The Will of Fire

13...Broken

No one made a sound. No one moved a muscle. A hopeless Tristin, was thrown to the ground from David's fist. David sighed as the purple energy faded away.
"Like I said. I could kill him while standing in the same spot" he said cracking his knuckles. "Someone come get this pathetic piece of trash."
"YOU BASTARD!" Jared screamed. "YOU BETTER HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT! I SWEAR TO YOU I WILL KILL YOU!"
Natsu floated on a rock. Luisa grabbed Natsu's hand and rode on the floating rock with him. They floated over to Tristin who laid there. Lifeless. Luisa jumped off of the rock and dropped to her knees. She grabbed Tristin's head and held it, trying to wake him.
"No! No! Please, say something! Don't die on me, please! I need you!" she cried.
Her tears fell on Tristin's face. She noticed blood was coming from his mouth profusely. She opened his mouth and saw most of his tongue was gone. She covered her mouth with her hands and let out a muffled shriek. Her hands were shaking. Tears streamed from her eyes. Natsu stood there, worrisome that his student has died.
"Someone do something!" Luisa screamed.
Guys in white uniforms ran up with a stretcher. They lifted Tristin's body onto the stretcher and wheeled him off. They went down these stairs and turned a corner into a hall.
"What are they doing!? Where are they taking my brother!?" Jared shouted.
"They're taking him to the hospital. It's not far from here." Hanzo said.
Alisa tightly grabbed Jared's hand. He looked at her and saw her crying. She's thinking of her brother...I know she is.
"Let's go." Jared said.
Alisa nodded.
"Wait, you can't just leave!" said Hanzo. "One of you could possibly be next!"
"I don't give a damn, Hanzo Sensei...right now, my brother is dead. I have to get my final moments with him." Jared said.
"And the winner of the match!... David Elric!" Rika announced over the speakers.
David threw something beside Luisa.
"Looking for that?" He said walking away, carelessly.
It was the other half of Tristin's tongue. Luisa, still on her knees cried and cried. Natsu consoled her and told her that if she wanted to go to the hospital as well, he'll take them all.
"Hey! Jared! Alisa! I'll take you all there." Natsu said.

*Kujaku Hospital*

Jared, Alisa, Luisa and Natsu all waited in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting to hear the final words on Tristin. Jared had flashbacks of Tristin's back being broken. He closed his eyes hard, trying to erase the memory. Alisa grabbed his hand and Luisa's as she sat between them.
"We have to keep open minds..." she said softly.
"How can you say that?...Tristin...he's gone now!" Luisa said.
"I understand your pain..I do. I've been in this exact situation. Just know that if that truly is the case, he'd want you and Jared to stay strong and get through this alive." Alisa said.
Suddenly, a doctor walked out. Everyone tensed, stood up and waited for an answer.
"He's alive." said the doctor.
Everyone felt relieved. Luisa cried harder, but this time in thanks.
"Can we see him? Please..." Natsu asked.
The doctor nodded his head.
"I warn you. He's in bad condition."
"How bad is it?" Natsu asked.
"He suffers from a broken rib cage. A broken back. A ruptured liver which we had to perform an operation on. His jaw has been broken in three places. And he lost half of his tongue" said the doctor. "The conditions are severe, he almost didn't make it and there's still a slim chance that he could pass on. And if he survives, he could potentially be permanently paralyzed."
The stress was back on everyone, and the weight returned to everyone's shoulders. They all followed the doctor into a room where Tristin lay in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. The heart monitor beeped slowly. He had and IV attached to his arm.
"He is asleep but he can hear you. I'll give you all a moment." said the doctor as he walked out.
Luisa and Jared held each of his hands.
"Look how bad he looks" Luisa said, crying. "Jared, I can't do this."
"Luisa...I'm right here with you." Jared said.
They looked at Tristin in disbelief.
This is all my fault. If I would've just listened to you, mom and dad. And just stayed home away from this tournament, you wouldn't have gotten sent here with Luisa. You wouldn't be like this right now. I don't know if you could ever forgive me, but I will never forgive myself...
Thunder boomed the sky and rain began falling. Alisa grabbed Jared's other hand.
"I'm here for you. I promise." she said to him, wiping a tear from his face.
For the first time in a long time, I'm crying. Tristin. I love you.