Araluen's Peril

Chapter 7 Rise of the Shattered Past

I should probably do another disclaimer now shouldn't I? Nevermind that was a rhetorical question=P

As every characters mentioned so far up to this chapter, belongs to John Flanagan, I am not him, it isn't mine obviously. I only own the character Jack, and the unnamed dark armored pirate/raider. (Which someone please suggest some names for him? keep in mind he is going to be an enemy, Jack's past devil)

TURNS OUT I MANAGED TO WRITE ANOTHER CHAPTER! yay!

That should be all it! *Grabs a microphone* Ladies and Gentlemans! Purrsenting,

Chapter 7 Rise of the Shattered Past

Early in the morning, it was a cloudless sky. Jack smelt the open air-freshness of the sea on the deck of the Heron. He sighs, how the air had reminded him of when he was young. "When he was young" echoed in his mind. He pulled out a necklace, the only thing he has left from his family.

He started remembering, he and his parents were in Hibernia for a trip, to visit his grandmother. Jack had a complicated family, he was born in Araluen when his parents settled down there, but his parents were actually from Hibernia. During his time there, due to the fact that the kingdoms are pretty still corrupt. There was a deadly raid, his mother killed by a ruthless bandit. His grandmother ran out tried shooing away them, instead of knocking her out, a nearby killed her without a second thought and charged into a house robbing. His father who protected him while shouting "RUN! JACK! DON'T EVER STOP" While fending off a kill meant for him. He saw one man, a man who wore a dark armor, with a black bird on his shield. Jack looked right into the deep, deadly green eyes. The man began to chase him, suddenly a flurry figure came and striked him down. Jack sat there hiding behind a tree, when a gentle, old man helped him. And asked "I am a Ranger from Araluen, I can get you out of here, will you trust me?" Young Jack only nodded; when they ran Jack looked back, the man in the dark armor looked at him, right into the soul. Eyes saying we will meet again.

The Jack realized how white his hands are from the hard grip he had on the rail. He shook the past out of his mind, it frightened him really. But since Pritchard's intervention, he decided to go back to Araluen, but he was a boy who didn't know how to get back. So he decided to join a trading crew, who they needed an extra hand. At that time, Madelyn walked out on the deck and saw Jack standing there all tense, and then relaxed. She chose the time to ask,

"Jack, you alright?"

Jack jumped a bit and snapped back quickly, "Yes I am"

Maddie was taken back the tone of Jack's voice she never heard him use. Then noticed the necklace he was holding and reached out the see the beautiful thing, it had 2 things, a locket, and a gem.

Jack jerked his hand back with lightning speed and shoved down his pockets. She froze slightly and surprised at the sudden reaction. Her usual Ranger instincts pondered,

"What is that? It's beautiful"

Jack didn't say anything, for what seemed like a long time, replies "It was my mother's."

Immediately she realized how important that must be to him.

All she could say was "Oh."

She became conscious of the fact that, she doesn't know much about Jack's past life. Knowing it was a thin ice she was walking on, "What happened?"

Normally Jack, whenever anyone questioned him he didn't reply, if he did it was either a rough reply naming it was not open for discussion, or threats. However he noticed this was a different ground, he was talking to Maddie, apprenticed Ranger to Legendary Ranger Will, whom he guessed the princess of Araluen. He did trust her, but he felt that, there will be another time when it's right.