The Malebranche

After learning about the Elemental Stars, the teens could hardly pay attention to their classes. They knew the stars were powerful, but just now they understood the real weight of the situation.

Kazen was looking out the window, watching the gray clouds forming, announcing the coming of a storm. He noticed something and asked the teacher if he could leave, like he was one of the students.

About two minutes after he left, they all heard an explosion that shook the whole building. He soon returned, ensuring everything was fine.

When the day was over, the three elementals went their own ways, seeing strange things happening. Lapis saw what looked like a huge rock flying over her soccer practice. Auron was beneath a huge explosion in the sky. And Fulgor lost the power on his house, as an electrical tower fell with an impact.

The next day, the clouds were darker and they saw the first floor of the school covered in water and some giant bugs dead on the hallways.

“Okay, what is happening?”

But there was no one to answer Fulgor’s question. He talked to Lapis and Auron, both also having seen these weird events. They decided to question Kazen, however he was nowhere to be found.

When it was time for lunch, they all were on the courtyard. Lapis was playing volleyball again, as Auron was studying on his own and Fulgor was talking with Miles about the anime episode he missed because of the energy loss.

All those activities stopped when roots appeared from the grass and breaking the ground. The roots grabbed everyone. A tree trunk appeared, opening to reveal an eccentric man, with long blond hair, green makeup and clothes, he moved his fingers controlling the roots.

“That was so easy. I did not even had do try.” Said the man with a pompous voice.

“Who are you?” Ask Fulgor, being carried by the heels upside down.

“I’m Malacoda, leader of the Malebranche. I had prepared such a beautiful plan, but clearly I do not need the rest of my organization to defeat you.”

The kids despaired. Malacoda alone seemed strong and he even had more members prepared to attack.

“No problem, I will let the rest of the Malebranche have their fun. You can come out now!”

The kids waited to see the other elementals attacking, but no one came, leaving Malacoda alone and confused.

“Guys, you can come out now.” Said the leader insecure.

The only one who showed up was Kazen, between the teens and Malacoda.

“Your little group was already defeated. I saw them all hiding. No big deal.”

Malacoda stared with jaw opened at the confident smile of Kazen.

“All 11 of them?”

“Of course, all 11… Wait, I just found 10.”

His smile disappeared as he felt a hand on his back. The teens watched in shock as a purple light covered Kazen. When the light disappeared, they saw a girl holding a straw doll that looked too similar to Kazen.

“Good, Scarmiglione, at least you weren't a total failure.”

The girl holding the doll was the same age as Fulgor. She wore a black dress and her short black hair covered her right eye.

“Whatever.” Said Scarmiglione without any emotions, she had the opposite energy of Malacoda.

The rain started and a cold wind passed through the courtyard, leaving everyone more uncomfortable.

“Now kids, give me your Elemental Stars and no one has to get hurt. The sooner we resolve this, sooner we can get out of the rain.” Spoke Malacoda trying to make the trio believe in him.

“I am not giving my star!” Protested Auron with both hands restrained by the roots.

“You don’t even have our elements, they are useless to you!” Continued Lapis being held by the waist.

“They think you are stupid.” Said Scarmiglione to Malacoda carrying the Kazen-doll like a teddy bear.

The leader of the group got angry with the comment of Scarmiglione, but directed his feelings to the trio.

While all this happened, Fulgor was thinking how to get out. Kazen was out of commission and the enemy seemed powerful.

He extended his arms, hoping to not miss and two lightning bolts came out, hitting the roots that were grappling Auron and Lapis.

“Don’t let the goth girl touch you!”

As the roots were destroyed, the pair accepted the tip and ran towards Malacoda. More roots came from the ground, but this time they were prepared.

Auron jumped to the air with wind gusts, making him fly five meters high. The roots kept coming like snakes as Auron dodged all using them as steps to get over Malacoda.

In the ground, Lapis ran with all her energy making rocks float by her side, using them as shields. Each rock was destroyed by the violet attack of the roots, but she summoned more and was face-to-face with Malacoda.

She made a rock the size and shape as a football and prepared to kick as Auron was spinning in the air, forming a wind drill.

“Scarmiglione, help!” Screamed Malacoda closing the trunk he was hoping to defend himself.

The rock ball and the wind drill hit the tree, destroying it completely. The duo did not had the time to celebrate, as both of them were touched by Scamiglione, turning them into dolls.

Malacoda left the debris full of bruises and blood coming from his nose.

“That is right! You can’t win against the great Malacoda!”

“I did all the work.” Said Scarmiglione still not showing any emotions.

The attack on Malacoda made the roots on Fulgor’s foot to retract. The boy fell face down, he tried to ignore the pain and form a plan.

“Ok, kid, you saw you can’t win against us. We have power over life and death, the perfect duo.”

He was not menacing with the trail of blood in his face, Fulgor was ignoring him and thinking. He looked at the dark clouds in the sky and thought about the only way to win. He took his hands to the sky and launched another lightning bolt.

“You are crazy! Is this the way you give up?” Asked Malacoda.

“No. This is how I enter the first release!”

A lightning ten times bigger than Fulgor’s came out from the sky, hitting the boy. He felt the pain, but also the energy coursing to his veins. When the flash was gone, Fulgor looked angry at Malacoda, with yellow stripes in his skin, like a lightning tiger.

He shot another lightning, this time at Malacoda. He never felt more powerful. A spectral purple energy protected Scarmiglione in the form of a cute ghost. Malaconda controlled his giant roots to take the attack and conducted the energy to the ground.

Seeing his first attack did not work, he dashed, faster than ever. Even with the roots trying to grab him, Fulgor dodged with ease. He punched Malacoda on the face so fast, the man did not even see it coming, throwing him to the school building and breaking the wall.

Fulgor could feel the power wearing off, he could not maintain this form for too long and became worried again when Malacoda got up from the rubble. By Fulgor’s side Scamiglione just watched behind her shield, waiting to see what would happen to her boss.

The skin of the man had fused with the roots and now he appeared to be a giant tree monster. Even if he was still hurt, his massive body was too much for Fulgor.

“Do you think I don’t know about the release? I tried to be nice, but now your life will end. You never had a chance against me!”

The teen knew it was true. And when he was ready to give up, he understood what he had to do.

“You are right, I never could beat you. But I know who can.”

The boy unleashed all energy left at Scarmiglione destroying her ghostly shield. Malacoda did not cared and went full speed at Fulgor.

“Die!”

The massive body stopped and his tree face showed confusion. Without even trying, Kazen held the man with his third release unleashed.

“Again just a first release? When will the real enemies appear?”

A giant fireball consumed the tree body as Malacoda screamed. In the end all the roots were destroyed and the villain was unconscious on the ground.

After defeating Scarmiglione, all the dolls returned to their original form and the four elementals were staring at each other, noticing that the battle was over.