Disclaimer: I do not own Jak II in any way. Also, I do not own Kiff Fire, she's on loan from Specter Von Baron, the awesome person that he is.
AN: ya'all are gonna love me. I had this chapter ready to go a week before it's decided post date. That's right: A WEEK! Unfortunately for you guys out there… I didn't have the internet ;; In fact, the only reason why this is out now is because I'm using my crappy AOL 7.0. God, I miss you DSL.
WARNINGS: well, aren't you lucky? No warnings this time. More to come. Next chapter likely.
Act XI: Fire and Brimstone
"Cadets, your training is officially over. As of today, you are Krimzon Guard members!" The lieutenant shouted at the youngsters in Krimzon Guard regalia. Beside him was Torn, eyeing the new Krimzon Guard members.
Maelia and Ryu were in the front row. They had earned the highest scores within their group, Ryu just barely pulling out ahead of Maelia. Apparently, they had taken it as a competition and that attitude had allowed them to best everyone in their attempts to have one-uped on each other.
Torn watched his son and couldn't help but feel the pride burn in his veins. Finally, Ryu was what Torn had always wanted him to be. A Krimzon Guard. Ryu looked fine in the bright red plates and black pants. A true soldier.
Already his mind was moving with images of bonding with his son in ways they couldn't before. They'd go on missions together, of course, and Torn would teach Ryu how to lead Haven City with a militant hand, not a political one. It was something Torn had always imagined, being able to bond with his son over the Krimzon Guard.
And Maelia… well, Daxter had to be proud now, didn't he? Top female Krimzon Guard cadet. She would no doubt be totting metals on her chest within months. How could Daxter ignore that accomplishment?
It was impossible for Torn to imagine someone not being proud of their child when they earned such honors before they were even out of the Krimzon Guard. Even Keira, if she ever broke down and let Aithne join the army, would no doubt be proud of her daughter if she earned such credit.
"Tomorrow," the lieutenant said, his voice commanding and confident from over ten years of Krimzon Guard work. "Will be your first assignment. Time to leave the sandbox, boys and girls. We'll be heading to the Pumping Station for Metal Head scout work. As you know the Metal Heads are acting up again…"
Torn stopped listening and turned from lieutenant. He knew what the man was going to say. He had given the orders himself. Slowly, in his rigid military posture, he descended the stairs behind the black platform.
Soldiers inclined their head in respect for their senior leader as Torn made his way into the palace. The Krimzon Guard training grounds had been attached to the palace years back, built with a domelike roof. There was an outside training ground and the inside had been covered with a tough flooring.
Ashlin was waiting for him when he entered the throne room, hands on hips. "Well?" she asked. There was just a hint of annoyance in her voice, but Torn wasn't surprised. It had been like that for the past year.
Since Ryu had thrown himself into the Krimzon Guard, to please his father and protect Maelia, he had been slacking on his political duties, slowly withdrawing from them until he only did the minimal work for his mother. There were no more council meetings, more arguing with nobles, no more campaigns. For Ryu there was only the Krimzon Guard.
"His first mission is tomorrow," Torn answered gruffly. "You could be a little more supportive of this." It was almost funny how their positions had changed. Before it was Ashlin always defending Ryu and his decisions and Torn being displeased.
She rubbed her temples in slow, repetitive motions. "I'm trying, Torn. You know I'm trying. It's just that… I never wanted my child involved with violence in anyway. I sacrificed so much to see to it they didn't have to…"
"Ryu's a fine soldier, Ashlin," Torn told her as he brought her against his chest, placing his big hands over her red dreadlocks. "He's got the genes for it. And I think maybe he's even starting to enjoy it. At first he just wanted to look after Daxter's girl but now…"
"I hope so. I just want him happy," Ashlin muttered as she leaned fully against him, allowing his strength to keep her upright. "That's all I want."
"I want him happy, too." And, at Torn's core, it was true. He didn't show it often and, when it did, it often came out as harshness but Torn's attitude towards Ryu all sprung from love. His need to see his son safe and protected.
But Torn and Ryu were different as night and day. And Torn didn't know how to handle that. The Krimzon Guard did not bred diverse people. For the Krimzon Guard members it was one way or no way.
This is good for us, Torn thought as Ashlin left him to go congratulate Ryu despite her worries on his new title. This was how his family was going to stay together. The woman as the wily politician and the men as the defenders.
That was the only way it could, right? Torn didn't know. That was just how he was taught during his youth. And when they had been young and Haven City had still had Jak as a protector Ashlin had built up her dreams for her city. All Torn had been able to do was fight for those dreams.
Now those dreams were reality and the sturdy foundation of the city. Did Torn really have to fight for them now? Haven City had survived without Jak. Did they really need Torn?
It was a sickening thought. Torn being obsolete. It was true though. Once a war was finished what use was there for the soldiers who had fought in them? Broken dreams and broken promises, was all they were.
He hoped that this was the right choice.
--&--
"GO!"
Aithne grunted and rushed forward, sticking her shoulder out in an attempt to unbalance her opponent. Her hands were flattened in a defensive position, prepared to block if the time called for it.
Cyren was already prepared. As Aithne rushed at him he sidestepped her and grabbed her hips. When she started to wheel around, Cyren flipped her and pinned her to the mat. Aithne's legs swung up and out, forcing his arms to release her. She kicked herself to her feet and swung her arm. Cyren raised his wrist in the approximate block as his other arm came up for a swift cut. Aithne blocked it with her wrist and with a flurry of fast moves, keep Cyren on the defensive.
While the blonde boy was busy blocking her flying fists, Aithne's legs shut out and kicked his shins. He toppled over in pain and Aithne jumped onto him to complete the fatal blow. Cyren, however, was ready and his palms flattened against her shoulders as she landed on him and he flipped her again.
Using his superior weight, he pinned her against the mat, splaying his legs against her thighs and keeping his hands firm on her shoulders.
"Get off me," Aithne rasped, her breasts heaving from her exhortation. She bucked against him, but it didn't hurt Cyren so much as make his blood temperature rise. And he knew it showed on his cheeks. He just hoped Aithne was too busy to notice the blush staining his skin.
"Say… say please," Cyren said, trying to sound seductive but the effect was lost as he drew unsteady breaths.
Out of nowhere Aithne's shoulder came up and rammed into the side of his face. Cyren cursed and rolled away, feeling his bruised jaw. Aithne was already on her feet again, circling him like a lioness stalking her pray. Grumbling, Cyren got to his feet and began to circle as well.
"You didn't have to hit so hard," he answered, raising his fists in a defensive position in front of his face.
Aithne laughed. More like snorted, too out of breath to muster a proper laugh. "C'mon, Cyren! This is real practice. Win or lose. Live or die."
"Okay!" Cyren said and did an impressive spin that had him at Aithne's side before she could blink. When her eyes widened, he grabbed her throat and held her at an arm's length. "I have an advantage, Aithne. More practice."
"Jerk… lemego!" She struggled to get her leg at his throat, but Cyren grabbed her legs and swung her around. She then remained immobile against him, her arms locked in his hands, her legs tucked under his opposite arm, and her body pulled taunt against his back. No amount of bucking could free her.
"Say uncle!" Cyren grinned even though Aithne couldn't see it in her position. "Say uncle, Aithne, and I'll let you go."
"Bite me!" she hissed and it was obvious she wasn't going to give in.
"The winner is Cyren," that was Zen-Fai's voice. He had been watching the sparring match from a corner of his room, arms over his chest. He raised one eyebrow. "Disappointing, Cyren. You should have taken her down much earlier than that."
His blonde head went down in shame. "Forgive me, Father." He was too embarrassed to admit he had let Aithne's body cloud his judgment. Zen-Fai probably knew that, too. After all, he didn't ask his son for an explanation for his slowness.
"Make up for it," Zen-Fai commented and tossed Cyren his bow staff. Unlike his actual one, this wood staff lacked the jagged edges. It could cause bruises when hit hard enough, but nothing fatal. Or Cyren didn't know how to inflict a fatal move with just a wooden bow staff. Zen-Fai did and one day he would teach Cyren.
Aithne reached out just as Zen-Fai tossed her her own weapons. They were black and rusty, with three sharp points sticking out in a trident-like fashion. They were small like daggers and blunt so not to cause any real harm, like Cyren's plain staff.
Zen-Fai had decided Aithne's weapon was to be the sais, twin mini-tridents. Her real ones were made of the finest, brightest silver she had every seen and sharp enough to bite into skin with the simplest pressure. The hilts were a glittering red and made of a sturdy bronze. Zen-Fai knew how to choose weapons because the moment Aithne had held them she had felt as if she was meant to wield them.
"My favorite part," Aithne said with a grim grin. Cyren twirled his staff and eyed her slowly. "C'mon."
Cyren didn't move. He was more experienced than Aithne. He knew he had to draw her out, make her make the first move. And Cyren knew Aithne well enough that all he had to do was play on her anger, make her irritated.
"Naw. You come over here," he replied with his custom, gentle smile. He knew that his thoughtful look only enraged her more when she was so serious and involved in their sparring match. He was much too busy eying the way her hips swayed in her tight leather jeans.
Aithne did make the first move, as Cyren wanted her to. She swung her legs out and flipped her arms, twirling her sais with expertise and precision. Cyren spun his bow staff so one side blocked her sais. His other end came up to slap her in the face.
But she jerked her cheek away, feeling the whoosh as the wood missed her face by inches. Her leg shot out and she kicked Cyren hard enough in the legs. Gasping he buckled over in pain.
However, when Aithne approached, he lashed out and had her back on the floor before she even realized what was happening. Aithne blinked in confusion as Cyren settled himself on top of her, his thighs clasping her hips, and watched as he gave her his boyish grin.
"Huh… oh damn!" Aithne glared up at him as what had happened finally managed to hit her. She groaned in anger and gave one buck that Cyren's breath hitching for a moment. "You goddamn cheater!"
"Not cheating, tactics," Cyren answered.
"The winner," Zen-Fai declared as he approached the two teenagers. "Is Cyren. Better, Cyren, but not great. You could have done better."
"Yes, Father," Cyren agreed and helped Aithne to her feet, bowing his head at his father in the same motion. "I will try harder."
"What about me?" Aithne scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I mean, I was fighting too, you know."
"Miss Hagai, I am well aware of the fact that you were fighting." Zen-Fai stilled called her Miss Hagai even though Aithne had become a part of his family. It was his rigid military persona that had him calling her by her surname and it made Aithne reluctantly respect him. "And you are doing well, training well. I am pleased with your progress."
Aithne beamed at the compliment.
"Better than you are," she muttered to Cyren with her trademark gritty grin.
"Not by a long shot," Cyren shot back, also under his breath. Both of them kept their eyes on Zen-Fai. The old man would abrade them nonstop if they were caught exchanging their banter.
"Zen-Fai," Aithne said politely, lowing her head in a taunt fashion. Her first lessons with Zen-Fai had been the technique with which she addressed him. She was to, at all times, treat him with the highest respect. "May Cyren and I go outside for our break?"
"Very well. Report back here in an hour and we'll continue with the sparring matches," Zen-Fai answered. The hour he gave them was his time to set up for the upcoming tournament. Both Aithne and Cyren would be participating and he expected Cyren to take home the grand prize, as he always did.
"Yes sir!" the two replied and scampered off.
--&--
Aithne and Cyren went to the bazaar, buying frozen treats from one of the stands before wandering aimlessly the busy, crowded streets of the dusty Bazaar.
"So…" Cyren began tentatively, gauging Aithne's reaction carefully. "Did you hear about the new squadron of the Krimzon Guard?"
The girl game to a halt, the ice cream forgotten in her fingers. "Yes. I heard about it." That hardened, betrayed look came over her features. "They'll be going out to the Pumping Station tomorrow and fighting some real Metal Heads."
Cyren wished he had not said anything. It would have been better if he hadn't. He hated when Aithne looked so hurt and grief-stricken, abandoned by the world. "Aithne…" He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.
She jerked away. "I know I'm being selfish. I know I'm being a bitch. But that was my dream. It burns me up inside to know someone else is living it."
"I never… I never thought you were like that," Cyren pointed out, his dark eyes boring into Aithne's. He wanted to draw her into his arms, wanted to hold her, but he was afraid. Always afraid. Afraid she would reject him, afraid she would be enraged, afraid of losing the friendship that had become so important to him.
"You're so just a good friend, Cyren," Aithne said and leaned onto him.
"Friend," Cyren repeated and managed to keep the bitterness from his voice.
"Yes, my best friend, Cyren." She smiled at him in a way that said friendship and nothing more. She smiled in a way that had Cyren returning the favor and had his organs withering on the inside.
"You—you're my best fri—friend," Cyren replied and bit down on all the emotions that choked his throat. Aithne… this isn't fair, is it? Why can't I just tell you?
Because he was a coward. And Cyren wasn't getting any braver.
--&--
"Five of you on the left, five on you're the right," the commanding Krimzon Guard ordered, flicking his wrists in time with his commands.
"Yes sir," they all answered in unison.
Ryu looked over at Maelia. He could barely see her face in the Krimzon Guard helmet that had been placed over her head, but he could make out her eyes. They were wide and brown and frightened. Her body was covered in those deep red armor plates. It hid the curves of her bodies. Ryu considered that a good thing since not one of them could stand to be distracted on the mission.
But then it didn't matter, Ryu considered. Since he already knew what was underneath that armor, probably better than any other boy. He didn't need to imagine since he had a first hand experience.
Maelia didn't say anything as she and the other two who were with Ryu's group moved left. Their field leader took his group and they moved right.
"This is just a reconnaissance mission," Ryu heard himself mumble in a low voice. Silence had become order of the day. No matter reason to chance it. "Nothing bad is going to happen." Where had the commanding voice come from? Why did he sound so much like his father?
But they did look frightened. Even Maelia was a little pale. Ryu hoped his face didn't reflect them as well. He was, after all, the leader of this small group and he couldn't afford to be frightened.
"What are we supposed to do, pray tell?" Maelia muttered, clicking the safety look of her gun off. Something was off, she knew instantly. Her womanly intuition was on red alert. Her whole body was trembling, her mind dizzy.
"Just scout around. Look for Metal Heads." Ryu suggested. "The Pumping Station has been cleared for years. Chances are we won't find anything."
"I'm not complaining," one of the other new cadets muttered. He was shivering too and was the most frightened. "I heard there was some nasty Metal Heads over this way. Stories, you know?"
"Stories are usually just that," Ryu pointed and Maelia nodded absently, her fingers clutching the black length of her gun.
For a long moment, they walked onward in silence. Maelia found it hard to breathe. Something was off, she could just tell. The Pumping Station was just too silent. The hum of moving machines had faded into the pressuring silence and all she could hear was her heart pounding against her ribs.
Finally Ryu turned around and addressed the other four, "Alright, let's just—"
Then there was a howl.
Maelia screamed as loud as her voice would allow. A giant Metal Head landed in front of them and she dropped to her rump, grappling for her gun. All her training left her as she barely rolled away from the claws that tried to slice her open.
"Maelia!" Ryu roared and shot at the Metal Head, the bullets pelting against the thick Metal Head hide. "Stay down!" His bullets weren't doing any real damage to the Metal Head but his attention had shifted from Maelia to Ryu.
She clamored to her feet, dragging her gun up with her. With his training driving him, Ryu was dodging every move the Metal Head was throwing at him. The other three cadets were backing him, keeping out of the Metal Head's reach and open firing on the giant beast.
But the bullets weren't fazing the Metal Head. Its hide was thick and impenetrable. There was a blind rage in the beady eyes of the Metal Head.
Ryu gasped in sharp pain as the claws of the Metal Head dented his Krimzon Guard armor. He gripped the cold metal, feeling it crush against his ribs. His oxygen supply was caught off abruptly, leaving him completely venerable.
Maelia reacted first. There was no battle cry, no justified rage. There was raw fear and terror as she lunged forward and threw herself at the beast. Planting her feet, she jumped onto the beast's back. As the Metal Head thrashed, trying to get his claws around Maelia's body, she bashed the butt of her rifle against the skull.
Then she went flying, her back hitting the ground hard. Her air left her lungs in a 'whoosh'. For a blind moment she couldn't move, her body paralyzed in the pain caused by her fall.
"Get up!" Ryu shouted in a distant place, his hand on her wrist and dragging her up. The ground jolted beneath as Ryu put Maelia shakily on her feet. There was raw fear in his eyes as she stared at him blindly, unsure and unaware of her surroundings.
"Ryu!" one of the Krimzon Guards shouted, the one who had been the most frightened earlier. Maelia couldn't remember his name in her foggy brain, but dread had her heart dropping to her feet. "Look out!"
The auburn-haired boy looked over his shoulder, cursed viciously, then wrapped his arms around Maelia and sent them both sprawling to the ground. The huge hand of the Metal Head swiped above them. Someone was screaming, and Maelia didn't realize it was her. Ryu was pulling her to her feet.
The cadet that had warned them, the one that had been frightened, rushed by them, firing his gun. The bullet hit the Metal Head in the skull, the golden head cracking. It howled in rage and his claws deceased.
There was no way for the cadet to escape. The claw came on his left as he ran to the right. It cut through his armor and sent blood over the sand. The Krimzon Guard cadet's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he dropped to his knees, vainly pressing against his chest wound.
Maelia made to go to him, to help, but Ryu dragged her back. She thrashed against him as he dragged her away. He loaded his gun and fired. It landed in the Metal Head's skull, crackling the thick layer of golden glass and sending the shards scattering. The Metal Head screamed, arching its back before collapsing in a heap on the sand.
"Cadet Praxis!" the Lieutenant shouted as he rushed over to them, his group of four following him. "Mar… that's the biggest Metal Head I've seen in the past seventeen years. What the hell happened?"
Ryu didn't answer. He looked down at Maelia, who had dropped to her knees and dragged off her helmet. She was now gripping her head, eyes downcast, and shaking with paroxysms. Her whole body was trembling and her eyes weren't leaving the dead Krimzon Guard. She was staring at the pool of blood staining the white sand, she was staring the still body, the armor torn open to reveal the ripped flesh.
She looks, Ryu thought bitterly as a sour taste clogged his throat, broken.
"Sir," as he said it, Ryu turned to face his field commander. "We were attacked. Rynder went down… and… and…"
And he felt very, very sick.
--&--
"Sounds risky…"
"It is," Kent-Sai Hirmoyarbeshi answered and smiled slowly. "Very risky. Many of your people will probably die if you agree to this. Haven City's military has not slipped with the era of peace."
"Then why would I agree to such a thing?" she snapped, thumping her clawed feet on the floor. "I have lost enough of my people to those Haven weaklings. I wish to have nothing to do with them, even if it means that I will not extract revenge for what they have done."
"Yes, but your people are persecuted by not only the Haven people but anyone you come against, even we of Sage-Harmona." Hirmoyarbeshi's smile was slow and sure, knowing he had her there. "I, however, do not think all Metal Heads are evil, especially now that your former leader is dead. I think we could… help each other."
"Go on," the Metal Head commented, resting on her hunches. Her dark, dark hide glowing almost purple against the light of her golden skull. Her claws inched to settle themselves in the cocky man's chest, but it was just not herself she was negotiating for. Her people had to come first.
"A mutual contract," Hirmoyarbeshi explained. "Help me and I will help you. With Haven gone, Sage-Harmona will be able to set out to conquer the Holy City. Once Sage-Harmona rules them both, the Metal Heads will be loved, worshipped even."
"No one will hunt us like dogs?" That was the most important thing, the Metal Head reasoned. "If we do this for you, you will see to it that no one hunts my people done for the sport of it?"
"Yes. That will be the basis of our agreement. Your freedom. Your people can finally come out of hiding." Hirmoyarbeshi smiled serenely, knowing he had her. This Metal Head was so predicable in her ways she was almost human. "The world under my rule would be kind to you and yours."
"And how to I know you will keep your word? It would be easy for you to betray me." The Metal Head crossed her arms even as her mind swirled with the possibilities Hirmoyarbeshi had painted for her. Freedom for her people, after they had so long yearned for it. Almost twenty long years.
"Why would I betray you?" Hirmoyarbeshi questioned, sounding as if he thought her to be simply silly. "Having Metal Heads as my allies would make me a force to be reckoned with. I see nothing but benefits from supporting you."
"All I would have to do is destroy Haven City?" she asked.
"Well, basically." Hirmoyarbeshi's handsomeness enhanced with his wolfish smile. "I have a few small details that you'll have to go along with, but you will basically worry about killing Haven City as you see fit."
"I see." She stroked her face in thought, nails drawing along the tough flesh of her chin. "And the girl?"
For the first time since they had entered in the bowls of Sage-Harmona's palace, Hirmoyarbeshi considered the girl in the corner of the room. Her long body and fluid limbs were leaning against the wall, her foot moving in a small, rhythmic motion. Her golden eyes were downcast, glowing like the Metal Head skull in the darkness. The white of her dress clashed with her tainted innocence.
"She will be doing the small details, obviously," he answered. "Do not let her appearance fool you. She is a trained killer and she will do as she is told. The girl knows nothing else but obedience."
"I believe you," the Metal Head muttered and truly did. She had heard about what Hirmoyarbeshi had been doing within Sage-Harmona's walls, and to his own people no less. It made her shudder to think that someone could stand to do such things to their own kind, to lower their level of humanity in such a way.
But then, she did not think highly of humans to begin with.
"Very well. Tomorrow I will come and your girl shall journey with us to Haven City. It will be decimated by nightfall." The Metal Head frowned. "We are fortunate the Mar boy is dead."
"Indeed," Hirmoyarbeshi agreed and waved her off. "Take the back away out. No one will see you." The girl stood from her spot against the wall and she followed him up the darkened stairwell into the hustle and bustle of the palace.
Tiny maids curtsied at them as they walked by, sending wary glances at them as they passed. Their deadly Lord General and his silent, young assassin. The pair was not to be tampered with as the girl would kill without blinking. She had single handedly squashed any rebellions that might have occurred during the past year.
"If Kiff Fire fails in this mission, kill her and any Metal Head near you. All that matters is that I have the Mar woman." Hirmoyarbeshi looked at the young woman at his side, her silky hair black enough to have a blue hue.
Golden golem eyes rose to stare blankly into his. "Yes, Master. It shall be as you wish. You shall have the body you need for your perfect Experiment." She turned her eyes to the road they walked and fell silent again. She was not much for talking, the girl, and her silence often caused discomfort for many.
Not Hirmoyarbeshi. He had created her after all and he admired her body as a man would something he built with his bare hands. "My lovely pet. You mustn't be jealous. You will always be my favourite." He caught her wrists and slowed her down, turning her into his arms.
The golden eyes gave off no jealousness, nor did it give off any emotion. The girl was a stoic creature, her emotions buried so deep within her that she doubted she even had them.
"I understand," she answered and Hirmoyarbeshi smiled slowly.
"My lovely pet," he told her and leaned in to kiss her. Her mouth was frigid beneath his own, but he didn't mind. Nor did he notice the way her body went stiff against his.
She was shamed on so many levels. Months ago the Master's touch had started to make her skin crawl. It was disgracing. The Master was the Master. He touch was only to bring her a sense of duty, instead she wanted to scream and run away. For someone who doubted their own emotions, it was a frightening thing.
Hirmoyarbeshi nibble and licked and kissed and she stood frozen in his grasp, unwilling and unable to move away. She watched him walk through emotionless eyes. He is the Master. The voice inside her head reminded her, the voice that made sure she obeyed everything Hirmoyarbeshi ordered.
Very slowly—she did most things slowly unless she killing, then she was fast and deadly—she turned. She was aware of people staring at her. Knowing that made her feeling nothing. Or maybe she did feel something knowing they stared and judged, but the emotion was buried too deep inside her for her heart to even recognize it.
She came to a pause when a broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped man stood in front of her path. Her arms laid torpid at her side as she raised her dark head to look at him. Her golden eyes were dispassionate, neither cold nor hot. Just… her eyes were just there. Without a word she waited for him to move.
Move he did, but his face was clenched in anger. "Bitch," he hissed. "Ice bitch." Perhaps he was correct. Though she could not see how she was a 'bitch' considering it meant the females of the canine species.
The words barely reached her ears and they caused no reaction in her. She started to move again, like a robot coming back to life. She had a mission. The Master willed her to journey to Haven City. She was the extension of the Master's will and she would do what he asked without question. His obedient bird.
She had packing to do.
--&--
"A leave of absence?" Ashlin inquiring as she folded her hands over the paper that said it in ink. "Are you sure?"
Maelia's shoulder hitched in defense. It felt like she was taking the coward's way out. But she had to. She couldn't stand to be a Krimzon Guard a moment longer. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry to come with you to this problem, but Commander Torn is currently out. And I need to… to… resign now."
"I understand you were involved in the Metal Head incident a few days ago, yes?" Ashlin watched as the girl's face blanched at the memory. "I understand a young Tritan Rynder was killed in action during the incident."
"He was. He was trying to protect me and Ryu." As Ashlin nodded Maelia wondered how the woman could be so calm about the danger her son had been in.
"It must have been hard, losing someone that close to you and that earlier in your Krimzon Guard career." Maelia nodded, her head lowering in shame. Ashlin felt her heart move in sympathy for the girl. "Maelia…"
"I just… I just didn't know what to do," Maelia admitted, her voice hitching and her eyes filming over. "I was the second best in my class and I saw that Metal Head I couldn't remember a thing. I just panicked."
"The first time I went up against a Metal Head was when… I was with my father." Ashlin frowned. Thinking of her father gave her an odd mixture of feelings, sadness and anger and betrayal and love. "I didn't have time to be afraid because my father would have killed me for being frightened."
"That's… that's horrible," Maelia muttered and keep her head lowered. She had heard of Baron Praxis. Of course, who hadn't? And she had known he was cruel, blinded by ambition and greed… but…
"It was, in a way. But knowing that made me strong in a way I don't want anyone else to be. It was hard, but that era, when I was young, was meant for only the strong." Ashlin leaned across her desk and placed a hand on Maelia's shoulder.
"I'm not good at it," Maelia gushed. Tears fell across her cheeks openly as she hunched against sobs. "I'm not good at anything. Why would I think I was good at fighting? I thought if I was good at this than… than… Daddy would love me! But I'm not and he's never, ever gonna love me!"
Ashlin leaned back and sighed, rubbing her eyes. God, she could not mixed up in this. No matter how much her heart went out to the girl, this was Daxter's life and his problem. She would be breaching his territory if she attempted to heal the girl.
"Maelia, would it make a difference if I told you that… it… gets easy and the shock of death fades?" she questioned softly, attempting to offer emotional support without taking on the role of mother when she didn't have the right to.
"N—no," Maelia answered, rubbing at her tearing eyes. "No, ma'am, it wouldn't. And I… I think that's the problem." She closed her eyes softly and placed a hand over her chest. "I don't want it to ever be… commonplace. I want every death I see to be special, to dig at me. To hurt me. It should always be that."
"I cannot change your mind… and I think I agree with you." Ashlin offered the broken girl a small smile. "I'll let your field leader know you're no longer a part of the Krimzon Guard."
"Thank, ma'am," Maelia said softly and stood, making her way towards the door. Her movements were slow, sluggish. Another thing you're not good at, Maelia. What's left for you?
"Goodbye, Maelia," Ashlin said as the blonde left her room. Maelia didn't answer. Involved with her thoughts she didn't hear the older redhead. "Good luck."
Goodbye had been the right thing to say, as Ashlin would see.
--&--
Maelia is no longer in the Krimzon Guard… Ryu had just found that out a few days ago. He gritted his teeth. She didn't even tell me!
What was he going to do now? Maelia had been the only reason he was in the Krimzon Guard. Now that she wasn't, he wanted out. How was he supposed to tell Torn that? Did Ryu want to tell Torn? For the first time, his father respected him.
But he didn't want to be Krimzon Guard anymore. Ryu had compromised who he was for Maelia. And he was tired of hiding himself so he could protect the girl, especially when it was obvious that was the last thing she wanted.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself. Slowly, he walked into his father's office, pushing at the door. Torn was there, hunched over his paperwork. He didn't glance up at Ryu when the boy entered.
"What is it?" he snapped and Ryu reasoned with himself he probably didn't know he was Ryu. He was supposed to be out in the field again with the lieutenant. But Ryu had requested for personal leave and had got it.
"Father," Ryu said, his voice sounding slow and frightened.
"Hm? Ryu?" Torn did glance up and surprise registered in his eyes. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at Dead Town now?"
"I took personal leave." The disappointment in Torn's eyes almost had Ryu backing down. No. No, I have to do this. "I need to talk to you about something."
"Take a seat," Torn commented and watched as his son slowly took the seat opposite from him. "What is it, Ryu?"
"I do not…" Ryu paused and considered how he should tackle explaining to his father. "You were right, Father. The only reason I joined the Krimzon Guard was to protect Maelia because she needs looking after and… and she's not in it anymore and so I…" Everything had been coming out in a rush until he got to the moment of truth. "And I… I want to resign from the Krimzon Guard as well."
Torn was silent. The look he gave Ryu had him squirming. So much disappointment. So much anger. Finally the man spoke, "This… this is unacceptable, Ryu."
"Father—"
"No!" Torn thundered and slammed his fists against the desk, standing up sharply. "I will not have it. Ryu, I finally thought you were seeing things straight. You cannot back out of this now not when you're finally where you belong."
"I'm not you!" Ryu shouted just as loudly as Torn, forcing the man to go quiet. "I'm not you and I can never be you! I hate violence and I hate guns and I hate the Krimzon Guard. I will not be part of it!"
"Yes you will!" Torn glared at his son, teasing the idea of throttling him.
"If you won't let me quit than I'll get Mother to let me!" Ryu shouted, knowing that Ashlin would help him there. But he hadn't wanted to go crying to his mother. He hadn't wanted to face his father like a man, because he was a man. He was twenty years old and he wanted to think that his father would respect his decisions.
Now he realized that his father would never see him as a man.
"Fine then. You're off the squad," Torn hissed. His fingers clenched and unclenched as he sized up his flesh and blood. "Get out of my sight. You disappoint me on so many levels, Ryu. So many…"
"I know, Father." Ryu turned to the door, hand gripping the woodwork tight. As he went to exit he glanced at his father. "You know, Father… my entire life all I wanted was you to respect me. I was willing to do anything to earn it… once. But I won't pretend I'm not who I am so you can pretend you have a son you admire."
Torn sat down slowly, refusing to look at his son. There was this tightness in his chest, this sudden clench that made it hard to breath. His stubbornness, pride, wouldn't let him look at his son and say he'd always respected him, even now. Ryu was brave enough to admit he could never be what his father wanted him to be but Torn wasn't.
"I—I'll see you around, Father," Ryu said, looking away. He made his way through the door, away from Torn. "Maybe one day… maybe one day you'll forgive me, respect me even. I hope."
Those were the last words he said to his father.
--&--
Kiff Fire considered the girl as she walked calmly by the Metal Head's side. Most people were intimated by Kiff. She had both the blood of a Juice Goon and a Hose-Head and it made her big and bulky and deadly, coupled with dark skin and long, yellow claws meant for tearing flesh apart.
"What is your name?" she demanded of the girl. Something about the dark-haired child—the girl could be no more than sixteen years old—irked Kiff the wrong way.
"I have no name," the girl answered and sent the Metal Head a sidelong glance. "A name is not useful to my Master."
"That man did not name you?" Kiff snorted at the ugliness of it. Hirmoyarbeshi had come off as a man ruled by greed and passion, but she hadn't thought he would ignore the girl always by his side, more loyal to him than anyone else. "I believe humans value names. How could he not name you?"
The girl's shoulders hitched, but only an inch or so. It was only Kiff's honed Metal Head senses that allowed her to notice. "Names are not necessary, so long as I do the Master's will." The girl's voice was so carefully monotone that Kiff could not detect any emotion in the girl.
"I have heard of what Hirmoyarbeshi did to the desert people he locked in Sage-Harmona's palace, but I never imagined he created things like you." It wasn't meant to be harsh. It wasn't meant to be taken as an insult. It simply was.
"I believed that Metal Heads could not talk," the girl went on as if Kiff hadn't spoken. Her eyes were golden and remote as she looked straight ahead.
Kiff recognized the subtle hint for her to shut up. She ignored it and continued speaking. "Kor was a cruel and unjust ruler. Many Metal Heads were suppressed by his evil. And what of you, young child? Are you suppressed?"
"Haven City draws near," the girl said coolly and she closed off all conversation. "I will sneak in and open the gates for you. You will go in and destroy Haven City. I shall collect the Mar woman."
The girl was right. Kiff could see the high walls of Haven City. Memories flashed in her mind. Blood and death, gun smoke and Metal Head screams. "I hate this city." A predatory smile crossed her face. "I shall enjoy destroying it."
"Kiff," a lean Metal Head strode up to them. He was a Sniper Skull, built for speed and the capability to shoot his gun. "We're nearing."
"I know, Epsi," Kiff answered and glanced at the stoic girl. "She will sneak us in and than we will have our revenge on that damned city." The very mention of it had her Metal Head army bursting with vigor.
"About time," Epsi muttered and moved to his troops, his band of snipers. "Hope this human knows what she's doing. I don't like trusting her."
Kiff looked over at the girl. "She's not human. Not anymore." Epsi gave her a surprised look. "And I don't trust her."
It was true.
--&--
"I know I'm asking a lot of you, Nyx, but we need you." Sala looked tired and worn and so very old. There were tiny lines around her eyes and mouth and Nyx was surprised Sala hadn't gotten any silver hair.
"You're not asking much of me, Sala. I am the top soldier in the Holy City. You should expect it of me." Nyx knew her voice was sure and confident and hid the uneasiness within her stomach.
"We cannot ignore the threat Sage-Harmona appears to us. Now that we are certain the Yoshimoro line is dead and Kent-Sai Hirmoyarbeshi is in control we need to be informed of its going-ons." Sala stood and walked to the bay windows behind her.
"What you need is a group of spies working from the inside." Nyx joined Sala at the window and together they watched the soldier train down belong in the green grass of the training fields. "I'm the best for the job."
"You're the only one I trust," Sala admitted slowly. She turned to look at Nyx with regret heavy in her eyes. "The only I can think can do this and not get killed."
"You can trust me. You have to trust me." Nyx put a hand on the woman's shoulder. The queen. The last of the queens now that Ginyrina was dead. "I will not fail you, Sala." She turned, dreading what would come next.
"I never thought you would," Sala muttered but knew the fair haired woman couldn't hear her.
How will I tell Nik? Nyx wondered, biting her lip as she made her way down to the nursery of the palace. She paused at the door, regained herself, and pushed them open. White light from the sun momentarily blinded her.
Six-year-old Merasaki, her fiery hair bright under the sun streaked after a dark-haired, moody Sedet who was too tall and gangly in his nine-year-old body. "Play with me, play with me, Sedet!" the tiny girl shrieked.
"Do I have to?" Sedet muttered with a roll of his eyes, sending Nik a pleading look. The man with Merasaki's matching hair color smiled in answer.
"When you're older you're gonna wish you had girls chasing you around, kid." Sedet's face twisted at the thought of any girl being cool, but took the doll Merasaki swung in his face and sat down. The redhead girl bounced joyfully and joined him on the floor.
"Nyx, my love, we're going to have to lock Merasaki away in an ivory tower. She's already becoming a heart breaker." He grinned and kissed her full on the mouth. When he broke away from her he noticed the dark look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Sala has asked me to go to Sage-Harmona." Nyx lowered her head and let Nik make his own assumptions, and let him figure it out on his own.
"To Sage-Harmona…" Nik's smoky eyes darkened as well. "There's only one reason you'd be going to Sage-Harmona and… and that's… no." Nik's voice got that dangerous tone to it and Nyx flinched. "No, Nyx."
"I already agreed to go. I have to go, Nik. For Sala and the Holy City. It's for—"
"What about Sage-Harmona?" he demanded and Nyx was silenced. "Are you just going to throw away your loyalties to Sage-Harmona, forget you were ever born there?"
"It's Sage-Harmona that's causing the problems, Nik, and you know that. Are you just going to ignore that fact?" Nyx demanding, finding her voice in her need to defend herself.
"No. No, I'm not saying that what they're doing isn't wrong. If they start a war, fight them. Don't go courting trouble." Nik took her shoulders and gave her a small shake. "That's your home, Nyx. Whether you like it or not. You can't just ignore that."
"The Holy City is my home. It's more so than Sage-Harmona," Nyx shot back and jerked herself from his gasp. "If we can stop the war before it starts than I will."
"And what about your family?" Nik retorted, looking disgusted with the whole situation. "Did you forget about that? You have a family here. Even if you feel nothing for Sage-Harmona than think about what you're risking. Do you want Merasaki to grow up without a mother?"
"Don't. Don't turn this around on me. I am doing this to protect Merasaki and you, even if you don't want to admit it. This is what I must do." Nyx reached out and touched his cheek. "Nik…"
He jerked his head away, as if her touch burned and Nyx felt her anger rise. "This is pissing me off, Nyx. And I can't stand to be touched by you right now. I can't stop you, but I won't like it."
"Mommy!" Merasaki screeched and rushed over to them, pillowing into Nyx's arms. "Mommy! Mommy, love you."
"Love you too, my dearest," Nyx muttered and kissed Merasaki's fiery top. She wanted to cuddle her daughter, wanted to rock her like she had when Merasaki had been a baby. She didn't want to leave her child.
Nik couldn't stand to watch them, knowing Merasaki's fragile heart would be broken when her mother left without a word. He reached out and took Merasaki from Nyx's arms. "Come on, darling. Mommy's going away for a while."
"Where?' Merasaki asked as her blue eyes went wide in confusion. "Where is Mommy going, Daddy?"
Nyx shuddered as her husband and daughter walked away from her. She felt as if she had just been kicked out of the protective world she and Nik had made for Merasaki. And it was bitter and horrible.
She turned from them and strode away, her heart breaking.
--&--
"Aithne Hagai Mar!"
"My name is not Mar…" Aithne turned, breaking her sparring match with Cyren, and her eyes went wide. "Mom?" Keira Hagai Mar stood there, her face flushed with rage and her eyes burning.
Indeed it was Keira Hagai Mar, short aquamarine hair tied into a small ponytail at the back of her head, face flushed with anger, hands on hips, and eyes glittering dangerously. She stood at the threshold of the door, her whole wiry body trembling with rage as she took in the scene before her.
"What…" she began slowly, very slowly, "is this, Aithne?" She approached them, Cyren and Aithne and Zen-Fai. Cyren and Aithne were in the center of the room, staring worriedly at Keira as she approached, while Zen-Fai leaned casually against the wall, crossing his arms and watching the upcoming scene with a regarding eye.
"Mom—" Aithne began but it was too late. Keira's rage burst and there was no stopping it until it had fizzled out.
"I told you no! No fighting!" Her fingers fisted and shook visibly from her anger. "This is where you were going every morning? This is why I didn't see you until dinner? You were lying to me this whole time?"
"You said no Krimzon Guard, no Wastelanders! This isn't either of those. This is just me training with my best friend! Everyone else I know is in the Krimzon Guard, why can't you let me have this?" Aithne demanded as her fingers locked around Cyren's upper arm for balance.
"What is the difference, Aithne? What is it? You're still fighting, you could still get hurt." Keira's eyes filmed over with tears. Aithne's face, locked in rage and hurt and betrayal, looked so much like Jak. How could she have missed it? Aithne had grown up just like Jak.
Just like Jak.
"We're going home now," Keira said softly. She was suddenly afraid, deathly afraid. Her daughter was all grown up and like her father and she didn't know how to handle it. "We'll talk about your punishment when we get home."
"Why?" Aithne wasn't ready to fall in line. She never was, she never would be. Just like Jak. "I haven't done anything wrong. Damnit, Mom, I am seventeen years old! There is nothing wrong with this. I should be allowed!"
"I. Am. Your. Mother," Keira hissed out, her eyes burning jade.
Always the peacemaker, and because he hated to see two people who loved each other fight, Cyren stepped protectively in front of Aithne. "Look, Mrs. Mar, I'm sorry about this. It's really my—"
"Cyren. I like you," Keira told him through gritted teeth, her eyes locked with Aithne's. "So don't make me take my anger out on you. Don't say something you might regret."
"You can't talk to him like that." Aithne reached out and locked her fingers around Cyren's wrist, viselike. "Let's go." She started to drag him toward the door.
"Do not walk out of this door, young lady!" Keira thundered and had Aithne pausing. "I forbid it, Aithne."
"So afraid I'll abandon you, too, Mother?" Aithne asked and had her mother paler. She wheeled around, her face livid. "I'm not Jak! And I'm never going to be Jak! I'm not going to abandon you and leave you broken. Why do you always think that I'm so much like him?"
Because you are, Keira thought. "Don't talk about things you don't understand."
"I do understand." Tears fell openly down Aithne's cheeks as she continued to glare at her mother. "I understand that you seem to think that I'm Jak Mar when I'm not. Will you ever see me, Mom? Or will I always be him?"
"Aithne…"
"I hate him. Nothing's going to change that." Aithne's face could have been soft, but her eyes were too sharp. "After what he did, I would think the same would be true for you. But that was never the case, was it? You've always loved him and I've always fallen in second place." Keira turned and made her way to her daughter, arms opened. Aithne jerked away. "Don't. I can't stand you." She turned and ran, Cyren dogging her heels, without glancing back at a shaking Keira.
Trembling, near tears again, Keira turned to look at Zen-Fai as the aging man leaned silently against the wall. Funny, there was no anger toward him in her. She was just tired now. "Please. I will ask you to stop training my daughter."
"And, Lady Keira, I will tell you no." Zen-Fai sighed when her eyes went wide. He pushed himself off the wall and strode over to her.
"Why?"
"Your daughter is angry, Lady Keira. Surely you can see that. She has been angry for a long, long time." When Keira nodded mutely, Zen-Fai pressed on, "That anger can release itself in unhealthy ways. I find, often, that these sparring sessions relieves one of their anger for a time."
So tired…. so tired… Keira rubbed her temples. She thought perhaps she would collapse from exhaustion right then and there. Jak, am I raising our daughter right or have I been making mistakes for these past seventeen years? "Do you think letting her fight with you is right?"
"I cannot say. That decision is to the parent of the child." Zen-Fai looked away. "I have no say in these matters."
"What about your son? Cyren? You allowed him to fight to control his rage?" It seemed odd to Keira that a boy, well-mannered, quiet and gentle, would have a rage problem. She thought he seemed stable.
"Cyren needs to know how to fight," Zen-Fai said mysteriously.
"Sometimes I don't even know who she is," Keira admitted slowly. "She's so much like Jak. The angry, hell-bent on revenge Jak. And I know if she knew that she'd hate herself. My beautiful girl, so cracked."
"Return home, Lady Keira." Zen-Fai's eyes went distant and dark as he stared out his window. Keira blinked and looked over at him. If the old man had been cat, Keira thought, his hackles would be up, way up.
"What?"
"Return to your home." Zen-Fai took her arm and led her to the door. "Please, do as I say. No questions. You are tired, sleep and rest."
Quirking an eyebrow, Keira allowed herself to be hassled out the door. She looked back at the old man and felt her spine stiffen. Something was up, she knew it. Zen-Fai's eyes were remote and detached. They were alert and deadly.
When she was gone, Zen-Fai moved to the back of the room. He opened the closet and grabbed a long, jagged sword that was meant to slice his enemies. Tentatively, he touched the tip. It had been a long time since he had used it, Cyren was not even aware of its presence. If he had been, it would brought up questions.
It was a rare, Sage-Harmona military sword.
He kept it in a sheath at his hip and walked over to rest against the door frame. His eyes scanned the night sky. He knew what he had seen. Zen-Fai had been trained for this very reason.
"Come then," he murmured.
--&--
"Aithne! Aithne, stop!" Cyren finally managed to get a firm hold on her arms. He gripped her and turned her around. Why was it he always ended up chasing this girl?
The girl's blonde head was lowered, ashamed. Tears spilled openly down her cheeks. "I—I hate that she looks at me and see—sees Jak. I hate tha—that I have to live in hi—his shadow."
"I know, I know." He brought her into his arms, stroking the contours of her face. Her hair was silky and fine beneath his finger. He wanted to inhale its sent but was afraid to make such an intimate gesture.
Sniffling, she allowed Cyren to lead her to walkway overlooking to the port water. They sat down, their legs swinging above the water and were silent. Aithne stared into the distance, while Cyren drew absent circles on the back of her hand.
"I hate yelling at her, after what's she gone through, but I hate being treated like him more." Aithne's face clenched in rage as she thought about it. Everywhere I go people say I look like Jak. Why is that? I can't. I won't be him.
"It's alright. I don't think you're like Jak. I think you're Aithne Hagai and my best friend." He placed his arm around her shoulder and she scooted closer tilting her head on an angle. Her lips were close for him to lean in close and taste her. He bit on his lip and resisted the urge to groan.
So close, Aithne. So close. If only you knew… what would you do if you knew? Scream? Hate me? Hit me?
"Cyren," Aithne said and leaned her head on his shoulder, clutching at his shirt fabric. "Thank you, for always being there for me. You're my best friend. You make me stronger when I just want to be weak."
"Best friend…" Cyren whispered and then found himself saying softly, "Aithne…" She turned her head and looked up at him, her lips a hair inch.
Finally, after years and years of wanting to, he closed the distance. Aithne's eyes widened moments before the contact, just barely realizing what was going to happen. Then, when the contact was made, her eyes slid closed and she leaned into him.
So this was what it felt like to kiss Aithne Hagai? It was better than anything he had ever imagined. He didn't know if she had been kissed before, but the way their lips slanted against one another made him think they were born to kiss each other. She tasted like tart and sweet and it lodged a deep, male groan in his throat.
His hands rose up to cup her cheek, hunching his shoulders over so he could lean his neck in without leaning his body. Aithne's head was tilted, making a small gap between their necks. Her hands were resting on his arms for balance and for leverage. Cyren felt her sigh softly against his mouth.
Their lips hovered apart, breathing hot air, fanning each other. Each wondered if they should take the dive for another kiss. Their bodies were inches apart, clothes almost fused with the heat of passion.
"Aithne…" Cyren sighed, touching her wet and swollen lip with his thumb. He kissed them again, gently. "I love you…"
He said it with so much sincerity, so much certainty that Aithne knew he thought it was true. Her lips trembled as new emotions rose up in her throat. Emotions she had never felt before, for Cyren at least. They were frightening and amazingly new. Her fingers were gripping his shirt and she felt as if she would melt into a boneless pool at his feet.
I love you. Aithne shuddered at the thought. These emotions, she had never thought about them before. Oh, she knew that Cyren was an attractive young man, but every time her mind had veered down that path she had snapped the door closed. Friends don't think that way about friends, she had told herself.
But it was obvious that Cyren hadn't followed that rule.
"Cyren, I—I… I…" Love? What did Aithne know about love? Actually, she knew a lot about love. It was love that had her mother crying herself to sleep every night. Love that made the divisions in her family. Love brings you nothing but pain, she thought. "I—I…" But then why was her heart thumping so hard as she looked into Cyren's naked, black eyes?
Black… no, they were purple. This close she could tell. A dark, dark shade of purple. Why had she never noticed before?
"Aithne—" Cyren began.
But he was cut off. Suddenly there was a ripping explosion. It rocked beneath Aithne and Cyren and had her tumbling into his arms. Screams filled the air, followed shortly by Metal Head howls.
Aithne and Cyren jumped to their feet as fire burst around them. People scrambled passed them, despite to escape the flames. Cyren grabbed Aithne by the waist as a Metal Head roared passed them, claws slashing at people. It caught a poor woman in the back and sent her flying into the sea, long dead before she hit the water.
Metal Heads…! Cyren thought in horror. He had never seen them before, had only seen pictures, and they were horrid creatures with razor sharp claws and foaming teeth. They could tear humans limb from limb. And, from the wild fire in their eyes, they wanted to.
He pulled Aithne to her feet and glanced over at his home. Metal Heads sprawled all over the walkways. Cyren didn't realize how far he had run from Zen-Fai, but they were on the opposite side of the port.
Father… He grabbed her wrists and shouted over the screams and howls, "C'mon! We gotta get to Father." There was sheer panic him. Please let him be okay. It never penetrated his foggy brain that Zen-Fai could handle himself.
Aithne pulled herself free and stared at the chaos around him. Her eyes went wide in her face. "My God…" she whispered and tugged herself free. "My God… Cyren, look. Look! Haven City it's, it's… on fire!"
It was. Haven City was burning.
AN: told you, didn't I? Last chapter of part two ends with a bang. A BANG! Not only a bang, but a hint of romance, a look at a new character, and another mystery. You might have noticed but Zen-Fai's hiding something… but what?
Part Three: amply named, Sins of the Father, part three brings the inevitable reunion between Jak and his bitter, enraged daughter. How will Aithne handle knowing her father's alive? Not only that, major mysterious will be revealed, including the Girl who worked side-by-side the Metal Head Kiff Fire, Hirmoyarbeshi's aim, Cyren and Zen-Fai's past, and the true face of evil. Not only that, but we'll meet some new faces, including two major characters who will be abound all throughout the last two parts of Jak IV! Celebrate for we are halfway done!
Reviews
Hellmouth2: I was very cautious at the decision to pull Jak away from the major part… I was very weary and considered rewriting the whole thing for the sake of bringing Jak back into Part Two… but then I realized, Jak has a much more profound affect on the entire plot by not being there. If Jak had been around, would Aithne be bitter, would there be a mystery, would everyone else are lives falling apart without Jak's absence? Believe it or not, Jak is more important to this story when he's not around.
Specter Von Baron: when I said humans, meant people with human emotion in general. Of course, anything that has the ability to think and act free of animal instincts because a driving force for angst. It's just usually humans. By the way… how did you like Kiff Fire? I hope you enjoyed her character thus far XD
Xazz: yes, lots of my major couples (or lack thereof) don't seem to realize it. Maelia and Ryu keep themselves oblivious because of their stubborn nature, Aithne is put off to the whole theory of love, and Cyren is afraid of destroying the friendship. That's how I envision—from personal experience—younger people would handle such strong emotions. Now, only the other side of the spectrum, Nik and Nyx were both aware of their sizzling attraction, but Nyx refused to act on it from her fear of being hurt again. This is how I imagine adults handle it, realizing it and accepting it, then reacting to it.
jaklover123: be warned, my chapters just get longer and longer. Normally, I don't make a chapter this longer, I try to keep them fifteen through twenty pages long. But if I did that for Jak IV, do you realize how long this thing would be?
Crazy Ottsel: I know I'm being a hypocrite—I complain when an author takes a while to update too—but this thing is HELL to write. Bear with me on the slow updates. A bunch of breaks are coming up soon, maybe then, hmm?
Teh Kitsune: Let me clear the air. Ryu is digging on Maelia. Hurt, sexual digging. Aithne's more like his skinny kid sister he's always beating boys up over. Aithne, he wants to lock away in a room. Maelia he wants to lock himself in a room with. Of course… he'll never admit that… You're awfully close to the Daxter situation. Awfully. XD As for Torn… it's basically how I perceive his personality. I mean… can you imagine tough, hard-ass Torn with a son in politics? You know, politics? Derived from the word 'poly' meaning 'many' and 'ticks' meaning 'blood, sucking parasite'.
GundamWingFanatic90: Don't worry about the scanner. Just get it to me when you can. As for the ages… next chapter I'll post a list of every character and there age. Ryu's in the chapter, but I'll post his again just for a minor recap of the last act, since it was kinda long and complex.
Chatterbox101: I love the baby, too! Little Merasaki is modeled after this toddler I used to look after. She as adorable! XD I would beg to baby-sit her. Unfortunately, there won't be a lot of Merasaki action, since she's going to stay really young throughout most of the story. Originally, both she and Sedet were supposed to have bigger roles, but I cut there ages down and decided to just have them those innocents touched by the war.
Toasy Tiger: yes, most people are looking forward to the meeting bewteen Aithne and Jak. After all, Jak's been gone for all her life and Aithne has sworn ever lasting hate on the man. That's gotta be rough, espeically for Jak who struggled all those years to give everyone, including himself, a bright future.
