Chapter 4 - Last Chance

Jason awoke to find himself in an unfamiliar room, dappled in the soft glow of the light seeping through the curtains. His eyes fluttered open to a plain white ceiling, still blurry as they adjusted. Nearby, a rhythmic beeping emanated from a machine, harmonising with the slow inflation and deflation of what sounded like a breathing apparatus. Despite the dull pain that persisted in his chest, he felt a cocoon of warmth enveloping him, offering solace.

As he gradually regained consciousness, he became aware of the presence of a cannula in his arm and a mask gently covering his face. Attempting to move his head, he discovered that weakness gripped his entire body, leaving him in a state of vulnerability. Slowly he managed to shift his gaze, eventually realising that he was in a hospital room.

Perched on a chair beside his bed was a young woman, her age hovering around eighteen, though he couldn't be certain how he arrived at that conclusion. She was asleep, curled up in the chair like a contented cat. She had long blonde hair that cascaded around her, a small frame and was wearing pink pyjamas adorned with a deer pattern. Struggling to recall who she might be or why he found himself in this situation, he reached for elusive memories from his past, but all he encountered was an unsettling void – amnesia.

Jason made an effort to communicate, but all that escaped his lips was a raspy gurgle. His attempt, albeit unintentional, roused the girl from her slumber. She stirred, her eyes widening as they met his. The young woman sprang to her feet, hastily pressing a button nearby.

Jason's second attempt to speak resulted in more incoherent and feeble sounds. Unperturbed, she reached out and held his hand, offering him a reassuring touch.

Her hand was a source of comfort and warmth as she continued. "Don't strain yourself trying to speak. I'll do my best to explain everything."

Jason nodded slightly and let the girl speak.

"You were stabbed through the heart, yet you miraculously survived," she continued, her voice tinged with wonder. The doctors said it was an unnatural strength that allowed you to live. The school healers acted swiftly to save you, but despite that, you've been in a coma for two long months. You've also suffered a severe head injury, which might have caused memory loss. Do you remember who I am?"

Jason shook his head slowly, his memory a foggy abyss. The girl's face dropped and she placed her head on the bed. A moment later she raised it again and spoke once more.

"Hello Jason, I am Mallory, your good friend," she declared cheerfully, a gentle and hopeful smile on her face.

The hospital room's door swung open, admitting a doctor and two nurses who rushed to Jason's side. As they took over his care, Mallory stepped aside.

"We will speak again soon," she smiled, making way for the doctors and leaving the room.

In the hours that followed, Jason regained the ability to breathe, sit up, and speak on his own. He spent considerable time with the medical team, who asked about his pain and explained the treatments he'd undergone. Once they were done, exhaustion eventually overcame him once more, and he drifted back into slumber.

~~~~

When he next awoke, the room was dimly lit by a singular lamp in the corner, signifying that nighttime had descended. Nearby, voices murmured, their attempts at whispering failing miserably.

"We need to be gentle, he has lost his memory," a timid female voice cautioned.

"The sooner he regains awareness, the faster he can harness his power," a youthful male voice chimed in.

"He needs to recover his strength, sooner the better, I have needs you know," interjected a confident female voice.

"Liz, you are the worst," a deep, gravelly male voice retorted.

"Takes one to know one, Malcolm," teased Liz, making a raspberry with her tongue.

The bickering continued for some time, until Jason had had enough and spoke.

"Hello?" Jason called out softly to the people, hoping they would hear him over their argument.

"I heard him speak through my listening spell," an older man, who had remained silent until now, announced.

The group ceased bickering and gathered around Jason. They stood back slightly in an attempt to not crowd him or scare him. From their conversation he knew these people were friendly towards him, but from their appearances he was still cautious.

The young man spoke first. "Do you remember us?"

Once again, Jason shook his head, his memory a locked vault. The young man sighed, as if expecting this outcome.

"We are the gods of your SSS power, Black Hole Gods," he explained. "Like you we have forgotten exactly how you came upon this power and how we ended up here. Unfortunately, our memories are intertwined with yours, leaving us with precious little information. As we have been preparing for this moment for the time you were asleep, we have managed to come up with the following. One, you must have encountered the ancients at some point, and two, you are here because you were attacked by someone you considered a friend," said the man, his voice filled with regret at only having limited data.

This information overwhelmed Jason. While he knew he had been attacked and why he was in the hospital, the details of who and why eluded him. The doctors had mentioned his power was graded as F, yet these beings contradicted that assessment.

"The doctors told me I have an F-grade power. Why do you think otherwise?" Jason questioned, scrutinising each of their faces.

"Professor, would you mind demonstrating," requested the young man.

"Gladly," said the older man, stepping forward. "Raise your hand up and repeat after me."

Jason lifted his hand, although he had been told his power was only F, he would be happy to find out it was SSS, so he cooperated.

"Electro!" said the older man.

The older man's hand began to spark as electricity passed between his fingers, illuminating the room in a vibrant blue light. Jason stared at the man's hand in awe.

"Now, your turn," the professor encouraged.

"Electro," Jason said quietly, spreading his fingers on his hand.

A faint electric bolt danced between his fingers, less dazzling than the professor's display but undeniably present. He could feel its energy surging within him. After a brief moment, the display ceased, and he shook his hand.

"See?" the young man beamed.

The group then introduced themselves individually and explained their respective roles. Talon proceeded to describe the rules of the power, and before long, he had successfully brought Jason back up to speed. Afterward, he felt exhausted once again and drifted back into slumber, while his gods watched over him.