Shadow Mercenary
Descendant Crisis
~Ashes to Ashes~
Three weeks since Aresen left the face of the Earth and I still was missing him. But I have to do what I have to do. I had to let him go.
I looked through the book that old man gave me. It explained everything about the Darkness. The lineage, everything. But something caught my eye. These strange elders seem to be these 'watchers' for the host. It was strange, but facinating. I always have a love for history and myths. I went back out to find a store about this kind of stuff, but I was referred to a shop with ancient arts and dark arts. Luckily they had what I was looking for and I bought them at a good price. "Why would a joyful spirit such as yourself come in this store?" I shrugged. "I have an interest." "Perhaps you can sign up for the newsletter hm? It would help on your search. You seem to have a interest in this Darkness stuff. From what I read, dear child. It is a lineage of men hosts." She looked at me and placed her hands gently on my head to look into my eyes. Her eyes grew wide and moves her hands off me. "I see you host the power, but you aren't from around here." She rushes over to lock the door, she takes my hands to do a reading I guess. "Ahh yes, an alternate reality, but was sent here to help humanity and mutants alike. But a troubled soul and wanting to do good things. The Darkness wants you to kill, bloodshed any of those who caused vile things to the people. Some fear you, but you don't fear them." She opens her eyes to look at me. "The shy ones always have the dark secrets. A soul so pure, a heart so serene, but a power so dark. Use it wisely." She reaches toward the counter and pulls out a bracelet and puts it on my left wrist. "A gift to you dear child. I am Dhalia, come see me if you ever need help. Even my ancestors have studied dark arts. See you soon."
I walked out of there to head back to my apartment, I remembered what Dhalia told me, seems she knows my past, she looked young like her mid-twenties or something like that. I arrived and went through my books I got for research. I ordered pizza and had that for dinner as I looked through my books and took notes on paper and on my laptop. After saving it, I set it aside and looked through the books to read them. It was getting late already and before I knew it, I fell asleep.
~Sonatine PT. I~
Me and the brotherhood watch upon many things, but what I caught was a young girl, she beared the Darkness. How? It appears she was not from this reality, but I sent my men to bring her to me. She sparked my interest.
The men had seeked into her apartment and sneaks her up to the hideout. I had looked into her heart and seen her memories. She is from the alternate reality, but I appeared shocked. Jackie Estacado was her father by blood. Mother was Will Vandom. I have seen this woman. She had been having secret meetings with Estacado and he broke the rules. Let's see how well Mackenzie plays out. She appeared as a bright girl, finished high school after 11th grade. But got her Darkness powers at age 17. Either the darkness broke the rules and activated on her at a young age or something else. I waited for her to wake up.
~The Brotherhood~
I opened my eyes since I heard whispering, but I see these men stand over me. I shriek and leaped to my fight, but the body armor for the Darkness covered me and rage built up in me. But the man raised his hand. "Easy, child. We just want to talk." To talk? Oh boy.
"We weren't aware that there is a female in the Darkness lineage. But you seem not from around here." I let out a sigh and I look at them. "I'm from an alternate reality, but the warlocks and Dr. Strange sent me here." He walked around me and then grabs my head and pushes me downward. "Child, I wanted to rip away your powers, leave you vulnerable. But your birthright is final. You have much to learn, dear child. You need some knowledge of the Darkness." He lets me go and lead me to some strange orb, he made me see the past wielders and it seems they were male. I was hoping to see any female and I guess I'm the first. I'll look into the history if I can. I had a feeling they weren't going to leave my sight.
"Mackenzie, you have much to learn about the Darkness. Does Jackie or Will know you're here?" I shook my head. Then I noticed a smile grew on his face. This does not bode well. What did he have against me facing Jackie and Will?
They seem ti have me there for quite a while and since the absence of Aresen I have been trying to hide the heartbreak. Sonatine seemed to notice that.I wasn't sure if I was ready to love, however I felt his hand touch my shoulder. "There are other things to having the Darkness, dear child. But if you conceive the child, either you or the man you have sex with would die to pass on. You don't look the type of doing that sorta thing." Me? Have sex at my age? I know Will has told me that to wait til after I was married to have sex. That is commitment. "You calling me a slut, Mr. Tough Man?" I was ready to ram my fist into his face, but he stops it and I heard a crack. I stumble down yelling in pain. "I am not calling you that. But it appears the emotion of love is making you distracted. The Darkness feeds on rage, you're hurt after the loss of someone you loved dearly..." He leaned down to my level and whispered in my ear."...and I can heal that problem. You won't be feeling any emotion of that no more. If you accept, the training shall begin." Like I had a choice. I sighed and nodded to him. Then, I felt as if energy was draining from me. I felt dizziness and drainage in my body and head. But something else was removed, I turn to look at Sonatine.
"You shall have no memory of Jackie Estacado and Will Vandom as your parents. But what will be replaced is your birth parents were unknown and presumed dead." Apparently, he was right.
He created a bracelet with a purple jewel in it that held memories and passion. He placed it on my wrist. I wish I knew how to handle this, but as of now, I felt like something changed.
~Shadows Remain~
He trained me throughout the night. His hideout was underground, beneath the Statue of Liberty. He showed me how to control The Darkness, but other parts were difficult. They trained me until I bled. Each of the battles they had me test my skills were more violent, more gruesome and deadly. I think he was trying to make me ruthless, all this power built up inside of me is growing. The hunger for blood and chaos, I felt it. Trying to take over me from the inside, twisting and I had a horrible feeling in my gut. Sonatine showed me the true power as the training continued. He seemed to take interest into me, like I was his 'pawn'.
Until he let me go, I felt a twisting pain inside of me, guilt. He showed me the ones he used me for training. They were dead, bloody and terrified. I gave a glare at him. "You son of a bitch! You used me!" He smirked at me. "Child, you now know The Darkness. But this emotion is nothing." "Nothing? NOTHING? You made me kill those innocent lives!" "Some weren't innocent, girl. You have the blood on your hands. You took their lives." I look down and see my hands covered in blood. I scream and slapped Sonatine in the face then started running. Running like hell. I looked back one last time and I saw him grinning. An evil kind.
I ran til my feet were worn out. I saw the Trinity Church and ran inside crying. The pastor caught me and looked at me worried. "Child, are you okay?" He looked at my hands and he lead me to wash them out. I wanted to wipe the nights of the kiling sprees from my mind, even that can't be fixed. The man washed the blood off my hands and let me go cleanse myself in the shower stalls. Women who worked there helped me out. But as they washed me down, they spot something on my wrist. "Oh my Lord. Young lady, what is this?" They poined at the mark, it was the mark of the Darkness. I didn't remember how it got there. "I...I don't know. Please don't yell at me. I haven't remembered the last couple of days." One of them frowned and afterward they wrapped towels around me and took me into the chambers.
I was clothed and out of nowhere, some different man walked in. "Hello Miss." I looked up and turned away. He sat next to me and put his arm around me for comfort. "You seem troubled. I am Kristoff. I got word about the mark on your wrist. May I take a look?" He took my arm and pulled my sleeve to see it. "The Darkness symbol. Hmmm. Odd, I thought Estacado is the Darkness." I pull my arm away. I knew what he was talking about, but I couldn't bare myself to say I know who he was. Sonatine already took that memory away from me. "What is your name, young lady?" I look at him. "Mackenzie." "Beautiful name. So tell me, Mackenzie. Do you know anything of The Darkness?" I nodded. I couldn't lie inside the house of God. "I'm the female host of it." "Ah, I see. But listen to me however..." He lifted my chin, "...perhaps I could help you. Come with me to Vatican City."
~Church Has Hopes~
Vatican City, Italy. One place that is holy. The cardinals looked at me in fear as they saw the mark Kristoff pointed out. "She's the Darkness? How can that be?" "Descendant perhaps. Why should we help her?" Kristoff sighed as he held my hand. "She's a child. You said you can help others here. She claims of having no memory of her birth parents and no family." One of them came over and took my hand. "What is your name, child?" "Mackenzie." He bowed and said a few things in another language. Italian I think. Sounded like he was praying.
I was settled there and sat in a room as I looked out the window seeing the lights. Kristoff came in my room and gave me a few books. "I read in your file and found that you love books. I think these can help you get unbored." I took them and looked through pages. "I'm not taken prisoner am I?" "Heavens no, Mackenzie. However we're getting referrals done and I am taking responsibility of you. Like a legal guardian. This is your new home now. Trust me, dear Mackenzie. This might be your new name since you picked your last name."
Mackenzie Jennifer Castiglione. It said on my ID. Kristoff felt like a father to me since we spent time together each day. The Vatican did treat me with respect even if I was The Darkness. They did talk with me about who Jackie Estacado was. Since Sonatine wiped my memory, I didn't know who Jackie was. But they had plans for me to seek him out.