"Go that way. I'm going to go down this hall. We have to find that egg before Spicer gets here," A young man's voice echoed through the halls. Jack smiled to himself, pressing his back against a wall next to the doorway. He had the egg, Chase Young's egg, cradled in his arms.
"That little brat- all he ever does is steal from us!" A young woman snapped back. Jack could hear their footsteps echoing through Chase's layer. Had Jack been four years younger, he would have mocked them out loud. He had the egg, and there was nothing they could do about it… At least, as long as Jack actually made it out.
These idiots thought they could beat Jack Spicer to the Catalyst he himself had located? Not if Jack had anything to say about it.
Or, as long as Jack kept his big mouth shut, they wouldn't get the egg. They didn't even know he was here, yet. Hopefully that wouldn't change. He stared straight ahead at an old, dusty bookshelf. It was empty. Jack assumed that someone had to have taken whatever books had been kept there a long time ago, as the dust was undisturbed.
Jack inhaled deeply. He couldn't make out what their voices were saying anymore, and their echoing footsteps were distant. Jack moved away from the wall and very gently put the head sized egg on some old feather filled mattress, a small puff of dust bursting into the air surrounding the egg.
Begrudgingly, he took off his boots and tried to slide them under the mattress. He had more boots, but Chase Young had only ever had one egg. One. Jack could not afford to fuck this up. Which was why he was so gentle as he cradled the large egg one arm. Time to make his exit.
It felt a little like a movie as Jack ever so slowly opened the door and poked his head outside of the room. One of those horror movies, where someone finds themself screaming at the protagonist not to risk it. Jack was lucky enough to not be immediately face to face with the killer siblings. With a sigh of relief, Jack stepped out. No shoes, no sound. His socks remained silent as he walked on the hard floor. The corridor loomed before him.
"It has to be in this house- somewhere," Jack almost groaned when he heard the voice. Of course it couldn't be this easy. Of course not. The siblings had to be between him and the exit. Jack pressed himself against the wall, trying to make himself as small as possible.
"And you're sure there was nothing down that way?"
"Yes! I told you," Her brother groaned, "There was nothing. Literal empty rooms," He insisted. Jack poked his head around the corner of an intersecting hallway. He could see the bickering siblings. They weren't facing him. Perfect. Jack's socks gently slid against the floor as he crossed the hall. No problem.
"We have to find it first. It's ours, he isn't a Young. Jack has no right to this egg," She audibly bristled at just the idea. "Chase Young would never want someone like him to have the egg."
"Chase Young would've died a virgin if he knew somewhere along the line it'd lead to you." Fuck. Jack's eyes widened in horror.
"He's over there!" He knew not keeping his mouth shut would be the thing to fuck this all up. He could already hear their footsteps echoing as they ran back towards his voice. Jack held the egg close with both of his arms as he used his socks to skate across the floor. He glanced back, watching the familiar pair round the corner. It didn't take a genius to figure out they were quickly approaching. No surprise there. They had been training for this war since before Jack knew magic was real.
The real surprise came when they stopped running, their eyes wide in horror as they were suddenly begging Jack to stop. What?
"There is no way I am stopping just because you-" Jack was cut off when there was no longer solid floor beneath his feet. His calves smashed into the corners of the staircase steps before he yanked his shoulder in the opposite direction. He wasn't able to stop his descent, but at the very least he could force himself to skid down on his ass with his body curled around the egg.
The albino didn't waste a second once he met solid ground. He sprung up and ran away. The adrenaline was enough of a boost to ignore the throbbing pain of his legs. You're so close. It became his mantra as he rounded down another hallway. He needed a window, or the exit.
"Jack," The door called out, swinging open, "I gotcha Jack."
"Thanks buddy!" A grin crossed his lips as he sprung out the door, "I knew I could count on a classy door like you." In one swift motion he activated his helipac and took to the sky. Jack sighed in relief. "Time to take you home." Jack held the egg close to his chest.
His everything was sore, but it was more than worth it. This egg was his chance. This was his chance to join and win the war for the Holy Grail. Jack gleefully grinned, he could already imagine the anger from the magic lineage families when they lost to Jack Spicer and Chase Young. Oh yes, there was absolutely no way he wouldn't win with Chase Young as his servant.
Chase was literally the ultimate partner. Jack had done more than enough of his research. Chase was a warlord! He was a master of martial arts, and the finesse with which he wielded a sword? Oh god. It had to be amazing in person.
He could only imagine what Chase had looked like as he cut down hordes, leading his army of warriors to victory as he conquered the lands! Chase could even use magic. It was amazing what one could do with thousands of years of life.
Jack was practically over the moon about the magic bit. Chase could train him. Chase would show Jack how to be a proper mage, how to grow. Jack would show Chase that he was a fast learner, that he was smart! Chase would praise him, encourage him.
That is… If the stories mentioning that Chase had an egg hidden away were true…
Jack breathed deeply when he finally touched down at home, making his way inside to prepare the ritual.
He couldn't forget the possibility that he may have just royally fucked himself over. It was possible (and more likely) that Chase never laid an egg period. What if when Jack tried to summon his servant, he just fucking summoned a giant reptile?
Nope. Jack Spicer was not going to think about just how likely it was that he had royally screwed himself over for this entire war. He inhaled deeply, trying to force himself to relax. Just... set up the ceremony, and then he would have to take a nap. All of the books insisted that he needed to try to be as fully energized as possible to properly summon their target.
Jack spent a few hours in his study, using every resource he had to draw the summoning circle. He couldn't make any mistakes. Jack didn't even have someone who could check his work. The only other mages he knew of either wanted to kill him, or would kill him the moment they heard he was entering the war.
With his summoning circle set up at last, Jack retired for the evening. He went to bed, curled up with the egg held gently to his chest. No one was taking this damn thing from him.
Red eyes raked over the pages of his copied manuscripts again and again. The young man sighed and raked his hand through his hair again.
"Come on Jack," He walked to the summoning circle. "You already got the egg. Memorizing is your thing." He deeply inhaled, "And pep talks, are not. But you can summon Chase Young," Jack tried to convince himself. He took another breath and focused his gaze onto the circle, cradling the egg.
"Heed my words," Jack spoke, focusing every fiber of his being into the chant. Just like the door, he had to push the magic into this."My will creates your body, and your soul creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer me." The summoning circle started to glow, as the grail reached through space and time to call for Jack's servant.
"That I shall become strong," Jack's words echoed, "To prove myself, and to prove that heritage does not deem my worth," The glow magnified, the light was almost blinding. With it came strange, powerful winds swirling within the circle. Even outside of the circle, Jack's hair fluttered. It encouraged Jack, and his voice became much stronger.
"You seven heavens, clad, in the three great words of power, come forth from the circle of binding, Chase Young!" Jack's arms secured around the egg as the circling winds burst out into the rest of the room, throwing books and papers in disarray. That didn't catch his attention though.
"Oh my god," Through the bright glow, he could see a taller man with long hair. His bulk gave Jack the impression that whomever he had summoned wore armor.
It wasn't until the blinding light started to dim that Jack could confirm just who he had summoned. Long, cascading black hair and thin golden eyes. The man's face was more flat than round and the shape of his nose… Clearly Asian. Hopefully Chinese.
"It's you," Jack couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face, "Chase Young- You- you came." Jack couldn't remember the last time he felt so relieved.
"I came?" Chase raised a brow high, taking in his temporary master. He was a strangely colored boy, it seemed. His skin was the palest the warrior had ever seen, he must have been some sort of nobility. His spiked hair and strangely innocent eyes were the color of blood. He nodded.
"I wasn't sure if you'd answer me- I mean why would Chase Young want-"
"I had no choice in the matter," The warrior stood tall, looking down on the stranger and scoffed. "You're right, I would never allow a demonic noble to call himself my master." Chase had had his fair share of obnoxious nobles and after having met Hannibal Roy Bean, very few would care to meet another demon.
And here he was. A servant to both.
Jack's shoulders fell as he processed the words. Chase was almost amused by the open display of hurt on his face. Any master of his should have been more guarded.
"I'm not a demon," Jack shook his head, "I'm just a mage,"
"I see," The man tilted his head as he stepped forwards, assessing the boy. He was a noble then. Chase loomed over the boy, raising a brow. "What is your name?" He was already disappointed in the young man. Chase could sense magic from him but, it felt raw and under polished. "What are your skills?"
"Jack Spicer," He answered quickly, "I'm smart, and pretty creative," Jack was relatively fit but… His stature implied he wasn't much of a fighter. "My magic is mostly just, quintessence."
Still looking the young man over, Chase's blank expression changed. To a frown of disappointment. There were few people who were clever enough for that to be a helpful skill in war. Especially when they had no accompanying skill.
"You intend to cower, and have another win the war for you. A true noble," He sneered.
"No! Well- kind of, but not like that!" Jack quickly tried to defend himself, "I can't really fight, you're right. But I made Jackbots that will fight, using my magic so- you don't have to do all the work. And I'm still studying and training and I'll find something that I can use to-" Chase raised his palm to silence Jack.
"Show me," Chase interrupted Jack, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
"Right! Uh, just follow me then? They're all in my lab," Jack turned away from Chase, still cradling the egg as he led the way into a connected room.
There was a long row of metal tables covered in sheets of metals, tools, and many things that Chase didn't recognize. There were many bundled strands of… something. Not a strand that would be used to make a cloth. They were thicker and smoother than that.
Chase didn't miss when Jack placed the egg on some large cushion before making his way back over to the table. It had made a strange sound, as if someone had filled it with beads.
"This is what makes them, like actually fight and stuff. This is like their brain and soul," Jack picked up a strange, green rectangle decorated with silver and gold. He held it to Chase. Chase looked at the thin object before he took it into his hands. His eyes widened minutely.
"It's alive," Chase found it to be unnatural and unpleasant. Jack's eyes lit up. "Sloppy, and unrefined magic, but alive." He was quick to give the object back.
"You can tell?" Jack was pleased, despite the criticism. "Yeah, I made bodies for them. This is what I can do with magic."
"That is it?" Chase arched a brow high. Not a good sign.
"Well, yeah, I can make some other things come to life and help me," But Jack didn't always have the best control over the items. Free will was sometimes a problem. "I was hoping you could teach me a little," Jack was hopeful. "I've been working at it, but there's only so much you can do with someone else's manuscripts."
Chase pursed his lips together in annoyance. Not only had he been forced into a war, no. Oh no. The mage that he was fighting for was an amateur.
Had Chase not been forced into this war, the answer would have been no. But, he was bound to Jack by the Grail's magic.
Chase advanced towards Jack, looming above. Like a predator. Waiting to swoop down and kill Jack. Jack could feel Chase's irritation in his sharp gaze.
"Rest. Training will not be easy."
Author: Thank you for reading! This story is based off of an RP I'm working on with Shells210 :)
Please review?
(Posted on Ao3 as ReachALittleMore)