"Dante"

The thick fog swirled in like a ghostly phenomenon, settling over the murky water like the cold grip of death. If you listened carefully, you could hear the lily pads swaying back and forth, their leaves dripping with glistening beads of moisture as they gently swayed against each other. The ripples swell across the pond's surface in an ethereal rhythm, rolling up against the misty curtain as if like a tide or a wave seeking to break free. He felt the bile rising in his throat as he shook off the aftereffects of his dream and groaned as he leaned back into the comfortable cushioning of his seat. He jabbed at a button on the armrest, and the canopy hummed up with a hydraulic whine. The daylight lit him like an actor on stage, and for an instant, there was nothing but a searing pain between his eyes. In this unearthly light, the trees took on a sinister aspect; their gnarled limbs reached down into a void darker than night itself.

Swamp water lapped at the edges of the metal floor. He had to get out, but it was impossible to escape the cold grip of the bayou mud surrounding him on all sides. The croaks of frogs echoed out from unseen depths where fear dwelled. The silence was broken abruptly by a loud, groaning that caused Jon's skin to crawl with fear. He barely had time to comprehend what was happening before his communicator burst into life with Rico's frantic voice.

"Jon! Do you hear me? Jon, come in!"

Jon ripped at his safety belt and reached for his holo pad amidst the chaos of warning sirens and garbled transmissions. His heart pounded wildly in his chest as he yelled back through the holo.

"Rico, is that you?"

"Yeah it's me man - looks like I banged my head against the controls pretty hard..."

But before he could finish, Rico cut him off mid-sentence;

"I don't know where I am," he said frantically, I haven't been able to reach Shakk either."

Jon gulped hard and whispered softly into his communicator.

"Rico... Didn't you see his pod float off? I hope he's alive somewhere but I doubt even he would survive being spaced."

He didn't dare to say it aloud, but he knew what the truth was. He had come this far only because Rico trusted him. What a waste of time and energy, he thought. Rico was motionless in fear; his words failed him as he wished Shakk were here with them - somewhere safe. The walls of their pods seemed to shrink by the second, pushing out every last bit of air and hope. His anxiety was overwhelming and smothering him like a heavy cloak.

"We're fucked," he thought.

"Rico! Listen to me!" Jon yelled over the holo screen."I'm coming for you. We'll get through this somehow. Just keep your beacon active and stay quiet until then - we don't know who might be listening."

"Okay,"

Rico said quietly, forcing himself to look away from his terminal's grim messages.

"Just don't move." Jon drummed his fingers on the dash of the pod, and in every movement, he showed his impatience.

His breathing was heavy, but he fanned his face to cool down while he noticed a readout for environmental controls that said CO2 levels were high. The heat inside the pod made it hard to think clearly. He needed the scalpel from the med kit. He shifted his weight and stretched out his legs with a forceful kick to open the drop storage beneath his feet. Back pain flared as his muscles screamed at him to stop the activity. He worked quickly but deliberately, slicing at the safety straps like a man who had nothing left to lose. The metal of the pod retained more heat than a furnace and it made him sweat even more. Furious, Jon tore off his black and gray flannel shirt. It was soaked with sweat but it didn't matter, he'd need it later. Tugging on the seat belt, he pulled as hard as he could until it snapped, freeing him from the confines of his seat. He grabbed a handful of rations and the first aid kit, slipped into the boots inside the footlocker beneath him, and tied them up tightly.

Still angry, he growled in frustration mixed with anger, then wiped away his forehead with a swift brush of his hand. Grumbling loudly to himself, he snatched up a shotgun from under the seat. He shoved shells into the chamber racking the pump once, one in the chamber. Jon tightened the straps of his kit, sliding the knife into its sheath and securing it in his cargo pocket. He walked through the dimly lit atrium towards the crimson-illuminated door button, a sense of anxiety building with each step as the sound of his boots echoed off the barren walls. With a loud screech, the hatch opened and mist spilled out from within, filling the air with heat and humidity. The lid slowly closed behind Jon, sealing the inside of the eerie fog-filled belly of the ship. Jon emerged from the metal box into the thick mists and had to squint as droplets collected on his eyelashes, obscuring his vision. He felt a soft squelch beneath his boots as, with every step, mud, and standing water seeped up around his ankles.

The ground was scattered with reeds that bent under his feet like a carpet of grass. All around him ominous trees loomed like towers, their branches draped across murky pools filled with algal blooms that stretched out into faint lines like battle scars. Jon readjusted the straps of his pack, pulled his holo device from his pocket, and saw a dozen red blips across its screen. One of them was glowing brighter than the rest - Rico's beacon. Jon clipped the holo to his belt and broke into a slow jog towards the blinking dot. Suddenly he noticed a flurry of activity above him; green biters were zipping through the trees like sprites with their soft glow lighting up patches of the landscape before vanishing only to reappear further away. They seemed to be engaged in some kind of game.

The wind blew through his hair and his clothing, sending shivers down his spine as insects flitted by, diving into leaves and emerging later to continue their journey. The trail disappeared off to one side and then reappeared across a field where it led more directly toward Rico's location. He loathed the heat, it reminded him of living near the holorail. The cars emitted too much heat, but that heat was all he and his mother had to rely on for warmth during the rains in the city. He detested being reminded of those times. He despised feeling like a charity case, an object to be saved with good deeds and PR strategies. His teeth gritted as his mind raced with these thoughts. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Rico's pod lodged in the trunk of a colossal tree. He hastened his pace and ran towards it while admiring its size-it was wide enough to host a small home. He slammed his fist into the pod's door with impatience, his voice coming out with a brashness that sounded like a sailor's.

"Rico let me in!"

Jon was met with an eerie stillness all he heard was a shrill silence that seemed to mock him, every step shattering and crunching the grass beneath him like glass. His breath became shallow as a wave of terror surged over him. He slid his hands to his back pulling for the shotgun on his back and for his pocket housing the extra shells he stuffed in them earlier. He felt something brush past him, the sound of leaves clattering around him like a tempest. Jon tried to focus but all he could see was darkness, enveloping him completely. He stood motionless, heart racing, he held the shotgun with his shoulder squared. He stood still, his eyes searching the shadows for the source of the noise. His heart thudded against his chest and he cleared his throat.

"Who's there?" he called out nervously.

"I just came to pick up my friend, I don't want any trouble."

The leaves slowly cascaded from the canopy above, stirred by a breeze that danced through the treetops. Then Jon heard it – the sound of multiple bodies entering his view. He watched them approach; long legs and strong muscles carried their bodies at a swift pace.

Their hair was tied back with jewels clearly embroidered into their clothing, armor strapped tightly to their chests, and knives tucked away into leg harnesses and rifles in hand.

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Jon's heart stopped as terror coursed through his veins.

"What the fuck," he whispered.

The warriors gritted their teeth and pulled their weapons taking aim. Jon's hands quivered, his knuckles white as he strangled the handle of the shotgun, his finger glancing over the trigger, beads of sweat cascading down his face.

"Wait!" A voice yelled from the brush.

The small voice reverberated through the jungle, slicing through the air like a sword. Rico emerged from the foliage with his terminal and spider in tow. Jon's brow furrowed as he looked over at Rico.

"What the fuck is happening..?" Jon asked cautiously.

Rico gulped as Jon's eyes shot daggers at him. Rico stumbled to find the words, before he started to speak, a delicate hand appeared from behind him, followed by a breathtakingly beautiful figure. Her skin was as white as freshly fallen snow, while her hair cascaded in luscious waves of deep scarlet. Glowing ruby eyes dazzled all who gazed upon her. She wore an exquisitely crafted green dress, adorned with sparkling jewels along its cuffs and a magnificent emerald pendant around her neck. A vision of unparalleled beauty. Rico glanced back nervously before turning to meet her gaze.

"He's the one I was waiting on." He said meekly, his voice barely audible above the howling wind.

She smiled, her eyes glinting in the moonlight as she raised her hand. The warriors knelt slowly, their cloaks billowing out behind them, bowing their heads in reverence. Jon spit on the ground next to him wiping his mouth. She walked past the soldier, striding slowly towards Jon bending near him, and picking a shell up from the mud, it had fallen from his pocket.

"You dropped this". She said with indifference in her tone of voice, with her hand held out holding the shell.

Jon sucked his teeth.

"Jon!" Rico shouted, his grip tight around Jon's shoulder.

Jon whipped back, snatching up the shell and pushing it into his pocket. He scowled, eyes flickering to the girl as he dragged Rico behind him.

"And, to what do we owe this displeasure?" He growled at her.

"Dude what is your fucking problem," Rico said, his tone curt and accusing.

"Oh right, because I'm the devil because I don't forget that people don't help people for fucking free," Jon spat back at Rico.

His gaze never left the girls. She cackled, then smiled slyly as she looked from Jon to Rico. She bent forward, fingers skimming along the edge of her dress as she curtsied deeply.

"My name is Jewel, second daughter of the King Of Faalia – in other words, I am royalty of this planet on which you're standing." Her lips twisted into a sinister smirk as she focused her cold stare directly on Jon.

Her words were like daggers, they brought a warning and a threat, all in the same sugary tone. Jon aggressively grabbed Rico, pushing him down to the soil below. His heart pounded as his hand hovered over Rico's head. His gaze was lowered and he glued it to the ground beneath them.

"Jon...what are you-"

Don't talk," Jon seethed through gritted teeth.

Jon wasn't stupid he knew what that statement meant, it was a declaration, it meant to her he was nothing but mud beneath her boot heel. His insides churned because at that moment he knew she was right and that annoyed him to astronomical levels but he swallowed it and spoke.

"My deepest apologies if I have caused any disrespect or uneasiness to your Majesty," Rico begged.

Jon slowly raised his gaze to meet hers, only after Rico spoke. She smiled wickedly, a light radiating from within her. A chill shot down Jon's spine—she was just like him. He felt a stirring inside him; something warned that there was much about this woman he did not know. With a glint of cruel satisfaction in her eyes, she savored their plight. Then the smirk changed shape into something thoughtful as if it suddenly occurred to her that they were reflecting similarities she had not seen before. She sucked her teeth. They locked gazes staring at one another, in unison both internally uttering.

I don't like this bitch.

Her smile faded.

"It's fine, I can't stand the ceremony. You can call me Jewel, Jon," she said, extending her hand towards him.

Jon grudgingly grasped her hand and kissed it with resentment. Jewel sneered as his lips touched her skin. Then Rico leaned forward and kissed her hand gracefully. She smiled sweetly at him as his lips caressed her skin. Jon seethed in anger and contempt, turning away sharply.

"You may stand," she said dismissively, turning her back to them. Rico elbowed Jon in the ribs viciously. Jon groaned in pain as he bent over clutching his side.

"Stop," Rico scolded him icily."

Simp," Jon spat back spitefully.

Jon grinned deviously as he looked at the trees in front of him, and then bent down to his knees, feeling the muddy earth beneath them. He wiped his pants off before tying his boots, listening to the subtle sound of mud slapping against his legs. Jon's mind raced with possibilities, a thousand questions running through his head. His chest filled with tension as he imagined what it'd be like if they took her hostage and the power it might give them to escape their current predicament. He met her gaze, neither letting down a smile nor flinching first. Her eyes glittered fiercely, and he bowed his head in respect. She snorted at him before erupting into laughter, surprising Rico who stood looking between them, perplexed. A pang of envy arose unbidden within him as he tried to comprehend what was going on- he wasn't exactly smart or charismatic like Jon was... He pushed those thoughts aside, plastering a phony smile across his face.

"Are we leaving?" Rico asked, his throat tightening and his heart hammering.

Her eyes remained fixed on Jon with such intensity that she didn't respond to him. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, and as her intuition screamed in warning at her, she feared this man was a threat to her safety. Nonetheless, she couldn't look away from his gaze, convinced that any detail might be crucial.

"Filth." She said silently, spitting harshly into the woods with disgust as if to rid herself of the thought before turning back to Rico and away from Jon.

"Speak louder bitch, I couldn't hear you?" Jon asked, twisting his face as he spoke.

She clicked her teeth together in frustration and reached inside of her dress.

Rico's breath caught in his throat as he gazed upon her pale inner thighs, illuminated by the silvery moonlight of the forest. He felt like he was staring at a holy apparition, and his whole body tingled with electricity. As she slowly ran her fingers up the length of her thigh, Rico felt himself fall deeper and deeper into her spell. His heart raced as her glossy lips parted slightly with each breath, their eyes locked together in an intimate exchange that felt like an eternity.

She reached into the pocket of her fabric and pulled out a holo device, grasping it firmly within her strong hands. Rico could almost feel the heat emanating off of her skin. She kept her gaze fixed on Rico as she moved her tongue along the top of her lip, then used her index finger to press a few buttons on the screen. She brought it up to her lips and spoke into it. Rico fixed his pants. A husky male voice answered the call on the other side and their conversation was brief. As soon as she hung up, Rico felt reality come crashing back - but it now seemed dull and unimportant compared to the moment they had just shared. The wind howled through the woodland, ripping vegetation and tossing it around like confetti. The ground trembled beneath them, while the trees curved downwards as if they were part of one being with nature.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar filled the air as a white and gold car, seeming to glow like an angel's halo, coasted between the branches and descended toward their location.It touched down lightly on the path in front of them, its gull-wing doors slowly opening to reveal its passenger couldn't look away from the man stepping out of the hover car: he was huge, dressed in white leather. His dark eyes were as cold as night and his face was stoic and strong like a rocky cliff. Jon's heart was pounding as he watched this man move from the silent vehicle; it felt like it took days for him to come out. He stepped forward with one enormous leg, then another, which made Jon seem tiny in comparison. When fully emerged, he was close to seven feet tall, with skin that had a bluish tinge. Everything about him spoke of power: his build, his black gaze, even his silence.

"Uncle!" Jewel shouted in delight and curiosity, running to his side and embracing him fondly.

"What's got you so excited?" he asked, returning her hug.

"But I thought you left the planet on business?"

"Ah, yeah I had some important matters to attend to,"

He said looking over her shoulder and staring at Jon with an investigative eye. Jon quivered under his gaze but held his composure. The man chuckled, he stepped forward as if every stride echoing like a hammer striking the ground—mighty and powerful—it was deafening.

He stopped in front of Jon, "This is it, this is where I die," Jon thought as Falen reached his hand towards him.

His hands were callused from years of battle and fighting; no ordinary warrior Jon surmised.

"My name is Falen, and you are?" he asked with a curious smile.

"Jon," He replied with quiet confidence, stretching out his arm and firmly gripping the man's hand in greeting.

As their hands connected, Jon felt himself being pulled forward into Falen's chest. Falen leaned down close to Jon speaking softly.

"Jon Tekla, right?" Falen grinned as he tightened his grip on Jon's hands. Jon froze, feeling sweat trickle down his back as he tried to catch his breath.

He felt a hand slap him on the back and snapped back to reality; Falen had released his grip.

"Calm down. I'm an acquaintance of your mother's," Falen whispered softly.

"My mother doesn't have any acquaintances," Jon replied sharply.

"Sure she does, didn't she entertain them nightly?" Falen laughed hysterically.

His words overwhelmed Jon with rage and disgust, twisting his features into one of pure loathing. But Falen only smirked at him in response, unafraid of the fury bubbling inside him. He leaned in closer to Jon to only within earshot of him and Jon.

"You feel like you want to rip into me right now, don't you?" Falen said slowly, a smirk spreading across his face.

"Relax kid, you're the kind of person I'm looking for." He moved in closer until their faces were nearly touching and Jon fought to keep his composure.

"I understand what you're trying to do, Tekla—to bring others into the depths of your own suffering in search of some self-serving bull shit justice—but how far are you prepared to go? Are you ready to shed innocent blood and march armies of the guilty over valleys and hills for these flimsy ideals, is that what you desire? You are prepared to risk it all and dive into hell itself like Dante, aren't you?" His voice was low and menacing.

His voice was commanding and his eyes were blazing with determination as he looked down at her.

"If chaos is your goal, I will not stop you, as a matter of fact, I want to help you. In exchange, I ask for your loyalty and assistance in my endeavor to become the lord of my people. To take the throne, help me help you Tekla."

Jon gulped.

Sweat trickled down his back and cooled at the lower part of his spine, the hairs stood erect, his body shivered, and Falen's eyes locked in and glazed over. It was the first time...

The first time Jon had met someone more unhinged than himself and by god it scared the fuck out of him.

The humdrum of the background groaned as the engines fired, lulling in the background Jon's thoughts were muddled they were drowned out by the haze and blaring of engine noise.