Chapter 12: Special?
Ini's skills in combat continued to impress, earning him the nickname "King of C-Ranks." While the B-Ranks and A-Ranks laughed at him, Ini proved himself to be a formidable opponent, capable of taking down weaker B-Ranks head-on.
However, the academy's attention was soon diverted to the looming threat of an alien swarm approaching Victoria Island. The aliens, categorized as 3s and 4s, equivalent to C-Ranks and B-Ranks, respectively, were a force to be reckoned with.
The Eagle Squad, comprising both Ini,Temi and lots of others was called upon to defend the island. They boarded an aircraft and flew towards the island, their hearts racing with anticipation.
After a 30-minute journey, they landed on the island, waiting for the incoming swarm. The air was thick with tension as they prepared for battle.
The bees arrived, a relentless barrage of stingers and venom. The warriors fought valiantly, but the bees were stronger than any they had faced before. People with barrier powers like Temi were sweating under the pressure, their domes cracking under the constant assault.
Just as the bees broke through Temi's barrier, death flashes before temi's eyes then Ini appeared out of nowhere, his flames engulfing the bees. But in the process, he was pierced by the bees' stingers, his body burning with venom.
Temi screamed, rushing towards him and trying to block the flow of blood, but it gushed out nonstop. Ini's wound was too deep, the venom too potent.
As Temi held Ini's lifeless body, reinforcements arrived, a barrage of attacks from the air driving the bees back. The healers landed, quickly attending to the wounded, but Ini's fate was sealed.
The healer's words cut through Temi like a knife: "This injury is not just on the surface. The bee injected him with venom, and it's too late to heal him."
Ini's consciousness slipped away, leaving Temi shattered. They retreated from the battlefield, Ini's body carried back to base.
The days that followed were a blur of grief and despair. One by one, the others infected with the venom succumbed to its deadly effects. Temi was consumed by fear, her hope dwindling with each passing day.
She spent her free time in ini's room, funded his medication and fought knowing she was fighting for two.
All hope seemed lost but then, a mysterious figure appeared in Ini's hospital room. He had blue eyes and a gemstone on his forehead, his presence both captivating and unsettling.
Temi tried to scream, but the stranger's mysterious powers muted her lips. "Relax, I'm here to help," he said, his voice low and soothing.
He placed a device on Ini's chest, siphoning the venom from his body. "This has stabilized him, but there's still more to be done. Just trust me, I'll make sure he returns to your side. I'm tosak."
With that, the stranger, who introduced himself as Tosak, vanished into thin air, leaving Temi with more questions than answers. As she pondered the mysterious encounter, she felt a strange sensation wash over her, and her eyelids grew heavy.
She fell into slumber, unaware of the events that would unfold next.
Celestari fury
Commander Tharkos stormed into the laboratory, his face twisted in a scowl. "I'm not seeing any progress," he growled, his voice dripping with disdain. "We've been at this for far too long, and yet we're still stuck at square one."
The lead scientist, a bespectacled man with a nervous twitch, stepped forward. "Actually, Commander, we have made progress. It's just not the kind of progress you were expecting."
Tharkos raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what kind of progress have you made?"
The scientist hesitated before speaking. "Well, sir, our...interference with the human world has had an unexpected consequence. The humans and their world are becoming saturated with magic energy."
Tharkos's expression changed from anger to intrigue. He chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Ah, I see. They're evolving from an isolated world into an open world."
The scientist nodded. "Yes, sir. But this means that our initial plan to infiltrate their world won't work. We can't just send our people in; they'll be detected and rejected."
Tharkos nodded thoughtfully. "Of course. We'll have to send...proxies. Slaves or high-level soft slaves."
The scientist swallowed hard. "Yes, sir. But we need to be careful. If we send too many slaves, the world will seal itself off and expel the magic. It'll be a waste of our efforts, we can only send them gradually over time."
Tharkos's eyes narrowed. "How many years?"
The scientist hesitated. "At our current pace...about 50 years, sir."
Tharkos's expression turned cold. "Double the pace. I don't have time to waste."
The scientist nodded, though he looked worried. Tharkos, however, seemed unconcerned. For a being over 10,000 years old, 25 years was equivalent to a mere 25 weeks. Time was relative, and Tharkos had all the time in the world.
Temi was jolted awake by the urgent voices of her fellow A-rank warriors. "Temi, wake up! We have to go, now!" one of them exclaimed, shaking her shoulder.
Groggily, Temi sat up, rubbing her eyes. She looked around the room, but Ini was nowhere to be found. Strangely, she didn't feel a surge of panic or concern. Instead, she felt an unusual sense of peace, as if she knew Ini was safe.
The nurses, however, were frantic. "Where is he?" one of them whispered urgently to another. "He was here just a minute ago, and now he's gone!" They exchanged nervous glances, knowing that the higher-ups would not be pleased.
The higher-ups arrived soon enough, their faces stern and demanding. "Temi, what do you know about Ini's disappearance?" one of them asked, his voice firm.
Temi shook her head, still feeling that strange sense of calm. "I don't remember anything," she replied, her voice sincere.
The nurse after searching the entire medical bay had no choice but to report to the higher ups
The higher-ups exchanged skeptical glances. "We need to find him," one of them muttered. "His body is... unusual. It's fighting against the poison in a way that's never been seen before. His blood could hold the key to an antidote."this was one of the reasons they still treated him another being with his fame if they gave up on him other warriors would not trust them thinking if they got injured they'll be abandoned.
They began a frantic search for Ini's body.
Meanwhile, in a hidden location deep within a massive waterfall, a cloaked spaceship hummed quietly. Inside, Tosak moved with purpose, his eyes fixed on the comatose form of Ini. He checked the readings on the screen sighing.
"I want to know how someone like you can fight against a poison strong enough to kill me for so long." Tosak muttered, his voice low and intrigued. "And yet, you're showing signs of recovery. What secrets do you hold, boy?"