Alone • Liam Dunbar

Forty-Seven

With my sword in hand, I walk towards the exit of the tomb.

Before I fully step out of the lip of the cave, I turn back to face the woman. She stands at the bottom of the path, watching me. Her figure is almost swallowed by the shadows around her but she's still visible enough for me to make out her face.

She had given me an old scabbard from one of the many weapons that had been collected here over the years. One of the rooms in the tomb was filled with various blades, swords, and even bows. I appreciated her gift and told her as much as I tied the worn leather strap across my chest, thankful to have something to house my sword for the journey back to Beacon Hills.

The woman gives me a slow nod as I stare back at her. I return it before looking out of the tomb, finding my pack still waiting up ahead.

Kira's leaning against the SUV with Scott, the two of them in the middle of a light conversation. Malia is sitting in the passenger seat of the car with the door open, her body slumped against the seat lazily. Stiles is pacing back and forth in front of the car, while Liam stands near him, staring into the mouth of the cave.

The shadows blind me from him, but when I emerge, I watch as his smile upon my return drops into amazement at what's in my hands. 

The sun reflects across the metal of my sword, seemingly creating a halo around the blade. It catches the attention of the others as the light bounces off in various directions. Stiles stops pacing when he catches sight of me. His eyes widen like Liam's, and Kira and Scott stop their conversation mid-sentence as I move toward them. 

Malia stays in the car, watching all of us in confusion. I never told her about my family's sword. It wasn't anything personal, I just couldn't bring myself to speak of it so freely all the time. 

"Is that...?" Scott trails off in pure disbelief.

I raise the blade for them to see, the movement casting shards of light across their bodies.

"My sword." I smile. "Chris found it. I don't know how, but he did."

Scott and Stiles exchange broad smiles. They knew how long I'd searched for it. Our journey together began because of the very blade in my hands and my desire to reclaim it and all it was meant to stand for. I never thought I'd see it again, yet here it was. 

"Not bad, Argent," Stiles laughs.

I admire the weapon with slightly teary eyes, unable to help it as I think of every other person in my family that had the privilege of carrying it.

"Jac, are you okay?" Kira asks softly. 

"Yeah, totally," I say, my voice cracking. 

The others laugh, not used to seeing me in such an emotional state. I join them fondly, aware of how ridiculous I probably sounded. 

My gaze falls to the gun that I left on the ground as we stand here. It stares up at me expectantly, waiting for me to hold it as preciously as I hold my sword. I could feel almost a yearning in my chest to do so, as if I'm craving the protection I always believed came with a bullet. I suppress it as much as I can and step over the gun. 

I couldn't find it in myself to wield it and my sword at the same time. It felt like a disgrace to my family's memory to revert to my old habits when I have a real second chance within my grasp. 

"Jac...?" Scott says my name, his voice thick with confusion. 

The others mirror his attitude, unsure of why I had yet to pick up my firearm. I don't explain myself, rather simply open the backdoor to the SUV and offer them an easy smile.