EVERNA Jareth Kieran by Andry Chang, A Steampunk Fantasy Story

EVERNA Jareth Kieran – Andry Chang

Sometimes, the only way to move forward to survive the changing times is to go sideways.

 

Jareth Kieran, the lone bounty hunter and gunslinger, a name whispered with reverence in the rugged terrain of Archelia. A figure shrouded in mystery, with long golden hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of ages. His age, a mystery to most, belied by his youthful looks, for Jareth was not a mere mortal, but an elf.

Born in a time of turmoil, when his kind was forced into seclusion, Jareth's desire for knowledge and survival brought him into conflict with his people. Cast out of Eniara, his homeland, he embraced the ways of the new world, learning to wield revolvers with the same finesse as his elven swordsmanship.

Jareth's past may have been filled with hardship and exile, but it did not define him. Instead, he chose to make his own path, wandering the land as a hunter of bounties and a slayer of monsters. His pointy ears, a mark of his heritage, remained hidden beneath his long, bushy hair, and he used magic only as a last resort to blend in with the humans around him.

And yet, despite his skill with a gun and his prowess in battle, Jareth was not invincible. Like any wanderer, he was drawn to the promise of adventure and the lure of treasure. It was during one such venture that fate led him to Wocawson Junction town, where a chance encounter with a woman named Collette Lewis would change his life forever.

 

==oOo==

 

Jareth sat alone at a small round table in the rowdy Regalion saloon, nursing a shot of whiskey while keeping a wary eye on the other patrons. His sharp elven ears picked up on every sound, every whispered conversation, and every suspicious movement.

As he was taking another sip of whiskey, a beautiful brunette woman approached him with an air of confidence. She wore a red dress that hugged her curves, and her long hair was swept up in a stylish bun. Jareth's eyes flickered to her hand where a wedding ring gleamed on her finger.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice carrying a hint of a southern accent. "Mind if I join you?"

Jareth looked up at her, studying her face. She was beautiful, but he had learned long ago not to let his guard down around strangers.

"Depends on what you're after," he said, his voice low and cautious.

The woman smiled wryly, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from him. "Fair enough. My name is Collette Lewis, and I have a proposition for you."

Jareth raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."

"I'm looking for my husband, Douglas Lewis," she said. "He's been searching for the legendary Wind Orb, and I fear he may have gotten himself into trouble in the Wocawson Ridge mines."

Jareth frowned, leaning back in his chair. "Those mines are treacherous," he said. "Full of traps and danger. Why would your husband risk his life for an elven artifact?"

Collette shrugged, a worried expression crossing her face. "He's always been obsessed with legends and myths. I thought he was crazy when he first told me about the Wind Orb, but he was so convinced that it existed, that he had to find it. He left a few weeks ago, and I haven't heard from him since."

Jareth leaned forward, his gaze locking onto Collette's. "And you want me to go after him? Find him in those mines?"

Collette nodded, her eyes pleading. "I'm willing to pay for your services, of course. Five thousand geines, in fact."

Jareth's eyes widened slightly at the sum. Five thousand geines was a fortune, even for a skilled bounty hunter like himself. But he wasn't naive enough to take the job without more information.

"That's quite a sum," he said, taking another sip of whiskey. "But I'll need half upfront, and the rest when the job is done. Plus, if we happen to find this Wind Orb, it's mine to keep."

Collette hesitated, but after a bit of haggling, she agreed to his terms. Jareth felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of both the challenge and the reward, but he also knew that this would be no easy feat.

"Alright," he said, standing up from his chair. "I'll do it. But you'll have to trust me, and you'll have to follow my lead. We leave at dawn tomorrow."

 

==oOo==

 

Jareth and Collette's footsteps echoed throughout the damp, dimly lit tunnels of the Wocawson Ridge Mines. The sharp smell of gunpowder hung in the air, a reminder of the intense gunfight they had just endured. Jareth's grip on his revolver was tight, ready for any potential danger that may lay ahead.

The caverns were vast and twisting, with winding paths and tunnels branching off in all directions. The walls were lined with rusty mine carts and abandoned tools, a testament to the mine's former glory days. But now, it was a place of danger and mystery, with the Wind Orb lurking somewhere within its depths.

As they delved deeper into the mine, Jareth's keen elven senses were on high alert. He could hear the faint whisper of the wind, a sign that the Wind Orb was close. But he also sensed a dangerous presence lurking in the shadows.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of footsteps echoing through the cavern. Jareth signaled for Collette to hide behind some nearby rocks as he readied his revolver. The footsteps grew louder and louder until finally, a group of armed men emerged from the shadows.

"You there!" one of them called out, his voice laced with malice. "What are you doing here?"

Jareth's expression remained calm and collected, despite the danger that loomed before them. "We're just passing through," he replied, his voice steady.

The leader of the group sneered. "I don't believe you. You're here for Douglas Lewis and the Wind Orb, aren't you?"

Jareth remained silent, knowing that any response could potentially provoke the armed men.

But Collette wasn't as patient. "What's it to you?" she demanded, stepping out from behind the rocks.

The leader laughed. "We were about to keep the orb, that's what. And we won't let anyone get in our way."

With that, the group charged towards Jareth and Collette, their guns blazing. But Jareth was ready. He moved with lightning speed, dodging bullets using the complex labyrinth walls and firing back with deadly accuracy.

The gunfight was intense, but Jareth's sharpshooting skills proved to be too much for the armed men. One by one, they fell to the ground, defeated.

Jareth breathed a sigh of relief as the echoes of the gunshots faded away. "Let's keep moving," he said, his voice steady. "I have a feeling that Douglas is with those rogues. We must move fast to rescue him. And I have a lot of questions for him.”

 

==oOo==

 

Jareth led the way through the labyrinthine mines, carefully stepping over loose rocks and avoiding tripping on exposed roots. Collette followed closely behind, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. Jareth knew that the danger lurking in these mines was real, and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest as they moved forward.

As they turned a corner, they suddenly came upon a group of four men, their guns drawn and pointed straight at them. Jareth reacted quickly, drawing his revolver and firing off a round that hit one of the men square in the chest. The others began firing back, and Jareth dodged the bullets with a grace that seemed almost supernatural.

Collette crouched behind a rock, her eyes wide with fear. Jareth knew that he couldn't let her get hurt, and he used his superior intelligence to quickly come up with a plan. He quickly darted behind a nearby boulder, drawing the attention of the remaining three gunmen.

"Stay here, Collette," he said in a low voice. "I'll take care of these guys."

Jareth expertly dodged and weaved his way through the hail of bullets, expertly aiming and taking out the gunmen one by one. As the last one fell to the ground, Jareth breathed a sigh of relief and quickly moved over to where Douglas was tied up.

"Douglas, are you alright?" Jareth asked, using his katana to cut the ropes that bound the man's hands and feet.

Douglas nodded, his eyes wide with gratitude. "Thank you, Jareth. I thought I was done for."

Jareth nodded in understanding. "What happened? Why were these guys after you?"

Douglas shook his head. "It's a long story, but I'll tell you everything on the way."

As they began to make their way farther into the depths of the mines, Jareth couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He kept his revolver at the ready, his senses on high alert. It was only a matter of time before they would encounter the rogue bounty hunters and the gang of bandits that Douglas had mentioned. But Jareth was determined to protect Collette and Douglas, no matter what the cost.

 

==oOo==

 

Despite the tension, Jareth’s group walked on calmly. He picked up more bullets from the guards and shoved a guard’s revolver into Douglas’ hand, saying, “You can shoot with this, right? Exploring a cave without a revolver and the skill to use it is a sheer suicide. You surely know that, right?”

Douglas’ weary eyes gazed at his wife and his savior as he told them his story. As an explorer and scientist, he has prepared to seek the legacy of the elves inhabiting the lands in Archelia before they were forced into seclusion. A revolver and ample amount of ammunitions, provisions, and the needed skill sets made him more than ready to do the dangerous task.

However, being tailed, ganged up and cornered by a bandit gang and rogue bounty hunters were too much, even for the well-prepared Douglas. The leader of Hotspur Gang, Blake Higgins seized Douglas' ancient map of Wocawson Ridge with elf markings on it and went on to search for the Wind Orb after extracting all the information he wanted from Douglas by means of torture and extortion.

"So, they took the map and went after the Wind Orb?" Jareth asked Douglas, his voice calm and measured.

Douglas nodded, his eyes wide with fear. "Yes, they wanted the Orb for themselves. They said they would kill me if I didn't give them the information they needed."

Jareth frowned, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan. He knew that the Wind Orb was a powerful magical artifact that could grant immense power to whoever possessed it. The fact that the Hotspur Gang was after it meant that they were willing to do whatever it took to get their hands on it.

"We have to find them," Jareth said firmly. "We have to stop them before they can use the Orb for their own purposes."

Collette looked at Jareth with admiration in her eyes. "But how will we find them? They could be anywhere by now."

Jareth smiled, his confidence returning. "I have a trick up my sleeve," he said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small crystal pendant.

"This is a tracking crystal. I can use it to follow their trail, no matter where they go."

Without another word, Jareth activated the crystal, which emitted a faint blue glow. He closed his eyes, focusing on the energy signature of the Hotspur Gang. A few moments later, he opened his eyes and grinned.

"I've got them," he said, pointing to a tunnel in the distance. "They're headed that way. Let's go."

With that, Jareth led the way, his revolver and sword at the ready. He knew that the Hotspur Gang wouldn't go down without a fight, but he was more than ready for whatever they threw his way. He was a lone bounty hunter, but he was a force to be reckoned with. And he would stop at nothing to protect the Wind Orb and ensure that it didn't fall into the wrong hands.

 

==oOo==

 

Jareth, Douglas and Collette walked here and there, tracking heat signals displayed as dots in the magic crystal. Jareth spotted many signals in one place and one by one, the signals disappeared.

Led by intuition, he followed the signal and found a wide corridor filled with marked tiles. The marks were the new moon, crescent moon, full moon and waning moon, the moon cycle that was a common knowledge for the learned ones.

Jareth's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the corridor ahead of them. The marked tiles were clearly a trap, but he couldn't discern what kind of trap it was. He turned to Douglas and Collette, his expression serious.

"Stay close to me," he said, his voice low. "And whatever you do, don't step on any of the tiles unless I tell you to."

Douglas and Collette nodded, their faces pale with fear. Jareth led the way, his senses on high alert as he carefully stepped onto the first tile - the new moon. Nothing happened. He breathed a small sigh of relief and gestured for the others to follow him.

They moved on to the next tile - the crescent moon. Again, nothing happened. Jareth was starting to feel cautiously optimistic as they made their way through the corridor, following the pattern of the moon phases. But then, as they stepped onto the full moon tile, Jareth heard a faint clicking sound.

"Stop!" he shouted, his sharp ears picking up the sound of the spike trap below them.

The three of them froze in place, their hearts pounding as they waited for the trap to be triggered. But to their surprise, nothing happened. Jareth grinned triumphantly, realizing that he had outsmarted the trap.

"Okay, we can move on," he said, motioning for the others to follow him.

They continued on, moving from tile to tile until they finally reached the end of the corridor. Jareth breathed a sigh of relief as they emerged unscathed.

"Well done," Douglas said, patting Jareth on the back. "I don't know how you managed to figure that out, but we wouldn't have made it through without you."

Jareth smiled modestly, but he couldn't deny the satisfaction he felt at having outsmarted the trap. He knew that they still had a long way to go to reach the Wind Orb, but he was more determined than ever to see their mission through to the end.

"Come on," he said, leading the way down a dimly lit tunnel. "We're almost there."

 

==oOo==

 

As the group exited the tunnel, Jareth found a vast hall filled with thick, carved stone pillars in neat, loose rows. His aura detected that the Wind Orb must've been sealed inside one of those pillars.

Jareth's hand tightened around the hilt of his katana-like sword as he saw the Hotspur Gang approaching. He knew that they wouldn't hesitate to kill him, Douglas, and Collette if it meant getting their hands on the Wind Orb.

With a nod to his companions, Jareth took a deep breath and charged forward, his sword flashing in the dim light. The gang members were taken aback by Jareth's sudden attack, but they quickly regained their composure and began firing their guns.

Jareth dodged and weaved between the pillars, using them as cover as he closed in on the gang members. His sword was a blur as he struck out, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

The gang members fired wildly, their bullets ricocheting off the stone pillars and sending chips of rock flying in all directions. But Jareth was too quick for them. He darted in and out of their line of fire, striking with lightning-fast movements that left the gang members reeling.

With a fierce yell, Jareth lunged forward and plunged his sword into one of the pillars. There was a deafening crack as the stone shattered, revealing the Wind Orb inside.

Jareth grinned triumphantly as he scooped up the orb and turned to face the gang members. "Looks like this is the end of the line for you," he said, his voice laced with satisfaction.

The gang members hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But then, with a collective cry, they charged forward, their guns blazing.

Jareth's heart raced as he met their attack head-on, his sword flashing in the dim light. He was outnumbered, but he was determined to protect Douglas and Collette at all costs.

The battle raged on for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was only a few minutes. When it was over, Jareth stood alone amidst the broken pillars, his sword dripping with blood.

Douglas and Collette emerged from their hiding place, their faces pale with fear. "Are you alright?" Douglas asked, his voice shaking.

Jareth nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'm fine," he said. "We got the Wind Orb. That's all that matters."

Together, the three of them made their way out of the hall, their footsteps echoing through the empty corridors. Jareth knew that their journey wasn't over yet, but he was confident that they could handle whatever came their way. After all, they had each other - and that was the greatest weapon of all.

 

==oOo==

 

Just as the group went back in the Moon Cycle Hall, suddenly Jareth heard quick footsteps looming closer towards him from the Carved Pillars Hall.

"The gang is chasing us! Collette, Douglas, hurry back to town! I'll hold them all here!" Jareth shouted. "Here, Collette, keep the Wind Orb safe. We'll meet again in Regalion saloon!" Hurriedly, he handed the artifact without a second thought.

So, Jareth took a stand and soon the Hotspur gang caught up with him.

There were quite a lot of bandits left standing, but most of them were wounded. Jareth's face remained calm, he knew that the enemies would be sitting ducks compared to the rabbles he had decimated with his katana earlier.

Aware of the situation, the gang leader stepped forward and stood in front of his lackeys. With a hoarse voice, the grizzly-bearded man bellowed, "You are quite a lucky fellow! But your luck just ran out, because I, Blake Higgins will cut whatever ear you hide under your bushy hair!"

"Oh yes, I know you by reputation, Higgins," Jareth retorted. "You're aggressive, yet predictable. Just forget it, buster. You won't get your filthy hands on the Wind Orb as long as I'm around to protect it."

"Oh, I'll be all over your dead body, all right."  

Jareth and Blake stood facing each other, their guns drawn and ready to fire. The air was still, and the only sound was the pounding of Jareth's heart in his chest. He had faced many foes in his life, but something about Blake made him uneasy.

Blake grinned and twirled his gun around his finger. "I've heard a lot about you, Jareth Kieran. They say you're the quickest gun in all of Archelia."

Jareth didn't respond. He knew better than to let his guard down, even for a moment.

Blake continued to taunt him. "Come on, elf boy. Let's see if you can back up all that talk." Elf-boy. Now he said it, the thing Jareth wanted to hide, but he had seen it through.

However, the revelation wouldn't distract Jareth at all.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Jareth raised his gun and fired. Blake was just as quick, and the two gunslingers exchanged shots in rapid succession. Jareth could feel the heat of the bullets whizzing past his face as he dodged and weaved.

The sound of gunshots echoed through the hall, bouncing off the walls and adding to the chaos of the fight. Blake was a skilled shooter, but Jareth was faster and more agile. He moved with the grace of a dancer, and his aim was true.

Finally, Jareth saw his opening. He aimed carefully and fired. The bullet struck Blake's gun, knocking it from his hand. Blake stumbled backwards, stunned.

Jareth stepped forward, his sword at the ready. "It's over, Blake. You've lost."

Blake sneered at him. "You may have won this round, but I'll be back. You can count on it."

With that, he turned and fled down the hall. Jareth watched him go, his sword still poised for battle. He knew that Blake was right. This was only the beginning of their feud. But for now, he was content to have saved the Wind Orb and kept it out of the hands of the Hotspur Gang.

 

==oOo==

 

Jareth felt a sharp pain in his leg as he stumbled down the dusty street of Wocawson Junction. He had just faced off with the leader of the Hotspur Gang, Blake Higgins, in a pistol duel that left him with a nasty bullet wound.

As he hobbled towards the saloon where he had arranged to meet Douglas and Collette, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss. And then he saw her - Collette, standing at the entrance of the saloon with the Wind Orb in her hand.

Jareth's eyes widened in shock as he realized what had happened. Collette, the woman they had trusted to hold the Wind Orb, had betrayed them. He gritted his teeth and drew his sword, ready to face her.

But Collette was not alone. Beside her was a small fairy-like creature, its wings made of shimmering green light. Jareth recognized it instantly as Eshmyria, the Wind Fairy Esper. Collette had made a soul contract with the Wind Fairy, gaining immense power at the cost of her loyalty to her friends.

"You fools," Collette spat, her voice laced with malice. "You never stood a chance against me and my new partner. The Wind Orb is mine, and you will never get it back."

Jareth tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes blazing with determination. He may have been injured, but he was not going to let Collette get away with this. "We'll see about that," he growled, charging towards her with all the strength he had left.

Jareth Kieran had always known that bounty hunting was a dangerous profession, but he had never expected to face a sorceress like Collette. Her magic was as unpredictable as the winds she controlled, and Jareth had to be on high alert as he faced her.

With a flourish of her hand, Collette summoned a raging Hurricane that swept through the abandoned streets of Wocawson Junction. Jareth's hair whipped around his face as he dodged the winds with remarkable agility, his quick reflexes saving him from being flung into a wall or worse.

But even as Jareth evaded Collette's magic, he couldn't save his partner, Douglas. The sound of gunfire echoed through the town as Douglas fell, his body going limp as his blood stained the dusty ground.

Jareth gritted his teeth, his grip tightening around his revolver. He knew that he couldn't let Douglas's death be in vain. He had to finish what they had started, no matter the cost.

"Collette," Jareth called out, his voice steady and firm. "I don't want to fight you, but I won't let you get away with what you've done."

The sorceress only sneered in response, her eyes glinting with a malicious glee. "You should have known better than to cross me, bounty hunter," she spat, her fingers twitching as she prepared another spell.

Jareth didn't give her the chance to cast it. With a swift movement, he drew his katana-like sword, the blade glinting in the fading light of the day. He charged forward, his steps sure and calculated, his eyes fixed on Collette.

Their weapons clashed with a metallic ring as Jareth parried Collette's magic-infused attacks. He could feel the strain in his arms as he fought, but he refused to let up. He had to end this.

In a moment of distraction, Collette made a fatal mistake. Jareth saw his opening and lunged forward, his sword piercing through her chest. The sorceress let out a choked gasp, her body going limp as she fell to the ground, dead.

Jareth withdrew his sword, his chest heaving with exertion. He took a moment to catch his breath before turning to his fallen partner, a sense of regret washing over him.

"Douglas," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll make sure your death isn't forgotten."

Jareth Kieran sheathed his katana and took a deep breath, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He had just defeated Collette, one of the most powerful sorceresses he had ever faced, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his accomplishment.

But he quickly pushed that feeling aside. There was no time to rest on his laurels. He had a job to do, and he needed to find his next bounty.

As he walked through the streets of Wocawson Junction, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden flash of light. Jareth instinctively reached for his revolver, ready to defend himself, but he soon realized that the light was coming from a figure standing before him.

The figure was a young woman, with striking green eyes and long, flowing hair that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. She was dressed in a simple white gown, but there was something about her that made Jareth feel like she was more than she seemed.

"Hello, Jareth," the woman said, her voice soft and melodic. "My name is Eshmyria, and I am an esper."

Jareth raised an eyebrow in surprise. So that was the green fairy at Collette's side and vanished earlier. That fairy was merged with the Wind Orb and transformed into a fully flesh-and-blood young woman. He had heard of espers before, beings with incredible powers that could manipulate the elements and bend reality to their will. But he had never met one in person.

"What do you want?" Jareth asked, his hand still on his revolver.

Eshmyria smiled gently. "Long have I been contained in the Wind Orb. I have been searching for a true partner, someone who can help me on my quest to save the world from darkness. And I believe you are the one I have been looking for."

Jareth was skeptical. He was a lone bounty hunter, and he didn't want to be tied down by anyone else's agenda. But there was something about Eshmyria that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Maybe it was the way she held herself, with a quiet strength that belied her gentle demeanor.

"What makes you think I would want to help you?" Jareth asked, still not fully convinced.

Eshmyria's smile widened. "Because you are a hero, Jareth. You fight for justice, and you are willing to do whatever it takes to protect those who cannot protect themselves. And I know that together, we can accomplish great things."

Jareth considered her words for a moment, weighing the risks and benefits of teaming up with an esper. But in the end, he knew that he couldn't turn down a chance to make a difference in the world.

"Alright," he said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'll be your partner."

Eshmyria's eyes lit up with joy, and she took Jareth's hand in hers. "Thank you, Jareth," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I promise you won't regret this."

And with that, Jareth Kieran and Eshmyria the esper set out on their new adventure, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Written for Everna Saga: Lineage 2 Anthology. For more information, click linktr.ee/evernade.