Seeds of Hope

“Is this your friend Alexis?” He asked and she got immediately on high alert because he called her full name instead of just Lexi like everyone called her.

“Yes, why? What’s wrong?”

“I have never seen anything like this! He made a Mana core but with Chi instead…that is unheard of. Impossible.” Master Wong kept going on about how impossible it was for a while before calming down and stepping closer and reaching a hand out to examine Roman closer.

“What are you talking about?”

“Have you seen him fight? Does he use magic or is he a physical fighter?” he asked.

“Both. Initially he was only physical but during this fight since these monsters’ armor stopped his blade he switched tactics and rained magic down on them all day.”

“How long was he fighting and were the attacks powerful?” He asked.

“All day I said…we got back here sometime this morning and the sun is going down…he’s been fighting since we got here. And each attack was clearing out a good chunk of them…I would say each hit wiped out 3 or 4 at least of the bigger ones…the small ones didn’t stand a chance and were demolished by the 10s or 20s.” Lexi answered.

“Impossible.” Master Wong whispered as he looked closer at Roman’s solar plexis.

“What is! You haven’t explained anything.”

“So you know how I taught you to create a mana core?’

“Yes.”

“And remember how I told you that since mana wasn’t your strong suit you should focus on building your internal Chi energy instead?”

“Yes?”

“So he used chi energy and built a core…with Chi and not mana!”

“Is that possible? I’ve never heard of that.”

“No its not!” Master Wong was so excited and in awe he started losing control of his volume and one of the nurses came over to silence him.

“My apologies.” He said calmly before turning back to Roman.

“So would the Chi core make one stronger then?” Lexi asked.

“I don’t know! Mana comes from the earth around you, everything has mana but chi…while everything has chi supposedly, you can’t absorb it you have to cycle it. There’s a set amount of Chi in your body and you use the energy in some of it then cycle it back to get recharged so to speak. But with his core….it is constantly cycling so there’s never a down period. Technically, he could use his power endlessly…but then I guess there is always fatigue to deal with, while his core can take it, his body has to manage pushing the power through and after a while it wears down.” Master Wong explained in awe.

“Wow. Is that possible for another person to do or is that special to just him?” Lexi asked.

“I have no clue…I’ve never heard of any thing like this before, I didn’t think something like this was possible.” Master Wong said and was about to keep going when they heard Roman mumble something and fidget a little.

“He must be dreaming, he’ll be ok.” Lexi said with a smile then that smile started to drop when she saw the sweat forming on his head and how fast his eyes flashed back and forth. He was having a nightmare. “Roman, wake up! Its just a dream, wake up Roman. Its ok”

Roman

As Roman’s body twitched and writhed under the hospital bed, his mind was back home. Golden light cascading through the sheer curtains casting a soft glow throughout the cozy apartment. He walked into the kitchen where he could hear quiet singing but more importantly the smell of bacon. He turned the corner to see her standing there before the oven as she flipped over the omelet with one hand and turning the oven off with the other. He smiled as he watched the sun kiss off her shoulders and form a small angelic aura around her small frame.

She was about 5 foot 5, soft caramel colored skin that was absolutely flawless, not even one blemish as if she’d been in a protective bubble lined with baby oil her entire life. Her hair was currently a dirty blonde but she was born a brunette, He didn’t care which, either way she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen but she didn’t like her natural color. He stood there admiring the woman that had finally agreed to be his wife, the woman he had waited 14 years before working up the nerve to ask her out. The woman that made every other woman in the world seem like nothing but third rate…besides his mom of course…Then she bent to open the oven door and he jumped into action sliding up behind her and wrapping his hands around her waist. She jumped in shock and let out an adorable squeak of fear before relaxing into his arms.

“You scared me!” She laughed and smacked his arm before laying her head on his shoulder. “Mmm…Good morning.” She sighed.

“Good morning my love.” He squeezed tight, her back in his chest and his chin now resting on the top of her head. He tilted and kissed her head before going back to how he was. She turned her head and started nibbling on his arm.

“Ah! You’re such an animal!” He fake-complained before nibbling on her ear which caused her to giggle and try to squirm away.

“You’re gonna make me burn the eggs.” She exclaimed and reached out.

“Ok Ima walk closer but I’m gonna be your backpack for a while.” He grinned and shuffled forward so she could get closer to the stove.

He blinked and then they were in the park in the afternoon. He smiled as he remembered this. This was the day he asked her to be his girlfriend. The sun was shining brightly and she was twirling as her dress swirled around her as she kept her hands around mid-thigh so the dress didn’t rise too high. After spinning for a bit she got dizzy and giggling like crazy she rammed right into him and they both went down laughing as he pretended to wrestle her and she got on top and kissing him. He pushed her hair out of her face and behind one ear before kissing her again.

“Jaimee, I gotta ask you something.” He said and paused as she sobered and looked him in the eye.

“What’s wrong?” She asked him.

“Nothing…I just…I know it took me a while to build up the nerve to ask you out…do you…do you regret it?” he asked nervously.

“What? No! Well yeah, I regret that it took you 14 years and that I listened to my friends instead of asking you out myself!” She huffed. “Why the hell did it take you so long anyway?!”

“What do you mean?! Look at you! I didn’t think I ever had a chance with you, it was such an honor that you even wanted to be my friend so I didn’t want to risk that.”

“Lame! You gotta have more confidence than that!” She said and laughed as she shook her head.

“Ok well I’m tryna do better so, will you be my girlfriend?” He rushed out before his fear could stall him again. She looked at him in confusion.

“I already am your girlfriend dumbass.” She said and he sagged in relief.

“Oh yeah?” He said and kissed her.

“yeah! What did you think we were this whole time?” She asked.

“I saw you as that but we never talked about it…and I heard from your cousin, JJ, that you went out with some dude last week…I waited but you never mentioned it so I thought…”

“You thought I was cheating on you and didn’t say anything?”

“Well I justified it in my head that you never said we were exclusive so I couldn’t be mad at you.”

“No you idiot! We were exclusive from the moment I agreed to go on the first date with you. There was no one else! The guy I went to see was about getting this as a gift for you it wasn’t a date!” She said and pulled a thick gold ring with a flat black part on top and a golden cross in the middle. She put it on his finger and kissed it.

“You got me this?” he asked looking down at the ring.

“Yeah I know how much your faith means to you and you lost your chain…I couldn’t find a chain but did find this that had the same colors as the chain.

“Thank you babe!” he said and kissed. “I don’t have a ring for you but can we use this as an engagement ring? Will you marry me?”

“Uh no you better get me a ring outta that dollarstore or something first! You not gone use my gift to you to ask me that!” She said and smacked his shoulder.

He jumped up and ran as she laughed behind him.

He looked back at Jaimee with a smile but she wasn’t there…the park wasn’t there anymore, he was now in a grimy alley.

“No, no, no.” He started muttering as he recognized the place. He heard Jaime scream and tried to run to her but his body wouldn’t move. He could see her a few feet away from him but he couldn’t budge, not even a muscle would respond to his pleas. “JAIMEE!!!” He screamed but no sound exited his mouth.

“Roman, wake up!” He heard but didn’t know where it came from and kept screaming as Jaimee screamed.

“Roman, wake up! Its just a dream, wake up Roman.”

“JAIMEE!!! NO LET HER GO!! NO PLEASE+!” He screamed as the thug lifted the gun.

“NOOO!!! JAIMEE!!!” He screamed at the same time as he heard. “ROMAN!!!!”