Author's Note: Here we are once more, with the latest installment of Into the Night. I hope you all enjoy. Drop me a review if you like.


Into The Night

Chapter Three: The Confrontation


Ling Xiaoyu and Asuka Kazama.

Nearly inseperable childhood friends.

The targets of an attack by a force known only to me.

Through my ignorance, I placed them in danger.

Now, it's up to me to get them out of it.


"Attack!"

The JACK hordes surged forward towards the group of four. Ghost nailed a handful of JACKs before a single powerful swipe sent his guns flying out of his hands. Ducking beneath the powerful mechanized arm, he sent his right elbow and then his left fist crashing into the JACK's circuitry, sending him flying back into another, smashing it. He then ducked below another swing and crushed a JACK's chestplate with an uppercut, stepping to the side as the JACK fell and several more stepped forward to take its place. Ghost drew the short, thin sword that was sheathed at his waist and whirled through the JACKs, scything through them with fluid, killing strokes. This went on for several minutes, with JACKs falling in droves, until Ghost let down his guard for one fatal second, letting a JACK smash its fist into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The JACK then lifted him up and threw him down into the pavement. Ghost groaned painfully and struggled to get up, but a JACK stomped on his back, the heavy mechanized leg driving him into the pavement. With a soft groan, he went limp.

Jin was busy trying to hold his own with a trio of JACKs, kicking one deftly in the side before giving it a roundhouse kick to the head, knocking it back. The two other JACKs grabbed his arms and held him down while another punched him repeatedly in the face. Jin jumped up and kicked the JACK in front of him back, before slamming the two holding him into each other. As the two JACKs sunk to the ground, beaten, Jin whirled around with a swift kick to the third's head, effectively decapitating it. Gathering his resolve, he fought on.

Meanwhile, Ling and Asuka were surrounded by the small army of JACKs. Using their fluid grace and speed to their advantage, they dispatched several of the JACKs before they were both caught off guard. Two JACKs each held them down, and they squirmed in their grasp. Scarlette held her knife near Ling's throat, tipping up her chin.

"Not so tough now, are we, darling?"

Asuka yelled at the woman, still struggling to break free of the JACKs' grasp.

"Hey! Don't you talk to my friend like that!"

Scarlette smiled, laughing quietly before she turned to Asuka.

"Or what? What will you do?"

Suddenly, Jin's voice cut through the air.

"Let them go."

Scarlette smirked, gesturing to the remaining JACK forces and turning towards Jin.

"So it's you, Jin Kazama. You're the one Ghost has been looking for all this time. I can't believe that fool honestly thinks he would be able to save you. He thought he would be able to finally tell you the truth, why my master's been hunting you down for so long. But I don't suppose it matters now, does it?"

Jin paused, glaring at the woman.

"I don't care about that shit. I don't care about you, or why your 'master' has been looking for me. It doesn't matter to me. I'm only here for my friends. Now let them go."

Scarlette smirked.

"Or what?"

Jin growled.

"…This."

Jin's eyes burned with the devil's flames as the devil gene took over, the symbol inscribing itself on his chest, raven-black wings sprouting from his back and horns growing out of his head as he roared, spreading his wings and letting the sheer magnitude of his power send the rest of the JACKs flying back, obliterated. Ghost groaned and got up, watching Devil Jin's confrontation with Scarlette. Ling and Asuka could only watch, speechless, as Jin's power reached its peak. Devil Jin surged forward, shrouded in a mass of dark energy. Scarlette smirked, floating backwards, dodging each of Devil Jin's attacks and countering with her own, quick jabs with her knives that left bloody marks on his arms and torso. With an evil cackle, Scarlette held her knives together, charging in them the power of demonic flame. As Devil Jin charged towards her, she unleashed the flames upon him, consuming him in the black flames of hate. Roaring angrily, he flailed about, before the flames died out, and he fell to the ground, subdued. Scarlette cackled gleefully as she stepped onto the ground, walking towards the fallen Jin.

"Is that all, Jin? Is that all you can muster? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Ghost had so much faith in you. He thought you three were the ones who could save us all from the darkness. But he was wrong. The darkness is already here. It's only a matter of time before it consumes everyone and everything. This world belongs to my Master now…but first…"

Scarlette turned to the exhausted Ling and Asuka, who were sitting on the ground, exhausted from the encounter.

"…I think I'll have some fun."

Sheathing one of her knives, Scarlette picked Asuka up by the throat. She struggled weakly, but she was too exhausted to put up much of a fight.

"How shall I kill you, hmmm? Should I slit your throat and let you choke on your own blood? Or shall I take my time, and mutilate your pathetic soul?"

Scarlette threw Asuka down onto the pavement before she could start choking, and she could only watch helplessly while Ling was picked up and held by the throat as well. Scarlette cackled evilly as she choked the life out of Ling, throwing her onto the ground when she was finished. Asuka gasped as she saw Ling's limp form thrown to the ground, but her fatigue was too much. She couldn't fight anymore. Scarlette whirled around to look down at her, and she smirked.

"You're next."

Out of nowhere, a voice rang out.

"I don't think so."

In a flash, Ghost was beside Scarlette, his sword drawn. Scarlette gasped as she felt the blood slowly trickle down her back. Falling to her knees, she cried out with all her might.

"It's over! Kill them! Kill them all!"

Ghost swiftly lopped off her head, but it was too late. Just as her blood began to stain the ground, he could hear the other JACK battalions moving into position around them. Asuka weakly looked up at Ghost, who was just as fatigued as she was.

"It's over, man. What do we do now?"

Ghost looked down at Asuka, offering her a weak smile.

"Don't give up just yet, Asuka. Hope yet remains. But for now, just sleep. I'll handle this."

Asuka knew it didn't make sense, but her body was too weak to respond. Sleep certainly did sound good. Asuka struggled to stay awake while Ghost closed his eyes, and looked up, a single ray of light shining down upon him from the heavens.

"Light of Ancients, come unto me."

Just as Ghost was consumed by a column of golden light, Asuka drifted off into a deep sleep. The last thing she would remember from that night would be the sound of a beautiful, angelic melody and the welcoming sight of white-feathered wings.


Author's Note: And that's that.I hope you enjoyed this one. Drop me a review if you like. The next chapter might take a bit longer for me to write, but rest assured, you'll see it soon. Thanks for reading!