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batsutousaiTitle: Fallen Night
Fandoms: Harry Potter & Radiata Stories
Chapter: 7 of 11
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai/Batsutousai
Beta:tsuki_no_suzu/Shara Lunison
Rating: T
Pairings: Harry/Jack
Warnings: OoC, AU, slash, non-human arc
Summary: Harry slipped when he was standing a little too close, and the next thing he knew, he was far away from everything he'd ever known, with something like eternity waiting for him.
Disclaim Her: This story uses characters and settings owned by J.K. Rowling, her publishers, Square Enix and tri-Ace. No money is being made from the creation of this fanfic, and no copywrite infringement is intended.
A/N: I know the goblin numbers are way excess of the game, but I figure those can't be all the fairy creatures in the game. There's no way that few would be able to stand against the entirety of Radiata City, and when playing the human side, there's plenty of nameless fairy creatures on the roads. There's no way a war can be fought with only the 176 characters you can recruit. So I'm adding to their number a bit.
-0-
Chapter Seven - To Build an Army
-0-
Jack had fully intended to start out for Shangri La as soon as they finished at Goblin Haven, but the number of black goblins who wanted to go to Fort Helencia was... impressive.
"We might as well walk back with them," Ridley murmured as they observed the pile of black goblins arguing over fighting equipment. "Few of them have been to Fort Helencia, so the pig won't work for them. Someone will have to guide them by foot."
Jack glanced over towards Gawain, who was trying to help the goblins figure out their equipment with a little less bashing over the head. The ex-Knight had told Jack and Ridley, once the girl was up, that he'd like to travel back to Fort Helencia and speak with Zane. He'd been quite upset to learn that Harry was out of touch for the moment, and confused as to why, since the teens hadn't wanted to tell him Harry's secret.
"We're not asking Gawain to lead them," Ridley added, looking at the man Jack was eyeing. "We're the ones who recruited them, Jack, not Gawain. We owe it to them to lead them to the fort."
Jack sighed and looked down at the Toadstool Lance someone had forced on him earlier. He knew the black goblins were only joining the fairy creatures because he and Ridley had talked them into it. Dragons knew the black goblins would have been happier smoking on mushroom pipes and drinking weird soup than going to war. But Jack wanted to get the green goblins to come too. He wanted to have an army they could be proud of when Harry got back.
But Ridley was right, as she so often was: If he wanted the black goblins to join them, he needed to make sure they got to the fort safely.
One of the goblins hurried over with Gawain; it seemed they were done figuring out equipment. "We ready to go now," the black goblin said.
Ridley glanced over at Jack, who nodded. The girl smiled and turned back to the goblin as Gawain took a loose stance next to Jack. "Thanks, Gruel. Let's head out."
Gruel, the black goblin leader, grinned widely at her, then turned and started shouting what seemed like nonsense orders to his people.
"Do they actually understand each other?" Jack wondered under his breath. Ridley sighed while Gawain chuckled.
"For the most part," Gawain said to Jack, smiling. "If you two want to lead the army, I'll stick to the back and watch for stragglers."
"Oh. That's a good idea," Jack realised.
Gawain chuckled again, one large hand coming down to clap Jack on the back and almost send him sprawling. "You're a good lad, Jack Russell, but you've got a lot to learn before you can become a proper general."
Jack scowled. "Yeah? Then what am I right now? Huh?"
"The fairy creatures' main recruiter," Ridley offered drily. When Jack gave her a wounded look, she pointed to where the goblins were waiting in a mostly straight line. "Come on, Jack."
Jack sighed and dragged his feet a bit, but followed Ridley to the head of the line, clasping hands with the goblins who called his name as they went. At the head of the line, Gruel grinned at them, then bellowed, "AHEAD!" and they were off.
The sound of tens of black goblins marching sent the monsters fleeing and the mushrooms shaking. Jack had no words for how glad he was that Gruel was with them in the lead, since he knew a few hidden short cuts that helped them avoid the mushrooms. Jack didn't really want to know how the fungus would stand up to their party. Judging by the nervous look on Ridley's face at the few mushrooms they did have to cross, she was thinking the same thing.
Because of the size of their party – not to mention the lazy life-style most of them had been leading previously – they travelled at a much slower pace than Ridley, Coco and he had on their way to the Goblin Haven. They ended up having to camp overnight on the edge of the Cuatour Region, which about sent Jack into fits. But, not wanting the black goblins to be offended by how irritated he was, Jack kept his problems to himself and the next day they reached Fort Helencia without a hitch.
Their arrival at Fort Helencia was not unremarked upon. Gil had been out in the back, training a squad of light and dark elves when Jack and Ridley came into sight. The expression on the faces of the elves made the entire trip worth it, so far as Jack was concerned, especially when the black goblins seemed to just keep coming.
"If anyone ever says humans are useless, remind them of this," Gil commented to his people as Jack and Ridley reached him, both grinning.
"Don't worry, I'll happily rub it in their faces," Jack replied.
Gil just shook his head. "You were made for this," he decided. "Anyone else who went up there might have gotten a couple of black goblins to join, but you two..." He shook his head.
"Where are we going to put them all?" one of the younger dark elves wondered.
"Goblins sleep outdoors," Gruel replied, having joined the two humans and elves after speaking to one of his people. The black goblin he'd spoken to was calling out orders to the small army and directing them towards the open space across the path from the back entrance to the fort. "We used to colder weather."
"Well, it gets plenty cold at night around here," Gil replied. "You're welcome to stay outside if you'd like."
Gruel nodded once, seemingly deciding that was the end of the matter and turned to return to his people.
"Friendly sort, isn't he?" one of the light elves offered.
"Gruel has always kept to himself," Gil replied, glancing back at the elf under his charge. "If we see him even as often as once a day, I'll be surprised."
"If you see him more often than once a week, I'll be surprised," Gawain boomed, joining them. "Hello, Gil. It's been a while."
Gil grinned at the bulky human. "So Jack did manage to talk you out of your grief. Some of the light elves didn't think he'd manage it."
"He's a good kid," Gawain replied, giving Jack a fond look.
"And you're an idiot," Jack retorted without pause.
Gawain chuckled at that while the elves all looked amused.
Ridley sighed. "Well, we're here," she commented.
Jack's eyes darted to the pig beyond the elves without him thinking about it. "So we are," he agreed.
Gil glanced over his shoulder to see what had the human teen so enthralled and sighed. "Hey, you've done impressively in the past few days; way better than any of us ever could have dreamed," the light elf said, moving between Jack and the travel pig. "Why don't you take a day to sit back and fill your bellies? Look around, see what's new in the shops."
Jack sucked his lower lip through his teeth and chewed on it a bit. Shangri La was just a moment away. An even bigger army was just through a pig statue and Gil wanted him to slow down?
Ridley flipped her hair to one side, smacking Jack across the face. When he turned to glare at her, she said, "I'm tired. The past three days I've eaten trail rations and black goblin stew. I smell like those mushrooms of theirs and I'd like to wash it off."
"Then you can–"
"You are not going to Shangri La by yourself!" Ridley snapped before Jack could continue. "There's too great a chance you'll run into some humans and get attacked."
"Not to mention the blood orcs," Gawain helpfully added.
"Those too," Ridley agreed, glaring at Jack. "Parsec told Harry to pack for a week, Jack, and it's only been three days. We have a day to rest."
"Lord Harry wouldn't be happy if you worked yourself to the bone," Mikey added, having come from inside the fort to see what all the ruckus was about. "We have time, yet, before the humans are fully prepared, after all."
Jack sighed. "Okay, we can rest for a day," he agreed.
"Good." Ridley sniffed, managing to look very much the noble she'd been born as, then hurried off into the fort.
"Come on, lad," Gawain said, clapping Jack on the shoulder. "You can show me where Lord Zane is and then get your own bath and a hot meal. Lord knows I need some myself."
"Why don't you do that first, then?" Jack wondered, letting himself be led to the fort by Gawain. Behind them, the elves were continuing their drills under Gil's sharp eyes.
"It's polite to greet Lord Zane first, even if I do smell like mushrooms and two days on the road," Gawain replied easily. "Zane and Cairn and I... We were all friends, before. I haven't seen him in years, so it might be nice to check in. If nothing else, I'll get a feel for how things are working around here before I go putting my foot in."
Jack nodded, thinking that made sense. Since he was showing Gawain the way anyway, he might as well poke his own head in and wave to the light elf leader. Politeness never really figured into his daily routine before joining the fairy creatures, but he was beginning to see that it was important to them, and he didn't need Zane thinking any less of him than he already did. Assuming that was even possible.
Zane was in the strategy room, leaning over some reports and a large map spread out over the cardboard boxes. A couple of pallets sat against one wall and Jack grimaced at the thought of sleeping in the barren room, waiting for reports to come in at all hours.
Zane glanced up when he heard the door open. Surprise flashed across his face for just a moment and then he straightened. "I see the boy managed to drag you back with him," he said, focusing on Gawain.
Jack huffed, but he was getting used to the caustic way that the light elves treated him. Gil seemed to be the exception to that rule, and Jack couldn't help but wonder why. Because of his father? Or because Harry and he were friends?
"Jack managed to get more than just me," Gawain replied, grinning. "He and Ridley talked ninety-three black goblins into marching with us. They're camped out back."
Again, surprise passed Zane's face. The elf lord turned to Jack and opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again, shaking his head.
Mikey, who had followed the two humans, poked his head around Jack and offered, "It's true, Lord Zane. There's more than we could fit in the fort. Even Gruel came!"
"...Impressive," Zane murmured, and Jack could see from the expression on his face that he hadn't meant to say that out loud. Suddenly, coming to see the light elf upon return to the fort wasn't such a bad idea.
Zane caught the self-satisfied look on Jack's face and snapped, "You'll never manage it a second time, human, so don't look so pleased!"
Jack huffed. "I did it once, I'll do it again," he shot back. "I'll bring back so many green goblins, you won't know where to put them all!" Then he turned and stormed from the room, determined that Zane wouldn't get the last word.
Gawain sighed and shook his head as the door slammed shut. "He's such a likable kid, Zane. I don't see why you have to treat him so."
"He's a human," Zane spat.
Gawain raised one eyebrow. "So am I, old friend," he returned, then left to find a hot bath and some food.
-0-0-0-
Just before dawn, Jack crept into Ridley's room, hoping to scare her awake, but the noble was already up and putting on the last of her travelling things. She smiled at Jack when he slouched back against the wall, looking dejected. "I expected you to come barging in here early," she told him, straightening and walking over. "Let's get some breakfast and head out; we've got an uppity light elf to impress."
Jack grimaced at the reminder of Zane's angry challenge. "Good luck to us," he muttered, following Ridley out to the fort mess. "Hey, Ridley, how are we supposed to get the green goblins here, anyway? The only connection between Tria and Dova is through Radiata, and I can't see them being too happy about that."
Ridley smiled at him, shoving two rolls into his hands. "Gil and I talked about that yesterday, while you were busy beating up the training dummy. He's going to send a few light elves to us tomorrow morning. Anyone who can't take the pig will be flown to Fort Helencia. We talked about some sort of bridge between Dova and Tria, but we don't have time to build it, never mind how determined the humans would be to deter us from making any use of it."
Jack nodded. "Okay. Will we have enough light elves to carry all the green goblins?"
"Some might have to take a second trip," Ridley admitted, "but a lot depends on how many of them can take a pig to this side of Radiata. Anywhere on this side of the city is fine, even if it means landing in the Tria Region."
"If it comes to that, one of us can go with them," Jack decided. "At least then they'll have someone to watch their backs as they come through."
Ridley looked almost surprised for a moment before her face relaxed into a smile. "Come on, Jack," she said as they reached the pig, "we need to show Lord Zane we're actually useful."
Jack grinned back and they were zipped off to the Dorse Region.
-0-0-0-
As Jack had told the other fairy creatures in the strategy room five days before, he'd already made contacts with the green goblins during his time at Theater Vancoor. The two humans were welcomed with open arms and, upon Jack's request, led to Gabe and Gob, who were the closest they came to a leader of the green goblins.
The two goblins listened to Jack and Ridley's explanation patiently – well, Gabe was patient, Gob kept twitching and flexing his fingers around his fly swatter; only his respect for Jack kept him there at all.
"Not sure many goblins will come," Gabe said once the two humans were done.
"Gob will!" Gob insisted.
Gabe glanced over at his fellow green goblin, frowning, then looked back at Jack. "Green goblins not fighters. Jack should know."
Jack nodded, he did know; green goblins were even more inclined to be lazy than the black goblins. "Fighters or not, the humans will come and attack Shangri La once they've organised themselves a bit more. They won't care if you intend to stay out of things, they'll happily destroy you."
Gabe sighed and scratched under his hat. "Each goblin's choice you must ask," he decided.
"Gob will!" Gob helpfully reminded them.
"Cannot order goblins," Gabe added, deciding to ignore Gob.
Jack nodded again. "I know. Thanks, though. For hearing us out."
Gabe smiled a crooked goblin smile. "Jack is welcome. Gabe wishes could help Jack, but..." he motioned around him at his small shop.
"I know," Jack said again as he and Ridley stood. "Take care of yourself, okay? I need to know of at least one place where I can get Panic Powder."
Gabe cackled and pulled some of the aforementioned powder out. "Jack buys now?"
Jack laughed and pulled out his money purse. "Sure," he decided, counting out 320 dagols. "Give me four."
Gabe cackled some more as they traded. "Jack best customer!"
Jack shook his head and let Ridley lead him away. At her questioning look, he explained, "When I first met Gabe, he was determined to get Panic Powder. So I got him some."
"For free?" Ridley demanded. "And now he charges you for it? Isn't that like paying for the same item twice?"
Jack shrugged. "Not my brightest moment," he admitted, earning a snort from Ridley. "But, hey! Gabe actually sat and listened to us because of it."
"And what was up with that other one? Gob?" Ridley wondered.
Jack snorted. "Gob is one of the few green goblins who likes fighting. Actually, you've met before. You remember that goblin trio?"
"He was one of them?" Ridley exclaimed.
"He was the ring leader," Jack agreed, grinning. "He had the cleaver to Donovitch's throat."
Ridley moaned and rubbed at her face. "And you're friends with him now?"
Jack shrugged. "Friends with all three of them. They attacked me again the first time I entered the Dova Region. I beat them, then told them they could go. Gob declared me his new best friend and Monki and Aesop decided I was cool. Monki and Aesop even followed me into Radiata at one point." He snorted at the memory. "That was a lot of fun, actually."
Ridley sighed. "So that means we've got...what? Three green goblins on our side?"
Jack nodded and looked up at the cloth and rickety wooden walkways above them. "Best start asking around. Do you want the ground floor, or up there?"
Ridley gave the walkways above them a distrustful look. "I'll take down here, if it's all the same to you."
Jack shrugged and started up the nearest ladder much faster than Ridley would have ever dared. The girl shuddered and turned away to find goblins to recruit.
-0-0-0-
While Jack and Ridley spoke to goblins inside Shangri La, Gob rode out on his elephant and recruited those goblins who spent their time wandering the countryside. Just after sunset, he returned, grinning, and announced to the two weary humans that he'd gotten forty-four goblins to agree to join them at their fort. Jack and Ridley, who had both gathered around thirty, were so happy they could have kissed Gob. Instead, they invited him to join them in eating around their makeshift table in the empty shelter they'd picked out for the night.
The next morning, the two humans and Gob were all waiting at the pig when the light elves started arriving. Gil came through first and his worried expression lightened when he saw the smiles on the two humans' faces. "I take it everything went well, then?"
"One hundred and five green goblins are ready to join us at Fort Helencia," Ridley reported while Jack kept grinning like a mad man.
Gil was struck momentarily speechless. Finally, he let out a loud laugh. "You two are amazing!"
Jack flushed at the praise and looked down at his feet. "We couldn't have done it without Gob," he admitted, waving towards the green goblin standing behind him. "He went out and got over forty goblins to agree to come while we were talking to those inside Shangri La."
Ridley sighed. "Gob never would have gone out looking if he hadn't liked you so much, Jack," she told her fellow human for the fourth time since last night. Once Jack's joy at having surpassed their last numbers had faded, he realised that they hadn't done all the work to get the goblins, which meant they hadn't, actually, managed to outdo themselves.
Gob shuffled forward, flyswatter held nervously in one fist at the sight of the forty light elves that had come through and were crowding the path. "Jack Gob's friend," he insisted. "Gob help Jack."
"Hmm." Gil shrugged. "Jack, honestly, that you managed to get even one green goblin would have impressed Lord Zane, I should think. You might not have managed over one hundred on your own, but you surpassed everyone's expectations with what you did manage." Gil smiled at the teen and got a faint grin back. "Now, how are we doing this?"
Ridley nodded. "From what the green goblins say, about half of them have managed to travel north of Radiata. Most of those are the older generation, who are more inclined to get up and do things, but a couple of the younger ones have also braved Radiata in more peaceful times and travelled north. Most of those who have travelled went to the Goblin Haven, so that's the only pig they know. I'm going to go with those goblins to Goblin Haven and travel with them to Fort Helencia, so no one gets lost."
"The rest of them know the pig in the Tria Region," Jack continued. "I'll be going with those ones to help them past the humans on that road and in Solieu Village. Gob and a couple of the goblins who have travelled with me a bit in the past know the Fort Helencia pig, so they'll be going straight through to there. From there, they're going to make their ways towards the Nowem Region to act as back-up if I run into any trouble in Tria."
"Gob come help Jack!" Gob declared.
Jack grinned at his goblin friend. "So you will. And do you remember what else to do at Fort Helencia?"
Gob nodded. "Ask dark elves, Gawain please join Ridley in Goblin Haven."
"We'll make a general out of him yet," Ridley told Gil, earning an eye roll from Jack.
"Sounds good," Gil told the two humans. "Let's get started."
The green goblins were even harder to organise than the black goblins had been, but they managed. Gob and his party went through the pig first and the light elves were just starting to leave as Ridley's party went through two at a time. Gil and Jack waited until everyone else was off before Jack led his party away, leaving Gil and Gabe to watch over the remaining thirteen green goblins for the return of the light elves.
When Jack landed in the Tria Region, he immediately pulled out his sword and engaged the four guards who were standing nearby. As the green goblins came though, they joined him in fighting off the humans, circling the pig statue in a protective ring so their fellows could come through safely. What the green goblins lacked in strength, they made up for in sheer numbers and their inclination towards using thrown items and weapons.
The guards who'd been nearby had managed to whistle for reinforcements before Jack and the goblins finished them off, so the group continued facing humans who'd come running from all around.
At last, everyone was through. Jack led the way to the side path towards the Nowem Region, where Gob and his band of fighters had cleared the way. Jack left Gob to lead the green goblins and fell back to cover their retreat, gritting his teeth when he found himself crossing swords with people he'd known from Radiata. For the most part, they fought in disgusted silence, but a few demanded to know why he'd sided with the fairy creatures and Jack never gave them an answer.
Eventually, the guards thinned and Jack was able to safely retreat after the green goblins who'd gone ahead. Two had stayed back with him, unwilling to leave him on his own, and he appreciated it.
As the three of them started up the path, Jack heard a guard call, "Lady, don't! There's no way you can face them!"
A painfully familiar voice called back, "Don't you start telling me what I can and cannot do!"
Jack turned back to watch his sister stalk down the path towards them. The two goblins at his side readied some Toadstool Powder, but Jack held up a hand to stop them. "Let me deal with her," he requested. "You two go after the others. I know this area well enough that I'll be fine on my own."
The goblins looked worried, but they'd been watching this human fight and knew he could take care of himself. And he also ran faster than them, so they would only slow him down if he needed to make a quick escape. "We go," one decided.
"Fighting Jack come back," the other ordered.
"I will," Jack promised and the two goblins scurried away.
Jack held his sword loosely at his side, not inclined to put it away when Adele had her own sword out.
When Adele got in range to not have to shout, she snapped, "Jack Russell, what do you think you're doing? Helping nonhumans? Killing your own kind?" She waved her hand behind her, where guards were cleaning up the dead and dying bodies. "You've pulled some crazy stunts over the years, but this is ridiculous!"
Jack swallowed and tightened his grip on his sword. "You remember when I was a kid and you used to tell me to do the right thing, no matter what?" he asked, half expecting a joking, 'You're still a kid, Jack!' in reply.
But Adele gave a jerky nod. "Yeah," she said.
Something in Jack cried at the loss of the old joke and he swallowed past a lump. "Helping the fairy creatures is that 'right thing' you always told me about. Because the humans are killing the dragons, and that has to stop."
Adele laughed, but it wasn't that pretty laugh Jack had grown up hearing. "Killing the dragons?" she called back. "You used to enjoy the stories about Dad killing a dragon! 'They're just bigger monsters,' you'd say! Well, if humans started killing off all the skullheads, would you throw a fit about that instead? Would you cry over their deaths like–"
"Shut up!" Jack shouted, bringing his hands over his ears. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"
"I know exactly what I'm talking about!" Adele shouted back. "Dragons attack humans for no good reason and the only way to stop that is to kill them. That's right!"
Jack stared at his sister, disbelieving. Was she really spouting that nonsense? Was she really saying the dragons were evil and should be killed?
Was this really the same woman who'd raised him?
"Sis," Jack said, turning towards the Nowem Region, "this is where we part ways. We see two different truths, and I'm going to go fight for mine. I wish you luc–"
"You're not going anywhere!" Adele screamed, sword raised and running at Jack.
Jack froze. He couldn't fight his own sister!
Just before Adele brought her blade down on Jack's head, she froze, complexion taking on the grey tones of petrification.
Jack looked up, startled, then looked around for the cause of the petrification. There, standing just over the rise and leaned over, gasping for breath, was a familiar man with black hair and wearing mage robes.
"Harry..." Jack whispered. And then he was running towards the man, wanting to cry and laugh all at once, because Harry was back but his sister had just tried to kill him.
Harry straightened quickly and caught the teen in a hug. For one moment, one terrible moment, he'd seen Jack, standing in the middle of the path, crazed woman running at him with sword high and he'd thought the teen was going to die. In that moment, Harry's world had crumbled, and he wasn't even sure why. Sure, he liked Jack, but if he died, it wasn't like Harry's own world was going to end.
Was it?
They finally pulled apart and Jack wiped quickly at his eyes. "You're back early," he said, glancing up at the mage.
Harry shrugged. "Parsec discounted my previous experience. There was only so much to teach me, and a lot of it I'd learned on my own." He eyed the teen. "Good thing I got back sooner."
Jack looked over his shoulder at where Adele was still petrified. "Adele, my sister," he explained to the unvoiced question.
"Ah." Harry rubbed at his face. "Well, that spell should hold for a few more minutes. Why don't we make our getaway while we still can?"
Jack bit his lower lip, still watching his sister, and nodded. He started walking, not bothering to watch where he was going and promptly tripped over a rock on the road.
Harry blinked down at the human. "I've found that walking while facing forward tends to lessen the chances of landing on ones behind."
Jack flushed and let Harry pull him up. "Yeah, I know," he admitted and, after one last glance back, turned to start walking the right way. After a few steps, he said, "She was going on about how dragons were just monsters, like the skullheads and they should all be killed before they could kill humans."
Harry sighed. "A common human belief," he replied.
"But why?" Jack breathed. "Why do the humans think all dragons should die?"
Harry ran a hand through his hair. "There is...something of a prophecy, which was given by a human back during the early days of Radiata. There are different translations of it, and the one the humans have has led them to believe that dragons will bring about their doom."
Jack glanced over. "And what does the prophecy actually mean?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Prophecies are...funny things," he offered carefully. "We often don't know what they're talking about until after they're over."
"But, is it true that it says something about dragons dooming humans?" Jack wanted to know.
Harry considered it for a moment, then said, "The prophecy mentions twins of some sort, which the fairy creatures have always taken that to mean Quasar and Aphelion, especially since it is a human prophecy and it next suggests that the twins make the world safe for them. The prophecy goes on to say the world is flourishing, but then 'imbalance grows, forests turn dark, this is our doom'. Something about a tower, which the dragons will bring down."
"So is the doom referring to the imbalance, or the dragons?" Jack wondered.
Harry shrugged. "I've always thought the imbalance – which was created by the sleep of Kelvin – has only gotten worse as the humans take out more dragons. Their own paranoia about dragons appearing in a prophecy about their doom has led to the prophecy coming true." He sighed. "It is the way of prophecies, vile things."
Jack blinked in surprise at Harry's disgusted tone. "Huh?"
Harry smiled a humourless smile. "In my old world, my childhood was ruled by a prophecy. My parents were killed and I spent my teen years being hunted by their murderer, who wanted me dead because of that prophecy."
Jack stared at Harry in horror. "How did you survive?"
"Luck," Harry replied drily. "A lot of luck." He shook his head. "Anyway, yes. Prophecies equal bad news. They never mean what you think they mean, and if you try to act against it, it's going to come true. Best to just ignore them and follow less chancy pursuits."
"Like what?" Jack wondered. "Taking on a monster you could kill in your sleep?"
"Or recruiting as many fairy creatures as you can," Harry returned, grinning at Jack, who flushed. "Very impressive, by the way."
"I had help," Jack mumbled.
Harry dropped his arm around the teen's shoulders. "Help or no help, Zane couldn't have managed a tenth the number you got. Hell, I'd probably only manage about half, and the fairy creatures like me."
"You would have done better than half!" Jack insisted.
Harry grinned. "Mmm... Maybe. Not with the green goblins, though. I wouldn't know where to start. Even back when they were more inclined to do things, they didn't have any form of structure."
"They still don't," Jack supplied.
"See! I'd be useless. But I bet you went in there with a plan, didn't you?"
"I spoke to a couple of friends, then we went around and talked to every green goblin we could find. Wasn't much of a plan. If Gob hadn't gone off and found the green goblins not in Shangri La, we only would have had sixty join us."
Harry shook his head. "Still impressive. All the more so because you got a green goblin to go out and ask around for you, even if you never asked him to. Especially if you never asked him to."
Jack flushed a bit more. "Yeah?"
"Definitely," Harry insisted.
Jack grinned to himself, a bit of a skip in his step, and asked, "So how'd your training go, anyway?"
Harry groaned. "Not fun. Radian, the dragon who taught me, was a hard taskmaster. He insisted I work on something until I got it. I got all of two breaks the past few days."
Jack winced. "But it was five days!"
Harry shrugged. "Radian doesn't believe in unnecessary breaks. For a dragon, two breaks for sleeping and eating over the course of five days is about right." He smiled at the disbelieving look on Jack's face. "I've always been something of an insomniac, anyway, so it wasn't really so bad."
"If you say so," Jack replied sceptically.
Harry chuckled a bit, then stopped them at the turn-off to Wind Valley. "I told you I'd show you my form," he explained to Jack's curious look. "Wind Valley should be pretty much deserted, other than a few monsters."
"Cool!" Jack decided and practically skipped after a chuckling Harry.
Wind Valley was a confusing series of islands and totems that blew travellers across to the next island, or attacked them. Jack was sure he would have gotten lost in mere seconds, but Harry led them unerringly towards a larger island all the way at the back that appeared surrounded by a perpetual wind storm.
Seeing Jack eyeing the wind storm, Harry offered, "This was Cepheid's home, when he wasn't at the dragon caves, or strutting around City of Flowers. It used to be, when he wasn't in or just didn't want visitors, the wind storm would be too great to cross and you'd get stuck on the far end of the bridge, but while he's sleeping, the rest of us have more important things to worry about than this storm, so it's left open."
Jack nodded. "Okay. So, dragon form!" He turned pleading eyes on Harry.
The human-turned-dragon laughed and moved away enough that he'd have room, then turned into his dragon form. One of the things he'd learned while working with Radian was that he could still talk in his dragon form, despite the fact that the dragons from his world couldn't, so he lowered his head towards Jack and asked, "What do you think? Do I pass muster?"
"Awesome!" Jack declared and proceeded to spend a good twenty minutes inspecting Harry's dragon form with glee.
Finally, they made their way back through Wind Valley and were on the road again. They hadn't been able to talk in Wind Valley over the sound of the wind, but once they'd crossed the bridge back into the Nowem Region, Jack commented, "It's different from Baade."
Harry shrugged. "No one dragon looks like any of the others. Cepheid looks rather more like a hurricane than a dragon, and Kelvin had two heads. The dragons are shaped by the element they have control over, so they're going to look different."
"You don't have an element," Jack helpfully pointed out.
Harry grinned. "I have an alternate world that had its own dragons. My form is the meanest of the lot: the Hungarian Horntail."
"Apt," Jack decided, thinking back to the deadly-looking tail that Harry had very determinedly kept still while Jack was running around. Jack remembered thinking that the tail was way better designed for killing than Baade's had been.
When they reached Fort Helencia, it was to a small celebration. They were still waiting on Ridley's group and the last of the green goblins that Gil and the other light elves were bringing, but the sheer size of their army had been realised and the fairy creatures were ecstatic. Jack found himself swept up in congratulations and well-wishes while a couple of people demanded Harry's attention to ask how his short holiday had gone.
When Jack finally managed to get to where Zane was standing with a scowl on his face and some elven wine in one hand, he asked, "Did we do well enough for you, Lord Zane? Or should we tackle the orcs next?"
Zane grimaced. "I have no wish to add orcs to our number. This is...sufficient."
Jack decided that was as much praise as he was going to get from the elven leader and turned to return to the party.
"Jack," Zane called and the human looked back at him curiously. "Thank you for your hard work," he said with just the slightest hint of respect in his eyes.
Jack blinked in surprise. "You're welcome," he replied. "I'm always happy to help, just let me know." Then he turned and hurried off into the party in search of Harry. He had to let the dragon know about Zane's reaction. And Ridley, when she got back.
Facing Adele may have been one of the worst moments of Jack's life, but he wouldn't change his mind about fighting for the fairy creatures for anything. He'd found his niche here, and that was worth any number of friends and family cursing his name.
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A/N: I always kind of wanted there to be some sort of scene with Adele in the game once you've picked the nonhuman path, instead you never see anyone from Solieu Village again, since the only humans you can run into want to fight you, and when you see Adele again, she's just been tortured by the people of Radiata for information on Jack. At any rate, I added my own confrontation, and I may have gotten her character wrong, but she strikes me as the sort of girl who will stick by her father's actions and side with the humans, no matter if Cairn was friends with the fairy creatures. And if attacking Jack would knock some sense into him...
Anyway... I actually wrote this part before I got to the point where Adele is tortured and freed by Ganz, Rynka and Flau. And I still stand by it. Adele is still going to be captured – Harry petrifying her just made it easier for the knights – and we'll be seeing her again.
Yay! Harry's back! (It was just a brief holiday. Just long enough for Jack to get himself into trouble and need rescuing. XD)
~Bats ^.^x
Chapters:
Prologue - Falling
1 - Elves ||| 2 - Humans ||| 3 - Let It Go
4 - And If It Returns ||| 5 - It Was Meant to Be ||| 6 - Ways of the Dragons
7 - To Build an Army ||| 8 - Power Over Life ||| 9 - Arbitrator
10 - Blood-Filled Days ||| 11 - Hic Sunt Dracones
...
Fandoms: Harry Potter & Radiata Stories
Chapter: 7 of 11
Author:
batsutousai/BatsutousaiBeta:
tsuki_no_suzu/Shara LunisonRating: T
Pairings: Harry/Jack
Warnings: OoC, AU, slash, non-human arc
Summary: Harry slipped when he was standing a little too close, and the next thing he knew, he was far away from everything he'd ever known, with something like eternity waiting for him.
Disclaim Her: This story uses characters and settings owned by J.K. Rowling, her publishers, Square Enix and tri-Ace. No money is being made from the creation of this fanfic, and no copywrite infringement is intended.
A/N: I know the goblin numbers are way excess of the game, but I figure those can't be all the fairy creatures in the game. There's no way that few would be able to stand against the entirety of Radiata City, and when playing the human side, there's plenty of nameless fairy creatures on the roads. There's no way a war can be fought with only the 176 characters you can recruit. So I'm adding to their number a bit.
Chapter Seven - To Build an Army
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Jack had fully intended to start out for Shangri La as soon as they finished at Goblin Haven, but the number of black goblins who wanted to go to Fort Helencia was... impressive.
"We might as well walk back with them," Ridley murmured as they observed the pile of black goblins arguing over fighting equipment. "Few of them have been to Fort Helencia, so the pig won't work for them. Someone will have to guide them by foot."
Jack glanced over towards Gawain, who was trying to help the goblins figure out their equipment with a little less bashing over the head. The ex-Knight had told Jack and Ridley, once the girl was up, that he'd like to travel back to Fort Helencia and speak with Zane. He'd been quite upset to learn that Harry was out of touch for the moment, and confused as to why, since the teens hadn't wanted to tell him Harry's secret.
"We're not asking Gawain to lead them," Ridley added, looking at the man Jack was eyeing. "We're the ones who recruited them, Jack, not Gawain. We owe it to them to lead them to the fort."
Jack sighed and looked down at the Toadstool Lance someone had forced on him earlier. He knew the black goblins were only joining the fairy creatures because he and Ridley had talked them into it. Dragons knew the black goblins would have been happier smoking on mushroom pipes and drinking weird soup than going to war. But Jack wanted to get the green goblins to come too. He wanted to have an army they could be proud of when Harry got back.
But Ridley was right, as she so often was: If he wanted the black goblins to join them, he needed to make sure they got to the fort safely.
One of the goblins hurried over with Gawain; it seemed they were done figuring out equipment. "We ready to go now," the black goblin said.
Ridley glanced over at Jack, who nodded. The girl smiled and turned back to the goblin as Gawain took a loose stance next to Jack. "Thanks, Gruel. Let's head out."
Gruel, the black goblin leader, grinned widely at her, then turned and started shouting what seemed like nonsense orders to his people.
"Do they actually understand each other?" Jack wondered under his breath. Ridley sighed while Gawain chuckled.
"For the most part," Gawain said to Jack, smiling. "If you two want to lead the army, I'll stick to the back and watch for stragglers."
"Oh. That's a good idea," Jack realised.
Gawain chuckled again, one large hand coming down to clap Jack on the back and almost send him sprawling. "You're a good lad, Jack Russell, but you've got a lot to learn before you can become a proper general."
Jack scowled. "Yeah? Then what am I right now? Huh?"
"The fairy creatures' main recruiter," Ridley offered drily. When Jack gave her a wounded look, she pointed to where the goblins were waiting in a mostly straight line. "Come on, Jack."
Jack sighed and dragged his feet a bit, but followed Ridley to the head of the line, clasping hands with the goblins who called his name as they went. At the head of the line, Gruel grinned at them, then bellowed, "AHEAD!" and they were off.
The sound of tens of black goblins marching sent the monsters fleeing and the mushrooms shaking. Jack had no words for how glad he was that Gruel was with them in the lead, since he knew a few hidden short cuts that helped them avoid the mushrooms. Jack didn't really want to know how the fungus would stand up to their party. Judging by the nervous look on Ridley's face at the few mushrooms they did have to cross, she was thinking the same thing.
Because of the size of their party – not to mention the lazy life-style most of them had been leading previously – they travelled at a much slower pace than Ridley, Coco and he had on their way to the Goblin Haven. They ended up having to camp overnight on the edge of the Cuatour Region, which about sent Jack into fits. But, not wanting the black goblins to be offended by how irritated he was, Jack kept his problems to himself and the next day they reached Fort Helencia without a hitch.
Their arrival at Fort Helencia was not unremarked upon. Gil had been out in the back, training a squad of light and dark elves when Jack and Ridley came into sight. The expression on the faces of the elves made the entire trip worth it, so far as Jack was concerned, especially when the black goblins seemed to just keep coming.
"If anyone ever says humans are useless, remind them of this," Gil commented to his people as Jack and Ridley reached him, both grinning.
"Don't worry, I'll happily rub it in their faces," Jack replied.
Gil just shook his head. "You were made for this," he decided. "Anyone else who went up there might have gotten a couple of black goblins to join, but you two..." He shook his head.
"Where are we going to put them all?" one of the younger dark elves wondered.
"Goblins sleep outdoors," Gruel replied, having joined the two humans and elves after speaking to one of his people. The black goblin he'd spoken to was calling out orders to the small army and directing them towards the open space across the path from the back entrance to the fort. "We used to colder weather."
"Well, it gets plenty cold at night around here," Gil replied. "You're welcome to stay outside if you'd like."
Gruel nodded once, seemingly deciding that was the end of the matter and turned to return to his people.
"Friendly sort, isn't he?" one of the light elves offered.
"Gruel has always kept to himself," Gil replied, glancing back at the elf under his charge. "If we see him even as often as once a day, I'll be surprised."
"If you see him more often than once a week, I'll be surprised," Gawain boomed, joining them. "Hello, Gil. It's been a while."
Gil grinned at the bulky human. "So Jack did manage to talk you out of your grief. Some of the light elves didn't think he'd manage it."
"He's a good kid," Gawain replied, giving Jack a fond look.
"And you're an idiot," Jack retorted without pause.
Gawain chuckled at that while the elves all looked amused.
Ridley sighed. "Well, we're here," she commented.
Jack's eyes darted to the pig beyond the elves without him thinking about it. "So we are," he agreed.
Gil glanced over his shoulder to see what had the human teen so enthralled and sighed. "Hey, you've done impressively in the past few days; way better than any of us ever could have dreamed," the light elf said, moving between Jack and the travel pig. "Why don't you take a day to sit back and fill your bellies? Look around, see what's new in the shops."
Jack sucked his lower lip through his teeth and chewed on it a bit. Shangri La was just a moment away. An even bigger army was just through a pig statue and Gil wanted him to slow down?
Ridley flipped her hair to one side, smacking Jack across the face. When he turned to glare at her, she said, "I'm tired. The past three days I've eaten trail rations and black goblin stew. I smell like those mushrooms of theirs and I'd like to wash it off."
"Then you can–"
"You are not going to Shangri La by yourself!" Ridley snapped before Jack could continue. "There's too great a chance you'll run into some humans and get attacked."
"Not to mention the blood orcs," Gawain helpfully added.
"Those too," Ridley agreed, glaring at Jack. "Parsec told Harry to pack for a week, Jack, and it's only been three days. We have a day to rest."
"Lord Harry wouldn't be happy if you worked yourself to the bone," Mikey added, having come from inside the fort to see what all the ruckus was about. "We have time, yet, before the humans are fully prepared, after all."
Jack sighed. "Okay, we can rest for a day," he agreed.
"Good." Ridley sniffed, managing to look very much the noble she'd been born as, then hurried off into the fort.
"Come on, lad," Gawain said, clapping Jack on the shoulder. "You can show me where Lord Zane is and then get your own bath and a hot meal. Lord knows I need some myself."
"Why don't you do that first, then?" Jack wondered, letting himself be led to the fort by Gawain. Behind them, the elves were continuing their drills under Gil's sharp eyes.
"It's polite to greet Lord Zane first, even if I do smell like mushrooms and two days on the road," Gawain replied easily. "Zane and Cairn and I... We were all friends, before. I haven't seen him in years, so it might be nice to check in. If nothing else, I'll get a feel for how things are working around here before I go putting my foot in."
Jack nodded, thinking that made sense. Since he was showing Gawain the way anyway, he might as well poke his own head in and wave to the light elf leader. Politeness never really figured into his daily routine before joining the fairy creatures, but he was beginning to see that it was important to them, and he didn't need Zane thinking any less of him than he already did. Assuming that was even possible.
Zane was in the strategy room, leaning over some reports and a large map spread out over the cardboard boxes. A couple of pallets sat against one wall and Jack grimaced at the thought of sleeping in the barren room, waiting for reports to come in at all hours.
Zane glanced up when he heard the door open. Surprise flashed across his face for just a moment and then he straightened. "I see the boy managed to drag you back with him," he said, focusing on Gawain.
Jack huffed, but he was getting used to the caustic way that the light elves treated him. Gil seemed to be the exception to that rule, and Jack couldn't help but wonder why. Because of his father? Or because Harry and he were friends?
"Jack managed to get more than just me," Gawain replied, grinning. "He and Ridley talked ninety-three black goblins into marching with us. They're camped out back."
Again, surprise passed Zane's face. The elf lord turned to Jack and opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again, shaking his head.
Mikey, who had followed the two humans, poked his head around Jack and offered, "It's true, Lord Zane. There's more than we could fit in the fort. Even Gruel came!"
"...Impressive," Zane murmured, and Jack could see from the expression on his face that he hadn't meant to say that out loud. Suddenly, coming to see the light elf upon return to the fort wasn't such a bad idea.
Zane caught the self-satisfied look on Jack's face and snapped, "You'll never manage it a second time, human, so don't look so pleased!"
Jack huffed. "I did it once, I'll do it again," he shot back. "I'll bring back so many green goblins, you won't know where to put them all!" Then he turned and stormed from the room, determined that Zane wouldn't get the last word.
Gawain sighed and shook his head as the door slammed shut. "He's such a likable kid, Zane. I don't see why you have to treat him so."
"He's a human," Zane spat.
Gawain raised one eyebrow. "So am I, old friend," he returned, then left to find a hot bath and some food.
Just before dawn, Jack crept into Ridley's room, hoping to scare her awake, but the noble was already up and putting on the last of her travelling things. She smiled at Jack when he slouched back against the wall, looking dejected. "I expected you to come barging in here early," she told him, straightening and walking over. "Let's get some breakfast and head out; we've got an uppity light elf to impress."
Jack grimaced at the reminder of Zane's angry challenge. "Good luck to us," he muttered, following Ridley out to the fort mess. "Hey, Ridley, how are we supposed to get the green goblins here, anyway? The only connection between Tria and Dova is through Radiata, and I can't see them being too happy about that."
Ridley smiled at him, shoving two rolls into his hands. "Gil and I talked about that yesterday, while you were busy beating up the training dummy. He's going to send a few light elves to us tomorrow morning. Anyone who can't take the pig will be flown to Fort Helencia. We talked about some sort of bridge between Dova and Tria, but we don't have time to build it, never mind how determined the humans would be to deter us from making any use of it."
Jack nodded. "Okay. Will we have enough light elves to carry all the green goblins?"
"Some might have to take a second trip," Ridley admitted, "but a lot depends on how many of them can take a pig to this side of Radiata. Anywhere on this side of the city is fine, even if it means landing in the Tria Region."
"If it comes to that, one of us can go with them," Jack decided. "At least then they'll have someone to watch their backs as they come through."
Ridley looked almost surprised for a moment before her face relaxed into a smile. "Come on, Jack," she said as they reached the pig, "we need to show Lord Zane we're actually useful."
Jack grinned back and they were zipped off to the Dorse Region.
As Jack had told the other fairy creatures in the strategy room five days before, he'd already made contacts with the green goblins during his time at Theater Vancoor. The two humans were welcomed with open arms and, upon Jack's request, led to Gabe and Gob, who were the closest they came to a leader of the green goblins.
The two goblins listened to Jack and Ridley's explanation patiently – well, Gabe was patient, Gob kept twitching and flexing his fingers around his fly swatter; only his respect for Jack kept him there at all.
"Not sure many goblins will come," Gabe said once the two humans were done.
"Gob will!" Gob insisted.
Gabe glanced over at his fellow green goblin, frowning, then looked back at Jack. "Green goblins not fighters. Jack should know."
Jack nodded, he did know; green goblins were even more inclined to be lazy than the black goblins. "Fighters or not, the humans will come and attack Shangri La once they've organised themselves a bit more. They won't care if you intend to stay out of things, they'll happily destroy you."
Gabe sighed and scratched under his hat. "Each goblin's choice you must ask," he decided.
"Gob will!" Gob helpfully reminded them.
"Cannot order goblins," Gabe added, deciding to ignore Gob.
Jack nodded again. "I know. Thanks, though. For hearing us out."
Gabe smiled a crooked goblin smile. "Jack is welcome. Gabe wishes could help Jack, but..." he motioned around him at his small shop.
"I know," Jack said again as he and Ridley stood. "Take care of yourself, okay? I need to know of at least one place where I can get Panic Powder."
Gabe cackled and pulled some of the aforementioned powder out. "Jack buys now?"
Jack laughed and pulled out his money purse. "Sure," he decided, counting out 320 dagols. "Give me four."
Gabe cackled some more as they traded. "Jack best customer!"
Jack shook his head and let Ridley lead him away. At her questioning look, he explained, "When I first met Gabe, he was determined to get Panic Powder. So I got him some."
"For free?" Ridley demanded. "And now he charges you for it? Isn't that like paying for the same item twice?"
Jack shrugged. "Not my brightest moment," he admitted, earning a snort from Ridley. "But, hey! Gabe actually sat and listened to us because of it."
"And what was up with that other one? Gob?" Ridley wondered.
Jack snorted. "Gob is one of the few green goblins who likes fighting. Actually, you've met before. You remember that goblin trio?"
"He was one of them?" Ridley exclaimed.
"He was the ring leader," Jack agreed, grinning. "He had the cleaver to Donovitch's throat."
Ridley moaned and rubbed at her face. "And you're friends with him now?"
Jack shrugged. "Friends with all three of them. They attacked me again the first time I entered the Dova Region. I beat them, then told them they could go. Gob declared me his new best friend and Monki and Aesop decided I was cool. Monki and Aesop even followed me into Radiata at one point." He snorted at the memory. "That was a lot of fun, actually."
Ridley sighed. "So that means we've got...what? Three green goblins on our side?"
Jack nodded and looked up at the cloth and rickety wooden walkways above them. "Best start asking around. Do you want the ground floor, or up there?"
Ridley gave the walkways above them a distrustful look. "I'll take down here, if it's all the same to you."
Jack shrugged and started up the nearest ladder much faster than Ridley would have ever dared. The girl shuddered and turned away to find goblins to recruit.
While Jack and Ridley spoke to goblins inside Shangri La, Gob rode out on his elephant and recruited those goblins who spent their time wandering the countryside. Just after sunset, he returned, grinning, and announced to the two weary humans that he'd gotten forty-four goblins to agree to join them at their fort. Jack and Ridley, who had both gathered around thirty, were so happy they could have kissed Gob. Instead, they invited him to join them in eating around their makeshift table in the empty shelter they'd picked out for the night.
The next morning, the two humans and Gob were all waiting at the pig when the light elves started arriving. Gil came through first and his worried expression lightened when he saw the smiles on the two humans' faces. "I take it everything went well, then?"
"One hundred and five green goblins are ready to join us at Fort Helencia," Ridley reported while Jack kept grinning like a mad man.
Gil was struck momentarily speechless. Finally, he let out a loud laugh. "You two are amazing!"
Jack flushed at the praise and looked down at his feet. "We couldn't have done it without Gob," he admitted, waving towards the green goblin standing behind him. "He went out and got over forty goblins to agree to come while we were talking to those inside Shangri La."
Ridley sighed. "Gob never would have gone out looking if he hadn't liked you so much, Jack," she told her fellow human for the fourth time since last night. Once Jack's joy at having surpassed their last numbers had faded, he realised that they hadn't done all the work to get the goblins, which meant they hadn't, actually, managed to outdo themselves.
Gob shuffled forward, flyswatter held nervously in one fist at the sight of the forty light elves that had come through and were crowding the path. "Jack Gob's friend," he insisted. "Gob help Jack."
"Hmm." Gil shrugged. "Jack, honestly, that you managed to get even one green goblin would have impressed Lord Zane, I should think. You might not have managed over one hundred on your own, but you surpassed everyone's expectations with what you did manage." Gil smiled at the teen and got a faint grin back. "Now, how are we doing this?"
Ridley nodded. "From what the green goblins say, about half of them have managed to travel north of Radiata. Most of those are the older generation, who are more inclined to get up and do things, but a couple of the younger ones have also braved Radiata in more peaceful times and travelled north. Most of those who have travelled went to the Goblin Haven, so that's the only pig they know. I'm going to go with those goblins to Goblin Haven and travel with them to Fort Helencia, so no one gets lost."
"The rest of them know the pig in the Tria Region," Jack continued. "I'll be going with those ones to help them past the humans on that road and in Solieu Village. Gob and a couple of the goblins who have travelled with me a bit in the past know the Fort Helencia pig, so they'll be going straight through to there. From there, they're going to make their ways towards the Nowem Region to act as back-up if I run into any trouble in Tria."
"Gob come help Jack!" Gob declared.
Jack grinned at his goblin friend. "So you will. And do you remember what else to do at Fort Helencia?"
Gob nodded. "Ask dark elves, Gawain please join Ridley in Goblin Haven."
"We'll make a general out of him yet," Ridley told Gil, earning an eye roll from Jack.
"Sounds good," Gil told the two humans. "Let's get started."
The green goblins were even harder to organise than the black goblins had been, but they managed. Gob and his party went through the pig first and the light elves were just starting to leave as Ridley's party went through two at a time. Gil and Jack waited until everyone else was off before Jack led his party away, leaving Gil and Gabe to watch over the remaining thirteen green goblins for the return of the light elves.
When Jack landed in the Tria Region, he immediately pulled out his sword and engaged the four guards who were standing nearby. As the green goblins came though, they joined him in fighting off the humans, circling the pig statue in a protective ring so their fellows could come through safely. What the green goblins lacked in strength, they made up for in sheer numbers and their inclination towards using thrown items and weapons.
The guards who'd been nearby had managed to whistle for reinforcements before Jack and the goblins finished them off, so the group continued facing humans who'd come running from all around.
At last, everyone was through. Jack led the way to the side path towards the Nowem Region, where Gob and his band of fighters had cleared the way. Jack left Gob to lead the green goblins and fell back to cover their retreat, gritting his teeth when he found himself crossing swords with people he'd known from Radiata. For the most part, they fought in disgusted silence, but a few demanded to know why he'd sided with the fairy creatures and Jack never gave them an answer.
Eventually, the guards thinned and Jack was able to safely retreat after the green goblins who'd gone ahead. Two had stayed back with him, unwilling to leave him on his own, and he appreciated it.
As the three of them started up the path, Jack heard a guard call, "Lady, don't! There's no way you can face them!"
A painfully familiar voice called back, "Don't you start telling me what I can and cannot do!"
Jack turned back to watch his sister stalk down the path towards them. The two goblins at his side readied some Toadstool Powder, but Jack held up a hand to stop them. "Let me deal with her," he requested. "You two go after the others. I know this area well enough that I'll be fine on my own."
The goblins looked worried, but they'd been watching this human fight and knew he could take care of himself. And he also ran faster than them, so they would only slow him down if he needed to make a quick escape. "We go," one decided.
"Fighting Jack come back," the other ordered.
"I will," Jack promised and the two goblins scurried away.
Jack held his sword loosely at his side, not inclined to put it away when Adele had her own sword out.
When Adele got in range to not have to shout, she snapped, "Jack Russell, what do you think you're doing? Helping nonhumans? Killing your own kind?" She waved her hand behind her, where guards were cleaning up the dead and dying bodies. "You've pulled some crazy stunts over the years, but this is ridiculous!"
Jack swallowed and tightened his grip on his sword. "You remember when I was a kid and you used to tell me to do the right thing, no matter what?" he asked, half expecting a joking, 'You're still a kid, Jack!' in reply.
But Adele gave a jerky nod. "Yeah," she said.
Something in Jack cried at the loss of the old joke and he swallowed past a lump. "Helping the fairy creatures is that 'right thing' you always told me about. Because the humans are killing the dragons, and that has to stop."
Adele laughed, but it wasn't that pretty laugh Jack had grown up hearing. "Killing the dragons?" she called back. "You used to enjoy the stories about Dad killing a dragon! 'They're just bigger monsters,' you'd say! Well, if humans started killing off all the skullheads, would you throw a fit about that instead? Would you cry over their deaths like–"
"Shut up!" Jack shouted, bringing his hands over his ears. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"
"I know exactly what I'm talking about!" Adele shouted back. "Dragons attack humans for no good reason and the only way to stop that is to kill them. That's right!"
Jack stared at his sister, disbelieving. Was she really spouting that nonsense? Was she really saying the dragons were evil and should be killed?
Was this really the same woman who'd raised him?
"Sis," Jack said, turning towards the Nowem Region, "this is where we part ways. We see two different truths, and I'm going to go fight for mine. I wish you luc–"
"You're not going anywhere!" Adele screamed, sword raised and running at Jack.
Jack froze. He couldn't fight his own sister!
Just before Adele brought her blade down on Jack's head, she froze, complexion taking on the grey tones of petrification.
Jack looked up, startled, then looked around for the cause of the petrification. There, standing just over the rise and leaned over, gasping for breath, was a familiar man with black hair and wearing mage robes.
"Harry..." Jack whispered. And then he was running towards the man, wanting to cry and laugh all at once, because Harry was back but his sister had just tried to kill him.
Harry straightened quickly and caught the teen in a hug. For one moment, one terrible moment, he'd seen Jack, standing in the middle of the path, crazed woman running at him with sword high and he'd thought the teen was going to die. In that moment, Harry's world had crumbled, and he wasn't even sure why. Sure, he liked Jack, but if he died, it wasn't like Harry's own world was going to end.
Was it?
They finally pulled apart and Jack wiped quickly at his eyes. "You're back early," he said, glancing up at the mage.
Harry shrugged. "Parsec discounted my previous experience. There was only so much to teach me, and a lot of it I'd learned on my own." He eyed the teen. "Good thing I got back sooner."
Jack looked over his shoulder at where Adele was still petrified. "Adele, my sister," he explained to the unvoiced question.
"Ah." Harry rubbed at his face. "Well, that spell should hold for a few more minutes. Why don't we make our getaway while we still can?"
Jack bit his lower lip, still watching his sister, and nodded. He started walking, not bothering to watch where he was going and promptly tripped over a rock on the road.
Harry blinked down at the human. "I've found that walking while facing forward tends to lessen the chances of landing on ones behind."
Jack flushed and let Harry pull him up. "Yeah, I know," he admitted and, after one last glance back, turned to start walking the right way. After a few steps, he said, "She was going on about how dragons were just monsters, like the skullheads and they should all be killed before they could kill humans."
Harry sighed. "A common human belief," he replied.
"But why?" Jack breathed. "Why do the humans think all dragons should die?"
Harry ran a hand through his hair. "There is...something of a prophecy, which was given by a human back during the early days of Radiata. There are different translations of it, and the one the humans have has led them to believe that dragons will bring about their doom."
Jack glanced over. "And what does the prophecy actually mean?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Prophecies are...funny things," he offered carefully. "We often don't know what they're talking about until after they're over."
"But, is it true that it says something about dragons dooming humans?" Jack wanted to know.
Harry considered it for a moment, then said, "The prophecy mentions twins of some sort, which the fairy creatures have always taken that to mean Quasar and Aphelion, especially since it is a human prophecy and it next suggests that the twins make the world safe for them. The prophecy goes on to say the world is flourishing, but then 'imbalance grows, forests turn dark, this is our doom'. Something about a tower, which the dragons will bring down."
"So is the doom referring to the imbalance, or the dragons?" Jack wondered.
Harry shrugged. "I've always thought the imbalance – which was created by the sleep of Kelvin – has only gotten worse as the humans take out more dragons. Their own paranoia about dragons appearing in a prophecy about their doom has led to the prophecy coming true." He sighed. "It is the way of prophecies, vile things."
Jack blinked in surprise at Harry's disgusted tone. "Huh?"
Harry smiled a humourless smile. "In my old world, my childhood was ruled by a prophecy. My parents were killed and I spent my teen years being hunted by their murderer, who wanted me dead because of that prophecy."
Jack stared at Harry in horror. "How did you survive?"
"Luck," Harry replied drily. "A lot of luck." He shook his head. "Anyway, yes. Prophecies equal bad news. They never mean what you think they mean, and if you try to act against it, it's going to come true. Best to just ignore them and follow less chancy pursuits."
"Like what?" Jack wondered. "Taking on a monster you could kill in your sleep?"
"Or recruiting as many fairy creatures as you can," Harry returned, grinning at Jack, who flushed. "Very impressive, by the way."
"I had help," Jack mumbled.
Harry dropped his arm around the teen's shoulders. "Help or no help, Zane couldn't have managed a tenth the number you got. Hell, I'd probably only manage about half, and the fairy creatures like me."
"You would have done better than half!" Jack insisted.
Harry grinned. "Mmm... Maybe. Not with the green goblins, though. I wouldn't know where to start. Even back when they were more inclined to do things, they didn't have any form of structure."
"They still don't," Jack supplied.
"See! I'd be useless. But I bet you went in there with a plan, didn't you?"
"I spoke to a couple of friends, then we went around and talked to every green goblin we could find. Wasn't much of a plan. If Gob hadn't gone off and found the green goblins not in Shangri La, we only would have had sixty join us."
Harry shook his head. "Still impressive. All the more so because you got a green goblin to go out and ask around for you, even if you never asked him to. Especially if you never asked him to."
Jack flushed a bit more. "Yeah?"
"Definitely," Harry insisted.
Jack grinned to himself, a bit of a skip in his step, and asked, "So how'd your training go, anyway?"
Harry groaned. "Not fun. Radian, the dragon who taught me, was a hard taskmaster. He insisted I work on something until I got it. I got all of two breaks the past few days."
Jack winced. "But it was five days!"
Harry shrugged. "Radian doesn't believe in unnecessary breaks. For a dragon, two breaks for sleeping and eating over the course of five days is about right." He smiled at the disbelieving look on Jack's face. "I've always been something of an insomniac, anyway, so it wasn't really so bad."
"If you say so," Jack replied sceptically.
Harry chuckled a bit, then stopped them at the turn-off to Wind Valley. "I told you I'd show you my form," he explained to Jack's curious look. "Wind Valley should be pretty much deserted, other than a few monsters."
"Cool!" Jack decided and practically skipped after a chuckling Harry.
Wind Valley was a confusing series of islands and totems that blew travellers across to the next island, or attacked them. Jack was sure he would have gotten lost in mere seconds, but Harry led them unerringly towards a larger island all the way at the back that appeared surrounded by a perpetual wind storm.
Seeing Jack eyeing the wind storm, Harry offered, "This was Cepheid's home, when he wasn't at the dragon caves, or strutting around City of Flowers. It used to be, when he wasn't in or just didn't want visitors, the wind storm would be too great to cross and you'd get stuck on the far end of the bridge, but while he's sleeping, the rest of us have more important things to worry about than this storm, so it's left open."
Jack nodded. "Okay. So, dragon form!" He turned pleading eyes on Harry.
The human-turned-dragon laughed and moved away enough that he'd have room, then turned into his dragon form. One of the things he'd learned while working with Radian was that he could still talk in his dragon form, despite the fact that the dragons from his world couldn't, so he lowered his head towards Jack and asked, "What do you think? Do I pass muster?"
"Awesome!" Jack declared and proceeded to spend a good twenty minutes inspecting Harry's dragon form with glee.
Finally, they made their way back through Wind Valley and were on the road again. They hadn't been able to talk in Wind Valley over the sound of the wind, but once they'd crossed the bridge back into the Nowem Region, Jack commented, "It's different from Baade."
Harry shrugged. "No one dragon looks like any of the others. Cepheid looks rather more like a hurricane than a dragon, and Kelvin had two heads. The dragons are shaped by the element they have control over, so they're going to look different."
"You don't have an element," Jack helpfully pointed out.
Harry grinned. "I have an alternate world that had its own dragons. My form is the meanest of the lot: the Hungarian Horntail."
"Apt," Jack decided, thinking back to the deadly-looking tail that Harry had very determinedly kept still while Jack was running around. Jack remembered thinking that the tail was way better designed for killing than Baade's had been.
When they reached Fort Helencia, it was to a small celebration. They were still waiting on Ridley's group and the last of the green goblins that Gil and the other light elves were bringing, but the sheer size of their army had been realised and the fairy creatures were ecstatic. Jack found himself swept up in congratulations and well-wishes while a couple of people demanded Harry's attention to ask how his short holiday had gone.
When Jack finally managed to get to where Zane was standing with a scowl on his face and some elven wine in one hand, he asked, "Did we do well enough for you, Lord Zane? Or should we tackle the orcs next?"
Zane grimaced. "I have no wish to add orcs to our number. This is...sufficient."
Jack decided that was as much praise as he was going to get from the elven leader and turned to return to the party.
"Jack," Zane called and the human looked back at him curiously. "Thank you for your hard work," he said with just the slightest hint of respect in his eyes.
Jack blinked in surprise. "You're welcome," he replied. "I'm always happy to help, just let me know." Then he turned and hurried off into the party in search of Harry. He had to let the dragon know about Zane's reaction. And Ridley, when she got back.
Facing Adele may have been one of the worst moments of Jack's life, but he wouldn't change his mind about fighting for the fairy creatures for anything. He'd found his niche here, and that was worth any number of friends and family cursing his name.
-0-0-0-0-0-
A/N: I always kind of wanted there to be some sort of scene with Adele in the game once you've picked the nonhuman path, instead you never see anyone from Solieu Village again, since the only humans you can run into want to fight you, and when you see Adele again, she's just been tortured by the people of Radiata for information on Jack. At any rate, I added my own confrontation, and I may have gotten her character wrong, but she strikes me as the sort of girl who will stick by her father's actions and side with the humans, no matter if Cairn was friends with the fairy creatures. And if attacking Jack would knock some sense into him...
Anyway... I actually wrote this part before I got to the point where Adele is tortured and freed by Ganz, Rynka and Flau. And I still stand by it. Adele is still going to be captured – Harry petrifying her just made it easier for the knights – and we'll be seeing her again.
Yay! Harry's back! (It was just a brief holiday. Just long enough for Jack to get himself into trouble and need rescuing. XD)
~Bats ^.^x
Prologue - Falling
1 - Elves ||| 2 - Humans ||| 3 - Let It Go
4 - And If It Returns ||| 5 - It Was Meant to Be ||| 6 - Ways of the Dragons
10 - Blood-Filled Days ||| 11 - Hic Sunt Dracones
...
