Last Time . . .

“I know . . . the mission is over. I felt it too.” Justin said as he continued to stare across the street while the two elder slayers walked up to him.

“You’ve done well. And I mean that in all respects, not just in this mission.” Gabrielle began. “You should hold no regrets about the choices you made, for they have all made you into the man you are today. The way of the assassin was just as much your path as was becoming a wizard.”

“I know this . . . now . . .”

”You’ve grown into a good man, never forget that.”

“I won’t . . .”

”Would you do me a favor?”

“I’ll tell him . . . only if you do me a favor.”

“If it is within my bounds.”

”Give this to Chris when you run into him in a few years.” Justin said pulling out the stake he had made the night before. “Tell him the runes inscribed on it will protect him. I have a feeling he’s going to need it.”

This Time . . .

Feeling the great need to let out his frustration, Josh teleported back to the alleyway that he exited from. He knew he had to wait till midnight till his first encounter with Wilkes, leaving him with 7hrs to kill. He decided he needed to know more about the arc with the runes, so he teleported back to it. The arc had a large stone slab that looked like a sealed doorway. In the middle, there looked to be some kind of inscription covered with mounds of dust and spider webs. He dusted it off and was shocked to find the mark of The Chosen Ones behind the soot. He felt the mark on his shoulder blade grow warm, then quickly read the inscription.

"In quest for power we were freed, by the thirst for lust and greed.

Secrets cast from light go deep, through this tomb doth lie the key."

"Key to what?" Josh said to himself.

"To the prophecy." Linaus said stepping behind him.

"Wha?!" Josh said startled.

"I'm only going to ask you once to step away from there."

"What? Why?" Josh said turning his back to the stone.

"NO!" Linaus shouted putting his hands out and telekinetically tossing Josh to the side, then dragged him across the floor and propped him up, his back against the parallel wall.

"I don't . . . Know what . . ." Josh said struggling against the mental force pinning him. "Your problem is . . . But you've . . . picked a fight . . . Against . . . the WRONG . . .  GUY!!" Josh said releasing himself from the grasp.

"Please . . ." Linaus said backing down the corridor, away from the arc. "You misunderstand my actions Chosen One!"

"Do I? Seems to make perfect sense to me as to why a vampire wouldn't want me to figure out how to destroy their entire race!"

"As I said, you misunderstand me!"

"And now he backs down!" Josh said drawing the cutlass.

"I do not want to fight you, nor do you want to fight me!" Linaus replied making the sword appear in his hand.

"What the . . ."

"Ever wonder what it would be like if a vampire was a Chosen One? The Original Chosen One to be exact!"

"Bullshit! You said you were before Chosen Ones and Merlyn!"

"Who do you think was the inspiration?"

"You're just trying to mess with my head!" Josh said lunging at him, but hitting the wall.

"Yes, I just teleported, to answer your question. I can answer a lot more of them for you, if you would just calm down."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Because you don't really want to kill me. If you did, you would have attempted to a long time ago. Through the fear of the Prophecy, your guilt for dying and leaving Madame Camois alone, you can sense I am telling the truth. And because I bare this!" Linaus said lifting his sleeve to reveal the mark of the Chosen Ones on his wrist.

Josh stood there staring dumbfounded at Linaus, his knees began to shake and they gave out from under him, causing him to fall on the ground.

He stared blankly into the air and all of a sudden, burst into tears. No one had ever been able to challenge him like that, no matter how powerful a psychic they were. If he was able to get past all of Josh's mental defenses that easily, he must be telling the truth.

"Do not worry, this area is well protected from any enemies. Even if it weren't, there is only one psychic alive who is more powerful than I am."

"Who?" Josh said composing himself as Linaus stuck his hand out to help him up.

"The Oracle at Delphi."

"She still exists?"

"Not on this plane, but yes."

"It's strange, all these years, I've known everything that was going to happen to me, every second of everyday up until the day I die, but for the first time since before my eyes were opened, I don't know what's going to happen. I like it."

"Now you know why most psychics live in solitude, though your knowledge isn't based on your psychic abilities."

"I was always scared to try and develop them, for fear of really making my head hurt."

"That would actually help you! That's why meditating never helped you. Since you didn't learn how to control them, they went wild when you freed your mind."

"If we had time, I'd ask you to help me . . ."

"My boy, why do you think you were placed here with so much time to spend?"

"But . . ."

"If you don't learn this now, you will not be able to give your all in the final fight, if that happens, we will surely fail! You are scared of failure, no doubt, but if you learn how to really focus your mind, the possibilities are endless! The key to any victory is seeing the difference between knowing you will succeed and hoping you will succeed!"

As Josh stood in silence, contemplating everything that was being said, he didn't notice that they were now back in Linaus' lair.

"Whoa . . . Just like . . ."

"You and Beryl have much in common, it's a shame you and he never connected as you should have. No, not in the way you think. You and the swordsman were meant to be together, as I said before."

"Well, Lance was always a little jealous of him. If we became close, it would cause tension because Lance would always feel that Beryl would be able to share apart of me that he could never get to,"

"Your mind."

"Yeah."

"What he doesn't see is that he has been the only one that can!"

"How so?"

"Your bond goes far beyond that of physical, emotional, or spiritual. You two are bound together by the All."

"The All?"

"Call It what you will, Gods, Goddesses, Fates, Spirits, Nature. The All is the Absolute Power, the Supreme Force that governs everything in existence, all which is seen and hidden. Everything and nothing belongs to It. It is far beyond most minds of conception; It is neither masculine nor feminine, yet both at the same time. It's where all planes of existence were created, where all of the Divine Beings were spawned. It's sad, but as mankind ages and 'advances', they get further and further away from their connection to It. The so-called ‘primitive’ indigenous peoples of this world were the closest humans on this planet ever got to having an open connection with The All. What you and the swordsman share was forged directly from The All."

Josh sat at the table and got a warm feeling, thinking about Lance, but was interrupted by Linaus wanting to begin.

"If you thought you were in a deep state of meditation to get here, just wait! We are going deeper into the planes of the unconscious. And before you ask, meditation is always possible within a state of meditation; there are many levels in the astral planes, some are only accessible while in a state of meditation within a meditation."

"As confusing as that sounds, I understand you."

“Prepare to learn more than you ever thought you knew.” They each sat in their chair and Linaus stared into Josh’s eyes. “Give me your hand.” He did as asked and placed his palm on top of Linaus’. Their hands lay in the middle of the table and Linaus pulled out a bluish-green stone that was wrapped on a leather chord around his neck. “Behold . . . The Sapphire Emerald, the most powerful amulet ever created in this realm; the source of all our power.” He said placing it on top of their hands. “It is said that this jewel helped a great being defeat the greatest menace this Earth has ever seen.”

“Whoa!” Josh said as he noticed they were now in surrounded by darkness. “Where are we?”

”We are in the meditative state.”

”My mind . . . it feels . . . empty! But . . . in a good way!”

“What I am about to show you will put you in prospective. It will show you your true place and make all else that you once thought to be your demise, show you how it is apart of something bigger.”

”The Prophecy . . .”

”Yes, but also the origin.”

”What do you mean?”

“Up until now, you’ve known the origin of the Chosen to be that created by Merlin.”

”Yes . . .”

”That is true only in this reign.”

”What are you saying?”

“The Chosen Line has existed time and time again in multiple era’s. Your line is not the first.”

”What?”

“It was when the realm of the gods was broken open that the need for the Chosen was once again necessary.”

”And before then?”

“While the vampire threat was always present, it was never a vital one, that is from the time of His defeat and to the time of the opening.”

”His?”

”Yes . . .”

”Darlos.”

”Yes. There was a time of peace; the threat subsided greatly. Bands of hunters were always present; the balance was maintained. But before then, when Darlos reigned, his reach was only extended over the Isles of Britain. When he created his army, they were much stronger than when you faced them; they were in their prime. Just when the future for man was beginning to look dim, and so spread, Darlos’ counterpart, the greatest of all good vampires rose against him. For years, he trained me, his first disciple; he taught me things that are beyond comprehension to those who are not of higher mindedness.” He said as Josh’s eyes widened at the thought of how old Linaus must have been. “He granted me the capabilities to perform extraordinary feats, beyond those of the five powers. When I had mastered all he had to teach, we selected three others to bestow gifts upon.”

”The first Chosen Team.”

”Your direct descendents.”

”The three . . .  Me, Justin and Chris?”

“Justin, Chris and Joey.”

”But what about . . .”

”You know . . .”

”Lance was Darlos though . . .”

”Part of him was.”

”Was I the being?”

“Look harder.” Linaus said staring at him in the eyes.

“I’m . . . You.”

”One we are; and just as we, as was Lance.”

”He was the being?”

“And Darlos the same.”

”That’s how he was able to defeat Darlos then . . .”

”And that is how he has been able to be kept at bay.”

”Does he know?”

”That is for him to discover when it is time. That is why I cannot fully reveal him.”

”This is about me . . .”

”Precisely.”

“All things a balance . . .”

”You are learning.”

”Yes . . . and now that I see that . . . there is something I must do to free myself.”

”Yes . . . you must.”

Josh looked to his right and saw a floating Yin-Yang, half ice and half fire. He stared at it, held out his hand and an energy blast shot at it, releasing two energetic beings that were being held captive.

“You will not preside in me any longer. One of you a curse, the other the suppressant; though grateful am I for the lessons learned, it is time for me to move on.” He said staring at the energy that made him the tumultuous terror that came with anger and heated emotion. “I cannot destroy one without the other, so therefore, so long to you both.” He said as his body started to glow a brilliant white color; as the flash of light grew bright and then subsided, the energies that once lay inside and before him were now dissipated, gone for good.

“A big step you have taken just now. Now we must train . . .”

”For Wilkes.”

”He will try to use his mind tricks against you, but you must anticipate his every move and thought. His greatest strength is his greatest weakness; while he is attacking you mentally, he leaves himself open physically. With the step you just took, you now have the power to defend yourself on the mental plane all while keeping your focus in the physical plane. He may be able to put up a dual fight, but ultimately, you are stronger minded. He’s searched your mind before and has seen the burden; now that you no longer carry it, you have the advantage.”

”It’s like fighting with my eyes closed.”

”Yes, but instead of just using your four other senses to concentrate with your mind’s eye, you must also use your inner eye to guard him off.”

“I am ready.”

”Yes, you are.” Linaus said as they were both once again seated at the table in Linaus' lair. "It is time. You must go now to protect her!" He said as Josh teleported to the docks. "May the Fates be with you."

As Josh emerged at the surface, he looked out at the moon shining full over the water. His moment was cut short by the feeling of vampire presence all around him. He held the cutlass at his side and felt its power connect and surge through him. He saw the shadows move through the unlit alleyway and moved in with a swift strike. He ran up behind a vampire, chopped his head off, ran up the wall, back flipped off of it, landed crouched down, kick swept another vamp, arose and then staked him before he hit the ground. Another vampire turned to talk to his colleague but was surprised and shocked to see his friend gone and the Chosen One standing before him with a stake in his left hand and a sword in his right.

"OH SH . . ." He began to say but was cut off by the blade of the cutlass severing his head.

A few vampires turned to see what was going on, but before they could say anything, Josh ran forward threw the Cutlass to the right, the stake to the left, then crossed his arms and pulled out two knives and threw them forward. As the four Vampires turned to dust, Josh ran to the left and tucked and rolled, grabbing his stake; he stuck out his right hand and the cutlass flew into it.

"So . . . You figured out my plan!" Dr. Wilkes said appearing in front on him as Josh stay crouched on the ground. "I shouldn't be surprised. In fact, one might think I anticipated this!" he said smiling wickedly. "That would be why I came prepared!" he said as a group of ten vampires filled the alley.

Josh thought back to his early days as the Chosen One, before he became the supreme beacon of power that he was. He had to resort to those ways; any awesome display of power would draw attention to his fight.

"I like a challenge!" Josh smiled, slowly rising.

"Well, I'd love to watch, but I've got business to attend to . . . Oh what the hell! I enjoy a good fight!" Wilkes said crossing his arms, levitating on top of a stack of barrels as the group of vampires ran and closed in on The Chosen One.

 Josh ducked, stuck his sword out, and swept them all with his foot and the blade.

"Oooh . . . I didn't see that one coming." Wilkes said raising his eyebrow. "This could get interesting!"

“Enough games!” Josh said standing back up as the ten staggered to their feet.

The vampires attacked two at a time, Josh taking them out with ease. The last two he threw towards Dr. Wilkes and as they soared through the air, Josh threw two knives at them and dust splashed in the bad doctor’s face.

“Enough games indeed!” Dr. Wilkes said brushing himself off. He snapped his finger and a group of twenty vamps filled the alley, totally surrounding Josh.

Josh cracked his neck on each side and prepared for the attack. As ten attacked at a time, Josh killed five quickly, but noticed that these last group of fifteen were better fighters than the others. They started to land hits, and he could swear that as soon as he had killed enough vampires, more began to appear through a dark portal in the wall of the alley. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dr. Wilkes sneaking away from the alley, running towards Madame Camois’ flat. Fearing he’d be too late, Josh resorted to desperate measures, he let a group of ten close in on top of him, then he sent an energy blast through his entire body, dusting the vampires as more came on. Just as he was getting sick of the swarm of undead, he saw a knife fly through the air, hitting one of the vampires in front of him in the head. Josh sliced the sword to his right killing six vamps with one blow, and looked up to see Beryl standing on top of the wall bordering the alley, the same wall where the black portal stood. Beryl sent a blast of light energy to close the portal, killing a group of thirty as they stepped through.

“Go!” Beryl said telepathically. “I’ll handle them, you get Wilkes!” He flipped down off the wall and landed dropkicking a group of five vampires, sending energy through his feet, dusting them as his feet reached the floor. He sent a wave of energy out and killed three more vampires that ran at him.

“Watch the fireworks!” Josh said slicing through four vampires that were cutting off his exit.

“Mirror spell, no one will see!” Beryl replied removing his sword from its sheath, slicing through vamp after vamp.

Beryl charged the sword with energy and swiped full circle around him, killing twelve vampires. Sixty vampires now remained, and they all had their attention on Beryl, his diversion working, giving Josh enough time to get out of the alley and go after Wilkes. Beryl was getting dog piled by the vamps, then shot an energy blast the levitated him through the air, killing about eight vamps. He stood once again, atop the wall bordering the alley and began rapidly throwing knife after knife, countering with energy blasts. He leapt off the wall, flipped through the air and landed behind the remaining twenty vampires, cutting off their only exit from the alley. Sword and energy ball in his hands, he ran through the crowd slicing and blasting anything with fangs. He reached the opposite wall, tossed his sword in the air, ran up the wall and back flipped off of it, throwing three knives out of each hand, killing six more, leaving him with four left. He landed on his feet, caught his sword and swung, decapitating the last four with one slice, and then resheathed his sword.

“Your craft style is good, but it is no match for mine!” He said mimicking an old kung-fu flicks.

Josh ran to the right, out of the alley, jumped on top of a few crates that were piled against the wall, then jumped up to a window, remaining invisible the entire way up. He crossed the path in between the two buildings, jumping to a second window in Madame Camois’ flat. He entered and saw her sleeping in the bed, she began to toss in turn, muttering in her sleep.

“Jean-Claude!”

Josh grew worried that Wilkes would attempt to enter her mind, so he quickly walked through the wall, out to living room and saw John, Jason and Charles sleeping on several of the chairs, a blue cloud around their heads. He stood still for a minute and saw the bad doctor begin to walk forward towards the bedroom. He teleported closer and as Wilkes walked on, Josh close-lined him, sending him flying back into the back wall.

“Ow . . . That hurt!” The doctor said in shock that he wasn’t alone. “There is no WAY you could have gotten through that many vampires in such a short time!”

“What can I say, I got friends!” Josh replied teleporting in front of him, punching him in the stomach.

“Right, your so-called friends, none of which can help you in the end! Your fate is sealed!” Wilkes said using his enhanced speed to move from the floor, to behind Josh.

“That it may be, but our bond has always transcended physical life and boundaries!” Josh said grabbing Wilkes by the neck, teleporting in front of him. 

“Aw, he thinks he’s built up a mental defensive!” Wilkes said laughing as he disappeared from Josh’s clutches.

“What the . . .”

“My dear boy, I can be many places at once and still extend my reach just as effectively as if I were present.”

Josh quickly teleported to the room and saw the same blue cloud around her head.

“NO! WHERE ARE YOU!”

“That’s it . . . Get angry, your guard goes further down the angrier you get!”

“YOU’LL PAY! I WILL TEAR YOU APART!”

“Come on, give it to me!”

“SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!”

“That’s it! Yes, yes!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you think that you were actually getting to me?!” Josh said appearing on the rooftop across from Chantal’s flat, where Wilkes truly lie.

“What?! H . . .How!?”

“Like I said . . . I have friends! And right now, one of them is in there booting you out of their minds!” Josh said feeling Beryl’s presence before he teleported out of there.

“No matter . . . this will be harder than I anticipated, but I . . .” Wilkes began but was cut off by Josh’s leg connecting with his mid-section.

“Blah, blah, blah . . . you REALLY talk too much!”

“You’ll pay for . . . OOMPH!” He said but was uppercutted and silenced yet again.

“You’re the one that’s gonna pay!” Josh said kicking him in the side. “You’re gonna learn the hard way that NO ONE messes with me or my family!” He said taking his two fists together and pounding Wilkes on the head, slamming him into the floor. He grabbed him by the neck again and looked into his dazed yellow eyes. “Pathetic!”

Wilkes began to giggle as his oxygen supply was being cut off, his giggle grew louder and into a sadistic laugh as Josh stared at him in confusion. Josh clenched his fist tighter and snapped Wilkes’ neck, turning him to dust, but was still confused. All of a sudden he turned to the building and saw Beryl knocked unconscious on the floor, John, Jason and Charles standing around him.

“BERYL!” Josh yelled teleporting into the room as Jason walked to Chantal’s bedside with a knife in his hand.

He grabbed Jason and threw him into his companions, knocking them on the floor, their zombie state lost as they lay unconscious.

“Beryl!” Josh said kneeling beside him.

“I’m . . . fine! She’s safe . . . but they aren’t! You have to break the spell!” Beryl stammered.

“How?!”

“Grab my hand!”

He did as asked and felt his hand form a bond with Beryl, magnetically connecting through their energies. He felt himself be transported into Jason’s mind first where he saw Wilkes sitting on a thrown with spider-web like threads in his hands.

“Cut these lines and he dies! Not so easy now, is it?!” Wilkes laughed.

“Actually . . . it is!” Josh said throwing a knife at his head, but it melting before it hit its target.

“Strength of Mind!” Beryl’s voice sounded.

“You’re in my world now, you stand no chance!”

“There goes the talking again!” Josh said placing his palms together and focusing his mind.

An orb of energy began to build in Josh’s hands as his eyes began to shine with white energy, his third-eye opening as he built up the energy. Suddenly, Josh stuck his hands in the air, the energy getting sucked into his body and being shot out through his third-eye, hitting Wilkes in the head, vanquishing him where he sat, releasing his hold on Jason.

He was next transported into John’s head, where Wilkes lay sitting inside a giant orb of energy, electricity flowing in and around it.

“Don’t you ever give up?!” Wilkes said sighing.

“Don’t you ever die?!” He said blocking a bolt of electricity that shot out at him.

“Strength of Heart!” Beryl’s voice sounded again.

Josh then placed his hands in the middle of his chest, feeling his heart energy be transferred to his hands. He concentrated as his whole body grew a red aura around it, then stuck his hands out still together, palms up, shooting the energy at the orb, shattering it as Wilkes exploded inside.

On to his last mind, Josh found himself now in Charles’ head, surrounded by mist. He heard Wilkes’ voice and saw a light flash in front of him through the mist with every word Wilkes uttered.

“Not so easy this time, is it?” Wilkes sinisterly laughed.

“Strength of Will!” Beryl’s voice sounded for the last time.

Josh understood and crossed his arms over his chest, this time forming an X. With his fists clenched, he took a deep breath and concentrated on his all his energies. Images of his life began to rapidly pass through his mind as he gathered his strength, from his past to his future, he saw everything, everything that was, and everything that would come, the Prophecy being fulfilled, it no longer scaring him. He began to levitate as his body was engulfed by a blue aura, he felt the mark of the Chosen on his back begin to pulse and felt it was time to let go. He forced his arms to his side and expelled a massive energy from his entire body, that pierced through the mist and destroyed Wilkes’ hold on Charles. As he felt the ground return under his feet, he saw himself back in the cave with Dominic.

“Congratulations! I’ve never seen anyone take on my father like that!” Dom said looking out into the sky.

“Your real father would be very proud of you Dom . . .” Josh said placing his hand on Dom’s shoulder.

“I know . . .”

“Yes, but you must feel it too.”

“I do . . . It’ll take time for that feeling to drown out the pain, but its there. You ready to go back?”

“My war is over, now let us go finish this battle!”

TBC . . .

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