Chapter 33 – Cataclysm (Jacob)
Jacob felt more disoriented than a pancake flipped out of a frying pan.
Once he climbed out of that jail cell, he had snuck around whatever this place was. His practice with Corvo came in handy, and most of the Eidolons were distracted by whatever they were doing. Still, he had no idea where to go. After hiding from a panicked Scyther, he wandered into some kind of big dome and climbed up the stairs to its upper floor.
From there, it was one shock after another.
First the lights went out, and Jacob saw a huge orb above. It gave him an intense vision about burning comets, growing grass, and sprawling towns. At first he thought he had been caught, but it looked like everyone else saw that vision, too. Speaking of everyone else, it wasn't just Eidolons in here. Leon, his brother, was on the other side of the chamber. And he wasn't alone. William, Corvo, Chase, Enzo, even Will's Axew buddy, Andrew, was here. They all came to rescue him.
That was enough to make Jacob's heart soar.
As he tiptoed his way over, he heard the conversation between his friends and a Tyranitar in a blue cape– the guy in charge of the Eidolons. That's when the third shock came: apparently his pocket watch had magic powers? At least, that's what they were talking about when Jacob got close enough to hear. That didn't make sense, all his life it had just been an ordinary watch. On the other hand, Leon's face when he spotted Jacob? That was magic.
When their standoff with the big rocky guy was about to boil over, Leon threw Jacob's pocket watch toward him. He jumped to catch it, reuniting with his personal treasure. He felt like he was going to explode… literally. Orange light raced up his arms, his whole body heated up, and finally he flashed. The next thing he knew, he was hovering off the ground.
"W-what the…?"
He looked over his glowing limbs, flapping newly-formed, flaming wings as if they had always been there. A pair of horns, made of light, stuck out the back of his head. His tailflame burned bright, and the irons on his wrists had popped off, scorched black. He was like a Charizard, but not quite. So the watch really did have magic in it? That explained why Cayde wanted it so badly, but why now? Why didn't it give Jacob superpowers before?
He'd have to wonder about it later– now everyone was staring at him, even that angry-looking Tyranitar. What was the last thing they said? He and Leon argued over who the watch belonged to. In that case…
"It's mine," Jacob said. He put extra energy into his next wingbeat, and bright embers scattered around him. He smiled– that was awesome. "You wanna see this thing's power so bad? I'll show you power."
Nailed it.
Leviticus swept out his arm, and his cape flowed behind him. "Eidolons, contain the apprentices," he ordered. "Leave the Charmander to me."
Jacob's friends formed a defensive circle as the Eidolons surrounded them. Meanwhile, Leviticus took a hefty step toward Jacob. He raised his weird metal hand, curling it into a fist.
Jacob drew a deep breath. He could feel his inner-fire spread throughout his entire body. However strong this guy might be, Jacob would match him. He exhaled, breathing out a blistering Flamethrower. The bright stream of hot fire enveloped the Tyranitar, obscuring his whole body.
That was easy!
While Leviticus burned, Jacob turned to his friends, who were fighting a Malamar, Umbreon, Espeon, and Vigoroth while that 'Magnemite' hung back, watching. It was a breaking brawl with water blasts, flashing claws, fireballs, psychic waves, and even shots of leaves and a thrown bone.
Jacob drew another breath, ready to– wait a sec, what was that?
The fire engulfing Leviticus split in two, revealing the Tyranitar. He was unharmed– not even an ember had touched him. He moved his metal hand, his Fire Stone knuckle flashing, and the flames funneled into a burning ball above his palm.
Not only had Jacob's Flamethrower missed Leviticus, but now he was controlling it?!
The rocky titan turned and hurled the fireball away, straight towards–
"Watch out!" Jacob warned.
Boom!
The fireball exploded between his friends, with only Chase and Corvo leaping away in time. Everyone else bore the brunt of the blast. Even though most of them resisted fire, it was still scorching hot. They staggered and the Eidolons kept attacking.
Jacob's heartbeat quickened. If Leviticus could take attacks and throw them at someone else, how could they fight him? Before he could think, the Tyranitar ran straight at him.
"Aah!"
Instinct kicked in and Jacob beat his infernal wings, rising above as that metal hand clasped thin air. Right, he could fly now. Just as he thought of that advantage, Leviticus conjured up a ring of razor rocks around himself.
"Yikes!"
Jacob beat his wings again, flapping away as Stone Edge rushed past him. His flight was rickety, between the dire circumstances and not knowing how to fly. But he managed to dodge the stones.
His friends, despite outnumbering the Eidolons, were on the backfoot– facing more experienced fighters. If he couldn't fight Leviticus, he could at least take some pressure off everyone else.
While his friends were pushed into a tighter circle, Jacob spread his wings and swooped in, leaving a burning trail of embers in his flight. "Get down!" he yelled.
Leon and William spotted Jacob, then ducked.
Jacob collided with Malamar and Vigoroth, knocking them over with his burning Wing Attack, then flew back up with a wingbeat. Before he turned around, a sharp whistling noise reached his ears.
"Look out Jake!" Chase warned.
Jacob tucked his wings and spun– another razor rock salvo shot past, narrowly missing him.
Down below, his friends pushed the advantage and battered Malamar and Vigoroth. With a deep breath, Jacob spewed out another Flamethrower, targeting Malamar.
"Not so fast."
Espeon sprang into action, her red gem lighting up as she made a move: Light Screen. The Flamethrower crashed into a transparent barrier, filtering most of the fire.
Meanwhile, Leviticus pointed at Jacob. "Target that Charmander!" he commanded.
"On it!" Umbreon answered.
His yellow markings lit up, and a flickering orb of light sped toward Jacob.
"Oh–!" He tried to move, but dizzying colors spun around his head, flashing his eyes and scrambling his ears– Confuse Ray.
All the figures below split as if Jacob was seeing double, blurred and bouncy as they continued to brawl. Noise drilled his ears, fluxing between faint and thundering. It was impossible to tell what was going on.
Heat welled up in his chest, but he suppressed it. He already had one friendly-fire incident, and he had enough sense to not risk another one. Through the noise, a distinct whistle reached him,
Pow!
Jacob buckled as a heavy stone crashed into his back. His wings faltered and he plummeted, realizing too late that he was struck by a Smack Down.
Thud!
Embers scattered off his wings as he crashed into the night-sky ground.
"Jake!" Leon called. "No! Will, help me hold 'em off!"
Mercifully, the distortions of Confuse Ray began to fade, and the fight came back into focus.
Straight ahead, Leon and William stood before Leviticus. The former spewed a Water Gun, and the latter swung his bone club… which was on fire. And shooting fireballs as he swung it. When did he learn to do that? In any case, their combined water and fire held off Leviticus, who held up his gauntlet and raised that bubble-shield thing.
On the left, Vigoroth hounded Corvo with Fury Swipes, his claws slashing endlessly and forcing the Snivy back. On the right, Malamar pursued Andrew with Night Slash, clashing against the Axew's tusks.
Meanwhile, Chase and Enzo were in the middle, locked in a tussle with Umbreon and Espeon, trading tackles as well as leaves, flames, psychic blasts and dark shots.
Jacob's attention was torn every which way. Everything was chaotic and everyone needed help, but who needed it most? Instead of thinking, he leapt into action– swinging his left wing. A blade of air stormed forth and Air Slash barreled into Umbreon, knocking him over.
"O-oof!"
That's right, he had more than just fire! So Jacob swung his right wing, repeating the attack and striking Espeon with another Air Slash. The blade of air blew the pink cat back.
"Mmph!"
Now freed, Chase and Enzo split up and ran towards Corvo and Andrew, trying to save their overwhelmed teammates.
"Stick together!" Leon called. "We gotta–"
He and William fell on their backs as a steam blast rushed through them– Leviticus had combined their attacks and threw them back.
"Oof!"
"Ouch!"
Jacob flapped his wings, trying to push back the steam with a gust, though the damage was done. This was no good, they were only taking hits, not landing any. If things kept going this way, they'd have no chance of winning.
While Jacob tried brainstorming, Chase and Enzo caught up to Vigoroth and Malamar, and a whole flurry of attacks broke out. Claws, fireballs, leaves, and psychic beams collided, as well as a Twister from Corvo.
The Twister's white winds absorbed a dark projectile, then shot it back out. The dark energy flew towards one of the colorful orbs beneath the Heart of Time.
Drom.
A dull echo resonated as the yellow orb cracked. The spinning gyro around the Heart slowed for a split-second, and one of the rings emitted crackling sparks. The fighting paused as the noise reverberated.
Leviticus craned his head up at the Heart. "Restrain yourselves!" He turned back to Leon and William, who were recovering from the steam blast. "Johnathan, Mina, focus on the Charmander!"
Fighting broke out again, and the dark-psychic pair advanced on Jacob, their heads lowered, eyes focused.
"That power of yours is impressive," Espeon said.
"But can you keep it?" Umbreon added.
Jacob watched as Leon and William, back on their feet, rushed toward Leviticus. If ranged attacks didn't work on him, maybe getting up-close would, even if it was risky. And if these guys could throw up Light Screens, maybe Jacob ought to do the same.
He steeled himself. "Come take it!" he dared, then dashed forward, his wings leaving a shimmering trail of embers.
Espeon's eyes widened and a translucent barrier appeared between her and Jacob– another Light Screen– which Jacob easily phased through. His claws glowed reddish violet as he lashed out with Dragon Claw, striking both Espeon and Umbreon.
The duo staggered back, visibly wounded from Jacob's melee. He summoned his inner-flame–
"N-now, Mina!" Umbreon rasped.
Jacob quivered as he was struck by something hot and cold. Two streams of orbs flowed out of him– one orange, one blue– connecting to Espeon and Umbreon. At the same time, streams of bubbles flowed out of them, too, connecting back to Jacob.
Suddenly, he felt as if his strength had drained out of him, and realized the dirty trick they had played: Power Swap and Guard Swap, draining his strength and endurance.
Flamethrower erupted from his maw, still scorching the two, but it wasn't as strong as it was before.
The duo braced against the flames, then blasted back with Psychic and Dark Pulse.
"Eugh!" Jacob tumbled and fell onto his back, but beat his wings and rolled back onto his feet.
Beyond the duo, Leon and William leaped over Leviticus's Stone Edge and lunged at him. Leon chomped down with a Bite, and William struck his chest with his Bone Club. The Tyranitar's eyes bulged, and he spun with a roar, sweeping his tail and striking his challengers.
The Totodile and Cubone were sent flying, skidding and tumbling across the ground.
"Leon! Will!" Jacob cried out.
Further back, Corvo and Chase were locked in a rumble with Vigoroth, while Andrew and Enzo had a similar struggle against Malamar, all fighting fiercely.
"Magnemite, to me!" Leviticus ordered.
The metal ball buzzed and floated toward him. Leviticus held out his gauntlet, and Magnemite discharged electric bolts from its magnets, charging the gauntlet.
Jacob breathed another Flamethrower at Umbreon and Espeon. The duo jumped back, dodging the fire.
"Clear the way, assist the others!" Leviticus commanded.
The duo complied, breaking away from Jacob and running to aid their teammates.
Leviticus, eyes locked on Jacob, reeled back his crackling metallic fist. His rocky hide glowed yellow with sparks.
Jacob braced himself. That Tyranitar was probably gonna throw a lightning bolt at him, or paralyze him with Thunder Wave–
Wa-voomp!
In the blink of an eye, Leviticus morphed into lightning and bolted, coming face-to-face with Jacob in a tenth of a second.
Jacob stumbled as his foe rematerialized in front of him, gasping as metal fingers seized his neck, lifting him off the ground.
"Ack! Let go!" He kicked and flailed, scattering embers from his wings. But the Eidolon's iron grip held, just an ounce of force away from choking Jacob.
Leviticus whirled around, holding him like a claimed trophy. "Stand down!" he ordered.
The fighting continued for a few seconds, but rapidly stopped as all eyes turned and saw Jacob, struggling in the Tyranitar's grasp. All of his friends looked on in horror.
"This fighting was needless," said Leviticus, his voice burning with impatience. "You could have handed over the artifact and been on your way, unharmed."
Jacob, still clutching his pocket watch, tried to muster another Flamethrower.
"But now… you force me to make an example of him." His grip tightened.
Jacob's inner-flame was squelched. He coughed smoke as the air was crushed out of his throat. He flailed his legs, his tail, and pried at the metal hand around his neck– to no avail.
Leon looked on with a thousand-yard stare, his jaw hanging open.
"No…" he uttered. "Stop…"
Jacob wheezed. His eyes bulged. His desperate flailing slowed. His fiery wings dimmed, as did his tailflame…
"STOOOOOOOP!" Leon screamed, throwing himself forward.
The grip loosened.
Jacob gasped, sucking in the biggest lungful of air he could manage. His fire rekindled, and he shook under labored breath.
Leviticus glanced at Leon. He was on all fours, his whole body shaking as tears streamed down his face. "S-s-stop, p-please," he begged. "N-no more… D-don't hurt him… He doesn't… I-I can't… lose him…"
All eyes were on Leon as he pleaded. His friends looked on, too afraid to move.
"Have I made myself clear?" Leviticus asked coldly, each word heavy as ice.
"Y-yes…" Leon answered.
"You will cease your interference in our affairs?"
"Yes…"
"And you will relinquish the artifact to me, with no further resistance?"
"Yes!" Leon hollered. "Just, please, let him go!"
William broke ranks and rushed to Leon, helping him to his feet. Soon after, the others hurried over as well, careful to not show any signs of aggression. The Eidolons warily stood back.
Jacob's heart shattered. He had never seen Leon so desperate before. Yet, even amidst the angst and chaos, an epiphany came to Jacob. Leviticus held him with his metal hand. The one he used to make that magic shield. If that hand was preoccupied, then…
"You," Leviticus said, turning his gaze to Jacob. "Are fortunate, to have earned my mercy. Now, we may end this."
Jacob's eyes darted toward the Heart of Time, and the metal device containing it. When it got damaged, Leviticus noticed and reacted. It was important to him. If they could cause more damage to it, maybe something would happen.
Leviticus held out his free hand. "Give me the artifact."
What would happen, Jacob had no idea– it was a long shot. But anything would be better than giving up his personal treasure, especially to someone as twisted as Leviticus. He locked eyes with his captor. "I'll… break… your… heart…!"
For once, the Tyranitar had a bewildered expression. While he processed those words, Jacob turned to Leon. "Get 'em! Now!"
Leon looked on with utter shock, which spread to everyone else. They eyed Jacob as if he had lost his mind.
"Trust me!" Jacob bellowed, pointing at the metal hand grasping his neck.
That hand once again tightened its grip, squeezing air out of his throat.
"Defiant words," said Leviticus. "Poorly chosen."
Instinct compelled Jacob to pry at the hand around his neck, struggling to budge even a single finger. The only thing in his fading vision was Leviticus's pitiless glare…
Sploosh!
A tidal blast crashed into the Tyranitar's face, soaking him. In shock he released his grip and Jacob fell, panting on the ground.
He drew breath, awareness flooding back, and snapped his attention toward Leon.
Not only was he spraying Leviticus with his Water Gun, but everyone else was helping: Bonemerang, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Flame Burst, and Dragon Rage, all hurled downrange at him. The master Eidolon struggled under siege, trying and failing to summon his shield.
Jacob leaped away, beating his flaming wings and weaving past his friends. He had a chance to turn this around, and he wasn't going to waste it.
The other Eidolons were stupefied, unsure how to react. If they were thinking about helping Leviticus, they never got the chance– Jacob flew straight toward them, making them scatter.
He ascended, getting closer to the Heart and its revolving metal rings. As he did, Jacob's mind blurred as if another vision was pounding on his head, trying to break in. He ignored it, and with rising heat in his chest, shot an explosive fireball at the red orb.
Drom.
Just like before, an echo reverberated throughout the chamber. As the flames dissipated, they revealed a charred, cracked orb. The gyroscope slowed again, and one of the rings caught fire.
"No!" Leviticus roared, still under siege. He jumped, raising his left arm and pounding the ground. A Dark Pulse flowed from his fist, crashing into all of his assailants like a wave. "Shoot him down!" he ordered.
The Eidolons finally snapped out of it, and they scrambled to intercept Jacob. As they approached, Jacob swooped toward the blue orb as if he were going to strike it next. Dark shots and Psychic waves raced toward him, and he tucked in his wings, plummeting below the attacks.
Drom.
The blue orb fractured. One of the heart's rings began perspiring with water. Combined with the other rings crackling with lightning, and fizzling with fire, the machine groaned with hissing steam.
"You incompetents!" Leviticus roared.
"Guys!" Jacob called. "Help me bust these orbs!"
His friends shakily rose to their feet, recovering from the Dark Pulse. They were all battered, yet none of them hesitated.
Leon and Enzo blitzed Leviticus again, drawing the titan's attention.
Meanwhile, William, Andrew, Chase, and Corvo rushed toward the pillars. The Eidolons tried to intercept them, but Chase popped a cloud of Poison Powder from his bulb. Corvo followed up with Twister, spreading the purple spores into a hazy curtain that the Eidolons wouldn't dare to cross.
William and Andrew combined their attacks, lobbing a Bonemerang and Dragon Rage toward the green tower.
Drom.
The fiery Bonemerang struck the orb. Green light and ethereal leaves radiated from one of the rings, while the others spewed more sparks, flames, and droplets than before. The rings began spinning faster.
"Nice shot!" Jacob called. He whirled around, flying back up and ready to launch another fireball. He aimed for the dark orb…
Zzzaaap!
Heat raced up Jacob's spine and all of his limbs locked up. Even his wings went stiff and he promptly fell.
"W-what the?!" he uttered through his locked jaw. In the corner of his vision he spotted the metal mon– Magnemite– pursuing him with crackling electricity. It must have used Thunder Wave!
Jacob focused, pushing against paralysis with every ounce of his strength. As he nearly crashed into the floor of starlight, he broke through his nerves and beat his wings, rising again. He spun around, facing Magnemite.
Behind the metal mon, a chaotic battle unfolded once again– the Eidolons threw themselves at Jacob's friends.
"Protect the Heart," Leviticus ordered. "No matter the cost!"
Not good, they couldn't waste time fighting. Jacob had to take the heat off his friends, but first he had to stop Magnemite from zapping him again.
"Come at me," Jacob said. Heat rose in his chest, just as static built up in Magnemite's magnets.
Before Jacob breathed fire, he spotted William and Andrew fighting Malamar and Vigoroth, sparks flying between clashing claws and calcium, tusks and tentacles. He looked back at Magnemite with another inspired idea.
A Thundershock sparked out of Magnemite, straight toward Jacob.
He weaved aside, narrowly dodging the lighting. Instead of Flamethrower, he blew out a Smokescreen, obscuring Magnemite. Then he dove straight into the smoke, arms outreached.
Clank!
"Gotcha!" He burst out of the smoke cloud with the metal ball in his grasp, careful to avoid the magnets. Magnemite panicked, its eye darting all over as it struggled to escape. Its magnets buzzed with building electricity.
The battle raged below, with William and Andrew fending off an Eidolon onslaught.
"Heads up!" Jacob called, and dropped Magnemite.
It discharged an electric pulse.
William leaped in front of Andrew, shielding him from the blast– the lightning harmlessly flowed over the ground-type's back. Meanwhile, hissing sparks cascaded over Malamar and Vigoroth. They went stiff, and fell over.
"Got 'em!" Jacob cheered.
Nearby, the Umbreon and Espeon battled Corvo and Chase, while Leon and Enzo dashed around the Tyranitar's sweeping tail.
"Keep breaking the orbs!" Jacob pointed toward the pillars. "I'll help them out!"
William and Andrew, both bruised, nodded and hobbled toward the pillars. The former punted Magnemite away with his bone club.
Jacob flew in the opposite direction, toward Umbreon and Espeon, who were battling Chase and Corvo. Amidst the flurry of dark and psychic clashing with leaves, he spat out another Smokescreen, obscuring their vision. As he closed in, he swung his tail.
Bam!
In one swoop he knocked the Eidolons away, and cleared the smoke for his friends. Once again he pointed at the pillars. "Go help Will and Andrew!"
Chase and Corvo pushed through their pain and hurried toward the pillars, leaving Jacob with only one fight left to break up.
Leviticus launched volley after volley of Stone Edge at Leon and Enzo, both of whom leaped around the razor rocks. They shot back with Water Gun and Flamethrower, prompting Leviticus to summon his elemental shield. The torrential flames whirled around the Tyranitar and his protective bubble.
Jacob joined in, swinging his wings and sending an Air Slash down range. He hoped that their combined attacks would break the bubble. However, the shield held steady.
Drom.
Back at the pillars, another orb was busted– the light-blue one. One of the rings iced over with frost and snowflakes, adding to the elemental chaos around the Heart. The gyro spun ever-faster.
"Enough!" Leviticus roared. Another Stone Edge erupted around him, spinning in orbit of water, fire, and air. He unleashed all four at once, hurling a wave of elemental annihilation at Leon, Enzo, and Jacob.
The three tried to run, but the stunning salvo was too fast– Enzo, blasted away by an explosion of fire and air. Leon, half-buried by soaked stones. And Jacob, yowling as sharp wind and flaming rocks tore through his fiery wings. Even if they weren't quite real, the pain he felt was.
He struggled to hold himself upright, fighting through the pain. Through blurry eyes he saw Leviticus approach, and braced for the next attack.
The looming Tyranitar stopped short of Jacob, plunging his left hand down and lifting something up. Jacob's heart dropped.
It was Leon. Now he was struggling in a chokehold, wheezing and kicking his legs.
Leviticus held out his metal hand, as if daring anyone to test the might of his shield again.
Jacob dared.
At the sobering sight, his inner-flame burned hotter than ever before. He uttered a war cry, flared his wings, and wrapped himself in a spiral of flames, shooting toward Leviticus with Flare Blitz.
Leviticus promptly summoned his shield. Jacob crashed into it like a comet. For a split-second, he saw his foe's eyes widen as the shield cracked–
Ka-BOOM!
It shattered like glass, and Leviticus skidded across the ground like a stone over water. When he finally stopped, his rocky hide smoked.
Jacob, meanwhile, fell to his hands and knees, breathing hard and fast. His wings and tail burned weakly. "L… Leon…" he panted, raising his head. "Are you…?"
Beside him, Leon pushed himself to his feet. His scales were bruised purple, but he rushed over to Jacob. "I'm here," he said. "Are you okay?"
"Ha… yeah…" Jacob huffed. "Where's… Enzo?"
Back at the pillars, everyone was slugging it out once again. Malamar and Vigoroth had recovered from paralysis, while Enzo sauntered toward the fight, spitting weak fireballs. Everyone was exhausted. But Jacob knew they couldn't let it end in a tie.
"We've got… three more orbs to bust," he said.
"It's up to us, then," Leon said.
"I'm… low on firepower."
"But you got wings. And they're not made of sticks and cotton, either. Think you can gimme a lift?"
Behind them, Leviticus grunted. On one knee, he slowly lifted himself up, shoring up his remaining strength.
No time left. Jacob nodded. "Let's do it."
He grabbed his brother and beat his wings, carrying them both skyward. Leon's extra weight demanded more energy of Jacob, and he hobbled through the air toward the pillars.
"Up there!" Leviticus yelled. "Shoot them down!"
The Eidolons craned their heads up toward Jacob. Most started channeling their next attacks to target him. William and Andrew threw themselves at the Eidolons, breaking their focus. Chase peppered the battlefield with more Poison Powder, scattered further by Corvo's Twister. All while Enzo harassed them with persistent fireballs.
Jacob neared the colossal orb, and its haywire gyro crackled and groaned with fire, ice, and steam among other things. He weaved, avoiding a spray of sparks, embers, and flakes. A purple orb came into view.
"Target in sight!" Leon said.
"H-hit it!" Jacob said.
Leon expelled a high-pressure Water Gun, blasting the top of the pillar.
Drom.
The sixth orb broke. Violet, draconic flames fanned from one of the rings, all of which spun ever faster. Fire and lighting chained between the metal, and a web of cracks raced down the pillars, like glass about to shatter. The air rumbled with shockwaves.
"Cease this at once!" Leviticus beloved. "You're going to cause irreversible damage!"
Leon hollered back. "You almost gave Jacob irreversible damage!"
"Return the favor, brother!" Corvo shouted.
Jacob flew toward the next pillar, twisting around a spray of water and light leaves. A pink orb came into view, and Leon expelled another torrential blast.
Drom.
The air rippled with psychic shockwaves. The rings spun at a feverish pace, slinging chaos in all directions. Elemental rain fell on the fighters below, causing them to scatter.
"Clean hit!" Leon cheered. "One more!"
Jacob flew outside of the pillars to avoid volatile debris, searching for the last target. On the opposite side, he finally spotted it: the black orb.
"There it is!" Jacob said.
"Let's–"
POW!
A heavy rock slammed into Jacob– another Smack Down that caused him and Leon to buckle and fall. Everything spun as Jacob tumbled through the air, plummeting toward the ground–
Thud!
"Ooof!"
"Owww…"
Jacob lay crumbled at the base of the black pillar. If his wings were real, they would've been mangled or worse by now. A few yards away, Leon lay sprawled over the starlight floor, dazed from the impact. Slowly, he sat up, holding his rattled head.
"Eugh… J-Jacob?"
"L-Leon!"
Leon sat up as well, just as dazed, and hobbled over to Jacob.
"Guys!"
Several other mons came rushing toward them. Will, Corvo, Andrew, Enzo, and Chase. They all ran at a restrained pace, plainly exhausted by the non-stop fighting. Soon they crowded around Leon and Jacob.
Leviticus and his Eidolons followed them, surrounding Jacob and his friends at the obsidian pillar. Above their heads, the machine still went haywire.
Leviticus's face flashed with lights from the pending meltdown, yet his expression was as cold as ever. "Your wanton destruction of the Heart's Host has brought us to the very edge of catastrophe." He crossed his arms, his metal gauntlet gleaming. "Are you proud of yourselves?"
No one spoke. The only sounds were the rumbling, grinding, and churning of the gyroscope above their heads. Jacob's friends all crowded around, trying to shield him.
"Nothing to say? So be it." Leviticus sweeped out his arm, and his cloak flowed behind him. "Diplomacy has long since failed. Eidolons, with me. I'm taking the artifact. Now."
As they closed in, Leon swung around his backpack and plunged his hand inside. "Jacob," he said, retrieving an item, "take this, quick." He presented Jacob with a seed. An Energy Seed.
"Another one of these things?" Jacob almost laughed.
"Just hurry, please," Leon said. "We'll hold them off." He turned to their friends. "One last effort, from all of us."
They nodded.
Jacob steeled himself, took the seed and promptly shoveled it into his mouth. Just like last time, the Energy Seed felt like a bunch of tiny explosions in his mouth, leaving a toasty aftertaste. The flames on his tail and wings changed from dim red to vibrant orange.
The Eidolons stood a few paces away, with Leviticus standing in the middle.
"Your struggle is over," he said, and lunged toward Jacob.
All at once, Jacob's friends threw themselves at Leviticus. Their combined force pushed Leviticus back, stumbling.
"Not yet," Leon said, defiant. "Now, Jake!"
Fueled by fire, Jacob launched himself skyward.
Leviticus looked on with wide eyes. "Stop him!"
Halfway up the pillar, Jacob was immediately assailed by psychic strikes and dark shots. He whirled around the pillar, narrowly avoiding them.
His friends charged the Eidolons one last time, struggling against their assault.
"Magnemite!" Leviticus called.
The metal mon zoomed toward him once again.
Jacob neared the top of the pillar, still weaving around bolts of energy, and grazed by elemental debris from all directions.
Leviticus charged his gauntlet with electricity, then locked his gaze upon Jacob.
Jacob reached the top, his arms glowing purple as he readied a Dragon Claw.
Wa-voomp!
A lightning bolt shot toward the top of the pillar, and Leviticus materialized across from Jacob. He swung his metal fist, clashing with Jacob's claw as they struck the orb–
BOOOOOOOoooommm…
A blinding howl washed over Jacob, followed by deafening darkness. Everything in sight became an unfocused blur, while all sound faded into incoherent muffles, awash in motion.
Thud!
He hadn't realized that he was falling until the ground hit him, and he slid across the floor. The impact left him numb, and spots clouded his vision. Blinking his bleary eyes, he spotted something in the distance. At first it looked like an aurora, shimmering ribbons of fractured colors. Lightning cracked the sky, lighting up the gyroscope's eight rings, all of which gleamed with elements and spun so fast, they became a blur.
Then the explosion.
No sound reached Jacob's ears. A visible shockwave erupted from the Heart, slicing through all of the rings, launching them away. The shockwave pushed Jacob back, sliding him further across the floor. A large piece of metal bounced toward him, crushing the ground before sailing over his body.
The Heart of Time burned bright, with blue fissures racing over the sphere.
Silence faded into ringing. Blurred figures came into focus. Everyone who fell rose to their feet, heads turned toward the Heart.
"…Congratulations," said Leviticus. The Tyranitar rose to his feet. "You've caused a cataclysm. Whatever worldly disaster comes about from this, it will be on your hands."
The ground rumbled violently. Constant quakes made it difficult to stand up– Jacob flailed and fell before shakily rising to his feet. The Heart of Time pulsed with strange energy, in sync with the tremors.
"Jacob!" Leon shouted. He and the others broke into a hobbled sprint– the Eidolons made no effort to chase them.
"Eidolons," Leviticus called. "Sound the alarm. We're evacuating the Citadel." His followers trailed him as he briskly walked away, into the dark.
Holding himself steady, Jacob ran across the shaking ground to meet his friends halfway. Despite his wings he still lost his balance, falling and catching himself on his hands. The night-sky ground seemed brighter than before, with its stars burning fiercely.
Fissures of light erupted across the floor, forming a winding canyon of cracks between the stars. Jacob's gaze followed the cracks, moving toward his friends as they ran toward him.
"Hold on," Leon called. "We're–"
The Heart pulsed. A blue shockwave blasted through.
The ground collapsed.
Everyone yelped and flailed their limbs, falling through shattered starlight. Glass-like shards rained into the depths below, while the stars shot through the dark, leaving behind luminous trails.
Thump!
Jacob landed on one of the starlight trails. It was solid, breaking his fall. Nearby, everyone else also landed on floating trails of solid, frozen light.
"Wh-what's happening?!" Andrew called.
The light trails expanded further, forming a chaotic network of beams, carving through the darkness.
"This place is collapsing," Enzo replied.
"We need to escape!" William added.
Jacob spun around, searching the area. There was enough light to see the edges of this place, and he spotted doors in the distance. "Over there!" Jacob pointed. "That's our way out!"
"Alright," Leon spoke. "One last push, we're getting out of here!"
They quickly chomped down on some berries, holding off their exhaustion. Then they ran, slid, and leaped across beams of frozen starlight, holding each other steady as more shockwaves rattled the air. It was unclear if the dark below was a solid floor, or an endless abyss. No one was willing to test it.
A minute later, all seven of them reached a platform before the set of metal doors, and shoved their way through.
The dungeon's safe zone was in chaos. All of the Eidolons' fancy machines and minerals were abandoned, some already broken by the quakes. A deep-pitched alarm echoed through the halls. The Eidolons scrambled for the exits, wherever those might be.
"Should we follow them?" William asked.
"No way!" Leon replied. "They'll take us prisoner!"
"How the hell else are we gonna get outta here?" Corvo said.
But Jacob, despite the mayhem, wasn't thinking of escaping. He had something else on his mind. "Guys," he said, flaring his fiery wings. "We can't leave yet, Aaron is still here somewhere. We gotta save him!"
"Aaron?" William repeated. "He was taken too?"
Jacob nodded. "We were in the same cell. I wouldn't have gotten out without his help…"
"Which way is it?" Leon asked.
Jacob spun around. Despite the chaos, he had a vague familiarity of the path he had taken before. It was a straight shot down a hallway with clusters of obsidian. "That way!"
"Better be quick, then," Corvo said.
All together, the seven of them ran down the shaking corridors, jumping over debris littered across the floor. In every direction, Eidolons raced through the not-so-safe zone. Some maintained orderly formations, while others scattered like Combees from a burning hive. None of them paid any attention to Jacob or his friends.
"Not much father!" Jacob shouted over the noise. "Once we get there–"
He stopped as another blue shockwave pulsed through. The sheer force staggered everyone, forcing them to stumble. More rumbles echoed nearby, and a loud one snapped his attention to the right– more Eidolons shuffling down a corridor. He recognized two of them: the Umbreon and Espeon, toward the back of the pack. Both were battered and bruised, hobbling down the hall. The other Eidolons didn't stop for them.
"Jake, what's wrong?" Leon asked.
The Dark-Psychic duo shuffled around, unsteady on their feet as the ground shook. Nearby, tall crystal pillars cracked at their bases. Like cut trees, they began to tip and fall– right above them.
Jacob's jaw fell. With no time to think, he took flight.
Umbreon and Espeon gaped at the falling pillars, and they embraced each other.
Jacob soared skyward with his hands outstretched.
Drom!
He braced against the crystal with all his strength, and beat his wings as the other pillar crashed onto the first.
Down below, the duo slowly lifted their heads up, spotting Jacob.
"Don't wait!" Jacob called to them. "Go!"
As dust and debris rained on Jacob's head, the duo finally moved, running down the hall. As they did, Jacob flapped his wings and let the crystals fall, his arms pulsing with soreness. He regrouped with his friends–
BOOM.
A dull roar echoed as the crystals crashed, pluming a dust cloud in their wake.
"Are you okay, Jake?" Leon asked.
Jacob huffed, hands on his knees. "I'm fine…"
Was it right of him to save those Eidolons? These were the people who stalked him, kidnapped him, and held him prisoner. They were enemies, weren't they? What if saving those two comes back to bite them later?
"That was a noble thing to do," William said. "You saved their lives."
Maybe that was all that mattered. Someone was in danger, and Jacob helped them. And there was another mon who needed his help, too.
Jacob stood up straight and nodded. "Let's go."
They continued their way toward the holding cells, passing by more intersections as they ran. All the while they didn't see any more Eidolons.
Except for one.
As they approached the holding cells, Jacob spotted a lone mon with gray and gold scales: a Hakamo-o, who was fidgeting with the doors. He looked over his shoulder as they approached.
"What the– Dimitri?!" Leon called out.
The Hakamo-o turned around, wearing the same startled expression as them.
"You there! Leon, was it not? What are you doing here? What happened, where's Leviticus?"
Jacob tensed himself. "You know this guy?" he asked.
"It's a long story," Leon said, like he was addressing both of them. He turned to Dimitri. "But we found Jacob."
Dimitri cast his gaze over Jacob and his luminous wings. "So I see… I thought he was here, in these holding cells, but that's now irrelevant. Why are there quakes underfoot?"
"This place is going to hell!" Enzo said.
"That thing, the 'Heart of Time,'" Andrew added, "it's falling apart!"
Dimitri's eyes widened. "Is this true? Such a thing… that's never happened before…"
"Your peers are already evacuating," William said.
Dimitri shook his head. "We must escape as well!"
"We can't," Leon said. "We've got someone else to save first– a Scraggy. You said the cells are here?"
The dragon nodded. "They are. Your friend is likely here, but…"
"But what?" Corvo spoke. "There somethin' you wanna tell us, Scales?"
Dimitri's gaze hardened. "The window for escape is rapidly closing. If you go this way, then your best bet will be the Dimension Dial. I'll explain quickly– nearby is a portal that leads to a tower. At the top of the tower is a device that resembles a clock. You'll see a journal–"
"You mean this?" William said, presenting a worn, red book.
"You've already been there?" Dimitri said, sounding impressed.
William nodded.
"Figured out the codes, too!" Chase said.
Before Jacob could ask what they were talking about, Dimitri spoke again. "Then I trust you'll be able to escape. But before you go, please, take this." From his bag he produced a silver orb with a glowing, yellow core. "This is an experimental model. It may help you reach the tower where the Dimension Dial is held."
"Whats it do?" Andrew asked.
"It's a magnetic–"
FWOOSH!
The door behind Dimitri burst open with a fiery blast, making him stumble forward. Intense heat washed over everyone as a smoking shadow appeared in the doorway.
"I said get'chure damn dirty claws offa me!" a voice called.
"That voice," Jacob said. "Aaron!?"
"I don't think so," another voice replied. "If you won't tell me where Jake is, then I'm taking you in his place."
Jacob recognized the other voice, too, and it sent chills down his spine. As the smoke dissipated, he could make out a bulky body with a pair of wings, and a tail with a flame.
Leon reached out to Dimitri, helping him regain his balance.
The other dragon stepped out of the dark, revealing orange scales and blue wings.
"Cayde…" Jacob rasped.
"Who?" Leon asked.
The Charizard craned his head up, regarding the group.
"He's…" Jacob began. "…He was, a Charmeleon, who said he knew my family."
Cayde locked eyes with Jacob. "Ah, there you are… 'brother.'"
"Ey ey, that's my word," Corvo quipped.
Leon's expressions hardened. "So this is the guy who kidnapped you?!"
"Both of us!"
Under the dragon's arm was a stout mon with a round head, struggling to escape: Aaron, the Scraggy.
Cayde took a step forward, forcing everyone back. "I see you've discovered the power of our family heirloom, Jacob."
"S-shut up!" Jacob snapped. "Don't pretend like we're family– we're not! Leon is my real brother!" He stepped forward, flaring his wings and holding up his pocket watch. "And this is mine!"
"You've got a fiery attitude to go with your wings," Cayde flashed a devilish smile. "So, we both found a way to power up– my accelerant worked marvelously. Sure, it froze that aqueduct at the Sunspire, but it was worth it."
"That was you?!" Chase stepped forward, tensing his muscles.
"When I evolved, the accelerant absorbed so much heat it flash-froze all the water around me. Had to do it on the Sunspire– it wouldn't work anywhere else. Doesn't matter now though, once I take that artifact to Lord Leviticus…"
"Enough of this!" Dimitri said. "Caydence, the dungeon is unraveling, we must go! Release the Scraggy and let them pass! Our survival is more important than the artifact!"
"Don't you see the opportunity here?" Cayde said. "They're all weakened, trying to slip through our fingers! After all, the artifact is our ultimate end goal, should we take it to Lord Leviticus…"
While Cayde rambled, Jacob shared a glance with Leon. That lone look told each other all they needed to know.
"We will ascend to lordship among our peers, and then–"
"You talk too much," Jacob said.
FWOOSH!
He immediately shot a blistering Flamethrower, while his brother expelled a high-pressure Water Gun.
Cayde stumbled back, dropping Aaron as he was attacked. Everyone else besides Dimitri joined in on the assault. Leaves, flames, water, and a flying bone all had enough combined force to knock Cayde over. He crashed onto his back, wings splayed out.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Aaron said, regrouping with the others. "Blast 'em while they're babblin', ha! You did good, Jake." He gave Jacob a light punch on the shoulder. "Those wings look good on ya."
Another rumble surged underfoot, threatening to knock everyone to the ground alongside Cayde.
"No time left," Dimitri said. "Make your way to the portal, then use this once you reach the shaft." He handed the silver orb over to Leon. "Your destination is the Dimension Dial."
"What about you, Dimitri?" Leon asked.
"I must ensure my colleagues escape safely," he replied. "And try to talk sense into Caydence. Hurry now, and good luck!"
All together, Jacob and his seven friends ran past the dazed Charizard and the doors to the holding cells. Just around the bend they spotted the portal Dimitri had mentioned, shimmering with ebony and ivory like all the others.
"Another leap of faith," Leon said. "Go go go!"
They rushed toward the light, and as Jacob crossed the threshold, a ringing light phased out his senses.
Jacob felt like he was being squeezed through a dark tube at high speed. All around him were jet-black streams with flashes of light racing past him. He couldn't tell how long he had been moving, but eventually–
Brrrrrrrr-ing!
The world spun around and he slid across the floor, dragging his wings.
"Oof…" Jacob groaned. His eyes spun around, and familiar faces came into focus. Leon and William stood above him, both offering a hand.
He reached out with both arms, accepting their help. "Thanks," Jacob said, stretching his flaming wings. "…How'd you guys land on your feet?"
The only other mon who didn't was Aaron, who was pulled up with Corvo's help.
"I guess we're getting used to it," Leon said. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Jacob lifted his tail, brightening his flame. "Still going strong… enough."
"Good," Corvo said. "Cuz we can't carry you outta here."
"W-where are we, anyway?" Andrew asked.
They all glanced around. They had landed in some kind of pit with walls carved out of clear, dark crystals. The portal behind them lit up the space, but almost everything outside was shrouded in darkness. There were a few distant lights and shapes, and a faint echo of the alarm from the safe zone.
"Where do we go?" Enzo asked.
"Up," William answered.
They all craned their heads back. The dark crystals spiraled into a shaft, a winding mineral tower with no end in sight.
"What, you tellin' me we gotta climb that?" Aaron asked.
"I mean, that's what Will and I did," Chase said. "But we had a shorter climb, and it wasn't in the dark."
Jacob tried to imagine how long it would take to fly to the top. "I might be able to carry someone," he offered.
"But there's seven of us," William reminded. "One at a time wouldn't be fast enough."
As if on cue, a pulse of tremors shook the crystal pit, making everyone wobble.
"…And no offense," Corvo said, "but one burn from ya is enough."
"How about this?" Leon said, presenting that silver orb from Dimitri. "He didn't explain what it does, but…"
"We've got no other plans," Andrew said. "Give it a shake!"
Leon did so, and the orb glowed between his hands. Yellow bolts crackled within like lightning, forming fissures along the glass. Then–
Vwa-shew!
The orb dissolved into an electric pulse, staggering everyone as it phased through them. As it faded, the pulse left an amber glow on everyone it touched.
"W-what the…?" Leon glanced at his hands. "What did that do?"
"He said it was 'magnetic,'" William said. "Perhaps…?" He approached the wall, holding out his hand. Once he got close, his hand lunged toward the crystal, sticking to the facet. With a grunt of effort he yanked it back.
"Ooh, let me try!" Chase said, and he leaped toward the wall. His glowing feet stuck the landing and he stayed in place, as if his center of gravity had changed. "Yooo, check this out!"
"Well I'll be damned!" Aaron said. "Wall-climbin' magic!"
"Hurry," Enzo said. "Don't know how long it lasts."
"Enzo's right," Leon agreed. "We'll need light to see. Enzo, can you go up first, guide the rest of us?"
"I can," Enzo said, his flames flaring to life.
"And Jacob, can you cover the rear guard? If anyone falls, you can catch them."
Jacob nodded. "You got it."
They formed a line behind Enzo. Jacob covered the rear, and they lit up both ends of the line. He took a deep breath, brightening his flames. This was it, one final effort and they'd be out of this place.
Before they began climbing, Leon smiled at Jacob.
"Hey, Jake?"
He met Leon's eyes.
"I'm glad you're okay. I… I missed you."
"I missed you, too." Jacob said with a bitter smile. "I'm… sorry if I was…"
Another rumble surged through the crystals.
"Makin' up's gonna have to wait," Corvo said. "You know, reality falling apart and all that?"
"R-right," Leon balanced himself. "Let's go!"
They began their ascent, scaling the vast, crystal shaft. Gravity tugged at each of them, but their magnetized feet kept them bound to walls. The shaft's facets glowed with reflections of fire, guiding them upwards.
As they ascended, Jacob looked through the clear crystals, spotting what looked like other parts of the Mystery Dungeon.
There was a crystal maze in the distance with red and purple explosions. There were huge metal gears, sparking and going haywire. There was even something that looked like a giant, golden waterspout, spraying its liquid all around like a hurricane.
Was all of this really caused by wrecking the Heart of Time? Or at least, that machine the Eidolons had built around it? Leviticus said that Jacob had caused a "worldly disaster."
What did that mean? Sure, the dungeon was falling apart, but this place was dangerous anyway. Whatever Leviticus meant, he had to have been exaggerating. Jacob and his friends would escape, they'd get back home, and sooner or later, things would go back to normal.
Right?
"Light ahead," Enzo announced.
The tower turned at an angle, twisting into a hole with a faint white light beaming through. The team continued, walking up the slanted shaft. More tremors surged, forcing them to pause for a moment. A faint, wailing echo reached Jacob's ears, though it was so quiet, he couldn't tell if it was real or imaginary.
The tunnel leveled out. One by one they walked up through, into the light. Jacob's eyes took a few seconds to adjust. Once they did, purple filled his vision.
"Whoa… what?"
He tilted his head back. The black crystals gave way to bright, purple ones. They filled the whole spiraling shaft, and there were other tunnels speckled throughout. At the very top was a brilliant white crystal, shining down on everything.
"The amethyst shaft," William said. "Chase and I were here earlier."
Jacob looked around. They stood near the bottom of this amethyst pit, with a giant black hole in the middle.
"Where's that 'Dimension Dial' we're looking for?" Andrew asked.
"All the way at the top!" Chase pointed with his vines. "There's a tunnel up there. Should be easy to get to thanks to our 'magnet feet.'"
Another tremor passed through, rattling the crystals. Everyone besides Enzo and Chase cartwheeled their arms, struggling to stay upright.
"Running out of time," Enzo noted.
"Let's go!" Jacob said.
All at once they rushed up the crystal walls, splitting in different directions. They ran around the holes in the wall, moving closer and closer to the top.
But Jacob hesitated. A strange feeling, like a sixth sense, tugged at the back of his head. Maybe it was just exhaustion– he and his friends had been fighting their way out almost non-stop.
He heard a faint noise. A wingbeat. It wasn't his own.
He glanced down and spotted an orange flash–
POW!
It crashed into him, and the whole shaft spun around.
"Jacob!" Leon shouted.
He beat his wings, desperately righting himself upright. Once his eyes stopped spinning, a chillingly familiar face came into focus.
"C-Cayde?!"
The Charizard smiled coldly at him. "Did you really think you'd get away that easily?" He lunged at Jacob, claws outstretched.
Jacob raised his own claws, sparks flashing as they collided. They traded blows and flames, all while wrestling for the pocket watch in Jacob's grasp.
"This asshole can't take a hint!" Aaron shouted.
"We gotta help him!" Chase yelled. He launched a barrage of Razor Leaves, but they phased through Jacob's flaming wings, burning to ash.
"No, stop!" Leon called. "You might hit Jake!"
"None of this had to happen!" Cayde bellowed as he clashed with Jacob. "You could've just handed it over! But now you force my–"
"Oh shut up!" Jacob sprayed fire at Cayde, who ducked under it. "Quit acting like you're some victim! We got enough of that from your buddy!"
Cayde narrowed his eyes. "Have it your way." He shot fire at Jacob, forcing him to dodge. He then burst through the flames and kicked Jacob in the gut, pushing him against the wall. Jacob coughed up smoke and embers as he crashed. Cayde lunged for him again, claws reaching for his pocket watch.
Jacob kicked off the wall, gliding below Cayde and raking his underbelly.
"Graaaaah!" Cayde hunched over, clutching his midsection.
Another shockwave pulsed through. The crystals chimed, dust and minerals showered down. Jacob's friends wobbled, struggling to stay upright. A few of them even fell over. They couldn't waste time fighting– they had to get out now.
"Guys!" Jacob shouted. "Go! Get that portal ready! Don't worry about me," he added, pre-empting their protests.
William and Chase traded glances, then nodded at Jacob. They scurried up the wall and into the tunnel at the top, towards the Dimension Dial.
Meanwhile, Cayde turned to Jacob, his expression folded in fury. He blew out twin plumes of smoke from his nostrils.
Jacob glanced all around, looking for some way to end this fight as quickly as possible. The quakes surged in waves. Chiming noises rose throughout the shaft, then fell alongside the mineral debris. Even the colossal solar crystal in the ceiling looked loose…
Cayde engulfed himself in flames and blitzed toward Jacob, who tucked in his wings and swooped below the charge. Jacob spun and heat rose in his throat, but he didn't aim for Cayde– he launched his fireball toward the ceiling.
Boom!
The flames detonated, shaking loose more minerals and the solar crystal.
"Your aim is off," Cayde remarked, and he descended upon Jacob. Claws flashed once more as he swung, and Jacob parried with his own. "What's the matter, getting tired?!" Cayde taunted.
Jacob tried to weave around Cayde for another shot, but the dragon gave him no chance, pushing him down further into the shaft.
"Guys!" Jacob called. "That crystal, ngh–" a claw raked his shoulder, "–h-hit it!" He flapped away from his assailant.
"But Jake–!" Leon began.
"Just do it! Trust me!"
Flames washed over Jacob, blocking out the view of his friends. Cayde was instantly upon Jacob, wrestling with him midair.
"Stop making this difficult!"
Jacob tried to squeeze out of Cayde's grasp, but his grip was like iron, ready to break his bones. Again and again he swiped at the watch, raking Jacob's arms, shoulders, and chest.
"No! G-get off!"
Jacob's grip loosened. Cayde snatched the watch.
Jacob's inner-flame vanished. The glowing light across his scales faded. Even his wings of fire fizzled out into scattered embers. He felt cold to his core. Just as he processed what happened, Cayde gave him another firm kick in the belly.
"Grah!"
He tumbled through the air, falling through the shaft. The dark hole below raced up toward Jacob, but then he was yanked to the side– pulled to the wall by magnetism. He landed firmly on a crystal facet, profusely coughing from his kicked gut.
"Finally!" Cayde shouted, triumphant. "Now–"
A violent quake rattled everything. Leon, Corvo, Andrew, Enzo, and Aaron were on the ceiling, throwing themselves at the crystal, shaking it loose. All at once they rammed into it, and another shockwave burst through the shaft.
The solar crystal fell.
Dust and debris peppered Cayde from above. He glanced up–
POW!
–Just as the giant crystal crashed into him.
Jacob watched as Cayde fell, pinned under the falling crystal. He'd fall into the depths below, taking his pocket watch with him.
He didn't think. Right when Cayde was about to pass by, Jacob kicked against the wall and jumped toward him, latching onto the plummeting dragon.
Purple crystals raced by. Wind roared in his ears. Leon screamed his name.
They fell into the dark below. The light of the solar crystal pierced the enormous darkness, its rays lost in the abyss. Streams of black liquid rose and fell. Red and purple flashed throughout, like dozens of eyes watching them. Screams of the damned howled in their ears. With the wind racing up his back, Jacob clawed his way around Cayde, swiping at his hands.
Cayde flailed, trying to free himself from the crushing weight of the crystal. All around them, red-eyed phantoms closed in. Shockwaves rattled the air. Red vortexes erupted from the void, casting bolts of lighting.
Jacob gritted his teeth, swinging his arm around Cayde's, scratching his scales in desperate search. Until…
He felt warm metal in his palm. His cold core ignited with inner-flames. Glows raced across his scales, and fiery wings bloomed from his back.
Cayde roared. "NOOOO!" He turned to swipe at him, but Jacob kicked away and beat his wings, getting out from under him.
Cayde fell further into the dark, still pinned under the solar crystal. Jacob watched as they fell further and further… until their light faded into the abyss.
Jacob lingered for a moment, feeling oddly… numb. Before he could figure out his feelings, he felt the weight of several red-eyed gazes upon him, and heard crackling rumbles. He urgently beat his wings, flying straight up toward the small, purple light above. Roaring darkness assailed his senses, but he ignored it. The light above grew bigger, closer. Dark claws tugged at him, trying to yank him down.
One more burst from his wings. He soared through the hole.
The amethyst tower lit up with Jacob's flames. The facets glowed with reflections of orange flame, and he spotted his friends above, standing on the ceiling.
"Jacob!" Leon shouted, relieved.
"Let's go!" Jacob shouted back. He reached the top, and reunited with his friends, they ran into the top tunnel.
The tunnel led to an upward slope, curving to the right. The walls had glowing red crystals, providing light. The quakes never ceased as Jacob and his friends hurried up the slope, which cracked apart as they ran.
At the top of the slope was a big, open doorway, leading into the chamber.
"Will, Chase, we're here!" Jacob called.
William and Chase were near the center of the chamber, working some weird apparatus that Jacob had never seen before. There were two rings of floating rocks with crystals, it must have been the Dimension Dial.
"Just in time," William answered, running along the outer-ring of floating rocks. "We're ready to go!" He touched one of twelve floating rocks, which spun and sank into the ground.
Chase did the same thing for the inner-ring, tapping a rock with his paw, and it sank into the ground. Then he jumped into the center, pressing a button into the floor. "Hit it!"
William ran over to a panel and pulled a lever, bracing himself as the ground shook violently.
Cur-lank!
Behind William, a metal arch flared to life, shimmering with ebony and ivory. Yet this portal looked different somehow. It looked like a mirage, depicting a shoreline.
"It's active!" William said.
Just as he announced it, a blue pulse from the ground rushed through the air, lifting everyone off their feet. They all landed with a crash, struggling to stay upright.
"Hurry!"
"Go go go!"
All eight of them rushed toward the light. More pulses erupted from the ground, and cracks raced across the floor, shooting out geysers of light. They weaved around the fissures, stumbling and tripping, but never stopping.
Jacob watched as his friends piled into the portal, vanishing beyond its light. The pulses quickened, and blue light began flooding the room. Soon the only ones left were Leon and Jacob.
"Almost there!" Leon called. "C'mon, we–"
An eruption of light knocked him over, and he landed on his back.
Jacob nearly shouted his name, but the ground blasted him as well, stealing his breath. He flipped, spreading his wings as he flew forward. He passed over his brother.
"Gotcha!"
He grabbed him by the hand. The two flew forward just as deafening light and blinding light consumed the chamber. With his free hand Jacob reached out, touching the portal.
And the whole world flickered out.