It felt as if the world went into slow motion, as Jessie and I were heading directly at each other. Maybe with my wings I could have avoided her strike and gone for a counterattack, but everything in my gut was telling me to match her hit for hit here. Luckily, I had the advantage in many ways. Being in the air alone was a huge one. I could remaneuver myself around and she could. The other big advantage was my whip still being a snake.
Though I was also at a disadvantage as well. Her lightning has been stronger than my fire, and she doesn't seem nearly as injured as I am. One wrong move and I'm out for the count.
I pulled my right arm back and then swung it down and across my body, throwing the snake forward. It had some spiral too it so it could wrap around her staff. As soon as we were close enough, I pulled my right arm back again to get ready for our last exchange.
As my serpent wrapped around her staff I could see the lightning getting ready to finish me off, meaning I had to finish this now.
My snake bit into her arm, right below her wrist. It seemed to have the desired effect I wanted as her grip on her staff let up, but not before electrifying the hell out of the snake, and I could see the current running up towards me.
I put all my strength into my next attack.
As the fire around my wrist burned hotter and stronger than before, it helped shoot my arm down. A slash to the shoulder is what I was aiming for.
Even more it felt like time had slowed down. I could see perfectly my arm swinging towards her while my snaked pulled the staff out of her hand. The electrical current coming towards me. I could even see the right hook she was trying to throw.
None of them ever impacted. As time felt like it went back to normal, I felt a pain by my elbow and in my ribs as I went flying sideways, hitting the far wall of the room, blacking out again.
When I came to, I was back in the infirmary, except this time I wasn't alone in there. In the bed across from me was Jessie, and asleep on a chair against the back wall was Troya.
I couldn't tell how much time had passed but it was dark outside and I was thoroughly wrapped in bandages. Trying to move a little and a pain shot in my right side and then I felt numb.
"You took quite a beating there kid, I wouldn't move to much," Troya said. She had clearly just woken up from hearing me move. Her hair was messed up, has bags under her eyes, and a little bit of drool coming out of her mouth.
"She's cute," I meant to think in my head but said out loud.
'So you like the older ladies then,' Gil laughed.
'Shut it Gil.'
"Ahem," she cleared her throat while standing up, giving me a weird look.
'Yeah she so heard you."
"Captain, what happened?"
"You and Jessie were about to kill each other, accidental or not. So I stepped in and ended it, sorry if I was a little rough about it." Troya said while looking towards the bandages on my ribs.
"That was you? How are you so fast? I felt the whip get cut and a pain in my ribs all in one instant, and the next, I was against the wall," I said, truly amazed at how strong she had to be.
"If you're wondering it isn't my power or anything. That's just my natural speed now from training. You could get this strong too, honestly you and Jessie will probably end up stronger than me," she said smiling. "If either of you ever want personal training lessons, I'll happily give them, give her that message when she wakes up for me? You'll both probably be in here for a while to recover."
With that she walked out. Leaving me mostly alone. Jessie was one thing, but with Gil in my soul, I won't be alone for a long time.
Since I had nothing else to do I checked my quests tab, and just as I figured, I had failed both of them. By being knocked out of the ring and knocked out in general. I hadn't even managed to get a single knockout, Jessie had taken out both of the others, and almost me as well. She's scary strong.
Or am I just weak? What would I have done if that was a fight to the death? What if Xynthia and Icarus were in danger?
I couldn't help it, but I started crying while thinking about that.
'So do you want to get stronger?'
Of course I do, I need to be able to protect those I love. But I can't tell him that, I still don't know how much I can trust him. But even so…
'Yes! I want to be the strongest!' I yelled in my mind.
'Then you're on my training regiment now boy, I'm taking one hour every day to train you hard in your soul. If a few seconds was a few hours. In no time in the real world you'll be unstoppable, just don't die on me before we get you there!'
Gil was waiting for this.