"WHO ELSE WANTS SOME?!" Drake roars to the chamber.
Immediately, the two Ares ravagers at the door charged at him.
He grabbed the one that reached him first by the wrist and flung the ravager out of the chamber. He then tripped the second one and kicked her away.
"You too, ugly," Drake yelled at the Ares ravager by Crowley and the Keeper King. Cordially, the ravager answered his call and lunged for him before he even realized it, grabbing him by his face and hurling him through one of the chamber doors back out of the chamber.
"What happened to Ryan?" Stephanie demanded
"I don't know," Jasmine started explaining, "He just went this way when we got closer to the Great Hall."
Stephanie chewed on her thumbnail in thought, "Damn, we'll have to deal with that. But for now, the main issue is Crowley."
On the stage, Crowley had his wand to the Keeper King's throat, "Nobody move, or you'll be looking for a new King!"
It was obvious that Crowley was desperate. A lot of Keepers and attendants were severely injured from the ravager attack. With his coup literally blowing up in his face, there was no telling what he might do.
"Ness get me out of here," he called.
No reply
"Ness? Ness!" he called again, but still, his aide did not appear.
Out of the ground behind him, chains sprung forth and bound the man tight.
"That's enough of that," The Keeper King said as he dusts off his coat, "honestly, all this commotion at my age, it's bad for my heart."
"Are you alright, my King?" Stephanie asks as she, Jasmine and Amanda arrive on the stage along with several other able Keepers and attendants.
"I'm fine," he said, "Someone, take this man into custody, he's caused enough trouble already. More importantly, it seems your nephew has some issues to work out, Keeper Fairchylde,"
Stephanie internally swore, of all the places for Ryan to lose it, it had to be at a summit of the Keepers?
"Sorry sir," she apologized, "He's often impulsive."
"Don't I know it; my own granddaughter once sealed me in my office for three days." The King quipped, "Let's say we lend him a hand dealing with those ravager rangers, shall we?"
… )]≥( …
Outside, Drake was locked in battle with the three remaining Ares ravagers.
With earth type magik, he buried one of the ravagers in quicksand, then, hardened the sand into concrete with the ravager still in it. With a flick of his wrist, he launched Draxonn at another, letting a swarm of black tendrils to devour it, ripping it to shreds before absorbing its pieces.
As Drake was about to face the last Ares ravager when it started to petrify, once it was completely turned to stone, it crumpled to dust. Standing behind it was Ness, with her hand stretched out.
"What did you just do?" Drake demanded, "That was mine to kill!"
"No need to yell," Ness said with irritating calmness
Drake approached her, calling Draxonn back to his hand, with lightning speed he swung his sword with deadly force at Ness, who effortlessly flicked at the blade as it came close to her, flinging it from his grip.
"Attacking an unarmed lady is extremely bad manners," Ness scolded
Drake lunged at her once again, only for her to block his attack, disarming him and sending Draxonn clattering away a second time.
"You bitch," he snarled,
"That's quite rude," she said, examining him, "Looks like those scientists at the facility went a bit off script."
"What the hell are you blabbering about?" Drake snarled
"Just look at you," she said, "you're bursting at the seams; your duality is just about ready to tear you apart,"
Drake blinked, how in the hell did she know about his two natures? He then feels a stabbing pain in his gut. Looking down, he sees that she had jabbed her hand into his abdomen, piercing into his skin. He could feel her fingers digging into him as if trying to take root in his flesh, and it was as uncomfortable as it sounded.
"W-what?" He croaked as blood trickled from his wounds
"Don't worry," Ness said calmly, "you don't get to die just yet, Mr. Reins."
Immediately, Drake's consciousness was suppressed and Ryan was back in control. She removed her fingers from his gut and Ryan dropped to his knees, clutching his gut, his shirt was torn and bloody from the attack but there were no wounds. Instead, there were five small black circles on his skin where her fingers had dug in.
"What did you just do to me?" Ryan demanded, as his fatigue caught up with him, "H-how did you do that?"
"Not your concern," she said calmly, "You are of great importance to us, Mr. Reins,"
"I get that a lot," Ryan said back
"I'm sure." she said with a humorless smirk, "You mother's work is truly exquisite, even I couldn't undo it, but it will interfere with my plans, so it will need to go eventually. Don't worry, her framework will hold for the time being,"
"Wha… how?" Ryan asked, his eyes widening in shock, yet growing heavy with exhaustion. There was a lot he didn't understand about what she was saying.
"You can't hide from your destiny," She said as she started to walk away. "no matter how much one tries to interfere with fate, you are what you are."
The clacking of her heels against the ground echoing through the empty hall was the last thing Ryan heard before he lost consciousness.
… )]≥( …
A few days later, Ryan is in the intensive care ward at the hospital, getting treated for his overdose of zap.
"That was really stupid, taking zap." Stephanie scolded. "You were clinically dead for forty-eight seconds."
"Sorry, Stephanie, but someone already beat you to the scolding." Ryan said gesturing to Jasmine.
"Well, it was so stupid, you needed to get scolded twice for it," She said
"Whatever you say," Ryan sighed
"And don't even get me started on what you did during your hiatus,"
"You know about that?" Ryan asked
"Someone saw fit to inform me how much trouble you were," Stephanie said
Ryan looked at Jasmine and mouthed the word snitch
"It wasn't me," Jasmine defended
"It was me," Mac said coming into the private suite.
"Et tu Mac?" Ryan accused,
"Sorry dude, I like you and all, but that was a crazy level of action I did not enjoy. I almost died a bunch of times,"
"Sorry, I guess," Ryan said
"Anyway, I'm glad you're feeling better, Ryan," Stephanie said,
"Oh sure, I've been feeling better for ages, what I really need right now is to not be cooped up in here," Ryan protested for the tenth time, "I mean Jasmine and Mac have both been cleared, as well as all the other kidnapped purebloods."
"No deal, according to your charts, you were subjected to five times the dose of zap as they were, so you need to be kept under observation longer than them."
There was a knock on the door, then one of the attendants of the summit entered, "Good day, Mr. Reins,"
"You're not another lawyer are you?" Ryan groaned, "For the last time, I wasn't flying that warbird, I was just in it when it crashed."
"No sir, I am with the Great Hall. The Keeper King requests an audience with you."
Stephanie and Jasmine both sighed, they knew this day was coming.
"Is he strong enough to be moved?" the attendant asked the healer who had come in to check on him,
"He should be strong enough to move on his own. But I recommend some more bed rest."
"Screw that," Ryan threw the covers off him and hopped off the bed, he was dressed in lavender hospital pajama bottoms and a white undershirt, "Just get me a robe and some shoes and I'll be ready to go."
Behind him, Stephanie and Jasmine let out an exasperated sigh. Sometime Ryan was too headstrong.
Ryan found himself facing the Keeper King in his office. The man was a lot less intimidating now that he was just wearing casual clothes, and his office seemed oddly similar to Stephanie's. With him were Stephanie, Jasmine, Mac and Amanda.
Looking at Amanda, it was clear that she was still in mourning; her eyes were red from crying and she hadn't been seen outside their suite in days. Her brother and a lot of others had been killed during what was now being called the Ares incident. All those who died in the fighting, by orders of the Keeper King, were to be taken to their home zones where they would be buried with full honors.
"So…" the Keeper King started
"So?" Ryan echoed
"If what the medical officers are reporting is correct, those poor rangers subjected to this Ares program were exposed to high levels of chaotic magikal energy, so potent it corrupted them quickly, turning them into ravagers."
"That sounds rough," Ryan commented
"Yes, and yet somehow you were able to single-handedly dispatch all ten of them with ruthless efficiency, and I could've sworn that I sensed the same chaotic presence in you when you came to challenge the last three. Should we be concerned of the same outcome from you?"
Ryan knew that the Keeper King knew. Right now he was probably just trying to determine whether Ryan was a threat or not. Play this wrong, and he may very well not leave this room alive.
"Honestly sir, I doubt it," Ryan answered, "stuff like that happens from time to time, unfortunately, and I haven't been turned ravager."
"Oh, so this isn't the first time this has happened to you?"
"No sir, it started six months ago and didn't occur until that incident. I'm still trying to get a handle on it."
Stephanie was frozen in fear and Jasmine was in stunned silence, the others were also holding their breath, then, the Keeper King burst into lighthearted laughter.
"Good god boy, you really just went and told me everything I needed to know, you didn't even let me grill you a little."
"What's the point? You'd still know all you've learned now. It would've just taken a lot longer. I opted to spare both out time." Ryan shrugged
"You're alright, kid, I can see why Kana likes you." The Keeper King said
"So… you know about that too?" Ryan asked
"Of course, what kind of Keeper would I be if I didn't know what went on in my branch?" the Keeper King said, "Just know that if you try anything funny with my granddaughter, I'll throw you off this island myself."
Ryan gulped, "Understood,"
Everyone in the room shared a good natured chuckle at the overprotective granddad. The pretext might've been a joke, but the underlining tone of the actual threat was not missed on Ryan.
When the laughter died down, the Keeper King continued.
"Now, I had a meeting with the Keepers the other day," he started
"I wasn't aware of that," Stephanie added, concerned why she wasn't involved in this meeting.
"You weren't included for a reason; it involved your nephew and it would be wrong of us to ask for your objectivity on the matter. We discussed, at length, the Ares ravagers; those involved; this secretive cabal the compromised Crowley; and you, Ryan."
"That doesn't sound good," Ryan said under his breath
"Well, once the meeting shifted to you, there were a lot of mixed reactions; some wanted to lock you up, some wanted to award you lordships, one Keeper wanted to have you executed,"
"Michael," Stephanie hissed under her breath.
"In the end, I was able to come up with an appropriate outcome for you regarding your actions and secured a majority in favor."
They all waited in silence as the Keeper King dragged out the verdict, he cleared his throat,
"Matthias Ryan Reins, for your valiant acts of bravery during the Ares incident, you are to be awarded a position in your branch's Ranger corps and will be awarded the rank of C Class, congratulations."
Ryan was in shock; he was just made a Ranger by the Keeper King himself, and bumped up to a C class.
The Keeper King then slid a Rangers badge over to Ryan. The silver device similar to a pocket watch gleamed in the light. On its surface was the Rangers emblem,
Ryan just looked at it on the table, like if he touched it, he would wake up from this dream.
"Well son?" the Keeper King urged, "Aren't you going to take it?"
"Um… uh… what? Oh… tha-thank you, s-sir," Ryan stammered as he picked up the compact and saluted.
… )]≥( …
Deep in the containment cells at Branch 1s Rangers headquarters, Crowley sat in an isolation cell. Beyond the bars, the door at the other side opened and a woman walked in, Stephanie.
"What do you want?" the disheveled man sneered
"I just came to give you the news personally; you're to be transferred to Attraxus Prime within the week, where you'll spend the rest of your miserable life locked up in a box just like this one just without windows or doors. Your activities and initiatives as Keeper of Branch 0 are being reviewed and dissolved as we speak, all your assets and all your followers are being seized."
"Are you happy now?" he asked, "You got to rub it in my face; my plan failed."
"Your plan was wrong from the very start, sir. I told you that when you came to me with it a year ago, I'm sure others told you the same. It's why no one supported you." Stephanie sighed, "So who did you go to instead?"
"They had resources that ARGUS doesn't, they offered to make my plan a reality," Crowley defended
"How is that reality looking right now?" Stephanie said, "You were always too stubborn for your own good, Crowley,"
Crowley grinned, "They also had an interest in you… and your sister."
Stephanie's eye twitched, slightly, "Did they?"
"Yes. They were already aware of the trouble the two of you caused in your checkered past, but it seemed your escapades were far more prolific than even they expected. They seemed particularly keen on the sort of things your sister was involved with."
Stephanie looked genuinely confused, "What do you mean? Julia wasn't involved with any criminality after we came into the fold."
Crowley looked at her sympathetically, "then she didn't tell you? And here I thought you were the sly one."
"What does that mean?" she demanded
"Julia used to run some off-the-books operations for me." Crowley said, "In that time, your sister crossed paths with some pretty dangerous individuals, some of whom were within the high table."
"Who are these people?" Stephanie demanded
"I can't,"
"Cut the crap,and tell me," Stephanie insisted, "you put her in that situation, and if those people were involved with what happened that night…"
Crowley looked conflicted, but then sighed,
"Very well, if you must know, when your sister worked for me, we used a series of dead-drops. Her last assignment was just before she got pregnant, and she was looking into a group called the Sydne-"
At that, he choked.
"Crowley?"
Panicked he looked to her, pointing at his mouth, where his tongue was now swelling unnaturally, with a glowing pattern on the engorged organ.
"A curse mark!? How?" Stephanie queried, calling the guards in.
Once they saw what was happening, healers were rushed in, but despite everything they tried, it was too late. Keeper Crowley was dead, along with whatever secrets he had with him.
… )]≥( …
As Ryan in packing up his stuff, he opens his backpack to stow his Ranger's badge when he found the grimoire hidden at the bottom of the bag.
"Hey, Mac," Ryan calls sticking his head into the girls room
"Yeah?"
"Did you put the grimoire into my backpack?"
"Nope, I haven't seen that thing since we got caught in the Expo."
"We went to the Expo?" Ryan asked stunned
"Yeah, it was awesome, you were in a coma," Mac grinned, "But last I remember, Jasmine had the book."
"I lost it, I thought maybe we left it in that lab," Jasmine said as she walks in
"So how did it end up in my backpack?" Ryan asked
"Weird," Mac said
"We should be worried about that," Jasmine said
"We should," Mac agreed
"Well, I'm kind of tired of worrying, so I'll just accept it." Ryan said
… )]≥( …
After they got back to the 45th sanctum, all anyone seemed to talk about was about how Ryan Reins went to the Keeper's summit as a protege and came back a C class Ranger.
Ryan was in the mess, with all his friends gathered.
"You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" Noah hissed at him
Maya whacked her brother on the arm, "Stop it Noah, we're happy for you, Ryan."
"Yeah," Helen said, "though, how you got the Keeper King himself to get you this, I don't know."
"I know how he did," Mac said, "He was kissing the Keeper Kings granddaughter,"
"Hey, she kissed me," Ryan added in defense to their shocked expressions,
"So, Let's see it," Scott said
Ryan pulled his Ranger's badge from his pocket. He turned on the screen and it lit up, projecting his profile;
Name: Matthias Ryan Reins
Sex: Male
Age: 16
Race: Human-Magus
Blood Type: O+
Zone/Sanctum: 45
Rank: C Class
Alias: Stormblood
Status: Active
Magik Nature: Elementalist; Lightning;
"Whoa, it has everything about you," Amy said
"But what's that corrupted bit there next to your alias?" Maya asked
He turned it off and pocketed the badge, "anyway what happened here while I was gone?"
"Oh, a lot," Noah said, "One day, Liz took Riot out for a walk, but he got loose and stole Gs legs."
"What?" Ryan said bursting, "That's hilarious,"
That was when Jasmine walked up to them, "Ryan, c'mon, its time."
"Right," Ryan sighed as he put his soda down and got up, "I gotta get branded."
"Ooh, I have to see this," Noah said as he got up as well
"Me too," Helen added.
"Well, I'm going to go take a walk." Mac said, "Catch you cats later,"
"See you," Ryan said as he fist-bumped Mac.
As Mac exited the mess, she walked into the woods, walking deeper and deeper until she was sure she was completely alone. She then goes off the trail to a small pond by a large tree. She then takes out a small pocket knife and nicks her palm, letting a few drops of blood drip into the pond, before speaking a quick incantation. The blood starts to swirl around, before a glowing red bubble the size of a snow globe rise from the water, the light shimmering through it bathing her face in red.
"It's me," she starts, "I've settled into the 45th, and I'm giving my report."
From the bubble, an unintelligible jumble of voices whispered out, but Mac just nods, as if she can understand.
"Ryan Reins had the book again," Mac says, "Was that your doing?"
More whispers
"I've integrated myself into his circle." She says, "I'm not sure he fully trusts me yet."
More whispers
"Yes, sir, I'll continue to monitor him, Jasmine Sumner, and Stephanie Fairchylde, as well," Mac assures the bubble, then she hesitates.
The bubble whispers some more
"There is something I came across, but I haven't confirmed it yet." Mac says, "I have no solid proof yet, but think Ryan Reins may be an Irregular."
The whispers stopped, and all of a sudden the bubble burst, splashing down into pond.
As Mac made her way back to the trail out of the forest, she found herself wondering if she just said something she shouldn't have. Odder still, she found herself worried about Ryan Reins and what her words might've just cost him.
… )]≥( …
Attraxus Prime
In the ultra-super maximum security prison, Attraxus Prime, Jessica was sitting in her cell, humming lightly as she gazed at her wall, on it was a shrine of Jasmine Sumner; pictures, drawings, paintings, etc.
Adoring the content of her shrine was something she did every day; it calmed her mind to see the face of her true love. This session however was ruined by a commotion coming from outside.
"Shut the hell up!" she screams
The commotion stops and she goes back to her shrine.
Then, the wall receded, opening up the exit out of the cell. In the new doorway was Ness, standing formally with businesslike posture.
"Jessica Dawson?" she asks
"Whoever you are, you just ruined my quality time, give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you where you stand?" Jessica asks without looking away from her shrine.
Ness stepped aside, "I can give you a chance to spend time with the real Jasmine Sumner,"
The thought of Jasmine made Jessica blush, "Alright, I won't kill you… yet. So what do you want?"
Ness smiles, "I just want one thing… chaos."
Jessica grins at her as she steps out of her cell for the first time in four years, "I like the way you think, whatever your name is. I may even not kill you."