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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Science Fiction
- Subject: Novels
- Published: 05/13/2021
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Author’s Note:
The Forgotten Ones is first and foremost, A work of fiction. Characters in this story are purely fictional. Any resemblance to the real world is purely coincidental. This story is a subject of my imagination and surroundings combined. I made it up. Many of my friends helped me during writing, and I’m thankful for it. I had massive support from my family and friends, for which I’m grateful.
Enough of the formalities...
I had a great time writing it. This story has been a dream project of mine. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the surviving humans have evolved and have set up clans to differentiate themselves. A story of love, deceit, and destiny. I won’t tell you any more details. I hope you enjoy this story. Great Thanks to Kimberly Rodrigues For Designing This Amazing Cover Page. @kym.robbyns
Leave a review back at my website: Alwination.Inc and tell your friends about it. -Alwin Baiju
The Forgotten Ones…
- Alwin Baiju
1. Prologue
2540 AD, Charr Sector, Neo-Earth…
The Jack And Ace ran as fast as they could. What chased them were inches away. They ran through the dense misty jungle, dodging the low branches and jumping over rocks, all while having low vision.
But how long can they run? The chasers’ speed escalated while the Jack and the Ace’s diminished. The Ace, realizing that she can run no more, stopped and gave Jack a window to escape. Jack turned back to see his companion once more. She was gone, along with the chasers.
Nightfall occurred. Jack arranged shelter under a pine tree.
"Strange," He thought to himself, considering pine trees were extinct. He looked at the cracked moon in the sky, thinking where it all went wrong.
2. Clans
Long after the end of civilizations in 2120, after the complete eradication of technology, there emerged a handful of people with special abilities. Taking the ways of their earliest ancestors, they split themselves into different clans, establishing order and peace. Technology was considered an equal to the devil and was banned, for it was the reason for The End.
There were 4 clans.
The Kings
The Queens
The Jacks
The Ace
The Kings were an all-male clan blessed with eternal life. But it came at a cost. They have the power to summon anything they wish for but rarely used it for using it too much can drain their life force.
The Queens clan was an all-female clan similar to the Kings clan. They too were blessed with immortality. They too had the power of wish-granting, but with the same defect.
The Kings and The Queens were the true elders. They’ve existed since The End.
The Jacks (Short for Jack-Of-All-Trades) were known for their exemplary skills. They were The Alpha. The most evolved form of
human beings in terms of skills, combat, reflexes, intelligence, and adaptability. In short, The Perfect Human Being. They can do anything they want without practice and achieve it in the first attempt. They could also blend in anywhere without raising suspicion.
The Ace was a peculiar clan. No other clan knows what their exact powers were. But according to ancient texts of the elder members, The Ace clan practiced the long-forgotten Dark Arts and had a handful of powers, their main being magic. They were the most powerful among the four. They were the original rulers but voluntarily stepped down. Nobody knows why.
It was still unclear why certain clans had certain abilities. Each clan had its theory. The Kings and The Queens theorized this as the work of God. These 2 clans were firm believers of God.
The Jacks took the scientific way and theorized it as the result of exposure of some people to higher levels of dark radiation (Dark Matter Radiation) and some to lower levels when the First Ones (The first survivors, creators of the clans) came out of their bunkers after The End (The end of the world).
The Ace theorized the use of dark magic as the cause. Overtime, the population of the Jack and Ace clans increased.
Each clan was symbolized by a rune. The rune was etched to a member’s wrist during adolescence. But over time, the offsprings were born with these runes.
The radiation has worsened since and was given the name Charr Sector. It wasn't the same as before, for being exposed to these new levels of radiation could prove fatal.
Together. all these clans established a beautiful ecosystem, reviving vital plants, and building artificial rivers. They produced water with the wish boon of the Kings and Queens clan combined.
Radiation levels reduced where these clans thrived. They labeled themselves as Neo-Sapiens OR the evolved humans. The new clans followed no racism or discriminating nature of their ancestors. The elders would often tell stories of the old earth, describing its vast technological advancements. But they would later say that this advancement and the greed of a few men in power was the reason the old world failed to live longer. Sometimes they would say that they wished a world like that, a greedy and unloving world ended a lot sooner.
3. An Outcast & A Prince.
Present Day…
The Jacks Clan.
Born to the ruler of the Jacks clan was a young prince, named Jordan. Jordan was different from others, often spending more time with the other clans than his own. His goofy personality was loved by all.
But he wasn’t a proper Jack. That means that he wasn’t a perfectionist like his people. King Julius, Jay’s father, and Kaiser, ruler of the Kings Clan were the only people who knew about this and advised to keep it a closed secret, for it could bring disturbance to the order in the clan.
For long, Jordan never displayed his skills in front of others and would find some reason to evade. Each member had a different style of showing their skills. One would be a multi-tasker, another would be a show-off, and so on…
The Ace Clan.
Today was once again, a bad day for Alexa, for she had no luck in stealing. She took to the ways of thieves, robbing people for food & money, for she had no one to look after her when she was a child. She was an outcast no one cared for.
Alexa walked through the markets, looking for a target to rob. And her luck turned. She found the perfect person.
If there was one rule the Ace clan was strict about, it was against the use of their powers in public. With a twirl of her forefinger, Alexa stopped the man in his tracks, stole his pouch, and took off. The man quickly recovered and chased her. Alexa ran as fast as she could, even exiting her clan. She looked back and saw the man gaining on her. Fate had her enter the Jacks Clan.
She looked back. The man disappeared. She proceeded to walk towards the market where she was met with surprise by none other than the man from who she stole.
"Hey," He greeted.
"Hey…" She replied.
"Just give it back to me if you don’t want trouble,"
"What are you gonna do? I’d like to see you try and take it from me," She replied.
"Prince Jordan, What’s the matter?" A guard came up and asked.
"Nothing, Julien," He replied.
"P-pr-prince?!" Alexa stuttered.
"Yeah. Prince. It’s pretty embarrassing that a prince got robbed. That too in broad daylight. But it’s gonna be a lot more embarrassing when you get caught doing it,"
"I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I just needed some money,"
"What do you need?" He asked politely, with a gentle smile.
"No no. I don’t want to trouble you. Not after this especially," She replied.
"It’s fine. I would be glad to help. Tell you what, let’s go and get something to eat,"
"No. It’s fine," She rejected.
"Come on now. I insist. You can’t say no,"
After a while, she agreed. They ate and spent time talking about their lives.
"You know what? I’ve never laughed this much ever," Alexa spoke.
"I’m having a great time too,”
He looked at her for a while and spoke.
“Let’s go somewhere,"
"Where?"
"Just come,"
"Ok,"
They headed outside the clan, walking through the jungle, walking on fallen trees.
"Where are we going prince?" Alexa asked in frustration.
"Hold on. We’re reaching," Jordan spoke.
They reached. It was somewhere deep in the jungle.
Alexa gasped, as she had never seen a sight more beautiful. They were at a riverbank, the water flowing in patterns, crashing along the rocks with minimal force. The splattered water from the rocks clashed with the colorful flowers and the crisp green grass. Bees & butterflies hovered over the flowers.
"What do you think?" Jordan asked.
"I-I don’t know what to say. It’s gorgeous," She exclaimed.
"Be careful around here. The Queens hate it when outsiders come here. This is their territory. Once they almost caught me and if I had been caught… ooof. I don’t wanna think about it," He remarked.
"Wow. Just Wow!" She exclaimed. They proceeded to sit near the water.
"Why? Why did you bring me here?" Alexa asked.
"I don’t know. Felt like I needed to show you this place,"
"Thank you," Alexa spoke. She felt different. The way she thanked him was different. Her hand slowly reaching for Jordan’s hand.
"Hey. Can I say something to you?" Jordan spoke.
"Sure. What is it?" Alexa responded, quickly withdrawing her hand.
"I haven’t told this to anyone, and I feel I can trust you. So here it is. I’m an improper jack,"
"Uhhh…. What is that?" Alexa asked with confusion.
"It means I’m not like the other members of my clan. My skills are not as perfect as theirs. The last time they found an improper jack, they exiled him, claiming that he can never be like us. And if they find out that I’m like that, there will be chaos for keeping me around all this time. I’m telling you this only because I feel I can trust you,"
"Whoa. I didn’t expect that," Alexa remarked.
"It’s getting dark. Let’s go back,"
"Sure,"
"Oh and keep this," Jordan said, handing his pouch to her.
"Oh. No Prince. I cannot keep this. Take it back,"
"Nope. I insist. Keep it,"
"Prince. Please. I can’t,"
"You can. I insist, again. And no need to call me Prince every time. I hate the sound of it. Call me Jay,"
"Alright. Th-thanks,"
The Next Day…
Jordan headed over to the Ace clan, waiting for Alexa in the market area. He stood there, greeted by the bystanders in a friendly way like he was their best friend when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned back to find a surprising sight.
It was Alexa, but she was different. She was new. Her hair was silky, neat, and her dress was beautiful.
"Wow!!!" Jordan exclaimed with amazement.
"Thanks," She spoke, with a smile growing on her lips.
They walked to the riverside again and sat near the water.
"I’ve heard that you guys are pretty secretive about your powers. "Why?" Asked Jay.
"I don’t know. But I’ve heard that our powers are unimaginably powerful and using them at full capacity could mean doom,"
"Then why did you use it on me?"
"Oh. I didn’t think about that,"
"Anyways… It’s fine,"
"Let me show you something," Alexa said.
She waved her hands. For a while, nothing happened. But after some time, her hands glowed yellow. The river water rose, strips of water began forming arches. Branches of trees bore fruits, flowers bloomed elegantly. Jordan erupted with happiness and excitement. He pranced around the field with joy. Alexa joined him. But the magic lasted only for a little while because Alexa lost her consciousness. Jordan quickly rushed to her and held her up in his arms, her head resting on his knees.
"Alexa. Wake up," Jordan called. She didn’t respond.
"Alexa. Are you okay?" He was worried. He gently placed her head on the ground and rushed to the river, taking water as much as his hands can and sprinkled it on her face. Her eyebrows winced. He dropped the rest of the water on the ground beside him and rested her head in his knees again.
She woke up.
"What happened?" Jordan asked worriedly.
"Oh, don’t worry. I’ve heard this happens when I use too much of my powers,"
Alexa’s eyes rested on Jordan’s and Jordan’s eyes rested on hers.
"Are you okay now?" Jordan asked.
"Yeah," She replied in a low voice. They continued to look at each other.
"Let’s get going. Shall we?" Jordan said, breaking the tension.
"Sure," Alexa agreed.
That night, Alexa had only one thing in her mind: That moment with Jordan. She never experienced happiness like that before. She knew was falling for him. For Jay, it was a different feeling. One he had never experienced before. Something about her made him take her to the riverside. Her vivid eyes made him understand that it was love. Something he never familiarised himself with.
4. Betrayal.
The next day, Jordan was excited to meet Alexa. He got ready and headed for the Ace clan. When he entered, he wasn’t greeted the usual way by the shopkeepers. There was a crowd in the market surrounding a scene. Jordan got closer and found himself shocked. There she was, Alexa, being arrested by some officers.
"Officer, what’s the matter?" Jordan inquired.
"Oh, thank you, Jordan for letting us know about her,"
"What do you mean?" He asked, confused.
"You gave us the info that Alexa here used her powers on you, in public, remember? We enquired and found witnesses who confirmed it,"
"What? What are you guys talking about? I never came to you guys,"
"Look, Prince Jordan. You came to us and reported that she used her
powers on you, stealing your pouch, and taking off. And we found your pouch in her hands,"
"Oh no. Can I talk to her?"
"Sure,"
Jordan looked at her. She didn’t look back. She felt betrayed. No. She didn’t feel betrayed. She WAS Betrayed.
"Alexa, please listen to me. You know I would never do this. You know me," Jordan tried to explain it wasn’t him. But she refused to listen.
"No. I don’t know you. If I had known you, you wouldn’t have done this. It’s my fault for trusting you. Now please just get the hell out of my sight," Alexa spoke, heartbroken. They took her and left. Tears rolled down Jordan’s eyes. He looked back at her, before leaving. She was crying.
What happened? When did Jordan report Alexa? A sorrowful Jordan returned to his clan, the picture of Alexa crying and etched in his mind. An image he can never get rid of.
Jordan went back to his clan only to find another surprise. Large crowds were gathered at his house. His father was being yelled at by everyone.
He went to the market without being seen by anyone. A shopkeeper stopped him.
"Joe. What’s the matter?" Jordan asked.
"Why didn’t you tell us you were an improper jack?" Joe replied.
"WHAT? How did you know?"
"A girl from the Ace clan told us just now,"
"Did she say her name?"
"Yeah. Alexa,"
"What? So you’ll believe anything some girl says?"
"She sounded pretty sure and she said she had proof,"
"But Alexa… She was just arres---"
"Look. Jordan’s here. Get him," Someone shouted.
"Son. RUN. Get out of here," Jay’s father shouted.
Jordan ran. The angered crowd followed him. The Jacks were people you can’t get away from. They will find you no matter what. Jordan ran as fast as he could. He reached The Queens Clan and hid there for the time being.
He made sure that the crowd lost track and went to the riverside. He didn’t understand what was going on. Right now, the riverside was the one place he needed to be. How could Alexa tell them when she was arrested moments ago? What was going on? Jordan had to clear his and Alexa’s names but he needed proof. He sat under the shade of the tree, slowly drifting away in his questions.
Nightfall came. Jay was awoken by the smell of smoke. He woke up to see his surroundings in flames. He quickly got on his feet and ran back to his clan. Screams were heard. Cries for help clouded the air. What happened next can only be described as an abomination.
He reached there to find people panicking. All of the houses were up in flames. Fireballs continued to rain from the sky. The screaming of men, women & children filled the air. Everything was engulfed in flames. He rushed to his house to find his father, but it was too late. He was already dead.
Jay rushed to the Kings clan in search of King Kaiser. He ran through the burning bushes and trees. The forest that was once so alive now scared him. The smell of smoke had him running faster.
He arrived. The Kings clan was no less destroyed than his clan. He figured The Queens clan had entered the clan for shelter as he found their bodies lying under the fire and debris from what he saw.
"Anyone there," A faint sound for help was heard. It was King Kaiser. Jay rushed towards him.
"King. What happened?" Jordan asked in terror.
"I don’t know Jay. Mo-moments after I received th-the news that your sec-cret got out, we were attacked. Balls o-of fire rained from th-the sky. Hi-his troops attacked us fr-from the inside. Our people were the betrayers."
"Whose? Whose troops attacked?"
"I-I don’t know. But from what I saw, the rumors are true. If they are alive and-d real, Be ca-careful of him, J-Jay," Kaiser breathed his last.
Jay immediately thought of Alexa.
"Oh God," He exclaimed and took off. The path to the Ace clan was isolated by fallen trees, burning violently. The path around it was engulfed in fire. The path with the trees was the only option he got to reach there. He had no hesitation. He ran. The hanging branches slit his limbs here and there. Other than a wince, he didn’t show any emotion. He didn’t stop. The only thought he had in his mind was that he shouldn’t be late. No harm should come to her. His sleeves caught fire, but he didn’t care. He tapped them off.
He arrived. It was the same scene. Flames and debris covering the entire area.
"ALEXA," He yelled.
"ALEXA," He yelled again. No response. He began his search from the Prisoners Loft. And there she was. Lying unconscious under rubble.
Jay pushed the debris away, carried Alexa out of there, and got out before attaining further damage.
5. Charr Sector.
The only area unaffected by the fire and chaos was the Charr Sector. A wasteland of radiation and dead bodies. The exiles of the Jacks Clan were sent here. Jay walked through the land, covering his and Alexa’s face with a piece of cloth. He walked continuously without stopping for a rest. But the Charr Sector wasn’t how it seemed.
Jay walked a few more miles before entering through an invisible barrier. It was a forest, cloaked from the rest of the world. One moment you were out in the radiation, and the next, you are in a forest, vibrant in green.
"What the---" Jay exclaimed in amazement.
The elders taught Jay and the others that the Charr sector was not to be explored at any time for it was unusually radioactive. But this was a revelation. "Why was this hidden from us?" he thought.
Alexa regained her consciousness. The first thing she sees is being carried by some unknown person. She immediately attacked him and got up on her own feet.
"Oww… What the hell?" Jay exclaimed.
"Oh. It’s you. What the hell happened?" Alexa asked.
"I don’t know. I was sleeping at the riverside when suddenly everything was on fire. All the other clans were ruined. I found you under rubble. You must’ve seen something. What happened exactly?"
"I don’t know what I saw exactly. As they were taking me to the Prisoners Loft THANKS TO YOU, some of the officers began attacking us. They were attacking their men,"
"That’s what King Kaiser said," Jay added.
"Oh, and thanks for telling everyone that I’m an improper Jack," Jay added again.
"What are you talking about? I’m not a backstabber like you," Alexa spoke.
"They told me that YOU were the one who told them and said you had proof,"
"What? I would never do something like that. The Ace clan believes in loyalty. We are not weasels, like you. What did you gain from turning me in?" Alexa spoke angrily.
"For the last time, I DIDN’T DO IT!!! I would never do that to you. Why won’t you believe me?"
"I don’t know what to believe now, Okay? First, you betrayed me, and then our kind betrayed us"
The two exchanged feelings of regret and anger in between those words. While one of them wished for it to end, the other didn’t. Their voices echoed through the woods. Eventually, it stopped, and they both went their separate ways.
Jay walked forward, through the vine-filled area. Something was odd. It felt like Déjà vu. He passed the same river, flowing the same way at least thrice. Finally, he stopped at the riverside and splashed some water on his face.
The riverside reminded him of the lovely moments he had with Alexa.
Suddenly, the sound of footprints made him arm himself up with a rock. The sound grew louder. As soon as he saw a figure, he threw the rock at it.
"Whoa!" Alexa exclaimed.
"Oh. It’s you,"
"So glad that you missed," She chuckled.
"I’ve been roaming here and there and kept coming back to this riverside. It’s a loop,"
"I realized. I saw you trip in the same place thrice," She spoke, laughing.
"Hmmm,"
"But how? I felt like I walked through the whole forest. None of the same trees were there when I returned. Only the river flowed the same," she asked.
"It’s a changing loop. Only some elements remain constant throughout. For example, the river, the rock I kept tripping on," Jay explained.
"How do you know all this?" She asked.
"This advancement existed before The End. How did it end up here? Now? He spoke, ignoring her question.
"How could you not see the rock there before? That too thrice?" Alexa asked, with a small laugh appearing.
"Maybe the position is constant. The object changes with each loop I guess,"
"Hmmm,"
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a swarm of disfigured people appeared in front of them. They looked like they were in no mood to make friends with the outsiders. One of them proceeded to attack. As he did, Alexa used her magic to vaporize him.
But it had no effect. Her spell managed to destroy the attacker’s torso, but it regenerated within seconds. Her magic was useless against them.
6. The Disfigured.
All of them started attacking.
Jay had exemplary skills in martial arts, only flawed by his improperness. He tried to knock them out, but they overpowered him.
Jay’s on-the-spot thinking resulted in an idea. He grabbed the attackers’ spears to push them away. He then tore what remained of his sleeves off and wrapped them around the ends of each spear.
"Alexa. Think you can make a fire?" He yelled.
"YEAH," She yelled back.
With a wave of her hand, she generated fire on a pile of fallen leaves. Jay immediately set the sleeve end on fire and attacked them. The fire seemed to do the trick. They all huddled together in a corner, giving room for Alexa and Jay to run. And that’s what they did. They ran as fast as they could. The "disfigured" chased them through the looping forest. They knew every looping element, dodging all the rocks and fallen branches. If only Jay and Alexa could be invisible…
"Jay, Follow me," Alexa took the lead.
Jay did as told and moments later, they became invisible. Alexa created an invisible barrier around them. But she wasn’t able to hold it on for long. The disfigured abandoned their search after a while.
Alexa weakened. She was semi-conscious. Magic took a toll on her life. They set up camp under a banyan tree. Alexa hadn’t gained consciousness. Jay prepared a fire and wrapped Alexa with huge banana leaves to protect her from the cold. The temperature of the forest was too cold for the trees to survive, but yet they did.
Moments later…
Alexa woke up. Her body was still weak from the magic. She was wrapped in banana leaves. In front of her, there was a bonfire. She looked around but didn’t see Jay.
"JAY," She called. No answer.
"JAY," She called again. No answer.
Her legs weren’t ready to support her. But she moved on. Inside, she was scared to be left alone. The only place she felt safe was the river. Though some disfigured people attacked her there, something about that river made her feel safe. She headed there and found Jay on the ground. Her face darkened. What she feared became reality. She tried to run, but failed and fell beside Jay’s body.
"Jay. Wake up," She spoke. Her voice began to break.
"Jay. Please. Don’t leave me," Her voice broke. The tears began.
Jay woke up. His ears heard her cries as he woke up. His eyes opened to see Alexa cry. Turns out he was in deep sleep.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" Jay asked in confusion.
"Oh. You’re alive!! Thank god," Alexa exclaimed, wiping the tears off her face.
"Yeah, I’m alive. Whadya think?" Jay exclaimed.
"W-what happened? Why were you sleeping here?"
"I came here to get some water, but the river… It was so calm and composing. I sat down and the next thing I knew, I was sleeping,"
Jay didn’t want to admit that he slept there thinking of the memories of him and Alexa near the riverside.
He got up, stretching his limbs. He walked over to the river and splashed his face with the sweet, cold flowing water. Alexa followed suit. For a moment, Jay focused only on Alexa, looking at her as she splashed her face with the water.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, sprinkling water on his face.
"Nothing," He replied, splashing water back at her.
And that’s what they did. They splashed water at each other, forgetting about the disfigured people or their loss. For a while, they felt happy. They felt like they did when they were near the riverside at the Queens’ clan for a while.
Alexa decided to stand in between the water and use her mojo to deliver a powerful splash with the river water. But as she stepped onto the water, she fell. And by that, she fell "down" deep under the water.
"ALEXA!!" Jay yelled. He was taken aback. Without thinking, he jumped, falling deep. The fall lasted less than a minute or so. Jay landed with minimum impact. An underground cave, illuminated by the refraction of the river water. The water above continued to flow without breaking its pattern. You can see the tall trees surrounding the river from below. The river acted as some kind of a cloaking mechanism. Jay’s mind was wrapped around these facts, before thinking of Alexa. He saw a path with the dimmed light and followed it. Walking along the path, he called out Alexa’s name, but it only echoed back at him. As he walked on, he came across writings on the walls. It was very hard to read, but his eyes adjusted faster than anyone. It read, "Once you take on a path, don’t look back unless you desire madness,"
"Madness?" He exclaimed.
He looked back. Nothing happened. Yet…
7. Hellhole.
He looked back. As he expected, nothing happened. But the moment he turned his head forward, he was lost. He was overcome with a feeling of hopelessness. He felt abandoned. He didn’t know where he was walking. A point size source of light illuminated the path and he followed to its source. An endless path of darkness. Only it seemed like an endless path because he walked with small steps.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps. But wasn’t able to pinpoint where it came from. Was it from the front or the back?
"Alexa?" He called out. No response.
"Alexa? Is that you?" He asked. No response.
The sound of the footsteps got louder. Jay didn’t see anything. He couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t have predicted what happened next.
"Hey, Jay,"
"Alexa?"
"Yeah. It’s me."
"Where were you? Where are we right now?"
"In hell…"
"What? Wh-what do you---" He was knocked unconscious.
A voice woke him up. He was lying unconscious with his hands tied not by rope but by something else. They were tied by a spell.
His eyes slowly opened to see what’s around him. He lied on dust. The walls were of rocks.
"Ughh--" Somebody moaned.
He looked over to see who the source of that sound was.
"Alexa! Are you okay?"
"Where were you? I’ve been here for weeks?"
"What? You fell an hour ago. How can you say you were here for weeks?" Jay asked, confused.
Alexa disappeared.
"Time works differently in this area, Prince Jordan," A voice spoke from the darkness. "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Damon. Ruler of the Joker Clan,"
8. Damon.
2259 AD, Neo-Earth
The Jacks Clan.
"King, please. I beg you. Do not banish my father,"
"Shut up. Be lucky that you’re not going with him. Your father had the nerve to lie to me. Get out, weakling," The king spoke.
"Son, don’t worry. Take care of yourself. I’ll be safe,"
"Dad. Please. Stop justifying yourself. You know they’re wrong,"
"SILENCE child. Guards, take him away,"
The boy cried. It’s not every day that your father is exiled from his home grounds because he wasn’t as perfect as the others. The rage inside him changed him. And as he grew older, that change became more and more visible. He exhibited signs of a new trait. One that was not found in any other clan. This trait had given him the powers of all 4 clans combined. He had the runes of all four clans etched in his hand. He had the wish-granting immortal life of the Kings & Queens, The alpha skills of the Jacks, and the Dark magic of the Ace.
He wasn’t an imperfect like his dad. He was more than that. His rage and powers brought ruin to all 4 clans. The Great Battle for Peace, which was wiped out from records, resulted in the obliteration of all the clans. Hundreds of lives were lost. Many fought bravely against the one-man army.
In the end, the elders of the clans managed to overpower him for a while, and that was all they needed. They banished him to the Charr Sector. His existence was erased from the records. No one was to speak about him.
The radiation melted his skin. He was dying outside. One of the disadvantages of being immortal is that the pain is unbearable. Sometimes you wish you were dead. He walked on and in the distance, he saw a pine tree.
"Strange, "He thought as pine trees were extinct long ago.
Something was off about that tree. It was in the wrong place under the wrong circumstances.
He was able to sense life from the tree and absorbed it to regenerate himself. With his body restored, he created many more pine trees to fuel himself.
From there, he created his own world, cloaked from the rest. A place where the exiled were given a place to stay.
Centuries passed. Many more exiled joined. A mixture of people with different abilities fueled by one motive. A clan different from the others in every way.
They named themselves "The Joker Clan".
9. The Test.
"Where are we?" Jay asked.
"I like to think of this place as hell. Only darkness thrives here. And you dare shed your light in here, Prince Jay,"
"How do you know me?"
"How won’t I know you? Your family, your ancestor, is the reason I’m here,"
"I don’t know what you’re talking about,"
"Of course you don’t. They don’t raise you to know the truth. You believe that Neo-Earth is different from Old Earth right?"
"Yeah. According to the stories, I agree that,"
"The stories were shit. You were raised by a lie and a bunch of liars. Nothing is different. We all remain the same. We still isolate people if they are different from us. We treat them differently even if they’re one bit different from us,"
"No. I don’t believe that," Jay spoke, being fixed with his beliefs.
"Wake up, Jay. Didn’t you see what they did to those who were improper? They decided that these people can never be as good as them. They never thought to at least give them a chance,"
"The world is better if there are no humans around," He continued to speak. "They were the reason for the world to end once. And who's to say they won’t end it again? They can never be trusted with power of any kind. You have been living a lie your whole life, Jay. Open your goddamn eyes. That’s why we exist, to create a haven for the outcasts,"
His words had an impact on Jay. Jay thought about what Damon spoke and realized that these weren’t the delusions of a mad man. It was the truth.
"Where’s Alexa?"
"You don’t have to worry about her. She’s a tough one. Too bad you guys are not together,"
"How do you know about us?"
"Jay… We are everywhere. Nothing happens beyond our sight. Think of us like the puppet masters. We control each string orchestrating different events across the 4 clans,"
"Like what?"
"I’m afraid that’s gonna have to wait. Come one now. They’re waiting for us,"
"Who?"
Jay’s cuffs were removed. He had the chance to knock out Damon but something in him made him resist it.
"Why can’t I move?"
"You move as I decide," Damon spoke.
Jay followed Damon like a loyal dog following his master. They walked through the darkness, cold streaks of air blowing below the knees. Vision was barely possible.
"Where are you taking me?"
"You’ll see,"
As they stepped out, the bright light blinded him for a while. The sound of an eager crowd rushed through his ears. It was a gladiator match. Sort of.
"A gladiator match? You’re kidding me right?" Jay asked.
"No no. This isn’t a gladiator match. This is a test. For you…"
"What test? Jay asked, curiously.
"No more questions. Hope I’m right about you,"
He regained control over his body. He walked out further. Only one entrance. The way he entered. Damon sat among the crowds.
"LET’S BEGIN SHALL WE? He shouted.
"YES," The crowd replied.
"Who wants to go first?"
A woman stood up and entered the rink.
"Look. I don’t wanna fight you. Sooo….," Jay spoke, alerted by her dominating looks.
"I don’t give a damn. I’m doing this for the good,"
Jay thought this was a standard one-vs-one fight. Oh boy was he wrong. Jay got a closer look at the rune of the girl. It began to glow. Her body began to glow. She was an Ace. She blasted Jay with a strong beam of energy that he flew back to the entrance, hitting his head on the door. He was in pain. But that lasted only for a minute. He got up and walked towards the woman. She blasted another beam but he successfully dodged that. With each dodge, he got closer, and with each beam, she got weaker.
Eventually, she became so weak that another beam would’ve made her unconscious. He took advantage of that and knocked her off.
The crowd cheered for him. Their cheer didn’t sound like support for a winner. No. It was the support for him… Him only. Soon, another man stood up and entered the arena. He was a Jack. Jay dusted off the sand from his shirt and stood in a fighting stance.
The two fought, attacking, dodging faster than they breathed. Each attack was met with a block and a counter-attack. Both were tired, but they kept on continuing. Even then, the crowd never cheered for the opponent. They cheered for Jay. The opponent had the last strike and knocked Jay off. But Jay rebounded, dashing at the opponent. The opponent struggled. They were both now weak. One well-timed strike could end it. Jay took it and knocked him out.
The cheer intensified. People whistled and chanted his name in unison.
"Let the last contestant come forward," Damon announced.
The girl sitting beside Damon stood up. She slowly stepped down and entered the arena. Her rune was that of an Ace. But her face was of someone close to Jay.
It was Alexa. She was the last contestant. Her eyes glowed yellow, and so did her hands. She had no expression on her face. It was like she never knew who Jay was.
"Alexa. You don’t have to do this,"
She didn’t speak anything. She fired a beam of energy directed at him. This caught him off guard. Her beam was more powerful than the first opponent’s. His hand burned as he foolishly tried to block it. He was sent flying back with tremendous force that he should’ve been dead. But he was stopped just before hitting the arena wall. It was Damon who stopped him through his magic.
Damon dropped him. There was a small trace of fear in his eyes. Damon questioned his choice based on what he saw. But he didn’t give up. Jay looked at him and nodded a thanks.
Jay decided to tire her out. He dodged each beam till he got closer. But something was amiss. She wasn’t exhausted. She didn’t get exhausted. Jay got close to land a punch but it proved useless.
She erupted a shockwave knocking Jay unconscious. The crowd was hushed. The hope from their faces vanished.
10. A New King.
Jay was knocked unconscious for a while. Alexa showed no feeling on seeing him lie there. She wasn’t herself. Jay’s eyes moved. He slowly opened his eyes and raised his hands to show that he has not accepted defeat. He got up, rubbing the dust off of him. His head and body ached. Out of nowhere, his hand produced an excruciating pain.
The pain shot up his arm like fire. He cringed. It exploded in his head with a blinding whiteness and made him dizzy. It was like a knife being pierced into his arm nice and slowly, to make the pain last longer. He was in anguish. He looked at his hand and couldn’t believe what he saw.
Above his rune, there was a black mold fabricating in a small patch. The crowd watched him experiencing this agonizing pain and felt it. They wanted to help him, but they couldn’t. Damon, on the other hand, didn't feel sorry for him. He was happy. He knew what was composing. He knew what it would usher.
And, just when the pain was at its worst, it dissipated. The mold-like substance disappeared. Jay looked at his hand once again and saw a rune. Not the Jacks’ rune. But an Ace rune. Damon’s happiness shot up. So did the crowds’. They were now confident he would win. Alexa stood there, warming up her hands, generating a beam.
She shot it. But this time, Jay was ready. He blocked it with a shield of energy, radiating a brilliant blue hue. He fought back against Alexa. The two fought valiantly, evading each attack, spawning beams more powerful than the last. This went on for a long time.
"ENOUGH," Damon shouted.
Alexa stopped. Jay looked at her and saw the eyes he knew.
"Hey," He spoke.
Alexa hearing his voice looked over at him and rushed to hug him. An unknown fear that overtook her vanished as she hugged him. It was now replaced with a sense of safety. Her heart told her that now she was safe.
"Whoa," He exclaimed and hugged her back. He felt her heart pound fast.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah. You?"
"Yeah," There it was again. The moment they shared at the riverside. Their eyes locking on each other. Eyes that look so deep into each others’. His hands over her shoulders. Her innocent smile and her vibrant eyes made him forget what was happening and what had happened. They forgot their enmity.
"Hey lovebirds. Come over here," Damon exclaimed.
Their moment vanished. Jay walked over to Damon. Alexa left the arena.
"People of The Joker clan, you have witnessed the might and will of Prince Jordan. You have seen him fight using his wit and brawn. He didn’t accept defeat even after being unconscious. I can say, with confidence, that he is fit to be The New Ruler Of The Clan…"
"WHAT?" Jay exclaimed.
"Congratulations," Damon spoke. "You have passed the test,"
11. A Tyrant’s Last Promise To His People.
Damon’s Cottage.
"So… Jay, or should I say King Jay?" Damon spoke.
"What is this? Why did you proclaim me as the king?"
Jay asked. Damon looked at him with a certain look and spoke after a long pause.
"I’m dying, Jay,"
"Wh-what?"
"Correction. I’ve been dying,"
"How? Aren’t you immortal?"
"Turns out that isn’t true. Too much radiation has deteriorated my skin. My organs are defective. I’ve made two wishes. One was to prolong my life and the other was to restore my health. But its effects weren’t permanent,"
"My god. Tell me what I need to do,"
“Did you know of a prophecy foretold by the elders? They foresaw the end of all four clans by a shower of fireballs. They forecasted my existence, your birth, your fate. They warned me that I would wage a war against the clans, but I ignored it. After that, I’ve been thinking of a way to make up. But now… I’ve failed.”
He continued speaking.
"Did you know the first thing I created was pine trees? They had a certain life to them. Just be their king. I’ve told them about my condition and you long before,"
"What’s gonna happen to you? Where will you be?" Jay asked, with sympathy.
"I’ll be around. If my life ends, it’ll be doing what I set out for,"
“What is that?”
“That’s enough for now,”
With that, Damon left, handing Jay a kingdom before departure.
Jay first went to look for Alexa. He went to the arena where she was last seen. On the way, people bowed down to their new king, pledging their allegiance to him. He reached the arena. Alexa was now a fighter. She fought others for entertainment. As she was getting ready for her next fight, Jay approached her.
"Hey there, fighter,"
"Hey," Alexa responded, happily.
"How’s the arena?"
"It’s great. I have the freedom to express my powers without any limitations and no one to punish me. So… what’s new?"
"Now now, is that how you speak to your king?" Jay spoke jokingly.
"Hey. You are the prince of a dead clan. Doesn’t count as royalty,"
"So you haven’t heard? That fight was to determine if I would be the next king of this clan. And guess what? Damon made me the king,"
"WHAT? OH MY GOD!!! That’s amazing. Wait. Where’s he gonna go?"
"I don’t know. He’ll be around, I guess,”
Shortly after, Jay left. Alexa had never been happier for him. But that happiness soon turned into suspicion. Among all this excitement, she forgot the past. All she remembered after falling into the hole was… nothing.
12. Alexa.
The only thing she remembers is fighting Jay, restricted from showing her feelings and remembering who he is. Something was off.
She left for her fight against another Ace. They fought fiercely. The sound of beams of energy clashing with each other. The adrenaline of the fighters increases with each attack. Finally, the opponent got the upper hand and knocked her out. But she didn’t give up. She wiped the blood from her nose and proceeded to attack again, this time with more force. Her powers had an advantage and a disadvantage. The more she used her powers, the more it evolved, but at the same time exhausting her.
She conjured a chain from her energy and used it like a lasso. The crowds’ excitement surged, for they had never seen something like that. The opponent proceeded to conjure something too, but Alexa had the upper hand, knocking him out.
In the preparation area, the other contestants applauded her. She truly felt like being home with people who knew she existed, who never treat her like a castaway.
She removed her gear and sat down on a bench, massaging her sore legs. She tried to think about what happened after falling down the hole, but her attempt failed. She had this bizarre idea of using her magic to see what she can not. Her fingers glowed. She touched her head with these fingers, but it did not help much. She got up and proceeded to exit the arena. She walked out of the dimly lit room, greeted with a bright flash of sunlight.
It must’ve been the light, or maybe the transition from the dark to the light area because something triggered her into remembering a fragment of what had happened. She collapsed, holding her head and screaming with unbearable pain. Some of the people near took her to the infirmary, where she lay flattened. Her pulse was fluctuating, her heartbeats were rapid, and her temperature increased. The doctor cooled down her body with a damp cloth and gave her some medicines. Her pulse refreshed. Her beats were normal.
Jay’s Cottage
Alexa woke up, her head still throbbing with pain.
“You all right?” Jay asked.
“Yeah. Just a terrible headache,”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know,”
“Come on. You can tell me,”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry. Where are we?”
“My cottage. This used to be Damon’s cottage,”
“Okay then. Take care,” He further spoke.
“Wait, Don’t leave,”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’m feeling scared. Being around you makes me feel safe,”
Jay smiled.
“I’ll always be with you. No matter where,” He said and sat there with her. Her suspicion of Damon and her memory fragment slipped away at that moment. She slowly fell asleep, her hand still holding his. He left, slowly placing her arm on her body.
There was an atmosphere of love around the two of them. They wanted to confess their love but they couldn’t. They desperately wanted to say the words “I Love You”, but couldn’t. That moment by the river before was truly a special moment for both of them. It was the first time that Alexa smiled with love. It was the first time she smiled with joy.
It was also the first time Jay was happy. It was the moment he knew, she was the one.
Moments Later…
Alexa woke up in shock. She had dreamt about the fragmented memory. She was all alone, in the dimly lit room. Other than a headache, she was perfectly all right.
This used to be Damon’s cottage. There must be something to confirm her suspicion.
She got up and searched for something. She didn’t know what exactly it was she was searching for.
All that ransacking yielded no results. The disappointed Ace left the cottage.
It was dusk. The sunset’s presence slowly faded, and the moon’s fresh beams lit the earth. She walked under the lone moon’s light, second-guessing her thoughts.
“Maybe I’m overthinking,” She thought. She continued walking against the cool breeze of air.
Alexa was a girl who's been lonely her whole life. She had no one to call a family nor did she have a place to stay. Thieving came to her naturally. Thieving in the darkness was nothing. Doing it in broad daylight was the real challenge. She would create challenges for herself to improve her skills.
She saw Damon walking towards an area of darkness. Curiosity got the better of her and she decided to follow him. He disappeared into the darkness. A large patch of shadow into which Damon faded. She walked onto the shadow. Instead of hitting a wall or a rock, like she thought she would, she walked through the shadow entering another realm.
13. Fragmented.
A cold and gloomy place. She made her hands glow to see.
She continued to explore the cave-like place. Strange. It felt like déjà vu. She was certain that she had walked through these very halls. That’s when it came again. The throbbing pain in her head. The fragmented memory she saw earlier. It was more clear now.
In that memory, she was walking down the hall after falling down through the river. She heard a voice and turned back. Nothing. She heard a voice once again and turned back. Still nothing.
“Hey there,” The voice spoke.
She turned. She saw an unknown man. His shape reminded her of the disfigured who chased them. Soon, the man morphed into a much less disfigured man. She got a look at the man before he knocked her out. It was Damon. He’s the one behind it.
She followed him into a large hall. It was a base, lit by torches of fire. She hid behind a rock and peeked to get a closer look. Damon was looking at a wall. There was a handprint on that wall Damon looked at for some time.
“Father. It is done. The descendent of the Jack Tribe is now the king of the imperfects. It’s all coming together. My plan to avenge you is almost complete. Now I’m off to New Earth. I shall only return once the whole world is in my hands. I wish to have your blessings, father,”
He placed his hand on the print and bowed down his head in respect. He raised his head and walked a few steps back and looked at a table. It had a large piece of paper.
“You can come out now… now that you’ve seen it all,” He spoke.
Alexa didn’t speak. She made no noise.
“It’s no use, Come out now. I know you’re there… Alexa,”
She stepped out of her hiding and walked forward.
“What is all this?” She asked.
“Oh. This, in the table, is the map of the whole world. Haven’t you ever wondered if there were more people beyond the four clans? Beyond this clan? Beyond the Charr sector? I asked myself this question and found the answer,”
“So there are others like us?” she asked curiously.
“No. Not like us. Better than us. You see, we banished technology. But they… they worship them. They created a utopia where machinery and humans live in sync. They don’t have strange powers like us,”
“How come only you know about this?” She asked.
“Ah. Now you’ve asked the million-dollar question?”
“What?”
“It’s a figure of speech used by the old generation. It means you’ve asked the right question. I know about them cause I saw them in person. They had technology weaved into their bodies. It’s like they forgot what had happened,”
“They might’ve. It’s been centuries. So your plan is to rule them all? How is that any different from the old generation?”
“I’M NOT THE OLD GENERATION. STOP COMPARING ME TO THEM!!” Damon shouted.
“But it’s true,” She spoke.
“SHUT UP. You are the only anomaly I’ve encountered in my plan. Somehow you’ve managed to linger along with Jay. When I first saw you with him, I noticed something. He had feelings for you. The descendent of my enemy and an orphaned thief. This was my chance. And I took it. I was the one who impersonated Jay and reported you. Also, I did the same with Jay,”
“How dare you asshole?”
“Now now… You are of no use anywhere. No one’s gonna notice you’re gone. That means… even if I kill you, nobody cares,”
14. The Escape.
Damon’s words petrified her.
“You can’t fathom the power I have. If I want, I can end your life in the time you blink. But you know what… to make it fair, let’s do hand-to-hand combat. I’ve seen you fight. Show me your best,”
She got ready. So did he. Her eyes displayed raw fear. They fought.
Elsewhere…
Jay was searching for Alexa frantically. According to him, she was unwell, lying in his cottage. But when he arrived, she was missing, not to be found anywhere. He wandered tirelessly searching everywhere he could. Suddenly, someone bumped into him from behind.
“Jay. Jay. Help. He’s coming,”
“Who?”
“Damon,”
“What’re you talking about?”
“He’s the one who destroyed the clans. He’s the one who separated us. And now he’s preparing to take over the world. According to him, there are the Primals and the Evolved. We are the primals. We need to stop him,”
Jay took a minute to take it all in. This is all new.
“Where were you?” Jay asked.
“Are you serious? Didn’t you hear what I just said? We NEED to STOP HIM!”
They rushed. She led him to the entrance. Midway, Jay stopped. He sensed a great power looming far at the edge of the clan.
“Alexa. Not here. Follow me,”
He led her to the edge. As they got closer, the power became enormous.
“Jay. He’s stronger than you think. It’s not wise to fight him,” Alexa warned him. He didn’t listen.
They reached.
“Jay. Glad you’re here. I was just leaving ---”
“Shut your damn mouth. How could you? I believed you,”
“What are you talking about?” He asked.
“I know you made me the king so that you can venture off and kill the Evolved. Why?”
“I like to think of myself as an artist. As I can see it, I’ve created the perfect masterpiece. You remember the prophecy I told you? About the clans’ destruction? Well, I am the prophecy. I could’ve destroyed the clans anytime I wanted. But no. I waited for the perfect moment. When I saw you with Alexa, I followed you. I became your shadow, eavesdropping on all your talks.”
He continued speaking.
“The sheer satisfaction one gets when he sees his plan coming together…. It’s truly something different. I wanted you and your father to suffer. What better way to do it? And then I saw The Evolved. ”
“I won’t let you conquer them. They don’t know anything. Let them be at peace,”
“No. Humans once destroyed this world because of machines. I won’t let them do it again. You know, by the time we’ve talked this much, I would’ve reached there,”
Jay felt the tension and heard the intensity in Damon’s tone. There's a great deal of emotion behind these words he was speaking.
Jay halted him. But it was no match for Damon. Damon pushed him back with force. Jay got up.
“Fistfights are primitive, Jay. Fight me with your full strength and I promise you, you’ll unlock your full potential,”
Jay spoke.
“I never came looking for a fight. But then again, I was a prince and now I’m a king. Protecting those who are helpless is my duty. If you wanna go there, you have to go through me,”
Damon cracked his knuckles. Jay clenched his fists. He kept one foot back, getting ready for a fight. Damon advanced. His blows were of pure brute strength. Whereas Jay’s attacks were strategic.
The two fought. Jay took a blow to the jaw and countered it with a punch to the ribs, but Damon blocked it. It wasn’t just strength. He was fast. For each of Jay’s attacks, there was a fast counter from Damon. Jay was now bruised. His body ached.
“Had enough?” Damon asked.
Jay took him by surprise by blasting a beam of energy. Damon was blown back.
“Jay. Come on. Please. Follow me. Alexa spoke, from a distance.
He got up and followed her. His torso ached. Damon had transformed into a disfigured and split himself.
The Jack And Ace ran as fast as they could. What chased them was inches away. They ran through the dense misty jungle, dodging the low branches and jumping over rocks, all while having low vision.
But how long can they run? Damon’s speed escalated while Jay’s and Alexa’s diminished. The Ace, realizing that she can run no more, stopped and gave the Jack a window to escape. Jack turned back to see his companion once more. She was gone, along with Damon.
Nightfall occurred. Jack arranged shelter under a pine tree.
"Strange," He thought to himself, considering pine trees were extinct. After a while, Alexa joined him. It’s as if she spawned out of thin air.
“Hey! How did you manage to lure him away?” Jay asked.
“I took control of his mind for a while without him knowing and sent him off on another track,”
“Nice. Glad you’re alive,”
“Heh,” She gave out a suspicious chuckle. “How do we beat him? He’s too powerful. A minute more of fighting and you would’ve been dead. We need to find a weak point. He became a disfigured. Do you think on that day he multiplied himself and chased us?”
“Could be,”
Alexa looked up at the pine trees and asked.
“Aren’t these trees supposed to be extinct?”
That’s when it hit him.
“That’s it. Pine trees. That was the first tree he made. He mentioned it saying that it had a certain life. What if he meant that literally? He must be drawing his strength from pine trees. That has to be it,”
“Don’t worry. Leave that to me,” Alexa spoke.
She concentrated and was able to see the connection. All branched underground, moving along with Damon. In theory, destroying the pine trees would weaken him.
15. Epilogue
There were hundreds of pine trees located throughout the forest. His Achilles’ Heel was hidden in the open, perfectly hidden. But he never would’ve guessed The duo finding it. Jay used his newfound powers and morphed his hands to temporary blades. They split up and destroyed the trees, reducing them into ashes.
At the border of the clan…
“No. It can’t be,” Damon spoke, realizing that the pine trees had been discovered. He put his quest on hold and rushed to the forest. With each step, he felt weaker. His life force was literally being ripped away from him.
Soon, it was over. The trees were destroyed. Damon was weaker than he was before. A few hits and he’s down. One blast of energy and he’s dead. Alexa and Jay met at the center of the forest and proceeded to meet with Damon. Damon spotted Jay. He was walking towards him.
“You! How did you know? How did you know about the pine trees?””
“You told me. I figured it out. End of story,”
“I still don’t get one thing. How did you come to know about my plans? How did you know about the Evolved?”
“Well, Alexa told me about them. What did you expect?”
“Alexa?”
Damon was confused. He thought that perhaps he had heard it wrong.
“But she is dead,”
“What? What do you mean? She’s right here. Look,” He said, pointing towards her. But all Damon saw was him pointing at the air.
“It can’t be. I killed her, with my bare hands,”
“Stop blabbering,” Jay said.
Damon, with very little strength, spawned something from thin air.
Jay became pale. His eyes looked at the spawned thing in horror.
It was Alexa’s corpse. There were marks on her neck and her eyes were still open. Damon dropped the body on the ground. Jay neared the body, placing his hand on her forehead. Tears rolled down. He closed her eyes and looked back at where he saw Alexa. She wasn’t there.
“Alexa,” He spoke in a feeble voice. His voice cracked with sadness. It broke him.
“She put up a great fight. But in the end, the superior always wins,” Damon spoke.
The sadness in Jay vanished and was replaced with rage. He moved so fast, nobody would’ve been able to stop him.
Damon felt an agonizing pain in his abdomen. He looked down and found a slash mark deep into his stomach. He turned back to see Jay wielding a blade of energy, and fell down on his knees, breathing his last before falling flat on the ground.
He stabbed the body again and again and again, with anger and force. Blood spread over his hands and splattered on his face.
He didn’t stop.
He screamed with anger and cried in agony.
Alexa emerged and ran over to him.
“Jay. Stop. Please,” She begged.
He didn’t. He continued to cry. He vented his fury on the lifeless body of Damon.
“Jay, please. Stop,”
He didn’t listen.
“Jay. STOP. PLEASE. THAT’S ENOUGH,” She shouted and pulled him back.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, still crying.
“I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to worry. I thought I was gone forever, but my connection to the Dark Arts has trapped my Aura here,” she replied with grief.
“I’m so sorry. I brought you into my life. I led you here. It’s because of me you’re dead,”
“No, No. Don’t beat yourself up,”
She brought her hands to Jay’s cheeks and wiped the tears and blood off.
“I Love you... I’ve always wanted to say that. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one. I’m so sorry it had to be this way,” Jay spoke.
Alexa cried. Because she had waited long to hear the words
“I Love You”.
Jay tried to hold her hand which was on his cheeks, but it phased through.
She was able to touch him, but being an aura, he cannot touch her.
“I love you too,” she replied.
“I’ll always be there with you. No matter what. Nothing can separate us now,” She said and touched his chest, entering his heart…
Thus, after defeating Damon, they returned to the Joker Clan.
Alexa showed Jay the way to Damon’s hideout. Jay decided to go to the Evolved. He grabbed the map and proceeded to exit when a person asked him.
“Sir. Where are you going?”
“I can’t stay here. I’m not fit to be a ruler,”
“Sir, then who will rule us? Who will guide our people?”
“What’s your name?”
“Jake,”
“Well then, I proclaim you as King Jake. You are now the king,”
“WHAT. Why me?”
“You care about your people. I can tell that,”
“Umm… Thank you, sir. But sir, where is Alexa? Didn’t you two come together?”
“She’s coming. Don’t worry,”
Jay left. Walking through the Charr Sector, radiation didn’t affect him. Alexa took care of that, becoming his shield. She was his everything. He was her prince. Their love had a rocky start, and a tragic moment. But they never stopped.
“It’s a long way,” Jay said.
“Well then. Let’s not stop,” She replied.
The Evolved…
Coming Soon...
The Forgotten Ones(Alwin Baiju)
Author’s Note:
The Forgotten Ones is first and foremost, A work of fiction. Characters in this story are purely fictional. Any resemblance to the real world is purely coincidental. This story is a subject of my imagination and surroundings combined. I made it up. Many of my friends helped me during writing, and I’m thankful for it. I had massive support from my family and friends, for which I’m grateful.
Enough of the formalities...
I had a great time writing it. This story has been a dream project of mine. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the surviving humans have evolved and have set up clans to differentiate themselves. A story of love, deceit, and destiny. I won’t tell you any more details. I hope you enjoy this story. Great Thanks to Kimberly Rodrigues For Designing This Amazing Cover Page. @kym.robbyns
Leave a review back at my website: Alwination.Inc and tell your friends about it. -Alwin Baiju
The Forgotten Ones…
- Alwin Baiju
1. Prologue
2540 AD, Charr Sector, Neo-Earth…
The Jack And Ace ran as fast as they could. What chased them were inches away. They ran through the dense misty jungle, dodging the low branches and jumping over rocks, all while having low vision.
But how long can they run? The chasers’ speed escalated while the Jack and the Ace’s diminished. The Ace, realizing that she can run no more, stopped and gave Jack a window to escape. Jack turned back to see his companion once more. She was gone, along with the chasers.
Nightfall occurred. Jack arranged shelter under a pine tree.
"Strange," He thought to himself, considering pine trees were extinct. He looked at the cracked moon in the sky, thinking where it all went wrong.
2. Clans
Long after the end of civilizations in 2120, after the complete eradication of technology, there emerged a handful of people with special abilities. Taking the ways of their earliest ancestors, they split themselves into different clans, establishing order and peace. Technology was considered an equal to the devil and was banned, for it was the reason for The End.
There were 4 clans.
The Kings
The Queens
The Jacks
The Ace
The Kings were an all-male clan blessed with eternal life. But it came at a cost. They have the power to summon anything they wish for but rarely used it for using it too much can drain their life force.
The Queens clan was an all-female clan similar to the Kings clan. They too were blessed with immortality. They too had the power of wish-granting, but with the same defect.
The Kings and The Queens were the true elders. They’ve existed since The End.
The Jacks (Short for Jack-Of-All-Trades) were known for their exemplary skills. They were The Alpha. The most evolved form of
human beings in terms of skills, combat, reflexes, intelligence, and adaptability. In short, The Perfect Human Being. They can do anything they want without practice and achieve it in the first attempt. They could also blend in anywhere without raising suspicion.
The Ace was a peculiar clan. No other clan knows what their exact powers were. But according to ancient texts of the elder members, The Ace clan practiced the long-forgotten Dark Arts and had a handful of powers, their main being magic. They were the most powerful among the four. They were the original rulers but voluntarily stepped down. Nobody knows why.
It was still unclear why certain clans had certain abilities. Each clan had its theory. The Kings and The Queens theorized this as the work of God. These 2 clans were firm believers of God.
The Jacks took the scientific way and theorized it as the result of exposure of some people to higher levels of dark radiation (Dark Matter Radiation) and some to lower levels when the First Ones (The first survivors, creators of the clans) came out of their bunkers after The End (The end of the world).
The Ace theorized the use of dark magic as the cause. Overtime, the population of the Jack and Ace clans increased.
Each clan was symbolized by a rune. The rune was etched to a member’s wrist during adolescence. But over time, the offsprings were born with these runes.
The radiation has worsened since and was given the name Charr Sector. It wasn't the same as before, for being exposed to these new levels of radiation could prove fatal.
Together. all these clans established a beautiful ecosystem, reviving vital plants, and building artificial rivers. They produced water with the wish boon of the Kings and Queens clan combined.
Radiation levels reduced where these clans thrived. They labeled themselves as Neo-Sapiens OR the evolved humans. The new clans followed no racism or discriminating nature of their ancestors. The elders would often tell stories of the old earth, describing its vast technological advancements. But they would later say that this advancement and the greed of a few men in power was the reason the old world failed to live longer. Sometimes they would say that they wished a world like that, a greedy and unloving world ended a lot sooner.
3. An Outcast & A Prince.
Present Day…
The Jacks Clan.
Born to the ruler of the Jacks clan was a young prince, named Jordan. Jordan was different from others, often spending more time with the other clans than his own. His goofy personality was loved by all.
But he wasn’t a proper Jack. That means that he wasn’t a perfectionist like his people. King Julius, Jay’s father, and Kaiser, ruler of the Kings Clan were the only people who knew about this and advised to keep it a closed secret, for it could bring disturbance to the order in the clan.
For long, Jordan never displayed his skills in front of others and would find some reason to evade. Each member had a different style of showing their skills. One would be a multi-tasker, another would be a show-off, and so on…
The Ace Clan.
Today was once again, a bad day for Alexa, for she had no luck in stealing. She took to the ways of thieves, robbing people for food & money, for she had no one to look after her when she was a child. She was an outcast no one cared for.
Alexa walked through the markets, looking for a target to rob. And her luck turned. She found the perfect person.
If there was one rule the Ace clan was strict about, it was against the use of their powers in public. With a twirl of her forefinger, Alexa stopped the man in his tracks, stole his pouch, and took off. The man quickly recovered and chased her. Alexa ran as fast as she could, even exiting her clan. She looked back and saw the man gaining on her. Fate had her enter the Jacks Clan.
She looked back. The man disappeared. She proceeded to walk towards the market where she was met with surprise by none other than the man from who she stole.
"Hey," He greeted.
"Hey…" She replied.
"Just give it back to me if you don’t want trouble,"
"What are you gonna do? I’d like to see you try and take it from me," She replied.
"Prince Jordan, What’s the matter?" A guard came up and asked.
"Nothing, Julien," He replied.
"P-pr-prince?!" Alexa stuttered.
"Yeah. Prince. It’s pretty embarrassing that a prince got robbed. That too in broad daylight. But it’s gonna be a lot more embarrassing when you get caught doing it,"
"I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I just needed some money,"
"What do you need?" He asked politely, with a gentle smile.
"No no. I don’t want to trouble you. Not after this especially," She replied.
"It’s fine. I would be glad to help. Tell you what, let’s go and get something to eat,"
"No. It’s fine," She rejected.
"Come on now. I insist. You can’t say no,"
After a while, she agreed. They ate and spent time talking about their lives.
"You know what? I’ve never laughed this much ever," Alexa spoke.
"I’m having a great time too,”
He looked at her for a while and spoke.
“Let’s go somewhere,"
"Where?"
"Just come,"
"Ok,"
They headed outside the clan, walking through the jungle, walking on fallen trees.
"Where are we going prince?" Alexa asked in frustration.
"Hold on. We’re reaching," Jordan spoke.
They reached. It was somewhere deep in the jungle.
Alexa gasped, as she had never seen a sight more beautiful. They were at a riverbank, the water flowing in patterns, crashing along the rocks with minimal force. The splattered water from the rocks clashed with the colorful flowers and the crisp green grass. Bees & butterflies hovered over the flowers.
"What do you think?" Jordan asked.
"I-I don’t know what to say. It’s gorgeous," She exclaimed.
"Be careful around here. The Queens hate it when outsiders come here. This is their territory. Once they almost caught me and if I had been caught… ooof. I don’t wanna think about it," He remarked.
"Wow. Just Wow!" She exclaimed. They proceeded to sit near the water.
"Why? Why did you bring me here?" Alexa asked.
"I don’t know. Felt like I needed to show you this place,"
"Thank you," Alexa spoke. She felt different. The way she thanked him was different. Her hand slowly reaching for Jordan’s hand.
"Hey. Can I say something to you?" Jordan spoke.
"Sure. What is it?" Alexa responded, quickly withdrawing her hand.
"I haven’t told this to anyone, and I feel I can trust you. So here it is. I’m an improper jack,"
"Uhhh…. What is that?" Alexa asked with confusion.
"It means I’m not like the other members of my clan. My skills are not as perfect as theirs. The last time they found an improper jack, they exiled him, claiming that he can never be like us. And if they find out that I’m like that, there will be chaos for keeping me around all this time. I’m telling you this only because I feel I can trust you,"
"Whoa. I didn’t expect that," Alexa remarked.
"It’s getting dark. Let’s go back,"
"Sure,"
"Oh and keep this," Jordan said, handing his pouch to her.
"Oh. No Prince. I cannot keep this. Take it back,"
"Nope. I insist. Keep it,"
"Prince. Please. I can’t,"
"You can. I insist, again. And no need to call me Prince every time. I hate the sound of it. Call me Jay,"
"Alright. Th-thanks,"
The Next Day…
Jordan headed over to the Ace clan, waiting for Alexa in the market area. He stood there, greeted by the bystanders in a friendly way like he was their best friend when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned back to find a surprising sight.
It was Alexa, but she was different. She was new. Her hair was silky, neat, and her dress was beautiful.
"Wow!!!" Jordan exclaimed with amazement.
"Thanks," She spoke, with a smile growing on her lips.
They walked to the riverside again and sat near the water.
"I’ve heard that you guys are pretty secretive about your powers. "Why?" Asked Jay.
"I don’t know. But I’ve heard that our powers are unimaginably powerful and using them at full capacity could mean doom,"
"Then why did you use it on me?"
"Oh. I didn’t think about that,"
"Anyways… It’s fine,"
"Let me show you something," Alexa said.
She waved her hands. For a while, nothing happened. But after some time, her hands glowed yellow. The river water rose, strips of water began forming arches. Branches of trees bore fruits, flowers bloomed elegantly. Jordan erupted with happiness and excitement. He pranced around the field with joy. Alexa joined him. But the magic lasted only for a little while because Alexa lost her consciousness. Jordan quickly rushed to her and held her up in his arms, her head resting on his knees.
"Alexa. Wake up," Jordan called. She didn’t respond.
"Alexa. Are you okay?" He was worried. He gently placed her head on the ground and rushed to the river, taking water as much as his hands can and sprinkled it on her face. Her eyebrows winced. He dropped the rest of the water on the ground beside him and rested her head in his knees again.
She woke up.
"What happened?" Jordan asked worriedly.
"Oh, don’t worry. I’ve heard this happens when I use too much of my powers,"
Alexa’s eyes rested on Jordan’s and Jordan’s eyes rested on hers.
"Are you okay now?" Jordan asked.
"Yeah," She replied in a low voice. They continued to look at each other.
"Let’s get going. Shall we?" Jordan said, breaking the tension.
"Sure," Alexa agreed.
That night, Alexa had only one thing in her mind: That moment with Jordan. She never experienced happiness like that before. She knew was falling for him. For Jay, it was a different feeling. One he had never experienced before. Something about her made him take her to the riverside. Her vivid eyes made him understand that it was love. Something he never familiarised himself with.
4. Betrayal.
The next day, Jordan was excited to meet Alexa. He got ready and headed for the Ace clan. When he entered, he wasn’t greeted the usual way by the shopkeepers. There was a crowd in the market surrounding a scene. Jordan got closer and found himself shocked. There she was, Alexa, being arrested by some officers.
"Officer, what’s the matter?" Jordan inquired.
"Oh, thank you, Jordan for letting us know about her,"
"What do you mean?" He asked, confused.
"You gave us the info that Alexa here used her powers on you, in public, remember? We enquired and found witnesses who confirmed it,"
"What? What are you guys talking about? I never came to you guys,"
"Look, Prince Jordan. You came to us and reported that she used her
powers on you, stealing your pouch, and taking off. And we found your pouch in her hands,"
"Oh no. Can I talk to her?"
"Sure,"
Jordan looked at her. She didn’t look back. She felt betrayed. No. She didn’t feel betrayed. She WAS Betrayed.
"Alexa, please listen to me. You know I would never do this. You know me," Jordan tried to explain it wasn’t him. But she refused to listen.
"No. I don’t know you. If I had known you, you wouldn’t have done this. It’s my fault for trusting you. Now please just get the hell out of my sight," Alexa spoke, heartbroken. They took her and left. Tears rolled down Jordan’s eyes. He looked back at her, before leaving. She was crying.
What happened? When did Jordan report Alexa? A sorrowful Jordan returned to his clan, the picture of Alexa crying and etched in his mind. An image he can never get rid of.
Jordan went back to his clan only to find another surprise. Large crowds were gathered at his house. His father was being yelled at by everyone.
He went to the market without being seen by anyone. A shopkeeper stopped him.
"Joe. What’s the matter?" Jordan asked.
"Why didn’t you tell us you were an improper jack?" Joe replied.
"WHAT? How did you know?"
"A girl from the Ace clan told us just now,"
"Did she say her name?"
"Yeah. Alexa,"
"What? So you’ll believe anything some girl says?"
"She sounded pretty sure and she said she had proof,"
"But Alexa… She was just arres---"
"Look. Jordan’s here. Get him," Someone shouted.
"Son. RUN. Get out of here," Jay’s father shouted.
Jordan ran. The angered crowd followed him. The Jacks were people you can’t get away from. They will find you no matter what. Jordan ran as fast as he could. He reached The Queens Clan and hid there for the time being.
He made sure that the crowd lost track and went to the riverside. He didn’t understand what was going on. Right now, the riverside was the one place he needed to be. How could Alexa tell them when she was arrested moments ago? What was going on? Jordan had to clear his and Alexa’s names but he needed proof. He sat under the shade of the tree, slowly drifting away in his questions.
Nightfall came. Jay was awoken by the smell of smoke. He woke up to see his surroundings in flames. He quickly got on his feet and ran back to his clan. Screams were heard. Cries for help clouded the air. What happened next can only be described as an abomination.
He reached there to find people panicking. All of the houses were up in flames. Fireballs continued to rain from the sky. The screaming of men, women & children filled the air. Everything was engulfed in flames. He rushed to his house to find his father, but it was too late. He was already dead.
Jay rushed to the Kings clan in search of King Kaiser. He ran through the burning bushes and trees. The forest that was once so alive now scared him. The smell of smoke had him running faster.
He arrived. The Kings clan was no less destroyed than his clan. He figured The Queens clan had entered the clan for shelter as he found their bodies lying under the fire and debris from what he saw.
"Anyone there," A faint sound for help was heard. It was King Kaiser. Jay rushed towards him.
"King. What happened?" Jordan asked in terror.
"I don’t know Jay. Mo-moments after I received th-the news that your sec-cret got out, we were attacked. Balls o-of fire rained from th-the sky. Hi-his troops attacked us fr-from the inside. Our people were the betrayers."
"Whose? Whose troops attacked?"
"I-I don’t know. But from what I saw, the rumors are true. If they are alive and-d real, Be ca-careful of him, J-Jay," Kaiser breathed his last.
Jay immediately thought of Alexa.
"Oh God," He exclaimed and took off. The path to the Ace clan was isolated by fallen trees, burning violently. The path around it was engulfed in fire. The path with the trees was the only option he got to reach there. He had no hesitation. He ran. The hanging branches slit his limbs here and there. Other than a wince, he didn’t show any emotion. He didn’t stop. The only thought he had in his mind was that he shouldn’t be late. No harm should come to her. His sleeves caught fire, but he didn’t care. He tapped them off.
He arrived. It was the same scene. Flames and debris covering the entire area.
"ALEXA," He yelled.
"ALEXA," He yelled again. No response. He began his search from the Prisoners Loft. And there she was. Lying unconscious under rubble.
Jay pushed the debris away, carried Alexa out of there, and got out before attaining further damage.
5. Charr Sector.
The only area unaffected by the fire and chaos was the Charr Sector. A wasteland of radiation and dead bodies. The exiles of the Jacks Clan were sent here. Jay walked through the land, covering his and Alexa’s face with a piece of cloth. He walked continuously without stopping for a rest. But the Charr Sector wasn’t how it seemed.
Jay walked a few more miles before entering through an invisible barrier. It was a forest, cloaked from the rest of the world. One moment you were out in the radiation, and the next, you are in a forest, vibrant in green.
"What the---" Jay exclaimed in amazement.
The elders taught Jay and the others that the Charr sector was not to be explored at any time for it was unusually radioactive. But this was a revelation. "Why was this hidden from us?" he thought.
Alexa regained her consciousness. The first thing she sees is being carried by some unknown person. She immediately attacked him and got up on her own feet.
"Oww… What the hell?" Jay exclaimed.
"Oh. It’s you. What the hell happened?" Alexa asked.
"I don’t know. I was sleeping at the riverside when suddenly everything was on fire. All the other clans were ruined. I found you under rubble. You must’ve seen something. What happened exactly?"
"I don’t know what I saw exactly. As they were taking me to the Prisoners Loft THANKS TO YOU, some of the officers began attacking us. They were attacking their men,"
"That’s what King Kaiser said," Jay added.
"Oh, and thanks for telling everyone that I’m an improper Jack," Jay added again.
"What are you talking about? I’m not a backstabber like you," Alexa spoke.
"They told me that YOU were the one who told them and said you had proof,"
"What? I would never do something like that. The Ace clan believes in loyalty. We are not weasels, like you. What did you gain from turning me in?" Alexa spoke angrily.
"For the last time, I DIDN’T DO IT!!! I would never do that to you. Why won’t you believe me?"
"I don’t know what to believe now, Okay? First, you betrayed me, and then our kind betrayed us"
The two exchanged feelings of regret and anger in between those words. While one of them wished for it to end, the other didn’t. Their voices echoed through the woods. Eventually, it stopped, and they both went their separate ways.
Jay walked forward, through the vine-filled area. Something was odd. It felt like Déjà vu. He passed the same river, flowing the same way at least thrice. Finally, he stopped at the riverside and splashed some water on his face.
The riverside reminded him of the lovely moments he had with Alexa.
Suddenly, the sound of footprints made him arm himself up with a rock. The sound grew louder. As soon as he saw a figure, he threw the rock at it.
"Whoa!" Alexa exclaimed.
"Oh. It’s you,"
"So glad that you missed," She chuckled.
"I’ve been roaming here and there and kept coming back to this riverside. It’s a loop,"
"I realized. I saw you trip in the same place thrice," She spoke, laughing.
"Hmmm,"
"But how? I felt like I walked through the whole forest. None of the same trees were there when I returned. Only the river flowed the same," she asked.
"It’s a changing loop. Only some elements remain constant throughout. For example, the river, the rock I kept tripping on," Jay explained.
"How do you know all this?" She asked.
"This advancement existed before The End. How did it end up here? Now? He spoke, ignoring her question.
"How could you not see the rock there before? That too thrice?" Alexa asked, with a small laugh appearing.
"Maybe the position is constant. The object changes with each loop I guess,"
"Hmmm,"
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a swarm of disfigured people appeared in front of them. They looked like they were in no mood to make friends with the outsiders. One of them proceeded to attack. As he did, Alexa used her magic to vaporize him.
But it had no effect. Her spell managed to destroy the attacker’s torso, but it regenerated within seconds. Her magic was useless against them.
6. The Disfigured.
All of them started attacking.
Jay had exemplary skills in martial arts, only flawed by his improperness. He tried to knock them out, but they overpowered him.
Jay’s on-the-spot thinking resulted in an idea. He grabbed the attackers’ spears to push them away. He then tore what remained of his sleeves off and wrapped them around the ends of each spear.
"Alexa. Think you can make a fire?" He yelled.
"YEAH," She yelled back.
With a wave of her hand, she generated fire on a pile of fallen leaves. Jay immediately set the sleeve end on fire and attacked them. The fire seemed to do the trick. They all huddled together in a corner, giving room for Alexa and Jay to run. And that’s what they did. They ran as fast as they could. The "disfigured" chased them through the looping forest. They knew every looping element, dodging all the rocks and fallen branches. If only Jay and Alexa could be invisible…
"Jay, Follow me," Alexa took the lead.
Jay did as told and moments later, they became invisible. Alexa created an invisible barrier around them. But she wasn’t able to hold it on for long. The disfigured abandoned their search after a while.
Alexa weakened. She was semi-conscious. Magic took a toll on her life. They set up camp under a banyan tree. Alexa hadn’t gained consciousness. Jay prepared a fire and wrapped Alexa with huge banana leaves to protect her from the cold. The temperature of the forest was too cold for the trees to survive, but yet they did.
Moments later…
Alexa woke up. Her body was still weak from the magic. She was wrapped in banana leaves. In front of her, there was a bonfire. She looked around but didn’t see Jay.
"JAY," She called. No answer.
"JAY," She called again. No answer.
Her legs weren’t ready to support her. But she moved on. Inside, she was scared to be left alone. The only place she felt safe was the river. Though some disfigured people attacked her there, something about that river made her feel safe. She headed there and found Jay on the ground. Her face darkened. What she feared became reality. She tried to run, but failed and fell beside Jay’s body.
"Jay. Wake up," She spoke. Her voice began to break.
"Jay. Please. Don’t leave me," Her voice broke. The tears began.
Jay woke up. His ears heard her cries as he woke up. His eyes opened to see Alexa cry. Turns out he was in deep sleep.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" Jay asked in confusion.
"Oh. You’re alive!! Thank god," Alexa exclaimed, wiping the tears off her face.
"Yeah, I’m alive. Whadya think?" Jay exclaimed.
"W-what happened? Why were you sleeping here?"
"I came here to get some water, but the river… It was so calm and composing. I sat down and the next thing I knew, I was sleeping,"
Jay didn’t want to admit that he slept there thinking of the memories of him and Alexa near the riverside.
He got up, stretching his limbs. He walked over to the river and splashed his face with the sweet, cold flowing water. Alexa followed suit. For a moment, Jay focused only on Alexa, looking at her as she splashed her face with the water.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, sprinkling water on his face.
"Nothing," He replied, splashing water back at her.
And that’s what they did. They splashed water at each other, forgetting about the disfigured people or their loss. For a while, they felt happy. They felt like they did when they were near the riverside at the Queens’ clan for a while.
Alexa decided to stand in between the water and use her mojo to deliver a powerful splash with the river water. But as she stepped onto the water, she fell. And by that, she fell "down" deep under the water.
"ALEXA!!" Jay yelled. He was taken aback. Without thinking, he jumped, falling deep. The fall lasted less than a minute or so. Jay landed with minimum impact. An underground cave, illuminated by the refraction of the river water. The water above continued to flow without breaking its pattern. You can see the tall trees surrounding the river from below. The river acted as some kind of a cloaking mechanism. Jay’s mind was wrapped around these facts, before thinking of Alexa. He saw a path with the dimmed light and followed it. Walking along the path, he called out Alexa’s name, but it only echoed back at him. As he walked on, he came across writings on the walls. It was very hard to read, but his eyes adjusted faster than anyone. It read, "Once you take on a path, don’t look back unless you desire madness,"
"Madness?" He exclaimed.
He looked back. Nothing happened. Yet…
7. Hellhole.
He looked back. As he expected, nothing happened. But the moment he turned his head forward, he was lost. He was overcome with a feeling of hopelessness. He felt abandoned. He didn’t know where he was walking. A point size source of light illuminated the path and he followed to its source. An endless path of darkness. Only it seemed like an endless path because he walked with small steps.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps. But wasn’t able to pinpoint where it came from. Was it from the front or the back?
"Alexa?" He called out. No response.
"Alexa? Is that you?" He asked. No response.
The sound of the footsteps got louder. Jay didn’t see anything. He couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t have predicted what happened next.
"Hey, Jay,"
"Alexa?"
"Yeah. It’s me."
"Where were you? Where are we right now?"
"In hell…"
"What? Wh-what do you---" He was knocked unconscious.
A voice woke him up. He was lying unconscious with his hands tied not by rope but by something else. They were tied by a spell.
His eyes slowly opened to see what’s around him. He lied on dust. The walls were of rocks.
"Ughh--" Somebody moaned.
He looked over to see who the source of that sound was.
"Alexa! Are you okay?"
"Where were you? I’ve been here for weeks?"
"What? You fell an hour ago. How can you say you were here for weeks?" Jay asked, confused.
Alexa disappeared.
"Time works differently in this area, Prince Jordan," A voice spoke from the darkness. "Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Damon. Ruler of the Joker Clan,"
8. Damon.
2259 AD, Neo-Earth
The Jacks Clan.
"King, please. I beg you. Do not banish my father,"
"Shut up. Be lucky that you’re not going with him. Your father had the nerve to lie to me. Get out, weakling," The king spoke.
"Son, don’t worry. Take care of yourself. I’ll be safe,"
"Dad. Please. Stop justifying yourself. You know they’re wrong,"
"SILENCE child. Guards, take him away,"
The boy cried. It’s not every day that your father is exiled from his home grounds because he wasn’t as perfect as the others. The rage inside him changed him. And as he grew older, that change became more and more visible. He exhibited signs of a new trait. One that was not found in any other clan. This trait had given him the powers of all 4 clans combined. He had the runes of all four clans etched in his hand. He had the wish-granting immortal life of the Kings & Queens, The alpha skills of the Jacks, and the Dark magic of the Ace.
He wasn’t an imperfect like his dad. He was more than that. His rage and powers brought ruin to all 4 clans. The Great Battle for Peace, which was wiped out from records, resulted in the obliteration of all the clans. Hundreds of lives were lost. Many fought bravely against the one-man army.
In the end, the elders of the clans managed to overpower him for a while, and that was all they needed. They banished him to the Charr Sector. His existence was erased from the records. No one was to speak about him.
The radiation melted his skin. He was dying outside. One of the disadvantages of being immortal is that the pain is unbearable. Sometimes you wish you were dead. He walked on and in the distance, he saw a pine tree.
"Strange, "He thought as pine trees were extinct long ago.
Something was off about that tree. It was in the wrong place under the wrong circumstances.
He was able to sense life from the tree and absorbed it to regenerate himself. With his body restored, he created many more pine trees to fuel himself.
From there, he created his own world, cloaked from the rest. A place where the exiled were given a place to stay.
Centuries passed. Many more exiled joined. A mixture of people with different abilities fueled by one motive. A clan different from the others in every way.
They named themselves "The Joker Clan".
9. The Test.
"Where are we?" Jay asked.
"I like to think of this place as hell. Only darkness thrives here. And you dare shed your light in here, Prince Jay,"
"How do you know me?"
"How won’t I know you? Your family, your ancestor, is the reason I’m here,"
"I don’t know what you’re talking about,"
"Of course you don’t. They don’t raise you to know the truth. You believe that Neo-Earth is different from Old Earth right?"
"Yeah. According to the stories, I agree that,"
"The stories were shit. You were raised by a lie and a bunch of liars. Nothing is different. We all remain the same. We still isolate people if they are different from us. We treat them differently even if they’re one bit different from us,"
"No. I don’t believe that," Jay spoke, being fixed with his beliefs.
"Wake up, Jay. Didn’t you see what they did to those who were improper? They decided that these people can never be as good as them. They never thought to at least give them a chance,"
"The world is better if there are no humans around," He continued to speak. "They were the reason for the world to end once. And who's to say they won’t end it again? They can never be trusted with power of any kind. You have been living a lie your whole life, Jay. Open your goddamn eyes. That’s why we exist, to create a haven for the outcasts,"
His words had an impact on Jay. Jay thought about what Damon spoke and realized that these weren’t the delusions of a mad man. It was the truth.
"Where’s Alexa?"
"You don’t have to worry about her. She’s a tough one. Too bad you guys are not together,"
"How do you know about us?"
"Jay… We are everywhere. Nothing happens beyond our sight. Think of us like the puppet masters. We control each string orchestrating different events across the 4 clans,"
"Like what?"
"I’m afraid that’s gonna have to wait. Come one now. They’re waiting for us,"
"Who?"
Jay’s cuffs were removed. He had the chance to knock out Damon but something in him made him resist it.
"Why can’t I move?"
"You move as I decide," Damon spoke.
Jay followed Damon like a loyal dog following his master. They walked through the darkness, cold streaks of air blowing below the knees. Vision was barely possible.
"Where are you taking me?"
"You’ll see,"
As they stepped out, the bright light blinded him for a while. The sound of an eager crowd rushed through his ears. It was a gladiator match. Sort of.
"A gladiator match? You’re kidding me right?" Jay asked.
"No no. This isn’t a gladiator match. This is a test. For you…"
"What test? Jay asked, curiously.
"No more questions. Hope I’m right about you,"
He regained control over his body. He walked out further. Only one entrance. The way he entered. Damon sat among the crowds.
"LET’S BEGIN SHALL WE? He shouted.
"YES," The crowd replied.
"Who wants to go first?"
A woman stood up and entered the rink.
"Look. I don’t wanna fight you. Sooo….," Jay spoke, alerted by her dominating looks.
"I don’t give a damn. I’m doing this for the good,"
Jay thought this was a standard one-vs-one fight. Oh boy was he wrong. Jay got a closer look at the rune of the girl. It began to glow. Her body began to glow. She was an Ace. She blasted Jay with a strong beam of energy that he flew back to the entrance, hitting his head on the door. He was in pain. But that lasted only for a minute. He got up and walked towards the woman. She blasted another beam but he successfully dodged that. With each dodge, he got closer, and with each beam, she got weaker.
Eventually, she became so weak that another beam would’ve made her unconscious. He took advantage of that and knocked her off.
The crowd cheered for him. Their cheer didn’t sound like support for a winner. No. It was the support for him… Him only. Soon, another man stood up and entered the arena. He was a Jack. Jay dusted off the sand from his shirt and stood in a fighting stance.
The two fought, attacking, dodging faster than they breathed. Each attack was met with a block and a counter-attack. Both were tired, but they kept on continuing. Even then, the crowd never cheered for the opponent. They cheered for Jay. The opponent had the last strike and knocked Jay off. But Jay rebounded, dashing at the opponent. The opponent struggled. They were both now weak. One well-timed strike could end it. Jay took it and knocked him out.
The cheer intensified. People whistled and chanted his name in unison.
"Let the last contestant come forward," Damon announced.
The girl sitting beside Damon stood up. She slowly stepped down and entered the arena. Her rune was that of an Ace. But her face was of someone close to Jay.
It was Alexa. She was the last contestant. Her eyes glowed yellow, and so did her hands. She had no expression on her face. It was like she never knew who Jay was.
"Alexa. You don’t have to do this,"
She didn’t speak anything. She fired a beam of energy directed at him. This caught him off guard. Her beam was more powerful than the first opponent’s. His hand burned as he foolishly tried to block it. He was sent flying back with tremendous force that he should’ve been dead. But he was stopped just before hitting the arena wall. It was Damon who stopped him through his magic.
Damon dropped him. There was a small trace of fear in his eyes. Damon questioned his choice based on what he saw. But he didn’t give up. Jay looked at him and nodded a thanks.
Jay decided to tire her out. He dodged each beam till he got closer. But something was amiss. She wasn’t exhausted. She didn’t get exhausted. Jay got close to land a punch but it proved useless.
She erupted a shockwave knocking Jay unconscious. The crowd was hushed. The hope from their faces vanished.
10. A New King.
Jay was knocked unconscious for a while. Alexa showed no feeling on seeing him lie there. She wasn’t herself. Jay’s eyes moved. He slowly opened his eyes and raised his hands to show that he has not accepted defeat. He got up, rubbing the dust off of him. His head and body ached. Out of nowhere, his hand produced an excruciating pain.
The pain shot up his arm like fire. He cringed. It exploded in his head with a blinding whiteness and made him dizzy. It was like a knife being pierced into his arm nice and slowly, to make the pain last longer. He was in anguish. He looked at his hand and couldn’t believe what he saw.
Above his rune, there was a black mold fabricating in a small patch. The crowd watched him experiencing this agonizing pain and felt it. They wanted to help him, but they couldn’t. Damon, on the other hand, didn't feel sorry for him. He was happy. He knew what was composing. He knew what it would usher.
And, just when the pain was at its worst, it dissipated. The mold-like substance disappeared. Jay looked at his hand once again and saw a rune. Not the Jacks’ rune. But an Ace rune. Damon’s happiness shot up. So did the crowds’. They were now confident he would win. Alexa stood there, warming up her hands, generating a beam.
She shot it. But this time, Jay was ready. He blocked it with a shield of energy, radiating a brilliant blue hue. He fought back against Alexa. The two fought valiantly, evading each attack, spawning beams more powerful than the last. This went on for a long time.
"ENOUGH," Damon shouted.
Alexa stopped. Jay looked at her and saw the eyes he knew.
"Hey," He spoke.
Alexa hearing his voice looked over at him and rushed to hug him. An unknown fear that overtook her vanished as she hugged him. It was now replaced with a sense of safety. Her heart told her that now she was safe.
"Whoa," He exclaimed and hugged her back. He felt her heart pound fast.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah. You?"
"Yeah," There it was again. The moment they shared at the riverside. Their eyes locking on each other. Eyes that look so deep into each others’. His hands over her shoulders. Her innocent smile and her vibrant eyes made him forget what was happening and what had happened. They forgot their enmity.
"Hey lovebirds. Come over here," Damon exclaimed.
Their moment vanished. Jay walked over to Damon. Alexa left the arena.
"People of The Joker clan, you have witnessed the might and will of Prince Jordan. You have seen him fight using his wit and brawn. He didn’t accept defeat even after being unconscious. I can say, with confidence, that he is fit to be The New Ruler Of The Clan…"
"WHAT?" Jay exclaimed.
"Congratulations," Damon spoke. "You have passed the test,"
11. A Tyrant’s Last Promise To His People.
Damon’s Cottage.
"So… Jay, or should I say King Jay?" Damon spoke.
"What is this? Why did you proclaim me as the king?"
Jay asked. Damon looked at him with a certain look and spoke after a long pause.
"I’m dying, Jay,"
"Wh-what?"
"Correction. I’ve been dying,"
"How? Aren’t you immortal?"
"Turns out that isn’t true. Too much radiation has deteriorated my skin. My organs are defective. I’ve made two wishes. One was to prolong my life and the other was to restore my health. But its effects weren’t permanent,"
"My god. Tell me what I need to do,"
“Did you know of a prophecy foretold by the elders? They foresaw the end of all four clans by a shower of fireballs. They forecasted my existence, your birth, your fate. They warned me that I would wage a war against the clans, but I ignored it. After that, I’ve been thinking of a way to make up. But now… I’ve failed.”
He continued speaking.
"Did you know the first thing I created was pine trees? They had a certain life to them. Just be their king. I’ve told them about my condition and you long before,"
"What’s gonna happen to you? Where will you be?" Jay asked, with sympathy.
"I’ll be around. If my life ends, it’ll be doing what I set out for,"
“What is that?”
“That’s enough for now,”
With that, Damon left, handing Jay a kingdom before departure.
Jay first went to look for Alexa. He went to the arena where she was last seen. On the way, people bowed down to their new king, pledging their allegiance to him. He reached the arena. Alexa was now a fighter. She fought others for entertainment. As she was getting ready for her next fight, Jay approached her.
"Hey there, fighter,"
"Hey," Alexa responded, happily.
"How’s the arena?"
"It’s great. I have the freedom to express my powers without any limitations and no one to punish me. So… what’s new?"
"Now now, is that how you speak to your king?" Jay spoke jokingly.
"Hey. You are the prince of a dead clan. Doesn’t count as royalty,"
"So you haven’t heard? That fight was to determine if I would be the next king of this clan. And guess what? Damon made me the king,"
"WHAT? OH MY GOD!!! That’s amazing. Wait. Where’s he gonna go?"
"I don’t know. He’ll be around, I guess,”
Shortly after, Jay left. Alexa had never been happier for him. But that happiness soon turned into suspicion. Among all this excitement, she forgot the past. All she remembered after falling into the hole was… nothing.
12. Alexa.
The only thing she remembers is fighting Jay, restricted from showing her feelings and remembering who he is. Something was off.
She left for her fight against another Ace. They fought fiercely. The sound of beams of energy clashing with each other. The adrenaline of the fighters increases with each attack. Finally, the opponent got the upper hand and knocked her out. But she didn’t give up. She wiped the blood from her nose and proceeded to attack again, this time with more force. Her powers had an advantage and a disadvantage. The more she used her powers, the more it evolved, but at the same time exhausting her.
She conjured a chain from her energy and used it like a lasso. The crowds’ excitement surged, for they had never seen something like that. The opponent proceeded to conjure something too, but Alexa had the upper hand, knocking him out.
In the preparation area, the other contestants applauded her. She truly felt like being home with people who knew she existed, who never treat her like a castaway.
She removed her gear and sat down on a bench, massaging her sore legs. She tried to think about what happened after falling down the hole, but her attempt failed. She had this bizarre idea of using her magic to see what she can not. Her fingers glowed. She touched her head with these fingers, but it did not help much. She got up and proceeded to exit the arena. She walked out of the dimly lit room, greeted with a bright flash of sunlight.
It must’ve been the light, or maybe the transition from the dark to the light area because something triggered her into remembering a fragment of what had happened. She collapsed, holding her head and screaming with unbearable pain. Some of the people near took her to the infirmary, where she lay flattened. Her pulse was fluctuating, her heartbeats were rapid, and her temperature increased. The doctor cooled down her body with a damp cloth and gave her some medicines. Her pulse refreshed. Her beats were normal.
Jay’s Cottage
Alexa woke up, her head still throbbing with pain.
“You all right?” Jay asked.
“Yeah. Just a terrible headache,”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know,”
“Come on. You can tell me,”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry. Where are we?”
“My cottage. This used to be Damon’s cottage,”
“Okay then. Take care,” He further spoke.
“Wait, Don’t leave,”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’m feeling scared. Being around you makes me feel safe,”
Jay smiled.
“I’ll always be with you. No matter where,” He said and sat there with her. Her suspicion of Damon and her memory fragment slipped away at that moment. She slowly fell asleep, her hand still holding his. He left, slowly placing her arm on her body.
There was an atmosphere of love around the two of them. They wanted to confess their love but they couldn’t. They desperately wanted to say the words “I Love You”, but couldn’t. That moment by the river before was truly a special moment for both of them. It was the first time that Alexa smiled with love. It was the first time she smiled with joy.
It was also the first time Jay was happy. It was the moment he knew, she was the one.
Moments Later…
Alexa woke up in shock. She had dreamt about the fragmented memory. She was all alone, in the dimly lit room. Other than a headache, she was perfectly all right.
This used to be Damon’s cottage. There must be something to confirm her suspicion.
She got up and searched for something. She didn’t know what exactly it was she was searching for.
All that ransacking yielded no results. The disappointed Ace left the cottage.
It was dusk. The sunset’s presence slowly faded, and the moon’s fresh beams lit the earth. She walked under the lone moon’s light, second-guessing her thoughts.
“Maybe I’m overthinking,” She thought. She continued walking against the cool breeze of air.
Alexa was a girl who's been lonely her whole life. She had no one to call a family nor did she have a place to stay. Thieving came to her naturally. Thieving in the darkness was nothing. Doing it in broad daylight was the real challenge. She would create challenges for herself to improve her skills.
She saw Damon walking towards an area of darkness. Curiosity got the better of her and she decided to follow him. He disappeared into the darkness. A large patch of shadow into which Damon faded. She walked onto the shadow. Instead of hitting a wall or a rock, like she thought she would, she walked through the shadow entering another realm.
13. Fragmented.
A cold and gloomy place. She made her hands glow to see.
She continued to explore the cave-like place. Strange. It felt like déjà vu. She was certain that she had walked through these very halls. That’s when it came again. The throbbing pain in her head. The fragmented memory she saw earlier. It was more clear now.
In that memory, she was walking down the hall after falling down through the river. She heard a voice and turned back. Nothing. She heard a voice once again and turned back. Still nothing.
“Hey there,” The voice spoke.
She turned. She saw an unknown man. His shape reminded her of the disfigured who chased them. Soon, the man morphed into a much less disfigured man. She got a look at the man before he knocked her out. It was Damon. He’s the one behind it.
She followed him into a large hall. It was a base, lit by torches of fire. She hid behind a rock and peeked to get a closer look. Damon was looking at a wall. There was a handprint on that wall Damon looked at for some time.
“Father. It is done. The descendent of the Jack Tribe is now the king of the imperfects. It’s all coming together. My plan to avenge you is almost complete. Now I’m off to New Earth. I shall only return once the whole world is in my hands. I wish to have your blessings, father,”
He placed his hand on the print and bowed down his head in respect. He raised his head and walked a few steps back and looked at a table. It had a large piece of paper.
“You can come out now… now that you’ve seen it all,” He spoke.
Alexa didn’t speak. She made no noise.
“It’s no use, Come out now. I know you’re there… Alexa,”
She stepped out of her hiding and walked forward.
“What is all this?” She asked.
“Oh. This, in the table, is the map of the whole world. Haven’t you ever wondered if there were more people beyond the four clans? Beyond this clan? Beyond the Charr sector? I asked myself this question and found the answer,”
“So there are others like us?” she asked curiously.
“No. Not like us. Better than us. You see, we banished technology. But they… they worship them. They created a utopia where machinery and humans live in sync. They don’t have strange powers like us,”
“How come only you know about this?” She asked.
“Ah. Now you’ve asked the million-dollar question?”
“What?”
“It’s a figure of speech used by the old generation. It means you’ve asked the right question. I know about them cause I saw them in person. They had technology weaved into their bodies. It’s like they forgot what had happened,”
“They might’ve. It’s been centuries. So your plan is to rule them all? How is that any different from the old generation?”
“I’M NOT THE OLD GENERATION. STOP COMPARING ME TO THEM!!” Damon shouted.
“But it’s true,” She spoke.
“SHUT UP. You are the only anomaly I’ve encountered in my plan. Somehow you’ve managed to linger along with Jay. When I first saw you with him, I noticed something. He had feelings for you. The descendent of my enemy and an orphaned thief. This was my chance. And I took it. I was the one who impersonated Jay and reported you. Also, I did the same with Jay,”
“How dare you asshole?”
“Now now… You are of no use anywhere. No one’s gonna notice you’re gone. That means… even if I kill you, nobody cares,”
14. The Escape.
Damon’s words petrified her.
“You can’t fathom the power I have. If I want, I can end your life in the time you blink. But you know what… to make it fair, let’s do hand-to-hand combat. I’ve seen you fight. Show me your best,”
She got ready. So did he. Her eyes displayed raw fear. They fought.
Elsewhere…
Jay was searching for Alexa frantically. According to him, she was unwell, lying in his cottage. But when he arrived, she was missing, not to be found anywhere. He wandered tirelessly searching everywhere he could. Suddenly, someone bumped into him from behind.
“Jay. Jay. Help. He’s coming,”
“Who?”
“Damon,”
“What’re you talking about?”
“He’s the one who destroyed the clans. He’s the one who separated us. And now he’s preparing to take over the world. According to him, there are the Primals and the Evolved. We are the primals. We need to stop him,”
Jay took a minute to take it all in. This is all new.
“Where were you?” Jay asked.
“Are you serious? Didn’t you hear what I just said? We NEED to STOP HIM!”
They rushed. She led him to the entrance. Midway, Jay stopped. He sensed a great power looming far at the edge of the clan.
“Alexa. Not here. Follow me,”
He led her to the edge. As they got closer, the power became enormous.
“Jay. He’s stronger than you think. It’s not wise to fight him,” Alexa warned him. He didn’t listen.
They reached.
“Jay. Glad you’re here. I was just leaving ---”
“Shut your damn mouth. How could you? I believed you,”
“What are you talking about?” He asked.
“I know you made me the king so that you can venture off and kill the Evolved. Why?”
“I like to think of myself as an artist. As I can see it, I’ve created the perfect masterpiece. You remember the prophecy I told you? About the clans’ destruction? Well, I am the prophecy. I could’ve destroyed the clans anytime I wanted. But no. I waited for the perfect moment. When I saw you with Alexa, I followed you. I became your shadow, eavesdropping on all your talks.”
He continued speaking.
“The sheer satisfaction one gets when he sees his plan coming together…. It’s truly something different. I wanted you and your father to suffer. What better way to do it? And then I saw The Evolved. ”
“I won’t let you conquer them. They don’t know anything. Let them be at peace,”
“No. Humans once destroyed this world because of machines. I won’t let them do it again. You know, by the time we’ve talked this much, I would’ve reached there,”
Jay felt the tension and heard the intensity in Damon’s tone. There's a great deal of emotion behind these words he was speaking.
Jay halted him. But it was no match for Damon. Damon pushed him back with force. Jay got up.
“Fistfights are primitive, Jay. Fight me with your full strength and I promise you, you’ll unlock your full potential,”
Jay spoke.
“I never came looking for a fight. But then again, I was a prince and now I’m a king. Protecting those who are helpless is my duty. If you wanna go there, you have to go through me,”
Damon cracked his knuckles. Jay clenched his fists. He kept one foot back, getting ready for a fight. Damon advanced. His blows were of pure brute strength. Whereas Jay’s attacks were strategic.
The two fought. Jay took a blow to the jaw and countered it with a punch to the ribs, but Damon blocked it. It wasn’t just strength. He was fast. For each of Jay’s attacks, there was a fast counter from Damon. Jay was now bruised. His body ached.
“Had enough?” Damon asked.
Jay took him by surprise by blasting a beam of energy. Damon was blown back.
“Jay. Come on. Please. Follow me. Alexa spoke, from a distance.
He got up and followed her. His torso ached. Damon had transformed into a disfigured and split himself.
The Jack And Ace ran as fast as they could. What chased them was inches away. They ran through the dense misty jungle, dodging the low branches and jumping over rocks, all while having low vision.
But how long can they run? Damon’s speed escalated while Jay’s and Alexa’s diminished. The Ace, realizing that she can run no more, stopped and gave the Jack a window to escape. Jack turned back to see his companion once more. She was gone, along with Damon.
Nightfall occurred. Jack arranged shelter under a pine tree.
"Strange," He thought to himself, considering pine trees were extinct. After a while, Alexa joined him. It’s as if she spawned out of thin air.
“Hey! How did you manage to lure him away?” Jay asked.
“I took control of his mind for a while without him knowing and sent him off on another track,”
“Nice. Glad you’re alive,”
“Heh,” She gave out a suspicious chuckle. “How do we beat him? He’s too powerful. A minute more of fighting and you would’ve been dead. We need to find a weak point. He became a disfigured. Do you think on that day he multiplied himself and chased us?”
“Could be,”
Alexa looked up at the pine trees and asked.
“Aren’t these trees supposed to be extinct?”
That’s when it hit him.
“That’s it. Pine trees. That was the first tree he made. He mentioned it saying that it had a certain life. What if he meant that literally? He must be drawing his strength from pine trees. That has to be it,”
“Don’t worry. Leave that to me,” Alexa spoke.
She concentrated and was able to see the connection. All branched underground, moving along with Damon. In theory, destroying the pine trees would weaken him.
15. Epilogue
There were hundreds of pine trees located throughout the forest. His Achilles’ Heel was hidden in the open, perfectly hidden. But he never would’ve guessed The duo finding it. Jay used his newfound powers and morphed his hands to temporary blades. They split up and destroyed the trees, reducing them into ashes.
At the border of the clan…
“No. It can’t be,” Damon spoke, realizing that the pine trees had been discovered. He put his quest on hold and rushed to the forest. With each step, he felt weaker. His life force was literally being ripped away from him.
Soon, it was over. The trees were destroyed. Damon was weaker than he was before. A few hits and he’s down. One blast of energy and he’s dead. Alexa and Jay met at the center of the forest and proceeded to meet with Damon. Damon spotted Jay. He was walking towards him.
“You! How did you know? How did you know about the pine trees?””
“You told me. I figured it out. End of story,”
“I still don’t get one thing. How did you come to know about my plans? How did you know about the Evolved?”
“Well, Alexa told me about them. What did you expect?”
“Alexa?”
Damon was confused. He thought that perhaps he had heard it wrong.
“But she is dead,”
“What? What do you mean? She’s right here. Look,” He said, pointing towards her. But all Damon saw was him pointing at the air.
“It can’t be. I killed her, with my bare hands,”
“Stop blabbering,” Jay said.
Damon, with very little strength, spawned something from thin air.
Jay became pale. His eyes looked at the spawned thing in horror.
It was Alexa’s corpse. There were marks on her neck and her eyes were still open. Damon dropped the body on the ground. Jay neared the body, placing his hand on her forehead. Tears rolled down. He closed her eyes and looked back at where he saw Alexa. She wasn’t there.
“Alexa,” He spoke in a feeble voice. His voice cracked with sadness. It broke him.
“She put up a great fight. But in the end, the superior always wins,” Damon spoke.
The sadness in Jay vanished and was replaced with rage. He moved so fast, nobody would’ve been able to stop him.
Damon felt an agonizing pain in his abdomen. He looked down and found a slash mark deep into his stomach. He turned back to see Jay wielding a blade of energy, and fell down on his knees, breathing his last before falling flat on the ground.
He stabbed the body again and again and again, with anger and force. Blood spread over his hands and splattered on his face.
He didn’t stop.
He screamed with anger and cried in agony.
Alexa emerged and ran over to him.
“Jay. Stop. Please,” She begged.
He didn’t. He continued to cry. He vented his fury on the lifeless body of Damon.
“Jay, please. Stop,”
He didn’t listen.
“Jay. STOP. PLEASE. THAT’S ENOUGH,” She shouted and pulled him back.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, still crying.
“I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to worry. I thought I was gone forever, but my connection to the Dark Arts has trapped my Aura here,” she replied with grief.
“I’m so sorry. I brought you into my life. I led you here. It’s because of me you’re dead,”
“No, No. Don’t beat yourself up,”
She brought her hands to Jay’s cheeks and wiped the tears and blood off.
“I Love you... I’ve always wanted to say that. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one. I’m so sorry it had to be this way,” Jay spoke.
Alexa cried. Because she had waited long to hear the words
“I Love You”.
Jay tried to hold her hand which was on his cheeks, but it phased through.
She was able to touch him, but being an aura, he cannot touch her.
“I love you too,” she replied.
“I’ll always be there with you. No matter what. Nothing can separate us now,” She said and touched his chest, entering his heart…
Thus, after defeating Damon, they returned to the Joker Clan.
Alexa showed Jay the way to Damon’s hideout. Jay decided to go to the Evolved. He grabbed the map and proceeded to exit when a person asked him.
“Sir. Where are you going?”
“I can’t stay here. I’m not fit to be a ruler,”
“Sir, then who will rule us? Who will guide our people?”
“What’s your name?”
“Jake,”
“Well then, I proclaim you as King Jake. You are now the king,”
“WHAT. Why me?”
“You care about your people. I can tell that,”
“Umm… Thank you, sir. But sir, where is Alexa? Didn’t you two come together?”
“She’s coming. Don’t worry,”
Jay left. Walking through the Charr Sector, radiation didn’t affect him. Alexa took care of that, becoming his shield. She was his everything. He was her prince. Their love had a rocky start, and a tragic moment. But they never stopped.
“It’s a long way,” Jay said.
“Well then. Let’s not stop,” She replied.
The Evolved…
Coming Soon...
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Nidhi Kumari
05/21/2021I usually don't read such long stories on story star, but it was compelling... I really enjoyed...
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