Chapter 56:

Act 5 - Chapter 2, Part 1

The Celestials Prison - Envoy of the Damned


Chapter 47: Jack; Shauran 46th, 344SR; 6:30

"The bite of our noble steel will split their skulls, and the flames of our envy will raise their towers to the ground!" Thousands of druids shouted all at once.

Jack turned to the south, the gondola had stopped over the forest.

"Repenting fickle envy on hands and knees, their sight shall not be blessed and mercy will not save them!"

"Sounds like it's starting... Heh," Dariel grinned.

"With the strength of the divine, on the graves of our fallen!" the crowd shouted again.

Jack's heart skipped a beat as the crowd's roar reached his ears even from that distance. The ground rumbled slightly from the torrent of steps outside the city, the druid forces advanced through Roverswood. Jack looked off the edge of the stairs where Dariel dropped the angel, his body had landed on a roof down below and hadn't moved since. The lower city was comprised of flat-roofed buildings that surrounded the inner wall, the curving path ended at a grey archway stretching high above the city. The party of druids and Lector passed through the gateway into the inner city. 'This gate isn't guarded?'

"So... This is Helios..." said Vincent, his coat whipped around as he turned and looked up at the wall. "Who are these two?"

Jack was at a loss for words upon seeing the massive urban environment, duller in color than Andurill, but the buildings had much more majesty and distinction. 'It doesn't seem that big from the outside... But this place is enormous...' Dariel stared off at the gargoyles sitting on the corners of pyramid-shaped rooftops. There were many rectangular-shaped buildings with flat rooftops towards the center of the city and the southern gate.

Jack walked through the gate and noticed the two Vincent mentioned. To the left and right of the entrance, inside the wall, two massive statues that resembled people towered over the city. The one on the right had a strange crown on their forehead, the other held a sword. The crown almost resembled horns that stretched to the left and right side of their head, it made their eyes look stern and unwavering. Wren looked around with her mouth hung ajar, she was dazed by the sight.

"The king of angels and the king of demons, each gate into or out of the inner city has their statues side by side... I always thought it was funny they're technically only watching over the middle to high class," Lector laughed.

Jack was awestruck by the world around him, he had only ever dreamed of what it would look like. His eyes followed the edges of the rooftops before he noticed several figures within one of the windows. 'Huh... They're- They're looking at us...' Jack raised his hand to tell the others, but he hesitated.

"The- The windows..." Jack pointed up.

Elisia's eyes widened as a green blast fired from the window. Dariel's head whipped around toward all of the buildings. 'We're in their territory-'

"Jack look out!" Lector shrieked.

Elisia dashed forward and tackled Jack out of the way, her shoulder pad pressed into his stomach as his feet left the floor. The green blast struck the ground where he stood and they were launched off the path toward a building. Jack and Elisia spun through the air, they slammed into the step and tumbled down the path. Jack rolled against the concrete and came to a stop, his arm and leg were covered in scratches and tears.

"Ah- I was naïve!" Elisia cursed at herself as she drew her blade and looked up.

Jack quickly looked around, they had landed on the wide-bending road at the bottom of the steps. Elisia looked up at the roofs while Jack slowly rose. 'There's no cover-'

"Fire!" an angel inside the building shouted.

"Get up!" Elisia dragged him to his feet as orbs of green flame rained down on them and the stairwell.

Jack limped to his foot, he tried to stand on his left side but his knee took a hard impact. He looked up at the approaching blasts. 'We're dead-' A black mass of tendrils surrounded Jack and Elisia, blocking the blasts. Wren held her arms high as the shadows she manipulated spread with each blast.

"I can't hold them back long!" Wren warned.

"Get out of the street!" Dariel shouted.

Lector hurried down the stairs with his head low, he jumped off the steps before reaching the bottom and crouched. He looked toward a manhole in the center of the street, but then up at the buildings. Lector quickly turned as another rain of fire poured down on him, he jumped through the window of a one-story building and narrowly evaded it.

"Follow the blonde one!" Vincent shouted as he jumped into the building Lector ran for.

The black tendrils wrapped around Jack and Elisia, and the entire mass of shadow moved with Wren toward the building. They dived through and Jack fell against the shards of glass on the ground. He quickly crawled toward a wall and stayed low, his heart was beating out of his chest. 'Ah!' He grasped his leg as it throbbed from the pain, it was slightly burned as well. 'We just reached the city and we're already getting overwhelmed?!'

Dariel jumped through the window, as he got through, Wren manipulated the shadows and formed a barrier to keep them safe from outside. Elisia dusted the pebbles off her shoulder as she took a deep breath.

"Fuckin pricks... I can't see anyone in the streets, they must be countless angels taking point at the windows..." Dariel rambled.

"Dariel, can you take out a group of them in one hit?" Elisia asked while she caught her breath.

"Maybe, but... I have to hit them directly, it's too risky if it goes wrong... And we don't know how many of the bastards are up there as well!"

"Wait- We don't have to take the streets!" Lector spoke up, the druids turned to him. "The manhole in the middle of the street, we just need to get in there, hopefully without being noticed... Once we're there then we can get around most of the city through the sewers, it would take longer, but it's way safer!"

"Down there! Multiple targets in the convenience store!" an angel yelled from outside. "Focus fire on that building!"

Wren turned to Elisia with a look of concern, Vincent stood up and grasped the golden scepter as he started to conjure a weapon. The green light from the logorite gem embedded within it flowed outwards and towards his hand, taking the shape of a curved greatsword. 'Didn't that short hybrid who fought Ajal in logos use a weapon like that... He must have seen it back in the ruins... He really can create any weapon from his memory...' Vincent spun it by the handle before clutching it tightly.

"They don't know our gifts, the less they learn the better... I'll direct their attention and draw as many as I can. I want the rest of you to proceed with the task we came here to complete, it takes priority, these weapons the angels have... If they are what I think they are, the same weapons they used to defeat us in the past... They absolutely cannot be deployed," Vincent ordered.

"I'll come as well, you could use some help-"

"Don't even think about it, Drake!" Vincent shut him down quickly, he glared him down from behind his collar. "Stay with Elisia and Wren, their gifts are far more conditional than ours..."

"Tsk... You say that but I get the feeling you just don't want me tagging along..."

"I don't. Wren, release the barrier... Once I move out, take everyone into the sewer, the shadows should allow you to do it easily..."

Jack looked at Vincent's back as he exhaled and tightened the grip on his staff and greatsword. The moment Wren lowered the barrier he raised the staff.

"Divine Art! Jealous flame!" Vincent shot a blast of fire from his scepter.

"They're up to something! Open fire!" an angel in the building shouted.

The even greater projectile made from green flame struck the building across the street. A field of smoke spread out from the impact. 'He made a smoke screen!' Wren pushed her hand forward, the shadows spiraled into a tunnel toward the manhole. Jack tried to stand but he grasped his left leg once again. To his surprise, Lector lifted him under the shoulder and helped him stand.

"Ah-" Jack winced.

"Come on, we can't stay in here!" Lector gritted his teeth as he struggled to pull Jack along.

'Dammit... I'm already holding them all back- All because I hesitated! Dammit! Dammit!' Jack focused on breathing as he limped over the short wall. The sound of clashing metal came from outside as Vincent battled the angels. Dariel crouched at the manhole and tried to lift it, however, it was bolted to the ground. The sharp-toothed man kissed his teeth as he begrudgingly used the jagged side of his hammer to pry out the bolts.

Jack focused his spirit on his leg as they reached the manhole, he noticed a plastic bag full of stuff in Lector's hand. 'Huh? What is that?' Dariel flipped the manhole cover off and jumped in without hesitation. Elisia followed while Wren turned to Lector and Jack. They looked down the hole, Jack was ready to jump, not even considering where it could lead. He was waiting to step forward, but Lector was hesitant.

"What are we waiting for?!" Jack asked.

"There's- Nothing but filth down there..." Lector cringed in disgust.

"Ah shut up! It was your plan and it's a better plan than burning alive!" Jack stepped forward and dragged Lector with him.

"No- no wait!"

They both fell through the manhole, rolling down a slope and tumbling into Elisia's back. Jack was immediately reminded of the putrid scent in the sewers beneath Andurill. Lector groaned as he opened his eyes to his hand smothered in a green paste.

"Ew! Ugh!" Lector quickly sprung up to his feet but hit his head on the top of the narrow tunnel. "Ow!"

Jack looked up as he heard metal shake. With each strike, Dariel repeatedly planted his foot into a metal grate, igniting his spirit. One more kick launched the steel grate off, Dariel jumped out and the rest of them quickly followed. Wren slid down the hole, seated in the shadows.

"Wee!" Wren childishly laughed as she soared down the hole quickly, colliding with Jack and Lector before they could exit themselves.

"Ah!" Jack fell into a puddle of dirty water, and so did Lector.

The bag in Lector's hand dropped onto the stone and the contents spilled out. Wren gently stepped on the ground, not a single crease on her elegant clothing. Dariel knelt down and picked up one of the silver packages that fell out of Lector's plastic bag.

"What the..." Dariel lifted it up and looked at the small handheld package. "Crunchy Oat Crunch?"

"Ptoo! Ptoo! Ack-" Lector spat out any dirty water that got in his mouth. "Ugh... I grabbed some rations from that store... I don't know how none of you are hungry, I'm starving..."

"We thrive off logorite, can't eat this... I hope you know your way around here... This place looks difficult to navigate..." Dariel mentioned as he looked down the dark tunnel.

"Huh..." Lector looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. "You think I hang around in sewers?"

Jack's stomach growled, and he looked down awkwardly. 'The last time I ate was... That ice cream at the festival...' Dariel glanced at Jack and threw the bar his way. The crinkling aluminum was smooth, it incased a rigid object inside. Jack looked at Lector and noticed him tear open the aluminum package, revealing a brown bar. Lector quickly took a bite before shoveling through the bag for more.

Jack opened the package and pulled out the contents. He observed the chocolate-coated bar, he brought it to his face and bit it. His teeth sank through the hard chocolate surprisingly quickly, but then he bit into sweet and crunchy oats. 'Hm...' Jack felt a satisfying sweetness spread across his mouth as he chewed the oats. 'I thought oats tasted like nothing... This one is really good, why is it sticking to my hands though?'

"Lector, where do we need to go to find the weapons..." Elisia asked.

"House Lightbringer... That's the only path I know that should lead there... But the problem is, that the noble houses use a separate sewage system internal to the inner city of Helios... The lower city uses these, come on, we've got a long way ahead of us..." Lector explained.

Lector started through the tunnels, Jack slowly stood but he struggled to walk without limping. Elisia took notice. Jack avoided eye contact, he tried to walk normally but he couldn't.

"We'll rest for some time, Wren, help me and Dariel map these tunnels, the more we know of the city the better," Elisia suggested.

"Rest? The hell? Vincent's giving them hell for us and you want to rest?" Dariel argued.

"Since your memory is so pathetic, let me remind you that I used a Spirit Bloom to get us all here, I need to recover my spirit..."

Jack looked down while the two bickered, he knew Elisia was slowing down for him. 'Dammit! If I just moved at that time...' Jack shut his eyes as he cursed his own weakness. A package bounced off his head and shook him out of it. 'Huh...' He looked to Lector who was chewing the oat bar and looking at Jack.

"Eat, apparently they don't eat regular food so we can split more between us..."

Jack glanced between the oat bar and Lector, he shook his head as he leaned against the wall. His gaze moved to the path above that they came down from.

"Will that guy be okay?" Jack asked nervously, his face covered with guilt.

Wren looked down at Jack and then towards the hole in the ceiling.

"Yeah don't worry! Vincent is really strong, he's the fourth strongest after our cousin Reygar," Wren mentioned, she glanced toward the other druids walking off. "Dariel is sixth, but he doesn't like when people say that," Wren whispered

"Fourth..." Jack rested his head against the stone.

'I need to pull my weight or our numbers will keep dwindling the more I screw up...' Despite the rough ground and putrid scent, closing his eyes felt nice.

***

"Jack, hey wake up already!" Lector shoved him.

Jack slowly opened his eyes, his nose was blocked and he felt something stuck at the back of his throat. 'Huh... I slept?' He pushed himself up off the ground and got to his feet quickly, 'The pain is gone...' Lector reached into his pocket, pulled out another packaged oat bar, and offered it to Jack.

"Th-thanks..." Jack took the ration. "How long have I been out? I didn't even want to sleep..."

"You slept like a baby in a dump like this... Honestly, I'm kind of impressed, it's been over half a day... We found the way to House Lightbringer, come on, the others are waiting..."

Lector started through the tunnels, Jack looked at him awkwardly. 'Was I here all alone?' He quickly followed after the blonde angel, the ground occasionally rumbling, causing dust to fall from the ceiling. 'The battle is still going on...' Jack and Lector walked through the narrow and putrid tunnels for what seemed like forever.

"Achoo!" Jack sneezed, the scent of sewage and lack of fresh air made it hard to breathe.

"Cover your nose..." Lector pulled his collar up as he looked at Jack. "Well, maybe it doesn't matter, everything in this tunnel could give someone a fever..."

Jack's eyes wandered around everything but Lector. The two continued through the tunnels without sharing a word. They turned a corner, however, Jack thought he noticed movement in the darkness, he looked carefully and noticed a ball of fur suddenly move towards a wall. 'What the heck was that...'

"Wren stayed with you for a few hours, but she fell asleep as well, then I waited and watched both of you, well... Maybe life underground or in Logos makes you a bit more inclined to sleep in a place like this..." Lector rambled.

Jack twitched after Lector said that, but he continued ignoring him.

"That girl Wren is really cute, she seems nice too, right?" Lector looked at Jack.

"Huh? Why are you talking to me?" Jack replied coldly.

"Oh... Well, we are on the same side until the Lightbringers are taken down..."

"I don't want to talk to you... I despise you, all of you angels... You may be used to it, but seeing that city... Seeing what our people aren't given credit for..." Jack spoke down to him.

They continued through the tunnel without exchanging words.

"Well... To be fair, it wasn't logorite that made this city, but you're still right to be upset... We do use the logorite..." Lector replied. "But Wren is cute, right? It's not just me?"

"What? I mean, she's kind... But you can't even see her face?" Jack asked.

"She's probably cuter under the mask," Lector asked gleefully.

"What is up with you...." Jack asked with a confused tone.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You act weird... Sometimes..."

"Huh-" Lector stuttered awkwardly. "Shut up! I'm trying okay!"

"Huh?! Where did that come from?" Jack shook his head.

"Ah just don't talk to me for the rest of the way..." Lector grumbled.

"You kept trying to have a conversation!"

The two bickered until they eventually came to a gate that had been knocked down, Jack walked through and the cold chill of fresh air brushed over his skin. Lector climbed up a ladder towards the surface. Jack grasped the rusty bars, pulling himself up one step at a time. As he reached the exit, he was met with the night sky above him, the fresh air flooded his nostrils and made him sneeze again. He looked down the ladder and noticed strange wavy strands along the bars near the top. 'What the? What kind of string is this?' Jack paid them no mind as he grasped the clean stone at the surface and pulled himself up, he deeply inhaled the pure air and released a satisfying sigh as he opened his eyes and looked up.

House Lightbringer was a short distance away, a sinking feeling in Jack's stomach caused him to skip a breath. The cathedral was covered in gold aesthetics, dimly shining in the white light from lamps all around. Above the lights, and wherever the rays didn't touch, was lit a soft and gentle blue, matching the early morning sky. Jack peeked out from behind Lector, they sat underneath the stairwell at the other side of a beautiful garden. The gentle splash of water droplets against the green foliage within the garden, the sound overlapped the distant murmurs from guards defending the front door.

"Alright, it'll be easy to breach, let's storm them..." Dariel stood up.

"Wait..." Lector raised his hand. "We could sneak in through the back-"

"Again with passivity..." Dariel shook his head and rolled his eyes at the same time. "I'm getting tired of this! Let's move already! I want to smash some heads!"

"Sorry... I'm a spy, I don't fight much..."

"Calm yourself Judicator, the boy hasn't failed us yet," Elisia advised.

"Can't we just sneak into the building with you two using the shadows?" Jack asked Elisia and Wren.

"We can get closer undetected, but getting into the building is impossible, in order to pass through a shadow, the space is parallel in size to how large the space in the real world is."

Lector and Jack looked at the armored woman crouched next to them. She tilted her head as she noticed their expressions.

"What?" Lector and Jack both asked.

"Nevermind..." said Elisia.

"Point is, we still need an open door..." said Dariel.

Two guards patrolled around the corner, they walked to the front of the building, one of them took a seat on the curb as two of the four guards who guarded the door made their way around the building. 'What the...' The angels guarding House Lightbringer's cathedral weren't dressed as regular guards that Jack recognized. These guards had gold masks with just two holes for eyes, they wore similar armor underneath the robes. Lector kissed his teeth in frustration.

"Who are they?" Jack asked.

"Royal Guards... You wouldn't have seen them, they only patrol the inner city...They have eyes on the side entrance too..." Lector grumbled. "I'm confused... Arid should have arrived here yesterday... Realistically speaking... They should already be gone..." Lector deduced.

Lector continued to watch the building. Dariel sighed and then stood up, he reached behind his back and pulled out a short silver-handled hammer. The eye of the hammer had a plate shaped like a triangle, it was much shinier than the silver wood on the handle. The head of the hammer was made of black metal, it was similar to that of armor from Baltin.

"Well, that just kicks me in the bollocks doesn't it then..." Dariel stepped out from hiding.

"Hey- What are you doing- wait!" Lector whispered hesitantly.