Destroy and Rebuild

Chapter Seven: Challenges

Disclaimer: I don't own Radiata Stories or any of the characters in the game; they are the property of the brilliant minds at Square Enix.

Authors Note(s): Words in '' indicate a thought. Words in "…" indicate spoken words. The first thing to note is that this story is a sequel. The characterization and storyline contained here are based on the characters and events that occur in my first story, Sever All Ties. Everything that happens in this story will make a lot more sense if you have read that one, so I recommend reading the first story before reading the sequel. With that in mind, the story picks up where Sever All Ties left off, and tells what happens after Aphelion is defeated and Jack and Ridley return to Radiata. I hope you enjoy.


When Jack and Elwen approached the source of the dark purple light, the beacon's brightness began to diminish, and it shrank in size. The young swordsman watched in awe as the mass light began to change shape. As the intensity of the light faded, the outline of a figure appeared. Broad shoulders were quickly defined and a person of above-average height came into view in front of them. He wore serviceable leather boots, dark brown pants and a matching tunic, all of which were worked in a pattern of golden embroidery; the man carried himself in a proud, confident manner that demanded respect. Jack was struck by his appearance, which reminded him of the light elves. The man standing before them was taller, had a lighter complexion, and his shoulder length hair was white instead of green; nevertheless, his hardened facial features still bore a great deal of resemblance to the light elves Jack had been around. When the light had completely dissipated, the stranger standing in front of them seemed to be completely present, and stepped toward them. He wore a slightly puzzled expression, and tilted his head to the side as he spoke.

"Two," his voice was a deep baritone, and contained a hint of surprise. "I was only expecting one."

"What are you doing in here at all," Jack made no effort to contain his outburst.

"Jack," Elwen's stern tone told him that he should restrain himself. He could feel her somber gaze directed at him from within her helm. She turned to face the man in front of them and spoke again. "I am here to help Jack Russell, in whose soul you now reside. Are you Lord Khell Nivait?"

"In a manner of speaking," the tall man answered cryptically.

"Chief, who is this guy, and why is he in my soul," Jack's irritation was building, and the tone of his voice earned another look from Elwen.

"Lord Khell Nivait is the light elf bladesmith who forged both the Falvern and the Avcoor," Elwen replied. Jack's eyes widened in surprise. "He created the swords and imbued them with their magical properties."

"Though I share his appearance, I am not actually Lord Khell," the man said simply. Jack's face looked puzzled, but Lord Khell continued before the younger man could speak. "I am the manifestation of the magical energy that he put into the sword, so the form I assume is his. You may call me Lord Khell if it is simpler for you. Who are you?"

"I am Elwen, the wielder of Avcoor, here to aid Jack Russell," the Guild Leader said, bowing politely. This drew a look from the elf.

"You possess the radiant sword," he asked, looking her over. After a moment, his gaze intensified. "I sense something else in you; the light of Anderak, perhaps?"

"We are not here for me," Elwen seemed surprised by what the elf had said. She quickly gestured to the boy next to her. "It is Jack that needs to speak to you."

"I'm Jack Russell," he did not emulate Elwen's bow. "If you're a light elf, how come you don't have wings?"

"Elves take their strength from the magical elements," Elwen said to him. "The elves of our time are no longer in tune with all of the elements in the way that they were during Lord Khell's; they appear as they do because they are primarily attuned to the forest. In ancient times, the light elves were attuned to all of the elements, and so had different appearances and powers. Lord Khell was strongly connected to the earth and its minerals, so he did not have wings. His earth magic made him an excellent smith."

"I guess that makes sense," Jack said with a nod.

"We have business, you and I, Jack Russell," the light elf spoke with a stern tone, attempting to focus the young swordsman's attention. "Do you know why I am in your soul?"

"The Chief said it has to do with the power that I drew from the Falvern," Jack answered, his own demeanor becoming more serious in response to the question. His eyes were locked on the elf.

"That is correct," Lord Khell replied. "You drew power from the Falvern, more power than your body could handle, and that power now resides in your soul, choking it off from your body. If you do not banish this power from your soul and return it to the sword, there will be negative consequences for you."

"I only used the sword once," Jack said with a frown. "I didn't know anything about it; this doesn't seem fair."

"Your appeal is childish and meaningless. I am bound by the rules of magic that were used to forge the sword, and could not make an exception for you even if I wanted to," Lord Khell's voice remained level as he spoke. "The magic in the sword is incredibly powerful, and simply saying that you did not know about its strength does not exempt you from its rules. I am here because you drew more power than your spiritual energy could handle, and I will be here until you cast me out."

"You keep saying that, but what do you mean," Jack asked. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable again.

"I control part of your soul now," Lord Khell explained. "Your spiritual energy is being used to contain my power and keep it in check, but my presence will eventually take over your soul completely if you do not channel the sword's power back into it. When this happens, you will be destroyed."

"How do I put the power back in the sword," Jack had a feeling he would not like the answer.

"You have to use a combination of your physical and spiritual strength to remove my presence from your soul," the elf answered. "You must have more strength than you drew from the sword."

"So, let me see if I understand you," Jack was trying to work through what he had heard without getting confused. "You're in my soul because I didn't have enough strength to handle the Falvern's power, you're going to take my strength while you're here, and the only way to get you out of here is to be stronger than I was before you were in my soul?"

"That is exactly right," Lord Khell stated. Jack's face twisted into an expression of frustration. "You will have to grow stronger and prove yourself worthy of the sword that you now possess."

"This is ridiculous," Jack could no longer contain the helplessness that he felt. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"That's enough Jack," Elwen's voice from behind him drew the boy's attention. "Your frustration will not help anything. Lord Khell, you have been most helpful, I will help Jack try to recover and grow stronger. We are grateful that he will be given the chance to remove the Falvern's presence from his soul."

"I was rather surprised he didn't kill himself when he used the sword," the light elf smiled at the Guild Leader as he spoke. Jack's gaze intensified at these words. "Perhaps, with time, he will become a capable wielder of the Falvern. Jack Russell, I believe it is time to send you back to Radiata."

"Yes, I need to get back," Jack replied anxiously. "I need to see Ridley."

"Ridley," Lord Khell said inquisitively. "Your love, perhaps?"

"She's…uh," Jack stammered and averted his eyes from the elf. "She's my friend. We were in the same brigade."

"Well, I will send you back to your body so you can see your friend," the elven bladesmith stepped toward him and extended his hand. It began to glow a light orange color as he touched Jack's shoulder. "When you wake up, you will feel weak, but your strength will return over a relatively short amount of time. I wish you well, Jack Russell, and hope that our next meeting will be under more pleasant circumstances."

"You will wake up two days after you collapsed on the way to the castle, Jack," Elwen said as Jack began to feel dizzy and light-headed. As he drifted away, he heard her last words. "I will see you soon after you wake."


Ridley was poring over papers at the table in her room, attempting to make sure that the case she would be making in a few short hours was logically sound. She had been over the reports again and again, and they were exactly the same as the first time she had read them. This close to entering the trial without Jack by her side, she was running through the arguments as a distraction to keep her mind from wandering. A covered tray with breakfast on it sat untouched on her desk, ignored as she continued to prepare for the trial. Determined to succeed, Ridley was fighting to keep doubt from creeping into her mind. She was so focused that she failed to notice that the boy who had been unconscious in her bed for the previous two days had begun to stir. It was only after his quiet groan reached her ears that she turned around. She immediately put down her work and crossed the room. Kneeling beside the bed, she watched anxiously to see if he was finally regaining consciousness. The boy that had seemed so strong and unshakable looked remarkably fragile as he turned beneath the blankets that covered him.

The illusion of weakness dissipated the moment that his eyes opened. Jack's gaze reflected a subtle confidence that would endure no matter what happened to his body. His first reaction was to try to sit up, but she quickly put her hand on his chest to indicate that he should not be moving around yet. Their eyes locked and she was unable to keep from smiling at the warmth in his gaze. Ridley held Jack's gaze for just a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck. Tears streamed down her face as held onto him, feeling his arms on her back. A smile crept across her face, and it immediately infected Jack as well. It was a relief to feel his arms around her, and to hear his heart beating. After several long moments that seemed to pass in an instant, Ridley separated herself and knelt on the floor next to him. She drank in the warmth of his eyes for just a moment before breaking the silence.

"So, you finally got tired of scaring me," she asked, feigning reproach. Jack smiled as he met her gaze. Their eyes locked, and her stern look became an infectious smile.

"I was planning to hold out for a little longer, but I didn't think you'd be able to make it much longer without me," he replied, smiling mischievously.

"Don't pat yourself on the back, I needed you two days ago," Ridley chided playfully. After a moment, her face took on a more serious expression. "Elwen told me about the Falvern, Jack. What happened to you?"

"That's a long story," Jack replied levelly. He sat up on the bed, resting on his elbows for support. Meeting Ridley's gaze, he continued. "I was trapped inside a portion of my soul. That portion is now being distorted by the power of the Falvern. My spiritual energy is being used up to keep the Falvern's power in check, but I have to get stronger so that I can channel the sword's power back into it before the distortion destroys me."

"You're remarkably calm about that," Ridley said with some dismay, trying not to focus on the way Jack's explanation had ended.

"The Chief's going to help me," Jack spoke calmly, but he seemed to be hiding some reservations about his words.. "Her sword is similar to the Falvern. I'm not afraid; it's just something else I'll have to do. What happened while I was out of it? I don't remember being in the castle, let alone your room."

"We were brought here and placed under house arrest after we reached the castle," said Ridley. Her voice maintained a steadiness that surprised her, but it wavered somewhat as she continued. "Lord Larks has put together a committee, and we are going to be tried for treason. If we're found guilty, we'll be executed."

"There's no reason to worry," Jack said, sounding very certain. "When is the trial going to begin?"

"This afternoon," Ridley answered nervously. "I've spent the last two days trying to prepare. I expect the guards to come escort us at any time."

"Wow, they're not wasting any time, are they," Jack asked with a light chuckle that didn't quite hide his anxiety. "You are prepared, right Ridley?"

"I've done the best I can," she said simply, uncertain how else to respond.

"We'll just have to hope that's enough, then," Jack smiled graciously at her.

"That, and let me do all the talking," Ridley said with a solemn look on her face. This morphed into a smile when she saw Jack's gaze. "I'm kidding, of course."

"You probably should, all the same," Jack replied, sharing her grin.

The young swordsman was now more anxious than before, and began to rise from the bed. Though Ridley held up her arm in protest, he brushed her aside and got to his feet. Though his muscles protested, he stood calmly and gave no outward indication of his soreness or fatigue. He was still recovering from the after-effects of using the Falvern. Ridley looked on anxiously as Jack walked around the room, trying not to show the worry she felt. It appeared that everything was all right with Jack, until his stomach produced a loud rumble that caused him to clutch at it with his hand. He looked across the room sheepishly as Ridley turned to the silver tray with the uneaten breakfast on it. Soon, she and Jack were sharing a meal of fruit and pastries from the castle kitchen as well as a pitcher of refreshing fruit juice. Long, relaxing minutes passed, and the boy and girl were able to enjoy some peaceful moments together. Though it was inevitable, Ridley still felt a little surprise and a great deal of disappointment when she heard her door being unlocked from the outside.

Two guardsmen walked into the room, their dull armor clinking as they entered, with Lord Larks following closely behind. The Prime Minister was wearing the simple pants and tunic that he wore regularly, and the stole of his position was draped around his shoulders. Ridley eyed him warily as he fixed a studious gaze on Jack. The young boy's eyes met the older man's, and several long moments passed as the two stared tensely at one another. Finally, it was Lord Larks who broke the silence.

"I see that you have recovered, Jack Russell. Just in time to go to your trial," his voice was very level as he spoke. "I trust that Lady Ridley has spoken with you about your current situation?"

"She has," Jack replied. Ridley watched Jack tense unconsciously as he continued. "I've wondered for a while now just how I would feel when we met again, Lord Larks."

"And, how do you feel," the Prime Minister looked amused as he asked.

"I'd like to be able to blame you for everything that's happened," Jack's voice almost hid the emotions that were threatening to boil over, but the edge to his words was unmistakable. He tried to soften his tone before continuing. "But I know how foolish it would be to fault a single person for the way things are now. I haven't forgiven you yet, but I'm trying to."

"You haven't forgiven me yet," Lord Larks' grin widened at those words. "Well, I haven't forgiven you, either. Although, I wouldn't say that I am trying."

With a gesture from the older man, the guardsmen wordlessly ushered Jack and Ridley out of the room. With an escort of guards in front of and behind them, the boy and girl followed as the Prime Minister led them through the winding halls of the Radiata Castle. Ridley walked mechanically, trying to remain calm and focused. They moved slowly through the halls and up the stairs, and Ridley quickly deduced that they were going to the King's audience chamber on the fifth floor. She was carrying her papers and going over arguments in her head, anything to remain calm. It was looking into Jack's warm eyes that relaxed her most, and so she masked her gazes as casual looks around the hallway, though her stare always lingered on him. The halls of the castle were deserted, and the silence made the long walk seem to drag on even longer. Ridley was much calmer while climbing the stairs to of Radiata Castle than she had been while climbing the steps of Gold Dragon Castle. She had come back from the latter, only to face the former. This time, however, Jack was going to be with her from start to finish. As they reached the gilded doors of the King's audience chamber, the guards in front of them stopped. Lord Larks opened one the doors slightly so that he could go inside ahead of them, instructing the guards to wait outside with their charges. Ridley turned to look at Jack, smiling to keep the nervousness at bay.

"Well, here we go," she said levelly.

"Yeah, here we go," Jack replied. His eyes stayed on Ridley, and his somber expression changed to a smile as he continued. "Don't worry about a thing, Ridley. This'll be a cinch; I know we'll be fine."

"I…" Ridley's words were cut short by the sound of the door opening behind them. As she and Jack turned and began to walk into the audience chamber, she put her hand in his. "You're right, Jack. Here we go."


Vegeta26: All right, now we're making some real progress. As always, I apologize for the delay in updating, but I just have quite a lot going on right now. I'll be updating as often as I can, but there may still be some delays. I'm looking forward to hearing reactions to this chapter and doing some more writing. As always, please take the time to review and let me know what you think.

The Flying Frog: Jack's situation with the Falvern should be a little clearer now; it's one that will be important to the rest of the story. I don't want to give too much away about the trial, but you're headed in the right direction. Ridley will definitely be doing most of the talking, and Jasne and Natalie will both have parts to play. Glad to hear from you.

The Black Knightress: Elwen and Jack's souls aren't connected so much as she projected herself into Jack's soul. She's a fun character to write, because so much is left vague. As we move on, I'm going to fill in those blanks and give Elwen a story like she deserves. Hope to hear from you again.

nanohaxfate: Thanks for reviewing; Jack and Ridley are growing stronger through their hardships, which is going to help the down the road when things get even rockier.

KohakuCesia: Always nice to see a new face. I enjoyed the light-hearted tone of Radiata Stories, but thought that it wasn't quite serious enough in places, and so these stories are may way to make it what I thought it should be. In English, if the question is asked in dialogue before the speaker is identified, its ends with a comma, the speaker is identified, and it ends with a period. So, "How are you," he said. or "I am fine," she answered. Whether it's a statement or a question, that's the correct form. After the speaker is identified, any other sentences end with the appropriate punctuation mark. Hope this helps. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Story Weaver 1: Sorry the other chapter was a little shorter (this one's not terribly long), but it ended up just being a good stopping point and I didn't want to keep everyone waiting too long for an update. The additional time to flesh out the story with the Falvern and Khell Nivait was necessary, I thought, to establish them firmly. They will be important later. Hope to hear your thoughts on these ideas.

crisisdestriX: Welcome; yes, I'll be finishing the story, it just takes me a little longer to update sometimes. Glad you're enjoying what I've written so far, and hopefully you'll stick around for more.