Chapter Thirty Two: Rock Bottom
Author's Note: Okay you know me…I bombard you with things to think about and then do one chapter to fully explain the on going theme…well, get ready people because this is THAT chapter. Oh, and fair warning…cursing comes later in the chappie
Once again, sleep eluded Jamie Parker as he shuffled into Julia's room. The Nephilim rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned as he took in the surroundings.
Julia Chang, in a black spaghetti strap top, and shorts sat at the small writing desk…several empty coffee cups sat in various locations across the desk, but it was dominated mainly by a sleek looking laptop computer.
Jamie looked around and noticed several articles and pieces of paper strewn about the room, and dominating one wall was a dry erase board with a sort of flow chart; his name, along with several others including Grey and his friends, had arrows that pointed to different subjects…most of which were festooned with question marks.
Everyone stood in the room with baited breath…waiting for what Julia was going to say…and suddenly, Jamie was struck with the realization that this was EXACTLY what had happened during the last tournament.
In fact…we're all kinda standing in the same place…only there are more of us now…
Even he was standing in the same position as last time…and with this realization came another:
It was on a night like this, that he found out he would was going to die by the end of the tournament.
He'd cheated death of course…but death could only be cheated so many times…and that's when he realized he needed to know…he had to know what was on this disk…how exactly, as Heihachi had put it, he would bring about the destruction of the world.
Honestly, about eighty five percent of himself wanted to just give it up and go back to bed…but the other fifteen percent…needed to know.
"Julia," Jamie began evenly. "What do we know?"
"It wasn't easy," Julia began as she took her glasses off and rubbed her temples. "But the firewalls are down, and I've read most of everything here…and from what I'm seeing…"
"It isn't good." Jin interrupted…although it was more of a statement then a question.
Julia shook her head sadly.
"O…kay…well we knew this wasn't going to have all the winning lotto numbers on it; so what's the big bad I've gotta fight now?" Jamie asked with his arms folded across his chest.
"Alright…how many people have heard the names Princess Konohana; Aeon Calcos; and Spyros Calcos?"
No one responded.
"I didn't think so…only a few people have even heard of them…and they're supposedly myth anyway."
"So who are they?" Kazuya asked.
"Well," Julia sighed. "Presumably, they were the young heirs to the thrones of the greatest cities of the ancient world…and possibly the modern ones too."
"Which are?" Hwoarang asked.
"Almost everybody's heard of Atlantis right? That city out in the ocean near Greece?"
"The one that sank right; Plato wrote about it…" Mina added.
"Right; Plato said that Atlantis was the most advanced civilization the world had ever seen. It possessed technology that, even by modern standards was quite impressive. But…as the story goes the Atlanteans got greedy and tried to rule the world…Poseidon; the Greek God of the sea, decided to punish the people and drowned the city…thus, killing the race."
"Didn't we go over this before?" Steve asked. "Remember, a couple of months ago? Crystalline city, and taking down Jinpachi Mishima and all that? Wasn't that Atlantis or something?"
"I'll get to that in a minute." Julia chided.
"Right, we all know that Atlantis isn't a myth…we've kinda sorta been there..right?" Jamie asked.
"The story that Plato wrote was true; but only to a certain extent. Atlantis did sink…but there was much more to it then simply the fact that Poseidon got angry. The term Atlanteans is used to describe the people who resided in Atlantis…but the overall, general term for their race was…"
"Amenes…" Xiaoyu responded. "I remember."
"Right…and the Amenes had built great, fantastic cities all over the world…ever notice how every civilization has some kind of legend based upon this Atlantis fable? That's because for every civilization, there was a great, Amenes city."
"A monomyth…" Kazuya added.
"Exactly." Julia said.
"So then…what happened to all these other cities?" Christie wondered.
"For every city as you will recall from our last brush with this civilization, they had built a kind of power source…some force of raw, untapped energy that powered their city…some how, some way, these people could harness energy even more proficiently then we ever could have imagined…and to take this power source, was to destroy the city and it's people. The Atlanteans knew this, and began to lay siege to every Amenes city they could find…and take the power source." Julia said.
"But how…you can't just put it in a bag and walk off." Hwoarang snorted.
"That's right…and I'll get to that in a moment." Julia said heatedly.
"Okay," Jamie breathed. "Keep going Julia."
"Alright; so for years, the Atlanteans wage all out war and they lay siege to each and every city…leaving a path of destruction in their wake…until they come to a city in Asia known as P'ang Sha."
"The king of Atlantis sends his two sons Spyros and his younger brother Aeon into battle. The two, although only twenty or so, have made a name for themselves as ruthless warriors. The fight leads them deep into the main stronghold of P'ang Sha, and the two brothers are separated. Meanwhile, the Princess of the city, Princess Konohana is ordered to flee deep underground."
"Did they catch her?" Kyo wondered.
"She hides with the power sources' main protector…a young, nameless man with," Julia quoted from her computer screen "'skills that surpassed even the strongest of warriors…and who could heal faster then any of his brethren.'"
"That's easy," Jamie said. "Nephilim."
"Eventually, the two brothers reunite beneath the ground and Aeon, murders this nameless Nephilim. While this is going on, Spyros, steals the energy from the power source and the mission is complete…or so it seems…as soon as Aeon murders the Nephilim…and the life is drained from the warrior, another Nephilim is activated…and his name is Aeon."
"Whoa." Robbie breathed.
"Talk about irony." Christie added.
"With this new sense of power, comes the understanding of what a Nephilim is…and Aeon realizes well, to paraphrase Hwoarang, how badly he fucked up." Julia paused and everyone looked at Jamie.
"Well…I didn't feel immediately drawn to kill things or anything…when I first found out." He muttered sheepishly.
"Aeon, regrets what he did immediately but heads back to Atlantis with his army, the power source, and the newly captured Princess Konohana…now, in ancient times, prisoners of war were often killed publicly as a sort of PR stunt…and this was exactly what would have happened to Princess Konohana if Aeon hadn't intervened. He saves her, and pleads with his father to have her life in the Atlantean sanctuary of the power source…his father, begrudgingly agrees…and with his new powers, Aeon too, decides to leave the palace for a life of solitude in the sanctuary to protect the power source with the other priests and priestesses. Konohana is allowed to live as long as she never leaves the sanctuary grounds."
"How sad…" Kaori murmured.
"It is during this time that Aeon begins to realize that all the fighting and warfare isn't necessary…that eventually, Atlantis will become the most hated nation in the world, and will eventually crumble…however, his father and older brother Spyros completely disagree and a wedge is brought between them. Aeon continues to plead and plead for the fighting and bloodshed to stop, but to no avail, and eventually, Aeon is deemed a traitor to the Atlantean society."
"And that's not good on so many levels." Peter added.
"As the months pass…Konohana eventually begins to fall in love with Aeon and he too falls in love with her…the two are inseparable…and often talk of the future…they want to leave Atlantis and start over somewhere else, but find that they can't leave, as Aeon is bound to protect the power source…for he fears if he doesn't it will be used to shed more blood."
"Talk about a guy who's attached to his work." Mina chuckled nervously.
"Since Aeon is officially bound to the power source, only he activate it's true potential…and one day, that would be the undoing of him. Some time later his brother and father wanted to again, wage war on another Amenes city; they needed Aeon to activate the power source to give them the strength to fight. Aeon refused…eventually, he, and Konohana stand alone before the Atlantean army, Aeon's father, and brother. Aeon and his brother are talking, and Spyros raises his sword at Aeon…eventually, Aeon's father orders to attack and Spyros runs Aeon, his own brother, through with his sword…Aeon collapses in a heap but does not die…instead, he watches Konohana, the love of his life, also get brutally murdered by Spyros. Konohana dies before Aeon naturally, as she is a mortal…and seeing his beloved murdered invokes a rage on Aeon. While this is going on, Spyros attempts to harness the power of the power source…but becomes a hideous monster, to reflect the darkness in his heart…a green skinned, tall, monster."
"Ogre…" Jin shuddered.
"Spyros, in his new form takes the life of his own father to become even more powerful."
"And that's true Ogre right?" Jamie asked.
"Correct…but what Spyros a.k.a. True Ogre doesn't realize, is the fact that Aeon, while he's still alive, can control the power source…so, with his last ounce of strength, Aeon binds it…and destroys the power…leaving Spyros to die as well. All three players in this tragedy are now dead; Aeon, Spyros, and Konohana."
"Alright; so this happened thousands of years ago…why does it matter today? And if this Ogre fella died so long ago…why was he around a couple of years ago?" Robbie asked.
"Ogre is not one being…the Ogre that we fought and our relatives before us Toshin were simply two of many…which, fortunately are dying quickly. This disk says that in order to 'invoke an Ogre' one with the darkness in one's heart has to harness the power of an Amenes power core. The Amenes city we found a couple of months ago was one that had been untouched by the Atlanteans…and if you'll remember, Heihachi had resurrected Ogre from the power source of another Amenes city a few years back." Julia said.
"So alright…he wants to bring Ogre back into being so badly but he's running out of options," Jamie debated. "Steve, Dimitri, Hwoarang, and Raven destroyed the power core a few months back, and Jin and Patrick killed that Ogre five years ago…seems Heihachi's gonna have a tough time finding another one."
"Not necessarily," Julia argued. "He found a more…metaphysical way to invoke an Ogre this time…"
"This has to do with the Ritual of Triumvarence right Julia?" Kazuya asked.
"Right, and this is where is gets strange…like I said before, these three; Aeon, Konohana, and Spyros are dead; Atlantis is sunk, and thousands die…but their…spirits live on…"
"What!" Almost everyone asked.
"The battle that broke about between the three of them, particularly between Aeon and Spyros is something that refuses to die…and over the thousands of years…three are always chosen to continue this fight." Julia said gently…looking down suddenly.
I think I know where this is going…
"Heihachi had originally thought that the three who were chosen to continue this fight were you Kazuya, Lee, and Jun…then, that fell through…next, he thought it might have been Jin, Hwoarang, and you Xiao…but once again, he was wrong and now its…"
"Julia," Mina began, looking as if she was going to be sick. "Don't…"
"It's me isn't it…" Jamie began hollowly. "Me…Grey…and…"
No one said anything, Mina only blanched.
"What…what happens…when we all fight?"
"Jamie…Mina…maybe you shouldn't…" Julia began.
"JUST TELL ME DAMMIT!" Jamie shouted with his eyes closed.
"…you…neither of you survive it Jamie…no one ever has…the spirits possess the body, and they fight to the death…and presumably…Ogre is spawned from that malice." Julia finished gently.
"…no…" Jamie shook his head defiantly.
"Jamie," Xiao soothed trying to put her hand on his shoulder.
"NO!" Jamie shouted, darting away. "NO! JUST DON'T…DON'T TOUCH ME…" He finished.
He chuckled ruefully and shook his head again, before rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair.
"Oh…shit…" He murmured. "Well…I'm not doing it…I won't do it…I'm not putting you guys, or Mina, or anyone in anymore danger." He said.
"Jamie…there must be a way…we've found one in the past and we'll do it again…we just need to," Mina began.
"No…I said I'm not doing this anymore," He looked up, and he felt hot tears roll down his cheeks. "I quit…I'm not doing this Nephilim thing anymore, you can find someone else to fight your demons and win your battles because I'VE HAD IT!"
Jamie walked to the wall and punched it…he barely exerted any force, and now, there was a neat little hole in the plaster.
And it made him angry.
He wanted to damage his body…he wanted to mangle it…he wanted to cut himself…he wanted to do something hazardous to it…but because he was a freak, he would heal too soon. He wanted to punch the wall until his hand was broken and keep punching until the delicate bones were shattered like tiny pieces of glass.
"I'm so sick of being a freak…I'm FUCKING SICK OF IT!"
"Jamie…you can't deny what you are…billions of people," Kazuya began.
"SHUT THE HELL UP KAZUYA! You don't know…you don't know…YOU KILLED ME ONCE!" Jamie roared…suddenly, he was racked again with sobs and he sat for a moment. "Kazuya," He almost whimpered. "I'm nineteen years old…I don't wanna die…"
Kazuya knew he should admonish him for acting so foolish…so selfish…for crying like a child…and yet, as he stared at Jamie's red, tear stained face, he realized…Jamie Parker was still a child…Jamie had been so brave…and now…now he had reached his wit's end…and, Kazuya, and everyone else in the room saw Jamie Parker at his weakest.
Mina was crying…and Robbie stormed over to the computer screen in front of a bewildered Julia.
"No…keep checking…there's more on here right? KEEP CHECKING!" He screamed.
"I mean; I just told my girlfriend that I wanted to have kids with her not twenty minutes ago…and now, I find out that not only am I going to die…BUT I'M TAKING HER WITH ME! Nuh-uh…this isn't flying…I'm not doing this."
Jamie began to storm out of the hotel room, people wondered where he was going but he didn't respond. He needed air…he needed something…his body felt too uncomfortable for him…and he walked…just walked, until he suddenly felt the balmy, late summer night air on his skin.
Carefully, Jamie weighed his options…he and Mina could go away…fly far away and never be seen again…they could go anywhere in the world and live happily ever after…this ritual couldn't be completed without the right people which meant…that if one of them were to die then…
And it occurred to him right then; if Jamie died then the ritual couldn't be completed…in fact, it seemed as if the world would be a much better place if he wasn't in it at all.
Suddenly, he looked around; he was outside the hotel now, and had wandered into an alley near the building…large buildings dominated the Tokyo skyline…how long had he been walking…how long had he been thinking.
Jamie was tired…so very…very tired…both physically and mentally, and the weight of the world began to crash heavily on him.
He couldn't go on…he couldn't do it anymore…this…this life he was leading was too hard…he'd tried hard, he'd given it a good run…but in the end…he'd failed.
Jamie felt as if he was watching himself do this from a corner…his eyes stared blankly at the broken beer bottle lying on the ground…and he watched himself gingerly, pick up a piece of the broken glass, and stretch his arm out.
The amber glass caught tonight's moon beautifully…and that's when Jamie realized it would be the last moon he'd ever see.
My life is one…long…night…oh well, I guess I really was supposed to die under the moon like all the Nephilim before me…
Soon another would be called…and it would be his cross to bear…for Jamie Parker simply couldn't do it anymore…he raised the glass to his wrist…and sliced it…praying…praying for the courage to press down.
And suddenly, he felt a punch to the face…he lay sprawled against the alley before he was picked up roughly, and jammed against the brick.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" The voice sounded angry, and the man's eyes flashed with pure rage.
"…Jin…"
"ANSWER ME!" He growled.
"…ending it…"
"WHAT!"
"ENDING IT!" Jamie screamed back.
Jamie struggled in Jin's grasp, but lacked the strength to wrest out of it.
"How selfish can you be?" Jin asked letting Jamie go.
"I already told Kazuya that…"
"No, not for the billions who depend on you; but for those who know you…for those who care for and love you."
"Jin…just go alright?"
"What, no clever retort? You mean to tell me that you stopped Devil, saved my father, saved me, saved the Successor Nephilim, defeated Jinpachi, and, oh yeah, killed hundreds of vampires and saved the world even before I met you; and you want to end it by cutting yourself in a back alley?"
"I'm just…" Jamie sputtered weakly.
"Look…I know its hard, but you've gotta be strong Jamie…you need to know that we're all here for you and that we'll figure a way around this…you know we will."
"I don't know," Jamie chuckled. "This one seems pretty airtight."
"We'll find a way…we always do…and if not then we'll…hide you until this ritual passes, but…just…have faith alright?" Jin asked.
Jamie thought it over for a moment before nodding his head. "You're right…and I'm…I'm sorry…I'm not normally prone to freak out like that."
"Hey, we all have our moments sometimes…and believe me, you're entitled…just…don't make a habit of it alright? As Hwoarang would say, I don't want you going all emo on me." Jin said.
"I…won't…and…Jin?"
"Yes?"
"Can we…keep how you found me…to ourselves?" Jamie asked.
Jin smiled. "Of course…don't worry, I'll just say you were…"
And suddenly Jin's smile twisted into a look of extreme agony…and Jamie saw.
-arrow protruding from his shoulder and oh…God-
Quickly, Jamie looked up just in time to see Grey standing atop the building with a crossbow in hand, he winked at Jamie before blowing a kiss, and leaving.
"JIN…JIN NO!" Jamie screamed.
He held his friend who shuddered in agony from the wound…Jin's skin turned pale suddenly, and Jamie, with his keen sense of smell, picked up the acrid odor of…
"Poison tipped arrow…" He murmured. "Oh…God…Jin…please…hold on…"