Chapter 21 – Nightfall (Jacob)
Jacob stumbled out of the bramble, clutching his bruised shoulder and picking thorns out of his scales. As he pinched out the wooden barbs, wincing from the stings, he looked back up toward the building. He could hardly believe it himself; did he seriously just jump out of his own window?
After he left Leon, Jacob trudged back to the guild, where Devrim and his team had been waiting for him. The three of them had some things to say, like how Jacob had to 'get his act together' and 'be open and honest with them,' among other cookie-cutter phrases. Though what stood out was that they warned him that the Guildmaster was gonna see him soon.
Jacob didn't know what the Guildmaster was gonna do with him, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
With nothing else to do, he retreated back to his dorm room with his thoughts racing. 'When is she coming?' and 'what will she do?' bounced across his mind like ping-pong balls.
He had lost track of time and, once he heard noise outside the door, he bolted up from his chair. Without thinking Jacob seized his bag, threw the window open, and flipped himself over the edge.
This time, William wasn't there to break his fall.
No one was there to help pick out the thorns dug into his scales, either.
But he wasn't going to stop to pull them all out– he had to run. Whatever was going on at the guild, he was already in deep trouble. He just knew he was. So Jacob scrambled away from the guild, running alongside the training field as he slowly, and painfully, removed one thorn at a time.
"Ack! Ouch!"
He wasn't sure if this was such a good idea– the thorns might leave a trail for them to follow. But still, he had no time to stop and think. All he knew was that he had to get as far away as possible. That was all he could think about as he hurried through the guild's training grounds, which was still damp from the recent rain.
The sun drifted toward the horizon. The sky was split between carmine red in the west, and navy blue in the east. And the temperature was falling, though Jacob resisted the urge to shiver. He kicked up pebbles and fallen leaves in his path.
By the time he pulled out the last thorn, he had put some distance between himself and the guild. He was safe enough to spare some thoughts for the consequences of his actions. Right now the Guildmaster was probably poking her nose into his empty room, wondering where in the world Jacob has gone.
"Should I go back…?" he wondered aloud.
But he firmly shook his head. No– no way! If he went back he'd have to tell those Nightwatch guys, 'hey, just coming back after I hurled myself out the window, no big deal.' Not only that, but whatever scolding the Guildmaster had in mind was gonna get worse. All that trouble, and for what? So he can screw up his next guild job, then endure the humiliation of being kicked out?
Besides, he was done with 'going back.' That's what he told himself, and… Leon.
Jacob's heart sank, remembering his brother. He was so torn-up inside, wanting to move on and do things his own way. But… What about Leon? He couldn't bear to think of how upset Leon would be if he found out.
"Where should I go?" Jacob asked himself.
The most obvious answer was back home, to Bethany. But that would also mean 'going back.' Something that he resolved not to do. His goal was to find his parents– his real ones– wherever they might be. Where could he even start, though? It slowly dawned on him just how poorly he thought this out. Actually, he didn't think this out at all.
Instinctively, Jacob reached for his bag to retrieve a source of comfort–
"Oh Jake, there ya are!"
Jacob turned toward a familiar voice. From a shack on the edge of the woods, a certain Scraggy jogged over to him.
"Aaron?"
"Yeah!" the Scraggy answered. "Been meaning to come an' talk to ya since last week. Tried goin' in to see ya, but Myrrah was all like 'no visitors today.' Though…" Aaron rubbed his chin. "You alright? Ya look roughed-up in more ways than one."
Jacob checked himself for any thorns he might've missed. He found and pinched another one, and plucked it with a frustrated grunt. "I'm… not so good," he answered.
Aaron clutched his 'pants.' "Wha's wrong?"
Jacob lowered his head. "I-It's a long story. You said you were looking for me, right?"
Aaron hesitated, tracing his eyes over Jacob. But after a couple seconds he spoke. "Yeah, I've got some news that just might perk ya up. See, I was headin' back to my shack after that whole hunt an' the afterparty. Some guy came outta the woods, askin' me fer some help. Said he was lookin' fer somebody." He looked at Jacob expectantly with an excited glint in his eyes.
"Okay?" Jacob shrugged. "And?"
"Jake, it was a Charmeleon. An' he was lookin' fer you."
Jacob blinked. Seconds passed as Aaron's words dawned on him, like a new flame blooming with fresh air. "A… Are you sure?" he said, barely louder than a whisper.
"He looked like a bigger version o' you! More red than orange though, with sharper claws, an' some kinda horn stickin' out the backa his head."
Jacob had never met one of his own kind before, but he knew what they looked like. Aaron's description was unmistakable. "…And you said he's looking, for me," Jacob repeated.
Aaron nodded. "Mentioned you by name. Said he's family."
Jacob's heart fluttered with hope. One of his own kind, here! And looking for him!
"Aaron, that sounds…!" Jacob started, but cut himself off. "…Too good to be true," he finished, looking down.
"Well, that's what I was thinkin', too," Aaron said patiently. "But the things this dude was sayin', they sounded too detailed to be fake."
Jacob rekindled himself with a deep breath. "What did he say?"
"He lost his little brother nine years ago, durin' a real bad storm at night."
A shiver shot down Jacob's spine. Not only did he arrive at Leon's house during a dark storm, but it also happened about nine years ago. "He… What else did he say?"
"He mentioned that all of ya were headin' home from a long journey when the storm hit. Yer parents gave ya a blanket, to keep ya dry. But the weather got worse real fast, an' everyone lost track o' each other." Aaron scratched his shoulder. "Course, I'm paraphrasin' what he said."
Jacob stared at Aaron, blank-faced and thunderstruck. This sounded like hearing the beginning of his own life story, told from someone else's view. Even though it sounded too good to be true, the only way this Charmeleon could know the details is if he was there.
"Where is he now?" Jacob asked.
"Back in those woods," Aaron pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "I talked to 'em earlier today, reminded me to try an' flag you down if I could. Somethin' I've been meaning to do all week."
Jacob stared toward the woods and its darkening depths. His imagination ran wild as he pictured who might be waiting for him beyond the shrouded treeline. "Can we go see him?"
"We can," Aaron answered. "But first, we oughta head back an' get some guildmates to come with us, just in case."
Suddenly, any optimism Jacob had extinguished like a candle flame. He already ran away from getting told off by the Guildmaster. If he showed his face now, there was no way they'd even let him set foot outside the hall.
"No," Jacob shook his head. "We need to go see him, now."
"Eh? I mean, we oughta play it safe," Aaron explained. "We'd be goin' off guild grounds. So far this whole deal's been under-the-table, and I gotta look out fer ya."
Heat rose in Jacob's chest as he thought of heading back to the guild. The whole point was to get away from that place! If he told Aaron what was going on– how he was on thin ice– Aaron might just drag him back to the guild hall.
"By the way, where's Leon?" The Scraggy asked. "You guys are like two peas in a pod, I figure he'd wanna be in on this, too."
And now Jacob had heartache on top of his apprehension. He shook his head. "I-It's a long story, don't wanna get into it. C'mon–" he pointed toward the forest trail. "I wanna go meet my brother."
Aaron tilted his head. "Wha– really? What happened 'tween you guys this past week? I know ya said it's a long story, but–"
"This isn't about him," Jacob insisted. "This is about me, and finding my family!"
The Scraggy took a step back. "Okay, fine, but we still gotta go back fer backup in case–"
"Aaron, listen!" Jacob pleaded, clutching his own head. "If this Charmeleon really does know me, I've gotta see him! If he really is my brother, then we'll be safe! I might be seeing my real family for the first time, like, ever! Please, take me to him!"
"Alright, alright," Aaron put his hands up. "We can sort that other stuff out later. Fer now, I'll take ya to the campsite fer a quick visit. Just gimme a sec."
Aaron walked over to his shack, pushing the door open and stepping inside.
Meanwhile, Jacob tilted his head back, looking skyward. No daylight remained as dusk faded on the horizon. A sea of clouds sailed overhead, eclipsing the night's early stars. The crescent moon was a white silhouette behind the mist. A sheet of fog rested above the forest, like a lower layer of the sky.
A few faint clicks sounded off from Aaron's abode, and then a soft light glowed from the windows and the crack beneath the door. He emerged from his hut, holding a glass lantern that projected a lambent glow in all directions.
"O'er here," Aaron beckoned, waving his lamp toward the forest trail.
Jacob took a step forward, but… he paused.
…
Was it just his imagination, or did he hear his name just now?
He glanced back toward the guild. It was almost too dark to see the building. The candles in the windows looked as if they were floating in a void, held up by something invisible.
Jacob listened for his name again, yet the only thing that reached his ears was the soft howl of the breeze.
"Jake?" Aaron spoke up, casting lamplight in his direction. "Are ya comin'?"
"Yeah," Jacob replied. He turned and hurried toward Aaron, following him into the woods. They crossed the threshold dividing the guild grounds from its surrounding wilderness.
The trees above were barren. Twisted, skeletal branches carved into the ghostly mist resting on top of the forest, swaying in the wind. Fallen leaves littered the trail, crunching beneath their feet as they crossed the darkened path. Aaron's lamp and Jacob's tail formed a small globe of light, their faint glow painting the trees to their left and right, casting shadows. The more distant woods remained eclipsed in the cover of night, stretching into eternity.
A sudden gust swept through the forest, rattling the trees and pushing them back. Aaron's lamp swung in his grasp as he shielded himself with his loose skin, and Jacob's flame flickered like a candle. As they stumbled, a whirlwind of leaves circled around them before passing on, vanishing into the night.
Jacob couldn't help but shiver. He exhaled some embers to warm himself, but the night's chill sapped his heat faster than he could produce it.
"Yo Jake, you okay?" Aaron asked. "Maybe we oughta double back, getcha somethin' to help keep warm?"
"No," Jacob answered. "K-keep going, I'll be f-f-fine."
Aaron's worried expression didn't change. "Ya sure?"
"Y-yes," Jacob insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. Though as they continued on, he quietly wished that he had his old wool blanket. He had left it at home, in Bethany, when he and Leon left for Wolfhaven.
To take his mind off the cold, Jacob thought of where they were going. Who they were going to see. His tail glowed along with his mind as he delved into daydreams. They had been apart for nine years. When they started catching up, who's side of the story should be told first? Would Jacob tell about his time living with the gators, or would Charmeleon tell him what they've done over the years?
Another whirlwind of leaves snaked down the trail, spinning around the two with a few colliding with Jacob's chest. He swiped the warm-colored leaves away.
Between the two, he'd rather hear Charmeleon's side of the story. Come to think of it, what was his name, anyway? Aaron never mentioned it, but he probably would've if he knew. How did his own kind live compared to water-types? Jacob always felt a little left out when Leon and his parents went swimming in the creek. As much as he wanted to try swimming, he couldn't stand being in water. But on the other hand, Charizards could fly…
Speaking of flying, what did his parents do over the years? Did they search for him, flying across Chronovania? If they did, how did they never find him until now? Were there any times where they nearly missed each other? And how did this Charmeleon stumble upon Wolfhaven, looking for him?
"This is the spot," Aaron announced.
Jacob almost bumped into Aaron.
In front of them was a small clearing near a bend of a river. To the right was an orange tent next to a campfire. Jacob's senses came back into focus, as he heard the river flowing and the firewood crackling, with the scent of hickory smoke.
His heartbeat doubled. All his questions were about to be answered.
"Where is he?" Jacob asked.
"He might be out gettin' firewood," Aaron answered. "Or he might be layin' down in the tent."
Jacob stared at the small, fabric shelter, which had a dim light illuminating the inside. It looked big enough for two, maybe three mons his size. No way any Charizards could fit in there, if they were as big as Jacob imagined.
Aaron took a step forward, raising a hand to his mouth. "Hey! Anyone out there?"
Right after he spoke, something shifted within the orange tent. The light inside moved and a silhouette rose, heading for the tent flap. They poked their head out, glancing right then left, toward their direction.
Jacob's eyes met his– a pair of blue irises that mirrored his own surprise. The mon crawled out of the tent, rising to his full height. He was two-legged, with a flame-tipped tail like his own, red scales, and a taller build.
"Jacob?" He spoke in a deep voice. "Is that you?"
Several emotions coursed through Jacob– hope, nervousness, awe– and they all propelled him forward as he ran straight at the Charmeleon.
"Oof!"
Charmeleon grunted as Jacob threw himself at him, wrapping his arms around the larger lizard. Soon Jacob felt his arms pull him into a closer embrace, basking in warmth.
"I thought I'd never see you again," Charmeleon said softly.
Jacob said nothing– the words were stuck in his throat. His only response was warm tears flowing down his cheeks, onto Charmeleon's chest.
"It's alright," Charmeleon rubbed his back. "It's alright. I've got you."
Jacob had no idea how long he stood there, muffling his cries into Charmeleon's cream-colored belly. Everything seemed so unreal. After all his struggles last week, with the drama, fallout, and soul-searching, the one thing he was looking for just… appeared. Hope against hope it still seemed too good to be true. Yet the warmth of their embrace was too real to deny.
Eventually the bigger lizard let go, taking a step back. Charmeleon kneeled down to his level. "I… imagine you have a lot to ask."
Jacob nodded vigorously. "You already know my name. What's yours?"
"Cayde," Charmeleon raised a hand to his cheek. "Arceus, has it really been that long? You don't remember your older brother?"
"I really don't remember anything…" Jacob replied, barely louder than a whisper.
"Don't worry. I'll try to get you caught up as best I can." He rose to his feet again. "Thank you for bringing us together, Aaron."
Jacob peered over his shoulder. He had forgotten that he was still here.
"Shucks, it's the least I could do," Aaron said.
"I can take care of Jacob," Cayde assured. "You can head home, if you'd like."
Aaron shook his head. "No can do. I stayed quiet cuz I didn't wanna spoil yer moment, but Jake's still a guild member. Gotta stay an' make sure he stays safe. 'Sides, I'd rather stick around that warm campfire ya got."
The Charmeleon put a hand to his chin. "If you say so." He beckoned Jacob. "Come on over, take a seat and we'll catch up."
Jacob eagerly followed along, sitting down on a tree stump with his back to the river. Cayde retrieved a stool to sit on, while Aaron rolled over a small log to use as his chair.
"I…" Cayde began. "We… have been looking for you for a long time. I have to say, you've grown up so much after all these years."
Jacob couldn't help but wag his tail back and forth. This was it, the moment he'd been waiting for his whole life! He'd been reunited with his older brother, and soon, he'd get to meet his real parents! Speaking of them…
"Where's Mom and Dad?" Jacob asked. "Are they here?"
Cayde shook his head. "No, I'm afraid they aren't. They're back home, I had left on my own to find you. This is the second year I–"
"Where's home?" Jacob bounced, unable to contain his excitement. "Are you gonna take me there? Do we have cousins and stuff?"
"Jacob," Cayde held his hands up. "I know you're eager– I am, too. but please, let's answer one question at a time, alright?"
Jacob nodded, feeling a little self-conscious. "Right, okay. Sorry."
"You're fine. Now, about the night we lost you…" Cayde's eyes were big and thoughtful, reflecting the dancing flames in front of him. He closed them and sighed deeply. "It was the worst night ever. It was you, me, and our parents. We were heading back home after visiting relatives who lived far away."
So they do have cousins. "And on the way back, we ran into that storm?" Jacob asked.
"Yes, we did. And right before we lost you–"
"Who were we visiting?" Jacob asked. "Were they other Chars, like us? Were they fire-types or dragon folk? You know, I was raised by–"
"Jacob," Cayde interrupted, then chuckled. "Wow, heh. If you were this energetic back then, I'm afraid I've forgotten all about it. One question at a time, remember?"
"Oh, sorry. I'll, uh, keep my mouth shut." Though Jacob had a small sting of disappointment. "So… What were you saying?"
"It was the night we were separated. Our parents– both Charizards, to be clear– were flying over the countryside. It's the fastest way to travel, but we didn't expect to run into a thundering gale–"
"–Were you a Charmander at the time?"
"Well, yes, of course. I've evolved only recently. But anyway, it was a pitch-black night, not even the moon or stars were out to guide us. We were all carrying a few things, and they told us to hang on tight–"
"–Did we fly all the time with Mom and Dad?" Jacob pictured it, soaring through the sky on the back of a Charizard, their great wings stretched on either side of him. The thought of touching the clouds made his eyes glimmer and he bounced in place. "I don't remember ever flying before, you've gotta tell me what it's like!"
"Didn't you say you'd be quiet?" Cayde said with an edge to his voice.
Jacob blinked away the wonder in his eyes. "S-sorry…"
"Eh, it's alright," Aaron spoke up. "Jake's hyper, is all. Hell, I would be too, reunitin' with long lost family."
"I understand," Cayde replied. "But I'm trying to get to an important point." He turned his attention back to Jacob. "Like I was saying, we were carrying a few things with us. I know it's ah, kind of a stereotype for dragons to keep treasure. But our family had some."
"Treasure?" Jacob perked up. "Like what? Does that mean you have a present for me?"
"Well, here's the twist," Cayde brought his hands together. "You already have it."
Jacob leaned back. "I… What?"
"That's what I was getting at. Before we separated, we had given you your personal treasure." Cayde leaned forward, closer to the fire. "Can you show it to me? Then I'll know it really is you."
"Now hang on," Aaron spoke up. "Might not be my business to butt into family affairs, but I gotta say, what you just said don't sit right with me."
Cayde tilted his head, gazing at Aaron with a sour expression. "What do you mean by that?"
"Why would ya need some shiny trinket to know if he's really your brother? Sure, ye've been split up fer a decade, but I reckon you could still recognize 'em without it. 'Tween that and you shuttin' down his questions, well, I can't help but think ya care more about this 'treasure' than Jake."
Jacob shifted uncomfortably. It wasn't because Aaron was picking a bone with Cayde, but because he sounded kind of right. Catching up with Cayde didn't feel the same as talking with Leon.
Meanwhile, Cayde stared daggers into Aaron. "Excuse me? Are you suggesting I'd hurt my… my brother?"
Aaron's expression tightened. "Now hold yer damn horn, I ain't said that. Jus' said yer actin' suspicious, 'specially now after ya said that."
Cayde's mouth twitched, showing a flash of teeth for a split-second. "Why don't you head back to your shack?" He pointed toward the woods. "That trail isn't getting any warmer, you know."
"I ain't goin' anywhere so long's Jake's 'ere." Aaron folded his arms. "I jus' wanna keep 'em safe– might be ferals lurkin' in the woods, ya know. You wouldn't 'ave a problem with that, would ya?"
Jacob wanted to speak up and ask the two to not fight, but he sat rigid and tense.
Cayde's tailflame burned and he grunted, but the Charmeleon merely huffed and closed his eyes. He turned his head back to Jacob.
"…If I'm allowed to finish," Cayde said, softening his tone. "It's a family tradition that everyone has their own treasure. Jacob, we gave one to you just before we lost you. I think you'll know what I'm talking about."
Jacob leaned back, wracking his brain. So they gave him some kind of 'treasure' before they had lost him, and it's something he should have with him now. What could that possibly be? He didn't have any diamonds, pearls, or anything else that'd be kept in a museum.
"Uh, Cayde?" Jacob spoke. "I've gotta be honest, I dunno what you're talking about…"
The Charmeleon uttered an awkward chuckle. "You're ah, kidding, right? You couldn't have lost it, have you?"
"Ya know," Aaron chimed in. "I reckon you could save yerself a hassle by cutting out the damn pronoun game an' just say plainly what'cher lookin' fer."
Cayde shot a glance at Aaron, then shook his head. "Very well then. Jacob, do you have a copper pocket watch?"
Jacob sat up straight. "My pocket watch?" His eyes widened– it was so obvious now that Cayde said it! "That's my treasure?"
Cayde grinned. "It is. I was there when our parents gave it to you."
Jacob's mouth hung open, at a loss for words. His gut-feeling was true all along– his pocket watch is connected to his old family. It wasn't just a shiny piece of metal, it meant something.
"And you still have it, don't you?" Cayde asked.
"You bet I do! I keep it with me all the time, right here in my bag!" Jacob gestured to it, laying next to him on the stump.
Cayde opened his mouth with a wide smile, flashing teeth in the light of the fire. "If you have that watch, then it really must be you! Not that I ever doubted that, of course, but… May I see it?"
"Y-yes!" Jacob yipped. Like he had done so many times before he reached into his bag, using muscle memory to reach for his pocket watch. Tenderly, he wrapped his fingers around… Nothing.
"Huh?" Jacob peeked inside. "I swear it was right here…" He reached in again, whirling his arm around. He felt some berries, a piece of parchment, and his canteen, but no pocket watch.
"It's not here," Jacob remarked.
"Wha– you're joking, right?" Cayde asked, his mouth agape.
"Any chance ya dropped it somewhere on the way in?" Aaron asked. "What's it look like?"
"Well, it's reddish brown," Jacob began, "and shiny, like you'd expect. It has a matching chain, and it makes a ticking noise, but you'd already know that… Only other thing is that it's got this simple diamond shape etched on the shell."
"Yes…" Cayde said. "That's the very same one we gave to you."
"Oh yeah," Jacob clapped. "I know where it is! I must've left it back at the dorm room." When he returned to his room earlier, he had taken his pocket watch out of his bag and placed it in his desk, like he did every night before bed. But he didn't grab it when he… 'explored the window.'
"Your room," Cayde repeated. "Back at the guild." His expression looked stuck somewhere between confused and crestfallen.
"It's not that big a deal," Jacob concluded. "I can go back and get it later." Of course, he really didn't want to go back to the guild anytime soon. Especially when he still had questions bouncing around his head like a rubber ball. "So anyway, where's home for us?"
Cayde blinked, trying to loosen his own face muscles. "Oh, well, it's a place you probably haven't heard of… Say, do we have time to head back so we can get your watch?"
"Umm, I guess we could?" Jacob shrugged. "But it's not like it's going anywhere. Besides, even if I don't know about our town, I've got a map right here!" Once again he reached into his bag, pulling out a map of Chronovania, which unrolled in his grasp. "Can you point out where it is?"
"Oh, okay." Cayde placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, we live, uh, in Saint's Field."
"Let's see, where is that?" Jacob scanned the map, looking at various towns.
"Say what?" Aaron spoke up. "Saint's Field? Ya know that's in the Frontier up north, right? I don't think any civilized mons would live up 'ere, 'specially not Jacob or his kin!"
"Oh wait, I misspoke," Cayde replied, "I meant to say we're from Sol Hill."
"You forgot the name o' yer hometown for a sec?" Aaron pushed.
Cayde stared him down. "You wanna get off my back so I can answer my brother's questions?"
"By all means," Aaron replied, putting his hands behind his head. Though he kept his hard gaze on Cayde.
Jacob sensed the tension between them, like water about to boil. "Can we… not fight? Please?"
The two spared a glance at Jacob, and Cayde composed himself. "So like I said, we live at Sol Hill. Heard of it?"
Jacob shook his head, then scanned his parchment again for said town. Though he had to admit, it was weird how Cayde mixed things up. Even he never mistook his town of Bethany for a different name.
"Yeah, thought so," Cayde said shortly. "Anyway–"
"There it is!" Jacob declared, pointing at a western town on the map. "Are you gonna take me there?"
"Yes, yes, of course. But before we go anywhere, we should make sure you have everything you need first. So, how about we go get your watch?"
"Again with the damn watch?" Aaron remarked. "What izit with you an' that thing?"
"I… gotta agree with Aaron," Jacob said. "We've already talked about it a lot."
Cayde raised a claw at Aaron, but as Jacob spoke, he backed down, blowing out a sigh. "It's a family heirloom," he grumbled. "One that I– we, happen to care a great deal about."
"But like, it's safe back at the guild," Jacob added. "Why don't you wanna talk about…?"
Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. Earlier, he basically ran away from the guild. Did Cayde do the same and run away from home? That would explain why Mom and Dad aren't here!
"Did you run away from home, too?" he asked.
Both Aaron and Cayde gave Jacob strange looks. The former looked puzzled, and the latter looked startled.
"What? N-no!" Cayde exclaimed.
"It's okay," Jacob assured, rolling the map back up "I kinda did the same thing and ran away from the guild for the night."
"Do what now?" Aaron raised an eye at him.
"If something's gone wrong between you and our parents, that's okay," Jacob assured. "We can patch things up."
Cayde had a frazzled face, as if Jacob brought up a touchy subject. He must've hit the nail on the head.
"If you want, I can tell you about–" Jacob paused, slowed by heartache. " …About Leon, and the Feraligatrs who raised me. They're–"
"Jacob," Cayde interrupted. He blew out a breath, expelling a small flame. "I didn't run away, okay? All I want is to get you home. And before we go, we gotta make sure we have all your things packed. So, why don't we go back to the guild so we can do that?"
Jacob stared at Cayde, and a creeping dread loomed over him. Something wasn't right about all this. A few minutes ago, Cayde gave off a kind of brotherly warmth that stirred Jacob's heart. Now he seemed cold. Distant. Single-minded. They already talked about where his pocket watch came from. What else was there to say about it?
"We're goin' back to the guild a'right," Aaron said, standing up and walking toward Jacob. "If yer missin' like that, it'll be big trouble fer the both o' us!"
Cayde snarled, flashing sharp teeth. "How dare you get between me and my brother!"
"I think what'cha mean to say is, I'm gettin' 'tween you and that damn watch," Aaron retorted, grabbing Jacob's hand.
"Aaron, w-wait!" Jacob protested, clinging to the stump by his claw. He still had too many questions for them to go now– even more than he had when they arrived.
"Jacob is my brother," Cayde insisted, running to cut them off. "What's best for him is my call– not yours."
Aaron stood at a deadlock with Cayde, the two defiantly staring each other down. Jacob shuddered, afraid that a brawl was about to break out.
"…You want 'em that bad?" Aaron finally spoke. "Fine. Come on back with us, we'll have a nice long chat with Nightwatch."
Cayde took a step back. "E-excuse me?"
"If yer tellin' the truth, ya won't have anything ter worry about. But if they reckon yer not bein' honest with us, well…" He glanced at Jacob, giving him some kind of knowing look. "…It's all fer Jake's sake, ya know. Makin' sure he stays safe. That's what ye'd want fer 'em, right?"
The standoff intensified. Everyone paused as if the trees were gonna fall down on them. The Scraggy and Charmeleon stared daggers into each other, both with clenched fists, daring the other to take a swing.
Cayde flashed sharp teeth, showing an ominous, orange glow from the back of his throat. He shifted his gaze to Jacob, easing his expression.
"Jake," he spoke softly. "You know I wouldn't lie to you, right? I'm your real brother. All I want is to take you home, to Mom and Dad, so we can all be a family again. Isn't that what you want? You're not gonna let this guy stop you– stop us– are you?" He kneeled down to Jacob's level. "All you need to do is get our heirloom back, then we can go home. Together."
Jacob's heartbeat hammered against his chest. Aaron squeezed his hand.
"Think this through, Jake," he said quietly. "Don't do something ye'll regret."
Both of their gazes felt like the weight of the world on Jacob's shoulders. He was standing at a fork in the road, with two very different paths sprawling out before him. Should he go back to the guild and stay there? Or should he go with Cayde?
Going with his own kind, meeting his parents… being a family again… Jacob wanted that more than anything else in the world. He wanted to believe it could happen, tonight. But something in his mind held him back, egged on by Aaron. Cayde kept saying that they were related. He was so insistent, it was like he was trying to argue what the real color of the sky is. Like he was afraid that Jacob wouldn't believe him.
Even though it hurt to ask, Jacob had to wonder: did Cayde really care about him? What does brotherly love even look like? Just as the question crossed his mind, an answer flashed through him.
Love means looking out for those you care about– sticking by their side, no matter how tough the world gets. Love means giving encouragement any time a friend is down. But most of all, love means keeping ties with each other. It means forgiving each other, and working past flaws and mistakes, even if something bad happens.
It was all the things Leon and his real parents had done for Jacob.
And it was nothing Cayde and his imaginary parents were offering him.
Yet Jacob had turned Leon away. And he went to Cayde.
A pair of warm tears slid down the Charmander's face. He had made a lot of mistakes.
But he wasn't about to make another one.
"Jake?" Aaron spoke. "You feelin' okay?"
Jacob squeezed his hand. "…Let's go. To the guild. We're not coming back here."
At those words, Cayde's face fell. "Jake…"
"You made the right choice," Aaron assured. He reached for his lamp with his free hand, clicking it on once again.
As Jacob walked away with Aaron, he met Cayde's eyes. A sense of melancholy tugged at him as they left the stranger Charmeleon. Even as they moved from the campsite, their gazes followed each other magnetically.
"I'm real sorry 'bout this, Jake," Aaron said quietly. "Shoulda paid closer attention to that guy. Didn't mean ter get yer hopes up."
Jacob wasn't thinking about his hopes, though. As they moved away from the camp, new thoughts crossed his mind.
If Cayde really isn't his brother, why was he pretending? How did he know about Jacob's past? And what was his motivation for arranging all of this?
Suddenly a whistling noise sounded off.
"The hell?" Aaron spun around, and so did Jacob.
Cayde had his hands to his mouth.
"We're compromised!" he shouted into the woods. "Plan B!"
Rapid footsteps, crunching leaves, and snapping twigs filled the air from all directions.
Aaron swung his lamp around, revealing several shadows running through the forest– more than Jacob could count. They were all closing in on them.
"Double-time it, Jake!" Aaron shouted, yanking him as they broke into a run.
A cacophony of noise filled Jacob's ears: shouting, stomping, leaves kicked up, and blood pumping in his eardrums. He dared to look back. Cayde had his arms thrown back, head forward and rushing them down.
"Aaron–!" Jacob warned, but the Scraggy had already spun around.
In a flash Aaron reeled back a closed fist, then slugged his knuckles into Cayde's face with a loud, hard smack! The Charmeleon spun as a tooth flew out of his mouth, and he fell unceremoniously to the ground.
"Keep goin'!" Aaron urged, and Jacob obliged. The two ran as the noise around them continued to crescendo. Jacob heard shaking branches, and glanced up–
"Look out!" he called as two Aipoms fell upon them. Jacob stumbled back as one latched onto his head, throwing him off balance.
"Ach! Get off!" He flailed his claws, trying to swipe at the monkey, but the purple mon swatted away his swings. The two careened toward a nearby tree–
BAM!
Aaron crashed into them, knocking the Aipom off of Jacob with a Headbutt. The other Aipom sprawled on the ground, clutching its chin as if he had been hit with an uppercut.
"C'mon Jake, got a-ways to go!" He grabbed Jacob's hand once again, and they both dashed over the stunned Aipom twins.
"Stop them!" the shadows shouted.
"Stay close!" Aaron said. "Don't let 'em–!"
Silvery thread shot out of the dark, coiling around Aaron's ankles and tripping him. His lamp fell from his grasp and rolled away. Jacob stumbled and nearly fell into the dirt.
He caught his balance and glanced back. Aaron propped himself up on his hands, only for another String Shot from another direction to wrap around his wrists, binding them.
"Sonuva bitch!" Aaron groaned.
"Hold on!" Jacob called out as he ran back.
"No, Jake, don't!"
Another silver thread shot out of the dark, encasing Jacob's ankles and causing him to fall.
Thud!
He dropped like a rock between Aaron and his lamp. The cold, hard ground knocked the wind out of him. Even as he pushed himself up, another String Shot snared his wrists, pinning them together with tightly-woven silk.
They both struggled against their bonds, but they wouldn't even budge. The shadowy mons closed in, encircling them.
"Secure them," one of them ordered.
"Jake," Aaron spoke frantically, "yer flames! Use yer flames!"
Jacob glanced at his bound wrists. Panic rose in his chest, amplified by all the noise, fatigue, and mounting fear at what all of these mons were going to do with them. All that energy erupted as he coughed out ember flakes and black smoke.
"Shit!" Aaron squirmed, mustering all the strength he could to wrestle against his bonds. "I ain't goin' down like this, there's got ter be a way out!"
Jacob swiveled his head around. Their attackers were on the edge of the lantern's light. Everywhere he looked, shadows closed in from all directions. One stepped into the light– a Staraptor with bandaged wings. Their eyes met and his heart rushed, as if threatening to burst out of his chest.
Rising panic gave way to sharp focus. Everything around him seemed to slow down and grow more vibrant. He inhaled deeply and his tail burned brilliantly. A burst of adrenaline was coming, like when he had to save William. Whatever he was about to do, he had to make it count.
The scent of smoke pulled at his nostrils. Jacob looked over his shoulder, spotting a pile of dry leaves near his tail. One leaf was already charred from his flame.
He whipped his tail into the leaf pile, igniting the brush and scattering flaming leaves. A few leaves whirled toward him, their ashen embers spreading heat to his silk bindings, rapidly dissolving them.
Jacob scrambled to his feet, and the bandaged bird lifted his bruised wings, racing toward him. Jacob breathed deeply. His flame grew, and blistering heat swelled at his core. Power surged through his radiant scales, welling up through his chest, building in his throat.
He leaped back as an infernal lance erupted from his maw, roaring through the darkness.
Scorching flames crashed into Staraptor, blasting them away.
With overflowing energy, Jacob turned and expelled a steady blaze at their assailants, igniting the forest around them. The wind howled, sending more autumn leaves into his line of fire. Whirling flames bloomed, spreading volatile embers over the vicinity. Jacob's stream of fire suppressed the shadows with an ever-growing inferno, his fires charring the tree branches above.
Daylight came to the forest in the form of a pyro-tornado. The assailants all stumbled away from the burning tower of light, shielding their eyes from the brilliant blaze. None dared come near the fiery storm with Jacob as its eye. The flames fanned out, pushing his enemies further and further away. As they spread thin, the natural darkness trickled back into the empty space.
Finally, Jacob fell to one knee, gasping for air like he narrowly avoided drowning. His long, exasperated gasps sounded off throughout the woods. The flame on his tail resembled a candle. He forced his head up, surveying the damage of his desperation.
Blazing streaks lingered on the ground and treetops. Burning leaves rained, mingling with pillars of flame. Orange light painted the forest as the flames lingered.
To the side, something stirred. Aaron poked his face out, shielding himself behind the rubbery pelt around his lower body– now thoroughly charred. Though the rest of him appeared unharmed, and the flames melted his silk bindings, as well.
He whistled. "Daaaayum, Jake."
"A… Aaron," Jacob huffed, taking a step toward him. His lungs demanded more oxygen before he could speak.
"Hold on now!" Aaron sprang to his feet, catching Jacob. "Easy now, I gotcha!"
Jacob's chest rose and fell as he sucked in breaths of air. "I-I'm okay," he rasped. Despite his words, he was utterly drained. His limbs were weak, and his tailflame was almost smoldering. If it weren't for Aaron, he would've collapsed to the ground. All of that fire had demanded all of his energy and beyond– he had drained himself too much.
"We ain't outta the woods yet," Aaron replied. "You don't look so good. I'll getcha an Energy Seed, just gotta–"
But the air behind them buzzed with energy– a glowing, yellow net raced toward Aaron. As soon as it touched him, the net flashed and his body convulsed with crackling bolts surging through his limbs.
Aaron fell over, still as a statue. Without his support, Jacob fell to the ground.
Noise filled the forest again as the fires around him steamed, extinguished by water moves from hidden mons. A light drizzle fell from the fog overhead, stinging his scales. He couldn't tell if Aaron was paralyzed or unconscious.
He willed his arms and legs to move. They didn't respond. The only thing he could move now was his own eyelids, which he struggled to keep open. Within seconds their assailants circled around them, including Cayde, who looked down on him.
"Well, the big-brother act bore no fruit," Cayde said, rubbing his mouth. His voice had changed. Any semblance of warmth was gone, in its place was a cold, callous hiss. "All that time spent watching him from afar, tracking him from his hometown, learning of his life, his desires… The effort was wasted. So much for resolving things peacefully."
"I warned you of this one" said the Staraptor. "If you had taken some interest in him, you would've played your part more effectively. Your haste has cost us dearly!"
"A shame it has come to this," one of them said as they approached. It was a large, yellow spider– a Galvantula. "I hope they're not wounded too severely. If anything, that demonstration of power was quite impressive!"
"You waste your breath on praising our foes," Cayde rebuked.
Staraptor spread his wings. "Enough. Let us collect the artifact so we may depart."
Cayde shook his head. "That is not possible. The artifact is not on his person– it's in the guild."
"What?" Another voice broke in. Jacob couldn't turn his head to see who it was. "Then what was the point of our backup plan? We assaulted them for naught!"
"This situation is precarious," Cayde continued, making no effort to mask his irritation. "If it developed any further, the artifact may have gone permanently out of our reach. Nay, this calls for desperate measures."
"And would you care to elaborate?"
Cayde folded his arms. "These circumstances are far from ideal, but it is nonetheless still salvageable." He turned his head down, piercing Jacob with a cold gaze. "We shall take them with us."
Chatter erupted among the group.
"Take them? They'll find us!"
"You would invite open conflict? With the Wolfhaven Guild?"
"This insanity will not stand!"
"Think this all the way through," Cayde ordered, hushing them with a simple gesture. "I have no doubt that his guild will arrive in force. They may well be on their way now– all the more reason for haste! So, we must take these two to a place where we hold the advantage."
A tense silence followed.
"Wait, you don't mean… We're taking them all the way to…?"
"We are," Cayde said solemnly. "Now, all of you, collect our prisoners." With a snap of his claws, the other mons encircled Jacob and Aaron.
Jacob focused his dwindling energy, trying to move an inch. Once again his limbs didn't respond.
"I'm going to test the accelerant at the Sunspire," Cayde announced. "And then I'll regroup with the rest of you at the Silver Shore. But before all that, I have a letter to write… To their esteemed guildmaster."
Even holding his eyelids open demanded all of Jacob's focus, and that too was slipping away. The mons around him eclipsed his view.
"Inform Lord Leviticus that we've had to correct our course. We will… offer the guild a bargain."
Jacob felt a pair of hands beneath him. The ground fell away, along with his awareness.