Super Soldier in Another World

Jason sprinted towards the column of Akan-Dari, his swift footsteps tearing across the ground, kicking up chunks of wet dirt as he went. His sudden approach startled Lord Baelish's horse just as it was about to enter the shadowy embrace of the woods. The majestic beast reared up, its powerful muscles tensing beneath its glossy coat as Baelish's hands tightened around the reins, his face creased with effort. "By the Pillars!" Lord Baelish exclaimed, his eyes widening in alarm. "A golem!?" He yelled, the horse lowering with a snort.

Jason shook his head, gradually slowing his pace as the Akan-Dari soldiers unsheathed their gleaming blades and lowered their sharp spears toward him, poised to strike. It hadn't been his intention to scare them, but he'd needed to both reach them quickly and get their attention.

"Negative," Jason responded, his voice steady and clear. "I'm Hoplite." He declared, hoping the weight of his name would diffuse the tension. After all, he was apparently famous now, right?

Thankfully, his gamble paid off. Baelish's eyes grew even wider with a mixture of awe and recognition. "The hero of the Fiendwall?" He inquired, his tone a blend of disbelief and respect. "You are a long way from there, sir."

A murmur passed through the ranks of the Akan-Dari, their voices a low hum of surprise and speculation, though their weapons remained at the ready, the light rainfall causing their armor to gleam. Jason didn't view them as real threats, the only ones he kept his eyes on were the robed mages among them, staring at Jason with open apprehension.

"Is it true that you slayed Kazon?" Baelish asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Kazon is dead," Jason confirmed in a steely tone. "But listen, you need to hear this before you meet with Terlin. I fully intend on killing him. He has no interest in genuine diplomacy and may even be plotting to neutralize you. I'm unsure of his exact plans, but it might be best for you to reconsider meeting with him."

"Go home?" Baelish echoed, a note of defiance in his voice. "We've journeyed far, and I have no intention of leaving just yet. Whoever this Terlin is, he cannot be so foolish as to think he can challenge Akan-Dar."

"He is possessing the body of a Pillar-Born," Jason quickly explained, trying to convey urgency through his words. "He may very well believe he can stand against you. I aim to remove him from power and restore the Harkhall to power."

Gasps of shock rang out from the Akan-Dari, a few taking involuntary steps away from the forest. It didn't seem that they doubted his claim, with Lord Baelish himself going wide-eyed with shock. The lord shook his head, taking a deep breath to steady himself before ordering his men to steel themselves. He then looked back to Jason, brow lowered, not a glare, just serious. Jason understood, he had essentially told the Akan-Dari that the elves had a nuclear missile.

"The body of a Pillar-Born, and you intend to overthrow him and put the Harkmother back in command?" He asked, "…Is she well?" Concern coming through his tone.

"I don't know." Jason told him honestly, surprised at the man's apparent worry.

He'd thought that the Akan-Dari hated the elves, so why then did Baelish sound so worried for the Harkmother?

"I see." Baelish said, his face becoming a grim mask. "I've no reason to trust nor distrust you, Hoplite. For all I know you could have your own game you're playing at here, I'm not sure as to what, but if you stand against evils like the Pillar-Born and even Kazon himself, I doubt that your intentions are vile." He paused, apparently to consider, "Very well, I will take you at your word, Hoplite. When do you plan on executing this usurper?"

"Sooner, rather than later." Jason answered, "No defined timeline, but I fully intend on removing him within the month."

"Sir, are you truly considering rejecting a diplomatic summons from the elves?" A robed man stepped forward from the group, his weathered face partially obscured by a deep dark hood trimmed with faded purple runes. His voice was nasally, and his gnarled fingers clutched a polished staff of dark wood that gleamed with an oily sheen. "What if this Hoplite, if that really is who he is, is lying to provoke a war between the Faewood and Akan-Dar?" The mage's eyes darted nervously between Jason's imposing form and Lord Baelish, pupils constricting to pinpoints against amber irises. "For all we know, he could be Kazon himself, trying to manipulate us to his ends!"

Jason blinked, turning his helmet toward the man, "Are you dumb?" He asked, tone genuine.

"I beg your pardon!?" He questioned, "I am Lord Magaranka, master of the House of-"

"Shut up." Jason said sharply, "Lord Baelish, I appreciate you taking my advice despite us not having contact previously." He then gave a nod of respect.

"You dare-" Magaranka began hotly.

"Magaranka, please conduct yourself properly from now on. Your outburst was disgraceful." Baelish said with disdain, a sneer on his face, "And Hoplite, I implore you to be more polite, I know not how you Outworlders conduct yourselves, but insulting one of Magaranka's status normally would carry harsh consequences. Despite that, I thank you for your warning, and do hope that we may reconvene in the future. There are many in Akan-Dar that wish to speak with you, the Lord-Ruler included. I would recommend seeking me out, I will arrange an escort that will await your arrival."

Jason wasn't sure that he should accept this offer to meet the Lord-Ruler… at least until he remembered the impending threat of the Romai. Meeting with the Lord-Ruler would need to happen inevitably, Akan-Dar's numbers and all the mages they could spare could be a solid force against the Romai. Jason doubted they could outright beat them, the Long Lords alone would ensure that, but the lesser vampires might meet their matches amongst Akan-Dari mages.

"Affirmative, Lord Baelish." Jason nodded, "I will go to Akan-Dar after the conflict here is resolved.

Baelish then gave a smile and a nod, before turning to his men, "Let us be off! We've a long way to go, Magaranka, erect the rain barrier again, I feel the drops beginning to quicken." Baelish ordered the mage.

Magaranka's amber eyes narrowed to slits beneath his hood, his knuckles whitening around his staff as Jason turned away from them, the man observable through Jason's rear camera. A vein pulsed at Magaranka's temple while Baelish's horse moved away, hooves churning up mud as it went. The mage's lips peeled back from his teeth, and he inhaled sharply through flared nostrils. Magaranka may be a threat that he'd need to neutralize one day, based on that face he was making.

He cautiously retraced his steps toward the copse, deliberately taking a wide route to ensure Baelish and the other Akan-Dari wouldn't spot him slipping into the Trinkett's barrier. Everything had gone surprisingly well, more so than he'd anticipated. Part of him had expected Baelish to be aloof or even to dismiss his warning completely. Yet, despite all the rumors and tales he'd heard about the Akan-Dari, their lord seemed to possess a surprisingly sensible mindset. Once he was certain that he was out of view, Jason passed back through the barrier, letting out a sigh of relief. He may have just averted a horrible war that would have crushed the Faewood to dust.

A dozen Trinketts awaited him on the other side of the barrier, swarming around him, their voices overlapping in a chaotic chorus of "Did they threaten you?" and "What did Baelish say?" and "Are they turning back?" until Jason couldn't distinguish one question from the next, unable to find time to answer any of them as they spoke over one another.

Lance pushed through the crowd, her fingers finding Jason's armored hand and squeezing until her knuckles turned white. From the back of the gathering, Nelan's jaw tightened, his gaze darting from their interlocked hands to Jason's helmet. His nostrils flared as he squared himself, before he houldered his way forward, boots squelching in the mud with each deliberate step.

Lance's lips pursed, "What happened, what did he say?" She asked.

Jason couldn't answer her over the dinn of questions from her extended family, or at least she wouldn't have been able to hear him. Just as he was about to bark an order for everyone to quiet down, Nelan spoke up.

"Everyone calm down!" Nelan shouted, "Let the man speak!" His eyes shifted to Lance's hand on Jason's again, before he let out a near inaudible sigh.

Jason nodded, before he began recounting his conversation with the Akan-Dari lord. "I told Baelish about my plan to dethrone Terlin," he said. "But the Akan-Dari are still oblivious to the copse. Well, what's in it at least. Baelish himself seems to know that this isn't supposed to be here." He then gestured towards the dense foliage overhead. "But right now, no humans know that you're hiding out."

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A collective sigh of relief rippled through the gathered elves, though their shoulders remained hunched and eyes darted nervously around the clearing. It was as if they had narrowly dodged a fierce blizzard, its icy breath just a whisper away, ready to descend upon them again at any moment.

"Alright, you all heard the man." Nelan clapped his hands, "We're safe, please return to your business." He told the elves, putting his fists on his hips.

The elves exchanged uneasy glances, then slowly resumed their tasks, laundry, tinkering, collecting the gentle drizzle of rainwater, among other things. As he, Lance, and Nelan returned to Begee, Jason could see the Trinkett's eyes flick toward the horizon where Baelish had vanished, clearly searching for any hint of his return. The tension was palpable, they were clearly shaken up by the appearance of the Akan-Dari, people that many elves here must have never laid eyes on before.

Once they reached the doorway, Jason hesitated, glancing at the cracked doorframe and deciding to stay outside. He didn't want to risk making that doorway any wider than it already was, Begee didn't seem willing to goad him inside either, for the tree remained completely silent this time around. Inside, Lance's cousins had already settled back into their chairs around the dining table, Lolena's face expressionless, while Leone looked concerned, yet still held himself in a manner that implied he was at ease, kicking his feet up on the table. Wyla, her steps unsteady, slowly made her way up a staircase that curved up higher in the tree, huffing and puffing as she went.. She paused at the top, turning back to face Jason with a weary smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm just..." she trailed off, taking a deep breath. "I'm light-headed. I need to lay down. Good luck to you all." Her voice was soft, but she managed a smile. Lance quickly bounded up the steps, wrapping her in a tight embrace, while Nelan stood beside Jason at the threshold, watching the scene unfold with concern etched on his face.

There was another tension in the air, one that he couldn't quite explain… ah, was this awkwardness? He clearly hadn't liked seeing Lance grab his hand, but why? It was just a gesture between friends.

"Leone, Lolena," Nelan called out from his spot outside Begee, his voice echoing through the crisp morning air, "Speak with Lancela about whatever you two are planning. We can catch up on details later. I need to have a private word with Jason."

Lance's head snapped towards Nelan, eyes narrowed with a knowing intensity that could cut through steel. Nelan met the fiery gaze without a hint of hesitation, his own eyes steady and unwavering. They locked eyes, an unspoken tension crackling between them like a live wire, until suddenly Lance's expression shifted, softening before switching her gaze to Jason then back again.

Nelan's green eyes then widened in disbelief as he turned to Jason, his mouth slightly agape.

"Just go with him," Lance urged, looking at Jason, her voice firm, as she supported her mother up the remaining steps. "Just be honest, like you always are."

Jason blinked as he tried to process the situation. Being honest had always seemed straightforward to him—a binary choice between truth and falsehood— Lance understood that about him…yet there had been a clear undercurrent of worry in Lance's tone that suggested a complexity to this situation he couldn't quite grasp. A cold knot formed in his stomach as he dreaded the conversation to come, though he knew not why. The elf turned from Begee, his leather boots leaving deep imprints in the damp earth as he walked toward the edge of the barrier, shoulders squared as he went. Jason stared after him for an instant, before he followed Nelan's lead across the clearing.

Once they were out of earshot of the dwelling, Nelan turned to him, emerald eyes blazing like twin furnaces beneath furrowed brows, muscular arms crossed over his chest. "What is going on between you and my daughter?" he asked, jaw clenched tightly.

Jason stared for a moment, wondering how best to proceed in this scenario. Nelan was clearly agitated, but he wasn't completely sure as to why. He felt unsure as to what the best thing to say was, should he say that nothing was 'going on'? No, that would be a lie... Lance had said be honest, and despite the danger he sensed, he trusted her judgment.

"She's my best friend," Jason told him, his voice betraying no emotion.

Nelan's eyes narrowed to verdant slits, his crow's feet deepening. "I know what I saw in her eyes, lad. There's more than just—" He gestured frustratedly at Jason, fingers splayed and trembling slightly, "—friendship going on here."

Perhaps he should just make himself more clear. Jason removed his helmet, ensuring to lock onto Neelan's eyes with his own. Neelan's expression turned to shock as Jason smiled.

"I love her." He said honestly, Neelan maintaining eye-contact.

There was a pause, before Neelan drew himself up, his features grim, "You do, certainly." Neelan admitted, "But how do you plan on providing for her?"

Jason's brows knit together, "Huh?" He asked.

This seemed to be the wrong response, for Neelan's frown deepened, "You mean to tell me that you have no clue what you will do to provide for your own family? Do you plan on feeding her with rocks, perhaps dirt?" He asked hotly, taking a step forward, "Or do you expect to mooch off of me and my business, just standing around doing nothing!?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jason asked flatly, "She's my friend, not a pet."

Feeding her? Lance could eat by herself, was Neelan stupid?

"Are you stupid?" Neelan asked, narrowing his eyes.

Jason's face twisted into a scowl, "Excuse you?"

"'My friend' pah!" Neelan shook his head, "She's already got you marked, fool. How you haven't picked up on this I'll never know."

"What are you saying?" Jason asked, growing irritated.

Neelan then took a deep breath before pinching the bridge of his nose, "You… you really have no clue what it is that we're doing right now, do you?"

"Of course I don't." Jason said hotly, "You dragged me over here to scream at me about feeding Lance rocks? Are you insane?"

"There's more than just rock eating going on here." Neelan pointed, "You don't just love her as a friend boy, an idiot could tell that much!"

Jason's blood ran cold as Neelan spoke the truth aloud. Hadn't he been concealing it better than that? He'd thought that everyone would just see them as merely friends and nothing else.

Nelan's features then softened, "You don't want anyone to know, not even her." He said, sounding surprised.

"…That's not exactly it." Jason said after a moment, "I plan on telling her, but I am counting on rejection."

Surprisingly, Nelan snorted, "I wouldn't count on that."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

Nelan fell silent for a long while, taking a deep breath and just looking up at the cloudy sky, seeming to gather his thoughts before he turned his attention back to Jason.

"She loves you." Nelan said pointedly, "I saw it in her eyes, and it is not like a friend, I promise you that. To fall in love with a human is one thing, but an Outworlder? I barely even know what to think about-"

He couldn't hear Nelan anymore, a strange ringing in his ears drowning out the elf's ranting. His chest tightened—hope and terror warring within him as he considered the possibilities. Could Nelan be right, could Lance really love him back? Memories flooded back in that instant: her fingers lingering on his arm at the Fiendwall, her eyes finding his across the campfire, nights snuggled up with one another, her voice at Castle Blackgaze saying "I love you." Had he been blind? The thought of her loving him back made his heart soar and plummet simultaneously—it was something he wanted, true, but he was a monstrous freak, a genetic abomination... but just because he saw himself that way, didn't mean that Lance did.

His jaw fell open as time resumed, Nelan pausing his rant, "I broke you." He stated, "But now that you understand, definitively, I ask you again, how do you intend to provide for my daughter?"

Jason blinked again, shaking his head, "Provide?"

Nelan's hand swept outward toward Begee, a scowl on his face, "When she's wearing your ring and the little ones are crying with empty bellies," He glared, "will you feed them with a stew of rocks and dirt while my daughter watches on with hollow cheeks?"

Jason's mind spun, and he took a step back, "Uh-"

"That's all you have to say, boy?" Neelan asked, face growing red with rage, "She picked you, and you're planning on telling her you feel the same, how do you think that will end? Your lack of foresight is concerning to say the least."

"Guh-" Jason shook his head, "H-hold on now," He said putting his hand up, "Give me a second."

"There's no seconds, you need to think about the future if you truly intend to go down this road." Nelan crossed his arms again, "Assuming any of us survive it, of course." His head hung slightly, "Not sure what will happen, once the Godling War picks up, but it will be hell…" He trailed off, features softening, "Even if we don't survive, I want you to make sure Lancela lives through the end of this age, please."

Jason, relieved for the sudden change of topic, nodded, "I won't let her die. I promise."

Nelan locked eyes with Jason again, before nodding, "I believe you, and I thank you for that, so, what do you plan to do?"

Jason winced, unsure as to what the proper thing to say was. Neelan wanted something from Jason but he was off guard and in unfamiliar territory- territory he had never been designed to tread upon.

"If she really does have these feelings," Jason began, "Then I'll return them five-fold, but a future like that can't be planned for, it is both unrealistic and sub-optimal given the current state of the world. In a manner of speaking 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it'." He explained.

Neelan looked taken aback, "That's not what I expected you to say, but you speak sense." He sighed, "With how things are, that's the last thing we should be worried about. We'll put off this little talk of ours until things become more stable. For now, how about we return to Begee and hear out the plan my niece and nephew are concocting?"