I'll try my hardest to not make this a crappy sequel.
That's all I need to say.
Reviewers:
The Great Unknown- Thank you…yeah that's pretty much all I can say. And sorry for the wait, a lot has been going on.
SSJmusicfighter282- -blushes- this review made my day. I think I consider the main character to be Isaac…though I tend to lean towards other characters too. I like to add Piers to the main character's circle too, sometimes. Thanks for the praise, helps me out a lot. And prequel is coming soon-ish. Since I started on new stories, I haven't had time to work much on it. But it's coming, slowly but surely!
GoddessIrui- -usual smile while reading review- Haha I found the 'paws off' comment ironic since the monster did have paws…yeah random 'not-funny-humor-'. Felix is sick, yeah. You'll see throughout the story that he tries not to use psynergy unless he really has to. No one can get used to the Kraden/Alex thing…but I had to bring in Kraden somehow. –lols- Isaac and Jenna are nineteen now, and they're perfectly old enough to do what they want to do. Yes, sometimes I envy Isaac and his sleeping psynergy, I'd cast it on myself most of the time. Anyways, thanks for the review. Glad to have your support.
Chapter 2: Kraden's Invention
"Piers, take the controls." said Jenna angrily as she tried her best to follow in the serpent's trail in the water. Piers took her place as she reunited with Isaac.
"Alright, what happened out there?" she said, her arms crossed.
"He wanted to blast apart the tunnel we were stuck in." said Isaac. "I tried to stop him but he insisted and it was the only way out."
Jenna looked angry. She stared at Isaac with a look of undermost disbelief.
"Well if you guys are so angry, why don't you take it out on the serpent?" said Felix. Jenna and Isaac both sighed. "Alright, that's settled, go get ready guys."
Jenna stumped away to the ship's armory/weaponry and Isaac followed her. They'd have to settle this once they got back.
"My equipment please, Gingai." said Jenna grumpily to the young cadet who was in charge of handing it out.
"My spare armor please." said Isaac, whose current one had been slightly damaged by Garet's blast.
"What happened to it, Captain?" asked Gingai, handing Jenna her armor.
"Long story." said Isaac. "Can you mend it?"
"Sure can!" said Gingai, heaving Jenna's sword towards her.
Isaac exchanged armor and went to help Jenna tie her own.
"I don't need your help." she said, pulling away.
"I don't need you mad at me at the moment." said Isaac, suddenly irritated. "We need to work as a team for the battle ahead."
"We are a team. I hope you won't let me blast myself to pieces for that." said Jenna, lifting her sword and marching out of the room.
Isaac followed her, slipping his fingers through hers. "Let's settle this later, shall we? We've got a serpent to K-O."
Jenna nodded reluctantly and opened the door to the bridge, where everyone was waiting for them.
"You'll be taking the SS Stormer to reach it. Daniel is waiting for you in the defense room." said Piers. "Good luck guys."
"No sweat." said Isaac confidently, putting an arm around Jenna and together they warped in front of the young pilot.
"Finally." said Daniel. "Come on, get in." They quickly got into the tiny sailing ship, now equipped with a motor thanks to the young wind adept.
"Request for launch." said Daniel, speaking into his earpiece.
The floor below the Stormer opened in some massive trap door, sending the small ship into a free drop unto the sea.
"How close can you get us to it?" asked Jenna.
"Very close." said Daniel, stirring the wheel and propulsing the motors to catch up to the giant green mass in front of them.
"Ready love?" asked Isaac, smiling at Jenna.
"Ready as I'll ever be." said Jenna.
Isaac charged his palms with energy and hit the serpent squarely on the back while Jenna climbed on the crow's nest to analyze their enemy; something she had been accustomed to doing during a ship battle.
"Weak point?" asked Isaac, satisfied to see that his provocation was making the serpent double-back.
"The neck." said Jenna into her ear-piece. "I'll try to get his head up and you can…"
But she didn't have time to finish her sentence. The serpent swung his huge tail towards the crow's nest, sending the remains (and Jenna) flying into the ocean.
"Jenna!" screamed Isaac, suddenly forgetting about his foe and looking out into the sea to see her coming back into the surface.
"CAPTAIN!" screamed Daniel. The Serpent had lunged for the ship, missing it by millimeters thanks to Daniel's expert steering.
Isaac returned to the serpent, reassuring himself by thinking that Jenna was an accomplished swimmer and that she would reappear soon enough. He concentrated all of his energy to his target, making a sphere of energy around it.
"I'm sorry, master. It seems I'll have to let my psynergy take over once again." he mumbled to himself. He concentrated his entire energy on his target, ready to unleash his full power on the beast.
"Isaac, I know what you're going to do." said Jenna's voice inside of his earpiece. "Don't do it."
"Jenna, go underwater. Swim as far as you can from the Serpent and only come back up when you're sure it's gone." said Isaac, ignoring her comment.
"We can beat it without you shortening your life." said Jenna.
"Equivalent exchange, Jenna." said Isaac. "That way Garet and I are even. Now, please just do as I say."
"…be careful." said Jenna.
Isaac closed his eyes and felt every bit of psynergy leave his body. For a few seconds, he was nothing, and then life flowed back into him. Isaac collapsed on his knees and opened his eyes. There was nothing in sight in front on him. He had destroyed the Serpent. His mind at ease, he let himself fall against the deck of the SS Stormer.
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Jenna stared at her two best friends unconscious in the med center with a slight smirk on her face. Somehow, they always ended up in here together.
"Equivalent exchange, my ass." she said. "You just love being 'beat up buddies' up here."
"Yep, it's become a hobby." said Mia, coming in the room. "And I'm the one stuck stitching them back together. How are you feeling?"
"I'm alright." said Jenna.
"Aren't our boys idiots sometimes?" said Mia. "They still respect a vow you three made when you were kids."
"I will repay a wrong with a wrong." recited Jenna.
"Is that why you were so angry at Isaac?" asked Mia. "Were you afraid he wasn't going to respect that rule?"
"He would have done it even if I hadn't gotten angry." said Jenna. "We're all still attached to those rules, even today. I only gave him a little push."
"So you weren't worried when he used his full power earlier?" asked Mia.
"Of course I was." replied Jenna. "Using that psynergy shortens his life. He could have done it another way. That's why I find him stupid."
Jenna started towards the door. Mia laughed lightly as she watched her go. "Well said." she mumbled, looking at Garet stirring in his sleep.
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"Home sweet home." said Isaac, stretching as the ship continued its way to Vale. "Wonder if the fish are still alive."
Jenna didn't answer. She had hardly moved from her position all evening. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.
Jenna's eyes seemed to just go back into focus. "Huh?" she said, looking at Isaac. "Oh…nothing important."
"Don't make me get Ivan out here." said Isaac with a smirk.
Jenna sighed and pressed her back against the railing.
"While you guys were in Izumo," began Jenna "I accidentally found your research journal and…"
"And you saw things I didn't want to tell anyone just yet." said Isaac.
"Isaac, don't tell me we went to Imil too quickly." said Jenna. "It's clear that we overlooked the augury when we did this."
"…I don't know. We'll talk about this once we're back in Sol Sanctum." said Isaac. "Stop worrying so much. We always come through. Unless…there's something else?"
For an answer, Jenna took something from her pocket. "When you blew up the Serpent, this thing came out of him." She handed it to him, her hands trembling. It was some sort of small metal disk. Some sort of blue liquid flowed into it as if it were blood. Isaac stared at it, his eyes wide.
"That thing should have been destroyed along with the serpent." said Isaac. "How did it…?"
"I don't know. Whatever it is, it's probably what woke it up." said Jenna.
"Kraden?" asked Isaac, perplexed.
"I think so." said Jenna.
"We should show this to Felix." said Isaac, giving the object back to her. "I don't know why you didn't show this to anyone before now, but it's obviously dangerous."
"Let's go." she said, as if she hadn't heard him.
They stepped back into the bridge and found Felix on the ground.
"Another attack?" asked Isaac as he and Jenna got closer.
Jenna kneeled next to her brother's head and bit her lower lip so hard it turned white.
"His heartbeat actually stopped for a few seconds." said Mia. "It's never happened before."
"That's it." said Jenna. "Piers, land the ship. We'll get to Vale in the morning."
"What makes you so sure it's the ship's fault?" asked Sheba.
"The ship uses our psynergy to fly." said Isaac. "Jenna's right. We've been flying for too long. We need to be careful from now on."
After a few minutes, the ship made a gentle decent on the ground. The light thump seemed to bring Felix back to his senses.
"Easy, buddy." said Garet.
Felix sat up and blinked a few times to get his eyes into focus. Jenna simply got up without looking at him and left the room. Her brother stared after her, his expression puzzled. Felix slowly got to his feet and followed her.
Jenna was standing on the deck, looking at the disk she had found.
"Jenna…?" said Felix, getting close to her.
Felix's eyes widened in horror. Jenna had turned around. Her eyes were dark and empty. Without warning, she used her fire psynergy on her brother, who dodged it.
"Jenna!" he screamed. "What's gotten into you?"
Suddenly, an arrow zoomed across the deck and hit the small disk in her hand. It looked as if Jenna had taken the blow. She let out a little 'oh.' of surprise before falling on the ground.
"Nice shot, Garet!" said Mia.
"Archery lessons did pay off after all." said Garet.
"I knew this thing meant trouble." said Isaac, walking towards the mysterious disk. The strange blue liquid oozed out of it. "Whatever you do, don't touch that stuff."
Isaac turned Jenna on her back and pressed his hand against her cheek. "I'm sorry, Felix. It's my fault. I should have noticed she was acting strangely."
Felix walked over to his sister and kneeled in front of her. "You've touched that thing too?" he asked.
"Yes, I did." replied Isaac, lowering his gaze back to Jenna.
"Alright." he said, getting back up. "Piers, head to Vale."
"But-" protested Piers.
"I don't care if it's bad for me, we need to get back to the sanctum." said Felix. Piers nodded reluctantly and left to the bridge, accompanied by Mia, Garet, Ivan and Sheba. "And you two," added Felix "will be placed in quarantine once we reach Mt. Aleph. For now, get her to your room and don't leave it until we arrive."
Isaac nodded. "I'm sorry I keep messing up." he added, before picking up Jenna.
"Just watch over her." said Felix, returning to the bridge, leaving Isaac to wallow into his ocean of shame.
Sorry again for the wait guys. I've been really busy repainting my bedroom, writing my novel and dealing with other matters. Don't worry, I didn't forget about you guys (or the Outlaws for that matter). I apologize for the short-ish chapter too. I'm getting lazy.
Anyways, I can't wait to hear your comments about this so fire away.
Miyu.Lara