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Episode 6: Silent Storm

"The only thing worse than a dictatorship is a dictatorship that's disguised as a 'free democratic society'. The only worse than that is if the people actually believe they're a 'free democratic society'."

Britney Fells

Anti-MODD Activist

"It comes from the very essences of the people it has consumed into its very being!"

Jacob wasn't sure how to feel.

He knew MODD was crooked - what corporation wasn't? - but farming people to become Seals!?

There some form of irony in the idea he was learning all this whilst on a farm but it didn't really register. Something was boiling inside of him... something he thought he would never feel again...

_Hatred_for MODD...

And revulsion at Winston Boswin.

As much as he would've liked to have snapped Caroline Boswin's neck himself, he just couldn't believe Winston ripped apart his own daughter's personalities just to harvest their power!

"And since those creatures will forever be trapped within the Seal," Winston continued, maniacally cackling, "they will suffer for eternity and continue to provide strength for the Seal!"

Thus... the answer to the eternal question: 'where does the power of the Seals come from?'

People...

_"I wonder if this qualifies as cannibalism...?"_Spectre murmured. While the question made light of the situation, Jacob could sense the disgust, fear and horror in the Animus' voice.

Not now Spectre...

"And here's the best part!" Boswin laughed, his eyes mad and wide. "There were only four Seals made through the Pollenburn Plague! My Seal which came from my dear departed wife." He sniggered, mocking her memory. Jacob had seen the portrait of Winston's wife and while she looked just as haughty and a pig in every sense of the word, she surely did not deserve to be trapped in a Seal, her soul constantly used to power her husband's evil machinations!

"The Seal of your lieutenant, Sherry Stormrock," Winston continued, "the Seal of your best friend, Marcus Willows... and..."

He knew exactly what was coming next...

... and he recalled Zack's words...

"The truth is a terrible thing. Some people would prefer to live in the lie instead of disregarding all they have come to know and love. Gale isn't one of those people. If he sees an injustice or a lie, he'll fight hard to correct it."

"Your, Seal Gale! The Seal of Fate's Winds was a product of the Pollenburn Plague!"

Jacob had suspected there was something odd about the Pollenburn Plague... but he never imagined that it was an orchestrated event that was basically just a bid for power.

Rage boiled within him.

"Here's the kicker," Bowsin snickered, that insane grin back on his face. "When it comes to Seals made in this process, the stronger the bond between you and main soul that is used to make the Seal, the higher your Synchronisation Rate. Sure countless other souls may be fused with the Seal but there is only one soul that forms the anchor, the... 'representative' of the Seal, so to speak.

"Can you guess whose essence your Seal is using, Gale?"

Memories of that dream-like Pollenburn filled Jacob's mind. He wasn't sure if it was some vision or some weird epiphany created from his semi-insane subconscious but he was sure he knew who had become the core of Gale's Seal... and, looking at Gale's eyes, he guessed the ExIT Commander knew as well.

"Your bond must be truly strong to have obtained a 100% Synchronisation Rate, Gale," Boswin said. "I am truly jealous. Of course, no matter how much my dear departed wife loved me, I still only have an 85% Synchronisation Rate."

Obviously, she didn't love you that much...

"And that is where the Brands come in..."

Jacob went rigid.

What...?

"With the Brands, we can obtain full Synchronisation Rates!" Boswin shouted, throwing his hands into the air. "Doesn't matter what Seal, doesn't matter who! We can subjugate everyone and anyone! Better yet, now that my two daughters have passed, I can reap the rewards of my harvest and absorb their Seals!"

The presence of the Brands on the Boswin sisters suddenly made a lot of sense. The Boswins were tied directly with MODD. They possessed powerful Seals but obviously did not have a high Synchronisation Rate. But, with a Brand, they could unleash the full potential of their Seals.

Brands that MODD gave them...

"What!?" Gale croaked. He was tearing up.

"I let the seeds grow," Winston laughed, light springing from his palms. He quickly absorbed the strength from his daughters. "...and when they are ripe for the harvest, I kill the plants to make myself stronger!"

Winston Boswin's body suddenly became encased in a swirling vortex of darkness and ice. He rose into the air and let out a triumphant roar that shook our surroundings and knocked Gale and Taylor off their feet. Jacob remained standing, gritting his teeth against rush of winds.

"Now behold!"_Boswin shouted, his voice echoing just like his daughter's. _"The might of not one, not two but three_Seals!"_

Jacob felt another rush of wind and felt a crushing sense of hopelessness fill him as Gale shot away into the air. He was about to shout for the chimpanzee to return... then he remembered the revelations the poor guy was just faced with. Everything he knew... all that he had built his life upon... it was all a lie. Given the circumstances, Jacob knew he would've run away as well.

His eyes flicked back towards Boswin.

BOOOM!

A huge twelve-foot creature that looked like a ridiculously bloated pig landed in front of them, crushing the bodies of the Boswin girls beneath its gargantuan girth. Black, gold and icy-blue armour covered the majority of its body. Those parts that were not concealed where a sickly, shiny coat of gold just like the Unsealed. Boswin's head was encased in a helm that looked like three different faces merged into one, a central face and two others planted on its sides. In one of his gorilla-like arms was a long, shovel just like Dorothy's. In the other was a massive sickle. As a final tribute to Caroline, there were two parasols acting as shoulder pads for the gargantuan, fat creature.

"I am unstoppable!"

Jacob embedded Radiance into the ground, clutching his left shoulder as his Brand glowed brightly against his paw. "Betcha a good heart attack will put a stop to you! Spectre!"

He threw the orb of light in his paws straight at Winston. Spectre erupted from the sphere, charging straight at Boswin and biting down hard on the pig's shoulders, tearing out a large chunk of flesh. Boswin barely registered it and swatted at the winged wolf. Spectre dodged nimbly aside and split open his jaws, unleashing a barrage of blinding beams straight down. Boswin snarled and swung his shovel at Spectre but was too slow.

Spectre landed right next to Jacob, hackles raised and growling.

Boswin began healing his injuries.

"You think you can defeat me, pup!? I possess the power of three_Seals_ and_a Brand! Not even an Elemental Lord dares stand up against me!"_

"Yeah!?" Taylor cried, "well..." He paused for a second. "Uh... You suck!"

Jacob felt like he had just been hit by that flaming frying pan. "We need to work on your bad-guy taunting skills."

"What? You taunt yourself?"

Touché...

"Just summon Prometheus so we can kick ass."

Taylor gripped the back of his right paw, flames surging out of his Brand. There was a look of surprise on Boswin's face as the cougar brought up the titanic, muscular, burning lion. Prometheus let out a terrible roar that shook the earth and sent a wave of heat that looked about ready to cook Boswin.

"What's this!? You can both_summon a creature!? How!? I assumed that was an ability unique to Reaper's Brand!"_

Clearly Boswin knew more about the Brands than even Jacob did. As tempted as he was to squeeze that information out, Jacob doubted he was going to get a straight answer. Torture was always an option and despite knowing how much of a bitch Caroline and Dorothy were, he felt it right to avenge their deaths. It was in no way fair. Sure he was a bad guy but the best thing about being a bad guy was that he could choose when the law applied to him.

Good guys always have to abide by the law.

Bad guys, it was optional.

"There's a lot about our Brands you don't know about," Jacob bluffed. "For instance... You say you have the power to three Seals!?"

Jacob exposed his left arm, his Brand glowing brightly against his black fur.

A big, black and gold Seal appeared hovering over Winston's left hand - the one he was wielding the shovel with. The Seal appeared to have three similar shovels crossing one another. There was a sound like shattering glass and the Seal broke. Winston's shovel instantly dissipated in a burst of light and the mutated pig's eyes went wide in horror.

"What did you do!?"

Before the fat ass could full recover from the shock, Jacob was at his feet, plunging his swords deep into the pig's armour and drawing blood. He used his embedded blades as leverage, climbing up the swine's body until he was level with the madman's face.

"Ha-ha," he taunted darkly eyes staring directly into Winston's, "I broke your Seal."

He drove Radiance straight into the pig's face, cutting through the armour and piercing the squishy grey matter.

Then he pulled the trigger.

The force of the blow sent him somersaulting backwards and landing back on the ground, both his swords primed for attack. Prometheus and Spectre didn't let Winston recover. The two Animus charged, Prometheus picking up the fat, rounded tub of lard and threw him high into the air. The Animus threw his chakrams at Winston, each blade erupting into flames and slicing deep into the madman's flesh. Spectre lunged forward, curling into a ball and erupting into a big sphere of light that darted continuously against Winston, bashing the monster with each impact.

Winston came back down -

WHAM!

...and landed on his back..

Jacob smelled roast pork.

... and heard dull laughter.

"Is that all you have?"

Damn...

Winston rolled back up to his feet, grinning as his shovel returned. "I see... Your power to render my Seal useless is only temporary. That would be frightening if I did not possess more than one Seal!"

He figured that out fast...

Jacob's Seal Break - as Albert had dubbed it - was a deadly ability to Seal Bearers. For those living under the rule of MODD, Seals were essential to all life. Without a Seal, they were weak and helpless. Jacob could temporarily sever their link with their Seals, practically ensuring they were incapable of defending themselves for a few precious seconds. The best part was, Jacob could keep using his ability over and over again during the course of the battle. He could even break multiple Seals at once... The only drawback was that it took a second or two of focus for him to break a Seal.

He doubted Winston would give him those few seconds.

Okay... Different strategy then...

"You are a skilled warrior, Reaper,"_Winston laughed, waddling closer. Every step he took shook the ground and each step sent the multiple layers of fat on his enormous body jiggling in a mesmerising dance. It was almost hypnotic... _"However, no matter how skilled you are, raw power will always_win!"_

"Then in this case, you will lose!"

That was a voice he didn't recognise.

It was feminine, confident and quite sharp. Musical, almost. And it was coming from behind Winston.

Jacob had to take three steps to his left to look past the fat pig.

His jaw dropped.

He never thought he would be grateful to see MODD troops... but suddenly, he was.

There had to be a hundred heavily armed ANVIL troops lined across the snow-covered farmlands. About thirty double-barrelled tanks rose ominously behind them and some mobile artillery. They even had a mobile beam cannon! All had their weapons primed towards Winston.

At the forefront of the army stood an avian - a falcon if he judged right. Like Gale, she was dressed in the black and gold of an ExIT officer under Gale's command. However, her clothing was more tight-fitting and showed off her voluptuous figure. In her right hand she held an odd looking sword... It looked like the blade was cut into small, hand-sized segments and held together by thin pieces of string. Logic would dictate the blade would be limp but it actually held straight. She actually held the blade like a cane, the point at the ground.

"Winston Boswin!" the woman shouted. "You are hereby under arrest for the abuse of Seals, the murder of Caroline and Dorothy Boswin, attempted murder, conspiracy against Lord Gale Winthrop, unfair treatment of workers and sabotage!"

That's a long list...

The irony hit Jacob that MODD were basically bad guys too... and given the current situation, they were using the law to their advantage when clearly they hadn't followed it before.

It also struck him as a little frightening that a private corporation could make arrests.

"Lieutenant Stormrock,"_Winston sniggered darkly, turning to face the falcon. _"I believe we had an arrangement, did we not? You promised to look the other way so long as I continued to keep Pollenburn aloft from bankruptcy and ruin." He bowed slightly though it was more like a weird jiggling considering he wasn't actually capable of bowing. "This is simply my effort to meet the prerequisites of our deal."

"That's a lie!" Shana came running from the snow-covered field.

Shana! No!

"He sent his daughters to attack my farm!" she cried. "He sent his lackeys to sabotage me and hurt my Darren!"

Stormrock's eyes widened. "Look out -!"

_"Bitch!"_Winston roared and threw his sickle straight at Shana.

No!

Jacob bolted forward.

Swish!

Pain erupted from his chest and his legs gave out from beneath him. Despite the weakness and burning agony that shot throughout his body, he still managed to keep his arms straightened, keeping himself barely above Shana who lay beneath him, her eyes quivering in shock. His fangs were gnashed together and he tried to force a quivering smile but failed miserably.

"Jacob..."

"Hey..." he grunted, blood spurting from his muzzle. "I've had worse..."

Too bad she didn't.

Slowly... His eyes travelled down his own chest... to where the sickle was poking out just over his abdomen... and pierced Shana's chest.

Goddamnit!

"S - S - Stay with me..." he begged.

Her eyes wavered... but then focused intensely towards him. "Take care of Darren..."

Then they closed and her head went limp.

"Shana!"

Despite the sickle ploughing right through his back and severing his spine, Jacob reached around his back, grasped the blade and pulled it right out, feeling it slide out of Shana's chest and through his body. His regeneration started kicking in and as feeling returned to his legs, he shakily got to his feet, the bloodied weapon in his paws.

"You know what I'm going to do to you Winston?" he growled, slowly turning towards the pig.

The confidence in Winston's face faded.

"I'm going to make the Pollenburn Plague look like a cold."

He felt a presence beside him and an odd, pine-like scent mixed with an electrical sensation like he had been hit by a thousand volts there and then.

"Try to leave a body," Stormrock said, her voice cold. From the corner of his eye, he could make out two MODD soldiers pulling Shana onto a stretcher. "I want to know if it was the combination of Seals and Brands that made him go crazy or he's just power hungry."

"How much of the body do you need?"

"Everything."

"I'll give you half."

"Three-quarters."

"Half."

"Five-eighths."

"Deal."

Stormrock lifted her odd weapon above her head. "Ready!"

Winston flinched.

"Aim!"

"Wait! We can make a deal! Do you know where your Seal comes from!?"

"Fire!"

Technology was an amazing thing especially when applied to weaponry. Despite possessing various types of energy weapons - from lasers, plasma to pure disintegration - kinetic weaponry was not forgotten. It was quite amusing since soldiers either had one or both types for use against opponents who either had kinetic barriers or energy shielding.

Bullets, lasers, plasma balls and multiple types of missiles and rockets shot past Jacob as he and Sherry Stormrock charged at Winston Boswin. The fat pig tried to fight back but against the endless barrage from more than a hundred ANVIL soldiers and the powers of both Jacob and Sherry, he might as well have walked into an abattoir and thrown himself into the processing machine.

There was blood, flesh and screams everywhere.

Jacob didn't register any of it. All he saw were the faces of Dorothy, Caroline, Shana, Darren, Leonardo, Danny and countless others he didn't recognise. Every sword slash, laser blast and sonic slice was for each of them. All to destroy the monster that had used, manipulated and destroyed their lives in a petty attempt to get more power.

There was rage, yes, but more than anything, there was a deep sadness that countless people suffered for the one thing that dictated how the world worked: power.

Balthazar had ruined Jacob's family for power.

MODD and destroyed Pollenburn for power.

Winston had devastated his own family for power.

Jacob was only partially aware he had actually stopped attacking but everything was blurry. He waited for his vision to clear from the maddened haze but when it didn't, he blinked. Wetness brushed against his cheek, soaking into his fur and he realised he was crying. Quickly, brushed away the tears and stared at the beaten corpse of Winston Boswin. He wanted to do desecrate that body... rip it into a billion pieces and scatter each piece into the winds just like the ashes of Bloomcrest...

... but he decided against it.

"Jay...?"

He glanced to his right and found Taylor standing there. There was a bit of blood covering the cougar and Jacob realised he had joined the battle as well.

"I'm not crying," he muttered gruffly, glancing away. Even without looking at the cougar, he could feel the smile crawling onto the feline's face. "I'm just... excreting precum... from my eyes... Yeah... because I find getting rid of Boswin... arousing..."

Taylor chuckled softly. "Alright. If you say so..."

"I would've orgasmed if I had the opportunity to turn him into some form of pork sausages and used his remains to 'fertilise' the ground."

Making that reference to what Winston did to his own daughters brought up an image of both Dorothy and Caroline. His chest tightened at the thought that if Winston hadn't essentially stolen his daughter's identities, those two could be elsewhere, free of their father's evil. Caroline actually wanted to get away from Pollenburn...

Damnit...

Spectre came up to him and nuzzled him gently, licking his neck.

"Don't fight it, Jacob..."_the Animus said telepathically. _"Your heart has been left to wither for a long time... It's about time that you let it bleed a little... just to show that there's still blood in your veins."

For some reason...those words just broke up each of Jacob's defences. In the back of his mind, he imagined Winston's words had poked a tiny pinprick of a hole in his black, shrivelled heart, causing a small burst of blood to shoot out of the wound. With Spectre's words combined with Taylor's presence, his heart just exploded into a bloody mess.

Tears came back unbidden and Jacob buried his muzzle into Spectre's thick fur, sobbing quietly. Each teardrop felt like it was blood coming from his heart. While he was loathed to admit it, every murder he had committed was always for some reason that could be justified if seen from his perspective. He never did anything wrong...

And only now he was starting to realise that.

He wasn't sure how or why... but whatever hold Balthazar had on him just seemed to break and he realised that all those 'crimes' he committed weren't so bad after all. Granted he stole and caused wanton destruction but more than anything, that was out of survival. All the people he killed were horrific - just as bad or worse than Winston.

He did what was right... even if he thought it was wrong...

"Jacob...?"

He didn't pull his face away. "It's not fair..." he growled through his tears and fangs, beating his fists weakly against Spectre's neck. "It's not bloody fair!"

Someone was patting his shoulder... He assumed it was Taylor.

"They didn't have to die!" he shouted into Spectre's neck. "Goddamnit! Bloomcrest didn't have to burn!"

"I know, Jacob... I know..."

That wasn't Taylor.

Jacob straightened and turned around. He was surprised to find that it was Kerry who was comforting him. Joanna and the others were gathered around the charred and bloodied remains of Winston Boswin. Sherry Stormrock was scowling at the fat bastard and barking orders to her troops. They were probably going to take Winston's body for examination. Some odd devices were jammed right into Winston's corpse. Jacob wanted to protest and destroy the body to stop all other experimentation of their kind but he recalled Winston's last words before he was consumed in his sorrowful rage.

"Wait! We can make a deal! Do you know where your Seal comes from!?"

Sherry didn't know where her Seal came from...

... which meant she was just as big a victim as Gale...

He straightened, rubbing the tears away from his eyes and steeling his heart again.

"Lieutenant Stormrock," he said, his voice breaking slightly.

The falcon regarded him with piercing green eyes. Her expression softened as she said something to her sergeant and walked over.

"Thank you for your aid, Reaper. I'm sure Gale has some explaining to do as to why you and he are working side by side but I have it in good faith that he is doing what he thinks is best and I only want what is best for him." She nodded towards Winston's body which broke another hovering gurney. "I'm no doubt expected to have solid copies of the Brands and Seals that Boswin used..." She smiled grimly. "But I see no reason that it might have become 'lost in transition'."

A smile tugged at Jacob's lips. He liked Sherry. "Thanks..."

She gave him a sad smile. "A lot of people had to die needlessly for this..." Slowly, she reached for her chest. "Knowing where my Seal comes from is a terrible burden... One that I live with every day."

Jacob blinked.

"Wait... So you know?"

Sherry snorted grimly. "Officially, no. It's one of the better secrets that MODD keeps from its own employees. Marcus and I know. I am not sure who else does but I do know that Gale doesn't know."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Jacob growled, trying to force down his anger.

He couldn't believe that the two people closest to Gale would keep such a secret from him!

"Gale is very fragile, Reaper," she said softly. "So much so that a realisation like this would surely break apart his mental state. I'm not sure what kind of information Boswin gave him but I had hoped to tell him the truth once he restored Pollenburn to the glory Bloomcrest enjoyed. It would have been an appropriate time."

Jacob clenched his fists tightly. Taylor wrapped a paw around his left one, easing him slightly.

"What did you mean by 'officially'?" the cougar asked.

Sherry let out a bitter laugh. "I had to find out for myself. One thing about working for MODD, never trust anyone. Not even MODD. I did a bit of sleuthing and I found out all about the Eternal Seal. Being part of the Experimental Intelligence Troop has it's advantages that I doubt even the members of SWORD have." Her eyes darted to her subordinates. "Unfortunately, imagine what would happen if everyone were to realise what the Seals really were..."

Jacob did...

Anarchy... bedlam... total chaos.

Entire religions were devoted to the Seals. More than half the world used them and Mortaelians had become so dependent on them that to realise the symbols they had been using for centuries were really their loved ones would devastate society! People would go insane from the knowledge... There would be riots and attacks on locations that relied heavily on the Seals...

MODD wasn't just a super-corporation...

... it had become Mortaelis...

Damn...

"It's the peril of my position," Sherry murmured, glancing away. Her eyes were narrowed, fury in her eyes. "I can't go public with this information even with the support of my peers. The world we care about would crumble right before our very eyes." Those eyes flicked back to Jacob. "I can't help you directly, Reaper, but rest assured we'll do everything we can to aid you."

"'We'?"

"Yes. Marcus, Gale and I. I'm not sure how many people will support us if any will at all but hopefully with the three of us, you will stand a better chance of convincing the other Elemental Lords not only of Balthazar's treachery but of the corruption of MODD."

Jacob was startled.

Sherry knew all about Gale's plan... She was a very dangerous enemy... but an even better ally.

"How'd -" Jacob choked slightly, forcing back his emotions. " -how'd you manage to nullify Winston's Brand? He should've regenerated."

"Come to think of it," Taylor chimed in, "Dorothy and Caroline should've regenerated as well... Unless their injuries were too severe...?"

Sherry gave them both a faint smile. "I have no doubt that both the Boswin sisters would have regenerated in time. The Brands allow for total regeneration even from death provided enough energy is provided. With their Seals, they would have returned to full fighting form in time."

"But Winston took them..." Jacob murmured.

"Yes..." Sherry nodded towards the ruined farmhouse. "Why don't we take this inside?" Her tone indicated that it wasn't a request. "You all best come along."

Jacob regarded the other guests - Kerry, Christy, Joanna and Max. Whether he liked it or not, they were now involved in this... witnesses to the atrocities of MODD. Each of them had different expressions on their faces. Christy looked utterly puzzled, Kerry was saddened, Joanna appeared like this was quite routine to her while Max was furious. He didn't know the basis for each of their emotions... but he knew they had lost their 'innocence'.

No matter where their paths lead, they were all in the same boat now.

Guilt flooded him... He couldn't help but feel responsible for what they had experienced... and where their lives would now lead.

Spectre nudged his back lightly. "Go on, Jake. No matter where you path may take you, you won't go anywhere unless to move."

He followed Sherry towards the farmhouse, Taylor trailing him closely followed by Joanna and Christy. Kerry hung back, regarding the devastation around them before hurrying after. Max was the last to follow, his entire body shaking lightly from anger.

"Shana..." Jacob began.

"On her way to the Pollenburn Hospital as we speak," Sherry answered, taking a tablet from an assistant. She scrolled through the contents of the holographic screen and nodded. "Her injuries aren't severe. She fainted more out of shock than anything else but she'll be fine."

Relief washed over Jacob but he hid it behind a small cough.

"Back to your original question," Sherry continued. "Those devices we stuck on Winston nullify the power of his Seals and Brands. Unlike your Brands which are bound to you, the Brands we gave him is bound his Seal. I doubt your Brand can actually suck the power out of a Seal. We don't understand enough about them and our scientists merely tried to fill in the blanks in their knowledge.

"In essence, both Seal and Brand are one in the same. Cancel one out and the other falls. We'll work to extract his Seal from him."

"Is there any way we can free the souls trapped within the Seals?" Taylor asked.

Sherry stopped on the doorstep of the farmhouse. Despite there being a gaping hole in the side of the house, she still insisted on using the door. "Not that I am aware of... As you can imagine, I only managed to get a few bits of information when I found the Eternal Seal. MODD doesn't document a possibility to return the trapped back to their original states."

Of course they won't...

... They've built an empire around sacrificing people...

... they wouldn't leave the key to their demise just lying around...

"I can tell you what really happened to Bloomcrest, however," Sherry said, pressing a few buttons on her tablet.

They found the dining table relatively untouched. Jacob flipped it back right-side up while everyone grabbed their chairs. Spectre wandered inside through the hole in the wall and sat right next to Jacob. A few of the others were uneasy at the presence of the Animus. Prometheus stood guard outside, arms crossed threateningly.

"What really happened to this place?" Kerry asked, the sadness in her voice weighing down on everyone's hearts, even Jacob's.

Part of Jacob didn't want to hear the tragedy... but he knew that it was essential.

"What's on your mind, Jake?"

Jacob slowly clenched his fists. Taylor noticed but didn't do anything this time. There was a look of worry on the cougar's face.

I'm going to fight for Pollenburn, Spectre.

Gale has spent so much effort on me... trying to rebuild my shattered life when his own life is broken...

We're kind of the same... Both our lives are built on lies and we've lived a long time believing what we thought was the truth only to have reality prove to be the opposite...

He's rebuilding my life...

... I'll help rebuild his.

"That's my boy."

"Bloomcrest was a bustling metropolis," Sherry replied, shifting through the tablet in her hands. After a few seconds, she extracted several leafs of holographic panels and handed it to each of those around the table. Jacob grabbed the 'solid light' and read the file carefully. "It had a population of almost two million. Very prosperous especially because of the tourism industry that fuelled most of economy. With the ring of thick forests that surrounded the flowery planes, it was like a private sanctuary from the rest of the world. Self-sufficient and quite eco-friendly, Bloomcrest was seen as a beautiful paradise in an otherwise harsh world.

"The Eternal Seal is different in that it does not have a permanent host. When activated, the Eternal Seal will consume the host and that host will become the Seal the Eternal Seal makes... In theory, anyway. When used on a grand scale... things get a little out of control." Sherry set down her tablet and sighed heavily, sounding frustrated and angry at the same time. "I'm not entirely sure how many times the Eternal Seal has been activated but by the number of major Seals in MODD's possession... I'd say it is often enough..."

The only major Seals in 'direct' possession of MODD that Jacob knew about were the Prime Elemental Seals. The other Seals were kept hidden from the public. 'Corporate security', MODD claimed. There were countless other Seals in the public's possession, however. Seals that powered entire cities, provided clean water, heat during harsh winters, cool breezes during scorching summers and control over weather.

Each one was a person sacrificed...

It made Jacob fume.

"The intention in Bloomcrest was to create a Seal that could control the blossoming of the flowers," Sherry continued. "MODD wished to monopolise the flowers. Bloomcrest was a major gold mine when it came to tourism but the appeal was slowly dying as the years went by. Bloomcrest was beautiful but it wasn't one of those places you wanted to visit again after you've seen it the first time. MODD decided that if they could somehow control when, where and how the flowers bloomed, they could put on 'shows' to appease the public and attract more attention to Bloomcrest."

Again... it was greed that led to tragedy...

Jacob's claws dug into the wooden frame of the table.

"Winston Boswin was already a very successful farmer at the time and MODD approached him as he supposedly had great knowledge about how the flowers were tended despite being grown in the wild. MODD approached him with their offer and informed him all about the necessary steps required including the sacrifice of someone to become the Seal. Winston eagerly offered up his wife."

Jacob was on the verge of breaking the table in half.

"Easy there, Jake..."_Spectre soothed, resting his head on Jacob's lap. _"You're going to have to pay for that if you break it. Imagine how much you'd have to steal for that kind of money and you can't steal from Boswin this time."

I'm always open to grave robbing.

"Lillia Boswin accepted the Eternal Seal without knowing what it truly was," Sherry said grimly. "Winston took her out into the middle of the fields and asked her to activate it, telling her to try and control the flowers with it. She did so... and the results were catastrophic..."

"The Pollenburn Plague..." Joanna whispered.

"In theory, the result should have been instantaneous," Sherry said, scrolling through her tablet screen once more. "It's how Seals are supposed to get a maximum Synch Rate. If the victim is caught in a perpetual state of bliss and love for the host, they will never be aware about what happened. However... MODD suspects that Winston did something to give away his true agenda and that caused Lillia to doubt. This doubt in turn transferred to his Synch Rate with her dropping to only 85%. The remaining 15% translated into the Pollenburn Plague."

"How?" Christy asked. "From what you said, the Eternal Seal can only make more Seals. How did it make the plague?"

"MODD's official story is that Lillia's moment of doubt caused her to stray a little. She accidentally transferred the power of the Eternal Seal into the very flowers themselves." Sherry's eyes darkened. "I believe that Lillia saw the greed in her husband's eyes and attempted to get back at him... in her own way."

"The Plague?"

Sherry nodded towards the files they were presented. Jacob reached the point where it described how the Plague was very odd in how it infected people. In the case of Gale, the young chimp's brother was one of the first to be infected and Gale had carried Danny all the way back to their home. He had full contact with an infected person but never contracted any symptoms of the Plague. For the rest of his family, however, just one touch and apparently they all suffered from the Plague. There were similar cases all over Bloomcrest. Some were infected... others weren't. Circumstances would be the same but still, people were spared for some unknown reason.

"Infection was not standard..." Sherry whispered softly. "It's like there was something controlling the Plague... I don't know what but the Plague was beyond normal... all other things considered. I think MODD realised this as well and that's why they Purged Bloomcrest. Whatever the Plague really was... MODD was afraid it would continue spreading."

Jacob wondered if it was even remotely possible for those trapped within the Seals to reach out and alter the world in strange, vengeful ways. There was probably a moment before Lillia Boswin became Winston's Seal where she had enough of her consciousness intact and enough power from the Seal to reach out and twist the world to her will. In that one instant, her anger, fear and hatred rose up and became the nearly unstoppable Pollenburn Plague...

He pulled his claws from where they dug into the table.

"There have been other Purges..." he murmured.

There... Sherry fell silent.

A chill ran through the gathered group... Even Max seemed to lose his anger and froze at that realisation.

"MODD wouldn't bother to capitalise the word 'Purge' if it was just something that occurred every now and then... It's been to frequent..." His eyes darted to Sherry. "If we assume that in each of those moments..."

"The Eternal Seal was used..." Sherry finished. Instantly, she grimaced and flung her tablet at the wall, shattering it. The holographic panels in the paws or hands of the others vanished. "Damnit! I can't believe I never realised this before!"

Jacob grimly composed himself, determination filling him. "Tell me what happened after the Plague was Purged?"

Sherry was shaking in anger. "The survivors were taken to a camp outside of the Purged area. Scanners were placed over us to make sure we weren't infected though I suspect they had ulterior motives. They were allowed to rebuild their lives for about a decade. I came from a different part of Rillotia and was assigned to look after the budding Bloomcrest. I was the one that found Marcus and Gale. I trained them both. I was informed Winston obtained his Seal from MODD as well as the Seals for his daughters long before I obtained office..."

That's right... she has a Seal...

Winston mentioned that Sherry's Seal came from Pollenburn... but she wasn't a native to Pollenburn... How could she become so powerful if the Seal's origins were from so far away? If the Seal's 'anchor' determined the Synchronisation Rate for host... then how could she be so strong if she never set foot in Bloomcrest before she was assigned a position there.

"How'd you get your Seal?" he asked.

Sherry looked surprised at the question then let out a small, sad laugh. Slowly... she lifted her left hand... There was a golden wedding band there.

Oh no...

"No..." Joanna whispered. She immediately left her seat and wrapped her arms around the falcon reassuringly. Kerry and Christy went to join her and Sherry let out a soft laugh, waving them away gently.

"I've lived with the truth for a while now. I have come to terms with it." She gazed up at the ceiling. The sun was rapidly setting and they could see the starts starting to twinkle in the pinkish sky. "My fiancé was waiting in Bloomcrest when the Plague hit. It's where he wanted to propose to me." She chuckled. "Can you imagine it? Taking me out into the middle of the flowery fields, telling me how much he loved me and then bending down on one knee and asking me to marry him..."

Jacob imagined it... and was saddened by the fact that fantasy was now tainted by the thought that Sherry held the man she loved trapped forever, extracting power from his very essence. Using his existence as a bind to hold together the other souls that had died in Bloomcrest and using all their combined lives to further the purposes of the very organisation that reduced him to such a terrible state.

It must break her heart every day...

"I think that she draws comfort from the fact that the man she loves is looking after her in some way... Our loved ones never leave us. As long as we hold them in our memories, they will never die..."

Sherry sighed longingly... a tear running down her cheek. She wiped it away and shook her head. "Anyway... I don't know if it actually is him. You really can't tell." A nervous laugh escaped her beak. "For all you know it might have been a stalker that was tailing me the entire time form long distance!"

That brought a small laugh from everyone.

Jacob admired Sherry's strength... and just how well she had coped with tragedy. In comparison, he was a downright spoiled brat. He had gotten a little scratch and got lost in the world so he went around destroying everything and throwing a tantrum. For her, she had suffered on a similar level... maybe even worse. But instead of wreaking havoc upon the world, she was guiding it slowly to a better future... Sure she was helping MODD but he could sense that she had been doing little 'side projects' as well, gathering allies and readying herself for the eventual upheaval of MODD.

He had to know how she did it...

"How'd you cope...?"

Her smile was uneasy and a little grim. "Not very well, I'll admit. I sank low. Very low. I was quite harsh to both Gale and Marcus, whipping them constantly and I probably gave them a bruise or two that will never heal... But there's just something about Gale... His determination to do good things... to do things for others... I asked him once why he was so eager to help people. My argument was simply that no matter how you help people, given the chance, they'll turn on you and use you for their own needs."

True enough...

"Do you know what Gale said?"

"Tell me."

Sherry sighed, her eyes twinkling with mirth and her smile becoming stronger. "He told me he wanted to be just like the winds... The winds always move forward, never crossing the same place twice in the same way or passing it as the same kind of breeze. He will never forget where he's been, the pain, the suffering and the agony he has suffered... but he will always move forward because if he ever stopped, just like the winds, he'll perish.

"He wants to be just like the winds... always bringing the breath of fresh air those that are suffering need and being there to lift their wings and raise them into the skies to be free..."

Gale again...

Jacob realised that was what Gale was trying to do with him... That annoyingly nosy chimp was trying to be the wind beneath his wings, to lift him up over his past and his troubles to finally be free and move on. He was just too damn stubborn to open his wings and remained firmly planted on the ground.

"So... What'll you do now?"

He regarded his open palm... and slowly closed it into a fist.

I'm going to help him...

If he's going to be the wind... I'll be the guy that'll push people off the ledge so they're forced to fly...

Spectre chuckled, a loud coughing sound. "Good enough. Make sure they have cushions on the bottom just in case they don't make it, okay?"

Sure.

"It's going to be a cushion filled with jagged rocks, isn't it?"

Of course not.

Spectre gave him a penetrating look.

Fine. Explosives.

The Animus sighed and just went back to resting his head comfortably on Jacob's lap.

"Gale is truly a wonderful person," Sherry said softly. "He brings in so much light to the world. Despite what happened to him he can still stand strong and move forward. I admire that strength and when I realised this, I have tried to emulate that." She gazed at Jacob and Taylor in turn, lowering her voice. "Listen... I have contacts with the Rebels. I'm not sure how far you will go to pursue a vendetta against Balthazar but if you ever meet a Rebel, simply tell them that 'the library doors are open' and they will trust you... sort of. You may have to prove yourself but the Rebels might have a good idea on how to bring down MODD.

"Be wary however. MODD and the Rebels pose two extremes. One completely dependent on Seals and the other completely repulsed by the Seals. The reason I have been hesitant to aid them is that I'm thinking about Mortaelis as a whole. Going cold turkey on anything will drive the world to bedlam."

Jacob nodded firmly and was grateful that Sherry would share the information with them.

"Uh... Lieutenant!"

All eyes flicked towards the door where a young arctic fox was waving paws desperately. One of Prometheus' charkams blocking him from passing.

"Prometheus!" Taylor shouted. "Let him through!"

The Animus obeyed quietly and the fox scrambled up to Sherry, handing her another tablet. "This just came in ma'am."

Sherry's expression instantly darkened.

"What is it?" Kerry asked.

"Jacob... all of you..." she whispered softly. "Run."

What?

Spectre instantly shot to his feet, throwing his head back and letting out an ear-splitting howl.

"Jake! Get on!"

"What!?" he shouted. "Spectre what are you -!?"

Before he could say anything else, Spectre lunged forward, snapping up his hood in his fangs and bowling over the closest person - which was Taylor. The winged wolf instantly leapt into the air, flapping his wings and shooting into the sky. Joanna lunged at him, grasping Jacob's left leg and trying to pull him back down but Spectre was far too strong.

The ground and farmhouse dropped far below within the span of a few seconds.

"Spectre! What the hell are you doing!?" Jacob shouted.

"Jacob!" Joanna screamed, hanging on for dear life. "I can't hold -" She slipped slightly " - Help!"

Something hot and bright shot past Jacob and he jerked as countless lasers and bullet started streaming in from all around him. His heart plummeted as those double-barrelled tanks turned to the farmhouse and began firing upon Prometheus who went down with a deafening roar.

"Taylor!" He tried struggling free but remembered Joanna and realised he was only loosening her grip. "Spectre! Get us back down there! We need to help Tayl and the others!"

"No!" Spectre growled vocally. "It's suicide! Marcus is coming!"

"What!?"

There a sudden, deafening boom as the earth split beneath them. Large spears of rock shot into the air and shattered almost immediately, becoming a whirlwind of sharp, car-sized boulders. Those huge chunks of rock shot straight towards the farmhouse.

"NO!"

Lightning cascaded down from the otherwise clear sky and intercepted the bits of rock, shattering them completely.

"I'm getting you away from there!" Spectre roared, suddenly throwing both of them into the air above him. Jacob and Joanna flung through the air, flailing their limbs wildly until the landed with a loud smack on Spectre's back. "Can't you sense it? Marcus and Sherry are fighting!"

Jacob hadn't noticed but his Brand was burning like hell. Glancing back down at the farmhouse, there was some tremendous battle occurring. Rocks were flying everywhere and lightning was being flung around in all directions. Amidst it all, Prometheus was valiantly trying to defend a small group of people from the barrage of lasers and bullets.

"But Taylor -"

"Jacob, there are over a hundred MODD soldiers down there with a top ExIT soldier! Do you really think you stand a chance after all you've been through!?"

He wasn't going to admit he was tired. The battle against the Boswins had left him emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted.

"But -"

"Jacob," Joanna murmured softly, resting a paw on his shoulder. "We can go back to save them... I don't think they'll kill them. I saw the message on Sherry's tablet. It was from Balthazar. They want the Branded and anyone else cooperating with them captured."

A vision of the future hit Jacob hard.

Balthazar was going to hold his friends hostage...

"Damnit!"

He couldn't believe his rotten luck... Just when he got an ally with a strong background, the world decided to twist away and jerk towards the other side. Hope was actually starting to shine and then the big, foot of fate covered with spiked boots came down and squished it all, grinding it into the ground and doing a little tap-dance just to celebrate crushing the one bit of light in his life.

Wait...

"Marcus?" he exclaimed. "But I thought he was close to Gale and Sherry!"

"One rule about MODD..." Spectre murmured grimly. "Never trust anyone... not even MODD."

Jacob thought he was going to cry... Instead, his frustration built up around him and he straightened against Spectre's back. A deep growl built in his chest and he lifted his paws above his head. Light gathered his fingertips, forming a brilliant, blade of light longer and wider than he was.

"Jacob! Stop! You're going to kill yourself!"

He could already feel all his energy slipping into the blade but he didn't care. All that mattered was Taylor and the others. He didn't care if he perished. Just as long as they gave them some chance of survival.

His growl erupted into a thunderous roar as he hurled the blade downwards at the army.

Everything started to blur...

... but he still heard the riotous boom as his light-sword struck the middle of the MODD army...

... then darkness...

****

"My god that was stupid."

Jacob opened his eyes and instantly sat up.

He surrounded by a field of flowers...

... he was back in the dream-like Bloomcrest.

Only this time, something broke the endless flowers.

A large, black rock with an indentation in it that was big enough to be a seat. Zack was sitting in that indentation, one leg over the other and arms cross behind his head. Jacob recalled the position when his dad used to lounge around after work. He smiled at the memory but that quickly faded when he recalled what had happened... and what he had done.

"If I can give Taylor and the others some sort of chance, it's worth it."

"Did you happen to forget you also had another passenger?" Zack asked.

...

Oh...

Oops...

"You're very lucky that your Animus is quite unique," Zack chuckled, glancing at the endlessly white sky. "Even with you knocked out and nearing death from exhaustion, your Animus still managed to fly you to Pollenburn."

Spectre...

"I..."

"Have been really careless," Zack finished, straightening in that 'seat'. There was a golf club in his paws. "Every action you make affects those around you. There are chains that bind us together, Jake. When you pull at those chains, you pull at others as well. You have to stop looking at yourself and moving forward without ever thinking about others.

"I admire this thought you have in your head that you should be a lot more like Gale. Kudos on that, by the way. It's good to move on. However, you have to always remember that when you move you disturb the ground beneath your feet and you leave a trail. As you take a step, you pull those chains you've made and affect others.

"The wind is a great metaphor for moving on but if mortals just kept moving forward, then they wouldn't be mortals! They'd just be the winds!" Zack grinned at him, swinging his legs playfully. "Know when to move on, know when to stick around... and know when to turn around and help those stuck in a ditch."

Jacob glanced down. The flowers around him were arranged a little oddly. He was sitting right in the middle of a big, red circle which was encircled by a white ring. The white ring was encircled by a red one and then alternating back and forth between white and red.

Zack, of course, was right... He was a guardian angel, after all.

"So what should I do?" he asked softly.

The angel leapt off the rock and leaned on that golf club. "Well, I think the first thing you should do is consider what you're going to do next. From the sounds of it, Gale is a little tied up right now. Marcus wouldn't dare attack Sherry and you without some sort of motivation, right?"

Jacob straightened, staring at the angel with fear in his heart. "Gale's in trouble!?"

"Probably," Zack said with a shrug. He lifted that gold club. "Want me to wake you?"

Jacob jumped back, holding his paws up. "Oh no! You are not waking me up like that!"

The angel shrugged and lowered the gold club. "Just as well. You are sitting on a bullseye after all."

...

Jacob looked down at the oddly arranged flowers... red circle... white ring... red ring... white ring... red ring..

Oh no...

A shadow appeared above him...

... and he glanced up.

...

A piano fell on him.

****

"Gah!"

Jacob sat up and snarled loudly. Darkness was all around him, cut only by some faint, blurred light shifting between several metal bars.

"Stupid angel... Dropping a piano on me..."

It took him a second to realise he was in a jail cell, lying on a prison cot. The door was wide open and from the looks of the grey sky through the barred window, it was morning. With a grunt, he rolled his shoulders, massaging stiff muscles. Whatever injuries he had sustained had healed but he still felt miserably weak.

Slowly, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Around him - even with his eyes closed - he could sense the light fading and shrouding him in complete darkness. It was a technique he barely used since he often didn't need it but Albert had helped him develop it during his time training under the older canine. He absorbed the light through his flesh, transforming the very energies that scantly illuminated the cell into raw power to fuel himself. The aches and pains faded and he instantly felt refreshed.

It didn't stop the hunger, however.

His stomach growled loudly.

Sliding off the bed, he stood up...

... only to have his bare feet land on something firm and furry.

A grunt made him leap back and he glanced down to find a mass of white fur and black feathers.

Spectre.

The Animus slowly woke, his sparkling blue eyes looking up at Jacob sleepily. The large lupine yawned, showing dagger-like fangs. "That was extremely stupid, you know..."

Jacob didn't reply. He had already gotten the lecture from Zack so he wasn't up to hearing it again. In one, deft movement, he leapt over Spectre and started heading for the door. Spectre followed shortly. Food was his primary objective... and a few other things...

He left the hallway of about three other jail cells, approaching the wooden door leading to the upper floors. "Destination: apartment 3, 165 Landgrove Road. Inward bound."

Like all the times before, he opened the door and stepped back into his apartment. He shut the door before Spectre could come with him. He wasn't in the mood to talk. There was a lot going on his mind... mostly the conflicting emotions from the realisation that he was actually wrong about everything he had ever done... and the fear of having the foundations he stood on waver beneath him.

Absently, he began cleaning up the mess he had left several days ago. Mrs. Jenkins deserved to have her apartment cleaned. Several days ago, he had no intention of ever coming back to the town of Shellington. This apartment and everyone in the building was just going to be another turn of the page for him... another chapter told that he would never look back on.

But if my life is a book...

... then everything I do is documented in its pages...

And the thing about a book... Is that I can always go back and reread it... I can always edit how things went...

It was the first time he had even considered going back and addressing the problems of his past. He always felt he had to keep moving forward, that his past was this terrible monster that taking two steps to his every one, chasing him down and getting ready to consume him. In essence, he already was like the winds...

Now... he didn't want to be like the winds.

He had turned around to face his past... and one by one, he'd correct his mistakes.

But... he was going to take baby steps first...

A knock came to the door as he was shoving several mouldy pizza boxes into a rubbish bin. He grunted and threw a blast of light at the boxes, instantly reducing them to dust, before heading to the door. Mrs. Jenkins' leathery scent filtered through the door. He opened the door, smiling. The old turtle looked a little surprised to see him but she returned the smile as well.

"Oh... Jacob," she said. "I was wondering if you were back... I've been knocking everyday with no answer..."

"Just been away on a business trip," Jacob answered gently.

"Ah... I see." It didn't go past her eyes that his clothes were a little beaten up. Thankfully, there was no blood. "Are you alright?"

"I had an epiphany while I was there," he answered with a chuckle. "Had some important life lessons beaten into me..." He tapped his temple. "Thick skull."

Mrs. Jenkins chuckled. "Well, I was worried about you. I'm glad you're back safe."

Jacob dug into his pockets and pulled out a nice wad of Solars. When he had taken the money from Winston Boswin, he had pocketed some of the cash for himself and hid it in the room Shana had left him. He had hoped it would be a nice surprise for Shana if she ever fell into more trouble but had picked it up when he received his new attire.

"I may be out of town for a little while longer," he said, handing the wad - which had to be over five thousand Solars - to Mrs. Jenkins. "I need to help a few... friends. They helped me and it's my turn to lend a paw."

Mrs. Jenkins blinked at the amount in shock. "Dear... This is more than a whole year's rent!"

He winked at her. "Think of it as a contract then. I'll be sure to get my money's worth."

Her smile lifted his heart... and he realised that there were so many times he had gotten similar smiles... but only now it was starting to take effect.

"I'll see ya later, Mrs. J."

"You too, Jacob."

He shut the door and waited a few moments before running his paw against its frame. "Destination..." Then he realised he had no idea where he had been previously. "Uh... Where I was before...?"

Jacob pulled open the door and was a little surprised to find the jail hallway he had exited just an hour or so ago. He stepped through and prodded the ground with his bare foot to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. It was solid. Shrugging, he stepped through and shut the door behind him.

The soft slam seemed to wake one of the occupants of the other cells.

"Alpha...?"

Leonardo Custer slowly removed himself from the cell cot that barely fit his girth. The Tribal was suddenly very excited and happy, tail wagging excitedly.

Ugh... Just what I needed...

"Have you come to free me, Alpha?" the Tribal asked excitedly. "Have you come to make me part of your pack?"

Jacob grimaced. He had to admit that he had planned to do something to make sure Leonardo returned to Oxis without having completely failed his Pilgrimage... even if that meant 'claiming' the Tribal... but he couldn't help but think of Taylor. Now that the cougar was Branded just like him, there was a kinship there that he was unwilling to betray by screwing Leonardo.

But...

"Hold that thought," he said, holding up a finger. "I need to first make sure we're safe... and find the key to your cell."

"You are wise as always, Alpha."

Never thought I'd hear that...

Jacob turned back towards the door he had just left and explored the rest of the building. It appeared to be some sort of crude police station. He guessed that there was no jail in Pollenburn and there was just a sort of temporary holding cell beneath the police station. No one seemed to be around as he walked past the many cubicles for the various officers. He sniffed the air and detected both Spectre and Joanna close by.

He found them in the kitchen of the station.

Spectre was lapping up some water from a large bowl while Joanna had a bagel in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. They both looked up at him as he entered. The smile on Joanna's face caught him by surprise. He expected her to rage at him for letting his Animus take her away from her friends or for almost killing himself with that attack.

But she just smiled.

It was like Mrs. Jenkins' smile... full of gratitude, completely genuine...

"Thank you, Jacob."

Huh?

"For what?" he answered. "Practically kidnapping you? Making you the only one of your friends who remain free? You're probably the only person that won't get turned into a Seal now..."

Joanna chuckled and set her bagel and coffee down. "I'm not angry at you for that. I'm thankful for all you've done to try and keep me and my friends alive. Almost killing yourself to save Taylor and the others... That's pretty heroic."

Jacob bristled and his villainous instincts kicked in. "I didn't want to save them. I just wanted to save Taylor. Sex with him is good."

"Uh-huh..."

He knew he wasn't going to fool anyone especially if Joanna spoke with Spectre.

His stomach growled again and he caught sight of a few muffins. With a grunt, he walked over and snatched them up, biting into a blueberry one and leaning against the wall.

"What happened to everyone here?" he asked.

"MODD is gathering them all up," Joanna answered grimly. "Apparently, we're 'dangerous' criminals and the people aren't safe with us around. Everyone is being evacuated to Skystorm Tower."

He swallowed the muffing bits in his muzzle and scoffed loudly. "'Imprisoned' is more like it."

In the back of his mind, he knew MODD was just gathering up more people to use as material for the Seals. However, Sherry did say that in order to make a Seal, they needed the Eternal Seal... He wasn't sure but guessed that there was only one Eternal Seal. Hopefully it was nowhere near Pollenburn.

"We snuck in here after everyone left," Joanna explained, regarding her coffee thoughtfully. Her eyes darted back to him after a moment. "You must be pretty hungry. You've been out all night."

"Starved," Jacob answered, finishing off his muffing and grabbing another. "I'm surprised they didn't take Leonardo down in the cells."

"The evacuation was rather rushed. Something big must me occurring over at the Tower..."

Jacob appraised Joanna carefully. He couldn't detect any form of... resentment or hostility in her body language. She actually seemed very genuine. That puzzled him. In her position, he would be scrambling to either throttle the source of her agony - AKA Jacob - or rushing to save her friends. But she was so calm... Was that her way of coping with the situation?

"Are you alright?" he asked gently.

"Of course," was her reply. She was smiling but it wasn't too bright or bitter either. Just calm... trusting. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno... I just figure you'd be blowing up in my face right about now..."

Joanna chuckled and shook her head. "Jacob, if there's one thing I've learned in my life is not to look judge a path walked by the number of opportunities lost. You'll just live in regret, anger and hatred. We only get one life and it's very rare that we can make the same choices again. So I make sure not to look back on the paths I missed so I get to watch where I'm going."

Huh... I suppose that coincides with everything else I've learned in the past few days...

"So you don't blame me for any of this?"

She laughed and reached over to him, placing a paw comfortingly on his shoulder. "Of course not, Jacob. In fact, you've actually been the one saving grace in this entire trip. In all honesty, Kerry, Taylor and myself were growing a little bit apart ever since the finished taking the subject I was lecturing. We stayed in touch but Taylor doesn't like going to clubs, Kerry can't stand large crowd and I personally go off any time there's a mention of MODD. Christy tried hard to keep us together but she's busy with her own budding career in fashion that she barely has time to spend with us.

"When you came into our lives, you brought us closer together. The things you've done has brought us closer together. Sure, there was a bit of pain, horror, facts we better off didn't know... but when you saved us on the train that day, you gathered the shattered pieces of our friendship and built it around yourself."

Joanna chuckled faintly as she took a sip from her coffee and grimaces. "To be perfectly honest, this trip was supposed to be a sort of 'friendship retreat' for us. Something to get us all back together. Without you, I doubt anyone would have had any fun."

"I'm sure you would've been fine," Jacob answered, blushing faintly. "I mean, you guys seemed okay when you went fishing on our first morning..."

"Are you kidding!?" she laughed. "We were bored as hell! None of us like fishing and we weren't catching anything! Just when we were about to give up and head back to the farm, you waltz in, pull off your shirt and we end up having a water fight! Then you start asking about the Plague and we all end up gathered around the fire at night getting scared witless!"

Wow... Really?

He never realised he made such an impact of the others... It was just as Zack said... Every move he made affected others around him.

... and every move others made, affected him as well...

"I'm glad I can bring a little bit of chaos into your lives," he said with a chuckle.

"Funny thing about chaos..." Joanna said. "It leaves nothing but ash in its wake just like what happened in Bloomcrest. But without it, people would never have grown stronger from the experience. Sherry wouldn't have caught on to what happened and you wouldn't have such strong allies."

Jacob crossed his arms. "One could argue that if Bloomcrest wasn't Purged, none of this would have happened."

She gave a knowing smirk that instantly gave him the sinking feeling he had just fallen into her trap.

"But would you have had it any other way?"

...

Damn...

He knew that was coming. It was a tired, old trick that always got the poor victim to admit that they wouldn't change anything. He was mentally kicking himself for falling into that trap because, like all other victims, he understood that if he changed anything - even a single molecule - he wouldn't be where he stood at the moment...

He wouldn't have opened his heart...

He wouldn't have let Taylor in...

... and he wouldn't have had as much fun as he had...

But he wasn't going to admit that.

"Actually, I would," he answered.

The shattered look on Joanna's face was priceless.

"Oh..."

"I would've wanted to meet you guys sooner."

Joanna inclined her head to the side and let out a very affectionate, 'd'aww'. The kinds of sounds someone makes when they experience a very heartfelt moment.

"Come here you," she said, spreading her arms wide and advancing upon him. He was tempted to just slide away and let her crash into the wall but... well...

What the hell?

He let Joanna wrap her arms around him and he hesitated a little before he returned the gesture. There was a... warmth in the. There was suddenly something solid holding up the teetering tower he had build his life upon. A solid foundation that he could use to help rebuild the shattered remnants of his life.

Joanna sniffed him and pulled away, a befuddled look on her face. "You smell weird... Like crystals..."

He had no idea what crystals smelled like so he wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not...

"Uh... Okay..."

"Is that some sort of cologne or is that how you normally smell?"

Jacob blushed a little but held Joanna's gaze. "Not really sure. Might be the fur shampoo I use."

She smiled at him and patted his shoulder before leaping onto the counter. Jacob finished off his second muffin and threw the packaging into the garbage bin. He sat next to her, smiling contently. The temptation to pour out his heart to her there and then was definitely present but he had just made a very firm friend, someone he could really lean on. But he didn't want to scare her off after he had just made a true friend.

That put into question however...

What was Taylor to him...?

There was, however, something that was bugging him...

"So... about that Tribal downstairs..."

"You mean Leo?" Joanna replied with a lewd smile. "He expressed quite a big interest in being with you, you know."

Jacob scowled. "Right... Thing is... What he wants me to do is a little... unorthodox."

"You mean he want you to fuck him?"

He cringed at the word. "Yeah..."

"And what exactly is holding you back?"

Jacob lifted a finger. "Firstly, I'm with Taylor. Secondly, I barely know the guy! Thirdly, if I... 'claim' him, he's going to make me like some 'leader' he'll idolise and you do not want to idolise me!"

Joanna inclined her head to the side. "Oh really? Why not? You seem quite admirable to me."

He was just about to play the 'notorious criminal' card again but he realised that wasn't entirely true anymore... It never really was.

"So you think I'll make a good leader? A good 'alpha' for Leonardo?"

She sat back, grinning broadly and leaning against the wall. "Sometimes, we don't get to choose whether or not we become a leader. Sometimes leadership chooses us. I can't tell you what makes a good leader. Never really had one."

Giggling erupted from her muzzle as she swatted his shoulder playfully. "There was this one time, I was in working in a group to do some crazy assignment about the global politics and whatnot. Our group's leader was a downright ass. Did nothing and bossed everyone around like telling everyone what to do was enough. He did nothing. Even when the project began to fall, he kept doing exactly what he was doing.

"I think a leader is very adaptive and listens to the people who they lead." Their eyes met and Jacob suddenly felt like a pup again, being lectured by his mother. "And I know what you've got planned, Jacob. You've already decided you want to 'claim' Leo because you don't want him to go back to Oxis shamed and probably end up getting killed. You're just finding some form of justification for that."

Irritation filled him especially since Joanna seemed to know more about himself than he did... But he also realised he was being awfully transparent. Blaming her was also very irrational so he just remained quiet.

"You're worried that if you 'claim' Leo, it's like you're cheating on Tayl, right?"

Jacob nodded numbly.

"Let me ask you this," Joanna said, leaning forward with a smile on her face. "Are you and Taylor a couple?"

"Of course we-" He stopped.

Are we...?

He and I never actually claimed to be boyfriends... We haven't said we 'love' each other... Hell, we never ever said we 'liked' one another.

We just had sex...

... and if anything, that was more hormones than anything else.

Sure I Branded him but even after that, he didn't say he cared for me...

"Didn't you say he and I were good together?"

Joanna smiled and gave him a faint chuckle. Her eyes displayed infinite mirth and he really felt like he was being made fun of.

"I did say that, didn't I? But I didn't necessarily mean that you two were going to be an item. Seriously, Jacob, do you see yourself marrying Taylor?"

He instantly leapt off the counter and nearly tripped over himself in shock. His muzzle went haywire, spitting out words before he could get a chance to think about them. "M - M - Marriage!? Whoa! Hold on there! I'm just barely twenty-two years old! I'm too young to get married! I don't have a stable career! I don't have a house! No savings! No superannuation and a criminal record as long as Winston Boswin is fat!"

Her bright, mirthful laugh instantly told him that he had probably made a really big mistake. "Wow, you're traditional, aren't you?"

A blush touched his cheeks and he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I... I guess... My parents brought me up the 'old way'. You know, dating, no premarital sex... stuff like that..." He lowered his gaze. "Not even sure they'd approve of my being gay..."

"I'm sure they won't mind," Spectre said, poking his head into a cabinet. "Hey! There's wieners in here!"

Jacob wasn't sure if that was some crack at his sexual orientation or not.

"Well, here the thing," Joanna said with a smile. "You had sex with Tayl. He's a guy. But here's the thing, is there something there between you?"

He did some soul searching... In some imaginary plane deep within his thoughts, there was a chain linking himself to Taylor... But that chain was built solely on circumstances. No real emotions... They had shared pasts, they now shared a future... but on an emotional level...? Whatever relationship they had was still very young.

The seed had been planted... but they needed to nurture it before something could happen between them.

"No... Not really. There's a spark... but nothing much else beyond that."

Joanna nodded firmly. "Good." She leaned forward, grinning broadly. "Next question: do you want something to happen?"

Jacob pulled away from her, wincing slightly. "We're getting into really personal stuff here... What business is it of yours?"

Her grin only broadened, her emerald eyes shining and her tail wagging excitedly. "You didn't think I'd just sit by let you take away my cuddly kitty to bring down MODD without me, did you?" The vixen straightened and crossed her arms firmly. "Two gay guys whose hormones go completely haywire when they transform going up against an international super-corporation? You two will seriously need some oestrogen to balance all out that testosterone or you'll end up burying MODD in your seed."

Jacob blushed harder. "Hey... Christy is basically coming along..."

"Ha! Christy is more likely to join you!"

True...

"And you'll be taking pictures, right?" he countered, unable to fight the muscles of his lips from curling into a smile.

"Only for the first few seconds," Joanna chuckled. Their eyes met and Jacob wasn't so opposed to letting Joanna come along anymore. "Anyway... We're getting off topic," she said, patting her knees. "About Leonardo..."

He took a step back and turned to leave the kitchen. "I think I know what to do."

"Try not to make too much noise. MODD is still searching for us."

Leonardo was still waiting eagerly for him back at the cell. The instant he stepped through that door, the huge Tribal was instantly standing at attention, wagging his tail excitedly. Jacob checked the cell lock and remembered he hadn't found any keys to release the huge wolf.

"I didn't find any keys to free you," Jacob admitted. Not that he really looked.

The Tribal whimpered softly. "I understand. My Alpha did his best."

"Not quite." He smirked and lifted his right hand, summoning Radiance.

Leonardo's jaw dropped and he was instantly bouncing excitedly, saying something about how his Alpha was a shaman too. Jacob sliced through the bars with ease, making hole big enough for Leonardo to fit through. However, he didn't let the Tribal free just yet.

Before Leonardo could slip through the gap in the bars, Jacob pushed him back into the cell, stepping within the confines of the small, dark prison with Leonardo.

"So... I'm your Alpha, huh?" he asked.

The Tribal beamed and nodded eagerly. "Of course! You are wise, strong and possess incredible powers! I am honoured to be your Beta!"

"Right..." He dismissed Radiance. "So... I have to... 'claim' you to make you part of my pack?"

Leonardo's brown eyes instantly lit up. "Of course! I had almost forgotten! My Alpha's memory is amazing!" The huge, brown wolf instantly turned around, went on all fours and lifted up his tail, eagerly removing his loincloth.

"Whoa there," Jacob chuckled, raising his paws. He moved towards the prison cot and sat down. Disappointment marred Leonardo's face. "First thing is first, I can't just let anyone into my pack. You have to prove yourself worthy."

The big Tribal whimpered. "Have I not proven myself, my Alpha? Am I not to your liking? Do you require me to hunt for you?" His eager attitude returned very quickly. "Ah! You wish me to gather more for our pack? Perhaps build you a shelter!? I shall gather the materials immediately!"

Jacob seized the bigger wolf's paw. "No!" With his free paw, he patted the cot beside him. "Just sit down."

Leonardo looked confused but followed orders. "As my Alpha wishes..."

"As you can imagine, Leonardo..." Jacob regarded the Tribal curiously. "Can I call you 'Leo'? Leonardo is a bit of a mouthful."

"Of course! It would be my honour! My father, brother and mother called me 'Leo'. It is a sign of our kinship!" He bent over and began nuzzling Jacob who didn't push him away. The attention was quite flattering actually... and arousing.

"Right... Okay... Well the thing is, Leo, I'm not from Oxis and..." Jacob fought for a way to explain his situation. "... Well, packs here in Rillotia work differently from packs in Oxis... And I'm afraid that if you are going to be in my pack, you have to follow my rules. Is that clear?"

Leonardo began licking Jacob's neck tenderly. "Of course, my Alpha. I would not have it any other way... Did you wish me to mount you? I heard Rillotian males often switch positions."

Jacob snickered but turned it quickly to a cough. "They do... But that's not what I'm talking about. Life isn't about sex... erm... mating, Leo. And if you're in my pack... I can't have you mounting everything you want to claim, is that understood? Rillotian society has a number of laws that you have to observe."

Leo frowned for the first time and pulled away from Jacob. "I am afraid I am not accustomed to these laws... my Alpha..." His ears lowered and he looked like just a big puppy that it pulled at Jacob's heartstrings. The temptation to hug the big wolf was there but Jacob resisted it.

"Then I'd be more than willing to teach you," he answered.

The big Tribal's eyes brightened again and his ears flicked up. "Thank you, my Alpha! You are most kind!"

Before Leo could return to molesting him, Jacob lifted his paws. "But there are a few things you have to know. I'm on my own... Pilgrimage... A quest, if you want. There are some bad people in MODD. I need to stop them."

A strange, fierce fire appeared in Leonardo's eyes. "The enemies of my Alpha are my enemies."

"I don't want you making enemies by default. You need to make that choice on your own." He regarded the Tribal squarely in the eye. "Here's what I hope to do..."

Explaining all that he had learned in the past few days took the better part of half an hour. Going back to his own past brought a bit of a headache from the mental reconditioning but he fought it off and told his tale. Leonardo seemed furious at the idea that someone had messed with Jacob's head but looked more horrified when Jacob explained the origins of the Seals.

"MODD uses the souls of the deceased to their own needs?" the big Tribal asked. "The dead are not allowed to flow back into the planet and resume the cycle of life?" He growled, his hackles rising and giving Jacob a second to pause. Gone was that puppy... and suddenly there was a very angry wolf in front of him. "That is... That is..." - Leo said something in his native tongue - "... MODD must be stopped! I go with you willingly against this monster, my Alpha!"

He appreciated the young wolf's enthusiasm and chuckled softly. "That's good... But remember, this is a super-corporation. They're a thousand times more powerful than us."

Leonardo grinned brightly, back to puppy-mode. "There is a saying amongst me people: the tallest oak can be felled by the slightest touch. We are strong, my Alpha! We will bring down MODD!"

Considering how he now had Joanna, Taylor, Christy and Leo by his side... it didn't seem so impossible to bring down MODD... Improbable but at least not impossible.

"Yeah... I think we will..."

The big Tribal leaned in and began licking him again. This time, he did push Leonardo away.

"Whoa there, big guy... One thing about Rillotian customs. When we pledge loyalty to someone, we don't have to 'claim' them through sex. Often, your word is enough."

Another frown of confusion crossed Leonardo's cute features. "But words can be broken. Promises can be hollow. All mortals lie. How can one hold such a bond sacred when it is so fragile?"

Jacob smiled. "It's a thing called 'trust', Leonardo. It's a... 'contract', if you will. A contract of good faith. You hope that the people on the other side of the contract will uphold their part of the bargain. The chances are they will break it but you hope that they won't. Because ultimately, there's a seed of good in every mortal... and eventually, that seed will take root in the otherwise infertile lands of mortal hearts and grow.

"Trust is like the water and sun the seed needs. A seed can't grow on its own. It needs someone to nurture and tend it. Trust builds that relationship between people... and with enough trust, that seed with become a mighty oak."

Just like how I've forged trust with Taylor, Joanna, Gale and Sherry...

Their trust in me brought out something I never thought I had... or rather, I thought I lost a long time ago...

Gale planted the seed... the others watered and cared for it...

...

Thanks guys...

"Ah, I understand," Leonardo said, nodding. "It is like a pact, then?"

"Yeah... Pretty much."

The Tribal inclined his head to the side. "How does one secure this pact?"

Good question...

"It depends on the people and the situation. Sometimes, it's an exchange of gifts, like rings to symbolise eternity... other times it's the signing of a formal written form of the contract... But for now..." He held out his paw. "We can settle with a pawshake."

Leo smiled and took Jacob's paw, giving it a firm shake. "I am honoured to be part of your pack, Alpha."

He returned the smile. "And I'm honoured to have you be part of my pack." He suddenly pulled the larger wolf towards him, their muzzles an inch from one another and Leonardo's eyes wide in shock. "Now come here..."

They kissed.

Interlude: Wind Beneath my Wings

"Age is not measured by the years you have lived. Age is measure by your experiences."

Antonio Shanks

From a Lecture at Dianna University

Life is a funny thing...

My old college professor - someone who I still contact on a regular basis - once told me that 'if life gives you lemons, squirt the juices in someone else's eyes and rob them blind'. It was meant to make me so appalled of every hurting someone that I wouldn't dare attempt to vent my frustration and pains of loss at others.

It worked.

No matter what happens, no matter what life throws my way, I would never dare blame someone else. The reason why pain affected me is because I let it. There is never anyone to blame but myself.

I chose to this vacation and I chose that fateful day when we would take the train to the McLeod Farm. I chose to out Jacob. I chose to offering him advice and I chose to try and get him back after Spectre - his Animus - attempted to flee with him.

I couldn't blame Winston Boswin for all he did no matter how much I wanted to and I certainly couldn't rant against MODD either despite them being my 'pet peeve' so to speak.

I won't say that I'm not scared.

Because I am.

The future is blurred to me.

I thought I knew so much about the world... Many times I had envisioned what Mortaelis would be if MODD fell... There was jumping, celebrating and laughter as the people were finally free from the power of the Seals. Sherry's words had stabbed that dream however. MODD was so firmly anchored into Mortaelis' heart... and if we deposed it so roughly, it would rip our world apart.

At the same time, when I looked into Jacob's eyes... I saw grim determination, a spark of hope and another future... I wasn't sure what that future was yet... But there was something appealing in there... Something that filled me with hope...

"Uh... Joanna...?"

I glanced towards Spectre, my eyebrow rising. The Animus looked to be stuck in the cupboard.

"Little help?"

A laugh escaped my muzzle as I leapt off the counter and sauntered over to the Animus. I was amazed at the creature. To think that a creature could be summoned from the Brands was simply amazing. An intelligent creature as well, one capable of holding a full conversation. I wondered if Taylor's Animus was the same but from what I saw that wasn't the case.

So what made Spectre so unique?

I seized Spectre's shoulders and pulled him free of the cupboard. The Animus flung back with a yelp, scattering some cold wieners all over the ground. The big winged wolf shook his head comically before snapping up the hot dogs.

Spectre fascinated me.

I was a spiritualist. The Seal War was established fact and most religions attempted to monopolise of that to form a solid basis for their beliefs. That just pushed me further away from their respective faiths. I saw them as the same as MODD. Ravenous jackals - no offense to all jackals out there - who pounce on all opportunities to strengthen themselves.

My beliefs were firmly placed in the idea of spirits. There were creatures just like Spectre wandering the lands, altering people's fates and changing people's lives in weird and wonderful ways. The idea of the Animus supported my theories.

Spectre caught me staring and I smiled at him.

"Can I help you with anything?" the winged wolf asked, half a wiener in his muzzle.

"I was just wondering..." I began, searching for a way to formulate my questions without sounding so insulting. "What exactly are you?"

Spectre swallowed the wiener and shrugged, sitting down and ruffling his wings. "I am Jacob's Animus."

"What exactly is an Animus...?"

The wolf paused for a moment. "A guardian. We are entities that embody a special part of the Branded. In a way, we are the Branded. We are part of their very beings."

"Like an extension of their subconscious or something?" I asked, a little disappointed but fascinated at the same time.

"Yes and no. It varies from each Branded. For instance, I embody Jacob's past more than anything. The reason I have my own consciousness is because Jacob has lived his life without his own consciousness, being someone who was programmed to think a certain way."

"So you're the real Jacob Reaper?"

Spectre shook his head. "No. I said that's the reason I have my own consciousness." The winged wolf glanced towards the door across the hall that led into the prison cells worriedly. "Joanna... What I say now stays between us, agreed?"

I was suddenly very excited again. One could say that I'm a big conspiracy-buff. The whole cloak-and-dagger thing thrilled me. It was one of the primary reasons I was so eager to go with Jacob. Going around sabotaging MODD filled me with a rush that I think did make me a little reckless but I liked living on the edge.

"Agreed."

Spectre sighed and regarded me with sad eyes. "The truth is... Jacob was programmed from way earlier than when Balthazar got to him. His own father treated him more like a science experiment than anything else. The 'love' he got from his father was hollow and empty and his father instilled into him a sort of... strange exchange of affection.

"Isaac Reaper would reward his son if Jacob did something great to further his research. If he failed, he would show his disproval. Never anything harsh, just disproval. So from a very young age, all Jacob Reaper ever knew was the simple existence of appeasing his father. He never had a childhood."

I was both a little horrified and saddened. I questioned how a father could do that to their own child.

"What happened to his mother?"

"She was a MODD agent. She kept Isaac's research from the rest of MODD. Both knew that the Brands could very well undo MODD and if MODD ever got wind of what their son possessed, they would lose Jacob. In a way, they loved him in their own way. They sought to better understand his 'affliction' to ensure that he could hide it from those that would seek to use him."

That was understandable... but at the same time deplorable. I understood the reason for Spectre's presence. The Animus was there to be the love that Jacob sorely needed. The childhood that the young wolf had missed out on. The joy and happiness that Jacob Reaper's heart had lost because of a childhood that was more like a harsh, monochrome tragedy progressing in slow motion.

Spectre was a ghost of what Jacob Reaper could have been.

"Do you know what Prometheus stands for?" I asked.

"Possibly the strength that Taylor does not see in himself?" Spectre offered with a shrug. "He seems really jealous of big guys... Seemed to really love being taller than Jacob."

I laughed at that. "You should see him when he and I hit the gym!"

Taylor was good at hiding his orientation in public but I was an old queen. I knew the signs. Normal guys wouldn't be so afraid to look at other guy's bodies, they'd be seizing themselves up or something along those lines. Every time a hot guy walked past Taylor's field of vision, his eyes would switch somewhere else in a panic, mostly my breasts. I was obviously his 'turn-off', another reason he only took me to the gym and not any of our other male friends.

I didn't mind that I was his 'gay buffer' so to speak.

It was a little flattering really.

I just wished that he would be more comfortable with his sexuality. I wasn't 'openly' gay but if anyone asked, I wouldn't be afraid to admit it. Obviously, being a homosexual was something that most people were uncomfortable with even if I am a female and most bigoted males didn't mind if two girls got together. Pressing myself and my beliefs onto others is just as bad as the bigots attempting to 'beat the gay' out of me.

I was honest but I'm not abrasive.

Remembering when my college professor tried to hit on my made me laugh. I was pleased that he really didn't mind. Didn't fail me, at least.

"You do realise that going along with Jacob is going to be a very dangerous task, correct?" Spectre asked. "You don't have a Seal or a Brand."

I struck a confident pose. "I'll have you know I actually have a black belt in Zaolin."

Zaolin was a special type of weapon-based martial arts where every apprentice attempts to mimic a feral animal. It was odd in that regardless of yours race, you might end up 'having the soul' of your complete opposite. I've known normally submissive species like sheep or ducks have the souls of dominant species like lions, bears or even wolves. Once an apprentice mastered their animal, they were given a weapon that complimented their feral selves.

I was one of the lucky ones that got a fox for my own feral self and my chosen weapons were the sai.

I never had reason to use my skills to defend myself - except that one time someone tries to mug myself and Kerry and then I handed a can of whoopass on the bastard - but I was still confident in my abilities to defend myself.

"That's all good in theory," Spectre said. "But reality is often a lot harsher than how things go in those controlled environments." The winged wolf chuckled. "In fact, the first piece of advice Al gave Jake when they first met was, 'Ignore everything I have to teach you because out there, it doesn't mean squat.'."

I inclined my head to the side. This was the first time I had heard of this 'Al'.

"Who's 'Al'?"

Spectre blinked at me and then broke into a smile. "Well... I suppose there's no harm in telling you. Albert is the guy who trained Jacob. He's actually ex-SWORD. He quit after a certain Purge. I guess now we know why, huh?"

I wasn't surprised really. If I worked for MODD - and I thank whatever gods or spirits were listening that I don't - and I partook in a Purge, I would quit as well. I admired strong women like Sherry who took the information in stride and pressed forward to use the realisation to better the world.

"I guess we do..."

"Jacob found Al shortly after he escaped from Balthazar's mental asylum. Albert - and that's the only name he's given us so far - trained Jacob to become the fighter he is now. He taught Jacob how to wield two swords, critically analyse a situation, built up Jacob's body and even gave Jacob his gloves and swords."

"I was wondering about Jacob's gloves..."

There was a loud bang-bang-bang from downstairs and both of them froze for a second before they hear Jacob's voice letting out a loud groan.

Spectre sniggered. "I guess they're at it, huh...?" He nodded towards the door and got up. "Come on, we better stop them before they make too much noise."

I followed him towards the prison cells. I passed a desk with a digital camera and I snatched it with a grin.

"Anyway, Jacob's gloves are some very sophisticated matter-transport devices," Spectre explained. "Highly experimental. There's a neural interface on the gloves that are connected to his sunglasses as well when he wears them. There's a safe house hidden in Albert's place where he stores all sorts of equipment. Al keeps it stocked up and when Jacob needs, at a simple click of the finger, the gloves will teleport something he needs from the safe house to his paws."

"That's pretty neat. How come I've never heard anyone from MODD possessing that sort of technology?"

Spectre snickered. "Because Al killed the guy who made it and ran off with the blueprints."

I wasn't sure if I should be disgusted or just laugh. I decided to keep silent.

"Albert is a pretty big part of our lives," Spectre admitted. "He even tried to hit on Jacob at one point but that boy is just such an idiot sometimes." The winged wolf sighed as they reached the door.

There were loud sounds coming from beyond the door... particularly some periodical wet slapping and grunting.

"Yes, that's it. Little higher..."

"Like this...?"

"Yep. That's it. Now put it there... no! No! Not there... Over here... yeah, that's it."

I primed the camera, causing Spectre to roll his eyes.

"Oh Alpha, this is so_much fun."_

"Never played for this long before..."

"You do not mind that I am on top...?"

It was funny... I'm a lesbian... but the idea of two muscled guys doing it seriously turned me on. Watching Jacob and Taylor go at it was something I just couldn't explain. Watching them_transform_ and have messy, wild sex all night blew my mind.

Thinking about Jacob and Leo I only had one thought.

I needed to catch it on camera.

I counted to three and barged down into the prison. "Say cheese!"

FWASH!

I looked at the picture... and frowned...

... then I regarded subject of the picture.

Jacob and Leo were sitting opposite to one another, legs crossed and with a rather large deck of cards between them. Both looked rather perplexed but there was this glint in Jacob's eyes that gave me the feeling he had planned this... I don't know what it was.

"What are you two doing...?" Spectre asked, poking his head through the door.

"Amazing!" Leonardo exclaimed, tail wagging excitedly. "A talking feral wolf! One with wings! Is he a friend of yours, Alpha?"

"Using the term 'friend' loosely," Jacob answered. He glanced back towards Leo. "Incidentally, go fish."

Leonardo groaned and picked up a card from the pile between them. "Do you have any threes?" Jacob grunted and handed him two cards. "Wow! I know have four threes!"

"Good. Now put them there" - Jacob pointed to Leo's pile - "just like before."

Leonardo took his cards and set down his cards on his pile which made the same 'wet slapping sound' I had heard before.

I suddenly felt really stupid.

"Did you two want to join in for a game?" Jacob asked.

I tucked the camera into my pocket and shook my head. Despite the feeling of idiocy that I was feeling, I was rather glad that both Jacob and Leo had an understanding of sorts. There was no denying that at one point, one or both of them had gotten quite aroused. The scent of their arousal was in the air.

"No," I said. "Pack up your toys, boys. We've got to save our friends, remember?"

Jacob shrugged and set down his cards. "Can't believe I got beaten by a total noob."

Leonardo beamed. "I am a quick learner."

We left the prison cells and headed to exit the police station. As Spectre and Leonardo left, Jacob grasped my paw, causing me to turn around. I stared into his sapphire-blue eyes and was a little surprised at his genuine smile.

"Thanks for everything, Joanna," he said. "I really needed someone there to provide some form of stability and common sense in my life."

I laughed at that and patted his cheek. "Just call me 'mom'! Don't expect any free drinks though!" I jiggled my breasts for fun and he rolled his eyes.

A shout made us both freeze.

We turned to look down the road.

A group of MODD soldiers were standing a few metres armed to the teeth.

My heart froze.

What were the odds of meeting a MODD platoon the instant we stepped out of the one place where we were safe!?

"Joanna," Jacob said, pushing past me. "Run for it!"

I wanted to protest and got a 'But' out only to have all other conversation cut off when a loud boom erupted from the MODD troops. A net flung out and instantly wrapped around both Leo and Spectre, pinning them to the ground. Both screamed as sharp bolts of electricity flooded them from the electrified frame.

"Run!" Jacob repeated, summoning his swords. "We'll catch up!"

I didn't need further encouragement.

I turned and ran down the street. I felt a little dirty for leaving Jacob to fend for himself when I had just talked up my own abilities about how I could defend myself but I wasn't really running. Pollenburn was pretty small but its buildings were tightly packed. That meant I could easily circle around and get behind the MODD troops.

Hopefully, I could find something to distract them with on my way.

My legs were pumping as I leapt over a short fence and hurried between two homes. I was fit and could outrun most men on the treadmills. Time to put that all to practical use.

There were two garbage cans in my way and I quickly swiped up their lids before turning the corner and heading back towards the MODD troops. I heard laser fire and some loud booms which I assumed was Jacob using his powers.

I made a plan in my head...

I would throw the first garbage can lid and hopefully catch them by surprise. While they were stunned, I'd use the other as a shield and ram them. I was bigger than most men as well so I could probably throw my weight around a little. Jacob should be able to finish them off before they shoot me...

... at least that's what I hoped.

I rounded the last corner -

WHAM!

... and saw stars as I fell backwards onto my rear.

Through the flashing lights, I saw a huge bull feting a bazooka.

Of all the MODD troops I had to run into, it had to be the one guy that was bigger than me.

"What do we have here?" the bovine sniggered, throwing aside his bazooka. "Gonna try to be a hero, are we?"

"No trying about it, bitch!" I shouted and instantly kicked him in the balls.

He let out a loud wail and clutched his manhood. I leapt to my feet, the garbage can lids still in my paws. I slammed them both on the sides of his head, cartoon-style like a pair of cymbals. There was a very satisfying and reverberating clang as he knelt before me. I kneed him straight into the jaw, causing his head to snap back. I wasn't sure if I killed him or not but he was distracted.

I dropped the lids and picked up his bazooka. I had never used one before but I could see the line of MODD troops positioned behind several shimmering, barriers of light. No doubt they had hoped this guy would be able to double around Jacob and pin him from behind just like I was planning to do.

Oh how the tables have turned.

I levelled the bazooka at them and grinned.

"Take this..."

Before I could pull the trigger, the bull lashed out and grabbed my left leg. He pulled me down and my forehead slammed against the concrete, causing more stars to flash before my eyes. I was barely aware of him cursing me and calling me a 'whore' before he dragged me across the concrete back into the line of fire.

"Joanna!" I heard Jacob cry.

I was still a little dazed to really register what was happening... There was an odd sensation coming from my left thigh... It wasn't painful or agonising... but it felt like I was bleeding and the blood was dripping down onto the ground. I barely had enough strength to reach over to my wound and try to apply pressure against my wound.

"One more step from you and your three dogs there and I swear I'll blow a hole the size of this goddamn plane into her head!"

That wasn't right... The guy probably couldn't count... Wouldn't really surprise me... The bastard did look pretty dumb...

My vision cleared and I looked down against my wound.

I had seen Jacob and Taylor's Brands and expressed a bit of jealousy when I had seen them... But seeing one on me...

... that was something else.

The bright, green symbol glowed against my coppery fur, its surface flowing and rippling like water. No one else seemed to notice as my fur started to shift in colour, becoming a pure crimson. The creamy fur on my chest became a pure white and my muscles tightened and grew leaner. The sensation was unbelievable... Like a million tiny hands were running across my entire body and making tiny adjustments.

Each adjustment filled me with an overwhelming strength... something that I found had to process. It was like someone was pumping me of water and my body was trying to adjust to accommodate but it I couldn't change fast enough.

In fact, some weird, greenish liquid began leaking from my Brand which appeared to be shaped like four sai with their hilts pressed against one another to make a sort of cross-shaped formation. Fear struck me when I saw that liquid. I thought it was my blood or something and I desperately tried to cup it in my paws. The liquid pooled in my paws, forming a large pool of the glistening, emerald liquid. The leaking stopped and the fluid suddenly reformed to become a large, green, translucent sphere of water.

A singe name filled my mind.

Behemoth.

I dropped the sphere.

Time slowed down as the sphere hit the concrete and melted beneath the grey surface. Seconds ticked by painfully... before a soft rumbling shook the world around me. I looked up at the MODD guards who didn't seem to notice the shaking yet. Then I looked towards Jacob.

I was surprised to find that there were two Animus beside Jacob and Leo.

One was a three-headed dog... jet-black and about as big as Spectre with blazing, red eyes and a spike collar. Silver armour encased the canine's body in certain places and made a secure saddle just like Spectre's on its back, Leonardo sat in that saddle, giving off a low growl.

I realised that Jacob must have Branded Leo...

... but how did he Brand me?

We didn't have sex.

Unless... Sex wasn't necessary for the Brand...

The shaking intensified and the MODD soldiers finally realised.

BOOOOM!

I gawked as enormous tentacle shot out of the ground several hundred metres away. The concrete around me buckled and twisted away as a titanic form shot out from the ground. The MODD soldiers screamed as two, enormous horns erupted from the ground in front and behind me, tearing through buildings and homes with east. A titanic muzzle shot out of the ground and I was instantly met by a huge, emerald-green eye the size of a double-decker bus!

The eye stared directly at me...

I saw my reflection against those irises...

... but I wasn't afraid.

This was my Animus... Behemoth.

Behemoth erupted from the ground, his body about seven hundred metres long from the tip of his long, serpentine tail - which I had mistaken for a tentacle - to the edge of his square muzzle. He looked like a cross between a lion and a bull with thick brown fur covering his entire body with green highlights all his ankles, shoulders, down his back and arrayed as mane around his head. Each of his paws was bigger than several houses and his muzzle alone seemed big enough to gobble up most of Pollenburn! Two horns erupted from his temples, each of his fangs more than enough to tear the entire platoon to shreds.

My Animus... my Behemoth... lifted his head to the air and let out a tremendous roar.

I wasn't afraid...

How could I be afraid of my own Animus?

Slowly... I managed to get to my fine as my Animus rose to his full height - rising up more than five hundred metres into the air. The huge beast, glanced around, snorting loudly to make sure the MODD soldiers were all gone. He caught sight of Jacob and the rest, giving them a critical stare.

I could sense he wanted to attack them.

Quickly, I ran over to his paw and patted it reassuringly.

"No! They're friends!" I shouted. I wasn't even sure if he could hear me. His round ears were so far up and hidden in his green mane.

He definitely heard me because he slowly lowered his head beside me, sitting down like an obedient dog. I was not afraid to reach out and pet his muzzle tenderly. He closed his eyes contently, rumbling his approval softly.

I hadn't even noticed I was grinning until I felt Jacob's eyes on me.

I turned to them.

There were four of us now...

Four Branded.

Myself, Taylor, Leonardo and Jacob...

And suddenly... I saw clearly the future in Jacob's eyes...

"Well?" I asked brightly. "What are we waiting for? Let's go save the world!"