Description: Jesen invited Drake to Albania for some soul-searching. At first Drake just passes it off. But when innocent people, as well as the Shooting Stars themselves, are threatened by Shadaloo remnants somehow linked with Jesen, Drake reconsiders. He decides that in the end, there is no choice. He has to go find Jesen to get answers and protect innocent lives. (Epic tale! Good for a bedtime story! Special guest appearance by Ayame!)
It started out as a letter. Of course, then an attack that left unanswered questions. When asked about the ticket, one of the receptionists knew where Drake was heading to already and escorted him to a flight and wished him luck. That flight took him to the remote side of Albania, where the ski attraction lies and hot ladies! Unfortunately for Drake, there was a mission!
He was able to find a ride by a driver who knew where he was going, and likely why. Currently, the driver has driven him towards the mountain range.
As the car seat opens, the mid-twenties man addresses him. "This is far as I can take you." His eyes lift up at the mountains, "From there, you climb the mountains and go further ahead. ....Let me give you one hint. This place draws on your fears and your life." He shuts his eyes, "This place is.. surreal. But, within the very darkness, there is a glint of light. That is your hope."
The path ahead, is a little snowy and the mountains look treacherous to climb upon. But there it is, the great Cursed Mountains.
Drake was supposed to bring Chae Lim along with him. At least to leave her at a hotel or something. But at the last minute, he decided that that would be just as bad as bringing the rest of his team. Trade in one person's life being endangered for another that's just as close to him? Pass. Chae Lim'll probably hate him for this, but it had to be done.
The pick-up seemed very... gumshoe. Or like that movie, Mortal Kombat. The parting words of the driver just make him lean more towards the movies. C'mon, who talks like that anymore!? Drake leans up a bit to squint at the driver. "No worries. I'm sure I can find some stakes and take out any vampires that come my way." Yes, it's a little jab at the man's apparent superstition. Drake doesn't buy into it whatsoever. Likely just local lore and such.
So Drake piles out of the vehicle, modest black duffel bag slung over his shoulder and peering up the mountain. "Knew I should'a packed my lederhosen and feather-hat." Smug smirk. But Drake starts to trek up the mountain on as much of a path as he can manage, muttering to himself all the while. Mountain goat, he ain't.
"It was the same advice that Jesen personally gave me when I did the same thing." The driver states, then he starts to nod. "Good luck. There have been those who did this and who failed it. The recent one, however, passed it. It seemed that the boy was really optimistic about her." From then, the driver shuts the door, then he pulls out of the way.
The mountain, however, remains as it is. As Drake does trek through the mountains along the path. Although the cold winds attempt to push Drake off of the path, he manages to withstand the course up to the point where there is a dead end. Of course, it is not really a dead end.
Instead, it looks like that he'll have to climb up the mountain from this point.
Darned wind.
Drake is a slender sort. Not at all huge or bulky like your typical professional wrestler, or even your normal fighter. Drake's on the slim side. But even still, it'll take more than wind to knock him over. Tut. But it does make a pretty cool effect for his trench coat's tail, blasting about behind him.
Amethyst eyes peer through shades at the dead-ended trail, then up the wall. Oh, how glorious. He gets to go rock climbing, except without the harness or other safety devices. It isn't that he's a wimp or anything like that. Far from it. Drake loves nature trails and such. But under these conditions, it just screams mishap. But hey, if this is the only route he has to go, and Jesen has answers about that attack... and the safety of his team... he'll give it a go. Not a huge deal, right?
...He hopes so, anyway.
Black leather gloves grip onto the mountain wall, searching for sturdy, firmly-planted rocks to begin hoisting himself up onto it. And from there, if successful, he begins to scale the side of the mountain, boots attempting to perch on former handholds, hands clawing out new grips... but hey, the gloves help.
For the most part, traveling along the mountain is easy for Drake. While there is a fumble of some mountainous terrain, it does not seem to occur. So, instead of luck tipping on the horrible scale, the travel is relatively easy. The only thing that make it somewhat of a pain is the harsh winds. Nevertheless, it's only minor considering.
Drake does, however, make it to the land. This portion of the land leads to a mouth of a cavern with the rock-formation that appears to be fang-like. It's almost as if the cavern is a creature of some sort.
However, there is a path that continues further up the mountain.
...Which path will Drake choose?
[Directions: (U)p, (I)nside ]
Ah, but the wind is something Drake is starting to get used to. He's fought in higher elevations than this before. Heck, he's fought by bouncing along hot air balloons. Now that's extreme. So the wind and the climbing doesn't effect the acrobatic grappler too much.
That doesn't mean he isn't relieved when he reaches a landing. Drake settles on his knees for a moment on the earth, taking a moment to survey his surroundings and recollect himself. No need to exert himself, honestly. No one out here with a chainsaw coming at him. He can pace himself just fine. But upon taking a look at the surroundings, the strangely-shaped cave stands out. His brow furrows, and he finally lifts himself back up to his feet.
"H'okay," Drake starts to himself. "Now -that- looks weird. Giant komodo dragon weird." His eyes shift to the rising path, then back to the cave. "..I'm probably letting the superstition garbage get to me. 'Sides, if I wanted a nice, dramatic place to hang out in isolation, that'd definitely be it." So Drake gives his head a single shake to reaffirm all this to himself, and proceeds towards the cave.
As Drake enters the cavern, the dim lights offered by the outside world do reveal a few skeletons of those long ago and perhaps a stone and flint with a few wooden logs for torches.
However, before Drake can get a further look into the cave with the dimlight provided.
Right behind him, it /shuts/. As in, it pretty much snaps shut, as if the 'maw' came to life.
....A rumble echos in the air.
It takes Drake a little bit to steel his nerves completely, but once he has? He's all but striding right into the maw cave thing. The bones get an odd look though, and he lifts a hand to lift the shades off his eyes finally. These shades are then tucked into an internal pocket of his trench coat, and as he takes one step closer to examine it - well, the greatest cliche of all happens. The maw closes on him.
And Drake doesn't even have a darned genie lamp to use to escape.
But what he does have is youthful determination/curiosity, and a history of being kind'a pigheaded about things. That isn't to say the clamping shut doesn't get a surprised, vocal response from him, but once it's done? He's just left glaring at the darkness in contempt. Primarily for himself.
"Of -course- it closes. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...," he mutters repeatedly to himself. But from there he turns to head towards what he hopes will suffice as the torches - or what he can make out of them. It'd be convenient if he carried a lighter, but Drake doesn't smoke.
To his health, right? Hell.
But then he's going for anything that he can use to start a fire, most likely by striking stones and such. Drake isn't the best boyscout ever, but he has basic survival skills at least. ..Okay, so he's terrible at boyscout stuff. But he can tie a mean knot, pitch a tent, and start fires. So.. camping skills.
Luckily, for Drake, he manages to start the fire. That torch will be is -very- best friend during his time in the cavern. Should he rise the blazing torch around the area, it'll reveal the various skeletons lying along the cavern. Some have died long ago. There is nothing of interest about them other than the fact that they're militant clothing, although dating back during the Kosovo War period.
Further along the cavern is a path that continues ahead.
There are a few spike pits that are easily visible, considering that they have been sprang long ago. Even a few skeletons -caught- in them too.
But further along looks to be an exit point. Maybe.
Well, well, well. Drake's found himself in one of those Indiana Jones situations. See, this right here? He should totally make a movie deal with it. Drake's all amused with this very dislocated thought as he shifts the torch here and there, taking the cavern in in full. But those spike traps... they're disconcerting. They look kind'a dangerous.
And, hey, score one for the movies. People actually make spike traps. Classy.
But spike traps, classy as they are, aren't ideal for Drake. So he decides to try a little something -inspired- by those Indiana Jones movies. He carefully leans towards a skeleton and tries to pluck a couple bones from it, then toss them in front of him at two different angles. Trying to see if he can trigger a trap. Following this, he'll try to just pull a skeleton over to slide it across the floor. Better to be morbid than dead, right?
It's a good thing that Drake is being very cautious, no? The cavern, no matter how condensed, is dangerous in its own right that one mistake can be a short lived situation in such a small cavern.
It takes the very moment that Drake uses the bone to smack against the trap, to activate it. It bounces once, twice, three times. Oddly enough, he manages to activate few of the traps leading towards the light. The said trap? Well, there is the right wall that suddenly opens up and releases several arrows towards the left side.
...Should he decide to let curiosity come before him and take a look? Those arrows have long since rusted and the blades are quite serrated.
Hey, whaddaya know! The movies can be trusted! After the initial surprised jerk reaction the triggered traps get from Drake, he instantly pumps his right fist. "Hah!" Dang straight, 'hah'. He just told Death to sit down and shut up, looks like. He's on cloud nine right now.
But now isn't really the time to relax and get clumsy. He's not even budged yet, after all. So Drake leans down to take up a couple more bones, expression twisting into a grimace. He eases along through what he believes to be the cleared area.. and chucks a hip bone towards the exit. Can't ever trust those, he doesn't think.
It does wonders what movies can teach a guy, no? Those wonderful motion picture gives people new ways to think of how to get stuff done. Ingenius, even. It is through that ingenious work that Drake has been able to progress without getting scathed.
As for the exit? Well, he is very astute to not trust the exit. When he tosses the hip bone at the very light that the exit reveals a swinging giant chained ball that swings straight towards the wall.
It -crashes- in the most harsh manner.
....uh oh.
Looks like that creates something of a fissure, as the rumbling causes the ceiling of the cavern to start releasing spikes to descend upon him.
Aha!
See? Never can trust those exits. Drake's feeling all big and special now, grinning broadly, right fist set to his own, non-skeletal hip. "Knew it! Hahahahah-"
SMASH.
Stalagtite-like rocks begin falling.
"-Hahahahahohshi-" Thwack. Caught too much in his gloating and self-approval, he doesn't see the falling instruments of pain until they're more or less right on him.
Fortunately, Drake uses enough hair-care products to where his slightly-gelled hair shatters the rock on impact. Level 15 Model, bitches!
..Or not. The stalagmite crashes on his head, certainly, but not due to any sort of helmet-like hair. Damn its touchably soft, yet crisp consistency! Drake is all but brought to the ground hard, and it's only through sheer fighter toughness and conditioning (no, not the hair-care product. God, I'll be hearing about this forever) that he isn't simply impaled. But it hurts. A lot. One hand sets over his now-bleeding scalp, and he scrambles for the exit. To the remaining traps between him and safety: screw you! He'll just rely on nimbleness to get by!
Thankfully for Drake, the other traps are no longer in service. Instead? He is treated to see the light of the exit grow brighter.
Past the cavern? It's a bright area. The sun shines as the afternoon light nearly blinds upon entry after spending some time in that darkness. But as that light clears, the atmosphere is more serene. The woods is a safe passage, easy to travel through and rest.
But should Drake continue to tread the path, it would surely reach a two-way path. The path to the left is actually the same, being the bright, peaceful looking atmosphere. But to the right, however, is so much different.
The trees have long since decayed, the arms and branches withered. Darkness has encompassed the entire forest, all-together blotting out the light. The ebon road doesn't seem to lead through anywhere but dispair, especially as bats flutter out in a hurry.
...Only thing visible is a faint glint.
Trot-trot-trot-trot. Drake doesn't stop until he's well clear of the cave and its heavy stalactites. But hey, it could've been much worse. He totally made it out of there in cool action movie fashion. ..He'll just omit the head-bashing part when he reiterates the story to grandchildren.
Perish the thought of children.
So Drake continues along at a more comfortable pace, one hand gripping the strap of his baggage, the other hand slipping into the pocket of his trench coat. And then he comes upon the fork in the road. First he looks left, then right. Then? He sighs.
"Oh, Mr. Logic, you crafty devil. You and Mrs. Self-Preservation say to go that way-," Drake pauses to nod his now slightly dizzy head to the left, "-and continue on my merry way, since it's obviously more traveled. But Captain Cliche and Admiral Hates-My-Life insists that I go -that- way-," a nod to the right, "-for the same reason I went into the big rocky crocodile."
...
"I need better internal voices."
But Drake digresses, and he turns to head down the right path with a slight frown. Man, this had better pay off.
And that is it. Drake is now within the very darkness of the forest.
All light, including from the way he came suddenly slips away. As if enveloping him in that darkness, that glint too soon disappears.
This leaves Drake stranded within the very forest path that he had chosen.
'Alone. Aren't you?' a voice echos out towards Drake.
There is no one here to confide with, except that one little voice in his mind.
'The path you take... is a dangerous one.'
That pesky darkness seems to creep out of nowhere, and only until it's fully engulfed does Drake realize something's wrong. A good indication is probably that the forest appears to have eaten him. "Captain Cliche, Admiral Hates-My-Life, I'm executing you for treason," he growls under his breath.
But as soon as he mutters this, the voice cuts into his mind. Oh, CRAP. Is he going nuts? Has he actually assigned a voice to one of those on-the-spot-made-up ethos? Maybe that rock bashed him harder than he thought.
But then the voice is sounding more like Mr. Logic. Or perhaps Senor States-The-Obvious. Yeah, that's a good one. And that has to be it, right? He's going nuts? ..But wait. Nutty people don't realize they're nutty. That kind've bunks this, doesn't it?
Hell's bells!
"The gaping headwound give it away?," mutters Drake dryly, hoping he actually doesn't get a response. After saying this and taking a look around his surroundings, he proceeds forward. He knows the way he came is behind him, so forward must be progress.
Right?
'The path you take...'
Although Drake continues along the darkened path, the forest is no longer visible. In fact, nothing is visible anymore as the entire place is enveloped in blackness. Drake, more or less, finds himself in a place where he is the only one in existance. No animals, no background, just a black area. As if it's a subspace plane.
'...Is a dangerous one.'
Although, there is a spotlight ten feet apart from him. It is then that the light reveals the presence of a young woman not too far from his age. Short blond hair, oddly dressed in the rocker sense. Her head is lifted up, and she looks badly beaten. Should he get a closer look..
It's Arika and she's not breathing at all.
Well, it sounds like a voice. But maybe he's just thinking really loudly. He sometimes does that, you know. Sometimes it keeps him going in fights, insisting him to push on, and- ...well, he can't really do that. He can't see anything. Drake stands in total darkness, frown intensified, fists balling tightly.
But then there's an Arika. She's easily identifiable, no questions about it. He'd recognize her a mile away. "What the-.." He cuts off his own question in favor of just rushing towards her with every intention to drop down beside her and scoop her into his arms. "Erica! Hey!"
'Go to her. See her.' The voice states.
'...Or are you afraid to see the truth?'
For the most part, the atmosphere does not change. Only ten feet away, the very body lies far off from it. The spotlight shines on that very body.
And just as Drake had intended, strange internal voice directing him or not, he drops to his knees beside the female and does indeed attempt to scoop her up. He knew she'd try to follow him somehow. Stupid, stupid, pigheaded girl! Stubborn diva!
The moment that Drake does attempt to take a hold of the fallen body of the diva, she withers away in the black mist. The hands can feel the cool air breezing and nipping through the skin as the remains wither from his touch.
'...She has joined back into where all of you go. Nothing. You have an ability. You have such a goal. However, how can you achieve such a goal... when you cannot protect those closest to you?'
The light from where he once stood fades away, and out comes another light of another young lady. As if struck by something at the very heart, the lady is slowly falling towards the ground.
It's Eva... and she's collapses.
'How can you save the city, let alone a world when you can't save those you know?'
It is behind him that a bright light shows up, and the body of the fallen korean martial artist is far from arm's reach as well.
'...Such a lofty goal can cause such heart-ache. The outcome... is only loneliness.'
Drake finds himself grasping at.. vapor? That's not something Arika does very often. And that's not something you see every day, either. He's sure he isn't going insane at this point - it seemed tangible enough. And realistic. Not to mention, there's that insistent voice that simply will not go away.
The second girl is noticed. Eva - easy enough to recognize, even if he hasn't seen her in a really long time. But he's skeptical now. This.. doesn't seem right. He and his girls marched through Thailand. They're tough. No way they'd roll over and die. Or even be dead.
Yeah, his logic is basically telling him that his team is immortal. But they've proven their mettle.
The Korean, on the other hand, Drake starts towards. He stops himself short at the sound of the voice, however. This is so very uncharacteristic of him. No way this can be his own mind doing this. The cave... the traps... the path... the darkness... it's all too deliberate. He's convinced this is someone or something trying to screw with him. -Has- to be.
"Only if I fail!," Drake shouts at the darkness. Of course, it feels pretty useless, since he has no way of being positively certain that someone's even -present- besides himself.
It is soon that the bodies slowly fade away into the nothingness, usually how a certain angel fades away from sight. This leaves Drake back into the darkness as the light fades away.
'What if... you already have failed. Did you know that you've been in this mountain for a two years? Time is displaced in such a place. Your name as the famed model and wrestler has faded into obscurity, if not only laughter. Alma Towazu and Benimaru Nikaido are the dominant models now. ...While you were gone... a criminal broke into a familiar home of yours. Let us see how the ones deep to you have fared.'
...Slowly, a manifestation of a portal rips open, depicting the image of some police wheeling in two bodies. It is out of a burned house that Drake's parents had lived in.
Drake scowls at the darkness. Oh, he's absolutely certain he's talking to -someone-. It just responded to him. And it's trying to tell him he's been here for two years now? Hah! "I don't know what kind of mindjob you're trying to pull on me, but-"
And the portal has appeared. Out of sheer morbid curiosity, Drake watches. And he blanches. His head shakes stoutly, fists clenching at his sides. "What are you, Satan? You're not fooling me! You can get a mirage of my girls, so why not one of my old home?! I'm not buying this! Not one bit!," Drake insists. "You may as well stop whatever this magic show is you're putting on and reveal yourself so I can go ahead and start denting your face in!" He does, indeed, sound rattled. But perhaps rattled in a different way than what was intended. His poise, expression, and the tension in his voice makes him seem more like an agitated caged animal - impatient and angry.
'I am here. But not anymore. Now.... you are alone. Your parents are gone and your friends are gone. Now, I leave you... to be alone.'
...And with that, the voice slowly withers away. What is left in this black space is no longer that portal opened up, nor any form of light. Drake is trapped in the very darkness of emptiness. There is nothing to see and there is nothing to touch. He could even wander in this plane for miles.
But he's stuck in nowhere.
Is this loneliness?
Loneliness hasn't rightly sunk in. Concern is mostly what's enveloped him. Drake glares this way and that, not really able to see -anything-. "I hate cliches...," he mutters under his breath after a few moments of silence. Pick the twisty road! Pick the one that looks like it leads to.. well.. ..this. The Hell's the matter with him?
Drake whirls around, for as much point as that has, and faces one indistinguishable direction. "Okay. Okay. Think. This kind've crap isn't reasonably possible. Parlor tricks. All I have to do is weather it. Find a way out, or-.." Pause. "Hrm. I -could- be asleep. Maybe some kind of toxin or nerve gas got to me. That'd explain a lot. So all I have to do is keep level and not go or do something crazy." Drake's lips purse into a narrow frown. "Like carry conversations with myself. Ah, dammitall."
Despite having no idea any longer which way he's facing, Drake begins to march. One hand grips his bag, the other hand extends out in front of him. He's pretty sure he's still in a forest, so bonking into a tree or something would be uncool. All he's focusing on is making progress and not losing it.
This is a very long and fruitless journey. Although Drake has kept what high spirits that he has left, the travel becomes more and more fruitless. Everything in this spacious place seems to be the same. Nothing changes. There is no light, there has been no sign of trees.
...No nothing.
It's just emptiness. Limbo. Exile from the world.
Grope. Grope. Grope.
Drake's sure he should've hit at least a tree by now. At least a tree. "Craaaap..," he hisses under his breath. Though he's determined to keep a level head. That's a whole part of his psychology. Level-headedness. Rationality. Clarity of thought in tight situations. As such, he decides to try and verity his location by a means that -has- to be there. He's walking, right? Ground seems pretty solid. So Drake crouches down, and he goes to set his hand over the invisible ground to feel of it, hoping for grass.
It's interesting to note that despite the fact that Drake is feeling for any sort of grass, nothing could be felt. In fact, the very thing that Drake touches is pretty much solid and smooth. Nothing indicates Drake even being in a forest anymore.
What? This doesn't add up at all. It doesn't even begin to make sense. Drake feels over it a little more, and panic starts to set in, creeping up his spine like a cold, clammy hand. He shoots back up to his feet and whirls around a couple times, searching almost desperately for any indication of anything.
"ALRIGHT! YOU'VE HAD YOUR FUN! NOW SHOW YOURSELF, YOU COWARDLY PEON!," the model shouts at the darkness. Oh, what he would give to have prepared Magic Missile this morning.
It is unfortunate for Drake that the voice doesn't even respond anymore. That voice that had whispered such words to him has left him behind. There is no manifestation of anyone either.
The only thing present is just Drake within this very limbo. No one he can call to. His voice doesn't even carry an echo.
"THAT'S IT, THEN!? JUST GONNA RUN OFF!? THAT'S YOUR BEST BET, ISN'T IT!? NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE ON DOMINO! FOR ALL YOUR LITTLE TRICKS, YOU'RE JUST A SCARED LITTLE SPECK!"
Drake waits a second to see if there's a response to this. Then:
"FINE BY ME! YOU CAN'T KEEP THIS UP FOREVER, AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T REAL! YOU'D JUST BETTER PRAY I DON'T FIND YOU AFTERWARDS!"
Another pause. And then Drake drops his bag and goes to sit on it, trying to work himself back into anger as opposed to panic. Anger is more manageable than panic, after all, and it'll give him time to figure out a way to get free of... whatever this is.
Although Drake has spent the time along, nothing has occured for over an hour. In fact, it may have felt like nine hours have passed if anything, with no response.
As everything seems to have felt like it has fallen into entirely limbo. There is a voice -trying- to reach out to Drake at this point. However, it sounds rather staticy. Nevertheless.
'...Ligh--....li--......ru-----fii......fi..'
This voice, is -very- familiar. It is the soft voice of a certain angel.
'Dr---... fin---...'
After a few moments, there is a small glint that seems far away.
Drake has been festering the entire time, repeatedly working to keep his anger level high and not fly into a crazy scramble to find some solid objects around himself. But he's taken to a nervous tick of tapping his heel on the invisible ground, as if keeping time with some unheard song.
Then there's the song. The tapping stops instantly, and his senses become finely tuned. But... still. He can't make it out entirely. Though the moment he sees a glint of light, he's on his feet with his bag again on his shoulder. A single step is taken, and he pauses. This could very well be a trap. Something like torture. Deprive him of something, then offer something that will clearly kill him if he takes it, but it's something he craves...
Except light can't really kill a person, can it?
Screw it.
Drake begins running towards it, legs pumping to vault him over the ground at full speed.
As if trying to help Drake guide straight towards the light, a song suddenly starts to spread through the darkness.
o/` Se ray klo no kay se ray o/`
o/` Kla nu ta no ray do ray to say o/`
o/` Fah nu ray tay... to say... klo no ray o/`
o/ Fah le ka me to do ray... o/`
The light is slowly becoming bigger as Drake is running straight towards the destination. At this point, it is becoming near arm's reach.
But soon, there is the image of Arika in front of him. She is smiling as she holds a bouquet in her hand. She is wearing a wedding dress as well.
'Drake...'
Song or no song - which may as well be the case, since it's only just plain creepy - Drake rushes full speed ahead.
SCRREEEECH!
Almost cartoonishly does Drake skid to a halt in front of the girl, eyes widened. "What the living Hell-!?" And a justified question, at that! Another Arika! Undoubtedly fake, all things considered, but extremely confounding. What would she be doing with a bouquet and dress like that? He reaches out a hand and attempts to swish it through her, expecting it to dissipate like the other Arika.
As Drake reaches out to hold onto Arika's hand... they touch. It feels real, right? Right.
But suddenly, the atmosphere changes from the darkened area. Instead, Drake finds himself inside of a church. Of course, he is sporting a tuxedo.
In front of them is an old man in priestly clothing. "Do you, Erica Halburn, take Drake Vyril to be your lawfully wedding husband?"
She smiles Drake's way, "'Ay do."
The old man turns towards Drake, "And do you, Drake Vyril, take Erica Halburn to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
Another voice echos out....
'...You--*static*----ind *static*--ight.'
Drake's hand bumps into Arika. A solid person. A disguised person, maybe! Drake's unconvinced! Arika wouldn't ever mar-.. okay, she probably would. But still! Drake's never proposed! She knows how he is! She knows what their relationship is!
Oh, look, a tuxedo. Hey, he looks good. Drake admires himself for a moment, right up until Arika says she'll take him as her husband.
At first, he looks like a deer caught in headlights. Teensy pupils, huge eyes, barely any face. "Wha-.. but I didn't propose!," he insists. Beat. Classy. "I can't marry you! Too soon! And where the Hell did you come from!?"
And another voice.
"FREAKING YODA COMPLEX!," screams a frustrated, flustered Drake. His hands suddenly grab for the Arika's shoulders, going to shake her around. "How do I get out of here!? Talk, you!" He isn't convinced it's her. It makes no sense! Especially the marriage part!
Soon.... The entire area fades away back into the darkness.
Jesen's voice finally carries out. 'Hurry.... You have been in too long. You will be trapped here for eternity if you don't make it out.'
Meanwhile, the atmosphere has taken the turn to the darkness... And perhaps for the worse. While the light is right in front of Drake to run to, something from behind creeps up.
A set of hands outstretch towards Drake.
'/JOIN US! INTO NOTHINGNESS!/'
While the hands stretch towards Drake, the laughter of people echo in the air.
'Nothing.'
'What a joke of a fighter.'
'A model wrestler, how gay is that?'
Drake tries to shake Arika around for information, but she just fades away. Man, this is worse than a Stephen King novel. But then there's that familiar voice, and Drake scowls. "Jesen! What are you tryi-"
Hands! Voice! Drake whirls around, eyes again bugged. "Oh, Hells no!"
And then come the insults.
"Hey! Piss off, you figments of my over-active imagi-ah, screw it!"
And Drake whirls once more to rush for the light, pulse pounding and senses on overdrive.
They reach out, stretching out towards the model's direction. Like-rubber, those arms extend out, fluttering at his direction. At least, until a spark suddenly sends them away.
...As Drake is stepping closer to the light, the visions of his possible future show up. Drake's name being renown through the world as a model.
A man picks up a magazine, he is a figure from Tibet. His eyes glimpse towards the magazine cover. "Domino, he's gotten popular since I last saw of him."
The Shooting Stars, the team that Drake uprooted, have made their presence known. Within a wild rainforest that is going to be torn down, a group of people, supporting of the Shooting Stars team, had made a foundation dedicated to them. Those people stand in front of those with the bulldozers. In turn, those drivers finally stomp out with their heads shaking and walking away.
That light becomes arm's length for him to reach out.
The visions come as a surprise.. but Drake isn't going to stop his approach. Distracting, they certainly are, but not distracting enough for him to lose his focus. They're good images. Pleasant ones. Soothing ones, at that. Inspiring, one might say. And instead of just reaching out for the light, Drake takes to flight, literally pouncing towards it in an almost manic, desperate manner.
It is then that when Drake leaps out towards the light....
Everything becomes a flash.
The location that Drake has found himself is no longer in the darkness. In fact, the light is still there. He now finds himself on a rocky trail towards somewhere.
Behind him is a forest. It's not so dark, as light is visible. ... In fact, he can see a few skeletons of the deceased. Some long time ago... some could be recent. Hard to tell.
Onward ahead is the rocky trail that leads to the sight of a village.
Drake expected to land on something for some reason. So his landing is a little awkward, falling out of his bracing and stumbling forward a little. But now he has scenery. And.. it hurts. His eyes aren't ready to focus on full light yet, to his hands lift to set over them for a few long moments. Gradually the blurriness fades, and he takes in his surroundings.
More skeletons. Why isn't he surprised?
But there seems to be a settlement up ahead. That's bound to be real enough. Surely. So he proceeds on towards it warily, taking a moment to glance at his clothing to ensure it isn't still a tuxedo.
Thankfully for Drake, he is in his normal clothes when he first came into the mountains. No tuxedo. But, the path of the trail leads towards the village.
But as he make it to the village, the place has long since deserted. In fact, it looks like all of the houses has nearly decayed at this point. Burned marks and char cover the houses as it had undergone fire. One could recon that the fire had occured eight or nine years ago.
Only thing visible that is perhaps still standing is a white church building. It is almost like a cathedral that had been nearly torn down. A song is echoing from the very building, quite audiable.
...It's that hymn.
Drake enters the village and begins making his way through it. He figured he'd receive an odd greeting, but he didn't figure it would be -this- odd. There's nothing here! No one, not a thing besides scorch marks. It's unnerving. And needless to say, Drake's begun wondering how the heck he'll be getting back down the mountain after all this is over.
Way to think ahead, Star Captain.
Drake continues along, despite, and pauses in front of the church. If that isn't a clear indication of someone being home and inviting him in, he doesn't know what is. But hey, his decision-making skills have been a little hard on him lately. ...But what else is he going to do? Make a living out here? As if. So he proceeds on along to the church doors and pushes on them.
As the door is pushed open, the first thing that is on sight is bright light shining down inside the church. It is much smaller when inside, as it appears to be a place filled with brick to hold in the flora planted here. A white garden has been made in one area, then an orchard, and an herb garden. All of the flowers look so full of life, as if the were freshly planted.
Further along the altar is a figure on both knees. It's likely Jesen, but hardly the way he is remembered. Glittering white and black wings are fluttering slowly. The wings themselves look like they have withered, hardly full of life that it used to be full of. The condition of the youth seems a little more sickly.
"I am glad you made it out." The youth states towards Drake. "The Cursed Mountains is not something science can make sense of." His eyes lift up. "...I was glad I could call you out in time. I felt your presence for a while."
OMGwings.
That's the first thought that occurs to Drake. The kid has wings. How in the world does -that- happen? But they're at least a nice color combination. "What are you talking about?," he finally asks, moving forward and leaving the church door open. "What -is- this? Are you the one trying to screw with me?"
...
"And how in the heck do you have wings?"
Slowly standing up, the youth looks at the sky. "The Cursed Mountains has a mind of its own. I am afraid that I am unaware of all that went on inside." He shuts his eyes, "Nevertheless, the mountains draw on everything from your memories. In actuality, you were dealing with yourself. Your darkest moments, your desires, your fears."
He shuts his eyes, "People have been afraid of this place for that reason." The young man turns towards Drake. His expression is now that of a smile. It's a tired, weary smile, but it is still a smile that the boy draws the strength to manage.
"It is my aura... what I was born with." The bespectacled youth frowns, "I am sorry for my little brother's actions."
"Oh."
That's all Drake says for a moment. Just 'oh'. As if what Jesen said explained everything to him. His face is blank, amethyst eyes very much betraying the perplexity going on through his mind. Finally, he manages, "That's impossible."
Drake gives his head a shake to clear his mind.
"A mountain is a geographical... ..feature!" Okay, so his mind isn't at 100% just yet. But he's trying. "It can't do things like that. That makes no sense! It was -you- doing this crap to me!" He stomps closer to the youth, perplexed look melting into anger. "This whole mess reeks of trickery! You're trying to screw with me right now, aren't you!? And just who's this brother you're talking about!?"
"...Tell me." Jesen cants his head to the side, "People you fight that are able to manipulate such energies are usually impossible to people. Can you really tell me that the areas being more than what they are is impossible too?" He shakes his head.
"As sad as it is to say, I can do no such thing. I have no such power to control." He lifts his head up. "What you had entered was a trial. And apparently, you have passed." He shuts his eyes, "...Once you complete the trials of the Cursed Mountains, it will no longer affect you."
He pauses, "...How about a match?" He considers, "I will tell you everything once the match is over." Slowly, the aura breathes to life again. The weary wings expands itself more than it should, expanding to appear as a glimmer of light and darkness before the wings shrink. Now, swirling along his body are rings.
COMBATSYS: Jesen has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Jesen 0/-------/-------|
Drake tries to fire off a snappy comeback, but... he has none. The kid's right. That makes an unfortunately fair amount of sense. Drake grits his teeth and squints at Jesen, regardless. He could blow off some steam, sure. After all the crap he's had to deal with just getting here? Not to mention how he suspects Jesen is linked more than he's letting on.
"Fine! But I expect -everything-, got it? -Everything-!"
The fancy wing expansion is noted, but he decidedly wastes no time on admiring it or the neat little effect it gives. He simply drops his bag and pivots over, launching a swift right roundhouse kick to the side of Jesen's head, heedless of spectacles and whatnot. How mean.
COMBATSYS: Drake has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Jesen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Drake
COMBATSYS: Jesen dodges Drake's Light Kick.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Jesen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Drake
Jesen was there.
But when Drake aims to give off a swift roundhouse kick towards the boy's head, not anymore. See, the presence merely fades away in a blur, leaving a trial of black shadows in the boy's place as he flanks over towards Drake's side.
Shuffled to Drake's peripheral vision, the boy immediately lunges towards the wrestler's direction, drawing his right hand out towards Drake with a chop, soon followed with a left chop moving downward.
The energy that engulfs his arms soon come down like a blade, slicing straight towards Drake's direction.
COMBATSYS: Drake dodges Jesen's Medium Punch.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Jesen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Drake
Drake's foot whips through what appears to be mist, but the appendage is recalled quickly and set back down. He doesn't have time to really puzzle over this form of evasion, as Jesen has emerged right at his side. He doesn't even bother seeing what he launches at him - Drake simply skids back away from him, permitting him to strike nothing. The trail of energy is very much apparent, however.
Drake decides to respond in kind. He suddenly lunges in again, this time dropping suddenly into a deep forward stance on his right leg. Both palms rocket out towards Jesen's midsection in a double palmheel strike. The moment the arms are fully extended, his hands ignite in a burst of radiant white concussive energy, backing up the force from his palms.
COMBATSYS: Drake successfully hits Jesen with Whiteout.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Jesen 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Drake
The piercing blades made of the psycho power energy slip into nothing instead of Drake, which causes the boy to lose the momentum. However, he drives himself further into the spin to catch himself. This gives Drake time to actually press forward with his attack by shooting his palms out as the distance is closed.
The palm trikes the boy, sending him sprawling back before he could react. He is spinning straight towards the ground before he skids across it.
Rolling himself back up, he uses a hand to press himself back into the air, then he flicks a wrist. As the wrist is flicked out, a rush of psycho power travels in a straight line towards Drake, aiming to pierce him with the shockwave heading his way.
COMBATSYS: Jesen successfully hits Drake with Angel Whisper.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Jesen 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Drake
Drake remains in that position, permitting visible wisps of white energy to seep from his hands and fingertips. A small smirk touches to his lips, seeing the fruition of the Whiteout technique on another victim. ..Yeah, okay, so it seems a little petty to him, feeling all big and bad after nailing a kid. Thus, the smirk vanishes.
Unfortunately, the counter measure he's met with is completely surprising. It strikes into Drake and bowls him over onto his rear, skidding him a couple inches at that. But he's quick to kip up to his feet again, assuming his stance. Jesen uses some really weird techniques, he recalls. Super weird, and not at all pleasant. His eyes narrow on the youth, attempting to predict how he'll move and attempt to counter his efforts.
COMBATSYS: Drake focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Jesen 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Drake
It is then after the shockwave sends Drake bowling towards the rear that the boy steps closer towards the man. As he gets up, Jesen immediately sprints off his way once more, charging in for his next attack.
In a hurry, the movement becomes a near blur until he closes in on Drake. As he closes in... He immediately leaps off of the air and then he flips away from Drake.
Odd.
At least, until there is a small sphere right in front of Drake. ---Say, isn't this familiar? The black and white spiralling sphere is 'breathing'. As it expands and unexpands, it's pulse becomes rapid before it explodes.
"Guilty Shine."
COMBATSYS: Jesen successfully hits Drake with Guilty Shine.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Jesen 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Drake
Quite familiar, indeed. And unfortunately, Drake just doesn't react fast enough. The explosion rends at him, blasting him off his feet again to crash against the flooring of the church.
But again, Drake springs up to his feet. Breathing is a little labored at this point, but he seems persistent as ever. He rushes in towards Jesen and attempts to grab the boy by the arm and shoulder. If caught, he spins over once, chucking him towards the closest wall with force enough to ricochet him off and right back at him...
COMBATSYS: Jesen fails to interrupt Rebound Throw from Drake with Longinus.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Jesen 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Drake
And with the youth banking hard off the wall, Drake prepares himself instantly to catch him. When they meet, Drake hooks his right arm around his neck, back turned to his prey, and he leaps into the air. Performing a single flip to enhance the already outrageous momentum, he drops down to drive the top of Jesen's skull against the flooring.
And from there, Drake pushes himself back up to his feet and backs away a few steps.
The boy had been ready for Drake after the explosion settled. He wanted to see if Drake would attempt to receive him with that energy welling up inside. And as Drake comes closer, Jesen soon shoots that energy forward like a lance...
...only, it does not come out in time as he is caught by the arm and the shoulder. Snapped towards the wall, the boy bounces off and straight towards Drake again. Then, he is caught upward and he is lunged up into the sky. As Drake comes down? The boy lands right on his head.
...He clutches onto the skull, then he laughs slightly.
Drake observes for a few seconds, and comes to the conclusion that Jesen is still a very disturbed boy. Every encounter seems to have him lean more and more towards that conclusion. But while Jesen's down, he may as well capitalize on the situation.
Not bothering to look for any tall structures from which to perch and leap, Drake simply bounds for the wall that he banked Jesen off of. The moment his boots hit the surface, he kicks off again into a high double backflip. On the second rotation, his limbs unfurl to pull his torso taut for impact. Indeed, he's pulling out the Darkside Slam, the high-flying moonsault finisher. This is aimed to splash right overtop Jesen, hopefully with enough force to finish him off.
COMBATSYS: Drake successfully hits Jesen with Darkside Slam.
[ \\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Jesen 1/-======/=======|=======\-------\1 Drake
Slowly, as the boy attempts to get up, he is foiled from his attempt to actually clamber back onto his feet due to the flying moonsault. Planted straight back into the ground, there is a pained grunt echoing from the boy as he loses his ability to grasp onto the ground.
It looks like he's down.
...Not quite.
Lifting his head up, the boy immediately rolls away from Drake rather slowly, before he gets up. It is then that the body aches and he can feel the presence of darkness engulfing him. "...I.." He shuts his eyes, "I suppose it is time to show you one truth."
He shuts his eyes, then he lifts his head up. "Come out, little brother... Sanel."
Wait, what?
Slowly, the aura starts to manifest once more. A giant claw stretches out from the boy's body, reaching for the air before grasping at nothing in particular. A guttal roar echos in the air. Tearing out of the boy's body is the manifestation of something else.
The Other Self.
The visage is that of draconic properties as the creature's black wings outstretch forth. The crimson eyes shift and glimmer at Drake, fury rising from it. "Grrrrrooowwwrrrrrrrr!" Then, as the wings expand, the daemon rears its head and bellows a roar.
Then, it escapes the boy's body, nearly sending the boy to his knees. The daemon, in its fury, reaches out to slice at Drake with its claws.
COMBATSYS: Drake dodges Jesen's Blissful Oblivion.
[ \\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Jesen 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Drake
Drake is quick to roll back over to his feet, standing upright and at the ready again. But of course, he expects Jesen to be finished. People usually don't get up after a hit like that. But Jesen seems to be doing so... but more than that, something seems to be happening.
Claws?
CREATURES!?
"What... in the..."
Drake stares, wide-eyed, senses a little rattled by this. What in the name of all that's holy is going on here!? He shifts his footing, attempting to become a little more defensively inclined, and rightly so, as when the creature aims to claw him, he kicks off of his forward foot to spring a fair distance away into the air, and most importantly, clear of apparent danger.
But Drake doesn't feel he has any time to really ask questions. The energy coursing along and through his body is focused, drawing to his arms, where it then begins to coalesce visibly - a sparkling white cascading along the right arm, and a shimmering black along the left. The arms are then thrust out before him, discharging the continual flow of energy into a pair of thick, streaming beams. The black and white beams intertwine immediately, spiraling en route to the devil incarnate creature as well as Jesen - ideally to plow through one and into another forcefully. The expenditure of energy and the streaming continuity of the double helix is powerful enough to keep the young model wrestler martial artist aloft in the air for its duration.
COMBATSYS: Jesen endures Drake's Domino Helix!
[ < > /////////////////// ]
Jesen 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Drake
As the creature misses, it is growling with ferocity, then it immediately launches itself up towards the air, the wings outstretches to crash straight into Drake. It is soaring high until the man is gathering up his energy. The formation of the double helix merely crashes straight into the path of the strike.
...Until it is consumed by the devastating energy, disappating from sight. Jesen's eyes widen forth when he too is struck by the energy, "Egghnnn...."
*BOOOM!*
An explosion covers the entire area....
As everything clears. The altar is scathed and consumed by the explosion.... however? The flowers are unarmed. The wings have expanded out to cover the garden, protecting them from the harm of such an impact that the explosion causes.
~ My children... ~
"....Do you believe in two souls being in one body?" He smiles, then he collapses onto his knees. His wings too, disappear and he looks exhausted.
COMBATSYS: Jesen takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Drake 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Jesen can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Drake 1/-------/=======|
The energy streams persistently, Drake's amethyst eyes narrowing on the creature lunging for him in a stubborn stare-down of sorts. When it blasts through the entity and into Jesen.. indeed, there's an explosion of energy.
Only after the blinding wash of black and white clears does Drake land in a neat crouch on one knee, arm settled overtop the other one. And then he pushes himself up to his feet, stance assumed again. "I have no idea what you're trying to say. That.. thing.. didn't even remotely look human. What -was- that?," he demands, voice even and tone severe. Fairly different from his usually soft, friendly voice. He seems to remain on high alert for the time being, weight shifting from foot to foot, tensed and ready.
At the question, Jesen offers Drake a sincere, although strained smile. "That is my little brother, Sanel." The young man lowers his head, "This body hosts two beings. ... The one you speak to now and my little brother." He smiles, "I suppose you should know that I was a tool for Shadaloo before it was destroyed." He shakes his head.
"Now... I am just trying to do my part to help what people I can." He doesn't explain any further in detail. "...My brother, however, wants to make all of those responsible for Shadaloo's fall suffer."
He stands up, "... I believe you already seen what he is capable."
At the question, Jesen offers Drake a sincere, although strained smile. "That is my little brother, Sanel." The young man lowers his head, "This body hosts two beings. ... The one you speak to now and my little brother." He smiles, "I suppose you should know that I was a tool for Shadaloo before it was destroyed." He shakes his head.
"Now... I am just trying to do my part to help what people I can." He doesn't explain any further in detail. "...My brother, however, wants to make all of those responsible for Shadaloo's fall suffer."
He stands up, "... I believe you have already seen what he is capable of."
Drake remains tensed and at the ready in case more should erupt and assault. But when nothing comes, he slowly begins to come down from the tension high, the weight shifting become less and less frequent.
"So you worked for the crazy guy. And you're, what, reformed?," Drake asks, quirking an eyebrow. But he's explained his link to the assault on himself, and subsequentially his team, should he not prevent it. "So if that's true, why drag me out here? What's the point? If it's not just you in there but someone else that wants to kill innocents and those who'd carry out justice, gimme one reason why I shouldn't kill you to save them." Those amethysts narrow on Jesen, and the stance is resumed in full.
"...Reformed? Not so much as that... More of... continuing that I wanted to do in the first place on my own." He shuts his eyes, "The world has been full of darkness. Vega was the way to help people see the light." He considers, "However, with him gone, I wanted make people see the light in my own way." His eyes hift towards Drake.
"Why did I drag you here....?" He shuts his eyes with a smile, "I like you. I see potential in you. However, I could also see your darkness. This place... is a trial to help people overcome it." He looks at the church, "...And I wanted to show you this place. The Sanctuary." His hand gestures towards the church. "...Within the world of darkness."
He smiles, "There is a ray of hope. This... is a shelter that I give to people to those I trust. When I first saw you, I saw something in you. I saw potential."
"...That is why you have a place here when I am gone."
His eyes lower, looking at the ground. "Because I am still preparing to save my little brother. And I am almost complete."
"...He never had a life of his own. He was a controlled puppet... a conscience made in me that worked as a trigger when Lord Vega still ruled us." He frowns, "...Hate...anger...destruction... it was what he was programmed for. ...Now that the control is lost, I have a chance of giving him that life. But... there are things preventing me from getting through to him that I am finished breaking."
"That means there's still a threat to my girls, and the good people that took part in the Thailand restoration act," Drake replies tersely. "Just how did you intend to show the world light? And how is it you plan to fix this 'brother' of yours?" The fists clench a bit, a slight frown setting to his already pursed lips. "And how is it I'm involved in this? This is kind've out of the way of my usual travels, y'know."
Frown, "Yes. I have tried to do what I can for that." He shuts his eyes, "Vega had a vision." He shuts his eyes, "I should had been dead eight years ago." His eyes lift up, "...Vega gave me a reason to live. Although I was merely his tool, I wanted... to help the humans see past the ignorance and destruction. ...See past their own fears and their own darkness." He shuts his eyes, "I think I've done that with a few people. And with that, I am satisfied."
"...My method of dealing with my brother is hard to explain." He shuts his eyes, "At this point, I cannot mention it."
"How are you involved? Because you were one of the people involved during the Thailand incident. That... and I saw potential in great things for you." His eyes lower, "...When... when he comes to, I need someone to take care of him. Even... as wrathful as he seems... there is still of power influencing him." he considers, "...There is good and evil energy. And that evil energy that sustains us still lingers."
"...Without it, he is just a scared child."
Drake remains silent throughout this explanation, right until the very end. That's when he finally lets his guard drop, blinking his eyes once and shaking his head in clear confusion. "Man. I have no idea what to make of you, this whole thing, or... -any- of this." His hands set to his hips and he smirks humorlessly, peering to the side. "So when he comes to, huh? Will that be soon, or am I gonna have to find lodging with skeletons?"
He's, of course, assuming there are skeletons around the village, too.
COMBATSYS: Drake has ended the fight here.
"...When it is time... you'll know." His eyes lower. He looks out towards the village, "...Mother." He shakes his head for a few moments, then he stands up. "...For now, you may head back home... The people will guide you back and the Cursed Mountains will bother you no further. ...You are trusted here by the spirits." He smiles once more.
"...The residents of this village have long since died, but they have been resting in this church." He pauses, "...The children would like to see you again." He gestures a hand towards the garden around. At least, until Jesen turns his back.
Drake, however, doesn't budge. He doesn't seem content by this dismissal. "Hold it! That means you expect me to just walk out of here and leave a very real risk to my team free to do what it will. I can't do that, Jesen," he protests. "I came here to make sure no innocent people got hurt, including my team. I'm not leaving until I'm satisfied." How he intends to get satisfaction out of this though, he isn't sure. Could he actually -kill- Jesen? ...For the sake of his team's safety, maybe. But.. come on. Killing isn't something he's big on. He only has one confirmed kill. Just one. And that was because the tank he was ripping apart exploded.
"...I can't promise you that he'll not go after your team. ... I can't promise you that he won't move anywhere." He shuts his eyes, "I can only promise you that I will do what I can to make things complete. ...However, I cannot do it with anyone nearby." He offers a smile.
"Woudln't it be better to seek your friends out and warn them to be careful?" His eyes lower, "This is not your place... for there is no food other than the orchards and vegetables." He chuckles.
"Besides, all what I can do is prepare." He shuts his eyes, "Your team needs you to be with them. ....And you need them to fight with you."
"...Please leave me so that I can finish my preparations."
Drake still seems reluctant. He came here to destroy the threat and finish off whatever remained of Shadaloo. What he's found, however? A kid. A kid who says he's trying to fix it. So what can he do? Kill the kid, go home and be a hero for his team and everyone else?
...Yeah.
Drake starts to lift his right hand, balling his fingers into a tight fist, tenseness causing it to tremble. He shifts his weight to advance on Jesen.
But no sooner does he do that than he finds he just can't kill a kid in cold blood. "Dammit..," he whispers under his breath. The fist relaxes and he turns aside from Jesen. "..If your trick doesn't work soon, I'm coming back. One way or another, I'll not be letting my girls live worried about a psycho attack," he warns. He then stiffens his back and lifts his baggage before starting to head back out the open church door into the village.
As soon as Drake leaves, the young boy lowers his head before he clutches onto his chest, "I am sorry, Drake." He shuts his eyes, "...But... I am almost complete...."
... At this point, Drake is quite a way within the village, although a bit far off from the churchyard. The village, for the most part, is abandoned. Any food within the place that has not decayed yet is likely rotted. Life has expired here so long ago.
He escaped. Right out from in front of Marise and her eyes, he escaped. Ayame was a bundle of secrets in that chamber as the Devil woman reacted with strange calmness about Jesen's vanishing trick. She knew where Jesen could probably be found, the refuge he would retreat to, the only place that he probably felt any attachment at all to. She knew. She was there before.
Now that she works with Blackjack, the girl is hardly the pauper she was back when Jesen met her. With connections and money, returning to Albania hardly required a 'free ticket' to get her there. An expensive, black sedan is waiting for her on the otherside of the mountain, past the village, past the forest, past the cave, past the trail. The site is certainly far from convenient, but Ayame finds it a lot easier the second time. Perhaps she's more welcome this time around.
Compared to the flirty, revealing attire she normally wears, the girl might almost be nigh unrecognizeable at the moment. Clothed in a full length, black trench coat, buckled up at her waist, conceals most of her body except for a pair of black pants that extend down to her feet, black boots sticking out from beneath the cuffs. A thin backpack on her back contains who /knows/ what. All in all, she looks rather serious for a change.
It's the village she makes her way into finally, stepping out of the nearby forest, hands at her sides as she scans the area. So far no visions, no surprises. Nothing unexpect-...
Ayame comes up short, brown eyes widening for a moment before narrowing, coming to rest on the young man she's come to know well over the last half a year. She's almost reluctant to call out to him, to break the silence of the dead village with noise. But curiosity is overwhelming and the girl can't help but raise one hand, "Drake!" Her expression becomes slightly less somber as she picks up the pace to run over him. This is definitely not expected.
Drake had fully expected just to march dutifully back down the mountain to civilization, to go and regale his story to his team... when he spies someone not far off. He doesn't honestly recognize her at first, but it soon comes into clarity. He sounds more confused than surprised, though. "Amelia?"
Nevertheless, he begins in her direction, brow furrowed. "What are you doing here? Are you okay?" He can't imagine what the forest might've done to -her-, what with her background in theft and whatnot. His hands lift to set gently to her shoulders - but then he quickly recalls them.
"Hold it. How do I know you're really you?"
She grins a little as he pulls his hands back from her shoulders, shaking her head. "You wouldn't be asking that if you hadn't gone through what I went through I suppose. That forest... the cave," she hooks a thumb over her shoulder, "They mess with your mind. I know, I went through it too."
She lowers her hand a little in order to shrug, "I'm not sure how you can know it's really me. But I'm not sure it matters. I'm not going to attack you or anything. So we could just walk our seperate ways right now if you would be more comfortable with that."
One hand goes to rest at her hip as she tosses her hair over her shoulder with a shake of her head. "I'm here for the boy. He around or did he pull his vanishing act on you?"
Drake studies her in silence for a few moments longer, then quirks an obsidian eyebrow.
Model sense... tingling...!
"You're actually you. You're wearing a new, stylish outfit, that I totally would -not- have ever expected to see you in, and since it allegedly just yanks crap from my mind, it wouldn't be able to do that."
Someone rolled a 20 on their Knowledge(Fashion Sense) check.
"I just finished beating on him," Drake admits easily. It's now his turn to jut a thumb over his shoulder in indication. "He's thattaway. Why do -you- need him, though?" Very curious, indeed. Unless she was working for Shadaloo during the Thailand ordeal.
There is something very peculiar. At first, the air is rather thicker than it should be. If one was to look up, they would see that smoke is fluttering along the village. The smoke is freshly started at that.
As a beacon of light, it is all originating from the church. The bright light with the smoke is a mixture of the flames tearing and eating away at the wood that has constructed the church. And it looks like that fire is slowly consuming the church as well.
Ayame grins at Drake's analysis, "Very shrewd. For a model." she teases, lowering her hand from her hip to rest at her side. "Oh?" she remarks regarding Drake's altercation with Jesen. "It's... complicated. Part business, part personal, I suppose." she admits, eyes straying over toward the chapel. "... unanswered questions. About him, about what he's doing. About..." Eyes lock back on Drake, "I'm sure you've seen 'it'."
It's only then that she realizes something didn't look right when she eyed the wooden church at the head of the village. Snapping her attention back to it, the girl realizes that the structure is being consumed by fire. "Oh-..."
She starts to take steps toward it only to pause after a couple yards, her hand coming up to rest lightly against her cheek. "...Perhaps I'm a little too late." A glance toward Drake reflects suspicion in her eyes in spite her neutral tone, as if with a glance she's accusing him of having started that fire. But the look fades quickly. No, nothing she knows about Drake suggests he'd do something like /that/.
One word stands out to Drake for her explanation. "'Business'," he repeats back at her, giving her a skeptical look. What business could she have with him? Neo League or something? This doesn't seem like the right time to be having -that-, so...
Her odd behavior lures him to look back towards the church, and his own eyes widen. "What in the heck," he says, sounding more exasperated than anything. It's been such a long day. He takes a single step forward, but apparently is having trouble deciding on whether or not to run back to the church.
The fire is gradually growing. However, due to its structure, it is a little slow on actually consuming the church's exterior. There is nothing that gives off that it's actually suicidal to enter the burning building, right?
But there is no response otherwise.
Ayame huffs, "Yeah... I can't really talk about it." She sounds like she regrets not being in a position to share whatever it is that compelled her to come her now. But some things just aren't easy to explain. Breaking her gaze away from Drake, the girl turns toward the church building again.
"He might still be there," she mutters as her only justification for why she starts running through the run down village toward the burning building. Lifting her arm up over her mouth to cover her nose and mouth with her sleeve, the girl will only go so far as the entrance to look inside before taking any further action. If things look too bad, well, she's not going in there!
That skeptical look is shot to Ayame again. He really hopes she hasn't gotten herself involved in Shadaloo. That'd all but devastate him and his hopes for her. But her additional commentary gets a sedated, "I know."
And that's why he -isn't- moving.
But in the end, inaction is the same as killing someone yourself, he decides. Having ethics and a moral compass really, -seriously- sucks sometimes. And he absolutely knows that if any of his teammates gets hurt because of this, he'll never forgive himself. But all the same, he begins to trot after Ayame and the fire. If nothing else, he'll make sure she doesn't get herself killed.
The door of the church opens.
Everything is on fire. It is an inferno inside the church, as if hell's gate had finally open to take out what was left of the decaying village. As if destroying the ramnents of the church. The walls that featured the paintings of people ranging from Momoko and Drake to even Ayame.
The garden of the sanctuary have been consumed by the roaring fire.
All what is visible in sight that would give some sort of indication is a small puddle of what looks to be blood from a little far off. ....And a wing that looked to had been ripped out. The white, glittering wing glows faintly, before it dies away.
Everything that represented the Sanctuary is being taken by the hands of the flames.
Whether or not Ayame would feel guilty for letting the fire just finish the job she and Elle started on a beach not long ago is hard to guess. As it stands, she comes to a stop near the entrance, hand coming up to hold her hair back..., not wanting to risk any of it catching a spark or something. An inspection of the chapel from the entrance reveals what she expected, however, as there appears to be no sign of the actual boy left within.
"Probably pulled his vanishing trick," the girl states, whirling around to stride away. She's not staying anywhere near the inferno for another moment. The images of the pictures, the flowers, the blood and wing, all permanently recorded in her mind, she has no need to stare any longer.
"Drat. I knew I should have cleaned the place out before," she remarks, her tone changing from somber to flippant at the flick of a switch, turning around to face Drake with a bit of a shrug before studying Drake further. "You're not too fond of the kid, eh?" Yeah, she picked up on the reluctance. Reading people is part of her craft after all.
"Don't blame you. He's dangerous. Someday that dark side of him is going to get him killed, if it hasn't already," she states with a nod of her head toward the burning chapel. "I don't suppose you know what his deal is? Why Jesen is always trying to better people's lives by meddling with them?"
"All I know right now," Drake starts, loitering around the entrance and taking the sights in while he can, "is that my team's been threatened, and Jesen's a kid. Whether or not he's still misguided, I dunno. But he's a kid all the same."
And with that, Drake goes to drop his baggage where he stands and push on into the church, braving the heat and fire to search as best he can for the youth. Freaking moral compass and all that. He can't, on good conscience, let a kid roast.
For the most part, Drake cannot find anything of value. He sees the same thing that Ayame initially saw. A torn ramnent of the glowing white wing that fades way, and blood.
However, further inspection, he can catch a glimpse of something. It's a glowing, ebon dagger hidden within the rubble of the altar, where a bit more blood is seen. The dagger is rather sparkly, more than a regular weapon should be. ...But soon, that dagger fades into nothingness as well.
Ayame turns as Drake heads in, brown eyes narrowing as he takes a chance. Even though the other half of the boy has threatened his team, he can't stand idly by, huh? Someday his compasion is going to cost him, Ayame muses. It is a weakness someone will exploit eventually...
She doesn't dart in after him, and in fact, by the time he comes back out following his investigation, the trenchcoated girl is no where to be found. She came for answers, but left with only more questions. Oh well, she decides. Her search will take her to others now. She has her orders from Marise after all...
Drake setting one side of his trench coat over his nose and mouth, Drake attempts to breathe as shallow and gently as possible, keeping low. The dagger is noted quickly, and he starts to head for it - only it disappears on him. He stops short and squints.. but it's soon become too much. The place seems like it's going to go down soon. Not that he's an expert on fires or demolition, but come on. That and he's begun a coughing fit, which must precede worse conditions.
So out Drake runs, grabbing his bag before falling to his knees outside the church. No sign of Ayame. So she took off just as quickly as she arrived. Didn't even bother to stick around and make sure he's okay!
Well... she never did make any allusions to being his friend, he guesses. That assumption was his bad.
Drake starts to exhale a sigh, only it comes out as another coughing fit. Ergh.
Log created on 18:57:45 01/13/2008 by Drake, and last modified on 13:47:55 01/19/2008.