Venturing Graces

Chapter Four: Cabbage Jack's Mansion

(Cabbage Arc)

"Cabbage Jack escaped while Kashi was trying to figure out what to do," Marima explained. Her hair looked messy and her pant leg was slightly singed. "We need to take immediate action. Your aunt and Kashi have headed off to find the source."

"Alright, then let's go," Ren said. They helped Yoru up and the group ran towards the woods. "Wow.....I have no idea what I'm doing," Ren thought. They felt like their soul was drifting out of their body. Like this body of theirs was a simple shell with nothing in it being carried along. As if they were watching a video recording. "Snap out of it! I have to focus so I can protect Yoru!"

"I am so proud of you right now. Except I can't feel pride," Orochi stated. Ren hugged Schrod tightly. "Focus on the coolness of my scales or I'll bite you." Ren nodded and kept going. Marima was far ahead now. 

Yoru looked at Ren and Hex in front of him. "I need to help Shizuka and them. They've done so much for me," He thought. Ren had called him beautiful and Hex had vowed to protect him. "Those three are the nicest to me so far." He reflected. 

"How are you holding up?" Hex asked. 

"I'm a little out of breath," Yoru responded. He was starting to slow down now. "I'm not used to getting this amount of activity."

"Here, I'll use my magic," Ren stopped. They took his hand in theirs and they chanted a few words. Yoru felt a red hot strength pour into his body. "Now let's go." The group ran to find a giant cabbage just sitting there with Cabbage Jack standing at the very top. He held something in his hand. 

"What's that?" Marima asked. Ren formed a circle around their right eye with their fingers. They felt their sight zoom in to see Cabbage Jack holding a head of cabbage. 

"Oh something about that feels so wrong."

"If you put up a good enough fight then I'll take you to my house to be my trophies!" Cabbage jack declared. He cackled like a mad man before jumping down. He did a somersault and he landed on his feet. "My my so many lady mages." He paced back and forth. 

"Give that woman back!" Kashi ordered. In her hand she held a long sword. 

"It's the fake girl," Cabbage Jack pointed to Hex. "You disgust me!"

"Yeah I feel that way too sometimes," Ren said. Hex summoned his silver sword. "I doubt that he can actually do much against that guy." 

"Ren, think things through," Orochi hissed. Ren back up from the rest. Cabbage Jack swung at Hex. Hex blocked it and the group scattered. Marima tried throwing cards at him while Kashi and Hex exchanged blows with Cabbage Jack. Rose was busy inspecting the whale of a cabbage. 

"He's a fast spirit. But he's a long distance attacker using a scythe. I doubt that he can really attack me effectively if I get close." Ren drew some talismans from their bag. 

"Hex is being driven into a corner," Orochi hissed. Hex was being slowly pushed into the cabbage. "And it's not like the moron has any better abilities."

"I bet if we get that cabbage head off we can defeat him," Ren suggested. They took a long pair of scissors out of their bag. They wrapped a long black talisman around it. "Alright, let's try this, Evil's Plight."

"What a dumb name," Orochi thought. Ren raced forwards. Cabbage Jack grabbed Marima by the hair and the two sunk into the cabbage colored hole. 

"Shit!" Rose yelled. Kashi stabbed her sword into the ground. 

"Go! I'll try to hold it open!" She yelled. Ren tried to give her a friendly nod, but their head failed to move. Ren looked down at the swirling cabbage shape. "Arc knows how long that is," they thought. "Go!" Kashi ordered. She reached out and shoved Ren into the hole.