Chapter Sixty: Meeting Jade, Part 2


    After Jade gets acquainted with all of Yue’s friends—a longer time than I expected—we all sit down in the Vanguard’s open cafeteria. We’re crowded on one table, but it’s important that we’re here.


    I’m getting tired of Jade repeating everything.


    “So, what’s up?” Yue asks.


    “No, no,” I interject. “First, I want to know who the new captain is. You can’t keep that from us.”


    “It was Kol,” Yue responds, perfectly happy with the result. “He’s a great fit, and I’m really happy for him. And I’m glad I wasn’t chosen.”


    “She has the loser mentality,” Alyx grumbles. “No wonder she never wins anything.”


    “Don’t gloat, Sterkona,” Yue whispers. “Don’t push your tournament win in her face.” The whisper is loud enough to reach Alyx’s ears, and the other girl laughs.


    “Anyway, I too, am curious about why you are here,” Xander says. “Don’t get me wrong, any friend of Zade’s is a friend of mine, and I’m sure we all mirror that sentiment. But you can’t possibly be here for a good reason, not if you’re keeping things confidential.”


    “You’re right,” Jade replies. “The news is grave, and you will all be needed soon. You may have survived the battle with the beasts, but now you must face something worse.”


    “TAXES!” Xavier screamed, then, seeing our raised eyebrows, he laughed. “I had to. Can any of you imagine anything scarier than taxes?”


    “You don’t even pay taxes!”


    “Which means I’ll pay them in the future. That’s even scarier.”


    With an amused glare, Jade shuts him up.


    “When I was in Arcadia, my friend and I found a strange beast in the woods. It was a nine-goot wolf, humanoid in shape and armor-clad, with a massive sword that dwarfed me. In the ensuing fight, my friend was killed and I was barely able to slaughter the beast before I fainted.


    “After that, us guards went to check on the situation, and what we found shocked us. An army of these wolves at Arcadia’s doorstep, ready to kill. Arcadia entered in a panic soon after.”


    “And now these monsters are coming here?” Aster asks, eyes narrowed. “Did you fail to stop them?”


    “Yes and no,” Jade responds. “Originally, we wanted to make peace, see why they were invading our country. Sadly, even though we tried to make peace, they attacked us instead, killing another of my friends. But, in making peace with them, we found what they wanted.


    “They have a leader, who I think is a mage, and he wants one thing: to destroy Magefell. That is the Horde’s only mission, and they’ll do anything to bring your city’s destruction. He has hundreds of thousands of wolves at the ready.


    “Because I killed a wolf, they slaughtered one of our own villages as retribution. We tried to stop it., but we lost many lives and the battle.


    “Arcadia itself can’t stop this. And we don’t think Magefell can either, but the royals have sent an army of two hundred—including me—to warn and aid you. This is a dangerous situation, and when they attack, rest assured your city will feel no mercy.


    “I just hope we’re in time to stop it.”


    “That''s terrible,” Neena exclaims. “Is this a Cult thing?”


    “We don’t know,” I respond. “Hopefully no, but High MageAegon acted strange when he heard about it, so we can’t be sure of anything.”


    “And you’re keeping this confidential so Magefell doesn’t enter in a panic like Arcadia,” Yue nods approvingly. “That’s good. But we do need to prepare the Guards and Soldiers. Massive humanoid wolves, you said. How strong are they?”


    “More than you think,” Jade responds. “They’re stronger than me, and most likely stronger than you. And they’re expert sword wielders. And ax wielders, and mace wielders, and other weapons wielders. Basically, they’re experts at everything. I would consider myself an expert swordswoman, but I have a difficult time facing any of them.”


    “And you’re a guard?”


    “I think I’m one of the best in Arcadia,” Jade says proudly.


    “So that’s why the best in Arcadia weren''t at the tournament!” Yue exclaims.


    “Just so,” Jade nods. “I heard about the tournament only a week before it started, but I never had any chance of going, sadly. I really wish I had. It sounded like a lot of fun.”


    “It wasn’t,” Alyx says. “Well, the tournament mostly was. It was the aftermath…” She trails off, eyes on the horizon, reliving her experience, and I can’t help but relive it too, seeing the monster attacking, the screams as people bled to death on the streets, the tears of those who had lost loved ones, the clash of steel on claw, the blood pooling on the ground and on me, the power I wielded, my near-death, the death of Poli, the final fight with High Mage Eldor, the pain as he beat me, the anger I felt, the satisfaction as I killed him, my second near-death. It was all so much that still stays with me, like a previous lifetime I lived.


    “Zade? Are you okay?” Jade asks. I shake my head, feeling the tears in my eyes.


    “I’m fine, Jay,” I respond. “Just memories.”


    “I understand perfectly,” Alyx replies. “I still fight nightmares of Diamond every day.”


    “I fight nightmares of Jos, Diamond and Poli,” Yue admits.


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    “I have nightmares and daymares of Poli,” Artemis whispers, almost too low to be overheard. He still looks tortured from everything that happened, and he refuses to look us in the eye.


    “I have nightmares of Astil,” Xavier says.


    “Me too, and so does Anni, and so does Th’ul,” I tell them.


    “And I have nightmares of Chrome and Demien,” Jade finishes. “It was my fault they died. Both of them, I could’ve stopped their deaths, but I just didn’t act in time.”


    “We all feel that way,” Yue says. “You’re never alone, Jade. No matter how little I know you, Zade knows you and he trusts you, so I trust you. If you ever need anything…”


    “Thank you,” Jade responds, a genuine smile entering her gorgeous face. “But I’m here to help all of you, not the other way around.”


    “Only when it comes to military action,” Yue says. “I promise we’ll take care of you.”


    “You have my deepest gratitude.”


    “And you can always come here whenever you feel like it. Come spar with us, I want to test your swordsmanship.”


    “I’ll do that,” Jade says. “I should probably get back to my Captain, though. He gave me twenty-four hours, but the faster I do this, the better.”


    “It was nice to meet you,” Yue says, shaking her hand. “I hope you enjoy your stay here.”


    “I’m sure I will.”


    — — —


    After dropping off Jade—oh Gods, she’s actually here in Magefell!—back at the Ember, Xavier and I head back to Zenyth, where we each head to our separate rooms. On the way there, though, I see a familiar face.


    “Th’ul, what are you doing outside my room?”


    “Anni isn’t okay,” The boy replies, eyes wide. “I don’t know where she is now, Zade, but I think she’s in danger.”


    “What do you mean?” I ask. “You have to know something.”


    Th’ul shakes his head. “I don’t. I just feel it. Anni is suffering. We have to do something about it.”


    “I’ll check up on her later,” I promise. “For now, I need to get back to practice.”


    Th’ul nods and walks off. I bite my lip in concern as he leaves. As much as I don’t want to believe him, I’ve felt the same. Anni is clearly still feeling depressed and lonely after Astil’s death, and it’s affecting her very negatively. I only hope she can escape it, because I don’t think she wants my help. The last time I tried, she told me this was a journey she needed to do alone.


    But I can’t worry about that now. I have a meeting with someone.


    I was lying to Th’ul.


    My magic can wait.


    — — —


    I fall asleep fairly quickly, my mind eager to get rest. But I''m not here for rest, and I doubt this meeting will be very restful.


    I am seeing a Goddess, after all.


    I open my eyes to find the sea of blackness I recognize from the time I almost died. I’m swimming in this nothing, sure I’m still asleep.


    Welcome back, Zade! Eva appears in front of me, her beautiful radiant, naked form crouching itself next to me. You have done well so far. But we still must talk.


    “What about?”


    Come with me.


    The nothing disappears. Instead, now I’m met with a luscious field, and my five senses are overloaded, where before they basically didn’t exist. My eyes stare at the green grass and the nice, warm, yellow sky contrasting, painting a portrait of beauty. My nose smells the fresh air, and my fingers and toes reach for the grass, and long more for its touch as it tickles me. I can hear the rustle of the wind on the grass, and my tongue feels the air as I open my mouth, the small taste enveloping me.


    I am naked, too, but, once again, I don’t feel any modesty. I know that Eva already knows everything about me, and so, showing my prest form seems appropriate in front of this Goddess. I feel like I should bow, but I don’t worship. Not yet.


    “What is this place?” I ask. “My imagination?”


    Yes, Eva confirms, smiling down as she touches me. But it is also real.


    “So why are we here?”


    Straight to the point, are you? No pleasantries. How is your life?


    “I thought you knew all about it,” I say in confusion.


    I do, but I want to hear it from your own words.


    “It’s good. Jade came from Arcadia, and that was bittersweet, because now my best friend is back, but now I’m in danger.”


    Ah, yes. The Horde is going for Magefell. Eva’s eyes narrow in concern. I was worried it would be this soon.


    “And how’s your life?” I ask. “I’m curious about what you do everyday.”


    I have plenty to entertain myself with, she laughs. After all, I am a Goddess. My power is almost infinite.


    “Why don’t you just kill Dautha then? Or at least change the Cult’s mind? And for that matter, why doesn’t Dautha just change everyone’s mind to serve him?”


    We could never control you. Control is something out of our hands. My magic is not like your magic. The powers I have come from me being a Goddess, and, as a Goddess, I cannot control what I did not create, at least, not your mind. And I can’t kill Dautha. We would never touch each other. We promised each other that.


    “Why?” I ask. “And why don’t you just create another God to take down Dautha or the Cult?”


    I cannot disclose why I do not fight Dautha, Eva cringes. I am still sensitive about that part of my past. And Gods cannot create other Gods. The only thing we can do is create a demi-god, and I assume you know how that''s done.


    “Sex?”


    Exactly. And since I cannot interact with humans directly, I cannot have a relationship with one.


    “But I thought…”


    Both me and Dautha are still only touching the world indirectly. IHe may have cheated but he didn’t cheat the full way. He will only directly affect the world when he is brought to you, and when that happens, I will come down as well.


    And if you are wondering why I don’t create other life or catastrophes to kill the Cult, that is the reason. I am still not directly affecting the world. Until Dautha is brought to earth, or you bring me down, I will not do so. I do have morals, you know.


    I blush. “I know you do. How do I bring you to earth?”


    I can’t tell you that. It would violate my agreement with Dautha.


    “I thought that was broken.”


    Only one part. The rest is still intact.


    “Why? He will probably cheat his way out of that too!”


    I want to give him a chance. Don’t ask why, just believe.


    “Okay,” I mumble.


    Now, to the reason I am here. Other forces have come into play.


    “Cultist forces?”


    Eva shrugs. Possibly. But I think they are independent. They could join either side, or they may stay their own. I do not know.


    “Who are they?”


    They refer to themselves as the Infinite. I do not know who they really are or where they came from, but be prepared. They have big plans, and you’ll be right in the middle of them.


    “Am I in danger?”


    Of course, but remember your mission. Do not worry about the Infinite too much. Focus on the Cult. They are the true danger.


    “I will, thank you,” I say.


    If I get more information, I will tell you. Tensions are escalating in other continents. I expect it to do the same here.


    “It’s already started.”


    Expect it to get so much worse. The war has just started, and no one is ready.


    “I’m ready,” I say, steeling my mind. “Let them come. With you on my side, I can do anything.”


    Again Eva laughs. That’s the spirit. Now, go. You have a lot of work to do, my Champion. I have faith in you. Good luck.