Reaper: Graesham Campaign: Episode 7
#14 of Reaper 2
Episode 7: I Feel the Earth Move
"There is no greater force in the world than love. Not even the barriers of memory can withstand the weight of a love between two people. However... the one thing that can_stop love... is ourselves. It is our choice to love. It is not predestined."_
Miss N. Ewe
An excerpt from a radio segment, 'Relationships and Ewe'
A plot to obtain perfection...
Perfection through destruction...
Destroy all that had been... to start a new...
In a way... Jacob could understand how Belford had come to that conclusion... and why he had gone to the lengths he did to obtain that perfection. Graesham had to be wiped clean... so that there wouldn't be a shaky foundation on which 'perfection' could stand upon. Maybe there was even a degree of 'survival of the fittest' in there and only the people who had survived up to this point would be chosen to 'ascend'.
Whether or not Belford hoped to achieve apotheosis or it was just some scientific endeavour to reach absolute power, Jacob didn't care.
"_Because perfection is a flaw,"_ Spectre murmured softly, standing beside Jacob. They stood at the entrance to the Emerald Crown, watching the piercing green light cleave the sky in two. "_When transforming coal into a diamond, we never forget that the diamond was once coal. You don't destroy one thing to get another... you develop it... you transform it."_
The light dulled a little... but in the darkening sky of Graesham, it was a shining beacon of corruption. If MODD didn't notice it now, they were turning a blind eye.
Swords in paw, Jacob mounted Spectre and the Animus spread his wings proudly. Spectre took flight and sped straight towards the light. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder at what Zack had said... About two equivalent but opposite objects coming together to form nothingness... Would there be a way to reforge that which is lost in the collision? Would it be possible to bring back the memories of someone who had lost all memory and their personality?
All his instincts went to 'No'...
... and that he would have to kill Rocky Groundwater...
Damn...
Something caught his eye...
A figure was staggering through the ruins of Graesham.
"Spectre!"
"I see him!"
Spectre began to dive -
"Look out below!"
Jacob made the mistake of looking up.
WHAM!
The full weight of a fully-grown wolf hit him dead on the forehead and he slipped off Spectre. Stars flashed before his eyes and all he could remember was seeing a black-furred, blonde-haired wolf with the same eyes he had come crashing down on top of him looking for horrified and oddly amused.
SPLASH!
Cold, biting water engulfed him.
The Shade River...
Jacob resisted the urge to gasp and quickly swam to the surface. His swords were weighing him down and he quickly dismissed them before paddling towards the shore. He burst out into fresh air with a relieved gasp.
Spectre landed in front of him, kicking up some dirt into his eyes. "Jake! Are you alright!?"
"Fine," he grumbled, rubbing his forehead which felt numb. "What hit me?"
On cue, there a figure burst from the river right beside him.
Jacob's eyes widened.
"Sam!?"
"You!?" Spectre cried, clearly fearful.
Sam Wolfe gave them both a shaky grin, one eye closed. "Hi."
What questions had been fluttering around in Jacob's head were instantly replaced by other questions that had remained unanswered since he first met his smaller, skinnier look-alike. Like where did Sam come from and how did he mysteriously summon a door to escape through? Who was he aligned with if he wasn't part of MODD?
These questions came back... with more added...
Like how in the world did he drop out of the sky!?
Oh and...
Jacob grinned evilly towards Sam. "Glad you came back."
"You are...?" Sam asked dubiously, slinking away from him.
"Oh yeah. As I recall, I still get to rape your ass."
The black wolf's eyebrows shot up. "What!? No way! I killed more of those freaky green things than you!"
"But I killed the biggest freaky green thing," Jacob retorted with a smirk.
He could see that Sam agreed that was a feat on its own. "That still counts as one!"
Jacob took what victory he could and pulled himself out of the water, flicking his tail in Sam's face just to prove his point. Sam suddenly seized his tail, making him yelp as the other wolf used his appendage as leverage to pull himself out of the water. Jacob was pulled back onto his rear while Sam stood up and shook his fur, spraying Jacob with water.
I hate him...
"Care to tell me how the hell you just dropped out of the sky?" Jacob grumbled, pushing himself back to his feet.
The black wolf gave him a 'in-your-dreams' look. "After that welcome? Don't count on it."
"Wolves don't fly," he growled, poking Sam's chest. "So you better explain."
"Wolves don't fly, huh?" Sam hiked a thumb at spectre. "So what's he then?"
"An elaborately dressed penguin."
Spectre scowled. "Hey!"
A soft, desperate moan wafted through the air.
"... Rea... Reaper..."
Jacob spun towards the source of the voice. Sam and Spectre looked as well. His heart hardened and he got ready to summon his swords.
"Gabriel..."
Gabriel began staggered towards them, one hand clutching his chest. There didn't seem to be any wounds... but he looked like he was on the verge of a heart attack. Sweat rolled off his muzzle and his movements were lethargic but jerky. His eyes were hidden... but on occasion, the fading light of dusk flashed just in time towards his face to reveal green irises...
Green...? Didn't he have black before...?
"You know the guy?" Sam asked, reaching behind his back and pulling out two handguns.
Taking a cue from Sam, he summoned his blades and brought them to the ready. "Wish I didn't. He's an over-zealous idiot who takes the word of his corrupt priest as law."
The shorter wolf scowled, eyes narrowed and a deadly fire burning in them. "One of those types, huh? I bet he's a bigoted ass who thinks gays are unholy and that if you even think about the same sex the wrong way, you deserve eternity in Hell!" He suddenly raised his voice, levelling a gun at Gabriel. "Listen here, Mr. No-Go-Homo, we're people too! Just because we don't conform to what you think, doesn't make us less deserving of paradise! Hell, with all your hatred, you're the ones that are gonna end up in Hell while we laugh and rain cum on your burning corpses!"
...
This time... It was Jacob's turn to inch away from Sam... Even Spectre looked a little perturbed.
Wow... Either he's a really strong gay activist... or he's got a really_big dildo stuck up his ass..._
Though either way... A guy with that_kind of power..._
It's a wonder why most of the world is straight...
"You do realise that being religious isn't the same thing as being homophobic, right?" Jacob offered.
"That's bullshit!" Sam shouted, eyes flaring. "Of course it is! Guys like him" - he jerked his gun towards Gabriel - "can't stand the fact that we're happy and enjoying our lives and are more likely to get into heaven than they are with all their suffering and piousness!"
Thinking back at how Rocky had treated him... how the Elemental Lord had been so tolerant... no... accepting of him... Not to mention was such a good sport and played along... He couldn't bring himself to believe that being religious automatically made a person bigoted. It was just people like Belford who abused people's fears and insecurities to further their own goals.
And he really pitied Sam because the wolf was exactly the same as Belford... except on the other side of the spectrum.
Huh... I wonder if we stick them in the same place they'll explode and become nothing...
Would certainly solve all my problems.
"And it's guys like you who just keep thinking everyone is against them and pigeonhole everyone who isn't gay as an enemy that can't sort through the allies and the foes." He lowered his blades and began approaching Gabriel. "It's good to be proud about who you are... but when you lift yourself up too high, you won't be able to see anything beyond your own two feet."
He didn't turn around to see if his words had affected Sam and continued his approach of Gabriel. It would have been foolish to drop his guard entirely. Something was definitely wrong with Gabriel... that much was evident. Lone, apparently injured guy wandering out in the ruins of Graesham...? Yeah, bad news.
But he wasn't going to attack just because Gabriel was religious to the point of being a pain in the ass.
At least not in Sam's presence after that spiel.
Any other day, he'd gut the ram there and then just because he hated how Gabriel treated him. Nothing to do with being religious. It was just because Gabriel was a jerk.
"Reaper..." Gabriel moaned, coming to a halt, his entire body shaking.
Jacob stopped as well. His Brand began to burn.
Uh-oh...
"Rea...per..."
Jacob lifted his blades...
Gabriel suddenly threw back his head and let out a pained cry, clutching the sides of his head.
"Kill me!"
A flurry of flames erupted from all around Gabriel, surging outwards and hurtling straight towards Jacob. With a scowl, Jacob dodged the flames and staggered back beside Sam and Spectre.
"Still think this guy's a saint!?" Sam shouted.
The fire flooded into Gabriel's form, filtering into his woollen coat and streaming into his muscles. Thick veins bulged across his arms and legs, turning a volcanic red and pulsating just like they were filled with magma. His form bubbled and surged outwards. Gabriel's left shoulder bulged to a size greater than his entire body! The force of the sudden growth knocked him to the ground, his cries piercing the night in tandem with fiery explosions that rang out around him.
A large mass of white fur and black feathers suddenly jumped in front of Jacob. "Get on!" Spectre shouted.
Needing no further encouragement, Jacob leapt onto Spectre, dismissing Requiem and quickly yanking Sam onto the Animus. Spectre surged into the sky just as Gabriel let out a pained roar. A dark silhouette appeared against the burning flames that had cocooned the ram, many times bigger than Gabriel's original size.
"What's happening to him!?" Sam shouted, barely grabbing onto Jacob's shoulders. The grip was a little more than just for stability's sake.
"He's turning into an Unsealed!" Spectre answered grimly, circling the transforming Gabriel.
This is how an Unsealed is made...?
He looked like he was in so much pain...
Is that how Unsealed are formed?
"No..." Spectre murmured softly. "Remember... Unsealed are formed in one of three ways. People are infected, Unsealed are manufactured by MODD or... however Puritans are made."
I guess so...
A huge arm thrust out of the flames. A thunderous roar ripped through the skies as another arm surged out of the dome of flames right beside the first. The two appendages peeled back the curtain of flames and -
Boom!
A monstrous, Gabriel stepped out of the flames, eyes burning an eerie green and with the wool all over his body gaining the consistency of fire. Once, dark horns that had curled around the base of his scalp had risen over his head to become twisted and almost demonic in appearance, tongues of flame burning at their tips. His mass towered over many of the homes that surrounded him and large, crystal growths jutted from his back, each one seemingly containing flames within their glass-like surfaces. From a distance, the growths appeared like a pair of flaming wings.
He doesn't look like any Unsealed I've seen before...
"Maybe he's a new kind..." Spectre murmured. "Wait... is that...!"
Gabriel threw back his head, showing elongated fangs. The flames around him all coalesced around a single point, forming the burning shape of a massive hammer. The mutated ram seized it, instantly dissipating the flames to reveal a huge red and black hammer.
"A Seal Weapon...?" Jacob whispered, eyes narrowed. "That can't be..."
"Excuse me!" Sam exclaimed, waving a paw in front of Jacob's face. "Are you two having some sort of mental conversation or something!?"
He shot a crippling stare at Sam who seemed a little perturbed but not overly petrified like anyone else who would've been caught in Jacob's penetrating glare. "We were until you interrupted."
Sam gave him a similarly fierce stare. "Yeah? Well it's rude to exclude people from conversation, you know! Especially when their life is at risk!"
A vein twitched under Jacob's left eye. "My mistake."
Wham!
Time seemed to slow from the moment Sam was sitting in the saddle on Spectre... to when he was suddenly flailing madly in the air as Jacob shoved him off. The look on shock on Sam's face was utterly priceless.
"Why did you do that!?" Spectre cried.
Jacob smirked as he watched Sam quickly halt himself in midair using some unknown power... maybe the manipulation of Wind? His moment of victory was interrupted when an enraged Gabriel swiped at him with that massive hammer. Sam dodged... barely.
"He can fly."
"That's not reason to push him off to his death!"
Still smiling, Jacob summoned his blades again. "You're right. I'll go get him."
He hurled himself off Spectre, shooting straight towards a distracted Gabriel. The ram never got a chance to look up -
WHAM!
Jacob slammed hard into Gabriel, driving his foot right into the back of the ram's skull while he drove Radiance and Requiem deep into the creature's skull.
The temperature suddenly picked up.
Crap!
Flames surged out from all around him, Gabriel rumbling loudly and starting to rise. Jacob yanked his blades from Gabriel's skull and jumped off, landing right next to a stunned Sam.
"What the hell was that for!?" Sam roared.
He gave the wolf a smirk while he kept his eyes on a rising Gabriel. "I needed a distraction."
A direct blow to the head... This is no ordinary Unsealed...
His smile evolved into a grin.
Though I guess I shouldn't expect any less from a hard-headed ass like Gabriel.
Sam jabbed his shoulder with the barrel of one of his guns. "Are you having a mental conversation with your pet again?"
Jacob brushed him away and swung his blades deftly in his paws. "Just shut up and help me kill this thing will you?"
A mirroring smirk crossed Sam's features as he combined his two handguns. Some hidden mechanism between the two weapons somehow reformed the guns into the hilt of a blade that quickly transformed into the gun-blade Jacob had come to identify Wolfe for. Interestingly, the ethereal blade was blue instead of red like it was before.
"Fine," Wolfe answered, "but in exchange, you suck by dick."
Jacob bristled, his tail fluffing out.
What the hell is with this guy and raping me!?
That sly grin on the smaller wolf's face was just too annoying that Jacob couldn't back down.
"Fine!" he retorted. "But I still get your ass!"
Wolfe shrugged. "Fair enough."
Jacob felt slightly deflated.
I was sort of hoping he'd just back down after being reminded of that...
"Jacob!"
Both wolves gazed up at Spectre who was circling from above. Gabriel began lumbering towards them. The Animus opened his jaws wide and -
BAM!
A tremendous beam of light erupted from his jaws and slammed straight into Gabriel. The ram roared in frustration and swung his enormous hammer at Spectre. The Animus was too fast, ducking the blow and unleashing another blast that shook Gabriel's form.
"Follow my lead!" Jacob barked, storming forward.
Sam swiftly slipped in behind him, unable to keep up with his speed, blade levelled at Gabriel. The smaller wolf pulled the triggers of his weapon -
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Jacob felt the air cool as three bullets sped past him. He watched in awe as the bullets slammed into Gabriel's legs and instantly covered the monstrous ram's limbs in a thick, coating of ice.
"Cryo-Bullets!" Sam exclaimed proudly. "Just what we needed, huh?"
BOOOM!
Fire surged out from Gabriel as the ram easily kicked Sam's icy restrains away.
"You_do_ realise fire melts ice, right?" Jacob answered.
"I don't see you coming up with any brilliant ideas!"
There, Jacob grinned as he increased his speed, pulling away from the much slower Sam.
The one thing I love about fire...
Gabriel saw him... and brought that hammer crashing down.
BOOM!
The ram was way too slow.
Jacob dodged the blow easily and landed on the pole of the hammer, bolting up its length and up Gabriel's arm. The ram's emotionless, green eyes followed him as Gabriel rose and tried to sweep him away. Jacob reached the ram's forearm and kicked off with enough force to send Gabriel staggering. He flipped himself halfway through the air just as he flew over his foe's head.
... Fire brings light!
Hundreds of flashes erupted all around Gabriel, each one transforming into a slim, blade of light.
"Who wants lamb chops!?"
The blades instantly bolted towards Gabriel. The enormous Unsealed threw his head back and roared. Like hundreds of needles of light, the blades embedded themselves into Gabriel's flesh, biting deep into the Unsealed's form. Jacob half-expected to see blood but nothing came out. With a rumbling grunt, Gabriel seized a handful of the light blades and threw them aside.
Jacob landed behind the Unsealed, cursing under his breath.
Gabriel just swept his attack aside with no visible signs of damage on his body!
Damnit...
The monster gripped his hammer in both hands and brought it crashing down.
BOOOM!
A pillar of pure lava shot out of the ground right beside Jacob!
Crap!
"Spectre!" he shouted, running from the geyser of magma. He leapt into the air. Spectre plucked him out of midair and zoomed away from the molten rock. Spouts of magma surged out of the earth, setting fire to deserted houses and filling the sky with a haunting, red glow.
"What about Jacob!?" Spectre cried.
What...?
"I'm riding you," Jacob retorted.
"Huh?" Spectre's eyes widened. "Oh! Sorry, I thought you were the other guy... uh..."
"Sam?"
"Yeah!" his Animus laughed unconvincingly. "You both look so alike!"
For the first time... he became aware that his Animus was hiding something from him. He decided to leave the topic for the moment as he diverted his attention back down below.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
One of the geysers suddenly blacked... before becoming covered in a thick veil of ice. The pillar of ice suddenly cracked and Sam ran up its side. Its path brought it crashing down upon Gabriel!
SMASH!
The Unsealed easily destroyed the pillar with a swipe of his hammer.
Sam wasn't affected, however, as he soared through the air, firing straight down at Gabriel and freezing parts of his body with this mysterious bullets of his. Gabriel roared more in frustration than pain at the attack. He spun around and threw his hammer straight at Sam, sending the spinning weapon straight at the other wolf.
Deftly, Sam threw one of his crystals to the side and -
Fwash!
He disappeared from the trajectory of the hammer and reappeared in the place of his crystal.
Wait a second...
The hammer came circling back towards Gabriel -
WHAM!
... but was stopped when Jacob landed on it.
Another frustrated roar escaped Gabriel. The ram charged at Jacob, lunging for the hammer. Without even a command, Sam suddenly slipped in front of Jacob, gun-blade levelled at the soaring Gabriel.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gabriel's entire face was suddenly covered in a thick sheet of ice before the freezing grip spread all over his body, covering the entire Unsealed's form as it came crashing down in front of Sam with a loud bang. The towers of magma abated and the temperature began to drop back to normal levels.
Sam let out a relieved sigh and rolled his shoulders. "That was close." He checked the magazines of his gun-blade. "Good thing too... I've only got about six shots left."
_That's a really unique weapon,_Jacob thought, appraising Sam's weapon.
Two handguns capable of becoming a sword that channels the powers of the ammunition that he wields...
"Don't suppose you're going to tell me where you're from, are you?" Jacob asked.
For a second, Sam froze... then...
"Mortaelis."
Great...
"I don't suppose you're going to tell me you live in Rillotia too and breathe oxygen like the rest of us, are you?" he muttered sarcastically. "Honestly, you call me rude for having a mental conversation with my best friend and you're the one being elusive while attempting to rape me. I wonder what's worse, me being an international criminal or the fact you're basically showing all the signs of a serial rapist."
The wolf spun around to face him, eyes flashing. "I am not a rapist!" Sam roared. Then he abruptly calmed. "Hang on... You're an international criminal?"
He gave Sam a smirk. "I don't know... Maybe..."
Ha! How's it feel to be on the receiving side of Mr. Mystery for once!?
A soft sizzling sound met his ears and he flicked them towards Gabriel. Sam spun around as well, bringing up his gun-blade.
Gabriel was melting the ice!
Jacob seized Sam's arm and pulled it back down.
"Save your ammo," he said, eyes narrowed. He pulled Sam back away from Gabriel.
We're going to have to approach this from a different angle...
BOOOM!
Gabriel burst free of the ice, sending a wave of flames straight at them. Sam scowled and swept his blade to the right. The flames just avoided them entirely, pushed by some invisible force that Jacob couldn't identify.
Wow... This guy is good...
Sam suddenly deposited a crystal in Jacob's paw. "Hold this for me."
"What are you -?"
Gabriel roared.
"He really likes roaring, doesn't he?" Sam answered with a smirk and taking a step forward. "Make him roar."
Jacob took a step to stop him when his foot brushed against something hard and metallic. Glancing down, his eyes fell upon the handle of Gabriel's enormous hammer. A grin crossed his features as he dismissed his blades, tucked the crystal Sam gave him into his pocket and gripped the huge hammer in both paws. He managed to heft it up with some effort, grin still in place.
"Whatever you're gonna do, make it good," he said. "I took away this hammer for a reason."
Sam glanced over his shoulder with another smirk on his muzzle. "Hey, I'm a world-famous author. Everything I do is good."
He's a world famous author...?
Why haven't I heard of him...?
A realisation hit him.
"Oh! I get it!" Jacob chuckled. "You're a porn author, aren't you?"
Sam looked like he had just been slapped with a big, wet, recently used dildo. He twisted his neck slowly towards Jacob with a look caught between murderous, exasperation and utter confusion. For some reason, Jacob had a horrible vision of an atomic explosion suddenly ripping his body to shreds.
"I..." Sam began slowly.
Oh boy...
Jacob clenched the hammer in his paws tightly.
Here it comes!
"... am not a PORN AUTHOR!!!!"
...
Jacob ignored him.
WHAM!
He brought Gabriel's hammer right down on the ram's head just as Sam shouted. Gabriel slammed into the ground, his massive clawed hand just inches away from Sam. Those hands suddenly changed direction and seized the hammer. Jacob felt the otherworldly strength of the Unsealed fight against his own might... and he was losing badly.
Crap!
"If you're going to do something, do it now!" he shouted.
The hammer was suddenly yanked right out of his paws. Gabriel stood up, pulled the hammer off his head and roared -
... just as a crystal slipped down his throat.
What the -?
Jacob's eyes flicked to Sam.
Is he...
No way!
Sam's form suddenly flickered out in a burst of dark energies.
Gabriel's belly suddenly popped out... before soft, dull booms emanated from inside the monster's stomach! Huge, obscene bulges erupted all over his torso. Instead of deflating, the bulges were suddenly covered in ice and quickly spread outwards, covering the Unsealed rapidly.
Wait...
Sam has to get out of there!
Jacob reached into his pocket, pulled out Sam's crystal and threw it overhead.
Fwash!
Sam reappeared in a flash of light, soaked in stomach juices. The smaller wolf landed beside Jacob, wielding his energy blade and making a disgusted face.
"I am never going to do that again..." the mysterious but admittedly brave wolf muttered.
Jacob found himself begrudgingly respecting Sam.
I would never_have thought to go_ inside_Gabriel and shoot him from the inside..._
His eyes turned back to Gabriel as the burning ram struck an agonising pose, clutching his belly in desperation. However, the freezing touch of ice quickly spread all over his body and he was consumed in its embrace in a matter of moments. The columns of magma slipped back into the earth, dying down with a fading gurgle. The heat around them faded slowly, the air becoming more and more breathable with the scent of sulphur in the air sweeping away with the wind.
Crrrack!
The ice around Gabriel's head began to splinter.
Crap...
Think fast!
"How many more shots do you have left?" Jacob asked.
Sam checked his ammunition. "Just the one..."
Jacob flicked his gaze from Sam... to the airborne Spectre... and then back to Gabriel.
Okay...
"Follow me lead!" he shouted, summoning Radiance and Requiem and bolting straight the gargantuan ram. Sam didn't hesitate and hurried after him.
SMASH!
Gabriel burst out of his icy confines -
Just as Jacob dove forward, legs first right between the Unsealed's legs! He swung both his blades out, slashing the calves of the ram and causing the Unsealed to stagger. A quick glance over his shoulder showed Sam running up the torso of the stunned monster, slashing with his energy blade and leaving icy wounds with every blow. Sam quickly drove his gun-blade into Gabriel's skull before vaulting over the ram, ripping out half the Unsealed's brains and falling straight towards Jacob!
Lightning reflexes took over and Jacob quickly leapt to his feet and crossed his two blades in front of him. Sam landed on the platform the blades made. Jacob instantly launched Sam into the air, throwing him back over Gabriel! He kicked off the ground coming level with Sam just as Spectre dropped down between them.
"You two boys ready for this?" the Animus asked.
Sam locked gazes with Jacob.
"Bring it on!"
"Let's do this."
The ram staggered to his feet -
Just Spectre drew back his head and shot a blistering beam of light from his muzzle!
WHAM!
Gabriel was knocked back to the ground. Sam threw a crystal downwards. It immediately shattered and surrounded the pinned Gabriel. As Spectre took a breath, ending his barrage, Sam flashed to one of the crystals and shot bolted straight at Gabriel, slicing through the ram's shoulder! He flashed over and over and over again, dicing up the ram and leaving trails of ice all over his body.
Jacob took his cue as soon as Sam used up the last crystal. He bolted downwards at high speeds, bringing both his blades overhead and drawing light from all around him. The manifested light focused around his swords, extending the edges of both weapons to over ten metres long! He slammed both swords -
BOOOM!
... right into Gabriel, bifurcating the Unsealed.
Blinding light spilled out of the impact... spreading all over the battlefield.
Jacob felt a wave of relief wash over him...
... just as a hand gripped his wrist...
His eyes swept up from the black fingers over the slim wrist, sliding over the soft, brown fur and finally up to the face of a ram he thought he had just killed!
Gabriel Stone...
Oh shit...
Crrrunch!
Jacob let out a shout of pain and released Radiance, staggering back and gripping his wrist.
The light faded... and both Sam and Spectre looked horrified as they saw the seemingly normal Gabriel pick up Radiance and regard it curiously in one hand.
Jacob couldn't believe it...
Gabriel was still alive!
Goddamnit! He got blasted by Spectre, ripped to shreds by Sam and_chopped in half by me!_
And he's still_alive!_
Looks like I'll have to go Brand fo -
"It's funny..." Gabriel twisted Radiance in his hands as he examined it closely. "I've always thought of these blades as weapons covered in blood... Tools of pointless and bloody massacre... But now... As I look at you, Reaper..." His eyes, back to their normal black shade. "... I realise that the blood that is on your hands... are those of people who truly deserve it."
Infinite sadness filled Gabriel's eyes as he reversed the blade as if he was aiming to hand it back to Jacob. Strangely... he was holding it in both his hands...
He's going to -
"Gabriel!" Jacob shouted.
Regret marred the smile he gave Jacob. "I have become something reviled and hated. An Unsealed over all other Unsealed."
Jacob's eyes widened.
He's a...
"A Puritan?" Spectre exclaimed. "You've become a Puritan Unsealed!?"
"A what?" Sam demanded.
Gabriel nodded slowly, lowering Radiance slightly. "Honestly... I can't imagine how Soot does it..." he chuckled bitterly. "How is he capable of living in this world as himself when he truly isn't himself...?"
Puritans are aware of themselves...?
"How did...?" he began.
The former priest's aid dropped Radiance to his side, threw his head back and let out a cold, bitter laugh. There was a faint twinkled on his cheek. Jacob caught sight of the tear that rolled down from his eyes before they vanished into his fur.
"Do you want to know where 'Father' Belford obtained his Seal, Reaper?" Gabriel laughed.
That's right...
I know that Conway got his Seal as his wife's sacrifice... Norton's Seal came from his son... Rose's original Seal was from Conway's love and Gabriel's Seal was originally Rose's...
That only left two Seals unaccounted for...
Where did Belford and Rocky's present Seals originate?
Gabriel's shoulders began to shake slightly and it became apparent that he really was crying. "You know my story, right Reaper? How Belford apparently found me with no recollection of who I was... an empty vessel? That because he implanted me with Rose's original seal, I was slowly having my identity filled in as I was consumed by the Seal?"
Sam poked Jacob's shoulder. "If you don't mind me asking... What the hell is he talking about?"
Jacob and Spectre both silenced him with a firm 'Ssssh!'
A sharp laugh from Gabriel brought all attention back to the Puritan. "He never gave a solid reason why I was like that... And to think... I loved him..."
Crack!
Those six words echoed in Jacob's head over and over again...
'And to think... I loved him...'
'And to think... I loved him...'
'And to think... I loved him...'
...
He... He didn't...
"That's right..." Gabriel laughed, nearing hysterics now, as he lifted his hands to his sides, exposing his breast and giving Jacob a grin caught between insanity and unending sorrow. "I was Randall Belford's lover!"
...
He... He was Belford's lover...?
Belford found Gabriel before he became a priest...
Gabriel looks just about my age... And this insanity started ten years ago...
I'm turning twenty-two this year...
If Gabriel was my age...
Jacob's jaw seemed to unhinge, dropping low as he staggered back in horror.
Gabriel might have been twelve when he was considered Belford's 'lover'!
"He told me he loved me..." Gabriel giggled, contrary tears flowing from his eyes and that insane grin on his features. "I was ten years old when Belford took me in. One month later... He took me into his bed and showed me things... Things I liked... It hurt at first... but when I saw just how happy I made him... I couldn't deny him his joy..."
Gabriel threw his head back, uttering a maniacal laugh. "I hadn't even hit puberty at that point... But from what he told me... what I had heard... what I felt... I loved him... He was more than just my 'father'. He was my everything. Plucked me from the ruins of a homeless shelter, gave me a home... and gave me what I thought was 'love'."
"Ten!?" Sam exclaimed, horrified. "I know that sounds hot as hell but seriously... Ten years old!?"
The ram laughed once more, stopping midway to choke. "The ironic thing is, he didn't actually love me back. He was just using me for his experiments."
Experiments...
That's right... Belford was the leading researcher in alternative sources for Seals...
Are you telling me that... that he...?
"He orchestrated my feelings for him..." Gabriel sniggered. "He fucked me day in, day out and made me feel special for three years just so that I could develop those feelings for him. Then, when I was 'ripe for the picking', he took everything from me and made it into his Seal!"
That's...
... that's just nuts!
"How do you know this?" Spectre demanded. "What gave you this sudden spark of knowledge!? You shouldn't even remember all this if that's what happened!"
"Because..." the ram answered, his grin faded into a dark smile. "Belford had no further use for the Seal I had given him. He tore out Rose's Seal from me... and returned to me the Seal he had made from who I was... My memories returned to me as he absorbed all the memories and faith of the people who had devoted themselves to him... He made a new Seal... One that he has been building for the past ten years..."
Ten years...?
Gabriel lifted Radiance again, levelling it at his heart. "Belford was behind it all, Jacob Reaper. He manipulated both Conway into acting the way that they did. He was the one that actually showed Conway how to create the Fossilisation Plague and he was the one that spread it using his techniques in the church. Those people he 'cured'? They became carriers for the Plague. While they were cured for that year, anyone they touched would become infected.
"That only increased the people's faith in him and the more people gravitated towards him, the stronger his Seal became. His Seal of Memories..."
Gabriel sighed heavily and gripped Radiance tightly. "Stop him for me, Reaper... If not for me... then everyone else. Belford is the true monster here..."
He lifted the blade.
"Wait!"
Gabriel froze.
Jacob froze as well.
He had no idea why he had just asked Gabriel to stop. By all respects, he couldn't wait to get rid of the pious prick. Gabriel was the idiot who had let himself get used by Belford... and consequently allowed himself to be _re_used after his memories had been wiped... After the way he treated everyone... he deserved to commit the ultimate sin... suicide...
Let him go to hell... or wherever it was his kind went...
So why did I stop him...?
Jacob lowered his arm...
"You and me... Even Rocky... We're all the same..." he whispered softly. "We've lived to a certain point... then we were taking from the paths we had chosen and put on another path that was so alien to us... We made do with what we could..." A small smile crawled onto his features. "Rocky used her talents and became a top ranked MODD official... I became a notorious criminal... and you turned to your faith.
"But no matter who you were in the past... who you are now..." He glared at Gabriel, his stare enough to force the ram to lower Radiance even further. "It doesn't decide who you will be in the future!"
Gabriel's eyes widened for a brief second.
"If this experience has taught us anything," Jacob shouted, "it's that we can start again if we want to. We won't be able to escape our pasts. That's impossible. It'll eventually catch up with us." His glare intensified. "But when it does, we've got to make the decision whether or not to let who we were define who we will be or to stick with who we are!"
He jammed a thumb against his chest. "I know my past has yet to come crashing down against me but I've decided that if and when it does, I'm sticking with who I am!" A grin crossed his features but his stare didn't lessen in intensity. "After all, I like being a badass criminal that can screw around with people and be used to scare little children all over the world as a cautionary tale against naughty children! You wouldn't believe all the freebies I get just for mentioning my name!"
He could feel Sam and Spectre's stares against him... But oddly enough, he sensed that neither of them were giving him horrified, shocked or disgusted stares. A quick glance at them both showed a proud gaze coming from Spectre and an admiring one from Sam.
"Don't think that you're going to get away from what you've done to help that asshole, Gabriel!" he shouted. "What you did was as you not as who you were! The past affects us all in different ways. We can choose to move on, go back to who we were or just start anew! It's up to you but there is no way in hell that you'll get away by just killing yourself!"
...
Gabriel smiled gently... and then nodded slowly. "I see..." A smile crossed his features... one filled with contentment... and oddly peaceful. "I think... With those thoughts..." His eyes closed... One last tear rolled down his cheeks. "I truly believe I can go in peace."
"Gabriel!"
Schlick!
Jacob gaped...
Gabriel Stone... formerly a Belford's pawn... formerly Belford's religious aide... and formerly mortal... now a Puritan Unsealed... Ripped open his chest with Radiance. With his free hand, Gabriel reached into his chest... and took out a large, greenish-blue crystal shaped like a delicately crafted jewel. Contained within the jewel itself was a Seal... one that glowed an eerie white and with the three rings of runes rotating slowly.
"This is the one way to kill a Puritan Unsealed," Gabriel said calmly. Eerie wisps of light were streaming away from the crystal in his hand and filing back into the wound in his chest. "Puritans are people who have been completely and utterly consumed by their Seals... but more than that. You've heard how Seals with incredibly low synch-rates consume their hosts, correct?"
Jacob nodded, dumbfounded with his eyes fixated on the crystallized Seal in Gabriel's hands.
"There are two ways to make a Puritan. The first is if a person gives themselves entirely to the Seal that they posses. That is how Soot became one. The second is if their synch-rate with their Seal is so low that they become monstrous Unsealed... like I was. But given enough time and damage... they too will become Puritans. No other type of Unsealed can become a Puritan in this way as the person consumed by the Seal become nothing more than an empty husk. Those who continue to struggle even as they are consumed become Puritans of the second method."
I get it...
It was essentially a 'damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't' scenario.
Either the person succumb to their Seal completely and become a Puritan... or they fight, turn into monsters and eventually turn into Puritans as well.
Damn...
"The Seals of Puritans crystallize," Gabriel continued, lifting his crystal high for them to see. "They become an inexhaustible source of power and regeneration. You can killed us as many times as you want but as long as our Seal remains intact... we are invulnerable." A smile crossed his features as he dropped Radiance and tapped the side of his head. "I don't know how... I don't know why... but we all gain this knowledge... like it's always been there from the very beginning even as we were mortal but only when we become Puritans is it unlocked..."
Gabriel's eyes hardened. "And with this knowledge... comes to our only weakness..."
No...
"The only way to destroy a Puritan," Gabriel announced proudly, "is to destroy their Seal!"
SMASH!
Gabriel crushed his crystal in his hands -
WHOOOSH!
A pair of enormous, blue-green, feathered wings suddenly erupted from Gabriel's back and the Puritan was lifted into the air. The light from his wings was almost blinding, their span rising far into the skies and even looking to rival the Emerald Crown!
Whoa...
"It's funny..." Gabriel chuckled softly. Slowly, the feathers from Gabriel's wings began to peel away... drifting upwards into the sky and vanishing into the night. "It's funny that the most horrible demon mortals perceive in this world is actually the closest thing to God that they will ever meet..."
Jacob could only watch as Gabriel's entire form dissolved into nothingness before his very eyes. The hauntingly beautiful aquamarine feathers floated into the heavens, seemingly vanishing into the atmosphere. Gabriel's form dissolved into a billion tiny, like-coloured stars. Gabriel's tears had dried up and he gave Jacob a smile somewhere between apologetic and grateful.
In a matter of moments... Gabriel was gone...
... and Jacob was left speechless.
Puritans...
... they're a whole level above the normal Unsealed we faced...
What kind of destruction did they wreak during the Seal War...
... Better question...
What kind of people fought against them and won_?_
"Jake!"
Jacob snapped out of his revere and spun around.
Rex waved at him from the distance, waving at him excitedly. Behind him ran the rest of the Branded and even some MODD soldiers. Jacob also realised that Sam had vanished... again...
Damn...
So many unknowns...
The Unsealed...
... and Sam...
Just who is_he?_
*****
"Norton saved us..."
Kerry recited the tale as all of them gathered around a small fire inside the ruins of Belford's former cathedral. Summoning Eden was too much of a risk. Apparently, as Belford summoned all the memories of his believers to him, each and every person who devoted themselves to the mad priest's cause transformed into a horrible, crystal monster. Normal weaponry was useless against them and even the Branded's might had to be pushed to its limits to defeat them. Rex found them equally as difficult.
With their numbers as well... it was a nightmare.
Even as they shattered one of the crystal people, they merely reformed and fought anew!
Rex led the scattered MODD soldiers and the Branded to an escape, fleeing back to Graesham as Belford's triumphant laughter chased them. The Crystallised - as Bill decided to dub them - possessed unnatural skills on par with any ExIT trooper or even SWORD members. They were exceptionally powerful and durable. Being found by them...
That would be bad.
"We got beaten bad..." Kerry sighed, hugging herself tightly. "Then... Belford came in with Rocky... and they beat Norton..."
Taylor's fists clenched tightly. "His abilities... they were unreal... He tricked Rocky into killing Norton for him... They actually saw through Belford's crazy plot and thought they were working beside one another but in reality... they were attacking each other... He had us all tricked."
"In more ways than one," Jacob murmured.
Apparently, Norton then encased Kerry, Joanna and Taylor in stone coffins and sent them flying away from Belford. The trio were freed from their prisons upon impact with minimal damage just in time to see the colossal beam of green light in the sky. They followed it but was met by the group fleeing from the light led by Rex.
"Then we saw the big wings in the city and found you," Rex finished, placing a paw on Jacob's shoulder. There was a shaky smile on his features. "But... Now what do we do...?"
"Belford is nuts!" Max shouted, slamming the butt of his staff against the marble floors of the cathedral. "I saw we should get the hell out of here and let MODD sort him out! He's got an army of crystal people out there! Who knows what he'll do to us!"
Kerry spun around to him, her eyes blazing. "Stop being such a coward! Those people deserve to be saved just as much as we do!"
"If those idiots were dumb enough to give themselves entirely to Belford, then they don't deserve to be saved!"
"Maybe we should treat you the same after we destroy MODD!"
Jacob looked up, surprised at Kerry's sudden outburst. He didn't think Kerry was really that dead set on destroying MODD... He always believed she was angling more towards destroy the 'corrupt' aspects of MODD with minimal casualties.
Maybe it's just a slip of the tongue...
_"She might be transferring her frustrations from a situation where she is helpless to a possibility she can alter,"_Spectre whispered softly.
Probably...
"Stop it, both of you!" Joanna shouted, pushing Max and Kerry apart. "Right now, we need a plan. Not only have we got Belford to worry about but there's also the Purge coming our way!"
That's right...
What's the best course of action...?
"I've got a suggestion."
All eyes flicked to the Alsatian, Sergeant James Canis. His fierce, blue eyes flickered with more fire than just the reflection cast by the flames. "I saw we let the Purge get rid of Belford for us. There's probably still some transports up in the Emerald Crown. If we head there, there will be enough time to jump on one, take it and fly out of here while we let the Purge do its thing."
That's actually not a bad idea...
... if not for Rocky...
Jacob shut his eyes for a moment... He delved deep into his heart... Where it had once been empty, he found a light there when he had met his friends and Branded them... Now, as he looked into it, he saw Rocky's smiling fast amongst the rest of those he cherished.
I'm not going to leave Rocky to be Purged.
"That's assuming the Purge will work at all,"_Spectre noted. _"I'm sure Belford has thought of this before. He had ample warning... and having worked with MODD before, no doubt he factored in a Purge into is plan."
Yeah... That's true...
"Those people need our help!" Kerry protested.
"How much help were you when half the city was turned into stone statues!?" Canis roared back.
Kerry froze.
"We weren't able to do anything then," Taylor murmured, "but the least we can do is avenge the deaths of the people who have suffered. Belford needs to pay."
"Then you can go and give him a lecture about what a fucked-up ass he is after he's dead by the Purge." Canis spun around, picking up a rifle as he did so. "As for me, I'm heading to the Emerald Crown. I am not sticking around here to see how this turns out!"
"Fine!" Kerry snapped at his departing back. "Run off with your tail between your legs!"
"It's better to have a tail between my legs than not to have one at all!" Canis shouted back, waving over his shoulder absently.
Heh... He's good.
Kerry was shaking from head to toe, infuriated. "That guy..." Her eyes darted to Jacob. "What are we going to do?"
Jacob looked at the Branded gathered around him... and the remaining MODD soldiers. Hardly an army... but perhaps...
"Show of paws," he said calmly. "As your top priority, who wants to go after Belford?"
Taylor, Joanna and Leo raised their paws, the latter only raising his paw because Jacob did.
"Who wants to get out of here?"
Max lifted his paw and so did some of the MODD soldiers.
"Who wants to stop the Purge?"
Rex lifted his paw... and unfortunately, he was the only one. He let out a soft whine and lowered his paw almost immediately.
"Who wants to save the people?"
Bill and Myron, who remained at the back of the group didn't cast their votes.
Kerry's hand shot up into the air. The remaining MODD soldiers lifted their paws. Jacob didn't believe them all. Some of them were probably scared shitless and just wanted to sound noble when in reality, they wanted to get the hell out of Graesham.
Jacob got up. "One can't succeed without the other. Even if we escape, if no one defeats Belford, he's going to run rampant on Mortaelis and turn everyone into crystals. If we stop the Purge but don't stop Belford, same thing. If we stop Belford and don't stop the Purge, we all die because of the Purge."
"Your point?" Max growled, staring daggers at him.
"We have to split up."
There were a few cautious gazes thrown around.
"Are you sure that's wise, Jay?" Taylor asked. "We're not in the best of shape..."
"It doesn't matter. We still have to try. So here's what we'll do..." He pointed at Kerry. "Kerry, take the MODD troops, Max and Leo with you. Go to the Emerald Crown, grab a transport and intercept that Purge transport."
"You'll need our help," Bill said, rising to his feet. "Only top-ranking MODD personnel know how the disarm codes for a Purge device."
"You know it?"
The wolf shook his head. "No... Every main MODD base has a different code for each of their unique devices." A confident grin crossed his features. "But if anyone can crack it, it'll be myself. And if we can't do that, Myron can always dismantle the device."
Jacob grinned. "We're counting on you."
"Then you better know how to count really high."
Inspired by Bill's confidence, Jacob turned to the others. "Tayl, Jo, Rex, you're coming with me. We're going to put a stop to Belford."
"Are you sure the three of us are enough?" Taylor asked. "From what I've seen, Belford has an unreal Seal and he'll have Rocky beside him... Are the three of us enough?"
"We'll have to be," Jacob answered grimly. "Belford isn't invulnerable. We can beat him."
Bill cleared his throat. "If I may..." All eyes flicked to him. "Belford's motif seems to be... crystals. Now this may just be a theory... but you command the Element of Sound, correct, Reaper?"
Jacob nodded slowly. "Yeah..."
"Well..." Bill's brow furrowed as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It is possible to break crystal glasses with your own voice provided you hit the right frequency... Perhaps... and this is just a theory because we're not talking about just drinking glasses here... but perhaps using sonic shockwaves will be enough to shatter the forms of Belford's crystal army... provided you find the perfect frequency and pitch for it... The problem is, with each and every different person being turned into crystal, the chances of finding the perfect frequency for one person is low... and then the chances of that frequency also being effective on another Crystallized is even lower."
A light bulb flashed in Jacob's brain and he grinned.
"That won't be a problem... Belford's whole idea was to create a 'perfect' race. He's got a template in mind for that perfection and if there's even a little bit of variance in that perfection, then it isn't perfect to him. So chances are... if I find that frequency, that'll stick for everyone."
A small smile crossed Bill's lupine features. "How arrogant of a man who once called himself a scientist to presume he has achieved perfection. We as mortals can only theorise." He raised a finger and wagged it at an imaginary Belford. "The fundamentals of science... we can only form theories... for they can be disproven. It is not our place as mortals to know God's work... but rather understand it."
"Ironic then that he turned from a scientist to a priest," Max scoffed.
More like 'sad'...
"Any objections to the line-up?" Jacob asked.
No one spoke up.
"Good." He turned from person to person before his eyes settled on Rex. "How long until the Purge?"
Rex shrugged. "I'm guessing it'll be in a few more hours? Maybe near dawn? It's been about two days since I called the Purge... So... Sometime tomorrow? I remember them stating the ETA will be near dusk or something."
Plenty of time then...
"Then get some rest and prepare yourselves. What's coming next... It's not going to be easy."
He sat back down and resolved to wait it until it was time to draw his swords again. With his obsessive compulsive behaviour, he wouldn't be able to get any sleep anyway. Compared to the others, we was relatively unharmed as well. The soldiers began drifting one by one away from the fire, wandering towards the central area of the church, no doubt to pray.
In the end, all that was left around the fire were the Branded, Bill and Myron. Kerry fell asleep leaning on Taylor who stared worriedly at the flames, his paws tightening around his chakrams. Max was leaning against a pillar, his head bowed but whether or not he was asleep was debatable. Joanna had wandered away from the fire and stood by one of the stained glass windows, staring out into the stars through the cracks in the colourful motifs. Leo dropped his head down onto Jacob's lap, eyes still open and acting a lot like a lonely dog looking for some comfort. Jacob absently stroked his head. Rex stood a few paces to Jacob's left, arms crossed and with his gaze locked on the floor.
"Jake..."
Rex looked up from his fixation on the floor. "Can I talk to you for a second... in private?"
Leo's ears perked up and Jacob could sense the young Tribal's worry. He gave his mate a reassuring pat on the head and peeled himself away carefully. Leo let out a soft whine of worry.
Along with Rex, he headed out of the cathedral and into the ruined gardens. For a brief instant, Jacob recalled a time when potted plants had been lush and green, the stone pathways had been lined with beautiful flowers while towering, trees arched over the path to form a serene avenue that was constantly being littered by emerald leaves.
Now...
All the leaves were gone... and every flower had its petals ripped off or trampled. The trees had fallen or all their leaves were sent scattering into the winds. It was a horrible, nightmarish world... something right out of a horror movie.
What kind of 'perfection' is this...?
Rex sat down on a stone seat and Jacob followed his example, sitting right next to him.
"Jake..." his brother began. "Why'd you pick me to go with you instead of Leo?"
Huh...?
"He's your mate, right? Shouldn't he be going with you?"
Jacob raised his eyebrows and smiled softly. "It has nothing to do with whether or not he's my mate, Rex."
_"That's a lie,"_Spectre accused.
Shut up.
"It's simple tactics. From what I've heard, Belford uses Light and Earth-based attacks... Leo's Elements are Darkness and Electricity. That means he's at a disadvantage on both fronts."
"What about the others then?"
Jacob frowned slightly. "Max isn't really for fighting. Kerry's objective is to save everyone. If those two were to replace either you, Joanna or Tayl, our team would be at a disadvantage. Taylor has an advantage against Belford because he uses Fire. Joanna uses Earth and Water so she'll be resistant. I have you because you know Rocky more than anyone else here. If we're lucky, you might be able to talk some sense into her."
That brought a soft sigh of relief from Rex. "Oh... I see."
"You're not telling him the truth... He's your brother."
Half-brother... so he only gets half the truth.
"Why can't you just admit you're afraid Leo might get hurt so you gave him the less dangerous of the tasks?"
Rex clenched his fists together. "Hey... If... If we don't make it out of this..."
Jacob snorted and crossed his arms behind his head. "What's with the sudden lack of confidence? You don't think I can kick Belford's ass?"
His half-brother chuckled faintly. "No... It's not that... Just..." He took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. "Jake... Ever since I lost mom... I haven't had a real family... And you're family to me. I don't want to lose you."
Yeah... I don't want to lose you either.
"No matter what we want, we won't get it until we do something about it." Jacob lowered his arms to his sides. "That's why I'm going to fight Belford. I know none of us will get any real peace until we beat the crap out of him. That... and I don't want to see Rocky turned into some brainless 'perfect puppet' for an asshole like Belford."
Rex snickered. "You've really gotten attached to Rocky, huh?"
"Hey, anyone who can punch that hard is worthy of respect!" Jacob found himself laughing genuinely. Rex's laughter mixed with his... and there was just a sense of... harmony in the sound they made.
A smile on his lips, Rex calmed and gave Jacob a sly smirk. "So... You think that you'd hit on Rocky when this is over?"
A chill ran down Jacob's spine. "What!? I'm gay!"
"Yeah but it sounds like you're starting to develop a little crush on her." Rex winked at him.
Jacob rolled his eyes and poked Rex's nose. "Please. I'm willing to wager that the instant_you_ heard Rocky was actually a girl, that killed that secret boner you've been keeping all this time." A devilish grin split across his face. "Hell, I bet that you've had fantasies about 'experimenting' with Rocky."
Rex shoved him away with an indignant huff. "Don't be ridiculous. Rocky was basically a choirboy. You can't touch choirboys."
That grin on Jacob's face grew bigger. "You're just like me, Rex. Knowing something is out of your reach just makes it all the more tempting. I bet you get a real kick on 'corrupting' an innocent 'guy' like Rocky." Jacob leaned forward and pressed his nose against Rex's. "That's why you get all hard and leaky when you realise that sex with me is incestuous."
His half-brother's eyes went wide... and a soft whimper escaped from Rex's muzzle.
Gotcha.
Jacob kissed his half-brother...
What he had intended to be just a taunting peck on the lips - something he had hoped just to get Rex hand with the promise for the 'rest' once the battle was over - turned into a full-blown, loving, steamy-hot, toe-curling, pre-leaking smooch. His heart began to race as his tongue snaked out from between his lips and glided over Rex's fangs.
His brother's tongue followed his lead, brushing against the roof of his muzzle. Jacob wrapped his arms around Rex's firm, muscular body, slowly trailing his paws over his brother's defined chest and over those bulging biceps. He curled his fingers around Rex's and the union of their paws intertwined just... It just felt so complete.
Who needs perfection when I have this...?
Jacob pulled his muzzle free of Rex's... but some powerful force kept him from standing up completely. He was left hovering over his brother's gentle features, breathing heavily, his breath condensing over Rex's, their cocks pressing against the fabric of their pants. Part of him knew it was probably inappropriate to have sex right before an epic battle...
... but then again...
He glanced at Spectre.
His invisible Animus pressed a big, red button. Fireworks erupted from all around him, shooting into the skies and exploding, forming the words 'Yiff him! >:3' in the sky.
Good enough for me!
Jacob bent back down and nuzzled his brother, licking at Rex's fur and taking in his brother's clear, aromatic scent. Gently, he nibbled on Rex's neck. A soft, high-pitched yelp rose out of Rex's muzzle as he arched his back, pressed his chest against Jacob's and rubbing their cocks together. Jacob became all too aware of the fabric of their clothing between them and he let out a soft growl of annoyance.
With one paw, he reached down and began unbuckling Rex's pants. With the other, he reach up Rex's shirt and rubbed his paw against the hard muscle he felt there. Rex's paws ran up his back, working their way up to the collar of his coat and working it off his shoulders. Jacob shrugged off his coat, letting it drop to the ground as he deftly pulled off Rex's pants.
Rex's jockstrap strained against the size and girth of his cock.
Licking his lips, Jacob pulled away from Rex's neck and brought his muzzle down towards that rather sexy piece of underwear. He nuzzled it, licking at the copious amounts of precum that had soaked into the fabric. Rex was bucking his hips, whining and practically begging for release.
Grinning, Jacob snapped his fangs around the waistband of the jockstrap and -
Rrrrip!
Tore it straight off!
Rex's cock jerked in excitement.
That grin still in place, Jacob tossed aside the jockstrap and leaned in towards Rex, giving his brother a tender, loving kiss.
Once the kiss was broken, Rex was left panting. "I'm... I'm gonna need a new jockstrap..."
"Don't worry... I know a lot of places where we can get one," Jacob answered with a wink.
"You're not going to steal another one, are you?" Rex asked worriedly.
"Of course I am. I bet you really get hard knowing you're wearing another man's jockstrap. And let me tell you something about the one you were wearing..." He leaned in so that his muzzle was right next to Rex's ear. "... it belong to a high school football captain."
Rex let out another loud whine, turning away but also panting uncontrollably. "Jake... you're... you're corrupting me..."
"You love it."
The funny thing was, Rex probably did. It was all in his eyes...
Eyes that suddenly went wide.
Rex abruptly sat up, knocking Jacob back and off the bench.
"Ow!"
"Leo!?"
Jacob froze and turned to where Rex was looking.
True enough, in an odd parallel to when Rex had caught both Jacob and Leo making love in the woods... Leo stood against one of the leafless trees, his erection evident against his shorts, tail wagging excitedly.
"Has Rex decided to join our pack?" the Tribal asked.
Oh yeah...
"Sure has," Jacob answered with a grin.
"What!?" Rex exclaimed in an oddly high-pitched tone.
Jacob stood up, arms folded and a big grin on his face. "And here's the kicker, Leo. He's actually my half-brother."
Leo's eyes sparkled. "Oh! No wonder he is so strong and powerful! I could taste it in his seed!"
"What!?" Rex repeated, this time his voice even higher.
"Hey Leo," Jacob began, grinning predatorily at Rex. "Wanna celebrate?"
There was suddenly a flurry of clothes that flew past his face and -
WHAM!
Leo slammed right into Rex, pouncing the Star Lord, tail wagging and completely nude.
Wow... That was fast...
I've never seen anyone undress so fast...
Leo was bouncing on Rex's chest, his semi-erect cock slapping against Rex's shirt and dripping spraying precum everywhere.
"Please, may I have your seed!?" Leo begged. His eyes flicked towards Jacob, big wide and pleading. "May I have both your seed? I will need it for the upcoming battle!"
Jacob grinned down at Rex. "You heard the man."
Rex's eyes boggled. "But - but -"
Before Rex could protest any further, Jacob advanced on him and wrapped his lips around his brother's. Whatever protests Rex may have had died quickly down his throat and devolved into a lustful, primal moan.
Jacob felt Leo's expert paws pulled his pants down and he kicked them free once they were below his knees. He reached down and gently gripped Rex's paws, helping him to his feet as Leo knelt between them both.
Rex shivered a little. "C - C - Cold..."
Jacob wrapped his arms around his brother just as he curled his thick, muscular thighs around Leo's shoulders. His mate slipped his arm around one of Jacob's legs and easily had enough room to grip Jacob's foot-long, black cock with the same arm. He moaned softly at the contact against his sensitive flesh.
"We'll keep you warm," he whispered into Rex's ear.
"Warm... Yeah..." Rex moaned. The rest of his moan was indiscernible as Jacob kissed him long and deeply. Rex's paws roved Jacob's chest underneath the latter's shirt.
Jacob gasped when he felt Leo's long, wet tongue brush against his cock and slide down its length, slipping into the furry rims of his sheath as if trying to coax his knot out. The instant he tore away from the kiss, Rex nuzzled him. The contact with his brother... and his mate... It was overwhelming! The heat from Leo's body and Rex's sent his heart racing and each of his muscles yearned for their touch.
Part of him felt empty as well... There was a part of him that... that... that wanted to feel a dick up his ass... to fill him... to make him feel complete... His mind twisted and coiled at the possibility... Could he be ready to let someone into his life like that...?
His heart screamed 'yes'.
His mind shouted for him to reconsider.
Spectre had a crowd of cheerleaders all lifting signs that said, 'Get fucked already!'
But by who...?
A quick poll was run by Spectre...
The results...
45% in favour of Leo
45% in favour of Rex
5% for Taylor...
And 4% for Max...
Wait... What's the remaining 1% for?
"Joanna."
...
Jacob suddenly had a horrible vision of an evil, demonic Joanna sticking a massive, rubber dildo up his ass. Those thoughts were banished however when Leo suddenly pulled his muzzle away from his cock. He was left feeling cold and wanting. Leo diligently turned to Rex's dick and wrapped his muzzle around it. It was Rex's turn to moan but Jacob wanted more. He wrapped his paw around his cock, stroking himself as he poked the side of Leo's muzzle with the tip, telling his mate he wanted more attention.
With his other paw, he reached up Rex's shirt and squeezed those tight, muscular pecs. Rex began panting hard and their lips locked in a hot, steamy kiss that send all the cold vanishing from Jacob's body. Their bodies meshed against one another, kissing and groping. Jacob explored Rex's body with his eyes closed, painting a mental picture of his brother's body in his mind.
Rex reached around his back, sliding his paw around Jacob's ass and giving his glutes a tight squeeze. His other paw ran over Leo's head, pulling the Tribal closer and closer. As he bucked his hips, Leo would bob his head over and over, sucking more and more of Rex's precum down his throat.
Suddenly, Leo took Jacob's cock in his paw and angled it towards his muzzle.
"Leo -"
The Tribal suddenly managed to stuff both Jacob and Rex's cocks into his muzzle!
Jacob arched his back and grunted as he felt his cock press hard against Rex's cock and the walls of Leo's muzzle. His mate's tongue swiped and darted all over their cocks, his hot breath washing over the sensitive flesh and making the brothers quake.
Leo pulled his muzzle out and quickly took one of Jacob's balls in his muzzle, suckling on it and kissing the furry bag. His kiss was quick and short as he following the flesh from where Jacob's sack met his groin and quickly peppered Jacob's entire leg with kisses. As he reached the knee, Leo pressed his tongue against Jacob's flesh and drew a long, loving lick back up his strong, muscular thigh, over the ground and up Jacob's shaft.
His mate expertly slipped his tongue over Jacob's cock and straight onto Rex's where he kissed the tip before taking the entire length into his muzzle!
"Oh god..." Rex grunted. Jacob saw the thick bulge forming at the base of Rex's cock. "I... I think... I'm gonna..."
Rex suddenly lunged forward, wrapping his lips around Jacob's muzzle.
Jacob felt his brother's entire body tense and suddenly shudder multiple times as he released his seed straight into Leo's muzzle. A wet, sucking sound filled his ears and Rex broke the kiss, tilting his head back in a loud, primal cry.
"Oh fuck yes!"
Rex was reduced to a panting mass that collapsed to the ground against Jacob's coat, twitching. Leo wiped his muzzle with the back of his arm, grinning. Not a trace of semen was left on his muzzle. The Tribal turned his gaze towards Jacob.
"Your turn!"
Jacob grinned as he took Leo's head in both paws and let his mate take his cock. Leo's muzzle was like no other... It felt so good! Leo's breath was hot and moist and he curled his lips over his fangs so that they wouldn't cut into Jacob's cock. The force of his sucking was equal to a vacuum. It was a strong, constant force that felt like it was drawing the cum from Jacob's balls out! Jacob pulled in and out but Leo's muzzle kept drawing him back in.
His entire body tensed, the pressure building at the base of his cock as his knot began to form. He could feel his cum bubbling up from his balls, running up the length of his cock and just pressing against the tip, ready to explode.
"L - Leo... I... I'm gonna...!"
Jacob threw back his head and let out an ear-splitting howl as his cum exploded out of his cock and straight down Leo's throat. Leo never stopped drinking his cum once. He kept drawing every drop of Jacob's seed into him. Even when Jacob thought he had shot his entire load, Leo's muzzle drew even more out of him... and he was left feeling drained and exhausted.
He realised just how and why Rex suddenly felt so wiped.
His knees buckled from beneath him and he collapsed into Leo's arms.
"How was that...?" Leo asked softly.
Jacob was completely aware of Leo's unspent cock bouncing against his abs. "Almost perfect..."
His regeneration began kicking in and within a matter of seconds, he was left feeling just fine. Slowly, he peeled himself from his mate, turned around, fell on all fours and lifted his tail towards his mate.
"... but you haven't gotten off yet, have you?" he asked with a wink.
The look of shock on Leo's eyes was caught between shock, horror and utter, heartfelt joy. "Y - You would l - let me mount you?"
"You're my mate, Leo... I want to share everything with you... and that means all of me too." He grinned slyly. "Don't tell me you don't want to."
Leo looked on the verge of tears. "You... You are the best mate anyone could ever hope to have!"
Leo immediately got to his feet, wrapped his arms around Jacob's chest... and slowly angled his cock towards Jacob's virgin ass. Jacob instinctively clenched, bracing himself for the pain. The hot tip of Leo's cock pressed against his sensitive ass muscles, the heat from it calming him to an extent. Then, that tip began pushing itself into him and he grit his teeth at the oddly pleasurable pain that washed through him.
"Jacob... Are you...?"
"I'm... I'm good," he grunted, panting. "Don't stop..."
He was aware he was completely hard again.
"If I harm you..."
"Don't worry... I know you'd never do that..."
Because you're like Gabriel... You've devoted yourself entirely to me... to the point of being blind...
But I won't be like Belford... I'm not going to use you like he used Gabriel...
No way... I love you, Leo...
"Ah!" he gasped, arching his back. The length of Leo's cock inside of him felt enormous. He could feel his mate slowly pumping his cock into his ass, each thrust pushing that throbbing member deeper and deeper into him... almost like it was getting closer and closer to his heart...
Jacob moaned softly as Leo pressed his entire body against his back, nuzzling his neck lovingly. Leo licked his neck... and he turned to meet Leo's tongue, catching his mate in a loving kiss. While the lust was there... there was more love... With Rex, there was more lust than love... but with Leo...
It was love... and it was growing.
Jacob suddenly felt... so much more complete.
He didn't care if he ever went through life without knowing who he was in the past because right now, he felt whole... And even if his past came back to shake his world... Leo... Rex... All his friends... They'd be his support...
... and he knew that.
A grunt escaped him as Leo thrust deep into him, his pace quickening.
A soft moan tore Jacob's lips from Leo and he became aware of Rex lying a few metres from him, tongue out as he panted and one paw over his cock, stroking it shamelessly. Grinning, Jacob seized Rex's foot and dragged him across the ground until his brother was right beneath him.
"Whoa!" Rex exclaimed. "Jake! What're you doing!?"
He grinned and pressed his nose against Rex's, his cock angled at Rex's exposed butt. "Calling a family meeting!"
"But - Ah!"
Jacob quickly pulled Rex's legs apart and pressed his cock into the exposed ass. He silenced Rex with a kiss, his brother's eyes rolling into the back of his head. Leo thrust deep into Jacob's ass, the force pushing Jacob deeper into Rex. Their intertwined bodies meshed into one another, Leo on top of Jacob... and Jacob on top of Rex...
Whereas before, he felt whole... now he felt complete...
He was being embraced by his family... his loved ones... Caught in between the love of family... and the love of a mate... That balance between love and lust was completely balanced with the presence of both Leo and Rex...
The pressure began building again... the heat in his body reaching critical levels as he rubbed his body against Rex's hot, chiselled body and Leo pressed his massive, muscular form against him. He was panting and a howl was rising in his throat.
"Urgh..." Leo groaned. "J - J - Jacob... I - I am c - c -c -close... M - May I -?"
"Tie with me, Leo," Jacob moaned. "Tie with me!"
"URF!"
Leo suddenly slammed his cock deep into Jacob, sticking his entire length deep into Jacob's ass and pushing his bulbous knot through the ass ring. Leo suddenly threw his head back and unleashed a deafening howl. Jacob felt his insides suddenly fill with Leo's hot, steaming cum.
That feeling of completeness washed over him and that made his heart just explode with new sensations.
He arched his back and let out a howl that accompanied Leo's as his cock jerked for a second time and shot his load deep into Rex. Rex writhed beneath him and sent out an accompanying howl as he too orgasmed for a second time.
Their howls all mixed together... the cry of a family... of a pack...
Jacob never felt anything like it before...
... Well... he thought he might have felt something similar... but nothing on this level.
It was more than just family...
More than just love...
Like their souls had come together and formed a piece of each other's identities.
He wasn't just Jacob Reaper anymore...
He was Jacob Reaper, Rex Nebula's brother... and Leonardo Custer's mate...
As his howl died in his throat, he collapsed on top of Rex... and Leo collapsed over him. Rex let out a muffled cry as he was crushed under their combined weight. Jacob chuckled and rolled over, his cock easily slipping out of Rex as he hadn't tied with his brother.
Under the stars of Graesham, Rex gently reached over his shoulder and pulled Jacob's coat over the trio. The three wolves wrapped their arms around one another, keeping each other warm... and loved.
Jacob felt a faint pressure against his shoulder and he glanced over at Leo who was gently biting his flesh...
... a mating bite.
"I love you, Jacob..." Leo whispered.
"Same here, Jake," Rex murmured, kissing his nose gently.
Jacob smiled softly. "Yeah... I love you both..."