Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 172: Crescent Island

Silence accompanied Ren and the others as they traversed the starry sky. They left California in a flash of green and yellow, likely due to the climatic end of Erica and Michael's fated duel. Most of the group braced themselves for an ambush, but no heroes ever came.

The unbridled silence came with a tense and vigilant air. Jack speculated that if Michael wasn't hunting them, then Erica could've won. However, Ren immediately rejected this coming to terms with Erica's fate.

For twenty hours, the group sat in silence. Zhu Li and Jack tended to their wounds. Zhu Li is a master at the art of Reiki, using the ability to stitch up the gash left behind by Ruriko. She removed her shirt solemnly, revealing a series of scars she accumulated throughout the years.

The scars ranged from soft burns, thread marks, and even slashes. But none rivaled the size of her newest wound. The injury Ruriko left fell perfectly between Zhu Li's perky breast. If it weren't for quick thinking, Zhu Li likely would've been split in two.

Simultaneously Zhu Li tended to Jack and provided him with small sparks' therapeutic treatment to raise his bodily temperature. When utilizing his Power Maturity, Jack's body had a risk of succumbing to frostbite.

So to avoid that outcome, Jack was forbidden from using the technique.

Zhu Li stared at Ren. It was difficult to believe how much he had grown. The last time she saw him, Ren was still in diapers. But within the previous decade, Ren had grown into his looks. For Zhu Li, it was apparent how much he resembled both of his parents, being a perfect meld of them both.

He had Makoto's stoicism and Irene's natural beauty.

"You did good Nat..." Zhu Li thought and continued to tend to Jack. "Ren, could you help me for a bit? Your phoenix flames would make the defrosting process go by faster."

But Ren didn't budge. He remained the most distant of the group, quiet and cold just like the night. He sat near Nyssa's tail, staring off like a living statue.

"Ren." Zhu Li called him again, her eyebrows now furrowing in irritation. At this point, it was clear Ren was purposely ignoring her, so when Zhu Li went to shout at him, Maija quickly intervened.

With a rude gesture, Maija silenced her. Maija shook her head slowly and also carried a somber stare.

If he was feeling anything like Nyssa, she knew there wasn't much anyone there could do.

***

They arrived on the island shortly after. Crescent Island was the largest island among an archipelago of islands known as the Ember Isles. It was located a few miles off the coast of the Philippines and was the only island within the isles that was uninhabited.

Nyssa landed along the shore, crashing into the water and immediately reverting to her human form. Maija quickly turned when Nyssa fell face-first into the damp sand. "Shit..."

"She must've completely exhausted herself..." Maija helped Nyssa up and saw she was out cold. "A little help here would be nice." She growled, calling for Ren. But Ren gave Maija a blank stare and walked off.

"Where the hell are you going?" Maija roared, but Ren faded into the dark trees.

"Is he always like this?" Jack asked. His hair was still partially white, but for the most part, he had recovered.

"I dunno?" Maija frowned, "I never seen one of my people act so..." Maija didn't have a word for it. The Fujiwaran people of her era were warriors. If one of their own fell in battle, they celebrated their life with festivities and avenged them the next day in battle.