15 The Mark of the Spider Part Two (1/2)

Chapter 15: The Mark of the Spider (Part Two)

Still within the past, when Jack was but a child... He had already been brought back to his cell, leaning against the wall in the back. The moon was visible through the barred skylight of his prison. It was really late, and the remaining warriors had all gone off to sleep. Jack however seemed lost in thought, but the silence was soon broken.

The boy he fought along side in his match, was awake as well, within the neighboring cell. He was laying on the ground, staring to the skylight. He glanced over to Jack, ”Oy... Thanks for the save back there... I thought for sure I was gonna die.”

”...” Jack didn't reply, he glanced away, attempting to avoid eye contact.

The other boy sat up, looking to Jack. ”You don't talk much, do you?”

”When you're different, you're blamed for everything. You're always guilty. There is no point talking... Everyone thinks I'm a monster anyway.” Jack closed his eyes.

”Can't be that much of a monster, if you helped me out.” The boy grimaced a bit. ”Say, maybe you can teach me to fight like that?”

Jack glanced over to the boy. ”I'm not some trained fighter. I'm just trying to survive...”

”Talk about determination to live, I thought for sure you had some kind of special training.” The boy blinked in surprise.

”Well I don't. So can you just leave me alone?” Jack turned away from the other boy.

”Hey sorry if I bothered you. I just thought maybe we can be friends. I'm Shane, by the way.” The boy shrugged.

Shadows casted over Jack's face, and he kept his back to Shane. ”The universe is against me, so why would a human like you, want to be friends with half breed like me?”

”Half breed?” Shane tilted his head, as he now sat near the bars of Jack's cell.

Jack got to his feet, gripping to the bandana around Shane's neck, pulling his face closer to the bars. He held an agitated expression, but spoke quietly. ”I'm a Dream weaver, the Amygdala call us that, cause we devour the life energy from others, and weave webs of their blood. I can't even use blood magic, yet everyone still fears me. My brother and sister despise me, while the only person who ever cared about me is dead... So I ask you again, why would you want to be friends with the likes of me?” He voice was cracking, but trying to keep a stern tone.

Shane hesitated from Jack's response, being stunned from hearing the other boy's words. He furrowed his brows. ”Kudos man, your life's a whole lot more fucked up than mine. I got locked in here for pick-pocketing a Templar. Those bastards place taxes on everything, but when it comes to poor people, they're far crueler when trying to get their money. I never had any parents, but I can't even begin to understand how things must have been for you. Almost like you've been treated as a white raven... Despite all that, you saved my life in the arena. you could have let me die, but you didn't.”

Jack eased up a bit, releasing his grip on Shane. ”...”

Shane smirked a bit, ”Never judge a book by it's cover. That's what the kind lady at the pet store always told me. You may seem intimidating to others, but I can tell deep down that you're a nice guy. That's why I want to be friends. So what do you say?” He said, raising his fist to the other boy.

Jack was taken by surprise, but tried to smile back, as he bumped his fist against Shane's. ”Guess we're friends then. I suppose you wanna know my name too. It's Jackyn.” he relied, begrudgingly.

Shane grinned, ”We're gonna get outta here someday, Jackyn. We just need to work together, I can feel it.”

Months went by, and more battles commenced in the arena. Jack and Shane began to fight side by side, brutally slaughtering their opponents. Most of the fighting was done by the Angel of death, but Shane always kept close to aid his friend. The battles only grew more violent as each day came to pass, and still the duo survived each and every duel. Years began to pass as the boys reached young adulthood. Whether it was a horde of barbarians, single combat, or monstrous beasts, the two didn't falter.

However, one day came to pass that would change everything....

As usual, Margo and the Templar would observe the battles, the Commander standing at the top of the stands. As she watched the ongoing blood fest below, she was approached by Astrid. ”I was just informed that the quarter master of the fighters is displeased with the recent battles of the Angel of Death. He says the boy is holding back.”

”What would he have us do? Make more of a monster out of him?” Margo glanced back.

”He wants to eliminate the obstacle that is preventing him to fighting as ruthlessly as he could. If we don't come up with something, we'll have to increase taxes just to keep the Pit active.” Astrid replied, keeping her eyes on the battle.

”Without it, there would be too many criminals on the streets and in our prisons. Do you have a plan, my love?” Margo inquired, keeping her composure.

”Aye, the only thing to do is to increase the blood shed in the arena. It should get more attention to our target audience. I may have an idea, but I am not sure it will bode well with the others, or the Grand Master.” Astrid explained.

”If we have no other options, we will have to make compromises. We can discuss this plan of yours after the match.” Margo acknowledged.

”Oh captain, my captain.” Astrid smiled.

After a battle, when Jack and Shane were in their cells. Astrid entered the chamber of the warriors, followed by a few Templar and a shifty looking man that was shrouded by a cloak. They had stopped right before the cells that held the two.

”Today's your lucky day. This man has came to buy your freedom.” Astrid said, looking to Shane.

”Hey, I'm not going unless he takes both of us.” Shane crossed his arms.

”This is a one time offer, boy. I am in need of an apprentice.” The cloaked man spoke up.

”Shane, just take it. You might not get another chance.” Jack peered over.

”I can't just abandon you man.” Shane grimaced.

”I'll be fine.” Jack replied.

Time sped forward, with Shane being taken away by the strange man. Jack was left alone, to fight battles on his own for several more years. He seemed to grow more fierce in combat, shredding apart his antagonizing foes. Every corner he turned he kept hearing that rhythmic term spoken at him. ”Monster.” He heard it everywhere he went, from every person he fought or saw. It was driving him crazy.Jack would slaughter his opponents in the most gruesome way imaginable.

He became too hard to handle, and forced to seclusion after each battle. He was taken to a separate room, with his wrists being chained up to the ceiling. He was left to hang there, watching the Templar that entered and left from behind his long strands of hair in his face. ”Monster.” Was the one word that echoed through his ears.

The Templar weren't these divine beings they so claimed to be. Jack witnessed many men being dismembered from his confinement, fingers being severed off one by one. Even the wings of Amygdala being torn from their backs. So much torture was done here, and no one batted an eye at it. The amount of blood soaking the ground was imminence, he could even feel his wrists bleeding every night he was hung from those chains.

Then one night, he heard his cell doors unlock. It was Margo entering the confinement on her own. She looked to Jack, keeping a serious expression. He kept quiet, his sharp eyes glaring her way.

He heard a conversation echoing in his mind, from several weeks prior.

”Do you know why you're in here?” Margo asked, keeping her expression serious.

”Hmph...” Jack scoffed.

”You've become too much of a savage in the arena, we can't risk a monster like you harming any Templar when you're escorted to the battlefield. But also....” Margo took out a whip, gripping it tightly. ”You need to be broken, so that you don't disobey us. All slaves must obey their masters. A good flogging every night should suffice.”

The recollection subsided, with his glare poised to her. ”...” His back was slightly in view, showing some scars from before.

”Are you prepared for tonight's flogging, monster?” Margo leered to him, holding the whip to the side.

His blood was boiling from rage, the red liquid on the ground even seemed to be shifting slightly. ”Go ahead, strike me. If you do, I can't promise you won't lose something precious to you.” He growled.

”Oh. Was that a threat? Do you really suspect that you can do any harm, hanging up there? Not likely. The Maker demands all people to pay for their crimes. A monster like you especially.” She scoffed, readying the whip. She struck it at him, with some blood from Jack's back flew into the air.

The droplets quickly morphed into spikes, impaling Margo's shoulder back into the stone wall. ”Ahh!” She yelped, being pinned by the strange blood magic. ”How did?..”

Blood that emerged from the exit wound began to slither up the wall, and thrusting like a wave of fury into the chains that held Jack's arms. Jack dropped to the ground, the broken chains hanging from his wrists. Margo was trembling now, as the angel of death approached her.

”You're really pissing me off. You want a monster!? Well, you FUCKING ASKED FOR IT!!” He shouted, angrily as he grabbed to a knife he was hiding inside his boot. Without delay, he stabbed his blade several times into her stomach and chest, letting her scream in pain, before impaling the knife into her throat.

The screaming ceased as blood flowed around their bodies, Margo's eyes left open. However footsteps approached. Jack left his back turned to them, as he slowly rose to his feet.

”M-M-M-MARGO!? N-N-N-NO! Y-YOU! YOU MONSTER!!!” Astrid screamed, with tears streaming down her flustered cheeks. She rushed at Jack, with her sword drawn. Vengeance held in her eyes. ”HOW DARE YOU STEAL HER AWAY FROM ME!!!”

His sharp eyes panned her way, swiftly dodging her attack. He spat to the side, sneering down the Templar Baroness, as she nearly fell onto her dead lover. She turned around quick, the tears flying from her face.

Jack shadow stepped for the door, trails of darkness flowing from his heels as he made way for an escape route.

Astrid was stunned, as she went on the pursuit, in complete rage. ”ALL FORCES, THE ANGEL OF DEATH HAS ESCAPED HIS CONFINEMENT, AND MURDERED THE COMMANDER!! DO NOT LET HIM ESCAPE!!!” She screamed out.

There was no hesitation, several classes of knights began to appear from several points down the corridor, blocking Jack's way. His knife slashed through the ones he could reach, while others he rushed passed, jumping over them before they could grab him. The entire facility was in a complete uproar, with all staff in pursuit of Jackyn Spyders. He managed to progress all the way through the Pit's corridors, and reach the exit, narrowly escaping arrows that dove his way. He slid down a hill's rough terrain, reaching the bottom of the slope.

There he discovered that the Pit's walls were placed on a single floating rock island, away from the main land, and above the surface. ”(I need to get to the surface and find Shane.)” He was looking around a bit frantically, but the wave of Templar were still on his trail. ”SHIT!” He spat out, noticing the pursuers closing in.

With no other options, Jack dove off the edge of the floating rock, vanishing into the clouds below.

”AFTER HIM, BEFORE HE TAKES FLIGHT!!!” Astrid demanded.

Jack however did not form wings like an Amygdala would. He was falling fast to the ground, the strong winds blowing up at him as his body was drawing near to the surface. Jack then quickly slashed up his left arm, letting the magic form from his deep wound. He casted out the magical blast of blood into the nearing ground below, breaking his fall. He tumbled to the cobblestones, before getting to his feet. His eyes turned to the sky, before he vanished into the night.

Jack's mind came back to the present, seeing Jehxal before him. His hand was still clutching his brother's wrist, that held his neck. The sounds of templar was drawing closer by the second, even Jack could hear them now.

”Hahaha, is your skin crawling yet, little brother?” Jehxal mocked.

”You're going to suffer, for all the shit you put me through.” Jack growled, thrusting a dagger with his free hand, into his brother's shoulder.

The older Dream Weaver stumbled back, in surprise, holding his wound. ”You little BASTARD!! I'm going to break you apart LIMB BY LIMB!!!”

Just over the horizon of the city's square, the horde of templar came rushing their way.

”I'll leave you to deal with these clowns. See ya.” Jehxal scoffed, vanishing off in an instant.

”THERE! IT'S THE ANGEL OF DEATH!” The leader shouted.

Jack gritted his fangs. ”Dammit, always the fucking templar.” He muttered, quickly making a dash for the nearby woods. ”(I need to lie low for a while. I'm in no shape to fight like this.)”

”HURRY! AFTER HIM!” A templar ordered.

The group of templar rushed into the woods, in pursuit of Jack. As they progressed in, they came to a dead end, but no sign of the angel of Death.

”Where did that monster run off to? Spread out! He couldn't have gone too far!” The templar in command ordered.