Chapter XI – Rediscovery

Jin buried the Diamond WEAPON named Rena at the site of her death. As for the village, the flame died the instant Rena breathed her last breath. But the damage was done before the battle finale. There were no survivors and nearly nothing remained where the village used to stand. The prosperous adults, the laughing children, the chirping of friendly birds in the village became nothing but mere memories to the island.

Jin had to think to himself, had he not fallen from the portal unprepared, then would the village be spared from much suffering and loss? But it couldn't have been Jin's fault if what his new identity stood true, and if fate decided that Jin and Rena meet and square off. Nonetheless, one of Jin's most horrifying episodes came to a conclusion after those last words from Rena. As he washed his wounds in the isolated region, he took a deep look at himself using the reflection in the water. He stared and studied hard his face and his hands and everything. What has he known all his life and how has a few words shaped his new identity? He wanted to know so much but his only source at the moment he had just killed.

His desire to look for his friends diminished from top priority to almost nothing. Now, it was all about him and him only. Selfish? Yes, but if it meant to prevent genocide of island villagers or to prohibit unexpected explosions of attacks, then he definitely had to hide himself and control his newfound powers. The origin of his hidden power, now his identity, also made him want to research his biography by any means necessary.

Jin did not sleep a wink after the fight. He watched the stars shine and stared into the immortal space. He was spared death but only because he was desperate enough to dig deep into his origins and subconsciously call upon it for the sake of living. But he even started to fear himself and the only way to overcome it is to live and control it.

At sunrise, Jin strapped the Rainbow over his right shoulder and secured it. He took one more peek at the remains of the village and walked towards a rocky shore. He then remembered that when he first fell on to the island, he heard ocean waves. Jin realized that he was merely a few footsteps away from the cliff and that Rena purposely drugged him to lure him away from running away from their meeting. Clever, Jin thought, and it nearly worked. Rena knew who he was just by touching his forehead and had probably felt an uneasy magical circulation running in Jin's veins.

Jin reached the cliff and watched the ocean waves crash onto the rocky shore. Jin thought of jumping but wanted to spare any potential injury. Instead, he called upon his lightning serpent-bird Quetzalcoatl. Claps of thunder and flashes of lightning displayed in front of the sunny weather and the beast cried out. It lowered its elevation so that Jin can hop on and awaited its master's orders.

"Let's go," Jin said as Quetzalcoatl flapped its magnificent wings and released small jolts of electricity as a side effect. The two soared through the endless sky high above what the naked human eye can see. The summoned beast put up a small electric screen to enable Jin to breathe and not freeze above the atmosphere.

While riding on Quetzalcoatl's back, Jin could not help but to remember the last words that came out of Rena's mouth. What he learned during that fight was something he needed to ponder upon before coming out into the public and reuniting with his friends. He wanted to see Tessa, but not the way he was now. He was scared at what Tessa may think. He was scared at what Rena had said. He was scared ever since Rena had confessed that Jin is the Ultimate WEAPON.

-Fin-