"Hold on!" Nyar called, stopping all three of them from moving. Danny gave him another threatening look, but Nyar felt hesitant to do anything... What's going on here? What is so special about this bond between the three of them, and their ties to Jane? Why do they believe in Leray magic so much? This isn't about material things, nor is it about trying to avoid going to Kalamo. Danny and Taylor only want to go where Jane goes. Logically, it makes no damn sense! But then has anything ever made sense when related to Sprawn Valley? How long were Danny and Taylor trapped there?
"If you have nothing else to say, we'll get ready now. You can stay here and rot."
They won't defy what they want in life. They're so determined to live in Sprawn Valley, live nearby Jane and use magic for the rest of their lives. Never before did they show such liveliness in New York... It's worse than that. Nyar nearly forgot what the three of them were like from the very moment they hopped on that flight to America. Jane was excited, eccentric, and amazingly alive. Taylor was more reserved, but just as naive and bored as the rest of them. But Danny... He's always had his head held up, his senses so sharp. Never before did he fight this system, or rebel against it with anything beyond a few words. But right now, they've all behaved so differently. Jane has become depressed and homesick, Taylor afraid for her life and in constant fear of heading home to Kalamo, and then Danny... Danny is taking action himself, where he wasn't before. They've all changed so dramatically in such a short time. Only a month have they been here.
Nyar noticed from the corner of his eyes, the three of them getting ready, with Taylor helping to support Jane's weakness and lack of energy. They packed the same backpacks Nyar gave them while in Sprawn Valley, filling them with food and water, and a small amount of clothes... They are different now, right? Have they really ever changed? Danny and Taylor spent over a month in Sprawn Valley, confused and alone... Or perhaps Jane showed them things they wouldn't have understood? Nyar felt helpless in his sea of chaotic thoughts. He couldn't possible understand what Danny, Taylor, and Jane have all been through in Sprawn Valley. Who did they really fight? Whom did they learn from? What was their quest like? How did they become enticed by the lure of Leray magic? And what gave them this insane idea that Leray magic is good if you're a good person using it for the traditional purposes?
Nyar doesn't have that perspective. That scenery or ability to properly imagine what it must have been like to live in a place dominated by something so alien to him, to all of them at one point. No, he can't possibly understand how they feel. He can never understand what kind of bond they really have to each other, Jane, Danny, and Taylor, or rather, JDT as they keep calling themselves lately. It's childish, naive, and probably just as stupid... But still, is there something to it all? Why go through all of that only to return and fight for the same force that dragged all of them into the depths of such darkness? Was this ever really fun for them? Did they ever regret the choices they made, even for a moment?
Two months of time, spanned out into a long stretch of infinity. That's what it must have felt like. When more happens to you at a time, you remember a lot more in just a small moment. Two months for them must have felt like a long and difficult burden. Or perhaps it was more amazing and fun than anyone could ever really imagine. Everything they know, everything they've learned about magic in such a short time, it must have come from the girl. Jane. That is their catalyst, their reason for going on where they were. They must have been helping her accomplish something very important, instead of meeting Nyar by the airport at the due date. That's what kept them, the reason they ventured off into some sort of military restricted area; to fight for the same shared purpose.
"I was wrong," Nyar muttered, a breath too quiet and shallow to be heard or picked up by any of the others. Even Danton, who was still stuck on the phone couldn't hear him, but the fact still remains. If Danny is willing to kill his own family, to fight for what he believes is the right thing, is that honestly so naive? He protects other people around him with his life, and understands the risks of which he's involved with. That's not stupidity; it's the very thing Nyar felt absent in Danny before. Even while being stuck in Sprawn Valley for just a month or two, the three of them have all become far more responsible than he ever could have imagined. They didn't learn any of that by coming here and learning about the challenges of adulthood and American jobs. No, that came from something else, somewhere else, and somehow, that can still exist in a world thought to be darkened in a land filled more with chaos than order.
It barely makes any sense at all. How have they learned so much from a nation that can allow such terrible things to happen? Nyar felt dizzier than before, and he took a quick rest on the couch, carefully crunching over the glass shards below him with his black boots. Taking the chance that Brash Danton was still on the other end of the speaker-activated cell phone, Nyar sat defeated with his hands to the top of his head, beckoning for answers to the most distrusting man he knew. "How can they possibly be ready for any of this? They're only almost sixteen, with Jane one-upping them."
After having nothing to say for several long minutes, Danton could finally hear the man on the other line, sounding more submissive and calm. But his question seemed understandable, as is his heavy disposition to Leray magic. "I wasn't ready to learn the truth either when I did. It corrupted everything I learned since I was a child, and I was torn between the choice to shut magic down for good and set everyone backwards, or to lie to everyone as a form of protection, and just try as hard as I can to move Leray magic forward - only for the betterment of our people. But them? Danny, Taylor, even Jane... They all figured out what Leray magic was about in such a short time of coming into contact with it. I mean, they really learned the reason why people still believe in that system."
"So you're okay with sending kids out to fight battles for you?"
"I've been fighting these guys for a long time Nyar, me and all of my teammates. These Scarlet enemies we're facing, they're strong and resilient. But your kids are not kids anymore. They're tougher than I gave them credit for. Together, they actually overpower me and my team, even on our best days. They fully understand how to harness the tool of Leray magic and use it to their advantage, even against dark magic enemies. Perhaps that is the reason they are so strong despite only having a few months of training with it."
"Then you must know what will happen if I see a single one of them harmed."
"You..." Danton paused, puzzled initially by the motive in Nyar's words, but the message was in his tone. "I'll take full responsibility for their safety."
"Good. Because if you fail to protect them in my absence, I'm going to come over there, and kill you. I don't care how I have to do it. I will always hold you responsible if you let anything happen to them."
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"I fully understand the terms of your condition... I'd be nothing if I were to let them down. And so I won't, sir."
"Consider yourself warned." Nyar shut the flip phone as hard as he could, the noise bringing attention onto him from Danny and Taylor.
Chapter Theme Shift:
"Sir?" Her words made Danton turn around to face her. They stood in the champion's chambers, built and redesigned beautifully from all of the changes made to Eldora Tower over the years that have passed. Mainne just made it over here to talk to Danton, but whatever conversation he was having sounded serious. "I still won't ever get used to you giving such an upbringing name to other people of unknown respect."
She never changes. Danton turned around towards Mainne. She has been doing a lot lately to investigate Jane's symbol as much as possible based on the bio-data scanned at the Den of Purity, but she doesn't appear to be here to report anything new. She should have started with as much. "Mainne? There are some things you must never do. One of those things is coming between a father and his children."
"So if some unhinged old looking guy comes here and kills you?"
"Then don't avenge me over it," Danton worded. "I won't see us fail though."
"If you wanted my report that badly, you should have just asked."
<02:09>
"That should be everything," Danny called. After counting it all, everything was packed.
"Hmmm!" Jane let her balance slip from her and under Taylor, sinking to the ground. The pain in her head intensified further, and the stamina in her body deteriorated faster. "It's hurting more than before."
Taylor tried to lift Jane back up, supporting her weight with the side of her right arm. "Jane. You'll be fine once we reach Sprawn Valley." After turning around to the front door, they found Nyar, standing right in their way with his arms crossed over his chest.
Danny was quick to drop his things and immediately get upset. "You really want to try this again Nyar? I'm not afraid of getting knocked around to have my way!"
"How do you propose you get to the airport anyway?" Nyar's question, though perfectly valid caused Danny a blank stare of uncertainty. He really can be too gung-ho, just like before. They haven't changed at all, but they have grown up into such amazing adults, all three of them. "You don't have the sense of direction memorized, and I just destroyed the only laptop capable of using satellite navigation..."
"We'll figure it out one way or another."
"Just calm down and get in the car. I'm the only one who can drive you." Predictably, Nyar watched all of their faces shift in surprise... Except for Jane's. She really looks like she is in a lot of pain right now. And all of that from a lunar power drain? Her symbol must not be entirely perfect, but only Jane can modulate it somehow.
"Wha—" Danny sputtered, "I thought you..."
Nyar wanted to skip the semantics, but they weren't moving anymore. "Drag your things to the trunk. Now!" They all moved, finally willing to obey his command since it aligned with their current agenda. Nyar went outside, locking the front door on the way out. It would be faster to just explain this to the three of them on the way to the airport. "I don't know what the three of you are involved in. Try as I may, I can only imagine the worst, but you three have done more than imagine anything."
"All that talk about protecting us? What's changed?"
Nyar scratched his chin before answering, "I still have to have enough faith that you're old enough now to protect yourselves, but you need to know that I am not your enemy Danny. I'm your uncle, but even then, I see now that I can't stop whatever this is. You really want to protect the concept of Leray magic this badly, that you're willing to fight and die for it? Maybe I'll never understand. Even if I don't, I can still do everything in my power to help you." Nyar got into the driver seat of the car, waiting for Danny to take the passenger side. Taylor had already taken Jane to the back seat, so that she could lie down and try to control her intensifying pain.
Danny reluctantly hopped into the passenger side of the Ford Escort, now worrying about such a simple and insignificant rule. "I thought only Jane could stay up here."
"You'll be sixteen in May. Close enough."
"Hey, she's really hurting right now. It's some kind of headache. Her fever's getting worse too."
Nyar took the information to consideration. Stopping at a hospital for something as crazy as that won't be a good idea. Even from here, Nyar could faintly see a few of those electrical blue sparks on Jane's hands. They were dimmer than before, the glowing effect barely noticeable, but when she gets on that flight, people will notice it then. Nyar reached for the glove box and pulled out a pair of black leather fingerless gloves, which he used to use when riding a motorcycle twenty years ago. They might be oversized for Jane's hands and fingers, but... "Put these on." Nyar tossed the gloves into Jane's lap. "Those will hide Jane's glowing hands when we make it to the airport."
After having Nyar start the engine to the car, Danny still felt he had to ask. "After all that," Danny returned, "why are you helping us do this now?"
"Because I'm on your side..." He still isn't buying it. Not that Danny needed to, but he really can't believe that Nyar would really destroy their futures just for fun. "If my own nephew is ready and willing to kill me, then I must be doing something wrong." Danny nodded, apparently confused by the simplicity of his actions. Nyar projected his voice, making sure it would reach all of them over the internal noise of the car. "Now when we get to the airport, you must understand this one thing. I've pulled all of the available funds you've all worked so hard to acquire. It would have been easy sending just one of you back to Sprawn Valley, but I have to buy tickets on spot for all three of you, and that's not going to be cheap."
"But we can still afford it right?" Danny needed to pressure Nyar for an answer on this. The flight terminal can't say no to such a drastic emergency! "We need Jane to get back Nyar. It's an emergency!"
"It is affordable, but this will be a one-way flight for you, if all three of you go anyway. It will take me more than a year just to raise that kind of money again. Understand? If I put all three of you into Sprawn Valley, you're all stuck there for a long time."
Danny felt calmer given that was Nyar's only concern. "That's not a problem. We're pretty good at raising money in their currency format. Besides, you could just come with us."
"I won't be doing that." Nyar decided on that before giving it additional thought. "I'll stay here where my home is, and you'll be by yourselves when you arrive at the Junon Airport. You all know what to do and where to go from there, right?"
"Of course we do," Danny answered. "Our immediate target is Eldora Tower. We have access privileges to Danton's chambers, and he'll know what to do from there."
"I'll make this a little clearer," Nyar retried. "This is a one-way flight for each of you. That means, it will be your last chance for a long time to slide off and go back to Kalamo."
"I'll call my mom and dad from the phones in Sprawn Valley," Danny decided. "We're not changing our minds about this."
"Yeah," Nyar huffed. "I knew you weren't going to."
"Danny. Taylor." Jane tried to get her words out, but just thinking about talking hurt. Her migraine continued to elevate on its own, and she soon lost the ability to sit up straight. Jane knew she wasn't going to be able to walk on demand. But still... This doesn't have to be their fight. "You could visit your family in Kalamo. You don't have to be with me all the time."
Taylor held Jane's hand sincerely, having to correct Jane again for thinking any of this is her fault. "I think we would rather be with you Jane. We want to fight for Leray magic too, just like you do."
"That's right," Danny agreed. "No Scarlet grunt is going to change the very way people live in such a wonderful country. You're the one who taught me everything I needed to know for combat Jane, and now, I'm going to return the favor."
Nyar tried to give the headlights to the car more power by shutting off the heater system of the car. Jane's fever won't be able to handle it anyway, and it was still so dark outside. In so many ways, taking the three of them to the airport, shipping them back to Sprawn Valley just feels so wrong. Nyar knew he wasn't his normal self right now, but in the last twenty-four hours, he could only recall the most memorable horrible things he has caused. Nyar made Jane cry on her own birthday, gave Danny and Taylor reason to feel depressed in a place of better living standards, let the three of them stumble into deadly gang territory in the middle of the night, and had Danny point a sharp fanged broken vase at his face. Everything he has been preaching to them just isn't working! It never did. But this moment right now, bringing them back to Sprawn Valley to fight dangerous criminals, and partially to save Jane's life, it feels like the only single time Nyar has felt doing them all right. Danny and Taylor; they're always on the same page, and now Nyar can feel himself shifting to the same book of rules they live by every day. The world in their eyes is so vastly different than it is for him...
It's just like how Yuel tried to live. She saw an amazing world out there. Even after all this time, these people she never even knew are now just as fond of Leray magic as she was. The secrets of Leray magic never ruined their perceptions, before and after the truth came to light. Wherever they go, luck better be on their side from now on.