Jack was running.
His muscles ached, his breathing was labored. He was exhausted.
Yet he kept running. He didn't even slow down.
Molach was less than pleased.
Turn back! he screamed inside Jack's head. Go back to those weaklings you called friends! Show them your power! MY POWER!
The more the evil spirit goaded him, the more determined Jack was to keep running.
He was terrified.
He didn't know what the strange voice inside him was or where it came from. All he knew was that it was growing harder and harder to resist, despite the fact that everything it was telling him went against all that he believed...all that he knew was right.
He had to stay away from his friends. He had to stay away from Kim. Indeed, he had to stay away from everyone. He didn't want to hurt anyone.
With that in mind, and the evil voice inside him growing louder by the moment, Jack could only think of one place to run.
When Molach realized the young man's intent, his rage increased a hundredfold.
******'******
Rudy and his students checked Jack's home first. There was no sign he'd been there. His parents were out of town for the week, which was probably for the best. As it might have been awkward to try explaining to them that their son was currently acting as a host for an ancient evil spirit.
"We should split up and search," Jerry suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."
"That might not be safe," Rudy said. "I don't want any of you facing him alone."
"Dude, he's one of my best friends. He's not going to hurt me."
"Jerry, I feel the same way," Milton interjected. "But...he hit Kim."
There was a long pause from them all after that, for no other words were needed. They all realized that if Molach could make Jack attack Kim, then none of them were safe.
Still, if they wanted to help Jack, they needed to find him as soon as possible.
"Let's at least split up into two groups," Kim suggested.
After some brief discussion, it was decided that Kim, Jerry and Alex would go in one direction while Rudy, Milton and Harper would go the other. Rudy placed Jerry with Kim because he was the most capable fighter among them, not counting Rudy or Kim herself. Alex and Harper were somewhat reluctant to be split up, but there was a certain logic to it. Each of them knew more about Molach than everyone else, so they could each serve as the 'magic expert' for their respective group.
Of course, Harper didn't feel that she was much of an expert, but Alex did appreciate the fact that if Harper was with Rudy's group, she'd be with the most skilled fighter of them all. She trusted that the sensei would do his utmost to protect her best friend.
Thus, the search for Jack continued.
******'******
Jack finally collapsed to his knees as he neared the edge of the overlook.
The night was clear, so the view was especially magnificent. The Pacific Ocean, under a sky filled with stars...air and water laid out before him and meeting at the distant horizon. A spectacular sight, with an equally impressive soundtrack to accompany it. The sound of the waves crashing into the cliff-side's base far below.
Molach, despite his growing strength and rage, felt his influence on the human slip lower and lower. It couldn't be helped. Not with this sight before Jack's eyes. It was too similar to the other nights he'd come up here. The nights he and Kim had spent here together.
The nights they'd talked, and the nights they hadn't. The nights when it had just been enough to sit together in silence and watch the stars.
That one special night when they'd neither talked nor watched the stars.
STOP THIS! Molach lashed out. I WILL NOT BE DENIED!
Jack felt it of course. He still didn't understand what it was, but he felt the rage and the hate coursing thru him...threatening to overwhelm him.
Yet for all that, the same images kept appearing in his mind's eye. Images of a beautiful face with brown eyes and golden hair. So many images of that face smiling at him...and one specific image of that same face, not smiling but confused...an instant before his fist crashed into her.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?!" his cry rang out into the night...sounding more like the pained howl of a dying animal than a man.
Anyone who truly knew Jack knew that he had the heart of a warrior. He did not believe in surrender. He did not quit. Certainly he would never yield when fighting for something he believed in.
So for him to have come to this place, with only one plan in mind...this was a clear indication of how close to beaten his spirit was.
Still, he would not quit.
He would not hurt anyone. He would not hurt Kim.
This was what he told himself as he dug his fingers into the ground and began crawling forward...fighting every inch of the way as Molach tried to take control and turn him aside.
Crawling towards the edge of the overlook and its long, long drop to the rocks below.
******'******
They'd checked all the obvious places on their list already, and Rudy, Milton and Harper felt more and more hopeless with every moment that passed.
"Maybe the others have had some luck," Harper said in a futile effort to raise their morale. She knew as well as anyone that if Kim, Alex and Jerry had found something, they would have called or texted them at once.
"Let's go back to the dojo," Milton suggested. "Maybe he came back."
"We can at least check there," Rudy said in a heavy tone. "Before we think of somewhere else to look."
They were all weary in spirit, which was natural given the seriousness of the situation, but Harper had been most struck by how Rudy had been affected. She and Alex hadn't known the sensei as long as the others of course, and she had no doubt that his young students knew him far better than she, but in the past month she had always noted a certain lightheartedness in the man. He had an energetic, almost whimsical quality that never seemed far from the surface.
Yet now, there was no sign of that part of himself. Not even a trace. Instead, there was just worry and sadness.
As they journeyed back to the dojo, Harper fell in step besides Rudy.
"We'll find a way to save Jack," she said.
When he turned to look at her, she saw the briefest flash in his eyes. A desperate look aimed at her, begging her to convince him that what she'd said was true. That look vanished quickly however, and in its place came a different but just as clear message.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "But don't worry about comforting me right now. Jack is our first priority."
"He means a lot to you," she replied. "They all do."
He waited a moment before responding. "I love these kids. I've watched them grow up so much...in just a few years."
Harper had no doubt of the man's sincerity. "That's part of why you were so upset before, when you thought Jack might have been abusing Kim..." As soon as the words left her mouth Harper wished she could have taken them back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."
"It's okay," he said. "And we know that's not the problem now."
"May I ask you something?" Her words were hesitant. "It might be painful to talk about."
"Go ahead."
"You know your students so well...but you really believed that it was possible for Jack to be abusing Kim. It's hard for me to-"
"To understand," he finished the sentence for her. "I don't blame you. That's the problem with a lot of abusive relationships."
"You can really be that close to two people when one is hurting the other, and not see it until it's too late?"
"That's exactly what happened with my sister," he replied. "If you don't see the actual violence with your own eyes." He shook his head. "Sometimes even then. I've read a lot about domestic abuse over the years. Sometimes family and friends will see signs and be in denial themselves...not because they're trying to excuse abuse...but because they literally can't believe that someone they know and care about would be capable of doing something so horrible."
"So victims can convince themselves that nothing bad is happening," Harper responded. "Abusers can convince themselves that nothing bad is happening, and the people closest to them can convince themselves too?"
"Yes. Not in all cases, but yes. That's what is so insidious about it." He looked at Harper. "Like I said before, if you ever have any concerns for yourself or someone you know, seek help. Talk to someone. Talk to me if you want. Just don't ignore it. Promise me that."
"I promise."
******'******
YOU WILL NOT ROB ME OF THIS BODY! Molach screamed.
The evil spirit was growing stronger by the minute, but still could not overpower Jack directly. Though, he'd managed to slow the young man's progress enough that Jack had not yet reached the edge of the overlook.
If Jack did succeed in killing himself, Molach would not be harmed...but all the strength that he'd gathered since entering the human's body would be scattered to the winds. He'd be reduced to the same weakened state that he'd been when first escaping the amulet, and would have to find a new body to enter while re-gathering his power.
The problem was...after so many centuries of being trapped, Molach was rather short on patience.
Fortunately for the cruel entity, he had a few factors working in his favor. Jack may have been insufferably noble, and willing to sacrifice himself to prevent harm to his friends, but he was as far from the suicidal type as a person could be. His current actions were born out of desperation and the inability to formulate any alternate ideas with so much of his mind and soul preoccupied with resisting Molach.
Listen to me, the evil spirit reached out, no longer forcing. You are in control. I am you. Do not fight me. I am you.
"You're evil!" Jack spat out with as much defiance as he could muster.
No, you misunderstand. You did strike out blindly...and hurt your precious Kim...but that was an accident. You are not to blame.
The sudden change in tactics took Jack off guard. The unrelenting pressure he'd been feeling had finally lessened, giving him a much needed respite, but his confusion was even greater now.
"What are you?"
I am you. We are one.
"I'm not listening to you!"
Please...please...you are confused. You don't see who is to blame.
Desperate for answers, Jack dared a question. "Who is to blame?"
If Molach could have smiled at that moment, he would have.
Don't you see? You were betrayed by the one you trusted. The one who should have taught you. Your sensei.
"NO!" Jack's defiance roared back.
Molach nearly lost his temper at the human's loyalty to his teacher, but continued on with the gambit.
He didn't teach you properly. Shin-du, the one technique he used to defeat you...he keeps it from you.
"No," Jack insisted. "He is teaching me. I-I just haven't...gotten it yet."
When have you ever failed at learning a technique? It's not you. It's him. Rudy is sabotaging you.
"He'd never do that!"
He keeps the shin-du from you so you cannot surpass him. Then he taught it to Kim...to trick you...to make you jealous. To make you strike her. He wanted you to hurt Kim. Rudy is to blame.
"STOP IT!" Jack cried out. "That's not true!"
Rudy is to blame, Molach repeated. Rudy...Rudy...Rudy...
Jack's resistance continued even as the evil spirit kept up his accusations. Molach began to worry that his ploy was a failure, but suddenly Jack's entire demeanor shifted.
"Yeah...Rudy," he said simply. "Rudy. Yes."
Molach grew excited. Yes. He is to blame. Go to him. Punish him!
"Yes," Jack repeated as he lowered his resistance, allowing Molach to ease his exhaustion and take some control of his limbs. "I'll go to him."
Finally! Molach thought with glee. Finally...progress!
******'******
Back at the dojo. Rudy, Milton and Harper found that Kim, Jerry and Alex had also returned to regroup, having fared no better in their search for Jack.
They all decided not set out again without first trying to think of a better way to find their friend. However, fate would decree that no new strategy would be needed.
For Jack, with Molach guiding his steps, soon returned.
To be continued...
author's note: I had a tough week so I didn't get this posted as quickly as I'd liked. Hope to get the next chapter out before the weekend (if things go my way). Thank you very much to the reviewers. Everyone please let me know what you think of the story so far.