Long Lost

Chapter Ten

A/N *Author looking back at a book in 2020 that was started in 2017*
Yeah. You're due for a quick ending.

(Jason's POV)

I'm still really confused about all of this. I don't feel like some long-dead hero. Still, all the armor pieces from Seto feel somehow familiar. He leads us back upstairs and outside. It looks like the rest of the base is going back to business as usual. General Ant's probably itching to get some answers.

"You want us to spar? You do realize that we're in an army camp, right?", Mitch roles his eyes. We've all been here for a year or two. Seto acts like we can't fight at all.

"You may have training, but not of all of it is the right stuff. You're pretty lucky, Mitch, to be trained as an archer twice. Everyone else is missing something", Seto points out his bow.

"But I don't fight", Quinten looks very confused, "I'm just a medic. I don't even know how to use these". He holds up his two swords. Both handles are imbedded with lapis jewels; Piscus jewels.

Sky speaks up, "You could fight with them when I knew you. You weren't great at it, though. You liked explosives and traps better".

     Quinten just looks confused. "What? I lived underwater for half of my life. I've never even touched gunpowder before".

      "That's one of the things we have to fix if we're gonna win this", Seto pulls open a bag at his side, dumping a mound of those small black cubes. "Everything you need should be there. Touch them, and the magic will wear off. Practice a bit". Seto leaves the bewildered Quinten and moves the rest of us away.

     "So I have a set of armor? No weapon?", I ask the sorcerer. I've been carrying the different pieces all this time. They're surprisingly light.

     "Your armor is a weapon. You'll figure out better if you put it on and try", Seto insists. He appears to be a 'hands on' type of teacher. How is armor a weapon? The others watch me as I comply. When I put the first piece on my arm, it shocks me how perfect of a fit it is. The pieces lock together to fill in any gaps while remaining flexible. The helmet has an orange visor that's made of some sort of thick glass. I slip it on last. I hear Sky gasp a little after I'm all suited up. I probably look a lot like his old friend. Did I really live a life as TrueMu with this armor?

Seto was right about one thing: my subconscious already knew what to do once I put all the armor on. I didn't expect it when he threw a fireball right at my face, and I'm not the only one who jumped. I instinctively knocked my heels together. Some chemical reaction in the soles of the armor's boots was triggered by it. I go blasting up into the air, scared, but still on auto pilot. The fire ball hits the ground underneath me. I bring in my knees when I fall back down and hit the ground. The boots absorb most of the shock with powerful springs in the toes. I just flew. For a few seconds, at least. I loose my balance and fall back on my butt.

     "That was amazing", I let out a shaky breath.

     "You can touch the stars, Jason!", Ty whoops. He's still holding that dragon spear close. I think he feels it's familiarity just like I'm starting to feel with this armor. I'm starting to believe what Seto's saying more and more.

"See? You guys just need to practice with your old weapons", Seto smiles in satisfaction. As if to boost his ego further, a nearby explosion rocks the earth. I look back while the Sorcerer doesn't even flinch. "Looks like Quinten's figured it out, but Jerome and Ty haven't ever used anything but a sword, correct?". The two of them nod. "Good. You can go ahead and have a second sparring mach, then". Jerome looks uncomfortable, probably thinking about the earlier accident. Ty just shrugs and awkwardly holds up the spear in front of himself. Mitch, Ssunndee, and I all back away to give them space.

     Jerome tosses his axe from hand to hand, trying to get used to the balance. Ty struggles a bit with maneuvering the long spear. An axe is slower then a sword, but a spear is even more cumbersome. The two eye each other before they take the first swings.