#dark!ianite

~

“Jordan, you trust me don’t you?” Ianite asked him out of the blue one day. She was sitting on the stairs in his tower, watching as he rummaged and crafted. Hunter, the stray cat that Ianite had adopted (despite it living in Jordan’s home), sat in her lap purring as she stroked it.

“Of course.” Jordan said without looking up from what he was working on. 

“I think my brothers are plotting against me.” He paused, pulling back the ingredients he’d been about to mix at his brewing stand. 

He turned around to look at her and asked “What do you mean?” confused by why she would say such a thing. 

“They’ve stopped speaking to me. But I see them speaking to each other.” Jordan felt a twinge of pity for her, he knew what it felt like to be left out of conversations. Tom and Karl did it often enough, swapping secrets and inside jokes. 

“I’m sure it’s nothing milady. They’re your little brothers, little brothers do things like that sometimes. Or so I’ve been told.” 

“I’m scared of what they may be planning.” At her admittance, the pity he felt doubled. He set aside the potion and moved to sit on the stairs next to her. “I’m scared of what is to come if they come into their powers.” 

He’d told her of the theory he and Tom shared. That they’d come backwards in time to a point where the Gods they would know as powerful had not yet grown into their abilities. She’d asked him endless questions about that life and he’d told her, once she’d shared that she knew some of it already. The Ianite of Ruxomar had told him what would happen when she scattered her quintessence, that she would become one with all her lives across all dimensions and realities. It made sense that this version of her might have glimpses of those other lives. She knew that for Dianite to be defeated in the far-flung future, his evil ended once and for all, she would have to rot in a crystal prison cell for millenia unknown. He would steal her heart and hide it away, leaving her weak and broken, a shell of a Goddess and of herself. It was no wonder that she was worried. 

In all likelihood Dianite had already gotten a similar story from Tom about the future where they’d come from and knowing Tom, it did not paint Ianite or Mianite in a very kind way.   

“It’ll be alright. The fact that I’m here is proof that it will be. I saved you then and I will do it again. Over and over as many times as I must, in this dimension and all others. You have my word. I swear it to you as your Champion.” He was not often one for physical contact, but hazarded a chance to take one of her hands in his, giving what he hoped was a comforting squeeze. 

She smiled and squeezed it back.  “I know you will. You always have. I see the other mortals and I wonder how I got so lucky to have a Champion as loyal as you. I’ve seen into those other worlds, in my dreams. I’ve seen the world where she loved you, where I loved you, well not you but another you.” “Spark. He was called Spark.” he chuckled, explaining to save her the confusion. 

“But in that world I saw what became of her after he was gone. The destruction she caused without him by her side. But then she met you, this you. You did so much for her, for us. The others were so cruel to you but you only did what you felt was best and best for her.” He looked away from her then, but did not let go of her hand. He was ashamed of some of the choices he’d made in the name of balance. Cruel, foolish, selfish choices justified by claiming they were for the greater good. “And I was wrong. She-” He swallowed, closing his eyes “-she died. Because I couldn’t help her. Because I wasn’t strong enough.” 

“Jordan.” She sighed, looking to him with empathy in her eyes. “It’s not your fault. Such things are bigger than any one man. You did everything you could to help her and keep her safe and happy until it was her time and still even after. But there was nothing more you could have done. It is the nature of fate. We all have our destinies to face. Be they discorporating or spending a thousand years in chains. There is nothing we can do to change them.” 

He knew she was right, that they had to simply accept what was to come. He and Tom had discussed it soon after coming to the understanding that they were in the past. They could not tamper too much. Who knew what might happen if they accidentally changed the timeline? But now Jordan was realizing something. 

When he arrived on that Island of ‘Mianite’ where Tom and Tucker had decided to create their land, Mianite and Dianite both had been alive and well. Ianite had been the one languishing in a prison at Dianite’s hand, her heart stolen and hidden away. Ianite’s followers had been the ones to die under Furia’s attacks. Ianite’s temple and holy city had been what had burned. Ianite was the one who’d been neglected and forgotten by the brother that was supposed to be the ‘Good Guy’. How in any way was it considered balanced for the Goddess of Balance to undergo such trauma while her brothers went about their lives with leisure? And even in Ruxomar, it had been Ianite who’d sacrificed herself to return the balance to the realm after Mianite and Dianite had sent it into flux. Why was she the one who must always suffer?

“But what if,” Jordan said slowly, the words already tasting treasonous on his tongue, “we changed yours?” 

~

When she was a young girl, Ianite had a dream of a crystal castle in the sky. She dreamed of the castle often, of its beautiful impenetrable walls and decoratively barred windows. To a girl it seemed enormous, an endless maze of hallways and corridors. But try as she might, she could never find the door.  As she got older the castle in her dreams grew smaller and smaller until it began to feel not like a palace, but a prison. Burning shackles began appearing on her wrists each night, searing and branding scars upon her skin as she struggled to escape. What had once been a dream became a recurring nightmare. 

Mother, despite having never heard Ianite’s dreams, told her bedtime stories of a woman who was locked away in a crystal tower, awaiting rescue from a hero. He would come and it was with only his help that she would come into her own and reach her truest potential. It didn’t take long for Ianite to put the pieces together. This was not a fairy tale, but one of Mother’s visions. It would be her fate to see that dungeon and it was only by surviving that she would grow to become the Goddess she was destined to be.  

From that moment on Ianite vowed that she would subvert her fate. She would never lay eyes on that place, not if she had anything to say about it. She may not have access to the fullest extent of her powers but she was still a fledgling Goddess. She would fight tooth and nail to reach the potential that was promised to her, with or without the hero. 

Her own visions began after Mother was gone. They were not prophetic, not like Mother’s had been. It took Ianite some time to realize that she was seeing glimpses into other realities. She was always herself, that much she knew, but in every reality things changed. In some she was a Goddess, in others a human, in yet others still she was neither. One of these visions was different from all the others, so much so she was not sure it was the same thing at all.

She was in a cavern lit only by scant torchlight. Before her was a hooded figure, sat at a writing desk. She heard the scratching of a quill on parchment then the tap of the quill being set aside. “I wondered when I might see you.” A man’s voice greeted. He stood and stepped away from the desk, turning to face her. His face was shrouded in darkness in the depth of the hood but still she felt as though she could not break his gaze. “I’m so pleased that you have begun to come into your powers, my daughter.” 

“Father?” She’d never known her father. Mother had never spoken of him aside from passing references twisted within her prophecies. She did know enough to know he was powerful, far stronger than she or her brothers. Mother had claimed it was their destiny to defeat him and rid his darkness from the world but only after they reached their fullest potential and strength. A task which could not be accomplished without the help of a mortal hero. Something Ianite was trying to avoid, seeing as it required her to be imprisoned for Gods knew how long. 

“You are unhappy with your destiny.” He stated. She said nothing, frightened into silence. She could feel the sheer force of power that radiated from him, dark and roiling like a deep turbulent sea. “No need to speak my child. I know what you seek. It’s why you have come to me. You, a daughter of creation, are scared of a lifetime of suffering and pain. Scared of relying upon another to free you from what would otherwise be an eternal prison.” he turned away, back towards the desk. She saw now that upon it lay a book bound in crimson leather, the ink within still shiny and fresh. “I’m not surprised by your fear, young one. Your Mother, while she possessed a great many qualities, tact was never one of them. But it is no matter. I am able to offer you what you wish. In fact, you could not have arrived at a more opportune time. I have just finished crafting the only spell you will require.” 

Wariness filled Ianite, she’d paid attention well in her lessons despite working against her future. She knew that no magic, particularly magic this strong came without a price. If her feelings were correct, this price would be a costly one. But if this were to be her only option, what choice did she have?  She watched as he closed the book then turned it so the spine rested upon the desk. He lifted a candle the color of the deep black void from its holder, tipping it so that wax dripped upon the fore edge and both covers, sealing it shut. He pressed a seal into the cooling wax then laid it back on the desk. 

“But, I fear, you are not yet ready for it. A pity, truly.”

“I’m ready.” She’d found her voice but the words did not hold the conviction she had hoped, coming out wavering with nerves. 

He didn’t even entertain the thought, scoffing in disappointment. “You are weak. You and your brothers both. I could kill you with a thought. But I will refrain, simply out of interest to see if one day you might be strong enough to tame my magic.” He turned back to her and raised a hand. “We will meet again one day my daughter, and perhaps then you shall impress me.” He flicked a finger and then she was waking up back in her bed.

She had a path now. A goal to strive towards. She would find that book and learn the spell. She would not allow her destiny to come to pass. No matter what it cost. 

When the mortals arrived many many years later Ianite was just as surprised as her brothers. Her visions in the days leading up to their arrival had been filled with images of a man who changed little from reality to reality. In one he was her husband, in another her caretaker, her knight, her son, her servant, her confidant, many things but always close and always trusted beyond measure.  When she opened her eyes in that temple, he was before her and suddenly she understood what the visions had been trying to show her. He was the hero from Mother’s prophecies. He was the one who was destined to save her from that crystal prison. He was not just her hero in that time but in all times, he was her Champion. Her one true follower. 

She got to know him over the next weeks. He was clever, shy, funny, strong, quiet, patient, driven, level headed. She enjoyed simply speaking with him of everything and nothing. It was during one of their conversations that she learned of the life he’d lived before this one, of the world of far advanced magic and technology. It fascinated her to hear the details from a world she’d only seen glimpses of, but this led him to admit that that world had not been the first. That was when the theory he and the Zombie shared came to light. She understood then, he came from the future Mother had prophesied. A future where Ianite had been unable to accomplish her goals. They’d not yet figured out why they’d come back in time but it was then that Ianite’s plan became clear.

It was with his help that she would finally accomplish what she’d worked for almost her entire life. She’d felt her strength growing with each day she spent with him, with him at her side she would return to her Father’s temple and find the spell that would free her from her destiny once and for all. 

She got her first peek of what potential her Champion had when the Zombie renounced Dianite. Jordan didn’t entertain even a scrap of belief that it was the truth, his cleverness turning calculating in a single moment. She felt his anger when she gave Syndicate a chance, saw the building fury in his eyes when she insinuated her faith may be placed in the newcomer. Yes, her Captain, while clearly a kind and good man at heart, had the potential to be the knight and warrior she needed him to be. 

Her reassurances that his loyalty to her was not misplaced and that he would always be her favored champion were enough to calm his frustration with her but did nothing to temper his suspicions towards Syndicate. He stood at her side with his sword drawn as she formally accepted Dianite’s Fallen Champion, ice in his eyes. He was not happy about this, not at all. For what it was worth, she wasn’t either. It had been far too abrupt a shift to be anything but on purpose. Dianite had something in the works. 

She’d heard nothing from either brother for weeks, since before the mortals had arrived. She was under no impression that they did not both have plans of their own. She doubted they had the conviction she did however. They had very little to avoid in their futures, perhaps Dianite may fear giving into his chaotic nature but Mianite had nothing to be concerned about. She was the only one of the three with such high stakes. Which was why she was the one who must be the strongest. If either of them were able to over power her they would put a stop to her plans. If she changed the future for herself it would most certainly change it for them as well. She had to contain and surpass them before they could do the same to her. She did not think they knew exactly what her goal was, did not know of the existence of Father’s spell, but she had no way to know for sure. It was the reason she’d accepted Syndicate’s fealty. Let Dianite think he had her fooled, a man who thought his actions were going to plan was a man who let his guard down. 

She did learn another important lesson about her hero during this endeavor.  Even in his anger, he remained far too good a man to willingly go against his friends or the other Gods. She had his loyalty but how far would that last if she asked him to take up arms against the others? No, if everything she’d heard of his past dealings with the other versions of herself was true, asking him outright to do anything of that nature would go against his sensibilities. She had to approach this a different way. Slowly, patiently, carefully she would get him more used to who she was in this time. She was not the scorned woman she was destined to become, nor was she the desperate pivot of balance in a world crumbling to ruin. She, this younger version of herself aiming to change the future, was the Goddess of all facets of Balance. She was a Goddess of Justice and of Vengeance. Justice for herself and the suffering she was fated to endure. Vengeance against the brother who would lock her in that cage and the brother who would do nothing while she faced millenia of torment. For in her Captain’s timeline, such a thing had already occurred. That was reason enough to get her revenge. 

His loyalty to her would be the factor that led to her triumph. The lives he’d lived prior to this would be all she needed to convince him to see her side. Surely a loyal man such as him would not want to see her suffer. Surely he would not want to send her to that fate when he knew even more of what had happened than she herself currently did. The guilt he felt for ‘failing’ the last Ianite he had served would only aid her now. A man presented with a chance for penance would almost always seize it. She just had to get him to agree. 

~

“But what if,” Jordan said slowly, tentatively, well aware that what he was saying was not what he should be suggesting , “we changed yours?”  

“Jordan, what are you saying?” Ianite asked, pouring sweet and sickly innocence onto her voice. “We can’t change the future. It’s not right.”

“Neither was Dianite locking you in that prison for who even knows how long.” His voice was gaining certainty as he looked up from his hands and to her. “We have a chance to keep you from living through that. What if that was why I was sent back to this time? To prevent that from ever happening?” 

“None of the others will allow it. My brothers want that future. They want a future where they are strong.” “But why do you have to suffer so they have the chance?” There is was, the spark of anger in his eyes when faced with injustice. She’d seen it for more mild matters before but it was exactly what she’d hoped to bring forth. Weeks of subtle manipulation and reinforcing her own views of balance were coming to fruition. “Who decided that you were the one who had to lose so that they could win?”

“It’s no one’s choice. It simply is. My Mother’s prophecy saw what must happen. The three of you heroes are to lead us to our fates and our truest strength, for my brothers it occurs now, for me it is once you return my heart to me.” 

His eyes narrowed in determination and he squeezed her hand again, getting to his feet. 

this would definitely be a season 3 au, and the majority of Ianite’s descent into villainy would take place well before our heroes find themselves in another parallel universe. hundreds of millennia, and eventually she gets tired of being the peace keeper between her brothers. she’s had to stop both of them from destroying the mortal realm- curbing Mianite’s desire to have all mortals bow before him, and ceasing Dianite’s destructive war paths that could topple civilizations. and sure, there’d be a moment of peace after Ianite stepped in and thwarted her siblings, but it would never last. at some point, Mianite or Dianite would forget their sister’s words and encroach onto each other’s territory, thus disrupting the balance yet again.

and at one point, Ianite gets tired. she’s exhausted of having to keep two other gods in line, and she’s tired of watching their mortals get hurt in the process. so, she begins to look for a way to keep everything balanced. permanently. Ianite, for all her composer, is at the end of her rope and just wants peace.

Ianite’s quintessence signature is unique in a way that her brothers isn’t. her quintessence is malleable; so much so that she can easily traverse her brother’s realms without feeling ill. she simply adapts to her environment, adjusts her core essence to match her surroundings and continue on her merry way. this gives her an idea; Dianite and Mianite have proven that they can’t be trusted to keep the peace, can’t possibly understand what it means to make sure everything stays balanced, but she can. instead of remorse or horror, Ianite only feels grim determination as she comes to the conclusion that she must dethrone her brothers and take on the burdens they will leave behind in order to attain her goal.

so, Ianite sits back. she watches as Dianite begins to wreck havoc on the mortal realm, and when Mianite cannot keep him in check, she fakes her sympathy as he pleads for her help. she devises a plan to lure Dianite into the End, and together they’ll put a stop to his devices. Ianite watches on from the side lines as her brothers brawl in her domain, taking refuge on the obsidian monoliths as she shoots Dianite down.

It’s only when she unsheathes her blade afterwards does Mianite realize the trap he’s walked into.

the final battle doesn’t last long- Ianite manages to shoot him in the back, the divine arrow driving deep into him before he escapes. it’s frustrating, but it’s fine, because her efforts were not entirely wasted. when Ianite turns to harvest Dianite’s quintessence for herself, she feels a spark of satisfaction when she sees the fear on his face. Good, she thinks as she carves his heart out to hide somewhere safe, it’s what you deserve.

and of course Dianite’s quintessence changes her. the transition goes well enough, and if she’s being honest, she doesn’t mind the dark scales and talons. the wings are useless for traveling when she can just teleport, but if it makes her more intimidating then so be it. it helps that she doesn’t have to focus on adapting when she enters the nether, and her ability to connect to the denizens of hell will help her in her search for Mianite. the balance is disrupted once again, but she can make it right. she can empty out both scales and ensure true balance, as long as she finds him.

Ianite slowly gets more frenzied in her search as time stretches on. absorbing the additional quintessence has made her attuned to things she shouldn’t be; can almost make out the whispers of darkness and light, is hyper-aware of her shadow that seems to deepen every day, and how the light shies away from her. and it grates on her when our heroes stumble into her realm. Dianite and Mianite’s champions are threats to her, could unravel everything she’s worked so hard for.

however, a champion would serve her well. her representative of the mortal realm, one who could ensure her morals are enforced. someone to help her hunt Mianite, and someone who she can trust.

Tom nearly fell over when he stepped into his house because Dianite was there, waiting for him. He’d not seen Dianite in weeks, maybe even months (he’d lost track of the days ages ago). In an instant he inclined his head to the God. “Dianite.” 

“Syndicate. I am glad to see my trust in you was not misplaced.” The God greeted, sounding pleased. “And you did as I asked?” 

“Yes. They think I serve Ianite. Jordan wasn’t happy about it but Ianite didn’t seem to mind. Did you find something about her? She’s possessed by the Shadow thing isn’t she?” 

“Unfortunately no, my sister has done far too good a job at hiding her motivations. At least for now. I have no idea about the Shadows, Mianite has taken it upon himself to lead the charge on that research. But that is not what I’ve come to speak to you about. Have you seen The Captain recently?” 

“Haven’t seen him in a while, neither has Karl. Why?” Maybe it was time to start worrying about Jordan if even Dianite was trying to find him. 

“Hmm, I was afraid you’d say that. I think it’s time we find him.” 

Tom led the way to Jordan’s island, searching the entire tower for the Captain. There was no sign of him but there was evidence that he’d been there recently. His cats all had food, the brewing stands had bottles and actively burning blaze powder, the extra food in his chests was still fresh. He’d possibly even been home today and had just stepped out for a moment. 

“I’ll go check the temple.” Tom suggested, assuming Dianite either couldn’t or wouldn’t set foot in it. As Tom swam to the temple entrance he realized it’d been a while since he’d been here, not since ‘swearing his loyalty’ to Ianite. It looked mostly the same except that now, there was a doorway in the back corner. When had Jordan done that? And what was it? A secret room? If so it wasn’t very well hidden. He’d seen better from Jordan before. 

Curiously, Tom approached. Beyond the veil of water, he saw a hallway that went in and behind the temple. A glow of light came from around the corner and as he stepped through the door he could hear the murmur of voices. There was a button set on the wall just inside and he realized that this was indeed a secret room, the door just had not been shut behind the last person who’d entered. He wasn’t surprised by the existence of a secret room from Jordan, Gods knew the man could be paranoid about people stealing his stuff, but they'd established somewhat of a gentleman’s agreement in this world against blatant thievery, so it didn’t really make sense for him to have one anyway. 

Tom kept his steps light as he went down the hall, listening carefully. “...was the author of a lot the books in Ruxomar, in that world he was-” when he rounded the corner Tom was surprised to see not a vault but some sort of library. Sparklez was sat at a desk with Ianite leaning over his shoulder, both looking at something on the desk, their backs to the door. “-their Father. If I’m right, he has a counterpart here, like we did there.” 

Tom backed away into the shadows when Jordan looked up. “My vision.” Ianite said and Jordan nodded in agreement. What were they talking about? Tom admittedly hadn’t paid much attention to a lot of what was going on in the other world but he did vaguely remember what Jordan was talking about. Some bloke whose name they’d heard referenced pretty often when it came to the history of the realm. World Historian or something like that. But he could have sworn that World Historian had been the guy that had attacked them after they’d revived Dianite. Jordan surely knew that, why was he looking for him? 

“We just need to find where he is.” 

“You never cease to amaze, My Champion.” Ianite said, squeezing his shoulder as she stood up fully. “I’ll see what I can find and bring back to you. Thank you.” 

“Of course Milady, anything.” She disappeared a moment later without any fanfare. This was Tom’s chance to talk to Jordan alone. And maybe figure out just what the hell was going on. 

He backed down the hall to the doorway, ducking through the veil of water quickly then back in once more. “Eh Jordan? You in here?” He called down the hallway, as though he’d only just found this. He heard the fluttering of paper and the scrape of the chair on the stone brick floor. He pushed the button to seal the door, the sound of pistons firing echoing down the hall. “Whoa.” He said, loud enough that Jordan would be able to hear. 

“Uh, yeah.” Jordan replied, maybe realizing that Tom wasn’t about to just leave. At his acknowledgement, Tom ventured down the hall. When he rounded the corner he poured the appropriate amount of awe and teasing into his expression and voice.

“Jordan you sneaky Jordan you, what is this? Fancy little secret library?” Jordan was honestly quite a talented builder. He stuck to basic builds most of the time but when he went all out, boy did he go all out. The temple was right pretty and this little study library thing was something out of a wizard’s castle. 

Sparklez didn’t look too happy to see him, his expression carefully neutral. Clearly this was intended to be something Tom wasn’t supposed to find. “Just something I built.” 

“Why put it here? Did Ianite ask you to?”

“I’m working on something for her. It just made sense to put it down here.” He replied with a shrug. 

“What’s she got you working on?” Tom asked as he looked around, highly aware of the way Jordan hesitated in replying. 

“Just some stuff about the prophecy and all that.” 

“C’mon Sparklez, you can tell me. We’re both Team Ianite.” 

Jordan scoffed a bitter sort of laugh. “Yeah, you Team Ianite.” 

Tom frowned “I am. I swore it and everything.” 

“Sure Tom, whatever you say.” He rolled his eyes and turned back to the desk, pushing papers aside. 

“I am. I told you. I want there to be balance.” Something in Jordan’s posture stiffened for a moment, his hands pausing in their search for whatever he was trying to find. “That’s the point isn’t it, us coming back here? To get the Gods all balanced and strong or something like that?” 

Jordan turned back but something in his eyes had hardened, instinctually Tom took a step back. “And how are we supposed to do that if you’re trying to join my team? Each of us has to help a God, that’s what the prophecy said. Karl with Mianite, Me with Ianite, and you with Dianite. So stop this stupid game and just admit you’re up to something!” Tom took another step back, he’d not seen Sparklez angry like that for a while. Not since a prank he and Karl had pulled had gotten a bit out of hand and set his chicken pen on fire. But Tom had never been one to back down, he could give as good as he got. 

“Me up to something?! I’m not the one that’s been hiding for a week doing all sorts of shady stuff.” 

“It’s research!” 

“For what?! There’s no magic in this world Sparklez.  Research is not an excuse! What’s she got you doing?!” He didn’t mean the reference to Ianite to come out as sharply as it did, suspicion accidentally leaking into his words. Sparklez was far too clever to not pick up on it, his eyes narrowing beneath his glasses. 

“I am doing the job we are supposed to be doing, helping the Gods become as strong as possible.” His voice was as cold as ice, his eyes boring into Tom’s. If Tom were a different man he’d have bit his tongue and held back the scathing remarks he so badly wanted to say. He would have taken a deep breath and calmly deescalated this entire thing. Unfortunately, he was Dianite’s Champion for a reason and defusing conflict was simply not something he did.

He took two steps towards Jordan, getting entirely in his personal space, something he knew the man hated and let his words spill like lava. “Fat lot of good that will that do when Dianite locks her up anyway.” He was shocked when Sparklez shoved him back, his feet slipping under him on the damp stone. He fell on his ass and Jordan wasted no time stalking over and looming above him. He’d drawn his bow, leveling a nocked arrow at Tom. He always forgot how scarily quick a draw Sparklez was. 

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” 

“What are you talking about? You can’t change the future! We agreed we wouldn’t!” He wouldn’t dare. Sparklez had been the one to bring it up in the first place, what damage they could cause if they weren’t careful. He wouldn’t just do it anyway, not after he was so adamant about just letting things happen as they should.  

“Plans change.”

So that’s what they were planning then. He wanted to change the future. Keep Dianite from locking Ianite up if Tom had to guess. The real question was, who was the mastermind behind the plan? It was certainly in Sparklez’ character to stand up for Ianite but he’d known what would happen to her when he’d told Tom to abandon any ideas of changing the future. But already Dianite and Mianite both had their suspicions about their sister. Maybe she’d managed to convince Sparklez to help her change her fate? Either way he had to talk to Dianite. 

“Sparklez-” 

“I think it’s time for you to go Tom.” He interrupted, taking a half step back so Tom could get to his feet. He let his bowstring slacken but didn’t remove the arrow. 

“Jordan.” Tom pleaded. “Please. Think about this. You said it yourself, we were sent back to help the Gods.” 

“And I am. With my help, Ianite won’t have to suffer. Now, leave. Go back to Dianite.” 

“Jordan please.”

He drew back the bowstring once more, the tip of the arrow pointed directly at Tom’s chest. “Leave Tom.”

‘What are you doing Sparklez?’ “Fine.” He raised his hands in a show of surrender then backed out of the room, only turning his back to Jordan once he rounded the corner. The moment he was out of Jordan’s sightline, he broke into a sprint, smashing the button to open the door and all but diving into the water. He had to get to Dianite and tell him what was going on before Jordan could inform Ianite of their argument. 

He swam as fast he could back to the surface, shouting for Dianite the moment his head was above water. His God appeared above the water a fraction of a second later. Before he could say anything, Tom was already speaking. “They’re doing something. Trying to change the future, find a guy called World Historian, or at least his alternate self in this world. He was bad news when we saw him before, can’t imagine he’ll be much better now. And-”

“Calm yourself Syndicate. You’ve done well to learn this.” Dianite interrupted. He gestured and then they were both standing back on Tom’s island. “It’s not what I expected of her but unfortunately I can’t say I’m surprised. She’s never been particularly happy with the fate our Mother prophesied for her.” He put a hand to his chin in a thoughtful expression. Tom wasn’t sure what to do, he couldn’t do anything to a Goddess and Jordan was clearly off the deep end along with her. “I must confer with Mianite on this development. For now, collect the other one and see if you can do something to keep the Captain occupied and away from my Sister. We will handle her.” 

Tom nodded and then fell to one knee, inclining his head. “I request to return to your service My Lord.” 

“Very Well.” Tom felt the sudden heat of a flaming blade above his shoulder. “Syndicate, do you swear your loyalty to me?” 

“I do solemnly swear my fealty, mind, body and soul to you and your cause My Lord Dianite. From this breath until my last, I am yours to command.” He did not need the prompting of the ceremony, he knew the words by heart. He felt the touch of the blade upon each shoulder and then the strange, shimmering void like feeling that was the hallmark of Ianite’s influence disappeared. In its place, the comforting and familiar heat of Dianite’s infernal fire returned, rushing through his veins like wildfire. 

“Rise my Champion. In return for your loyalty, I present you with this blade.” Dianite said, presenting the hilt of the blade he’d used to Tom. The moment he took it, Tom could feel the strength it was imbued with. It shined with enchantments, he did not even bother asking what they were, the power that poured off the weapon was plenty to assure him of its strength. 

“Perhaps with this, you may stand a chance at surviving a confrontation with Ianite’s Champion.” 

And then Tom was alone. 

Ok. Somehow he had to keep Jordan’s attention as long as possible, after the huge fight they’d just had. Jordan, who was highly unlikely to want to see Tom, let alone spend an extended amount of time with him especially now that Tom knew what he was planning. The friendly option wasn’t going to work this time. Tom took a deep breath and entered his home, opening the chest that contained his valuables. If the friendly option wasn’t going to work, he had no choice but to go with the nuclear option. From his chest he pulled the stack of TNT he’d been slowly adding to for weeks in case it ever was needed. Now seemed as good a time as any. Nothing like a classic rampant bit of destruction to get and keep Sparklez attention. 

He couldn’t do it alone though. Jordan would certainly catch him far too quickly for the risk to be worth it. He needed Karl’s help. 

“Karl If I asked you to help me do something extremely dangerous and stupid, would you?” He asked on a private communicator channel. 

He began to sort through his inventory, putting his weapons in easy reach, removing useless blocks and items. He had a few leftover potions that he pocketed and made sure he had plenty of food. There was a chance he could be on the run for days if he got Sparklez mad enough. It’d happened in the old world, after Tom had set fire to Sparklez tree. It'd been a terrifying and anxiety-inducing few days. But he’d do it again now if that’s what it took to stop him and Ianite from changing the future. 

“Uh, possibly. Depends on what it is.” Karl replied. 

“I’m going to blow up Sparklez island.”

“Why the hell would you do that?! Aren’t you the one who told me not to mess with him like that? Something about us not standing a chance if he ever really went after us?” He was right. Tom had warned Karl early on against pranking Jordan too badly. 

Tom knew when he was outmatched and Jordan made it a hobby to make the strongest weapons and armor just in case something ever went down. He’d been that way since the Modestep siege. His philosophy had quickly gone from neutrality to being the most geared out once he realized that they were reluctant to attack someone with the bigger weapons. It’d only gotten worse in Ruxomar. With all that technology, Jordan had become practically invulnerable within a few days. Tom still to this day wasn’t sure how he’d managed to make his ‘Bow of Balance’ as strong as he had. Not to mention that force field or the ‘Price of Betrayal’ sword. At least in this world he didn’t have access to any of those but still, who knew what enchantments his weapons had? 

“I know. And that’s why I need your help. He and Ianite have gone mad. Dianite needs me to keep Sparklez busy while he and Mianite take care of Ianite but if I go alone he’ll probably kill me in minutes. I need you to help me run interference.” 

Karl said nothing for a long moment and Tom sighed. He was asking a lot of Karl, risking his life to help him do this, but what other choice did he have?

“And you’re sure about this?” 

“No.” Tom admitted “But I really don’t have a better plan.” 

“Alright then. What do you need from me?” 

~

They flew over to Jordan’s island fully decked out in their strongest armor and weapons. It may have been a bit overkill because c’mon, it’s Jordan, but right now Tom wasn’t sure Jordan wouldn’t attack them outright. He’d threatened him seriously enough before. He was behaving out of the ordinary for sure, oddly enough that Tom wasn’t willing to say he knew what was going through his head. 

“You go in through the top, I’ll go in from down here. Place the TNT but don’t light it. I don’t want to destroy more than we need to to get his attention.” Karl has a less than stealthy running stop of a landing on the roof but it’s leagues better than smashing into the wall. He waved down to acknowledge he was ready and with sword drawn, Tom entered the tower. 

They clear the tower without a sign of Jordan, meeting up on the floor he’d dedicated to potion work. “Anything?” Tom asked. He’d placed his TNT sparingly, but strategically. Aiming for structural damage over actual brutality. 

“No sign of him. But the upper floors are mostly empty, not sure why he built them to be honest.” 

“He builds preemptively. Decides what to do with a room after he’s already built it. He might be down in the temple still, not sure if he’d even hear it if he’s in that secret room.”

“Outside then? I don’t really want to be the one to blow up his temple.” 

“Won’t work underwater anyway.”  They head outside and scatter the leftover TNT around his farms. It’s possible Jordan isn’t here, thought Tom’s not really sure where he would have gone. The Nether wouldn’t do much for him and the End was just, the End. There was nothing there to begin with. 

Tom dove down into the Temple but again found no evidence that Jordan was still around. He returned to the surface as Karl was climbing up onto the chicken pen. 

“I don’t think he’s here.” Karl commented after laying the last piece he had.

“I don’t think so either. But where could he have gone?” 

~

Jordan had always had nothing short of an impeccable sense of direction. He’d placed no markers in the End to point in the direction of Ianite’s study, he just knew which way to fly. He’d not been the one to make it, presumably she had at some point in her life. All he’d done was contribute a handful of rare books he’d traded wandering traders for. This was her domain entirely, he was just visiting. He glided through the doorway and gracefully came to a stop behind her desk, falling to one knee without hesitation. 

“I didn’t expect to see you so soon. What happened?” She asked, standing without pause and pulling him to his feet. 

“Tom found my library.” he confessed, Ianite’s expression darkening. “We got into an argument and-” she put a finger to his lips, meeting his eyes with great seriousness. 

“I don’t care what was said but tell me this, does he know of my plans?” Perhaps in another life, with another Ianite, Jordan might have noticed the way her facade had dropped ever so slightly when she spoke not of ‘their plans’ but of hers when as far as he knew it had been his idea. 

“Nothing more than preventing Dianite from locking you away.” 

Her eyes softened and her hand shifted to cup his cheek “Then you’ve done well.” Ianite stepped back to her desk. “I suspected that at least Dianite had his suspicions, it’s why he sent Syndicate to our side in the first place. It’s no matter if they have an idea of what we have in motion. Even if they knew everything, it’s far too late for them to stop us. With what you uncovered I revisited one of my Mother’s old journals. In it is detailed the location of the temple where my Father was imprisoned. That is where we need to go.”

“Tom’s probably told Dianite by now, or at least Karl who would have told Mianite.” “I agree, we must move quickly. But that is also why I have a gift for you.” 

He watched as she pulled something out of thin air with a great sense of purpose. She turned back towards him with a single arrow between her fingers. It was made of materials in shades of purple, he would expect no less from her, but the arrowhead itself was a deep, otherworldly amethyst color. She held it out to him with a warning of “be mindful not to touch the arrowhead.” 

“What is it made of?” The only materials he knew that would give this color besides dyes were not in this world. There was no manyullyn or purple wood or gemstones besides diamonds and emeralds.

“It’s a tainted arrow.” She said calmly and in an instant he was wary. 

“How did you make this?”

“With the wisdom of my other selves. But more importantly is what it is capable of. It’s stronger than any poison. A single scratch will permanently cripple a mortal, while a full strike will kill so thoroughly that there is no chance of rebirth or revival.” His mind jumped immediately to the only mortal in this world who would not be a part of the future he and Tom knew. Was this the reason Karl never arrived in the Land of Mianite? 

“And to a God?” he asked, knowing she would not have specified the effects on a mortal if it only affected them.

“It won’t kill us. There is nothing that is capable of killing a God without further assistance or intervention. But it would weaken us to the point where we are hardly capable of anything, let alone accessing our powers.”

“You want me to use this on one of your brothers.” He stated, looking down at what could very well be the single most powerful weapon he’d ever held. All the talk of the Kikoku, the sword that could strike an immortal being, in Ruxomar and only Tucker had wielded it. In the end it hadn’t even mattered. It had been Jordan’s own arrows augmented with Ianite’s power that had brought World Historian down.

“Ideally. Though I leave it up to you as to where you think it will be the most useful. I cannot make another. So choose wisely. I trust you to make a good choice.” She said sagely. With a nod, Jordan carefully slid it into his quiver. It was enchanted so that it never ran out of arrows but that only applied to the most basic kind. He’d made his own as well. Arrows of poison, arrows of harming, and now the tainted arrow. 

Ianite had said little of what they were to face upon finally finding her Father’s temple. Only that within it was a book that contained the spell she would need to reach her full strength and that they must find it before either of her brothers. Even with his earlier confrontation with Tom, it was unlikely Mianite or Dianite would get to the book first. That did not, however, mean they wouldn’t try to stop him and Ianite. He’d taken to carrying most of his most powerful weaponry and armor on him in some capacity. Between his inventory, the shulker box and the ender chest, he had access to his more important items at all times on his person. 

“We’ll have to go through the Overworld to get to the Temple.” Ianite commented. “I expect by now the others will have rallied in some fashion to stop us if not slow us down. If your friends are waiting for us, will you be able to fight them?” 

He took a deep breath and nodded. “I swore to you My Lady. I’ll do what I must to make sure we succeed.” 

She smiled in return, a pleased glimmer in her eyes. “Thank you Captain. You have no idea how much your loyalty means to me.” Ianite extended her hand to him. The moment he took it the End blurred before his eyes. When the haze cleared they were in his tower next to his bed. What immediately caught his attention were the blocks of TNT scattered around. There was only one possible culprit. 

“Tom.” He all but growled, pulling his sword from its sheath. A quick swipe of the blade broke the bundle of explosives, rendering it inert. As he stepped out from behind the stairs, he saw them both outside the window. 

Tom and Karl stood on the path between the animal pens, both dressed in full enchanted diamond armor. Tom held a shimmering diamond sword while Karl had a shining trident. Jordan had hoped, in some deep seeded part of himself, that they wouldn’t be stupid enough to do this. Karl didn’t know any better. He didn’t know the reputation Jordan had built himself among the others. He was the weaponsmith, the artificer, the inventor, the one who pushed the very limits of what was possible with tools and weaponry. Tom however, did. Tom knew better than to challenge him like this. 

“Remember Jordan,” Ianite murmured, laying a hand on his shoulder “From the depths and death of Balance arises Justice.” Then even quieter, so that her voice was no more than a whisper “It is their Gods who want me in chains.” 

Jordan took a steadying breath and steeled himself, then stepped from the safety of his tower.

“Really Tom? Resorting to your old tricks?” He called out, twirling his sword in preparation for a fight.

Tom adjusted his own grip on his sword. “Until they stop working on you Sparkly pants.” 

“Are you really sure you want to do this?”

“I’ll do what I have to so that you don’t change the future.” 

“You mean the future where Dianite is evil? The future where we spend weeks hiding and hunting each other down like animals? Where we spend our time devising more and more complicated ways to kill one another? Building secret base after secret base and not trusting anyone? The future where You kill Dianite? That’s the future you want?” 

Karl’s eyes widened, clearly Tom hadn’t told him much about the future they were fighting to defend. At first Tom said nothing then, slowly he said “If that’s the future that is supposed to happen then so be it.” 

“You may be willing to live through that but I am not willing to put Ianite through that future again. I will not be the one who sentences her to a millennia of imprisonment.” 

“You’re supposed to be the balanced one Jordan! The guy who doesn’t choose sides! That’s what you said Ianite was! Don’t you remember?” 

“I have always chosen a side. It just wasn’t yours. I chose Ianite even when you had no idea who she was because I was always meant to choose her. It’s my responsibility to prevent her from suffering any more, in this world or any others.”

“I didn’t want to do this Jordan, not really. But you’re not giving me another choice.” Tom said, shaking his head in disappointment. He pulled a redstone torch from his inventory and it was only then that Jordan noticed the thin trail of redstone dust that spread from near Tom. 

“So much for Team Ianite then.” Jordan sneered. 

“We both know the price of loyalty has always been high. But right now, it seems like yours is just a bit higher.” He dropped the torch, diving into the ocean with Karl right behind him, relying on it to protect them from the worst of the blast. 

Jordan barely had a moment to react before his farm exploded, scattering dirt and wheat across the island and the surface of the surrounding ocean. The rest of that half of the island went up seconds later, the blast strong enough to throw him against the tower. The enchantment on his armor protected him well enough but still drove the breath from his lungs. He struggled to get to his feet before the tower blew but then Ianite was there. 

His ears were ringing and his eyes were blurring but he could still make out the hand that was reaching towards him to help him to his feet. Her lips were moving but he couldn’t hear what she was saying, nodding in hopes that she had asked a question. “I’m fine.” He managed, blinking through the disorientation. She’d kicked the redstone trail apart he realized, scattering the dust enough to prevent it from reaching the explosives in the tower. 

Ianite felt the barrier between dimensions ripple as the mortals fell into this plane. She felt the flicker of connection between herself and her Champion’s alternate self blink into existence. He didn’t belong to her, not in the way her Commander did, but this other version did belong to another version of her. And if there was one thing she knew about her other selves across the other dimensions, it was that they all possessed the loyalty of their Champion, no matter which version belonged to them. 

She didn’t go to him, not yet. She’d done well to keep herself hidden away and unreachable by anyone besides those she’d allowed. It cultivated a certain level of, fear, among the mortals. It made her life all the easier if they were too afraid to cross her. So instead of greeting the newcomers herself, she sent Jonah in her stead. He’d ensure they understood that this realm was not their own and that there were certain rules they were expected to follow. He would also report back to her on his alternate self. If he did his job as she knew he would, she would know just how to ensure that with time, she would gain another loyal Champion to enforce her will. And if it came to be that she needed the same spells that were cast upon Jonah to do it? So be it.

~

“What do you mean, they entered the Nether?” She asked Jonah slowly, overenunciating each word. She never raised her voice towards him but there were other ways to convey the simmering fury bubbling in her. He knelt before her, axe balanced across his legs and head bowed respectfully. “How could they have?” 

“I found a portal in the basement of one of their homes, the zombie who claimed he was Dianite’s Champion. It’s possible that he felt the the same tie to Dianite that you feel to the Captain” 

“Dianite is dead!” She snarled. “His followers have no power in this world, I made sure of that. He shouldn’t be capable of reaching out to any of them, let alone his supposed Champion.” She turned away with a grimace. She had no way to reach him now, the power of Dianite’s spell too much for even her magic to breach. Weeks spent carefully manipulating dreams and thoughts, all for nothing. She stalked across the room to the window that overlooked the rest of the city, slamming her hands on the windowsill in frustration. There had to be something that could be done? She hardly cared that the rest of them were in the Nether or that they’d surely met up with the Rebels she knew were hiding there. Her concern was that He was there and therefore out of her reach. She could still feel him in the back of her mind, the steady glowing pulse of a connection so much dimmer than Jonah was. It was dulled now, still present but, hazy. She had to get him back into this realm. 

“Leave me.” She ordered, not looking back at Jonah. “I’ll call for you when I’ve decided to proceed.” 

“As you wish My Lady.” He replied dutifully, the faint clink of his armor and tap of his boots echoing as he stood and left her receiving room. 

~

In the end, it was something she noticed with Jonah that gave her the idea. Both versions of her Champion felt a certain way to her, Jonah obviously at the forefront of her awareness and the Captain more subdued, but still quite similar. Almost identical. She knew that Jonah had never been meant for her, he’d arrived in this dimension as a teenager, not all that long after her original Champion, Jasper, had died. Jonah had been young, frightened, traumatized and eager to latch on to something familiar. And while she may not be his mother, she did share a great many similarities with her. Ianite was realizing now that both Jonah and Jordan bore the same impression on their quintessence signatures, they both originated from the same dimension. The long lost twin brother had found his way to her. 

Oh how the fates like to play their games. 

~

Ianite had only felt this level of twisting, churning unease once before in her life. When Jasper had died it had been like a link had been severed in her mind. A painful and quick ‘snap’ and he was gone. The emptiness that had been left behind had ached until Jonah’s arrival, his own presence filling the vacant spot left behind by his counterpart. There was no ‘snap’ this time, instead she felt Jordan fading, his already dim glow growing dimmer by the hour. 

“He's hurting.” She told Jonah, uncaring that he saw her in such a state of disorder. She had one hand tangled in the hair of her scalp, clutching at her head as if she could stop this from happening. Could she survive the loss of another follower so tied to her?

Jonah didn’t say a word to her in response, instead he summoned one of the Captains of her military. “Send three squadrons of Enderman to the Nether. Find the one they call Captain Jordan Sparklez. Bring him here. Time is of the essence.” 

The Captain replied with a crisp salute and click of his heels, walking quickly from the room as soon as Jonah dismissed him. 

When they were alone once more, she met his eyes. “We’re connected in some way aren’t we, he and I?” He asked. She knew he didn’t mean the obvious answer of them being alternate versions of each other. 

“You are.” She confirmed but said no more. 

“Then I will ensure that he will come to you safely.” He bowed to her quickly, turning on his heel and leaving the room with his cape fluttering behind him. 

~

When Jordan woke up, he was astonished to find that he wasn’t drenched in sweat. He didn’t feel hot or feverish or weak or nauseous or achy. He felt like himself again. He wasn’t quite sure where he was but at least whatever sickness he’d been dealing with the last two weeks had finally subsided. He was laying in a bed in a brightly lit room with a high vaulted ceiling. It could have been overwhelming on his eyes, made of quartz and polished carved endstone, but whoever had decorated had used tasteful accents of purpur and obsidian and oak wood to mellow it out. He managed to sit himself up in the bed and looked around. He must have been in some sort of infirmary, curtains cordoneding his section off from others. Next to the bed was a side table that had a pitcher of water, a glass and his glasses. He was pouring himself a glass of water when one of the curtains parted and Commander Redd entered.

“Good to see that you’re awake Captain.” He greeted with a nod. 

“Don’t suppose you could tell me where I am or what happened?” Jordan asked. 

When they’d first arrived in Theadel, Jordan had been secretly excited to finally be in a world where Ianite was the dominant God. He’d spent so long in the minority, worshipping a God that either wasn’t taken seriously or was forgotten all together. He’d also been immensely fascinated to meet another version of himself. They’d heard all about their Ruxomar equivalents but aside from Mot and Farmer Steve he supposed, had not met any of them. The Commander was intimidating, every inch the Champion of Ianite, from the way he held himself to the way he dressed. In a way it made Jordan feel inadequate. But they’d seen the way the townsfolk reacted to the Commander’s presence as he showed them around the town. How they’d cowered and averted their eyes in a way that was just a bit darker than respect. Their suspicions only grew as the topic of Mianite and Dianite came up. The Commander’s eyes had sharpened behind his glasses, his neutral expression suddenly looking just a bit forced. 

“Pray to them if you want, not that it will do you much good now that they’ve disappeared. Just don’t do it around me or out in the open.” 

Tom and Tucker had been immediately untrusting and had said as much the moment the group was left alone. Jordan had wanted to give his alternate the benefit of the doubt but even he had to agree that it was suspicious. Tom had been the one to find out about the Rebellion and how to go about joining. Jordan didn’t want to believe that the Ianite of this universe was evil, she was supposed to be the balanced one, the one who didn’t change sides. But still he went with the others into the Nether with the hopes that they would find a way to help Ianite. 

The moment he’d stepped into the portal something had felt off. Dimensional travel always felt strange but this time, it had almost hurt, like he was pushing past something he should not have been. He always felt the heat of the Nether, all of them but Tom did, but for some reason here it was just so much hotter. His condition only worsened with each passing day and the days that he spent locked up by the rebels who thought he was the Commander certainly didn’t help his health or their thoughts that the Commander was someone to be trusted. Jordan had begun to wonder if this feeling that his God was the villain was why Tucker had mostly stayed quiet about Mianite in Ruxomar and why Tom had never chosen to live too close to the rest of them in their first world. It was a feeling of being an outsider, like no one trusted you because of what your God was doing. Eventually the others convinced the rebels to let him out of their prison but it still didn’t change that his health continued to worsen. He coughed blood more often than not, was always lightheaded from dehydration, his vision blurred constantly and he just ached endlessly. But it was the feeling of being unwelcome that drove him to keep his sickness a secret. 

He had been doing well enough at hiding it until they’d been attacked by dozens of enderman who in this world were apparently Ianite’s soldiers. They ran but he couldn’t keep up, body too weak to obey. He tripped and the world faded, his last sight was Tucker and Tom screaming his name. 

“We’re in the infirmary in Ianite’s palace in the End. We brought you here to heal you. I thought I warned you not to enter the Nether?” He spoke in a way that could have been teasing if not for the undercurrent of apathy in his voice. 

“What does the Nether have to do with me getting sick?” 

“Dianite cast a spell upon the entire Nether years ago. It prevents followers from Ianite from gaining safe passage through his realm. I can’t even enter. You must have been able to push the limits since you are not of this world.” 

“So the others…?”

“Should be fine.” Jordan allowed himself a sigh of relief. He didn’t think any of his friends had been experiencing the same symptoms he had but the confirmation was reassuring. 

“But why would Dianite do that?” He asked.

Surprisingly enough, it was Ianite who answered. “I’m not sure what possessed my brother to banish so many from his realm, but he did nonetheless.” Jonah bowed immediately when she came through the curtains, something Jordan felt a bit strange about doing himself. While he’d always been respectful to Ianite, she’d never once asked him to bow or expected him to. 

Despite knowing what Otm and the others in the Nether had said about her, Jordan couldn’t help the feeling of relief at seeing Ianite. She didn’t seem to be any different than the other Ianites he’d known. She still wore a purple gown, flowing and intricate. Her hair was still deep violet and was done up in some complicated looking braided style accented with gold pins. Even her delicate tiara was still in place. The only thing that was slightly strange were the strategically placed pieces of golden armor, a chestpiece, shoulder pauldrons, and arm guards replaced all her normal jewelry. But yet, even with these changes, her soft smile was enough to push away any concerns at the moment. This was Ianite after all. He trusted her. 

“How are you feeling Captain?” She asked, coming to the side of the bed and gently touching his forehead. 

“Much better Milady, and please, call me Jordan.” He could feel the touch of her magic, the familiar shimmering tingle reassuring and comforting. 

“That’s good to hear. You had me quite worried. Your reaction to Dianite’s spell was near fatal.” Her hand moved from his forehead to gently cup his cheek. “I was afraid I might lose you.” He blinked, unsure how to reply. “I’ve been waiting for the chance to speak with you myself. Ever since I felt your arrival in this world I wanted to reach out to you. You’ve served my other selves so loyally over your travels, it’s time that one of us showed you the appreciation you deserve.”

How did she know? He’d never told anyone that he felt unappreciated. Sure Ianite had given him occasional gifts and praises over the years but so much of his effort had been unacknowledged. The Ianite of Ruxomar had been so focused on trying to make him a replacement for her husband while the Ianite in the first world had simply been absent and untouchable, only showing herself on rare instances. Now, he found himself almost leaning into her touch, surprised at just how starved for her gratitude he was. 

“This is where you belong, Jordan. At my side. In this life and all others.” She pulled back, smiling at him. “It may be unorthodox, but no one ever said I couldn’t have two Champions at my side. Though I suppose in a way you are both the same man hmm? What do you say? Will you stay?”

He looked up at her, glancing quickly at the Commander before flicking his eyes back to hers. He should say no. He should ask to leave and see what he could accomplish on his own in the Overworld but if something really was wrong with Ianite, wouldn’t he be in a better place to help her right here? The more selfish part of him wanted to stay for the reasons she’d offered, to be appreciated and respected past a follower or replacement. The Commander had said nothing and gave no hint to what he may be thinking but something in Jordan almost thought that the other man wanted him to stay. There was something more that Jordan didn’t know about. 

“I wouldn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.” He eventually settled on, letting his eyes fall back to the Commander. Ianite followed his gaze and hummed in understanding. 

“Jonah, am I in anyway offending you by asking Jordan to stay and serve at my side as you do?” She asked, putting her hand on his shoulder. 

“No My Lady.” He replied instantly. “I am interested in knowing him as well.” 

She smiled, sharp and dazzling then looked back to Jordan expectantly.