Act 3 - Chapter 4

Chapter 29: Jack; Shauran 45th, 344SR; 16:55

The tough skin of the guard's palm was rough like stone, Jack tried to get his fingers under the hand to loosen the grip on his throat. 'I can't- breathe!' The cold air licked at the scrape on the back of Jack's neck as he was lifted once more. With one hand Jack reached for the guard's face, the stubble of his chin just inches away. 'I have to do something!' He tried to focus his spirit on his foot, however, he couldn't as he started to pass out.

"Let him go!" Sarah shouted as she jumped on the guard.

Her arms wrapped around the guard's neck, Sarah locked her grip and tried to choke him. However, it didn't even seem to phase him. The guard threw Jack into the wall, while Sarah was on his back. He grunted angrily as the guard tried to reach for Sarah. 'The difference in physical strength is making Spirit Arts useless!' Jack felt dizzy from how many times he was slammed into the ground, he got to his feet but stumbled.

"Get off me you scum, it's useless!" the guard roared.

The eight-foot-tall guard grasped both of Sarah's hands and pried himself free of her grip, then swung her over his head and into the ground. Sarah shrieked out of fear before her body was slammed into the ground.

"Ah!" Sarah cried out with her remaining breath.

"Sarah!" Jack shouted.

The crash made Jack wince despite not being the one hit. The guard let go of Sarah's hands and they fell limply, she groaned before losing consciousness. 'I'm- the only one left...' Jack slowly got up. The guard turned to Jack and walked forward before his steps hastened. 'He's charging!' Jack focused his spirit into his left foot, 'Spirit Ignition!' His spirit ignited the moment he jumped off the ground, the explosive force launching him higher. The guard ran past him and smashed into the blue wall with his shoulder. The guard turned and looked up as Jack descended from above with his fists clasped, focusing his spirit into them. 'Spirit Ignition!' Jack aimed his fists at the guard's head, but the guard stepped back. Jack's fist struck the chestpiece at an angle. 'Shit!' His fist slid past and slammed into the ground, leaving him wide open.

"You're too weak to break through my armor! The Ethore of Baltin is the densest metal on Grelt!" the guard boasted.

The calloused hand wrapped around Jack's leg with a tight grip, and then dragged him over the ground. Jack listened to the air woosh by his ears before he was smashed into the wall. Jack shut his eyes as an overwhelming pain flooded over him, his head throbbing from the impact. The guard then threw him towards the back entrance occupied by many corpses. Jack hit the ground on his right shoulder, he tried to focus his spirit toward his right side but he rolled onto his back as the momentum dragged him across the ground. Jack gasped for air as he grabbed his head and rolled over, holding it tightly seemed to be the only relief.

'I can't get near him or else I get thrown!' Jack coughed up blood, and his left foot and right arm were sore from the impacts of each Spirit Ignition. Hitting the ground did more damage to himself than he had thought. 'This is tough... I thought I was stronger... But I knew it wasn't enough... Think! There has to be something I can do...' The guard raised his hand again, pulling Jack back in for another brutal slam. 'He only has one arm to use his gift! If I can't escape his ability, then I won't!' Jack focused his spirit into his left fist as he was pulled forward towards the guard's open hand. His feet skipped across the ground as he was pulled into his reach. He clenched his fist as he kept his eyes on the guard's hand. 'Spirit Ignition!' Jack slammed his fist into the guard's finger before he could be grasped, bending two of them out of place.

"Agh! You little-" the guard grunted.

The force disappeared, causing Jack to stumble in front of the guard. The guard was distracted by his twisted finger, bending to the right over the knuckle. Jack focused his spirit again directly into his right foot, 'Imperial Battle Arts! Pickaxe!' He focused his spirit directly into the tip of his boot, striking the guard in the side of his kneecap. The ignition was focused on a single point, resulting in a piercing impact.

"Ow!" the guard yelped.

The guard fell to one knee. With the spirit already in his foot, Jack pulled his foot back for a large swing. 'Spirit Ignition!' Jack kicked straight upwards and hit the guard in the jaw. The guard fell on his back, slightly dizzied. Jack breathed in and out as he held his stance, he glanced at the entrance to the building. The guard turned onto his stomach and started to get up. 'Already?! Don't let him get up!' Jack ran to the front of the guard with his spirit focused on his foot, he aimed for the guard's head. However before his next kick could land, the guard caught his foot. 'Shit-'

"Rah!" the guard roared as he swung Jack over his head and into the ground.

"Ack!" Jack grits his teeth, the slam caused his body to convulse from the pain, making it hard to breathe.

'Have to- focus-' His ears rang, and his head throbbed. The guard dragged him across the ground in a full circle before he whipped him toward the building. Jack slammed into the blue wall and fell on his back.

"Ah!" Jack groaned.

'It hurts!' Jack tried to push himself up, but he struggled to keep his back straight. His coughs felt rough, his vision blurred, and he was on the verge of passing out. The guard approached slowly. 'It hurts so much! I don't know how much more damage I can take before I- I'll... die...' Jack's breathing came to a halt. 'Die?' He thought back to all the times he had been beaten by the angels, however, they never once went far enough to kill him. The sudden thought of his demise caused Jack to shiver, looking up with tear-filled eyes. The guard stopped as he looked down at the boy, he squinted as he looked down at him and listened to the rattling of Jack's teeth.

"It's hard to believe weaklings like you did this," the guard said, he was barely phased. "Tell me who you're working for. Your sentence may be lightened depending on whether or not you comply. You may even get to go back to living your luxurious life."

Jack's head throbbed as he heard that.

"You, piece of shit!" Jack uttered quietly with grit teeth.

"What was that?" the guard asked.

"I told you already..." Jack slowly got up, despite the pain.

"You think I'm going to believe you're li-"

"No!" Jack laughed "No I don't! You... You're- the problem... Drowning yourself in alcohol and pleasure... Living amongst your families and loved ones... Benefitting from the logorite... That we mined!" he growled.

"What are you rambling ab-"

"It's great! Isn't it!" Jack shouted. "Being ignorant to reality! Being able to live a life you chose and believed in! Not having to wake up and fear the people who own you! Luxurious life? Haha... hahahahah!"

"Have you lost your mind? What are you talking about?"

"Do you even know... What it's like, to know... You and everyone around you... Are nothing but tools... To be told you're nothing... From the day you were born! I didn't even meet my parents... I saw them in the frame of a picture! I was in the same place they were, with the same fate ahead of me! An expendable tool, to be used until they died! By self-righteous... Monsters!" Jack screamed.

The guard reached for Jack, "That's enough... I've heard enough of you."

Jack watched him open his hand up towards him. A force pulled him forward for a brief moment. But it was stopped short as a black and white wave passed over the both of them. The force which pulled him forward disappeared, 'Ajal's signal!' Jack focused his spirit in that instant. The guard looked to his right from where the black and white wave came from, 'He's wide open!' Jack ignored the aching pain across his body. 'Spirit Ignition!' He punched the guard's hand once more.

"Agh! You persistent-" the guard grunted as he raised his foot to kick Jack.

Jack cowered as the foot came towards him. However, before it could land, Jack noticed John jump at him from behind with both his legs extended. John delivered a Spirit Ignition with both feet to the guard's calf. The guard stumbled forward and fell on his right knee. Jack focused his spirit into his right fist, condensing it into a single point just like he did earlier. 'Spirit Ignition!' Jack slammed his fist into the guard's left eye, delivering a focused ignition straight through the head.

"Ah!" the guard shrieked in pain, he fell on his back and writhed as he held his face.

"Jack! Raum doesn't have the key... Ajal gave us the signal- Hey..." John spoke with haste but stopped as he looked at Jack.

"You get the key... I'm killing this piece of shit!" Jack growled.

"Hey... Jack your- your hand..." John had wide eyes as he pointed at Jack.

"Huh?"

Jack looked down at his fist and noticed the amount of his own blood dripping from it. His knuckles were torn, and the cold air licked at the exposed flesh. 'Huh... I don't feel the pain?' His left hand was also red at the knuckles but not bleeding. Their attention was drawn back to the guard who'd already been getting back up.

"You're too injured to keep fighting! Trust me, just go for the key!" said John.

"But-"

"Jack the key is more important! And you're way too hurt to keep fighting!"

"Key?" the guard repeated quietly.

"Okay... Be careful, my Spirit Ignitions didn't do much to this guy... I've damaged his hand and his eye..." Jack advised.

"Franklin and Ben are almost back up... He won't take us down as easily as he did earlier!" John reassured.

Jack turned and limped the first few steps, as he neared the door he fell against it. 'Huh...' Jack's back convulsed as he tried to keep it straight 'I've taken a lot of damage myself...' He gripped the handle of the door and pulled it open, revealing a set of stairs that led upwards. The stairwell's walls were painted yellow and the steps were made from concrete, a musty scent permeated the air inside the building. A loud smack caught Jack's attention, he turned back to see John stumbling backward after taking a hit from the guard. 'I have to help, I have to-' Jack tried to take a step but immediately stopped as he recalled that he was limping.

"Don't stop!" John shouted as the guard grabbed his leg and threw him back towards the road. "Ah!" John cried before he hit the ground.

John quickly scrambled back to his feet and charged back in. Jack ran up the staircase, trying desperately to stay out of sight of the guard to avoid his gift. 'He has to stretch his hand at me, and then everything in that path is pulled towards him...' Before he could take another step he felt a force stop him from pushing his leg forward 'No!' He stood one leg on the stairs as he felt a force stop him, he desperately grasped the railing as the guard tried to pull him back.

"I won't let you!" the guard shouted.

The guard slowly approached. Jack couldn't move forward until he noticed someone behind the guard.

"Ah!" Ben roared as he charged at the guard.

Ben jumped on the guard's back and wrapped his arms around his neck. The guard violently tried to shake him off, Ben's legs flailed in the air, and a large thud echoed through the stairwell as his torso slammed into the side of the wall. Jack fell onto the step as he was freed from the guard's gift.

"Agh! Get off me!" the guard shouted angrily.

"Jack-" Ben coughed as the guard slammed him into a wall once again. "Go!"

His grip loosened but he wrapped his legs around the guard's waist and tightened his grip on their neck. 'I've got to help!' Jack stood up and focused his spirit.

"Stay back!" Ben shouted.

"We can take him together!" Jack shouted back.

"We can't beat this guy! We don't have to! Don't be a dumbass and just go!"

Jack stepped up the stairs, still watching Ben and the guard amid their struggle.

"Beating this guy isn't the priority! Get the-"

The guard swung his head back and knocked Ben in the nose, a trail of blood leaked out of it.

"... We just need the key! Go! Idiot!" Ben scolded.

Jack clenched his teeth, and his fingers dug into his palm as he gripped his fist. 'Focus... He's right... We win when we all get out of this place safely!' Jack turned and focused his spirit on his legs as he sprinted up the stairs.

"Get back here!" The guard shouted.

He pried Ben off his back and swung him into the steps. Jack glanced back, Ben wasn't moving. The guard tried to raise his hand again, but Ben suddenly rolled over and grasped his foot.

"I'm not letting you go!" Ben grunted with his forehead against the ground.

"Dammit! You annoying pest!" The guard shouted.

Jack was already around the corner of the stairwell and ascending to the next floor. A mix of grunting and loud thuds could be heard below, Jack felt sick to his stomach as he ran away. 'Don't die, don't die, don't die dammit!' His whole body ached as he ran up the stairs, but his legs screamed in pain as he overused his spirit and stamina. He huffed as his ascent up the stairs slowed, he looked up the stairwell and there was still a good distance from the top. 'Raum's office should be on the top floor!' Jack's heart skipped a beat as he heard a large series of steps echo through the stairwell, 'That was from the bottom...'

"Shit... Shit, shit, shit!" Jack cursed.

Jack quickly made his way up the stairs, two steps at a time as he heard the faint noise of the guard cursing at him from down below. He huffed as he ran up each step, his upper legs screaming in agony as he scraped at what little stamina he had left to keep going. Even though his legs felt stiff, like they could fall off at any minute, Jack continued up the steps. However, as he got to the sixth floor, his leg suddenly didn't lift, and he tripped on the last step.

"Ack-" Jack fell onto his front.

'My legs... I need to rest... but... I still have a long way to go!' The stomping of the guard had slowed as well, 'He's probably exhausted too...' Jack wiped the sweat off his head as he opened the door to the sixth floor of the building. The moment he did, he was face to face with another guard. The guard had wide eyes as he looked down at Jack.

"Oh shit-"

Jack's heart froze as he looked up and saw the guard's blank expression. He tried to raise his fists, but blood spilled out of the guard's lips as he fell forward and crashed face-first into the ground. Blood spread out around the corpse. 'He's... Dead?' The dead guard's grey robe was drenched in red stains, and a rancid, musty smell escaped the room he came from. Jack looked into the room to see a large office space full of dead guards.

"What the? What's going on?" Jack uttered in shock.

He stepped over the body that fell through the door, his foot sending a ripple through the ample pool of blood on the floor. As he lifted his leg to take another step, blood dripped off his foot and splashed back into the puddles. 'How many guards were killed here...' Jack tried to count the bodies until he realized some of those bodies were separated from the limbs. He covered his nose, the pungent smell of all the blood made him nauseous. The room was a large but open office space, with brown desks evenly spaced across the room. There were smaller rooms at the side, and at the center of the building was a spiraling staircase that led to the upper floors.

"Where the hell is that brat? Did he stop? I can't hear him..." The guard's voice faintly echoed through the stairwell behind him.

Jack ran past a desk smashed by a hybrid's body, multiple chunks of wood had broken off of it. 'Ah!' He tripped on a severed limb. Hitting the wooden floor hard and pushing a chair slightly, its legs squeaking across the floor before coming to a stop.

"What was that?!" Jack heard the guard who sounded about two floors below.

Jack quickly got behind a desk and hid, it wasn't too far from the door he entered from. His legs were still sore, he covered his mouth as he took slow deep breaths. He could see a spiraling staircase that led further up the building from where he was. 'Just hide... There are two stairwells... I can get around him...'

"Huh- No... no, no, no!" the guard found the corpse. "What... What happened here!" the guard shouted in disbelief.

Jack laid his head against the wooden desk, the room was dark. The sound of the guard's hefty steps echoed through the room, his stomps in the blood coming closer. Jack quietly leaned forward and poked his head over the desk. The guard was a short distance away, Jack quickly lowered his head back down. 'Wait for him to go further into the room... Then go back to the stairwell... What if he hears my footsteps?' Jack pondered. The guard leaned over a desk nearby, he panted heavily. 'He's also worn out...'

"Get out here you damn spoiled brat! I know you're here! Tell me who did this!" the guard shouted as loud as he could, his voice cracking slightly.

Being called spoiled made Jack twitch 'Focus...' Jack crept around the desk and made his way to the wall, staying low all the while as the guard searched in the opposite direction. 'Focus... Just don't make any noise and-'

"Where are you?! Spoiled little shit!" the somewhat drunk guard shouted again, he breathed heavily.

Jack gritted his teeth. 'Just focus... The key is more important...' The door was just a few meters away.

"To take the generosity of the hybrids and angels... And then turn your back on them like so! You non-unified are worse than people like Arken and Geral! Nothing but useless fools!" the guard rambled on until he was out of breath.

The door was just an inch away, but Jack stopped. 'I'm sorry everyone...' Jack turned, and his spirit flowed to his core. All Jack thought about was how to hurt that guard as much as he could. He looked at the wooden desk which was smashed by a hybrid's body, a broken part of a wooden plank had jagged sharp ends. Jack picked it up and quietly moved in.

"Dammit... Dammit dammit dammit!" the guard fell on his knees as he mourned over the body of someone he once knew. "You all helped me so much... I had no hope... After I lost my daughter... You all supported me... Who could've done this!" the guard sobbed.

Jack tightened his grip on the wooden stick. He stepped over a descendant of Wilo's golden arm.

"Damn him! Damn the resistance! Damn you Geral Murdok! I'll find you, I swear I'll find-" the guard stopped.

Jack was behind the desk just a short distance from the guard on his knees.

"They called him... Jack... Wasn't that... The name Geral chant-"

The guard was cut off as he heard sudden rapid steps. He turned and was about to stand. 'Spirit Ignition!' Jack pounced forward as he ignited his spirit under his foot.

"Die!" Jack screamed as the jagged wood pierced into the guard's neck, just above the right side of his collarbone.

"Guh!" the guard uttered as he fell backward.

The guard tried to stop Jack from wedging the chunk of wood further in. He couldn't get a good grip, instead, he clenched his injured fist and smacked Jack in the face. Jack's vision blurred, and the strike made him dizzy, but it wasn't as strong. 'Die...' Jack tried to pull it out to stab him again, but it was stuck. The guard wildly swung his hand at Jack's face again, delivering another strike that almost knocked him out. Jack gritted his teeth, 'Die!' Jack let go and stood up, focused his spirit back on his foot, and slammed it into the makeshift weapon. The guard's blood splashed onto his cheek and forehead.

"Gah!" the guard gurgled out in pain.

"Die!" Jack shouted as he smashed the jagged piece of wood through the guard's throat with his foot.

Jack panted as he stepped back, stumbling into a desk. He breathed in and out heavily as he looked at the large man on the ground. A pool of blood spread out from under the guard's neck, his body lifeless. Jack leaned forward, almost falling in the process of trying to stand up straight. Jack's body shook in a mix of pain and adrenaline.

"Say it..." Jack uttered. "Say we live lives of luxury... Tell me I'm useless! Call us spoiled now! You cant, damn scum!" Jack roared.

Jack fell on all fours, his heavy breaths were all he could hear in the silent office.

"Say it!" Jack's voice cracked.

A sudden giggling made his heart jump. He looked at the body of the guard, the giggle didn't come from there. The giggle grew louder, before bursting into laughter. 'Above!' He looked up at the spiraling staircase and saw someone about halfway up leaning over the railing, watching the events unfold.

"Ah- I've been seen," the mysterious man spoke.

It was a shirtless man, with a belt over his shoulder, and two sheathed blades on his back with white and red handles. He had blonde hair, and the sides of his head were completely shaved. 'Another guard!' Jack scrambled to his feet and started to limp for the door. 'I can get away... He has to go down that staircase!' Jack was nearing the door. However the man landed on the desk in front of the stairwell, surprisingly the desk didn't break despite the height he jumped from.

"Woah, slow down," the blonde man stopped him.

He was well built but lean, with a katana in one hand he used to block the way. He had narrow eyes and a pointy nose, a slender but well-defined jaw. He wore black pants with thick silver rings around his ankles and waist, a ragged crimson robe covering his left half, the other half being burnt off. On his right shoulder was a strange red fur growing off of his skin.

"You're not a hybrid, that's for sure... Definitely non-unified... What the hell are you doing here in Cabac?"

Jack glanced to the door, then back to him, and then to the sword. 'I can't fight again- especially not someone with a weapon!'

"Still, it's surprising you managed to take down a guard on your own... Where did someone like you learn how to use Arken's Chambers? Hm?"

Jack focused his spirit on his feet as he got ready to dive under the sword and run for the door. However, his body was still sore.

"Hm? Hey kid, you listening?"

'Spirit Ignit-' Jack tried to kick off the ground but a sharp pain in his ankle caused him to stumble. His vision blurred, as he coughed up blood. A fatigue came over him which made him want to fall flat on the ground and rest. His arms gave out and he fell into a puddle of blood.

"Woah..." the hybrid pulled his blade back and rested it on his shoulder, he looked at Jack stumble with a puzzled face.

"The- key..." Jack reached for the door, before falling and watching everything go dark.

***

"I want to be the one to kill the clan leaders! You go open the gate, Iris!" Jack heard the voice of the blonde man from earlier.

"Shut up weakling, the stronger of us two should go and fight them! It's more important you open the gate to Argol to let the reinforcements in! You're their leader. Blaize, how is this even complicated for you?" A woman argued back.

"I'm stronger and smarter than you!"

"No, you're fucking not!"

"Rock paper scissors then! Whoever wins gets to kill the clan leaders!"

"Ugh... Again? You fucking loser..."

Jack slowly opened his eyes as the sound of the argument woke him up, the light on the ceiling made him squint. 'What... Wasn't the room dark?' His body felt stiff, but the short rest eased some of the soreness. He could hear people talking, but it was unclear what they were talking about. He turned his head to the left and saw a hulking man with a bald head sitting cross-legged on the carpet. The man crunched on something with closed eyes, he seemed to be enjoying the flavors of whatever he ate.

"We both pulled rock... What?" said Blaize.

"You're not cheating are you?" Iris asked, her tone making the question sound rhetorical.

"You think I'd cheat at rock paper scissors?"

"Yeah, I do."

"You're an asshole you know that. Again."

The bald man was massive, about the same size as the guard whom Jack fought, but this person was both more muscular and fatter than him. He wore similar black pants to the swordsmen who confronted Jack, but this one wore a sleeveless top that exposed much of the middle of his hairy chest. He reached into a cloth sack, pulled out a biscuit, and took one bite. The crumbs fell onto his beard. The brittle munches echoed through the room as the other two had another round of rock paper scissors. The bald man glanced at Jack and their eyes met.

"Blaize, Iris..." the bald man called as he looked up.

"Why the hell would you go rock again?!" Blaize shouted.

"Because you'd get scissors to counter me from going paper because you'd think I'd do rock again!" Iris tried to explain.

"What did- wait that- makes no sense... Does it?'

"Hey! Idiots!" the bald man suddenly stood up and stomped once.

"What?! I'm in the middle of something..." Iris groaned.

"That kid Blaize brought up here is awake..."

"Oh, that was pretty fast..." said Blaize.

Iris wore similar pants to Blaize, but she had a white shirt tucked in at the waist, buttoned up to her cleavage. The shirt hugged her body tightly, outlining her well-defined muscles. Under the white shirt was a skin-tight black suit which seemed to be a special weave. As if her menacing face and crazy hairstyle weren't enough to make Jack nervous, she had two horns coming out of her head, and a sword sheathed at her hip.

Jack pushed himself upright. "Where am I..." his memory felt hazy, but as he remembered what was going on he gasped and jumped to his feet.

"Same building, top floor," Blaize answered. "I was impressed a non-unified managed to take down a descendant of Morne-" he snickered. "Even if you had a fit right after..."

"How long were you watching me?" Jack asked.

"I was on my way up the stairs at the same time you walked in. Then I just watched, you really didn't like him calling you spoiled did you."

Jack gritted his teeth, "He deserved to die if he thinks non-unified are spoiled..."

Iris glanced at Banhu for a moment, her expression didn't change.

"We're all in agreement, fuck the hybrid alliance, so don't try to run again. That's not why I brought you up here though."

"Huh?"

"Wait," the large man raised his palm as he stood up. "I want to see it for myself."

Jack turned to the large man, and that's when he noticed the massive hole in the wall and the blood all around the destroyed section. One entire part of the room was missing, and rapid winds from outside the building could be heard from outside. Jack walked over to the hole in the wall, jagged metal, and broken pipes lined the edge.

"What the... What happened?" Jack asked.

"That doesn't matter, Blaize told me he watched you use Arken's chambers, and extraordinarily well. Show me," Banhu requested as he raised his arms.

"Huh?!" Jack uttered, stepping back from the man.

"Hit me," Banhu offered.

Jack gulped, 'What the hell? Who are these people?! Why does he want me to hit him? I have to- I have to get the key...'

"What are you waiting for... Use it, Arken's Chambers," said Iris

"I don't-" Jack stopped 'They always say this when I use Spirit Arts... Never mind that what the hell have I gotten myself into?!'

"Hurry up!" Iris shouted.

Jack gulped as the scary-looking woman shouted fiercely. Jack took a stance and crept forward slowly towards Banhu.

"I'm- going to... Hit you?" Jack was puzzled and nervous.

The spirit flowed to his fist, and Iris and Banhu's eyes lit up as they watched. 'Spirit...' Jack felt his spirit flow faster than before, crackling as it got ready to ignite. 'Uh... Something's different...' Jack looked at his fist. The red mist collected at his fist, turning orange, and then yellow as it started to crackle. He paid it no mind as he looked forward, 'Spirit Ignition!' Jack threw his fist forward into Banhu's chest, the strike echoed through the room. Banhu stepped back and bumped into the wall. A low grunt escaped his sealed lips, he looked at Jack with a bewildered yet surprised expression.

"Ha- Waaahahahaha! That hurt! What's your name boy!" Banhu asked cheerfully.

"Can I go now?" Jack asked hesitantly.

"That was insane! The scrawny kid used it well! Who are you, who taught you that?!" Iris shouted.

"I'm- a member... Of... The resistance?" Jack answered, still nervous.

"The resistance? All our troops are on standby though?" said Iris.

"The... The non-unified resistance..."

Iris and Blaize both squinted at him. They both quickly exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.

"Hah! Hahahahah!" Iris cackled.

"I really need to go..." Jack said nervously, no one heard him.

"Oh- oh man... That's funny..." Iris wiped a tear from her eye.

"Okay, that was funny... Who are you? What are you doing here?" Blaize asked with a smile.

"I... I wasn't lying... I'm with the non-unified resistance..." Jack repeated.

"No way, there's absolutely no way the non-unified resistance is here... What are you going to tell me next? Jack, the one who brought Alexander to his knees is in this city too?" Blaize laughed.

'What... What did he just say...' Jack looked left and right, and he raised an eyebrow in confusion. Blaize stopped laughing, and his face turned to one of curiosity.

"Okay now I know you're full of shit, there's no way that non-unified is in this city," said Blaize.

"Well... I'm... I'm Jack..."

The room went silent for several seconds.

"Jack Eldritch," Jack stated firmly.

Iris froze, and Blaize tilted his head in disbelief.

"No, no there's no way-"

A purple light lit up the room, Jack turned and looked out the hole in the wall and saw Ajal's blast.

"How long have I been out? Ajal's fighting..." Jack uttered.

The beam from Ajal's third eye lit up the sky, the intensity was unlike any other time he had used it. A buzz in the distance could be heard as every particle in its path burned.

"What the..." Blaize uttered in disbelief.

"I- I need to open the gate to Argol, do you know where the key is?" Jack asked timidly.

Blaize and Iris looked at each other for a moment, the two of them were extremely confused for some reason. Jack gulped. Iris shook her head and turned away with a disgusted face 'What the- what's up with that expression...'

"We didn't even know his last name Iris... He said the last name too... There's no way he's lying..." said Blaize.

"Shut up Blaize I don't wanna hear it... I'm thinking, is this some kind of elaborate plan of his... Is he playing a game with us?" Iris contemplated.

"Is this a prank? You're the one that wounded Alexander Rael?!" Banhu exclaimed in disbelief.

"Geral said your name in prison... And then he broke out..." Blaize uttered.

"The non-unified from Logos who apparently brought Alexander Rael to his knees and defeated him," Banhu leaned forward and observed Jack.

"So... Geral tells us to meet him in Raum's office... And then he's late for over an hour... And instead, some kid named Jack shows up... I'm thrown for a loop, what's going on... I feel like I'm crazy for even considering it... But this cannot be a coincidence... Can it?" Iris asked the others.

"Wow, how'd someone as small as you do it?" Banhu asked curiously.

"Uh..."

"Wait- Wait! Stay focused! This isn't right!" Blaize cut Jack off before he could think of an answer.

Iris and Banhu looked at their fellow commander.

"Geral hasn't shown up, we were ordered to meet here, the security office in the northwest district. I didn't believe in the story about Geral being saved by this Jack kid, but are we not going to address that he's even here!" Blaize pointed at Jack.

"You took a lot of what I said, you damn nerd-"

"The... Gate to Argol, I need the key..." Jack admitted.

"If you do that you'll be trampled by a thousand hybrid warriors from Argol..." said Blaize.

"My friend is fighting the clan leaders and the queen right now... I have to open the gate to Argol so we can escape..."

"You're friend? Do you know what that purple light was?" Iris asked.

"This kid is here for a reason, I bet he's working with Geral and he was sent-"

"I- I'm not working for Geral Murdok?" Jack corrected.

"Huh?" Blaize replied awkwardly.

"Enough you two. We've wasted enough time here already, this settles it. This is the signal. We engage now. It's time we started the operation. Jack," Banhu approached Jack who stepped back nervously. "Someone as weak as you dared to stand against the bastards who have more power than you. You have my respect," Banhu put a hand on Jack's shoulder.

Jack looked at the large hand and then up at the bald man's wide grin.

"Why did you try to kill Alexander Rael?" Banhu asked.

"Huh?" Jack replied.

"You tried to kill Alexander Rael right? Why?"

"He killed my parents... And my friend," Jack answered.

"Well, Alexander Rael is dead. Rest assured."

Jack froze as he registered what he just heard. 'What...'

"What?!" Jack shouted.

"He engaged the three of us five days ago outside Andurill, he put up quite a fight but he wasn't a match for us. Bastard and his lieutenants have probably become food for The Damned by now," Blaize explained.

Jack stepped back, his mouth hung open. He didn't know what to say, or what to think, he was in shock and disbelief. A sense of anger came over him. 'Alexander Rael is dead? It can't be... that's- that's not how... They didn't deserve to be the ones to- I wanted to-' Jack raised his eyes as that thought passed through his mind. 'What was that?' Jack took a deep breath, unsure of the envy he just felt within himself.

Banhu put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "We are the same, you and I. This alliance has brought nothing but pain to me and my people. The same goes for those two. You are not alone, Jack."

Banhu raised his right arm and a massive spine appeared in his hand, at the end of the long cord of bones was a bell. He patted Jack's head as he walked towards the hole in the wall. 'Where is he... Where is he going?'

"Wait, what about Geral-" Iris asked

"I don't think he's coming... Knowing him, and where he told us to meet him... This is a part of his plan," said Banhu.

"Wait, no- no no! Don't jump from there! Take the fucking stairs!" Blaize shouted at him.

"We're going to take this city right? Then it's no problem to blow a little bit of it away," Banhu grinned.

"Do you know how high up we are?! That's not a little bit!" Blaize stressed with a vicious tone.

"What? What is he doing?" Jack asked.

Banhu squatted down and suddenly jumped out of the building with his weapon in hand. Jack was speechless as he watched him fall. 'What...'

"Fuck- that fucking asshole!!" Iris cursed.

"That crazy- Ah!" Blaize cursed as well.

"What? Why did he jump?" Jack asked, extremely confused.

"Okay, if we're at the top of the building we should be good, he jumped that way so we should tip this way. Did we get everything? I got the key to the gate- ah shit what about the non-unified kid?" Blaize asked.

"Forget the fucking kid, who cares..." Iris groaned.

"No, I brought him up here, I'm not letting that rest on my conscious! Help him!"

"Ugh, you stupid- I can probably use my gift to get him to the ground safely, the question is what are you going to do?" Iris asked Blaize.

"That- I'm gonna figure it out in a few seconds..." Blaize said with a worried tone.

Jack didn't understand what they were saying. 'Are they not concerned that their friend just jumped to his death?' Jack looked off the edge, Banhu soared through the sky, becoming smaller and smaller the closer to the ground he got. Jack watched for several seconds, Banhu was now too far to be seen. 'What the-' A large metallic sound boomed through the sky. Jack watched the buildings spread out as he heard the sound. A force blew the buildings backward, and a wave of rubble spread out in all directions from where Banhu landed. As the wave hit the tower Jack was in, everything around him shook. A rumble from far below seemed to match the shaking of the building. 'Ah!' Jack lost his footing and fell backward.

"What the!" Jack shouted in fear as he watched the entire room start to tilt, the floor no longer horizontal.

"He really fucking did it!" Blaize shouted.

"I am seriously gonna kick his ass!" Iris cursed.

Jack slid against the floor and straight into the wall. Papers, files, office utensils, and pieces of the desk flew around the room. Random objects hit Jack as a sinking feeling filled his stomach. 'The building is tipping over!' Blaize pulled out both his swords and stabbed them into the floor, as the building tilted his feet started to hang in the air. Iris's horns started to glow a bright red. She somehow ran along the tilted floor, picking up Jack, and throwing him over her shoulder with ease. 'Woah- how strong is she!?'

"What are you-" Jack asked.

"Shut up! I need to focus!" Iris yelled.

Jack looked over to the right. His eyes went wide as the desks started to float in mid-air. Iris ran along the tilted floor and jumped up to the desk, running along the airborne table and jumping for the hole. Blaize used his swords to climb to it. Iris jumped straight out of the hole, but to Jack's surprise, he looked back and watched the building fall to the ground. He lost sight of Blaize. Iris descended through the sky, but Jack was surprised to notice they descended very slowly.

"Is this your gift?" Jack asked.

"Yeah... Keep your mouth shut unless you want to fall to your death, I need to focus," Iris warned very calmly.

Jack looked down to see a massive clearing where there was once a city, the center of the clearing directly below them where Banhu had fallen. All that remained in the blast radius was the stone concrete that Andurill was built upon. Massive green explosions lit up across certain areas where the sea of debris and smoke washed over. The crowd of people gathered in the middle could be heard collectively screaming even from over a hundred feet in the air. In a single moment, the festival had turned to chaos. 'He destroyed... The entire city of Cabac... With just one attack.'