Sever All Ties
Chapter Fourteen: Into the Mine
Disclaimer: I don't own Radiata Stories or any of the characters in the game; they are the property of the brilliant minds at Square Enix.
Author's Note(s): Words in '…' indicate a thought. Words in "…" indicate spoken words. This story will proceed based on the assumption that Jack has joined Ridley on the path of the non-human. This path would inevitably lead him to face his former friends and allies in combat. It is these fights I will illustrate in this story. Some creative liberties will be taken regarding who they face (i.e. Jack will face opponents in this fic that you don't get to face in the game). I hope you enjoy.
As soon as Jack and Ridley appeared at Earth Valley, they immediately ran off of the road. Hiding in the bushes and trees on the side of the road, they had an excellent view of the Valley's entrance. Better still, they were able to remain unseen. They could see the whole length of the tall, steel wall that concealed the Dwarven city. Their first task was to ensure that they remained undetected. Looking up and down the wall, neither saw any signs of a sentry. Upon determining that they had not been seen, they proceeded to formulate a plan.
"There's no one at the gate," Jack said. "Positioning isn't going to be a problem at all."
"No, it won't," Ridley agreed. "We could climb to the top of the ridge and look down over the wall."
"I suppose we could," Jack said slowly.
"What else did you have in mind," asked Ridley. "Or do I want to know?"
"Probably not," admitted Jack. "But humor me anyway."
"This can't be good," Ridley said.
"Just hear me out," Jack said. "Why not just walk right through the main entrance."
"Are you crazy," Ridley exclaimed. Her eyes immediately went to the gate, intent on making sure she hadn't been heard."
"Maybe I am crazy," Jack said. "But it's the last thing they'll expect. They've probably got half a dozen brigades of knights in there. Not to mention the warriors from the guilds. Earth Valley isn't anywhere close to the Elf Lands, and there's no way an entire army could just show up without any advance warning. The orcs and goblins are the closest non-humans, and they're not going to try to take over Earth Valley on their own. Plus, you can bet that they're certain that they can beat any army that does show up to try and take the Valley back. The last thing they're expecting is for an enemy of any kind to walk through the front door."
"And there's a reason for that train of thought," said Ridley.
"What," asked Jack. "Like the odds being stacked against us in a fight? Don't worry about that. Ideally, we won't have to fight at all. We sneak in, figure out how many people they have, and sneak into the mines. While we're there, we'll get Dyvad his ore. It's simple. Even if we are seen, the plan still works. As long as we stay moving, they shouldn't be able to stop us from getting to the mines. And once we're there, losing them will be easy. They won't know their way around, and it'll be nearly impossible for them to find us."
"I suppose that makes some sense," Ridley acknowledged. "But still, that's all assuming everything plays out that way. What if something goes wrong? What if we're seen? What if there are too many of them, and we don't even make it too the mine? What if we get separated in the mines?"
"Usually, if something can go wrong, it will," Jack said solemnly. "And if we're seen, we'll fight. As long as you're with me, there's no such thing as an enemy I can't defeat. Most importantly, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'll be right there with you the whole time. And you'll be with me."
"It's too risky," said Ridley.
"Sometimes you just have to take a chance," Jack said. "If you don't, you'll never know what might have happened. Taking a risk doesn't automatically condemn you to failure. You don't always have to play it safe to win. Sometimes, you can't win if you don't gamble a little bit."
"All right," Ridley said with a sigh. "Let's do it then."
"That's what I like to hear," said Jack. The smile he gave her was full of confidence, and immediately made Ridley feel better. Both looked at the wall one last time before moving. There was still no sign of a guard, so they stood up and walked to the path.
As the two approached the front gate, they couldn't help but look around. Ridley was holding her axe in a ready position, and Jack had loosened his saber in its scabbard. When they came within a foot of where the automatic door would open, Ridley stopped. Jack stopped as well, and turned to look at her. When she turned, their eyes met, and he saw uncertainty written all over her face. Once again, he smiled at her, determined to keep her spirits up.
"Don't worry," Jack said. "Nothing's going to happen. I promise."
"I hope not," Ridley replied. With that, she stepped forward.
The automatic door took what seemed to be an eternity to open, but when they did, Jack and Ridley wasted no time in rushing in. They quickly took cover behind a stack of crates to their left. From this vantage point, they were able to see what was going on all over the Valley, without being detected. Gawain had been correct in his estimation of the forces stationed at Earth Valley. Radiata knights and guardsmen were present, as well as mages from the Vareth Institute. There were many knights. It seemed to Jack as if at least five brigades had to be present. The guardsmen further increased their numbers to the point where they represented a sizeable portion of Radiata's strength. Additionally, the number of mages present was surprising. No doubt they were attempting to use their magic to extract the ore that the dwarves had previously secured for them. Everyone seemed to have his or her own agenda, as they were all moving to and from various locations with a great deal of haste.
"So now what," Ridley whispered.
"We'll have to move eventually," Jack replied. "We can sneak along the top tier no problem, but eventually we'll have to descend to the bottom, and that'll be tough to do without being seen. We'll be the most vulnerable when we're crossing the bridge into the mines. Speaking of which, now's as good a time to move as any."
"Jack," Ridley said, grabbing his arm. "We don't have to do this. We've seen their strength, and we can leave. There's no telling what will happen if we're seen."
"We'll be all right," said Jack. "Just stay close to me."
With these words, Jack stood up and began to move. He and Ridley moved to a haphazard pile of boxes in front of the Boulder Frog Inn, where they had stayed while here on their first mission. After a few moments, they snuck down, pressing flat against the side of the elder's residence. The structure was elegantly built, with several nooks that made it easy to hide. Jack hesitated longer before moving again. After a moment, Ridley understood why. Jack was carefully eying the patrolling knights, mages, and guardsmen. Descending the main stirs was when they ran the greatest risk of being seen, and he would not move until he was certain that this would not happen. Finally, Jack decided that they could move safely. He moved quickly, knowing they had very little time to make it to the bottom of the stairs. Ridley followed close behind him.
When they reached the bottom, Jack slid behind the stairs, and motioned for Ridley to do the same. From here, they were able to watch the movements of the guardsmen and guild members with relative impunity. There was no reason for them to look under the stairs. Soon, Jack decided to risk moving again. The guardsmen in front of them had entered the Blacksmith Gehrmann's residence, no doubt a changing of shifts. If they were going to cross, this was their chance. Coming out from behind the stairs, Jack slipped stealthily along the path to the far stairs. Ridley was close behind. Just as they were nearing Dyvad's Blacksmith Shop, Jack heard movement behind them. Back pivoting, he grabbed Ridley and threw himself on the ground. As he went down, a lightning bolt streaked past where they had just been standing. Looking up, Jack saw Christoph standing on the stairs they had just used. The Vareth Instructor had a solemn expression on his face. His assistant, Jill, did not look any more cheerful. Jack stood up, and helped Ridley to her feet.
"And here I though nobody had seen us," Jack said. "Guess I was wrong, huh Christoph."
"Actually, you were undetected until just now," Christoph replied.
"We were coming out of the ore deposit and saw you sneaking out from behind the stairs," Jill said.
"I was worried about that," Jack said. "But in the interest of time, I thought we could gamble a little bit. So, what are you working on here?"
"We're trying to develop ore mining machines," said Christoph. "And yourself?"
"Just a little reconnaissance work," Jack answered.
"Ah," Jill said. "Still gathering items for people."
"Something like that," Jack said.
"And this must be the Lady Ridley," Christoph continued. "You two have garnered a great deal of infamy back home."
"That can't be helped," Jack said. "What were President Ross' orders for encountering us?"
"The same thing the king said," Jill replied. "Anyone who meets you and doesn't engage you is guilty of treason."
"I see," said Jack.
"Jack," Ridley said suddenly. When he turned, Jack saw that the knights had finally come out of the blacksmith shop behind them.
"I know," Jack said. "After we were seen, we weren't going to get away without a fight. What's more, we've got some of Vareth's apprentice mages watching us from the catwalks above."
"Then you know the futility of resisting," Christoph said in a level tone. "Why not make this easier on all of us and turn yourselves in? You can't beat all of us, and there's nowhere for you to run, but it's senseless for more to die then already have. I can't guarantee leniency if you surrender, I will speak for you and recommend it."
"I knew all too well that this might happen," Jack said slowly. "I knew when we came into the Valley that it could come to this."
"You gambled and lost," Jill said. "Let's not make it any worse."
"We were found out," Jack began. "We haven't lost anything."
As he spoke these words, Jack looked at Ridley. Her face was full of determination. She would not give up, no matter what happened. As the knights began to close in, Jack turned, so that he was standing back to back with Ridley. His hand slowly crept to the hilt of his saber. More guardsmen had joined the mages above them, and there were still knights behind them. He knew that their one chance was to keep moving.
"Jack," Ridley said softly. "Can we do this?"
"Don't worry," Jack replied. "I'll fight my way back the way we came, and you take care of the guys down here. There's nothing but knights and guardsmen. Don't stop moving, keep your eyes open. Watch for magic spells from above. And believe."
"One last chance Jack," said Christoph. "We don't have to fight."
"Sorry," Jack replied. His grip tightened on the saber's hilt. "But we do."
As the words left his mouth, Jack lunged forward, his sword flying from its scabbard. He needed to defeat the two most powerful mages first. However, several guardsmen stepped onto the staircase between he and Christoph. When they tried to attack, Jack skillfully evaded their blows. Counterattacking, he hammered into their armor, pushing them back. Sword racing, he managed to attack and defend almost simultaneously. Making steady progress, his climb continued. All the while, Jack moved from side to side. Magic borne ice shards struck all around him, yet known found their mark. As he pushed his way forward, he kept his eyes open for both Christoph and Jill. Seeing a lightning strike go past, he knew Christoph was still at the top of the stairs.
When he reached the pinnacle of the steps, Jack was immediately surrounded by apprentice mages. Instantly, half a dozen mage staffs were pointed at him. Undaunted, Jack raised his sword. When the mages fired their ice shards, Jack swung his sword. The heat put off by the blaze saber liquefied the ice before it could touch him. Without any hesitation, he rushed forward to take the offensive. Stunned, the mages fell out of their formation. They continued to use their ice attacks in a futile attempt to hit Jack. Nothing worked, however, and the distance closed. One tried to use his staff as a club, but the blaze saber cut through it easily. Turning quickly, he cut down another guardsman and moved to attack once more. When he rolled to the side, an ice shard flew past Jack, and slammed into a mage behind him. Jumping to his feet, Jack continued his offensive, running along the middle tier, parallel to the lower. He made his way past the elder's residence, and toward the rooftop of Brockle's Blacksmith Shop. He defeated everyone who stood in his path, steadily making his way toward his objective: Christoph and Jill.
These two were far from oblivious to his efforts. Instead, they were doing all they could to stop, or at least slow his efforts. It seemed to Jack that every time he looked in Christoph's direction, he saw a lightning bolt lancing toward him. His constant movement made it difficult for the mage to get in a good shot without endangering his comrades' lives. Jill's earth magic made it even harder for him to keep his balance. She had improved to the point where she could make even the ground beneath him shake as he ran toward her. The end result was that the spells cast by the mages were more likely to hit their own allies then their target. As he kept moving, Jack cut down everyone who stood in his path. The blaze saber blurred as it swung back and forth. Finally, he finished off the man in front of him, and saw Christoph directly in front of him.
Charging forward, Jack slammed his shoulder into the Vareth Professor. As Christoph staggered back, Jack's upward slash cut into him. He then stepped over the fallen man to advance on his assistant. Jack had raised his sword to attack, when he heard his name shouted from below. When he looked down, he saw that it was Ridley who had called out to him. While she had done an impressive job thus far, she was doing all she could to fend off the attacks directed at her by the Radiata Knights. After advancing in the beginning, the young girl was now being forced to give ground. Her axe moved quickly from side to side, trying to keep the attackers at bay. Then, overanxious knight stepped forward, and Ridley took advantage. When he raised his sword overhead, the full force of her axe hit him in the chest. As he staggered back, however, two more knights stepped up to attack. He had to hurry.
Turning quickly, Jack evaded an ice shard from behind, and began advancing once more. In front of him, Jill was preparing her attack. Without any hesitation, he lunged forward. A guardsman stepped between them, and prepared to attack. Jack's sword sliced through the haft of his mace in mid-stroke. Pivoting on his heel, Jack left a slash running the length of the man's back. Whirling, he cut through an approaching knight, and continued forward. Then, Jill came into view. Her face was pale, and her eyes showed fear. She was trying to calm herself enough to use her magic. Just as Jack was closing the distance, he saw the ground begin to tremble in front of him. Instinctively he launched himself into the air. An instant later, the ground where he had been standing seemed to explode, ripping a massive hole in the walkway. The hole had torn through all levels of the walkway, and it was now possible for one to fall into the seemingly bottomless pit that Earth Valley was built on. Mages and guardsmen alike were afflicted. Some fell in, while others were forced to take cover to protect against falling debris. Meanwhile, Jack landed gracefully behind Jill, on the rooftop of Brockle's forge. He stepped onto the walkway, and kicked her as she was turning to face him. While she was trying to rise, Jack rushed forward again. Attacking in desperation, Jill threw a wall of earth at him. A single stroke from the blaze saber was enough to penetrate this meager defense. Jill had run backward, and was continuing to use every spell she had. Chunks of earth were easily deflected, and Jack kept moving forward. The idea that Jill might not know where her crater was occurred to Jack only an instant before she fell. Stepping backward one step too far, Jill's foot met only air. She let out a wail as she fell into the abyss.
Now, Jack was free to focus on Ridley. Sprinting across the walkway, he made his way back to Brockle's roof. When he reached the forge, Jack jumped off. Descending upon the knights, Jack's attack immediately removed one of their number. Quickly, he continued the offensive. Beset by knights on either side, Jack was forced to move constantly. Shifting between attack and defense, he managed to hold off the knights. On his right, Ridley had begun fighting even harder, trying to get to him. When she finally reached his side, the two turned and faced the rest of the men in front of them. Advancing, they forced the knights to give ground. Jack swung his sword with new energy, determined to reach the mines safely. Descending the stairs after Gehrmann's forge, they took advantage of the knights stumbling. They were unable to walk down the stairs backward while fighting, and lost men because of this. Finally, they made it to the bridge that led to the mines. Several powerful sweeps of Jack's sword cleared the width of the bridge, knocking the attackers off.
Jack turned and looked one last time at the Dwarven City. It would be some time before they were pursued, owing mainly to the hole in the walkway. Jill's magic had made it all but impossible for anyone to get from the upper tiers to the lower ones. More knights and mages could already be seen, though they were now preoccupied with assisting their wounded comrades. They would not be pursued for some time. Determined to keep moving, Jack turned and started into the mine.
Vegeta26: There's one more finished. This one was pretty fun to write. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Don't forget to review and let me know what you think. Later.
Luminous Blane: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like the story. I chose the path of the human the first time through, too. Good luck on the path of the non-human.
Blue Persuasion: As much as I'd like to put action in every chapter, it doesn't always work. And yes, the story moves better without action in every chapter. Glad you're still liking the Jack/Ridley angle. Zane's character was a little difficult to write, but I thought it fit.
Stizzo: You know, for writing such a long, detailed critique of my work, you didn't really SAY very much. Here, let me sum up all 31 lines of your review for you… "I missed the point." See, that wasn't hard. You could have just said it. The entire point of this story is to explore the idea that Jack would have had to face his friends in battle by choosing the path of the non-human. In the game, there is no dialogue or suggestion that these encounters are anything more then regular battles. It seemed blatantly obvious to me that this would not be the case. It also seemed clear that Jack would not remain unchanged by these encounters. Therefore, I set out to write a story that explored this possibility. As for this affecting the tone of the story…that would be the point. The seriousness in my story was not in the game. Hence, my story. Further, I find it hilarious that you would read a story that is categorized as a tragedy and comment in your review that it doesn't keep the lighthearted tone of the story. Good job with that. I should also point out that Jack is far from being "on a killing spree," as you so eloquently put it. In fact, I took great care to incorporate his remorse into the storyline. Jack has realized that being in a war means he has to face his friends without any hesitation, and acknowledged that they will not hesitate against him. This doesn't mean he enjoys it, but only that he knows what's going on and is adapting. When it comes to finishing his former friends off, I point once again to the difference between this Jack (the one who recognizes his situation) and the game's Jack (the one who is blissfully ignorant of everything around him for the majority of the non-human path). Oh, and here's the best part…you admittedly haven't even finished the non-human path. You don't even know what happens in the storyline you're saying I've written wrong. I know I encourage people to review at the end of each chapter and I'm glad you read that, but I didn't figure I'd have to tell them to use their brains. If you're going to review, think about what you're writing, seriously.