Chapter 14: Recovery and Impending Doom

Seth

Seth heard voices above him as he began to become conscious. His mind struggled toward those voices even though Seth's body wanted nothing more than to remain in a deep slumber. When he broke the surface, he cracked his eyes open to listen to what words were being said.

"Well we can't move him, and leaving him is out of the question! We need to post someone to watch over him until he wakes up." That voice was Strat.

"And What of the delay to our mission this will cause?" Rylee asked in quiet anger. "There are a lot of people's lives besides one riding on us Strat or have you forgotten!?"

"I'm very well aware of what is at stake!" Strat all but yelled. "And is he not one of the ones we're supposed to protect? Is he not a member and resident of the Lightforce Academy? Honestly I worry for you Rylee when did you become someone who would abandon their friends?" This seemed to silence her and after a few minutes Seth heard angry footsteps as she stomped away.

"Glad to know I'm so wanted around here," Seth said, his voice cracking. Seth opened his eyes fully and realized he was still laying on the floor of the Inn where he had collapsed. He tried to sit up but his ribs shut down that idea so fast Seth was sure NBA players from around the world applauded them.

"So, you're still with us," Matt remarked. he sounded annoyed but his smile said he was relieved.

"Honestly can you not go berserker again? It is very hard to care for someone who is broken." Seth looked over to see Mike standing on the right side of him along with Isbis who's eyes seemed to sparkle with joy, and relief.

"What do you mean by berserker?" Seth asked. Matt sighed with annoyance, and Mike just shook his head.

"You got hit full force in the ribs with a demon mace, you shouldn't have gotten back up after that at all, but no that wasn't enough for you, was it? You had to get up and display high level sword skills that put more strain on your ribs."

" And not to mention you put everyone else aside from me and Strat to shame in doing so," Jack stated the big smile on his face said that he was teasing. Jack blew his short hair out of his face and rose to stand. "We're going to have to train you so that this doesn't happen again," he said looking down at Seth. "And I guess your mom put you through sword-play classes in the normal world." Seth was taken aback by how much Jack knew, but then he just smiled he was starting to get used to Jack's mysterious know it all lifestyle.

"Yeah but only a little bit of fencing and I took some martial arts training. But most everything I know I taught myself," Seth replied remembering in his head the days he would spend out in the backyard of his house using a stick or a piece of piping to practice swordplay. They were days he missed and it occurred to him that now he was getting a chance to use all the training he had put himself through. His sword fighting wasn't studied from a book or movie. No what he knew he had learned from constant practice and from discovering the way of the sword on his own. He had always used his imagination to think up scenarios and how to counter them. It was because of that that he knew what he did, the fencing hadn't even shown him the basics.

"What did you mean high level sword skill?" Seth asked as he studied Strat.

Strat sighed in resignation, "You are aware of how we draw power aren't you?" Seth felt a slight confusion at his asking such a simple question.

"Well yeah. We draw the power from God himself, right?"

"You're right in part," Strat acknowledged. "You see the power we wield or more likely the ability to wield the power was gifted to us from God, who saw something in us."

"And what was it that he saw in us?" Seth asked the doubt in his voice was clearly relayed to everyone present.

"I wouldn't know that," Strat said calmly, "I don't presume to know God's mind. If I had to guess I'd say it was probably our potential to have unrivaled faith in his mercy and power."

Seth could feel contempt coming from almost everyone in the room and he realized what he had said. "Um sorry everyone. I did it again, didn't I?" Jack nodded his eyes fierce.

"If I was you I'd learn to temper that contempt," he said. "That goes for the rest on you as well. Act like Christians not like school ground children who just got insulted."

Everyone seemed to calm down, looking to Jack. Several of them seemed to be suitable chastened as well. Seth tried to push to sit up once again and found that this time he could do it without much difficulty. So, he tried more he pushed himself to his knees and began to slowly rise to his feet.

"Whoa! Slow down there!" Mike said rushing to sit Seth back down. "You're in no condition to..." He trailed off as Seth stood to full height.

"What the... Just a minute ago I could barely lift my head!" Seth exclaimed. "Just how did I heal so fast?" Seth looked to Strat who just shrugged. It was obvious that Strat had no idea but he wasn't going to question it.

"Who knows, but let's not waste a gift." Seth if you can walk prepare to go and we'll..."

"Guys!? We have a problem!" Travice exclaimed as he burst inside the Inn.

"Oh, what could it be this time?" Matt asked. Travice paused as if he didn't know when he could speak.

"Well what is it!?" Jack pressed sounding annoyed.

"More Demons," Travice replied.

"What!?" Isbis questioned a panicked look in her eyes.

"How many?" Seth asked. Travice turned to him with a clear look of concern.

"More than thirty at least."

"How far out?" Strat asked. At this question Travice looked solemn.

"They'll be here in twenty minutes," He said. Then he grew even more concerned.

"There's more," he announced.

"What else could go wrong now?" Aria asked her voice a whisper.

"We received word this morning that this band of demons has already slaughtered two whole villages without any known survivors. My guess is that they are coming here to do the same."