Gathered like a storm (Bailey/David)

[Blake Oleander]

"But what does the final Dragon Ball do?"

[David B.]

"It enhances you."

[Blake Oleander]

He'd turn to look over at Bailey, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled through his nose.

"I love you, Bailey. Thank you for being here."

And with that, he'd pick up the ball. He'd come this far.

[Bailey Oleander]

Literally the question that jumped to her own mind. Bailey's lip quirked for half a second but she waited for Virgil's response. The Dragon Ball was power from without Blake's own body, however, and not within. Memories of six different qi users in one, and the power they shared.

A dozen different thoughts jumped to mind, "be careful" being the first and foremost of them.

"I'm here," is what she said instead, breath catching in her throat as she slowly exhaled, nostrils flaring as her frustration spiked for a moment.

"I love you, too, Blake." She shook her head, "and if you ever tell me that again as a goodbye, you're going to hear about it when I bring you back." The words were real, but there was a wavering note along with the warning.

[David B.]

Like the power of an infinity stone, energy would lance up his arm. It would feel like a rod of pure iron was shoved into his hand, and was continuing the push up through his biceps. Once it hit his spine, the liquid lava-like energy would rocket into his brain, and Blake would collapse, face first. He'd seem dead to Bailey, who couldn't hear a heartbeat or see any sign of life, but the dragon ball seemed fused to his hand, still pulsing into his body.

Blake would awaken in a runescape. He'd be standing on a pathway, which ran off into the distance, down toward the ground. If he turned around, he'd see the path heading up and into the clouds.

Which direction does he choose?

[Blake Oleander]

Blake spins around looking over the Runescape. Two paths. One toward the clouds, he assumed that meant David or Valo or Leon. Sky, storm, and Lightning. Another to the ground. Likely representing Mathew, Ark, and Faust. Earth, Fire, and Shadow. Two paths to choose from? Or two more tests to complete? With Virgil gone he was going into this blind. But he'd lived most of his life without Virgil, he was confident in himself.

So he would turn and walk toward the clouds, he had no idea what either path meant, but he'd spent his life on the ground path. If he was seeking to be more than what he was so he could protect his people. He would try the path he'd never walked before.

Blake chooses cloud path!

[David B.]

As Blake moved up into the clouds, he'd hear the crack of lighting. He'd reach the summit after several minutes of walking, coming up onto a giant platform where Leon Sudeki was sitting. He was very, very old, and mumbling to himself.

"Where did the lightning go...My lightning. I need it....I need...."

[Bailey Oleander]

And just like that, the solidarity of her world fell out from under her with the wave of regret. Hormones or not, he had just told her he loved her and now the small blonde nearly tripped over her own feet in her rush to get to his side in the same instant she saw him drop like a rock.

"BLAKE!" Nothing remained as it was, even Virgil was gone. She knelt beside him, pulling Blake upright so he was laying on his back as she checked his pulse and listened for a heartbeat. Nothing. Nothing but the energy pulsing in the ball in his hand. It should have meant something, and would have under less frantic circumstances, but whatever logic she might have had was currently gone.

But she'd dealt with something like this before, and had relied on it now, using the ability she gained as the Crowned Killer Queen to pull her fiance back from the brink!

___________________

Bonus: Bailey gains a new title - "Crowned Killer Queen" (Once per thread, Bailey may resurrect an individual, healing all their wounds and bringing them back from the brink. Must be done the post after their death. Once done, -10 to all Baileys stats for 3 posts or rounds.)

[Blake Oleander]

Blake tilted his head as he looked at the Older Leon. He'd never thought about it before, but the Leon of the ball had Lightning abilities, it was in his namesake. But the Leon from Cabal did not. Not that it had ever slowed him down that he'd seen.

"You've always seemed fine without it."

[David B.]

Bailey would be pushing to bring Blake back to life, but she'd feel something strange. As she took energy to pull him back, she'd feel it slipping around his form like trying to grab a bar of soap. The dragon ball would flicker. Despite the lack of heartbeat. Bailey would note his body was much warmer than usual.

*********************************

He doesn't seem to notice.

"The power of lightning-"

A flash, and Blake would see a bolt of lightning in the shape of a fish, swimming among the clouds. Leon would hold out his lightning gloves.

"Take these....Capture my lightning for me...."

[Blake Oleander]

He would take the gloves and slowly put them on. Extending his hand toward the lightning, willing it to come to him.

[David B.]

The fish would surface, but Blake would see a flash in it's eyes. It started swimming toward him, emerging from the clouds and stepping out in the form of a Dragon.

"Abandon that old thing. Take off those gloves, come to me, and I will give you power."

Leon said nothing, just watching the giant dragon made of lightning with a glint in his eyes.

[Bailey Oleander]

It was different from before. She'd raised Krane once, and without issue. But Blake's spirit kept slipping through her grasp like fine grains of sand, returning to wherever it was that she couldn't fully pull back from. her hands shook as Blake remained still, though this time the flickering of the ball caught her attention. She rubbed her hands over her face as she took a slow breath, sitting back on the ground beside him as she forced herself to try and think.

Virgil had said it would enhance Blake, and the energy remained. It flickered when she tried to bring it back. Was that why it felt like she coudln't grasp it? Because there was more? Or was this like her own test...?

"I'm an idiot," she mumbled, looking down at Blake's still form. She would wait, then. She wouldn't leave him - she'd told him she'd be here, and she would. Setting his head in her lap, Bailey would watch Blake's expression and the dragon ball, alternating between the two and taking some small comfort in the fact he still felt warm. More like a coma than true death, and he'd beaten that before.

He could do this.  Whatever "this" was.

"I'm here."

[Blake Oleander]

Blake would stand between the older Leon and the Dragon, staring the beast down.

"I can't do that. You need to return to him where you belong."

He'd hold his hand again, trying to pull the energy into them.

[David B.]

With that, the beast would crackle and turn into a classic bolt, shooting into Blakes fist. As he turned back to Leon, he'd find he wasn't there. The gloves were gone too. All that remained was the bolt in his fist. He'd feel a tingle in has hand as the lightning absorbed into him.

On the opposite side of the platform, a door rose up out of the clouds.

***************

Bailey passes secret objective. Gains new ability (Qi Add on)

Broken Barriers: The more Blake is injured, the stronger Bailey gets. For every post that Blake gets hurt, Bailey gains +1 to all stats. These stack, and last until end of thread.