Gumball woke up in his dream with a doubtful expression. A sloppy Zach lying on a pure white surface with his eyes shut. "You're awake?" Zach said with one of his eyes open.
"I thought I was dead..." Gumball murmured, standing up and glanced around the surrounding.
"We are, dweeb. Luckily, you transformed into an angelic being, sort of; and kicked Whisperer's ass without breaking a sweat."
"Because of that, "we" are still alive," Cain cut in, appearing in his spiritual form. "During that event, your capacity has been bypassed to a certain level that could have detrimental your health."
"What do you mean?" Gumball asked.
"Power surge through your body will rupture your organs in a twinkling of an eye." Zach continued, casually floating into the air freely. "It will be the cessation of your life."
"Why…"
"In the meantime, I couldn't figure out why after you'd undergo changes," Cain said, feeling that some fragments of his memory were sealed away. Zach came face to face with Gumball while been upside down floating in the air.
"Why didn't you kill me, but instead fighting with Whisperer to take back your body?" Gumball questioned.
Zach's eyes narrowed. "I would have if not because of Whisperer took control of my body." Zach had thought of killing Gumball, but he just couldn't do so. That time, something stopped him. Whether it was him, or he just doesn't want anybody kill Gumball in his place.
Gumball smiled. "Yeah...yeah..., painful isn't? Aside from your 'encouragement', and taking my place to confront Whisperer, is that what your so called...kill?" He laughed, staring into Zach's cold eyes.
A blade appeared, floating and pointing at Gumball in point-blank. "Are you trying me?" Zach snarled.
He sighed in annoyance as the blade faded in sparkling dusts. "It's time for you to wake up…"
Gumball woke up, vision blurred and slight dizziness. He tries to analyse his surrounding, flicking his eyes repeatedly until his sight got better to see everything. Before that he didn't notice a figure was sitting next to him. He didn't notice at first sight until the figure spoke to him.
"Finally, you are awake," the figure gave out a relief, his voice was a little raspy but other than that, he sounded like a person from a royal family.
"Thou have lot to learn," without giving Gumball a second to question his name; he flicked his finger, teleported both of them to an empty dusty shack.
"Why are you bringing me here, and more importantly, who are you?" Gumball finally questioned.
The guy sneezed as he motioned his hand across a dusty table on the left side of the room. "Bless me," he muttered, turning to Gumball unhooded. "Nice to meet thou, I'm Hadley, Hadley R. Flamthriwold," extending his right hand with a broad welcoming smile.
Gumball shook and exchanged his name. "Now, sir…can you explain why you bring me to this old room with random books piled up everywhere…?" Gumball asked, observing the room.
"Was about to, be patience," Hadley replied, turned to clear the dust on the table. Then, he placed his right palm about the centre of the table and applied some force. Small magic circle followed with few smaller ones appeared below his hand, circulating as if were opening a complex gear mechanism lock.
"This hut was once belonged to a humble man, Adelius. But one day, he vanished without a trace. What he had left behind was his pride and honour for saving the entire race," he stopped, stepping aside what revealed an old looking leather hardcover and thick manuscript materialized from the magic circle.
Hadley picked the manuscript in his hand and showed it to Gumball. The cover was black with several rings engraved on the centre one after another. As Gumball stared at the rings, he felt a short surge of pain in his head. "You've picked up something didn't you?" said Hadley, setting the book on the table.
"Yeah…," the pain eased shortly. Gumball felt like he recalled something, maybe not his memories but Cain's.
"Before Adelius; Cain's former master, vanished. He tried to study the forbidden art of magic – the evil path; which led to his own corruption in the end."
"Why would he?" Gumball doubted.
"Adelius was proficient of all weaponry including sorcery even without training. He was also known to manipulate weapon out of thin. But what is impossible for him is learning the forbidden way," Hadley responded.
"It takes away the purity of your soul to learn except those who were able to retain without been corrupted." He added.
The two continued on for few more minutes until Hadley decided to bring them back. He handed the manuscript to Gumball before returning to the hospital. Gumball tried to open it but was sealed tight even by forcing it. With a snap and poof! They'd returned.
"See you next time," Hadley said, in a blink, he disappeared.
Gumball with the un-openable manuscript in his hand, stared aimlessly as his friends burst through into the room joyfully.
Carrie was the first one to hug Gumball with tears coursing down her cheek. "So glad you woke up!"
"You're out cold for four consecutive days. The doc, well, wasn't even sure you're gonna wake up or not...," said Cedric, the last to enter the room after Jason.
Carrie still haven't release Gumball and Stella stepped towards them. "Your organs were ruptured to a limit that your life could have ended, moreover, your diaphragm had punctured with countless of holes, completely cutting off blood supply and disabled you from breathing," Stella blurted. Carrie released Gumball finally. Her eyes still watery.
"Did I?" Gumball said in a humorous way.
"Com'on, we're serious. The doctor even wondered whether you have a weird syndrome because the tip of your tail has a white spot on it," Jason added.
Gumball took a quick glance at his tail. Where have I seen that similar spot before? He thought.
Carrie hasn't spoken a word after the occasion. Outside the hospital, Max marched in with his military jacket alone. Slowly he paces through the corridor, he stopped in front of Gumball's room as he coughed to catch everyone's attention.
"Uncle Max?" Gumball muttered, couldn't believe his eyes, even more that he wears a military jacket.
"Hey! Kiddo," Max responded with a smile.
"Since when you joined the military?"
"Since you were born," Max said mockingly.
"You know him?" Jason asked Gumball just when Stella and Cedric was about to.
"Of course. He is Darwin's uncle."
"Oh..."
Stella and Cedric were confused, without any slight idea of what they're talking. "So…what are you doing here, sir?"
"First off, let me answer Gumball's question, I'd been an army for longer than you know as well as the director of Nexus, a non-government organization. Now for the reason why I'm here. Lately, there's been a creature making its way to find Gumball, Jason knows that. Few days ago, I'd examined y'all potential while confronting a "beast".
"Huh? What do you mean?" Cedric wondered.
"I'm taking you guys in, for safety," Max ended.
"But why? We only transferred to Milestone High like a week ago...? And more importantly...has anyone seen Frank?" Carrie spoken with her usual tone.
"Frank's outside waiting in a van," Max answered. "So, you guys coming?"
"Is there any objection?" said Stella. "I mean; we have school to attend…aren't we?" she added, looking at her friends with a few nodded in agreement.
"I'd inquired William to allow your stay in my HQ. And one more thing I'm wondering, what happened few days ago…and why Jason, you didn't emit the transmitter I gave you?"
"Erm…no…I accidentally left it in the school," Jason replied nervously.
Max sighed. "Coming?" he said, readied to leave the room as Gumball got up from the bed. Everyone nodded in reply and followed Max out of the hospital and boarded the van Frank was driving. Shortly, they started moving.
On the road, Max asked about the incident that happened few days ago. The teens elucidated the event to him which surprised him. "You guys fought a demon. A demon that could potentially kills any single one of you. That's reckless." Max was worried, soft scolding them for their actions, but on the other hand, proud of their bravery.
The road to Nexus was silent as the grave as no one has any subject to chat with. After a short while, Frank turned left where the road ends and continued along to a mountain. Before they crashed into it, a hidden tunnel opened from the rocky wall of the mountain as he proceeded. Dim lights were illuminating along the passage, behind them the wall closed shut. The teens filled with amazement except for Jason who already knew everything.
One…two…three…where the birdies goes? Darkness shall rise, shivering night will succumb with fear. Frightening as the clock chimes, where no sun will rise. Under my evil grin slept an unfavourable beast. In a blink, a battle axe swung past a man's head, beheaded as bloods spurted all over the place.
"So…what's next brother?" said a female grey wolf about five feet tall. She held the axe and wiping the blood stain off the head of it.
"A blue cat? That's what Dad said…," her brother said, slightly taller than her.
"It's going to be fun! I'm sure Dad will be proud of us," she shouted happily as her brother stared into the sky, grinning.