No Rest, No Break

Hoshiki gets to the doctor's room, and as Hoshiki walks in with Nor in his arms, Hoshiki sees that Ash is awake and out of her bed, looking out the window.

"Ash, I see you up. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine, but how is Alek?"

"He will take a minute for him to recover. Like it always does."

"I guess you have a point there."

Ash punches the glass in the window, making it crack.

"Why am I so weak? Why do I slow this team down?"

"You're not weak Ash, you're very talented and skilled. We just face people that are as talented and skilled as you are, that is all."

"That might be true, but I still can get stronger. Strong enough to protect the ones I love."

Ash looks over her right shoulder at Alek before turning to look at Hoshiki.

"What did Lord Haro say about…"

Ash sees Nor in Hoshiki arms with a burned face.

"What happened to Nor, Hoshiki?"

Hoshiki takes a breath before speaking.

"It's kind of hard to explain, well not really."

"I don't care how easy or hard the story is, just explain before Alek wakes up and sees Nor like this."

"It was Maho."

Ash makes fist with her hands and bits down on her lip. Hoshiki puts Nor down in another bed, before giving him a healing potion. Ash walks over and sees that the burn has gone away.

"Well that at least is taken care of."

"Yeah you tell me about it. Last thing we need is half the castle destroyed because of Alek and Maho."

"I can agree on that."

Ash and Hoshiki stood in the room for a good minute, before Ash spoke.

"So, tell me. That man in the red armor. You know, the one that wouldn't quit trying to fight."

Hoshiki thinks for a second, before remembering who Ash is talking about.

"Oh, yeah, I remember him. What about him?"

"I believe that he was the one who was holding you from moving."

"You might be right about that. The girl was just shooting swords at us, and the other one you swap with, and I don't think it was the princess. She didn't seem like a lying type to me."

Hoshiki looks over at Ash for a second, as Ash is holding one of her shuriken's tightly.

"You good, Ash?"

Ash slowly looked over at Hoshiki with a serious look on her face and spoke.

"I swear, if that princess ever gets close to Alek again, I might just kill her. I can be the only female that is close to him."

Hoshiki looked Ash up and down and then started to laugh.

"Hahahaha."

"What is so funny, Hoshiki?"

Hoshiki puts ash on her head.

"You're way overprotective of Alek, you know that. Besides I highly think Alek is the princess type, she seems she would be into more of a royal then a mercenary. And for Alek, I mean he has you if worry comes to worry."

"Yeah, you're right."

Ash just realized what Hoshiki just said, as Ash turns and looks at with a death stare, as Hoshiki runs out of the room with Ash chasing him with her shuriken. As Ash is chasing Hoshiki down the halls, Ash runs into a man wearing a black outfit with white sleeves and a purplish black hood. The man looks at Ash and smiles.

"Well, well. Look who it is."

The man put his arm around Ash.

"How is my favorite niece doing lately?"

"Hey, Uncle Vader. I am doing fine, so can you do me a favor and get off of me."

Ash tries to get out of her uncle's arm, but his grip is too strong.

("I almost forgot how strong my uncle is. Shit, I don't think he will budge.")

Ash looks at Hoshiki, as he walks up to Vader.

"Hey, Vader. It has been a while, hasn't it?"

Vader let's Ash go and reaches for a handshake with Hoshiki.

"Hoshiki, you have gotten taller over the years, and you even grow some muscle."

Hoshiki shakes Vader's hand, as Vader grabs his arm and feels his muscles. Then Vader gives Hoshiki a pat on the back. Vader takes a step back and looks at both Ash and Hoshiki.

"You both have grown up to be strong fights for the empire one day. Wait…"

Vader looked around for a second then spoke.

"Where is Alek? Oh, I know, he is probably still asleep. That boy can sleep for hours."

"Actually, Alek is in the doctor's room." 

Vader looks at Hoshiki for a second before speaking.

"Oh, that sucks, let me guess. Something went bad on a mission?"

"Yeah, you can say that."

"We went to capture Princess Vita but we failed."

"Wait, you guys failed a mission. That is the first in a while."

Hoshiki scratches the back of his head.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

Ash starts to walk away from both Hoshiki and Vader. As Vader spoke.

"Where are you going, Ash?"

"I am going to wait for Alek and Nor to wake up."

"Oh, I see. Wait Nor? Who is that?"

Vader looks at Hoshiki as Ash runs back to the doctor's room. Hoshiki turned to Vader and spoke.

"Well, Nor is the kid that Alek found and brought him here."

"How did the other take it?"

"Other than Sir Ranperuji, they all wanted to kill the kid."

"Sounds about right. Well best if I get going."

Vader starts to leave, as Hoshiki gives him a wave goodbye, as Hoshiki heads back to get some food for Ash.

"Best if I get her something to eat, before she thinks of eating me."

After a couple of hours Nor woke up and it took Alek two days to wake up from his injuries. Alek wakes up to Ash sleeping on the end of his bed, Alek leans closer to Ash and slaps her on the back of her head, making Ash jump up ready to fight. As Ash looks around the room, she notices that Alek is up, and jumps on him giving Alek a big hug.

"Ash, please get off."

"Alek your awake finally."

"Yes, now can you get off, so I can get up."

"In a second I will."

Alek pushes Ash off of him as he stands up and pits on a shirt, then looks at Ash.

"You good?"

Ash rubs her head when she hits it on the floor.

"Yeah, I will be fine."

"That is good. So where are Hoshiki and Nor?"

"They are outside training."

"That is good."

Alek finishes putting his clothes on and walks out of the room and starts to head outside, Ash follows right behind him.

"Alek, you still need to rest, so your body can fully recover."

"Ash, you should know me well enough that I can't just sit around and do nothing. I need to become strong, and fast."

Alek stops walking and looks down at the ground.

"I need to catch up to you and Hoshiki when it comes to power. You guys are so cool, I wish I could do what you do."

Ash starts to blush from what Alek just said. As Ash goes to say something, she realizes that Alek is already gone. Alek appears in the training ground right behind Nor. Alek goes to catch Nor off guard, but Nor senses Alek behind him and quickly turns around to strike but Alek is too fast to hit as he is behind Nor again.

"Not, but. You're getting faster on your movement Nor."

("That is Alek voice.") "Alek."

Nor turns with a smile as Alek trips Nor. As Nor falls to the ground, Alek stands above him, looking down at Nor.

"Don't tell me that you forgot the rules for fighting."

"No I didn't, sorry it will not happen again."

"Yeah, all good."

Alek helps Nor up and they go for a little walk. As they are walking Nor tells Alek about Maria.

"She is just like me. Maybe you can help her to, and maybe even train her to."

"Nor."

"And she could become very strong and could even help us make a better world."

"NOR."

Nor looks at Alek, as Alek is looking at the ground.

"I can't help her."

"But why?"

"It is hard to explain."

"Are you saying you will not help her?"

"No, Nor I am saying that, in the position that she is in, is completely different from your."

"But you said. That you want to help my dreams to come true. Remember."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Can you at least hear her out?"

Alek take a breath and starts to think to himself.

("If I help her, I am good as die, and who knows how many they will kill for being my allies. But I can hear her out and see what Sir Ranperuji thinks, and go from there, it will be the safes option and I can say I tried to help at the point.")

Alek pats Nor on the head, before speaking.

"Okay, fine you win. So where is this girl?"

Nor smiles.

"She is in the dungeon."

Both Alek and Nor walk down to the dungeon so Alek can talk to Maria, but when they get down there. They see a magic door there with Icibis holding Maria in his arms, as Icibis and Alek cross their eyes. Alek draws his sword to stop Icibis from leaving.

"I will not let you go."

 But Tristen steps in and stops Alek.

"So, we meet again."

"I will not let you leave."

"We will see about that."

As Tristen's and Alek's swords are locked Icibis goes to enter the door, but Ash uses eye of eyes to see through Nor eyes and then swap places with Icibis then with Alek, so Alek cancellation can make the magic door disappear.

"It looks like your plan failed this time, Gifted Human."

Tristen smiles. 

"Yeah, you might be right, but my mission just started."

"What?"

Tristen kicks Ash in the stomach, making Ash fly into the wall. As Tristen goes after Nor. Alek sees this and tries to get in front of Nor, but Tristen sees Alek coming. Tristen turns around quickly to cut off Alek's head in one strike.

("Shit. I can't dodge this one. This is really bad.")

Right before Tristen hits Alek, Malos comes through the ceiling of the dungeon, landing right next to Alek. As Malos punches Tristen, making Tristen fly into the wall. Tristen stands up from his punch from Malos, then he speaks.

"So, the Monster and your flashy friend want a 2 v 1. If so, bring it on."

Malos smiles.

"Did he call me, monster?"

"Yes, he did, Malos. Whatever you do, don't hold back."

"I am going to crush him."

As Malos and Alek are about to fight Tristen, right out front of the castle is Tina, Madison, Rose and Reinhart. Are ready to take on Maho, Ranperuji, Subun, and Josei.

"How boring."

"Where is that man, that stabbed Icibis?"

"Now Rose, there is no time for us to play, look around."

"Reinhart is right, guys. Remember what our mission is."

"To save Maria and bring her home."

"Right, so let's get this party started."