Sever All Ties
Chapter Thirty Seven: Determination
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.
When he appeared at the Lupus Gate, Jack immediately scanned his surroundings for guardsmen or knights. The road was clear, and the trees by the side of the road hid no one. He glanced furtively at the entrance to Radiata and couldn't see a guardsman at the gate. He was searching the road ahead when Ganz and Gil appeared next to him. Ganz had his great two-handed sword slung over his back, and Gil was carrying a small satchel over his shoulder. Both wore looks of determination on their faces. Wordlessly, the three turned and stared down the road toward the Septem Region. Jack took the first few steps slowly, but he was running at full speed before he even reached the other side of the Adien Region. Gil was gliding along right behind him, effortlessly keeping pace. Ganz, however, was struggling to keep up. Jack pressed on at full speed until they approached the bridge to the Septem Region; he slowed down and quietly slipped off of the path to determine the next move. Gil and Ganz silently joined Jack as he attempted to decide the best course of action.
"What do you think, Master Jack," Ganz inquired.
"I'm thinking we don't have time to waste here," Jack replied. His hand reached for the hilt of the Arbitrator. "Just get across and let's keep moving."
Sprinting into the open, Jack drew his sword as he rushed the bridge. Behind him, he heard Ganz and Gil rushing forward as well. They were nearly to the bridge before they were noticed, and Jack was in the midst of the guardsmen before they had the chance to attack. He bowled over the man standing at the foot of the bridge and forced his way up the steps. When he made it onto the bridge, Jack rushed the three men who were waiting for him. He skillfully evaded and parried attacks as he quickly made his way to the other side. Glancing back to make sure that his friends were still making progress, Jack twisted his body and swung his sword. The first man's weapon was knocked from his hand by the force of the blow, and Jack stepped past him. The second guard was struck by the Arbitrator's hilt and crumpled to the ground. Finally, the last man's attack was parried, and Jack raced down the stairs. Racing away, he cast a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure that Gil and Ganz were still behind him.
On any other day, Jack would have smiled at the beauty of the Septem Region. The sun was still climbing in the morning sky, and a gentle breeze created a rippling effect as it made its way through the tall, golden grass. He would have watched the birds flitting from tree branch to tree branch; he would have noticed the rocks that protruded from the hard dirt, and the little flowers that grew all around them. These were details that rarely escaped Jack's notice, and he had once remarked that the Septem Region was the most beautiful in Radiata. On this day, however, he was only focused on getting through to the Dysett Region as quickly as possible. Running frantically down the path, Jack would not allow himself to become distracted. Even when a smilodon lunged at Jack from the tall grass along the roadside, he simply stepped to the side and drew his sword. The Arbitrator cut into the creature as it hit the ground, and he followed the first stroke with a second, before thrusting his blade into the creature. He quickly cleaned the blade before sheathing it and resuming his race through the Septem Region.
As he made his way further south, Jack began to feel the air getting warmer. It was a dry heat, which he knew meant he was close to his destination. As Jack sprinted around a bend in the path, he saw the bridge leading to the Dysett Region. Without any hesitation, he jumped onto the stairs and raced across the bridge. Gil was still right behind him, but Jack was three quarters of the way across before he heard Ganz's heavier footsteps on the bridge. Nevertheless, he refused to slow, and made his way down the stairs at the opposite end. The transition to desert was almost immediate; there were a few small patches of grass on the side of the road, and there was a little bit of red dirt before the it became the bare sand of the Dysett Region. The dry heat of the midday desert sun hit Jack immediately. The combination of the heat and the reduced traction caused by the sand forced Jack to slow down his pace. Nevertheless, he forged ahead, trying to maintain the blistering pace he had set earlier. Jack's eyes scanned the area around the road, challenging any of the desert's creatures to impede his progress.
Though he made his way through the desert region unscathed, Jack was tired and hot by the time the end of the Dysett Region came into view. His face was flushed, and he was covered in sweat. As their destination came into view, Jack suddenly stopped. Gil stopped right next to Jack, and Ganz slowed to a stop. Looking in front of them, it wasn't immediately clear to his companions why Jack had stopped. Standing on either side of him, Ganz and Gil looked from side to side, trying to determine why he had come to a halt. When Ganz took a tentative step forward, Jack held out his arm and signaled for the older man to stop. Jack's eyes never left the road directly in front of them. He was still looking there when a figure emerged from behind the rock formation to their left. The man walked calmly into the middle of the road and turned to face the warriors from Fort Helencia; he was staring directly at Jack. The young swordsman gave a small nod to his companions before stepping in front of them alone.
Jack stopped a dozen feet away from his opponent. The man was taller than he, and clearly older. His brown hair was cut short and he had some facial hair, but the eye patch and scar over his left eye were the distinguishing features. He was muscular, and simply dressed; sweat had already formed on him as well. He looked calm as Jack approached, but his eye stayed fixed on the younger man. His hands were at his side, and he held two swords. The two swordsmen locked eyes as Jack came to a stop. Jack's face was expressionless as he faced his former mentor. Gerald, Theater Vancoor's second-in-command, had been a major influence on Jack while he was in Radiata. Now, he would have to face the man who had taught him so much. Gerald had a frown on his face as he spoke.
"What took you so long," he asked.
"Deputy Chief," Jack began. "You can't stop me."
"Who said I was trying to," Gerald asked. "I'm impressed with you; turning your back on the world for a woman."
"Thanks, but I'm kind of in a hurry," Jack said. He began to step forward, but Gerald pointed a sword at him.
"I didn't say I'd let you pass," said Gerald. "I'm impressed with you, but we have some business to settle."
"I thought we might," Jack said, taking a step back.
"You dishonored Theater Vancoor when you left Radiata," Gerald began. "Then, you made us look incompetent by hunting down our squads. You have to pay for those things."
"I didn't hunt them down," Jack countered. "And I didn't mean to hurt Theater Vancoor's reputation."
"You idiot," Gerald snapped. "A sergeant of Vancoor, and you've turned against your own guild and people. 'I didn't mean to' doesn't cover it."
"I…" Jack stuttered.
"You and me, Jack Russell," Gerald said simply. "You and me, for the honor of Vancoor."
Wordlessly, Jack stepped to the side of the road and set his bag down. Standing across from the man who trained him, Jack drew the Arbitrator. His brown eyes had a wistful, forlorn look to them as he assumed a defensive stance. Gerald's single green eye stared back with an intense look of determination. He charged at Jack with both swords raised. The first stroke came from Requiem, the short sword in his left hand. Jack deflected this blow, but immediately had to counter an attack from Oratorio, Gerald's right hand blade. The sword strokes continued to alternate, and Jack's Arbitrator moved quickly to keep his opponent's swords at bay. Gerald's speed and strength were incredible, and Jack was doing everything he could just to fight on even footing. Jack took a quick step back and tried to counterattack. His first strike was deflected, but he followed quickly with another. As soon as Gerald had guarded against this attack, he countered by swinging both of his blades. Jack was able to keep Oratorio away, but the smaller Requiem found its mark. When he felt the sting of Gerald's blade in his left leg, Jack involuntarily took a step backward. Taking advantage of this opening, Gerald struck again. His kick struck Jack's left leg just above the cut his sword had made. Jack crumpled to the ground, immediately rolling to get away from Gerald's next attack. Scrambling to his feet, Jack stood in front of the Deputy Chief breathing heavily. Without a moment's hesitation, Gerald charged to attack again.
Though he deflected the first strike, Jack couldn't bring his sword to bear and dove unceremoniously out of the second blade's path. As they battled back and forth, Jack found himself unable to stay on the offensive. When he found the separation to attack, Gerald was able to immediately counter and put him back on the defensive. Jack's powerful sword strokes were nullified by the Deputy Chief's footwork and quick counterattacks. Gerald continued his assault, and continued to alternate attacks with his right and left swords. Though he was able to see openings in his opponent's defense, Jack was unable to land a blow. Fighting down his frustration, he continued to swing his sword. The two swordsmen battled back and forth, but it was clear that the older man was in control. Jack was hard pressed to keep up with Gerald's swords, and he was losing ground. Finally, a quick sword feint left Jack exposed, and Gerald left a series of crisscrossing slashes across his chest. Jack hit the ground hard, the desert sand did little to cushion his fall. When the next attack didn't follow immediately, he pulled himself to his feet. His mind was racing, trying to come up with a way to fight back. Suddenly, he was struck by an idea.
"This is tougher than I expected, Deputy Chief," Jack said, clutching at his chest.
"I'm impressed by your strength Jack," Gerald began. "But, you're too slow, and your attacks are easy to counter. You can't win like this."
"I was just thinking the same thing," Jack replied. He was breathing heavily; the wounds on his chest were deeper than he had originally thought. "But, I won't lose."
"Well, it's good to see you still have that fighting spirit," Gerald said, grinning smugly. "How do you intend to beat me?"
"With my secret weapon," Jack answered. His own grin formed slowly as he looked over his shoulder.
Vegeta26: Wow, it's been three years already. Time sure does fly. Anyway, sorry about the difficulty with the chapters, I think I've got the problem solved. So, here we go again. Thanks to everyone who's still reading, don't forget to drop me a review.
Zeyro: Good to hear from you. I'm slow at times, but rest assured that I will finish. Let me know what you think.
Triggerhappy Sniper: Thanks for the review, I'm glad you're still enjoying the story, and hope that this chapter didn't disappoint.
Cisqua: Yes, the end is drawing near. Don't worry, there's still plenty to come.
xdemonXchanx: Glad to hear that you liked the last chapter, hope this one was enjoyable as well. I'll see about working in some of that fluff you like so much.
twistedvamp: Welcome aboard, things are just getting good. Thanks for the compliments, and I hope to hear from you again.
Weasel Debater: Always good to hear from you. I'm not sure Gerald is going to be helping Jack and company, but I agree that they'd probably benefit from his help.