Chapter 15: Moving on
The second to last chapter that takes place in Riviera. My computer got busted and I'm going to New York so I wont be able to update for a while. I wanted to update this before I left so here you are
"Hey Jack," Nardi smirked entering the recovery ward.
"Oh it's just you Nardi…" Jack muttered. It had been a week since the attack of the body snatcher. Jack was healing slowly for some (slightly obvious to Zero and Leon) reason.
"Yea… Zero's training is really tough," Nardi laughed, "Be glad you're out of action for it!"
"I'd rather be training…" Jack sighed.
"Not really… Zero's pushing us so hard some of the more severe injuries aren't being corrected by exiting the barrier," Nardi rubbed his shoulder.
"I noticed that Ledah spent a day in here," Jack replied.
"Oh you should have been there! Ledah came up while Zero had locked blades with Chris, Kazé and Ein. So Zero sent out this wave thing and sent those three flying. And nearly flew around and skewered him right in the spine. And used him as a hammer on poor Ein," Nardi laughed, "Then he nearly sliced me in half…"
"I can see why," Jack chuckled.
"Are you saying I'm annoying," Nardi asked.
'He might not be but I am you freak,' Leon muttered.
"Yea," Jack smirked.
"Oh well," Nardi shrugged.
"Well you here for any other reason than to chat it up with me?" Jack asked.
"Huh? Oh yea! You have a visitor," Nardi cracked the door and motioned. A humbled Serene entered sluggishly as Nardi nearly fled.
"Oh… It's you," Jack muttered angrily.
"Jack," Serene muttered.
'Not this again. If she asks what I would have done tell here that I would be ashamed of her,' Leon sighed.
"I… I'm sorry. I really am," Serene announced.
'oh sure I believe you! Yea apparently sharing the same body means that we feel the same injuries. That scythe through the lung sure felt dandy,' Leon complained
"You might be but I'm not ready to forgive you," Jack shot.
'Yay,' Leon cheered
"But!" Serene shouted.
"As soon as Leon got back You cast me aside like a used candy wrapper. You nearly killed me. Mind and Body," Jack explained. Serene remained silent, "I won't be ready to forgive you for a long time. But not now and especially not in my recovery bed," Jack shouted.
"Time to reapply your bandages," Zero said from the doorway, "Only medical personnel can be in the room." Zero ushered Serene out of the room and locked the door behind them.
'Thank you Zero!' Leon shouted.
'Whatever,' Zero thought back
"Thanks…" Jack sighed.
"Hope you don't mind, I listened in a bit," Zero sighed. Even though it had been a week Zero had still not put his eye patch back on.
"I don't care," Jack mumbled.
"How are your injuries?" Zero asked.
"Better. I think I might be able to get up," Jack smiled.
"Lets see it," Zero smirked. Jack sat up from his and flipped around putting his legs on the ground. He stood, a little shaky at first but he stood. "Now try walking, Your legs are going to be weak from lack of use but you should still be able to walk," Zero encouraged.
"Yea," Jack continued putting walking over to Zero.
"There you go," Zero smirked, "Let's head over to the spring,"
"Why?" Jack asked.
"I've tempered the water to speed up the healing process," Zero explained grabbing a towel.
"Alright," Jack smiled. The two headed over to the spring where the water now glowed a bright green.
"Is anyone else coming?" Jack asked.
"Only all the girls in Elendia," Zero smirked.
"What!?!" Jack shouted.
"Kidding," Zero laughed (It's a mean joke so it's not as bad as normal)
"Oh good," Jack sighed.
"I'll guard the entrance." Zero smirked.
"Alright," Jack smiled. Zero stood waiting for Jack to finish.
"Hey Zero!" Lilly shouted. She had come to the springs with Fia and Cierra.
"Sorry, I'm guarding. Can't let you in," Zero sighed.
"Who is in there?" Cierra asked.
"Jack," Zero answered.
"I didn't realize he was out of bed," Fia murmured.
"He could walk so I brought him to the spring. I gave the water healing properties earlier today for Ein and Chris," Zero explained.
"I remember the training session," Lilly sighed.
"Is Ein going to be ok?" Fia asked.
"He's fine. Frankly I'm surprised passing through the barrier was able to reattach his legs," Zero scratched his head.
"How about Chris," Cierra asked.
"He went home with a few cuts and scrapes. The healing water almost healed that huge slash across his chest," Zero sighed, "other than that he's fine."
"I'm done," Jack said coming out of the spring, "Oh hey,"
"You really are doing better," Fia smiled.
"That water is amazing," Jack shouted.
"I had to develop something like that for my injuries," Zero sighed.
"Hey can I do a training session with you?" Jack asked.
"Plan on coming back to the spring," Zero muttered.
"That's ok," Jack smirked.
"Then lets go," Zero said leading Jack to the new training field. The barrier went up and Jack drew his scythe.
"Ready Zero!" Jack shouted. Zero responded by drawing his blade.
"Tsh," Zero muttered charging but disappearing in mid charge.
"What!?!" Jack shouted.
"I'm behind you," Zero announced appearing behind Jack, "And beside you," Another Zero appeared to the left of Jack. "And all around you," At least 100 Zeros appeared all around Jack. They all started charging Jack. The first met Jack's scythe but the second met his chest, The next met him in the head teleporting him outside of the barrier.
"Damn," Jack muttered. The barrier had healed his head wound completely when he passed through it but the wound on his chest hadn't been completely healed although all that remained was a small scratch.
"Want to try again?" Zero asked.
"What was that?" Jack shouted.
"Full force, If you were an enemy that was what I would do to you," Zero answered.
"Dude…" Jack muttered at the sheer difference in the last time he had trained with Zero 2 weeks ago and now.
"You answer?" Zero asked.
"Sure," Jack smirked.
"Fool," Zero sighed as the barrier went up. Jack charged immediately but when he brought his scythe down there was nothing to hit. Zero grabbed Jack's ankle and sliced his left leg off throwing the detached leg away.
"Damn it!" Jack shouted grasping what remained of his leg and swinging his scythe again. Zero caught the scythe and sliced his right arm off.
Zero then held his left hand up and muttered, "Be gone, Ultimar." There was a huge explosion Jack was teleported out as soon as the blast hit him. His arm and leg were reattached when he passed through the barrier but he still had burn wounds from the explosion.
"Damn!" Jack slammed his hand into the ground.
"Let's go to the spring," Zero sighed.
"Alright…" Jack sighed. The two took the short walk to the spring Jack all the while complaining about his burn wounds.
"Hey! Is anyone still in there!" Zero shouted into the spring.
"I don't hear anything," Jack muttered.
"Sometimes they're under water," Zero sighed grabbing a stick and sticking it through the bushes. When he didn't hear anything he took a small rock and tossed it over the bush and hearing the splash.
"I still don't hear anything," Jack stated the obvious.
"Let me check," Zero muttered sticking his head through the bushes.
"Hey Zero," Lilly smiled sitting in the spring with only a towel on.
"When I asked if anyone was still in there I meant you too Lilly," Zero sighed shutting his eyes.
"Lilly's in there?" Jack blushed. Zero motioned for him to stay there and he walked to the spring. He picked up a bucket and filled it with water. "What's with the bucket?" Jack asked. Zero said nothing only dumping the water onto Jack. "Ack!" Jack shouted. His wounds started to steam. As this happened the wounds started disappearing.
"There you're better now let's go," Zero growled.
"Ok," Jack turned around and started back towards the base but Zero didn't follow. Instead Zero turned around and went into the spring grabbing a towel and walking into the changing room he built.
"So are you joining me or what?" Lilly smiled.
"Sure whatever," Zero announced from the room. When he came out he was wearing a towel and his metal limbs had been changed with the waterproof plastic ones.
"How have you been?" Lilly asked as Zero entered the water.
"These idiots are improving. Especially Ledah and Ein. It's amazing what a week of training will do. I'm sure they could probably take down Scath with ease," Zero explained.
"That's good to hear. But what about you?" Lilly asked.
"I'm improving a little, Kazé has been challenging me a little since we're brothers but that's about it," Zero answered, "Ledah and Ein are developing the fastest."
"What about the portal to the Origin's Castle?" Lilly asked.
"It's getting there. I think I might have it finished in a couple of weeks instead of months," Zero explained.
"Glad to hear," Lilly smiled.
"Well I'm worried about how fast Jack can improve. I'm confident Ein, Ledah, Chris, and Kazé will be ready by the time I finish but I don't know about Jack. I might extend his training an extra week to compensate," Zero sighed.
"So its just going to be you five?" Lilly asked. Zero thought about his answer. He knew Ein, Rose, Serene, Fia, Lina, and Cierra had been through a lot together.
"I believe so. I know the others want to go but I just don't think they'll be strong enough. I also want a back up group which is why I'm training Nardi," Zero answered
"So are you going to leave right when you finish the portal?" Lilly asked.
"I think so. I don't want an emotional goodbye so I won't tell anyone when we leave," Zero explained.
"I want you to make sure you do something for me," Lilly smiled.
"What?" Zero asked.
"Come back alive," Lilly demanded.
"Sure," Zero smiled (I don't know what's wrong with him. He never smiled way back when!)
"Well I guess I'll go to bed," Lilly yawned.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Zero smirked.
"Bye Zero," Lilly smiled exiting the water and going into the changing room. Zero made sure Lilly was gone before exiting the spring. He changed back into his regular cloths and headed out.
"Zero," Kazé called.
"What?" Zero asked.
"I think the portal's ready!" Kazé shouted.
"What? This soon!" Zero shouted.
"Yea! I was messing with the portal device and it just opened up! I peeked through and it was The Origin's Castle!" Kazé continued, "I can't for the life of me figure out why."
"I can…" Zero mumbled.
"What?" Kazé asked.
"He wants us to come. To step into his world and be destroyed. He must be ready too. Ready for the end," Zero explained.
"Then we need to be to!" Kazé shouted.
"We will. In time," Zero smirked.
Training is way tougher this time around. Poor Jack and Serene. The next chapter will be set 1 month after this one for the training. RnR please.
Next time: Chapter 16 Into the Dark
The Portal is opened and the five warriors travel to the World Of Darkness. What horrors await them inside the Origin's Castle?