Chapter 53: Proposition

[Before the explosion could happen, Luz's left pupil began to change shape, forming a rainbow-colored star, with that new eye, she stopped it before it even began, the explosion that did happen, however, was the inner rage that Luz felt before the inevitable death of her friends, the energy was so powerful, it activated the diamond in her chest and reconstructed her arm back to normal]

[Not only did it make her friends unconscious (Shatter Squad included), but it also struck fear into Ronin and the members of S.W.O.R.D.]

Warlord: That's impossible!

[Ronin gets a closer look at Luz's eye shape]

Ronin: The eye of a Conqueror.

[Luz lunges forward and attempts to punch Ronin in the face, but she easily evades, Luz continues to do so, even without her magic or her aura, she still fights on to protect her friends]

Ronin: (For someone so young, she managed to use it, but how?! Her parents aren't extraordinary)

[Ronin continues to evade due to confusion]

Ronin: (Could it be the Alpha's Powers?! That could be it! But why are they only activating for her now?!)

[Luz continues to fight]

[Ronin jumps back]

[Otur and Viper decide to assist their leader, but Ronin stops them]

Viper: What?!

[Warlord stand behind the both of them]

Warlord: Leave her be for now. It would be best that we observe the outcome.

[Luz continues to throw her punches one after the other, even if Ronin keep avoiding them, Luz just wouldn't quit]

Ronin: (What should I do in this situation?!)

[Ronin immediately turns to Amity]

Ronin: (If Amity is a Grim Reaper, then she must know something about Luz)

[Ronin jumps away to grab Amity by the forehead]

Luz: GET AWAY FROM HER!

[Ronin places the thumb on the center]

Ronin: Scan!

[Her powers activate and searches Amity's memories. She finds the moment she met with the Council of Death, searching deeper, she finds the vision she has of the Day of Unity, Ronin lands in the area where it happens, not only did she notice Luz's corpse, but she also sees the rising of something even worse]

Ronin: So that's why!

[As soon as Luz closes in, Ronin waves her hand and holds Luz in the air]

Luz: PUT ME DOWN! LEAVE HER ALONE! I'M THE ONE YOUR FIGHTING!

[Ronin slaps Luz in the face making her immediately get out of her anger phase]

Ronin: Luz Noceda, I prefer not to fight you at the moment, right now I need you alive and well.

[Luz is confused]

Luz: What are you talking about?!

[Ronin puts Luz down]

Ronin: It appears you have further uses in the Boiling Isles than I anticipated, which is why I'll give you a proposition! Do you want your friends to be well?

[Luz nods]

Luz: YES, PLEASE JUST LET THEM LIVE!

[Ronin nods]

Ronin: Done.

[Ronin uses her powers to remove all the pain and fatigue they felt during the battle]

Ronin: I've removed all feeling of pain and injuries!

[Luz almost cries]

Luz: THANK YO-

[Ronin stops her]

Ronin: Hold on a second, I didn't say that I would be doing this from the bottom of my heart.

[Luz then stops her celebration and gets more serious]

Luz: Then why did you do it?

[Ronin closes her eyes and walks past Luz]

Ronin: In this ball lies every inch of pain your family and friends have felt the entire time you all spent here. If you do care about your friends, are you willing to take in their pain?

[Luz is shocked]

Luz: Are you proposing?!

[Ronin interrupts]

Ronin: If you can survive all the negative energy within this orb, than I'll let you and your friends go, but if you don't, I'll take your friends out the moment you die.

[Luz gulps]

Ronin: So what do you say? Do we have a deal?

[Luz begins to think to herself]

Luz: It can't be that bad right?!

Ronin: Let me show you a fragment of what lies here.

[Ronin releases a ball of light from it, and as it enters Luz's body, Luz feels as if thousands of small bombs have entered her body, the pain ends and she falls to the ground coughing]

Luz: *COUGH* *COUGH*

[Ronin stares are her]

Ronin: Do you wish to continue?

[Luz laughs]

Luz: That wasn't too bad!

[Luz gets back up]

Luz: I'll take the rest of it!

[Ronin smiles]

Ronin: Wise choice.

[Luz stops her]

Luz: Hang on a second, can we not do it here.

[Ronin raises an eyebrow]

[Luz moves to a different spot where the rest of the gang can't possibly see them, just in case they are conscious]

Luz: *sigh*

Ronin: this spot should be good enough.

[Viper stops her]

Viper: Hey you know you don't have to do this! This is crazy even for you!

[Luz removes the hand from her shoulder]

Luz: It's me or my friends! And I'll always choose my friends! So let's do this!

[Luz runs forward into the ball of pain]

[30 minutes after the final test, the Eda slowly opens her eyes and groans]

Eda: What the heck just happened?

[Eda then notices King running towards her]

King: Eda! You're awake?!

Eda: Of course I'm awake, and...okay?

[Eda notices that the pain is gone]

Eda: That's weird, my wounds are gone.

King: Strange coincidence, mine too.

[Eda sees everyone wake up from the aftermath]

Edric: Uh what just happened?

Emira: I have no idea.

[West gets up and notices his pain is gone]

West: Is everyone okay?!

[Everyone yells as a sign they are okay]

West: what about pain do you feel anything?

[Everyone notices that their pain is gone as well]

Raymond: Yeah, what the heck?

Hooty: It's like someone miraculously healed us.

[Lilith notices her wounds are gone.]

Lilith: It's as if nothing happened.

[Viney groans as she gets up]

Viney: nothing for you guys at least, some of us are scarred emotionally.

[Boscha and Amelia help Skara get up]

Boscha: Okay for real, what's going on?!

Skara: Was it all just a dream?

Amelia: If it was a dream than why would we be standing where the battle field once was?

[Gus and Mattholomule find Kotoha and help her as well]

Gus: you alright Kotoha?

Kotoha: I'm fine, just confused.

Mattholomule: Tell me about it.

[A.X.E.L finds Jerbo and Barcus]

A.X.E.L.: Is it a strange coincidence that all of us are okay?

[Amity and Willow search the wreckage and find Coco]

Willow: Coco!

[Coco wakes up]

Coco: Ugh! Where am I? Are we dead?

Willow: No but we might have been if that explosion happened.

[Arthur is the last one to get up]

Arthur: (Crap Ronin what were you thinking?! Wait a second?! Where's?!)

[Arthur notices that someone from the group is missing]

Arthur: HAS ANYONE SEEN LUZ?!

[Everyone looks around and notices that she is nowhere to be seen]

Amity: OH NO!

[Eda, King and Amity begin a desperate search for Luz]

Eda: LUZ!

King: LUZ WHERE ARE YOU?!

Amity: LUZ?!

[Everyone also begins to look for her, until Eda sees a certain silhouette]

Eda: Wait, is that?

[She only sees the back but immediately recognizes the hair color]

Eda: There she is!

[Eda get happy as she found her kid]

Eda: Luz thank goodness we found you, you have no idea how worried we were since we...couldn't...find you?

[Eda's eyes widen as she begins to notice the blood all over Luz's body, not only her body but dried up blood on the rock and debris around her]

[Eda gasps]

Eda: LUZ!

[Eda checks up on her]

Eda: NO, NO, NO!

[Eda does a thorough search of her body]

Eda: What happened to you?! Who did this to you?!

[Eda then recalls the last thing that happened before everyone blacked out]

Eda: It was that girl wasn't it! Oh when I get my hands on her I'll kill her!

[Luz struggles to talk but manages to speak]

Luz: Eda.

[Eda hears Luz's voice]

Luz: Don't worry about it!

[Luz shows a serious expression on her face]

Luz: This is nothing!

[Luz's eyes are red after the recent event]

Luz: I'm...fine!

[Luz begins to fall backward leading Eda to catch]

Eda: Luz talk to me!

[Luz begins to become unconscious]

Eda: LUZ! LUZ!