by Jensen, Kain
He led them to the forge and found Zephyr sitting at his usual spot on Jack's chair next to the lit fire. He'd told Jack he liked the warmth of it, and often stayed there. However, Zephyr's smile faded once he saw that Jack wasn't alone, a silent question lingering in his eyes.
"Zephyr… Celeste and Snow have come to visit. You might remember them." Jack introduced them while wiping his forehead with a cloth. He was trying to judge Zephyr's reaction, but it proved to be a lost cause as Zephyr's expression remained stony. "They're here to help us with the chaos God, I hope." Casting a glance at Snow and Celeste, Jack saw them nod in agreement. "I think it would be best for you to share your experience on the matter with them."
"You told us to look for some information on the specific types of chaos and their weak spots," Celeste began, and looked at Snow. "Along with some protective spells. I think I've found all there is, so we might as well begin. That is, if Zephyr's willing to clear up some points on how his power works."
Zephyr stood up gracefully. He came closer to Jack and wrapped a hand around his arm. "We should go inside the house now. Jack, I guess you can look at the find later," he said, sending an icy look at Snow and Celeste.
Jack tried to suppress a groan. There was no way Celeste would want to go in the house once Zephyr mentioned the find. It was just a part of Celeste's endless curiosity about all things new and old.
"Oh, and what is that, Jack? You didn't tell me anything in the market this morning." Celeste was already looking around the dimly lit forge and soon noticed the muddy metal piece on a table near the anvil.
"It's just a piece of sky iron. Not raw, of course, but a forged item of some sort. I hadn't even cleaned it up yet. We dug it out in the garden just now, while planting the rose." Jack hoped Celeste would drop it, but he had no such luck.
Surprisingly, this time Snow was also partially to blame. Despite his disgust at everything that wasn't thoroughly cleaned, Snow was also inspecting the iron square.
"Jack, believe it or not, there's magic energy coming from this thing. Whatever it is, it must have seen quite some power to still emit magic strong enough to be sensed despite the sky iron's interference." While Snow made his observations, Celeste was already wiping off the dirt and grime from the metal.
"Let me see then." Jack took a wooden box with the tools he used for locks and smaller items and scraped away the slag build up from the iron. A thin raised line ran over the sides, revealing a lid. "Another treasure, maybe?" He looked around, but everyone kept their serious expressions. The last sky iron box they'd dealt with had held very important items, though there didn't appear to be any complex locking mechanism on this one. Jack slid the metal file carefully into the ridge and worked it around, trying to loosen the lid.
Zephyr stood nearby, a look akin to anticipation written over his features. Celeste and Snow were frowning slightly.
The lid clicked open and Jack set it to the side, looking into the shallow insides of the box. After wiping his fingers with a cloth, he took the item from the box and lifted it up. It was a pendant, the chain made of smoky, dark iron, which wrapped into tightly woven grid. In the middle stood a large, oval gemstone. Despite the lantern's purple light, it appeared to nearly glow with deep green colour, much like moss or seaweed.
"Well… that's that." Jack didn't really know what to make of their find, but the pendant sure had surprised him. The box had kept it in a perfect condition, and there wasn't a speck of dirt on its intricate surface.
"How can this thing be important enough to justify keeping it in a sky iron box?" Celeste inquired, extending a hand to the pendant, but still not quite willing to touch it.
"I think I know the answer to that." Snow was bolder, running his fingers over the metal surface shaped like branches. "It's a magic stone. Actually, to phrase it better, it's the type of stone that can be used to channel and focus its owner's power. Doesn't really emit magic on its own, though seems like this one still has traces of it."
"All right, smart guy, then why's it buried in my garden?" Jack closed his hand around the pendant, keeping it away from Snow. It held no bad energy, but Jack didn't want to risk letting Snow tinker with it.
"The hell should I know? Once the owner of one of these dies, rarely anyone else can use it, as the stone's frequency has adjusted to suit specific power's vibrations. But usually most houses keep them like family valuables, in normal jewellery boxes," Snow explained with a shrug.
"You should check your family's archives, Jack. Maybe there's a mention of it. It does look rather nice," Celeste added. "Doesn't seem to help us with anything, though, so how about we have some of that tea you mentioned earlier?"
*~*~*
"Three nights from now, the dual moons will both reach the peak of their fullness. Jack, you should really bring Zephyr to the conservatory, you know the view from the glass dome there is spectacular. Even if we're busy, there should be a moment left to enjoy them." Celeste chimed in while Jack was setting the tea and everyone's cups on the large table in the dining room.
"What did you say?" Zephyr rose from his seat. "Both moons will be full in three nights? Are you completely certain?"
"Yes, of course. I don't know the exact hour, but the date is set. While I'm not the one handling the plants in the conservatory, the gardeners had been talking about this event for weeks. It's a turning time for certain crops, and marks the first blooming period of many flowers."
"You don't understand, do you…" Sitting down again, Zephyr briefly covered his face with a hand. "I should have sensed this, the spike in my power should've warned me. But I didn't think enough time had passed for the sages of this city to forget."
Jack had paused, leaned over the table, listening intently. "What have we forgotten?"
"I told you before that the moon enhances my powers, right?" Zephyr began. "But it affects the chaos the same way. Affects everything, really—light gives power, darkness gives peace. Usually the moons are in different cycles, therefore balancing each other. But as Celeste said, once per year they meet up and rise together fully."
"I think I'm starting to catch on what that means." Snow's expression turned dour. "Double moons, double power. But this time it won't just make the buds bloom, huh?"
"Your guess is correct." Zephyr looked at Jack apologetically. "I was distracted, by being in this body, by being with you again… I didn't pay enough mind to the intensity of my power. It's been so long since I've had to gauge how it felt to react in the flesh. And the chaos God's power is sure to surge up just the same."
"So there would be no better time for it to attack the weakened barrier," Celeste summarized.
"Not all is lost yet, all right?" Jack leaned down to place a quick kiss on Zephyr's lips, before turning to Celeste and Snow, the surprise evident on their features. "We still got enough time to make a plan. We were going to do so tonight anyways, so we just have to be thorough."
"I know it might not be much of a consolation, but my power will be at its peak during the rising, which could give us better odds after all," Zephyr added.
"Let's get to it then." Snow pulled out various notes and books from his bag. Celeste did the same, while Jack brought down the codex along with the armour diagram he had copied from it.
Hours and large amounts of tea later, a plan was finally formed.
"I've made two sets of armour, one for me and one for Zephyr, as we'd be in the centre of the battle. Snow, your task is to set a protective barrier around the perimeter. We don't want any casualties, or spawns of darkness sneaking into the city while we're busy with the main party." Jack pointed to a section of the map in front of him. It showed the outskirts of Revdagrad, along with the seashore, in detail. "This is the hill of the Overseer. There's an ancient iron lighthouse on top of it, so you can take point there and set up your sigils. The iron should be enough to ward off most of the darkness and keep you safe."
"Very well, I'll go set up the sigils on the armour now. Remember, you'll nee
d to seal this thing off quickly as the protective power will fade over time, even faster under the chaos energy's pressure." Snow leaned against the table, still holding his teacup. His immaculate manicure was rather fitting next to the gold-rimmed porcelain, and Jack wondered if Snow was still hoping to win a place in the house.
"Jack, the chaos God will also use the power of the sea against you. It's the wildest force around the loosened link in the wall, and the full effect could be unpredictable. If we had more time to polish up a version of the runes written in the codex…" Celeste had been worried about the haphazard descriptions in the codex to begin with. It was obvious the book had been in a draft stage, and to make matters worse, translating it wasn't easy. "I'll also make sure to warn people to stay away from the hills and the shore until further notice. There are always enthusiasts willing to watch the rising moons from there, despite the usual dangers. They would be up for quite the show if they stumble upon us, not to mention possibly interfering, or worse, dying."
Zephyr listened with an intent expression before speaking up. "I am certain that the old God won't attack before both moons have risen completely and are clear of shadow. It was what I would do, at least."
"We've still got plenty of time to prepare then, so we can go to the observatory now. They usually calculate the exact time of rising each year." Celeste added copious amount of sweet syrup to a new cup of steaming tea. "I've got friends there, they'll tell us right away."
"And the clock on the old tower can be heard all the way to the hills." Jack frowned. "Though I'm not sure if we'll be able to hear it from the shore, not with the high tide waves."
"Let me tell you what. Once you get there, wait for a bright flash in the sky. I'll signal you when the time comes!" Celeste looked triumphant, but Jack's expression remained grim.
"No way you're coming close to the battleground. You have no magic or weapons to defend yourself. I'm sure Snow will do his best for the barrier, but I'd rather have you far away from those hills."
Once Jack began talking like a Guardian, his word didn't bend. In matters such as those, he wasn't going to take no for an answer, especially when it meant keeping his friend safe.
"There's one place in town where I can still send the signal from safely." A mischievous grin stretched Celeste's cherry-red lips. "The clock tower. It's the highest ground, and will be seen from the shore, especially given that the forecast promises clear skies."
Jack ran a hand over his face, keeping quiet for a while. He had to admit that due to the circumstances, they had to stick with whatever plan they had. And Celeste was undoubtedly willing to take part of it, one way or another.
"Once Snow's finished with the armour, we will get ready and go to the observatory. After that comes the lighthouse. You… well, do what you need to at the clock tower, just make sure it's still in one piece by the end of the night. A lot of people would be angry if something happens to it. And indeed, issue a warning stamped with my seal, make sure everyone sees it."
"Don't worry about that, I'll do well, I promise! Let me just go see how far Snow has gotten." Celeste took the cup of tea and left.
"Zephyr… do you think we're ready for this?" Jack let his head rest on Zephyr's shoulder and closed his eyes.
"I do. I've fought against greater odds. As long as you believe in me, my strength will always be yours, my Knight." Zephyr ran his fingers through Jack's messy hair, pushing the dark locks away from his face. "I'd also need a weapon. Something from sky iron I can yield while channelling my power to you."
"Of course, come with me. We can also use the next nights to practice our linked combat." Jack got up and beckoned Zephyr to follow him. They went for one of the rooms in the mansion he was yet to show to Zephyr. It was bare from furniture, save for the variety of metal arranged along the walls and some wooden boxes. "There's a large amount of weapons gathered by my family over the years, so take your pick. I've kept them all in good condition, just in case."
Zephyr walked around the room slowly, looking over each weapon carefully and testing his grip with some. In the end, he picked a set of two long, curved karambit knives. They were forged from solid chunks of iron, and as Jack noticed, fit neatly in Zephyr's metal palms.
"Close quarters?" Jack looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll be the one nearest to chaos God. I'll only have to deal with the spawns of darkness. For that, manoeuvrability is preferred over brute strength." Tucking the knives into wrist sheaths, Zephyr went closer to Jack and pressed a soft kiss against his lips, before whispering, "And what would you be using?
"Something generally reserved for chaos deities only." Jack's grin was dangerous as he pulled out two long, dual-barrel revolvers from the holsters on his hips. Their surface was matte silver, darkened with the mark of time, and lines depicting rose branches were twisting down the barrels and over the grips. Jack carefully loaded the chambers with iron bullets, each engraved with the letter R. "Ancient weapons, for ancient evil."
Chapter Six
Fire blazed across the shore, its otherworldly blue glow illuminating the hills and dancing across the waves. Burst of dark purple energy clashed against it, exploding in a frenzy of sparks which flew upwards in the sky like drops of molten metal. The ocean roared like a wounded beast, waves crashing relentlessly against the shore. Heavy shadows were gathering behind the blue flames, steadily advancing forward.
Jack cursed and shot at the next orb of energy that approached his side, making it explode seconds before it hit him. A blast wave of freezing air reached his face and chest, knocking the breath from his lungs. He fell down on one knee and gathered his consciousness, forming a barrier between himself and the next strike of the chaos.
"Jack!" Zephyr turned to him, slashing several shadowy figures which were rising from the ground around him at an increasing pace. A surge of power reached Jack and destroyed the shadows allowing him to get up once more.
The dual moons shone brightly in the sky, their red light painting the world in crimson. Once they had both risen, the ground shook, signalling the entry of the chaos God through the wall and into Revdagrad's land. Now Zephyr and Jack were the last remaining barrier between the deity and the city, the line between life and death, as the chaos wanted nothing else but to be the ultimate end of anything and everything.
Jack reloaded his guns swiftly and kept shooting, the bullets piercing the curling smoke and darkness with iron and light. However, despite his strongest attacks, the chaos God hadn't weakened so far; if anything, its presence was growing stronger. The sky lit up golden, showing that another spawn of darkness had hit Snow's perimeter barrier. "We can't keep up with this for much longer. There has to be another way, a weak spot we can hit!" Jack shouted over the deafening rumble of the ocean, looking at Zephyr briefly.
"In the past the chaos used to take form after a while." Zephyr created a whirlwind, destroying the group of shadows that had surrounded him. "It cannot remain in freeform for too long, as its power will weaken once it spreads further."
Making the iron set deep into the ocean resonate with his energy, Jack send another blast wave towards the chaos. "Well, I don't think we can afford to let it spread any more. We have to do this now! I'll go ahead, seal the broken link. You just make sure to give me enough power." Stepping forward, Jack shot another blast of energy, lighting up the shore in deep purple glow.
"Jack, you're not going there! It means certain death—" Zephyr's voice cut off as he lunged forward, forming a sphere of crackling lighting around himself and Jack, temporarily blocking all spawns of the chaos.
"I'm a Guardian, Zephyr. If that means I need to die tonight to protect the city, I will." Jack's eyes never left Zephyr's, glowing embers meeting stormy water.
"You've left me once before, and you will not do so again, Jack Raus, Knight of the Light!" Zephyr's voice was beyond loud, sounding much like crashing thunder, echo reverberating through the very bones of the ground he stood on.
The ir
on in Zephyr's body began to shine brightly, even through the armour he wore, and Jack felt the astonishing amount of power which began to gather around them. The hair on the back of Jack's neck rose, sparks jumped across each point of his armour, over his guns. Zephyr stood before him in the terrifying image of his true nature, much like a supernova caught in the moment of its creation.
"Once you made a promise—that you will bring me back, and we will be together again. That nothing in the world could ever bring us apart." Zephyr's voice held a deep sorrow, and so did his mind; the nearly physical pain of his grief reached Jack through their bond, shaking the very core of his being. "Wear the green stone, Jack. See what it truly holds."
Zephyr spoke in the Guardian speech, his words clearly an order to his Knight. As he reached into his pocket, Jack's fingers grazed against the smooth surface of the stone, the calming, familiar ridges of the iron pendant. He pulled it out and silently clasped it around his neck. The last thing Jack saw was Zephyr closing his eyes, and then the world exploded around him.
*~*~*
The light never faded, but perhaps it was his mind that finally embraced it completely, allowing him to see, truly see, once more. Zephyr in all his ethereal beauty still stood next to him, proud and tall like a statue, unbreakable like the very storm he embodied. His Zephyr, the one Jack—the first man to carry the name Raus—had bound, not once, but twice. Zephyr who had fought next to him relentlessly, bringing a light in the dark. The one Jack had betrayed in the past, by succumbing to the embrace of death, the weakness of his own body tearing them apart. But the time had come for Jack Raus to keep his promise.