Jack watched the werebears walk away, making sure that they left them alone. It was a powerful feeling to have all this new power. While at the same time, a part of him tried to rationalize that these new powers were evil in nature. He couldn't help feeling like he could use these powers to do some good though. To help change the world for the better. Jack looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers. His body felt so new and different. He felt supercharged. He felt incredibly stronger from what he was. Raising his hand up, he summoned Sam to him. Snatching Sam firmly in his hand, he felt a pulse radiate from him. Sam was adjusting to his new power level. Tuning to him on a deeper level. Behind him, Mark's voice was full of concern when he asked him hesitantly. "Jack? Are you still with me?" Jack turned around to face him, inhaling deeply through his nose. Mark took a step back, his eyes widening in slight disbelief. Jack turned Sam to look at himself.  Upon looking through Sam's eyes for a minute, he understood why Mark was so concerned.

Just as Sam's eyes were glowing a bright green. So too were Jack's. The moment Sam finished tuning to him though, the glow disappeared from his eyes. Jack turned Sam away from him, ending the spell to tell him a little shakily. "I'm still here. I'm just... I feel like a stranger in my own body. All this knowledge and power... It's not me... but it appeals to me." Mark moved closer quickly, telling Jack bluntly. "Only use what you have too. Nothing more. I can't imagine any of it being very good. What you did to them... Jack... Mages have gone to war to get their hands on that kind of power." Jack swallowed nervously, mumbling out softly. "I can see why... Mark, think of how many people you can save by-" Mark grabbed his face, cutting him off as he forced him to look at him and told him seriously. "NO! Jack, listen to me. Power is like a drug. The more you give in to it, the more you lose yourself. If you aren't careful it will turn you into something you are not." Jack shook his head, putting a hand on Mark's chest as he told him. "Mark, we can use it to help people. To make them give up information-"

Mark's grip on his face tightened as he shouted out. "NO! Listen to yourself. The second you start using a power like that... you take away a person's will. Their ability to come around and see the error of their ways. A power like that, even if used with the best of intentions... can easily corrupt the soul. Some of the best intentions, started the greatest wars. You need to tread carefully." Jack nodded reluctantly, stating out softly. "Ya... I'm sorry, Mark. I thought..." Mark pulled Jack closer to kiss his forehead lovingly, then hugged him tightly. Jack buried his head in Mark's neck, holding Mark just as tightly. These new powers unsettled him. They made him question himself and everything he believed in. Mark broke up the tension though by pulling away and telling Sam firmly. "You should remind him who he is. Otherwise, what good are you?" Sam pulsed a bit offended, until Jack stroked his head to calm him. To Mark, Jack told him lightly in Sam's defense. "Mark, he channels my power and helps me cast. He can't control my power anymore than I can... He just gives off feelings."

Mark shrugged, uttering out. "Well, I'm sure you both can figure something out." Jack kissed Mark's cheek, whispering to him lovingly. "Besides, it's your job to rein me in." Mark smirked, then began walking as he uttered back to him. "Come on. We should find somewhere to rest. I need to relax and sharpen my blades." Jack jogged up beside Mark, retorting seriously. "We can't! We should go to Miraak right now! We've wasted enough-" Mark stopped short, shooting him a tired expression as he grumbled back. "Jack... We haven't slept. We need to eat. And you need to get used to your new self. We can't just charge in without thinking this through first. Just a few hours. Enough to prepare ourselves." Jack's stomach growled, making him bit his lower lip as a blush formed across his cheeks. Mark chuckled, patting Sean's shoulder as he told him smugly. "See? That's the Jack I know and love." Jack rolled his eyes, watching Suzie stagger back to the Skaal village. With a heavy sigh, he followed Mark into the woods.

They kept walking until they were out of sight of the village and felt pretty secluded. There Mark got to work building a fire and Jack dropped down on the ashen dirt. Removing some things from Mark's bag, he helped him prepare a stew. While the food cooked, Jack cleaned Sam with some polish, while Mark sharped all their blades. Jack couldn't help glancing at Mark's bag anxiously, until he asked him coolly. "We should discuss our plans then?" Mark dragged a wet stone across Dragonbane, before answering casually. "To be honest... I'm stalling. I don't have a plan." Jack's eyes darted to Mark with stunned shock. Mark stopped working to sigh heavily, before mumbling out in a strained voice. "This might be the last time I see you... So, I'm trying to savor it." Jack set down Sam, his voice a little broken as he asked. "What do mean?" Mark sheathed Dragonbane, then tossed it to him. The sword landed inches from Jack's feet in the ashen dirt. Mark then locked sad eyes on him as he said softly. "The book won't let me go with you. You'll have to face Miraak on your own."

Jack jumped to his feet, staggering back as he gasped out. "No... I can't do this without you. I WON'T!" Mark shushed him comfortingly, gently informing him. "You can and you must. You're ready. I'll be here when you return. Just like always." Jack trudged through the dirt, rushing over to Mark to wrap him into a hug as he cried out. "NO! I can't do this on my own! I need you to watch my back! Mark, I need you!" Mark hugged him close, whispering to him lovingly. "You know I'd go with you if I could... but sometimes... I can't. I got you here and I'll be here when you return... but you must deal with him on your own. I believe in you. You'll be alright." Jack cried against Mark's neck. He couldn't help it. He was so scared and so surprised at this cruel twist of fate. He didn't want to go. He hated that place. Mark adjusted Jack to sit across his lap, rubbing his side as he told him more cheerfully. "I've been thinking... What do you think about adopting?" Jack lifted his head, sniffling out in a broken voice. "What...?"

Mark looked him in the eyes with those soft puppy brown eyes of his, smiling warmly as he said. "Adopting. After we get our house and a dog... I was thinking... This war has broken up so many families... Maybe we could adopt a kid or two. Start a family of our own." Jack huffed with a smile, sniffling before he mumbled out. "I'd be a terrible parent..." Mark lifted Jack's chin, pressing his tender lips to his. After their lips parted, Mark whispered to him buttery sweet. "I don't think we'd be that bad." Jack pressed his forehead to his, whispering back lovingly. "Alright... Whatever you want." Mark pressed his lips to Sean's ear and let out a playful growl that gave Jack goosebumps. After being teased into giggling fits, Jack eventually had to get off him in order for Mark to finish cooking. When it was finished, Jack sat back between Mark's legs under a tree. Together they ate and shared small talk about the design of their home. Mark swore he'd draw it up by the time he'd return. Bringing Jack back to the awful thought of leaving him behind.

It was agony to think that if he died in the book... would Mark sit here... and forever wait for him to return? He didn't want him to do that, but he couldn't bare to bring it up. So, he just cuddled into Mark's arms. He tried to memorize every detail of him. He wanted to remember how he felt, smelled, and the warmth of his smile. Mark kissed his head, telling him lovingly. "You should get some rest. You're going to need all your strength if you're going to kill that son of a bitch for me." Jack's grip on Mark's hand tightened, but he reluctantly obeyed. Waking up reluctantly, Jack pried himself from Mark's arms. Tears were already spilling down his face, but he kissed Mark's cheek and told him that he loved him. He didn't want to wake him. It would only make him want stay. Taking the book from Mark's bag, he picked up Dragonbane and Sam. He left everything that he wouldn't need with Mark. Calming himself down as best as he could, he opened the book. A pair of slimy black tentacles slowly reached out for him as Hermaeus Mora's bellowing voice ask him coolly. "Are you ready, My Champion?"

Jack looked back at Mark, who was sitting up now and watching him with a confident expression. Jack shook his head but uttered out more confidently than he felt. "No, but I've got to go... I have to end this." Hermaeus Mora chuckled, his tentacles wrapping around Jack's arms as he answered. "As you wish. Come with me." Jack kept his eyes on Mark as he was pulled into the book. He never once looked away, until the darkness of the void shrouded him from him. When he reappeared, he stood in another part of Apocrypha. This time he was facing a massive tower made entirely out of books. It stood so high and large that it was beautiful in its own way. Hermaeus Mora appeared above him, pointing a long tentacle toward the peek of the tower as he told him. To reach Miraak, you need the help of his companion. She resides at the top of my tower." Jack hefted Sam, asking him in a dark tone. "Why not take me up there? Why make me walk up there?" Hermaeus Mora blinked slow and smugly, upon answering in a sickly-sweet tone. "And have you miss out on all you can learn on the way up? I think not."

Jack shook his head, sternly snapping out. "You won't tempt me to stay here. I'm here for Miraak and then I'm going home!" Hermaeus Mora began to disappear as he uttered out cheerfully. "We shall see." Jack took a deep breath, telling Sam casually. "Keep me focused Sam. I'm counting on you." Sam pulsed with a determination that fueled Jack to start walking. The floors and walls of the tower were made with pieces of paper. On each floor, pieces of papers and books drifted through the air on their own. He ignored them all, keeping his eyes forward. Navigating the tower was a mess. It felt like a maze designed to trap you into a corner and trick you into reading your life away. He refused to fall for it. No matter what the books and floating pages tried to show him, he shoved them away and kept going. Climbing up stone staircases that confused him, he wondered if he was going up or farther out than the cylinder tower implied. The tower didn't spiral up. It had rooms and hallways that made no sense to its design. Like a labyrinth. The scariest things were the Seekers he began to encounter. Those tentacle faced creatures were all over the place.

Most were absorbed in reading a book as they drifted around the floors. Others approached him to hand him a book. He'd take it from them, just to set it down on a stack of books as he continued on his way. They weren't as hostile as they had been to him before when Miraak was around. Knowledge seemed to be more important to them. He was careful not to disturb any books in case that changed their attitudes and before long he finally reached the top of the tower. Staring out through the iron gate, Jack observed a large balcony. He didn't see anyone up here. Was Miraak's companion invisible? Or was Hermaeus Mora lying to him again? Slowly opening up the gate, he started to step out. He held Sam at the ready, listening for any sounds. He was just about to turn around and look up at the tower behind him, when a deep feminine voice growled out to him. "You should be running, little mouse." The hair on the back of Jack's neck stood up. He could feel the hot breath of something big behind him.

Trying to stay calm and collected, Jack turned to face the creature. Finding himself locking eyes with a VERY large Serpentine Dragon. He recognized this dragon from his first encounter with Miraak. Only he hadn't known then that it was... female. Her glistening blue eyes stared into his own with more curiosity than malice. Jack didn't lower his guard though. From everything he had read, female dragons were the most dangerous. Designed to protect their babies with a vengeance unmatched by any other creature. He had fought many male dragons, but he wasn't sure he wanted to test him metal against her. She was larger than any of the males he had seen. Giving her a slight bow of respect, he told her politely. "I did not mean to disturb you, but I need your help." As she climbed down from the tower, Jack backed up to give her more room. Her snake like head looked him over, her long forked tongue flicking out as she hissed out menacingly. "Why would I ever help a creature such as YOU? I know why you've come. I know of your plans to kill him. I won't let you!" To Be Continued...