Chapter 14

Jax and Liv both laughed at the falling spear hero as they finally reached the top of the staircase.

"Which one's the boss?" Liv asked.

Jax laughed. "Does it really matter?"

Liv smiled. "No."

Jax pulled back his bow string as a giant fireball with blue lightning wrapping around it formed. He shot it at the captain looking skeleton which was obliterated in an instant.

At the same time Liv gathered a giant icicle on the tip of her sword that was wrapped in a spiral of darkness. She swung down and the icicle launched at the kraken that was on the ship.

A moment later the kraken was falling down to the ocean below as it had a 10 foot wide hole blown cleanly through its torso.

At this point the other heroes arrived. "You idiot! You have to destroy the ship!" Ren shouted.

Jax was about to just shoot Ren off the ship but paused when he heard Liv. "Wait. There's something else here."

She suddenly lunged at the shadow of the ship's mast and cut through it.

A loud screech could be heard the next moment.

Jax smiled when he saw the creature. "Found the boss."

Liv smacked him in the head. "I found it."

Jax laughed as he robbed his head. "Ready?"

Liv nodded and the two attacked the giant white floating monster that was in the air.

However, even when all their attacks made contact they went right through the monster.

"Fuck! And I can't even show off my cool gauntlets! This sucks!" Jax complained.

Liv didn't even respond.

Jax turned to Ren. "How do I kill this thing?"

Ren ignored him and charged at the monster. "Meteor strike!" He cried out.

Jax facepalmed again. "He's actually shouting out his own attacks! The moron!"

A small smile traced Liv's lips before it quickly disappeared.

After being ignored Jax had no choice but to continue his useless attacks against the soul monster.

After 10 minutes of this continuing and them getting nowhere, Naofumi stepped up with an evil looking shield.

He started using it to fight the soul eater and eventually locked it in an iron maiden, ending its life.

However, in the midst of cheers, Naofumi was suddenly attacked by a lady with black hair. Jax jumped in between the two and stopped her blow with his bow. He pushed back and threw her off balance as he pierced her chest right where her heart would be.

But, his hand went straight through her. "For fucks sake! Again! I can't have shit!" He complained as a sword passed right through the lady's chest.

Liv clicked her tongue and moved to Jax's side after her attack also didn't work.

Jax looked back to see Naofumi on the floor in pain while Raphtalia was holding him in her arms and crying.

He scoffed. "Must be nice." Before he ran over and stole Raphtalia's sword from her. He tossed it to Liv as he said. "I'm borrowing this."

Liv caught it before looking confused at the sword that was only a handle.

"Magic." Jax said, causing Liv to nod and create a blade of magic.

The lady with black hair took a step back before looking down. Without a word she ran away and jumped off the ship.

At the same time, the crack in the sky started closing.

Jax looked around and saw hundreds, maybe even thousands of monsters around.

He didn't even need to say a word to Liv as they both jumped off the ship and started cleaning up the leftover monsters while gaining exp after giving the sword back to Raphtalia.

A few hours later they were done and had leveled up twice more.

They made it back to the group

Jax and Liv had a quick chat with Naofumi before ignoring the rest and leaving on their own. Once they made it back to the city they decided to visit the inn one more time and had a meal there. Jax asked for some recipes from the inn owner. She gave him a bunch… for a price.

Jax and Liv left with smiles on their faces before leaving the city and going back to the forest. They did a little hunting before Jax set up the tent by a river when it got dark out. The two sat on a log Liv had chopped off a tree and were roasting fish they caught in the river on a campfire.

It was a quiet starry night with a crescent moon. The two sat in silence for a while, taking in the view as the wind gently blew around them. The sound of the river's water trickling down the stream produced a calming effect in contrast to the fire that was cackling in front of them.

"Sorry." Jax gently said out of the blue.

"Hmm?"

"I know you don't like fighting the waves. I'm sorry for forcing you." Jax continued.

Liv brought her knees to her chest and leaned against Jax while watching the fire dance around. "I don't mind that much."

"I can tell… you don't smile as much as you do when it's only us… and that's my fault. Cause you're the only person I trust to watch my back." Jax looked down at his hands. "Sorry."

Liv drew circles on her knee for a while in silence.

"It's not like you force me to go. Plus…" Liv mumbled.

"Plus what?"

"I don't just go cause you ask me. I… just want to make sure you don't do anything dumb." Liv replied.

Jax smirked. "Me? Dumb? I would never."

Liv playfully slapped him.

Jax smiled, not saying anything else.

Liv spoke up. "I just want to make sure you don't get yourself killed without me."

"I don't think you need to worry about that for now. We've probably trained enough to take on the next wave with ease tomorrow." Jax comforted me.

Liv sighed. "I know… but, what if you didn't come back? … What would I do then?"

Jax looked up. "That won't happen… but even if it did. You'd be fine. You're strong enough to survive without me now."

Liv sat up and shoved him away. "Shut up! You don't- You don't understand! The way they look at me… I don't have a place in this world! You're the only one who wholeheartedly accepted me! If you were gone… if you were gone I wouldn't only lose you, I'd lose that as well!"

She glared at him angrily with watering eyes.

Jax stared at her for a few seconds before looking back down at the fire. "You're right. I don't understand. I'm sorry."

There was a moment of silence with high tension before Jax spoke again. "But, I don't think I'm totally wrong. You're strong now, so people will accept you. Now, no matter how much people ridicule you, they will shut up once they see your strength… At least, that's what I think… or what I want to believe. Maybe I'm wrong but… I thought this would help you… I thought I… was… helping you."

Liv brought one knee up to her chest again. "Idiot. You did help… it's just… it doesn't matter what I do, the looks will never change. You wouldn't understand…"

Jax took a deep breath and turned back to face Liv. He stared her in the eyes and clasped her hands with his. "Then help me."

"What?"

"Help me understand. What do I have to do to understand? Can you explain it to me? Teach me? Do I have to read about it? Watch it happen somewhere? I'll do it. Or do you want me to change my race? I don't know if I can, but I can try. If I grow horns like you, will I understand then? Cause I'll do it. Whatever it is, I want to understand." Jax said seriously.

Liv bit her lip. "You're a moron."

"Please help me understand." Jax pleaded.

"Did you mean it? Would you really become a monster like me?" Liv asked.

"No." Jax replied. "Because you're not a monster. But I'd be happy to have cute little horns like you." He paused for a moment in thought. "Would mine be green? Maybe they would glow too…"

Liv choked on her tears as a smile formed on her face. "You'd have black horns. For all the evil things you've done."

"Really? Is that how it works?" Jax asked genuinely.

Liv giggled. "No, you idiot. Your horns aren't a judge."

Jax looked disappointed. "That would be cool, though."

Liv laughed out loud. "You… really are a moron."

Jax smiled. "I know."

They looked into each other's eyes for a while as the sound of the fire roaring and stream trickling soothed them.

A streak of light filled the sky as a shooting star passed by, illuminating the two figures closing in on each other, eventually meeting at the lips.

After a moment the two separated.

Liv leaned her forehead on his. "Idiot. What took you so long?"

Jax smiled and said, "Sorry." before leaning in for another kiss.