Eternal Courage 2

Chapter 5: Vivid Signs

It was now only a couple days before the first elimination day was due to begin. Many people were relaxing or doing light exercise to make sure they were in tip-top condition. However for Saku and his friends, it was a time of wonder and relief. Only a few days previous, Sora and Anaeus very nearly lost their lives.

Both Sora and Anaeus had been challenged by the duo of Ryuu, a cocky young man with a big mouth, and Noah. Noah was strangely robotic in her pattern of speech, and Ryuu seemed to have it in for Anaeus. They both engaged in battle with the pair, Ryuu a user of lightning and Noah a aura-weapon user. But for Saku...something felt wrong.

Ryuu and Noah's aim was to weaken Sora and Anaeus down, and then by removing their gloves they aimed to kill them. Saku and Pulya however intervened and now both Saku and Anaeus were resting

Saku was doing some stretches and light exercise in the training hall. Pulya had arrived too "hey Saku, are you back at it again?"

"oh...hey Pulya" said Saku doing some push-ups "no not really. For the next couple of days, just light exercise for me. The last thing, I want to do is go to the elimination round..." Saku stood up and rubbed his wrists "with cramps and aches" Pulya nodded

"this is wise to do. How are you feeling today?"

"well...just frustrated" said Saku looking up to her "I still, can't work out what happened. You know with Ryuu and Noah"

"that's been bothering you too"

"well...no" said Saku "but...it just makes me think"

They recalled back to after the fight, Saku had turned angrily to Ryuu as he groaned "hoy...what's the big idea!?" as Ryuu looked up, he looked a bit dazed

"wait...what?" Saku then picked him up by his shirt

"you'd better start explaining! Why the hell did you try to kill Sora!?" Sora let him go and saw him stagger backwards

"So...ra?" he sounded clueless, as if he had only just woken up "Wait...Anaeus..." Ryuu then turned to Anaeus "how did he...get over there?" Saku looked quite perplexed

"what are you on about? Look I know I smashed you in the face, but try to remember"

Ryuu then turned to Saku "wait...smashed?" Ryuu then flinched and held his face "ahhh...why does my face hurt so bad?" Saku was quite lost

"what the heck? I just...literally hit you"

"you...did?" said Ryuu bewildered which beckoned Sora to ask

"don't you remember anything?" Ryuu looked to Anaeus

"not much, just fighting Anaeus...but even that seems...hazy"

Anaeus, hearing this, didn't buy it "you expect to believe that you don't remember a single thing!? We've just beating the crud out of each other!"

"yeah...I remember that much" said Ryuu looking strangely tired "but...it was like...something egging me on. Like, a red cape to a bull. Then...just this feeling of darkness" Ryuu was notably shivering "but nothing else" Pulya looked at Ryuu

"you're...not lying" she said slowly "you're telling the truth here. I did notice something was off when I saw you"

"I agree with her" said Saku "but, what about before this fight? You sounded like you knew Anaeus"

"I do remember meeting this guy, who told me Anaeus had been mocking me" Ryuu now looked quite down "and then...that was it. He partnered me up, with that boomerang girl...but I was possessed with anger"

Saku let off a groan "well, regardless. You lost an official Bio-Duel. As Captain, you have lost a lifeline, while your partner is now out of the competition"