As Tu'Xanz headed back for his house Jerry came jogging up beside him. As they entered the house Jerry looked down to see his hands were covered in blood. He left his spear near the front door and quickly headed for the bathroom. As he was washing his hands the events of the past few minutes came crashing back down on him. No matter how hard he scrubbed he couldn't seem to get the blood off his hands. It wasn't until Bengala broke into his thoughts asking was he ok that he realized he was hyperventilating. 'I know you feel very confused right now Jerry. I can feel your sorrow over what you have done. But you must understand you were just protecting someone.', Bengala tried to reassure him. 'You don't understand, where I come from we DO NOT kill each other. I have murdered someone.', Jerry said looking at his trembling hands. 'How could I do such a thing? It was not me out there. What is happening to me?' Bengala could hear the despair in his words, she knew she had to snap him out of this and was surprised when Vrkane spoke first. 'Do you remember on the hunt when you went too deep? You are connect to us down to our primal core. Animals will either fight to protect ourselves or we will run away. When our family is involved we will always fight. You have just met Tu'Xanz and his family, but your heart has already brought them into our pack. You fought and fought gloriously to protect your own. No matter where you are from there is no shame in doing so. I am proud to be bonded to you Jerry, now stand up and be proud too!' With that Vrkane let out a long piercing howl that resonated deep with Jerry. He understood what his family was trying to tell him. This is an alien world to him. He made his weapon to protect him from wild animals that may try to harm them, but they aren't the only dangers that lurk on this planet. Sensing Jerry standing up and coming out of his funk Bengala added her roar to Vrkane's howl showing her pride in him as well. By the time Jerry joined Tu'Xanz family in the kitchen he was feeling more like himself again.
Tu'Xanz came around the table where it was clear he was just hugging his family and clasp Jerry on his forearm. Jerry was about six inches taller than him, but Tu'Xanz still reach up and pulled him into a hug. That's when Jerry realized he was taller than before. Jerry used to be 5' 10", now he stood 6' 6" tall. Adding in his height difference he guessed he put on not thirty but a good hundred pounds of pure muscle. He was astounded at the changes his body had gone through in such a short period of time. Tu'Xanz gestured for Jerry to sit at the table again. When he did he saw that Mel'Imba and Yen'Shamillia weren't scared of him anymore. Tu'Xanz left and went back to the front of the house. He came back with a thin sliver of black metal that looked like his armor. It was an inch wide by six inches long, he handed it to his wife. She looked back at him as if debated whether she should do what he wanted her to do or not. After Tu'Xanz stared in her eyes for a minute then nodded his head she finally gave in. She held the thin piece of metal up to her lips and began whispering to it. As she did red runes began to form and etch their way across its surface. Once it was covered in runes she reached out for Jerry's hand. He wasn't sure about this but the look the two of them gave him made him trust them. He gave her his left hand and she placed the strip against his middle finger. As soon as it touched his skin it wrapped itself around his finger forming a black ring. "Can you understand me now?", Mel'Imba asked him. Jerry's head snapped up and he looked at her wild eyed, "You can speak English?"
"No I'm not speaking English and you're not speaking Cartrunese either, but we can understand each other now. Actually as long as you wear that ring you will understand any language spoken to you and they will understand you in return.", Mel'Imba said with a chuckle.
"How is this possible? Is it some kind of magic ring?"
"I can't answer that right now. I need to ask you some questions first. I need to protect myself and my family above all else. Who or what are you?" ,Tu'Xanz said, "you dodged one of my arrows, that is impossible."
"I am Jerry as I said before and as for what I am, to be honest I'm still learning. I was dropped on this planet and told to go to the fort at the western base of the mountain. I'm supposed to find the reason I am here there at the fort. That's all I know."
"How long have you been on this planet? Your ursa-wolf and saber-tiger seem very young only a couple months old according to Tu'Xanz. But they are too intelligent and tame for their species."
"You can't expect me to tell you everything about me without sharing any information either. Like you said I have to protect myself and my family above all else."
Mel'Imba narrowed her eyes judging him. Because of his appearance she assumed he was a mindless brute, but now that she paid attention she could see a very keen intelligence behind his eyes. "Okay I will play your little game. One detail a piece, then a question. We will alternate back and forth until we feel satisfied. Does that work for you?"
Jerry smiled, "Yes that works perfectly fine. One of my new abilities has allowed me to bond with Vrkane and Bengala. I share my intelligence with them and they share their strength with me. Why were you attacked tonight, what did they want?"
Mel'Imba looked at Tu'Xanz who nodded it was ok to answer, "They want the secret to Tu'Xanz armor and my sorcery to create an unstoppable army to concur the world. What type of sorcery do you do? My husband thinks you can manipulate time itself, is this true?"
Jerry thought about it for a second, "I'm not completely sure how it works, I've only been able to do this for a couple days now. It works more as a defense mechanism then me controlling it for now, but to be honest I haven't had time to rest and practice either. Is sorcery common on this planet?"
"It is a very closely guarded secret on this planet. It is a family trait that is hunted every day. Every ruler would love to have an army of sorcerers to wage war with. This nearly destroyed all life on the planet a millennia ago. Since then the families that care magic in its blood keep ourselves hidden away. We have all agreed that if captured we would rather kill ourselves then be the pawns of some self-righteous ruler. Tu'Xanz is my loving husband but he is also my ever watchful protector. He was out patrolling when he came across you and your pets in the woods. Your presence disrupted our normal routine allowing them to sneak up on us." She said the last part with an apologetic smile on her face.
"I'm sorry that I endangered your family in this way. I will collect my things and be on my way.", Jerry said standing up to leave
"No that is not necessary at all. You helped save us by warning us that they were coming.", Tu'Xanz said, "By the way how did you know?"
"Oh that's easy I can communicate with Vrkane and Bengala telepathically. Vrkane let me know we were being surrounded.", Jerry said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.
The husband and wife shared a look, then Tu'Xanz bookshelf in the seating area that Jerry didn't see before and came back with an old book that had metal straps holding it together. He opened it to a page with a picture that looked just like the Earth from outer space at the top of it when at the bottom was a drawing of a man walking with two animals following him.
"What does the writing on this page mean?", Jerry asked.
"This is a legend of a great warrior. He was a peace keeper of his time. He traveled around after the Great War ended helping to stabilize the different realms. The most talked about of his abilities was connection with his companion animals. It was your same connection with your friends that made we wonder if he had returned.", Tu'Xanz said.
"Why would you think he had returned? Is there like some prophecy about him returning or something?", Jerry asked
"No there isn't but his arrival and disappearance where always a mystery. No one really knew who he was or where he came from. The first reported instance of him helping anyone was he walked into a village in the south and stopped a marauding group of bandits that was terrorizing the local farmers. Now that I'm reading it I remember something else that you have in common. It was said he couldn't be touched by any weapon because he moved too fast."
"Well I can guarantee it wasn't me. I have never been to this planet before. But I must say that picture looks like my home world."
"He was said to draw these in his spare time. He named it Midgar."
Jerry's eyebrows shot up, there was only one person he knew who called Earth Midgar, "Is there anything that describes what he looked like. What his name was?"
Flipping thru the pages Tu'Xanz stopped when he found what he was looking for, "It says he was 6' 2" tall with light brown hair and feline looking eyes like yours Jerry. He was said to be strong, but I would guess you are a lot stronger then him. And his animal companions were the same as yours. But there is nothing here that says what his name was. The people called him Shu'Tushan which means 'He who saves' or Savior."
"Well it sounds like it could be my friend Mike but I'm not sure, some of the details don't match up. Maybe if I go to that fort I was directed to I can find out some more information."
"Maybe we can find you something better to wear before you go." Tu'Xanz said with a crazy gleam in his eyes