Super Soldier in Another World

Jason could still hear Begee groaning in pain occasionally as Hoplite squatted down just inside the door. Chips of wood littered the floor around the doorframe, which was now broken in a few places. He'd tried to ease his way inside without causing damage, but there was only so much he could do.

"You did that to yourself, oaf!" Lance's father shook his fist at the gnarled ceiling, "Use your brain- er, soul next time!"

"Nelan don't shout!" Wyla shouted.

Through Begee's threshold was a wide, circular chamber, a round table grown out of the smooth wooden floor. A few chairs were grown straight out of the floor, high backed with smoothed down seats. Lance and her family were seated around this table, Lance staring at Jason with a grimace.

"He did ask for that." Lance told him reassuringly, "Begee has a pride the size of the Ilum tree.

"I feel nothing!" Begee declared, his voice seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere, "I merely allowed my wood to be chipped, were I so inclined you would have bounced clean off! But I wanted you to think that you were capable of damaging me," He paused to groan again, "Because you need the confidence to defeat Terlin, that's all!"

"Begee…" Wyla shook her head, "For a tree as ancient as you, you don't behave like it."

Begee just groaned in response, Hoplite still unsure if he should proceed. The floor might shatter beneath his weight and cause the tree more pain. In fact, he could feel the floor creaking beneath his weight, Jason should not be in here with his suit.

"I'll stand outside." Jason told them, "I don't-"

"You think me so weak!?" Begee shouted, "Behold my powers!"

Jason waited for something to happen, anything, but after thirty seconds had passed, nothing had occurred. Lance simply clapped her hands, "Wow, so impressive Begee." She said sarcastically.

The tree didn't seem able to pick up on the tone however, "Yes indeed!" He declared triumphantly, "I'm sure you've never seen something as magnificent as that!"

"I didn't see anything." Jason frowned, "There's nothing impressive here."

"That just shows how soft and fragile those weak eyes of yours are." Begee harumphed, "Why-"

"Please stop talking." Jason asked firmly, "You're annoying."

"B-buh!?" Begee gasped, "Why would you say that?" He asked, sounding hurt.

"Because you're wasting my time, there are important matters that need to be discussed and you're taking up way too much of my attention." Jason told him.

"Oh…" Begee said before sinking into silence.

Strangely, a mote of guilt filled Jason's chest at Begee's tone.

"Straight to the point then, eh?" Leone asked, leaning back in his chair with a yawn, "That's fine by me, but I gotta ask, how did you kill Kazon?"

"It's a long story, Lance already filled you in on some of the details, and she's a better storyteller than I am." Jason replied, "Right now though, we need to know if you are all in immediate danger. Do you need supplies? Anything?"

Nelan let out a sigh, "We need a bit of everything, really." He said, "We can't go back into the Faewood to hunt nor draw water, and the nearest river is miles away. The Watchers that came with us have been doing a great job at drawing the water from the river, but they have to go under cover of night. We considered moving to the river with our trees but I'm sure you know why that would be a bad idea."

Lolena nodded, sipping from a small teacup, "Large trees appearing where they haven't been before would draw attention from the humans, we must blend in to the edge of the forest."

Jason't brow furrowed, "Then just move over to the section of river that's on the edge of the forest." He told them, "The river has to pass through the edge of the Faewood somewhere."

Nelan shook his head, "It's not that simple, unfortunately. The Watchers keep their eyes on every river through the Faewood, they would find us easily."

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"You'd still be out of the forest technically." Jason pointed out.

"While that's true, who knows what Terlin would do if he found out we were technically subverting his orders?" Nelan asked, "We're 'free game' out here now, not protected by the laws of the Faewood. If Terlin so wished, he could order us killed or outright carry out our deaths himself… or worse, inform Akan-Dar of our presence. If that happens…" He trailed off, "No, we need to stay well away from points of interest, we're risking enough staying here as it is."

"You won't have to take any more risks soon." Jason said firmly, "I'm going to kill Terlin, and soon. I don't intend to inflict Watcher casualties if it can be avoided, except for Terlin's supporters anyhow, so Lance and I intend to smuggle ourselves into the Bastion with the help of Meris, Lance's tree."

Nelan's eyes narrowed, "I forbid it. You may go Jason, but not Lance. She needs to stay here with her clan."

Jason almost wanted to agree, but he knew Lance, she wouldn't want to stay behind for this, even if her father said so.

"Nah." Lance shrugged, "I'm going."

The casual tone in which she said it shocked him, she'd never been so nonchalant with Jason before.

Wyla glared, "You can't, Lancela, we need you here and Terlin is a Pillar-Born now-"

Lance shook her head, "I'm going and there isn't anything you can do to convince me otherwise, I won't let Jason go alone."

Strangely, Leone and Lolena shared a knowing look and a brief smile, before they turned back to Nelan, who had begun fuming.

"Uncle," Lolena began, "I will be going with them as well. I'll put my all into suppressing Terlin's magic, provided that I don't get hung up on dealing with his mage underlings."

"I'm not sticking around here either." Leone told them with a smirk, "But I don't think I'll be going up against Terlin. I got another idea, it'll make busting in there easier but you'll need to give me some time to make it work, before you go charging in." He directed at Jason.

"Now hold on!" Nelan yelled, sitting up in his chair, "I just got my daughter back from certain death, now you intend to take her with you to face off with a Pillar-Born!?" He pointed at Jason.

"Yes." He replied flatly.

Nelan's green eyes widened, "Is that right?"

"Father," Lance shook her head, "He already tried to convince me not to go, just as you did when I first decided to accompany him to the Fiendwood. You didn't stop me then, and you aren't going to stop me now."

Nelan grumbled, and an awkward silence filled the chamber for an entire sixty seconds. Nelan looked back up to Jason with a sharp glare, "Keep her safe."

"That is my intention, sir." Jason said, "I don't plan on her being harmed, I need her."

Lance grinned at him, but that look soured when she saw Leone and Lolena share another knowing look. Nelan's eyes narrowed at Jason.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, a strange heat entering his tone.

Jason returned the glare from behind his helmet. What had he said to invoke this response from Nelan? He'd just said the simple truth, and here Nelan was growing angry with him. It infuriated him to no end when he said something, only for someone to grow irritated with him for it. He was just about to tell Nelan exactly what he'd meant, but before he could do so, a scream could be heard from outside. Jason immediately turned and rushed out the door, eliciting a cry of agony from Begee.

"I felt nothing!" Begee cried as Jason sped out of the door, a couple wood chips coming along with it.

"Sorry!" Jason said quickly.

He just didn't have the time to be careful here, anything could be outside- including Terlin himself. What he saw instead though, was a veritable army of humans. There had to be a hundred of them just outside the Trinkett's copse, peering at it curiously. Jason knew that they couldn't see inside, and Lolena had explained earlier that sound was also suppressed within. As far as these humans knew, this was just another empty portion of the forest, but those curious glances told him that they didn't expect it to be here.

Especially not the scrawny bald man in the lead, who sat atop a horse as he studied the copse. He wore a black silk robe trimmed violet, two golden studs piercing his nose on either side. His grey eyes stared at the copse curiously, wrinkles creasing. The men behind him wore livery over their breastplates, again black trimmed purple, with the symbol of a flaming sword emblazoned into them. A few of these knights carried banners as well, depicting much the same. Among their ranks were men wearing black and purple robes, and Jason could detect, even from here, that they were capable mages, at least ten of them in total. Trinkett Watchers scaled trees, drawing bows as the Fae's roots began to writhe in anticipation. Jason approached, staying just within the illusion as Lance and her family followed after him.

"Akan-Dari!" Nelan whispered harshly, "Damn it all."

"What are they doing here?" Lance asked, more to herself than anyone in particular.

The bald man ran a hand over his head as he considered, still looking perplexed. He turned to his men, which stood just a few feet behind him and his horse.

"This is not supposed to be here." He said, his accented voice scratchy, "I've made many trips to the Faewood in my time, I know its edges well."

"My lord," An armored man bowed his head, "Could not new trees have simply grown here in your absence?"

The bald man shook his head, "I passed this way only a year ago, trees do not grow this much in a year. These must be fae that have left the bounds of the Faewood."

"What shall we do, Lord Baelish?" The same armored man asked.

"Continue on as planned." Baelish replied, "We've not come to survey the trees, the new 'King of the Faewood' is awaiting our arrival."

"As you wish, my lord." The man bowed.

The contingent of armored men followed after the bald man on horseback, passing into the Faewood and leaving the copse behind.

"Lord Baelish." Nelan said with a frown, "The Lord-Ruler's younger brother… if he's been sent to talk with Terlin, that can not bode well."

"The Lord-Ruler?" Jason asked.

"The supreme master of Akan-Dar, the warrior king that commands every Block-Lord when it becomes time for war." Nelan answered.

"If things go badly between Terlin and Baelish…" Lolena shuddered, "It could mean a new Expansion War."

Jason's face hardened. An Expansion War would mean that the millions of soldiers the Akan-Dari possessed would descend upon the Faewood, putting Lance's family in grave danger. Making up his mind, he approached the edge of the barrier.

"Jason what are you doing?" Lance asked, "Just stay out of their way."

"Negative, I have an idea." Jason told her simply, "I won't reveal that you all are here, but I need to inform them of the state of things. What if Terlin kills Baelish? There would be a new war for sure, he's not mentally stable. This meeting will only go badly and the Faewood can't afford a war like that, especially not now."

"...Please be careful." Lance told him, "Baelish is second only to the Lord-Ruler himself, try to be respectful."

"Just let him pass, we don't need the trouble-" Wyla began, before Nelan put a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

"You're right." He told Jason, "Go let him know what has transpired, and that Terlin won't be in his throne for much longer."