by Jensen, Kain
The memories which had always eluded him were now in his mind again, as if they had never been gone. Every touch, every word, everything he and Zephyr had been and would be again. Bringing his hand to his heart, Jack Raus looked at Zephyr and remembered.
"Fight for me, my Knight. Destroy the chaos God, and get back what was taken from me." Zephyr leaned closer, his lips touching Jack's in the most feather-light kiss. It was enough for a single spark to set between them, to light the supernova ablaze.
The green stone shone brightly on Jack's chest. He extended a hand, and the light twisted around his arm, taking shape in the air above it. It formed a long, curved scythe which rested heavy into his grip. "Your word is my command."
Each step Jack took made the ground crack and shake under his feet, the call of the iron resonating louder and louder from his mind and into the world beyond. The water ahead began to twist and simmer as if it was boiling, spears of ice forming on the shoreline, but they were no match for Jack's fire.
The ocean separated, leaving the chaos God completely exposed. It was but a mass of writhing, twisting darkness desperately trying to take shape, flashes of nightmare creatures forming and then disappearing just to be instantly replaced by something even more grotesque. A huge claw opened like a beak, showing rows of razor-sharp teeth wanting to devour, and a tongue like a twisting tentacle shot forward. Jack brought down the scythe upon it, leaving a trail of light in the air, burning though the tendrils of darkness that spread as he cut the twisting tongue.
The roar of the chaos God sounded like the screams of thousand tormented souls, the wail low enough to shatter each grain of sand around them, turning it into a sharp, deadly fog. Jack raised the scythe high above his head, and a whirlwind formed around it, the vortex catching the sand and compressing it into a sharp spear. It hit the chaos God with the strength of an exploding star, baring its very core.
Jack lifted his gun, aiming towards the whittling mass in front of him. For a second, a spark of something bright shone through the dark, like the moon's reflection upon a wave, and Jack remembered Zephyr's words.
'Get back what was taken from me.'
Another memory lit up in his mind, this one bringing searing pain into his heart. During another fight, in another life, the same darkness had taken the soul of what Zephyr had called their blessing. An innocent, unborn soul. All battles had casualties, but it was a price neither of them had been prepared to pay. In a single moment, everything he loved had shattered, leaving him to live a life full of remorse. Generations later, he was finally granted a chance to bring his kindred together.
Unabridged rage boiled through Jack's veins, and he felt time itself slow down around him. Stepping forward, he was much closer to the core of the darkness now; his hand reached to it, light searing through the all-consuming blackness. Jack's features held ancient sorrow, his face hardened like granite. The light shining over his skin grew brighter, and not a single sound left his lips when his arm disappeared into the darkness. The pain was unimaginable, but he took it, waiting for the spark of light to come back where it belonged.
Jack felt it become one with him, filling an emptiness within his heart that he'd held for his entire life. He moved his shoulder, dislocating the remainder of his upper arm from the chaos God's being. Time reset its course, flowing fast around him, though there was no time that could steal his vengeance now. Lifting the gun with his other hand, he delivered the final blow, watching as the bullet tore through the twisting veins with a cadence of light. Jack let his consciousness feel every piece of iron as it tore through the dark, destroying the chaos completely.
He heard Zephyr's voice, reaching high from the shore. The sound was more than inhuman—it was the storm roaring high, yet it carried more emotion than Jack had ever. It held victory, relief, bittersweet melancholy.
Gathering the last of his remaining power, Jack took every molecule of sky iron spread throughout the sea and merged it together with the fire of lightning. He rebuilt the broken link in the barrier, ensuring it would serve strong for hundreds of centuries ahead.
Heavy clouds obscured the rare dual full moons. Thunder roared around the hills, echoing through the bay. Bursts of lightning shone behind the overcast skies, making the very air charge with their immense power. Rain poured, flowing over the ground and form streams which disappeared into the sea.
Jack walked through the water and reached Zephyr who was waiting on the shore, arms outstretched to welcome him.
"My Knight… my Jack." Zephyr pulled him close and kissed him deeply, hands burying in Jack's hair. "You defeated it."
"I remember everything now, Zephyr, my love. And so I have brought back what it took from us, so long ago." Jack's one remaining arm wrapped around Zephyr's waist, pressing their bodies close, warmth seeping between them even through the soaking rain.
He heard Zephyr's gasp, felt hands caress his face. Energy passed through him and Jack felt the pain in his injured arm lessen, the tissue regenerating. They laid down on the shore, entwined in each other, armour and clothing cast aside. Zephyr's lips left a burning trail over Jack's skin, over his lips as they kissed.
"I couldn't exist without you, once you were gone," Zephyr whispered, body pressing hotly against Jack, who brought their foreheads together, a moment of tenderness amidst their burning passion. "But you had sealed your memories away. All I had to do is wait, wait for you to find me again and remember. Now, we can truly be together again, Jack… For all that time, my heart has always belonged to you."
Epilogue
Jack paced around the hospital corridor, stopping now and then to look out of the window. The view of the city was as magnificent as ever, string of lights scattered around the hills like gems in a dark sea. Fog curled around the houses, softening the edges of everything and making the reflections in the puddles look like ghostly shadows. Droplets of water slid down the windows, and Jack followed their path for a while, though it did little to distract him.
Patience, one of his usual virtues, seemed to have disappeared when he most needed it. Running a hand through his hair, he turned away from the window and looked wistfully at the door across from him. It remained closed, just like it had for the last couple of hours.
"Have you ever wondered, why an endless night?"
Celeste's voice sought Jack's attention, who sighed and lifted his shoulders. "What kind of question is that? What else is there but a night?" Jack didn't think he could keep up with Celeste's philosophical ponderings at a time like that but decided to try regardless. Anything to make the time pass.
"Well, according to some astronomical notions, both old and more recent, there seem to be planets on which the nights are also filled with light. More than just the moonlight at least," Celeste said. He leaned on Snow's shoulder, both sitting on a bench.
Jack could only envy Snow's careless nature, as he'd fallen asleep some time ago, leaving the haphazard attempts of conversation entirely to Celeste. Jack's gaze fell to Snow and Celeste's hands and the matching rings on their fingers. In the months after the fight against the chaos God, it had become apparent that Jack wasn't the object of Snow's affection. Still, despite the surprising union, he was happy for them both. Looking back at Celeste, Jack spoke softly. "I don't think I can imagine how a world like that must look like… Wouldn't the light be blinding?"
"Perhaps. I cannot say. Though I've talked with Zephyr about that, and he mentioned something interesting. A half-forgotten memory of light like no other he has ever seen again. So maybe it existed here as well, once in ancient times." Celeste had picked a good time to tell the story, momentarily distracting Jack from his worries about Zephyr. "According to him, all the chaos deities roaming free might have been the reason for the light's disappearance."
"Do you think if all the chaos is gone, the light could come back?" Intrigued, Jack absentmindedly traced a path over his jaw with his mechanical hand.
"Who knows? But if there's one thing I'm certain of, it is
that your father's death at sea all those years ago was not in vain. He'd been onto something, and maybe the key to this puzzle lies somewhere in his studies. If you allow me, I can look over his notes, through his research. Wouldn't it be amazing to have the possibility of living in a world full of light?" Celeste's expression was hopeful and excited.
"You can read through his things as much as you'd like." Jack smiled and leaned against a column. "To think of what a light like that could mean. No more chaos, no more ocean ghosts…"
Just as Celeste was about to reply, the door finally opened, revealing a doctor still clad in long white robes. He smiled and beckoned to Jack. "You can come in now. Everything went just fine, and you're a father of a healthy baby."
Jack could feel his heartbeat quicken, almost climbing into his throat at the doctor's words. He could only nod once and storm into the room, focusing onto Zephyr's form on the bed and the bundle in his arms. Feeling as if his knees would give up under him, Jack came to sit on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss Zephyr's clammy forehead. "My love. You are all right, yes?" He caressed Zephyr's face and pushed a lock of black hair away from his cheek.
"Yes, Jack, I am well." Zephyr's voice was low, but he was smiling, eyes sparkling with emotion as he held their child in the cradle of his arms. "Look, Jack… our son. Isn't he beautiful?"
"He truly is." Jack's voice shook as he looked at the calm baby in Zephyr's hands. His gaze was met by a pair of clear blue eyes that glowed softly. Jack was smiling as he touched the baby's little hand with his finger. Their child. Despite all the months that had passed, Jack still couldn't believe how happy he and Zephyr were to have that one soul reunite with them.
Zephyr's body had an ambiguous nature, which had allowed for the child to be conceived, and much to Jack's surprise they were now looking at the continuation of the Raus bloodline. The child of Revdagrad's Guardian and the Storm, one of a kind.
Zephyr was also smiling as he took Jack's hand, and placed a gentle kiss on the metal of his knuckles. "His name is Rain. Rain Raus."
FIN
About the Author
Since his childhood, Kain has been fascinated with the endless worlds nested between a book’s pages, and the journey they offered to everyone who’d dare dwell between them. However, the LGBT+ part of society was widely underrepresented in Kain’s home country, therefore inspiring the desire to seek and eventually create fiction with diverse characters who openly embrace their nature and sexuality.
Sharing those stories with the world is a dream come true for Kain, whose time is usually filled with gaming and creating digital art.
Whether you’d like to talk about romance, tea, the universe or anything else, you can find Kain on tumblr at http://kainjensen.tumblr.com/, and GoodReads page https://www.goodreads.com/kainjensen.