Disclaimers: I do not own anything out of Resident Evil. All of the contents belongs to Capcom.

Chapter XXV: Revelation

'All I ever wanted was... her.' - Jake Wesker

"Jake..."

She could barely breathe through her lungs, every inhale of air felt like combusting her inner organs. All that she knew that she was lying down somewhere...dark, on a cold, solid hard surface. Her lids were half-opened, but she couldn't see a thing in the pitch-black, there was not even a window in where she was currently in. Her throat felt hoarse and dry, and her mouth reeks of some kind of chemical she couldn't comprehend what it was.

With all the inner strength she could muster, Sherry tried lifting any of her limbs. It felt like she was burden with tonnes of weight that she could hardly feel her arms, all she knew was that she was lying on her side, her arms dangling of the edge where she was laying. Each slight movement felt like a thousand needles pinning onto her skin.

She thought it must be miracle that she could still be alive.

'Where am I?'

She felt absolutely horrible. Everywhere.

All she could recall herself was the last thing before she was plunged into this torment, she had met with the King.

Turns out that he was the person who had ruined her life. Who banished her family away from her. Who made her felt like living hell.

He had fed her with some kind of venom, or chemical or whatever it was.

She felt miserable. And painful.

She wanted someone to come and save her from all she was now.

"Jake—" She called for him repeatedly, "—help me."

A tear of agony slid down as she slipped into darkness again.

Raccoonia Castle

"Wesker!"

He exerted all his might to break the door down with a single kick, Chris was the one stepping into the hall followed closely by Jake and Leon. And Albert looked at them indifferently like he had long expecting for their arrival. The King kept his hands folded behind himself, paying no attention to the intruders.

Albert was not the same man that Jake knew, "Wong was right... But I'm quite surprised that it would be you to learn of the truth, Redfield..." He flashed a grin, "And I see that you had influenced my son and Kennedy into your cause too."

Jake beat Chris out to a punch, "Cut the crap, dad! Where is Sherry?!"

"I am disappointed, my son. Even in this time when your dear old father is about to lose his life, you still have to worry about a woman - who will soon ruin your life?"

"You ruined her life in the first place." Jake stated coldly, "And she was the one changed me for the better."

A sarcastic smirk on Albert's face as he now turned to see his offenders. His eyes were colder than ice, glaring at the three men that will soon burn a hole to them, "Better, you said? Disobeying your own father, is that better?"

"Enough said, Wesker! Tell us where Sherry is!"

The shout from Redfield threatened Albert not even a bit. His gaze was still icy, the flare he was emitting had not slackened, "You- Redfield. From the very first day you joined the knighthood, you had been turning against me! Now even my son!" The accusation followed quickly by Albert drawing out his Samurai Edge and pointed his hilt to said man.

In turn, the three opposition drew their own too.

"You can't take us with your own, Albert! Surrender yourself!" Chris egged. Only for Albert to smirk as his response.

"No. Not exactly alone," His golden-red eyes flickered to the youngest man, "Jake, I am now giving you a chance. Would you join me to become the future King of Raccoonia or would you rather die in the hands of these traitors?"

Now the Prince pursed his lips into a very fine line.

"You are the traitor, father."

And he drew his sword against his kin.

"If that will be your choice..."

A snap of Albert's fingers and Jake heard the distinctive roar of Leon and Chris behind him.

And the screeching sound of blade against blade.

Jake had turned to his blade just in time to see that Chris and Leon were defending themselves from two other men - whom Jake had not familiar with any of them; the blades were so close to Redfield's and Kennedy's throat, indicating that it was a preemptive attack for the two. All four men were tied in a deadlock until Jake decided to lend a hand.

About to.

One hand lunged forward directly to Jake's throat and slammed said man to the ground. To counter that, Jake kicked his hostile by the stomach and flipped themselves so that the grip loosen on his neck.

Looks like Albert Wesker was going to join in the fray.

"Hunk, Vector." Wesker said, flashing a deadly glare to Jake, "Kill them."

By exerting every strength they had, Chris and Leon had barely turned the tables when they pushed Hunk and Vector out from the deadlock. The assassin moved quick, chaining another series of knife play that the generals evaded by jumping backwards. Even Chris was impressed by the finesse these assassins showed.

He had never seen them before, if ever. Who were they?

They only know that they must kill each other.

Meanwhile, Jake knew apparently well of who he should be battling with. Rolling up from the ground, Jake put his sword to his front to deflect another attack from his father. Tugging his weight forward, Jake took advantage of the opening by yanking his right hand down to his father's, hoping to disarm him. But Albert's hands were firm to his Samurai Edge and parried the attack.

Jake narrowly missed the attack by his nimble movement to his left.

"Twenty years ago, when Spencer was too ill to even stand on his own. Every Senators urged him to do what he must do before it is too late: to choose the next King to rule the kingdom."

Now they both stood, staring at each other with spear-point eyes. Neither blinked as Albert began his story.

"Spencer struggled to sit on the throne, in front of all his loyal Senators and us knights when he announced only three names worthy of the throne: William Birkin, my brother, Alex Wesker... and me."

Even with the sound of steel clashing behind them, it was thoroughly ignored as Albert swiftly charged head front to his son and thrust his Samurai Edge to the belly. Jake missed it - only barely - when he twisted himself out of the way and it pierced his skin thinly. With one hand, Jake made an upward slash to remove his father from his flank. Warm blood trickled down his clothing and Jake was not surprised, the determination residing in his father's golden eyes proved just how eager he wanted to cut down his only son for turning against him.

But now it was his turn for the offense.

With his weapon in hand, Jake propelled the strength of both his arms and slammed them directly to Albert. The latter swayed to his side in time and proceeded with a horizontal slice. Jake anticipated his move and ducked; when his blade rise again to slice through Albert's torso only slightly before The King kicked his son away on the face.

Grey residues now on Jake's cheek, they came to a mutual stand again as Albert resumed, "It was Spencer's own feeble mind that cost the life of two men I put my trust in - my best friend and my own brother - and Spencer's very own life. It was one midnight when I overheard a conversation he had with William and Alex—"

Seeing through Albert's once again sudden strike, Jake fortified his own defense when his blade blocked Albert's, creating fiery sparks on the contact. Now in stalemate, The King did not miss his chance to confess, "—it turned out that the dying old man had no intention at all to choose me... it was just a ruse to appeal the subject. He admitted that there was only two men all along in his mind and I was not one of them." Now, the older Wesker was spiteful, with one push, Jake was kicked out from the lock and Albert swished his single-edged sword down.

The Samurai Edge bled of Jake's blood when the Prince screamed in agony. Stepping backward, Jake held onto his bleeding left forearm, his clothes torn where crimson seeping out of the two inches deep wound. He recovered soon, blindingly spearing his father with the tip which Albert avoided easily.

"I was supposed to be the King. Only I am fit enough to bring prosperity and order to the people."

And sending another wound to Jake's collection.

Jake groaned in pain at the new gush of blood from along his back.

It was made clear to him that Jake was a good fighter, but Albert was better.

"In order to achieve that goal. I schemed with Simmons to eliminate William and Alex from taking my throne. Alex was the first I brought down... I killed my brother with my very own hands. And I sent Hunk and Vector after William."

Jake climb to his feet later on, convincing himself that he was far from over.

"Soon after my plans were executed, I paid one last visit to King Spencer. It was midnight, thunder roared out the window and my Samurai Edge sees to it that Spencer drew his last breath." Now the King chuckled, "Funny how every time one died, it will be a rainy midnight... Just like how my assassins discovered Annette in her hiding place."

"You killed Sherry's parents..." The young Wesker sneered despite the burning pain on his arm and back, "I'll avenge them for her."

The light burning in the young man now mirrored his father's: The hunger to kill the opposition. The twenty-four avenged himself first when he leapt to his side from Albert's oncoming thrust. Sword swishing diagonally, Albert grimaced on the pain from his side.

Even before Albert could determine his next movement, the next thing was that Jake hacked his blade to him. Albert did not falter, his feet danced to the side to counter the attack but his blade now find itself colliding with Jake's again instead of his flesh.

Triangles of sword exchanged. Violent red sprayed in the air. The sparks happened again and again. The holes on the carpet grew in numbers from where their blades hit the ground with every strike.

And now, so did the number of injuries each sustained.

Their steels now bathed in the blood of their victims.

Bloodied and battered, Jake panted for air after the trio of slashes that threw Albert out from his striking range. While the younger Wesker now became senseless of everything in his surrounding, the older Wesker was calm and collected. While Gabrielle's son was soaked in his own blood and sweat, Albert was only in the former - he barely broke a sweat from the fight.

So far, Albert was in a better condition than Jake, even with all the crimson morbid patterns marked all over his clothes and flesh.

"My son," The father said, drawing his sword yet again, "I can see this is no longer a do or die situation."

"Damn right." The son replied with a vicious smirk, nothing can bring him down - not when Sherry was now in danger.

"It's either killed or be killed."

Everything passed by in a blur. The tornado of four men and weaponry brought damage to the luxurious hall in its wake.

In a roar, Chris plummeted his Samurai Edge to the opposition's twin daggers. The force overpowering the smaller steel causing the nimble assassin known as Vector to roll aside from danger and back on his feet. Leon showed no weakness too as his feet outstretched to a lightning fast roundhouse kick that even out Hunk's remarkable brawn.

While Chris and Leon had vast amount of experiences on their sleeves, Hunk and Vector chose to fight smart. Hunk's gear were of the best a militia could afford while Vector choose to wear only light armor to maximize his movements. And they used tactics to bring down Chris and Leon's defenses very quickly, slicing off straps of armor and constantly switching opponents to fool the Generals. But neither sides falter as the battle went on and on.

They felt like they had fought for a whole day when reality, it had only been a few minutes exchanging edges. A minuscule smirk on the corner on Redfield's lips, him as the Grand General of Raccoonia would have trouble against one man must have meant something, but he had absolute confidence that he could bring down Vector somehow. While Kennedy's agility was the one becoming Hunk's problem to bring the General down despite having an excellent physique.

The Raccoonian were panting for air on the short pause, although they couldn't tell if the assassins were tire out too, their masks blocked that. Both sides had lost count of the injuries etched on their bodies, the acute pain on the gushing wounds had long forgotten. Yet their grip onto the hilt of their armament had not loosen, unless any of them loss their lives.

They were now in their original position when the fight first started.

Standing beside his loyal teammate, Hunk knew that something must be done or they would be in a big disadvantage. "We need to end this. Now." He whispered. The younger assassins nodded to the suggestion and both back flipped to maintain a distance from the Raccoonian knights. Vector and Hunk extended their legs simultaneously, their daggers drawing circles on the air like what the beginning of a sword dance might be. Their stances intimidating, but Chris and Leon knew that their teamwork was far better than these two unknown people.

"I think this is their killer moves or something, Chris." Leon's dual swords, Dual Wings prepared for the incoming attack.

A grunt, and the huge double-edged Samurai Edge was lifted off the ground, "Be ready, we can counter them and strike them down."

Unlike a charge attack they had anticipated, Leon and Chris had only split second to realize the danger they were in when the assassins pulled the robes aside to reveal an arsenal of throwing knives concealed within them. That explained a lot of why of all the little daggers Chris shattered to be replaced by a new one on the next instant.

"Shit!" They cursed, each jumping to either side when the first blade pierced through the air. The missed knives ended sticking upright to the wooden arc on the hall, Hunk and Vector were relentless. Their speed of drawing a knife and throwing them were so incredible that a staggering flurry was formed.

Redfield's side was faltering but they were doing their best to even the odds somehow. In one swift roll, Leon snatched one of he many littered throwing knife and send it back to its owner. It was only a brief moment when Vector deflected the blade that Leon got the chance to jump on his feet. Chris was unlucky though, one of Hunk's knife got him on the thigh where his armor was cracked. Only a moment to cry his anguish when the cold steel buried deep in his flesh that Chris had to act fast again, blocking out the incoming knife with his long blade.

They were only lucky that Jake was kind enough to push Albert aside for a second and slashed at Hunk's arm so that their wave were interrupted. Only then he returned his attention back to his father.

Caught in the disarray, Chris and Leon took it as an opportunity to bring down the men.

Until, one arrow pierced through Vector's chest that everything stopped.

Even Jake and Albert had to stop at the sudden attack.

Only a second after Vector, another arrow pierced through Hunk on the same spot as well. Impressively, neither staggered even with an arrow on their chests, their feet remained steady on the ground as they located their assailant.

"Ada Wong."

Albert Wesker gritted between teeth toward the woman in red, sitting at the arch on the ceiling with her feet dangling off the edges.

She smiled flirtatiously, waving her crossbow at Wesker's underlings.

It was only then that the two men collapsed to their knees of all of a sudden. They held onto the iron arrow in agony, trying to pull the metal out but they soon realized they were too late when they felt a killing effect spreading through their veins.

Poisoned arrow.

"Damn you, woman!" Albert's Wesker voiced his anger through the hall as the two of his most trusted assassins succumbed to the venom injected by Ada. Chris and Leon somewhat believed that if it weren't for Ada Wong's sudden appearance, they could possibly lose a limb by the end of the day. Hunk and Vector were both ferocious opponents in terms of a fight.

To say it simply, she saved them.

The tip of Albert's steel was pointed at the woman above them all, full of resentment that the woman ruined his plan and to kill his two best men. And providing his son a chance for the Generals to outnumber himself. She watched indifferently even with the deadly glare that Wesker threw at her, so eager to have her dead but she knew better that the helpless man could do nothing now, not when he had Chris Redfield and Leon Scott Kennedy on him. And Jake Muller Wesker too.

"I suppose it was your plan all along for all men to turn against me, am I right, Wong?" He asked, the mahogany hilt in his hand firm in his grip.

She shook her head, "Not really what I expected, but I have to admit that it was far better than I had anticipated. It is safe to assume that this will be the last time I call you' your Majesty', Albert?"

"You—

"You had nothing left now, and I am pretty sure you're gonna have so much trouble with a capital crime hanging on your neck: murdering the King, assassinating two men and a woman, and worst of all, impersonating the King."

Albert's stare became blank as soon as Ada finished pointing out his guilt, he denied none of them, it was what he confessed to his son earlier on. Slowly, very slowly his golden eyes dropped to where the three men having their weapons rise against him. To top with his own injury with his encounter with Jake earlier, Albert somewhat could tell what the outcome might be if he decided to fight back.

Knowing that his father had lost the spirit to fight, Jake knew that it was the time for him to persuade his father. "Give it up, dad. You got nowhere left to go! Tell us where Sherry is and I promise that we can spare you."

The preposition was quite appealing actually, Albert thought. But spare him? What would it be from then on? He laughed innerly when he knew that he will have a better fate than to face the gallows for his death or lifetime imprisonment. With a smirk, Albert ignored Jake's second threat to capture him by force as he turned his heels and limped his way to his throne. Nobody could guess whatever he was trying to do.

"I suppose it would turn out this way..."

Slowly, he seated on his throne, facing them all with his Samurai Edge in hand.

And lifted the tip against his chest.

"NO!"

The first spray of blood from his chest made Jake froze in horror when his father decided that he will rather die on his throne... rather than to face justice. Small lining of blood oozed out from Albert's pale lips as a small smirk lingered on his lips as he was boasting to the men that he would have the last laugh in the end.

He was barely breathing, but barely alive too. As the three men approached their dying King, Albert let out a sinister laugh to Jake exclaiming to the young Wesker that he will never best himself even in his death, that he will never get the chance to kill him to avenge Sherry's parents that he so eagerly wanted.

"I never wanted you to die by my hands, father." Jake whispered, "I promised mom to never have qualms with you."

The mention of Gabrielle made Albert's face loosen, "...Then why the desire to oppose me?"

"Because I've just learnt to love a woman... and I did not want to lose that."

"Foolish... child..." Albert laughed in between coughs of bloody mist.

"Please," now Jake begged, "tell me where Sherry is."

Tiredly, Albert's eyes flickered to his son as his smiled faded gradually to only a fine thin line. Then to Chris, then to Leon, then to Ada... then to his son again.

"She's somewhere dark... and it won't be too long before I'll see her." Albert said, "I'll be sure to send the slave girl your regards... when we both meet in hell."

And King Albert Wesker breathed his last breath.

Jake had wanted to curse his father, but found himself unable to do so.

Instead, he fell to his knees, completely devastated by the fact that he had lost his only family on that very morning. And the woman he loved was dying in God-knows-where and he could do nothing to save her. He loathed himself then, how could he be so weak? How couldn't he save anyone at all?

'All I ever wanted was... her.'

If only he know where Albert kept Sherry away.

Well, there was only one person who was not very much affected by the whole depressing situation. All but one woman in red, who offered a smile to the men.

"Do not grieve, dear Prince. I do know where the girl is, actually."

All three pairs of eyes turned from the redness of Albert's blood to the redness of her attire. She smirked, completely undisturbed by the tension radiating in the hall, littered with three dead bodies. Of course they demanded the location, in which Ada merely pointed her finger to the ground, their eyes followed. "I saw to it when Hunk smuggled the girl to the basement. But where he exactly hidden her, we'll leave that to fate if you will ever find out."

"Why didn't you just tell us where it is?" Leon pressed, only for Ada to grin dryly at him with a very short reply, "I don't know."

Casting one last glance to his now deceased father, Jake said nothing more when his bleeding shoulder pushed the mahogany door open in one push. He would mourn his father later, for now, he had to see Sherry's safety.

Pulling out the pesky knife embedded on his thigh, Chris hurried himself after the Prince's trail.

Leaving only Leon with Ada.

His eyes showed nothing but neutrality to the woman who had a good string of kill under her belt, possibly a wanted woman in every part of the nation but Leon had no intention to oppose her whatsoever.

She had just help him and the kingdom to unshackle Albert Wesker's greatest puzzle. And this confused him further more.

"Why are you helping us?" He asked, they had barely knew each other but it felt like they had known each other for a lifetime. Time after time, she helped him.

"Simply because I think you are cute." She replied as a matter-of-factly, her smile flat and indifferent, like the edgy smile on her was permanent.

When she turned to leave the hall again, Leon made no move to stop her. Letting a criminal like her to go off just like that, he thought that he was out of his mind that morning. But for now, he didn't care.

An object was thrown to his direction and Leon barely caught it.

"It's a gift. You'll have use to it very soon."

With one last smile to the man, Ada set off through the window where Leon assumed she came from.

"See you around, cute guy."

For some reasons, he had a feeling that it might not be the last time he will see this woman again.

Raccoonia Castle

The Palace was in great confusion at the sudden announcement of the King's suicide on his throne. Even bloodied, Jake and Chris were adamant to look for Sherry while Leon was tasked to handle the confusion stirring in the castle.

Jill and Claire joined in with the Prince in search for the missing girl, even if they barely had known what happened.

On the very same basement where Jake and Sherry first argued, two men and women rummaged through the crates and barrels upside down. Wine and cheese now lay abandoned on the floor as they frantically searched for the woman. They were thoroughly injured by the previous battle, but their determination to rescue Sherry was what made them to keep searching.

Jake was now frustrated, there was not a single sign of Sherry in the small basement that he was so used to back in the days. He was starting to wonder if the woman in red was lying to him in the first place. There was no Sherry anywhere; behind a crate, inside a barrels, nowhere.

And time was running out for them.

"Sherry!"

"Sherry!"

"Sherry!"

Her name. Someone was calling out for her. It sounded so distant, like there was a barrier between the calls.

Was she dreaming?

Or perhaps that Jake had finally found her?

She tried calling back, but her throat was dry out of air. She wanted to cry out for help but she had not a single strength in her.

And she felt the life in her was fading, fading slowly into the stale, humid air.

The cries sounded fainter and fainter. The vision turned darker and darker.

Then nothing.

This is the end, she thought.

With Jake so close, yet so far.

'I love you, Jake. I always have. I always will.'

And she heard something broke down before she closed her eyes and breathed her last.

"Sherry!"

A.N: Hope you haven't cheated by reading the epilogue first before this one. XD

It's... kinda tough to pull off a fighting scene— a sword fight on top of all. Did I do it right?

Alright, now you are all set, onwards to the epilogue! XD