8th CARD › “Shadow Walker”
“I understand the idea could be a bit scary, but…” The voice was familiar, belonging to none other than Giotto Jaeger, but he was about five years younger. “You have a pretty amazing gift, Jay.”
The nineteen-year-old Gio, King of Hearts, stood beside his twenty-year-old wife and Queen, Faye Star. The two of them were in the home of Jay Willow, a thirteen-year-old youth having finally been approached about joining a House of New Eden.
“.. No!” The voice was high pitched and defiant.
Jay stood before them with arms crossed, glaring angrily with those big blue eyes at the two who approached him.
He was only thirteen but he certainly seemed a bit older. He was tall for his age, his skin a dark brown and his jet black hair messed about. He sported a black tank top and light gray sweat pants.
Gio couldn’t help but chuckle at Jay’s response, kneeling down while Faye placed a comforting hand on her King’s shoulder.
“Jay… joining a House, using your powers for good… isn’t that something you’d like to do? To help people and make this city a better place. To be a hero… doesn’t that inte—”
“No! I said no! I never want to use my powers again! I don’t want to be a stupid Esper! I don’t want to be a member of the Houses!!” Jay spun away from the two, sprinting away and down a lone hallway.
The slamming of his room door was all the response they needed.
A heavy sigh escaped the lips of the King as he stood back up. Faye decided to give a soothing smile.
“It’s okay, Gio. You heard his parents before. We knew it’d be tough to convince him, but we did what we could for now.” She reassured him, placing her hand gently to his cheek. “Let’s head back for today, okay?”
Gio agreed and the pair bid farewell to the Willow household.
That was the first time Gio had met Jay. He had known about him for a while, as had other Houses, since Jay’s powers awakened when he was just seven years old. His ability, Shadow Walker, was based around teleportation. The problem with such an ability, though, was that Jay had an incredibly hard time controlling it.
Despite that lack of control Jay had always tried to use it and test it on his own.
This eventually led to an ordeal when he was ten. He had wanted to show his sister his ability and how he thought he learned to control it – unfortunately, he was wrong.
In attempting to teleport both himself and his sister at a playground he nearly killed them both.
His sister ended up impaled by a metal rod, barely missing her heart, and Jay nearly lost his arm when his warp lost control.
From that day onwards Jay vowed to never again use his ability.
All of the Houses had at one point or another come to see him and they continued as he grew older, but at that point his vow was sacred.
He would never again embrace his power as an Esper.
Though who could have expected that the Willow home would come under Chaotic attack in the middle of the city.
Gio, Faye, and a handful of others from Hearts had been standing by in the area. There was no indication that Jay was a target, but the area had experienced increased levels of activity. There was a buzz in the air, much like the feeling before a heavy storm.
Just one day after Gio’s first encounter with Jay, the King was already rushing back to the scene – hoping to save the family from the rampaging beasts that descended upon them.
.. Sadly, the arrival of Hearts wasn’t quick enough.
The group found complete and utter destruction to the Willow home and the surrounding area. Many had died in the attack before they arrived, but there were two who stood out – the mother and father of Jay.
Both of them, James and Martha, clung to life as best they could, but their time was coming to an end. Jay’s brother, Ethan, and sister, Rachel, were badly wounded but not fatally.
The last words Jay would ever hear from his mother, from his father, were ones that would drive Jay forward. The words that would light a spark within him. Words that would wipe away his fear and hesitation in a single, brilliant stroke.
“.. Protect… them…”
They wished for Jay to use his gifts, his power, to save those who could not be saved. To be the hero that the people needed. Set aside your doubts and stand tall – that was their wish.
If that was what his parents wanted, if that was their dying wish, then Jay would overcome the fear that held him back. His chains would snap and his binds be broken.
He stood tall against the Chaotic which towered over him, gathered his power, and summoned the will to move.
In that instant the air changed. A heavy pressure was brought down on Gio and everyone else nearby. This was the force of an Esper’s power being unleashed without any holding back. Some from Hearts found it hard to move, even falling to their knees, but Gio and Faye both stood tall.
They were both witnessing the birth of an Esper – no, a hero – who would protect the city for years to come.
Jay’s power erupted in magnificent fashion as he warped, leaving behind a shadowy mist with each teleport, appearing all around the battlefield like he had been doing it for years.
In truth, he had, but for so long he refused to use his powers. Now he was unleashing that power, all at once, to protect the family he still had and to avenge the family he lost.
The thirteen-year-old boy, far from being a man, was fighting with a force that others twice his age never exhibited.
His stamina, however, was still that of a child.
Jay’s relentless attacks fell to the wayside as the Chaotics recovered from his physical assault. They charged him, planning to finish him in his weakened state, but Gio had other ideas.
The House of Hearts charged into the fray. They displayed the supreme power that the top ranked Espers of New Eden held, destroying the beasts and preventing further loss of life.
Such a hollow victory was one that Gio would forever chalk up as a loss.
It was the day that Jay Willow, Shadow Walker, entered into the House of Hearts. It was also the same day that he lost the parents who raised him, who loved him and his siblings with all of their being. From that day onward Jay would ensure that the same thing never happened to others.
As a part of the House of Hearts, as Gio’s pupil, Jay would become the hero that he had always admired.
The same hero that he saw in Gio; his King.
« — »
Night had fallen on the slums of the Thirteenth District. Luckily, Gio and company finally had their heading. The Rogues gathering together were easy enough to find, thanks to the fact they wanted to be found. The only kinds of people in these parts, Espers or Normals, were going to be less than respectable. Just what they wanted.
The Houses stayed away from the slums.
Near the edge of the city itself, where the slums were deepest, was where this particular group now called home. The landscape was that of a trade network of supplies to and from the city. The area had once been full of active warehouses long ago, before there were ever slums in New Eden and long before Gio and Leon tried to clean them up.
It made a rather well fortified base for them. It even allowed them solid routes through the slums and into the city, as the old transportation roads were still around. Well, mostly. Even in their ruined state the pathways were still mapped out in prime positions.
The Rogues themselves seemed to be operating in a somewhat horizontal chain of command, meaning that the group appeared to have no true leader. It seemed counterproductive, at least long term, but the strategy appeared to be to gather as many Rogues as they could early. Finding a leader, finding a voice, could come after.
Luckily for the rebels, the news of capturing a member of the Houses was a great advertising tool.
Many who lived in the slums, many who had kept to themselves, began flocking to the group. All thanks to showing the ability to contain an Esper from a House. Even Normals were finding themselves joining up.
“.. That’d be them, then.”
Gio was quiet. He and the others were hiding near the back of a worn down warehouse. It was right near the middle of the enemy group but far enough away to give them a bit of wiggle room. It was also a location they paid no mind, given the state of the building.
Shame that the position didn’t provide them the scope they expected.
“I don’t… see him, though.” His voice was strained.
The emotions he seemed to be keeping in check were dangerously close to letting loose.
Sera caught on early that this was far from the typical Gio. He was supposed to be a total screw up, lazing about with a whiskey bottle in one hand and shades in the other. He was supposed to be fighting with her on everything, causing problems every step of the way.
That wasn’t the case now.
“O-Oh!”
The stuttering yelp from behind had Gio and Sera turning back in unison.
“Is that… him?” Kat was pointing ahead of them, under what appeared to be a disabled and ruined crane.
Despite those thick glasses of hers inferring she had bad eyesight, it seemed like Kat was pretty good at spotting things. Closer examination by Gio showed that there was a strange glowing light in the same area. This light, round in shape, appeared just large enough to house a person – to keep someone captive.
A lone figure within the orb of light was none other than their target; Jay.
Gio turned back to Kat and managed a slight smirk. It was the first sign of acceptance or even respect that he was showing the young girl.
“Not bad, kid.” He turned back to look towards the orb. “Not bad at all…”
Kat couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride welling up inside her, but she also wondered why someone just a few years older than her was calling her a kid.
Personal thoughts aside, the question now was how on earth to free Jay without alerting the militia of Rogues.
Between the three of them and the captive were various groups of enemies conversing and carrying out tasks. Some appeared to be loading equipment into small storage crates while others appeared to be unloading other containers and passing out gear to a line of people that seemed new.
Others were simply talking and hanging about, drinking what appeared to be cheap beer and smoking half spent cigarettes. Hardly a sophisticated fighting force.
The only real problem was their sheer size.
There was at least a couple hundred of them, if not more, and they were all in the way of the objective.
Even for Gio this was a precarious situation. They needed a solid plan before moving forward. However, time wasn’t exactly their ally. He was ready to make a move and would do whatever it took.
“.. Sera, how quickly do you think you can get around to that orb?”
Her jaw dropped if only for a split moment, shock getting to her at just how stupid an idea Gio was potentially presenting.
“Huh? What, while you sit back here and have yourself a martini or something?”
Gio shook his head. His right hand was shaking ever so slightly.
“Not at all… I’m thinking I’ll run in there, cause a bit of chaos, and get their attention. Should give you an opening to get close.” His eyes now rested solely on Sera. “That orb looks like the ability of an Esper, no doubt. I can’t really sense from where, though. Means we have to find who’s controlling it the hard way or break Jay out forcefully. I can take care of the Rogues and you can start trying to break him ou—”
Sera quickly grabbed Gio by the collar, brazenly glaring past those sunglasses and into his brown eyes. Her own eyes were full of silent yet screaming emotion.
“You want to be a decoy against an army?! You’re being real stupid, Gio. Way more than usual, too!” She was angry and understandably so.
She knew Gio was being far too reckless.
“What’s the deal, huh? You said before that you got him into the Houses and feel responsible – get over it!” She pulled him closer, gripping tighter on his collar and nearly choking him in the process. “You can’t control everything; you know? You’re not some hero that’s unbeatable!”
His head turned slightly to the right, avoiding eye contact with Sera as she called him out.
“.. You wouldn’t understand. If nothing else, this is something I can fix right here and now. I owe him that much.”
However, while the two members of Wild Card went back and forth about what to do, Kat had already begun moving.
Her curiosity had taken hold. She was examining the situation, the number of enemies, and the objective. Without even realizing what she was doing her mind was racing through various calculations and strategies, each one coming up as a failure.
Play decoy, rush the target, blend in, sneak around, guerilla warfare – they were all strategies that flooded Kat’s mind and were instantaneously thrown out. This wasn’t a situation that they could win. Not from a critical point of view. Her assessment was spot on and she knew it.
After all, it wasn’t just Kat’s Esper ability that took her through the ranks of the House of Spades. Her intellect was just as important, if not moreso, than her fabled skill. She was a master strategist. Few in any House could match her wits or knowledge.
“Maybe if I’m closer…”
Her best bet was to get a full grasp on the situation.
Kat looked around in hopes of finding a solid vantage point, but the lone position appeared to be atop the degraded crane – the exact location they needed to get to. Trying to get the same look from atop a damaged warehouse roof seemed highly improbable given their condition. With how rundown the buildings were they would probably collapse without much help.
It was somewhat silly to think, considering Jay was being held in the same position by the crane, but perhaps she could make her way there and get a better look at the enemy force. Maybe she could even find some way to free Jay without causing a battle.
The idea she could do such a thing was clouding her typically infallible intellect.
I can do this, I can do this, I can totally do this, her thoughts raced to give her confidence.
She kept to the shadows and avoided the piles of rock and metal. No one would care to notice a young girl sneaking around the slums, right? She had the advantage; she was smarter, trained, calculating…
.. And before she knew it she was crashing down to earth from her lofty perch.
A sudden, loud crash echoed throughout the area, which was already filled to the brim with Espers.
The initial sound was like a gunshot signaling the start of a race and what followed were akin to the thunderous sounds of a hundred stampeding horses. The sounds were of a crumbling warehouse, brought down at the wrong place, worst time. The collapsing roars became deafening as metal screeched and the earth itself moved from the force of the fall.
The building that had formerly been on its last leg soon found itself caving in with the might of an explosive rigged by an expert demolition team. Such a catastrophic event had to surely be caused intentionally as part of some grand plan, but the truth of the matter was far more simple.
Kat, young and naive, tripped face first into its only structurally sound wall with enough force to send it to the abyss.
Metal scraped against pavement as walls and support beams continued to come crashing down one after the other. The screech of the collapse was greater than even the mightiest lion, paralyzing with shock all in earshot as they witnessed the destruction. Years of dust and dirt billowed into the air, causing a gray cloud to descend on both the army of Rogues and the bickering pair off to the side.
No one, not even the Rogues, seemed to know what to do. Instinct had many shield themselves from the dust and debris, but they remained where they stood. With no leader to stand front and center many had no idea how to respond.
Was it an attack?
Did the building simply fall by chance?
No, the true answer lay elsewhere. Situated firmly on the untied shoelace of a little girl.
Kat’s lighter-than-average frame had been blown away by the force the of the collapse. She was lucky to not be caught under the rubble, but as the dust slowly began to settle her situation took a turn for the worse.
Her body covered enough distance to reach the very people she tried to avoid, mere inches from the formerly unsuspecting Rogues who moments ago had been going about their business.
The enemies who held Jay captive, who sought the downfall of the Houses, and the ones who would stop anyone who got in their way – they were now realizing that at their feet another Esper of the Houses had wandered into their lair.
Gio and Sera were free from the splash zone of the debris, but they had a clouded view of the situation from afar. All they knew was that Kat had been launched and unfortunately Gio noticed just where she ended up.
“The hell is that kid doing!” Gio pulled away from Sera, glaring ahead. “Let’s move, she’s going to end up getting herself killed!”
Gio was already running ahead before Sera had a chance to question him further.
“Fine, screw it!!”
The two were sprinting into the dust cloud that remained, knowing that on the other side was an army of Rogues. The enemies were alert to someone’s presence and now had Kat at their feet, but if Gio and Sera could get the jump on them it might be salvageable.
That meant unleashing everything they had before it was too late.
It meant diving head first into a situation they were clearly destined to lose.
At the same time, a bound Jay finally sprang to life. Despite being considered an adult at eighteen he still preferred ‘simplicity’ when it came to style and avoided his uniform like the plague. Truth be told it was probably just a bit of laziness. A charcoal colored, sleeveless hoody, and a pair of white shorts were all he cared to wear. His hair was short and messy. If one didn’t know any better they’d think he had just crawled out of bed.
But of course that wasn’t the case. Jay was captured and being held prisoner by these Rogues – the enemies of the Houses and New Eden itself.
Jay still couldn’t believe that he was in such a predicament. Not even fresh Numbers on their first mission would mess up this bad. He had only himself to blame for being so quick to rush to what was obviously a trap, but even after being tricked he wouldn’t have done anything differently.
He went to save a girl in distress, or so he thought.
Rushing in to save the damsel was what a hero did. Jay took pride in that side of himself.
Now, however, it looked like the damsel was coming to save him.
Jay instantly caught sight of Kat being flung away from the collapsing warehouse. Despite the heavy smoke that others had to shield their eyes from though, Jay was inside of a seemingly impenetrable shield – he could clearly look around without hesitation.
The sight of a short, seemingly frail girl, was a surprise to say the least.
“Is she… here for me?” His voice held just a fraction of disbelief.
A smidgen.
Perhaps about forty percent.
.. Okay, the truth was the thought of that freckle-faced girl coming to save him seemed a bit silly.
But that doubt would soon turn to newfound faith. From the clouds of dust and smoke came a bright light, drawing the attention of the Rogue militia. Even Jay was drawn to the sight. Like a small sparkle at the end of a long tunnel.
A few moments later and that hypnotizing light turned into a downpour of fireballs, much like meteors raining down from space itself. The flames burned brilliantly, turning the pitch black night into what appeared to be high noon.
Seconds became eons as the hellfire scorched the entirety of the ruined area, sending Rogues flying and fleeing in all directions. The fireballs were essentially grenades with no prejudice. The sudden attack had many running for the hills already. They weren’t all use to fighting or combat, so to see such an assault was just about all they could take. It would at least help even the playing field.
“F-Flames?! On such a level—!!”
Jay’s voice screeched as the fireballs reached even him, crashing all around his cage. A few even slammed right into the sparkling blue energies that held him in place. The explosives rocked all around him, but his cage stayed strong and kept him from even suffering from the vibrations. As the ground around him began to give way, it was even noticeable that his sphere went through the concrete below.
“Hey! Let me the heck out of here!”
The young man finally had some fight in him as he began to punch and kick at the force field around him. Desperation was sinking in for the Septum of Hearts. Jay had no idea who would attack so wildly and at this hour. It was even possible that whoever was attacking was actually a rival group, planning to take out his captors.
If that was truly the case, then it was all the more important to bust out now. Surely a rival gang would have little use for a member of the Houses foolish enough to be caught. But, they probably wouldn’t let him leave unscathed.
“Damn! Come on, Jay, think!”
His blue eyes were bouncing around his head, hoping to find an opening, but the cage was solid.
“If he was here, what would, what could…”
Jay’s left hand was glowing with the Mark of his House, showing the number seven and the intertwining Hearts insignia.
“.. It didn’t work before, but maybe in this confusion…”
He closed his eyes. His one chance to escape this cage was right before him. While it held him physically and also prevented him from teleporting out, maybe just maybe there was a weakness.
Flashes of shadows, black smoke, consumed Jay and bounced furiously around the sphere. It looked like storm clouds swirling and colliding at high speed. The shadows dimmed and he appeared in the same place as before. His body remained trapped.
“Damn!”
His frustration was obvious. Though, the battle before him was getting closer.
Now was the time that things would begin to change.
The flames of the mysterious attacker that burned wildly had lit up the area and the clouds of dust and smoke were finally settling. Bodies were sent flailing back in different directions, a few crashing around the imprisoned youth.
Jay now had the perfect angle and lighting to get a clear look at a newcomer to the scene. Was it a rival gang? Perhaps it was an Esper from another House?
At first he ignored the face which seemed to catch sight of him at the same moment. Instinctively he looked away, as if embarrassed for some odd reason, and instead he noticed the stranger wasn’t wearing anything from the Houses.
It must have been someone off duty, or maybe it really was a rival gang… but that wasn’t it.
His eyes now locked with the stranger’s.
What he saw in that moment was surely an illusion his mind brought on in a time of fear.
“.. It’s not possible…”
Even with the fire burning it was still late, so surely Jay’s eyes were just playing tricks on him. He had been held captive for quite some time, after all. But as the fractions of seconds passed, the reality of what he was seeing began to sink in fully.
Standing not far from him, right in the middle of the flickering flames, stood a figure that Jay had always believed he would see again. Despite the news of his passing, the reports of his Fall, Jay always held out hope.
Hope that his mentor and dearest friend was still alive.
“Giotto…?”
The Wild Card was focused on the fight that was upon him. He had drawn the attention of nearly all the Rogues that remained to stand and fight, which meant that a brawl was about to begin – but not before he made sure Kat was back on her feet.
Luckily, Sera was already continuing her big sister role. She had dashed in during the barrage by Gio and was sliding into place just as the smoke clouds died down. Looking back, she could see that the Rogues who stayed were regaining their composure and slowly but surely moving in on their target.
It even included the Rogues who had moments ago been preparing to investigate Kat. For the moment she was safe.
Sera planted herself right beside Kat, with little time for words. She was using her brute strength to get the rookie back on her feet, but at the same time keeping her crouched. She was going to lead Kat out of the battle zone and to a safer location, then get back and work out some frustrations in the form of combat.
“M-Miss Sera!”
“Shhh! Keep it down – and not just your voice, geez!” Big Sister Sera struggled to force Kat’s rear back down, as the so called crouching was more of a lazy bend over. “Butt down, head up! Aren’t you trained for combat and stuff?”
Fortunately, the army was already focused solely on Gio. It didn’t really matter at that point if Kat revealed herself further or not.
Rumors of the Wild Card and his fire ability spread much like those flames burning across the battlefield. It was also known that the bounty on that same man was astronomical. Gio probably didn’t have to do all he did to get their attention given his status as a wanted man, but what was done was done.
Meanwhile, while most were moving towards him, Sera was quick to spot a young woman who was hanging back. She was dressed pretty poorly, far differently from the other Rogues decked out in military-grade gear. Her clothes were old and torn, sliced up in various places with a few blood stains. If one didn’t know better, they would have said she looked like a homeless from the slums who had been abused and brutalized on more than one occasion.
That, however, was far from the truth.
Sera’s eyesight was on point, even in the returning darkness, and she could see that the apparent bloodstains and holes in the clothing didn’t match up with any kind of scars. What appeared to be a homeless girl covered in past wounds was actually a well kempt young lady with a pretty face.
“.. You know, that’s interesting.”
Sera’s voice confused Kat, whom mid-crouch was still trying to flee the scene.
“W-What’s inter—”
“No time! Listen up, you can pretty much craft up anything, yeah? How about making something to take out that girl over there?”
Sera pointed to the poorly dressed lady which further confused Kat.
“.. Um, isn’t she already pretty hurt? She’s covered in blood…”
Of course Kat was hesitant. After all, the costume of that girl was pretty convincing. Though, the fact that she was the lone onlooker not moving in to fight or fleeing meant that she had to stay there. Being so close to the cosmic cage made it pretty obvious she was, at least in part, keeping Jay captive.
Sera could only assume that since the girl was hanging back, near Jay, that she was probably the one keeping him locked up. Even if she was wrong it would be one less Rogue to worry about.
If she was totally wrong and that girl was innocent, well, she could apologize later.
“Oi! Do you want to help or not? Just take care of her before I have to, alright?!” Sera was shouting just enough to make Kat act in fear. So much for a low profile.
Kat’s legs then gave way and she fell to her knees, frantically trying to do what she was told. Seconds later the young girl was bringing out her book and quill-shaped pen.
“I-I’m not sure what to—”
“Bloody hell, anything!”
There was no time. Sera jumped to her feet, leaving Kat, and charged towards the Rogue – but just as the enemy noticed her, a heavy metal object came plummeting onto her unsuspecting head.
Sera froze in place as she realized a large iron anvil had just appeared out of nowhere, just like an old school cartoon, and had knocked out the enemy in a swift comedic motion. She turned back to Kat. A look of disbelief had washed over Sera’s face, but Kat could only nervously look back with what looked like a smile.
Whether Kat was ready for a mission like this or not was a good question, but at the very least she certainly had one heck of an ability.
“Hey, not bad at all. That’s some great taste you—” Sera’s voice trailed off as a burst of shadow energy rippled through the air around her.
Jay’s glowing cage flickered and gave way at the exact same moment that the anvil knocked out his false damsel in distress. At the time he had no idea who or what had freed him – but he knew who stood across the blazing battlefield.
“Giotto!!”
His voice rang through the night as blackened energy began to consume him once more.
Gio couldn’t help but look back, catching sight of Jay if only for a moment before he was gone.
The next moment the young man was warping in front of a random Rogue, arm outstretched to deliver a fearsome clothesline. The force of the blow was so mighty that the Rogue slammed into the ground below, cracking the concrete beneath him, and instantaneously being KO’d.
Another flash of black smoke had Jay appearing and delivering a series of kicks to the chins of one Rogue after the other. The attacks were relentless and nonstop, with such intensity that it only took a single blow to cripple each foe. One by one they began to all fall down thanks to some good ol’ sweet chin music.
The enemy began to panic and attempted to regroup, shouting out to each other to form ranks and carrying out various strategies. They surely believed that up against a teleporter they could win by covering all possible entry points.
It wasn’t a horrible strategy, but it did little to help them when Jay wasn’t the only threat.
“Ohoho, so this is the dangerous threat… Explosion.”
Gio’s finger snap was like the hammer pulling back on a loaded revolver. Flames would swarm, erupting from nothing but a simple spark. The fires would expand rapidly to cause wild and rampant explosions. They consumed the groups of Rogues leaving only a few gaps to escape.
No matter the enemy or their condition, the flames would eviscerate them.
Luckily for most, the explosions were not entirely lethal. It was as if something was being held back. Some injuries were severe, for sure, but there was a slight mercy in the movements of the fire and flames.
As the blaze continued to spread across the ranks of Rogues, Jay’s own movements slowed. He was confused and couldn’t help but be stunned. For some reason it felt like he wasn’t used to seeing Gio like this. The young man of Hearts didn’t quite understand how his former King’s fighting style had changed.
Despite that thought he pulled himself together, focused, and continued his own attacks. Warping in and out of the Rogue groups gave him the perfect chance to attack multiple enemies and then back out, allowing flames to wash over the stragglers.
It was only Gio and Jay attacking, but in almost no time at all they were clearing out the Rogues like ants. An onlooker might even think it was somehow not a fair fight… and they were right.
Jay was one of the top physical fighters in all of the Houses, aided by his teleporting ability that gave him unmatched access to an enemy’s openings. His Shadow Walker ability also allowed him to attack a large number of enemies at the same time. That combat prowess was clearly above his current rank as a Septum.
Gio, being both the Wild Card and former King of Hearts, was naturally a skilled fighter as well. He was even the one who trained Jay. But what truly gave him an edge against even the Rogue militia was his Wild Card ability. There was nothing else quite like it in all of New Eden.
To have access to multiple abilities, as well as The Fiery, he was quite literally a one-man army.
The battle that seemed so daunting and impossible was turning into more of a warm-up. No pun intended.
Sera found herself lashing out a handful of Rogues that lingered around both her and Kat, attempting to escape, but the bulk of the action was left to the boys. Frustrating as it was to pass up a chance at stretching her legs, it was better to get the job done and get the others back to where they belonged – meaning of course, Jay and Kat.
She watched as Gio and Jay brought the large militia down to nothing more than a few scared school boys and girls running swiftly for their mommies.
Within just a few minutes that almighty fighting force they tried to avoid was turned to ash. Metaphorically, of course. Even with the intensity of Gio’s flames none of the Rogues appeared to be dead. The same could be said for Jay’s attacks that seemed to keep their recipients breathing.
Gio and Jay fought with a similar idea in mind since they trained together, to spare an enemy if they could – or rather, to avoid using excessive force. Maybe they both simply realized that needlessly killing the Rogues would cause more problems than it would solve. There was little reason to use a nuke on an ant.
Regardless of the condition of the Rogues, the mission was never really about them.
The mission was to save Jay Willow, assuming he was captured and not a traitor, and that was exactly what they had done.
Given that the event would be bringing New Eden’s attention in full, it was time to head home. Mission cleared.
Kat’s clothes were covered in filth and partially charred, but she was coming out of the whole ordeal in pretty good shape. She made her way towards Gio and Jay with Sera following beside her, but the atmosphere around them seemed to suddenly grow uneasy.
A serious look fell over both boys as they gave each other a not-so-friendly stare down, seemingly seconds before a duel.
Boys will be boys.
Perhaps Jay had a right to be upset, to be emotional, which his shift in demeanor suggested. He was upset yet relieved, astonished yet calm, and found it hard to control the raging seas inside him.
“So, Sire, Teacher… No, none of those… Giotto – Gio. You were alive…” Jay’s voice appeared calm, but it was a poor façade. He was getting choked up. “You were alive… and never—”
“It’s good to see you, Jay.” Gio’s serious look was long gone as he cracked a smile and a cheerful tone. “Shame that you’re still getting roped in by a pretty face, though!” He laughed, smashing through the uneasy atmosphere with a cannon blast.
“That’s… That’s what you have to save after all these years?!” Jay’s emotions were overflowing.
He was angry.
He was overjoyed.
“What’s wrong? You seem a bit upset, bro.” Gio smirked and stepped towards Jay, going for a hug, but the young man pulled back.
“You!! You were thought dead by everyone this entire time! Yet here you are with some flashy flames and as the wanted criminal Wild Card?!”
Gio’s laughter grew even louder to match the emotional outbursts.
“Well, hahaha! I guess you’re not wrong there. I am the Wild Card, after all. A dangerous criminal if you listen to that Ol’ Diamond Prick Victor Ferris. But, well, I guess you could say news of my death was…”
His tone shifted and his laughter subsided as he reached into his jacket pocket, removing his treasured shades to place them atop his face.
“.. Greatly exaggerat—”
Sera’s swift fist to Gio’s chin nearly sent him to the ground, causing him to stumble.
“Oi, this is no time for your freaking memes! We’ve got to get a move on!” Sera then, rather frantically, pointed back towards the streets where headlights were appearing in the distance.
Numerous vehicles, expensive black SUVs all nearly identical, were moments away. It seemed a House was rushing to the scene as expected. Just like clockwork.
Gio noticed and once again shifted his tone. This time from comical to restrained. He stood back up straight, lightly massaging his aching jaw.
“Ow. I guess you’re not wrong, mosquito. Well, that’s it for us.”
Placing his shades back in his jacket, Gio grabbed hold of Sera’s hand somewhat suddenly and unexpectedly.
Jay wasn’t finished with his raving, stepping towards Gio, but the glowing right hand stopped him in his tracks. Jay didn’t seem to notice nor care as the swirling black and white glow passed over his chest.
“Don’t think you’re just leaving now, Gio! It’s been four years! I’ve thought this entire time you had to be out there and now here you ar—”
“Listen, we can talk later. For now, you and Miss Ocho here get to have a gold star.” Gio raised his hand that had stopped the glow and pointed back behind them to the incoming vehicles. “She just saved you and in turn you two just took down this entire Rogue militia by yourselves. Wow, what a team! Great job!”
Jay prepared to protest further, this time as the one reaching out, but he was then witness to a series of shadows rising up between him and both Gio and Sera.
“What?! That’s—!!!”
But his voice fell on deaf ears. Gio and Sera were whisked away by the very shadows Jay cultivated as his own. He never expected to see that ability from someone else’s perspective. Quite frankly he had no idea how to respond or what to say.
Between everything he just experienced he was more than just a bit flustered.
Jay was lost in his own mind.
So much had happened so quickly. His mentor and perhaps best friend was alive. He was saved by the team of a criminal, a sadist, and a bookworm. He even witnessed a supposed dead man somehow use his Shadow Walker ability to skip out on a confrontation.
And now with no time to recover or let the shocking revelations sink in, he was watching the mobilized Espers of another House coming to a stop around both himself and the bookworm.
“W-Well…” Kat’s timid voice finally chimed in, prompting Jay to look back.
“.. Well, what?”
“Nice to… m-meet you…”
Kat nervously held out her hand, prompting a heavy sigh from Jay – but also a fellow hand to shake with.
“Right, my names Jay. Jay Willow.”
“.. Mhm! My names Katharine– I mean, Kat. You can call me Kat… Oh! My full name, it’s Kat Atwood.”
« — »
Back at Wild Card, Leon Kruger had been long asleep. In fact, based on the drool stains on the couch, he had been asleep since the moment the team left.
Not even the arrival of Gio and Sera by teleportation stirred him awake.
“L-Let go! Geez, pervert!” Sera jerked away from Gio, causing a bit of surprise. “Don’t just up and grab me to start jumping around from place to place like you’re in some crappy hero movie!”
“Right, right, we’ll forget the fact I saved us.”
Clenched fists showed Sera’s boiling rage, but instead of lashing out further she turned and headed towards her room.
“I’m taking a shower; I smell like smoke. Make sure he’s gone by the time I’m out!”
Her door then slammed in the distance.
“.. You two have a fight?” Leon spoke with such a casual, out of nowhere tone, that Gio nearly jumped out of his skin.
“Damnit Leo’!”
The King smirked, standing and stretching. The catnap was over.
“Job’s nice and done, yeah? I think I heard a mass of cars flying by not too long ago. That or I had a strange dream about racing. I assume your mission got a little hectic?”
Gio sighed and flopped down on the couch.
“Gee, how’d you guess?” He was a bit snarky. “.. He’s alright, though. Mission accomplished. Surprised that the Houses would come out to the slums like that, though. Especially that quickly.” His eyes closed as he let himself start to relax. “Your little Ocho is with him and that House, in case you’re wondering.”
Leon nodded and laid a small envelop on the coffee table, one which held his payment.
“I’m sure you kept her safe. I’m hoping it was quite the experience for her.” He made his way to the door. “And don’t get too surprised, Gio. The news of a Rogue army gathering? That attracts attention. Add in the fact that the Diamond King is out for your blood and the Houses, particularly Diamonds, will be quick to arrive.”
Gio simply waved his best friend off, not seeming too worried.
Leon smiled and opened the door, taking a single step outward before looking back.
“There’s one thing I wanted to ask you, though, Gio… and I suppose it’s something I’ve only just now realized after all this time, so I was a bit worried.”
“Hmm? Spit it out!” Gio slipped his hand under the coffee table, grasping at a half empty metal flask with a wide grin building upon his face.
Leon seemed hesitant. The look on his face had grown a bit more solemn, contrasting with Gio’s.
“I was curious… why is it you’ve been using The Fiery so much? In all this time it never clicked for me, but since then all you ever use consistently is that same power. Nothing else, you know?”
.. Silence.
For one moment, then another, not a single word was uttered. In fact, if you didn’t know any better you’d have thought the two had quit breathing altogether. The air which had been so casual was heating up. Tensions were rising, but why? Why did something like that warrant such a drastic shift in tone?
The question didn’t seem too silly, either. Jay had commented just a few minutes’ prior that Gio had shown up with some flashy flames.
Despite the tension Gio let a sudden laugh rip through it like he always did. Forced as it may have been, he followed through brilliantly.
“Haha! Leo’ ya had me worried there for a bit. That’s all, huh? Well, the answer is pretty simple—” Gio stood quite quickly, nearly propelling himself into the ceiling with his sudden energy spike. “— what else would there be for good ol’ Giotto Jaeger, hm? Besides, fire is a pretty cool thing if I do say so myself.”
Leon didn’t seem sure what to say in response to something like that. He stood there for a moment, soaking in what Gio said to him, and finally the King could only nod in some form of agreement. Better to let him have the victory for the time being.
“Of course, Gio. Well then, till next time.”
The door closed behind Leon as he left, leaving Gio to stand alone in his living room.
Gio’s metal flask had its top popped off in a single motion. The sweet release of the caramel liquid was a blessing in a bottle. That was how he saw it.
His forced laughter and accompanying smile had faded away like sand ticking away in an hourglass.
“.. Why the fuck would you ask me that …”
~ END 8TH CARD ~