Holmcross Project Deep: Lionheart -Courage-
Since that day when Harken attacked, Jack uttered few words. None pertinent to her, and none to Hanpan, whom he was close to on a personal level. Cecilia remembered that after Jack climbed out of the water he just stood in a trance, staring into the open sky. After that she helped him to bury McDullen, who had been killed by the female Demon knight in battle, on the outskirts of town before dusk arrived. The swordsman maintained a form of wordless communication which she seemed to understand perfectly. When to hand him a shovel, when to place the makeshift adornments around the grave…she understood it all.
His attitude had become drastically different, though. Something happened that night that Cecilia would never soon forget between her and the solemn fighter…something so amazing that it couldn't quite be put into words.
~~~~~
That night, at the local inn, Cecilia had been awoken by the sound of music. She couldn't sleep that well anyway, so she decided to investigate the source of the soothing sounds.
As soon as she stepped foot outside, the music became even more quite fluid as it echoed throughout the city. The girl looked around, to see nothing of great importance near her. Jack was nowhere in sight, yet the sound of the guitar was well within her immediate vicinity. She then looked up to see the silhouette of a man sitting on the roof of a house adjacent to the inn, playing an instrument while seemingly whispering something into the open air.
"…Jack?" Cecilia called out to him. However, it seemed that he didn't hear. "Umm…"
Looking for a way to reach his location, she noticed a pile of large crates sitting right around the corner, on the right side of the building. She was able to climb the pile successfully and reach the roof, where Jack sat mouthing something to himself silently while continuing to play the guitar. He had been so involved that he never noticed her come up. It wasn't until she called out for him loud enough that the delicate music stopped. In response, Jack raised his head up enough to see her out of the corner of his eye.
"What is it? Can't get any sleep?" His tone of voice indicated that his mood hadn't changed since earlier in the day. "Stay up this late and you'll catch a cold."
"No, not that. I just worry about you, is all…!"
Too late. Cecilia didn't catch it until it came out of her mouth. 'I just worry about you,' she said. "Damnit, damnit, damnit!" she silently regretted saying.
"Eh? Worry?"
"Wait a minute, I didn't mean it like that! I'm not worried!"
"No…no, that's right. You are worried." Jack extended his arm in a show of acceptance to her, and beckoned for the girl to come nearer. "Come sit by me."
Now, she thought, it was getting strange. He just asked her to come sit by him, and this was under no normal circumstance. Acting with a little caution, she did what she was asked and sat down next to him. Immediately, he put his arm around her in what was to her a surprising display of emotion. The overwhelming smell of hard liquor hit Cecilia hard, as she soon noticed.
"Ahh, that's it." he said. "Now, what are you worried about? You can say it, 'cause I won't be offended."
"N-No, it's nothing. Don't listen to my ramblings."
"C'mon. You came out here looking for me for no real reason whatsoever? I can't believe that you'd do that; you came here to talk." Cecilia was feeling real uncomfortable right at this moment, but couldn't muster up the strength to leave him. "So go ahead," he continued. "Shoot."
And shoot she did, with little hesitation. After all, she figured it was too late to back out now; what worse could happen? "I won't lie, Jack. I am really worried about you. And so is Hanpan, but he didn't come with me. Ever since that woman arrived, you've been acting quite strange. Stranger than usual, to be frank with you." She paused for a few seconds to gather up her willpower, then continued. "Was that woman…Elmina?"
"Sort of," Jack replied. The liquor had loosened his reticent demeanor, she noticed, because normally he would've shrugged off a question like that. "Yes…yes it was Elmina. I'm sure of it; it had to be her."
"All right," she continued. "What will you do now? Will you go look for her?"
"…I am not sure. Maybe not."
"What?" Cecilia gasped, shocked. Obviously she had expected a different answer from him. "Then what will you do then? She's alive; Elmina isn't dead like you previously thought! And she needs you, I bet."
"She's not…alive. She is, but…it's strange; I could feel her essence there. Whatever that thing was, wasn't really her. It had Elmina's shape and form, but she would never kill anyone that cruelly. But it…looked like her."
"I see…but~~"
"It looked like her," Jack said again. "It looked like her, it looked exactly like her…"
"…I…know Jack. It's all right." Cecilia consoled him by giving him a little hug. However, the atmosphere still didn't seem right to her. Something, she felt, was occurring. But she couldn't put her finger on quite what that 'something' was.
"…" The man looked away from her and into the open skies above, never missing a word. "She…gave me this guitar. When I became a member of the Elites. It was a wonderful day, that one…but, I miss those days. Those shining days of joy when I had no worries for the future." He paused, then looked down at Cecilia, who had never taken her eyes off of him. "Who knew a pack of bloodthirsty monsters would come and tear out my heart?"
"…Arctica?"
"Yes, that place," he said sadly. "It was that place, wasn't it? I hear of rampant monsters running loose in that place, from people all over the world. Someday, I'm going to return to Arctica and cleanse the hallowed castle grounds of foul monster life…"
"Really," she asked.
"…No. I told that to myself long, long ago. When I still had any shred of dignity or desire for a better world left in me. That, my dear princess, has vanished along with my sense of self-worth. But don't feel sorry for me…because Garrett is cold, dead and in the ground."
"…" How could she say something to comfort him there?
"Honestly," he continued on. "I have no desire to return to Arctica. Nor do I have any desire to see that…that 'woman' who killed those people again. So don't take anything I say too seriously, because it doesn't make a lot of sense. All of that drivel I uttered was a tainted batch of repressed memories from a man who refuses to fade away into obscurity."
"Oh, Jack…don't say that."
"Heh, it's true. You wanted to know, remember?"
"That's right, I did. But I don't think you should give up so easily like that."
Jack simply smiled at her wanly, admiring her perseverance. "You don't know how tough it is for me. Don't feel pity for me, because I'll only bring you down. You're still young, however, and you have the power to advance as far as you deem fit in life…"
"…Yes. You do too however," she told him."
"No…no, no, no. That's not right. I'm afraid I've already given up; that sentiment doesn't hold any water in this era of grief.
Obviously, his sentiment resounded with her. She, too, felt like throwing in the towel. But in this time of circumstances, she could only depend on herself for the inner strength she needed to continue on, and she knew that that meant taking fuller charge of everything. Obstacles placed in Cecilia' path were to be removed if her mission had any chance of succeeding…
"A 'leader'…me, a leader?" Cecilia wondered, glancing over at her fraught friend. "Before this, he was the one that supported me, whenever it became too much for the Innocent One to bear. Now, can I take on that role? By myself, as an independent, righteous 'leader' set out to right the impurities that grow ever stronger on this planet?" Honestly, it never dawned on her that she was able to lead people. But she was a Princess, so…
"Cecilia."
The girl didn't notice that he resumed talking. "What?" she asked, looking into his eyes sincerely.
Jack brought his gaze back down to her face. "Do you…know what love is?"
"Love? Ah, it could mean a bunch of different things to different people. Why do you ask?"
"I am beginning to think that I don't know what love is," he said solemnly. "I feel like running away from it all. Elmina is still alive, sort of. And that's all I ever wanted in life, is her…"
"I understand. You love her?"
"Yes. I do, really. It's just that…I couldn't ever face her again, after I failed to save her. She became a Demon, because I wasn't there. Isn't that odd how it worked out like that? But then again, in life you truly can't expect the pieces to magically fall in place for you."
"…"
"Once everything seems perfect…for once in your life, when all of the pieces are aligned in perfect position, it all comes messed up for you."
"…"
Jack gazed at her then hung his head in pity. "Heh, I'm the one who rambles, right?"
"What…oh, no. No! You're right; life is tough. I completely agree with you."
"…All right," he responded simply. "Cecilia…I have something to tell you."
She took her head out of her hands and looked at him again. "Hmm?"
"…I have made a decision. I can't stay with you any longer."
Cecilia's eyes widened at the thought of him leaving her. They had been traveling together for so long; he was like an old friend to her. And he tells her that he's leaving? "…Oh my god. No, Jack!" she exclaimed. "You can't leave me! I can't do this by myself!"
"…Cecilia," Jack whined. "I'll just bring you down if I stay with you! What's more, I could not protect you from that creep earlier on today! If I hadn't been there, he would've probably kidnapped you or something! Listen to me; you can do this on your own. You don't need me; you have Guardians and magic to aid you. What use is a pathetic swordsman like me to you?"
"That's…simply not true!" she cried. "It's not true! You're there for me all the time!"
"…"
"Jack! Say something!"
But he didn't say anything. Instead, he stood up, picked up his guitar and walked away from her, making his way down the stacked crates on the side of the house. "A ship should be coming any day now. Perhaps it will be one that can provide us safe passage back to the kingdom, where you could plan the next attack against Mother and her horde. When we get back to Aldehyde, we'll part ways for good. Emma, Johan and the others will most certainly be of more help to you than I have…" Jack saw the sadness in her eyes and tried to cheer her up. "Come on! It won't be that bad! You'll benefit if you take some of the knights with you. You're the princess, so finding adequate help won't be that tough to do!"
And that's how it happened. In a whirlwind decision, Jack Van Burace decided his skills were not adequate enough to help her out. He could say nothing to lift her spirits after that; his own were so far in the dumps anyhow. It was anything but a gentlemanly act, but Jack left Cecilia on the roof to be by herself, while he returned to the inn to get some rest. The sniffles and the sobs from the girl were very well heard in this dead of night. Each tear…each sob she emitted caused his heart to wrench that much further.
What can I do," he thought. "What must I do? Go back to her? Tell her 'I'm sorry?' I can't help her, but others can. So…" Jack stopped before he went back inside, looking up at the silhouette sitting on the roof, crying by herself. He wanted desperately to help her. But there was something stopping him. A lacking feeling that he couldn't put his finger on, but was detrimental to his abilities as a Fast Draw user. Jack looked up at her, shook his head in regret, and went inside to get some rest.
~~~~~~~~~~
The ship that arrived four days later sailed leisurely under the medium-strength winds on the high ocean back towards Aldehyde. Cecilia and Jack avoided each other for the entire duration of the voyage, albeit the ship being so cramped. Meals were eaten separately, and Hanpan acted as a voluntary go-between for the duo. Nothing worked, however, and it seemed destined that he was to leave the poor girl high and dry. It went even as far as the male counterpart sleeping out on the deck of the ship in the cold air of the sea at nighttime. Of course, it wasn't comfortable for either one of them. But Jack still had terrible regrets about what he did that night. Finally, one week later, they arrived at the kingdom, which looked as good as new after the attack…
~~~~~
"…Here we are…I guess…" Cecilia muttered to herself.
"Yeah….here we are…!" Jack tentatively agreed. "Home sweet home…! The place looks as good as new, a-ha-ha-ha…!"
"…Jack," she asked him, turning around to look into his eyes. "Please reconsider. I don't want you to leave. I'll be lonely by myself."
"You're not by yourself, Princess. Emma and Johan are here for you, not to mention the rest of the knight squad…you'll fare just fine; I'm sure of it."
"That's a lie! I don't know what I'll do when you're gone! I'll~~"
Jack held a finger to her lips, calming her down. Idle townsfolk had begun to stare at the both of them curiously. Some of them attentively recognized her as the heir to the throne without fail on first sight of her. "Shh, people are looking at you. Now…I need to tell you why I'm doing this."
"Please, say it," she asked him. "I want to know."
"That truth is…I will go to look for Elmina. I have to know what is wrong with her, and how I can cure her. So please, don't be sad."
"…" Cecilia was sad. And she made no attempt to hide her sadness from his sight. What made it painful was that she really did understand why he wanted to go; it was the woman he loved. "I…understand, really. I will still be lonely without you here. But I'll…find some way to persevere through such demanding times without you."
"See, there you go…it won't be that bad!"
At that time, High Council Johan, along with a small contingent of knights, came ambling down the path from the castle to greet her upon her return. The adviser, however, didn't look to be in good health; heavy bags were visible under his eyes, and his face & head were riddled with discolored spots. Cecilia picked up on this right away.
"Oh, Minister Johan!" she gasped. "Are you ill? What happened?"
"Ah, my…dear industrious princess…as youthful as ever…it would seem," Johan replied, laboring under short breath. "No, no…I am alright. However, I…cannot stand for too long. Do not worry."
"I worry though, even if you say not to. But, I'm here for you. Now…" Cecilia turned to Jack and smiled softly. "I guess this is goodbye…right?"
"Yeah…guess so. I hate how things had to be like this."
"No, I support your decision, even if I don't like it. But, she is your true love."
"Thanks. It really means a lot coming from you. Seriously."
Cecilia gave him a big hug, considering the fact that she would never see him again. She also gave Hanpan, who was sitting on Jack's shoulder, a little scratch on the head to show her affection to him as well. Upon exchange of final, tearful farewells, Cecilia escorted the weakened Minister Johan back to the castle, where they could begin to plan their next moves against the Demons. To Jack and Hanpan, it was a whirlwind affair; now it seemed like they didn't matter anymore. They immediately felt an emptiness that couldn't be repaired in their hearts upon leaving Cecilia.
"Jack?" Hanpan asked in a sniffling voice. "Does this mean we'll never see Cecilia again?"
In response, the man hung his head. "I don't know, sport…I just don't know…"
~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, back at the headquarters of the Demon Queen Mother, more wicked plans were beginning to hatch from the minds of evil…the kingdom of Aldehyde was secretly being monitored by someone. A youth stared at a large display overhead. To his right sat a large crystalline-reinforced glass tube, with something vicious glaring down at him through amber eyes, under a headdress of darkened feathers and a face seemingly sculpted out of porcelain. Finally, what the three pieces of darkened heart were meant to do had taken place…
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," Rudy laughed, looking at the large display. He began to pace back and forth, with serrated-edged sword in hand. "A-ha-ha-ha! Well well, look what we have here! It seems my pretty little canary as returned to her coop after all! Planning on destroying my liege without utter tact, Innocent One? Ha-ha-ha…you cannot do such things, child. Matters such as this are best left unattended to, allowing fate to take it's rightful course. And you've lost the only person willing to help you, as well…not a great turn of events in my honest opinion. I would imagine the Guardians would even agree with me on this issue--that you have already lost the war--Cecilia. Isn't that right….Mother?"
He turned to the glass tube and looked at the feminine enigma inside. Without said words she smiled a evil smile, further engaging his ego to new limits. At that time, Zeikfried abruptly entered Mother's domicile with a suggestion.
"I heard everything you said, Holmcross. Remember who you are; you certainly aren't one of us. However, I did not come here to break you into pieces."
"Ahh, I…understand," he hissed. "What is it then? Shouldn't you be tending to the woman? The queen and I will take a leave of absence, as we are departing for the Elw Dimension in coming days upon us. We have identified a suitable contact at official point 1F6-AL49 on Filgaian Map Source."
Zeikfried had been pushed to the sidelines--rather, demoted--upon Mother's arrival into the world. The queen leader held a mysterious bond with the boy, allowing him to take full control of the defunct Quarter Knights in his unceremonious ouster from leadership. He resented the boy, and he was starting to resent Mother as well, although he would never utter that sentiment aloud.
"Queen Mother!" Zeikfried pleaded. "Before you depart for the hidden dimension, I humbly suggest a quick campaign on the kingdom of Aldehyde to purge the Innocent One from her fortress! This is the most opportune time, liege, to be rid of our greatest enemy once and for all!"
Rudy thought about it and smiled at that idea, and turned to Mother as well. "Your son has a point; this is simply too great of a chance to forfeit. If we extract the healthy life from the defenseless Elw land, Cecilia would officially be a non-factor in the scenario anyway. Also, as much as I adore the idea of getting the life as rapidly as possible, I want to play it safe from hereafter."
Mother, glaring down at both of her followers, agreed to the idea without much thought. "So it shall be. Zeikfried, bring the girl; she will make a suitable meal when I thirst for blood once more. We will strike their home base tonight, in a night raid they will not soon forget." Mother laughed out loud; a chilling feeling echoing throughout the laboratory. "Yes, yes! Innocent One…girl in service of the Guardians…I will end your life tonight, and proceed with 'Ultimate Plan Divine'…"
Rudy nodded and smiled, leaving the laboratory in agreement with her on the strike. However, what he failed to tell her was that he had plans of his own as well…"
~~~~~~~~~~
Later that night, back at Aldehyde Castle in the Tactical Strategy Room, Cecilia, Johan, Emma and a contingent of hand-picked knights sat around a large square table with a map of Filgaia rolled out on top, tirelessly putting together an attack plan to kill Mother and retrieve the Tear Drop. However, all was not well…
"No, not like that, you fool!" one knight shouted at a colleague across the table. "Attacking head-on in this situation is not sound war strategy! Our troops would be annihilated instantly against their forces! Remember what happened in Saint Centour!"
The other knight jumped up from his chair, slamming his hands on the table. "Moron! What are you going to do, send our troops over mountains to sneak into their base?! Move the mountains themselves?! The very trip would exhaust at least two-thirds of the men, and that's just crossing the frozen terrain! We need to drop them off in Arctica for a quick purge, near their headquarters, so that he have a chance of succeeding…do you intend to lose even before you fight?!"
Knight #1 stood aghast at his insult. "…Unruly cur! I'm the war veteran, not a rookie know-it-all, like yourself! We old-school warriors can hold up in the harshest of conditions! We have the training that your generation never had the privilege of receiving! All because the kingdom needed the extra soldiers…ha!"
Knight #2 rebutted harshly. "What you did in the past is insignificant! We're dealing with an enemy that is beyond our comprehension; something that is paranormal, and you suggest crossing the frozen Meyar-Glassan Mountain Range to sneak-attack a force that would discover us even before we touched down on the battlefield? I may be a 'rookie', but that's better than being an old, stupid, senile fool with the strategical sense of a Pillbug! You run away when your hide gets whipped enough, I understand!"
"What…! You young punk…that's it!" Knight #1 threw down his gauntlets and jumped over the table, attacking Knight #2.
It soon erupted into an all-out brawl, with knights who agreed with one pitted against knights who agreed with the other, yelling and screaming at each other. Cecilia, Emma and Johan could not believe what they were witnessing before them; the deterioration of the Royal Guard. The princess shielded her eyes in total disgust and hopelessness. It seemed they were destined to fail with war plans, until a wall-shaking explosion violently jostled the castle. It threw everyone off of their chairs, practically. Amidst the uncertainty and panic that followed, the voice of someone familiar was being amplified from places unknown.
"Princess Cecilia!" Rudy sternly said, standing at the entrance of the city, which was incidentally now in flames once more. "Come out of hiding this instant! Give up! The city is surrounded by my minions, and your knights are dying out here with each passing second! You cannot win this fight! I repeat, you absolutely cannot win this fight against us!" A brief silence followed, then he began to speak once again. This time, his voice had a less patient tone. "If you do not come out, I will burn this entire city to the ground! Do you hear me, Innocent Once? Your loyal subjects will go to the grave, encased in charred, crispy flesh, if you do not come out!"
Almost as if it were on reflex, the Royal Guard unsheathed their weapons and left the room, heading out to the battlefield which was their fair city. "These boys and their toys," the eccentric Emma commented. "Must be 'sword envy'. When one whips it out, the others follow suit. Don't they know it's not how big the sword is; it's how you use it that matters? Heh-heh-heh…"
"Emma…" Cecilia moaned, shaking her head. "Not now, please…"
"Heh. But it's true though."
Minister Johan interrupted with an opinion of his own making. "Ahem! Princess…what will you do? It is dangerous out there…I for one will not force you…to go. But the citizens…the citizens…::hack, wheeze!::"
That was the decision-maker. Actually, Cecilia didn't give it a second thought; she knew her mission and what had to be done. "Emma, take Johan to safety. Get as far to the back of the castle as you possibly can. Get some of the maids to round up the other castle workers, and tell them to also get to the back of the castle. Soon, monsters will try to enter…and I want as few deaths as possible right now. So please…"
Emma waved her off, helping Johan up from his chair. "S'okay, Miss C. Get the people together, and get the hell out of the way is basically what you're saying." The quirky woman had made it to the door, with Johan at her side. At that point there was another explosion, which knocked pieces of brick out of the ceiling. Emma looked up and cocked an eye at this experience. "Shoddy work? If I live through this, remind me to deck one of the builders, heh…"
"You'll live, Emma…if I have anything to do with it."
"Heh, good…go out there and get 'em, girl. I'm rooting for you.
Emma and Johan left, while Cecilia stood there alone. She thought about all of the knights who had probably died by now, succumbing to the sneak attack…and of the innocent mothers clinging to their children, running away in fear of the imminent threat looming over their home and their lives. In retrospect it was like Saint Centour all over again.
But this time, she was going to do something about it. She couldn't run now.
"Father, mother…watch me on the battlefield. I swear I'll do my best, and I'll make the both of you proud…"
~~~~~~~~~~
"Jack, this isn't good!" Hanpan exclaimed, hoping up and down on the grass in front of him. "Aldehyde is under siege yet again! We have to help them out!"
"…" The man looked on from atop a hill, his chest rising and falling under heavy breath.
"Hey! Hey, Jack! Hello in there?! Hello?"
"…Is it…"
"What? Hello? Filgaia to Jack Van Burace! Cecilia is probably in BIG trouble down there!"
"…I…can I…?"
"Ohhh! You…you!" Hanpan glared at the man, who seemed to be in some sort of trance. "Forget you! I'm going back to Cecilia! All you've been doing is moping around out here, regretting how you left her. And now look what's happening down there! Well, that's fine. Because I'll have no part of it!"
With that, Hanpan scurried off to Aldehyde in a blue flash of light. Jack stood there in his trance, unable to even draw his sword out. Was he unable to head into battle at this time? Or was it because he didn't want to fight? He was missing something, and it was something he needed desperately to battle…something that he had lost in the previous fight against Elmina. Jack needed 'the power' that he so desperately searched the world for.
"The power…" Jack said in a daze-like state. "I need the power…that's it. Will you help me, Sir Lionheart?"
After around 30 minutes of just standing there, he made a decision. Although he wasn't sure it was the right one, it was a done deal. Sprinting rather quickly, Jack headed for Aldehyde once again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Mother, who had been flanked by Rudy Roughnight and his subordinate Zeikfried, stood over a mass of charred bodies that belonged to the Royal Guard and some of the townsfolk. Cecilia was exhausted; after firing off virtually every spell she could muster, her body lacked the energy to do anything, let alone move about freely. She sit in a slump before them, unable to act to defend herself. The smell of death, smoke and tainted power permeated her senses, as the girl struggled to get to her feet one again to battle the encroaching evil upon her. Shadowy specter-like monsters with blood-red eyes hovered around her as they beckoned her to accept her seemingly undeniable death. Zeikfried, with Elmina in his arms, put the woman down and pulled out his spear.
"The end is nigh, rebellious human…do not fight your ultimate fate."
"No," Cecilia panted. She tried to execute one more incantation, but it fizzled out from her scepter in the form of luminescent tinges of magical dust. "No, no, no…not now…"
"Ha-ha-ha…is that it, girl? I will admit, for one girl you put up a good fight. But you are exhausted now. You cannot maintain that magic forever."
"No, no, no…please…what do you want…with us? How come…all the death?"
Zeikfried stared down at her, not satisfied at her question. "You know why, girl! It is because you exist that so many are forced to die. If you would just die, then no one else would have to."
"I…cannot die…before my mission is fulfilled. Not ever."
"Ha, great strength of will, from a defeated girl with no magic." Zeikfried raised his spear, ready to bring it down upon her in full force. "Prepare yourself for the afterlife!"
"Noooooo!" a male voice yelled out from somewhere. "I'll not let you!"
The former knight leader jumped in shock and looked around at his surroundings, wondering who would disturb his rampage and where this person was. "What the…you dare go against the will of Queen Mother, my liege? Impudent oaf! Show yourself!"
"…Turn around, and receive your surprise, Demon."
Rudy and Zeikfried did just as the voice told them. The hulking knight caught a glimpse of a large saber flying at him at high speed, before it ended up being buried into his chest. Upon impact, Zeikfried dropped very quickly to the ground, mortally wounded by the stunning blow.
"…! What?!" Rudy exclaimed. "You! I thought you left Aldehyde!"
"I'm back, you traitor. And now I'm gunning for your neck!"
"Grr…my minions! Get him! Kill him now!"
The shadows screamed through the air and made a beeline directly towards the mystery man. He managed to escape their claws and bites to run past Rudy and Mother and retrieve his sword from the defeated Zeikfried's corpse. Cecilia looked up and saw a glorious sight before her…someone who she thought was gone forever. Someone who found 'the power'.
"Jack…I…I can't believe it!" she panted in relief, as tears rolled down her eyes.
"We'll talk later! Don't worry; this is my fight!"
The shadows were on their way again. Jack was ready, however…and as the lion idol in his head shattered in a blast of rock and light, he unsheathed his sword in a flash. Technique after technique had been executed, as shadow monsters dissipated into pieces under Jack's mighty sword skills. This regained power allowed him to fight once more, with strength and finesse etched into his heart. Shadow monsters swarmed the man in a cloud of darkness, only to be repelled through the power of 'courage' that Jack had rediscovered. His purpose in life now set in stone, he and his blade moved like the mighty wind itself under attack by evil. 30 seconds hadn't even passed before all of the shadow monsters had been defeated. After the swift battle, Jack raised his sword over his head and let out a primal war cry that struck fear in to the heart of the Queen Demon herself.
"W-w-what are you?" Mother stuttered in a raspy voice. "Humans cannot have this type of strength!"
Jack stared up at her through blue eyes that gleamed with inner strength. "You're wrong. Humans are capable of exhibiting tremendous amounts of power in times of crisis, and under extreme threat. We are all capable to doing this, which is why humans are not weak! We are powerful, all of us. And terrorism cannot break our collective conviction, nor can it shatter our courage!" Jack lowered his sword, holding it in front of him in battle position. "And I'll show you the power of 'courage'. Gyaaaaaaah!"
The renewed swordsman charged at Mother, running her through her abdomen with his blade. Purple liquid, just like Rudy's life essence, ran out of her in massive amounts, as she shrieked in unbearable pain. He pulled the blade back out and tried to stab her again, but she disappeared in a cloud of dark mist. Upon that, Jack turned to Rudy, who had reflexively taken the coward's way out of the situation.
"Stay back, you filth!" Rudy hissed, with his sword at the woman's throat. "If you want to see your precious Elmina alive again, you'll not move another inch!"
"!!! You wretch. Where is your bravery? Where is your honor? She has nothing to do with this, so leave her out of it!"
"Mwa-ha-ha-ha! I have things I need to do; you'll forgive me if I don't give a damn about honor or bravery at this moment!" he retorted harshly. "You say humans are strong because of your courage, but it is that very emotion that will get this girl killed if you persist! Think about it, human!"
"…No, I know that's not it. It's because of people like you who get innocent people like her killed! Now put her down!"
"Ha-ha-ha…Jack, I know your weakness now. And there is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent me from exploiting it!" Rudy sneered at him and took a few fearful steps back. "How about this? Since I couldn't kill the princess off tonight, I'll give the both of you a chance to kill me! Meet me at the shrine southeast of Rosetta Town in…2 weeks, and I will challenge you then. Got it? Mwa-ha-ha-ha…"
"Face me now, coward!" Jack yelled at Rudy. "I'm sick of your games! Now!"
"No, I'll face you later, warrior. You'll do as I say, or this girl is history!"
His final words imparted, Rudy also disappeared in a cloud of mist. Jack was left there cursing the skies as the city around him burned on in the night. He had made another decision; a decision that Justine--a Prime Emotion Guardian--thrust upon him in battle. He would stay to fight this to the end. This was no longer about honor or saving Elmina. It was now about justice and doing the right thing.
The final battle is on the horizon for the Innocent One and 'Garrett'…
Since that day when Harken attacked, Jack uttered few words. None pertinent to her, and none to Hanpan, whom he was close to on a personal level. Cecilia remembered that after Jack climbed out of the water he just stood in a trance, staring into the open sky. After that she helped him to bury McDullen, who had been killed by the female Demon knight in battle, on the outskirts of town before dusk arrived. The swordsman maintained a form of wordless communication which she seemed to understand perfectly. When to hand him a shovel, when to place the makeshift adornments around the grave…she understood it all.
His attitude had become drastically different, though. Something happened that night that Cecilia would never soon forget between her and the solemn fighter…something so amazing that it couldn't quite be put into words.
~~~~~
That night, at the local inn, Cecilia had been awoken by the sound of music. She couldn't sleep that well anyway, so she decided to investigate the source of the soothing sounds.
As soon as she stepped foot outside, the music became even more quite fluid as it echoed throughout the city. The girl looked around, to see nothing of great importance near her. Jack was nowhere in sight, yet the sound of the guitar was well within her immediate vicinity. She then looked up to see the silhouette of a man sitting on the roof of a house adjacent to the inn, playing an instrument while seemingly whispering something into the open air.
"…Jack?" Cecilia called out to him. However, it seemed that he didn't hear. "Umm…"
Looking for a way to reach his location, she noticed a pile of large crates sitting right around the corner, on the right side of the building. She was able to climb the pile successfully and reach the roof, where Jack sat mouthing something to himself silently while continuing to play the guitar. He had been so involved that he never noticed her come up. It wasn't until she called out for him loud enough that the delicate music stopped. In response, Jack raised his head up enough to see her out of the corner of his eye.
"What is it? Can't get any sleep?" His tone of voice indicated that his mood hadn't changed since earlier in the day. "Stay up this late and you'll catch a cold."
"No, not that. I just worry about you, is all…!"
Too late. Cecilia didn't catch it until it came out of her mouth. 'I just worry about you,' she said. "Damnit, damnit, damnit!" she silently regretted saying.
"Eh? Worry?"
"Wait a minute, I didn't mean it like that! I'm not worried!"
"No…no, that's right. You are worried." Jack extended his arm in a show of acceptance to her, and beckoned for the girl to come nearer. "Come sit by me."
Now, she thought, it was getting strange. He just asked her to come sit by him, and this was under no normal circumstance. Acting with a little caution, she did what she was asked and sat down next to him. Immediately, he put his arm around her in what was to her a surprising display of emotion. The overwhelming smell of hard liquor hit Cecilia hard, as she soon noticed.
"Ahh, that's it." he said. "Now, what are you worried about? You can say it, 'cause I won't be offended."
"N-No, it's nothing. Don't listen to my ramblings."
"C'mon. You came out here looking for me for no real reason whatsoever? I can't believe that you'd do that; you came here to talk." Cecilia was feeling real uncomfortable right at this moment, but couldn't muster up the strength to leave him. "So go ahead," he continued. "Shoot."
And shoot she did, with little hesitation. After all, she figured it was too late to back out now; what worse could happen? "I won't lie, Jack. I am really worried about you. And so is Hanpan, but he didn't come with me. Ever since that woman arrived, you've been acting quite strange. Stranger than usual, to be frank with you." She paused for a few seconds to gather up her willpower, then continued. "Was that woman…Elmina?"
"Sort of," Jack replied. The liquor had loosened his reticent demeanor, she noticed, because normally he would've shrugged off a question like that. "Yes…yes it was Elmina. I'm sure of it; it had to be her."
"All right," she continued. "What will you do now? Will you go look for her?"
"…I am not sure. Maybe not."
"What?" Cecilia gasped, shocked. Obviously she had expected a different answer from him. "Then what will you do then? She's alive; Elmina isn't dead like you previously thought! And she needs you, I bet."
"She's not…alive. She is, but…it's strange; I could feel her essence there. Whatever that thing was, wasn't really her. It had Elmina's shape and form, but she would never kill anyone that cruelly. But it…looked like her."
"I see…but~~"
"It looked like her," Jack said again. "It looked like her, it looked exactly like her…"
"…I…know Jack. It's all right." Cecilia consoled him by giving him a little hug. However, the atmosphere still didn't seem right to her. Something, she felt, was occurring. But she couldn't put her finger on quite what that 'something' was.
"…" The man looked away from her and into the open skies above, never missing a word. "She…gave me this guitar. When I became a member of the Elites. It was a wonderful day, that one…but, I miss those days. Those shining days of joy when I had no worries for the future." He paused, then looked down at Cecilia, who had never taken her eyes off of him. "Who knew a pack of bloodthirsty monsters would come and tear out my heart?"
"…Arctica?"
"Yes, that place," he said sadly. "It was that place, wasn't it? I hear of rampant monsters running loose in that place, from people all over the world. Someday, I'm going to return to Arctica and cleanse the hallowed castle grounds of foul monster life…"
"Really," she asked.
"…No. I told that to myself long, long ago. When I still had any shred of dignity or desire for a better world left in me. That, my dear princess, has vanished along with my sense of self-worth. But don't feel sorry for me…because Garrett is cold, dead and in the ground."
"…" How could she say something to comfort him there?
"Honestly," he continued on. "I have no desire to return to Arctica. Nor do I have any desire to see that…that 'woman' who killed those people again. So don't take anything I say too seriously, because it doesn't make a lot of sense. All of that drivel I uttered was a tainted batch of repressed memories from a man who refuses to fade away into obscurity."
"Oh, Jack…don't say that."
"Heh, it's true. You wanted to know, remember?"
"That's right, I did. But I don't think you should give up so easily like that."
Jack simply smiled at her wanly, admiring her perseverance. "You don't know how tough it is for me. Don't feel pity for me, because I'll only bring you down. You're still young, however, and you have the power to advance as far as you deem fit in life…"
"…Yes. You do too however," she told him."
"No…no, no, no. That's not right. I'm afraid I've already given up; that sentiment doesn't hold any water in this era of grief.
Obviously, his sentiment resounded with her. She, too, felt like throwing in the towel. But in this time of circumstances, she could only depend on herself for the inner strength she needed to continue on, and she knew that that meant taking fuller charge of everything. Obstacles placed in Cecilia' path were to be removed if her mission had any chance of succeeding…
"A 'leader'…me, a leader?" Cecilia wondered, glancing over at her fraught friend. "Before this, he was the one that supported me, whenever it became too much for the Innocent One to bear. Now, can I take on that role? By myself, as an independent, righteous 'leader' set out to right the impurities that grow ever stronger on this planet?" Honestly, it never dawned on her that she was able to lead people. But she was a Princess, so…
"Cecilia."
The girl didn't notice that he resumed talking. "What?" she asked, looking into his eyes sincerely.
Jack brought his gaze back down to her face. "Do you…know what love is?"
"Love? Ah, it could mean a bunch of different things to different people. Why do you ask?"
"I am beginning to think that I don't know what love is," he said solemnly. "I feel like running away from it all. Elmina is still alive, sort of. And that's all I ever wanted in life, is her…"
"I understand. You love her?"
"Yes. I do, really. It's just that…I couldn't ever face her again, after I failed to save her. She became a Demon, because I wasn't there. Isn't that odd how it worked out like that? But then again, in life you truly can't expect the pieces to magically fall in place for you."
"…"
"Once everything seems perfect…for once in your life, when all of the pieces are aligned in perfect position, it all comes messed up for you."
"…"
Jack gazed at her then hung his head in pity. "Heh, I'm the one who rambles, right?"
"What…oh, no. No! You're right; life is tough. I completely agree with you."
"…All right," he responded simply. "Cecilia…I have something to tell you."
She took her head out of her hands and looked at him again. "Hmm?"
"…I have made a decision. I can't stay with you any longer."
Cecilia's eyes widened at the thought of him leaving her. They had been traveling together for so long; he was like an old friend to her. And he tells her that he's leaving? "…Oh my god. No, Jack!" she exclaimed. "You can't leave me! I can't do this by myself!"
"…Cecilia," Jack whined. "I'll just bring you down if I stay with you! What's more, I could not protect you from that creep earlier on today! If I hadn't been there, he would've probably kidnapped you or something! Listen to me; you can do this on your own. You don't need me; you have Guardians and magic to aid you. What use is a pathetic swordsman like me to you?"
"That's…simply not true!" she cried. "It's not true! You're there for me all the time!"
"…"
"Jack! Say something!"
But he didn't say anything. Instead, he stood up, picked up his guitar and walked away from her, making his way down the stacked crates on the side of the house. "A ship should be coming any day now. Perhaps it will be one that can provide us safe passage back to the kingdom, where you could plan the next attack against Mother and her horde. When we get back to Aldehyde, we'll part ways for good. Emma, Johan and the others will most certainly be of more help to you than I have…" Jack saw the sadness in her eyes and tried to cheer her up. "Come on! It won't be that bad! You'll benefit if you take some of the knights with you. You're the princess, so finding adequate help won't be that tough to do!"
And that's how it happened. In a whirlwind decision, Jack Van Burace decided his skills were not adequate enough to help her out. He could say nothing to lift her spirits after that; his own were so far in the dumps anyhow. It was anything but a gentlemanly act, but Jack left Cecilia on the roof to be by herself, while he returned to the inn to get some rest. The sniffles and the sobs from the girl were very well heard in this dead of night. Each tear…each sob she emitted caused his heart to wrench that much further.
What can I do," he thought. "What must I do? Go back to her? Tell her 'I'm sorry?' I can't help her, but others can. So…" Jack stopped before he went back inside, looking up at the silhouette sitting on the roof, crying by herself. He wanted desperately to help her. But there was something stopping him. A lacking feeling that he couldn't put his finger on, but was detrimental to his abilities as a Fast Draw user. Jack looked up at her, shook his head in regret, and went inside to get some rest.
~~~~~~~~~~
The ship that arrived four days later sailed leisurely under the medium-strength winds on the high ocean back towards Aldehyde. Cecilia and Jack avoided each other for the entire duration of the voyage, albeit the ship being so cramped. Meals were eaten separately, and Hanpan acted as a voluntary go-between for the duo. Nothing worked, however, and it seemed destined that he was to leave the poor girl high and dry. It went even as far as the male counterpart sleeping out on the deck of the ship in the cold air of the sea at nighttime. Of course, it wasn't comfortable for either one of them. But Jack still had terrible regrets about what he did that night. Finally, one week later, they arrived at the kingdom, which looked as good as new after the attack…
~~~~~
"…Here we are…I guess…" Cecilia muttered to herself.
"Yeah….here we are…!" Jack tentatively agreed. "Home sweet home…! The place looks as good as new, a-ha-ha-ha…!"
"…Jack," she asked him, turning around to look into his eyes. "Please reconsider. I don't want you to leave. I'll be lonely by myself."
"You're not by yourself, Princess. Emma and Johan are here for you, not to mention the rest of the knight squad…you'll fare just fine; I'm sure of it."
"That's a lie! I don't know what I'll do when you're gone! I'll~~"
Jack held a finger to her lips, calming her down. Idle townsfolk had begun to stare at the both of them curiously. Some of them attentively recognized her as the heir to the throne without fail on first sight of her. "Shh, people are looking at you. Now…I need to tell you why I'm doing this."
"Please, say it," she asked him. "I want to know."
"That truth is…I will go to look for Elmina. I have to know what is wrong with her, and how I can cure her. So please, don't be sad."
"…" Cecilia was sad. And she made no attempt to hide her sadness from his sight. What made it painful was that she really did understand why he wanted to go; it was the woman he loved. "I…understand, really. I will still be lonely without you here. But I'll…find some way to persevere through such demanding times without you."
"See, there you go…it won't be that bad!"
At that time, High Council Johan, along with a small contingent of knights, came ambling down the path from the castle to greet her upon her return. The adviser, however, didn't look to be in good health; heavy bags were visible under his eyes, and his face & head were riddled with discolored spots. Cecilia picked up on this right away.
"Oh, Minister Johan!" she gasped. "Are you ill? What happened?"
"Ah, my…dear industrious princess…as youthful as ever…it would seem," Johan replied, laboring under short breath. "No, no…I am alright. However, I…cannot stand for too long. Do not worry."
"I worry though, even if you say not to. But, I'm here for you. Now…" Cecilia turned to Jack and smiled softly. "I guess this is goodbye…right?"
"Yeah…guess so. I hate how things had to be like this."
"No, I support your decision, even if I don't like it. But, she is your true love."
"Thanks. It really means a lot coming from you. Seriously."
Cecilia gave him a big hug, considering the fact that she would never see him again. She also gave Hanpan, who was sitting on Jack's shoulder, a little scratch on the head to show her affection to him as well. Upon exchange of final, tearful farewells, Cecilia escorted the weakened Minister Johan back to the castle, where they could begin to plan their next moves against the Demons. To Jack and Hanpan, it was a whirlwind affair; now it seemed like they didn't matter anymore. They immediately felt an emptiness that couldn't be repaired in their hearts upon leaving Cecilia.
"Jack?" Hanpan asked in a sniffling voice. "Does this mean we'll never see Cecilia again?"
In response, the man hung his head. "I don't know, sport…I just don't know…"
~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, back at the headquarters of the Demon Queen Mother, more wicked plans were beginning to hatch from the minds of evil…the kingdom of Aldehyde was secretly being monitored by someone. A youth stared at a large display overhead. To his right sat a large crystalline-reinforced glass tube, with something vicious glaring down at him through amber eyes, under a headdress of darkened feathers and a face seemingly sculpted out of porcelain. Finally, what the three pieces of darkened heart were meant to do had taken place…
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," Rudy laughed, looking at the large display. He began to pace back and forth, with serrated-edged sword in hand. "A-ha-ha-ha! Well well, look what we have here! It seems my pretty little canary as returned to her coop after all! Planning on destroying my liege without utter tact, Innocent One? Ha-ha-ha…you cannot do such things, child. Matters such as this are best left unattended to, allowing fate to take it's rightful course. And you've lost the only person willing to help you, as well…not a great turn of events in my honest opinion. I would imagine the Guardians would even agree with me on this issue--that you have already lost the war--Cecilia. Isn't that right….Mother?"
He turned to the glass tube and looked at the feminine enigma inside. Without said words she smiled a evil smile, further engaging his ego to new limits. At that time, Zeikfried abruptly entered Mother's domicile with a suggestion.
"I heard everything you said, Holmcross. Remember who you are; you certainly aren't one of us. However, I did not come here to break you into pieces."
"Ahh, I…understand," he hissed. "What is it then? Shouldn't you be tending to the woman? The queen and I will take a leave of absence, as we are departing for the Elw Dimension in coming days upon us. We have identified a suitable contact at official point 1F6-AL49 on Filgaian Map Source."
Zeikfried had been pushed to the sidelines--rather, demoted--upon Mother's arrival into the world. The queen leader held a mysterious bond with the boy, allowing him to take full control of the defunct Quarter Knights in his unceremonious ouster from leadership. He resented the boy, and he was starting to resent Mother as well, although he would never utter that sentiment aloud.
"Queen Mother!" Zeikfried pleaded. "Before you depart for the hidden dimension, I humbly suggest a quick campaign on the kingdom of Aldehyde to purge the Innocent One from her fortress! This is the most opportune time, liege, to be rid of our greatest enemy once and for all!"
Rudy thought about it and smiled at that idea, and turned to Mother as well. "Your son has a point; this is simply too great of a chance to forfeit. If we extract the healthy life from the defenseless Elw land, Cecilia would officially be a non-factor in the scenario anyway. Also, as much as I adore the idea of getting the life as rapidly as possible, I want to play it safe from hereafter."
Mother, glaring down at both of her followers, agreed to the idea without much thought. "So it shall be. Zeikfried, bring the girl; she will make a suitable meal when I thirst for blood once more. We will strike their home base tonight, in a night raid they will not soon forget." Mother laughed out loud; a chilling feeling echoing throughout the laboratory. "Yes, yes! Innocent One…girl in service of the Guardians…I will end your life tonight, and proceed with 'Ultimate Plan Divine'…"
Rudy nodded and smiled, leaving the laboratory in agreement with her on the strike. However, what he failed to tell her was that he had plans of his own as well…"
~~~~~~~~~~
Later that night, back at Aldehyde Castle in the Tactical Strategy Room, Cecilia, Johan, Emma and a contingent of hand-picked knights sat around a large square table with a map of Filgaia rolled out on top, tirelessly putting together an attack plan to kill Mother and retrieve the Tear Drop. However, all was not well…
"No, not like that, you fool!" one knight shouted at a colleague across the table. "Attacking head-on in this situation is not sound war strategy! Our troops would be annihilated instantly against their forces! Remember what happened in Saint Centour!"
The other knight jumped up from his chair, slamming his hands on the table. "Moron! What are you going to do, send our troops over mountains to sneak into their base?! Move the mountains themselves?! The very trip would exhaust at least two-thirds of the men, and that's just crossing the frozen terrain! We need to drop them off in Arctica for a quick purge, near their headquarters, so that he have a chance of succeeding…do you intend to lose even before you fight?!"
Knight #1 stood aghast at his insult. "…Unruly cur! I'm the war veteran, not a rookie know-it-all, like yourself! We old-school warriors can hold up in the harshest of conditions! We have the training that your generation never had the privilege of receiving! All because the kingdom needed the extra soldiers…ha!"
Knight #2 rebutted harshly. "What you did in the past is insignificant! We're dealing with an enemy that is beyond our comprehension; something that is paranormal, and you suggest crossing the frozen Meyar-Glassan Mountain Range to sneak-attack a force that would discover us even before we touched down on the battlefield? I may be a 'rookie', but that's better than being an old, stupid, senile fool with the strategical sense of a Pillbug! You run away when your hide gets whipped enough, I understand!"
"What…! You young punk…that's it!" Knight #1 threw down his gauntlets and jumped over the table, attacking Knight #2.
It soon erupted into an all-out brawl, with knights who agreed with one pitted against knights who agreed with the other, yelling and screaming at each other. Cecilia, Emma and Johan could not believe what they were witnessing before them; the deterioration of the Royal Guard. The princess shielded her eyes in total disgust and hopelessness. It seemed they were destined to fail with war plans, until a wall-shaking explosion violently jostled the castle. It threw everyone off of their chairs, practically. Amidst the uncertainty and panic that followed, the voice of someone familiar was being amplified from places unknown.
"Princess Cecilia!" Rudy sternly said, standing at the entrance of the city, which was incidentally now in flames once more. "Come out of hiding this instant! Give up! The city is surrounded by my minions, and your knights are dying out here with each passing second! You cannot win this fight! I repeat, you absolutely cannot win this fight against us!" A brief silence followed, then he began to speak once again. This time, his voice had a less patient tone. "If you do not come out, I will burn this entire city to the ground! Do you hear me, Innocent Once? Your loyal subjects will go to the grave, encased in charred, crispy flesh, if you do not come out!"
Almost as if it were on reflex, the Royal Guard unsheathed their weapons and left the room, heading out to the battlefield which was their fair city. "These boys and their toys," the eccentric Emma commented. "Must be 'sword envy'. When one whips it out, the others follow suit. Don't they know it's not how big the sword is; it's how you use it that matters? Heh-heh-heh…"
"Emma…" Cecilia moaned, shaking her head. "Not now, please…"
"Heh. But it's true though."
Minister Johan interrupted with an opinion of his own making. "Ahem! Princess…what will you do? It is dangerous out there…I for one will not force you…to go. But the citizens…the citizens…::hack, wheeze!::"
That was the decision-maker. Actually, Cecilia didn't give it a second thought; she knew her mission and what had to be done. "Emma, take Johan to safety. Get as far to the back of the castle as you possibly can. Get some of the maids to round up the other castle workers, and tell them to also get to the back of the castle. Soon, monsters will try to enter…and I want as few deaths as possible right now. So please…"
Emma waved her off, helping Johan up from his chair. "S'okay, Miss C. Get the people together, and get the hell out of the way is basically what you're saying." The quirky woman had made it to the door, with Johan at her side. At that point there was another explosion, which knocked pieces of brick out of the ceiling. Emma looked up and cocked an eye at this experience. "Shoddy work? If I live through this, remind me to deck one of the builders, heh…"
"You'll live, Emma…if I have anything to do with it."
"Heh, good…go out there and get 'em, girl. I'm rooting for you.
Emma and Johan left, while Cecilia stood there alone. She thought about all of the knights who had probably died by now, succumbing to the sneak attack…and of the innocent mothers clinging to their children, running away in fear of the imminent threat looming over their home and their lives. In retrospect it was like Saint Centour all over again.
But this time, she was going to do something about it. She couldn't run now.
"Father, mother…watch me on the battlefield. I swear I'll do my best, and I'll make the both of you proud…"
~~~~~~~~~~
"Jack, this isn't good!" Hanpan exclaimed, hoping up and down on the grass in front of him. "Aldehyde is under siege yet again! We have to help them out!"
"…" The man looked on from atop a hill, his chest rising and falling under heavy breath.
"Hey! Hey, Jack! Hello in there?! Hello?"
"…Is it…"
"What? Hello? Filgaia to Jack Van Burace! Cecilia is probably in BIG trouble down there!"
"…I…can I…?"
"Ohhh! You…you!" Hanpan glared at the man, who seemed to be in some sort of trance. "Forget you! I'm going back to Cecilia! All you've been doing is moping around out here, regretting how you left her. And now look what's happening down there! Well, that's fine. Because I'll have no part of it!"
With that, Hanpan scurried off to Aldehyde in a blue flash of light. Jack stood there in his trance, unable to even draw his sword out. Was he unable to head into battle at this time? Or was it because he didn't want to fight? He was missing something, and it was something he needed desperately to battle…something that he had lost in the previous fight against Elmina. Jack needed 'the power' that he so desperately searched the world for.
"The power…" Jack said in a daze-like state. "I need the power…that's it. Will you help me, Sir Lionheart?"
After around 30 minutes of just standing there, he made a decision. Although he wasn't sure it was the right one, it was a done deal. Sprinting rather quickly, Jack headed for Aldehyde once again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Mother, who had been flanked by Rudy Roughnight and his subordinate Zeikfried, stood over a mass of charred bodies that belonged to the Royal Guard and some of the townsfolk. Cecilia was exhausted; after firing off virtually every spell she could muster, her body lacked the energy to do anything, let alone move about freely. She sit in a slump before them, unable to act to defend herself. The smell of death, smoke and tainted power permeated her senses, as the girl struggled to get to her feet one again to battle the encroaching evil upon her. Shadowy specter-like monsters with blood-red eyes hovered around her as they beckoned her to accept her seemingly undeniable death. Zeikfried, with Elmina in his arms, put the woman down and pulled out his spear.
"The end is nigh, rebellious human…do not fight your ultimate fate."
"No," Cecilia panted. She tried to execute one more incantation, but it fizzled out from her scepter in the form of luminescent tinges of magical dust. "No, no, no…not now…"
"Ha-ha-ha…is that it, girl? I will admit, for one girl you put up a good fight. But you are exhausted now. You cannot maintain that magic forever."
"No, no, no…please…what do you want…with us? How come…all the death?"
Zeikfried stared down at her, not satisfied at her question. "You know why, girl! It is because you exist that so many are forced to die. If you would just die, then no one else would have to."
"I…cannot die…before my mission is fulfilled. Not ever."
"Ha, great strength of will, from a defeated girl with no magic." Zeikfried raised his spear, ready to bring it down upon her in full force. "Prepare yourself for the afterlife!"
"Noooooo!" a male voice yelled out from somewhere. "I'll not let you!"
The former knight leader jumped in shock and looked around at his surroundings, wondering who would disturb his rampage and where this person was. "What the…you dare go against the will of Queen Mother, my liege? Impudent oaf! Show yourself!"
"…Turn around, and receive your surprise, Demon."
Rudy and Zeikfried did just as the voice told them. The hulking knight caught a glimpse of a large saber flying at him at high speed, before it ended up being buried into his chest. Upon impact, Zeikfried dropped very quickly to the ground, mortally wounded by the stunning blow.
"…! What?!" Rudy exclaimed. "You! I thought you left Aldehyde!"
"I'm back, you traitor. And now I'm gunning for your neck!"
"Grr…my minions! Get him! Kill him now!"
The shadows screamed through the air and made a beeline directly towards the mystery man. He managed to escape their claws and bites to run past Rudy and Mother and retrieve his sword from the defeated Zeikfried's corpse. Cecilia looked up and saw a glorious sight before her…someone who she thought was gone forever. Someone who found 'the power'.
"Jack…I…I can't believe it!" she panted in relief, as tears rolled down her eyes.
"We'll talk later! Don't worry; this is my fight!"
The shadows were on their way again. Jack was ready, however…and as the lion idol in his head shattered in a blast of rock and light, he unsheathed his sword in a flash. Technique after technique had been executed, as shadow monsters dissipated into pieces under Jack's mighty sword skills. This regained power allowed him to fight once more, with strength and finesse etched into his heart. Shadow monsters swarmed the man in a cloud of darkness, only to be repelled through the power of 'courage' that Jack had rediscovered. His purpose in life now set in stone, he and his blade moved like the mighty wind itself under attack by evil. 30 seconds hadn't even passed before all of the shadow monsters had been defeated. After the swift battle, Jack raised his sword over his head and let out a primal war cry that struck fear in to the heart of the Queen Demon herself.
"W-w-what are you?" Mother stuttered in a raspy voice. "Humans cannot have this type of strength!"
Jack stared up at her through blue eyes that gleamed with inner strength. "You're wrong. Humans are capable of exhibiting tremendous amounts of power in times of crisis, and under extreme threat. We are all capable to doing this, which is why humans are not weak! We are powerful, all of us. And terrorism cannot break our collective conviction, nor can it shatter our courage!" Jack lowered his sword, holding it in front of him in battle position. "And I'll show you the power of 'courage'. Gyaaaaaaah!"
The renewed swordsman charged at Mother, running her through her abdomen with his blade. Purple liquid, just like Rudy's life essence, ran out of her in massive amounts, as she shrieked in unbearable pain. He pulled the blade back out and tried to stab her again, but she disappeared in a cloud of dark mist. Upon that, Jack turned to Rudy, who had reflexively taken the coward's way out of the situation.
"Stay back, you filth!" Rudy hissed, with his sword at the woman's throat. "If you want to see your precious Elmina alive again, you'll not move another inch!"
"!!! You wretch. Where is your bravery? Where is your honor? She has nothing to do with this, so leave her out of it!"
"Mwa-ha-ha-ha! I have things I need to do; you'll forgive me if I don't give a damn about honor or bravery at this moment!" he retorted harshly. "You say humans are strong because of your courage, but it is that very emotion that will get this girl killed if you persist! Think about it, human!"
"…No, I know that's not it. It's because of people like you who get innocent people like her killed! Now put her down!"
"Ha-ha-ha…Jack, I know your weakness now. And there is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent me from exploiting it!" Rudy sneered at him and took a few fearful steps back. "How about this? Since I couldn't kill the princess off tonight, I'll give the both of you a chance to kill me! Meet me at the shrine southeast of Rosetta Town in…2 weeks, and I will challenge you then. Got it? Mwa-ha-ha-ha…"
"Face me now, coward!" Jack yelled at Rudy. "I'm sick of your games! Now!"
"No, I'll face you later, warrior. You'll do as I say, or this girl is history!"
His final words imparted, Rudy also disappeared in a cloud of mist. Jack was left there cursing the skies as the city around him burned on in the night. He had made another decision; a decision that Justine--a Prime Emotion Guardian--thrust upon him in battle. He would stay to fight this to the end. This was no longer about honor or saving Elmina. It was now about justice and doing the right thing.
The final battle is on the horizon for the Innocent One and 'Garrett'…