by Harlon Banks
Liariana stared at him blankly, her head tilting ever so slightly at the words he said before a very vague chuckle and even a smile etched across her features. Shaking her head gently now with eyes closed as she responded with a grateful and gentle voice. Her earlier barrier that she had put up vanishing without her even realizing. Jack seemed different from the rest, more so than she initially thought possible...
"The smell doesn't bother me."
"You could have at least lied and said you didn't smell anything you jerk." Jack deadpanned. Liariana's eyes widening slightly as she quickly responded in that same quiet tone.
"I'm sorry..." She said blinking. Jack snorting like a bull in disbelief that she was unaware he was being sarcastic and simply turning to take his leave with a chuckle.
"It was a joke lil lady; yeah I can tell you aren't from around here haha. At any rate, glad to see you're alright. You don't gotta worry about getting kicked out so long as you stay the way you are and don't go around causing trouble and don't let that pretty face of yours get any more scars. I'll tell my guys to toss some gossip in the streets should any other mercenaries come looking for ya and throw em off ya trail, good enough?" He glanced over his shoulder halfway out the door to look at her. Liariana staring in silence before nodding slowly in agreement with his offer and smiling gently a bit relieved.
Yeah, he could be trusted... She'd give him a chance...
"Yes, I would like that... Thank you." She said and suddenly glancing back over to her broken sword in thought. She needed to get a new one soon, but she didn't want to just walk out into the market district while still being potentially targeted by the Mercenary Group. Her reaching out for the blade made Jack raise a brow, glancing up and down the weapon as the Yelkath quietly stood and approached holding the sheathed, broken blade horizontally out to the taller man as she dropped a small request to him.
"If I may ask, could you also find me another blade? This one was destroyed during my fight with that grey-haired mercenary. I do not think it's safe for me to venture out myself yet." As she said those words her eyes narrowed upset and she looked off to the side avoiding eye contact. The thought of having been injured by Blade souring her mood again. Jack peered down at the eastern blade and gently took it from her. Left hand grabbing the hilt to pull it from the sheath and a whistle leaving his lips when he saw the destroyed steel blade. He was honestly surprised she only got that small nose scar after showing him this sword.
"Yikes, guess a great sword will do that to a small blade like this ya keep using it to deflect and parry eh?" He chuckled sliding the weapon back in the sheath and resting it across the left shoulder. "Yeah, I guess I could dip into the Lunis ya gave me and pick you up a new blade from the weapon markets. I think I know your style too." He winked and turned to leave again. "You remind me a lot of someone I used to know, maybe that's why I'm so ok with helping you out. Heh, you should smile and relax a bit more uhh, you never told me your name." He looked up at the ceiling in thought.
"Liariana Yelkath." The young woman said calmly. Jack's eyes looking back over to her in brief surprise that was accompanied by a pleasant twist of his dirty features. "Nice to meet you, Jack."
"Liariana Yelkath huh? That's a pretty name, anyone ever tell you that?" He smirked at her. His ignorance on her surname not at all uncommon among most in the city. Few people knew much about the lands to the east and even fewer know of the Yelkath despite their rumored negative reputation.
Liariana closed her eyes and shook her head. The way she looked off to the side afterwards told Jack all he needed to know. She didn't want to talk about her name any more, it seemed to weigh heavy on her mind. He wouldn't pry any deeper than what she was willing to tell him.
"Say no more, say no more, nice to meet you too Izu. Do remember that if you ever want to talk, vent or anything, feel free to come talk to me. I'm called the Miracle Man for a reason! I don't doubt therapy is somewhere in that titles job description too haha!" He joked which actually made Liariana sneer again just out of sheer astonishment at his horrible humor. Her bandaged hand reaching to brush away the bangs over her eyes as Jack stepped out while patting the sheath against his shoulder.
"Get some rest lil lady, I'll have you a new sword by tomorrow evening or whenever this damn storm clears up. Rain always makes my hair itch, ugh." Jack began rambling to himself as both his voice and footsteps got more and more quiet as time passed. Liariana closing the door to her room again and moving to lie back across her sleeping back and turn off the lantern drowning the room back in darkness. Her eyes closing again, the soothing sounds of rain and thunder in the distance lulling her now calmed mind into a much-needed sleep. Talking to Jack helped her mind ease itself significantly, she didn't know why. His laid back and forgiving demeanor coupled with his friendly humor and way with words altogether just made her feel so much less tense.
She wished those back home acted like Jack... It was a wish she sadly knew would never happen, however. Her earlier mistrust of him all seemed to have faded away after getting a good taste of just who he was as a person. She hoped she wouldn't come to regret her decision to trust in him even if only a little. As she finally managed to drift off into sleep one last crackle of thunder graced her ears before everything faded away into a dream.
Only time would tell what would happen next...
Pick A Color! Any Color!
The Challenger Chapter Thirty-Nine: Pick A Color! Any Color!
The next day...
The overnight storm had finally begun to die down, the downpour weakening and the booms of thunder and crackling of lightning growing more distant and weaker by the hour. The moon peeking through the fading storm clouds as beams of its luminous light pierced the overcast in patches upon the canvas of Kynerva. The smell of fresh rainwater and damp forest permeating the cool, wet air of the eternal night around Blackwater Facility. The humming of machinery and generators that powered the hidden away place accentuated by the chirping of crickets and other cries of the creatures that dwelled beyond the fences to the Luminous Forest.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Jonath slowly opened his eyes, vision hazy and soon focusing as a pale arm reached over to tap the top of the alarm at the side of his bed upon the nightstand. The gentle, yet annoying beeping ceasing immediately while he exhaled half-asleep and yawned. The darkness of his room absolute without a window to let moonlight escape into it. Hand feeling around in the dark across the nightstand for his lamp, he'd eventually find it and twist the small dial illuminating the room instantly with light. Lying on his back now, he just gazed at the bland ceiling with a slowly awakening clarity to his eyes.
Yesterday, was a hell of a day.
It was true that after his incident with Melissa the rest of yesterday went rather uneventful and smooth; but he still couldn't get over the fact how exhausting it was to deal with all of it prior to that point. From leaving Luminous City, to getting briefed about what Blackwater was, to fighting Kelgard, Casey's shenanigans, to the conversation with Lee and lastly the altercation with Melissa. It was all one rollercoaster ride he quite honestly wished he could have went without; ever since he'd awoken in that forest his experiences have all been for the most part rather taxing on his mind and body. He just wanted a break.
How long had it been since he'd awoken in that Forest, he wondered? So much has happened that he couldn't even remember that, couldn't be any less than a week or so however. Maybe two at the most? Hard to keep track of it with this curse of an everlasting night meshing morning with evening all around the clock. Oh well, complaining about it wouldn't do anything to fix it. A brief pondering of why Kynerva was forever dark flashed across his thoughts before he quickly dismissed it. He had more important problems on his mind now, more immediate ones at that too. Pulling the sheets off himself revealing a toned, lean chest Jonath shook the trailing tiredness from his body and got out of bed. All that fighting and activity he'd done over the past few days really had a posit
ive impact on his physique.
A loud yawn followed by a stretch of the arms to the ceiling and Jonath huffed walking over to his wardrobe; now fully awake and alert with slight hunger pains in his stomach. Rummaging through the clothes both hand me downs and new that Jeremy had given him and picking out a simple outfit for the day. As expected, his attire was nothing drastically different from any other day and consisted of all black from head to toe. A simple cotton T-shirt with an overlying jacket and sleeves rolled to elbows, pants and black and white sneakers accompanied by fingerless gloves.
Taking a moment to look over himself in examination, Jonath was never not surprised how well these clothes fit him. As if Jeremy had someone else with his body type at one point in the past; did Jeremy have a son at one point? Jonath shrugged off the question, not really caring if he did or not at the moment as he gingerly rubbed the back of his head and tugged at the platinum silver strands of hair. Walking over to the desk under the wall mounted flat-screen television and swiping his phone off the charger to look through it. Briefly glancing at the small box that held that 'reward' he had gotten from Wren for his services. A brow raising as he then narrowed his eyes and approached the spoils with a confused look about him.
"Huh..." He muttered looking into the box to see that peculiar black Phoenix feather and that rolled up slip of parchment surrounded by what was left of the Lunis reward he had also received. "Almost forgot I even had this stuff."
He was about to reach for the rolled up yellow paper after sliding his phone into his back pocket when the beeping of the intercom over the door in his room caught his attention. Pale eyes darting over and upwards at the contraption as he heard its echoing voice in the halls outside and possibly the other boys rooms as well. Min's voice relaying crystal clear and full of content energy as she spoke.
"All Nightborn please head to the stage where your orientation was held in ten minutes. The rain has stopped and it's time we issue out your Color Labels and make an important announcement.."
The intercom shut off with a crackle of static and ceased to be. Jonath staring at the speaker with a dazed look in his eyes and registering the words next with a widened gaze. They were issuing the color cards already!? Didn't they have a second test they were supposed to be taking today!? He stood there contemplating the sudden change of plans for all of two seconds before just shrugging and continuing to get ready. Not like he was mad about it, less work for him to do. Still, he was a bit reluctant to see what color labelling he would get; if it was anything towards the bottom of the palette he'd be hard pressed to not look like an idiot in front of the others. If he could get silver at the least he'd be ok with it...
Five minutes later after brushing his teeth and washing his face Jonath exited his dorm room and stepped into the hall. Locking the door and sliding the room key in his other pocket with a soft exhale as he turned to see the other Nightborn walking down the hall past him. A bunch of unfamiliar faces mixed in with ones he knew like Delaren, Wrain and Lee; none of whom were walking with each other. Lee and Delaren as they passed by briefly glanced at Jonath with looks that seemed to be gauging his mindset without words. Assuring the both of them with a return nod of his own before heading off in the same direction. As the male Nightborn exited their living barracks they would link up with the women from across the pathway and all converge into a single large mass of people. The chatter was rather low, Jonath trying to not focus too hard on looking for Melissa among the group as he walked.
"Morning pretty boy." Her voice came packaged with a light pat on the back of his head and a giggle. The amnesic instantaneously turning to meet her gaze with his own as they walked side by side. The young woman wearing a simple long-sleeved black shirt, cropped at the knee pants and high top sneakers. No time to decide what to say, he had to get this all out while he could before she walked off again!
"Hey about yesterday I've meant to ask you a-"
"Shhhh." Melissa cut him off by raising a light hued index finger to her lips and looked him calmly in the eyes. Her voice fluid like water and cryptic like her past. "Time and place for everything, Jon. Hehehehe..." Her lips creased into a mischievous smile and she winked before walking away from him and getting lost in the crowd. Jonath blinking, even having stopped walking as he stared into space annoyed and impatient. She had a point though, talking about it now amidst all these prying ears and eyes probably wasn't the greatest idea. Still, it was a bit jarring that despite having tried to kill him in cold blood yesterday, Melissa showed no animosity towards him today. What was her angle? What game was she trying to play with him?
"Keep it moving dude." A random in the group said with a friendly voice as he passed, snapping the amnesic out his daydreaming. Shaking his head to focus again, Jonath exhaled heavily with a sigh and kept it moving. Hands sliding into his pockets as bangs of silver swept over his eyes with the incoming gentle morning breezes. Only looking up again when he saw out of the corner of his peripheral Kelgard walking past him in such close proximity. The crimson eyed man dressed in a black shirt with slim fit dark jeans and black and blue shoes. Having paid no attention to Jonath as he passed, only looking straight ahead as if nobody else around existed within his personal view of the world. Staring at him as he passed for a moment with a narrowed gaze, Jonath sucked his teeth quietly and just shook his head.
Pale eyes opened glancing high up into the heavens of the eternal night sky. The moon's reflection gleaming off his gaze as he walked. Such a solemnly beautiful sight this forever darkness was, he had to admit...
Some minutes later, all had finally gathered back in the clearing before the large stage that sat out in the middle of the open field. Min standing at ease with her hands behind her back nonchalant and a welcoming smile across ebony features. Her yellow hued eyes looking over each and every one of the Nightborn with anticipation and restrained excitement as she stood dressed in what could only be described as some high-ranking military get up (without the hat). Dast arriving shortly afterwards and standing beside her although a few feet farther back. His eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest with a relaxed body language and vibe about his usual stoic persona. He was dressed more plainly compared to his sister, nothing but a black tank top and camo pants with boots for him.
"Morning all newcomers, I hope each and every one of you slept well?" Min smiled casually as eyes glazed over the recruits. Jonath not saying anything and just looking at the woman with a reserved expression of silence. A mix of generally positive responses meshing with each other as they all for the most part answered Min back. Clasping her hands together the less than average height Commander clearing her throat and continuing. Bronze colored hands brushing back short, disheveled black hair as she talked.
"Good to hear if you did; a tragedy if you didn't. Regardless today is the day you all take the next step in the game of life." She paused, letting her words sink into the thoughts of the recruits before pulling out a small, flat, square high-tech device from her rear pocket akin to a memory chip and holding it up for display. The contraption roughly the size of a having tons of circuit-like glowing veins spanning the entirety of its surface. Jonath narrowing his eyes, what was that?
"This pretty little thing here is your best friend here at the facility and outside of it when you're on jobs. It's called an E-Chip, and you'll each be getting one as well as a little upgrade to your smartphones to go with it." She paused again, a bunch of quiet chatter rising up from the crowd of recruits.
"I always did like free stuff." Lee said lackadaisical off from the left of Jonath warranting a chuckle from a few others, despite Lee having been serious and not trying to be funny.
"This chip in short, is akin to an app so to speak except it has its own data to support all the functions needed. Even if your phone should be cut off because of you neglecting the bill this chip would allow you to get all you need for what I'm about to say next."
She slipped the chip between her fingers into her palm hiding it from
view as she lowered said arm. Pacing slowly back and forth across the stage as eyes wandered and she continued.
"We were supposed to enact one last test today to complete a placement bracket for you all on the mission incentive, however we abandoned that idea. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt; the displays shown yesterday via the sparring matches gave me hope thanks to Dast's report. This coupled with the results from the written part having only one person who failed shows me you guys are all at least capable of attaining rank silver." She trailed off, snorting a bit humored and simultaneously disappointed as she casually tossed in "Except the one person who failed. You all will find out your labels soon enough."
Jonath hoped he wasn't the one she just took a shot at... No way he could have failed that, right?
"Anyways long story short these chips are custom-made based off the individuals results and feedback from myself, Dast and Casey to the dev teams who designed the user interface. Once these bad boys have been grafted to your phones motherboards you'll be able to get access to the virtual hub network of Blackwater, where you will be able to select job opportunities, access certain areas of the facility like your dorm rooms more easily and communicate with others in usually dead zone locations comfortably. This E-Chip is both your passport and your lifeline, so to speak." Min smirked at the technology she showcased again through her fingers. Even Jonath had to admit this microchip thing sounded extremely useful...