25. Home

In the repair yard of the abandoned car shop, Jack's party returned from their scouting mission late in the evening. He didn't waste a second, taking his trusty wrench from the toolbox and beginning the final installation.

With a combination of manual labour and the sophisticated six-dimensional arms of the P.N.I. bots, he inserted the spherical engine into the Armatus carapace, just below the cockpit.

The standard model made maintenance and replacement easy.

With the final tightening of the quick coupling, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled.

While he worked, the two ladies watched him, happily nibbling on the provisional crackers provided by Hotel Tasmania.

"Alright…" Jack muttered to himself before turning to the datapad. He ran the electrical test. After a few seconds, the system confirmed all wires were connected.

"Run full diagnosis!" Jack watched the stream of data scroll past, the blue glow reflecting in his red eyes. A check mark ticked against each line.

[Armatus System Operational!]

"Now, begin the synchronisation!" Jack commanded.

[Three machines synchronised successfully.]

Jack spun to his party with a smirk. "Everyone! All three Arcanite Engines successfully installed! We're good to go!"

"Legendary!" Frain cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

"I knew you'd make it work, considering how tech-savvy and pragmatic you are!" Lupus added, her own cheer echoing Frain's.

One moment, she appeared beside him, a close-eyed smile on her face.

How did she get here without a sound? Jack questioned internally.

A moment of awkwardness rose between them, but he brushed it off by showing her the datapad, highly doubting she could make out anything on it.

"Stay still a sec, Jackie!" Lupus ordered, leaning close. Her sweet scent knocked him into a daze.

He squeezed his eyes shut as her hands drew closer.

Then, her finger gently rubbed his cheek. "See? You got oil on your face."

"Th~thanks…" He blinked, looking into those golden eyes of hers. So beautiful, so enchanting.

Banishing the unsightly thought, Jack shook his head, trying to hold on to the memory of his family. It proved to be almost impossible when they were just hazy figures, a cruelty his amnesia had made sure of.

As Frain finished her crackers, she wiped her hands on her trousers and stepped forward.

Standing before the now fully functional transports, Lupus's golden eyes were steady, yet tinged with a deep seriousness as she gently threaded her fingers through Frain's hair.

"Jackie… I've decided," she said, her voice wavering with hesitation.

Jack turned, his expression puzzled. "What is it?"

With meticulous fingers, Lupus reached for the Slave Circlet around Frain's neck. After a few careful wiggles, the device clicked open and fell away.

"What?" Frain gasped, her eyes widening in shock. Her hands instinctively flew to her neck, fingers tracing the bare skin where the circlet had been only a moment before.

"I give you your freedom, Frain," Lupus said, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

"B~but why?" Frain's purple eyes became glassy. Her lips trembled as an unfamiliar emotion surged within her — the sheer, overwhelming joy of freedom.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Because you're my friend," Lupus replied, her tone firm. Her golden eyes flickered toward Jack.

He met her gaze and nodded, a quiet acknowledgment of her choice. Her actions filled him with pride.

Before Frain could break down completely, Lupus's expression shifted, a wide grin replacing her solemnity. "High five!" she cheered, shattering the tension.

Laughter broke through the heavy air as the three of them joined in a three-way high-five. Even Jack participated, feeling it was a little childish but indulging them nonetheless.

The past week had proven that their bond was more than just an alliance; it was starting to feel like family. In truth, Lupus and Frain had kept him anchored, preventing him from sinking into the grim reality of war and loss.

Without them, Jack knew he would have fallen into a much darker place. The weight of the past days pressed on him, the loss of his best friend, David, and the entire DebrisX crew. Memories of their time together on Luna Base flickered at the edge of his mind.

Jack steeled himself for tomorrow, when he would reunite with his family. He clung to the hope that they were still waiting for him.

But he was gravely mistaken.

***

The flight from South Germund to Steinberg took two hours with the Arcanite-saving flight protocol engaged.

When they arrived at the address, he found nothing but devastation. The once-standing two-storey house had collapsed into a pile of smouldering wreckage, the fire long extinguished.

The sight burned itself into Jack's mind. A chill crawled down his spine, and an unbearable hollowness nested deep in his chest. His fingers trembled.

"No… It can't be…" Jack now knew true fear.

"Jackie…" Lupus murmured, her hand brushing his shoulder.

His lips trembled as he sought an anchor, placing his hand over hers. Frain joined in, looking at him with concern. They would support him, whatever came next.

Jack stepped down from the Armatus suit, the girls following close behind. Their expressions darkened as they exchanged glances, but no one uttered a word.

Typing on his datapad, Jack whispered, "Finder Keeper protocol."

Two bots whirred to life, their scanners sweeping across the wreckage. Jack gritted his teeth, his hands clenched in quiet exasperation.

A warm tap on each of his shoulders made him pause. Lupus and Frain stood beside him, offering silent support.

Minutes later, the results came in.

Two charred corpses were identified beneath the ruins: one adult, one child.

The man who once laughed so easily had grown silent.

He didn't cry. No, he could not.

Effortlessly, Jack ordered the bots to dig graves. He lowered their corpses into the holes and buried them himself.

He felt no grief, no tears.

Only emptiness.

His family was gone. His bloodline was severed. His future, stolen by the cruelty of war.

Damn it all, Jack cursed under his breath.

As the graves were filled, Lupus and Frain quietly placed flowers they had gathered from the remains of the garden, a final act of respect.

"May your path to the underworld be undisturbed," Lupus cited in reverence.

His silver hair hiding his eyes, Jack sat on the ledge of a puny bot, legs dangling as he stared at the fresh mounds of earth. His fingernails were stuck with black soil.

Is this real? Is my family truly gone? he asked himself over and over.

Lupus approached mindfully. "Jack…" she murmured, hesitant to break the silence.

Frain followed, pondering what words could possibly offer comfort.

"I'm fine…" Jack replied softly, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Lupus reached out, squeezing his shoulder. "Do you… want to talk about it? You can cry, you know." She turned to Frain for support, and the lion Wildren nodded slowly.

"We won't judge," Lupus added. Her voice wavered slightly, and an awkward chuckle escaped her lips despite the grief in her eyes.

She wasn't good at counselling loss. Despite her warmongering career, Lupus had never been in a full-scale war like this. Her title 'Olympian' mage was more of the war-like sports.

Jack exhaled a shaky breath, his tone husky and deep. "It's… just hollow. Maybe I still think this is all a bad dream."

Lupus hesitated. "Is it because of your amnesia?"

"That too," Jack admitted. He held tightly onto a small locket, the only remaining piece of his family. "But mostly, it's because I just buried two people I don't remember. At least, that's what it feels like."

Lupus opened her mouth, searching for words, but found none. Frain struggled to respond, watching him quietly.

After a long moment, Jack stood abruptly. "Let's move, Lupus," he suggested, his voice firm.

She blinked in confusion. "Move?"

"To Hasenwald. There's nothing left for me here. But for you, your family is still waiting."

The girls exchanged glances before nodding solemnly.

Soon, they climbed into their vessels, engines roaring to life. With a flick of Jack's fingers, the ships lifted from the ground. His eyes lingered on the ruined home and the graves of his family.

As they ascended, the image became distant, indistinguishable from the landscape.

Just like life, ever so fleeting.

With that, their journey to Hasenwald had begun.

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