There was a certain aura about this place. A certain aura that was about this mood - about this predicament - that I cannot simply diverge to you in the form of words. It wasn't an aura of conflict or tension, nor of it of a power one dreams of. The aura was not of immortals or of an attempt to save the world. It was an aura of confusion, loneliness, grief, and loss. An aura of uncertainty. An aura about Jack.

Was any of it true? Could any of it be true? Was Jack really the noble heir to the Ashford legacy, part of some great blue blooded family who's influence was untouched before the Third Revolution? If so, then why is he the way he is now? A hideous freak of nature, disguised as a man only by the bandages that constrict him like so many snakes, with no memories or family to fall upon when he hit the dirty streets. Alexander had left out many important parts to a past forgotten, but was Alexander right at all? Jack was so confused.

{Ayame sat on her haunches in front of Jack and placed his chin in her hand. "You will always be Jack as long as you think you are Jack! We may not know the whole history, but you are not him! You are yourself, Jack, and you don't have to become him!"} What Ayame had told Jack before was true. He was himself and nobody else. Jack today, Jack tomorrow, and Jack yesterday. Always Jack Cardin…

"Kraken! Do something!" Rouge cut Jack's thoughts short as she shouted to the pirate hanging by a dagger.

Kraken glanced about, searching for something to use. Alexander was climbing up for him, slowly but surly. Dagger in the wall, dagger out the wall. So on and so forth until Kraken could hardly stand to hear it. The grizzled old sailor looked to his cohorts as if expecting an answer.

Falcon stood with fists clenched, trying to think of something. Galuda stood ready as well. Ayame and Rouge tried to come up with something but both failed to reach any other ideas. Jack watched as the rivers fell into the pit below. Accel had his hands at his holsters.

"God damn! Can't think of a thing!" Accel spat.

"Bloody hell! You're right. What the hell do we do?" Falcon's blue eyes blazed.

"I am stumped as well. If only the chain link was still up!" Galuda frowned. "…Wait! Ayame? Do you still have those pointy metal blades?"

Ayame fished in her pocket. "You mean these shurikens? Yea, I got a few left!"

"Good. Rouge-" Galuda was cut off when Falcon took over.

"Rouge! Can you blaze some fires his way?! We might be able to knock him off!" Falcon grinned.

Rouge smiled. "It'll be my pleasure."

Ayame started taking aim with a shuriken. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Falcon looked to Accel. "You got any bullets in your gun?"

"I got two." Accel checked his rounds.

"Well make them count Tex. All right, everyone! ...GO!" Falcon commanded.

Ayame threw her first shuriken at amazing speeds. The tiny ninja star pierced the air with a silent howl as it struck Alexander's green coat. He did not notice. Rouge summoned a fireball to her palm and let it fly at an incredible volley, blasting Alexander's upper back with a fiery punch. He did not care. Accel fired from his western pistol. He did not flinch.

Alexander continued escalating towards the pirate. Ayame looked to Falcon. "It's not working!"

"Come on people! We just gotta try a little harder!" Falcon replied.

"Let the spirits guide your stars, your fire, and your bullets. Relax and open your mind." Galuda advised.

"Whatever you say Shaman man!" Accel replied.

"And as for you Mr. Rootin-tootin-super shootin-Tex, gimme that!" Falcon swiped the pistol from Accel's grasp.

"Hey! What are you doing! I only have one bullet left!" Accel responded.

"And that's why I'm not going to let you screw this one up!" Falcon aimed at Alexander's escalating body.

"Ready." Rouge said.

"So am I." Ayame closed one eye as she aimed.

"Alright then! Fire!" Falcon said.

Ayame let loose her shuriken, letting it sip through the amber sky. It pierced Alexander's charcoaled back once more.

Alexander let out a grunt of pain.

"Heh. Looks like you're getting weak down there, yarr!" Kraken taunted Alexander.

"The only time I'll be weaker than you is when I'm dead!" Alexander replied in a nasty tongue.

"Looks like we're getting through! We just need to go a bit farther!" Ayame laughed.

"Then let's get Alexander out of the frying pan…" Rouge smiled as both of her palms became engulfed in spheres of flame. "…And into the fire!" Rouge stretched both her arms as far back as she could muster, then launched forward, sending the two fireballs to fly through open space and blast into Alexander, causing the platform to shake uncontrollably. Alexander's eye narrowed and his jaw clenched. Kraken found himself switching arms repeatedly as he tried to hang onto the dagger. The shake did not make it easy, and neither did the blast right below his boot.

"Ha! Soon we'll have him like a toad on a rope!" Falcon smiled.

"Yea, but looks like Krakens having a hard time staying up there. We have to make haste." Galuda stated.

"Right. So Falcon, make the shot count!" Accel eyed Falcon.

"Of coarse it will Accel. After all, I'm the one doing it." Falcon closed one eye as he aimed.

Falcon, being of a prodigious family, often had the time to take up hobbies. Marksmanship happened to be one he took as a boy, firing away at disks and pheasants through adolescence and galloping on horseback through wild foxhunts. He was no train robbing wild cowboy who thought of the gun as a third hand, but Falcon was going to make it count. He knew it.

"Take the shot Falcon!" Ayame pleaded.

"Kraken weakened him enough so that our blows can get in! Now is the time!" Galuda smirked.

Falcon pulled the trigger on the pistol. The bullet came spiraling out of the chamber, flying through the barrel and screaming through the amber light.

Alexander did flinch.

Alexander took the bullet in his lower back. The charcoal black coat held no grounds against the bullet. Crimson eye agape, one hand let go of a dagger.

"Y-you? When hehehehehe when will you realize that the Ashford Legacy is eternal?! Hahahahahaha!" Alexander shouted.

"What the hell is he talking about?" Accel asked.

"He's trying to pull off something, everyone get prepared!" Galuda stated.

"Wait! Where's Jack!?" Rouge called.

"You don't need me… I-I am not worth the time of humans…" A voice whispered into Ayame's ear. She looked around into the channel from whence they came.

"Jack?! Jack! That's not true at all! You are our friend!" Ayame sprinted a ways into the channel, pushing against the cold water. "Listen Jack! We need you! We really do!"

"No you don't. Jack…is a monster! A monster that will only hurt others!" Jack's whisper explained.

"Jack! We are who we make ourselves! This isn't your fault! Don't let others get to you!" Ayame pleaded.

"How can you trust me? I am the one that made him. He is me." Jack said.

"No… no he isn't…" Ayame replied.

"Ayame!" Accel's voice screamed.

Ayame turned towards the sphere. Alexander leaped into the channel from the platform, causing a great shockwave through the tunnel.

"Accel!" Ayame yelled. She started to run back towards the entrance. The fight had begun anew. Jack did not know what action he should take…

Bring Me To Life - Evanesence

How can you see into my eyes
like open doors
leading you down into my core
where I've become so numb?
Without a soul;
my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold,
until you find it there and lead it back home.

(Wake me up.)
Wake me up inside.
(I can't wake up.)
Wake me up inside.
(Save me. )
Call my name and save me from the dark.
(Wake me up. )
Bid my blood to run.
(I can't wake up. )
Before I come undone.
(Save me. )
Save me from the nothing I've become.

Now that I know what I'm without
you can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real.
Bring me to life.
[Chorus]
Bring me to life.
I've been living a lie/There's nothing inside.
Bring me to life.

Frozen inside without your touch,
without your love, darling.
Only you are the life among the dead.

All of this sight
I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark
but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a 1000 years it seems.
I've got to open my eyes to everything.
Without a thought
Without a voice
Without a soul
Don't let me die here/There must be something more.
Bring me to life.

[Chorus]
Bring me to life.
I've been living a lie/There's nothing inside.
Bring me to life

Rouge lit a fire in her hands and shoved it into Alexander's chest. Alexander flinched, but did mot fall. With a quick punch, Rouge fell into the water, knocked out.

"Rouge!" Falcon splashed through the water, but Alexander was too quick. Alexander plunged into the current right in front of Falcon.

"None shall stop my legacy!"  Alexander hissed.

"If you think that, you've got another thing coming to you bloke! It's time you left this world alone!" Falcon replied.

Falcon performed a powerful uppercut, sending Alexander smashing through the stone and mortar ceiling. But Alexander did not cease. He fell back down and instantly got back up. Four massive punches in succession brought Falcon into the cold world of unconsciousness.

"What gives you the right to kill? You have none." Galuda stomped towards Alexander.

"My lineage!" Alexander cackled.

Alexander took the first swing. Galuda narrowly dodged to the right, missing the blade by a hair. Galuda gave a crushing jab, causing Alexander to smash into the wall, sending brick and stone into the stream. Blinking, Alexander got back to his feet. He coughed and turned to Galuda. Alexander kneed the Native American's gut and then smashed the back of his head with the dagger. Galuda slipped into darkness.

"Watch out you fools!" Kraken called from his hanging position.

Alexander was heaving with loss of breath. The amber light coming into the dark tunnel behind him created a striking image. Accel placed himself in front of Ayame.

"Hehehe… Now …you… die… for good!" Alexander cried.

"Alexander! Leave my friends alone!" Jack's voice screamed.

From out of the inky blackness Jack emerged, running at full speed. He darted past Accel and Ayame, ramming himself into Alexander.

"You fool! What are you doing?!" Alexander shouted.

"I am not you! I could never have been so hideous as you are!" Jack said.

"You weakling! You could never be me!" Alexander responded.

Summoning an amazing amount of strength, Jack rammed into Alexander again, sending him and himself both hurdling out of the channel and towards the bottomless pit below.

"My legacy! I have to fulfill it! No! Mother!" Alexander screamed as they fell into the darkness.

"Your right. I could never be you. I know who I am. I am Jack Cardin!" Jack screamed.

Jack manage to grab Alexander's dagger. As they both fell into the Earth, Jack raised the dagger and plunged it into Alexander's chest. "There is only one Jack!"

Ayame raced to the end of the channel. Accel strode behind her, helping his unconscious comrades. Ayame saw the last glimmer of Jack's red eye before he disappeared into the abyss that is the Earth.

"…Jack…" Ayame whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

** *