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"Pain can be the downfall of the strongest soldiers. You can only endure so much before you have had enough."
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Jordan woke up hearing voices talking, he gripped his pillow, pushing his face into it, not paying attention to their words until he heard them say his name.

"Why can't you guys survive without Jordan? He's not ready--"

"I know he isn't, but the situation is dire." A voice spoke. Jordan bit his bottom lip back. 'Dire...I-I forgot about what was going on outside, how bad things are getting.' Jordan thought to himself. He felt a hand touch his arm making him groan at them.

"Jordan, we need to talk to you." A voice spoke. Jordan's eyes opened, he looked over his shoulder seeing Sonja and Quentin looking back at him.

"A-About what?" Jordan mumbled sleepily. Sonja sits on the bed.

"You think you can get back in the field?" Sonja asked him. Jordan's eyes widen for a moment and relaxed, he looked away from her, thinking. Quentin stepped towards them.

"I wouldn't be asking unless it was dire—"

"H-How bad are things?" Jordan mumbled.

"Bad, Ian is desperate and needs your help. Captain Max has been hospitalized, Mitch as well and Jason would rather not be a part of the Sky Army at all anymore. He doesn't have anyone capable of carrying out missions...but you are capable of carrying them out." Quentin said making Jordan slowly sit up, looking at Quentin.

"I-I highly doubt I'll be of any help to him," Jordan said. Quentin shakes his head.

"No, no you will be. You highly underestimate your value to the Sky Army, Colonel. We wouldn't exactly be able to function without you, sure we could go on alright, but things are easier and more efficient when you come into the picture. The recruits love you, the morale is on the floor right now and you could pick it up off the floor. You don't have to do any fighting, Ian just needs help." Quentin said. Jordan stared at Quentin for a few moments before looking away, thinking. 'I mean...I guess I have to get back sooner or later. But it's been years since I did anything with the Sky Army...how do I know that I can do it...' Jordan thought to himself.

"I-It's been years since I did anything with the Sky Army. I don't know if I'll be as good as I was compared to back then." Jordan mumbled to Quentin. Quentin gives Jordan a little smile.

"Think you can give it a try? If it is too much, you can stop." Quentin said. Jordan's eyes looked at Sonja, staring at her for a few moments before looking back to Quentin.

"Can Sonj come with me?" Jordan asked. Quentin's eyes soften.

"Jordan, you have to remember that she's a civilian, I'm okay with her being here since this base is mostly used for the medical ward, but Ian's base is more militarize and less medical. I don't think her coming with is a good idea." Quentin said honestly. Jordan looked away from him, Sonja touching Jordan's arm, she looked at Quentin.

"Remember when you told me to be his support system?" Sonja asked. Quentin looked at her.

"Yeah, and?"

"He clearly doesn't want to do this alone, he wants me to come with him for that reason. I'm going where he goes and even if you tell me not to, I'll find a way." She said. Quentin stared at her.

"I said you can't." He said. She nods.

"Yes, you did, but last time I checked, you aren't the boss of me. I'm not a part of the Sky Army, so I don't have to listen to you or do what you order of me." Sonja said making Jordan crack a small smile as Quentin stood up straight, staring at Sonja before he sighed in defeat.

"You're irritating..." Quentin mumbled making Jordan look at him.

"I'll protect her, she'll be safe," Jordan said. Quentin looked back at Jordan.

"That doesn't exactly make me feel any better. Sure I know you'll protect her, but you aren't gonna always be there to protect her." Quentin said before he changed the subject. "Whatever, but does this mean you're gonna help us?" Jordan nodded a bit.

"I-I'll try my best," Jordan mumbled making Quentin smile. 

"Great, you okay to leave later today?" Quentin asked him. Jordan was gonna answer but he felt a spike of anxiety hit him instead, making him look away from Quentin, saying nothing and Sonja answering.

"Yeah, can I talk to him alone now?" She asked Quentin. Quentin nods and gets up, leaving. Sonja looked at Jordan, her eyes softening. "You okay?" Jordan nods, relaxing.

"Y-Yeah." He mumbled before touching himself. His eyes looked at her. "It's just...been awhile since I did anything with Sky Army..." She gives him a smile.

"You'll do great, and I'll be right beside you if you ever need me. I always wanted to see you during the Sky Army days, this is the next best thing." Sonja said. Jordan looked more at her, he can't help but smile a bit at her. "You can always stop if it is too much--" Jordan loses his smile.

"Don't think that's an option, Sonj." He said.

"But the Major said--"

"Yeah, he said I could...but we both know that won't be a choice. Once I start helping...I'm not allowed to stop helping." Jordan said before looked away from her. "That's one of the reasons I didn't like the Sky Army, I loved being a part of the army, but it wasn't exactly my favorite thing I did...and after being off the job for four years...I don't know if I want to go back to work." Sonja stared at him for a few moments, she smiled at him.

"Oh come on, Jardon," Sonja said making Jordan flinch at the old nickname. Jordan looked at her. "I want to see the great Colonel Jordan Maron, just normal Jordan is great and all, but he tends to get boring sometimes with all the smart stuff and all." Jordan smiled at her.

"I need to teach you swordsmanship--"

"Swordswomanship...I am a girl, Jardan." Sonja said making Jordan chuckle a bit. She lowered her hand, smiling, but loses it. "Jokes aside, how is your sleeping? Any better? Any worse?"

"Better," Jordan said making her smile return.

"Great! I rather not have another heart attack because you fainted again." Sonja said. Jordan looked at his hands, fidgeting with his blankets.

"Yeah...I feel a lot better...I...You were right in saying it was all in my head." He mumbled. She rubbed his back.

"It's alright, what matters is that you're feeling better. But don't be afraid to tell me if you aren't feeling good." She said before the door opened.

"You guys ready to go?" Quentin asked. Sonja glanced at Quentin and looked back at Jordan.

"Ready?" She asked him. Jordan hesitated but nodded.

"Y-Yeah, let's go,"

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She picked up fruit, inspecting it before putting it down once she saw a bad spot on it. Her eyes looked away, landing on a familiar figure. They came closer to her, she was gonna turn to leave but they saw her too.

"Elise." They said coming up to her. She looked at them.

"Michael," she said. Michael stared at her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said you were staying in Laenadur like the rest of General Azdel's apprentices." He said. Elise shrugged her shoulders.

"W-Wanted to get some fresh air." She stammered. Michael stared at her.

"You are still a terrible liar." He said. She loses her smile, looking away from him. 'I know I can trust Michael, after all, Commander Skylen took Michael under his wing when Michael first came to the base. He's the Sky Army's Spy and holds a higher ranking than the Captains. But whether or not Ty wants him to know is hard to tell.' She thought to herself. Her eyes flickered up to Michael, staring at him for a few moments before she gently grabbed his arm.

"Follow me." She mumbled before tugging on his gently and turning away from him, leading him to the edge of the town and to a small one-story house, she stopped at the door and turned to Michael. "Before we go in, I...I need to tell you that he isn't gonna be the person who remembers him as, the person you last saw him as that is. He's very sick right now.  So don't expect him to be very happy when he sees you...if he is awake that is." Michael stared at her, confused.

"OKay?" Michael responded before she opened the door, Michael closing it behind him. She touched Michael's chest, stopping him near the door.

"Stay." She mumbled before she went over to the couch, crouching down beside it. She set her stuff down on the floor. "How are you feeling?" She moved Ty's hair from his eyes.

"T-Tired." He mumbled making her smile a bit at him.

"Good, think you can make it to a bed?" She asked. Ty nods a bit, he sits himself up, letting out a deep breath before she stood, she looked at Michael. "Michael, can you help?" Michael nods and walks around the couch, looking at Ty making his eyes widen a bit in shock. Ty looked at him and looked away, but looked right back at Michael.

"W-What...What is he doing here?" Ty asked Elise before looking at her.

"We're desperate--" Ty pointed at Elise.

"Y-You're desperate...I-I'm not desperate." Ty corrected. Michael looked at Elise.

"You said he was sick but he looks fine to me," Michael said. Elise looked at Michael.

"He has Void Sickness," Elise said. Michael stared at her.

"Never heard of it." He said. Ty looked away from them, staring at his lap as Elise was explaining it to Michael. As she talked, Ty felt mad. 'If Michael knows where we are, he'll tell Ian and Quentin and then they want to help or expect me to replace Adam. I can't replace Adam, sure this sickness covers my PTSD quite well, but it isn't like it is completely gone.' Ty thought to himself before he was brought back to reality but Elise grabbing him making him realize what was going on. His cursed form slipped out, his right side showing its demonic shift and feeling the rage in his veins. But he could feel himself starting to calm as Elise rubbed both of his arms. Elise took Ty's headphones off him and back on, waiting for the green glow to return and the purple glow to vanish. Ty looked away from her.

"You okay?" She asked. Ty gripped the blanket for a second before he pushed Elise's hands off him, forcing himself to stand up.

"I'm fine." He lied as he stumbled past her and into the hallway. Elise tried to help him but Ty pushed her away and Michael grabbed her arm before he got to the hallway. They watched Ty go into a room, slamming the door shut making Elise tense. Elise hesitated before looking at Michael.

"He...He needs help. A-And I don't know what to do anymore. Seto told me it wouldn't be long before the most humane thing for Ty would be to kill him, but I-I don't want him to reach that point." Elise said as Michael let go of her arm.

"How long has he been like this?" He asked.

"Since I found him three years ago, he was a lot worse three years ago, he calmed down since then, he was more mellow and in control of it but these past few months have been...he is getting worse, much worse. There are times his personality shifts to someone who seems angry with the world and everyone in it. I'm afraid to leave him by himself because I'm convinced that if I weren't here, he would kill himself. I don't know what to do anymore, Michael." Elise said. Michael looked at the hallway and back to Elise.

"Why haven't you contacted the Sky Army?" Michael asked her.

"Because Ty doesn't want--"

"Ty is clearly in no position to be making decisions for himself if you are afraid to leave him alone, he isn't in any sort of stable mindset to be making those decisions. He may hate you for contacting the Sky Army, but it would save his life." Michael said. Elise stared at him and shakes her head.

"B-But I don't want Ty to hate me." She said.

"It seems like he already does. It isn't his fault, but as you said, he isn't himself. He doesn't realize the reality of the situation, he doesn't realize just how badly the Sky Army needs him back, and if you won't contact Lieutenant General Ian...I will. Major General Juneau is one of the best doctors around, he might know what to do and unlike you, I don't care if General Ellis is gonna hate me for this." Michael snapped at her. Elise looked away from her making Michael soften up a bit. "I'm sorry for snapping, but I'm not just gonna stand around and wait for him to die like you are doing. You need to bury your feelings for him and open your eyes, Elise because I think you too focused on keeping yourself in his good graces when he is treating you like a bug under his shoe--"

"He doesn't always treat me like that, but he--"

"It doesn't matter if he doesn't always treat you badly. He has no right to treat you like that period, sick or not, he doesn't get a free pass. But yes, it is probably this void sickness that is making him act like this, but wouldn't you rather have the Old General Ellis and not the Sick General Ellis?" He asked. She nods and looks down the hallway, staring for a few moments before speaking.

"A-Alright, fine...I'll stay here, go get Major General Juneau."