Secrets, part 43

In the winding tunnels of the underground city, two wills clashed. Only the strongest would emerge victorious. Jasper was getting tired. It felt like he'd been battling Yavuz for hours. Both were keen witted and well skilled. It seemed an even match. The only thing giving Yavuz an edge over Jasper's strength was his cutting remarks that struck the incubus deeply. Comments about Puck, Veda, and the others all lashed out like knives. The master of Noctis knew his prey and he used every learned detail to his advantage.

Jasper dodged another attack, but Yavuz had already gotten under his skin. "What's wrong, beast? Don't tell me you're worrying about others at a time like this", he taunted. Jasper grit his teeth, scanning the darkness with his keen vision. Where was he hiding? The sound of shifting sand told him what he needed to know. He easily grabbed Yavuz by the arm and managed to gracefully flip him over his head, avoiding injury to either party. Still, he couldn't hold back back forever and still expect to win. Annoyed at the fact he was being spared, Yavuz quickly bounded off his good wrist, sweeping a wide, low kick. Jasper had nimbly moved his legs, but one thing caused the following outcome.

Jasper winced at a strong pull to his tail as he leapt to the side. It jerked him from graceful to falling on his ass in a split second. Yavuz glared at him from a confident stance. "To think I had to touch something so lowly, but it suited my needs", he said coldly. He pointed a pistol against the shocked incubus's forehead. "Click", resounded as he cocked the hammer. "Another day, another prize", grinned the fey hunter. His smile took on an even creepier factor as he lilted his head. The madness peering from behind those golden eyes reminded Jasper of Dubhan. "BANG!"

On a towering walkway, far above, Pax twitched her ears. She heard something she didn't like. "Everything all right?", asked Ronen, watching her closely. "They're taking too long", grumbled Gajeel. Yona held a similar sentiment, but had distracted herself by mercilessly poking her unconscious team mates. "Yup", she sighed. Even she was getting bored with her fun. Leaning back on her arms, she stared upside at Lucy. The celestial spirit mage seemed to be hovering over Natsu more than usual. The salamander himself, seemed off. Yona's eyes narrowed. Her friends didn't seem all that interesting all of a sudden as her stomach turned over. Something was wrong. She sat up at glanced toward her exceed companions. "Rani's too soft to see anything dramatic...", she thought. "Ronen", she called. He promptly responded. "Let's go", she ordered, getting to her feet. Rani peered at them in concern. "Just wait here", said Yona, offering a soft smile an assuring pat to the head. "I think I lost something. We won't be long", she added, trying to dislodge everyone's suspicions. Without waiting for any arguments, Ronen sprouted his wings, grabbed his friend, and took off. Watching them go, Pax grinned to herself. At least Jasper had made a good friend on the surface world.

Back below, Yavuz chuckled to himself despite being blinded by sand. At the last second, the incubus had made a last ditch effort, tossing a handful of the grains into his opponent's face. It saved his life, but it wasn't a perfect escape. Jasper glared as he huffed for breath several paces away. His tail twitched in irritation. Grasping his left arm, he glanced at the limp limb as blood poured down his fingers to the earth below his feet. "The mighty fey reduced an old gambit like this?", taunted Yavuz, casually clearing the debris from his vision. Something like a low growl escaped Jasper's lips. He paused in surprise, unaware he was even capable of such sounds. "There's your true nature, boy", grinned Yavuz, calmly stepping closer as he spun the chamber of his revolver. "An animal can repeat what it hears and sees, but it will always be just an animal playing mimicry", he added. "What would know of anything besides hate?", sneered Jasper, closely watching his foe's movements.

"I haven't gotten this far in life being a fool", replied Yavuz. "I probably know about your race than you do. It was only recently that you found there are more of you, wasn't it?", he grinned, his eyes shining at watching his prey squirm. "Should I tell you about the Nocte Regni? I can even tell you the names of the central government factions...Once this is over, I will rebuild Noctis and we'll move onto a higher purpose than hunting simple mages. We'll wipe scum like you from this earth once and for all", he said, becoming serious. Jasper shivered, seemingly glued to the spot. A mix of emotions ran through him. How did Yavuz know these things? Why hadn't Puck told him sooner? Why - ?!

Before he could finish his thought, he caught his balance abruptly. He'd slowly been backed to a steep ledge. "Led into a trap like the basic beast you are", smirked Yavuz, calmly holstering his weapon. "One of us is going over that ledge and I don't intend it to be me", he said darkly. Jasper knew he had to focus. He couldn't lose here. Not only would he perish, but he would fail his friends, family, and his entire race if what Yavuz said was true. Sliding his right hand over the fresh gun wound, he held an icy stare toward his enemy as his skin hissed at the acid flowing from his palm. It was unpleasant, but it sealed the wound. Yavuz grinned in amusement. "Finally getting serious? I was wondering if that useless elf even taught you to fight at all", he barbed. Jasper tensed visibly. "My father taught me a lot of things, more than you could even fathom", he retorted, gaining a confident posture. Yavuz snorted in brief laughter. "You still call him father after so many years of lies? I suppose you and I are alike in the aspect of knowing little of what family is, but it doesn't matter. You'll meet him again soon."

A sharp sound sliced through the air as simple metallic slid from Yavuz's heavy coat sleeve into his waiting hand. "Another of Dubhan's creations?", ventured Jasper, eying it carefully. "Indeed. The boy had to be good for something", replied Yavuz. A moment later and several bursts of sound exploded into being at the speed of the new weapon. Jasper had never seen anything like it. It seemed to be a serrated blade, but it moved like a whip. "You'll be in pieces before you know it. Now be a good boy and hold still", said the master of Noctis, once more arcing the terrible thing through the air around himself.

The sound of wings caught Jasper's keen ears. He knew he couldn't take his eyes off his foe, but what or who would be foolish enough to intervene now? "Jasper, if you die, I'll kick your ass!" echoed through the air. He smirked at the familiar voice. "Just stay out of the way", he called, now grinning at the intrusion. "You hear me, Ronen?! Keep her a safe distance!", he yelled. "I will!", shouted the exceed. "Like hell! I wanna see that jerk get his ass handed to him; Get closer!", argued Yona. Jasper muffled a faint chuckle at the exchange, but he knew he couldn't lower his guard. Taking a deep breath to center his focus, he smirked back at Yavuz, catching the man off guard. He hadn't seen such confidence in the incubus yet and it was a little unsettling.

Jasper cautiously eyed Yavuz's broken wrist from earlier. It had been quickly bandaged in mid-combat, but surely it was a weakness to be exploited. With a cocky grin, Jasper beckoned his opponent forward with two fingers. Yavuz sneered at the gesture, infuriated. "Seems I have to teach you the hard way", he sighed. Yona watched from several yards overhead as the two men leapt into action. Jasper narrowly missed the strange weapon's blades as it arced near his head, trimming a few hairs at the closeness of the miss. He nimbly got behind Yavuz, grabbing his bad arm and twisting it hard in an attempt to put him in submission. He steeled his nerves despite the sickening crunch of broken bone between his hands. The master of Noctis seemed to completely block the normal pain response. His cold eyes pivoted as he swung with another wide strike. He even furthered the distortion of his broken bone as he moved, eager to land a hit.

"Kick his ass!", shouted Yona far above, encouraging her former lover. "Don't get distracted", warned Yavuz. He twisted, dislocating his own shoulder to make the move as he kicked Jasper square in the face. The incubus managed to hold onto his foe despite the abrupt nosebleed. "You're not getting away that easy", he spat, struggling to use his left arm as another point of contact. The motion tore the acid burn open, ripping the skin and causing blood to freely flow down his elbow. "Bad choice", stated Yavuz. He deftly dug a finger into the reopened wound with a dark sneer. Yona winced as she watched, but amazingly, Jasper still didn't let go. "If you can ignore the pain, so can I", he panted, clearly in distress. Yavuz chuckled at his determination. "I've trained for more years than you've been alive, boy", he said, digging deeper into the open flesh.

A brief power struggle ended with Yavuz on the ground and Jasper's brute strength pinning him down. He held his palm over his foe's face, oblivious to the lost control of his magic. Yavuz violently thrashed as his airway sealed over. Once Jasper overcame his pain and gathered his senses, he quickly let go while still holding him down. He stared in morbid fascination. A clear handprint had been burned onto Yavuz's face, completely sealing over his nose and move. He couldn't breathe. A swift punch to Jasper kidney freed his arm and he calmly slid a dagger over where his mouth used to be. He gasped for air, glaring viciously the entire time. "Thought...you could kill me...that easy?", he panted. Jasper gaped, unable to respond. He hadn't meant to do that. The crooked, twisted, bleeding smile on Yavuz's face made his stomach turn over. "Looking a little green...No stomach for battle?", laughed Yavuz, still catching his breath.

Finally, Ronen set Yona on her feet a few yards away. She eagerly ran toward the clashing men despite her partner's pleas to stay put. She slid to a stop a few feet away and stared in fascinated horror at what Jasper had done. She both amazed and a little scared of what he was actually capable of. "What did you do?!", she gaped. Jasper had managed to grab Yavuz's freed arm and pinned him to the dirt without holding back. "I told you to stay back. You can't trust him", said Jasper, firmly staring at his captive. Yavuz glanced between them. He smirked, an ugly expression on his new face. "So that's how it is...A dragon slayer and an incubus", he grinned. Jasper's grip on him strengthened. "Keep your yes one me", he warned, that low growl once more rearing its head. Yona slowly looked at him with a blank expression. She'd never heard such fervor from him before.

Ronen caught up and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. She kept yanking my tail until we landed", he ceded, slightly bowing his head. Jasper grinned faintly. "That sounds like her", he ceded. "Hey! I'm right here, you know!", spat Yona. The banter was interrupted by a single word. "Careless." Jasper shuddered as the strange weapon suddenly wrapped around his torso. "What the - ?!", began Yona. In a split second decision, he shoved her away with his good arm - exactly what Yavuz knew he would do. The master of Noctis got to his feet with a rather crazed chortle as fresh blood splattered across his body. "Predictable", he smirked. Jasper gasped for air as the blades skill over his shredded skin. "It isn't deep enough to kill you. I'm not done with you yet", sneered Yavuz. "Bastard!", yelled Yona, sending a chaotic wave toward her target. Yavuz side stepped it calmly. "Your emotions are making your lose this fight. Can't you see that?", he teased, his hideously deformed mouth twisted into a sinister smile.

Ronen glanced at Jasper. Yavuz was right. While the wounds were nasty, leaving shreds and strips of skin, it wasn't fatal. "Yona, clam down", he said in a low tone. She got to her feet and seemed intent on going at it with Yavuz. "Calm down!", yelled the exceed. Yona stopped mid-step. "Just stay out of it", she said, again striding forward. "Dragon slayer secret art", she began, seething. Ronen's eyes shot wide. He knew what she was about to do. "Yona, don't do it!", he cried, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Yona stared coldly at her victim. Unlike Jasper, she had no reservation about killing Yavuz. "Mummify", she said, moving her arms. Yavuz stared at her, horrified, as the water in his body drained toward her. "Wh-what is this?!", he demanded. "I'm the sea dragon. Water is my play thing and it happens to hold the human body together", she said, mirroring the desolate smirk she'd seen earlier. "Y-yona...Stop...", said Jasper weakly.

"You're in no condition to argue with me", she said, continuing the spell. Yavuz's legs buckled, dried and withered. He fell to the ground. His torso felt like nothing he'd ever experienced before. "So this is how it ends", he said, smirking faintly. Surprising everyone, Yona ceased her magic. She looked at Yavuz with mixed emotion. Why couldn't she finish him off? Ronen sighed in relief and took his place beside her. "Your organs are perfectly fine, but even with medicine or magic, you'll never walk again. It's easier to keep you locked up this way", she uttered, seemingly unsure of her own emotions. A dark, terrible laughter erupted from Yavuz, a mixture of amusement and sheer madness. "A dragon slayer and you're still weak!", he shouted, finally losing his cool. "I don't need trivial things like legs to kill you all", he said.

Before Yona could even register was happening, Yavuz somehow launched himself forward, ignoring all his injuries, dragging his shriveled legs as if they weighed nothing. He clearly was targeting the easiest and smallest mark - Ronen. At least, that's what it looked like. As Ronen struck defensively with his small sword, Yavuz changed direction without warning. "You're coming with me", he said as he grabbed Jasper and launched them both toward the nearby cliff. Bloody and dazed, Jasper had little time to defend himself. "No!", screamed Yona. She reacted quickly, managed to grab Jasper's right hand as he disappeared from the stable ground and into the gorge. She never realized how heavy he was before. Then again, he had another person hanging onto his body tightly. Coming to reality, Jasper took in his situation. His bloodied hand was already slipping form Yona's grip. "Yona", he said softly, "You have to left go." Her eyes shot open, wide and moist at such words. "Are you crazy?!...Ronen, get over here and help me!", she yelled.

The exceed grabbed onto her leg pulled as hard her could muster, but the weight difference was too much. They were slowly inching toward the cliff. "Yona!", screamed Jasper. "I won't do it!", she cried, pulling with all her might. "Damn it!", she yelled. "Ronen, fly around and grab Jasper! I'll be fine!", she ordered. She could hear Yavuz laughing at them from below. Blocking his voice out, she concentrated and tried to direct her mana. She'd meant to create a small stream of water to boost her friend, but she'd used up too much magic taking out Noctis and the zealots. She dig her knees into the dirt and yelled for Ronen once more. "Don't you dare let go of her!", shouted Jasper. Ronen knew Jasper was right, but if he could get Yona to let go, there was a chance he could still swoop down and catch the incubus once Yona was freed from the pulling weight. "Yona, let go. I'll catch him, I promise!", he cried. "Never!", she screamed.

Jasper glanced down. He couldn't see a bottom. What could see was Yavuz holding on tightly with a deranged smile. He then noticed that weird weapon slowly creeping along his body toward Yona. He couldn't let her fall, too. Fighting the agony, he pulled his left arm free form Yavuz and managed to reach over his head. "That's it! Almost there! Just grab on with your other hand!", encouraged Yona. Once she realized what he was doing, her face went pallid. "Don't you dare!", she spat. "I can't burn you...and you won't let go...This is the only way", he said, a sweet smile crossing his lips. He pressed his left hand onto his own right arm and concentrated. Acid erupted from his palm. He screamed in pain as it ate though his own flesh and bone. "Dammit, Jasper!", screamed Yona, uselessly trying to dislodge his left hand while holding onto his right, but it was no use. A sickening 'snap' resounded as the last of his tissue gave way. He sent an apologetic grin toward her as he plummeted like a stone, leaving a disembodied arm in her desperate hands.

"Son of a bitch!", swore Van under his breath as he ran full speed passed Yona, jumping into the ravine. She stared in fixated disbelief as he grabbed onto Jasper, kicked Yavuz loose, and formed a protective sphere around the two of them. She watched it bounce off several sharp stones as they faded from view into the darkness. As it began to sink it, she scrambled backward and dropped Jasper's arm to the dirt. "Oh god!" She covered her mouth and fought her stomach from welling up. Ronen stared in disbelief at what had just transpired. Snapping out of it, he grasped his friend's hand. "Yona, snap out of it. They still need us!", he said. She looked at him blankly, all the color gone from her complexion. "Van's got him. Jasper's still alive, but they'll need help getting back up here", he explained. She slowly nodded, trying to gather her nerves. He waited until she locked eyes with him. "Wait here. I'll get the others and we'll fly them back up. Don't move. I've find this spot by your scent. Understand?", he said, carefully and slowly. She glanced at the gray arm in the sand and shuddered. Finally, she nodded. "Yes. Go...Hurry!", she replied. She nodded and took off with haste, leaving her alone with the disembodied limb. Part of her wanted to toss it away, but part of her said Blythe could fix it. Still, she wished she wasn't alone with it.

Back at the raised walkway, everyone was growing impatient. What was taking so long? "With Yona going, they should have been back by now", sighed Rani, worried. "I'm sure they're fine", offered Lucy, trying to smile. Eadmund had landed a few minutes ago and given Pax the run down of the area. Few enemies remained. They could easily be picked off once all allies had been secured. He was the first to spot the incoming exceed. Ronen came in too fast and ended up crashing into Natsu. "Ooowww, what the hell?!", whined the dragon slayer, dusting himself off. "Are you all right?!", panicked Rani, running up to them. Ronen panted, breathlessly. "Yona and Jasper need us. Everyone with wings, come with me. Now!", he ordered. Rani's stricken face caught his attention. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw her focus. He'd broken a wing. "You're not flying anywhere", said Pax, carefully picking him up. "Then carry me. There's no time to waste", he retorted. "Whoa, slow down. What happened?", asked Natsu.

Ronen took a deep breath as Eadmund skillfully righted his wing. Ignoring the throbbing pain, he explained. "Jasper fell into the ravine. Yona tried to save him, but he sacrificed himself so she wouldn't fall in with him. Van jumped in to catch him with a shield to cushion the landing, but theyeed us to bring them back up. Jasper's hurt...badly. We have to go now", he said curtly. "Jasper's hurt?!", repeated Pax, frantic. "Stay here", ordered Eadmund. "But - !", she began. "No arguing. You're too attached to see him right now. Stay and guard the others. That's an order", he said, firmly. Her face contorted, but he was right. "If we lose him, I'm holding you personally accountable", she said in a low tone, shying her gaze. "Nefeli, keep an eye on Pax. I'll be back soon. Lily, you're coming with me. Let's move out", said Eadmund. He gathered Ronen in one arm. "Lead the way."

As the rescue team departed, Pax slumped to the floor, depressed. A few glances were passed once the others were out of sight. Natsu cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. "So, Eadmund outranks you, huh?", he said absently. She nodded silently. "Grr, it's no good! Come on, Happy!", he yelled. "Aye, sir!" The duo took off in pursuit. Lucy sighed as she stepped beside the deflated succubus. "I wondered how long those two were going to stay put", she mumbled. Approaching footsteps tensed those who remained. Lucy relaxed at the sight of Erza coming down the walkway toward them. "Everyone below's been taken care of. How are thing here?", she said. She looked over the unconscious and got a quick report on what she had missed. "I see. Then we'll wait here", she nodded. "...That's it?", uttered Pax. Lucy offered a kind smile and sat beside her. "Natsu always comes through when it really matters", she assured.

Rani slowly made her way to the two staring into the distance. "Jasper will be okay. Yona wouldn't have let him get hurt too badly", she ventured. Erza walked toward Gajeel and kept a close eye on Dubhan, leaving the trio to wait alone. "You guys have a lot of confidence in your friends", stated Pax. "Don't you trust Eadmund?", asked Rani. "I wouldn't call him a friend. He was assigned mainly to keep me out of trouble when I came to find Zephyrus...er...Jasper...", she explained. Lucy looked at the succubus closely. "You love him, don't you?", she thought aloud. She blushed once she realized it. Pax smiled faintly. "It probably sounds dumb to you..I barely know him...but he's special to our people. He's the promised savior...Like a knight in shining armor, I guess. It's no surprise most of us have some kind of crush on him back home...He's a legend", she replied. "A lot of people are depending on him, aren't they?", said Rani meekly. Pax nodded. Rani sighed, her emotions torn. She knew Yona was going with Jasper when this was over and she had always been by Yona's side since birth, but then her green eyes settled over Blythe and Kavi. Would they really be all right alone?

To be Continued...