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Unexpected Detour (Razgriz x Wingshadow)

"Hush, Sam... Its alright," Gnome laid her head down on his chest, listening to the gentle beat of his heart, "You don't need to say anything. We know how hard this must be for you, but try not to blame yourself for it. You forget that our minds and souls are bound together as one, Sam. Your burden is ours to bear as well, so let us hold you up when you fall down. That is why we are here with you, so we can support each other... Do you remember when we first met, Sam?"

The earth spirit continued to chat with him throughout the afternoon far into the night hours, with Arisa and Undie standing beside him throughout it all. It would take time for him to fully recover, that much was certain, but they still had time enough to spend with the man that they loved and that was sufficient for them. After a few days had passed, the Doppel took her leave and left without a word, taking her daughter along with her back to the realm of darkness from whence she came. Throughout all of this, the Goddess remained conspicuously absent... Perhaps she was still pursuing Kratos to the far reaches of the world, seeking to release Sam's daughter from his clutches, or perhaps she had instead turned her attention to Rachel instead. In either case, they knew that silence did not equate to inactivity.

Throughout the days that followed during Sam's recovery, Gnome and Undie never left his side, even Arisa showing a fair share of care and affection toward their rehabilitating hero. The three had come to some sort of mutual understanding that remained unspoken yet confirmed, wishing him the best while his body was slowly restored and strengthened. It was a restful time, a time in which they could reflect upon how they should proceed as well as the long-term effects of their own decisions.
 
Sam, despite the occasional attempt to get out of bed due to cabin fever only to be pushed back down, remained relatively calm over the course of the next few days; he still hadn't been able to really talk all that much yet due to Rachel's energy-draining liplock. He thought he felt bad after the Pharaoh got through with him, but this.....This was something far worse. He wanted desperately to tell Gnome and Undine about what he saw; it had to have been more than a simple dream, it was just too real. He also wanted to know when exactly he fell unconscious, as that would help him determine what was real and what wasn't...hopefully, anyway.

He too noticed the Goddess' absence, but only after enough days had passed where he could see and hear relatively well again. From the lack of her appearing before him, it seemed like it was indeed a dream that he had, but only when he would have the strength of body and character to tell his two Elementals would he actually let the words fall from his mouth. He was worried what they might, and he worried that he actually did those horrible things. But only time would tell if that were the case; he couldn't afford to stay silent and huddled up forever.

Eventually a week of this planet's time passed; Sam was far from being combat capable, but at the very least he had enough strength to sit up and talk. As he would have a time where both of them were in the same room together, he finally spoke up. "Gnome, Undine.....There's something I need to share with you.....I don't fully understand why this happened, or even if it did, but I need you both to hear me out". Without missing a beat, he then related to them what he saw while he was unconscious. How he gave himself over to the Succubus, how after he nearly collapsed he told the Doppel to follow him, the question he asked her, how he treated Undine and Gnome, and eventually his own end at the hands of the Goddess herself.

His body language - muted because of his own physical weakness at the moment - conveyed that this wasn't easy to talk about, and rightfully so; even when he was under Corruption's influence against Silus he wasn't THAT belligerent. When finally finsihed, the question he asked was straightforward and simple: "Gnome, Undine....I need you to tell me and be honest....Did I say or do any of those things? Any of them at all?" He needed to be perfectly clear what was truth and what was fiction, if any or all of it was one or the other.
 
"That's... Quite a intense dream you had," Undie was the first to speak up upon hearing him conclude his story, "We were all quite surprised when you gave in to Rachel's advances and declared that you would rule by her side... After the kiss, however, you collapsed and Rachel departed, asking for us to care for you in her stead before she vanished."

"We all agreed not to speak of any of this to you until you brought it up yourself," Gnome explained briefly, gently squeezing his left hand in both of hers, "But let me assure you that none of the rest of your story occurred."

"What I do not understand is how detailed your conversation with the Doppel was," Undie's right hand rubbed her chin in a thoughtful manner, "Its... Its almost as if all of that really did happen, but time itself was turned back with only your memory in tact. Perhaps the Goddess might know more about it, but whether it was simply a dream or something else entirely, I believe that you have been given a second chance either way."
 
So he did give himself over to Rachel, who was indeed the Succubus. Everything up until just after the kiss was truth then, which meant he likely just accelerated the countdown to extinction. Now he really did just want to curlup into a ball and let everyone forget about him; his stomach also immediately sunk upon hearing this, making him feel a bit nauseated with himself. What would drive him to do such a thing? Yes, he loved Rachel, but....Why? Why did everything have to get so complicated?

And as much as he wanted to believe everything he'd said in that dream - if it could even be called that - wasn't true and that it didn't really happen, he also couldn't argue with Undine's own point. What if it really did happen and the Goddess' attack was both a punishment for his defiance and a means of giving him a second chance? Did she even have that kind of power?

"I don't know either, Undine. ButUGGHH" he then grunted as he tried to sit up more, straining against just how frozen his body felt even without the debilitating cold to hinder him further, before continuing with "I still don't have all the information I need, and there are still things that don't make sense. But those are questions that will have to wait, I guess; still, what am I supposed to do now? The woman I loved is the one I'm supposed to stop...And for whatever reason, I just made things a thousand times worse than they already were....." He then just leaned his head back against the headboard of the bed, muttering, "Everything's so complicated now...What am I even fighting for?"
 
"You are fighting for the sake of the human race and for our race as well," Undie replied solemnly, "If Rachel is allowed to continue, life in the universe as we know it will rapidly die out and potentially collapse. You are also fighting for your own sake, as well as Rachel's. The Rachel you know and love is hidden within her current self, that much I can promise you, Sam... We just need to find a way to call out to her. Don't you remember what the Sphinx said? She asked you to help her friend, not destroy her. That one detail in itself gives me hope that there is a way to restore her... I just don't know what it might be at the moment."

"There is something else that is bothering me," Gnome spoke up, "If Rachel had enough power from that single kiss to go back into time, why couldn't she have simply challenged the Goddess first and everyone else that might oppose her and gone back into time afterward? Why was it necessary that she wait all those years, preparing for Sam's arrival? I feel like we are missing something important here."

"Personally, I think she's so set on Sam that she doesn't consider anyone else worth her time worrying about as long as she can keep herself out of the Goddess' cross-hairs for the time being," Undie shrugged, "I might be over-simplifying the situation, but I think for the time being we should focus on the task ahead of us for now. Ignus has made her home about half a mile from here, waiting for you to recover sufficiently to confront her. Apparently she's quite excited to meet you, which, considering the sort of person she is, is quite remarkable. If it comes down to it, we might have to take Rachel by surprise by confronting her before we have all four elementals contracted. That way, we can catch her off guard even if she has something planned for us."

"Its a risky move, Undie... Sylph is not the most powerful out of the four of us, but she is certainly the fastest and most agile," Gnome replied.

"We aren't interested in destroying Rachel, we merely need to break her out of her self-delusions," Undie reminded her gently, turning back toward Sam, "That is, unless you really do want to become her love slave for all of eternity, I suggest we find a way to do exactly that."

"My mother, Gia, might have known a way to do it... But I haven't heard a word from her since we parted ways all those years ago," Gnome sighed sadly, gripping Sam's hand a bit more tightly, "She was once able to reverse a monster girl transformation on a young girl that was unintentionally infused with a large amount of elemental energy. I cannot say if it would apply in this sort of circumstance, since the transformation has fully manifested itself, but it might be worth a try."
 
While what Undine said was true, it really didn't do much to make Sam feel any better about the whole situation; he could have potentially killed his wife and not have found about it until later. He did feel betrayed that the Goddess and Undine would keep such an important piece of information from; though if the dream he had was any indication - if it even was a dream - then perhaps they were right to exercise caution about revealing the true identity of the Succubus. But still.....Even with that reassurance, he didn't feel sure of what he could ultimately do. But one immediate endgoal was clear: He had to confront Rachel at the very least. What he would do when he got there, he had no idea.

He then listened as Gnome and Undine discussed what the next plan of action should be; it was true that Ignus was vital to his completing of the goals that had been laid out before him. But if he kept up this track record of getting sidelined every time he faced a powerful adversary, he wouldn't get very far. And he could only assume that the people he might come across would become more and more powerful. Undine's suggestion was certainly one to consider, but with how Sam was feeling....He needed all the help he could get. As attractive as it would be to confront Rachel as soon as possible, if a simple kiss did that much to him while she was a Lesser Succubus....

And then Gnome brought up her mother; he didn't even know her mother was still alive. Then again, most of the monster girls on this planet seemed to possess far longer life-spans than humans could ever hope to achieve. Though it saddened him a bit to hear that Gnome didn't have any contact with Gia for some time; he wondered just how his own parents were doing. If his disappearance had even been reported that is; he wasn't aware of exactly how long he'd been gone, but it must have a been at the very least a couple of months...Maybe even a few years. He couldn't exactly say how long, but it was too long...Maybe even too long to have a hope of going back, like Rachel had proposed was probable.

Giving his lovely Earth Elemental a weak smile and handsqueeze of his own, he then replied, "Don't worry Gnome.....I'll find Gia. And if she can help us, that would be an added bonus". However, a question then popped into his head, one he'd thought of asking before but not remembering it until now. "By the way, there was something I wanted to ask....Do all the Elementals have parents? I mean, you two seem so powerful already it's hard to believe there'd be anyone more skilled". He then rubbed the back of his head meekly, adding "Sorry if this seems out of the blue....But in my old life I was a curious fellow. Seems that little tidbit's still here with me, hehe".
 
"You know... I'm not entirely sure," Gnome rubbed her chin in a thoughtful manner, "I am the youngest out of the elemental spirits, so I cannot say for certain if the others are one of the original four or not. Its sort of like asking a woman how old she is, since the originals must be several thousand years old by now. Personally, I don't think they could have gotten by for that amount of time without finding a contractor, but I suppose its possible."

"While its true that we do not often wish to speak of our age, it is more or less a moot point since once we reach maturity we do not physically change," Undie nodded, "Our power does not increase with age either, however, so unless we find a contractor we are more or less stunted in terms of our full potential. Water elementals such as myself pass on our knowledge and the traits we have acquired through dissolving on to our children. However, since we are rather hard to form contracts with this is not very common. My mother, in fact, was the original water elemental. She passed away along with her contractor quite some time ago."

"Sylph and Ignus, however, are different from Gnome and myself in that they have never felt the need to be bound to a contractor. Sylph has simply never even considered getting one, most likely since she has ever taken anything even remotely seriously in her life before. Ignus, on the other hand, is rather independent and lives in the moment. Since she has never encountered anyone strong enough to best her in combat, I suspect she only wishes to form a contract with someone that she deems worthy according to her own standards," Undie elaborated, "I'm relatively certain that they are the original spirits of fire and wind. If you manage to contract all four of us, you will be the very first in the entire history of the universe to do so."
 
Their responses made Sam feel like kind of an asshole; he wasn't trying to be mean or anything. He knew it was impolite to ask a woman her age, in fact he meant his words as a compliment more than anything else, but he couldn't help wondering where these two might have come from. All this talk of Goddesses and Succubi and other strange creatures shattered any doubts he had of such beings actually existing. "I....I didn't mean to insult you or anything, I was just curious was all" he replied rather meekly; after what he'd dreamed about, the last thing he wanted was to drive a wedge between them.

Still, in those short few sentences he'd learned quite a bit; his features softened a bit as Undine informed him that her mother had passed away quite some time ago. "I'm sorry Undine; I hope I didn't bring back any bad memories. I'm sure your mother was a great woman and her contractor a great man" he then replied to Undine's revelation; of course, he was trying to be careful about what he said, lest he accidentally offend the Water Elemental. But Undine's elaboration of how he would be the first to contract all four Elementals didn't really surprise him, given everything he'd come to learn about this world so far; still, would it really do him any good? Could he bring himself to love Ignus and Sylph as much as he did Undine, Gnome and even Rachel despite her transformation?

"True....But what good will it do me? Everytime I've gone up against someone powerful...Well, I end up like this. What if my contracting the Four Elementals isn't enough? What if I fail?" he then said; letting a small sigh pass his lips, he then added, "I'm sorry, you two. I know you're both strong, hell you're much stronger than I could ever hope to be. I'm just worried that you got stuck with a lame hackjob like me as your contractor and now we'll all wind up dead because I couldn't get anything meaningful accomplished".
 
"Don't worry, you didn't. After all, I'm sure she would have been terribly unhappy to continue living on after her husband passed away. The two of them lived to quite an old age... In terms of human years, at least," Undie smiled and bent forward, kissing Sam's cheek, "So please don't fret about it, Love. I'm sure we have plenty of time left together. Being my contractor has some convenient perks such as making you immune to most diseases and bodily ailments as well as significantly increasing you longevity in general." The water spirit seemed to have gotten past the loss of her mother quite a while ago, which begged the question of exactly how long ago she had isolated herself up in those mountain springs, awaiting a man who would contract himself to her as her father and mother had before her.

"I think Sylph's regenerative abilities should significantly reduce your need to rest and recuperate. Naturally, I am also rather adept in healing and recovery but it significantly drains my power reserves when I do so actively," Undie explained, "Which would, in tern, require you to pay more attention to me after your recovery... Which, in some cases, might be counter-productive." Undie shrugged, although from the way she blushed it was clear that she was half-kidding. Gnome gave her a gentle nudge in order to encourage her to keep her head in the game.

"You aren't a lame hackjob, Sam," Gnome smiled and gave his hand another gentle squeeze, "you are the most wonderful man I have ever met. Lesser men would have died long before now, so have some faith in yourself. I'm sure the Goddess wouldn't have placed as much confidence as she has in you if you aren't special in some way. While its true that if we fail, its all over, but that's all the more reason to try our very best knowing that we cannot afford to loose. Don't let it discourage you. Besides, I'm sure we will get a pretty hefty power increase when we get Ignus to join up with us."

"Oh, that's not what I am worried about... I just hope she will leave enough of Sam for the rest of us to share..." Undie mumbled, her dislike of Ignus leaking out once again.
 
Sam was internally relieved to hear that he hadn't offended Undine; though he was surprised to hear some other benefits of being her contractor. So he wouldn't get sick or anything like that, along with having an increased life span? A handy set of augmentations to have for sure; he'd need every advantage he could get, no matter how small, if he had any hope of succeeding. As Undine blushed from her slightly suggestive comment, Sam couldn't help but chuckle; if he had to, he would certainly 'spend some time' with her.

Sam did feel his heart warm at Gnome's reassurance, knowing from Undine's previous responses that she felt the same way as well; it was nice to have it known that there were those that cared, even in what seemed to be one's darkest hour. He also knew that contracting Ignus would indeed help him, if what the Goddess and his two Elementals had said about her power was true.

The good Contractor also caught Undine's muttered statement; he gave her a gentle smile and replied, reaching weakly for her watery hand and grasping it, "No matter what happens, know that I will never let anything come between us. You two mean the world to me...." At least Sam seemed to be starting to finally take Vivian's advice to heart; slowly he was starting to let his heart rest with more than just one woman. He still wanted Rachel back, but they would see that he was opening himself up more and more with each day. "And I want to apologize to the both of you.....I haven't been nearly as 'attentive' as I should be, being your contractor and all. Once I'm better....I'll make up for it. I promise".

*Two weeks later*

Even though Arisa had given him some of her life energy, the kiss of a Succubus - even a Lesser as Rachel had been before her transformation - was lethal to most and something that few could walk away from unscathed. Sam was not one to be unaffected; it took some time for his body to heal, even while under the care of his two Elementals and Arisa herself, due to the sheer amount of damage he had sustained. He still was uncertain as to what the dream he had experienced meant, but ultimately decided it was unimportant at the moment. Truthfully, it took him one and a half weeks to heal to a significant enough level to be able to move again and the last few days he spent training and reinforcing the bonds he held with his Elementals. While it was likely inadvisable to do so, he needed more than ever to maintain a strong connection with Gnome and Undine; besides, it was likely they were feeling neglected since he was previously in no shape for such carnal activity. He did attempt to do this in relative privacy, as he figured he would be rude just doing it out in the open where Arisa might see.

The morning of when he decided he would confront Ignus soon arrived; even with his clothing tattered and almost non-existent because of his trials, he felt that receiving additional articles would be futile. He'd long since lost his shame to being exposed in public, since that particular restriction - for men, at least - was virtually non-existent here. If the last shreds of fabric covering his pride were ripped from his now-Herculean form...then so be it. Besides, clothing was the least of his concerns: Ignus would be his toughest challenge yet, and he knew he couldn't sit idly by any longer. The clock was against him; not only could he not drag his feet in stopping Rachel, he also had to stop Kratos from claiming his daughter. Which meant facing the Fire Elemental at less than peak physical condition.

After asking Arisa to follow him, he made his way to the rocky shore, the memory of that dream played in his mind, listening the Goddess speak to him and hearing his own defiant words play in his ears. Shaking his head of the thought, he stood at the edge of the surf, feeling the freshwater breeze blow in his face as wave after wave rolled up over his feet. And there still stood the faint column of black smoke, a beacon to his next target. "Ignus......." he mumbled; Sam remembered what the Goddess had told him. He had to make her submit to him, just landing a blow on her wouldn't work. Now that he thought about it, this would be the first time he actually had to fight an Elemental to gain her trust. With Gnome, it was learning how to overlook his misconceptions. With Undine, it was conquering his inner qualms and merging with the Flow of the World. With Ignus, it would be his first test of his body; the Goddess had told him what he already knew: Fire could not exist without some kind of fuel, and here it was oxygen. But without Sylph, he still had yet to figure out a way to essentially create a vacuum. "Guess I'll just have to figure it out on the way" he said once more, his eyes peering towards the billowing smoke.
 
Arisa walked a short distance after Sam, her steps light and graceful as she made her way across the jagged, rocky ground below until stood looking out toward the coast. Even from there, she could feel the aura of power in the distance. It was not as potent as the Goddess' newly awakened power, but it was easily a close second or third. The threatening, billowing black clouds which spiraled upward into the clear blue sky remained a constant reminder of the great obstacle which now stood between himself and his eventual goal of contracting all four elemental spirits. Even a powerful vampire such as herself would hesitate to undergo such a task, yet over the past few weeks Arisa had already snatched a glimpse into why he pressed forward with such resolute determination. He didn't want it for his own benefit, nor out of pride, nor for the sake of human accomplishment. No, there was something more to this man which she could not completely pin down in a single word. His loyalties, for better or worse, had become tied to the well-being of the entire world on which she then stood. It felt rather ironic to her that in order to save the planet, he had to directly confront one of its most powerful inhabitants in a show of force in order to secure her aid. Granted, Ignus did have her own pride which likely prevented her from simply contracting with Sam out of the goodness of her heart. Given that Arisa herself was a proud vampire and who chose her lovers carefully, she could understand the reasoning behind this.

Yet, even as she stood behind Sam who stared out over the coast, the spray of the water cleansing his mind and soul as it where, Arisa could not help but stare in awe at this man who had become more than just a man in less than three years. He had become immortalized, a symbol as it were, and yet at the same time this mountain of a man was still just a man. The paradoxical nature with which he had been bestowed struck her as odd, but throughout her observations she had uttered not a single word to him. She thought it would be rather rude to do so. Instead, she merely extended her full attention to him and waited for him to reveal the purpose of their meeting.
 
Sam would finally turn to Arisa, his back to the glass-smooth waters as he said, "Forgive the awkwardness, Arisa; I just needed a moment to collect my thoughts, given everything that's happened. And looking upon the horizon seems to be the best thing for it....For me, at least". His dulled golden hues, once vibrant with life, reflected the turmoil of this chaos and uncertainty that now ruled his life. But he would not complain for even a second; he knew that confronting Rachel would be his ultimate endgoal. But what would happen after that......Well, he would just have to play by ear, as they often say.

But he needed to continue on, despite the dangers he might face. Gnome and Undine had already pledged to stand beside him; and with the fact that he'd given Rachel the final piece to her transformation, he knew that quitting now was no longer an option. "Before I leave, Arisa, I just wanted to thank you one last time. For letting Gnome, Undine and myself stay as long as we have and aiding in my recovery" he then directed at the Vampire; sure, her outward appearance was that she wanted them out, but at least she'd been genuine in making sure he was stable and on his feet. "And...There's something else, Arisa. There's something I want you to have......As a token of my gratitude". He raised his left hand and brushed the hair off his neck, tilting his head to the right to expose the portion of his neck which held the sanguine fluid-rich jugular. "Take some of my blood, Arisa.....It's likely you haven't fed for some time, and I won't take no for an answer".
 
Arisa blinked, a slight flush tinting her cheeks as she considered his words and the gift that he offered her, or rather demanded that she take. Her face turned away briefly, glancing toward the house in the distance as it stood amid the barren landscape all about her newly-constructed mansion. She had hardly even given any thought to how she would replant her garden or replace the protective wards that had kept outsiders away for so many years. She had grown accustomed to spending long afternoons with Undie, Gnome, and Sam, even if she had mostly just watched their amusing antics from a distance. Their liveliness was refreshing, especially for one such as herself who had spent so much of her many years alone. She had not fed since Silus had escaped, which had been well over two years by then, so it was true that she had not fed in quite some time... Yet, the way that he offered himself in such a simple gesture of thanks both confused and embarrassed her.

"Fine... Its not like I have to take up your offer or anything," Arisa flicked her blonde hair with a wave of her hand, showing lingering reluctance, "Don't get the wrong idea... Just because feeding is typically something only done between vampires and their husbands doesn't mean much of anything to me. I'm only doing this as a show of kindness." Her eyes once again locked onto his, but there was something within those eyes of hers which had not been there before. She approached him slowly, fingertips slowly sliding up his sides until she had grasped his shoulders, holding him firmly in place as her cloak seemed to become infused with a life of its own and wrapped around both of them. She brought herself up, lips brushing across his skin briefly before her mouth opened and fangs sunk into his soft flesh.

"Mmmhmmm..." Arisa's eyes softened, the iron-rich flavor filling her mouth as she enjoyed the distinct taste of fresh blood, her body locked against his as she held him ever so tenderly while she fed. Pulses of refreshing warmth flowed through her, reminding her a bit of how much she had loved Silus before he had turned against her in rage and hatred. Whereas she had hessitated to drink from Sam before, she now was reluctant to pull away as the pleasure she felt was similar to a continual orgasm. Finally, she withdrew herself from him and backed away, her arms wrapping around her ample bosom and her dark cloak concealing most of her form from his direct view.

"There... Now go before I change my mind about letting you leave," she spoke harshly, but her words had lost any semblance of sting in them, "I don't like loosing a good source of blood, especially with all the trouble you have caused me these past few days. I've had to stay up for much longer than I have become accustomed, but I suppose with you three gone I can catch up on some lost sleep without much worry. Its not like I want you to stay here longer... But if you ever have the need to call somewhere home, know that my mansion has plenty of empty rooms in it."

With that, she vanished into a swarm of black bats which scattered like leaves in the wind, each flying toward the lonely stone house in the distance...
 
Sam shivered a bit as Arisa's warm breath washed over his flesh and her curvaceous body pressed against him, then felt a slight prick of pain as Arisa's now-elongated fangs sank into his neck, her saliva acting as a local anesthetic to almost instantly numb any painful sensations; he'd had to lower the hardening of his skin in that area so that there wouldn't be as much resistance for her. He too was reluctant to even make himself do this; still, from what he'd read on vampires back at Nexus, they needed blood to survive. Even after Arisa had explained it to him what significance the act of feeding off a human had to Vampires, he still didn't really understand why she brought it up; though he supposed it didn't matter to him, because he wasn't her husband. Just a human trying to give gratitude for her hospitality and patience.

Though he had to admit, the sensations that came from being fed on were rather...pleasurable; as each spurt of his thick, Elemental Contract magic-saturated life fluid filled Arisa's mouth, he felt a wave of pleasure roll over him and he pressed closer to her, not realizing that this was a side effect of having a Vampire feed off of him. Eventually, Sam felt the pressure of her fangs exit his jugular and her cloak unravel from his body, his bite wounds closing up to create a symmetrical diamond pattern of four perfectly circular scars; despite how much Arisa took from him, he didn't really feel that bad. In fact, he felt....oddly refreshed. What she said next confused the living hell out of him; she wanted them gone, yet offered them a place to stay? Arisa was definitely a weird one. Sam then just stared as her body disintegrated and flew back to the large earthen home.

Only as she disappeared from view did a small smirk cross his features, his voice uttering "Later, Arisa" as he turned to face the sea. Now how was he supposed to get there? A few options came to mind: He could swim, but he ran the risk of tiring himself out quickly even with the augmentations to water that came from his 'marriage' with Vivian. He could always use Undine's water magic to carry him there, but what if he needed more to help defeat Ignus? He could summon a bridge from the ocean floor using Gnome's magic, but then he ran into the same issue with using Undine's power. The Alpha Werewolf had said that Ignus' power could melt even the strongest rock, but he needed to protect himself from the extreme heat somehow if the island where Ignus was was as scorched as she said, and what better protector than stone or water could there be? Would Gnome's earthen mastery have a chance against the supposedly solar-class fire of Ignus? He only wished to have more time to experiment with what the limits of his power was, but he also knew that staying here longer was not acceptable and thus would not have the time to do so.

Upon looking around, he noticed a lone tree growing on one of the cliffs, one of the relative few that survived the chaos between him and Silus' little war. A boat would work, and he could use the journey to help think of some game plan against Ignus. Going up to it, he first made sure that nothing called this tree its home; after finding it vacant and possessing no Dryad spirit within its being, he called on Gnome's power to help shape its massive trunk into a simple boat, using some stones from the beach to create a makeshift variable-pitch propeller at the stern and attaching another at the bow to create a counterweight balance, using some of the branches full of leaves to create a makeshift canopy from the sun. After the hasty construction was finished and he was sure there were no leaks, he slid the boat down a ramp he crafted from the cliffside; this method was a bit labor-intensive, but it was made easier with the help of the Contracts he made and the fact that this would likely require less of either Elemental's energy to do so. Seating himself inside, he then focused Gnome's energy into turning the prop blades and set himself towards Ignus' island.

As he crossed the vast expanse of water, he could feel the wind blow gently against his face; he had a brisk pace going, but not all that fast because he wanted to give himself some time to think. That and he was hoping to help work the butterflies out of his stomach; he was only going up against an Elemental who apparently wouldn't hesitate to turn him into a human charcoal briquet. No real danger or anything like that. "Well.....Looks like this is it, you two. Seems we're really going ourselves into hot water, now, eh-he" he then said out loud, trying to crack a joke if only to make himself feel better. His main obstacle would be trying to somehow rob Ignus of her ability to generate fire; if he was stronger, he would probably sink the island, but that was both impractical and stupid. Ignus would probably just vaporize the water and finish him off while he was weakened. He could create an Earth Dome to seal her off, but he doubted he had the energy to do so. He thought about summoning the water around the island and crashing into Ignus with a massive tidal wave, but would he have the energy to do so?

"What to do......" Sam then said to no one in particular as he continued his journey towards the Fire Elemental's home; it wasn't long before he began to feel the heat. And he was still so far off too; was Ignus herself really this powerful? Before long, the leaves which had served as their canopy began to smoke, the scent becoming noticeable to Sam and making him wrinkle his nose. As he got closer, the inside of the boat itself began to smoke, the branches above them having caught fire from the extreme heat. "Oh shit!" he shouted as the fire began to spread; why didn't he consider that even approaching this way would cause this to happen? Soon enough the blazing heat was beginning to consume the craft in flame, forcing Sam to jump overboard into the rather warm water. He soon resurfaced, watching his blazing craft sink into the sea. "Damn it all!" he grumbled; well, at least Ignus' island was in sight now. A titanic black volcano, its surface covered in a shining black stone - probably obsidian or something like it - stood at its center, the maw belching black smoke and lava alike. He then swam the rest of the way, using some of Undine's power to help make his passage easier before finally landing on the shore.

The water that fell off him sizzled and vaporized as his skin hardened once more; his eyes peered up to the mouth of the volcano before he made his way inland, intent on confronting Ignus. He just hoped he would have some kind of strategy to beating her before she beat him.
 
"Perhaps you should have considered that even the hardest wood burns when exposed to such temperatures," Gnome giggled, amused at Sam's little misadventure on his way to the island. Undie remained conspicuously silent, having become somewhat moody ever since they stepped onto the island itself. She clearly did not enjoy being on Ignus' domain. Gnome felt uneasy, but eager to test their strength against Ignus whom she had heard so very much about over the past few months.

Ignus' island was quite small, less than a mile across and only protruding a few dozen meters above sea level around the edge. Nestled in the center of the island, however, was a noticeable volcano-like peak whose crater belched smoke and thin trails of molten lava which oozed between cracks and hissed loudly upon reaching the simmering waters which surrounded the small spit of land. A rather repulsive odor akin to rotten eggs wafted through the air, a side effect of the sulfide escaping from the rock. Not a single creature lived in this forsaken place, as any inhabitants would have been vaporized by Ignus herself out of sheer boredom long before Sam had arrived.

Before long, the earth below them began to rumble and groan, small spurts of steam shooting up out of newly-formed cracks as the island hissed at the intruders who dared to interrupt the fire elemental's slumber. Near the peak of the island burst a surge of flames nearly four stories tall, reaching up toward the thick, smoke-filled sky and spreading outward then quickly simmering down to reveal a single figure standing firmly upon the edge of the volcanic crater. She had long red hair which pulsed and glowed like a ember freshly pulled from the center of a blazing furnace. Her eyes were like glistening rubies, cut of the finest stone, with a sharp enough gaze to cause even the most proud man to hesitate. Her arms and legs were unfettered by clothing of any sort, with toned muscles indicating her power while at the same time not at all detracting from her feminine beauty. She was quite tall, especially for a monster girl, as she easily stood at six foot. Her hips were of even width as her shoulders, chest protruding outward while her torso was wrapped in a thin length of fire which obscured certain details from direct view. A small smile graced her lips, a smile of interest and amusement.

"You're Sam?" her left eyebrow rose slightly as she tried hard not to laugh, "I thought you'd be bigger, and beefier... I'd spot Pebble and Little Dewdrop from a mile away, though, so it must be you. Otherwise, I can't imagine those two would hang around you for any other reason. I mean, damn, its really been too long since we all got together, hasn't it?"

"Whose fault do you think that is?" Undie mumbled under her breath, clearly not pleased with being given the nick-name of Little Dewdrop.

"She's always going on and on and on and on about logic and reason, and all of that shit," Ignus shrugged and shook her head, "Even Pebble is more down to earth, if you know what I mean... Me? I think if you need to talk to someone about something, you should talk with yo fists! Give them a good punch in the jaw if they say anything you don't like. There is no reason to trying to talk reason with someone who is your enemy... Don't get me wrong, Sam. You aren't my enemy, but I don't like weak men. So, I'll try my best to destroy you and if you are still around then I'll try talkin."

She slammed her fists together, knuckles inward, the mere force of the strike sending out a shock-wave through the air as her hands were engulfed in flames. She dove down the mountainside, rapidly closing the distance between herself and Sam as her right arm jutted forward with the force of a cannon, the burst instantly igniting the air in a long, straight beam of fire directed at Sam's head. She was fast, and incredibly powerful, but she didn't seem to be going all out just yet.
 
Sam's nose wrinkled once more, his face contorting into something of a cringe as the acrid stench of brimstone filled his nostrils. Funny, he thought this island would be bigger; then again, one who garnered as much gossip as Ignus apparently did seemed to have things exaggerated about her. As the volcano busted its cap, Sam had to raise an arm to shield his eyes as the intense heat rolled over him, drying the last bits of moisture from his skin instantly. When the Fire Elemental revealed herself in all her fiery glory, Sam lowered his arm to let his eyes peer upon her radiant beauty.

She was indeed a beautiful specimen; though his experiences did reveal the reason why none of the researchers could reach her island to gather much data on her, he found himself to be not quite as nervous as he likely should have been. Maybe it was the fact that he had to face her no matter what, maybe it was that boost in his self-confidence Gnome had wanted to get, maybe it was some other factor none of the three had considered. Whatever the reason was, Sam knew that being afraid wasn't going to get him anywhere.

Though his brow did tick a little as she ridiculed that he wasn't as big as she thought he would be, he knew from her speech that she wouldn't really care what he said. She wouldn't blink at the fact that he'd been subject to the kiss of a Succubus, the result of which was a reduction of body mass, and that he was going to fight her at a reduced capacity. He was still taller than her by a couple of inches, but his muscle mass was still smaller than what it ideally should have been because of Rachel's draining liplock. He was already at a disadvantage; the only things he had going for him were that he had the overall goal of what to do and the newfound tenacity to get it done. The only question remained was if he would be able to pull it off.

Sam felt his hair frazzle and his stone-layered skin dry out more as the heated air blast rushed over him; seemed she was indeed quite the strong one. "I expect nothing less, Ignus......" he replied just before she shot a beam of flame at him; he instinctively summoned a stone wall in front of him. The fire connected for a split second, creating a rapidly-brightening red spot before bursting clean through the wall, yet giving Sam the delay he needed to dodge the otherwise fatal strike. He then the wall a shove with both his hands, causing the mass of stone to slide forward quickly upon her approach before switching to Undine's mastery of water, following the Earthen Sliding Wall with a standard Aqua Cannon; the wide column of water followed closely behind the mass of rock, ready to potentially douse Ignus should she bust through the stone barrier.
 
"That won't be enough to stop her, Sam... She's just trying to wear you down enough for her to finish you off in a single blow," Undie pointed out the obvious flaw in the approach he was taking, "You should try not to let her pull you along at her pace. Break up her form and make an opening for yourself."

Ignus, however, did not break through the wall. Instead, she had jumped up and over it, her arms supporting a giant ball of flame the size of a small car. She hurled it downward with force, the impact which would doubtless stagger Sam if not obliterate him outright. Rather than trust her follow-up attack to finish him, she instead continued her assault with yet another, even more powerful attack which would require a bit more time to prepare. She performed a backflip, landing heavily upon her bare feet which cracked the hardened rock below her as she crouched and placed the palms of her hands down at her sides. Her aura flared, eyes glinting briefly before she began to infuse her energy into the ground. A thick ring formed, spreading outward from where Ignus sat all the way around him about thirty feet across and immediately afterward the circular crack began to spurt fire and smoke as the ground within began to bend upward.

"The earth is going to explode if we stay here much longer!" Gnome channeled more of her power into Sam, flowing through his legs and into the ground in an effort to stave off the impending explosion as long as she could, which might buy them a few seconds at most but would ultimately only serve to increase the fury of the ensuing burst of fire that would follow.
 
Well, that was something Sam didn't expect; given what he'd heard, he was sure she'd try and just barrel through the wall. "This fight's just getting started, Undine.....I'm trying to feel her out" he then said rather defensively; he felt a bit foolish making such mistakes about his opponents. But there was no way in hell that he was going to let Ignus, however powerful she might be, be the reason he would get put out of commission. He only barely managed to dodge the enormous fireball, the resulting heat explosion causing his hardened skin to blister. It was only a small amount of blistering, but it was still painful enough to where he certainly registered it.

His eyes nevertheless refocused on Ignus as she landed, then started doing something; he felt the ground beneath him buckle as she tapped into the magma tubes networking beneath the surface, causing him to stumble on the chaotic terrain before regaining his footing. What the hell.....They just started this fight and she was going to essentially blow up the center of the island!? "You're insane!" Sam shouted, feeling the ground continue to bulge even as Gnome tried to contain it. He did notice, however, that she seemed to be directing her power solely to this attack. That meant she was vulnerable!

A green aura flared up around him as he used some of Gnome's remaining power to bend the Earth to his whim; from Ignus' left, a molten-earth fist cracked her hard in the jaw and forced her to release her technique. And Sam didn't stop there; realizing the momentum he had, a series of one-twos of the same earthen fists battered the Fire Elemental, forcing her a little bit upwards with each strike. The two hands then grabbed her somewhat airborne body, and as Gnome's Earth power flooded him again - his eyes leaking the energy from the sheer amount he was using - they dragged her back down and made her bellyflop into the hardened earth with tremendous force. A normal human would have been squashed flat by the force of this attack, but this wasn't a normal human...Not at all. Calling upon Undine's power, a gigantic wave of water rushed from the ocean surrounding them and encased Ignus in a sizable spherical trap, using his power to press the water harder and harder onto her form. She couldn't possibly use her power while trapped under five atmospheres of water pressure, could she?
 
Sam's counter-attack was as effective as it was unexpected as Ignus found herself turned into a punching bag due to underestimating his ability to follow her blows up with ones of his own. Few had ever managed to land a direct blow on her, let alone several, so this would clearly have an effect on her perception of Sam from then on... Assuming he would survive this ordeal. She was far from finished, as she hadn't lived well over five hundred years to be beaten down so easily.

"That's it, give it to her!" Undie chimed in as Ignus was repeatedly battered first with fists, then against the ground with tremendous force. If anything, the blows hardly even seemed to bruise the fire elemental's body, however, even as she was trapped within the sphere of water. She curled up into a tight ball, the energy within her concentrating and causing her body to glow brightly, as if she where transforming herself into a miniature sun while using the pressure he was applying to her advantage in doing so. "SOUL FIRE!" Ignus cried out, her arms and legs suddenly spreading out as far from her body as possible. In a brilliant burst of pure energy, she attempted to simply vaporize the water from the heat of her fire which burned deep within her very soul. The ensuing explosion sent shock-waves across the island, the air itself expanding in a eardrum-shattering clap which could be heard miles off into the distance. Ignus landed onto her feet, an excited smile spreading across her lips as she momentarily paused and looked up at Sam.

"You've got some serious skills, human, I'll give you that," she nodded to herself twice, "But this is where it ends... Survive my most powerful attack, and I will consider you worthy to be my contractor." She clapped her hands together then jumped up into the air, her entire form enveloping in flames as surges of her power began to flow outward into the air, saturating the entire island and filling it to the brim with combustive energies. Swirls of fire encircled Sam without touching him, merely serving as channeling conduits where she would concentrate her blast. Gnome's eyes lit up upon realizing what they needed to do... It was so simple. Just at that moment, a fresh surge of earth energy flowed into the rock below him, forming into a Sam-like shape and with some assistance from Undie who quickly picked up on what she was doing, she infused it with an equal amount of raw water element energy, matching the amount that currently flowed through Sam. Meanwhile, large illusion mirrors focused the raw energy into a single mass around Ignus, readying her final attack which she believed was locked onto Sam himself.

"HELL FIRE!" Ignus released the beam into a strike sufficient to cut through the fabric of space and time itself, but with a width of only ten feet, obliterating the figure before her that she believed to be her would-be contractor. Her shoulders sagging slightly, she let out a pent-up sigh and looked down at the huge underwater cavern she had cut through solid bedrock.
 
As Sam tried to hold Ignus back, forcing the water to condense more as the extreme heat of her vaporized it almost instantly, he could feel the strain working against him; nevertheless he grit his teeth and continued the effort to hold her back. His efforts would prove futile, for the bubble which had encased her started to grow as her bodily heat rose to near-supernova temperatures. Sam realized this and broke off the trap, instead focusing on trying to build up his armor to survive the inevitable blast wave. The trap burst completely just as Sam encased himself in the hardened earth; the massive pressure wave would have obliterated his internal organs had he been exposed as he was. A secondary blast, caused by the ignition of the enormous hydrogen gas cloud evolved from the thermal decomposition of the water that had been Ignus' very temporary cell, served to scorch his armor and completely strip it from his body. This created a nearly symmetric tidal wave to rush out from the island, the detonation equaling that of a thermonuclear bomb; the characteristic mushroom cloud from the explosion could be seen for miles, expanding high into the atmosphere.

If there was anything besides Ignus and Sam on the island, there certainly wasn't now. Not with that kind of energy; Sam felt like he had the worst case of sunburn imaginable. His weak organic flesh had been burned with his armor stripped; thankfully it seemed relatively minor and largely superficial because of Gnome's protective energy, but crap did it hurt like hell. Black flakes fell from the top of his head, his once shoulder blade length hair now barely coming above his ears. Somehow the meager clothing he wore - a loincloth of his previous clothing gift from Vivian - had managed to survive. Shaking his mind from the burning of his earth-augmented flesh, he listened as Ignus complimented him, replying "You're not too bad yourself". However, Ignus would not give him much of a chance to retaliate; soon he found himself being encircled by fire, a clear indicator that this was her 'most powerful attack'. He could just tell that he wouldn't have to react; Ignus was going to finish him.

But fortune smiled upon the brave - or the incredibly lucky in this case - for soon Sam found himself encased in stone and rapidly dragged beneath the earth moments before Ignus would strike. He felt like the earth had simply dropped out from under him, making him plummet before landing in a small pocket deep inside the planet's crust. "What the....Where....." he said before realizing that it was his Elementals who rescued him. "Holy hell, I love you two...Hehe, hahaha" he then laughed out meekly, collapsing against the wall of the pocket; the sudden sting from his burnt flesh made him jump up in agony, his grunting voice uttering, "Oh right, sunburn.....Forgot about that. Aahhh....".

But he knew he couldn't lolligag forever; he had a feeling Ignus would eventually figure out that he'd survived the attack. Besides, she said that if he survived, she would consider him worthy. But did that mean he won? Well, he was going to find out; letting the remaining power course through him, he used Gnome's energy to bring himself back up to the island, a few feet from the edge of the massive crater that Ignus had made. The residual heat from the technique made his skin tingle with sparks of pain, but he tried to ignore it as best as he could. "Guess you really wanted to kill me, huh Ignus?" he then said before assuming a more ready stance, layering himself in more protective rock armor; he didn't know if she would keep her word or not. He had to assume she wouldn't; giving his right foot a twist, a large dome leaped up around her and sealed her inside; he was hoping that the technique she used burned a lot of her energy, and her attempts to free herself would make her use up the oxygen in the dome and knock herself out. Little did he realize just how powerful the original Fire Elemental truly was.
 
"Oh, I'm just getting started, Cupcake," the fire elemental laughed, "You are indeed worthy of facing me in all-out combat... I'll hold nothing back, so a petty trick like that won't work on me twice. I'll make sure to incinerate you this time."

Ignus glanced up at the earthen dome forming around her, a somewhat worried expression flashing across her face before her lips curved back upward into a smile. This is what she was hoping he would do... An enjoyable fight like this was too soon to come to an end. She swiftly jumped backward, hands forming small balls of flame which she hurled at him in quick succession. Individually, they were nothing to worry about, but their mere numbers made it difficult to endure. Weather he would block or dodge them would make little difference as the entire interior of the dome began to fill with smoke and fire, the air growing thin from the lack of oxygen. Undie blinked, confused why Ignus would make such an obvious effort to do exactly what Sam wanted her to do... Then realization struck her, hard and the color drained from her face. The backdraft effect! Ignus landed onto her feet and ran toward the wall of the earthen dome, winding up for a single forceful strike against the resilience of Gnome's earth prowess. Unfortunately, it seemed as if her physical strength would be more than sufficient to break through even without infusing her strike with fire energy. A small hole burst forth from the inside of the dome, the sudden influx of oxygen causing the flames within to turn the interior into a raging inferno. Just how powerful was Ignus? Although she herself was caught up in the ensuing explosion, she shrugged off the flames as if they were merely an extension of herself.

She dashed forward, slipping behind him as she delivered a direct blow to the elemental contractor's back in order to assault his protective armor, the explosive force of her strike sufficient to shatter rock and bone alike. Another strike soon followed, knocking him up off his feet and into the air, her flurry of strikes never once pausing as she pushed him all the way up to the highest peak of the dome before wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and pulling him downward, similar to German suplex but with far greater damage potential as a pillar of fire burst upward from the ground to meet him in the air.
 
Her words definitely worried Sam; he figured someone like her wouldn't just roll over after being tricked like that. But at least he got a nickname....."Cupcake". Technically, he did fulfill the obligations of her request, but it was obvious she wanted to test him further, rendering his assumption valid. "So, that was just a warm-up then...." he thought to himself; he nearly lost his focus as Ignus launched a barrage of fireballs at him. He managed to dodge a good number of them, but a few made contact and weakened or broke off the bits of the armor they hit. And then the dome closed completely around her, the Contractor not really aware of what the Fire Elemental had in store for him. He'd made the dome sizable enough to where he thought she would have to burn a lot of energy and inadvertently suck up all the oxygen inside.

When she punctured the side of the construct, the rush of air caused a deflagration so massive that it nearly shattered a good portion of the dome surrounding her, fractures appearing like a spiderweb. He had to shield himself from the massive heat flux that was sent flying at him, leaving him open for Ignus' counterattack. He suddenly felt a strong fist be leveled into his back, his armor cracking under the force. Several more strikes followed, causing his armor and soon his ribs to break from the force, leaving his back fully exposed; he then felt Ignus soon press against him, her toned arms wrapping firmly around his waist and driving him down, only to be sandwiched from below with a flame column. The extraordinary heat washed over him, weakening the remainder of his armor before he felt the ground impact with his face. Were it not for the armor he wore, he would have broken his neck; he was now stuck in the ground like a driven knife, his body stiff as a flagpole with his legs pointing towards the heavens.

For a few moments he stayed like this, his head spinning and his body screaming at him to submit; this flurry from Ignus was more powerful than he'd anticipated. But he knew that he had to continue; he couldn't let this stop him. He was running low on Earth power though, he could feel it; all this breaking and reforming of armor, not to mention the attacks from before, had taken a heavy toll. Despite the limitations of what he had left, he used some of the remaining to move the Earth and right himself back up. It was a little hard for him to breathe, given that a large portion of his back ribcage had been broken to pieces; each inhalation made it feel like a thousand knives were being jabbed into him and he was sure she'd at least bruised one if not both of his lungs.

As he faced Ignus, he felt a familiar presence invade his mind...One he was hoping would not make himself known. "Dear me, she's really giving you a whoopin', isn't she?" the ever-annoying voice of Kratos soon resounded in his mind. "Did you really come here now? I'm kind of busy. Go away and you can gloat about how I got my ass kicked later" Sam replied heatedly; Kratos just chuckled and returned with, "You misunderstand....I'm here to help you, you idiot".

"I don't want your kind of help. Now get out....I need to concentrate".

"I don't recall saying this was up for debate, Sammy boy".

And with that, Kratos attempted to gain control of Sam's body; Corruption began to course through him, Sam's knees giving out and forcing him to kneel, his hands clawing the scorched terrain as he tried to fight off his darkspawn's influence. "Idiot! Quit resisting! She'll kill you! I can give you the power to defeat her!" Kratos shouted out through Sam's mouth. The voice then reverted to Sam's original one, "I would rather....nugh....die by my own power, than win with your help!" "You're weak! Useless! I'm not letting my meal ticket get turned to ash! Now...GIVE. ME. CONTROL!!" "N...NEVER!" His face cringed as his aura fluxed between his original and the Corruption of Kratos, the totality of his being working to now fighting off the demon within.
 
The fire elemental cocked her head to the side slightly, utterly confused why Sam seemed to be internally conflicted at this integral point in the fight. Was he trying to make a fool out of her or throw her off? She could detect a wild fluctuation within his body's ki energy, swinging between an aura of pure darkness and his normal aura of a significantly less depraved nature. "You alright, Cupcake? I didn't break too many ribs, did I?" Ignus spoke in a matter-of-fact sort of manner, as one might address an opponent during an athletic meet.

"We really don't have time for this, you two!" Undie hissed at both of them, "If she lands a firm blow on Sam in his current condition, she will make sure we don't survive. Kratos, you need to back down since forcing Sam at this point will just get us killed since he will resist tooth and claw against you. Gnome has taken a pretty heavy beating and I'm not sure she will be able to hold up much longer. We need to finish this. Most of the oxygen in the dome has been used up, so she probably is going to rely on her physical prowess rather than her elemental energy."

Sure enough, Ignus soon tired of Sam's little comical display and rushed forward, small burst of flames leaping up from each step which increased her velocity. Undie physically manifested herself between Sam and Ignus, the sudden burst of water elemental power flowing out from him with wide swirls surrounding her like long lengths of ribbon. The water spirit's long hair, curvaceous form, and piercing gaze stood in answer to the fire spirit's bodily form. Fire and water, complete opposites yet similar in their own small ways, stood facing each other silently. No words where exchanged, but none where needed. Undie held her palm out toward her opponent, using her own watery form to throw a single directed strike at her solar plexus which Ignus deftly avoided and countered with a strike of her own. Ignus struck out with aggression and precision, with the tenacity and ferocity of a lion while Undie answered to each attack with elegant motions which flowed through the fabrics of the universe itself, lips pressed close together in a calm and collected manner. Over and over again Ignus stepped forward and Undie stepped aside, any sign of aggression long since vanishing from her form. To those who would observe the fight as it unfolded, it would be clear to an observant onlooker that it was not Ignus who was dictating the course of the fight, but Undie. She drew her into a spiral pattern slowly flowing inward to a single point. Ignus' steps had left a slight infusion of her energy into the ground on which they walked, and likewise Undie had left a trail behind herself as well... A detail that Ignus had failed to pick up on. Upon reaching the center, Undie merely dove down, and thrust herself upward toward the sky as that single motion unlocked the stored energy within the earth below them, the combined atmospheric pressure causing an upsurge which hurled the fire elemental upward hundreds of feet into the air.
 
Sam was still deep in his conflict, completely open to utter annihilation by Ignus' massive power; he wanted Kratos out, but his persona of darkness and depravity was immovable from his desire to help Sam give Ignus the beatdown she needed to receive to gain her power. He didn't even hear Ignus' remark; however, the conflict was interrupted when Undine snapped at the both of them. "Tell that to him!" he replied exasperatedly to Undine's statement; Kratos, however, seemed to realize the wisdom behind the Water Elemental's logic. Sam was just leaving himself vulnerable, and he knew the bastard distrusted him too much. Not that he could blame him, given what he'd done.

"Fine, fine, I'll go. But at least listen to this, Sam: You want to beat Ignus, you have to give it your all. Nothing held back, no fear, no relent. Dig down deep inside yourself and find that power within...Or else". And with that strangely sage-like comment, Kratos retreated again; if Kratos hadn't made his intention for helping Sam beat Ignus, it would have been incredibly odd for him to help Sam in any degree. As Undine worked to protect Sam from Ignus' fiery embrace of death, Sam tried to make sense of Kratos' words. He had to be screwing with him....But what if he wasn't? What if there was something that he had? With the situation as dire as it was, it couldn't hurt.

Dig down....Look within. Sam's body relaxed a little, his rear resting on his heels as he tried to look within himself, searching for the power Kratos mentioned. "What is it I'm looking for, though?" Sam thought to himself as he closed his eyes, the sounds of Undine and Ignus dueling each other fading from his mind. He found himself inside his own mind, a perpetual black void of nothing; however, there seemed to be something glowing in the distance. It was....Comforting, familiar, warm. His metaphysical body drifted towards the glow, the source soon revealing itself to be an enormous white sphere of light. It was strange; the closer he got, the stronger he felt. Was this what he was looking for? His arm reached out towards the ball, sparks emanating from its surface to touch his outstretched fingertips. The more he touched it, the more energy he felt flowing through him. "This is it..." Sam then added resolutely, placing his other hand on the surface; when he did, a massive surge of power coursed through his battered form, restoring himself, Gnome and Undine. What Sam might not have realized - or rather what Kratos had more likely failed to mention - was that Sam had directly tapped into his own Life Energy; thankfully, his contracts with Gnome and Undine significantly increased the size of the pool, but it was still an enormously risky move to make.

On the outside, his entire body was now encased in a solid white amorphous cloud, his eyes having turned into blinding orbs that leaked trails of the energy from their corners. Just as Undine had launched Ignus into the air, Sam's body seemed to bulk up even more, his lost bodily mass replenished and his Elementals granted new breaths of energy, giving him the appearance that Ignus had originally thought to have him look like: "Bigger and beefier", along with a few extra inches in height. Rising to his feet, his powerful legs muscles tensed before shooting him into the air like a rocket, going past right past Ignus. He then tucked and rolled, letting his feet come in contact with the ceiling of the enormous dome before propelling himself straight back down.

His iron-hard body slammed into the Fire Elemental; as the two hurtled downward, Sam oriented himself to wrap his arms around her waist and his legs around her head which was now pointed directly at the earth. For but a moment, they flew through the air before impacting hard into the ground, the force making the hardened earth splinter, crack and rumble out from the epicenter of the impact. Not wasting time, Sam quickly climbed off Ignus, pushed her onto her back as he formed his right arm into an obsidian blade and pressed the weapon against her throat. "Submit, Ignus...." he then commanded, his body still alight with his own Life Energy; he didn't know if she would comply or not, but hopefully this would at least prove he was ready to play the real game.
 
"Well, golly me... No need to get all worked up, Cupcake," Ignus laughed, her eyes looking up and down his new and improved form with obvious approval, "That's what I'm talkin about. You certainly do rise to the occasion, and I like that about a man. I don't typically fight men that have gained my respect and can actually face me on an even footing. That by itself proves that you are worthy." She reached up and gently pushed the blade at her throat away before easing back up onto her feet. Easing onto one foot than another, she popped her neck briefly before turning back toward Sam and smiling up at him with an approving grin. She extended her right hand up and cupped his cheek briefly before jumping forward and kissing him squarely upon the lips. A surge of fire enveloped them both, yet instead of burning him it flowed through and around him as if his body were made of a thin mist rather than solid flesh and bone. Her chest pressed against him as her right hand wrapped around his waist and held him while her left continued to lock him in the tender embrace. He would feel the vast, virtually limitless source of raw power that Ignus offered him in exchange for his companionship.

"All of mine is yours... And all of yours is mine," Ignus whispered, her hand sliding down his body until her hand rested on his muscled thigh, "Sounds like a fair deal, hm, Cupcake? The Goddess once asked if I would like to become a god... Perhaps that might mean something to you."

"Don't take things out of context! She was simply testing your ambitions... You know quite well that elementals cannot become gods," Undie glared at the fire elemental, who merely stuck her tongue out at her in a cheeky manner before turning back to Sam.

"Its my first time... So be extra rough with me!" Ignus giggled, much to Undie's frustration.
 
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