Damn it, now's not the time
If I can move that's good enough
On to the next mission
Let's blow stuff up
Trial 4: Out of tune
First stop on our itinerary
Is a hellish sailors' paradise
Home of the Sirens
Via magical ferry
Sailors come in
And almost never come out
Trapped by the song
Without a doubt
As we sail further into the mist
I feel the cold of the mirror
Of Jack's final gift
The cold begins to burn in my pocket
As a voice echoes “Never forget.”
I swiftly turn around
Looking for the sound
As from the mist laughter abounds
Pulling out the mirror
Did I imagine it?
Jack's voice echoing where I sit
This mirror, she said it was important
Then again she said she'd never leave me
So long as I never quit
She couldn't keep that promise
Now I have to wonder
Six months with nothing
Should I toss this mirror?
Let it sink under?
I have to let her go
She's gone
That won't change
I really am a sorry piece of crap
I can't even bring myself to say her name
“Names aren't important,
The bonds we share are.
When you hold that mirror,
You'll never have to look far.”
Again her voice sounds
“What the hell?” I hiss
“Take it back!” As I hear Leigh getting pissed
“Why should I?” Thomas barks
As I feel the heat burn
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I jump in taking my turn
“What's going on?”
“Just stating a fact.” Thomas says nonchalant
“Yeah,” Leigh snaps “A misinformed fact about Jack!”
“Really?” I say, my jaw tense
“Well, let's hear it Tom.
Don't be shy.
I'm not the type to easily cry.”
“I simply asked,” He begins “Why Leigh defends you
both
When Frost is the one who killed Troah?”
Instantly, I step close
Right in his face
“You're on this team
So let's get one thing straight.
On the subject of her brother and my mother,
I suggest you remain silent.
Or things for you will get very violent.
I don't have my sight and I don't need it.
Continue with your disrespect
And I promise you'll be bleeding.”
“Noted.” Tom smiles unphased
Leigh and I walk away
“I'm really tempted,” Her tone firey “To put that guy in
his place.”
“Don't waste your energy.”
Suddenly the captain yells “Hey!
We're arriving on the shallows.
We can't go any further.
Step one foot off this boat
And it'll be torture.”
“Sadly, we don't have a choice Captain.” Thomas says
with confidence
“We have a job to do
And it doesn't include avoidance.”
He begins lowering a dingy
As the hull touches the water
Louder becomes the singing
He'd really risk being fodder?
“Are you an idiot?” I bark
“Depends. Are you a coward?” He retorts
“No, but I have read the reports.
Organization or not,
Sirens don't care.
O.D.s or mortals,
They don't distinguish who they ensnare.”
“Nate's right, Tom.” Leigh holds back her tone
“We need to wait for the ambassador.
We have no direct orders to enter their home.”
“Can't investigate a theft,” Tom calls getting in the boat
“Unless you see the scene of the crime.
I've been on the job longer
And I'm not trying to gloat
But I'm pulling rank with or without the vote.”
“You idiot!” I call “Don't expect us to come save you!”
“You're really gonna let him go?” asks Leigh
“It's his choice.” I reply “We can't force him to stay.”
She looks at me blankly
“What?” I ask
“I'm just surprised...”
“About what?” My tone sharp
“About the fact that you'd feed him to the sharks.”
“They're sirens, not sharks.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Why do you care?
A minute ago you were ready to burn him alive.”
“But I never really wanted him to die.”
“What do you expect us to do?
I don't even have my sight.
Venturing into unknown terrain shrouded in mist isn't
gonna help.
Not to mention it's almost night.
We do this, there's a chance we're not coming back.”
“Sounds fun.” She gives the back of my head a smack
“Captain!” Leigh shouts.
“We're taking a dingy.”
I can hear the call
The ever appealing singing
As we both hop into the boat
“This is the worst idea ever.” I groan
“Then why are you following me?” Leigh gives me a
grin
“I really don't freaking know.
Might just be because you have that glow.”
“What glow?” She chuckles
“The one,” I say “That makes me wanna follow you
anywhere.”
For a moment, silence falls on the air
Her cheeks go scarlet
My heart beats
Did I really just say that?
She probably thinks I'm a creep
“Forget... that I said that.” I quickly correct
“Y-yeah.” she stammers “Y-you bet.”
The boat rides silent aside from the song
No sign of Thomas...
Which is odd
It hasn't been that long
As we come up on the shore
We see a second dingy
Tattered and torn
Claws and fangs ripped into the hull
Scorch marks on the ground
Made by heavy and dense mana
Less than 10 minutes old
“This isn't good.” Leigh states
“We have to find him quick.”
“Which way?” I ask as she darts off swift
“This way! Hurry!”
Setting off into the mist
Barely two feet behind her
“Leigh?” I call
“Leigh?!” Again
“Leigh!!!”
It's clear I'm lost here and then
Without a moment to think
Someone catches my eye
A beautiful woman
Running swift and light
It's not Leigh,
But I sense no malice
As with no choice
I brave the rabbit hole like Alice
This island is treacherous
I may not make it out alive
I can't afford a game over
I can't afford to die
Whatever manner of creature may bare it's fangs
I know for a fact Death has other plans
Trial 5: The frozen dead
Running deeper into the mist
Following the woman
As suddenly the feeling fli
ps
I sense the malice in the air
As the song sounds
Freeing me of all my cares
It's power strong
Drawing me away
From the woman
As I hear it say
“Come, come, come to us.
Bestow upon us all your trust.”
I close my eyes standing in the mist
And as I open them the image is bliss
A paradise full of beautiful women
Whispering and caressing, kissing flippant
I catch a glimpse of Thomas, bold
Enjoying himself
As on the back of my neck something burns cold
I look away quick
And see her there
Running swiftly
Her flowing hair
Yet the song calls
I turn to look back
And I see the truth
Horrible and black
They're not beauties
They're demons with fangs
Their beady eyes bloodthirsty
As their victims stare blank
It's all an illusion
A forced dream
Unlike the Jagon, once you know the trick
The truth can be seen
I step forward, struggling to reach Tom
The beasts hiss at me
Revealing their song
Like nails on a chalkboard
The true song reigns
Everyone and everything about this place is pain
Drawing mana into my palm
It's not easy without my sight
It takes three times as long
Mana control, I'll need to practice
Well, what'd you know?
Something useful actually came from his immature
tactics
I'll consider this my appreciation
As I rescue him from the depths of temptation
The mana gathered, I let it fly
The flares and sparks cause the sirens to cry
Cowering under the shower of light
I give Tom a smack and grab his arm as we take flight
Running back into the mist
My grip like a vice
“I didn't have to save you.” I say
“You're lucky I'm so nice!”
Until we lose our footing
And fall on our butts in a daze
What do you know it's an underground cave
I don't sense any malice
As I groan in pain
Checking on Tom it's quite clear
He's still reeling from the effects
So stoned he can't even fear
On the bright side he's also not going anywhere
Trying to think about my next move
I hear a voice call “Let me tell you the truth.”
The swift woman catches the corner of my eye
Running into the cave
I admit I'm curious, I can't lie
Looking to Tom, he'll be fine
Might as well indulge myself while I have time
I follow the echoes of her deeper into the cave
I find that the further in I go
The cave walls begin to emit an eerie glow
“Nathan.” The whisper softly echoes
As I feel the mirror again burn cold
Pulling it out, I flip it open
As an icy blue eye reflects and these words are spoken
“About time you opened it.” Jack's voice scolds
“Then again you never were one to do what you're told.
I've been trying to get your attention for near a month.
I wasted so much mana.
I now have to make my words blunt.”
“Where are you? How are you here?” I ask, tearing up
“I wish I could hug you,” She says “I know it's been
tough.
I infused my mana into that mirror.
Sadly, I'm basically a ghost and not truly here.
That mirror holds my lingering essence.
For all purposes I'm simply a vestige.
A collection of memories bound to the soul.
Linked to that mirror with a single goal.
Think of me as Jack's secrets destined to be told.
At least when the time is right.
You're the only one I can interact with.
To anyone else it's simply a mirror that flips.”
“So I take it you have something to tell me?” I ask
“Yes.” She says “But sadly at the moment I don't have
the time to last.
There's one thing at the moment that I must do.
Thanks to the mana of this cave I can briefly have a
form that's true.”
Suddenly, an icy sculpture of Jack appears before my
eyes
“Please tell me this isn't a lie.” Tears roll down my cheek
As the icy figure wraps her arms around me
“I'm sorry.” She says
“For what?” I return her embrace
Instantly, into thousands of shards she breaks
“I have to go now.
Listen for the call.
I promise in time you will know all.”
“Jack?” I say
“Jack!”
It's clear I'm the only one in this cave
“Is someone down here?” Tom's voice echoes
Crap, if he sees me crying he'll never let it go
Quickly wiping my eyes “So, you finally came to?”
He retorts “You know, I really hate you.”
“That's ok,” I sigh “I don't really like you either.
So,” I grin “Did you have a nice breather?”
“Ok, fine.” He groans “Get it out of your system.”
“I told you so.” Glee in my tone
“Satisfied?”
“Nope. Not even close.
We need to find Leigh.
Knowing her, in the next hour, this island will be toast.”
“Speak for yourself, I'm going back to the boat.”
“Are you really that selfish?”
“No. I'm obviously just smarter than you.” He boasts.”