Jack and Ein exchanged quick glances before Jack nodded and climbed into the carriage, with Ein following close behind. The moment the door closed, Talon pulled the curtains shut and slid over to make room for them. When Jack and Ein got in the carriage there was another person in there that Jack recognized... it was Monte.
"What's going on, Talon?" Jack asked, keeping his tone low and cautious. He had so many questions for the man, but the urgency in his voice and the way he had whispered told Jack that he had important things to discuss with him.
Talon quickly glanced around, ensuring they weren't being followed before speaking, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have information that could get us all killed, but it's information you need. I've been digging around for the past year, and I found something that doesn't sit right with me... and it's directly tied to what happened with that assassination."
Jack's pulse quickened. He hadn't realized how much he had missed this kind of covert conversation, the thrill of gathering intel, piecing together the puzzle. His mind shifted into military mode.
"Go on," Jack said, leaning forward, his eyes narrowing.
Talon hesitated for a moment before continuing. "There's a faction operating behind the scenes. Powerful, influential people, high up in the government. They've been orchestrating events to destabilize the city for years now, using assassination and chaos as tools. The man you killed... he wasn't just an assassin. He was a messenger. A part of something much bigger."
Ein, still standing silently by the door of the carriage, caught Jack's eye. Her expression was unreadable, but Jack could feel her tension.
"And what does that have to do with us?" Jack asked, his voice sharp. "You've been gone for a year, then you suddenly show up with a cryptic message. Why now? And how do you know about the assassination attempt?"
Talon shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Because they're coming for you, Jack. A year ago, when I went to my meeting, before I walked into the chambers there was already a meeting taking place before mine. I'm not proud of it, but I eavesdropped and overheard the councilors saying they were going to send a member of the dark guild to kill you. "
Jack's instincts kicked in, but he stayed still, his mind racing as the words sank in. He had always known someone like Talon could be useful, but the weight of this new information was unsettling. "Why the hell would they come after me?"
Talon met Jack's gaze, his eyes grave. "Because they think you're a threat. They'll stop at nothing to eliminate you... or control you."
Jack's hand clenched into a fist. The feeling of being hunted wasn't new to him. He had been on both sides of that equation before. But now, the stakes were higher. Ein had become more than just a trainee—she was his responsibility. And he couldn't let anyone take her from him.
"We need a plan," Jack said, turning to Ein. "We've trained for situations like this, right?"
Ein nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on Jack. "We're ready," she said softly.
Jack turned back to Talon. "Alright, tell us what you know. What are they planning, and how can we stop them?"
Talon leaned in closer, his voice now barely a whisper. "They want to ignite a war, Jack. And you... They fear you're going to stop their plans so they want you dead but I wont let that happen. Not if I can help it."
Jack and Ein sat in stunned silence. The wheels of conspiracy had just started to turn in their favor, but the truth was far darker than either of them had expected. The world they were living in wasn't just a chaotic mix of power struggles and corruption—it was a ticking time bomb. And now, it seemed they were right at the center of it.
"What's our next move?" Jack asked, his voice calm but heavy with purpose.
Talon took a deep breath and pushed the curtain aside just enough to look out. "We head to the north. There's a place where they keep their most important assets hidden. We need to find out who's behind all of this. There is also more information we need to search for."
Jack could feel the weight of the decision settling on his shoulders. But as he glanced at Ein, who had her usual determined look in her eyes, he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't alone in this.
"We'll get it done," Jack said, his voice resolute.
Monte had been sitting there is silence the entire conversation. The old man had grey hair and a long grey beard. He looked disheveled yet put together. He wore a dark grey robe with a hoodie, gloves and had a large wooden staff with a crystal at the end of it. His eyes were red and watery. Jack realized the man was drunk.
Monte pulled out a flask from his sleeve and took a large swig and making a face before putting it back up his sleeve. "You two have been caught in a really big mess. Especially you Jack. And if we don't want this world to end up in the hands of evil men then we need to protect you at all costs."
Jack realized that Monte knew his real name even though Jack had initially given him an alias. Jack decided to ignore that for now for the sake of the conversation. He was sure Talon must have told him the truth, "Why me?" Asked Jack "What could they possibly want with me? How am I supposed to be involved in all of this, I just wanted to find a way back to my home world."
"It's the prophesy Jack," said Talon "You are mentioned in the prophesy"
"What prophesy? The King in Erindale mentioned a prophesy as well." Jack began to feel irritated about what he came in to.
Ein was watching Jack get frustrated, she felt sad for him that he always seemed to be a target, she wanted to be able to protect him. She wanted to help shoulder some of his burdens, to give him some ease.
"The prophesy states that someone from another world would come and break this world, that is only half of the prophesy since the other half was lost," Monte explained "Some believe this is the whole prophesy but there are those of us who believe there is another half to it, at least that's what the legend says. This government believes this is the whole prophesy therefore they want you dead before you can break this world."
Jack passed intense looks back and forth from Monte to Talon. "So why haven't they tried to kill me again, they sent that assassin for me and then never tried again, why?"
"Well, if I had to guess," Monte began to answer "Maybe it has something to do with you and your training. It is no secret that you are powerful and watchful. You see everything that goes on around you and you predict things as if you can see into the future. When you can easily stop an assassin the way you did I think they decided to bide their time and come up with a better plan."
"And how do I know I can trust you two? How do I know you won't stab me in the back when I least expect it?" Jack asked heavily, hand gripping his M17 on his hip.
"Because if we wanted you dead, we would have tried a long time ago. Jack, there is no way we can make you trust us right away but hopefully over time you can see that we are on your side in this."
Jack looked over to Ein, and she gave him a small nod in silent confirmation. If this is good enough for Ein then it will have to be good enough for Jack. After a year of spending every day with Ein, training her, eating with her, spending all his time with her he has learned to trust her judgement. But he will protect her from any dangers, if these men decided to turn on them and hurt her, he will kill them where they stand.
Talon took another look outside of the carriage to make sure no one was listening. He was so paranoid that it even made Jack uncomfortable. Talon was a captain of the military force of Arinvil, going against his own government is probably something that scared the hell out of him Jack thought. 'I should tell him about America and how its whole history is built upon rebellion towards its government'.
There were footsteps passing the carriage, they could tell it was just some pedestrians walking by. "We should get further from the city before discussing this anymore," whispered Monte "lets ride out for a few days before we discuss anything further, especially any plans".
Talon nodded and quickly opened the door to signal the driver. As the carriage rumbled forward, Jack felt the tension rise. They were about to dive into a world of shadows and deception. And this time, there was no turning back.