Chapter Ten: What's Left of Me
"We're all set." Guy confirmed.
"Alright, lets get moving." Jade pushed the lever and began to move forward. They traveled through the cave with ease and started to descend into the cave.
"Everybody lets head up. Jade, take care of the controls." Guy ordered. Waiting at the top, was Zeno. He had drawn a symbol on the ground with one of the tools Dist had stolen, and watched them emerge from the door.
"Alright Luke. You ready?" Zeno asked.
"Yeah. Lets do this." Luke nodded.
"Stand in the middle of the symbol, in front of that circle. Plant the key into the slit inside the circle and use your hyperresonance on it. After all that, twist the key to a 90-degree angle. You have move out of the circle before the light connects. Got it?" Zeno waited.
"No problem. Here I go." Luke planted his sword into the ground and closed his eyes while he gathered energy. The power transferred from his hands and into the sword, making it radiantly glow. He opened his eyes once again and turned it. Light traveled through the lines like blood through veins as he rushed out of the figure. One they all connected, the symbol levitated off the ground and like a door, opened.
"Jade! Get us out of here! Now!" Zeno screamed.
"Hold on!" Jade activated the shield and the hover devices. A flash of light emerged from the door and the key fell to the ground.
"Get inside!" Zeno demanded. While they ran inside, Anise could feel her feet slowly peeling off the floor.
"W-what's happening?" Anise shrieked.
"Grab on!" Zeno extended his hand. Anise extended hers and caught his hand. A black stone flew from out of his pocket and started to fly away. Anise caught while Zeno pulled her back and inside.
"T-thanks. I thought I was a goner!" Anise rubbed her arms and sneezed. "Some guy must be talking about how cute I am!" Anise giggled.
"Or," Zeno placed his hand on her forehead. "You might be getting sick!" Anise placed her hand on her forehead and smiled.
"Would you help take care of me then?" Anise grinned.
"Never!" Zeno joked.
"Meanie!" She lightly punched him on the arm.
"Oh grow up!" They giggled.
When they reached the surface, they went to see Natalia and Noelle waiting inside the Albiore.
"Were back!" Luke beamed with pride.
"How's your ankle doing?" Guy sat next to Natalia and stared at her foot.
"It doesn't seem like it changed since you were gone. Tear, why don't you try again as a tester?" Natalia looked up at Tear.
"Sure. Lets try again." Tear placed her hands over the sprain once again, and collected fonnons. The fonnons glimmered brightly and remained solid. "Done. Try standing." Once Natalia got to her feet, she moved her ankle and nodded.
"Thank you, Tear." She swung her arms across Tear and hugged her.
"Oooh, is somebody jealous?" Zeno smirked.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Guy pushed him lightly. Zeno smiled, but something inside him was wrong. His vision became fuzzy and he couldn't balance himself.
"I-I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to sleep." He quickly spoke and rushed out the room.
"Would you run if you're tired?" Anise tilted her head sideways.
"Arietta…" Sync looked at her.
"No!" Arietta gasped. They dashed out through the door and to Zeno.
"What's happening?" Luke narrowed his eyes.
"I'm going to go check!" Anise followed.
She looked around and looked for the sleeping cabin. She held her ear to the door and listened.
"Zeno are you alright?" She could hear Arietta patting his back while Zeno coughed and spat into the toilet.
"You're coughing up blood… is there something wrong?" Anise silently covered her mouth.
"I-I don't know." He coughed. "Don't worry… its alright. I was only a test subject. You know that. Replicas were never supposed to last this long." The room grew silent. Anise moved away and hurried to the deck.
"Noelle! Hurry to Sheridan!" Anise desperately pleaded.
"Sure… but why?" She turned her chair.
"Zeno's coughing up blood!" She quivered.
"Blood? Why?" Guy asked.
"He said he was a test subject for replicas or something…" Her voice trailed off. "But that doesn't matter right now!" Anise cried. "Hurry to Sheridan!"
"I'm on it!"