Jack remained a shadow. An unseen presence. A ghost in the room.
He listened. The seven individuals around the polished mahogany table were still discussing their planned expedition.
"No, absolutely not." Crafton insisted. His spectacles perched precariously on his nose. "No more large-scale ventures. The last few... they were disasters. Utter and complete disasters. Too many people. Too many egos. Too many variables. Each one nearly cost us everything. My sanity. My reputation. Even our lives."
He gestured vaguely at Leon and Chloe, who nodded grimly. The unspoken horrors of their past expeditions hung in the air. Heavy and suffocating. The events that Jack knew firsthand.
Tomme Laycard chimed in. "Dr. Crafton is right. Jeanne and I, we've seen it firsthand. The New Continent, those forgotten ruins there… The smaller the team, the tighter the unit, the better your chances of seeing the next sunrise. Less mouths to fee. Less baggage. Less… targets."
Jeanne, his sharp-eyed wife, offered a curt agreement. Her gaze was practical and unwavering. They were explorers. Not academics. But their experience was invaluable.
Dr. Paul Kingsley cleared his throat. "I understand the sentiment, Gentlemen, Ladies. But the Academy's protocols usually mandate a certain level of support. Research assistants, security..."
Baroness Emerald Artheim, sharp and unyielding, cut him off. "And those protocols are designed for known archaeological sites, Dr. Kingsley. Not for something spoken of only in whispers and fragmented ancient texts."
She stopped to take a breath. And continued. "We're not excavating a known site. We're chasing a legend. Discretion is paramount. My personal security detail will be minimal and highly specialized. No more than two, three individuals to handle camp logistics and outer perimeter. They won't even enter the actual site unless explicitly ordered."
Jack absorbed every word. Small team. Good. Less collateral damage if things went sideways. Which, given the track record of these three specific individuals, was practically inevitable.
He mused internally. A smirk only he could see. Chloe Chase. Leon Drake. Dr. Crafton. Every time their paths converged, it was like a cosmic alarm bell.
They were the universe's unwitting agents of chaos. The three stooges of impending doom. Not that they sought it. They generally had good intentions. But disaster seemed to gravitate to them like iron filings to a magnet.
The discussion continued, mapping out logistics. Supplies. Travel arrangements. Equipment. No grand funding from the Academy or the Kingdom, just a collaborative effort.
This confirmed Jack's initial assessment. A genuine scholarly pursuit. Albeit one starring the unluckiest trio he had known. Or luckiest ones. They always survived after all.
They set their departure date. Four days from now.
Jack had heard enough. He peeled himself away from the meeting room. A wisp of unseen energy. And floated through the city's night streets. The information was filed.
Danochande, the Underlake Temple. Location... Lake Trishade. Grandrock Region. Departure... four days.
Back at his Lonestone city house, Jack found Reina was still fast asleep. He smiled and transformed back to his human form. And lay next to her.
The next day. Early in the morning, Jack shared the information to Reina. As they were taking a break after an intense training exercise.
Reina sat on the orchard bench. Her long, black hair cascaded around her. Framing her beautiful face. She moved with an innate grace. Even in exhaustion.
"So, another expedition?" Reina raised a delicate eyebrow. "Grandrock Region? That's quite a remote place."
"Precisely." Jack affirmed. "And that's why we're going there too."
He paused, a grin forming on his face. "We need a vacation, Love. Lonestone has been... busy. This damned polluted city is getting on my nerves. We need fresh air."
He shuddered slightly. An exaggerated movement for Reina's amusement. She chuckled softly.
"A vacation? To the same location where a potentially world-ending archaeological dig is about to commence?" Reina's smile was knowing. "Your definition of vacation is rather unique, Dear."
"It's a two-birds-one-stone situation." Jack clarified. Leaning forward. "Fresh air. Wilderness. A chance to stretch our legs. And, more importantly..."
He lowered his voice. "I do have a bad feeling about the expedition. Those three. Chloe. Dr. Crafton. And Drake. Every time they get together, something troublesome happens."
He sighed. "They're good people. Often with good intentions. But their presence seems to act as a magnet for ancient evils, forgotten gods, and the kinds of problems."
Reina nodded. "The Tideless Island incidents. Well, it was mostly the old I who caused those problems." She recalled. The memory served her perfectly. "But they did feel like a magnet for disaster."
"Exactly. So, let's go for a vacation there. And if, or more likely when, reality decides to twist itself into a disastrous knot around those archaeologists, we'll be right there to clean up the mess. Or take advantage of the situation."
Reina caught it instantly. Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "A strategic vacation, then. To observe our favorite harbingers of accidental doom."
"Precisely, Love. We did get some benefits from previous disasters, didn't we? The divine inheritances from Webmother and Cloudfather?" Jack replied. Feeling a familiar surge of anticipation. "Let's go in two days."
He loved a good intervention to stop disaster. Especially when it brings him benefits.
Reina smiled and nodded. "As you wish, Dear. I'll begin preparations." Practical, as always.
She was already thinking of the comfortable and luxurious camping gear they had acquired in Mirebarrow Town. The one they acquired after experiencing the miserable camping during the Cockroach-men invasion incident.
The next two days were spent in a comfortable rhythm. Jack continued his nightly rounds as Jack Mystery. Delivering his specific brand of ethereal judgement. Nightmares for the guilty. Sweet dreams for the worthy.
By day, he took a less active role as Racer Jack. Allowing the city's regular patrols to handle routine matters. Ensuring his absence wouldn't cause undue chaos. Or raise too many questions about the suddenly less-active, super-fast weasel.
Reina, meanwhile, meticulously took care of her unfinished charity projects. And organized their travel supplies.
She was efficient. Her movements were fluid and purposeful. Making sure everything was accounted for.
On the morning of the third day, they were ready. Jack's Lightning Hoverbike hummed softly. Ready to go on adventure.
It floated silently above the ground. A marvel of steamrune engineering mixed with supernatural artifact. Perfect for long-distance travel.
"Ready, Love?" Jack asked.
"Ready, Dear." Reina replied. Settling onto the backseat with elegant ease. Her long black hair streaming behind her as the bike picked up speed.
They bypassed the usual roads. Taking a more direct, yet less conventional, route. The Lightning Hoverbike skimmed over forests and plains. A blur of motion against the sky.
Three days. That's how long it took for them to reach the Grandrock Region. And the vast expanse of Lake Trishade. The journey was mostly uneventful. A testament to the bike's speed and Jack's navigational skills.
They saw glimpses of small towns. Poor villages. Isolated farms. And vast stretches of untouched wilderness. Each view rolled by in a silent rush.
As they approached their destination, the landscape shifted. The urban sprawl of Lonestone had long faded into rolling hills. Now, it gave way to bolder, more rugged terrain.
Grandrock Region lived up to its name. Massive, ancient rocky mountains. Their peaks often shrouded in mist. They rose like silent sentinels. Between them, nestled in a vast basin, lay Lake Trishade.
The lake was immense. It wasn't quite an inland sea. But it was certainly a body of water that stretched to the horizons.
Its surface, under the clear sky, was a deep, shimmering blue. Reflecting the surrounding pine forests. Ones that clung to the lower slopes of the mountains like a verdant carpet.
The air immediately felt cleaner. Crisper. Carrying the distinct scent of pine needles and damp earth. The silence was broken only by the sound of insects and the distant calls of unseen birds. It was a stark contrast to the constant mechanical hum of Lonestone City.
"Quite the view, eh, Love?" Jack mused. Slowing the hoverbike as they circled the lake. Searching for a suitable spot.
He wanted something secluded. Yet, with good vantage points. He also wanted comfort. He didn't mind inconvenience when he had to. But he appreciated the finer things now if it was possible.
Reina leaned into him slightly. Hugging his waist from the back. Her voice was a soft murmur. "It's beautiful, Dear. A welcome change."
They finally found their spot. A small, natural clearing tucked away from any potential trails. Overlooking a secluded cove of the lake. It was surrounded by a dense cluster of towering pines. Offering both privacy and shade.
Setting up camp was not hard, but it took time. It wasn't just tents and sleeping bags after all. They set a kind of self-erecting pavilion. Made of durable, weather-resistant fabric.
It rose with a series of quiet clicks and whirs. Inside, it was spacious. Furnished with comfortable air mattresses that inflated themselves.
They were also equipped with soft blankets. And even a compact, enchanted steam-powered stove. One that could conjure gourmet meals from raw ingredients with minimal effort.
There were folding chairs that felt like armchairs. A portable water filtration system. And even a tiny, discreet runic barrier generator. An object that kept out pests and dampened sound without drawing undue attention.
"Almost as comfortable as our Lonestone home, Dear." Reina commented. Running a hand over the soft blankets. "Perhaps even more so, with this air."
"That's the idea, Love." Jack replied. Settling into his own chair. A faint, contented sigh escaping him. The sensation of comfort, the aesthetic of luxury, was quite enjoyable.
Days melted into a pleasant, untroubled routine. They hiked through the forests. Jack, tall and imposing. Yet blending surprisingly well with the wilderness. Reina, ever graceful, moved silently beside him.
They explored the rocky outcrops. Scouted the lake's shores. And generally enjoyed the tranquility. There were no immediate threats.
They could see Danochande stone temple. At the deepest bottom of the lake. Jack spent hours simply observing it. But he had no desire to dive down the lake to explore the temple.
Instead, Jack used his enhanced senses to sweep the area. Mapping the terrain. Noting potential escape routes. And imagining various scenarios should the 'protagonist problem' manifest.
He even transformed into Racer Jack a few times. Zipping through the trees at blurring speeds. Enjoying the sheer sensation of unbridled motion. His tail-blades were a silver streak in the dappled sunlight.
It was a good way to stay sharp. To keep his reflexes honed. And when he was in that form, his chatterbox tendencies often came out. Though Reina mostly just listened with an amused patience. Occasionally offering a dry remark of her own that only spurred him on.
At night, under a sky teeming with stars unobscured by city lights, they would sit by a silent, enchanted fire place. One that gave off heat without smoke. Sipping warm, ginger tea.
Jack would sometimes recount tales of his past adventures. Reina, in turn, shared her experience, observations, and insights into mystic arts. Or she simply rested her head on his shoulder. Content in his presence.
The 'vacation' was genuinely relaxing. A needed break from the heavy pressure they faced in Lonestone. Yet, the underlying purpose was never far from Jack's mind.
He knew that this peace was temporary. The expedition members were due to arrive any day now. And when they did, chaos would very likely follow.
He watched the lake. Placid and still. Under the vast, silent sky. It was too quiet. That, in Jack's experience, was often the precursor to something loud, messy, and troublesome.
And then, after several days of this deliberate calm, the first signs appeared. A flicker of distant lights. Barely visible through the trees on the opposite side of the lake.
The murmur of voices. Carried faintly on the wind. Too indistinct to make out words. The faint hum of ground vehicles. Far more conventional than his own custom hoverbike.
They had arrived. The expedition members.
Jack let out a slow, almost imperceptible breath. The vacation was over. The show was about to begin.