A Continuation to Chapter 4
A mysterious woman, Victoria Ashcroft, spoke to Jack. Amazingly, Jack understood her, even though she was speaking in a strange language! Victoria explained she had special magic that let her talk to anyone, even people from other worlds! She was super powerful, really old and wise.
Victoria knew right away that Jack wasn't from this world. She could tell by his magic, or "mana." In Jack's world, there's no magic, but in this world, he had way more mana than anyone else – ten times as much! And she wasn't the only one who knew this; others like Jack existed here.
Suddenly, a fancy lady, Lady Beatrice, showed up with guards. She was super important! "Take him to the healer!" she ordered, pointing at Jack. "He needs help!"
The guards whisked Jack away. But before they did, Victoria slipped a small, glittering amulet into Jack's hand. "Keep this safe," she whispered. "It might help you." Jack clutched the amulet tightly, wondering what secrets it held and what other surprises this strange new world had in store for him.
The healer, a kindly old woman with eyes that held the wisdom of ages, examined Jack's wounds. They were deep, but not life-threatening. "You're lucky," she said, applying soothing balms. "Your body heals remarkably fast. It's… unusual." She paused, studying him intently. "Your mana… it's like a river flowing through you, strong and pure."
After tending to his wounds, the healer noticed the amulet clutched in Jack's hand. Intrigued, she carefully examined it. "This is an ancient artifact," she whispered, her eyes widening. "It's a conduit, a key… but a key to what, I don't know." She explained that the amulet pulsed faintly with mana, resonating with Jack's own powerful energy. It was clearly connected to him in some profound way.
That night, alone in his room in the camp, Jack held the amulet. A faint warmth spread through him as he touched it. He felt a strange pull, a connection to something… vast. Suddenly, the amulet glowed brightly, and a vision flooded his mind: a swirling vortex of colors, a glimpse of a world both familiar and alien, and a single, haunting word whispered on the wind: "Aethelred." The vision vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving Jack breathless and more confused than ever. What did it all mean? And who, or what, was Aethelred?
Lady Beatrice entered Jack's room, her regal bearing slightly softened by a hint of curiosity. To Jack's surprise, he understood her perfectly, just as he had understood the healer. It seemed his ability to understand other languages was expanding.
"So," Beatrice began, a playful glint in her eye, "the healer tells me you're not exactly… ordinary."
Jack smirked. "Understatement of the century, Your Ladyship. I'm practically a walking, talking legend. Or at least, I will be once I write my memoirs."
Beatrice chuckled, a sound surprisingly melodic. "Memoirs? I'd wager your story is far from over. Victoria Ashcroft… she's mentioned you possess… unusual mana levels."
"Unusual? I prefer 'exceptionally potent.' It has its perks," Jack replied, gesturing to his rapidly healing wounds. "Though I'm still working on the whole 'interdimensional traveler' thing. It's a bit of a learning curve."
Beatrice leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Victoria believes you're from a world without mana. Is that true?"
Jack grinned. "Let's just say my previous residence lacked a certain… je ne sais quoi."
Beatrice smiled. "Indeed. And what of this amulet? The healer says it's ancient and powerful."
Jack showed her the amulet. "I got it from Victoria. It gave me a weird vision… a vortex, another world… and a name: Aethelred."
Beatrice's expression turned serious. "Aethelred… that name holds significance. More than you know. We need to talk more about this. Much more." She paused, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. "Perhaps over a rather less… eventful… cup of tea?"
Beatrice's chambers were opulent, a stark contrast to Jack's simple healer's quarters. As promised, tea was served – a delicate blend of herbs with a subtle sweetness. However, the conversation was far from delicate.
Beatrice revealed that Aethelred was not just a name; it was a title, a title associated with a long-forgotten prophecy. The prophecy spoke of a powerful outsider, someone with immense mana, who would either save their world or destroy it. Jack, with his unique mana signature, was the key figure in this prophecy.
"Victoria believes you're the chosen one," Beatrice explained, her voice low. "But there are others who believe differently. Those who would use your power for their own nefarious purposes."
Jack, sipping his tea, raised an eyebrow. "Nefarious purposes? Sounds exciting. Are we talking world domination, or something more… creative?"
Beatrice's smile was strained. "More sinister, I'm afraid. There's a faction within the kingdom, a shadowy cabal, who seek to control the flow of mana, to harness its power for their own twisted ends. They believe they can manipulate you, use your abilities to conquer the land."
"So, basically, I'm the ultimate power source in a high-stakes game of magical Risk?" Jack summarized, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Sounds like someone needs a new strategy."
Beatrice nodded grimly. "Indeed. And that's where you come in. We need to find a way to protect you, to control the narrative, before they do." She leaned forward, her voice serious. "This is a fight for the very soul of our kingdom, Jack. Are you in?"
"Hell no," Jack said bluntly. "First, I see some girl I barely knew get herself killed, and now you want me to be your kingdom's magical bodyguard? Seriously?"
Beatrice leaned back, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, honey, please. Don't act like you're not already knee-deep in this magical mess. And let's be honest, 'magical bodyguard' sounds way more glamorous than 'reluctant participant in a prophecy.'"
"And you're… some kind of princess, right? Needing a knight in shining armor to rescue you from the evil wizard?" Jack asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Beatrice laughed, a sharp, bright sound. "Princess? Darling, I'm Lady Beatrice, and I run circles around actual princesses. I'm a noblewoman, which means I have power, influence, and a whole lot of patience – which is rapidly wearing thin. But even I can't stop this cabal on my own. I need someone with... special talents. Like yours." She paused, her eyes twinkling. "Think of it as a highly lucrative consulting gig. With significantly less paperwork." She steepled her fingers, her expression serious despite the playful tone. "So, are you in, or am I going to have to start looking for someone with less… attitude?"
Jack abruptly stood, pushing back the covers. "You know what? Thanks for patching me up. Maybe someday I can repay the favor. But right now? I'm heading back to my own freakin' world. I miss my cellphone."
Beatrice stared, utterly dumbfounded. "What in the seven hells are you talking about? A… cell… phone?"
Jack didn't elaborate. He headed for the tent flap, his mind already racing. He needed to find a way back, to escape this strange, magical world that had suddenly become far too complicated.
"Hey! I'm not done talking to you!" Beatrice shouted, her voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. She was clearly not used to someone ignoring her so completely. She rose swiftly, her regal composure momentarily shattered by the sheer absurdity of the situation. "Get back here!" She followed him, her footsteps echoing behind him as he disappeared into the crowd in the camp
Beatrice muttered to herself, a blend of annoyance and grudging fascination coloring her voice. "Why am I even chasing this… this man? I'm Lady Beatrice!" Yet, her feet carried her forward, propelled by a strange mix of duty and a burgeoning curiosity.
Jack reached the stables, located a sturdy horse, and with surprising agility, threw a leg over its back. The horse, however, remained stubbornly rooted to the spot.
Beatrice arrived, witnessing the scene with unconcealed amusement. "Well, this is priceless," she chuckled, her laughter echoing across the stable yard. "Never ridden a horse before, have you?"
Jack grinned, unfazed. "Nope. But I've ride a vehicle more faster than this horse many times."
Beatrice raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh really? Where to, exactly? Because you're not leaving this camp. You have nowhere to go, no resources, no knowledge of this world beyond what Victoria and I have shared." She paused, her expression softening slightly. "Look, I know you're not keen on sticking around, but you're in the middle of something huge. Stay with me, and I'll help you. But there's a condition."
Jack, despite his reluctance, leaned in. "Oh? And what's that?"
Beatrice's smile was sharp, calculating. "You accompany me to Porthaven. That's all. What we do there… well, that remains to be seen." She waited, her gaze unwavering, the challenge hanging heavy in the air. The fate of a kingdom, and perhaps Jack's own peculiar journey home, rested on his answer.
Jack considered this, his gaze flitting from Beatrice's confident façade to the stubbornly unmoving horse. The idea of a journey to some unknown city, with a sassy noblewoman who was clearly lying through her teeth, was… intriguing. More intriguing than the prospect of being stuck in this world indefinitely.
"So, you're saying… if I go to this Porthaven with you, you'll help me get back to my world?" he asked, testing the waters.
Beatrice's smile didn't waver, though a flicker of something akin to nervousness crossed her eyes. "Yes," she said, her voice firm. "I'll do everything in my power to help you return home." The lie felt slick on her tongue, but the need for Jack's unique abilities in Porthaven outweighed any qualms she might have had about deceiving him. The city was crawling with those who sought her demise, and two royal guards simply wouldn't be enough.
"And what kind of 'help' are we talking about?" Jack pressed, suspicion coloring his tone. "Because if this involves any more prophecies or magical shenanigans…"
Beatrice chuckled, a sharp, brittle sound. "Let's just say it involves a lot less mystical mumbo-jumbo and a lot more… strategic maneuvering. Think of it as a high-stakes game of chess, with your life and mine as the pawns. And I assure you, I'm a formidable player." She paused, her gaze intense. "So, are you in?" The decision, she knew, was a gamble for both of them. But for Beatrice, it was a gamble she was willing to take. The alternative was far too bleak to contemplate.
Jack scoffed, crossing his arms. "So, you're saying… I'm your bodyguard? Excuse me, Miss… Princess… whatever, but I'm not exactly your knight in shining armor. I don't even know how to fight! How am I supposed to protect you?"
Beatrice, unfazed, leaned back with a smirk. "Victoria mentioned something about… a rather substantial amount of mana you possess."
Jack sighed. "Yeah, I have a lot of mana. So? That doesn't mean I can throw fireballs or anything. I don't have superpowers!" He paused, then, seemingly on impulse, raised a hand towards the sky.
A massive fireball erupted from his palm, illuminating the darkening sky with an intense, blinding light. The sudden, spectacular display left Jack himself as stunned as Beatrice. Jack stared at his hand, then back at the slowly dissipating fireball, his mouth agape. "Now what the hell was that?" he muttered, a mixture of awe and sheer terror coloring his voice.
Beatrice, fighting back a grin, leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "I believe," she said, her voice laced with a playful lilt, "that's what we in the magical professions call a 'minor demonstration of latent power.' You might have a little more potential than you initially thought."
Jack blinked, still processing the event. "A minor demonstration? That thing nearly lit the sky on fire! I didn't even try to do that! I just… put my hand up." He looked at his hand as if expecting another fireball to spontaneously erupt. "So, uh… what now? Do I have other, uh… 'minor demonstrations' I should be aware of? Like, maybe spontaneous levitation or something?"
Beatrice chuckled, a sharp, bright sound. "I wouldn't rule it out. But for now, let's focus on the immediate problem: getting me to Porthaven in one piece. And hopefully, without accidentally incinerating the entire countryside along the way." She paused, a thoughtful expression settling on her face. "Perhaps some… controlled practice sessions would be in order before we leave? I do have a rather extensive collection of training dummies…" Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Though I suspect you might prefer something a little less… flammable." Jack shuddered, already picturing the potential consequences of another accidental fireball. This was definitely going to be an interesting trip.
Jack, still slightly shaken from his accidental pyrotechnics display, blurted out, "So… do you like me? Because it feels like you are interested in me or some shi-".
Beatrice, who had been calmly assessing the situation, stopped mid-sentence. Her perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched skyward. A beat of silence hung in the air before she delivered her response with the icy precision of a seasoned noblewoman delivering a scathing rebuke. "Dumbass." With that, she turned on her heel and swept away, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts, his lingering magical afterglow, and a very profound sense of bewilderment. He watched her go, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. This was going to be a much more interesting trip than he'd initially anticipated.