The Weaponsmaster

Chapter 24

Drea groaned and opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes refocused and for a moment, she stared at the ceiling. Her mind was working slowly, and it took a moment for her brain to start working again. She could see that she was in a little room on a downgraded hospital bed, with a window to her right and a little dresser to her left. It was calming. 

How did I get here? she thought as she sat up slowly. She noticed that her shoulder and back were bandaged along with her hand. They felt sore, but they didn’t hurt. Her ribs felt ok too, which surprised her after that fall. She groaned and combed her hair back with her fingers. She felt like a mess.

She was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. Where’s my Kaienshi uniform? Drea rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked out the window. The sky was a beautiful pale blue and she could hear the beautiful chirping of the birds. Her room was far from the ground and the building itself was surrounded by many other buildings. Trees were spread through the city, shooting off pops of green against the rooftops.  

Drea slid her legs across the right side of her bed and stared out the window. Wherever I am, it seems all too peaceful. None of it seemed real as she remembered her pain and imprisonment in the Lori world.

She tried to stand; her legs felt like they hadn’t been used in days. After she walked a few steps, her leg gave out. She thought she’d hit the floor, when someone caught her. Drea looked up to see Zen standing there in his human form, a sad look in his eyes.

As he helped her to the bed, she noticed he looked tired; his hair was a mess, his eyes had bags, and his movements were strained. He still wore the black jacket with the white undershirt that looked like a suit.

“Are you alright Andrea?” he asked after she sat. His voice sounded raspy.

“I should be asking you that question.”

He sighed. “I’ve been giving you some energy to keep you strong. Another Kaienshi healed up your wounds.”

She slanted her eyebrows. “So am I in Koracan?”

He nodded. It unnerved her that she was so far away from home especially considering that she was in another dimension altogether.

“What happened while I was out?” asked Drea, looking up at him.

He explained how she hit the ground and how they’d figured out her power as Weaponsmaster. Then they’d healed her and brought her to the infirmary. “I wish I could’ve kept you safe Andrea.” Zen looked truly defeated as he looked down at her with guilt.

Drea rose slowly so she could meet his eyes easier. “You protected me Zen. None of this is your fault, and don’t think that it is. You’re a part of me Zen, and I can feel every ounce of your sadness pierce my heart like needles. You did what you could, but it was I who should’ve been stronger. If I was stronger I could’ve used your power better.” She smiled up at him. “I’ll get stronger so that you won’t always need to protect me.”

He smiled and she hugged him. He embraced her slowly, as if his every movement pained him.

“I will teach you more to help the both of us get stronger Andrea.”

“Very well, but when?” Drea was ready for anything; she only wanted to be strong.

“Whenever you’re ready. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of time now. We’ll have to learn as soon as possible.”

Drea understood what he meant right away. Her necklace had been the last artifact, meaning that the Lori now had all seven. Soon they would be coming after her and she had to be ready if she was to fight them off. They were probably pissed that she gotten away and they’d come with a vengeance.