Zayla Eternal

My Swords Master... Zayla's New Power

Bodoku gave a shaky breath pushing himself to keep moving forward. Tidus sighed walking with Tanjiro, Seth and Kuriso behind him, "this is ridiculous, his gonna hurt himself if he keeps going like this..." "you're right", Tanjiro added, "someone should say something..." they all looked at each other. Kuriso blinked, "your his friends, surely he'll listen to you". Tidus and Tanjiro remained silent. Seth huffed catching up to Bodoku, "Bodoku". "Seth, what is it?"  "I was wondering if you needed any assistance". "No", came the flat reply. Seth gave a small nod, "okay", he went to drop back noticing the others expressions he remained by Bodoku's side, "I think you do, you've been carrying Zayla for two hours without rest. You are injured, your side, your leg-" he noticed heavy bruising around Bodoku's wrist, "what is that?" Bodoku followed his concerned gaze, "I think Zai broke my wrist when he grabbed me".  "What!?" Tanjiro gasped from behind, "you mean you took Choji down so easily with a busted leg, battered ribs AND a broken wrist!?" He gave a heavy sigh, "oh man... remind me never to get on your bad side..." Tidus stepped forward, "Bodoku you have to let one of us take her, at least for like ten minutes so you can rest and we can fix your wrist". Bodoku didn't look at them, "how many times do I have to say I'm fine". Seth's eyes narrowed, "as many times as you want, we still won't believe you", he said sternly. Bodoku stopped walking and faced him, "are we gonna have a problem Seth?" Tidus cut between them as they became locked in a dark glare at each other, "whoa there guys calm down... Seth back off". Seth sighed and crossed his arms looking away, "Bodoku we're just concerned for your health but if you wanna carry her-" "I do" "Then at least slow down a bit... please?" Bodoku looked at them then gave a small nod, and continued to walk. Tanjiro rushed off in front to take the lead along with Kuriso. Seth and Tidus followed at a distance behind Bodoku carrying Zayla. "I don't understand", Seth began, "you wanted me to talk sense into him, then you stopped me" "Because you were about to start a fight with him... couldn't you tell?" "If we had fought I would've won, he would have been unconscious and resting. I don't see the problem". Tidus frowned at him, "why are you staring?" "Seth you can't just knock people out because they won't do what we want... and besides I doubt you would've beaten him regardless of the state his in". "I suppose because you prevented us from engaging in battle, we'll never know", Seth seemed to pout making Tidus chuckle. Bodoku glanced back as Zayla moaned coming to, "Zayla..." "Bodoku?" She glanced up at him, "hey... what are you doing carrying me? Aren't you injured?" "A little". She exhaled and groaned, "are you alright? Did your wound heal properly?" "I'm fine, it just hurts a little". "When he killed you- I- your face- I can't-" "Bodoku. I'm okay..." She felt his heart racing, "I knew you would save me". "But I didn't, did I? You were killed again... maybe I'm just no good for you..." "N-no, you can't think like that, it's not true". Bodoku blinked and swallowed slowly, "all I do... is fail you... I-" he let her go, she landed on her feet trying to catch him as he passed out, "Bodoku! Can you hear me!?" She cradled his head. Tidus and Seth rushed to catch up, Tanjiro and Kuriso ran back. Tanjiro knelt down, "move! Give me some space!" He checked Bodoku's pulse, "it's slow but his not in any danger... I think he just needs a lot of sleep..." He gently pressed each one of Bodoku's bruised ribs then checked his previously broken leg, "whatever Skarra did is healing his wounds pretty quickly, except this..." he mentioned carefully checking his wrist, "I need some small twigs and maybe snap off some of those vines so I can make a splint". "I'm on it", Kuriso nodded, "me too", Seth followed her. Tidus took some bandages out of his bags, "I've got these". Tanjiro snatched them, "great thanks". "Is he gonna be okay?" Zayla asked concerned. Tanjiro patted her shoulder, "hey, his gonna be fine. A lot of rest and he'll be back to his old stubborn self again, just keep holding his head up okay?" "Yeah..." "Tidus I need you to hold his arm while I set his wrist, I won't lie, it'll sound bad but don't worry". Tidus nodded and gulped gripping Bodoku's arm, "hold it tight", Tanjiro took a long breath. There was a loud crack as Bodoku's wrist was set back into place, Zayla and Tidus flinched but Bodoku didn't even groan, this worried Tanjiro slightly, and Zayla could see it, "what is it?" "Uh... nothing..." he wrapped Bodoku's wrist and hand in a bandaged then made a splint when Seth and Kuriso returned. "There, he should be okay". Seth picked Bodoku up, "I will carry him". Zayla rounded on Tanjiro, "wait, what's wrong?" "Wrong? Nothings wrong why would anything be wrong?" He shrugged defensively. She slapped his arm, "OW" "Come on Jiro! Tell me... please". Tanjiro slouched, "Okay... when I set his wrist he didn't react, at all. Which could mean his in a coma..." "What...?" "But I could be wrong, his a tough guy even when he faints could be... try not to worry too much". Tanjiro began walking, "it's this way, we're nearly at Zanaria City". Tidus and Kuriso quickly joined him while Zayla walked beside Seth who carried Bodoku. "Tidus, what should we do?" Tanjiro asked. "What do you mean?" "I'm like ninety percent sure Bodoku won't wake for another maybe three days... and that's if he has the will to wake up at all". "What are you saying? Of course he does!" "I'm sure he does but, it won't take three days to get to Zanaria, maybe just the rest of today... Bodoku will still be asleep and his clearly one of our best fighters". "He is your best fighter", Kuriso said, "no offence but from what I've seen the master swordsman do so far and what I've heard of him... he could kill us all without sweating, powers or not". "She's got a point", Tidus shrugged. "Okay so his our best fighter, his injured and unconscious, you see where I'm going with this or do I have to spell it out!?" Tidus nodded, "we have to slow down, at least until Bodoku is better..." "Exactly..." "Your right", Zayla said from behind them making them all jump, "I'm willing to wait until Bodoku has healed fully". "The problem with that", Seth began, "it will give Devari enough time to devise whatever scheme he is planning". They froze on the spot looking at each other. "So what? Split up?" Kuriso suggested. "That's a terrible idea", Tidus replied. "His right, Bodoku fights alone a lot of the times which I'm sure you've noticed but he'd never take on something by himself if he thought he couldn't handle it", Zayla added. "Then what else can we do?" Tanjiro asked, "we can't just sit around and do nothing, Bodoku wouldn't would he?" Zayla sighed, "no he wouldn't..." Seth looked at them, "then I suggest a small group goes to check out Zanaria and try to find out what Devari is planning without getting too close". "Who's in this group then?" Tanjiro asked. "Tanjiro, you know the area best so you have to go, are you alright with that?" "I was planning on going anyway", he said. "I will go as well and Kuriso, that leaves Zayla and Tidus to take care of Bodoku. If you can handle that?" Tidus narrowed his eyes, "you think we can't?" "Not at all, I have total belief in you both, Zayla on the other hand..." They all looked at her as she glanced up. "Zayla? Are you okay?" Tidus asked her. She nodded, "uh yeah. No it's fine we can handle it", she said still seeming unsure as she walked to Bodoku. Tidus watched her then looked back at the others, "go, we'll be fine". "You better be", Tanjiro tapped his arm and began walking. "Thanks, you be careful too". Kuriso gave a nod following after Tanjiro, Seth gave a slight sigh after glancing at Zayla before leaving. Tidus knelt beside Zayla, "okay, what's wrong?" "Nothing..." "Don't give me that, I know that look. So come on, tell me what's bothering you". She gave a long sigh, "It's just... I feel so useless. All the time". Tidus frowned, "you know that's not true though... why do you feel that way?" "You all get injured, because of me". "No we-" "Look at Bodoku! His like this because he goes through hell to keep me safe! And you've had your fair share of injuries too!" Tidus straightened with a shake of his head, "but... wouldn't you do the same for us?" "Of course I would, but I'm not strong like you..." "How can you say that? You literally saved us from Hex in the desert-" "Don't start naming what I've done! You've nearly died on more than one occasion!" "You have died! Or did you forget what you did for Bodoku!? If not for you, Choji would've killed him... don't discredit what you've done for us because you think you have to prove something. You are a powerful woman, we've seen it. We protect each other Zayla..." Zayla hung her head still unsure of herself, "look at me", she glanced up, her eyes widened as she glanced past him. "What the heck is that...?" Tidus followed her gaze to see Choji wrapped in a splodgy bubble of darkness, "what the f-?" "BODOKU! I KNOW YOU'RE OUT HERE!" They watched the Choji held his head then smiled a twisted creepy smile, "I need you..." he muttered. Tidus tensed, "his lost it..." He flinched as Zayla tapped his arm, "come on! We need to hide!" She grabbed Bodoku under the arms and waited for Tidus to grab his feet. They pulled Bodoku behind the thick underbrush then peered out, "what happened to him? Wasn't he dead?" Tidus shook his head, "I don't know... I guess this is what you can expect from anyone who works for Devari..." "But how could it cause a mutation like that unless-" "Unless?" Tidus looked back at her as she swallowed hard, "unless he managed to keep some of my blood and this is his first test subject..." Tidus looked out at Choji, "would explain how he came back to life, but you really think he just injected your blood into Choji... would that mean his a clone?" "I don't know!" Zayla fumed in a harsh whisper, "I don't know..." she repeated. Bodoku moaned suddenly, Zayla slapped a hand over his mouth as he continued to groan. Tidus glanced up as Choji looked in their direction, "great", he whispered drawing his sword. "Wait what are you doing?" "His given away our position, you take him further into bushes and keep him quiet while I..." a shrug, "while I do whatever I can to distract that", he gestured to Choji then began sneaking through the bushes getting closer to Choji before coming out. Zayla began dragging Bodoku further away. Once she was satisfied he'd be safe she couldn't stop herself from approaching Tidus and Choji so she could watch what was happening. Tidus walked towards the black blob, taking notice that whatever part of earth it touched was slowly greying, "Choji!" He yelled, Choji glared down at him, "where is Bodoku? I must have him..." He said in a chillingly calm voice. "Bodoku? Who's that?" "DON'T... play games with me... I want him. And I'll tear through you to get him!" Tidus' eyes widened as a huge blob arm came down at him, he rolled to the side avoiding the hit, stumbling as the attack shook the ground. Zayla tensed holding her hands to her mouth as Tidus dodged then sliced at the dark goo, his sword was trapped and snatched from him, "oh shit!" Tidus yelled rolling away as another attack almost splattered him to the floor. "Why must we do this? Just give me Bodoku and you can go free..." "What happened to you Choji!? You've turned into a monster!" "I was already a monster, Devari just brought out what was inside... now..." Tidus gasped as he jumped to escape the dark goo, his foot was grabbed and he was now hanging upside down before Choji, "where is Bodoku, I won't ask again". Tidus remained quiet trying to look for something, anything that could save him. Zayla stepped out no longer able to just stand by and watch, "stop! Put him down!" "Zayla! Get out of here dammit!" "Shut up Tidus! Choji, let him go... I'll go to Devari with you willingly, there's no need to hurt anyone else..." "No!" Tidus struggled against his captor, "don't do this!" "You?" Choji chuckled making them both stop and frown at him, "I don't want you little girl! I want Bodoku!" His eyes narrowed at her, "and it's just occurred to me how I can get him!" He threw Tidus aside to land and roll into the bushes nearby. Zayla gasped and started running as the dark goo around Choji began chasing her. Tidus squinted holding his head as he slowly got to his feet, "Zayla..." he moaned then snapped back to reality, "Zayla!" He snatched up his sword and started after them. Zayla cried out as Choji gripped her mid section and thumped her to the ground hard, she coughed trying to draw breath. "Zayla! NO!" Tidus jumped as Choji lowered himself. He slapped through the goo and managed to slice Choji's arm almost taking it clean off. As Tidus was about to exit the dark blob Choji screamed and smashed him to the ground several times before releasing him. Zayla turned over and sat up slightly watching as Tidus coughed and tried to crawl to her. As the battle fell silent they heard a cough and a moan from nearby. Zayla and Tidus looked at each other as Choji smiled, facing where Bodoku had been hidden, "there you are..."

Seth glanced back as the ground slightly shook, he frowned spotting a black substance just vanish from his view. "Worried about the others?" Kuriso asked, Tanjiro looked back following his gaze, "this feels wrong... maybe we should've waited for Bodoku to wake... we should go back they could be in trouble". "No", Seth held out an arm to stop him, "we have to trust they can handle it". "Seth, if they're being attacked by some clone- I mean Tidus is good but his nowhere near as good as us and Zayla-" "What?" Seth eyed him. "Well she has lightning powers but she can't use it properly..." "That's not what I saw in the swamp. She is perfectly capable of protecting them, and as long as you believe in her that power will grow, keep doubting her and she will continue to think she is weak". Tanjiro gave a sigh but nodded, "alright then, enough dillydally, let's go".

Tidus stumbled to his feet, grabbing his sword as Choji picked up the unconscious Bodoku, slowly covering him in black goo, his eyes were wide with desire, "I-I finally have you! My swords master..." Tidus ran to help Zayla up, "his gonna take him if we don't do something!" Zayla cried. Tidus frowned up readying his sword, "you stay here". "You can't take him alone!" Tidus rounded on her, "I don't want to see you get hurt!" "And I don't want to see either of you get hurt! Please, we have to work together..." Tidus turned as Choji began moving away from them, Bodoku's legs and arms were inside the goo, "alright, do you think you can distract him while I grab Bodoku?" "It'll be my pleasure", her hands sparked, she darted towards Choji, the energy of the electricity seemed to enhance her speed. Tidus leapt up a tree and began leaping across branches to reach Bodoku. Choji paused as a lightning bolt struck the goo, he glared down, "you? You're alive??" "Yeah I get that a lot". "You can't have him! I won't let you take him from me!" "Funny, that's what I was gonna say!" She hurled a lightning bolt at his face but the goo blocked it. She gasped rolling out of the way as Choji smashed the ground where she'd been standing. He went to strike again but froze crying out as Tidus sliced through the goo and cut at his arm that had already healed. He grabbed Bodoku trying to pulling him away, "come on! What the heck is this stuff! AGH!" Tidus screamed as Choji fired him out of the slime then shot the goo, like black spears hitting him in the shoulder and thighs pinning him to the tree. He screamed further causing Zayla to lose her focus, "Tidus!" "Argh! Watch out Zayla!" He managed to yell through gritted teeth then watched helplessly as she was hit with a few spikes. She cried out falling to her knees and holding her arm, "Zayla run!" "Yes Zayla, run away, you can't save Bodoku, you can't even save yourself". She looked up at Choji with tears in her eyes, "that's not true!" She muttered. "Look at you, you're pathetic, your one trick is lightning and that doesn't even affect me, you can't die but you're cursed to have everyone fall at your feet protecting you". "No..." "Ah! Don't listen to him...!" Tidus yelled as he pulled out one of the spears from his leg. "You have no choice but to listen to me as despair surrounds you-" Bodoku coughed and groaned, slightly opening his eyes, "Zayla..." he managed to say. Choji's eye twitched, "you're all he thinks about! Well, no more", he raised an arm making the goo on his right side turn into a long black scythe, "now, you will die". "Zayla! Please! MOVE! DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING!" Tidus was practically begging as he ripped the other black spear from his leg, now dangling by his arm, but Zayla was sat staring at her hands as tears fell, "I'm no good... no good to anyone... I can't even- I CAN'T EVEN SAVE THE PEOPLE I LOVE!" Tidus felt his breath catch as the scythe swung down, he was still trapped by three spikes to his shoulder, he couldn't move in time to save her, he couldn't watch... "R-remember... what your father said..." Bodoku muttered trying his hardest to draw his sword with his broken wrist as the goo continued to swallow him, "we l-look out for each other. Now it's your turn to save me..." Zayla looked up with a different expression, one of pure fury, she held out her hand as her arm set ablaze. Tidus looked back in surprise of the sudden bright light to see her arm on fire, but it wasn't burning her, in fact it looked like the shape of a sword covering her entire arm as it burned off her sleeve, "LET HIM GO!" She yelled then swung her arm down at Choji. When it touched the goo it exploded covering the area in a dark mist. Tidus shielded his eyes and coughed, looking back at the scene as the wind settled down, but he couldn't see anything below, "Zayla!? Bodoku!?" After a few seconds of silence his heart thudded, "ZAYLA!"