Chapter 20

I: Zack waited for Jess to return. When he was alone, it was easier for him to think about what he had done wrong in his last hunt. The return was that he was distracted when he was hunting. Zack rarely ever got distracted but he did yesterday, and he was not sure why. He was beginning to lose his edge when it came to hunting. Over time, Zack had attempted to hide it and pretend, but honestly, he was not the type of guy to act in front of everyone. He was a decent hunter and nothing special.

He stood and left his room to get some new bandages for his wounds. Though he had been using healing runes, his body could barely stand the pain to finish them. He sat in the infirmary as the nurse applied a new bandage on his stomach and he winced slightly in pain.

Word came that Jess, Blame and Seth, the final hunters had returned and completed the hard mission. Zack was proud of them. He stood and left to meet them at the entrance and when he saw how badly they were hurt his smile faded to concern.

"Jess? Seth? You two need to get to the infirmary right away. You too Blane, the sooner we patch you all up the better."

B: Seth and Blane went off to the infirmary, but Jess just stood there. "I.....I...was....good. All my skills just came back to me." She said softly and winced when she went to hug Isaac. "Come with me. I tried to heal it, but I think it is too bad. I may be out for a while." She said and swayed a little as she tried to walk.

Little did everyone know the torn shoulder was not just from a sword the demon had but also from its horn that was dripping with poison. She looked at Isaac and her eyes rolled back, and she fainted. As she hit the floor her shoulder began to bleed. Only it was not normal blood, it was black and thick. It was the poison taking its toll on her small weakened body.

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I: "Jess, you look pretty bad. Come on, let's go..." he began to hold her when she suddenly fell into his arms and he picked her up. Isaac had not a moment to speak, not even a second to think. He winced hard as he carried her and rushed to the infirmary.

"Help! I need help! She's been poisoned!" Zack placed her on the bed and didn't wait for the nurse. He went to grab a scalpel from the tray and dumped it quickly in the sterilizing gel. He yanked it out and gently held her shoulder and began to lightly open the wound and attempt the emergency surgery on his own. If he would have waited for the nurse, then Jess would already have been dead. He went to search for her Stele to hurry and apply runes.

Zack tried not to look at Seth or Blane, he knew they would probably have plenty to say. He told Jess not to go out without solving whatever issue she had with Seth else it would make them lose focus. He sat beside her bed when she was patched up and her runes drawn on her body. He grumbled angrily, and he tried to keep his cool before he beat someone up from his rage.

B: Jessie's limp body lay in the bed, still and silent. Inside her head she was screaming and writhing in pain. She did not know what was going on outside of her boy, but it hurt. She screamed in her head angrily. SOMEONE STOP IT PLEASE!!! IT IS GOING TO KILL ME!!!!! She growled. That is when everything went black. She could not see nor could she feel any pain. Everything was numb.

Seth had come to see her, but the nurse said nothing had changed. Blane and him had healed and only have bruises and little pain. Seth had talked to Isaac but only a little bit. He was not upset with him but thankful. He just hoped his sister would wake up. He knew she had been weakened from the first fight. She had done well, even with their fight. She had stayed focused and fought with swiftness.

As the days passed Jessie's condition did not change. She was still in, now what the nurse have claimed is a coma. All her wounds but her shoulder had healed. Her shoulder was still stitched up and had not healed at all. It seeped out black ink like stuff. It was a mix of blood and poison. She had not even shown signs of waking up.

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I: Zack had gone through today like every day. For a few days he remained at Jess' side, but after a while it became apparent, she would probably not wake up. Not now, and not for a very long time unless there was a miracle. The time of Isaac and Jess having a relationship and starting a life together was unfortunately over.

- Many days later -

The Institute had been quiet for a few days. There was no demon uprising, vampires and werewolves breaking laws, it was just the usual incidents that Alexander kept under order with his elite hunters. Isaac was working hard that day, helping some of the hunters move the new weapons into the armory. He carried as much as his body could manage. He sweat profusely, his body now back to healthy shape after his injuries many days back. So much time had passed, that Zack had forgotten he was ever in the infirmary for himself.

"Hello Nurse Karen." He spoke kindly to the young nurse who waived back at him when he managed to make his way to the infirmary. He laughed as she told him he smelled bad. He walked past her and saw Seth; he and Blane and Seth had decided to take turns watching over her until she awoke. "Hey kid, you better get out of here before they come looking for you. How is she today?"

Zack pulled up a chair and sat beside Seth. "I got her now. I will let you know if there's any change, as usual." He smiled to Seth and looked over Jess. She was as still as a ghost, just like that morning when he was there.

Isaac waited for Seth to leave before he sighed heavily and lay his head on the bed. He didn't get much sleep last night because her wound had begun to drain again, and it usually meant she was dying. They had saved her again, somehow, but her time was running out.