[IC] A Hero Tale {Complete}

[Jensoman]

Jenso stared at the amulet as Luke placed it in his hands. "Y-you...why.." Jenso muttered, simply shocked by the fact that the man was so kind and handed over the amulet so easily. He began to shake and some tears began to form in his eyes. They began to fall into the ground as he gazed downwards and broke eye contact. "You abandoned me and never came back...So...why..." Jenso muttered, clenching his fists. "Why would you give these to me...You're...you're really not using me after all..."

[tex]

Luke exhaled and his smile shrank. "It's complicated. I never even knew you existed until a few years after you were born. Your mother," Luke paused and looked down at the reddened rocky floor, smirking uncontrollably. "Your mother never told me about you, and around that time, I stopped taking time away from the paradise to go see her. She refused to join our cause, and I couldn't abandon my people for her." Luke closed the small book and tucked it away into his pants. He brought both hands up to his face and rubbed vigorously as he pulled long untouched memories from his subconscious.

"One day, she ended it all. She told me to stop coming, and she told me about you, a few years after you were born. Then, she disappeared." Luke's expression drooped and he hunched himself forwards. "It really was my fault. I'm not trying to make excuses or nothin'. If I'd just gone to see her more often, she wouldn't have.. Ah.." Luke wiped his eyes clean before shedding any tears and nodded. "It's all in the past. The point is, I never meant to abandon you. I would never think about using you either. Truth is, you're already a hero, without my guidance at all. You built yourself up all on your own. Your reputation speaks for itself. It has nothing to do with you being my son or anything. It's because you're a real hero, and I aint." Luke let out a single breathy laugh and looked at Jenso. "'Sides that, I couldn't get the amulets on my own, even if I wanted to. I need your help, either way."

[Jensoman]

Jenso nodded as Luke spoke, and put the amulet around his neck. He calmly waited to see if anything special would happen. If not, he would hide the amulet under his shirt to avoid it from being stolen. "Alright...I think I believe you..." Jenso muttered, letting Luke's words sink into his mind. "You might not be a hero, but last I checked, you're running an amazing place down here. You should be proud of that!" Jenso said to him. "Fine, I'll help you. So, do we have any leads on the other four amulets...dad?"

[tex]

Luke's heart skipped a beat and he shook his head. "Luke's just fine, Jenso. And I appreciate the kindness. As for the other four amulets, we already know exactly where they are. But they're all heavily guarded locations, temples in the mountains. As soon as you're ready, I'll send you off on your first mission as an official Diver," Luke paused and chuckled, "That is, if you'd consider yourself one of us, while you're down here."

[Brucenorris007]

Bruce stepped over the threshold of the crevice where the Eye of Paradise stood, having spoken with the returning group of divers and learning about their news. He had been pleasantly surprised by the tidings they brought back, at least, more than he had anticipated.
"Luke, we have-"
"You abandoned me"
Bruce stopped just outside the building. He heard the sounds of raw emotion in the voices from inside, namely from Jenso. Luke's was also notable, if quieter. Instead of interrupting, he sat and did his best to avoid listening to the conversation that was meant for their ears only. He nonetheless caught mention of Luke's offer to Jenso, and Bruce found himself hoping he'd accept it.

[Jensoman]

Jenso nodded at Luke. "Sounds good to me!" He said cheerfully. "Right, where's the first location and which tunnel do I need to take?" He asked.

[tex]

Luke nodded and stood up. "You're headed for the Temple of Temperance first."

---

~ End Of Chapter 87 ~

[tex]

~ Chapter 88 ~

_{Temple Run}

Luke lead Jenso outside, and noticed Bruce nearby. He looked over to him quizzically and greeted him with a weak wave. "Hey, Bruce, I was about to come looking for ya."

[Jensoman]

Jenso took note of Bruce as well. He waved over to him. "Hey, good to see ya again Bruce!" Jenso commented. He calmly waited for Luke to show him the way as he spoke to Bruce first.

[Brucenorris007]

Bruce nodded in Jenso's direction as a means of greeting. One side of his lip quirked up in something like a smile for a moment before his expression became passive again. He took notice of the almost sheepish greeting Luke gave him, and as he rose to his feet, he made sure his tone didn't betray that he'd overheard anything.
"What can I do for you?" he asked Luke.
Bruce had a fairly comprehensive understanding of how Luke's mind worked, and it would just be bothersome to relay news to him that he was certain to receive anyway. The divers had their own way of doing things, and as much as Bruce appreciated their work and the spirit Luke possessed, he knew he didn't really have a permanent standing in their ranks. He considered himself fortunate to have the opportunity to help them however he could.

[tex]

Luke looked back at Jenso briefly and then back to Bruce, swishing his right arm from one to the other. "I need you to Take Jenso down the West Mountain tunnels, towards the Wind Temple. We haven't been anywhere near there since the big ole' sum'bitch out front wiped out a squad of my people. Ignore the warning signs," Luke ordered. "With Jenso around, I'm sure you two can handle a silly spider."

[Brucenorris007]

Bruce's eyes flickered over to Jenso while he gaged Luke's request. He could tell Jenso had a significant degree of power, so he didn't feel the need to spare much concern over his well-being on a mission. He found himself instead reflecting on the murmurings that had revolving around Jenso that he'd overheard. Luke's excitement was genuine, he knew that much. But the other divers had more than a few misgivings about his presence in paradise. Bruce could understand apprehension around a stranger, but Jenso had given him no reason for suspicion thus far. Granted, their interactions had been limited.
"Shouldn't be a problem." he said, cutting short his wandering thoughts.

[tex]

Luke nodded happily and bounced his way back into the eye of paradise, but not before patting Jenso's shoulder confidently, without a word, passing on one final blessing to his son. He smiled and looked at Jenso with a great deal of pride, before heading back into his home.

[Jensoman]

Jenso smiled back at Luke, and turned to Bruce when he walked away. "Right, let's get going!" Jenso said to Bruce, beginning to head down the west mountain tunnels towards the wind temple. Considering how close he was near him, he could tell that bruce was very powerful, and was clearly hiding his Ki. He may have seemed like a simple drunk when they first met, but he seemed like a good guy now and a reliable ally. 'I'm not sure what Bruce is capable of, but there's only one way to find out.' He thought.

[tex]

The ramps that lead up towards the Paradise's outer Rim creaked and wobbled from where Bruce and Jenso climbed. Each relatively thin strip of wood seemed out of place in the rocky cavern, contrasted by Ashen Stalagmites, and an overwhelming abundance of powder laced boulders. The western portion of the cave sat just above hell, where Diver's dug deeper and fought for their lives on a daily basis. Explosions and debris from the occasional monster attack lay scattered about. Boulders were cracked in half, powder kegs were strewn about in pieces, and the usual crimson walkways made of solid stone were absent, instead replaced with the hastily crafted wooden pathways that Jenso and Bruce took caution in traversing.

As they approached the mouth of the western tunnel, Divers glanced in their direction fearfully. Nobody headed west, not since the slaughter two years ago, long before Bruce was among Luke's ranks. What exactly were they getting themselves into?

[Brucenorris007]

Bruce had taken a mental note of the light from the crystal in the ceiling before he'd left for the tunnels; daylight would be dwindling soon, and they'd have to make a sprint for a modest distance once they reached the surface before they arrived at the Wind Temple. He also didn't miss the fear laced in the Divers eyes that looked their way. He ignored them- he had no intention of causing them trouble. He glanced at Jenso. He figured seeing him in action under a state of duress would either confirm or dispel any doubts that might be warranted by the attitude of the renegades.
"We'll lose daylight in a few brief hours," he said, pulling himself up a particularly precarious and unstable remnant of scaffolding. "Navigating in the dark can be troublesome."
That was all he said, clearly trying to convey the message that rock climbing at night presented its own dangers.

[Jensoman]

Jenso kept most of his focus on the pathways that he and Bruce were traversing upon as he listened to Bruce's words. He was clearly not used to traverse these, and was far more sloppy at it than Bruce was. It wasn't the first time that he needed to travel through uneven terrain however, still granting him enough experience to be able to walk on his own without Bruce needing to support him. Regardless, he still sticked close to the man. "I can light up the cavern with my powers if nessecary, but there will be less visibility none the less if it's dark. Let's hurry." Jenso replied to Bruce. He remained focused as he spoke, not taking his eyes off the pathways.

[Brucenorris007]

Bruce had it in his mind that he'd make a mental note of Jenso's abilities, same as he did with any prospective ally or opponent. He held some hope Jenso wouldn't end up being the latter, but experience had taught him to be ready for any circumstance. He kept silent while they climbed and scrambled up. He paused once he felt the first signs of a draft blowing down in their direction, the scent of crisp and thin mountain air leaking in. They were close to the surface, and the increasing strength of the wind that visited the tunnel's interior spoke to their altitude. They had long ago ascended beyond the ceiling of the dome, and they would be on one of the highest mountains before they reached the Wind Temple.
"When we reach the surface," he said, gripping his empty sheath with one hand. "Tread lightly. The rock out here is loose and can slide out from under you in an instant. Test each foothold before proceeding."
Bruce checked the light streaming into the tunnel near its exit; they had less daylight left than he would have liked, but assuming Jenso spoke true, they could find their way in the temple easily enough. Getting there in the dark was almost as treacherous as the monsters they might encounter in the temple.

[Jensoman]

Jenso nodded at Bruce. "Alright. Thanks for the advice!" Jenso said cheerfully, noticing that Bruce was gripping his empty sheath. 'Doesn't he realise that the sheath is empty..?' He thought. What Bruce was doing seemed foolish at first glance, but it seemed more likely to Jenso that it had something to do with his powers. He could ask, but he preferred to find out when it was actually put to action rather than being told about it. He prepared to do as Bruce told him, treading carefully and testing each foothold when they would reach the surface.

[Brucenorris007]

Bruce braced himself for the wind once he stepped out of the tunnel- it seemed a force unto itself, nearly knocking him back into the tunnel. He turned his back to it and, keeping his head down to minimize the effect of the wind, deftly sprinted upwards. The peak, where the Wind Temple could be seen, loomed high above, pillars weathered and cracked still standing obstinately against the natural elements. The sun, already on the descent, dipped just behind the temple's roof, and a halo of golden light shone from behind the ancient-looking structure.
Bruce glanced behind him to make sure Jenso was still with him. The force of the wind would carry off any words they tried to trade, so he used his fingers to indicate that they were close. There was no extra scaffolding here, though among the loose rocks there could be made out stones that once held a smoother shape, presumably once part of a staircase. Time and erosion had worn them down and made the ascent that much steeper and more dangerous. Bruce moved from one foothold to the next in an almost constant crouching position, keeping his center of gravity low. The wind continued to howl, and Bruce thought he could sense the stirrings of other beings, alive and hungry, as they climbed.