Chapter 22: Celebration

When Jake awoke he found himself in a hospital, "How did I get here…last thing I remember is tossing the Sword of Eons away and then darkness…" he thought to himself. Just then he looked to his left and saw Michael peeking in through the door, "Guys…he's awake!"

Pretty soon he was surrounded by his friends and some of his family.

"Good to see you're still with us." Michael told him.

"What…how long have I—what day is it?" Jake asked.

"Don't sweat it Jakie…you only been out for 10 hours." Trixie told him.

"The Sword?" Jake asked.

"It's where it belongs…lost forever." Gramps told him.

"Yeah kid, you did fine." Fu added.

Just then Hailey managed to hop up on a chair next to Jake's bed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Thanks for not killing any of us."

"Really couldn't live with myself if I did." Jake told her, then he looked at the foot of his bed and saw what had to be at least more than a dozen gift baskets full of chocolate.

"A gift from your fans and well-wishers…you may not realize it Jake but you became rather famous when you defeated Jack de Lames." Michael told him.

"Yeah, you're a living legend now." Christian added.

"Talked to the doctors…they said you had a few moderate to minor injuries but nothing life-threatening." Tem told him.

"Yes…you are very fortunate Jake." Gramps pointed out.

"Gramps…Jack…he was the Grandfather of—." Jake started to tell him.

"I know, he told himself the night he rose from the grave…when I had Tem teleport you out of the warehouse." Gramps answered.

Just then there was a knock on the door, they all looked to see Briar Rose standing at the door, "Nice to see you're still with us…the Council was thinking of throwing a celebration to commemorate the fall of Jack de Lames…music, dinner, entertainment…pretty much everything."

"Sounds great but I'm in no real shape to be going anywhere." Jake told her.

"I know…that's why the Council not throwing it until you've recovered, wouldn't want to throw a celebration like that and not have one of the Guests of Honor not be there."

"Well best we leave now and let Jake get his rest, you know Rose sat by your bed most of the time you were out…sort of felt guilty about everything she put you through, said she guessed you and her had been through as much as Cleopatra and Antony—whatever that means?" Michael told him.

Just as Christian was about to leave the room she turned around, "You know…I accidentally walked in when they were getting you into that hospital gown, I can see why your last name's Long now…but I'll keep that as my little secret between us."

Jake looked a little embarrassed about being exposed like that, but then he looked at his side-table and saw the cracked mask of Jack de Lames, attached to it was a note.

Now this is a trophy you want to keep kid…

Fu

Jake looked at the mask, it seemed rather hard to believe that after all this he had somehow survived, then he felt the sides of his head and noticed something didn't feel right he went to the bathroom and saw that he had a small bald-spot on the right side of his head, "How that happen—?" Jake asked himself…then he remembered Jack grabbing hold of his head just before dying, "Aww man!"

After a couple of days Jake left the hospital and returned home, of course it was hard not getting mocked by fellow students for the bald-spot. A week later he got the invite to the party the Council was throwing, when Jake arrived back at the Council Building he saw that Briar had been right…they really did pull out all the stops for this. Jake found Michael re-telling the tale of how Jake and him and defeated Jack de Lames to a group of little kids, though he did seem to exaggerate the parts containing him and over-dramatize how the battle ended.

Jake and Michael then started talking about things that had happened to them during Dragon Training (Before they even knew about each other), "Dragon Breath huh, same thing happens to an Ice Dragon too…except instead of bad breath you find yourself hiccupping ice cubes at the most inconvenient times." Michael told him.

"How long did it last…a week, maybe two?" Jake asked.

"Actually it only lasted 4 days for me…3 for Christian, you I guess Ice Glands mature much more quickly." Michael told him.

"Uh, Michael…you don't mind me asking, that day in the Chamber…what was that whole transformation thing that made you go Incredible Hulk Dragon like that?" Jake asked.

"It's considered a syndrome…though I see it more as a curse, it's called Berserker Syndrome…and the sad fact is I'll have to live with it for the rest of my life, I mean there's a medicine for it…but I have to take every four days or I'll risk turning into that monster again."

Christian (accompanied by Briar) walked up to Jake and Michael, "Hey Jake…how about a dance?" Christian asked.

"Sure." Jake said, a little nervously.

"You two have fun…" Michael called out to them.

"And what about you?" Briar asked Michael.

"I don't dance, two left feet." Michael told her.

"Oh no, you're not getting off that easily…COME HERE!" Briar protested dragging Michael to the dance floor by the collar of his shirt.

All the while Gramps and Tem were sitting at the front table, talking with the Council, "You know Lao Shi…you might want to consider letting your Grandson test his skills at The Arena…in Siberia, you as well Tem…Michael has shown much promise…and with their defeat of Jack de Lames a lot of people will be coming to expect to see them there soon."

"I'd rather wait a few more years before I tempt Jake with that kind of honor…" Gramps told them.

"As well as Michael, I mean yes I know it's in his blood to go there…but I've seen the Arena break many Dragons before them…even the strong willed ones." Tem told them, "I'd say…we'd say hold off on that for at least a year or two."

The Council nodded in acceptance of their response.

Later that night Jake returned home, still feeling as if he was on a rather extrodinary high…he had had a great time, the food was great, not to mention he'd gotten to dance with Christian. As he put the mask of Jack de Lames on the wall over his desk he thought, "I can't believe it's over…pretty soon it'll be the same old routine, going to school…dragon training…" Jake then pulled out a picture of him, Christian, and Michael, "only this time…if I need help, I won't be alone."

And with that Jake got ready for bed, and turned off the lights, as he slept we close in on Jack de Lames Mask, "Yes little hero…go off into your own dreamland, because pretty soon you'll be wishing your entire life was just one horrible nightmare ha, ha, ha, ha!"

THE END?