12. Broken Bonds

"Kurome!" Alex shouted as he made his way on to the deck of the Leo.

His breathing was heightened after running all the way from the graveyard and his heart was racing as the blood boiled around him. He was angry that his sword had kept secrets from him, secrets that could probably help him understand what was going on.

He looked everywhere upon the deck of the ship but couldn't find him anywhere. Where was his spirit? He couldn't leave the ship without being accompanied by anyone so he had to be here somewhere.

"Kurome!"

"Alex!" Akatenshi appeared next to him in a cloud of red mist, he looked panicked and upset.

Alex could sensed that something was wrong. "What's happened?"

Akatenshi grabbed his arm and the next second they were stood on the crow's nest. Alex fell to his hands and knees, gasping for air and feeling extremely dizzy. He felt like he was going to throw up.

"Don't ever teleport me ever again." He growled from the back of his throat.

He stood up and found Kurome sat leaning against the mast of the crow's nest. Alex's eyes narrowed in annoyance with his spirit but before he could have a go at him, he noticed something odd about him. His entire body was shaking like he was having some sort of seizure and his usual black eye was a cloudy white.

"What's wrong with him?" Alex approached him, and the closer he approached his spirit, the more he violently shook.

Akatenshi looked down at his boots, frowning as a means to stop the tears from forming in his red eye. He didn't want to look weak in front of his master but it was hard when his friend was in a dire situation that could mean death.

"Kurome, he..." Akatenshi croaked. "He's much stronger than Washiro and I. There are a lot more things he can do with his mystic power than we can, he can temporarily bring the dead back to life that's how powerful he is. Earlier this evening, a spirit called Hiro confronted me and tried to manipulate me into killing you. Kurome interfered and he managed to scare away the green spirit by sending a powerful blast of mystic energy towards him. Kurome wanted to follow him and find out what he was up to." Akatenshi rubbed his red eye of tears. "I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen.  He went and full-possessed a raven..."

"Full-possessed?" Alex frowned. "Is that what you did to Levi earlier today?"

Akatenshi shook his head. "That was only part-possessed."

"What's the difference?"

"Part-possessed is like controlling a puppet, I wasn't inside Levi's mind just moving the strings, Levi was still aware of his surroundings, trapped inside a glass box. Full-possession, is much harder for a spirit to accomplish but when they can, they completely override the other's body. They're in complete control having taken over their mind and seeing through their eyes. The host is sometimes aware of their surroundings but mostly dormant, like when Kurome would possess you, but it leaves the spirit's body vulnerable to their surroundings and..." He fell silent, unable to finish his sentence.

"And what?" Alex grabbing the collar of Akatenshi's jacket.

"If the living thing a spirit is full-possessing dies, your mind breaks, feeling as though you have actually died. Spirit's can't come out of this state until they fix their mind back together or they will die of shock."

"But spirits are immortal," Alex argued.

"We may not age and it may be hard to mortally injure us but with enough power we can be killed." Akatenshi bowed his head.

Alex felt sick as the blood drained from his face and he released Akatenshi from his hold and let the news sink in as he looked at Kurome's shaking body.

"Tell me he's not dying!"

"I'm sorry."

Alex shook his head in disbelief as he looked back over at his dying spirit.

"Kurome...?" Alex barely whispered.

All the anger he once held for him disappeared in an instant. Now all he wanted was for his spirit to come back to him but all he could do was watch as his mind slipped away. He didn't care that Kurome had kept secrets from him, or why his name was on gravestone, not anymore. He just wanted his spirit back to how he was.

"Is Kurome hurt?"

Alex turned around to find Washiro stood behind them rubbing her tired ice white eye. Her long white hair was messy and all over the place and she yawned having woken up from her nap.

"Washiro," Akatenshi picked her up into his arms and rested her on his hip. "Kurome's just a little under the weather that's all."

Washiro wrapped her arms around Akatenshi and hugged him. Alex frowned, he had never seen this side of his red spirit before, a kind loving side who cared about others than himself.

"Hey..." Akatenshi placed a smile on his face. "You can help."

"I can?" Washiro's head lopsided and she sucked on her thumb.

"Yeah," Akatenshi nodded. "You know that special power you have, you know the power to heal?"

Washiro nodded.

"Could you use it on Kurome, it can help him?"

Washiro buried her head into his shoulder and sniffled. "But it hurts when I use it."

"I know, I'm sorry." Akatenshi cuddled her closer stroking her hair to comfort her. "You will get to play with Alex tomorrow just like he promised if you can do this."

Washiro nodded and Akatenshi placed her back onto the floor. She placed her hand onto Kurome's his chest. Her face scrunched up when a blinding white light glowed around the pair of them and forced Alex to squint. After a minute, the bright light fizzed out and Washiro collapsed into Akatenshi's arm, her once pure white glow now a dull grey.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I tried but I couldn't heal him, he's too far gone."

"You did your best." Akatenshi scooped her up into his arms and disappeared only to return a moment later, to find Alex sat by Kurome's side.

"I didn't know Washiro could heal?" Alex mentioned.

"Yes, all legendary spirits have a unique gift." Akatenshi explained. "It's a shame Washiro couldn't heal him. I don't know what else to do?"

"You said he was called, Hiro?" Alex's hands curled into tight fists and a deep scowl formed on his forehead. He never met Hiro at the pub like the others had, he was only ever told about him. "A spirit you say?"

Akatenshi nodded. "Yeah, he's a spirit like me, a very powerful one, on par with Kurome."

"What colour is his mystic energy?"

"Green, why?" Akatenshi was confused.

The image of the two grave stones flashed before Alex's eyes. Kurome's black one and the green one.

"Green Hammer!" Alex growled and dismissed Akatenshi to leave him alone with Kurome and his thoughts.

Alex stayed sat by his spirit's side throughout the night without catching a single second of sleep, wondering why another legendary spirit would do this to his own kind? He didn't understand.

His mind was at loss and he didn't exactly know what he was feeling right at that very second. He had lost all hope, his spirit's vital signs hadn't changed once.

Kurome's body was sat up right, his black eye clouded over and unblinking, staring off into the distance. His mind broken and unresponsive, Alex could only imagine what pain he was experiencing, if he was experiencing any pain, who knew what was going on through his mind?

All these unanswered questions, were driving him mad, but he had only himself to blame. Maybe none of this would be happening if he had spent more time with his spirits, rather than trying to find a way to turn them back into swords.

Alex rubbed his head in his hands, what was he supposed to do? His mind was conflicted, he wanted to turn them back into blades, maybe that was the only way to save Kurome. Yet, at the same time, he had made a promise with Akatenshi that he would find a way to have what they both wanted but that seemed impossible.

He sighed and looked out across the horizon of the ship, the sun wasn't yet rising but already some specs of light was breaking over the surface of the water. He could already hear the mumblings of the crew waking up. In particular a certain, dandy pirate stood on the deck talking to himself again.

"Leave me alone," Baden mumbled and swung his orange cane around him as he started his morning tai-chi routine.

Alex eagerly watched on from the crow's nest, wondering who he was talking to?

"I never wanted this... pick someone else!" Baden stopped in his routine, his head arched to the side listening intently to someone who wasn't there. Eventually he sighed in defeat, slumping his shoulders over. "Fine, I will see if I can find anymore information in that book."

Baden stalked off to the library, dragging his cane behind him.

Alex slid down the spiralling slide to the deck and made his way quickly towards the library and abruptly barged through the door, startling Baden who had knocked himself out of his chair with a slight squeal and placing a hand over his fast beating heart.

"Who were you talking to?" Alex looked sharply towards Baden. "It's the second time I've caught you talking to yourself."

The startled dandy pirate composed himself from Alex's sudden outburst, taking in a couple of deep breathes before answering the first mate.

"I have a lot on my mind at the moment and talking out loud helps me to think." Baden picked up his chair and sat himself back down.

Books were sprawled everywhere across the navigation table as well as notes and scattered papers. Baden was reading intently, his brown eyes deep in concentration.

"What is all of this?" Alex picked up a paper about spirits. "Why are you researching spirits?"

Baden sighed in annoyance and looked up at Alex with an annoyed glare, he was disturbing his study. Alex scowled back at him and Baden immediately stopped what he was doing and awkwardly coughed to himself.

"The island intrigues me. I want to find out more about what is going on. I feel obliged to help you out." Baden stroked the handle of his orange cane.

"Why?"

"Because I'm your friend and I hate seeing people in the crew in distress." Baden smiled.

Alex relaxed slightly, and nodded in thanks, appreciating that Baden wanted to help him out.

"In that case, have you read anywhere about the legendary sword, Green Hammer?" Alex asked.

Baden's eyes lit up and he nodded his head.

"Indeed I have, I've actually just read up on him last night. There was a book here, which explained a lot about legendary spirits. I seem to have misplaced it." Baden tapped his lip trying remember where he had placed it and frowned when he couldn't find it. "I will just tell you what I can remember reading... er... let me think now... that's right..." he pointed a finger up into the air. "Green Hammer is one of the legendary six, he's regarded as being crafty and deceitful and like all legendary spirits he has a unique gift. He has the power to manipulate human souls - interestingly his gift is the basis of the spell used by Morgana on cursed souls but I didn't get around to reading that chapter.

"Anywho, Green Hammer has trouble with the many masters he's had over the years and still hasn't found his rightful master. The masters he has had only ever use him for his gift and discard him when they have no more use for him, they only ever like him in his spirit form, they overwork him until he passes out since he doesn't turn into a sword when he reverts back to Limbo - so they therefore overwork him as a spirit to the brink of dying."

Alex felt disgusted that people would treat their spirits in such a way, he felt sorry for Green Hammer.

"I've never heard of a spirit not turning into a sword before, what does he turn into?" Alex was surprised.

"It's rare but more common than you think, spirits can be knives, daggers or even arrows." Baden shrugged. "But I didn't get as far when reading what Green Hammer turns into, but I'm fairly certain he's Hiro when in his spirit form." Baden paused and tapped a long finger against his temple and thought deeply to himself. "When you think about it, the story he told at the pub, even though it was a lie, he was actually trying to warn us away. I think he's trapped in a position he can't get himself out of and is being used by Gluttony, she's overworking him and he's trying all means to please her but he's also trying to stop the spirit curse."

"That entire book you found told you all of that?" Alex raised a brow by the amount of information Baden had learned.

"Er... partly." Baden scratched his head. "Some I already knew." He dismissively looked back down at the desk before Alex asked him anymore questions about how he knew so much.

"Does the book mention anything about this spirit curse and how to break it?"

"I didn't get around to reading how to break it, but all I know is that if you break bonds with your spirits it will make it easier for them to be controlled and manipulated by the Blue Eye."

Alex froze, and zoned out and his mind went into a sudden overdrive. The only thing he could hear was the rising beat of his own heart. He could never allow his spirits to be controlled by Hiro and his Blue Eye.

"I need to turn my spirits back into swords today..."

"Alex..." Washiro appeared in a cloud of white smoke and tugged on his arm while sucking her thumb. "Will you play with me now, it's the next day like you promised?" Her ice white eyes glistened with innocence.

Alex knelt down to her height with a warm smile on his face and placed his arms on her shoulders. "I really would love to play with you Washiro, but I'm very busy and I can't today."

Out of nowhere, her ice blue eyes sharpened to thin slits and her white mist angrily spiralled around her.

"But you promised!" She angrily squealed, her voice was extremely high-pitched it had both Baden and Alex covering their ears and the windows shattered to millions of shards.

"Washiro, calm down!" Alex ordered but Washiro ignored him, her eyes glowed and she sent her mystic power spiralling towards him.

Her attack hit him square in the chest. "Argh!" Alex flinched and clutched onto what felt like his heart being torn to pieces and ripped out from his chest.

"You're no master of mine. A master always keeps his promise!" She shot forth another attack towards him and he fell to his knees, his body convulsing in pure agony.

Baden ran to his aid but was immediately shot by a blast of Washiro's mystic energy and he burst through cabin wall and landed on the snowy deck of the Leo knocking his head hard against the mast. He slumped over unconscious, a pool of blood quickly formed around him.

"Akatenshi!" Alex cried.

The red spirit appeared next to him in puff of red mist, his good eye narrowed upon the younger and naive spirit.

Akatenshi shot forth his red mystic power towards Washiro and it swirled around her and encased her in a red blubble stopping her from causing anymore arm. Her tantrum could still be heard, her screams loud and clear and her fists could be seen slamming against the red mystic bubble. She had no way of escape, she wasn't as powerful as Akatenshi.

"White Harmony, it's Red Angel, you need to calm down!" Akatenshi attempted to reason with her but she continued to scream and cry in anguish.

The loud noises had awoken the crew from the dormitories below deck and Levi sprung open the trapdoor and jumped up onto the deck to see what all the trouble was about.

"Baden!" The captain panicked and ran over to his crew mates side. "What happened?"

Baden groggily stirred awake, rubbing the back of his bleeding head. "My... my cane," he croaked. "Get me my cane..."

Levi nodded and zoomed off in search of Baden's orange cane. Penny and Vulcan came out from the trapdoor and tendered to his wounds.

Akatenshi continued to contain Washiro within this red bubble and looked down at his master, who was clutching onto his chest, breathing heavily.

"What did you do?" The red spirit asked aggressively knowing somehow this was Alex's fault.

"Myself and Baden were trying to find a way to break the spirit curse and turn you all back into swords. Then Washiro asked to play with me and she freaked out when I said no." Alex pulled himself up onto his feet. He felt different, he couldn't feel the connection he once held with Washiro like their was an emptiness in his heart. Had she broken bonds with him because he wouldn't play with her? That was ridiculous.

"You broke your promise with her." Akatenshi released Washiro and the two angry spirits glared towards Alex. "Not only did you break her promise but you broke mine too. I thought you said were going to find a way to have what we both wanted?" Akatenshi's red eye narrowed.

"I was, but right now it's best if you all reverted back into your sword form before Hiro takes control of you," Alex argued.

"But you promised!" Akatenshi's voice rose loudly and like a switch had been flicked on, Akatenshi turned against him. His red mist swirled around his body. "You can't go back on a promise, unless you no longer care about me."

"Just calm down, both of you!" Alex raised his hands. "I'm sorry I can't fulfil your promises, but it doesn't me I don't care about you. We will figure something out!" Alex ordered.

They ignored him.

"Hiro was right. He warned me you wouldn't be able to keep your promise. I should have listened to him!" Akatenshi clenched his fists and his red mist twisted above his head.

"Hiro is manipulating you with the Blue Eye!" Alex tried to reason with him, but his words were futile and he looked on with horror when Akatenshi cut an invisible line Alex couldn't see with his red mist.

"Argh!" Alex flinched and clutched onto his pain-stabbing heart. "No, don't do this. It will make you vulnerable to Hiro."

"You should have kept your promise." Akatenshi cut cleanly through the red line which tethered them together.

Alex let out an agonising gasp and fell against the deck, flinching. The more love and compassion a master shared with his spirit the more painful it was when they broke bonds. His heart had never felt so broken, so hurt and torn apart, he felt so empty and alone. He didn't know what to do but to fall to his knees and let his ex-spirits attack him. Akatenshi sent a powerful blow to Alex's torso sending him crashing onto the deck and near-missing Levi who had found Baden's cane.

Levi handed the cane back over to Baden, who now had a white bandaged wrapped around his head thanks to Penny treating him. The captain balled his hands into fists, he shot forth towards the navigation room and with a combination of his super speed and strength he pulled back his fist and punched Akatenshi Square in the face, sending the spirit knocking through the cabin into the galley.

"Nobody hurts my friends and gets away with it!" Levi looked at Alex. "Are you okay?"

"My heart, it hurts!" Alex husked unable to stand. "They broke bonds with me, all because I broke a promise. I don't understand?"

"You made a promise with a spirit?" Levi looked outraged. "That's like the worst thing you can do! If a master can't complete his promise, he is deemed unworthy of their trust and the use of their mystic powers, subsequently breaking bonds with them!"

"How was I suppose to know that!" Alex argued back. "They don't exactly come with a manual!"

"Everyone knows not to make a promise with a spirit its like the number one rule!" Levi cracked his knuckles ready to attack Akatenshi when he started to pick himself up onto his feet. Washiro appeared in front of him and overwhelmed Levi with her white mist, suffocating him.

Alex scurried onto his feet only to be wiped out by Akatenshi and landing harshly on his back groaning. The spirit shadowed over the red mist spiralling around Alex's body.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time," Akatenshi sneered and crushed the red mist against Alex's chest.

"Argh!" Alex cried.

His tears weren't tears of physical pain but emotional pain - it hurt more knowing that he had let down his spirits and he deserved what he got.

"I'm sorry," he gasped.

His apology meant nothing to Akatenshi, his red eye glared sharply down at his ex-master deep into the depths of his soul and revelled in Alex's agony.

"ENOUGH!" Baden bellowed and stomped the butt of his orange cane against the hard wooded deck of the Leo and bursts of energy rippled through the air in angry waves, sending the two spirits scattering to the shadows.

"You have broken your bonds with your master now be gone this instance, or so help me I will send you both to Limbo and make sure you will never find a master ever again!" Baden swung his cane around and pointed between Akatenshi and Washiro, both of them hid further within the shadows of their hiding places, fearing the powerful energy emitted from the cane.

"NOW!"

Without second thought both spirits puffed from existence. Baden aspirated a sigh and fell to his knees, leaning against his cane for much needed support. Exhausted and out of breath, he collapsed against the deck and passed out.

Next Chapter: 13. Kurome's Past

☠️ So what the hell is up with Baden, give me your theories?

See you next Sunday/Monday depending where you live in the world.

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~ Robin Xxx