Realistic or Modern A Hero Lost in Time

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Silence reigned for what felt like an eternity before Jason could haul himself to his feet. It took him a moment to play back that he had apparently called Elisabeth Lizzie and that made him frown. Why has he said that? He didn't recall saying it in the least. For the life of him he couldn't explain why her so harshly rebutting and correcting him had hurt. It was like the images that splashed across his mind last night, the source of them unknown to his conscious mind. Making his way toward the building he saw her disappear into was slow going with how drained he was. Maintaining the tracking spell was one thing, he could safely maintain it for six hours before he began to get fatigued, but adding in a use Shate Manu was advised against by the Cheyenne elders as taxing enough to rip the magic out of a person completely.

"Upsetting you was not what was intended." From the doorway Jason watched Elisabeth for a long moment. Going east, the pendant, an aversion to being called Lizzie, so dead set about the rifle entrusted to her by this friend of hers that was missing or dead- it made sense now. This friend of her wasn't just a friend, this was a person she was in love with. There was more that probably should be said but he couldn't put it into words. Seeing her distraught and pained like this was.. it was worse than any wound he received during his ten years in the past. "We need to go. Even if they didn't relay our position, the commotion will and who knows how many of them will come down on our head."

When they were back on the road with Artemis going full run Jason let his mind wander for a moment. There was a feeling attached to his comment now that he truly examined it but what it spawned from he wasn't sure. If he didn't find out he was going to go mad in short order.

 

[Menagerie]

The longer she sat there, alone, the more her emotions took hold. Her tears had started to fall again, "Lizzie" running through her mind over and over again, causing her to shake. Ten years. Ten fucking years since she had last been called Lizzie. She should have been over it by now, she knew he was gone, so why did it still hurt so much? She looked at the rifle once again. Her thoughts had turned dark so many times. So many times that barrel had founds its way to her...to her...she shook her head. She had a chance to find out what happened to him now but it still hurt, it hurt like hell. What she wouldn't give for him to be back, to just have him hold her one more time. To hear him whisper into her ear, remind her that it was all going to be alright, that he'd always be there...that he'd always love her...her tears fell quickly as she held the pendant tightly.

Even hearing him approach she didn't try to pull herself together. She didn't respond. She didn't expect him to understand what it had done, who had called her such in the past. She wasn't even sure she could explain it all to him. Instead she simply stood up as he told her they needed to move, nodding simply she followed him to Artemis. She swung herself up onto the saddle behind him, her back against his to keep an eye out behind them. The rifle laid over her lap, her fingers gripping it tightly as she swallowed hard.

"There should be a safe area about four miles up, a series of caves that unless you know them well you'll get lost in, I don't think they've ever figured them out. I can guide us through them to one of the inner, deeper caves to give us shelter once we get there, at least then there'll only be one direction they can come at us from," she finally whispered, knowing they'd all three need the rest soon.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason got Artemis going and when they got to the mouth of a cave system he pulled on the reins bringing the Nightmare to a stop. Swinging down to the ground he offered Elisabeth a hand down. "I can't have you emotionally compromised in the field like that back there" he said taking the reins in hand once she was on flat ground like him. "Tell me about this friend of yours. The one that that rifle belongs to. Who was he? What did he mean to you?" Some would call him asking such a distressing question tactless as he motioned her to lead them through the caves to the safe spot but her losing it out on the battlefield like that would get them both killed.

He followed a few paces behind Elisabeth as she led and waited for her to speak. "Emotion constipation is going to eat you alive. Already has been for a long time judging by how much you broke down out there." Again, many would call it tactless or cruel but a rebellious unexplainable feeling of guilt fiercely scratched at his skull. Her crying like that, breaking down over someone she very obviously loved, was upsetting for reasons he couldn't pin down. He'd seen situations like that before in the provinces he Marshalled and never had this sort of feeling strike. Why was Elisabeth so different?

 

[Menagerie]

She set her hand in his as she swung herself off Artemis. She shook her head as she looked at him, her fingers running through her hair. "I have no intentions of discussing him with you or anyone else," she replied simply as she started into the cave system, her blue eyes looking around her for a moment. She picked up an old torch and struck a couple piece of flint together to light it. Cautiously she knocked along the walls, listening to the echo reverberate down the halls, listening to make sure they were alone in the caves. A sigh of content fell from her as she relaxed slowly, realizing there was no one else in the caves.

"I'll keep myself pulled together long enough to complete the mission and get you back to wherever the hell it is you came from, I can promise you that, just don't call me Lizzie, my name is Elisabeth." The reality was that once the mission was over she'd be left again to face this world alone. She didn't need any half-hearted sympathy. Making her way down the hallway she turned down another cave way before coming to a stop in a large room. "Nothing to sneak up behind us, and the ventilation holes are set up to send the smoke to a different area of the cave to help ensure they can't follow us up from above." It was something they had set up years and years ago, back when he was still here with her. It was a hide out they'd used time and time again, a sad smile crossing her lips as she looked around the room. She moved to sit against the wall, her eyes closing heavily.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason rolled his eyes internally at the stubbornness presented to him from Elisabeth. Momentarily he was reminded of Elizabeth, one of the girls at the pleasure house back in 1845 who was just as stubborn. "Bite the head off a guy trying to help why don't you" he said with a heavily sarcastic tone. His question while being of suspect reason was one meant to assist in clearing her mind to keep it focused on the task at hand. When they stopped in a large open room his eyes briefly activated the tracking spell giving him a complete view of the rounded room like it was high noon bright. Only one way in and the holes in the ceiling indeed shaped in ways to redirect smoke from any torch or fire to a the clear opposite direction of the cave system.

Settling Artemis by a large spire grown out of the ground, the reins and gear stripped off the Nightmare. His eyes caught sight of something that looked suspiciously like a stain from a rather... romantic nature. Under normal circumstances he would not see the stain upon the blank that Elisabeth was sat upon against the wall but the tracking spell showed not only the immediate surrounding and tracks but any residue of bodily fluids. "I didn't ask as a way of pity. I know what it means and feels like to lose someone you love" he said sitting beside her though he made a conscious effort to sit on the side of the stain as the tracking spell was let go returning his vision to normal. "She was killed by outlaws robbing a bank." His shoulders slumped a bit in painful remembrance. "She was a good woman, a kind woman. I question what she saw in me and while we did eventually become engaged it was a short affair. Three days, she hung on three days after being gut shot... The people we love, even if we don't know their fate, they never leave us. It took me a long time to learn that lesson." He was quiet for a long moment after letting a sigh. "He was part of this fight judging by context alone. Part of it I can only assume was to protect you, someone he had to of loved just as much as you did him. If there's anything to be found of him, I'll help. Honorable sacrifices in the name of love and devotion are something that deserve due reverence."

 

[Menagerie]

She rolled her eyes as she sat there, staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes closed heavily as she thought back to happier times. She knew where she was, what had happened there. A sad smile crossed her lips as she grasped the pendant once more. Her eyes closed heavily as a single tear rolled down her face. “The guy trying to help isn’t exactly good at approaching things subtly,” she replied with a sigh.

“He was an amazing man,” she sighed at the thought. “We were head over heels for one another at a young age. He promised he’d always return, that he wouldn’t just disappear. We fought this war together, at least until that battle.” Her eyes closed heavily as her hands shook. “We found out I was pregnant, he wasn’t going to allow me to battle, not with carrying his child, our hope for a brighter tomorrow.” Her tears slowly fell. “He promised he’d come home, that he wouldn’t be gone for long. It was a simple recon mission. Nothing more. He swore he’d stay out of harms way. Unfortunately, he didn’t come home. I don’t know what happened, where he went, if he’s alive or dead.” Her eyes closed tighter as she held tightly to the pendant. “All I know is he didn’t come home like he promised, they wouldn’t send anyone to find him, and they kept to their word about not letting me intervene while pregnant. The stress…” she fell silent as she hid her head into her knees, struggling to pull herself together. Shaking her head she went to curl up on her side. “We should get some rest,” she whispered softly, not delving into the past any further, not wanting to think about what all had gone wrong. Not wanting to remember the pain, the sorrow, or the loss.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason felt bad as he saw Elisabeth deflate and the tears fall from her eyes as she recounted a painful past with the man in question. Yes, they were happy and in love within this horrible situation providing them with a light to cling to. Yes, they even ended up pregnant making that light a bit brighter. But his disappearance and the fact no one did anything to search for him leaving his life in a nebulous position could stress out anyone. His heart broke for Elisabeth when she said she miscarried due to the stress. Losing the one you love to a unknown fate and then miscarrying your child with them... he didn't want to imagine the heartbreak that had consumed her person. "I'm sorry for your loss, both of them" he said once she turned away and curled up presumably so he didn't have to see her keep crying due to dredging up hard memories. "If it's any consolation, thin as it is, your child is in a better place. You will be reunited with them and they are safe in the hands of Holy Father away from the violence of this war. He will keep them safe from all harm. The innocent and untainted are kept among His favored angels."

Two days of travel followed were mostly quiet before they reached a spot that had the eastern camp directly in sight but kept them a fair bit away that they were not in immediate enemy sight. "There are rotating sentries on the camps edges. Teams of Blasters guard the main entrance with Summoners in the main body of the camp. Some other forces marshal the inside of the camp" he said relaying what he saw through the scope of his buffalo rifle. "There's a brief time between the change of shifts that we can try to exploit getting into the camp. I'd suggest trying something a bit more... extreme. I have some dynamite in my satchel and some nitroglycerin that may or may not almost blow us up."

 

[Menagerie]

She didn’t speak as he brought up the child being with God. She wasn’t even sure she believed in a God anymore, not after everything she’d gone through. Her hand held tight to the pendant, trying to get her body to relax as she forced herself to rest, she knew she needed to sleep. Without sleep she’d be utterly worthless, it was bad enough to be running off minimal food but to try to do that and minimal sleep, she’d never survive.

Even on the trail she was silent, her back against his as she watched behind them. She had one mission on her mind and she had no intentions of losing that mission. “Rotating sentries,” she nodded with a smirk. “I’d be just as happy to blow them all to kingdom come,” she replied softly as her eyes closed, trying to think it through. “And quite frankly if I get blown to hell as long as I take them out with me, I’m good with it,” She shrugged at the thought. She bit on her lower lip as her eyes closed, “the question is, how do we get the dynamite or nitro close enough to them to do damage?” she asked simply, looking over her shoulder to watch the camp for a moment, hoping and praying to whatever might be out there that she might find some kind of clue as to where he was. Swallowing hard she grasped the pendant once more before tucking it into her shirt. “You don’t happen to have a catapult in that bag of tricks of yours do you?”

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason was rooting around his satchel bag as Elisabeth was speaking before making a triumphant sound. Pulling out what looked like a modified crossbow he showed it to her like a victorious hunter. "Not a catapult but something just as useful. Got this off a Cheyenne trader for some medicine. Made a few modifications to it myself for operations like this" he said. Along the frame were what looked like delicately carved runes or symbols. After withdrawing a stick of dynamite he pulled back on the string until it locked, he drew out a stick of dynamite attached to a long fuse. "This here stick of dynamite is one my creations. One of these compared to a standard dynamite is worth about maybe... a complete powder keg of black powder?" he said sounding kind of sure about what he said. "Never tested it beyond blowing up the river bridge in the Wyoming Province. You might want to want plug your ears."

Lining up his shot with the camp, he stuck his tongue slightly out in concentration. Such a habit was one his teenage self would have done when deep in thought but he didn't know that. "Fire in the hole!" A sick sort of smile crossed his lips as the fuse lit itself once the dynamite stick was launched clear to the camp. The sail time took maybe five seconds and landed at the gate making the Blasters look confused before the dynamite blew. The Blasters were practically turned to gory paste and the gate being guarded was blown into inexistence. The number of enemy combatants scrambling into motion was not as many as he expected while loading another stick of dynamite. "You think we got their attention?" he asked with a rhetorical tone of voice before the second stick was launched. A second explosion took out what appeared to be a barracks building. "You want to join the party or shall we make it a storm of death from here?" he asked.

 

[Menagerie]

She smirked, “not a catapult, but it’ll do,” she smiled with a nod, looking over the crossbow. Tilting her head as she tried to read the runes she shook her head. There was no reading it, not for her. It was in a language long ago lost, though it could be beneficial to pick it up again, at least make it easier to hide their plans. She’d have to remember to ask him to teach her if she ever got the chance, after all, once all was said and done he’d ask to go back to his time and she’d oblige, after all, that was their deal.

“Just a keg?” she asked with a chuckle, “I would have thought you’d have gone for two or three,” she smiled before covering her ears and kneeling beside him. There was a bit of confusion that crossed her eyes as she watched his tongue stick out. It was so familiar, but…she shook her head, he wasn’t him and that much was clear. He was rough and brunt in ways Jason never was, in ways she couldn’t imagine him ever being. Not to mention he’d been in love with another.

She smirked as she watched the whole thing explode, standing slowly with a shake of her head. “While I’d love to just decimate them, I do have questions that need to be answered, and if we simply explode them all I don’t think I’ll be getting my answers any time soon,” she took a few steps forward, her pistols drawn, the rifle on her back ready to be swung around if need be. With little thought her pistols went to work, knowing well that anyone with answers would be found in the bellies of the camp.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

"The original had the estimated power of about four. The colonel wasn't happy about me destroying the wall during the test phase of my prototype. His tune changed a whole lot quicker when it destroyed the artillery emplacement of those Southern slavers trying to attack the presidents office" Jason said without any sense of modesty. The crossbow was stored in a single motion as he drew his revolvers. "Stay here Artemis, we'll be back."

The Nightmare whinnied and snorted stamping her paw.

"Women, you're all so dramatic" Jason scoffed affectionately before following after Elisabeth. He watched idiot mage after idiot mage fall to her bullets and he was admittedly a little enraptured as much as he was turned on. He'd always found a strong woman attractive, an occupational need given his hazardous line of work, but this was different. Her ease at being in the middle of so much death and destruction was.. was something else. Shaking himself mentally he weaved in and out of spells putting holes in the heads of their enemies as a cruel delight filled his face. Hunting down feral dogs like this was the most favorite part of his dogs. Feral dogs hiding behind other feral dogs tossed in front of them like shields. To him their was little use since feeding meat into the grinder like they did was just more reason to make the actual targets suffer.

It was only very briefly on the edge of the cruel joy he took in the moment that he noticed how well that he and Elisabeth seemed to work together. It was seamless and like it was natural. Every time one of them needed to dodge the other was already their weaving between shots giving them cover to reload. Some time later it was just them and the very obviously injured leader & their highest ranked goons. His skin was marred with graze wounds and slightly bloodied but certainly far better than their captives who had non-fatal wounds marking up their bodies. His body froze though spotting the only female goon of the bunch wearing a bracelet with a charm on it. A charm of a rose that was filled in with white enamel to imitate the real world white flower.

"Where did you get that?" Jason's voice was cold and flat, completely devoid of emotion as his eyes glared darkly at the woman. Memories rushed through his head of the same two people from earlier though he couldn't place them either. Battles fought together, more nights of passion in each others arms, news of the wars official commencements before a building being blown up, the two people fighting for their survival in what looked like a half collapsed orphanage. The woman said nothing and spat at him. He dug the barrel of his revolver into an open wound and pulled the trigger blowing out the knee completely, blood and bone shards staining the ground while she screamed in agony. "Where. Did. You. Get. That?!" he repeated the demand with unfiltered anger breaking the flat tone.

 

[Menagerie]

She moved quickly through the fields, ensuring she not only had coverage but that she was covering him as they moved. It was like second nature covering him, something she hadn’t felt in several years. For the first time, in a long time, she actually had a partner she could move in a rhythm to. Shaking her head she forced herself to focus, knowing well that she couldn’t let her mind wander. She had to stay focused, this might be her only chance to get the answers her mind and soul so desperately needed. Even if he was dead and gone at least now she’d have closure.

She hadn’t arrived unscathed, but the couple of graze marks were worth it. To have them there, on the floor, unable to do anything about their onslaught. The twinkle of the bracelet however snapped any joy she had, even if that joy was only for a moment. “Where the fuck did you get it!” she nearly screamed at the top of her lungs, digging the toe of her boot into a shoulder wound. “Bitch I swear to you, I can make your death so much more painful than it ever has to be,” without little warning her pistol went off in a man’s head as he moved as though he were preparing to cast a spell. “I’m a pissed off bitch and I’m not above anything at this point. You’ve fucked with my life enough. Where the fuck did you get the bracelet!” She knelt, putting her full weight on the wound as she undid the clasp to the bracelet, her hands trembling. “Where is he!” Her heart was racing at the thought of finally having answers as to where her Jason had gone.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

The magic users body was wracked with pain from her knee being blown out so violently and the pathetic mundane nearly dislocating her shoulder. "He who? We've put down so many of you magicless you all look the same to me" she spat with a snide tone.

Jason was not in the mood to deal with bullshit like that so his revolver was raised and with supreme accuracy he shot the woman under Elisabeth in the head splattering blood and bone all over the ground. What no one save himself was prepared for was that the blood pooled collectively and what was the womans memories played on the surface of the red liquid. The other captives tried to moved but he did the same thing, their blood forming their own 'screens' but the images were frozen like a movie on pause. "It is a derivative of a scrying spell. I'll tell you more later. These memories are what you need to see" he said no doubt that she was about to blow up at him for killing them. One by one the memories were watched forming a collective picture. Jason, as the young man that Elisabeth was so broken up over, had been captured and tortured for weeks in the 'care' of the dead bodies around them. They had tried every book under the sun to get him to spill the mundane resistances plans but he did not break. He was surprised how in one of the memories he saw the young man not only defiantly spit his own blood in the tormentors eyes but declared they'd have to kill him before he gave up anything that would endanger the woman he loved.

For God knows how long, he was silent as the last memory saw Jason the young man sent back in time through a portal instead of being killed after one last round of magical torture that not only messed with his head but his nervous system. He didn't know what to think. The guy had been shoved through a portal beat to all hell and with a gaping wound in his side. Unconsciously he felt a hand trace his side where a large circular scar was under his ribs. He had always thought he was nearly gored by a bull but... He fell to his knees as something in his head and pain unlike any other flooded his brain. Names, dates, memories that were not his own... Even though he was not aware of a cry tore itself from his throat, one of pain and sorrow as tears fell from his eyes.

No, no, no it couldn't be! He.. he had... Anguish filled eyes still leaking tears looked hesitantly to Elisabeth. "Liz?" Gone was the strong and gruff tone from before the rush in, now something meek was there. "I... I'm sorry Lizzie. I.. I tried to keep my promise I swear..."

 

[Menagerie]

Her hand clung to the bracelet, her body shaking. She wanted to rip the woman’s throat out but she needed answers. Or at least she thought she did until the shot rang clearly in her ears. She looked up at him quickly. He was lucky he was quick to tell her what was going on as she turned her attention to the blood pool. She had just about screamed at him before he filled her in.

“Jason,” She whispered, her fingers reaching out towards the screen. Tears were in her eyes as she watched what he went through. She held the bracelet tight to her chest, shaking her head. “Oh my dear Jason,” she whispered softly, “always protecting me, no matter what the cost,” she whispered as her eyes closed tightly for a moment, shaking her head. There was a chance he was still alive, a slim chance, but a chance all the same. It was just a matter of finding out what time period he was in, what spell she’d need, what sacrifice…

Her thoughts were interrupted by his cry, turning quickly to look at him, surprise filled her eyes. “Jay?” she asked softly, as she looked up at him, swallowing hard. Could this really be her Jason? Could this man who had no sense of manners really be the man of her dreams, the man she loved above all else. The sound of “Lizzie” escaping his lips again caused her to gasp. She moved quickly to wrap her arms around him, hiding her head into his shoulder for a moment. “Jay,” She whispered, her hands holding onto him tightly as she began to tremble. “Jay is it really you underneath all this?” she asked softly, wanting to beat the hell out of him for having another lover but right now…right now she just wanted to hold on to him, make sure she wasn’t dreaming, make sure he wasn’t going anywhere. Could it all be real? Could he really be home with her? Her heart raced as she looked into his face, trying hard to decipher the realities as her own tears fell.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

The throbbing in Jason's head ws violent as conflicting memories were at war with each other. The spell that had suppressed who he was was now in tatters forcing a sort of merge of the Federal Marshall he had become when exiled to the past and the young man that had been tortured to the point of near insanity to protect the woman he loved. Feeling Elisabeth trembling against him broke his heart as he did his best to raise a shaking hand to her tear stained face. Apologies fell from his lips like a loop praying that she believed him. It was supposed to have been a simple recon mission. It was suppose to be easy if not slightly treacherous as all their missions were. "I never gave you up my dragonfly. They threw everything at me and I never gave you up. Not even if it would have saved my life..." He struggled for words as he stopped trying to wipe the tears away and instead opted to embrace her tightly in his arms.

Renewed tears fell as the memory of his Federal Marshall self and her spoke.. their son didn't make it. Their innocent child, he had always been adamant it was going to be a boy even though complicated hospital equipment was practically thing of the past at that point, lost its chance to live because no one would help his beloved after his disappearance. "He..he was right.. The Marshall side you spoke to before this spell broke... Our son is with God and we will see him again.." Jason said embracing Elisabeth close as possible. It wasn't fair! Their son hadn't even been born and his life was taken from him! Where was the justice in that?! "I'm not going anywhere anymore Lizzie. They made a fatal mistake with their arrogance..." releasing Elisabeth so their eyes met, tears falling stil he continued "they made me a mage without peer. All magic has a price to it. To send me back that far in time they had to power the ritual with a lot of magic and magic needs a container. Lizzie, I love you as I always will and I accept that the man that who spent ten years in the past has done things with my body that I would not have done. I will accept that he made choices I would never have made if I was in control. A lot of it is hazy... But the woman he spoke about, he never slept her. I think..." Jason hesitated "this part of me fought back against the idea. You have always been the one and only for me Lizzie. I pray that you believe me when I say it."

 

[Menagerie]

She just laid against him, listening to his apologies again and again. Shaking her head she held on to him tightly, a smile crossing her lips as he called her Dragonfly once more. A shiver rolled through her as she tried to relax, his words from the cave still playing in her mind. She wanted to beat the ever loving hell out of him for it but then again…it wasn’t like he was really him, now was it? Her eyes closed tightly as she hid her had into his shoulder as he drew her near. They needed to go, to get out of this mess, but she didn’t want to leave his arms either, terrified that if she broke the embrace he’d be gone again like in so many dreams.

“It’s been hard to believe in anything since that day,” she whispered honestly to him. “It’s hard to believe in a God that would rip everything away like that,” her body shook at the thought. She looked up at him as he held her out at arms length to look into her eyes. She swallowed hard with a weak nod, “I can’t lose you again Jay,” she whispered, her hands trembling with that realization. Yes, she had him home but that meant she ran the risk of losing him again and losing whatever bit of sanity she had left. “I can’t, I don’t have it in me to go through all of that again.” She swallowed hard as she thought about it, knowing well that losing him again would push her over the cusp of insanity and not even her own life would be held sacred again.

As he spoke of ‘the marshal’ and the things he had done she shook her head, biting on her lower lip. Part of her wanted to delver deeper into what had been done while he was away, part of her screamed to not even ask, to not risk the heartache of knowing the others that he might have been with as ‘the marshal’. Chewing on her lower lip she gave a weak nod. “I understand,” she whispered, gently kissing his nose as she gave a soft smile. “And I know that had everything been in your control none of the things he had done would have occurred. Magic and I aren’t the greatest of friends, you know that, but based on what I’ve seen,” she shuddered at the replay of the images they’d watched together, “something tells me by the time you woke up wherever you woke up you weren’t exactly you.” She smiled sadly before laying her head on his chest, just listening to his heartbeat. “We need to move away from her before reinforcements show up,” she sighed at the thought of having to leave the embrace, but knowing that if they didn’t they’d be sitting ducks.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason didn't want to let Elisabeth leave his embrace for any reason but she was right. "You're right, you always are" he said leaning his head in. For a moment after she stopped speaking he kissed her and he felt a calm completeness wash over him. It was stupid, in the grander scheme of the universe, to think that such a small action could have such an immediate effect but it did. "We'll fight together just like we used to. We'll end this war, restore as best as we can. We'll get our lives back together and maybe this time you can make an honest man of me like we planned before this hell took over our lives" he whispered softly as he pulled back from the kiss. Keeping one arm around her he snapped the fingers on his free hand and all the magical items ranging from magical texts to ritual ingredients were summoned into a pile before them. A second snap changed a steel armor chest plate into a chest that was quickly filled with the items. One final snap levitated and shrunk the trunk down the size of a match book that slid into his pocket. Guiding them to their feet he nudged her gently back towards Artemis. He had no way of knowing how the Nightmare would react to him now that he was not just the gruff Federal Marshall but he could only hope she'd obey him just as well. He was technically the same person person and his magical knowledge was all there so he could rebreak her if need be.

"There's so much I missed.. What happened while I was gone? What's our plan love?" Jason asked rubbing gentle circles on Elisabeth's back. He could see clear as day the fragility she felt but they both needed to be strong. They needed to be strong to end this war. To end their enemies. To try restoring their world ss it was. Stopping beside Artemis he embraced Elisabeth fully once more, his lips only inches from her own. "I love you Lizzie, always have and ever will. So many nights the Marshal side spent nights by the fire missing the warmth of something.. He, I... It was you, the woman who will hold residence in my heart" he said softly as his nose brushed against her not in the least looking apologetic for how sappy the moment was.

 

[Menagerie]

A quiet gasp slipped from her as she felt his lips against hers for the first time in ten years. Tears started to flow once more as she kissed back, wrapping her arms about his neck as she held on tight. She didn’t want to let go, she didn’t want the moment to end, but he was home…he really was home. A smile crossed her lips as she nodded her head, a blush filling her cheeks as he spoke of making him an honest man. Oh, could it be possible for them to truly enjoy a life together, to get away from the hell they were in? With him home anything was possible, she never imagined in a thousand years she’d have him home again, not after what she’d gone through, but there he was with her.

Watching as the magical items were gathered she shook her head, “you’ve a lot to teach me Jay,” she whispered gently to him. Slowly she stood with him, taking a deep breath before looking down at her blood stained body she shook her head, “You know what, I hurt,” she laughed softly beginning to realize the pain from the wounds inflicted upon her from their latest battle. Her had rested upon his shoulder as they walked towards Artemis, taking in a deep breath.

“Well you’ve seen Markus has basically tried to take over, regardless of how I fight him,” she sighed at the thought. “The moron just keeps throwing men into the fray which just leads to more death and destruction. Our numbers are minimal Jay, as of last count less than two-thousand. They severely outnumber us, and talking to the so called council is like talking to monkeys in a circus. The fact that I’m still alive is well…it’s a fucking miracle, though some of that blame is on me.”

The gasp fell from her lips as he drew her near once more, a soft chuckle falling from her. “I love you too Jason, with all that I am or ever will be,” she smiled, softly rubbing her nose against his as she stood there with him. “We need to get somewhere safe so we can take care of these wounds and get cleaned up. I still don’t like being covered in blood,” she wrinkled her nose at the thought before looking over at Artemis, a little worry in her eyes about how she was going to react.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason had a tense momentary stare off with Artemis wondering if she was going to act up. He watched her eyes shift and snort as she took a smell of him. Would she give him trouble? He sincerely hoped not since the memories from the Marshal he could sort through right now showed breaking her the first time was a chaotic and nearly fatal affair. A sigh of relief escaped him as she snorted and bobbed her head like 'What are you two humans waiting for?' gesture. "Seems like we dodged a bullet on that one. Climb on up, I'll be right behind you" he said reluctantly letting Elisabeth ago and offered her a hand up while the other held the grip on the saddle. Once she was settled on the saddle he swung up with ease, one arm circling her waist bring her back flush to his chest. "Do we still have the safe area near Delta or has that fallen to the bastards?" he asked casting his eyes around to orientate himself and reconcile his old mental map with the changes around him. Where the old convention center was that had once upon served as headquarters for the human resistance when the conflict first started.

"There's a shortcut to teaching you and as much as I know you hate shortcuts the situation calls for shortcuts to be taken. Time is of the essence after all." He dug the spurs slightly into Artemis' hide spurring her into action. His eyes sharpened as he felt the barest start beginning of magic buildup. He knew that a portal would be opening shortly. A command spell cloaked them from sight and killed the sound of the Nightmares hooves making contact with the ground.

"Find the magicless responsible and kill them all! Their corpses will-"

Jason's lips fell into an angry scowl as a sharp yank of the reins stopped Artemis dead. "Oh now that's just not going to do... No one threatens my girl and gets away with it!" he growled as his eyes flashed an angry blood red color from his swirling magic. "Cover up your eyes love, this is going to be incredibly graphic" he warned squeezing his arm around her waist gently for a moment before he did a snap worthy of Thanos. In the blink of an eye all the magicals popping out of the portal imploded into a gory mist and those in the portal became were violently torn apart as the portal exploded from his anger filled magic destabilizing the spell that needed such careful control to maintain its stability for transport. "As I was asking, do we still have Delta as a safe refuge?" he asked, his eyes returning to normal.

 

[Menagerie]

“Thank you Artemis,” she whispered as she gave her a gentle pat on the neck before swinging herself up into the saddle. A small shiver rolled through her as she tried to relax, her eyes closing heavily. She was exhausted and sore and her body wanted to give in to sleep so badly as it screamed for some form of relief from the pain that was slowly taking over.

“The Delta?” she asked as she looked up at him as he pulled her against him, the blush filling her cheeks. She had missed this. She had missed having someone who wanted to protect her, watch over her, care for her. Someone willing to put her first even with everything else that was going on. She snuggled herself against him, shaking her head. “You know what happens when shortcuts are taken Jay,” she sighed as her eyes closed. “Things get missed, mistakes happen,” she sighed as she curled up against him, enjoying the warmth that his body emitted.

“Your girl,” she repeated softly, a smile crossing her lips. For the first time in a long time she allowed herself to be the damsel, turning to hide her head into his chest to hide herself from the display that was about to occur. She kept herself hidden into him until her spoke again of the Delta, looking up at him she sighed. “Our safest bet is the under ground caverns. If it’s not a cave system,” she shook her head, “Markus has failed at helping to maintain most of our strong holds, then again, his answer is to throw more men into the fray,” she sighed heavily at the thought. “But the underground caverns have proven safe time and time again. They can’t seem to figure out how to navigate caves and the like, either that or they are too afraid of what lies beneath to even try. Regardless, it’s proven safe.”

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason wanted to growl at the fact Markus, the whelp they took in when this shit hit the fan in the beginning, had practically doomed the non-magically gifted. "Normally I'd agree with you shortcuts are bad but needs and wants don't afford us the time for me to teach you properly" he said turning the reins in the direction of the caverns they knee like the back of their hand. "Where and when is everyone in leadership supposed to meet since the last location got compromised?" His mind was already trying to remember the structure that they had in place before he disappeared. Original leadership was him, Elisabeth, Jackie, Paul, Roselia, Jorge and Jean. Markus was essentially a field Lieutenant then among their ranks of nearly ten thousand after a lot of work fighting and gathering survivors. Who was still alive of the original leaders beside them? A split second review of the Marshal being summoned had him frowning deeply. He didn't recognize anyone beyond Markus and Elisabeth. What happened to the others? As far as survivors went they were solid fighters and supremely skilled in their own special areas.

Hearing her soft repetition of his declaration that she was his girl made his eyes roll in fond exasperation. "Of course you're my girl. If I recall ever so correctly you declared that you loved me the first time you laid eyes on me" Jason teased laughing. It felt good to do this again, laugh genuinely that is. The fact he was laughing with Elisabeth, laughing with his beloved dragonfly, made it even better. "Markus is going to have a piece of my mind when we see them again. We had nearly ten thousand people under original leadership. How in the hell we lost eighty percent of that... Presumably its because of his lack of battlefield awareness or the basics of strategy." He'd never was a fan of Markus in the first place but Roselia had vouched for his skills with a rifle.

Artemis snorted throwing her head as if to say stop whining.

"You hardly have room to tell me sass. You nearly got your head lopped off because you wanted to jump a ravine" Jason shot rebuking the Nightmare. "She's trying to say I'm reckless. Can you believe that? I have not done anything overly reckless in God knows how long." Even though Elisabeth couldn't see it his frown turned into a offended pout. He rarely tooks risks and the last true risk was actually their first time making love; he'd made the move kissing and pinning Elisabeth to the wall. Half of him had expected to be smacked and for her to break up with him but that hadn't happened.

The ride to the underground cave system was a few hours from the camp and he passed the time with gentle teasing kisses and nips to Elisabeth's bare shoulder. The taste of blood and grime on his lips bothered him but that was something he could ignore, it was Elisabeth's skin he was kissing and nipping. Once they reached the entrance he didn't hesitate urging Artemis through. A few times he had to dig his spurs to make her progress but their safe spot was reached in a blink. He hopped down first before helping Elisabeth down. "Tie her reins to a spire hun and I'll teach you a healing spell. Something tells me that we'll be needing it quite a lot in the future. It works on physical wounds, magical wounds need a completely different spell to work on those."

 

[Menagerie]

She sighed with a nod. “I know you are right, but the idea of taking a shortcut,” she sighed as she shook her head. “Especially when we are talking about magic worries me. We both know I am far from adept at such things.” Her eyes closed as she snuggled against him. “Hell, the summoning spell that brought you here was a wing and prayer,” a yawn fell from her as she struggled to stay awake. “I am going to have to find something to eat soon,” She sighed at the thought. “I’ve lost track of the last time I actually ate.” The reality was she was down about twenty-five pounds even from the last time they’d been together before she had become pregnant. She had become the reckless one after losing everything, and that meant even with her own heath.

She snapped out of her thoughts, “a week. With the fall of a location we scatter for about two weeks before reconvening at a given rendezvous in hopes of them not being able to trail us,” she sighed at the thought. “The problem is we will have to go back west for the rendezvous spot, but I suppose it’s time we are just going to have to lose.” Her eyes closed heavily. The blush filled her cheeks as he spoke of her being the one to declare her love first.

“Keep it up buttercup,” she chuckled as she looked up at the man for a moment. “But you are right, pretty certain I made it perfectly clear to anyone in the vicinity that you were going to be mine,” she chuckled softly as she nuzzled her head into his shoulder.

She laughed at the thought of him being reckless, shaking her head. “You never were the reckless one, and quite frankly if anyone has been reckless lately it’s been me,” She sighed as her eyes closed heavily. “With not having anything left to live for,” she sighed, grasping his arm. “I never imagined I’d have you home again. I never imagined even finding out what happened, not when they kept me under lock and key refused to help me in even trying to find you. They only kept me under lock and key until…until…” she fell silent, shaking her head. “They accused me of intentionally losing our son Jay,” she whispered weakly, her vice cracking. “I did everything I could to try to keep my stress down, to try to ensure he’d be born strong and healthy…I swear…I tried…” her body trembled before she began to relax at the soft kisses and nips.

Each kiss, each nip brought a sense of relief to her mind, reminding her that he was actually there, that this wasn’t a dream. She gently set her hand in his as he went to help her down. She softly stroked Artemis’s nose with a smile, “Thank you for getting us here safely,” she whispered to her, tying the reins to the spire, turning to look at him with a nod. “I’ll learn what I can,” she smiled with a nod, her bright blue eyes filled with fire and determination, something that had been missing for quite some time. “And then a bath,” she chuckled, shivering as she looked down at herself once more.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

Jason's blood chilled as Elisabeth said the others accused of intentionally miscarrying just to escape their confinement when they refused to look for him. "I believe you my fiery dragonfly. You love our son as much as I do so I know you would never intentionally do anything to cause a miscarriage of our miracle." His tone reflected a spiteful tone as he notched another bone to pick with leadership. As one of the founding council members for their survivor group Elisabeth's rights were technically breached by locking her away like a criminal and defaming her by accusing her for causing the miscarriage. If Markus was part of the council by that point he KNEW the other male would be a big outspoke voice to such wild heresy given Markus had always hated him for reasons he couldn't verify. Jason had his suspicion of course, it was no secret Markus had been in love with Elisabeth when they were still in high school pre-war and therefore felt slighted she claimed him over the other male, but such fallacies did not fly in their organization. Not when it was originally pulled together, God knows what passed as Law and Order among their supremely depleted forces.

He watched his two girls, Artemis counted technically since she was a mare and bonded to him, regarded each other. The fact the Nightmare whinnied and bumped her nose against Elisabeth was a good sign, he didn't need to worry about keeping the Nightmare from bucking his beloved off. "Ok, first things first- you're going to need this." Jason pressed his pointer finger to Elisabeth's temple and sent, very carefully mind you, a copy of his mastery of the source language. "Give it a second and the memory of the language will settle. It will integrate so that I can teach you the spells without having to struggle teaching you the language or the meaning behind the words" he said rummaging through the saddle bags and pulled out a couple of indian medicine bags. Once he received a confirmation to continue he offered her one of the bags. "In these bags is a special paste made from rattle snake venom, various medicinal herbs and ground up mushrooms. The first step of the spell is to cover the wound you are trying to heal completely in the paste. Don't worry about the snake venom, the herbs and mushroom mix neutralizes the dangerous element." He offered his other arm out where a rather deep gash had dug a canal like wound in his forearm horizontally.

"Don't worry about hurting me, follow my direction and you'll succeed" he said encouragingly just in case she showed any signs of hesitation. "Do well and I'll make that bath an enjoyable one." The eyebrow wiggle he gave was suggestive and playful as he winked at her, a decidedly unlike him move from before the fiasco making it one of the blended aspect of the Marshal adding to his already natural charisma and charm.

 

[Menagerie]

She smiled as she watched Artemis, a wrinkle in her nose “I’m going to take that as a you approve of me,” she chuckled gently as she looked at the mare, giving her a scratch behind her ears before turning to look up at Jason. There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much she had bottled up inside, but now wasn’t the time for her to spill her proverbial guts. There was work to be done and work that had to be done sooner rather than later. Time was not their friend at this juncture, especially with the camp being decimated, let alone whatever he did with the portal and those that were coming through it.

Her nose wrinkled as he placed his pointer finger to her temple, a shiver rolling through her as the words began to settle into her mind. “And what language am I learning?” she asked curiously, biting on her lower lip as she took in a deep breath, her eyes closing as she waited for things to settle within her mind. “I guess that’s quicker than the old fashioned way of studying,” she chuckled softly, gently grasping the bag with a tilt of her head. “Rattlesnake? What on earth did they teach you back in whatever time frame you were in?” she asked with a laugh, having never in a thousand years thought of using rattlesnake for anything other than maybe eating.

She flinched with the view of the wound on his arm, shaking her head. “Maybe we should have taken care of your wounds first before traveling,” she shook her head with a sigh. “Still as stubborn as ever I see,” she took a deep breath before looking up at him. A laugh fell from her as she went to put the paste onto the wound, her eyes focused on his, “oh? You think I am going to allow you to make it an enjoyable bath?” she asked while raising her right eyebrow before focusing on the task at hand. “You think you are going to be able to sweet talk your way into my bath time?” she asked with a smile, thinking back to one of the many times they’d bathed together, the blush filling her cheeks as she stood there. The gentle caresses, the soft kisses, his enjoyment in helping to ensure not a spot was missed, the occasional need to set up a second bath after the first. Shaking her head she looked up at him like a lost school girl once more, “Now what?” she asked softly once she had completely covered the wound in the paste.

 

[Gr1mmReaper2020]

"Once you got past being taken captive and enslaved by the Cheyenne indian people you mean? Quite a lot actually. Kind of helps that the lowly white man slave single handedly took out a scouting unit of United States Army scouts trying to take over sacred land belonging to their ancestors" Jason said shrugging matter of factly. He was probably going to get an earful for saying it but lying to Elisabeth was something he was never capable of doing, not even to protect her feelings. Lying to her physically hurt him. It was like getting socked in the gut by a heavy weight boxer and he could never betray her trust in him by telling her a lie; super tiny little omissions were as close to a lie a he got with her. "That would be the language of the Cheyenne indian tribe. There are going to be many spells that use their language that are going to aid us such as when the Marshall made my eyes go gold. That's a tracking spell normally using for hunting game animal, he used it for tracking his fugitive targets. Most of their spells use natural elements from the world and a prayer in their language to invoke what they called 'Blessing'. Then there will be spells that are intent based. Think Harry Potter but actually real."

When Elisabeth began to be coy about the bath he laughed. "Mm, yes I do think I can sweet talk my way into your bath. You never quite enjoyed a bath alone after you met me and declared me the love of your life. As I recall it, you would drag me into the bath or your shower at every available opportunity like a horny little minx." His eyes gleamed with mischief as the memories danced before his eyes momentarily. "Before you say it or even think it, that was not me even complaining. Some of our most non-sexual and enjoyable intimate moments have been in a bath together. A little soft music, a bit of teasing touch here and there..." Shaking his head he observed the wound completely covered. "Now comes the 'hard' part and I say that in quotations. This spell does not require a chant or incantation but a fierce force of will. The medicinal herbs will activate the healing part of the spell but the rattlesnake venom is going to fight your magic. You need to have your hands on either side of the paste covered wounds and focus on the intent to heal me, to close the wound. You must channel the magic as your focus fights against the energy in the venom. Overcome the venom and its energy will combine with the herbs to regrow flesh. When the wound is healed you will know, the magic will stop and you will see the paste dry out in an instant before it cracks off revealing unmarred flesh" he said giving Elisabeth a look. "I believe in you Lizzie."