The stalemate outside the temple had lasted for hours.
Judge Jack continued his relentless assault and defense. Each time the Giant Frog-man's massive fists connected, the world shook. Each time Jack's hammer met its target, a roar of frustration or pain erupted from the colossal creature.
The rhythm of battle was like a deafening drum struck again and again.
Despite the immense power of his attacks, Jack knew he hadn't created any lasting damage. He had merely aggravated the beast. Provoking its continued, desperate attempts to crush him.
Energy was constantly expended and regenerated. A perfect loop of destruction and repair. Thing that left him exhausted. Yet paradoxically, allowed him to still fight.
The last sliver of the sun dipped below the jagged peaks. Painting the sky in a final, fiery orange tinge.
Suddenly, an impossible sight materialized.
A figure appeared. Seemingly out of nothingness. Near the epicenter of the battle. She floated in mid-air. Glowing softly. Serene and poised amidst the raging chaos.
A woman of undeniable beauty. Her presence was radiating an ethereal calm. One that utterly defied the chaotic aura of the Ink Dragon Claw Incarnation.
Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back in elegant waves. Shimmering slightly in the divine glow. She looked mature. Not old. But possessing a wisdom that transcended youth. An elegant older sister vibe that was both comforting and subtly authoritative.
One of her hand carried a thick book bound in what looked like ancient leather. Held open against the backdrop of the deepening sky. Its pages were filled with intricate script and glowing symbols.
The woman's gaze was fixed on the struggle between Judge Jack and the monstrous Frog-man. Calm and strangely knowing.
Jack recognized her immediately. Rainsister, the Goddess of Knowledge from Nagaean Mythology. And similar to him, a Fateless.
She met Jack's gaze. Smiling and nodding at him. Acknowledging his monstrous Judge Jack form without a hint of surprise.
"Well, hello there, Spirit of Conviction. In a hulking vessel?" She greeted casually. "Fancy meeting you here. A pretty interesting form you've got there."
Jack was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected to be recognized. Let alone addressed so casually. In this form. He had only encountered the Goddess in his specter form before.
Before he could process her words, the monstrous Frog-man roared. And attacked the goddess with frenzied manners.
Rainsister's delicate hand gave a dismissive flick. It was a gesture of utter, casual power.
The colossal Ink Dragon Claw Incarnation instantly froze and contorted. Its grotesque, humanoid form dissolved. Flesh rippling and collapsing back into its original shape. A single, monstrous, scaly claw.
But it was no longer free. Glowing, golden chains materialized. Intricate and seemingly forged from pure light. They wrapped around the claw with incredible speed and force.
They shimmered. Rattling with arcane energy vibration. Binding the immense limb so tightly that it couldn't even twitch.
The sudden silence was deafening. Jack stared at the bound claw. Then at the glowing chains. Instantly, a jolt of self-reproach struck him.
Chains. He had his own. The Chains of Vengeance. He had completely forgotten about them in the heat of battle. Too focused on brute force for trying to damage things that didn't need to be damaged.
He had an artifact specifically designed for restraint. And he hadn't even thought to use it. A grimace tightened his Black Buto's face.
Rainsister's gaze remained on him. A faint, knowing smile played on her lips. "It's fortunate I decided to get out of my comfortable room today. And felt this disturbance. This creature has a nasty habit of breaking free. We sealed it away millennia ago. Dreadful nuisance, really."
She paused. Her eyes swept over the floating temple.
"Now, if you wouldn't mind." She continued. "I need you to get everyone out of that temple. Quickly. I intend to re-seal this claw and then put the entire structure back where it belongs."
She gestured towards the inky black lake. "Under the water."
Jack didn't need to be told twice. The goddess's words carried an undeniable authority. Even when delivered with casual grace.
He gave a sharp nod. Forgoing any attempt to change forms. Time was of the essence. With a powerful flex of his Rakshasa legs, he sprinted. And launched himself across the gap between the lake surface and the floating pyramid.
He landed with a resounding thud on the temple's ancient stone. Startling the researchers who were inside. Still frantically searching for answers. Helped by glowing light from their cantrip spells.
"Reina! Everyone!" Jack's voice boomed. Raw and powerful in his Judge Jack form. "Out! Now! The temple is being re-sealed! Move!"
Reina quickly responded with actions. She herded the archeologists towards the entrance. Chloe Chase, Leon Drake, Dr. Crafton, and the three logistic members, the Laycards, and Baroness Artheim.
Outside, they looked at the hulking Jack. Then back at Reina. And finally at the floating goddess who held the bound creature. Confusion warred with a primal instinct for self-preservation.
"What happens?" Jeanne Laycard asked. Clutching her grimoire tighter.
"That woman... she's flying!" Chloe exclaimed. Awe was mixed with terror.
"No time to explain!" Jack urged. "Move, or you'll be trapped with it!"
Suddenly, the whole temple shuddered. A low, grinding sound emanated from its base. As if colossal gears were shifting beneath the stone. The inky black lake below began to churn. Small whirlpools formed.
Panic seized the group. Replacing their confusion. They surged out. Heading for the temple's edge. Jack was already there. His hulking form a blur silhouette against the dark sky.
"Get there!" He commanded. Gesturing to the distant lake bank. "The temple will sink!"
He led by example. Without hesitation, Jack executed a massive leap. His powerful hind legs propelled him across the lake water. He landed with a jarring impact on the rocky bank. Carving visible indentations and cracks on the ground.
Reina had already rode on Jack's Lightning Hoverbike she previously used. "You two!" She called the Laycards. "Get on! We'll take the hoverbike!"
The husband and wife pair quickly scrambled onto the back of the sleek machine. Reina started the engine with a practiced flick. And the hoverbike shot off. A blur of speed across the churning water.
Leon Drake didn't hesitate. His armor shifted. Metallic plates slid and reformed with an audible clang. And from his back, draconic wings unfurled.
He grabbed Dr. Crafton with one hand and Chloe Chase with the other. His powerful wings beat the air. Lifting them over the lake. Towards the safety of the bank.
Baroness Artheim was still composed even in the face of a sinking temple. She casted her teleportation magic. A shimmering, spatial rift tore open in the air beside her. Crackling with arcane energy.
"Come on!" she shouted toward the last three members. After they entered, she stepped through it herself. Just as the temporal rift snapped shut. Disappearing from sight.
They reappeared a moment later. Further down the lake bank. A safe distance from the chaos.
As the last of them cleared the temple, Rainsister ascended slightly. Bringing the bound, glowing claw with her.
She then descended slowly. Guiding the immense, chained appendage directly onto the apex of the now-shuddering pyramid.
The golden chains pulsed with an intensified light as she dropped the claw down. Intricate symbols flared to life on the temple's surface. A deep, resonant clang vibrated through the air. And the entire structure groaned.
The floating temple seemed to absorb the monstrous claw. And then, it began to descend. Slowly at first, then picking up speed.
It sank into the inky black waters. The surface of the lake was disturbed by the immense displacement. It churned and frothed. Creating massive waves that crashed against the banks.
As the temple disappeared beneath the surface, the inky blackness of the water began to recede. Replaced by the clear, deep blue that had characterized Lake Trishade just days before. The sealing was complete.
Rainsister turned her gaze towards the surviving humans on the bank. Her eyes met Jack's one last time. She offered no words. No further explanation.
With a gentle shimmer, her form dissolved into motes of light. Vanishing as subtly as she had appeared. She was gone.
However, a soft, ethereal whisper ghosted directly into Jack's mind. Bypassing his external senses entirely. "The Lady of Dignity. She is also Fateless like us. Keep an eye on her."
Jack immediately understood whom she meant. The Baroness.
The archeologists was still reeling from the events. They began to babble. Their voices were a cacophony of questions and theories.
"Who… who was that?" Chloe stammered. "A… a goddess?"
"The Nagaean Goddess of Knowledge, Rainsister? Very likely." Dr. Crafton murmured. Adjusting his glasses. His academic curiosity warring with lingering shock. "It fits the descriptions. But why here? Why now?"
"That was a Nagaean Temple. Hers probably. Or, at least, connected to her." Leon chimed in his idea. "But, I thought all Five Deities of the Nagaean people had departed."
Amidst their frantic speculation, Jack took a deep breath. The immediate danger had passed. He no longer needed the raw power of Judge Jack.
The hulking Rakshasa form shimmered and dissolved. In ten seconds. Replaced by the familiar, huge figure of Jack Night, his human mercenary form.
His dark, practical leather clothes were unmarred. His expression was calm now. He turned to Reina, offering a silent nod.
"That was... an eventful day. Wasn't it, Love?" He said with a tired smile.
Reina had already dismounted from the hoverbike. She inclined her head. A hint of a smile played on her lips. "Indeed, Dear. A little more eventful than our last vacation..."