21 Amongst the Trees

"Fuck," Kyrie groaned as he hung upside down in the tree. His right side and shoulder throbbing where the tree had burrowed into him. As he tried to move enough to free Taru, the vines tightened their grip on him and in him.

Kyrie's aura was quickly being consumed, along with some of his blood.

Kyrie clenched his teeth and watched the bones lying tucked in the roots of the tree. The bones that the tree had been hiding under its vines.

As Kyrie began to work on a plan to free himself from the Jubokko, the tree realized it could pull more aura from Kyrie's left ankle then from the other locations it had been feeding from.

The tree's vines headed for the other four locations Kyrie's aura naturally leaked from –his neck, right ankle, and wrists.

As the vines brushed his neck, Kyrie felt like his neck was burning and itching, just like his left ankle, just like they had in the past.

He needed to get out. Now.

As Kyrie took as deep a breath as he could, frost began to form on the trees and plants around him.

The tree drinking from him slowed and Kyrie managed to place his aching ankle against the tree's trunk. Kyrie pulled himself up with the vines and planted both feet against the tree's trunk.

Kyrie preemptively grimaced, channeled his ability, and tore free of the tree.

He re-absorbed the momentum as he hit the floor and the temperature dropped more. Kyrie was constantly pulling more energy in, as he swung Taru into and through the trees. He hacked and chopped for a bit before he stood, favoring his left leg, and using Taru to support his weight.

The excessive quantity of aura had stopped helping his body heal and had begun to cause it harm. Kyrie glanced at the first tree he had chopped down and sighed.

A bright green sprout was already poking up from the trunk.

Kyrie didn't want to waste any more time in the quickly re-growing clearing. He grimaced, placed his left foot firmly on the ground, and began to run.

As he ran, he grimaced and coughed. A sick wet coppery tasting cough. He had too much aura and it was feeding on his remaining strength, slowing him down. Just like he was slowing down the Jubokko.

It was only when Kyrie became dizzy and desperate that he released some of the aura, tearing through and at his body, into the forest.

The forest that quickly drank it and grew stronger.

After releasing some of his traitorous aura, Kyrie felt marginally better and continued to run.

After what felt like hours Kyrie glimpsed the town of sentry through the trees. The normal, pleasant to hang out in, trees. The kind of trees he would climb for fun as his father watched below. The kind of trees James would build houses for. The trees he wished he could climb with his brother Tyrone Say.

The trees that would feed on blood and become cursed, if he couldn't put an end to this and soon.

Trees that where a part of the life and livelihood of Laserath and Sentry. A livelihood that would take others' lives almost as if in retribution for the countless deaths of their own species.

Kyrie arrived within shouting distance of the gate and with a wet, aching, shout he said, "Let me in!"

The guard standing watch quickly opened the gate. After Kyrie was through, the guard closed it with a resounding bang.

He glanced from the wall to Kyrie and shouted, "We need a doctor! Now!" and sent a request for medical help across Sentry's internal communications network.

♢ ♢ ♢

Gage was waiting outside the room Kyrie was being treated in. He was leaning against the wooden wall of the infirmary connected to Sentry's guard barracks.

The door opened and the doctor from the rescue team stood in the doorway. "You can go in now. We've treated him as best as we can, for someone resistant to healing magic."

Gage stood up, glanced into the room, and saw the medical assistant pinning a bandage on Kyrie's right shoulder. "How's his aura sickness?"

"He's mostly recovered. His body is healing quickly," the doctor looked from Kyrie to Gage and continued, "If he keeps healing at this rate, he'll be able to move without a crutch by dawn."

Gage sighed, "Thanks," then turned and entered the room. Gage sat next to Kyrie who was sitting on the edge of the examination bed and asked, "How are you?"

Kyrie winced and shifted a bit on the bed. "I'm alright. Sore but okay."

Gage nodded, "What did you find out there?"

"I'm not sure what started it, but enough blood has been spilt for the trees to become Jubokko. I didn't realize what they were until too late. We need to handle this and fast, they've already spread quite a ways."

Gage nodded and pulled up a holo map. "Can you show me where you were attacked and where the Jubokko stop at?"

"Yeah." Kyrie pointed to the spots he knew had Jubokko. After that, he showed Gage his estimate for the area the trees covered.

"Alright, we'll expand the radius and start setting up a containment barrier along the front. Then we'll connect the other sides of the barrier to the edge of the Emerilla. Can you help us support the barrier?"

"Yeah. Can you give me the crutch?"

Gage stood and handed Kyrie the crutch. "Take your time. I'll tell the others and we'll get started."

♢ ♢ ♢

When Kyrie arrived outside the Emerilla gate, one wall of the translucent pink barrier had been raised along the edge of the forest. The barrier was weak and held only a hint of pink. Alex and the other members of the rescue party were powering the barrier.

Gage turned at the sound of Kyrie's approach. He paused for a moment as he watched Kyrie make his way closer, by using Taru as a crutch. "You do realize I shouldn't have even asked you to come help power the barrier and I am absolutely not letting you fight."

Kyrie tightened his grip on Taru and said, "I don't like going outside a barrier without my weapon."

"Ah…" Gage felt similarly about being side a barrier without his copter. "Can you take Alex's place as the anchor?"

"Yeah." Kyrie made his way over to Alex. "How'd the search for the break go?"

Alex caught sight of Kyrie out of the corner of his eye, smiled, and responded, "Good, we have an estimate on the location and it lies within the range you guys created for the barrier."

Alex studied Kyrie for a moment. "Are sure you can take the anchor position? You look like you should be spending more time with a healer."

Kyrie smiled a bit. "Yeah. Using up some aura'll be good for me. Plus, if I run out, I'm sure someone'll help me get more."

Gage placed his hand on Kyrie's left shoulder and said, "Of course. But I'd rather you tell us when your running low and we'll switch you out."

Kyrie nodded, carefully stretched out his right hand, touched the barrier, and began focusing on synchronizing the rhythm of his aura with the barrier. As Kyrie took over powering the barrier, Alex pulled back and, eventually, stopped powering it.

"I'll take the next group and head for the right side. Alex, you'll head for the left side. Kyrie, strengthen the barrier a bit more when everything's in place so we can start the fires."

Alex nodded, and Kyrie responded, "Understood."

♢ ♢ ♢

After some time, Kyrie could feel the pull on his aura increase as the remaining two sides of the barrier went up. Once he felt the barrier settle into place he began to pour more of his aura into the barrier. The pink color of the barrier strengthened, and the magicians cast their spells. One fire was started along the right side of the barrier and another along the left.

As the hours passed Kyrie and the others, monitoring the fire and feeding the barrier, grew bored. Some of them started playing twenty questions and swapping tales.

After some time, Kyrie carefully sat down and leaned against the barrier. He could hear the cracking and snapping of the fire next to him.

The smoke-filled air would have been burning the LegendSlayers' lungs if not for the enchanted masks that had been handed out. In Kyrie's case, he'd loosened the scarf-like ribbon around his neck and used part of it to cover his mouth and nose.

Eventually, they killed all of the plants and legends within the barrier.

Alex was replaced by another member of the team. Freeing him and Melissa so they could make their way into the barrier and begin repairing the coms line.

It was early morning when Alex and Melissa hacked into the completed part of the coms line leading to Laserath. Afterward, Alex sent a request for a purification team and the parts needed to repair the communication line to Sentry.

After the next helicopter arrived Kyrie was relieved of his position, low on aura, and ready to sleep for a day. He caught the copter returning Laserath in the early morning hours and took a surprisingly wonderful 5-hour nap.

♢ ♢ ♢

DJ woke up to the vibration of his holo-watch. He groaned and groggily rolled over.

DJ's watch vibrated again. He groaned, rolled onto his back, turned his head, and glanced at the window. His view of the academy grounds was obscured by a curtain. A curtain with no light leaking through. Who the hell would be texting him at this time? DJ sighed and pulled his sheet over his head. Whatever it was could wait until morning.

DJ's watch vibrated one more time. "Fuck it!" DJ sat up and opened his holo-display. He had three messages from Headmaster Raven Clof.

*I just got word that a connection with Sentry has been established. I'll see if I can find out how Kyrie's doing.

*It sounds like Kyrie was injured during the mission but is doing alright.

*His commander is sending him back on the first ride home.*

DJ sighed and replied. *Thanks. Do they know when the first ride back will be?*

*No. But I would guess Kyrie'll be home in around seven hours. I've sent Kyrie a message telling him to take the day off from class.

*Though he probably won't listen and'll go anyways. He's not very good at taking breaks or resting, could you help me make sure he takes a break?*

DJ smiled at the last message. It was time for him to reclaim his role as the master of fun. James used to have a similar problem and DJ had turned him into his partner in crime. It was time to do the same to Kyrie.

*Don't worry. I got this :)*

♢ ♢ ♢

At a more reasonable time in the morning, DJ was up, dressed, and ready for his next day of classes. When he arrived in the common area of the team's dorm room he headed for the cool cupboard. As DJ was contemplating what to make for breakfast, Liza walked in.

"Hey. Have you heard? Kyrie's on his way home." Liza had spent much of the night anxiously waiting to learn if Kyrie would be coming home alive. She was glad he would be coming back but she wouldn't be able to fully relax until she saw him for herself.

DJ closed the cupboard door and turned to Liza who was perched on a stool at their breakfast bar. "Yeah." DJ's stomach grumbled as he contemplated his food options. Cafeteria or make something? "What are you thinking of doing for breakfast?"

Liza looked a bit sheepish as she said, "Uh, I'll probably go to the cafeteria. I'm not much of a cook."

"Oh! I could cook something for you." It might be faster than walking to the cafeteria and waiting in line forever. Or at least what would've felt like forever for DJ's stomach.

Liza watched DJ skeptically. "Are you sure? You don't seem like the kinda guy who can cook."

DJ grinned as he watched Liza. "Oh, I can cook."

Liza studied DJ for a moment. "Okay." Why did that sound like a challenge?

"Let's get Jasper and have a team breakfast! We've got planning to do."

DJ turned towards Jasper's room and had already taken a step when Liza spoke, "Jasper left earlier he said he was going to practice."

DJ's shoulders dropped a bit at the loss of another person to cook for and at the subtle reminder of the terrible Blooding they had gone through yesterday. In fact, they'd missed the last class of the day Survivalist Training.

"Oh…" DJ reopened the cool cupboard and perked up a bit. "I still get to cook for two."

Liza watched DJ and attempted to cheer him up more. "If you want, tomorrow you can cook for the whole team."

DJ smiled. "Yeah." He pulled out some fruits, vegetables, and tofu. He went to the sink and started washing some of his ingredients. "We should find out what Jasper and Kyrie like to eat. Then we can go grocery shopping and I can try to make their favorites." DJ paused his cleaning of the fruits and vegetables he planned to turn into a stir-fry. "What's your favorite food?"

Liza grinned. "I love croissants. Their fluffy efflorescency goodness is amazing. There is nothing that can beat a good croissant." Liza watched DJ more seriously for a moment before she said, "We should definitely make their favorites. It'd be a great morale booster."

"Yep and it'll be part one of the have fun as team plan."

Liza had a predatory grin as she said, "I like the sound of this. Please tell more about this plan of yours."

DJ smirked, this was going to be epic, especially now that he had another partner in crime.