The thick clouds over the countryside impaired Lero's vision heavily, but he was used to such conditions. The Ariocaster had come installed with a select set of instruments to navigate against the altitude and any obstacles below, ensuring that everything went smoothly. Most of these tools were still in working condition, with the occasion mishap here and there. The pilot couldn't be bothered with such an issue, as his two passengers had a much higher value than he could bring.
"Still ten minutes away?" Lero checked the time on the system, as the dark night sky illuminated the light provided for the clock, "Bloomin' ready to land back on that growlin' wonder."
His passengers remained silent, shuttering only against the descending turbulence and shifting winds from the distant hills to the coastal cliffs. The flight was relatively smooth, with zero incidents occurring in the air and a four-hour flight finishing up. Which speaking of which, Lero was finally low enough to see the dim lights from afar signaling the Port-O-Bea's sole runaway. They did notify the city of their most important assets, right?
Grabbing what he assumed was the Ariocaster's radio, Lero brought the mic against his face, clearing his throat. He was not giving up this baby.
"Excuse me, anyone at the bloody airport?" Lero responded, to which no answer came for a couple of seconds.
"Who is this?" a new voice zapped through, static bursting through the machine.
"Lero Bentom, carrying this girl and Jamal Wrint back to ya'll. Is the runaway clear for me to land or not?"
"Oh!" more voices erupted in the background, signifying that the news had been transferred, "Yessir, the runaway is clear to land. Please bring the Ariocaster up to the gate."
A slight smile returned to Lero's face, as a couple of more lights came to life, with a forming crowd trickling out of the building. This was the biggest news of the week, considering everything that the city had to endure, and their strongest ally coming back. Although this wasn't the exact way most would have wished to come back, Lero could only sigh as he shifted the gear to bring the wheels out.
"Alright people, please, just this once." the man stifled his breath, uneasy after everything that went down, "Bring these legends back."
.....
Bright flashing lights erupted through the city's main corridor, as the emergency vehicles sped through the main roads, holding absolute authority over any other form of transportation on the road. In the center of the convoy, two ambulances held Jamal and Alice, although Jamal's carr held multiple doctors within, pumping his body with fluids and healing powers to keep him breathing. Lero willingly stayed behind in the Ariocaster, wishing to make sure everything was situated with his new "prize" before deciding what to do next.
Almost on queue, just as the vehicles began to turn towards the main hospital's road, droplets of rain started to come down, which were rare for this part of the world during the warming months. It wasn't enough to slow the trail down, as the building finally came into view and more medics awaiting their passengers. They had no idea how bad the injuries were, but the reports suggested that it was an extreme severity with a low chance of survival.
Among the medical team, stood a young woman in a black trench coat underneath the structure's awning with a face of sorrow. In one hand, her son stared at the long line of vehicles coming into vision, unsure as to what they meant, while in the other was a stroller with a sleeping baby girl inside.
"Mama, is everything going to be okay?" the boy, Laken, questioned, as the center of the convoy slowed down.
The woman didn't even answer, as she gripped the stroller tightly and stared at the rushing medics toward the carr with Jamal. Her Jamal, had come back, but in an undescribable condition. No words could have processed what she had heard from the radio and the aftermath, but she only cared about his health and wellbeing. Nothing else mattered.
"Miss Mere." a doctor came into focus, which made her stare back at the approaching man, "We can give you access up to the observation room, but you can't be in the exact room as the ongoing procedure. There's a separate area for your kids to stay at."
"I understand." Ula finally replayed, before turning to Laken, "Sorry, Mama isn't feeling great right now."
"Are you alright?" the man raised a brow, "Do you need us to check anything?"
"I'm, I'm fine." she trembled slightly, as more shouting from the center came.
"I will just warn you now, what you will see has got to be one of the worst cases of bodily trauma and injury that I've ever witnessed. Are you ready?" the doctor had to look down before asking.
"Yes." was her sole response.
Nodding, the doctor gave her space so the family could get a clear view of Jamal. But nothing could have prepared them for the sight they were about to witness. Ula was making her way to the stretcher's side when his body came into focus. Even with the blanket covering half of his skin, they could all see the gruesome and repulsive lacerations, scarring, and other horrendous injuries and breakage through his body.
"Oh my-!" Ula had to stumble to the side, holding against the wall, staggering for breath.
A couple of medics noticed the commotion and dashed to her side, just as the woman began to heave her stomach's contents onto the pavement.
"Ma'am, please stay put. Do not induce any more stress." a medic held her up, despite the immense trembling Ula was putting off.
"No, no, no. No! He needs me!" she held her hand against the wall, a small trail of bile still against her lip, "Give me some water and napkins, please. Move my children for me, please. I'm staying with him."
Those next to her didn't disobey her requests, as Laken could only stare at his mother in a state of surprise. He wasn't there for much longer, as he and his sister were moved inside, and a set of what Ula wanted was brought forward.
"Thank you." Ula swallowed the drink down with ease, as she patted her mouth quickly, "I just-, I don't kn-, I-, how?"
"We're trying to get to the bottom of it ourselves. Ma'am, if you still wish to be by his side, now is the time."
Understanding, Ula waved the crowd off her, as she held her own and made her way inside. Even with a hand on her stomach, the stretcher wasn't even that far ahead, with the emergency room being finalized for operation.
The doctors noticed her standing anxiously, as they silently pulled back to give her a brief moment. She took the opportunity as she made her way towards Jamal's side. His face was practically unrecognizable, with pieces of skin gone and still raw or disfigured, alongside the amount of debris and shrapnel still on him. Ignoring it all, Ula grabbed his hand and closed her eyes.
She had no idea as to why, but it made her feel as if she was getting as close as possible to Jamal. His beating heart was subtle, but still functional, as her breathing slowed down to match his.
"Don't leave us. Jamal, I-." Ula was muttering, as she shed a tear from her eye. "No, we need you. Do you hear me? It's not just me, it's the whole world! You gotta make it, no matter what! I love you, Laken and Jackie love you, the team loves you, and I know you love every single one of us! So don't give up on us yet!"
Ula was at a loss for words after finishing the outbursts, more tears dripping down her face. The medics couldn't even respond, as a pair caressed her shoulders while dragging her forward past his body in her saddened state. His operation was ready to commence, and its outcome would be a factor in how the world would come.
.....
It was the next day, and his operation was still going, Ula stayed by the window and stared. Staring into the hole the medical team made by opening the skin between his chest and groin, revealing the inside of his body. Pieces of iron and other metals were being laid out throughout the night, and it seemed as if they were nowhere near close to finishing. Dozens of machines were on 24/7 support, keeping Jamal alive, and over twenty surgical-protected doctors and medical professionals inside. Even though it had been over sixteen hours since they had begun, his extended injury history had all complied into this one disaster and chances of surviving were slimming by the day. Even the strongest of wills and minds could not process such an event, the woman's emotions tugged hard. The silence was suddenly broken with a small click, causing Ula to turn her head.
"Holy powers." a disheveled Alice waddled inside, just as she took a quick peek behind her. "Ula?"
"Alice? Aren't you supposed to be recovering?" Ula looked around in shock, considering the state she was also in.
"Definitely," a yawn was quick to follow, as the other woman made her way to Ula's side, "But I had to see how the strongest man in the city-"
"World." Ula's voice did quiver but stayed assured.
"Right, but anyways. I had to see how he was doing, but I didn't think it was this severe."
"You never saw him?"
Alice could only shake her head, before taking a seat on one of the few chairs available. She knew Jamal well enough to figure out when something was wrong, but the man kept that hidden quite well. Perhaps she could get some answers for herself, as some ideas popped into the woman's head.
"Ula, do you truly know what happened over there? Since we all left the city?"
"Uh, you guys pretty much taking over those towns and within Appleridge?"
"Let me say this instead, do you recall Jamal losing his mind?"
"Wait, what?" Ula wrapped her arms up, confused by the question, "What do you mean?"
"I'm saying, you haven't seen him rage or talk to himself? Or any time with his fire began to lose its control and structure?"
"Alice, what are you saying? Jamal was doing okay long before you even showed up."
"I don't think you understand, Ula. The others and I have seen some things, and there's wa-, is, something wrong with him. If he ever wakes up, just ask."
With that response, Ula was about to press deeper into conversation, until a quick knock alerted him of the newcomer. Before anyone could adjust and figure as to who, the door opened to relieve a sole medic turning towards Alice.
"I thought I could make it out of here." Alice sighed, while the medic stared her down in a displeased manner, "We'll see each other again, Ula. Just make sure to let me know if Ryan sends me anything in the meantime."
Giving a quick nod, Ula was at a loss of words as the medic brought Alice out of the room and giving the woman complete privacy once again. She could have used some sleep herself, given the long hours she'd been up already for, but it had little actual value to her at the moment. Nothing truly mattered, until Jamal and her kids were okay. The life they envisioned was going to be a reality, no matter the cost, and she believed that with all her heart.
.....
The room remained still for a couple of hours now, with Ula knocked out against one of the wooden chairs, somehow still pristine even with time. The wall braced her neck for support, as the dim lights recreated that calm night sky for her. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. Her last thoughts awake were still filled with doctors tending to Jamal's insides, and a growing table of small metal bits. How one could hold hope was hard to configure and pursue, but Ula had that commitment within her.
"Excuse me." a new voice alerted her, as her eyes fluttered open.
A tall dark man was standing by the doorway, and it almost made Ula's mouth drop. Was Jamal back up from all of that, as if nothing had happened? It seemed almost impossible.
"Ja-, Jamal?" Ula straightened up, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing.
"Wait, what?" the man came closer to the woman, as Ula stepped back in surprise.
Turns out, it was just one of the doctors assisting in the surgery process, still in gear excluding a bloody covering. All her hope was shattered, with Ula unable to understand what was happening.
"Oh." was all she could say.
"I'm sorry for the confusion. I was just informing you that we've completed the surgery."
"Um, so is he going to-, well-" Ula started to tremble.
"We don't really know, and I'll just be the one to tell you the truth. He has a one percent chance of survival, even after everything."
Ula just let those words sit in her mind, mouth agape. All of that time and energy, was going to be for nothing? That was it?
"You'v-, you've got to be joking? Right?" Ula started to break down in uncontrollable laughter, holding tight to her jacket as tears began to come out of her eyes.
"I wish I could be right now."
Ula just couldn't stop, as her giggling was quick to change into a fit of wails. Everything she had built and dealt with the man was for nothing. Staying by his side through the good and bad times, achievements and hardships, was in vain. Her man was just about gone.
"Why! Just why!" Ula fell to her knees, streams of darkness lifting off her skin, "Oh Powers, why!"
The doctor turned back to the hallway to see several more medics pull towards the commotion, only to see who was causing it. They had to do something before more issues arose.
"Ma'am, there's still a chance he'll wake up, but Jamal won't come out the same. I just came here to tell you that we have him in a room so you can spend some alone time with him." he reassured her.
Ula didn't answer back as she stood back up, the bits of darkness still flaring around her in short bursts. If this was truly it, and no possible future, would it be right for her to say goodbye? That was for her to decide, not anyone else.
"Alright." she made up her mind after a few seconds, wiping her face, "Take me to him, but don't bring my kids yet."
Nodding, the doctor backed up to let her go through. Ula was slow to move towards the door, her mind shattered by the news. But she kept going forward as the hallway and the medical team greeted her.
"He's just down the hall." The man moved back to lead, "If I may?"
Ula didn't respond, as she shuffled behind and continued with him. Each passing door made her heart uneasy with fear, not knowing to expect. But after crossing what she could only guess was twenty more doors from their original position, the male doctor stopped at a bare white door with a name card attached. She didn't have to read it to know whose name was on the paper, as the man took one last sigh.
"Alright, he's in there. We left some water and food if you're willing to stay with him. But um-," he started to explain before pausing.
"Yes?" Ula shifted her head slightly so direct eye contact existed between the two.
"Well, and I am required to say this, if his condition doesn't improve within a week, you'll have the option to-, um, cut off the life supp-"
"I won't do that." Ula refaced the door, although her powers acted otherwise, "I just can't yet. I know Jamal better than anyone here."
"Of course, ma'am. If there's anything you need, like your kids or any services, a caller will be waiting for you."
Nodding her head, Ula let the man get some long-needed rest, as she placed her hand on the door's handles. Not knowing what to expect, she hesitated briefly before just going forward. Even if he didn't know, Jamal needed her.
The room was dark, except for the dim lights from the room's machine and the small lamp that remained on. Closing the door behind, Ula took a look at the few chairs, a table with water and wrapped food, and then the main bed, where Jamal rested. Hours after his surgery, and a quick look had her shaken. Even with the cleanup and the best healing the city had to offer, his face was still somewhat disfigured, as the slashes and punctures where debris used to fill were replaced by thin lines of scarred skin. Only his head was uncovered, and a lift of the blanket showed a straight line of where they opened up his body.
"You're not gonna give up on yourself, mister." Ula could feel the tears coming back off her face, "I don't care what anyone has told me. I know you will not surrender! You will come back to us! Jamal, stay with me!"