The Rescue (Pt. 3)
The single hand released Gentil's knee before Jackary pushed it to the ground and began to try and ease himself to stand. He could do this, he'd been able to walk and with the request of wanting to get his partner out of the dangerous zone, Jack had forgotten one single bit of information. The moment any type of pressure was put on the newly released leg, the seared, burned muscle gave out from under him, failing the Mage and soon sent him tumbling back down to the ground. "Mnh..." came a noise of defeat before a scrutinizing look fell onto the worthless appendage.
"Jack... No." Came a soft command and a hand that lifted as a sign for the other to stop moving.
The words met a defiant shake of the taller male's head, he was too proud to not get up. After all, how was he to get out if he wouldn't walk? Was someone going to carry him? Who was honestly going to carry him? Surely not Gentil. "We gotta get out of here. I just need to get up..."
The hand went from a 'stop' motion until fingers curled, leaving one digit to point directly at the dirtied face. "You sit still" Gentil coaxed, giving a nod in agreement.
When the Priest pushed up and off the disgusting floor, his pack was swung over his shoulder. Jack sat there silently as he did so, the damaged, once proud ears lowered to silently show that he would follow such an order. He allowed his tongue to slip from his mouth and caress over his lower lip until both his own and Gen's gaze were drawn back to Darnath who approached once more.
"We should get him out of here before anyone comes back," came a soft request from the tiny blond once the Knight was within earshot.
"There's going to be one more loud crash, so be aware." Dar nodded, informing the two. "I agree. Az says there might be a way to the door by going forward?"
"Okay."
The second, deafening crash filled the air from the opposite side of the room, accompanied by what sounded akin to gleeful laughter echoes from an elf. It was enough to spook the rejoined party.
Dar waited until the noise settled before iced eyes made their way down to Jack, offering the Mage a warm smile. "You holding together, Lovely?"
"I'll be fine." He murmured, even if he forced a smile for the raven-haired man's sake. "Ah... You guys didn't happen to see my feathers anywhere, did you..?" The dragon was hopeful, considering he wasn't even sure where the three had tinkered off to.
"I still have one at home," Gen offered in reassurance, even if his gaze pined the area in search for the particular items.
Dar shook his head to assert his answer. "But, I can probably send the others back to look, if you like." Even as Darnath's offering was given, Gen looked to the floor when he was unable to find any sign of them. "Although I'm sure there is a box of something with your effects in it nearby, right?" The Knight questioned in hope.
"That was a gift to you," Jackary reminded the smallest, "I'm missing three more... They took all of my stuff from me, minus my necklace." Jack, he thought. Why are you being so selfish? These people came to rescue you and you ask them to find your stuff instead? Pitiful. "It's... It's not important. Safety of everyone in here is."
"I have your satchel and scythe at home if that helps any..." Gen tried again.
Jack nodded, relieved that at least those items had been found -- what was even more relaxing, is that his significant other had been the one to have possession of them. "Better than nothin'. We should get the other two and leave, yeah?"
Gentil turned, lifting a comm up to his mouth until his thumb flicked against a button to hold it. "We need to move Jack."
Dar stepped forward towards the mess on the ground before he knelt down, plate armour hit the ground to prove it's impressive weight. Without warning or question, arms looped around Jackary in a bridal style with every intention.... To pick him up. In fact, he assumed and braced himself for the Mage to struggle.
Instead, wild emerald eyes blinked and pupils constricted in surprise when he felt himself be lifted off the ground and press against the toned chest to a man who had been two inches shorter than he was. Suddenly, Jack felt so small. "Whoah hey wait what--!" He squawked; his frame tensed, not wanting to hurt either of them in the process. The stubborn Mage fell quiet in defeat, ears pinned back and slowly, Jack started to tuck himself against the plate armour so as not to fuss. His head soon came to rest under Darnath's chin, whispering "we don't ever speak of this."
Gentil turned only to blink at the two while Azurick and Zangen rejoined the party, almost appearing pleased as punch for what they had done.
"I told you I would rescue you if you ever needed it."
The words echoed within the back of Jack's mind in which he lifted his wounded gaze to the Knight's face.
"Heh... Remind me to thank you properly later, with a pie or something."
Darnath shifted a little, assuring and assuming that the Mage was comfortable as he could be against the plate as it could allow. "Hey Zangen," he called out, gaining the Tauren's attention. "Can you grab my polearm? It's about eight steps in front of you."
Taking exactly eight steps, the behemoth did just that and reached down, blindly reaching for the blurred item until fingers wrapped around it and hoisted it back up. The weapon was then moved to his back, harnessing it with his own staff, as well.
"Hey Az," Dar then turned his attention back to the Warlock. "We're also missing Jack's stuff still, so if you see clothes and feathers, grab those."
In the process, Azurick had placed a hand reassuringly on Gentil's shoulder then nodded towards Darnath. "Alright, I saw a pile of stuff in the back of the room, I'll go look." He squeezed the shoulder once Gen smiled and released the Priest, turning to jog back to where he had seen the items in question.
"... Mind grabbing the shackle, too..? Has enough mana stored away to help Faeron for a while." Jack finally whispered through a slow, strained sigh. He hadn't even noticed that it was Gentil who reached down to pick up the bloodied mess of an anklet.
Azurick returned shortly after, looking over the gathering. "I used the amulet and picked out whatever items it glowed next to." He nodded, particularly towards the wounded Mage to assure he had obtained the right belongings. "Speaking of," he then tacked on, holding the charm out back towards the Priest. "Here you are." He remarked, bouncing his shoulder in the process to adjust a heavy bag of clothing and other items, such things also lined his pockets and bulged from every place he could put them.
Gentil smiled once reunited with the infinity charm and reattached it to his bracelet. "Thank you," he spoke, clasping it firmly back into place. "Let's go?"
"You all carry on, I won't be far behind." Azurick noted.
"Be on your guard," Zangen warned, ushering the group to finally move forward towards the exit.
Jack had barely realized they were moving, tucked within the firm grasp of the Knight who carried him. He could hear the sounds of the Warlock making noises of excitement.
"Tha-- oh wow!" Jack could hear the flooding of footsteps running here and there and on either side, the clashes and clanks of items being taken or shuffled around.
"Keep going." Zan grumbled.
"Fine, fine, fine."
"Archaeologist turned engineer is a dangerous thing..." Darnath mused.
As each made their way through the exit, Zangen turned and slowly kept an eye on the rear, assuring that nothing would follow them out. When they reached the safety of yet another person, the entire team began to relax.
"Val, did we miss anything out here?" Azurick chirped, stepping over towards the new figure.
"At least one door still appears to be standing. So no lots of bad guys?" Dar questioned, almost disappointed.
"Indeed..." Zangen offered.
Jackary opened his eyes slowly, the blurred gaze was unable to focus, yet he tried to squint to see just who was waiting for them. He barely recognized the Rogue, then again, he barely recognized himself.
Valmarian shook his head, wafting a remote control in front of him. "Nope, no one came about. Probably helps having these guys around, eh?" He motioned to the Ethereals who had been waiting, as well. The remote was lowered to his side once the man began to eye Jack over. "So... Is everything okay?"
The group turned to the Mage as Azurick lofted his eyebrow, silently questioning the wounded man with the same thought. He'd been greeted with a faint, strained nod, Jack's voice in a hushed whisper. "Yeah... It'll all be fine."
Would it...?
"Let me see the remote," Zangen lifted his hand up towards Valmarian, fingers wiggled to summon the device. Val arched a brow at the Tauren who had been just behind him and lifted his left hand up and back to let him take it. Once the equipment was within his grasp, Zan gave another single nod. "Let's be gone now."
"Let's," Azu coaxed further.
Jackary had begun to slip in and out of consciousness the moment he finally felt fresh air, the strange comfort of the team surrounding him and the fact that he felt, for the first time in a long while, that someone actually did care. He hadn't seen what Zangen had done behind the group, all he knew is that when something rumbled behind him, he could hear the Tauren's reply.
"Moo, mother fucker."
"How did you know it was the blue button?" Darnath grinned, glancing from Gentil who had finally breathed in a sigh of relief from the air to the Tauren who seemed quite pleased with himself.
"It's always the blue one..." Jackary mumbled, hardly thinking the man could hear him. "Red one stops the bombs..."
Zangen smirked, "I've been around you long enough to know what you would wire a remote."
The explosives finally echoed within the tombs they had stepped out of, causing Azurick to blink and turn back, glancing from the archway they had all just come from. "That'll do it." With that, his arm slipped around the Priest who had pulled out a puzzle box to toy with it.
Gentil relaxed, easing into the grip around him. "We should take him to the estate."
"There are portals in Shattrath that lead to the Isle of Quel'Danas. We can take transport from there to the estate." Azurick reminded, offering the safest route for the team.
"A tree really is fine..." Jack whispered, flicking his ear. The guilt had begun to wash over him, paling his body further. He felt sick.
"Shh," Darnath whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of the Mage's head who stayed nestled within his arms. "Wounded get pampered."
Gentil frowned towards his partner. "No trees for at LEAST a week!"
Zangen had shuffled over, having already transformed himself into the prettiest of oak trees. His arms had been thrown up in excitement to try and cheer Jackary up, but the moment Gentil stated no, his arms fell and shoulders slumped. "... Aw..."
For as splendid and amusing at the idea was that Zangen had done such a thing, Jack sulked all the more in just as much disappointment as the Druid.
"Clever." Az sneered in amusement.
"I thought so," Zan replied once his form shifted into it's natural embodiment.
"I presume things are under control? If so, I'll be returning to my estate for the night. Need to check up on Talon anyhow." Val finally piped up.
Jackary had missed the good-byes and safe departure of the Rogue that he wouldn't forget and would later question Darnath over. His eyes gave in once more to a closed state and the travel became nothing but a blur. The Death Knight hadn't let Jack out of his grip the whole time until they were safe within the Estate where they all stayed. It had been emotionally traumatic.
He would awaken when his back settled into cool, clean sheets of a bed. The mental conversations Darnath had kept up with had been the only saving grace to keep the Mage attached to the world he was barely surviving in. It was a heavy heart, a pained breath each time that night. Not only from Gentil's delicate caresses to clean him and bandage what he needed to... But because he realized something.
Even surrounded by people who had cared for him, even the Warlock he didn't trust and the Tauren that placed a plant under the bed to help the situation... From the Knight who had kept his promise and the delicate physician that won over Jackary's heart....
He felt alone.
That night, he had wedged himself between Darnath and Gentil, keeping both close. One arm stayed tightly around the small Priest all night, suffering within his own nightmares so badly that he hadn't even awoken to Gen's. Darnath had kept a steady watch over both of them, soothing each in turn to assure they would sleep.
The warmth and security of bodies on either side, the familiar scent of Darnath and Gentil had been the assurance he so desperately needed. He'd cried and whined in his sleep; spoken words of begging not to be left behind and to let him die mumbled from chapped lips. Whatever plagued the wounded mind kept a tight hold on both spell casters. Their fear knew no bounds within the night.
Through it all, Darnath kept his promise, from beginning to end. He wouldn't leave until he knew Gentil and Jackary were to wake up and be stable enough to handle themselves.
Jackary may have been safe, but the road to recovering what he used to be was long and grueling. Saving him from the cage had been the easy part, saving him from himself was yet to be discovered.