9 Xu's hidden powers

The next morning Talon and Xu get woken to the sound of gagging, coming from Garret who has Janzo probing around in his mouth to look for signs of the parasite.

"Well good morning to you two. You seem to be having fun." Talon greets them amused, sitting up and stretching her back.

"Why's he so jittery?" Xu asks seeing Garret hop around.

"He needs to relieve himself, but first I must check if he's clean before taking off the cuffs." Janzo answers.

"Come on, just let him pee. I'm awake now and if he's turned, I'll kill him before he can get to you Janzo." Xu tells the brewer.

"Fine." Janzo says, uncuffing Garret, who quickly rounds a corner to relieve himself.

"How long does he have?" Talon asks.

"Usually people turn within six days, so he could have 2 days left, or just an hour." Janzo says.

"Hmm. How much further to the shrine?" Xu asks.

"If we travel all day and some of the night, then we should reach it at the end of this day." Janzo tells him, checking the map.

"That's great. Only problem is, we didn't bring enough water." Xu says, shaking his close to empty pouch.

"There should be a water source coming up in a two hour walk from here." Janzo says, showing Xu and Talon the map.

"Whoa, that's better." Garrett says rejoining the group.

"Let's chain him up again." Janzo says.

"No, leave it. We may need him for a fight. And Xu's right both he and I can kill Garret ourselves." Talon tells her friend.

2 hours later

The group is walking through the wilderness, being led by Janzo, with Garret having his shirt lying over a shoulder, Janzo having opened his shirts buttons and Talon only wearing a leather armor, having her arms completely free while Xu still wears his usual white cloak, grey pants and white shirt, with blue sash around his waist.

"What is this Drachman we need to find the book before of anyways?" Garret asks.

"We don't know but it's going to find me apparently." Talon informs Garret, her eyes wandering over the soldier's muscular body when she thinks Xu isn't looking.

"Up this way." Janzo says, leading them ahead up a dune.

"Water. There's water!" Janzo says excitedly and the three join him, overlooking a large lake together.

Talon and Garret make their way down to the lake, dropping their bags on the way with Janzo and Xu carrying them after the two until they also reach the shoreside.

"Come on join us." Talon says, already standing in the water with Garret, the two of them dousing themself with the refreshing liquid.

"Something's not right here." Janzo says, while Xu puts away their equipment to one spot.

"What do you mean?" Talon asks confused, thinking Janzo is overdramatic again.

"Get out, get out now!" Janzo shouts, catching Xu's attention as well. Garret then gets pulled backwards into the water by a large tentacle.

"What was that?" Talon asks, while Xu makes his way over with his large axe.

"I'm sure that's a terapox. Meaning you need to get out of there." Janzo says.

"No way." She says, diving underwater after Garret.

"Talon!" Xu shouts, reaching Janzo's location. He then jumps into the water and looks around for signs of their friends, getting them when two tentacles trash around, shooting out of the water, with Talon and Garret in their grasps respectively.

"I'm going after them." Xu says, diving underwater, towards the location of the tentacles, seeing a large octopus like creature with spikes waving around Talon and Garret.

Xu swims to them in a few seconds and slashes through the tentacle holding Talon. He points her upwards and she looks down at Garret worried, before nodding and swimming to the surface.

After freeing Talon Xu swims further down to Garret, his axe getting knocked out of his grasp by another tentacle slapping at Xu.

He however reaches the tentacle holding down Garret, who passes out and manages to swim to the surface, where he sees Talon worriedly waiting at the shoreline and with a strength, he didn't know he has Xu throws Garret towards the black-blood girl before getting dragged back underwater.

Talon quickly fishes Garret out of the water, dragging him to safety with Janzo. The two look towards the water expectantly, but there is no sign of Xu, until his axe gets swept to shore by the slight waves riling up the lake.

Xu, after getting dragged down, has both his feet grabbed by a tentacle each and three more crash into his back with their spikes outstretched.

Upon seeing the greyskin on his back the terapox however simply tosses him aside, making him get drifted ashore on the opposite side of them, where he drags himself out of the creatures reach, waiting for his friends help. What he didn't count on however was that Talon, after seeing no sign of him for close to a minute shifts her attention back to Garret, reviving him from being drowned, while Janzo freaks out.

"You're alive." Talon says relieved when Garret comes back to.

"I feel like a horse kicked me in my chest." Garret groans, holding her hand.

"Xu." Talon then says, upon looking down at their hands and turns back to the lake, seeing no sign of the man, aside from his weapon floating slightly in the now calming waters.

"My god, Xu. How is this possible." Talon says distraught, looking to the waters.

"Where is he?" Garret asks, sitting up with Janzo's help.

"He... he's gone." Talon says, tearing up.

Garret embraces her while Janzo sits next to them feeling useless.

The three then relocate to a spot beyond the hills surrounding the lake and make a fire, letting Garret rest for a while.

"I didn't help. I couldn't so anything. I'm a coward." Janzo says heavy hearted.

"A coward wouldn't have followed their best friend into greyskin territory." Talon says. And as if she summoned them a group of greyskins have surrounded them and take them prisoner, knocking them out with clubs and bring them to their camp, tying them up on stakes so they can eat them when they're hungry.

In the meantime, Xu lies face down in the sand, thinking back to how he and Talon met, wondering why no one has come for him yet when his body feels as though it's on fire. Starting with a burning pain from the back of his neck.

Xu passes out from the pain, but the stab wounds along his back heal as though by magic, while grey skin starts to spread all over his body, until there is no sign of a human left, while a brown light shines through his grey patchy skin. (AN: yes, he has a Kinj)

He wakes up a few hours later, looking around confused and steps over to the water, splashing some in his face, before seeing his reflection, shrieking back shocked, noticing his grey skin covered arms now as well as his legs, his clothes having mostly ripped, his grey pants looking like ripped shorts, his white cloak being gone and his shirt hanging around his waist, blood covered. He quickly rips off the object and looks around, realizing he's on the opposite side of the lake. He quickly runs over to where he last saw his friends. He sees no sign of anyone however, but sees three sets of footprints leading away.

"Talon!" He tries to shout, but only a hoarse croaking escapes him.

He spots his axe lying on the shore and fetches it, before going after his friends.

Blending in with the few greyskins he spots on his way, only differentiated by them by the good quality of his weapon and a whiteish scar going across his shoulder, as well as on his back in a circle.

Xu spots the greyskins camp soon after. When he arrives he sees a greyskin offer Colipsum to Garret.

"Why are they offering only Garret Colipsum?" Talon asks, when the greyskin continues to offer the green powder to Garret, who refuses to take it.

"He smells the plaguelings venom in you. They won't eat you because you're a plagueling." Janzo says.

"I don't want Colipsum. No!" Garret tells the greyskin offering him the Colipsum and blows it in the greyskins face, who then slaps him across the face.

A greyskin then moves over to Janzo, looking at him intently.

"Talon. I think our time's about to run out." Garret says, looking at her.

Talon however looks at Xu in his new greyskin appearance, tears falling out of her eyes with hope filling her that Xu survived, even if changed.

"Talon!" Garret says.

And she snaps out of it, starting to chant and call her Lokiri, with the greyskins backing away, save for Xu, who sees their equipment lying on a table, gathers it in his arms and puts it down on the ground near their posts, slipping behind Talons unnoticed, since everyone's attention is on the blue portal from which a Lokiri emerges.

Xu slices through the rope tying her up, handing her her sword from behind and Talon orders for her Lokiri to kill the greyskins, while she frees Janzo and Garret.

The three scoop up their belongings and are running away, up a hill. When they look back, they see a single greyskin follow them, his staff raised high, before it collapses, with an all to familiar axe sticking out of its back.

Talon looks down at the Greyskin from before, seeing it reach fo them, before Garret and Janzo drag her away against her will, with Talon wanting to go back to the village.

"Talon. Calm down. Your Lokiri wants you to live." Garret tells her when the group stops and sees Talon's Lokiri getting overrun by the greyskins, getting stabbed by them multiple times.

"Xu." Talon whispers sorrowfully, seeing a lone greyskin with a scar on his shoulder and his whole back, fight against 6 remaining greyskins, trying to protect the Lokiri, which already died.

While Xu is trying to protect Talon's comrade he gets cut on his arm and falls backwards, his arm landing in a puddle of black blood and his wound stings intensely. But he ignores this for now and finishes off the now 4 remaining greyskins.

Once he killed the last of them Xu collects his axe and walks back to where Talon, Garret and Janzo were tied up, seeing dark brown hair being held in a single braided line by some pearls.

He picks this up and grasps it tightly in his free hand before starting his way back to the lake and maybe the outpost.

Talon, Janzo and Garret find the book of names burned in the altar about half a day later but Talon realizes that the real book is in fact a stone hidden in the book's spine and they start their trek back to the outpost, hurrying up when they realize that Everett Dredd must be looking for Talon and will start back at the outpost, where his mercenaries died.

Xu who has a large head start already passed the lake and will only need half a days' worth of journey to get back to the outpost, not that he could enter looking like he does.

When he rests during the night however, he finally has time to wonder what caused him to look completely like a greyskin, when it previously was only a part of his back but find no answer to this, this being the first time it happened.

By the next morning however the greyskin covering him has completely disappeared, even his back is human now.

"Time to get back to the outpost then." Xu says, looking at his human skin, feeling even his back not that of a greyskin anymore and finishes his journey to the large walls towering over the greyskin territories.

When he reaches the Walls, he spots blonde hair waving in the wind, belonging to Gwynn, who is climbing alongside a smugglers route outside the outpost.

"Your majesty?" Xu ask loudly, looking up at her.

"Xu? Where is my Garret and where is Talon?" Gwynn shouts fearfully, looking down at him.

"I got split off from them. Why are you up here climbing along a mountain?" Xu asks Gwynn, climbing up and waits for her at the end of the smuggler's route.

"The order has taken the outpost. My father was killed when he opened the gates for them. They had simply too many men. But with some help I'm here now. Outside and trying to call for reinforcements." Gwynn says hectically, being focused on herself staying on the smuggler's path.

"I see. Allow me to accompany you then. I can protect you." Xu tells her, helping her to solid ground, outside the outpost's walls.

"You don't look like it. But I can't exactly be picky. At least with you I know I can trust you." Gwynn tells him, looking at his lack of clothing.

"Alright, which way?" Xu asks.

"This way, to our camp of trainees." Gwynn tells him, pointing in a direction.

"Come on then. We should hurry. We can reach it before nightfall." Xu tells her and the two start to walk towards the soldier's camp.

"What happened? How did you get separated?" Gwynn asks.

"Could have just asked what you really want to know. Last I saw Garret was alive, as were Janzo and Talon." Xu informs her.

"Thank the heavens. But what happened? I assumed you'd die before getting separated from Talon." Gwynn says, before Xu suddenly covers her mouth with his large hand and pushes her against a tree with him.

He then peers around the tree, seeing 4 men in red armor patrol through the woods.

"Wait here." Xu whispers, releasing his hand from her mouth and leans his axe against the tree, she's up against.

Xu ducks down and rounds the tree, following the patrol, staying hidden by some bushes.

When the 4 men are unfocused and one of them falls behind to pee, Xu waits for the man to approach another bush on the opposite of him.

He then leaves his hiding spot and goes towards the man, snapping his neck with ease and takes the soldier's two swords, dragging him into the bushes.

He then catches up to the patrol, walking behind them with surprising stealth for a massive man like him.

When he's within reach he stabs the two men in reach in their necks with his two blades, killing them and causes the last soldier to turn towards him, drawing his sword.

Xu however grabs the man's sword hand and keeps it in place.

His other hand quickly slings around the man's throat, chocking him to death. With the soldiers being dealt with Xu takes the last man's swords and his cloak, as well as one of the other soldiers.

He goes back towards Gwynn.

"Queen? Where are you?" He asks, looking around where he killed the first soldier.

"Is it safe now?" She asks quietly, her golden hair falling in Xu's view to his right.

"Yeah, they're dead." Xu tells her, putting one cloak around himself while walking over to the queen.

He hands her the other cloak, as well as the two swords before picking up his axe.

"Put on the cloak and the smaller sword." Xu says, taking back the larger sword of the two.

"Why?" Gwynn asks.

"For protection." Xu says, while dropping to one knee, bowing to her.

"Wha..." Gwynn asks confused.

"I humbly apologize for my actions earlier. I acted quickly to avoid being spotted." Xu says, apologizing for pushing her up against the tree.

"Rise. You did well. No need for such formalities while it's just us." Gwynn tells him.

"As you wish. We should continue on our way now." He replies, getting up and leads the way.

"As I was asking before. How did you get split off?" Gwynn questions.

"We reached a lake in the greyskin territory. But when Talon and Garret entered, he was taken by a gigantic sea creature, with tentacles the size of trees." Xu tells her.

"Talon went after him first. I followed in when I reached their location as well. I first freed Talon, slicing off one of the beasts tentacles. Once Talon was back on the water surface I dove back down for Garret. I managed to free him as well and got him ashore, but then got taken by the creature myself. It slashed my back and for some reason threw me aside. I crawled to land on the opposite side of the lake and passed out." Xu explains.

"And the others?" Gwynn asks.

"After waking from a fever dream, with no idea how long I was unconscious, I followed their tracks to a greyskin camp. I helped them escape from the creatures without their knowing, but Talon's demon gave its life defending them. That's the last I saw of them. Xu informs her.

"You say, it slashed your back. But how are there no fresh wounds?" Gwynn asks, pulling aside his cloak, seeing only old scars covering his back.

"I honestly don't know. Something happened to me when I was unconscious. When I awoke I was different." Xu tells her, lost in thought.

"Different how?" Gwynn asks.

"Another time OK? Right now we should focus on reaching the camp." Xu replies, scared by the answer himself, nervously fiddling with the singular braid of Talon's hair he found at the posts in the greyskin camp.

"What do you have there?" Gwynn asks intrigued at his change to his usual behavior.

Xu wordlessly shows the future queen the braid, before closing his hand again, grabbing onto the reminder of Talon tightly.

"Should've known it's something of Talons. You know, I envy her. She has you, Janzo, even Garret head over heels in love with you." Gwynn says saddened.

"Garret?" Xu asks.

"Yes. He might not admit it and neither does Talon, but I think we both know there was something between them right off the bat. Maybe you and I should get closer to make them jealous." Gwynn says with a quiet chuckle while they walk through the woods.

"Don't even joke about that. I don't want to live a not honest live and you don't know me anyways." Xu tells her.

"So? That can be changed. Tell me about yourself. Why are you so in love with Talon? We both know she doesn't treat you all that well." Gwynn asks.

"The Talon now, the Talon I'm together with is a different person. Finally revenging her people freed her. She's her own woman now. I guess the same could be said for you now. With your true heritage coming to light... I like women who are true to themselves." Xu tells her.

"You must hate me then. I never wanted the crown. I never wanted the burden to lead a rebellion." Gwynn sighs tired.

"At least you're honest about this to yourself. There's no reason for me not to like you, other that my heart is already taken." Xu tells Gwynn.

"Thank you. So... you and Talon, when did that even happen?" Gwynn asks.

"A couple of days ago. On the day she killed Shax. Though I fear with Garret's live in danger she realized how much she still favors him and what we have will come to an end." Xu replies sadly.

"What makes you say that?" Gwynn asks.

"I've seen her, always stealing glances at Garret. Blocking out everything else but the two of them." Xu explains, looking into the sky, stopping.

"And Garret?" Gwynn asks, fearful of the answer.

"Seemed to be aiming for a backup, if your relationship would fail." Xu sighs.

"I could be wrong and just imagining things. I hope I am, but I've been shunned most of my life, so I've learned to pick up certain things more evidently as others." Xu tells Gwynn, motioning for her to follow him, with Xu leading them to their left.

"Where are we going?" She asks.

"To get water. I'm thirsty and you can use the chance to get cleaned up, as long as you hurry." Xu says.

And 3 minutes later they arrive at a small pond, with an even smaller river sprouting off it.

"Drink up. We don't have flasks." Xu advises, drinking a few handful of water.

"Can I clean up then? I will hurry. I know what's at stake." Gwynn asks.

"Go ahead. I will stay right here though." Xu says, turning around, facing away from the water, his axe lying over his lap.

"Why were you shunned?" Gwynn asks, slipping into the water after stepping out of her clothes.

"Because I am different. Because of this. And this." Xu says, holding up his axe and then pulls aside his cloak, revealing the scarred back again.

"I don't understand. Many warriors wear scars like a badge of honor." Gwynn says.

"My back looked very different until 2 days ago, when I awoke from my near-death experience." Xu tells her.

"I still don't get what you're talking about. But that's fine. Afterall. Todays's the first time we truly, exchange words. I'm in no rush to understand you completely." Gwynn says.

"We should continue. Are you ready?" Xu asks.

"One second." She says and dives her head underwater, before stepping out of the water, shaking out her wet golden locks, while she's getting dressed again.

"Ready." She tells him, her hair still dripping wet.

"Let's go then. Here, you might get ill otherwise." Xu says, standing up and pulls the cloaks hood over Gwynn's head, making her pull it down further, smiling to herself while following the tall warrior.