Hybrid Factors (A Team Crafted FF)

Chapter 5 (Quentin)

I saw Seto's back and shrieked. I expected a possible wound, not this!

His back was littered with black, blue, and purple bruises, cuts both large and small cuts from what might have been a knife or dagger, and scars shaped like sorcery runes spelling out something in an ancient language covering most of his back.

I thought he was unconscious, but apparently not. "Uh, Seto, tell me if this hurts..." I say as I press my hand against his back. He screams into Ty's shoulder in pain and I immediately pull my hand back. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." Seto says softly before passing out. "RED FIVE! I REPEAT, EMERGENCY RED FIVE!" I shout as loud as I can.

Doctors and paramedics come running over, once they saw Seto, they immediately took him away to be treated. "Ty, I know you and Seto are like brothers and I want you to go with him in case something happens." I tell Ty and he nods before sprinting after the doctors with Seto. I turn to the others and see them looking behind them. I heard a growl and a small yelp as I pushed past Jason to see what was going on.

Jerome sat on the ground with his legs spread apart and knees up with Mitch sitting in the area on the ground between his legs as Jerome protectively wrapped his arms around him. Mitch had his head leaning back so it rested on top of Jerome's shoulder, I knew he was unconscious. Jerome growled and snapped at any of the paramedics who went near them, scaring them enough to take a step back.

Won't scare me though. I approached them and Jerome didn't snap or growl at me, he just stared at me as I came closer. I crouched down beside them and Jerome let Mitch slip a bit so that the back of his head was resting on the front of Jerome's shoulder. "What happened to him?" I asked softly. "I-I don't know. Despite just being in a fire, he's cold as ice." Jerome answers and I put the back of my hand to Mitch's forehead. He's right, Mitch is as cold as ice! But, he's not dead, what's going on? "He's alive thought, why is he so cold?" I question. Mitch's neutral expression changes to one of pain and his head drops to one side.

Jerome loosens his grip on Mitch and Mitch's body staggers forward, making me fall to the ground and stumble backwards. Mitch coughs out a black blood-like substance as Jerome tightens his grip again. Something clicks in my brain, "Why did he have demon blood in him?!" I shout on accident. Two recruits with their swords out come and stand on either side of me.

A magic user comes over and places his hand on the ground in front of the blood. "It's Mitch's blood, along with demon blood." He says and takes a step back as the recruits beside me step forward, swords pointed at Mitch and Jerome. Jerome growled coldly at them, his brown eyes completely turning black.

"YOU WON'T LAY A FINGER ON HIM!" He snaps at them, his voice turned dark.
"Don't hurt them!" Sky yells at the recruits as Ian holds him back so he doesn't do anything stupid.
"Stop, don't hurt them!" I shriek at them and they hesitate for a moment, but continue.
"Enemies such as demons must be eliminated." One says.

Mitch groans as his head falls to the other side. I noticed something, but it probably isn't important. A recruit slashed at them and Jerome moved so he shielded Mitch and held him to his chest. The sword left no effect. "Biggums..." I heard Mitch mumble. "Mitch! Oh I'm so happy you're okay, biggums..." Jerome says.

"Jerome, do you... do you hate me?" Mitch asks.
"Mitch, I could never hate you, even if I tried. It's quite the opposite, actually." Jerome responded as the recruits kept slashing at him.

"Leave them alone!" Sky yelled as he got out of Ian's grip and ran towards us, shoving the recruits away.
"We can't put everyone at risk! We need to kill the enemies's species!" One yelled back.
"Then kill me." Sky demanded, his voice void of emotion.

Not good.