[Ark's POV]
"I always wondered what that was. I never would have guessed it was a spirit artifact that can use appraisal," Terra said while Jack walked away to examine the door.
"You have seen it before?" I asked her.
She nodded. "He has three of those books, but never said what they do. I figured one was a spell book or journal, but he switched between them constantly.
I will admit I tried to read them once or twice, but it was always in some encoded language. Though, for a mage like him, that isn't surprising."
"I heard mages use codes in their spell books. Is that really true?" Orin asked.
Terra nodded. "Yeah. Mages like Jack, who do magical research, delve into the more technical and structured parts of spells, or even darker magics, often make some sort of code or alternate language for the spells. This is typically to prevent other mages from reading their notes or stealing their work.
I'm guessing some of you have heard Jack say the name of a spell called [Animas Ruptor]?"
I nodded, curious since I had heard it a few times.
"He explained to me that it's a spirit magic spell of his own design. I don't fully understand it myself, but he said it can directly target the soul," she said.
Zek froze and slowly turned to Terra.
"Did you just say Jack not only made an original spell, but he can also attack the soul?" he asked cautiously.
"I'm not sure about it being original. He never directly confirmed it. However, he did say he could attack the soul with it," she responded, curious what Zek knew.
Zek turned back to Jack with wide eyes.
"Original spells I can get since it's Jack. And I figured he could affect souls to some extent since he plans on helping Aaron, but I didn't think he could directly attack one. Not even my master could do that," he said.
"Is there a difference?" Terra asked.
Zek nodded.
"It is possible for mages to use certain arcane schools to affect souls, necromancy, for example. But that is only interacting, moving, or corrupting souls. No living being can directly attack the soul without very special artifacts; only ethereal beings have the ability to do it on their own, and even then, it's almost unheard of."
We all looked at Zek in surprise.
"Not unless you are a summoner like me," Jack said, startling us.
"Spirits are souls able to control magic even without physical bodies, and I have a massive amount of spiritual energy, or in other words, soul energy. Apply that to my attacks, and I can attack the soul."
"That sounds terrifying," Orin said, a bead of sweat dripping down his face.
"It is, and I hope you never get hit by a soul attack. While there will be no physical harm to you, because the soul isn't limited by the pain receptors in a physical brain, they hurt five times worse than a physical attack and can take weeks to heal without proper treatment. Plus, nothing can dull the pain, so it is equivalent to torture."
We all paled hearing that.
Jack, of course, trying to divert us away from that, with a clap of his hands, said, "Anyway, the door's enchantments are completely drained of mana. It seems that the mana dispersion theory was right."
Terra nodded and asked, "Do you think it was Aaron?"
Jack shook his head. "I doubt it. Aaron was outside the arena when the trolls broke through, and while I do sense shadow magic down here, it only goes into the labyrinth. It doesn't touch the door or pedestals at all."
We all looked at the door and into the dark hallway beyond.
"So then he had help," Orin said, looking at Jack to confirm.
He nodded and said, "Possibly. I don't know if this was just him seeing an opportunity and using it, or if there is an accomplice. Regardless, the shadow is acting now, and if we want to stop this, then we have to go now."
Everyone nodded and grabbed their things in preparation to enter the labyrinth… everyone except me.
But I just stood there, looking around, conflicted about what to do.
Earlier, I told Jack I wanted to step away from this, that I was too scared to continue helping.
But now, with my wolf awake and memories restored, I not only felt whole, but I felt braver and stronger than ever before.
I stood there trying to decide what to do when Jack looked at me and noticed my expression.
He walked over, put a hand on my shoulder, and guided me a little away from the others, giving us space to talk.
"Do you feel ok? You seem conflicted?" he asked me.
I tried to say something, but nothing came to mind.
"You feel guilty about asking not to participate in helping Aaron earlier?" he said.
I couldn't help but nod.
He gave me a reassuring smile.
"You don't have to feel bad. Things can change suddenly, without warning. Events preventing someone from acting will appear and disappear. In moments of great difficulty, people find reasons to continue, and others find strength from within."
I couldn't help but look down, embarrassed slightly, but also knowing he was speaking the truth.
He gently placed a hand under my chin and lifted it so I looked him in the eyes.
"During the fight against the trolls, when you saved me from that ice chunk, it was that moment you found that lost strength, wasn't it?"
I froze.
His face was one of care and compassion, but I also got a hint of a calculating intelligence in his eyes I hadn't seen before.
I nodded, looking into his eyes.
He smiled and said, "They spoke to me, you know."
I froze, confused.
"Who?" I asked.
'I did,' my wolf replied.
My face flushed with shock, clearly showing Jack the response I got.
"You spoke to him?" I asked both of them aloud.
'Briefly. I only reminded him to focus on the spell rather than us,' my wolf replied.
"He did. Though it was brief, and I haven't been able to communicate with him since," Jack said right after, almost like he could hear him.
I nodded and asked, "How? How were you able to talk to him?"
Jack smiled and said, "Telepathy. It's a spell that allows people to communicate with thoughts. As a summoner, I have a telepathic link with all the spirits I have contracts with. This allows us to talk even when we are far away, or I don't want to speak aloud."
I nodded along.
"As for your wolf, he reached out using these," he said while pulling out his necklace from his chest, showing the red pendant next to his parents' wedding rings. The bond charms he got a few days ago for the two of us.
My eyes went wide as I went to pull out mine.
I held it in the palm of my hand, looking closely, hoping to find something I hadn't noticed until now.
Jack chuckled and said, "You remember the other day when I said these charms have some special abilities? Like how we can sense when the other is in danger or in pain?"
I nodded, looking at him.
He smiled and said, "Well, one of them is telepathy. It's rare and normally doesn't happen this soon in a relationship, but since it's between a spirit summoner and your wolf, which I can now sense is akin to a spirit, the rules changed a bit, with some limits, of course."
I looked at Jack with wide eyes before turning back to the pendant.
'Is that true?' I asked my wolf.
'I am not entirely sure. I felt the connection and used it. I have no idea why it appeared suddenly or why it's now gone,' he replied.
I nodded slowly and looked at Jack, astonishment all over my face.
He smiled and said, "I don't blame your confusion on how this all happened. This is all a lot, and several things are happening right now.
After we are finished, let's sit down and talk about your wolf and how to move forward. For now, trust in them and follow my lead."
He leaned forward and kissed my forehead, causing me to blush a bit as my tail wagged.
He chuckled, and we walked back to the others.