The Forsaken Art

Jack waved goodbye.
"Nice meeting you too. And no, im not talking about...oh, their gone."
He removed his sheath and lay on the bed.
"Well. I guess its going to be hard for them to sleep for now on..." he sighed.

Trent helped her with Greyson.

"Im going to be honest... I only knew where the Inn was... I have no Idea where the port is."

Jaide turned and went back into CORE. She walked up the stairs and took a left. At the end of the hall was her bedroom. She gripped the silver doorknob and turned. She entered with a sigh. Straight in front of her was a bed with white sheets, two pillows with cases to match. To her right was a vanity with a mirror, the same type of wood made to make the frame of her bed. On her left was a dresser. That was it for furnishings. No pictures, no paintings, just those three pieces of bare bones necessities.

She leaned against the back of the door and hit her head off it a few times. Between her sister and CORE, there was no time to do... anything. CORE was a full time job in and of itself. Add that on to her paraplegic sister... she banged her head off the door a couple times. What was she going to do?

Just take it one day at a time, she supposed.

Breaking away from the door, Jaide slid her feet over to the bed. She stripped on her way there and collapsed, face first, onto her pillows. She fell asleep that way.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

The sun was quickly setting. Charlie began to move a bit faster.

"I believe you should get to that as quickly as possible. We would not want a repeat of last time," He said, hinting towards the cataclysmic episode that happened 25 years ago.

The family arrived in Venice just as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Charlie moved towards an inconspicuous building. A few people nodded their head to the tiger, obviously he was a welcome sight in the town.

"You will eat and sleep here tonight," He said, gesturing to the building, "Tomorrow we shall meet with Jaide and discuss the future of Earth."

Mircana floated upwards.

"It's fine anyways. Thanks for the help." With that she flew off in the direction of the coast. She snuck on the next trade ship heading for the massive Crusnik Holy City: Arce. Surely there would be a healer there.

Ret nodded as she glanced around before turning to Asinoir, "You don't minbd being the liason between CORE and The Chosen, do you honey~?" She asked while Lauren took in the surroundings with amazement. She wondered how the humans built such things, when these materials were considered unworkable to those in her home Plane.

she turned to her brother and tapped him on the shoulder, "You've been rather quiet, James. Any reason why?"

Asinoir shook his head but wrinkled his nose, "I guess I'll do the fun paperwork and meetings..." He said sarcastically, smiling at his wife.

James looked at his mom, "We just met a talking tiger. A fucking talking tiger! Earth is so... strange. And I want to shift into my Spirit form," He said. They entered the building. The tiger didn't give them directions at all. James stopped a nice-looking woman and asked for directions, sending her a sly wink as she left.

"Mmm... maybe I'll like it here," He said, grinning. Asinoir sighed and shook his head.

"One day, you'll meet the love of your life," Asinoir said, taking hold of Ret's hand and giving it a squeeze, "And then you'll regret all the times you carelessly threw your body at women."

"You know from experience, old man?" James snapped. Asinoir sent James a deathly glare.

"My skills were far from careless, boy."

James snorted but began to walk towards the dining room anyways.

Trent stood there. He was getting left!

"Oh nooo you dont..."

He used his fire magic to propel himself towards her, and landed quietly and out of sight.

He looked at her. "You cant leave without me... I left him for 5 minutes abd that happened..."

"You sound like the world'w worst best friend Trent." Mircana sat by Greyson as he stirred a bit. She sat under his arm and brought her legs up to her chest.

"Mircana...he...isn't...that bad..." Greyson moved up and slowly clenched his fists. "So we're headed to Arce, huh?"

Trent sighed.

"Its fine Greyson... Its true really ..."

He was a horrible friend. But then again, he never really had any friends. He wouldnt let Greyson die the first day he had met him.

"Did you take the pill yet Greyson? It should be helping with... That..." He finally mumbled, pointing to the chest wound.

"I'm not taking the pill. I have my reasons." After a few minutes Mircana looked over to the massive coastal city of Arce, in all its prestigious glory. Towering castles and spires, marble buildings and elaborate walkways of the like were only accessible in a few minutes. Greyson sighed in relief.

"Home. Trent, stick with Mircana after we dock. She'll show you around while I find Annamaria. She should be at port by this time."

Trent nodded. He shouldnt be here. He didnt belong here.

He gave a small nod, and sighed.

As the boat docked Mircana helped Greyson get up with Trent and exited the cargo ship. A woman with silky hair that had a red tint to it was walking about the dock, inspecting cargo. Her beauty was raw and unnatural as she only wore a red fitted bra and red skirt, reminiscent of belly dancers. She noticed the three and rushed over.

"Oh God Grey!" She took him from Mircana and nodded. "Thanks Mircy." She looked to Trent and smiled. "Don't worry, although humans are banned from here your father is an honorary Crusnik, so it's on you now." Her wings of fire sprouted and she flew off. Mircana shrugged, checking her wallet.

"You hungry Trent?"

Trent gave a small laugh. "As long as the meal isnt me, I can eat..."

He gave a small smile, and looked a Greyson's sister, and remembered the woman who tool Greyson. So far, all the people he had met were insanely pretty. Although he preferred the other woman over Mircana. He had no problems with her form, since she was beautiful, he just couldnt get over the height difference.

Mircana giggled.

"Heh, vampire jokes. That'll get you skinned around here quickly." Mircana beckoned for him to follow her. Not too long after they found a restaraunt that served almost any dish ever conceived. Pastas, chicken, wine, salads, tilapia, you name it. Mircana got them a seat by the windows and sighed. She took a menu and went through.

"Mircy!" Mircana looked up to see a red-headed bombshell of a woman. Tan skin, luscious red lips, and only wearing black boots, form-fitting black leather pants, a tight black corset top and a regal black cloak that came to her waist. She rushed over and hugged Mircana.

"Aunt Nursery!" Nursery smiled and looked to Trent. She smiled and slid in next to Mircana.

"Well hello there Mr. Handsome."

Trent flashed her a smile, and grabbed a napkin for what nosebleeds he knew he would be getting.

"Hello..." He calmly replied.

Inside he was mentally panicing. If everyone was thatt good looking, he was going to bleed out before he got back to the ship! He felt something running down hia nose.

"Son of a bitch!" Ge said, almost agrivated, and pulled the napkin to his face, dabbing up the blood.

Nursery opened a bottle of aged vampire blood and poured some in a wine glass before drinking.

"Are you alright?" She leaned over and wiped his nose with a napkin. "Is it too hot for you for you to start nosebleeding?" She sat back down and gave a sigh. "So Mircy, where's your brother?"

"A Jäger attacked him. He's being treated by Annamaria."

"Any idea what the Jäger was, or looked like?"

"No, but guessing from the wound and Greyson's crippling after-affects, it either had to be one of the Reichjägers or one of the earlier generations." Nursery nodded and snapped her fingers. Three magic crows formed and flew off into the sky.

"They'll search as far as the lands to the east of New Republic." A curvy waitress came and bowed before taking orders. Nursery gestured to Trent. "You order first. You are the guest."

Why?

He could have thought of anything. Anything at all. But that’s all he could think of. A single word.

Why?

He had given everything. He had slaughtered people like cattle. His own will, body, spirit and mind had been broken a thousand times. All for them.

IT WAS ALL FUCKING FOR THEM!!!!

And all he did…he remembered their words.

"You are a good Soldier Jack…but unfortunately, you grew up."

And he had. They had trained him. He could wield almost any weapon known to man, he could resist pain and torture that could kill anyone else. He could kill with no remorse.

And now…it was over. They had deemed it necessary to end his life. But not with an swordsman's blade or an Executioners Axe. They believed that he had betrayed them. And therefore, he must be punished.

And as he lay there, tied to a rock face in the middle of the desert, his mouth dry from thirst. He remembered their words before they abandoned him.

"You will die from thirst. If you are lucky."

He couldn’t help worrying about those words. How ironic that they had trained him to resist all Psychological torture, unless it was the kind that they themselves used.

The minutes turn to hours. The hours turn into days… The thirst is unbearable… He thinks that he sees his allies over the horizion once or twice, that they believe that he has been punished enough. but all it is, is a mirage, created by his thirst. Was that part of the torture?

He hears a noise. At first, he believes it to be another mirage, but it isn’t. He can hear something. It sounds like…oh no…they planned it…those devious pieces of sh…


Jack turns in his sleep, muttering something under his breath, sweat running down his face.
"No…It…cant be…"
He is breathing heavily. Within his mind, he is back there.
""No….get off me…GET OFF ME!!!"
He screamed.
"THEY'RE ALL OVER ME!!! GET THEM OFF!!! IT HURTS!!! OH GOD IT HURTS!!!!! HELP ME!!!!"
His mind was jerked back into the realm of conciousness. His eyes flicked open, and he got up, shaking like a leaf, gasping for breath.
"Oh god…" he whispered, holding his head in his hands.
"Get out of there…" he said, hoping that he hadnt woken anyone up.

Trent gave a small smile, And started to feel a little light headed. He ignored it, and began to order his food.

He ended up getting a steak.

"Im done..."

"Mmm?" Dany said, looking at Cress again "What you meant Cress?"

Cress noticed the sun setting on the horizon and sighed. "Well this meeting was short lived." He bowed to the two girls the began walking back to the car. "If you guys are ever in Rome, come and see me."

It was nearly midnight by the time he made it back to port and onto the ferry.

You might want to wake up now...

Jaide groaned.

It seems that the new one is under attack...

"Just five more-- under attack?!" Jaide sat up in her bed and ran over to her clothing. She withdrew a dagger from one of their sheaths. Without any regard of modesty, she opened up the door and ran out into the hall in her underwear.

"OH GOD IT HURTS!! HELP ME!" Yelled Jack. Jaide found the source of the sound to be coming from a couple doors down and to the right. She barged into his bedroom, dagger at the ready.

"Get away from him!" Jaide ordered. She balked when there was no one there but Jack.

"Where'd they go?!" She asked, stomping around the room, checking corners and the closet.

Jack kept shaking, ignoring Jaide.
"Why...can they never let me forget..." he whispered, holding his head in his hands.
"It...was nothing..."He said to her, not looking up. "You cant help me...no one can..."

Nursery smiled warmly.

"Splendid. I'll have the chicken parmesean. Mircy?"

"No thanks." The waitress nodded and left. Then Nursery turned back to Trent.

"Now, I have a proposal for you. Would you like to join our Secret Police?"

Lauren sighed as she followed her brother with a rolling of her eyes, "They don't seem to understand the way you work do they, Jamesy?" She asked with a smile.

Ret just shrugged before placing a hand on Asinoir's shoulder, "You know we've got a good few millennia to watch them flourish," She said before kissing his cheek, "Besides... the people here might need your tactical genius ~"

Jaide manipulated the shadows to cover her bare skin. She didn't really like doing that because they were cold but she didn't have much choice in the matter. It was either that or have Jack see her half naked.

"Well then..." Jaide said lamely, "I'm going back to bed."

As she exited the room, her shade pulled at her.

You should probably talk to him, It whispered.

What are you, my mother? She snapped back.

No... but if he has an episode during a fight, he won't be of much use, Argued the shade. It knew the way her mind worked by now and figured that was an easy way to get what it wanted. Shades could be curious too and the one inhabiting Jaide was definitely wondering what memories Jack had buried.

Jaide paused midstride. She turned around in the hallway and walked back into Jack's bedroom.

She opened the door and poked her head inside, "You wanna talk about it?" She asked.