"There was no other way."
"Looks like I underestimated you, Guardians," Darkstar comments. "I didn't think you would be able to figure out my plan."
"We figured out the beginning of your plan, why don't you tell us the rest?" Brooke asks.
"I don't think I will, that's how the bad guy's plan is ruined," Darkstar starts walking around the room. "What I will do instead is tell you my deal. If you give me the Guardian of Air, I won't kill everyone in this room."
"You're pretty confident for someone surrounded," Harry says.
"Am I?" The ground outside the window starts to shake and split open. Black spirits pour out and fill the sky, darkening the sun. "Something you should know about me Guardians, I am never alone."
"We have to get everyone out of Hell. The longer they're here the more trouble they're in," Ella plans over their mind link. "Brooke and Harry, work together to keep the spirits away from the training grounds behind the castle. Holt, help me get everyone out to the back."
The guardians burst into action. Brooke cushions their landing as they jump out the window and push back the dark spirits. Ella and Holt instruct people to go to the training grounds and wait for them.
"Where's Darkstar?" Holt asks as they follow the last person out of the room.
"I don't know, I'll go look for him. Get those people to Elder Woods, they have the strongest magicians. Ask them to cast a protection spell on the castle." Ella walks off after giving her instructions.
Brooke and Harry were pushing back spirits as much as possible but were struggling. The spirits seemed endless as for every 1 they killed, 5 more took their place.
"I think they got everyone out, let's push them back in one go and meet them in the back," Brooke suggests.
The Fire and Air Guardian combine their powers to make a large wall of fire that burned the spirits before they could cross it. They took this opportunity to run behind the castle and found Holt waiting for them.
"Where's Ella?" Harry asks. "I thought she was going to be here with you."
"She stayed behind to find Darkstar. She's probably somewhere inside the castle," Holt responds.
"We can't leave without her!" Brooke exclaims. "You guys take everyone back, I'll go find her." Brooke runs off before her friends can stop her.
"Come on, the longer we wait the more dangerous it is," Holt turns towards the crowd. "Everyone, can I have your attention, please? We will be taking everyone to Elder Woods, the magicians there will cast a protection spell on the castle."
Hell's magicians cast the transportation spell, causing them to end up on the lawn of the castle of the earth emperor. Everyone is ushered into the castle as the magicians take place around the building.
"Place families into their own rooms, make sure everyone gets a room," Emperor Arden tells his head guard and maid.
"Guardian Holt!" A voice cuts through the crowd. Holt turns to find a young prince approaching him. "Where are Guardian Brooke and Ella?"
"They will be here soon. Rest assured, they have each other," Holt sends him back to his family. "Hopefully they both come back in one piece. Hey, have you seen Axel?"
Harry looks at Holt in shock. "He didn't."
"I think he did," Holt sighs.
~
"I still can't believe you stayed," Ella scolds.
"This is my home, I wasn't gonna let someone with a god complex destroy it," Axel responds.
"If you're mad at him, you're gonna be pissed at me," another voice interrupts.
"You two are just a couple of annoyances aren't you," Ella rolls her eyes.
"Hey, we're not-" Brooke is cut off.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Axel, you know this place best, where could he be?" Ella asks.
"Knowing what kind of person he is, probably the library. All of our records of anything and everything are there," Axel says after a moment of thinking.
"Then let's start there," Ella gestures for Axel to lead the way. "Ladies first."
Axel rolls his eyes and walks ahead. He takes a turn and finds a set of large doors blasted off their hinges. He looks in horror as Ella and Brooke run past him. They split up and started looking around.
"Looks like your friends are also smart," Darkstar's voice booms through the library. "You are just the people I needed."
"What do you want from us?" Brooke asks. She gestures for Ella to keep him talking.
"I want the Air Guardian. The other two I couldn't care less about," Darkstar's voice gets closer. "What shall I do with you?" His voice is right behind Ella.
Ella turns and before she can do anything, Darkstar's hand wraps around her throat. She struggles to get his hand off her neck as he pushes her to the ground.
"Any last words?" Darkstar smirks.
"I knew you were kinky," Ella smirks. She uses his moment of shock to kick him off. Ella stands back up, ready to fight.
"And I knew you were the sarcastic one," Darkstar comments.
"Sarcasm is my first language, can't forget it," Ella smiles. She attacks Darkstar but her moves are blocked. Anybody watching them would think they were dancing from the way they moved in harmony. They punch at the same time, causing them to fly backward away from each other.
"You're fighting skills are good Guardian. May I ask who your teacher was?" Darkstar stands up holding his arm.
"You may ask but I won't tell you," Ella stands up with Axel's help. "Brooke now would be a good time to do something," Ella mind links her friend.
Large pieces of the ceiling fall on top of Darkstar, burying him. "Sorry about the roof, Axel!"
"I don't think my dad will mind!" Axel yells back.
Brooke walks up to them when Darkstar jumps out from under the bricks. "You will not be leaving here alive if you don't hand over your friend, Ella."
"Why do I feel like you have something against me?" Ella asks.
"I guess you'll never find out," Darkstar smirks. He sends a beam of black fire surrounding Ella. It pulls her towards him quickly. The heat weakens her so she can't fight against it. "If you don't hand yourself over I will kill her."
"Don't do it!" Ella yells. "I swear to god Brooke if you try to play hero right now I will kill you myself!"
"If I don't do anything he'll kill you!" Brooke yells. "Let her go! It's me you want, I'll come with you."
"She seems to have some common sense," Darkstar says.
"No!" Ella uses the sweat falling from her head to block Darkstar's vision. His grip on her falls and she runs toward her friends. She's almost there when she's surrounded by fire on all sides.
"You're smart, Guardian, but I will get her no matter what," Darkstar increases the heat of the flames. "If you don't come with me she will die."
Ella drops to her knees, struggling to breathe. She looks up at Brooke and shakes her head. Her coughing can be heard as the flames grow in height.
"Stop! I'll come with you," Brooke says.
"Brooke," Axel holds her back.
"Take her to Elder Woods and tell them that Darkstar won't bother them. Make sure Oceana's best healers help her, with the amount of smoke in her lungs and how long she's been down here, I don't know how long she'll last," Brooke says.
"She's going to kill me when she wakes up," Axel points out.
"She won't," Brooke says. "Trust me."
"Are you sure there's no way around this?" Axel asks.
Brooke shakes her head and turns toward Darkstar. The flames around Ella lower as Brooke gets closer to him. Axel picks her up and walks out of the library, taking one last look at Brooke. She nods to him and he walks out. Darkstar opens a portal for them to go through.
"There was no other way," Brooke thinks before walking through.