Shooting till he emptied the magazine, Jake figured Marcus got at least half of the clip with loaded bullets.
Staring at his bleeding chest and stomach, "Humph," he said, "that hurt less then I thought it would," staring back up at Jake with smile on his face, "Did you even bother to charge those bullets, or did you just fell that you could kill me like any other normal human? Any normal human like before."
Jake growled at his remark.
Widening his smile, "Oh yes, didn't you once exile yourself after the slaughter of Batur. Three million people dead in twelve hours. That would have been excellent work by demon's standard," approaching Jake, "we all have had blood spilled by our hands. I, myself have killed a number of people to reach where I am today. And yet, people call us monsters."
Smiling at him, "A beautiful woman once said, 'We all have that beast inside us, and its when we let it out that decides whether we are man, or beast," letting his claws slowly slid out, "Back then I would have called myself a beast without a doubt. But I never wanted to hurt people. I call myself a man now, because I fight for something other then myself."
Rushing forward, Jake sliced empty air.
Smiling again, "Well, I guess we should both see our hands."
Fire erupted around his body. Slowly he grew. His sacrificial robes burning away. His skin underneath began to redden. Emerging from his flesh, a black armor took form. It was the same as that minion Jake, Hazara, and Altair fought. The skull mask that appeared on his face, the black armor were both the same. A fire remained around his hand as a knife appeared in his hand.
Bringing up the knife to a fighting stance, "Now, the fight we have been waiting for is upon us. Only one will walk away alive."
"And one won't, and it ain't going to be my body going cold," growled Jake leaping towards him a second time.
Trading blows for what felt like ages only been five minutes, Jake swiped with his left claw which Marcus blocked with the knife. Jake lunged with a downward cut which got blocked by Marcus's arm guard. Marcus stabbed with the knife which Jake jump back. When his feet hit the ground, Jake lunged again stabbing him in the stomach. Marcus returned the favor by stabbing Jake's stomach with his knife. Staring into each other's eyes. Jake saw Marcus's fiery passion for this fight while he saw Jake's cold compassion for killing him.
"No matter what you try. You will only hurt yourself."
Pain shot through Jake when Marcus impaled him with the knife. Pulling his claws out of Marcus, Jake fell back against the wall. Taking deep breaths as Jake healing factor worked on his wounds and removing whatever pain he was in.
Staring at his own wound which closed up, "A nice trick with this knife," playing with his knife, "I call it my Soul Thief Knife. Takes your soul and heals any wounds inflicted on my person."
"Ok, maybe my luck wasn't as good as I thought it would be," thought Jake.
Jake had to worry about that freaking knife. Keeping his distance, Jake needed a new plan of attack. Marcus brought up his free hand, summoning a fireball. He gave an evil grin, the kind Jake started getting sick of seeing.
"You're beginning to become a bore. Might as well finish you off without to much more pain." launching the fireball at Jake.
Ready for the pain by standing straight, Jake never backed down before. He wasn't going to start now. The fireball stopped less then an inch from Jake's face. Stopped by a black aura. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a pale Raven chanting slowly from the loss of blood. She was his backup.
Giving his own grin, "Looks like my luck has finally changed. Marcus, time to die."
Rushing forward, they went back to trading blows. Jake kept an eye on Marcus's knife. Whenever Jake got cut, it hurt like Jake had an entire limb cut off. His healing factor got to it, however the pain was still slowing him down. Marcus was taunting him knowing that his knife was taking a lot out of Jake. Jake took a breath in the middle of the room. Standing with his back against the window, Marcus grinned like an idiot.
"You won't beat me, Jake," said Marcus.
"My friends call me, Jake. Everyone else calls me, Gunslinger."
Rushing forward, he grabbed his pistol sheathing the claws on his right hand. Rushing at Marcus stood there, letting Jake's attack play out. Tackling him and Jake through the window. Using his right hand claw to pin him to Marcus, Jake used the butt of his pistol to smash Marcus's face. Struggling against Jake, Marcus pushed him away during their free fall.
Smiling, fire erupted from his back forming into wings. Doing a mock salute, Marcus flew back up into the room they just crashed out from.
Slamming his claw into the tower causing Jake to screamed as the momentum tried ripping his claw out of his arm. Holstering his pistol into his pants waistband, the other claw unleashed and slammed into the building. The drag slowed him down. Pressing his boots against the wall; it slowed hum down even faster.
Stopping about three quarters of the way down, he stared up at the window. Growling at the thought of being beat by this loser, he reared back his right fist and force his claw through the glass. Jumping through the now broken window, he hit the ground running, reloading the pistol with his one spare.
After the non-stop running up countless stairs, Jake reached the main room to witness Marcus giving, 'I have won, and now you will die' speech.
Rubbing Ravens face with his demonic hand, "There is no one left dear Raven. Soon your father will be free, and you will be cast into the pits of hell for all demon kind to enjoy."
Hearing enough, Jake aimed his gun charging a round. Charged round went flying slamming into the back of Marcus's knee.
"AAAUGGGGHHH," turning to see a smiling Jake, "WHY WON'T YOU GIVE UP?"
"Cause you got my girlfriend," said Jake sending another round flying while stepping forward.
Charging at Jake, Marcus embedded the soul knife into Jake's chest. Unsheathing his claws, Jake's left hand stabbing Marcus's knife arm while Jake's other claw embedded into Marcus's throat. Marcus's eyes opened wide as he pulled more of Jake's energy through his knife.
Feeling the pain, Jake continued forward focusing his entire healing factor on his chest wound even pulling energy from old wounds.
Scars of hundreds of slashes and bullets wounds covered Jake's skin, revealing more by the second.
Through the pain, "This is why I am a man, I suffer so others don't. This is why I never back down from a fight. THIS IS WHY I WONT LOSE," pulling his claw from Marcus's his arm through, tearing it from the limb.
Kicking Marcus back with his foot, Jake pulled his claw from Marcus's throat. Collapsing, he saw Marcus was on the floor. Couldn't tell if he was dead, but he won't get up anytime soon. Barely standing up, that knife drained Jake more then he thought.
Stumbling over to the cross, he secured his arm around Raven's waist, he cut her bounds carefully catching her. Pulling her towards the counter, he placed her onto the counter. Finally collapsing, he leaned against it.
Not knowing if she could hear him, "It's over angel, rest easy," whispering in her ear, "The nightmares are over."
