{Walking through an old forest near Mt. Fuji in Japan, a weary looking Jordan carrying a large, heavy bag walks down a little-used trail to his destination.

“Ugh, it’s been two years since my Sensei’s master cursed me and I have completed all the tasks she put before me to complete as payment for her lifting the curse finally…” He thought to himself.

A short time later a concerned look crossed his face as he looked ahead, “Lady Hana’s cabin isn’t far now, what’s that red glow coming from the cabin’s direction?”  He wondered to himself and then caught a whiff of smoke and brimstone, Jordan whispers, “Oh, no…”  and takes off at a full sprint to the source of the glow and smell faster than a normal person could ever hope to run.

He comes to a skidding halt a few yards from Lady Hana’s cabin and horrified, he sees that it is engulfed in flames!  He drops the bag he is carrying and bursts through the front door of the cabin with an elbow strike and assesses the situation.  The inside of the cabin is engulfed in flames and the interior of the cabin is decimated, all the furniture splintered and the area in which she worked on her potions and magic destroyed as well.  A tremendous fight took place here. 

“Lady Hana!!??  Are you here??  Are you OK??”  Jordan called out, only the sound of burning wood replied.  He then spied a still form under a tablecloth in the corner of the room and rushed over to it.

He knelt and removed the cloth, fearing what he would find, “Lady Hana?”  He asked.  Instead, he saw the shattered remains of a stone creature.  It's face a horrible caricature of a man in intense suffering.  Jordan recoiled at the sight and stood back up, “Lady Hana…  What happened here?” His whispered question was only answered by the loud cracking sound of timber above his head.  He leapt backward on instinct just as the split timber hit the floor where he was just standing.  Looking around one final time he darted from the collapsing cabin as it started coming down around him.

Jordan stood outside watching the flames take Lady Hana’s cabin and wondered what he was going to do…}

 

“<GASP!!!!!>” Jordan started wake, sitting bolt upright in the bed he was in, drenched in a cold sweat, his covers falling to his waist.  He quickly took in his surroundings and found himself in an airy, white round room.  There was no glass in the windows to keep the gentle breeze from blowing the curtains that covered the opening all around the room.  He caught glimpses of trees beyond the blowing curtains.   There was also a curtain covered doorway in one of the walls.

“Oh, that’s right.  We escaped the hell planet Bazaroth...”  Jordan said and relaxed a little and noticed that his hands were wrapped up in clean, white linen and were no longer sore, as Lisa pulled the door curtain to the side and stepped into the room.

“It’s about time you woke up lazy bones!”  She said with a smile.

“I was a little tired…”  He replied sardonically, then asked in a serious tone, “Are we safe here?  Where are we?”

“Heh, where we are is kinda ironic…  That portal took us to Aradia so yes, we are quite safe here.”

“Aradia?  The ‘living heaven’ planet?  Heh, that IS ironic.” He said.

“It WAS touch and go for a while though…  That portal we came through had been sealed for generations, so the Asrai came to find out why it opened in force.  They came ready for war.  It took quite some time to convince them we weren’t agents from Bazaroth.”  Lisa said with a grimace.

“Thankfully they believed you.” Jordan replied.

Lisa laughed diversely while rolling her eyes and said, “Nothing I said phased them!  They were ready to obliterate us until one of their mages read our auras.  Your aura was the one that saved us.  Something about the energy of your Ki caused the mage to vouch for us and now here we are.”

“My Ki?  Odd, did anyone tell you what it was about it?” he asked.

“That was the frustrating thing.  They all got a look of reverence and respect at hearing what the mage said but wouldn’t tell me anything other than we were safe now and that they would give us a place to stay and treat your wounds.”  She replied.

“Reverence?  Respect?  Weird…  Well what no...”  Jordan stopped talking and looked at the doorway to see an Asrai woman stepping into the room.

“Ah, you are awake, good!”  The woman looked like a blonde goddess.  She looked like a very beautiful human save for the small, angelic wings that were on her back, “I am Ellioya, your nurse and guide for your time with us.  How do you feel Jordan?” She inquired.

Jordan’s face flushed, and he replied, “Um…  I.  I’m feeling much better, thank you.”  Unnoticed by Jordan, Lisa glared at him then shot Ellioya a dark look and turned her head away from her in a huff.

Ellioya made a mental note of Lisa’s reaction but didn’t show any outward sign that she noticed, “Your arms and hands should be fully healed now.  I did most of the healing myself and those bandages you wear are enchanted, they did the rest.”  She said as she started removing the enchanted cloth.

Once she had the bandages fully removed, she took one of Jordan’s hands in hers and carefully inspected it, running one finger over his knuckles and then turning his hand over inspected his fingers and palms, “Hmmm, your hands are remarkably soft and smooth for a fighter.”  She said with an expression that was a curious mix of profession detachment and…  something else.”  Jordan blushed again.

Lisa quickly turned her head and glared at what she saw then quickly turned away again with a “Humph!!”

The nurse smiled slightly and said, “I brought your clothes to you, repaired and cleaned.  Once you are dressed I will take you to someone that wishes to chat with you.

It was only then when Jordan noticed that he was completely nude except for his bed covers…   “Ah!!  Uh… Sure… Sure thing!!” he affirmed, blushing furiously. 

Ellioya chuckled to herself as she left the room.

 

To be continued…