Ella's Past

Ella balls her hands into fist, so tightly that her nails dig into her flesh and blood seeps in between the cracks of her fingers. Ella then lets out a deep exhale as she unclenches her fists. "Fine, I'll do it," Ella answers at last. "But I can't use Cursed Power here anyway."

"Yeah, as long as my Game Show of Doom is activated, Cursed Power can't be used," Joker answers.

"Then deactivate your Cursed Ability," Ace orders as he turns to face Joker.

"WHAT?!" Joker cries. "No! That's treason against King! And besides, you may be the "Ace" but that's only in terms of combat! I still have seniority over y-"

Joker's final words are interrupted when in the blink of an eye, Ace draws his bamboo sword and pierces them in the gut.

Ella gasps.

Joker's eyes weakly flicker up to meet Ace, tears forming in their corners. Without another word, Ace rips his bamboo sword free from Joker's stomach, in a rush of blood. As Joker limply falls to the ground their Game Show of Doom stage dissipates back into orange and green Cursed Power, then fades into the atmosphere.

Joker is dead.

"You…WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Jamie roars.

"What do you mean?" Ace asks as he turns to face Jamie. "I killed Joker so the girl can heal Luis Tramontan."

"You killed your own ally!" Austin cries.

"You should be thanking me," Ace apathetically replies. "Thanks to me, Luis Tramontana will live. Until he's slain by my sword, at least."

But Ace is interrupted when Grover teleports behind him, aiming a Cursed Power Barrier reinforced roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Swiftly, Ace draws his bamboo sword and reinforces it with Cursed Power. Ace brings his bamboo sword up to block, and the two attacks collide. Grover then retracts his leg away from Ace's bamboo sword then teleports behind Ace, only for Jamie to take Grover's spot in front of Ace and launch an iron punch towards Ace, who counters with a swing of his bamboo sword. Jamie then swiftly ducks as Asutin fires a volley of Cursed Power bullets at Ace, who slashes through them with his bamboo sword.

"Ella, quickly!" Austin orders as he fires another volley of Cursed Power bullets at Ace.

"R-right!" Ella stammers as she kneels down next to Luis and places her hands to his wound. Mint green Cursed Power begins flowing out of Ella's hands and into Luis, but nothing happens.

"Ella, what's the matter?!" Jamie cries as she punches Ace again.

"This wound…it's too big! Luis is too far gone!" Ella desperately cries. "It's like …something is blocking my healing!"

"Damnit, it's those Flames of Destruction, aren't they?!" Grover snaps as he flings a couple more kunai knives Ace's way.

"ACE!" A voice roars, and Ace and the four Slayers turn to see Clover, Diamond, Spade, and Heart marching over to them. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"This doesn't concern you four…" Ace growls.

"Betrayal against King…won't be tolerated," Spade replies as his hands pop off of his wrists and float into the air, aiming themselves at Ace.

"Are your own personal goals more important than King's?" Heart asks as she aims a finger gun at Ace.

"DO NOT SPEAK TO ME ABOUT BETRAYAL!" Ace roars. "I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO KING, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING FOR HIM! WE WON'T NEED JOKER'S FUNDS IN THE NEW WORLD! I NEED TO SETTLE THINGS WITH LUIS TRAMONTANA! I NEED TO KNOW THAT MY PATH OF FOLLOWING KING WAS THE CORRECT CHOICE!"

"You won't be getting away with killing Joker," Diamond growls as pink Cursed Power begins leaking from her body.

"Oh, do you like your odds?" Ace asks. "Four against one."

"Of course we do!" Spade answers as he sends his popped-off hands flying towards Ace, who swats them away with a swing from his bamboo sword.

Heart lets out a yawn as she fires an emission of Cursed Power Ace's way as well, who hops out of the way to dodge.

"FOUR AGAINST ONE?! MAKE THAT EIGHT!" Grover roars as he teleports behind Ace, aiming another roundhouse kick towards the back of Ace's neck.

Ace moves to block the attack, but he's interrupted when Jamie launches a Rubber-Iron Fist, Austin fires off another round of bullets, Spade sends more hands flying, Diamond fires Cursed Power Emission, Heart aims a Cursed Power reinforced punch, and Clover sends a wave of Earth Spikes, all six attacks, all aimed towards Ace.

Ace looks around, watching the seven attacks all fly towards him. "Interesting," Ace says. "This may be the first time ever I've been forced to draw my sword."

"Blacksmith: Katana."

***

"Come on, Luis please, heal!" Ella desperately cries as she touches her hands to Luis' wound and emits a steady stream of mint green Cursed Power, in a frantic attempt to heal Luis' injury. But no matter what Ella does, the hole in Luis' chest…just doesn't close up. "Please…: Ella sobs as tears begin streaming from her eyes. "Please…" Ella whimpers as she collapses on top of Luis, sobbing into his stomach. "Please don't die…"

"I love you."

Ella continues sobbing against Luis' chest, which continues slowly rising and falling. Until…it falls one more time. Ella waits for Luis' chest to rise, but it never does.

Luis Tramontana…has died.

***

"I'm not a miracle worker…"

That's a line that you've heard Ella Calia say many times now, and a line she's disproven and expressed distaste for everytime, despite how many times Ella is referred to by that line, or called an "Angel," or a "Healer," or more.

That's because the route of Ella's trauma, and the reason why she's so timid is due to Ella not being a miracle worker.

You see, growing up, young Ella was always a caring girl with a big heart. Ella would always look out for those in need, help people less fortunate than her, and yada yada. All that fun stuff. And every time Ella was picked on, whether it be at school or by her abusive, drunk dad, her little brother would always come to her rescue and fight off her bullies and tormentors. And afterwards, Ella was always there to patch her little brother up, wrap him in bandages, apply ointment, treat wounds, and just provide general first aid, which Ella got pretty good at, over the years.

That was the first time Ella was ever called a "Miracle Worker." And back during those days…Ella cherished the nickname that her little brother gave her.

This continued on for a while. Ella's drunk father would constantly abuse her, only for her little brother to swoop in the way, to which Ella would mend him afterwards.

Until one day…he died.

Ella's father took the abuse too far, and so, one day…he accidentally killed Ella's little brother.

The authorities found out soon after. They rushed Ella's house, gunsblazing, and arrested Ella's dad, giving him jail for life. Ella, of course, was put up for adoption, and was fortunately adopted into a loving home this time.

But Ella never did get over her brother's death.

Ella refused to eat, smile, play, or even get out of bed. She did nothing. Only lying in bed and sulking to herself and crying hysterically. Ella grew to despise being called a "Miracle Worker," due to the traumatic memories associated with that nickname.

And it wasn't until Ella became a Pro Slayer when she really began to experience joy again.

***

"Hey, Ella!"

Ella hears a voice calling out to her and turns around, seeing her neighbor, Grover, step out of his apartment and jog over to her.

"Wanna walk to school together?" Grover asks once he's beside Ella.

"G-Grover?" Ella stammars. "You're outside?!"

Grover was always the talk of discussion in Ella's class. Over the past few years that they've been neighbors, all throughout elementary school and now middle school, Grover was infamous for never showing up to school. He'd pretty much only attend class every other day, and occasionally miss school for a week or two. It was a holiday when Grover would show up to school two days in a row. There were rumors about how Grover was always a target of demon attacks, but no one knew for sure.

"Yeah, well…something happened-" Grover sheepishly replies as he rubs the back of his neck. "And now…I feel a lot more confident than I did before! Like I can go outside and face the world, rather than cowering in my room all the time!"

"I'm happy for you…" Ella replies as she turns away and frowns. "I still can't find the courage to step outside most days…"

Ella's sulking is interrupted when she feels an arm being thrown around her, and looks to the side, to see Grover's face right up next to yours.

"You always seem so sad, Ella," Grover begins to say. "And I can understand you better than anyone, cause I was sad too. But you know…I found someone who inspired me, and now…I want to become the best version of myself, and live life to the fullest to make the most of the opportunity that they gave me. So, from one former sad guy to another…we should be friends, Ella!"

Ella turns away from Grover and blushes again. "I'd like that…"