AN: Ok here is teh chapter as promised now I'm trying to refrain from spoiling any more than I already have so here you go.
Aliensvspredator5- Glad you enjoyed the gift and heres hoping you enjoy the next chapter.
DonCossak- Thanks. Btw the secret ingredient is insanity. Makes for more funny characters don't you think.
HERE WE GO AGAIN…
The abyss. That's what lay before them. Like the very earth had been split open and from the fissure poured demons from the underworld. And now it was Jake who stood on the very edge, staring into the writhing mass of shadows that spilled from the chasm.
"So… What now?" He asked.
"Beats the hell out if me." Rorix responded, crouching down to examine the abyss more closely. He looked into the swirling torrent of shadows threatening to overflow the edges of the fissure until an idea sprang forth. "You think it wants us to take a swim?"
Jake walked over beside Rorix, "Well if it does the water had damn well better be warm. Its fucking cold out here." Jake also dropped to one knee at the edge, but in hindsight what he did next was extremely stupid. He extended his arm and brushed his fingers over the surface.
It wasn't warm. Quite the opposite infact. It was a cold so intense, that it chilled you straight to the bone. That absorbed any warmth around it and replaced it with the burning cold. It would also be noted that this wasn't water. When he touched it, it grabbed his hand and slowly started to climb his arm.
Jake was horrified at the darkness practically eating him. Try as he might he couldn't free his arm, and the more it engulfed the stronger it became. The cold numbed every it touched so as it worked its way up his arm it felt as if the arm below had simply ceased to exist.
Finally he found where it was his voice had disappeared off to. But the part of his brain that formed coherent sentences had also disappeared so all that wad said was, "HOLY FUCK… GOD DAMN… COLD!"
Arella was busy examining the demons still surrounding them when Jake's all to familiar voice rang out. But the panic in the words was something new and when she turned she saw exactly why he was panicked.
Rorix was at his side trying to free his arm without touching the shadows themselves. Jake was fighting to stay upright, else he would be going for a swim. Without thinking she flew to his side and tried to summon her powers.
But quicker than she could chant her mantra the black surged forth, grappling Jake and pulling him into the churning mass of darkness. Rorix stood and jumped after him but instead of sinking as Jake did he impacted the surface as the shadows solidified into a solid barrier. One failed dive and a concision later he resorted to pounding his fist on the surface in the vain hope of breaking it.
Arella watched the scene and knew there was nothing they could do from this side. Silently she uttered a prayer for Jake and walked over to calm Rorix.
Jake dropped into what appeared to be an underground cavern. But as with everything else in this world there was a catch. In here the whole place seemed to pulsate. The air seemed to move as if the cavern were drawing breath and exhaling. The ground didn't shake but a dull drumming, almost like a heartbeat, could be felt, traveling up his body like an unstoppable shockwave.
He took in his surroundings and the lack of exits from the room he was in. Now normally it takes a lot to get to Jake, but this world had been taking its toll on him from the start.
His eye twitched once. Twice. And for a final time before. "ALRIGHT CUT THE SHIT AND GET THE HELL OVER HERE!" He yelled into the nothingness.
A deep throated laugh echoed throughout the cavern. Then in a voice speaking with a slight amusement rang out. "My my, impatient aren't we. Most who know of me would resort to hiding and chanting their pathetic prayers, yet you go so far as to call me out. Well, here I am."
From the ceiling what appeared to be a tornado of shadows spiraled down and as it hit the floor it started to shrink. Revealing a figure, humanoid in appearance. The human-like thing was protected under a heavy plate-mail armor. Colored matte black with blood red shining through between the armor plates. Sharp edges and spikes jutted from the shoulders and to top it all off the gauntlets looked as if they could rip flesh from bone with a twitch of its fingers.
All in all it was a suit of armor that Trigon himself would be envious of. It was probably the most badass thing in existence in Jake's opinion but all that was lost on him at the moment, "So, you wanted a word? Well lets chat."
"Yes, lets. You see I am in something of a bind here, as are are you. I need an escape and you need to return." It spoke in a surprisingly civil tone. It took its hand and extended it palm down and fingers spread wide in front of it. From the gauntlet flowed a black ink that dripped to the ground. There it coalesced into something resembling a serpent. "The only way for either of us to leave is with aid from the other, seeing as you came here to find me I assume your needing something beyond just returning."
The black serpents slithered about, leaving a trail in its wake. Three concentric circles were left when it was done. After the circles were done it broke apart into much smaller worm like beings. The crawled to specific spots between the circles and wound themselves into symbols from a language he didn't know. Once all were in place the glyph lit up a brilliant white and the demon spoke once more. "This is the binding ritual, your mistress has already set up your end. Now all that needs to be done are the blood rites. Sealing the bond if you will." With that said it drew a highly ornate dagger from behind its back and stabbed it through its palm.
The dagger was withdrawn and from the hole in the armor bled a liquid black as night. It handed the weapon to Jake who simply raked it across his palm and let the red liquid trail down his fingers. The dagger was returned to the demon and it extended its hand as if to shake Jake's.
"Its going to hurt isn't it." Jake sighed already knowing the answer.
"Unimaginably." It stated.
"Fuck, alright lets get it over with." Jake muttered stepping into the still glowing glyph. The demon was but a step behind in entering. Jake clasped his hand to the gauntlet and immediately felt the effect. Sharp fiery pain shot up his arm and spread over his whole body. Every nerve cried out in pain, every cell in his skin, muscle, even bone in his his body all relayed the same message. It fucking hurts!
The demon gripped his hand tighter, that would have registered as painful in itself had his blood not been boiling in his veins. His chest felt like it exploded and his heart in particular felt like it was being ripped out. The pain didn't let up though. No it only grew more intense.
As the assault on his senses continued the room started to spin and the color drained from his vision. His legs faltered and he was left kneeling on the ground with one hand held above him and the other gripping his chest. The last thing he felt was his breathing becoming labored and that all to familiar sense of overwhelming fatigue.
Outside Arella and Rorix watched in slight wonderment as the pool of shadows shattered and a blinding column of light shot forth into the sky. The pillar dissolved in seconds leaving no evidence it ever existed behind. "Rorix closed a fist over his chest and spoke. "Good luck, Jake Arius. Take care of our little Raven"
Arella bowed her head and prayed that this was the right thing to do. After she was done she looked to the stars and gave a warning to Jake and even though he may not hear it he would feel it. "Do not hurt my daughter Jake, or I will find you."
With their business concluded Arella and Rorix joined hands and left the realm, headed home. Though in a far less dramatic way than Jake.
Back in Titan Tower Raven was broken from her trance by an alert from the monitors still attached to Jake. The readouts for his heartrate were so erratic that the machine was having trouble reading it all. His breathing was shallow and all signs pointed to imminent cardiac arrest. Her heart sank, twice over she was too late. And there would be no third chance for Jake.
Sure enough seconds later the dancing light on the monitor crashed into a single flatline. Tears started pooling in her eyes as she walked to stand beside Jake's body.
Slowly she brought her hand up to shut his eyes, still staring blankly at the world. As they slid shut a single tear fell from her eye and struck his shoulder. "I'm sorry Jake…" as she spoke she didn't notice the flicker in the EKG, nor the twitch of the fingers beneath her. "…for everything, I should have…" The flicker on the monitor grew into a steady rhythmic heartbeat and a fist clenched the sheet that lay beneath him.
A sharp intake of breath and eyes shooting open scared the hell out of her. Breaking her from her more depressing train of thought and flooding her with relief. On the other side of the room a medicine cabinet imploded in on itself, never again to be seen in this realm of existence but she couldn't bring herself to care. Jake was back.
She jumped forward and enveloped him in a hug all the while happy was in her mindscape practically jumping with joy screaming "JAKE'S BACK!" Over and over. And for once she found herself completely in agreement with herself.
Jake came to slowly and found Raven wrapped around him like a child would Santa. He picked up his arms and gently returned the gesture, whispering. "Missed you too."
AN: How bout it? Jake's back and Raven is sending furniture into the fourth dimension. Not a bad chapter eh? Well lets hear those reviews.