by Harlon Banks
"Right, right." Melissa waved off the concern with an annoyed hand wave followed by looking over to Jonath. "Hey pretty boy why don't you worry about grabbing the artifact and I'll cover you. I can hide my presence and all that jazz but I'm sure they probably expect it to be me who's going to get the relic so you'll have to be the bait. You aren't that capable anyway."
Jonath shot her a glare of annoyance. Something about that tone of hers didn't sit well with him. It reminded him of Liariana and Kelgard. That overbearing superiority complex compared to him.
"You can do whatever you want Melissa but don't expect me to be your bait. I'm going for the artifact of my accord." He replied with a clear sign in his words he didn't take kindly to what she said. Melissa staring at him with a look he couldn't read, like she had just mentally imagined hurting him for sassing her but kept her expression blank. This however was upset by the simple sneer and shrug that came from her. Looking forward as she replied in a casually indifferent voice,
"Suit yourself. Don't expect me to come save you though if you're in a bind since you want to be independent."
"I could say the same for you." Jonath retorted with an apathy of his own towards her. He could already tell they weren't going to get along during this. It was probably better if they did separate during this. Either way it looked Melissa was the immediate threat, even if he didn't want to admit it. The fact that she could erase her presence no doubt would force Kelgard or Thrain to hang by the artifact. Leaving only one vs the two of them. With their bickering finally done Min cleared her throat and pulled out a small remote from her back pocket with a large red button. The two Nightborn watching her with focus as she spoke while pressing the button. A beep coming from both of their phones next.
"If you two are done bickering like children I've sent the location of the artifact to your phone's maps. Once you walk past me I'll hit this button again and it will alert your opponents to begin hunting you down. You can start when you're ready." She said informal. A smirk showing her hidden excitement on awaiting the results of this test. Exchanging one last glance towards one another, Melissa and Jonath broke their stare and walked forward to pass Min and head back into the forest.
"I'm ready." They said simultaneously.
Min clicked the button again. The test mission was underway!
An Unlikely Situation
A/N - Hey all sorry about the delay! I know y'all are getting tired of hearing that hehe... But nevertheless I have a bit of good news. Recently have been drawing and coloring the characters of this story and uploading them to my DeviantArt account to help better accurately visualize them. They're categorized by name so it'll be easy to find who is who. All of their head shots aren't uploaded yet but they will be in time so feel free to go take a peek! (Ignore the bad art that was before them too lol).
DA account name is FinalLegacy012! So far I have Jonath, Kayda, Kelgard, Liariana and Melissa uploaded. Without any further delay enjoy the chapter!
The Challenger Chapter Fifty-Nine: An Unlikely Situation
Sitting by herself atop the roof of the shanty hotel building, many stories high with legs dangling off the edge, vibrant red eyes gazed out. Her mind heavy with thoughts about events that recently passed. Every day it felt like her situation was growing more and more taxing, her gaze solemn and full of quiet suffering. Things were starting to pile up on her, from her fleeing from Yakagura and what was left of her homeland, to the entire fiasco with Draven still biting at her heels, to that Nightborn surviving after everything she's done, to being hunted by Blade and his group... To now. It was all just...
So much...
The air that caressed her skin at such a high elevation felt much cooler than musty, stale air of the inn rooms or even the ground level. The smell of its freshness invigorating to her lungs, her breathing deep and quiet. Eyes monotone and glassy in their stare while facial expressions seemed lacking. Even her posture found itself rather stiff and inexpressive, mind wondering how much time she had left here. There were no illusions with her, she doubted the vagrants that gave her shelter would tolerate being harassed more by outsiders looking for her. Already having to deal with the stares and whispers of them all believing she were bribing or threatening Jack for refuge here. She didn't belong here, they knew it and she knew it.
Only a matter of time at this rate before she found herself being chased out of here too. Only a matter of time before she'd wonder if she would have to...
The door opened from behind her, red eyes leading head to look at the new arrival. The all too familiar visage of homeless Jack as he raised a hand wearing a torn glove towards her in greeting. His less than clean appearance not as repulsing as it were days earlier when they'd first met. Jack approaching leisurely with a deep inhale of that nice night air. Liariana quietly looking back out at the expanse of the city before her, monotone stare cast out at the large buildings in the distance higher up the mountain side.
"Not going to say hey eh? I'm kind of feeling hurt from that." The old man chuckled quietly, stopping beside Liariana and peering over the edge where her feet were dangling. "Quite a drop from up here, sure you're okay with just sitting on the safety barring like that?" He asked with concern in his expression. He'd heard of Liariana falling from a high floor in the hotel back when she killed that Tesla chic from the Mercenary Group but this was much higher up. He couldn't help but feel a smidge of concern for her, even knowing some of her capabilities as a Nightborn.
Regardless, when the young woman didn't so much as even move at his question, let alone reply, Jack knew something was up. This was the first time he'd ever caught her up here too... His visage going from casual and carefree to concerned and slightly curious. "Hey, Izuna you okay there? Been acting weird lately, more so than normal haha." He joked crossing his arms over the dirty green jacket he wore. Liariana looking skyward, towards the peak of the tall rock the city lie carved into. Her hands moving to rest over her lap before gaze turned down to the courtyard below. Eyes narrowing slightly in deep thought, expression hiding away the troublesome worries that plagued her imagination.
Jack stared at her, eyes analyzing everything in wonderment.
"Hey, if you think you're going to get chased out of here because of the past few incidents, don't think that."
Liariana suddenly perked up ever so slightly, mind settling back into reality. Very vaguely would she look over the shoulder closer to Jack; not being able to look at him yet. The older man sighing deeply, arms draped over the railing while he looked out over the courtyard with her. Briefly glancing up at the full moon and letting its pale light soak into his skin. Times like these, he had to be the one to snuff out any hidden unrest. He wasn't really a leader of these people so to speak, but they all have come to trust his judgement.
"Now I know you probably think that the drama that has transpired the past few days is because you decided to hide out here." He began, staring down at the broken fountain in the courtyard while talking in a tone that showed he wasn't at all put off by her being here. "I guess in a sense evidence does strongly favor that conclusion too. None of this stuff would have happened if you weren't here but that doesn't matter to me. In these slums we look out for people in need if we get the sense they're genuinely in distress." He paused again, glancing over to her briefly to see if she reacted. The entire time the Nightborn just kept staring below, midnight black hair hanging over her eyes as she looked solemnly down.
"People can't strive for better things if the world refuses to give them the opportunity to improve. It's up to us to be able to judge a sense of character and get a feel of when we have those who genuinely wish to elevate themselves, or those whom can't be saved." Jack paused again tapping the back of his palm against Liariana's shoulder. "You killed the girl who took a life from our group. No doubt she would have killed more if they didn't find you here after all. There's no guarantee they wouldn't have stumbled across our little abode even if you never showed up ya know? Especially if they
'd only came around here because of some unconfirmed hints and whispers." He chuckled. It was clear that he was trying to comfort Liariana's mind by now. However she didn't believe he meant anything he said beyond that. To her, that was just an optimistic tale to make her less brooding over her troubles.
Jack's tone fell a bit, now looking a bit solemn himself which Liariana clearly sensed. Turning her visage over to look at his lowered head, his hands clasped together over the railing.
"People like me are viewed as worthless to society. Me, the guys and girls down there, we're all viewed as wastes of space. No jobs, no homes save these abandoned buildings, nothing to give to society they say." He scoffed, not looking up from the fountain his gaze locked on. "If we all died I'm pretty sure nobody would give a damn; probably wouldn't even make the news." He shrugged afterwards and pushed off the railing standing erect again. The young Nightborn casting her gaze away once more in profound silence. Just taking in every word he said with high regard...
"I can't allow myself to treat someone in need like the public treats me and my people. You're a very sweet young lady, Izuna. You're pretty, polite to me and even go as far as to entertain boring small talk with me haha! I see that you're a victim and I want you to know that I'm not going to tell you to pack your shit and get out over some Mercenary fiasco." Jack nodded matter of fact. Liariana's eyes widening slightly as she continued to have her head lowered, focusing red eyes on the courtyard below. Her eyes watered, ever so slightly. Yet she didn't cry... This man, he really was a godsend. An angel reaching out to pull her from the abysmal hell that was her life beforehand. From her actions back home to dealing with that insufferable Draven. Jack was really...
She blinked away tears, left hand discreetly raised to wipe away at her face and hide her emotion. Jack easily noticed what she were doing but decided to not say anything. All he did was smile slightly before tapping her shoulder again.
"Come on now, no need to sit up here all secluded and in your thoughts. Also please come off the safety railing, you're making me feel uneasy." He quipped awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. Messy tangles of coarse, black hair catching his fingernails every so often. A small nod and the Yelkath moved to pull herself from the railing and plant her feet back on the ground. The all black dressed Nightborn walking side by side the taller Jack as they made their way back to the exit. Not saying much else at first, with Liariana still avoiding eye contact as her dampened face dried up. Her shoulder length hair masking away pale visage.
"Oh also did ya hear about the rumor going around?" Jack asked casually as they walked. Liariana glancing over at him yet not enough to actually make eye contact. Her silence indicating that she didn't know anything about what he were talking about.
"Yeah the Archive Group Master... Wren was his name I think? Yeah rumors are going around that he's gone missing."
Liariana suddenly furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes at that. Looking into space a moment trying to make sure she heard that right. Wren was missing? That sounded a bit far-fetched. She didn't know much about the man or really care for him but still, for him to just disappear seemed a bit out of character. Unless, he wasn't just missing, he were kidnapped.
"Why would rumors like that pop up out of nowhere?" She asked as they entered the building and headed down the flights of stairs. Jack shrugging and cleaning out his ear with a pinky finger. He didn't seem to be too much invested in the rumor either. He'd just thought it was something to share to break the silence between them.
"I don't know. As you know my guys get around a lot so they hear all kinds of stuff and see all kinds of things. One of them said they could have sworn they saw someone leaving the back ways of the Archives Group with an old, lanky looking figure with a tarp over their head." He shrugged fanning away stale air and dry dust from his face as they walked down the spiraling steps. Liariana further looking perplexed by what he were saying. So Wren just walked away with whoever kidnapped him? That seemed... actually not too surprising when she thought about it now. Something about that man was always off. Not really reacting outwardly at that, as she didn't really care about Wren. It wasn't until Jack decided to throw in the last of a trailing comment that Liariana suddenly petrified.
"The guy said he were halfway drunk and about to pass out in a dumpster when he saw them. He said he recognized it was Wren by the attire he were wearing and the kidnapper was a woman, a rather tall one garbed in black. She had long, beautiful raven colored hair that came to her waist, pale skin and..." Jack suddenly squinted in space and glanced at Liariana simultaneously as she did him. Their eyes meeting and Jack looking her over as if in deep thought. Huh, no that couldn't have been her... Liariana was right here the entire time that was happening, he were sure of it.
"The lass had deep, red eyes a lot like yours that dimly glowed in the dark too. That actually was what I meant to come tell you when I walked up earlier but I got distracted." He rubbed his chin in thought now, the two standing alone in the stairwell as Liariana just zoned out into space. Her skin began to crawl and her breath hitched in her throat. That description...
"I'm pretty sure the guy was drunk honestly and just associated a pretty girl with black hair with you. He did seem like he was infatuated with you the moment you arrived a while back. Had to smack him across the head and tell him to think with the head on his shoulders." The man grunted annoyed and gestured they keep walking. "At any rate it's just a rumor, I wouldn't go thinking about it too much. Even if the lass did have a bunch of superficial similarities to you I know it wasn't you cause ya were here. Unless you got a sister or something or your hair was much longer for a day." He joked. Liariana blinking out of her trance at the word 'sister' and veering her eyes over to Jack's backside.
The Yelkath decided to keep quiet, inhaling softly to ease her growing anxiety before exhaling and following after him. However his words didn't go ignored, not at all. If what he said were true that Wren had gone missing and a woman matching that description just so happened to be the culprit then... Was it just a coincidence? She'd have thought so if it weren't for that part about her eyes glowing red. No, it couldn't be. Now way she'd have tracked down Liariana that fast in such a short amount of time. The kidnapping of Wren added to her uncertainty too. Why disappear with an old, decrepit man instead of coming after her if that was really...
"Do the authorities know about this rumor?" She asked, Jack looking over his shoulder slightly and shrugging.
"Hell if I know. My boys don't go talking to the law; they don't care about us. We keep to ourselves and out-of-the-way. The rumor is just among us though, hasn't bled into the public. Doubt it ever either considering everyone avoids us like the plague." He scoffed as he opened another door and walked into a hallway lined with abandoned rooms. Liariana following quietly after him, mind heavy with sudden doubts and questions. Her paranoia coming back and picking at her consciousness. What if it really was her? What if she'd already found out where she was? Was it too late?
There was only one way to find out at this point. She had to do it or the paranoia would just grow and grow...
"I'm going to head out for a bit soon. I need to clear my head." She called out and stopped following Jack. The older man pivoting on his foot to look at her with a raised brow of confusion. Noticing her posture was a bit more tense than usual, even her eyes looked rather vexed. He pondered asking if she were okay and if he said something that might have offended her, but decided against it. She was old enough to tell him if she wanted him to know something. Quickly dismissing his concern, Jack nodded and gave a slight farewell wave.
"I mean, alright then. Just be careful and whatnot. Don't need you going out getting yourself in trouble and having a homeless bastard running to your rescue yeah? Haha!" He joked scratching his itchy beard with dirty fingers. He needed another bath already. "Though I have to ask, you heading anywhere in particular?"
"I want to see if that rumor is true or not. That's all. I know where Wren's study
is located and I've been in there before. Just going to take a peek in and leave." The Yelkath replied turning to head back to the stairs and descend to her floor. Jack humming thoughtful to himself, contemplating if he should say something to stop her or just let her go. Eh, he doubted he could stop her if she had her mind already set on it. She could handle herself and stay out of trouble.
"Well alright. I'll see ya when ya get back little lady." He waved turning to head back on his way to wherever it was he were walking to. A few minutes later after arriving back to her room, Liariana got herself ready. Moving quickly to the corner where her bed was and reaching for the new sword Jack had gotten her. Holding it vertically before her with a quiet appraisal of the black sheathing, before strapping the weapon to her lower back with the hilt on her dominant left side. Dressed in her typical get up of all black, as she headed to the door she very briefly hesitated. Right hand moving up to gently caress the black bandages that wrapped the entirety of her left arm save her fingers. Eyes narrowing in quiet lamentation...