Day 5

Time: 12:31

Location: Jerry's Tree

Seto went through the book once more, eyes widening. This was... this was big. Bigger than big. He grabbed the enchantment book and ran to Jordan, who was on the main floor prepping for a trip. "Jordan! Jordan I found something! Look!"

The ghost shoved the book into the demigod's face, pointing at a paragraph on the left side of the page. Jordan blinked at it. "Seto, you do realize that I can't read that right?"

"Oh, well... Yeah, I did," the sorcerer said indignantly. He looked down at the foreign words. "It says that there may be a way to reverse what's happened to me."

"What? Where?" And against what he said a few moments ago, Jordan tugged the book from Seto's hands and stared blankly at the page. The ghost grabbed it back from him and started reading, easily deciphering the book. "There is tale of an unimaginable power in the sky. It says even a small pinprick of this power can do anything the user wishes." He stole a glance at Jordan's face, then went back to the script. "The power stays in a land of life and death. A beautiful land, floating islands and castles in the sky. Rivers and waterfalls, birds and plants and animals, everything lives happily. A place where it's eternally daylight."

Jordan had grown still as he heard Seto read. He knew this place, he's visited it. But now without his shades, he wasn't so sure that it would be good to go there. Seto looked up, a full smile lifting his face. "The Aether. Jordan, it speaks of the Aether. And you've got that portal down at the base of this tree. We can go and use some of that power it talks about. And I could be alive again!"

"Seto, I don't know... Things from the Nether don't fit in too well with the Aether."

"But-"

"Jordan!"

The shout came from below. The two glanced at each other and went to the railing, peering over to see Sky, waving his arms wildly. "Sky?" Seto whispered, eyes widening. "What's... What's wrong with him?" Sky was... not right. The ghost stared at the butter-lover, but Jordan grabbed his shoulder. He glanced at the demigod as Jordan went into the bedroom. Arching an eyebrow, Seto went to follow. He stopped at the door, watching Jordan rummage through a chest.

"Aha! Here we go." Jordan stood and turned, showing that a pair of sunglasses were sitting on his nose, much like Sky's. But his eyes still shown through, though. He glanced in the mirror, then ran to the staircase in the center of the tree. They're going to have to do for now, he told himself. They only had to last for a couple more days.

Seto sighed and fell through the floor, floating down to stand behind Sky. He knew the ex-infected couldn't see him, so he didn't say anything to Sky. But Sky wasn't... he wasn't Sky. His skin was grey. Something wasn't right. Seto shook his head slowly. He was probably just seeing Sky as he had the last time he saw him up close, which was right before the sorcerer had... well...

Jordan walked over to Sky, greeting him with a friendly nod. "What brings you here, Sky?"

"It-it's Jerome! He's gone!"

"What?"

"Your dad, he came and took Jerome!"

Jordan was alarmed. What would Herobrine want with a baca? "How long ago did-"

"We don't know, I called him earlier and when he didn't respond I went to go see him. Kermit was panicked, and he said something about white eyes and lighting, and then we found a note, and- and- and-" Sky has worked himself into a panic by then, frantically rubbing his fingertips and biting his lip. His foot tapped the ground, and he couldn't seem to sit still. Seto felt bad for him.

Jordan bit his bottom lip, eyebrows drawing down into a scowl. He sighed and held Sky by the shoulders. "Sky, listen. We'll find Jerome. Okay? He'll be fine, I'll go look for him now."

Sky nodded frantically. "Yeah, and I'm going to come with you."

"I don't think-"

"I can't let another one of my friends die, Jordan. The guilt's already too much to take."

Jordan sighed and looked over at Seto, who floated silently behind Sky. The ghost gave a small shake if his head. The demigod sighed again and looked at Sky. "Well, I was about to go to the Aether. But Jerome is more important."

"But-" Jordan shot a quick glare at Seto.

Sky thought for a moment, then nodded once. "Alright. But I'm still coming with you.

"...Fine."

They were halfway up the stairs when Sky froze. He made a noise at the back of his throat. Jordan turned and looked at him, arching an eyebrow. Seto floated next to him, slightly uneasy at the way Sky seemed to be staring at him. No, he shouldn't be able to see him. It wasn't possible.

"J-Jordan?" Sky stuttered, "I-is that Seto?"

Seto took a step back, away from the two living ones. The spirit swallowed, wide brown eyes staring at Sky, who returned the gaze. Jordan broke the tense silence, seeing that the other two weren't going to move from their staring contest. "You can see him, Sky?"

"How could I not?!" Sky practically screamed, one hand grabbing a handful of hair and the other extended out towards the sorcerer. "He's dead! It's an illusion! This isn't real!"

Jordan quickly shook his head, holding his arms out. "Listen, Sky. Seto isn't as... dead as we'd thought he was. He's still Seto, standing right here in front of you."

Sky was shaking his head slowly, still staring at the ghost in disbelief. "No... no, he's dead. I saw him die. This isn't real! He should be dead!"

Seto winced, slightly hurt at Sky's harsh words, but he quickly went to comfort his living friend. "Sky, I'm not dead. Well, I'm not exactly alive but not exactly dead either. I'm a ghost. Sky... Sky!"

The ex-infected turned and ran from the two, back down the stairs. "Sky!"

Jordan placed a hand on Seto's shoulder, sighing. "Seto, I think we should give him a bit of space. I mean, he just found out that you're a ghost. He's probably really confused right now."

Seto sighed and nodded slowly, head hanging low. He looked back down the stairs, but Sky was already gone. "Yeah... I guess..."

"W-wait? Don't you want to go to the Aet-"

"No," Seto said quietly, floating up the stairs. "Let's just go get Jerome."

Jordan nodded and followed the sorcerer up the stairs.

A very ticked Ryan was sitting on the main level of the tree, foot tapping the ground impatiently as Jordan made his way up the stairs. "What the hell, Jordan? I told you to come see me over two hours ago! And where did you sunglasses go? Did you break those too, grumpy?"

Jordan growled at the batman, effectively shutting him up. "Have you seen Sky?"

Ryan shook his head, exasperated. "No, but I'm guessing you heard the news about Jerome."

Jordan nodded and looked past Ryan, where Nick stood awkwardly. He gave a short wave, still slightly shocked at the truth. Jordan nodded at him, then turned back to Ryan. "I don't appreciate you telling everyone. Who knows?"

"Everybody, now." Before Jordan could yell, he quickly rephrased what he said. "Well, not everybody. Just our friends, nobody else."

Jordan still seemed angry. "And how do you know they won't tell anybody else?"

"..."

"I thought so," Jordan grumbled, glaring at his friend. "And you didn't have to tell Nick." he gestured to the pink Power Ranger. "You could have just brought him here and I would have shown him."

Ryan was about to reply, but Jordan cut him off with a sigh and started towards the stairs that lead to the Nether portal. "Let's just go get Jerome," he said curtly, grabbing Jerry's Sword from where it was leaning against the wall. The two friends and the ghost followed him. "Jordan, listen," Nick started. "I don't mind you being a..."

"Demigod," Jordan filled. "My father was a god, but was cast down from the Aether. I'm only half of a god."

"I don't mind that you're a demigod. It's just... Why did you hide it from us?"

Jordan sighed, looking over t the Nether portal. "Well-"

He was interrupted when a flaming arrow whizzed by his head, missing him by an inch. He stopped and went to the railing, looking down. A mob of people stood below, torching the base of Jerry's Tree. But what really caught his attention was the single word every single one of them were shouting.

"Demon!"

Looks like the word got out about Jordan's secret, but the question is...

Who did it?