Chapter 8:

The Coming

Darkness. That's all I can remember. Darkness. But it's not like I'm MYSTERIOUS er some shit like that. I couldn't see. My body felt numb. Cold, yet steaming hot, as if I were a piece of metal being forged by a fucking blacksmith. I was nudged. I felt the wind pick up and blow. My now waist-length red faded black hair, blowing over my face. The ground was cold stone. I couldn't move. The wind died down but picked up again, as if it were trying to get my attention. I ignored it. Wallowing in my own self-pity of being weak. It picked up again and died down once more. A strike of lightning shook me to my consciousness.

"Cyn. Cyn. Wake up." I heard Hwoarang's voice. Then Jin's,

"She's in a trance.... How strange...."

"Then if she is.... what does that mean for us?" I remember him asking Jin. I knew my eyes were open, only I couldn't see. Like being blind, and to make matters worse, I couldn't move. Jin's hand touched my skin and he yanked it back quickly.

"She's... She's like frozen fire..." I tried to move, with no avail though. 'Shit!' I remember thinking. But a small step sent my senses out of control. The vibrations of the weight sent waves through my ears and to my eyes as if I could see with my ears. A strong scent of men that I knew HAD to be Jin and Hwoarang came to me. 'Wait. I've never been able to SMELL them before... ok this is getting strange...' I thought. I struggled to get free, and I guess it paid off because the footsteps came running back and I felt hands and fists trying to break what I believed to be ice. It suddenly shattered and I didn't have anytime to brace myself for the fall. Jin caught me. Thank God. Damn, thought I was really gonna die. I couldn't move, and it hurt when I did. I felt something zap me and my eyes could see again. I blinked. I tried to focus, everything came into view. Everything, meaning every little speck of dumb ass dust I've ever seen in my entire life.

"Cyn, Cyn, speak to me." Jin said.

"It's dusty in here." I HAD to say something goofy. I mean it's just the American way. And don't tell me you've never acted goofy in your entire life. What? Yeah, right. Liar. Well anyway... lair. Um, Hwoarang burst into laughter and I guess Jin was holding it back. "Um, dude, you've got lightning on your arms and the shit doesn't look right." There goes my mouth again. Jin frowned and helped me up to my feet. I had a hard time falling and getting back up while walking. But of course, Hwoarang and Jin helped. What would I do without them? The answer? Heh, you'll find out soon enough.

"You ok?" Jin asked me. I nodded,

"Yeah. Are you guys?"

"Livin ain't I?" Hwoarang answered, lifting the tension a bit. Jin nodded.

For the next few days, Hwoarang and I learned the art of swordplay, er rather samurai sword fighting although I had to use a beat up old scythe. We all got used to our new looks. I had to cut my hair short, wrap bandaging around my chest, and get used to my new INHANCED senses. Hwoarang had pointed ears, like an elf, and he too had to cut his hair, plus better senses. Jin looked a bit different, I couldn't place it but I knew there was something different. Or was it? Or had it always been there, I just couldn't see it? Makes ya wonder don't it? Heh. Right. But pretty soon we got used to our armor and it's weight and we could move pretty fast. But.... somehow... somehow I knew what we were doing... wasn't going to help us. Don't ask how I knew, cause I won't be able to tell ya.... not for a while anyway....

Then the 'time' came. Jin, Hwoarang, and I approached the shrine. I remember everything before 'It' all happened. The darkness of the night, the gleaming of the full moon, the smooth grass, the stillness of it all. I walked silently behind my Master and my other best friend. I was nervous... afraid, somehow agitated by it all. I began to believe it was all a dream... a horrible nightmare, that I would wake up back in the hellhole of 216 Lieons Dr. Sanfransico, California. In the same dirty and old bed from the 1840s. The same walls, spattered with dry blood, spray paint graffiti, bullet holes, and such. The same school, the same neiborhood, the same goddamned gang of Zack's demise. I opened my eyes, the shrine came into view. My Master and Hwoarang were looking at me. I realized I was sitting on the ground, holding my head, and imaging the same shit I came from. I found myself wishing it was all a sorry ass nightmare.

"Cyn....?" Jin's voice came. I knew he was concerned, but I felt a strange power, I guess you could say, growing inside of him. I looked up and gave him a fake smile.

"I'm fine." Jin gave me one of those looks where they KNOW you're NOT 'fine' but they'll leave you alone anyway. But that was the last thing I needed. The last thing I wanted. But I got my wish. And here's how.

We headed into the shrine. It was a large room lit only by candles and torches. Three coffins lay on the alter. Desecrated. The shrine had been desecrated and was being used for dark rituals of unspeakable horrors. Skeletons hung from the walls, impaled in sharp wooded poles, scattered along the floor and fallen before the altar. The coffins were unusually clean and gleaming. The middle was of gold with a light powder blue and black jewels. The one to the left was of a cold silver with aquamarine and emerald gems. The last, made of a fiery bronze, encrypted with rubies, garnets, and sapphires. Toshin, Zinkin, and Kaeisyn. I turned to Jin and Hwoarang, not knowing of what to do. Not wanting to let them go. Hwoarang held his hand out, the palm down.

"Go ahead, hold yours out, there isn't much time." I did as I was told and so did Jin. Hwoarang drew on all of our hands, so that when we put them all together, it was a yinyang. He smiled. Jin and I did too.

"I think...." I turned back to look at the alter.

"We'll be together...." Hwoarang said.

"Forever." Jin replied.

"And eternally." I smiled. The flames in the room suddenly burst up and turned darker. Almost a blood red. We turned to the alter. The room rattled and the floor shook under our feet. I glanced around frantically. I looked at the coffins. They rattled and suddenly the tops flew off and crashed into the floor. Jin drew his katana. Hwoarang copied his movement. I took my scythe and held it ready. The door closed sharply. Leaving us trapped.....