A Reborn: Apocalypse fanfiction

28. Wanted To Let You Know

Kev caught up to the group obviously pretty quickly. As promised, there weren't any morankai too nearby. All the same, he was vigilant as he scanned for morankai, instead of handling each as they came, he rotated through the group, making the whole day a training session.

Kev decided he might as well give them all the opportunity to have shield mastery, they could decline it if they didn't want to use it, but then it would always be there if they needed a little extra protection. As they walked he spoke to them about moving their energy through their body. When they took breaks, which they had to do a lot more often than Kev was, strictly speaking, happy about he would put them through a stable stance.

Surprisingly, they all listened pretty attentively, even Derek and the two college girls. Kev had been worried that, given their ordeal, they might shut down once they were out of immediate danger, but instead they thanked him specifically for saving them, they buckled down and they got to work. Seizing the reigns of your own power could have a powerful healing effect.

Kev began the day by disabling the creatures entirely, then the group would alternate who shot them for the points. Everyone took turns, no one shirked. Most of them, even Bob, got a little sickened at the thought of killing even the morankais, but they would need points to live and this world wasn't fair.

After a time, Kev started to encourage everyone to use their bladed weapons to kill the morankai. True, points were points, but there was an entire difference between shooting your target and putting a blade in it. One by one, each took their turn. Some, Kev left alone after that for the rest of the day, some Kev pushed for more.

As the day wore one, one by one, the group was given the opportunity to add shield mastery. Those that wanted to took it, those that did not, didn't.

The day ended with the sun going down and the group finding a fairly large lounge area in a ship and waiting for Kev to clear it. Kev came back as the group settled in around a central area. Kev found some items in the lounge and was able to cobble together a huge metal basin and some wood. After busting a hole in the ceiling of the cabin, Kev started a fire. Morankai wouldn't be able to see the lounge room from outside it and it would almost definitely be too dark to see the smoke.

Having a fire made this slog seem more like an adventure. Kev left the group to their quiet contemplations for a while. It had been an exceedingly long day for everyone, especially Kev. Kev took a moment to pull food from The Shop. He didn't buy enough for anyone else, not even his mother. For the first time ever for most of them, they each had to buy their own meal.

Bob, Shari and Cris all had dishes Kev wasn't really familiar with, each with its own aroma that blended chaotically with the smoke from the fire in a not at all unpleasant way. The rest of the group had foods Kev did recognize. Fried chicken over there, salmon over there. The list went on. Everyone ate quiety.

Finally Anna said, "This is the best fuckin tostada I've ever had." and the tension broke. The group chatted and talked about their experience for a while. Laughing at little goofs and mistakes they had made throughout the day, or laughing about what people will think of the weird rope bridges they left all over the place.

After a while, tired bodies succumbed and people started to sleep. Before they did, Kev gave them each a low-tier healing pill which would help their bodies heal from the strenuous work of the day. Blessedly, Bob offered to take the first watch and Kev was able to get some sleep. In fact, Kev slept through the night, no one ever waking him for their own watch. Alicia slept on a couch next to Kev and for the first time in a long time Kev slept like he didn't have a care in the world.

The next day the group woke up and Kev warmed them up by putting them through some weapons forms to get them thinking about the body positions, forms and movements. Except for Kev, they were all pretty sore and achy the next day. As he had the day before, Kev supplied each of them with a low-tier recovery pill. It increased their recovery stat significantly, but temporarily, which would allow them to push themselves faster and farther.