"So, all we have to do is get your trident?" Michael asked, stretching his bruised shoulder while his scythe glimmered in his opposite hand.
Gabriel; however, wore a grim expression... Clearly doubting the novelty of the current situation.
Both Michael and Gabriel were set to leave the shore as fast as possible, using the ocean and their affinities in order to board the ships with enough stealth to slip past the guards on the top of the ship.
And the ship that they would be boarding: Would be that of the grandest ship among the fleet... No doubt the captain.
Azure nodded, his eyes refusing to depart from the fleet hovering among the waters quite a distance away from them.
His ivory hair glistened with the heavy breeze, revealing a gruesome scar that ran along Azure's scalp.
Gabriel noticed this, immediately trying to come up with ideas on how someone could have gotten something as gnarly as that... Let alone survived...
Michael tapped his shoulder, his helmet of ice already firmly tucked over his face.
"Ready?" He asked, reaching down and forming two fans of ice along each of his calf armor pieces.
"What are those for?" Gabe asked, equipping a chestplate over his light tunic and checking if all of his daggers were securely in place.
"Aerodynamics." He grinned behind the helmet.
Gabriel sighed, turning his gaze towards the unmoving Azure.
"This is why you had us train mobility?" He asked their strange companion.
"Nah." Azure smiled, seemingly broken from whatever deep train of thought he had been sucked within.
"Although they do come in handy in situations like these... But I'd save your best cards for later." He suggested in a matter of fact tone.
"Wait, what are you going to be doing while we are busting our backs?" Michael asked, his shoulders lowering in suspicion.
Azure chuckled.
"I can't even float above a body of water... Just... Think of it as a curse mate. Or I would have just gotten it myself." Azure's eyes lowered towards the water that shuffled along the shore, stopping only inches away from the man's toes.
"But that won't be a problem considering my task... Anywho... The curse is only temporary, but alas... Temporary can be quite a while." Azure sighed wistfully, as if looking back on fond memories.
Gabriel shrugged his arms, waking himself and drawing focus to the present while stepping up to Azure.
"I don't trust you." He said flatly, gazing down at the trident that lazily hovered in the man's left hand.
"You shouldn't mate." Azure's gaze grew dark as he met Gabe's eyes.
"But I'm still going to help you get your trident back... Even if you don't help us on our part of the deal." Gabriel sighed, turning towards the sea and stepping into the shallow waters.
"Relax mate. The only way I wouldn't hold my end... Is I die on this shore." Azure started with quite a dreadful voice, but among the pause his tone switched to a lighthearted laugh, tugging at his lavish unbuttoned vest.
Michael took a deep breath, letting the cold in the air be the guide that leads him to his affinity...
And by that...
Michael would use The Frozen Forest's ambient temperature to influence his own energy...
Launching off the shore and running along a rapidly forming tunnel of ice around his soaring body.
Gabriel continued to walk, submerging himself in the ocean as the sight of countless wildlife grew luminescent around him.
Then with a nearly painful jerk, Gabriel rocketed through the ocean... Leaving Azure alone on the shore.
The mysterious figure glowing in bright blues tossed the boy's trident up in the air, catching it with a fancy spin before chuckling aloud to himself.
"I do hope you can keep up though..." He scoffed, reeling his hand back and hurling the trident towards the fleet...
A violent gust of wind followed in its wake, causing the entire sea to tremble under immense force.
Azure watched from afar as the trident formed a vapor cone only a foot off the sea's surface.
BOOM!
The attack landed, driving straight through the Grand Ship's hull with a mighty explosion befitting of such an impressive man-made weapon.
Azure wore a bitter smile, turning his head towards the tree line as a figure moved quickly.
"It's been a long time..." The familiar voice spoke up, just as arrogant and prideful as it had been back then.
"Destro... Lesser god of Destruction... Original Chosen Champion of Heres..." Azure spoke as if a blade had taken its place as his tongue.
"Have the roles reversed, Azzie pal!" Destro laughed, his spikey white hair dancing with the wind atop his darkly tanned skin.
His eyes shimmered a faint crimson, but that was a mere lie... Foretold by his status of a Lesser god... Azure had known the lad when he was only human... So he knew better.
He knew that those eyes were simply endless darkness... Two black abyss sitting in the chasms of the man's cranium.
"Why greet me on land?" Azure asked, genuine curiosity sitting in his tone.
"Why not? Have you ever known me to shy from a battle? Do you truly think so little of me? And besides! Why would I want to fight those pathetic human children!? I've been touched by the divine, I need not pick fights with humans who don't have the capabilities of knowing any better." He laughed, his tall and slim shirtless figure leaning against the tree as if he did not even intend to fight.
"You underestimate them." Azure bit back, his eyes revealing something dangerous to Destro... Who raised his eyebrow in surprise.
"Who trifles with their family now?" Destro grinned wickedly.
Within Azure's eyes, two brimming tridents had formed within his pupils.
"That's not fair ya know? How come all you have to do is be near your heart to tap into its power!" Destro groaned in annoyance.
"Bah! If you really want to skip to the fighting..." Destro huffed, thousands of humming sparks leaving his lips as he did so... His arms held outwards, welcoming all to feel the wrath of his might...
"I can still stop you..." He grinned, hurling himself towards Azure in a flash... Leveling the entire forest behind him for at least a kilometer...