After being patched for my wounds, I basically remain in the chamber for the rest of my day. When the night came, I returned back to my sleeping chambers, where Cole, Jax, and Kano were fast asleep. Slowly, I lie on my bed to face up towards the ceiling and couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow. What if I don't achieve my arcana? Or what if I found my arcana, but it doesn't describe about myself? If only I had a proper training, I would be better to know what I'm trying to find and/or achieve. I saw a shadow coming from outside of the chamber. At first, I would assume it would be Liu Kang, Kung Lao, or Raiden. It than turned out to be the opposite. Captain Holly came to my view.

"Everything went okay?" I asked him.

He sighed disappointingly and shook his head. "They're not the same ones we have met back in our world."

I wasn't surprised. "Not one bit."

"I told them about the story that was in their wall." he mentioned. "However, they questioned it after telling them."

"If Bluebell was here, they could have a bit of conviction." I thought about Bluebell's storytelling.

"Are your injuries healing up?" he asked about my wounds.

"Stiff, but not much in pain." I answered.

"Good. Follow me." he left from the entrance. When I joined up with him, there was hardly anyone around. He apparently led the way to the fighting pit. When we got to the pit, we checked at our surroundings and no one followed us or spotted in sight.

"Is there a reason why we're meeting here?" I asked him. He quickly dug up the sand to see a tonic in a small vial. He became hesitate to take it out. "Dad, what is it?"

He looked at me once, before retrieving the vial from the ground and placed on my hand. "Nightwolf and The Black Rabbit of Inle' wanted me to deliver this to you."

I examined the vial and appears to be something that Nightwolf made. "Another tonic from Nightwolf?"

Holly looked down with worry. "Forgive me for not telling you this."

"What is it?"

He took a deep breath and looked at me. "Both of them you wanted you to drink this tonic. They believed that it help you find your arcana. Perhaps bringing back your animality."

"Really?"

"Yes, but it's not what it seems. The tonic you would drink is lethal." he warned me.

I looked at the vial again and was a bit hesitant. However, I wanted to know why. "What is in it?" He than told me about what he encountered, when Nightwolf visited The Black Rabbit.


I was on duty at Frith's Meadow, before returning back to The Black Rabbit's Warren. I first overheard a conversation taking place with her and Nightwolf. He appeared to have some ability to communicate with her and our ancestors who passed on. He told her that you weren't coming any close of success on your arcana, nor your animality. Even she feared that the wolf is taking over you.

He made a suggestion that he could a tonic that could help you find your arcana. And maybe finding back your animality. He showed the potion to The Black Rabbit. After examining it, she suggested that another ingredient was to be added. A tore piece of El-Ahrairah's fur, his old whiskers, and a piece of his old, torn tail. It was that moment that she knew I was listening.

She asked me of my opinion after the briefing of my patrol. I warned her that it could be dangerous to a human, especially Thomas. Nightwolf insisted that it has to be done. If it was the only way to help you find your arcana and your animality. After hearing our voices of opinions, she decided that it would be best to proceed it. He took the newly ingredients and mixed them into his tonic. It shows a mix of clear and black liquids of water. She than asked if he was to deliver it to you. He stated that it's possible, but he could be endangering to himself because he had his other self on the timeline you belong to. I decided to volunteer and to see to it that you have it.


"So when we met here at this pit, I safely hid the tonic underneath here, while you were asleep." Captain Holly finished his story. "I just... I couldn't bear it to give it to you and watch you in pain."

"Pain? What do you pain?" I questioned.

"The tonic would inflect torment and similar experiences on how El-Ahrairah face when he and Rubscuttle visit The Black Rabbit of Inle'." he answered.

I knew exactly what he meant about torment. Especially, "The Story of El-Ahrairah and The Black Rabbit of Inle'". I was preparing to open the tonic and looked back at him. "I wish you could have told me about that intension when you came to me."

"I know Thomas, I'm sorry I hid it from." he apologized immediately with remorse.

Before I could drink the tonic, I had to tell him about the scarf. "There's something I need to tell you too." I got his attention. "The scarf I gave you, until you gave it back to me, whenever I need you... is gone." Captain Holly gasped. "I didn't mean too, but..." I was beginning to tear up a bit. "Liu Kang burned the scarf. They told me that it would weaken my achievement to find my arcana, but I disagreed-"

"Thomas." he stopped me. "I forgive you. And I know you forgive me, too." With some deep breaths to calm myself. "It was that moment that I had to ask The Black Rabbit of Inle' to bring me back to aid you and your sister."

I looked at him with shock. "That's why you came... here?"

He nodded. "I knew you wouldn't be able to get much help, if the scarf was gone. However, I would have no trouble to go through another thousand times to suffer with you."

I shook my head. "I don't want you to suffer and lose you twice. I just only wanted you to come back to us."

He slowly breathed, as he gave me a sadden emotional look. "I know... however I... I can't promise you that."

I looked down on the vial. "Would it be the same? If I freed Hazel and everyone else? Would they be dead too, just like you?"

He nodded his head. "It's possible."

The second thoughts of drinking the vial came. It would be all in vain, if I did, achieve my arcana and freeing the souls of Watership Down. It could all be in vain.

"I know you wouldn't leave them imprisoned. Just on how we didn't want your sister to be imprisoned in Efrafa. If you really cared for their souls rest and freedom, you must do it."

After taking minutes to fully make a decision, I opened the vial and was about to drink it, but Holly stopped me. "Just remember... she only wanted the truth from you. Nothing more." He than let go of me. I didn't want to think again to refuse. I had to go through with this. I drank the whole vial and sealed it up the top. I turned back to Holly. He has sadness in his eyes, as he knows that I'll go through suffering again. "I don't want you to go through another torment like this. Never again."

"It already seems like I've gone through with it and I'm only doing it again." I told him and became frightened for what I was about to see.

"Fiver has the same notion when he has his visions. However, he only fears what would become true. Especially, seeing any of us suffer." Holly recalled about Fiver.

I nodded. "I know." I began to feel a bit tired that I was starting to fall my head back. Holly was able to catch my fall and rested me upon his side.

"No matter what you see... don't fall for any temptation. Fight your fears. Find the truth in yourself." he advised me.

"I'm afraid I'll be alone." my body begins to feel tired, as if I was about to be put to sleep for a hospital operation.

"I'll be by your side." he told me. "I won't leave you. Since you never left me, when I suffered. We been through Hell's Flames together... we'll go through it again if we must."

My limbs started to feel week. My chest started to burn inside. I was running out of air in my lungs. "Holly!"

"Keep your eyes on me, son. Keep your eyes on me." he softly warmly tells me. "Keep listening to my voice, if you go tharn."

My eyes started to go blind, as I still hear his voice. Seconds later... I became deaf.


My vison has gone completely white, until my eyes began to clear up. When my vision became clear, I was seeing nothing, but heavy snow and mist. I was at the edge of a cliff. Perhaps a mountain. Or a snowy ocean. I turned around to see a dark path that leads to a cave like warren. At first I thought I was back in Afghanistan, however I proved to be wrong, when mist started to appear in the cave.

I started to follow through the tunneling path. The cave became darker and darker. I couldn't see where I was going. At one point, I looked down to my toes to see nothing. Except, I was able to see paw prints that reveals the path. Another set of paw prints were there on my right side. Unlike the one on the left, the right glow. I proceeded on the path. The cave started to become hauntingly cold. When I got to the depths, the footprints were gone.

Thomas.

I turned around to see where the voice came from. Within the depths, there was a rabbit in waiting... The Black Rabbit of Inle'. "Do I remember you?"

"All aging rabbits asked this question before." she spoke. "But you and I have spoken before."

"Than it is you!" I finally remembered, who she was.

"I'm sure you and your sister reuniting with Captain Holly is heartwarming for sure." she asked me about Holly.

"Yes. Thank you." I thanked her. "However, I didn't think it would happen."

"What would happen?"

"You allowing him to go back." I answered. "Especially, going to the human world."

"You have seen him times before, yes?"

"Why, yes. However, it was from my scarf." I added. "Not like this."

"I'm afraid I didn't tell you the effects of losing your scarf." she approached to me, as I came in.

"What effects?" I asked.

"If any case, you lost your scarf, due to it being destroyed... Captain Holly is allowed to return." she answered.

"You mean... back to the mortal world?"

"Yes..." she spoke.

"You mean just like that? So like now he's with me and we'll be together until Hazel and the others freed. Only to be allowed to live once again in Watership Down." I added. "It seems like a good effect."

She turned back to me with a serious look. "Do you really believe that?"

I shrugged. "I mean, if it's possible." She stares with silence. I began to think about it again for a catch. "Wait a minute... you telling me. He's only allowed to do this once."

She nodded her head. "You're starting to catch on."

"It could be a test. Or not, but if he dies-"

"He would suffer twice and permanently remain in the afterlife and never enter life for the third time." she stated.

"Wait a minute! This is may not be fair." I protest.

"Why is it?" she questioned.

"I didn't destroy it on purpose. It was destroyed by someone else, only to think that I would achieve my arcana, as they would think burning my past."

"Are you questioning-"

"I'm not." I interrupted. "If I was, I could making anything up to trick. However, this is an important matter. All I care about more than anything is to free Hazel and the rest of the Rabbits of Watership Down. And maybe since Holly is back, he could enjoy life again, but this time with Hyzenthlay. When she's freed."

After listening to my words, she nodded her head. "Very well... how about a challenge?"

"I'm sorry?"

"A round of Bobstones. If you win, you'll be able to win Hazel's and the rest of the rabbits souls back to Watership Down, including Holly's." It was that moment that I had to back away. It was as if it was challenging a game with The Devil.

"I'm not here to play. I'm not even here for a challenge at all!" I exclaimed. "There's lives in stake. The human world. Especially, importantly, the rabbits! Like Efrafa, with Campion, Sainfoin, and the others!"

"Than why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm only here to hopefully find my arcana. My animality. In hopes to defeat Shang Tsung and free Hazel and the others!"

Figures started to emerge out of the darkness behind her. There were black masked humans and a small band of rabbits, that were closely resemble to the ones responsible of raiding Watership Down.

"You couldn't? I know you didn't send them!" I became puzzled.

"You have grown too attached with them. I've send them to destroy them and free you." she became deviant.

"No! No, that's not possible! I won't believe it! I won't!"


I turned around to leave the warren! The pawprints and my footprints were gone. I stumbled through the darkest and continue to encounter The Black Rabbit of Inle'.

You must decide what is important.

I continued to flee. I turned at every corner to see my darkest fears. The Taliban captors that were waiting for me to be taken by them. Another turn was from Cowslip and Silverweed with their frightening faces, as if Cowslip was Jim Jones of People's Temple. At a dead end, there was the old remnants of the old Efrafa: General Woundwart, with Captains Orchis and Vervain. I backed away, as Orchis' smirking face was detached from his body and floating towards me. I backed away, until I fell! I landed hard on my back.

Everything went blur, until I see dark nightly clouds surrounding me. Hazel was standing there, until he began to approach towards me by floating in the air.

Thomas.

"Hazel?" I questioned.

Everyone had faith in you, that you could free us. But you failed us.

"Hazel!" I exclaimed. "That's not true! I'm doing everything I can to free you and everyone."

You're not the human I thought we could trust.

"What if I fail, what if I failed everyone?" I questioned him, but he remained silent. His eyes glowed that blinded me.

When my vision was clear, I found myself at my old military base, where I see the cages that the rest of my family were murdered. Their screams echoed, as I saw Shang Tsung in front of the flames, pointing at me. "Your family's souls are mine!"

Thomas! The voices of my deceased family members screamed, as they were burned alive.

I closed my eyes to see I was nearly towards the cliff, where I came in. In hopes of finding another way out, I took the other path, but was blocked by Shao Kahn and his armies.

You should have died with me!

I even heard Farid's voice at one point also, until he stood next to the former emperor. You failed your duty to protect your soldiers. You failed your country.

I return back to the starting point and headed back inside the caves of darkness again. The voices of my old enemies sounded off in my ears, including The Black Rabbit of Inle'. This time, her voice changed into something encouraging.

Fight your fears from inside of you. Face them, as you faced your past. The fire is inside of you. That keeps you alive.

I than entered the chamber of death, where there's no way out. Except one small hole to the deep pit. Where everything suffering that a rabbit could suffer.

Thomas. The fire inside you... is killed. I than heard Shang Tsung's voice and he made an appearance. You lost everyone you hold dear.

Fight the inner demons inside of you. Feel your arcana. Feel your animality.

The Black Rabbit of Inle's voice came, as with Nightwolf's and Captain Holly's. The words took control my inside, as I attempt to unleash them, but Shang Tsung continues to torment me with my past. As I attempt to fight the demons, I slipped and fall into the pit. There was no bottom, but a endless drop. I than started to age. My body became weaker. Hearing became deaf once again. My voice became so old and low. My skin began to wrinkle, as well as losing my hair. And finally my sight became blind once again.

I was able to free myself from the pit. But only to be at the mercy of Shang Tsung's boots. "It's too late to save them, Thomas. YOU! WILL! FAIL!"