It was a strange experience. The statement is heavy, considering what he last remembered had transpired. The first memory he was able to pull to the forefront of his consciousness, or rather, subconscious, was the duel with Azazel.
He wasn't sure if he was awake. Nothing seemed grounded in reality. Everything was a blank and vast openness that spanned out in infinite length. He wasn't sure if his eyes were closed or open, but he assumed the former, since he could even see this vast expanse of white nothing.
But he forced his thoughts to center back onto his latest memory, lest he possibly lose himself in whatever limbo this was. Azazel. The demon that he had fought, and defeated, he was sure of that. After the final punch, when he thrust his own fist into the demon's chest, destroying it, he began to black out almost immediately and felt as if an energy was leaving him.
Perhaps he was dead. That would explain this strange and ethereal environment, where he felt awake yet unconnected from everything.
Jin Kazama looked around at his surroundings, as pointless as it seemed, realizing that there was no sense of real gravity where he was standing, or lying down. He couldn't tell. On a whim, he stuck out his hands, focusing on them, before his frame of reference seemed to shift, and suddenly, he was standing upright for some unexplainable reason.
I thought death would be less...lonely as this, Jin observed silently, as he silently scanned for anything that might stick out amongst the blank space everywhere. Loneliness was something he was not foreign to, as he had to learn to embrace it to ultimately face what cursed the Mishima bloodline. But nonetheless, the prospect of being here forever left a dreadful feeling in his gut. He might go insane if he were to spend the rest of his...afterlife here for eternity.
"You are not yet deceased, if that is your line of thinking."
The spiky haired youth's face snapped to the left and then he pivoted to look behind him, finally spotting another individual besides him. Jin did not know who he was, but the stranger in his subconscious exuded a quiet authority coupled with his mysterious appearance. The wide brimmed straw hat dimly reminded him of a Manji clan Samurai that he'd crossed paths with once or twice.
"Who are you?" he asked the robed man after a pregnant pause. He almost had forgotten that he had spoken in the first place, as taken aback as he was at seeing anyone else here.
"I am Raiden. A Martial Artist like yourself," the visitor replied, raising his head just enough to see the bottom edges of what was apparently, brightly glowing eyes. and unnaturally white hair.
The man had not deigned to elaborate, his hands remaining folded behind his back. Kazama studied him briefly, this Raiden wearing what looked particularly plain and common to many Chinese monks, save for ornate and detailed greaves that seemed to be fashioned out of solid gold that protected his shins.
"I am Jin Kazama," the younger man replied evenly, not divulging any more info than Raiden had. "This is not the afterlife?" He added in inquiry to Raiden's earlier statement. The warrior across from him nodded slowly.
"This is a pocket realm, disconnected, yet inextricably tied to both Chaos and Order realms."
Jin could only understand the gist of what he was saying. Apparently, they were currently in some pocket dimension of a sort.
"You do not seem surprised..." Raiden analyzed, having watched Jin's expression carefully.
"I have experienced much," Jin replied nearly as cryptically, provoking a half smile from the other man. Raiden then unfolded his hands only to fold his arms in front of him.
"That is why I have approached you," he began, beginning to walk and slowly pace back and forth, analyzing something non existent on the transparent ground beneath him. "Your appearance here has been caused by a great conflict in Earthrealm. I don't know who or what it was that you destroyed, but remnants of Shinnok's dispersing essence could be felt through meditation."
Jin's eyes narrowed in thought as he processed what he was hearing. Earthrealm? Shinnok? He assumed he was talking about Earth. And who or what was this Shinnok?
Jin stepped forward, drawing Raiden's attention back to him. "Are you saying Azazel had a master?" If this was true, then that would mean Jin's duty was not yet finished. He needed to destroy this curse at it's source, completely. As an afterthought, he looked at his left arm, noticing that the damned tattoo was still present there. Did that mean the curse wasn't lifted? Was he forever doomed to have an evil blood running through his veins?
"I am unfamiliar with that name," Raiden admitted after some time. "However, it may be that this Azazel was in league or somehow affiliated with Shinnok. With your permission, I'd like to take you somewhere after returning you home." Raiden's head was raised at this point, and Jin could clearly see the electric energy running through Raiden's eyes, making them look nearly as blank and pupil-less as the environment they stood in.
Jin had nothing to lose. The alternative was being stuck here, and it was safe to assume that this wasn't the inside of his own mind.
He nodded his head once.