Chapter 7- Meditation

We spent the better part of the week trying to teach Kane meditation… We as in Adrian, Dante and I. It would be mid week before we found ourselves on a level field, Kane finally found his clarity and was taken into his own mind.

Naturally, we could follow him in there.

It started off being in the locker room, Kane was his own person once more and looked about with a smile on his face. "Finally, I'm free of him!" he said.

"No, you aren't" said Adrian.

Kane jumped. "How the hell can you be in my head?"

"I am a creature of darkness, it is my element, when your eyes closes you become part of it. Therefore, it is in my realm." Said Adrian.

Kane suddenly turned and stared at me oddly. "I hitched a ride."

Kane rolled his eyes. "Well if you are here, then where the hell is the other guy?"

"His name is Dante." I snapped to him.

"Fine, where is Dante?"

We began to search through the halls of Kane's mind. He is rather complex to say the least, the place was a maze and even Kane himself got lost within his own creation. But then, we heard a door creep open. It came from behind us, and it was within the locker room area still. Kane was the first to approach the door, but didn't dare to walk into the room. "It is open for a reason." Said Adrian.

Kane only glared at him as he crossed the threshold and into the room. We heard voices within. Kane and I went into the room slowly, Adrian followed. When we found the source, I don't think Kane even knew what to make of it.

Sitting in the locker room, having a drink were Dante and Kane's monster persona, mask and all. "I tell you, I don't understand what his deal is. I mean…" suddenly, Dante paused as he noticed us standing there. "Ah, look at what the suit dragged in."

"What the hell is this?" Kane demanded. "What are you doing talking to him?" his voice projected towards his own masked persona.

The other Kane stood up and stared at him oddly. "He gets me." Said the masked Kane. "He knows who I am and you don't, not anymore. And I heard you say to the others that you have me 'under control'. I don't think you really do. Dante there knows what I am about. We share a common interest in destruction."

"Within reason for me." Said Dante. "Bounded by a rule and all."

"Within reason, yes, I respect that. But you…" said the masked Kane as he began to poke Kane hard in the chest. "You don't get it anymore, you don't understand, you don't care, and you have lost sight of your inner strength. Therefore, I will not be there for you, not anymore."

Kane stood there, confused as ever. "Not be there for me? You are me!"

"Am I?"

"Gentlemen, please. Perhaps we need to settle this." Said Dante as he placed down his drink. The room began to turn and shift until I found myself standing on the outside of the ring. Inside were the two Kanes, one in a suit and the other in his wrestling gear. Dante stood in the middle as the referee. The suit Kane was shocked. "Wait, what the hell do you think you are doing?" he demanded.

"Proving a point!" said Dante.

I wish I could describe what it looks like to have a man beat himself up. It was no longer a figure of speech in my mind. Kane took a beating from his masked other half. Despite it all he tried to figure out how this was happening. Every time he was able to get himself up again, he thought of a way to fight back. But in thought he tried to pull memories from the monster he faced. Kane couldn't do it. Sooner than later the beatings took their toll and he could stand any longer. The Kane in the suit lay on his back and stared blankly to the ceiling. His monster persona circled him as Dante merely leaned back and watched. "Had enough?" asked Dante.

"I don't understand… I don't understand how I lost against myself." Said Kane.

"You take for granted what you have, and try to hide it and conform to the authority. I don't conform, I don't do what is best for business, and I don't wear a suit!" the masked Kane then backed down. Dante stepped up.

"Now, let's talk about what lies ahead of us. You and I are going to be working together, so we need to have an understanding right here and right now."

Kane slowly recovered as he stared at Dante bitterly. "And if I don't?"

"We outnumber you." Said the masked Kane.

"Oh really, what about Jacob Goodnight, he's in my head too! Or did you forget?"

Suddenly the masked Kane glared at Dante who tried to hide a smirk. "Oh… that was part of you? My, this is awkward."

Kane stood. "What is awkward?" he demanded.

"Check under the ring," muttered masked Kane.

I decided to save him a trip and looked myself. I wasn't the least bit surprised. Taking hold of the arm I pulled out the body of Jacob Goodnight from under the ring. He wasn't exactly dead, just drained of a lot of blood. Kane stared at the pale man before turning to Dante. "I got to eat too you know."

"Now then, about our arrangement," the masked Kane paused as he turned to Adrian and I. "Gentlemen this is no longer a public meeting place. I need you to leave."

I remember my body jolting, I woke once more in the physical world as did Adrian. He didn't wake with a jolt, his eyes opened gently. "He is far stronger than what he makes himself believe to be." He said.

We left Kane to discuss issues with his inner self and Dante, that alone took a great deal of the day, but by the end of it. An agreement was made.

It's time to make some noise!