she whispered. Ember thought it was the best way to be sneaky if that was what he was trying to do. It would also alert her of any oncoming feet.

@ Jinx...
They continued down the hall for quite a while until Saber asked, "What do you think we should do? If we manage to get away they may keep chasing us. Do you think we should keep trying to go into deeper territory or should we head back to Ellie?" Ever since Saber saved Ember from Leo he felt she's been a lot more secluded towards him. Or like something is on her mind and it bothered him, but he did feel conflicted considering he hadn't been too open either. "Is...there anything you want to talk about?" Saber asked and held her hand a little tighter.

@ Alphora
Ember frowned thinking of the delema that Saber presented her with. "Any time I think of going back to Elli I think of Brooke and all the injured people we left behind. I'm not sure it's a good idea to lead them into battle just yet. We are small enough still that we may be able to slip away but I don't know if we should head back into battle..." Ember couldn't stop thinking of Orthrus. "Orthrus made a statement I think that is very telling... I think we need to find the other immortal elementals and convince them that we are worth saving. Saber I don't think we can win without them." She said and bit her lip. Ember was quiet a long while until Saber asked if she wanted to talk. Ember frowned. And shook her head knowing he couldn't see it. "Saber I don't know how to talk to you anymore. Somewhere between Laura and Elli you stopped talking to me... so I stopped talking back. I always let you take the lead. And I am just as afraid of loosing Ryder and Sylvia as you are but..." Ember could feel the tears threatening and she was glad it was so dark as she whispered her thoughts to Saber. "But my feelings never stopped growing for you and it's hard with you keeping your distance because of that fear. Honestly I don't know what to say because well I am just focusing on the mission so I can get back to Brooke. Sometimes it feels like her, Phoenix and Ryder are all I have left. I wish to get closer to Sylvia too but it's like she's afraid to get closer to anyone because she might give it away. I have always hated secrets but I am hating this one the most. I hate it because it is doing nothing but putting up dividers." She said and stopped walking so she could let go of Sabers hand. Her embers flared up then died down as her tears hit the floor. She wiped the angry tears away and shook her head so glad he couldn't see her cry. She hated how she cried so easily but it was all that was left when the anger was gone. Ember felt like she was always fighting something and if it wasn't one extreme with her it was the other. Ember pressed her back against the wall and took a deep breath trying to make her tears dry up quicker. She was glad when they stopped but her eyes felt swollen anyways. "Why do you ask is there something you want to talk about?" She asked after a long period of quiet.

@ Jinx...
At first Saber felt a little disappointed in himself but the more she spoke the more he realized how much thought she has put into it as well. Sylvia knew she wasn't good at secrets and tried to keep herself away from everyone except for himself and Ryder. Even Saber was feeling tricky about getting near many people because he was able to figure it out. "I didn't....know it was taking such a toll on you," Saber said still feeling pretty guilty. He slumped down very close to Ember to let her know he was right beside her. She was always so warm, and it was reassuring. "That's honestly what I wanted to talk about. You're the one who reassured me that this timeline is different and everything could change no matter what Ryder and Sylvia say happened. That's the very purpose they came here. So, I wanted to tell you I'm going to choose to believe in those words and lay everything out in the open. As soon as we're all together again I want to make Ryder and Sylvia tell us everything...I wouldn't feel right saying it myself because it's not my secret to tell but I think we all need to be able to grow closer again without having to worry about whether or not the other may be hurt or disappear for it," Saber explained growing more and more confident as he continued. His words were continuous appraisal for the reassurance Ember had given him, and the confidence he wanted to throw right back at her.

@ Alphora
Ember bit her lip. She nodded when he said he was going to have them lay it all out. "I think that is a good idea. We need to be thinking like a team instead of thinking about everything else but we need to do this first." She said softly and reached over taking his hand carefully. She wondered if he realized how nervous she was anyways. But not that it mattered because as Saber said this timeline was different and she would still love Sylvia and Ryder as if they were her own as she knew Laura would as well. Ember took a deep breath then stood. She was glad they now had a reason to get out of this place. "Saber... is there anything else you want to tell me?" She asked having a feeling that they were lost. Ember realized then how burdensome that had actually been on her. She waited until Saber stood then she hugged him his cool body pressed against her warm one. She pressed her ear to his heart and scolded her eyes a moment. "Thank you." She said.

@ Jinx...
Saber knew by now they both knew they were lost. "Yeahhh these tunnels aren't familiar at all, but we have to be close by now," Saber said. After a short moment he felt a breeze that he didn't create and smiled. "See," Saber said taking her hand and rushing towards where the breeze was coming from. Before he saw an entrance he heard a scream that was very familiar. "Laura!" Saber exclaimed and rushed even further to where they could see an exit. Saber raced outside to see her tied up and bound inside a giant tube. A four legged machine was holding it with her inside. Next to the machine was a man with all mechanical limbs. "Oh you brought friends eh?" The man cackled. Saber charged forward using his wind to boost forward. "I see. You're element is wind. But that won't work on me anymore," The man said as he held out his hand that had a lens on the palm. The lens swirled then stopped shortly after. Saber swung downward with swirling winds around his fist, but when his fist made contact the wind completely disappeared leaving his bare fist to collide with the man's metal arm. Saber jumped back and shook his tingling hand. "What the hell?!" Saber exclaimed. "This guy can make your element useless!" Laura yelled from inside the tube. "You're almost right," The man cackled once more then said, "For every person I can make myself immune to one ability. So for you, girlie, I am unaffected by ice. But if that man tries to attack me then I am immune to his wind abilities. I'm the perfect Elemental killer."

@ Alphora
Ember nodded and smiled as Saber said they had to be close. She giggled as he jerked her forward. Ember frowned as she heard a scream. She ran forward with Saber and stopped as the sun blinded her. She blinked and saw Saber running at someone. She frowned and then listened to what the man had to say. She smiled feeling Phoenix inside her staring with a desire for revenge so Ember took a line straight from Phoenix. "If anyone is so cocky to think they are perfect then surely it won't be that hard to find you're weakness." Ember looked at Saber. "Heat me up." she said and waited for him for a second to realize what she meant. Ember then heated her fire into a tunnel and then moved it up over her head and around back towards herself before aiming it towards the metal man. "Let's take a look shall we?" she asked in total control of her fire able to move it at will. The man wouldn't be bale to touch her fire unless she wanted him too.

@ Jinx...
The man smirked and laughed then said, "You really are a fool." He aimed his open hand at Ember and the lens swirled once more. "Now, your fire can't hurt me and his wind can't hurt me. I don't control or get rid of your elements. I make myself immune to your individual attacks. You both are useless without your respective elements," The man said then pressed something on the machine holding Laura captive. "She's going to be my next test subject," The man said as the four legged machine dashed away with Laura quickly. Saber grew frustrated and tried to soar over the man towards the machine but he jumped incredibly high. Saber figured his mechanized limbs gave him this extra strength. Saber tried to test something and sent a gust of wind at the man that would normally send someone shooting to the ground, but just as the man explained he wasn't even affected by it. The man swung his leg around and shot Saber back down to the ground next to Ember.

@ Alphora
"Saber!" Ember yelled and went to his side. She frowned and stood. "You may be immune to me but not what I can do to the world around you!" she said and put her hands on the ground and made the earth melt beneath him then quickly dry around his knees. She ran towards him and hit him with her plain hand smack in the nose. Ember didn't need her fire to fight. It was an extended part of her but not everything she was. "You can not just mess with my friends!" she said and slapped her hand against the side of his head to make him dizzy bursting his ear canal. She jerked her palm up his jaw making him fall backwards. Ember didn't know how to get Laura back but she was hoping that she could win this.

@ Jinx...
The man stood and waited for her barrage to end. "You done yet?" He asked with his head still cocked back from Ember's last attack. His head spun around entirely with a weird whirring sound then locked in place staring back. "Physical attacks aren't very effective on metal either," The man said. Saber looked closely and saw there was no blood at all. Or even a scratch. "The man made of metal entirely. It's like trying to hit Tawny...," Saber said remembering Tawny's hard shell of metal armor she liked to use then added, "He's at least partly human for sure, but he's been modified from the inside out..." Saber was almost disgusted by this. The man kicked out of the ground then a few holes opened up on the soles of his feet letting out fire of his own. It propelled him into the air where he hovered for a moment and looked around. "It seems my companions have already met up with my test subject. Looks like for now I gotta blast!" The man said then jetted off towards the direction the machine headed in. "Stop!" Saber yelled and tried to thrust himself into the air but he felt something grab his arm and yank him downward. Saber hit the ground and lay on his back looking upwards. He saw Kali's usual grin staring down at him from above. "Kali! What are you doing?" Saber asked annoyed as he picked himself up quickly. "Don't be stupid. This isn't a fight you can win by charging in blindly. They outmatch you entirely right now," Kali said. Saber saw Ryder and Sylvia catch up to them. Sylvia saw Saber and immediately felt guilty so she turned away. Saber didn't like it, but he knew Kali was right. For now they had to back off. "Sylvia," Saber said as he walked towards her. Sylvia flinched for a moment and Ryder grew defensive. "You did well," Saber said putting his hand on her head. Sylvia was shocked at his response for a moment then grinned which turned into a huge smile. Ryder let out a sigh of relief and smiled himself. "It's been a while since I've seen one of those on your face," Saber said to Ryder. Kali crossed her arms and said, "You all seem cheery considering one of your friends just got abducted." Saber turned to her seriously and said, "That's because we are going to save her. Without a doubt."

@ Alphora
Ember stumbled back as the man pulled up into the air. She looked up at him as he said his associates had taken Laura. Ember turned to look at Kali as she came up. Ember stood and walked over to her and pushed her. "Well I'm not fine! She was you're responsibility! Saber left her with you! Oh so high an mighty I am sick of it!" she said and then stormed off. Phoenix tried to rationalize with her that though Kali wasn't someone to be trusted but it was irrational for Ember to expect her to watch Laura and save Ryder and Sylvia. "That's not the point!" she yelled. Ember ran a hand through her hair and sat down on a rock hanging her head. That was twice now that she hadn't even made a difference in a fight. Ember couldn't believe she was still useless when she could feel the power inside of her. She looked up as someone walked over to her timidly. Ember sighed as Sylvia sat next to her. "I'm sorry to ruin you're time with you're dad. It's just... even though Laura and I don't always get along she's there when I need her. If we had met first we would have been amazing friends." Ember said and sighed. "I don't have a lot of friends and it's not easy making friends when we're always fighting. So I guess I kind of really care for Laura." she said and sighed. "Saber is always so confident that everything is going to be okay. I try to be but..." she shook her head and looked at Sylvia. "I know I know I'm being over reactive but today sucked." Ember said and sighed. There was only one way that today could get worse and she didn't want to talk about what Ryder and Sylvia's future had been like. At least not today.

@ Jinx...
Kali didn't care for what Ember had to say. She merely took Laura out of the area as she was asked. Nothing more, nothing less and Saber knew that's how she felt but didn't say anything because telling her that's how Kali felt would only make her even more angry. They watched her storm off and Sylvia immediately trailed behind. She heard Ember become more and more self doubting and couldn't just sit there and listen. "Hey, it's okay," Sylvia reassured resting her head on Ember's shoulder and added, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I heard you talking on the way here. You're not the only one who didn't make much of a difference. Dad said Laura was beaten right away, and he didn't even land a hit. Ryder's the only one who was on somewhat even footing, but that's because we know her really well. You're not alone okay?" Saber and Ryder followed behind and saw Sylvia with Ember. Saber stepped forward and said, "I know now isn't really a good time, but Ryder and Sylvia I need to talk to you." Ryder looked cautious and Sylvia grew curious but only turned her head and stayed beside Ember. "As soon as we get Laura back, I want you guys to tell us everything we don't already know. Ember was right when she said this is a different time. And it's only eating her and everyone else up inside having to constantly worry about something that might or might not be true. You guys haven't started to disappear yet and I've known who your mother is for quite some time. It's safe to say we'll be able to handle it. And even if we can't it's something we need to know," Saber explained. Ryder looked hesitant and Sylvia turned to Ember to make sure that's how she felt too.

@ Alphora
Ember looked at Sylvia and smiled. "Thanks." she said and slowly stroked Sylvia's hair. Ember looked up as Saber and Ryder came over. She smiled softly at Sylvia as she looked at her. "I always have hated secrets." she said and bit her lip. "And besides I believe no matter what we will see you again." she said and hugged Sylvia. Ember looked around at the people she loved and bit her lip. "So what's our plan?" she asked thinking she might need to apologize to Kali even though she didn't want to. Ember felt better now that Sylvia had reassured her that everyone was struggling just as much as her. Though it made her nervous for the future that none of them were able to stand up to Evo other than perhaps Kali and Ryder.