They were getting nowhere.

For the past seven minutes, the Elementals had used what they could of their elements to find a weakness in the humongous Fangril spawn. The clumps of earth Tegen threw only infuriated the insect-demon, and Renuo's water just doused it. Kalisa and the magical Seteri had more success; while Lord Callidus and the white-haired Seteri either shot fireballs or ice spikes, the blue-haired Seteri conjured up knives and threw them. Seeing his achievements, Renuo reverted to just stabbing the monster with his trident.

Zelenia stood behind them with Helian, shooting arrows. When one of the group faltered or stumbled from exhaustion, Helian would stop firing, her shadow would grow from the sun shining directly on him, and he'd extend his arm toward whoever needed strength or stamina. Whoever would straighten and jump back into the fray, renewed.

She, on the other hand, hadn't done much. Fortunately, no one had been badly injured, but Zelenia felt so useless. It seemed like she was just there to be a spectator—to something nerve-wracking and terrifying she didn't want to see. If not for Lord Callidus and his Seteri bodyguards, they would be dead right now.

The insect-demon screeched as flames suddenly lashed out at its stomach—it didn't come from Lord Callidus or the other Seteri. Zelenia looked to her right to see Geryon and Aeris running up. Other than dust and soot covering them, they weren't hurt. The two fighters stopped beside her and Helian, eyes taking in their struggle against the Fangril spawn. Having them back—his and her fighting experience—encouraged her.

"What's working?" Geryon asked.

"Blades, my arrows, Kalisa's lightning, and the Seteri's fire," Helian answered, shot another arrow, then looked at the older man. "That's it! The blasted demon is pretty indestructible!"

"Anything can fall," Fire said before running into the fight; Aeris hurriedly followed.

"Watch out; it spits poison!" Zelenia warned.

With Geryon and Aeris joining the others, Zelenia expected things to turn in their favor. The Fangril spawn had trouble keeping up with the fast fighters, but the additions didn't improve much. Every chance he had, Geryon would burn its feet as he, Aeris, or Renuo ran by to slash or stab its belly. Kalisa shot lightning up at its head while on the other side, Lord Callidus and his Seteri used their magic. Helian shot arrow after arrow; Tegen continued to throw earth at it to pull its attention away from the others. And Zelenia did nothing.

The insect belched poison toward Aeris; she threw her hand up and air created a barrier above her head. The black liquid slid off, not hurting Air, but as it hit, some splashed onto Kalisa. She screamed as the poison ate through her clothes and into her skin. The gypsy-woman moved away from Aeris, twisting and turning as she fought to shake off the acid.

Her scream caught Aeris' attention; when she turned, the insect-demon knocked her away with its pincher. Lord Callidus grabbed an arm as she flew by him and off the cliff. Zelenia cried out and headed for them; on his stomach, the Seteri Lord hauled her back up. Geryon appeared to lend a hand.

Seizing the opening, the blue-haired Seteri ran up to the demon, throwing his knives directly into its face. Before Zelenia could yell in warning, the pincher came up on his side, catching him off guard, and snapped him in two. The Seteri's torso fell one way, the lower the other; blood kept squirting from both halves, quickly forming a pool of dark red liquid. She screamed in horror.

Even though grotesque, Zelenia couldn't turn away. All she could see was the dead Seteri lying in a pool of his own blood. This was what war was like: steel ripping through flesh; gun blasts; screams of rage and pain; the revolting stench of spilled entrails, human waste, and death; men and women torn apart; blood everywhere. It suddenly became hard to breathe and her staff fell out of her hand. She wanted to run.

"Zelenia?" Helian asked beside her.

She shook her head as she backed away. "I can't do this, Helian. I can't!"

"Yes, you can! They need us!"

"I can't watch someone else die!"

Helian grabbed her arms. "You have to stay strong. If you falter, we all will! I don't know about them, but your presence comforts me—you keep me focused. Remember, we're all in this together."

His words steadied her. Keeping a hold on her, the Sun picked up her staff and handed it back to her. "Now, come on. They need to know we're behind them."

They turned back to the fight. Things hadn't improved, but neither had it grown worse.

"We can't kill it!" Renuo yelled. She could see his courage quickly disappearing and he looked to run.

"Stay where you are, coward!" Geryon ordered.

Frustration had set in. They badly needed encouragement to keep going, like Helian had done for her.

Knowing what to do, Zelenia closed her eyes as she dipped into that dormant pool of power within her soul. Her staff gradually warmed under her hands. Opening her eyes, she raised her staff, seeing the carved runes lit in silver. She banged it on the ground and rivers of silver lines streaked away from it. The lines raced to each fighter; immediately, vigor and determination reflected in their eyes. Geryon appeared calm again and Renuo no longer looked for a way out.

"We need to come up with something fast!" Lord Callidus yelled.

"What we're doing now isn't working," Kalisa said. "I feel its spirit weakening, but it will outlast our own!"

"We must find a new way," Tegen said.

Geryon looked around the area, searching for an answer. His eyes lit with an idea. "Push it off the cliff!" He looked at Aeris. "On my order, knock it back with a blast of air!"

"Only if Air is with me," she said.

"Make sure it is, or we're screwed!"

Everyone rushed the demon all at once. A bolt of lightning from Kalisa struck its head, blinding it. Renuo sent a small wave of water over its multiple eyes, ensuring that the insect couldn't see. Tegen, Geryon, Lord Callidus and his last Seteri bodyguard sent earth, fire, and any magic at their disposal at the Fangril spawn, driving it backward. Golden blurs streaked from Helian's bow and Zelenia focused on Aeris, praying that Air wouldn't flee from her. They never relented until the giant demon teetered on the edge.

"Aeris, now!" Geryon yelled.

The fighters dove to either side as Aeris rotated her swords as she stepped up between them. With a strained yell, she flung all the wind behind her blades into the insect's midsection. The demon screamed as the air pushed it off the edge; a loud boom echoed when it crashed into the rocks below.

With the immediate danger gone, the group collapsed, except for Geryon, Lord Callidus, and his bodyguard. Zelenia hadn't physically fought, but she was just as drained as them. Now noticing the sounds of continuing battle from the Rovaneim below, she and Helian hurried up to the fatigued fighters—the fight wasn't over yet. Zelenia healed the cuts, bruises, and burns on Kalisa while Helian replenished their energy.

After a few seconds, Lord Callidus turned to them. "We must go. I thank you for your aid against the Fangril spawn, but now you remain here." He nodded in acknowledgment, then he and his remaining bodyguard began to leave.

"What? No. Give us a second and we'll be down—" Helian began.

The Seteri Lord whipped around. "I forbid it! You are our only hope of defeating Fangril, so you will stay safe! Do what you can to aid us below from above." With a final look dissuading more arguments, he and the white-haired Seteri hurried down the winding rise to the beach.

Flabbergasted, Helian turned to Geryon. "You're not going to do anything? Like, say we should still go or something? He allowed us in to help!"

"No, I'm not," Geryon said. "None of you are experienced fighters. You just survived your first true battle, and you collapsed from exhaustion. How can you possibly have the energy or drive to continue fighting? Even with the Sun and Moon providing stamina, you will be killed. I agree with Lord Callidus." He turned away, ending the conversation.

Helian opened his mouth to argue but with Fire turning away, he looked at Zelenia for backing.

She shook her head. "You will not receive it from me; I would prefer to never be in a battle again."

"But we will when we reach Fangril," he reminded.

She sighed. "I know."

A dark and heavy presence suddenly pressed down on her soul. Zelenia looked up just as Renuo said "Something's here" and Geryon answered with "It's Fangril". The already dark sea grew darker as an inky blackness spread through the waters. Others echoed the cry of 'Fangril'.

The Elementals rose and turned toward the sea—their fear thickened the air.

Zelenia looked at Geryon. "What can we do?"

"Nothing," he said deadpanned. "We're not strong enough to inflict any significant damage."

"What do you know!" Helian demanded.

"Experience. My first trip with the Elementals, we encountered a battle similar to this one. We had been through three Temples and thought us strong. I alone survived. Fangril left without severe damage."

His recollection stunned everyone. "Then why didn't you stop us from coming in?" the Sun practically screamed.

Fire didn't react. "You needed to see what we're up against."

Zelenia just gaped at him. Even he knew it was hopeless. The black waters rupturing in a loud and angry hiss snapped her attention back to the sea. Even as the waters continued to spout upward, the gigantic black creature loomed up out of the water. Fangril was even larger than she thought when seeing it attack the ferry.

With battle cries, machines starting up filled the air, followed by deafening and vibrating booms of cannons, rapid gunfire, and electric beams shooting toward Fangril.

At first, it looked like all the continuous fire worked, for the creature shrank back down into the waters to escape the onslaught. Then, with a loud cry, it disappeared into the waters. Victorious yells sounded. From what Geryon had said, defeating Fangril couldn't be that easy.

Water suddenly ruptured high into the sky as Fangril rose, closer than before. It rose higher and higher to reveal most of its colossal size. Lowering its head, its depthless black eyes froze every single action and thought. A ring of air swirled around its head and picked up speed. As it reared back, a sharp sucking sound filled the air; people yelled in fear.

"Find shelter!" Geryon ordered. Everyone scattered; Zelenia ran beside Helian and Tegen, destined for a group of large boulders.

Hearing Geryon bark Aeris' name, Zelenia looked behind to see that Air hadn't moved. She just stared at Fangril, preparing to attack.

Just as she stopped and turned back to get her, Fangril unleashed the energy it had been building up. The blast rushed at them with an ear-splitting roar. Geryon yanked Aeris around and they ran for shelter, trying to beat the force of air.

Helian grabbed Zelenia and pulled her under him for protection. The last thing she saw was the hurricane-force winds rushing toward them before the sight disappeared from Tegen encircling them in a ball of earth.

The powerful force plowed into their ball, and Zelenia became weightless as they went airborne. She hastily cast a protective shield around them to lessen the crash. Too thin, they broke through it when the ball landed hard, and the collision of their bodies knocked her out.