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Episode 5: Dust to Dust

"Sometimes, I really wish that life was just like a desktop PC. If you just didn't need a program or file anymore, all you have to do is just dump it in the Trash and hit 'delete'."

Jacques Marquis

Rillotian Comedian

"Do you want to know how Starboy ends?"

Jacob stood firm against the tide of lumbering Fossilised that all journeyed towards the big, distant, green light. They pushed and shoved him, urging him to go with them to that far distance... but he refused to budge. He didn't fight... but for some reason, he felt a lot stronger now and didn't need to break arms off to beat back the tide.

Zack stood beside him, the two of them facing the opposite direction to where the Fossilised migrated, watching the rock zombies lumber at them before sliding to the left or right.

Must be because I found out I have a brother...

Part of him felt giddy... part of him was confused... and another part felt... full... complete.

The part that was confused wondered how he should feel about Rex's Seal essentially being their mother... Try as he might, he could only conjure up memories of her that were so distant... so blurry that he wasn't even sure if they were real memories or just ones implanted into him by Balthazar. Despite this, he knew their mother willingly gave herself to Rex to be a Seal so she must have known the consequences of her actions... and about Jacob... unless she was fooled by Balthazar as well.

Jacob considered going into Rex's Seal and meeting her but he didn't exactly control his odd power to enter Seals.

He didn't feel betrayed or appalled in any way that Rex was using their mother's soul to fight... In a way, he felt it was her legacy. Perhaps, in some weird manner, she had hoped to make Rex capable of meeting him. On the other hand, his memories were dominated by his supposed murder of his father and his mother remained pushed to the side.

No use opening that can of worms now... If it comes up, it comes up.

If it doesn't, I'm just going to have to pretend I was somehow conceived through the use of only male reproductive organs.

"How does it end?" Jacob asked.

Zack pointed directly upwards.

Craning his neck back, Jacob blinked when he saw a bright, white comet slowly cutting the sky in half... zooming towards the big green light at about the same pace as the zombies. It was slow... but its trajectory was unmistakable. It didn't seem at all that big... but at its core, he could make out the silhouette of... someone.

"At the climax of Black and Malice's battle when they reach the location of the Princess Comet, Black ultimately triumphs. But when he knocks down Malice's helmet, he is shocked to find that he, is in fact, a girl. Moreover he realised that she is the Princess he has been searching and fighting for this entire time.

"The King arrives and explains that he never intended for anyone to truly win the contest. Part of his curse is that so long as no one ultimately reaches the Princess Comet, then he will live forever and remain in power as no one can take the throne. Malice was the key ensuring this endless cycle. He would kill the other competitors, obtaining the skills of all his previous incarnations but never keeping the memories. The King would fabricate a memory for him every incarnation, deposit him in some distant location and instil the urge for him to find the Princess Comet.

"But since Malice was the Princess in the first place, when he reached it, he cannot gain the throne and the cycle repeats itself."

Jacob grunted and looked at the silhouette in the comet. "Why do I get the feeling that story has something to do with my current situation."

He guessed that silhouette was, in fact, Rose Earthsire...

"You have to wonder..." Zack began, gazing at the comet as well. "When two contradicting memories collide... which one will rule and take precedence? Which being will be the one true being? The one born from the start... or the one born after the first's story ended?"

Good question...

If I were to find out about my 'real' self... who I was before...

... would I change...?

It only took Jacob a few seconds to realise what was wrong with the question.

He shook his head and said, "Why treat the two sets of memories as different?"

Zack smiled faintly but didn't reply.

"In the end... They're both the same," Jacob continued. "Same body... same name... same soul... They share the same timeline. If I were to suddenly remember that I was some sort of child prodigy back before Balthazar kidnapped me, would that really change who I am now?" He shook his head. "It'll give me more experiences, more strength to draw upon. I won't look at the paths that I could have gone because I can't turn around and start again.

"As far as I see it, if you were making a sword and realised you had made a mistake halfway through, starting over is the real waste of time. Just keep going and try to make up for the flaws you've introduced."

The angel chuckled and nodded slightly. "You've guarded yourself well against the possibility of yours past coming back to haunt you."

He smirked at Zack. "When I accepted Rex as my brother, I didn't look at the past, at what could have been had we known each other from the get-go. I looked at the future." He grinned broadly. "And how many times I can make him squeal before he cums."

The angel rolled his eye and patted his shoulder. "Of course... But, not everyone can be satisfied with a semi-perfect blade. There are some out there that won't even rest for a perfect blade if it had a flaw at one point in time... They'll only settle for absolute perfection from beginning to end." The angel's features brightened. "Then there are those nutjobs that find destruction to be perfect! Crazy, huh?"

"Not really," Jacob murmured, glancing over his shoulder at the distant green light. "The only truly perfect thing in the world is nothingness. It's flawless... because it has nothing. And I suppose that's what makes perfection a flaw... You want to be perfect? Die."

Zack wrapped his arms around Jacob and grinned. "Awww, you've got to cheer up, buddy! You've got a brother now! Plus great friends! That's a form of perfection, isn't it?"

"I suppose," he answered with a shrug. "But I hate perfection. Means there's nothing else to do. I hate being idle too."

Zack sniggered. "So if you were to die and go to heaven, achieving perfect bliss..."

"I'd build the biggest magnifying glass in all existence and systematically go around the place burning everyone and everything to hell as their faces melt off and I turn their bones to charcoal."

The angel laughed. "That's my, boy!" He patted Jacob's shoulders again. "Well, time to wake up!"

Jacob frowned at that statement. "What? No attempted murder this time?"

"Oh. Silly me. Next time we meet, tell me if this counts as a 'heart attack' or a 'brain melting', okay?"

"Whu -"

Before he could finish...

... Zack kissed him.

****

"Hmmm..."

Jacob's eyes peeled opened in shock. An long, flat, dexterous tongue was pushing itself down his throat. The accompanying muzzle was sucking on his own lips, drawing him into a hot, passionate kiss that sent his inhibitions flying out the window.

Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to collapse into a sex-driven craze at that moment, the sun decided at that moment to peek out from behind the mountains, temporarily blinding him.

"Gah!" he gasped, pulling his face away from the light.

He opened one eye, trying to get it used to the light. It was far too early to use his powers and some part of him didn't want to kill the light that haloed Rex.

His half-brother lay on his stomach, tail wagging excitedly and a gentle smile on the wolf's face.

"Morning, bro."

Jacob groaned, grabbed a pillow and tried to bury his face beneath it. His body was twitching uncontrollably, his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder kicking in rapidly.

No!

Must... resist... irrational... instincts!

He lost.

Jacob immediately sat up. "I gotta take a shower," he growled with distain. He jumped off the bed and leapt over the raised platform. He seized a towel from where it hung beside his door and stormed out of his room, cursing under his breath.

"Jake! Wait!"

Hearing his nickname made his spine tingle... but in a good way.

For some reason, Rex using his nickname like that just made him feel... comforted.

"Can't..." he growled, reaching the door to the bathroom which rested right opposite to his room. One of the primary reasons his room was because the bathroom was right across the hallway.

Rex seized his paws and pulled him back, digging his heels. Unfortunately, since the floor was made of metal, he didn't get that much leverage... especially since he was still naked.

"Whoa! Come on! It wasn't that bad, was it? I mean you came back for... I think it was 'fifths'?"

Jacob grunted and used his superior weight and strength to drag Rex towards the shower. "I've got a nasty habit of taking thirteen minute showers after I wake up every morning," he muttered. "Can't help it... Just... have to shower..."

A lewd grin crossed Rex's features. "Mind if I join you then?"

That didn't seem like such a bad idea...

"I guess not..." he muttered. He turned around and jumped straight into the shower, turning the cold water at full blast. The arctic blast of water killed his libido instantly knocked him back to his senses.

The aftershocks of realising he had a brother - well, half-brother - wore off and his brain began to process that his time at Graesham was now very much limited. Once the Purge got here, that would be the end of the city. In theory, he already had Rocky's loyalty but he didn't have Rocky's focus. If the loss of the city - not to mention Rocky's apparent transformation - continued to burden the Elemental Lord of Earth's mind, then there was no way he could be counted on in the final battle against Balthazar.

I need to solve this problem...

That... and I'm really_curious as to what the_ hell_is going on here..._

A paw slid around his waist and gripped the tap for the hot water, turning the frigid barrage to a warm, soothing rain. He felt Rex gently nuzzle him from behind, strong arms wrapping around his waist and his brother's apparent erection poking the small of his back.

"You know something I noticed...?" Rex murmured.

"You're incredibly horny?" Jacob offered with a faint chuckle.

"Hey, being shot down constantly because I'm the 'best of the worst' tends to build up a bit of sexual pressure," Rex answered with a giggle. He licked Jacob's neck tenderly, the sensation sending chills down Jacob's entire body... not bad chills either. Good ones that made him feel warm... complete.

"I realised that your tail doesn't wag," Rex finished.

Jacob straightened, his brow furrowing. "Uh... Is it meant to?"

He let out a soft yelp as Rex seized his tail playfully.

"Are you a wolf or not?" the other lupine laughed.

Growling, Jacob pulled his tail from Rex's grip and spun around, pinning his brother against the shower wall. "Look. I just don't feel comfortable telling people openly when I'm happy or sad."

"Why not?"

Such a simple question... and yet so miserably hard to answer.

"Just because," he growled back, turning around and seizing a sponge. He dabbed a large amount of fur conditioner on it and began lathering it across his entire body. A second sponge began massaging his back and he let out a soft moan as it ran through his thick fur.

"There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself, you know," Rex said.

"So says the guy who constantly wears armour all the time."

Rex nuzzled him again before scrubbing his neck. "What? You think wearing armour makes me less expressive?"

Jacob turned and caught his brother in a hug. Secretly, he began scrubbing Rex's back. "I'll be honest and say that I actually prefer you without anything at all."

The brown wolf chucked and kissed his cheek. "And I'll be honest and say that I prefer you big, glowing and incredibly muscular! Can all the Branded do that or just you and Taylor?"

"We all can." He held Rex at arm's length and began scrubbing his brother's arms. "Incidentally, what happened to Taylor?"

Rex shrugged absently as he began scrubbing Jacob's legs. "We woke up when I did and said he wanted to check up on Kerry. Lift your leg." Jacob raised his right leg so that Rex could scrub the back and even tickled his balls a little. "So... how do you become Branded?"

There, Jacob's heart froze.

Did I Brand Rex too? I don't think I did...

But... I should have... I mean... He's my brother... I felt a connection there...

"I thought it's when I forge a deep connection with someone..."

Rex stopped scrubbing and regarded him with a look of worry... and a little bit of hurt. "Oh... I guess that means -"

Jacob immediately seized his brother's shoulders, dropping the sponge. "No," he snarled fiercely. "Don't you dare think that! Rex I love you!"

That realisation hit him hard...

He loved Rex...

Not just as a brother either...

It stung that he could openly admit it to Rex so quickly in their relationship when he struggled when he tried to confess his love to Leo. And yet... he had asked Leo to marry him... but he loved Rex... who was also his brother!

Oh god... What have I gotten myself into...?

Rex's eyes brightened. "You mean that... as brothers, right?"

He could see Rex expecting him to say, 'No. More than brothers.' Hell, he could see his reflection in Rex's eyes basically screaming the same thing.

But...

"Yeah, as brothers." Rex's hopes were immediately dashed... and while it pained Jacob, he followed up with, "Never had a real family before... or at least one I can really relate to." He offered a shaky smile. "So I'm glad to have you around. Really glad. Maybe the reason I couldn't Brand you is because you already have a Seal. Brands are basically like anti-Seals, you know."

His brother nodded faintly. "Yeah... That must be it."

Ding.

A silent alarm went off in Jacob head. He locked all his limbs, trying to keep himself standing in the shower with Rex.

"Jake? You okay?" Rex asked, inclining his head to the side. "You look constipated."

Time was up.

"Gah!" he cried and flung open the shower stall, stomping out angrily. Instincts instantly took over as he grabbed his towel and began rubbing himself dry angrily.

He heard laughter behind him and was utterly grateful that his blush wasn't visible beneath his black fur.

"Wow, so you really can't stop, can you?" Rex chuckled, grabbing a towel and patting himself dry. "What else can't you resist?"

Not sure if I should tell you...

"I seem to recall you're particularly vulnerable to belly rubs..."

Jacob froze and glared at his half-brother. "Don't you dare."

A devilish grin across his face, Rex began to advance at him, paws up with claws glinting in the light. Jacob found himself backing away, his hackles raised and his fangs bared.

"I swear, Rex, if you touch me..." he warned.

Thankfully, the door sprang open at that moment.

Unfortunately, it was Max.

"Oh good gawd!" the dragon exclaimed, covering his eyes. "Can't I leave you alone for one night without you fucking someone!?" Max peeked between his fingers and growled as he covered them up again. "And the Elemental Lord of Star... Ergh... I just lost what little respect I have for you, Nebula."

Those words clearly devastated Rex. Jacob watched his half-brother's expression slide from mild surprise, to crestfallen and then to total devastation. Clearly, the brown wolf valued the public's opinion greatly and any attack to his already dismal standing struck deep.

"High praise from one whose opinion of himself is to be in constant denial," Jacob said, tossing his soaked towel at Max.

"What the hell is that meant to mean!?" Max snarled, tossing the towel aside.

"Whatever you want it to mean." Jacob gripped Rex's paw, holding it securely in his. He wasn't sure how holding someone else's paw made them feel better but he had seen it in movies and seemed to help a lot when he was with Leo and Taylor. The same - at least in theory - could be applied to Rex.

"Fine," Max muttered, his eyes filled with anger and hatred. "Just so you know, we're meeting at the mess hall after Belford's morning prayers."

Jacob bit back a comment about Max letting Belford preach inside Eden. Everyone was allowed to believe what they wanted and he guessed that those who managed to escape the Plague and the subsequent zombies needed something or someone to believe in. Especially considering how their Elemental Lord was now sporting breasts and the next best thing was the Elemental Lord who was probably votes 'The First One to Die' in any scenario.

I suppose I could respect that... Especially since Belford is offering them hope...

Though hope is nothing if you don't do anything about it.

"What's so special about this meeting?" he asked. "You're not going to force us to kneel and repent, are you?"

Max snorted as he crossed his arms. "Do you have any idea the kind of bullshit that Belford preaches?" The dragon snorted, letting out a puff of smoke from his nostrils. "He keeps calling all mortals imperfect. That each and everyone one of us is born a sinner and flawed chunks of coal. We're all meant to 'strive for perfection' so that when -"

Max shook his head in frustration and growled. "You should hear it for yourself." He jerked his head away. "Come on. Hurry up and get dressed. Kerry thinks she knows who is behind this." The dragon turned away, leaving the two wolves but not before muttering, "Or at least found someone to blame."

Huh...? What's that supposed to mean...?

"I think it means that Max doesn't agree with who Kerry decided to pin this on,"_Spectre said, drifting in from Jacob's room. The Animus curled around Jacob's neck, nuzzling him lovingly. _"Did you sleep well?"

Is it a good thing that I can't remember half the night because all I saw was cocks and cum?

"For a straight guy, no. For you..."

Jacob chuckled softly. Still with his paw wrapped firmly around Rex's, he led his brother back to his room and swiftly got dressed. Only when he was slipping on his shirt did he realise that Rex was standing a little awkwardly to his left.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

Rex blushed. "I... Uh... I don't have any clothes..."

For the first time, Jacob realised that Rex had been running around naked for the better part of the previous night. Not to mention the guy had left his armour back at the guest room. Any casual clothes he may have possessed would still be at the Emerald Crown which was currently infested with rock zombies.

So... In essence, either Jacob went out and grabbed Rex's armour or...

He turned headed up the small platform to his bed and reached for the compartment underneath his bed which also served as the bed's frame.

"Here you go," he said, taking out a small pile of clothes. "These seem to go with your general theme."

Rex picked up the black, short-sleeved jacket with silver linings. There was a black shirt to match but on the chest was a big smiley face with its tongue sticking out slightly. A pair of black pants with red stripes running down the side complemented the rest of the attire. Just to top it all off, there was a white singlet and a jockstrap.

The Starlord held up the jockstrap and gave Jacob a dubious look.

"Don't worry," Jacob said, holding up a paw, "I've never worn it."

At that, Rex relaxed and began putting on the athletic supporter. It fit him surprisingly well, all things considered. "I guess I'm your size, huh?" he laughed.

"Not really," Jacob answered with a shrug. "You're a size smaller."

"What? But it fits."

"I know. The guy who this stuff belongs to is a size smaller than me. It's why I never wore any of this."

Rex froze as he was slipping his arms through the shirt. "What...?"

Jacob just grinned.

His brother twitched... but eventually just gave up and slipped on the rest of the attire with a heavy sigh. "I guess I'm just going to have to live with the fact that my brother is a criminal."

"And I'm going to have to live with the fact that my brother sucks."

He knew he struck a chord there especially when Rex's shoulders slumped and his brother's ears drooped. Regret filtered into Jacob and the bigger wolf wrapped his arms around Rex and nuzzled his brother tenderly.

"But that's why I love you."

Spectre's ears perked up and the Animus -

"As a brother," Jacob quickly corrected. "I love you as a brother."

"D'oh..."

Rex sniggered and licked his cheek lightly. "Thanks, Jake." He nodded towards the door. "Come on, we don't want to miss Belford's sermon."

"Awww... Why can't we just blaspheme and have sex here and now?"

Shaking his head, Rex took Jacob's paw and pulled him through the door out of the room. Eden guided them towards the mess hall, readjusting the halls so that they gently curved towards their destination. There was no need to take an elevator as the Animus immediately gave them the shortest route to their destination. The metallic walls shifted and curved like liquid while the floor beneath their feet gave way soundlessly and rearranged themselves into stairs when necessary. Sometimes, they had to make a few sharp turns or a few quick drops but nothing outside of their abilities.

Jacob was somewhat impressed at Eden's overall structure as the Animus dynamically changed before them. At one point, he remembered entering a towering stairwell well staircases would slide out of the walls and as hidden panels opened and crowds of people would walk through.

Within a minute, they were at the mess hall located below the atrium. Titanic, metal doors swung open for them, Belford's voice carrying across the broad hall populated by large, circular tables with scraps of food lying about. A crowd of people was gathered at the far end of the hallway where Belford stood on a table, arms spread out and with his assistant, Gabriel, strangely missing.

"We must not grow complacent!" Belford shouted. "While we are safe in the halls of this marvellous angel, we are not perfect! Take this time to reflect on your past faults, my children, and learn how to rise above them all and mould yourself into perfection!"

The gorilla lifted a hand towards Jacob and Rex. "And here is the instrument of our deliverance!" All eyes instantly flicked towards the two. For some reason, Rex slipped behind Jacob slightly. "The imperfection that will guide us to perfection!"

Did he just deem me a saviour and insult me at the same time...?

"I'll admit,"_Spectre chuckled, _"I'm curious how he'll justify this..."

Belford stepped down from the table he stood upon. "Reaper! The Destroyer! Devastate the flaws of this world so that we may rebuild it in perfection!"

Whu...?

"Oh... I think I get it..."_Spectre said, somehow obtaining a pair of glasses and holding a book in one paw. _"I think he thinks that by using you as a symbol of destruction, he can justify the need for everything to be destroyed before he can build a better 'perfect' society. It's just another means of grabbing power."

Why would he need to do that? I'd destroy everything anyway.

"He's taking power from Rocky and Norton. When everything is falling down to nothingness, people hope... hope spawns faith... and there where there is faith... there will be people willing to abuse it and turn it into a religion."

I guess Rocky was right...

'Religion divides... faith unites...'

Jacob summoned his swords, causing Rex to flinch. The crowd, however, just beamed as if they were staring at their saviour.

"Should I start with you then, Belford?" he growled threateningly.

"Jake! No!" Rex exclaimed, summoning his sword, Shimmering Hope, and crossing it in front of Jacob.

He flashed his brother a dark look. "He's basically begging to be killed. Why shouldn't I oblige him?"

Another voice cut through the congregation.

"Because he honestly believes that Graesham is lost."

From behind Jacob, Kerry and Joanna stepped through escorted by Leo and Taylor. All of them but Leo bore serious expressions but each one was directed at various places. Kerry's anger - being the one that spoke - was directly angled at Belford while Joanna seemed angrier at... herself? Jacob wasn't sure, it was just the way her eyes were focusing on her feet and her fists were clenched. Taylor's frustration was angled at the crowd, his gaze sweeping over them and making them cringe like he had a flamethrower attached to his eyeballs and was scorching them one by one.

Leo was the only one who looked overjoyed. There was a way he kept looking between Jacob and Rex that told the latter that his mate already knew of his relationship with Rex... or perhaps just suspected. Either way... an awkward conversation was forthcoming.

"I am truly sorry you cannot see my way of thinking, my child," Belford said with almost convincing sincerity. "But Jacob Reaper is the destroyer that will bring upon the perfection we seek."

"I'm not about to give up on this town," Kerry announced proudly, hefting two new spears identical to her first two. "Graesham is not lost. We can still save it!"

The crowd instantly degraded to a mess of terrible accusations, cursing and swears.

"A Purge is coming!"

"I watched my daughter kill my husband and come after me!"

"They all turned to stone and attacked us!"

"We've suffered for years! It's time to burn it all!"

Kerry slammed the butt of her spear against the floor. A powerful, chilling blast swept across the entire chamber, causing the tips of Jacob's whiskers to freeze slightly and his breath to condense in front of him.

Jacob was starting to get the impression that whenever Kerry's emotions flared up, her powers seemed to activate and the temperature dropped. Whereas anger would lead to boiling blood, her fury dropped the temperature dramatically. It happened down in the mines... and now it was occurring here...

Maybe it's true... each of our Brands are unique... I don't start glowing when I'm angry...

"Enough!" she shouted, her voice carrying well over the mess hall. With her shout, another blast of chilling air spread across the hall. "Give up if you want but I am not one to surrender so easily."

Before another shouting match could begin, and eerie sense of calm fell upon the entire mess hall. Jacob could see the anger festering in their eyes but it was like they were incapable of manifesting it physically. His eyes slowly drifted across the crowd to where Max stood at about the same distance between the two parties as himself and Rex.

Only then did he realise he was caught right in the middle of the two bands.

"We're not here to kill each other," the dragon growled, pushing off the wall he was leaning against and crossing the hall. "Whatever this Plague is it's not natural and I don't think Purging Graesham will get rid of it."

"I'm going to have to agree with that," Spectre whispered softly. "We've seen the Plague is affected by the Seals and we've seen that even after a Purge, the remnants of a Seal continue to haunt the material world. Look at Pollenburn..."

"All of you," Max snapped, turning his penetrating gaze towards the crowd. "Head back to your rooms. We need to talk with Belford."

More accusations flew around, all of them angled towards the group and accusing them of killing Belford while they were away. No one seemed to be on side of the Branded.

"We should kill them and take this fortress for ourselves!"

Others quickly agreed.

"No!" Belford shouted, raising his hands into the air. "Let not blood be shed!"

But that did little to calm the crowd. They were already worked up into a frenzy and those that weren't were quickly swept up in the bloodlust of the crowd. Crowd mentality spread quickly and Jacob could see all the rage, all the frustration, the loss and anguish erupting from each and every one of them, boiling to the surface and focused directly on the Branded.

"We were fine until they arrived!"

"Yeah! We would've just gone another year with the Plague!"

"When they came here, things got worse!"

Jacob sighed inwardly, realising a fight was inevitable.

I guess just as those people who feel trapped will look for hope and some deity to free them...

... they'll also look for someone to blame...

He gripped his swords tightly.

Better to put them out of their misery...

_"Jake! No!"_Spectre shouted.

Don't worry. I'm not about to go on a killing spree.

His Animus sighed in relief.

I'll let the Fossilised kill them.

"Jacob!"

As the crowd began to pick up chair, tables, knives, forks and whatever they could find in the mess hall, Jacob drew up his swords, ready for a fight. He activated the trigger of Radiance, splitting open the weapon.

"You're not seriously going to fire on them, are you!?" Rex exclaimed, gripping his forearm in protest. "Jake! They're just civilians!"

He gave his brother a penetrating stare, no hint of hesitation of regret in his voice. "Civilians who would kill us otherwise."

"But -"

"Too late."

Jacob pulled the trigger.

A shaft of pure light shot from the tip of Radiance. None of the rioting mob was fast enough to get out of the way.

It -

"Laser Leaf!"

Suddenly hit a massive wall of green light, dissipating into the wall.

All fell silent as the green barricade vanished.

Rocky Groundwater stepped into the mess hall accompanied by Norton. There was a field of leaves hovering around him. Some were levelled at the crowd, ready to turn into lasers at a moment's notice. A few were angled towards Jacob and the Branded.

"Stop this, now," Rocky snarled.

Jacob had to keep reminding himself that Rocky was a guy at heart... even if the Elemental Lord's body argued otherwise.

"I'm surprised at you, Father Belford," the Elemental Lord said, eyes narrowed at Belford. "You would incite a riot inside Eden? You would turn the people against the very heroes who saved them?"

Jacob eyed Belford warily. The priest's next response would dictate where his allegiances or at least priorities lay.

"I was merely attempting to console my children in their time of need," Belford answered, bowing his head solemnly. "I... I had no idea it would let to this... I apologise..."

Damn...

"Expecting him to act all defiant and try to use his emotional leverage on Rocky to force the Elemental Lord to his side?"

Something like that...

"We're all stressed," Rocky said, his voice calming. "We're on all edge. I can understand that. But we can't let our fears get the better of us. The last thing we want to do something rash and then spend the rest of our lives regretting it." He raised a fist, lifting it up to show everyone. "We may come from different families, different backgrounds and maybe we may not have even come from Graesham itself." At that last point, he regarded the Branded. "But all of us are unified by this tragedy and none of us will be able to survive it if we don't all pool our strengths together.

"As Father Belford would state, individually, we are imperfect. But when we join our imperfections together, we make perfection."

Whether it was fear of their Elemental Lord or they were truly moved by Rocky's words, the mob's anger was quelled and they lowered their makeshift weapons. Most still angled hatred towards the Branded but those that had just been swept up in the mod mentality lost their bloodlust and looked shamefaced.

"Now all of you should return to your rooms," Rocky instructed. "Father Belford, we have much to discuss."

Slowly, the crowd trickled out of the mess hall. Those that passed Jacob and the other Branded murmured faint apologies. When most of them were gone, Jacob approached Belford with the other Branded and Rex. The priest stood at the far end of the hall, eyes cast down in shame. Rocky approached as well with Norton in tow.

Once they formed the one group, Rocky gave Rex a pleasant smile. "You're not in your armour."

The brown wolf grinned and blushed, rubbing his arms a little hesitantly. "I may not need it anymore. I've got a meat shield." He nudged Jacob with an elbow.

Wow... I think I'm corrupting him...

"Great... Just what we need. Two of you."

Rocky smiled and turned to regard Belford. "Norton has told me something... disturbing, Father."

Belford sighed heavily and lifted his eyes. Jacob was taken aback by the cold, harshness in the gorilla's eyes. Where once there was a sad, watery, sorrowful expression, the expression on the primate's face was cold, calculating and steely.

"I did what I had to do," he replied. "You deserved a second chance... and I gave that to you... Rose."

Jacob had to spend a few seconds to flick his ears to try and make sure that they were clean and hearing things properly.

Rose...?

Rocky took a deep breath, closing his eyes and with his fists shaking. His knees were on the verge of giving out from underneath him and Norton had to hold his shoulders firm to keep him standing.

"G - Go on..." the Elemental Lord murmured.

Belford turned to the Branded. "I believe you all desire an explanation."

No one spoke.

"As you know, I was formerly with MODD... However, contrary to popular belief, I did not defect because I found the scriptures of the Holy Mountain or because I had an epiphany. The truth is far more... unbelievable than that."

Still, everyone remained silent.

"When Rose Earthsire rebelled against her father, she showed everyone that MODD's power is not absolute. In fact, I was deeply touched by her actions that I too realised that serving a cold, heartless company who would t down a child simply because she possessed 'their property' was not something I wished to continue.

"So... I opted to resign. But contrary to what has been written in the history books, Rose Earthsire did not die when she used the full extent of her Seal to obliterate the army that had come after her. Conway, her father, managed to quell enough of her power to preserve her body but sadly... her mind was shattered. In essence, she was reduced to a vegetable."

"So her heart and mind were dead but her body remained," Kerry surmised. "What did MODD do to her?"

"MODD did nothing. They extracted from her the Seal she possessed which, over time, was handed to Gabriel." Belford raised his hand to stop others from speaking up. "Let me finish... Conway wanted to use the power of the Seals to rebuild his daughter. He purposefully incited the war between his imaginary Rebels and MODD here in Graesham in the belief that sacrificing the lives of the people, he could rebuild Rose's mind and soul."

Norton snarled, his grip tightening around Rocky's shoulders. "I knew it... If there really were Rebels, there would've been more casualties on MODD's side! They were attacking innocent people! My wife amongst them!"

Belford nodded grimly and continued slowly. "Yes... I saw the effect of his experiment... He was slowly building a personality... but it was a personality tainted by the hatred, rage and pain of the people he had killed in order to reforge Rose. While Rose Earthsire's personality would remain the dominant one, it would be corrupted by the malice of those sacrificed for her.

"I did not want this to happen... So... I stole away into Conway's secret sanctum and took Rose's body. I brought her to the cathedral where I..." Belford paused and turned to Rocky. Despite the faltering in his voice, there was still no sadness and regret in his eyes. "Rocky... Rose... You were a child who were born into the wrong family... You were born to a covetous father with no remorse and who only saw you as a tool for more power. I wanted to give you a second chance..."

"What did you do?" Joanna demanded. "You changed Rose to a guy!?"

Belford shook his head. "Far worse, I'm afraid... I gathered the remnants of Rose Earthsire's personality and used them as sacrifices to make three Seals."

Uh-oh...

"These Seals would serve as locks to block Rose's memories from ever resurfacing. I made one Seal that would keep her past forever hidden. I made another Seal that would constantly manipulate her present memory to keep her in the mindset of the personality that I presented her with. Lastly, I made a seal that broke all the ties of everyone to her and reformed them to make everyone believe that she had died on that field."

Jacob was suddenly very wary of Belford. The gorilla effective admitted to creating three Seals that robbed someone of their entire being. Belford stole Rose's memories... then he formed a sort of filter that ensured that whatever new memories the new Rose made were coherent with the memories he implanted into her. Then lastly - and perhaps the most frightening - Belford robbed everyone else of the memories that had been tied to Rose and altered them.

Admittedly, if Belford had managed to erase everyone's memories, he would've been really impressed but still...

That's one hell of a feat...

"Who is_this guy...?"_

"Before Conway's men could come take me away," Belford continued, "I quickly implanted a new set of memories into Rose... And thus... Rocky Groundwater was born."

All eyes quickly flicked towards Rocky who closed his... her... eyes slowly, seemingly collecting his thoughts. Jacob couldn't imagine -

Wait...

I guess I can sort of imagine what he's going through...

I've had my past altered too... my memories changed...

"What... What happened to those three Seals...?" Rocky asked slowly.

Belford nodded towards Norton. "One I gave to Norton for safe keeping. It should still be in his possession...?"

Norton nodded and lifted his free paw. A soft, grass-green glow erupted from his palm, forming a shimmering Seal. "This is the Seal of Rose Earthsire's present memories, that filter that will constantly ensure that Rose... erm..." He gazed worriedly at Rocky. "Rocky... will always think she is Rocky despite what nature dictates. I'm able to retain my memories and so is Belford because we've both handled it. But I keep it... protect it..."

Jacob was surprised for a second time... Standing before him was some with two Seals... He realised that Norton probably couldn't use Rose's Seal because they were such different people and the synch-rate of the Seal would be dismal at best... but if someone could wield two Seals... Who knew what sort of power MODD really had...

"Another I gave to Rose's lost lover... Luke Gainsborough."

Jacob spun to face Belford. "What!?" he demanded.

The gorilla nodded sadly. "Remember, because of the alterations of their memories, Luke honestly believes that Rose died to protect him. When what I did was discovered, I was forced to flee temporarily and I found him. I told him that I managed to keep a part of Rose safe and I thought he deserved to at least keep a part of her with him... So I gave him the Seal containing Rose's connections to everyone else... the symbol of Rose's entire existence in the eyes of everyone else."

"And the last Seal...?" Rocky asked softly.

Finally, some worry broke into Belford's expression. "The last Seal was taken away from me before I could escape... Conway has it."

Jacob's heart went cold...

Suddenly... he realised... or at least guessed what had happened... what had caused the Plague.

"No..." he began softly. "You're kidding..."

Belford shook his said, his brow furrowing. "I am not entirely sure... but Conway may be using Rose's remaining Seal to accomplish what he failed to do all those years ago when I took Rose away from him. When I heard about that crystal statue in the mines, I realised that... that perhaps this Plague is how Conway has been slowly gathering sacrifices to remake Rose... Coupled with your own discover, Jacob Reaper, about how you found Seals in the victims..."

Suddenly... It made so much sense...

"We have to stop him," Kerry said fiercely.

"All this... Just to get his daughter back..." Taylor murmured softly, shaking his head. "I guess he'd do anything for the one he loves..."

"Conway is a broken man," Belford said softly. "He is the prime example of one who did no know what he has lost until it is gone. He will do anything to have his daughter back... even if that means the death of everyone in Graesham."

Death of...

Jacob's heart froze. "The Purge..."

At essentially the same time, everyone came to the same conclusion.

A Purge would kill everyone in Graesham... and with everyone dead... that would fulfil Conway's plans... It also explained why the Plague was so slow to kill everyone...

"We he was nurturing deaths..." Taylor murmured, a look of utter horror on his features. "If he killed everyone straight off, he won't get enough people to reforge Rose... So he made it a Plague... It kills only a certain number of people every year... so that everyone will try to replace the lost in the next year..."

"And he must've reached his quota this year..." Joanna murmured.

_"Or because you found a way to break his Plague, he panicked and pushed forward with the craziness..."_Spectre began softly, poking Jacob's cheek.

There's that possibility...

"You mentioned..." Rocky began shakily. "You mentioned that my... Rose's Seal was given to Gabriel...? Why would he synch with my Seal?"

Belford took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Because Gabriel has become a blank slate..." He shook his head sadly. "Something occurred in the past that caused all his memories... all his personality to vanish... to become erased. Because he has no personality of his own, when the Seal was given him, it wasn't him synchronising with the Seal... it was the Seal impressing its own identity to him.

"Whoever was sacrificed to make Rose's Seal is using Gabriel as their body... of sorts. Slowly, the Seal is taking over him..."

Rex grunted in disgust. "Sounds like he's becoming an Unsealed..."

"A reason why I opted to return to Graesham under the pretence of a priest and attempt to see if I can dissuade him from his self-destructive past."

"So you're not really a priest then?" Jacob asked. "No wonder you're so liberal."

Belford chuckled darkly. "Yes... Indeed... I've seen too much war to go around advocating death and violence. I tried stealth and subtlety but that only made things worse. Now... I hoped to try and preach peace..."

"And get someone else to deal with it?" Jacob added.

The gorilla snorted and eyes Jacob cynically. "I may be preaching peace but I'm not out of the game."

"I'm getting a begrudging liking to this guy..."

"Gabriel never came with us to Eden..." Max murmured softly. "I thought the guy may have died in the craziness... But I guess if he has Rose's Seal..."

A grim silence fell upon the gathered group as they digested all the information that had been given to them. Jacob could see the merit in Belford's actions. In fact, he had to agree with Spectre to some degree and admit that Belford's actions were somewhat justified. To some degree, Jacob would've done exactly the same thing... with the exception he would've killed Rose instead of splitting her up.

"If you're going to stop Conway," Belford began. "Please find Gabriel as well. He has Rose's Seal... and I do not want to think what'll happen should he fully fuse with that Seal..."

"Do you think you can keep Gabriel in line?" Norton asked. "If we bring him back, will you be able to keep him from going berserk?"

"I have been trying to instil a new personality into him," Belford answered grimly. "It has slowed the progress of the Seal's consumption of his very identity... or lack thereof. The ironic thing about Gabriel's situation is that if I remove the Seal from him, he will not have the capacity to develop a further personality. The Seal fills the hole in his personality and stabilises him somewhat."

The priest placed his hands one over the other, one perpendicular to the other in a 'T' formation. "The Seal forms the basis of his rebuilding personality. If you take it away..." He pulled out the 'stem' of the 'T'. "Everything else crumbles no matter how much I've built. Our only hope is to have him learn how to control his Seal without being consumed by it."

"Easier said than done..."_Spectre murmured darkly."Take out his Seal and he dies. Leave him with it and he dies. It seems like we have to find the perfect balance between the two situations so that he'll live."_

You mean kinda like what Belford has been preaching about 'perfection' and 'imperfection'?

His Animus sniggered. "Touché."

"We'll try to bring him back," Joanna assured Belford.

"We're not all going down into those mines," Rex said firmly, turning to face the Branded. "Someone has got to stay here and make sure another riot doesn't break out. I know Rocky managed to calm everyone down but the ideas have been sowed. The last thing we need is to be fighting the very same people we're trying to save."

"Why?" Jacob answered grimly. "I say we just kill them and get it over and done with. Conway resurrects his crazy version of Rose, we as the heroes, go in and smash it up in a epic battle. Isn't that how these scenarios usually go?"

"The world is not as clichéd as you may think, Reaper," Max snapped. "You can get the guy every time to turn around. And even if it seems that way, it doesn't mean you should encourage it to go that way."

Joanna rested a paw on Jacob's shoulder consolingly. "I know they hate us right now and for no really good reason... but we owe it to them... and to ourselves to save them... After all... you breaking the Plague of those people in the cathedral might have been what started all this."

Damnit... I was hoping no one would have remembered that...

Rolling his eyes, Jacob said, "Fine. But I'm going with Rex on this one. We need a group to stay here and guard the mob. Not to mention see if we can find a way to intercept that thing carrying the Purge here."

"Good point," Max said begrudgingly. "I'll stay since I command Eden. How else do we decide who goes or stays?"

They stared at one another, at a loss as to who would go or stay. They all had their own reasons to do both...

Ultimately, it was Leo who came up with a solution.

"Rock-Paper-Scissors?"

****

Eden's massive doors closed behind them and the massive, metal Animus slowly began to turn and lumber away. Tactically, getting Eden away from the epicentre of the conflict was the best course of action. Behemoth, Polaris and Prometheus flanked the enormous Animus, protecting it from the unseen dangers that lurked in the streets of Graesham.

A team consisting of Jacob Reaper, Rex Nebula, Rocky Groundwater and Leonardo Custer watched the Animus go. While the outcome of the draw was purely out of chance, it seemed the most advantageous. Norton would try to contact Angelsea to see if he can get the Purge called off. At the very least, he could stop the city from sending another Purge their way if they managed to destroy the first one.

The four-man team going into the mines waited until the Animus was a good distance away before they turned one by one and began tracing their way through the abandoned streets of Graesham back towards the mines.

While Graesham had never been boisterous or busy, the silence drawn upon them by the lack of agonising screams and pained cries was just as frightful if they were being chased by a horde of Fossilised. Jacob summoned his swords instinctively, waiting for the inevitable attack. Beside him, Rocky Groundwater walked sullenly, eyes cast down but a firm lock in... in...

"So what do I call you now?" he asked absently. "A 'him' or a 'her'?"

Rocky let out a single, bitter laugh. "I suppose 'her' would be appropriate considering my current anatomy but regardless of who I was beforehand, I am now Rocky Groundwater. Who I was before will not erase who I am now."

"You're taking the fact that you're actually the long lost daughter of the former Elemental Lord fairly well."

"Did you break down and tear yourself apart when you realised that your memories had been drastically altered?"

Jacob thought back to the even when Gale Winthrop had informed him Balthazar Palmers - head of ExIT - had implanted fake memories into his skull in an attempt to convince him that he had committed countless atrocities and thus cover up Palmers' own heinous crimes. Back then, Jacob hadn't cared. In much the same way Rocky deduced, who he was will not change who he is. Fake memories or not, his actions were his alone and blaming someone else will not alleviate him of the responsibility of his deeds.

"No... But my situation is different to yours... I just wanted to make sure you're not about to break down on us and go crazy."

Rocky shook his... her head. "Jacob... I appreciate the concern but as I've told you, I'm going to keep going as Rocky Groundwater. Who I was before doesn't matter. I don't even remember who 'Rose Earthsire' was. I don't remember being her and I certainly don't remember dying as her. I am surprised to know where my past is tied but that can only make me stronger."

"And what happens if we have to kill your father?"

Rocky's green eyes hardened. "Conway once promised me that he would do anything to make things right... He told me that he would help me fix Graesham. I now realise he meant that in more ways than one..."

It was odd... Jacob couldn't see any hatred or rage in Rocky's eyes or expression. If their situations were switched, he would've gone on a rampage and torn out Conway's heart right out of his chest before he burned it to a crisp and force-fed it to the dying bear. Conway had essentially betrayed his own daughter and for what?

...

Wait... Why did_Conway push Rocky so much...?_

In fact... How_did Rocky get his Seal? Who had to be sacrificed to make his_ new_Seal?_

Jacob glanced briefly over his shoulder, watching Eden stomp off into the distance. He suddenly wasn't very comfortable with leaving Belford back with the others. The priest had answered a lot of questions... but failed to answer all of them. Belford gave them a partial explanation - enough to somewhat sate their curiosity - but as they were about to ask for more details, he threw in more complications and more partial answers that led them to a job he wanted them to do.

The gorilla's words of 'I may be preaching peace but I'm not out of the game' suddenly seems so very true.

"What exactly are you planning?" he asked, eyes drifting back to Rocky.

"I'm going to get an explanation from Conway one way or another," Rocky answered, storming forward along the empty streets. "He destroyed my town. Killed my people. He better have a damn-good explanation for that."

"And if he doesn't?"

Rocky spun around to face him, eyes burning with barely held frustration. "Why are you even drilling me on this? It's not like you actually care about Graesham."

Whatever conversation Leo and Rex were having stopped and dead silence met them. Jacob and Rocky stared at each other, one burning with anger and the other oddly calm and understanding. What was odd about the situation was that the situations were somewhat reversed from when they first met...

"Does it matter if I do or don't?" Jacob replied calmly. "I'm willing to help you now. That's all you should care about."

Rocky shook her head in defiance and frustration. "I still don't understand your motivation, Jacob. You're going to some extreme lengths to just gain my allegiance. You should already know that from what you've done, you have my loyalty and trust."

Jacob wondered exactly what it was that he had done. Apart from discovering some facts about the Plague and probably starting the whole rock-zombie affair and contributing in finding Rocky's past... he really hadn't done much. If anything, Joanna, Max and Leo were to be admired for having evacuated a large number of people from the city.

He decided not to push his luck. If he had Rocky's allegiance, he wasn't about to lose it by saying something stupid.

"I have your loyalty and you've earned my respect," Jacob answered slowly. He grinned and crossed his arms behind his head. "Besides, how often to you get to meet a guy who is actually a girl because he's had his memory altered?"

Rocky laughed even if there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Look in the mirror, Reaper. You're one step away from that."

Probably another reason why I'm not about to abandon you.

We're a lot a like... Just... you ended up as MODD's pawn where I managed to escape.

I wonder who's better off...

Rocky turned back around and while he tried to hide it, Jacob caught a glimpse of the smile on his face. "Thanks Jacob..." His tone suddenly turned sombre again. "Do me a favour... Rex... Jacob... Leonardo..."

The three wolves stood side by side, regarding Rocky. Having his mate and his brother standing beside him, Jacob felt a degree of... rightness in it. His paw were halfway to gripping the paws of both the men he cared for dearly when he stopped himself and mentally scolded himself for 'being too sappy'.

"If I ever do anything stupid... If I end up turning into someone that I'm not..." Rocky's eyes turned to them, utter seriousness in his emerald orbs. "I want you to stop me."

Why is everyone asking me to kill them lately?

"It's because they trust you."

If they trust me, they shouldn't be torturing me like this!

_"Torture...?"_Spectre repeated.

Yes! They know_I love death and destruction! Why are they asking me to kill them when they_ know_I can't rightly do that!?_

...

His Animus gave him a blank stare. "I'm not entirely sure whether I should be proud or sickened by that statement..."

"We can't do that, Rocky!" Rex protested.

"Yeah," Jacob chimed in. "I mean, you're a girl. We can't hit a girl."

He could feel the stares of his mate and brother on him... Rocky's stare was particularly penetrating but he couldn't help but grin.

"Just consider it," Rocky answered. "I'm not sure what the future holds... but I don't want to turn into someone else because another person decided it's who I was and wants them back."

"I guess there's no hope of getting my Rose back then, is there?"

Jacob's hackles rose at the sound of that familiar voice. He spun around...

A swirling mass of black dust... soot... formed around in front of them, slowly forming the shape of a black-furred bear who carried a large rock chained across his body.

Soot.

"You..." Rocky began, marching forward and standing in front of Jacob. "You knew, didn't you?"

"I hold Rose's connections to the world around her," Soot answered in his same, dead, emotionless tone. "Because of this, I can see where the threads that once bound her to the world led and where they were severed. I can see that they all lead to you, Rocky, and it did not take much at all to realise that you were my Rose."

"I am not Rose Earthsire!" she barked, summoning her batons, Earthborne. "My name is Rocky Groundwater! No matter who I was in the past, this is who I am now!"

Jacob readied his blades, ready to come to Rocky's aid... but some part of him knew... just knew that Soot wasn't looking for a fight.

The black bear nodded slowly and, without a word, turned around to leave. "I understand. You aren't Rose. You never were. Belford succeeded in the end..." He reached into his coat and pulled out a large, silver canister and threw it over his shoulder. Leo leapt up and caught it easily... in his mouth. Like an puppy eager to play fetch, he brought it over to Jacob, tail wagging and eyes bright.

Jacob held out his hand and winced a little as the slobber-covered canister was deposited into his paw.

"What's this...?" he asked softly.

"A portable Seal containment unit...?" Rex asked. "What...? This is highly classified! Highly experimental! Where'd you get this!?"

As Jacob understood it, to contain a Seal required a massive chamber that could withstand the power of the Seal as well as keeping it from deteriorating. He had only ever seen a Seal Repository once and it was an enormous chamber that appeared vaguely cylindrical in shape. Each Seal was contained in a similarly structured unit like the one he held but about ten times bigger than himself and with countless wires sticking out of its surface feeding off into who knew where.

"The threads that connect Rose to everyone else are being blocked by the power of the three Seals used to grant myself, Norton and Conway power," Soot answered grimly, ignoring Rex completely. "However, they are forever drawn to Rose's body... your body, Rocky. If the host wielding the Seal were to die... then the Seal they possess will instinctively be drawn to you.

"If you wish to maintain your personality, when you kill Conway, you will catch the Seal in that unit before it makes its way to Rocky. Otherwise, all those memories that the Seal is keeping in check..." Soot's form began to dissolve into a cloud of black dust, his voice echoing in the winds as the black dust was blown away.

"... they'll all come rushing back..."

"Soot! Wait!" Rocky shouted, bounding towards the other bear. Before she could reach him, however, the lieutenant was gone.

I wonder what his goal is...? Does he want Rose back...? Or has he given up?

"I guess we've got something to help keep you sane, huh?" he asked, tossing the cylinder in his paw lightly into the air. As he caught it, Rocky took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

"Yeah... I'm trusting you guys..." The Elemental Lord shook her head. "But we won't kill Conway... That's the last resort, you understand?"

They all gave Rocky a grim nod.

BOOM!

Their eyes flicked towards the mountains near the Emerald Crown.

A plume of black smoke was rising into the air...

Jacob slipped the Seal containment unit into the inside pocket of his coat and resummoned his swords.

"Conway..."

****

Gabriel was sprawled on the ground, bleeding profusely and with his hammer lying several metres away from him. Conway Earthsire stood proudly with his foot on the hammer, a hybrid weapon of a mace and a Morningstar in his paws. One end of the weapon possessed the long, spiked head of a mace while the other had the sharp, spiked, spherical bulb of a Morningstar.

Behind them both was the burning remains of what appeared to be a hut of some sort.

"Conway!" Rocky shouted, storming up the path towards the battlefield.

"And so the imposter in my daughter's body finally decides to confront me," Conway announced with a slight scowl. "Ironic... As I am on the cusp of reviving my Rose, I am haunted by the remnants that tarnish her very memory."

Jacob stood beside Rocky, blades drawn and ready for the inevitable fight. Leo flanked him while Rex hurried over to aid Gabriel. The ram looked fine if just a little winded and with a few cuts and bruises across his body.

Okay... in theory_since we've got him outnumbered an we have an Elemental Lord on our side, this_ should_be a cake walk..._

"You're forgetting that he has two_Seals..."_

Damn...

"Call me if you need me."

"What do you hope to achieve, Conway?" Rocky demanded. "Is sacrificing all the people of Graesham worth the life of your daughter!?"

"My daughter means everything to me!" Conway snarled, tears welling in his eyes. "While she lived, I attempted to push her to be the best she could be! I gave her everything in the world and drove her to perfection so that she could stand firm in this harsh, unforgiving world!" The ursine clenched the fur on his chest, over his heart. "My wife surrendered herself for my Seal... and with her dying breath, she made me promise that I would ensure that our daughter lived for the both of them..."

His eyes flicked back to Rocky full of regret and hatred. "I foolishly drove my own daughter to her limits and was more a slave driver than a father! Now, I simply want the chance to show her that I would do anything for her... that I would sacrifice the world a hundred times over just for her!"

Unfortunately... It was a terrible noble sentiment... To a degree, Jacob could understand Conway's motivation... but he couldn't empathise with it.

It's a mater of not knowing how good you have it until you've lost it...

"So you thought you were doing the right thing up to the point when you lost your daughter," Rex surmised, rising to his feet and lifting Gabriel up. "You kept thinking that everything you were doing was right, never once considering that you, just like everyone else, is royally screwed up. Even now, you have no doubt in your mind that you're right! That sacrificing the entire city and causing them to suffer a Plague for ten years is perfectly alright just as long as you have your daughter back!"

Conway shook is head, sneering at Rex. "You would not understand. The love I have for my daughter... it surmounts the lives of a million worlds!"

"What you have is an obsession!" Gabriel shouted, hobbling over to his hammer and picking it up with a great about of effort. "And imperfect creature attempting to make himself perfect! The Holy Mountain teaches that to reach perfection, we must destroy our own imperfections and build ourselves to be perfect! But you are just compounding on those imperfections to the point where you are pushing madness!"

Conway's eyes flared. "Don't" - a surge of lightning erupted from his body, snapping at the earth around Jacob. Rex sliced a bolt in half before it could hit a disoriented Gabriel - "preach to me, boy! I don't seek self-perfection..." His eyes grew distant. "My perfection is my daughter... Yes... all mortals are born imperfect..." He glared straight at Rocky. "In my daughter's case, her heart, her soul... and mind was perfect... but it was her body that failed her...

"Now..." Conway boomed, lifting his paws into the air. The winds picked up, dark clouds gathering right above him in a swirling tempest. Lightning danced between the clouds.

CRASH!

A bolt slammed into the ground a few metres from Jacob and Rocky, driving back as they shielded their eyes from the flash and flying pebbles.

"Now that my daughter's essence has been freed from her flawed body," Conway announced, "I am free to build her a new body! A body made from the pure essences of all those in Graesham!"

"You've got it all wrong!" Rex shouted over the rising howl of the winds.

"Those essences are made from the hatred, anger and loss of the people you've killed!" Rocky cried. She tried to take a step forward but the storm picked up in ferocity, pushing him back. The Elemental Lord drove her feet into the ground. Rock erupted from around her feet, encasing them up to her thighs and holding her in place.

Jacob had to drive his swords into the ground to keep himself from being blown away.

"If you put Rose's memory into that body, it'll just make a creature of pure hatred! It won't be your daughter!" Rocky screamed.

"Exactly!" Conway roared, his eyes wild and clearly insane. "There is only one constant in this world, one absolute, perfect truth!"

He lifted both paws directly above him.

BOOOM!

Lightning cascaded down from the heavens around him, striking the earth in eight locations a few metres from him. They formed a circle around the lieutenant. Large, rocky pillars rose from the ground around him like lightning rods that formed a constant electrified bar-cage around Conway.

"Suffering! Pain! Agony!" Conway roared. "Mortals are all flawed! That is the one truth in this world! Thus, once I unite everyone in the world into a single entity, I shall bring about true perfection!"

"That's twisted,"_Spectre growled, digging his claws slightly into Jacob's shoulders. _"He thinks that just because his life was filled with agony, that the world is nothing but sadness and misery. In his mind, he sees that the world's natural state is to be in absolute misery and that happiness is a taint that must be erased."

You going to tell me that light is the natural state of the world?

"No." Spectre gave him a sharp stare. "Look at the world around you. If given the opportunity, would you rather have it one way or the other? Just pitch black or pure white?"

Jacob turned his gaze towards the lightning cage around Conway.

Spectre... the world isn't just black and white.

"Your suffering shall be the final sacrifice for my daughter's resurrection!" Conway roared. "Die and know you shall be part of something greater!"

Glancing at his left and right, Jacob noted his allies. Rex had Shimmering Hope ready for battle and even the injured Gabriel looked ready for a fight. He wasn't sure if either of them could hold up but he had to remind himself that Rex was an Elemental Lord and Gabriel... Well, if his devotion could save him, then they wouldn't have to worry about lifting a finger.

Rocky - despite all the revelations that had come crashing down upon him - was strangely accepting of everything and utterly focused on the task at hand. The focus in her eyes was uncanny but Jacob gave that to her devotion to saving Graesham and its inhabitants. Leo looked like a pup in a candy store, simply raring for a fight. His tail was wagging and he was bouncing on his feet, Impulse already covering his paws.

In theory... it was five against one... and they should have this in the bag...

In theory...

"Conway!" Rocky shouted, reaching over his back and retrieving her tower shield. "This is your last chance! Stop this madness now!"

Conway's eyes flashed with an inflated sense of impending victory. "Boy, it's far too late. Even as we speak, ever soul that has succumbed to the Plague and is congregating around the crystal statue that will serve as the vessel for my daughter. They are transferring their essences into her and within moments, she will rise and freeze this world in everlasting crystal..." His eyes drifted to the air, a tear running down his cheek. "... and thus... crystallizing forever the misery that is this world's natural state..."

Crap!

All too late did Jacob realise they shouldn't be going after Conway... They should've gone for that crystal statue!

He was kicking himself mentally for having left it standing when he had escaped the mines!

"Now..." Conway boomed, his eyes turning back towards the group. The lightning around him intensified, causing Jacob's fur to stand on end. "... succumb to pain and misery!" He thrust his right paw forward. "Storm!"

A curtain of lightning cascaded down from the heavens, surging forward and ripping the ground apart!

"Behind me!" Rocky shouted, pulling up his shield. Jacob scrambled behind Rocky just as a dome of rock erupted from around them, concealing the entire group in its embrace. "Guard!"

BOOOM!

The lightning cleaved right through the stone dome, shattering it into pieces and sending Rocky staggering.

"Earth!"

Quakes ravaged the ground as massive cracks cut through the earth. Enormous, earthy spikes shot up from between the cracks, tearing up the land. Jacob jumped to his right, barely avoiding getting impaled by one rock.

"Fire!"

Crap!

Jacob barely got to his feet and jumped into the air before a wave of scorching fire swept over the landscape, burning what little remained of the flora around the mountain. He landed in the ashen planes as the wave passed. Gabriel looked like he had somehow managed to stop the flames, protecting the others but he looked utterly exhausted.

Dodging his attacks won't cut it...

"We've got to attack!" he cried, gripping his swords tightly. "Now!"

He bolted forward, legs pumping and his heartbeat pounding in his ears over the roar of the thunder and lightning. Conway grinned at him cockily from behind that wall of lightning and thrust his paws forward. Lightning shot out of the bear's fingertips, shooting towards Jacob and snapping at him.

But Jacob was fast.

Specialising in the Elements of Light and Sound made him really fast.

He dodged the bolts, sliding, ducking and leaping over them. When a bolt got too close, he slashed at it with his swords, striking them and sending them flying against the already charred trees.

"Suffer my pain!" Conway shouted, throwing both his paws into the air.

The ground shook and bent. Jacob ground to a halt as lightning shot down from the skies and encased the earth in front of him. Like some electrified hand of god, the lightning ripped a chunk of rock as big as a tank from the ground.

"Oh damn..."

His body moved before his mind even gave the command.

The rock was hurled in his direction.

Gabriel suddenly slid in his way, hefting that massive gold and red hammer over his shoulder. The head of the hammer suddenly opened to reveal a battery of missiles!

What the -?

"Duck!" the ram shouted.

He didn't need telling twice.

He threw himself at the ground just as -

Shoom!

_Hundreds_of missiles erupted from Gabriel's weapon.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

They peppered the hurtling rock, ripping it to shreds before -

Ka-boom!

Blasting it into a thousand pieces!

BOOM! BOOM!

Large chunks of rock erupted from the ground around Jacob. Rocky leapt at them, striking them with his batons and hurling them straight at Conway. The rocks simply shattered upon contact with Conway's shield.

Crap... This is no good.

As long as he's in that cage, he can keep attacking us and we're helpless!

"Now you burn!"

Magma erupted from the cracks in the ground, blasting upwards in fiery geysers. Jacob rolled onto his feet and scrambled away from the shattering ground. Conway's laughter rang in his ears. Huge fireballs with hard, magma centres slammed into the ground, chasing him and his allies away.

BOOOM!

A towering wall of molten magma shot out from the ground, encircling the battlefield and trapping them inside.

"There is no escape!"

"Jake!"

He spun around...

... and froze.

A huge fireball hurtled towards him!

There wasn't time to run or dodge out of the way!

He was -

A paw gripped his ankles.

Shoom!

Suddenly, he was dragged downwards. The world became warped... like everything had been robed of colour. Everything was black save for an eerie, blue star that hung in the sky, providing dull illumination to the otherwise dismal world. Jacob didn't feel cold... he didn't feel anything. It was like... there was utter nothingness in this warped, twisted realm.

He saw several figures around him... each one appearing like shadowy versions of those in the coloured world. They all appeared like silhouettes... Conway, Rex, Gabriel and Rocky... They were all distinguishable even if their features were completely blackened. Despite their flesh being utterly black, the same, dull, bluish-white light seemed to be shining from inside them, streaming out of their eyes and muzzles whenever they moved.

The only things that remained coloured... were himself... and his mate.

Leo held him tightly, their noses pressed against one another as they hovered in the shadows.

"What...?" he began softly, his voice echoing in his ears.

"Do not worry," Leo murmured gently, nuzzling him. "I will not let you drift into nothingness in the darkness."

Then, as quickly as they entered the darkness, Jacob felt himself being pulled upwards.

Shoom!

The heat of their burning surroundings was a stark shock compared to the utter nothingness of the dark world. He shook that shadowy world from his memory and spun to face Conway.

"Your suffering shall be legendary!"

Spears of rock erupted from the ground, making a trail straight towards them. As each one rose -

CRASH!

A bolt of lightning would strike down from the storm above.

Jacob saw the future... he would be impaled on the rock... and then electrified by a bolt of lightning!

That's overkill...

"No you don't!" Rex roared, jumping in front of Jacob and pointing his sword towards the sky. "Starlight Beam!"

The clouds suddenly parted as the afternoon sun was revealed. A thin beam of light shot down from the break in the storm and smashed the advancing rocky ridge. More and more beams shot down, destroying Conway's attack.

Conway suddenly gasped and staggered in the air as one such beam struck him, grazing his shoulder.

Wait a second...

Jacob replayed the seconds when Rex's beam managed to strike Conway... even beyond that cage of lightning...

That's it!

He grabbed Leo and Rex's shoulders. "Keep him distracted!" He then spun and bolted to Gabriel. "Support Leo and Rex." He shot past Rocky, seizing the Elemental Lord's paw and pulling him towards the magma wall. "Rocky, I've got the skies. You take the earth!"

It took a second before Rocky realised what he was saying and nodded.

Jacob let go of Rocky's paw and hovered his own paw over his left shoulder. "Spectre!"

A ball of bright, shining light erupted from his Brand and slid to the top of Radiance. He hurled it at the magma wall and it immediately shattered. Spectre erupted into his full form, black wings unfurling and letting out a howl of triumph. The Animus shot straight at him. Jacob easily jumped onto the saddle of his Animus as they both shot high into the air.

Down below, he saw Leo summon Cerberus, the two charging straight towards Conway. Rex and Gabriel remained behind, peppering Conway with a barrage of lasers and missiles. Conway scowled at them all with contempt and sent fireballs, lightning bolts and stone spears all at them. Leo erupted into burst of gaseous darkness, dodging the attacks with ease. Cerberus seized on of the spears in his jaws and snapped it with the aid of the other two. Gabriel's missiles struck Conway's cage of lightning, causing the lieutenant to snarl as sparks grazed his fur.

Jacob was suddenly enveloped in the chilling embrace of the storm clouds.

Whoosh!

Seconds later, he emerged above the roiling storm to the afternoon sun.

It surprised him that the storm seemed to make everything so dark that it felt like he was fighting in the middle of the night... but it was really just the middle of the day. Ignoring that, he ordered Spectre to fly directly above the eye of the storm...

They gazed down into the swirling tempest... and could clearly see Conway standing in the middle of the lightning cage, fending off the others. The bear let out an audible roar, thrusting his paws forward. A stream of magma erupted from his palms, barely missing Leo.

"You ready for this?" Spectre growled, hackles raised.

"I've been ready to die for a long time, Spectre."

"Doesn't mean you will today though!"

With those words, Spectre dove sharply, zooming down with building speed! Jacob pressed himself down against his Animus' neck, gripping his swords tightly as the wind whipped past him. He had to squint a little but he could see Conway clearly.

This is it!

Then Conway looked up.

Shit...

The bear let out a tremendous roar and threw his left palm upwards. Lightning shot out of his fingertips. Spectre dodged to the left... to the right... Swerving away from the bolts and all the while descending at near-supersonic speeds!

They were about 800 metres above Conway!

700 metres...

Jacob pulled the triggers of his blades, getting ready to unleash his attack.

600...

He could see the madness in Conway's eyes...

500 metres...

Leo, Gabriel and Rex continued their charge, dodging Conway's stream of lava.

400... 350...

ZAP!

Spectre yelped as a bolt of lightning slammed into is chest. Jacob couldn't stop and jumped off his Animus, continuing his descent!

Spectre...!

300 metres... 250!

WHAM!

Jacob crossed his blades in front of him as Conway's bolt of lightning struck his weapons, slowing his descent. The charged bolts slammed against his cheek and flesh, ripping out fur and skin alike as he fought to press his weight against the oncoming torrent of electricity!

200 metres... 150... 140... 130...

Almost...

120 metres...

... there...!

110 metres... 105... 106... 107... 108!

Crap!

He was slowing down too much! He could feel the force of Conway's electrical beam start pushing him back upwards!

Crrack...

The ground beneath Conway suddenly broke a little.

Confusion crossed the lieutenant's features as he quickly glanced down.

WHAM!

Rocky Groundwater, Elemental Lord of Earth, erupted from the beneath Conway Earthsire, driving her fist right into Conway's chin!

Time seemed to slow as Conway's face was forced upwards, twisting back as the shock in his eyes slowly turned into blinding pain. The stream of lightning and lava from his paws trickled down into nothingness. His body arched upwards, flying a good six metres into the air and hovering there for a few short moments as the lightning from his cage dwindled and flickered out.

Then -

SWISH!

Jacob landed with a heavy thud... blood staining the blades of his swords...

"Aaaaaaaargh!"

Conway Earthsire hit the ground hard...

... and his arms landed a second later.

Both his limbs lay about two metres away from him, bleeding profusely as the stumps on his body twitched with agony. The bear arched his back, screaming in pain... and in defeat. The storm quickly abated, the afternoon sun shining in as the clouds drifted away. Conway's screams became less of pain and more of frustration. Between his cries, he managed to scream 'I'll kill you'.

"You are a sad, desolate man, Conway," Rocky sighed, standing over the fallen lieutenant. "I gave you the chance to redeem yourself. To make up for causing a war that tore up this entire city and killed countless others... and for what!? To retrieve your daughter who you had alienated in the first place!? Then you go behind my back, cause a Plague and kill my people!?

"What kind of monster are you!?"

Jacob stood, dismissing his blades and stepping up beside Rocky. He gazed down at the broken Conway. "The same kind of monster as the king in Starboy," he answered. "Greedy... selfish... Willing to do anything to achieve his own goals... The King used his own daughter to ensure his own immortality... Conway used his own daughter as a weapon."

Rocky gave him a puzzled look. "I didn't know you had finished the rest of Starboy..."

Oh right... I didn't...

Erm... Um...

"It was predictable."

The Elemental Lord gave him a small smile and they turned their attention back ton Conway. Jacob felt Rex, Leo and Gabriel flank him.

"Should we bring him back to Eden...?" Rex asked softly.

Gabriel shook his head and scowled. "He has caused the suffering of countless people all for his personal gain. He has betrayed the trust of those who had sought his protection. He has perverted the souls of those he has killed all in the name of his los daughter! He has betrayed you, Rocky! Surely there are some who are beyond forgiveness!"

Leo nuzzled Jacob tenderly. "He did what he did out of love... If I ever lost my mate... I am sure I would go to all ends to see him returned to me..."

Erk...

Great... So now, if I end up telling Leo that I may not end up learning how to love him because I might actually love my half-brother in more ways than a brother should, Leo will kill everyone, try to make a grotesque statue of me and put my soul inside it...?

...

I'm doomed.

"Jacob?" Rocky asked, eyes turning to him. "What do you think I should do?"

Conway was rapidly losing blood... he wouldn't last for very much longer.

Narrowing his eyes, Jacob said, "I think you should let him live."

"What!?" Gabriel barked. "Why!? Why does he deserve such forgiveness!?"

"It's not forgiveness," Jacob answered, taking out the Seal containment unit. "We take from him his Seals. Stop him from every getting another Seal ever again. He wasn't his daughter so bad? Then let him live forever know he can never have her again."

The ram snorted with a grim grin on his face. "I suppose that is true... Killing him would only reunite him with his daughter and that would be a mercy. I changed my mind. Let him live and suffer the rest of his days with a hole in his heart that he knows he can never fill again."

Conway's eyes suddenly flashed into clarity. "No...! NO!"

Huge spires of crystal erupted from the ground, knocking Jacob and the others back. The greenish crystals crowned Conway as the lieutenant staggered to his feet with surprising strength. Behind him, the earth ripped open and the crystal statue of Rose Earthsire emerged from the depths of its resting place. Beneath the glimmering surface of the crystal, countless souls wailed and screamed, trying to press their faces against the crystal in a vain attempt to escape.

Oh shit...

"I will not be denied!" Conway roared, blood spewing from his lips. "I... I have worked too hard to not be with my daughter...! My Rose will live even if I must die!"

BOOM!

"Conway!"

A crystal spear erupted from the ground just behind Conway piercing his spine and bursting out of his chest! The lieutenant was lifted off his feet, laughing all the way as his blood seeped down the length of the crystal and his life faded from his body.

"Rose! My final gift to you...!"

Conway let out a choking gasp.

"My... Rose..."

His body went limp.

The crystal statue's eyes suddenly flicked open...

Countless souls roiled beneath the featureless lids as Rose Earthsire slowly uncurled her body.

BOOM! BOOM!

She peeled herself from the crystal spire which she was attached to... standing on the mountain side and looming over the entire group and even towering over the peak of the mountain!

Oh crap...

"Rocky! Watch out!"

Jacob jerked to his right just as a blinding green light erupted from Conway's body. The light shot straight towards Rocky, spearing her heart. Another branch of the light entered the crystal Rose.

Crap! The Seal!

Rocky staggered, clutching her chest, her eyes wide. Her eyes were darting from left to right in a panic. Jacob moved to aid her but she suddenly stood up straight, blinking.

"I... I remember..." she whispered, clutching the side of her head. She suddenly wavered and collapsed. Rex managed to catch her and lay her down slowly. "I remember... everything..."

"What happened!?" Gabriel demanded. "What was that light!?"

He doesn't know...?

Maybe Gabriel is just a pawn after all...

"Conway possessed the Seal that held Rose Earthsire's memories," Rex answered. "When he died, the Seal went to where it's meant to be... and the memories came flooding back to Rocky..."

Damn... So Rocky is out of the picture...

He straightened and watched the enormous crystal Rose pick up the spire she had been pinned to and wield it like a club.

So we're one Elemental Lord down...

... how are we going to beat this thing...?

Damn, I wish Eden or Behemoth were here...

Would be handy to have all the Branded here.

...

An idea hit him.

Wait a second!

He regarded his left arm... at his glowing Brand...

That body was created using the power of a Seal... Conway used his Seal to create the statue using the memories he had of Rose...

... but a Seal_is still the core of its very being..._

... The Plague worked by creating Seals in people... and then using that connection to Rose to bring them all towards this statue!

"Guys!" he shouted, summoning his swords. "Cover me!"

The crystal Rose let out a scream... an agonised one filled with the torment and pain of all those people who had died to the Plague. Belford had been right... The creature was nothing more than a collection of everyone's suffering and its sole purpose was to cause more suffering in others. Plunging the world into absolute pain and agony still wouldn't be enough for it.

Conway... I pity you.

The statue lifted its left leg and brought it crashing down upon Jacob.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Countless missiles shot into its shin, causing it to recoil. Massive meteors can crashing down from beyond the atmosphere and slammed into its kneecap. Cerberus and Leo shot into the air, forming a roiling arrow of darkness that slammed into the foot with enough force to cause the creature to stagger.

Now!

Jacob leapt at the temporarily lowered foot and drove both his swords into the crystal surface. Radiance and Requiem bit deep into the crystal but did little else.

Until Jacob reached for the power of his Brand.

His Brand glowed brightly against his left shoulder, emitting a blinding white light. The crystal Rose threw back its head and howled in agony. Countless Seals began spilling out of the light, each one shattering like glass. A ghostly soul gave a sigh of relief with each broken Seal and drifted away from its crystal prison.

The crystal Rose suddenly lurched forward and kicked out with its left leg. Jacob seized his swords before he was hurled into the air. He let his Brand's power surge through him and -

FWASH!

... let out a deafening roar as he entered his Brand Form. Muscles bulging and wings of light shining, He dove back at the crystal Rose. He noted that the left leg had lost its crystal glimmer and had turned into pure, black stone.

Yes!

As if realising its weakness was exposed, the crystal Rose roared and lunged at Jacob, swatting at him with its long, crystal arms. Jacob swerved in the air and deftly landed on the creature's arm. He bolted up the length of its forearm, dragging his Brand-imbued blades along the length of the crystal creature's arm. Seals broke with his every step, souls pouring out of the crystal Rose's arm and blackening its crystal flesh.

With its other paw, the crystal Rose swatted at Jacob.

BAM!

A fiery meteor struck the massive, crystal paw, sending it reeling backwards. Jacob glanced over his shoulder back at the ground. Rex and Gabriel stood back to back. The ram slammed his foot into the ground, summoning a large chunk of rock from the ground. The two quickly spun around and struck the rock both with their weapons. The boulder became encased in shimmering, blue flames that slammed straight into the crystal Rose's forehead.

Grinning, Jacob increased his speed, zooming up the crystal Rose's arm. Crystal spikes and barriers erupted from the creature's arm, barring his path. He leapt over several and sliced at the others. Wherever his blades touched, souls were released and Seals broken.

One crystal erupted right in front of him and shaped itself in the form of a bear...

... Conway...

The crystal Conway lifted its paws as if trying to stop Jacob.

He could see the hollow visage's mouth peel open in a desperate 'No'.

Jacob just tore right through it and charged towards the crystal Rose's head.

BOOOM!

The monstrous crystal creature turned its gaze towards him.

He skidded to a halt -

SHOOOM!

Bright, burning lasers erupted from its eyes, tearing up its own arm and zooming towards him.

Jacob jerked to his left and lunged into the air, spreading his wings. A black bolt of energy surged down from the ground. The darkness pressed down against his feet and hurled him high into the air, the geyser pushing him past the clouds and high above the crystal Rose!

He hefted his two physical swords into the air, pressing them against one another and channelling his power deep into the blades. Scintillating light erupted from the weapon, the sheer might of the weapon outshining the sun.

He felt more power surge into his weapon.

Huge chunks of molten rock shot upwards and combined with the shining light around his blade, encasing it completely and giving it solid form. Between the cracks, the light of his blade glowed. Shadows curled around the blade, infusing the molten rock and draining the light around it so the only source of illumination around the blade came from inside the weapon itself. Shining stars dropped down from the cosmos and fused with the molten blade, turning the burning red into an ethereal blue and encasing the blade in crackling, sapphire fire.

Jacob grinned and stared down at the crystal Rose Earthsire beneath him.

"You wanna be perfect?" he roared, diving straight down.

The crystal Rose lifted his arms, trying to defend itself, its eyes wide in horror.

For the briefest of instances... the features of the bear on the statue twisted... forming the shadowy visage of Conway Earthsire...

"Then die!"

BOOOOOM!

Jacob brought his mighty blade crashing down. He tore right through the crystal monster's muzzle, shooting down its gullet and tearing up its innards before bursting out of its back and landing with a deafening thud on the ground.

The greenish crystal of the crystal monstrosity blackened... turning into a crumbling black rock. Thousands... of Seals drifted into the air. Each one broke and a soul departed into peace with a relieved sigh. It was like every Seal that peeled away from the crystal took with it the light that made the crystal hauntingly beautiful.

The crystal statue froze... unmoving as the life left its eyes and its entire body blackened. Its paws froze forever over itself head in a position like it was reaching desperately for salvation from above. Its remaining leg collapsed and fell to a kneeling position before it turned black and became lifeless.

The enormous statue looked like a repentant woman praying to the gods for salvation...

Jacob slowly rose to his feet, the sword that was made from the combined strengths of all his friends and family crumbling to nothingness. His eyes remained on the statue of Rose Earthsire... In the afternoon sun, there was an eerie solemness in the statue's agonised features and its penitent position.

I wonder if Conway was truly repentant at the end...

"Jake!"

Rex, Leo and Rocky ran towards him, relief on their faces. Even Gabriel had a begrudgingly respect on his face.

He found a gentle smile crossing his features.

Boom!

He jerked to his right, his smile quickly fading.

In the far distance... he saw a plume of smoke...

"What's that!?" Rex exclaimed.

Jacob felt something vibrating in the pocket of his coat and he reached into it. He found the replacement sunglasses that Bill had given him.

He put them on...

... the words on it made his heart run cold.

Bill Williamson: Reaper! Get back to Eden now_!_