Episode 1, Chapter 5: Jack

When they woke up the next morning, they found themselves clean; not a drop of blood on their skin. Sure, they were still covered in bruises and their nose was still a consuming purple, but beyond that they looked completely fine.

They sighed, stretching and walking over to a chest near their bed against the wall, opening it and pulling out… completely clean clothes? When they'd passed out… huh.

They shrugged, putting their outfit on and making their way down into the Order Hall. Radar was waiting for them, twig-like figure darting around and cleaning things up.

"Oh! Jess!" He squeaked, spinning around to look at them. "You-you're awake!"

"Uh… yeah? How long was I out? The last thing I remember…" They put a hand on their head. "I punched a gauntlet. Then everything after that until I woke up is just… a blur."

"Well, Petra said you weren't really there. Your body had been… well, they'd called it 'borrowed' according to her… but I don't really know what that means." He looked up at them. "I guess whatever it did blinded you in one eye though…"

"Blinded?" Their hand shot up to their face, fingers tracing the eye that remained grey. "I… I mean, I guess you're right; I can't… see anything out of it. What in the name of the Dragon happened…?"

"You're better off asking Petra… sorry." Radar mumbled, looking away. Jess jogged outside, looking over in surprise as Petra waved them down.

"Jess! Over here!" She called, nodding as Jess stepped closer. "I… Oh, it's actually you!"

"What does that mean!?" Jess cried. "I was borrowed?! I'm blind in one eye, all because of- of THIS!" They yelled, thrusting the gauntlet into Petra's chest. "Radar says you're the one to talk to about what happened because my entire day vanished as soon as I saved you from this thing."

"Relax, dude…" Petra mumbled. "You were with me all day; we did what I needed to get done, the llama got rescued, I even walked you back to the Order Hall."

"But what in Nether's name 'borrowed' me?!"

"I dunno, it never gave a name; just that it was connected to the Gauntlet somehow. The 'patron' of it, or something."

Jess groaned. "First the Witherstorm, then the Portal Keys, then that time Lukas got swiped by that one weirdo… and now this?"

"I dunno man, trouble comes to you like a magnet." Petra shook her head. "If it helps, I know of a guy in town who might be able to help."

"You know of someone?"

"You'll see." A coy smile crept across Petra's face as they took Jess' hand. "I've been looking for an excuse to show you this place… and, maybe, to meet the guy who runs it."

They ran off into an alleyway, ducking as the gruffer-looking folk in the alleyway shot them venomous glances.

"This is Bad Luck Alley." Petra said. "Home of the off-grid and down-low sort…"

"And you're bringing the mayor back here because…?"

"Because there's a cool place I want you to see." Petra rolled their eyes, stopping as the two found themselves before a massive building shaped like a boat, red and white wool sails made to look as if they were folding in the wind. On the ship's bow was a faded banner sporting a menacing gray face.

"Who built this?!" Jess asked incredulously. "I've seen the sails from the Order Hall, but the whole ship… wow."

"This is Jack and Nurm's Adventure Emporium." Petra explained. "I've never met the two of 'em, but Jack is said to be one of the best adventurers of his time."

"And you're trying very hard not to melt into a fangirl puddle."

"I-Is-is it that obvious?" She stammered. "I don't want it to be obvious."

"Petra! Just be yourself." Jess put a calming hand on her shoulder. "You're part of the New Order. I think he'll be just as excited to see you… even if he doesn't show it."

The two entered the building, looking at the seemingly-uninhabited area. Petra skittered around, eyes sparkling as she took in all the various memorabilia. Shards of glass, another flint and steel, this one glowing a faint brown. Jess caught a glimpse of the flint and steel, rolling their eyes with an agitated scoff.

The two looked over at a simple stone button, then at the sign underneath it. "PRESS FOR SERVICE."

Petra shrugged, pushing the button. A buzz echoed throughout the building, making Jess tense up in surprise.

"I like a visitor that can take a risk." A gruff voice said. The two looked in the direction of the voice, finding an older man leaning against the doorframe, back to them. He had shoulder-length hair; mostly dirty blonde, but with streaks of grey. His shirt was faded and torn, arms scarred as he chuckled. "Welcome to the Emporium; you two are…?"

"I-I'm… I'm Petra." Petra replied with a squeak. "Th-this is Jess."

"Petra and Jess… ah." He turned his head slightly, his eye a brilliant grey. Jess' fingers immediately touched the lower eyelid of their own "blind" eye. "The Portal Power Couple."

"Well. I guess?" Jess mumbled. Petra looked away, blushing. "We uh…"

"We need an appraisal." Petra said flatly. The man turned around, smug smirk turning into a hollow look of terror as his eyes drifted to Jess' arm, the gauntlet swirling with energy.

"I…" He stammered. His body shook as he took a fearful step back. "I can't help. N-Not with that."

"Why not?!" Jess said, unexpectedly shouting. "We don't know what it is, and it's…"

"It's been possessing you." he leaned over the counter, grabbing Jess by the chin and locking eyes with them. "Left you with a mark of its power."

"A… A mark?"

"You lost sight in that eye, didn't you? And it's opposite to my own eye…" He mumbled something under his breath, looking at his hands and wiping them on his shirt. "With the eyes complete…"

"The eyes… complete?" Petra tilted her head. "What, can the Gauntlet suddenly see twice as much?"

"No, no! You- Jess- How did you get that thing." He pointed to Jess, hand quaking.

"We were rescuing a llama from the mines… it started talking to Petra, so I vaulted over her and grabbed it so she'd snap out of it…"

"But they ended up talking weird the rest of the day." Petra finished. The man looked like he was about to pass out, shaking his head in disbelief as a villager walked up from the back room, quietly wrapping their arms around the man.

"N-Nurm… Nurm they have it… they have the Gauntlet…" He babbled. Nurm cooed something in reassurance, the other man shaking his head and sighing. "R-Right… Gotta keep my cool. As best I can."

"You're Jack, and he's Nurm, then?" Jess asked. Jack nodded silently. "Then you guys can help us! We… well, I don't want this stupid gauntlet stuck to me, and apparently you have experience with it and getting rid of it…"

"But that's the thing, Jess. How you get rid of it."

Nurm rolled his eyes, mumbling something as Jack threw a hand up.

"Not. Now." He growled at Nurm, who sighed and tipped his hat towards Petra before walking back into the other room. "I got rid of it by single-handedly pissing off the most powerful entity in this world."

"We have a bad habit of making otherworldly beings angry as it is, Jack." Petra said flatly.

"And what was the most powerful foe you faced? The Witherstorm. Take that, amplify it by a thousand, and make it completely indestructible. That is the kind of power we are talking about here."