Wrath Reincarnated

JULES

Jules and Cyrus sat on the creaky floorboards of The Painter's quarters and rolled a ball back and forth to each other, commiserating in their shared mission failure.

"You know, you're a real asshole, Cleetus. I completely forgot you were a different guy, and that terrified me for a second when you came in." Cyrus rolled the ball hard at Jules' family jewels, but he blocked it. "The Eh was a nice touch, though."

"Yeah, you almost wet yourself, it's OK, just admit it. But I didn't expect you to—CY!" Jules froze. The ball slammed into his own, and he curled up into one, like the fetal position, as he writhed in generational pain.

"What Jules—What!?" Jules let out a combination of laughter and crying.

"I just realized who you look like, you son of a bitch—You look like Pinky!"

Cyrus stood up to tackle Jules when someone else came in through the door. "Why are you all in this room?"

"AAAHHH!!!" Cyrus shrieked like a little girl and covered his eyes and clawed his fingernails down his face. Jules shot to his feet, ready for the unknown, to defend his friend, but just looked at Katarina standing at the door, puzzled. "Oh, Kat, it's just you. You're new disguise is terrifying, sorry, I—"

SMACK! Cyrus crashed to the ground.

"Where's The Painter?" she demanded. "I've got a bone to pick with him."

"Don't we all," Cyrus sobbed. Katarina sat with her back against a wall.

"Tired?" Jules asked.

"I'm revived and full steam ahead, but I'm cursed." I like the sound of the first part. "And I'm pissed off at someone other than you two, for once."

"You're always pissed," Cyrus said. "I think it's time you get the help you need—No! I'm just kidding, OK!?"

"I can't wait to leave this town, this forest, this entire nation." Whiskers waddled over to Jules and sat down. "Did you have any luck today, Jules?"

Something seems off. He looked back-and-forth between Katarina and Whiskers, and neither acknowledged the other. "Are you asking me if I had any luck, or if I got lucky?"

"MROWR!" Whiskers hissed and abandoned Jules for Cyrus. Way to anchor his last choice, Cy.

"I'm tired. It's been non-stop since we left Lighthouse Cove, always on the run." Jules went to pet Rukia, but she wasn't there. "It's nice to have you back, Kat. I know we didn't get to speak much last night—"

"Mention last night one more time…" Yeesh, better change the topic.

"I'm being pulled to the next Shrine in Riftwatch Outpost. And after that, I think Mount Fury. I find myself wishing I could take the helm, instead of being pushed around the world like this."

"You're doing a good job leading us."

"…Wow. Thanks, Kat. That means a lot."

"I'm very confused," Cyrus said. "A lot of things aren't adding up today."

"Drop it, Cy!" Katarina snapped.

"What? No, I'm not talking about your lovers' quarrels—" Cyrus blocked another incoming smack. "Why didn't Kat's Panliqueur Potion last as long as ours?" He stood up and walked to some books. "Guys. I think The Painter is—"

"Hey, girlie!" Rukia leapt into the room and landed at Katarina's feet, then dug into a deep, playful bow. "I missed you so much, Kat—Let's play!"

"What news do my star pupils bring—and to my own humble quarters, at that?" The Painter lazily leaned against the doorframe to his room with that smug grin of his.

"Nothing."

"Zilch."

Hm, Kat's not answering.

The Painter's eye twitched, and he spoke slowly. "Surely you learned something useful, though?" Cyrus motioned for Jules to go first. He looked at Katarina, who shook her head for herself.

"I learned where my the Riftwatch Outpost Shrine is, to find the next piece of the Sound of Fury. Now I just need to find one near a volcano."

"Yep—The Mount Fury Shrine," The Painter said matter-of-factly.

"What!? How'd you know about that?"

"It's underneath it, hidden by the Obsidian Royal Family. It is inactive, somehow, though." He winked at Jules, who shuddered. "And the Tree?"

Jules furrowed his brow. You split us up, each for our own recon mission, under the guise of one mission, didn't you? "I found it."

"Oh reeeeally?" The Painter flapped his fan Vessel in front of his face. "How's that?"

"I quite literally asked to see a map."

The Painter's mouth dropped. "I never quite thought of that. OK—So where is it?"

"Yeah, I'm not telling you." The Painter fluttered his eyes behind the fan. "For free."

"Excellent! But hold that thought. Young Cyrus? You've been awfully quiet."

"Nothing to report." That's a shame.

"Really? Not after everything you saw?"

"How'd you—Oh you son of a…" Jules and Katarina glanced at each other; the confusion was just as apparent on her face as his. "Well, since we're going here—Where are they?"

"Whom?" Man, reminds me of Isolda there.

"Don't play dumb with me."

"Selene and Isolda, you mean?" Cyrus held his ground. The Painter focused on Jules. "They're safe."

"Jules," Cyrus said. "Exchange info."

"Screw that, we need to—"

"Now!" Cyrus shouted. Jules took a long breath, then fetched a map from The Painter's desk. He slammed his index finger into as best a spot he could recall.

"The Tree's here, in the heart of the Arcane Divide. They really don't want you find it, Argyle especially."

"It seems like that friendship's a front," Cyrus said.

"Oh no, Cyrus. We go way back, but Argyle has kept its location from me for more than a decade." The Alter pointed at Jules. "Since you accuse me of going somewhere I've never been, the last I saw Isolda, she was in Coralhaven."

"When was that?" Jules asked.

"And no sight of her since, eh?" Cyrus asked.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Ah, no," he replied with a taunting smile. "Selene is in the Coralithian Sea. You went right over her, though she was probably a few thousand leagues—"

"But not with Davy Jones, is she?" What thread is Cy on, now?

"She is with The Dutchman."

"But not Jones. Got it." Cyrus gave The Painter a thumbs up.

"Katarina, Envy, my dear." The Painter's eyes shifted colors again. "What secrets did you uncover?"

"Retinol. That's who you're looking for."

"My, my. You took all the fun out of—"

"He knew I was coming, and my Potion conveniently wore off early." Katarina tapped her foot while she waited. "What are you up to? Setting a trap?"

"Yes, that was a trap, to be certain," he admitted. "But not for you."

"For you?" Cyrus asked.

"I fear we must all soon take our leaves, children. We are short on time, Cyrus, and we need to discuss next steps. Thank you, Envy, for completing my mission, where the others have utterly failed." I don't know, I think I came out pretty good from all this.

"Sera's got to be in the belly of the beast with The Iron Maiden in Sylvan Hollow. You could storm the city with us," Jules said to the Alter.

"You owe us for finding your rat," Katarina said.

"No, I am afraid I am most unwelcome there. And I couldn't overpower the entire Iron Maiden fleet even with the help of you three devils."

"Hey, thanks for including me for once," Cyrus said.

"I was referring to Wrath, Envy, and Rukia… But you'd be fools to go there."

"It's the most dangerous option, yes," Jules admitted.

"There are most likely a ton of traps," Cyrus said.

"It's the dumbest idea I have ever heard. You're an idiot for even considering it," Katarina said.

"We could go to the Tree of Wishes and wish her back," Jules said.

"Stupid waste of your one wish," Katarina muttered. You're just jealous.

"It'd be the easiest, though," Cyrus said. "We've already found the location, and we'd have you there as backup."

"Oh, no. I'm about a decade out from burning that stick. I think I'll reserve my one wish as a failsafe." The Painter looked at Cyrus. "Just in case."

"Thanks for believing in me."

"There are no other options." Jules returned the map to The Painter's desk. "How dangerous is it?"

"My brilliant students! I knew you'd arrive at the most obvious conclusion you've likely ever presented with in your short lives, so I have already arranged safe passage for you to the Tree of Wishes. Argyle will escort you there personally."

"…Why would he do that if he wants to keep you away from it so badly?" Jules asked.

"Because the Elders that guard the Tree are extremely interested in you, Wrath." Jules paused.

"And that's why you brought us here," Jules said through clenched teeth. Using us again, time after time, just to get the information he wants.

"Of course, Jules. We are all playing the most dangerous game. I know your hands, but you do not know—"

The Painter shot straight up. Jules had never seen fear in the man's eyes, not even back in Aquilantis after he'd retrieved Kaizen—the Alter had simply been angry and disappointed back then, but now…

"What—"

"Shh!" The Painter hushed them all. Whiskers curled into himself, Rukia panted, and Katarina quietly drew two daggers. Cyrus studied the Alter's every move. "I must leave immediately. An expected guest—or a peer, if you will—has arrived rather unexpectedly." A peer? As in another Alter?

"Your next assignments: Arcanics, retrieve your second-level Vessels. Envy, your next one is in Zephyria; I'm sorry, but that's the best I could come up with. Wrath, you know yours. Cyrus, retrieve a volume from The Library for me."

"That's it?"

"Oh, it won't be easy."

"What's the title?"

"You'll know it when you see it while on your…other Quests. You've each gained knowledge here you should all follow up on. I'll be closely watching in the coming days. Farewell, children."

And once again, The Painter vanished and left them alone, vulnerable.

[New Quest Available: Paint It Black, Part 2]

[New Reward Available for Paint It Black, Part 2: Further training with The Painter.]

[Paint It Black, Part 2 — Quest Objective ADDED: Jules must retrieve the second piece of the Sound of Fury.]

[Paint It Black, Part 2 — Quest Objective ADDED: Kat must retrieve the second piece to her currently nameless Vessel.]

[Paint It Black, Part 2 — Quest Objective ADDED: Cy must retrieve a volume from The Library.]

JAFAR

I lost that damn raven an hour ago. I recognize these woods, though, from a life long past. Jafar stopped in front of a lone tree, not unalike from any of the others surrounding it in the thick forest, but he knew immediately it was the only one like it in the entire damn Expanse. Still, he had to circle it and find the marking. He rubbed his hand in the knifed-out groove, and put his head against the thick trunk. Jafar lowered to his knees and offered a prayer for his friend buried far beneath it.

Sharkkan, I wish I could lean on your wisdom right now. Why would a group of Elementalists go to Eldertree Enclave? Or Whispering Pines, for that matter? Have the Clans grown that weak in your absence?

Or is it much worse than that? Can the Desert Mouse not keep the desert rats away anymore?

Jafar rose and walked toward the city; he knew its gates weren't too far off. It's not for me to understand Kazuma. There's a lot I don't understand in this world anymore, it seems. Like that kidnapped girl in Shinsora—Why is she so important to all this?

A strong Ryoku presence crept in and tried to suffocate him. Jafar stood at attention and cracked his neck, then he drew and activated his scimitar Vessel.

« « Howl, Drakon » »

"Hello, Desert Mouse." The voice called to him from behind, but Jafar relaxed immediately and sheathed his scimitar.

"Oh, it's only you. What are you doing in The Expanse? I thought your were in Shinso—"

The Alter thrusted his blade, thinner than any other blade he'd seen, at him. Jafar spun around and leaned back and to the side to avoid the strike, which would have introduced a new exit to his windpipe. "Didn't your master teach you to never let down your guard?"

"He did—but only to real threats." Jafar had already unsheathed his dagger and placed its point on the Alter's kidney.

"Touché." The dagger disintegrated to sand that flowed out of Jafar's grasp. It reappeared in the Alter's off-hand.

"Damn." Jafar clicked his tongue in defeat. The Alter's sword disappeared; he returned Jafar's dagger to him with a proud smile, then studied the trees and the sky.

"Where is your little friend?"

"Somewhere nearby, I hope," Jafar said.

The Alter chuckled. "And where is your master?"

Jafar spit to their side. "Your guess is good as mine."

"No, no. I'm sure yours is much more accurate."

"What do you want?" Jafar asked when he realized he couldn't move away.

"I have information for you."

"Well I ain't buying today."

"How convenient, because today, I'm not selling."

"That's quite unlike the Merchant of Death." Jafar snorted back some congestion and swallowed it.

"You know I don't like that name. I prefer the other."

"After Shinsora, I think it fits both positions well. So what do you have for me, an assassination?"

"Yes, but also no." This might be a worthwhile encounter after all.

"It for the cause?" Jafar asked.

"I knew you'd see the light. Retinol. Auburn hair. Tall. Thin build."

"Done." Free again, Jafar began to walk off.

"The red-head spoke with him one-on-one earlier."

Jafar paused. "OK. Honestly, I expected the rat to be Wrath. You haven't seen him, have you?"

"Why would you suspect the Sin?"

Jafar winced and practically spat out the next sentence. "He's working with Kazuma."

"Oh… I see."

"You doubt me?"

"Perhaps. He does have the Unlock Rune, after all."

"What!?" Jafar spun back around and his brown cloak flapped about. The Alter smiled back with a mischievous Chesire cat grin, then he vanished, though his voice lingered.

"Happy Hunting," the Alter said. "Make sure to give The Nomad my coldest regards." The intense Ryoku pressure dissipated, and Jafar knew he was alone again.

Fucking Cat of Ninetails.

Jafar brushed his hand across the monumental tree one last time, and finally headed for Eldertree Enclave.

"What a motherfucker," he muttered to himself when the gates came in view as the sun set. "Bringing up The Nomad." And her.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a Guardian called out from on high, above the gates.

"Me, idiot," Jafar snapped.

"Oh, it's the Desert Mouse!" the Guardian shouted. "Let him in! Welcome back."

Jafar strutted through the town like he owned the place, and in a way, he did. He walked right up to the mess hall and pulled aside another Guardian. "You seen Retinol?"

"Yeah, he's right over there. Sir, it's—"

"You sure? Damn sure?" The man's eyes lit up, and he nodded his head, then gulped hard.

"I have to say, it's an honor—"

Jafar walked away before the man could finish. Auburn hair. Tall. Thin build. Gotta be the guy. He walked up behind him. "Retinol?" The man spun around, and they locked eyes.

"Oh, fuck!"

He sprinted away, and Jafar chased him down into an alleyway. A few moments, later, Jafar dragged him by the ankle in the streets for all to see, and the Elementalist rat kicked and screamed and thrashed about. A crowd gathered around as Jafar knelt on the man's chest. He spat in the Desert Mouse's face while Jafar dug in the man's shirt and pulled out a red crystal necklace.

« Implode »

Jafar placed his hand on the man's face, which came to be no more. The kicking and writhing stopped, and the Elementalist's blood splatted the tracks his back had carved into the dirt road while dragged.

"Really?" An elderly Arcanian stood beside Jafar.

"Yep. Heeee's the traitor."

"You're sure?" Jafar glared at him without answering. "OK, I believe you. Are you staying long? Remit's back in town."

"No time, Geezer. Afraid I gotta jet." Geezer grunted. "Hey, did Wrath come through here?"

"He just left with Chief Argyle."

Jafar glanced back to the forest, where he'd left the Alter—or rather, the Alter had left him. "Oh, really?"

"Is he bad, too?" Old-man Geezer asked. Jafar rose from his victim's riddled corpse.

"I don't know that. But he ain't on my side. Where'd he go?"

"The Tree of Wishes, Jafar."

"Fuck."

"Do you need someone to show you the way?"

"No, old man." Jafar headed back for the gates. "You're well aware I know the fuckin' way."