Amnesiac roulette~ Ch 1 ~ Part 1 (Jess's POV)

Chapter 1 part 1

Amnesiac roulette

Chapter 1 ~ Part 1

Jess 

6 months into the future...

Almost every day, I find myself spending long hours on a job where we do nothing but protecting others and solving the oddest of crimes. Well, that's if we're lucky. Sometimes we don't even have a single piece of evidence to help us go on further with the investigations. Also, no matter where we are or what mission we've taken, we always end up in trouble one way or another. As much as it is fun to kick some ass, it would be nice to have a quiet day, for once. This group I'm part of, we call ourselves "Shadows". We are a team that wants nothing more than a free world. A world where the King is dead. However, we've had hit a slight problem, since the King had been hunting us individually, we had to stay out of the radar and go undercover. Until we have a plan set in place, all we do is go on missions for extra money and gather information about the King's plans. This planet we live on? It's called Exelia. We have three lands that rule this place, the light realm, the dark realm and elders land which control us lot down here. The elders are more like angel watch dogs, if you cause too much disruption, you're executed or banished from Exelia.

We're a strong group made up of the strangest of people. I think the most normal of us all is: Ted, a teacher at magic school, he couldn't be any more normal. Well, except that he is oddly secretive and often goes out late at night only to return the next day with a sack full of money. Every time I ask him about it, his reply has always been "it's my job" and nothing more. The strangest of people? There's no way I could think who was the strangest... Well... Then again, Jun might win that debate this time; he's been acting so... odd. Like a teenager with casual mood swings: one minute he's flirty, the next he's so cold. The last time I saw him, he tried to kill us. As for me, I wish I could say I'm not strange, but I am what they call an "angel hybrid". So I'm you're casual and also incredible half angel and half human girl with graceful, heavenly powers, just with no wings... which I guess sucks but I can't miss what I never had, right? Although, for an angel, I'm the one who ends up doing all of the chores around the house. Since I've been doing a lot of the cooking, the cleaning and the shopping, I've hardly gone out on a job. So when I woke up this morning; I got up, grabbed a job request off the wall and got ready for work. I walked over to the decorated purple wall in the hallway and as I scanned my face upon the small vanity mirror that rested on the fire place; the fire itself grew larger until it was much taller than me- engulfing me in the flames. However it didn't burn my skin when I walked through it, instead the fire sizzled out gradually until a door appeared in front of me. It was your typical dark wooden door with a freshly polished knob, so I reached out nervously and opened the door.

On the other side of that door I had gone through was just another vacant town. An old, dusty medieval looking place. When I unfolded the slightly crumpled piece of paper, I had carefully looked over the request; it appeared that all I had to do was figure out what happened to everyone and show proof to the requester. Easy. After I set off to work, I searched from home to home, kicking down doors in the process. I ended breaking into every home in the village with no luck on finding any evidence. I even looked around on the streets, in the markets and the shops but still no clue was to be found. As I was still investigating the area, the day had quickly turned from morning to evening- but there was one place in the town that I hadn't yet explored. A tall, grey stone building that was quite suitable for an old fashioned king.

I sharply turned a corner in a large corridor. This time I was in some run down castle in the middle of the town. As I walked, I stretched out my arms and gave out a soft yawn. I was getting tired after walking all day and gathering evidence was proving difficult. Every time I took a step, I heard my pace echo throughout the building. I had to stop for a second and press my fingers to my temples. I had a strange feeling, sort of like a buzzing or a throbbing right before a head ache. "The day is almost done, if there's nothing here, just go home and try again tomorrow" as I whispered under my breath, I threw my hands back down and analysed the area.

I was in a building that was never damaged by war or demolition, but only by it's years of ageing. Grey stones were bricked around 10 feet high from where I stood, each one covered in a layer of moss. Oil paintings framed in gold, and velvet curtains hanging from glass-less windows, all arranged in a random pattern. I breathed out a deep sigh, I had come here on my own mainly just to do something, but to also get away from the others and prove to them that I could actually solve this one without anyone's help. Although, I wasn't doing very well at all as I had been wandering aimlessly around the town for a few hours with no sign of a clue on the horizon. It isn't fair that everyone always underestimates me... But I'm starting feel like they're right! I thought to myself.

"Just clear your head, Jess. You're not gonna solve anything like this." I whispered. Looking from left to right, all I saw were stone walls, paintings and more paintings some definitely more creepier than the others. A chill ran up my spine when I walked past a painting of a sad clown. It was a portrait picture and the clown was painted in black and white. I didn't think it was the picture itself that had given me the chills, but it was more of the confusion as to why a painting like that was in a castle. But before I could ponder on more, I heard little taps of footsteps running from somewhere behind me.

"Jess!" The voice called out. There was almost no point in me turning around to check on whom the voice belonged too. Ren... Damn, how did she know I would be taking this mission? I spun around on my heels until I faced Ren who stood at the other end of the hallway. Her dark brown hair swayed slightly in the direction from where she ran from as her amethyst eyes looked much paler and sadder than usual. Ren was wearing our standard combat uniform; a camouflage jumpsuit matched with big chunky boots. She must have been that worried...

"Why? How did you even know I was here?" I asked as my voice travelled through the walls. Ren shook her head, not quite answering my questions. "It wasn't me." She answered with a nervous look. Something didn't seem right about this whole situation. Besides the fact that there was someone else involved, there was something else bothering me that I couldn't subside. A strong sensation of fear and worry suddenly wiped over me, making my hair stand on end. What is this magic...?

"Then who was it?!" My voice grew from quiet to agitated. I didn't want to be harsh on Ren, but I couldn't shake this feeling that something bad was going to happen. I needed an answer immediately.

"Don't be mad at me, ok?" Ren shouted back. I had no time to be 'sweet little Jess' anymore as I had gotten more and more anxious. I need to run... 

"Tell me!" I screamed in reply as this feeling continued to bubble up inside of me, growing larger to the point where it just needed to burst. But then I felt the breaking point. Before I knew it, I found myself running down the hall towards Ren.

"Tell me later! Just get out of here!" I shouted, waving my hands frantically as I ran down the hall. Ignoring my words, she looked over at the other corridor with a blank expression on her face. Ren's just standing there... What the hell is she looking at? Ren hadn't changed her posture by even the slightest before I had reached her.

"What are you doing?!" Knowing that I probably had screamed in Ren's ear at where I stood, she still hadn't budged. I turned towards the direction that Ren glared at, and that's when I realised it, "we're too late" I whispered under my breath, staring in shock at what was happening before me.

From the corridor, flames had spewed like a canon, traveling at a great speed towards us. The fire instantly burnt every painting and drape that had hung on the walls until they were reduced to ashes in a matter of seconds. As I pulled at her arm, Ren stiffened and grudgingly stood at her place. "Get out of here, Jess. I can stop the fire, just run!" Stubbornly going at her own terms, standing with her feet apart Ren raised both of her arms towards the flames.

A thunderous crackling noise sounded from Ren's hands as bursts of electricity formed and knitted themselves into a shield, growing larger and larger in seconds. "Ren?!" I shouted again, but she didn't dare look at me. 

"Im going to cover this whole castle in magic matter, that way I can extinguish these flames easily. These were created by someone here so normal water isn't going to work. So please listen to me when I tell you this, Jess. Fucking run!" I quickly hugged Ren around her shoulders and fled; running in the other direction as fast as my legs could go, trying to beat the fire.

The corridor I ran down had flames just randomly appearing on the paintings, burning them up. Even though I did wonder whether or not the clown painting was destroyed as I ran past it, I focused on trying to get outside. The fire blazed up the walls now; somehow the stone bricks themselves had caught on fire is that possible? It felt like I was running through an archway of flames as I was nearing the tower staircase, barely able to breathe from the shock. But there became a second reason why my breathing became unbearable as smoke began filling up the castle at an alarming rate. It was completely unnatural. No fire can just randomly appear out of no where! It had to have been done magically like Ren said. Perhaps it was even a trap created by who ever owned this small castle in the middle of a rundown town.

Before I knew it, the smoke smothered the air around me, creating a thick dark screen which had blocked my path. I had no idea where I was running to or if I was even running at all. I figured that if I just kept on going straight in the fog, I would somehow reach the staircase. I was wheezing for clear air but ended up choking and coughing on black sludge. I started to feel faint as my body began to ache and limp slightly, my head swerved in confusion just trying to take a step forward. 

I took my chances and pushed on forward. There was no way I was going to throw in the towel so soon, the challenge had only just started. I dragged my weakened body through the smoke until I had hit a wall. The stones weren't heated or even aflame as I felt each individual brick while stepping sideways with my eyes firmly shut. The smoke had burnt my eyes so much that it had produced tears streaming from the corners of them.

Still searching, I felt a huge gap in the wall and poked my hand through, it was an empty space. I stretched my whole arm through and felt a small breeze rather than slimy heat. I forced my eyes to open, just slightly and as I did so, I was able to see the light from the outside world. Fuck! My eyes burned and stung pretty badly but I was too determined to escape whatever the cost, with or without vision to even care. However, when I attempted to climb out of the window, I could feel my limbs begin to shake and become limp. It was as if something didn't want me to leave as my body still fighting as it was, started to fail me. I placed both hands on the ledge of the window and tried to prop myself up. The nerves in my feet were becoming numb and the strength in my legs themselves was barely enough to keep me standing. Everything was happening so fast, I felt so dizzy and weak in a matter of seconds, there had to be something added to these flames. It's almost as if they are... toxic... My legs had completely lost their strength; they gave way from where I stood and I fell to the stone floor, coughing and spluttering for air.

"Damn, damn... Dammit!" I choked. Even as my ears rang in my head, I could still hear my own voice becoming dry and unrecognizable. Was this what drowning in a mist of fire felt like? I couldn't breathe, move, see, speak or even cry out for help. My body just felt heavy, like it was giving up when that was truly the last thing I wanted. The only thing I could do was hope that the other Angels were looking down over me. I felt like I was failing... Again. If I died, then Maybe everyone would be proud of me for become a real angel. No, no, no... this isn't right. I can't go back, not when everyone needs me.

I was giving up too easily, like I always do as if expecting things would turn out better if I did. I knew I was weak but I had to try better than this. After all, me and my team, we're all fighters. I tried to crawl with my arms, dragging my whole body towards the window. I reached up for the ledge and just managed to pull myself up so that I slumped over it with my head dangling over the outer edge. I was so close, I was only on the first floor, so I might have been able to scrape away with just a few bruises. I pushed on, grabbing the edge and imagining all of the ways I could land without dying. I lifted my legs over the wall with the little strength I had and I tumbled out of the window sideways. Land on your feet I thought to myself, pushing my body against air to straighten as I braced myself for the impact.

I wasn't sure if it was worse being blinded, but a strong pain shot straight through my legs and into my back the second I had landed. I was outside, supposedly safe, lying face down on an earthy floor. My mind hadn't quite processed all of the wounds at first; slowly but surely I felt pulsing, throbbing pains in my legs. I think they're probably broken I thought as I checked for more injuries, luckily I managed to only come away with bad bruising in my arms and back. I'm alive. I can't move, see or speak still, but I am alive. My eyes remained firmly shut as they had stung from the smoke, my voice was dried out and my body temporarily immobilized. Any plan of me going to help Ren, was at an end, as I silently prayed that she would make it out safely.

"Jess!" A man's voice sounded from a distance. I recognized the voice, but I couldn't put a name or a face to it. "You idiot! What did you do?" He asked. I didn't have the strength or the ability to even reply as I laid there motionless. "Come on, let's get you away from here before the fire worsens." The man picked me up carefully in both arms, with one arm supporting my back and the other hooked under my legs. Ah fuck! You're the damn idiot here! At his touch, the pain shocked through my body and carried on pulsing the further he walked. It was such torture even though I knew he was trying to save me.

Minutes had gone by when the man had set me down with my back against a large solid object. I was still blinded but I was able to tell that I was sitting on grass and the object I leant against was a tree of some sorts. "Jess" the voice called out again. It wasn't Ted... Nor Mason, Ace, Ryo or Taylor. And as much as I wanted to know who it was, my voice was too dried out and barely audible.

"A-ah..." I merely managed to squeak out. I sighed dishearteningly at my failed attempt for words and drooped my head in embarrassment.

"It's me..." The man held my left hand in his and moved it so my fingers touched his cheek. "Jun" he whispered. Jun... It's you... I felt his chiselled muscular face for a couple of seconds and swung my hand hard against his cheek. Jun groaned at the pain after I slapped him and I could tell that he had moved away from me.

With my eyes unable to open, I some how stood up from where I was, hanging onto the tree that stood beside me for support as I wobbled to my feet. I felt so off balanced with every move I made. My legs and back felt incredibly sore, still unsure if I had broken something. Though my whole body threatened to give way, I stood shakily in my place, holding myself steady by a low branch.

"Whoa! Jess!" Jun shouted as he held my waist and embraced me tightly. "You had just fallen out of a window about 30 or 40 ft up! Don't try and stand to quickly!" I ignored him. With my working arms I punched Jun's chest several times, but he seemed to absorb all of my attacks. Go away you evil bastard! I thought over and over to myself, throwing punches directly to the same spot on his chest.

Jun held me tighter and whispered in my ear "you can't help her, Jess". His voice sent sharp shivers up my spine. It was like staring straight at that freaky clown painting from before. "She's as good as dead" creepy... Jun's tone changed from gentle to sinister. Jun kept suggesting that I should give up in saving Ren, but if anything, he provoked me more.

"B-but... S-she's still..." My voice shook and was so dry that I could just barely whisper "alive".

I peeked through my burning eyes and hit Jun square in the face with my elbow, before biting down on my lip hard as I prepared for the pain when I kneed him in the balls. Squeals you would normally hear from a fan girl, had sounded from the deep and oh-so-manly Jun. when he released me from his grasp, alike Jun, I too had fallen to my knees. I was weak. But I was still strong enough to take out my katana and finish him for good. Nothing, not even the likes of you will be in my way!

I held out my shaky arm in front of me, with the palm of my hand facing up. Katana of the dark Descendants, equip. My eyelids had brightened for a mere second, but when the light faded, I felt a smooth object in my hand. My blessed katana. Whatever evil is protecting Jun, it would pierce it's very body. I gripped the handle of my katana with both hands and readied it for a final swing to Jun's life.

"... Ren's dead" Jun said in a dry voice. "Her battle is over and you know it" a half smile was placed on my lips from Jun's words. I knew. And I knew Ren was still fighting. Everything Jun... Or whoever is living inside of him, was spouting lies off the tip of his tongue. But there was one thing left that remained burning in my mind.

You started the fire... I could sense it back in the castle, the danger, the darkness and fear. The scent... Jun's scent was implanted in the flames as well. How could I have not realized it sooner? Jun laughed. As if knowing what I was thinking he stared at me straight. "Just leave Ren's body to burn, think of it as a great funeral". Jun's words tormented me, but my body reacted quickly. I ran my katana through his chest in one short blow. When no sound was made by the figure in front of me, I carefully opened my stinging eyes. And when I did; I saw before me a corpse. It looked as if Jun died before I stabbed him. He was so... Lifeless, grey, bloodied and beaten. This wasn't my doing. Something else had killed Jun before me for sure. There's no doubt about it. He looks like he's been dead for some time.

"Oh!" I gasped at the sudden shock to see a torn object land between me and Jun. I withdrew my katana with a slight effort and checked the still aflamed item. It was the sad clown painting... However, it was no longer sad anymore as a creepy smile replaced the frown. There truly is something wrong here... Jun, I will find out what happened to you. Everything that has happened over these last few months, they couldn't have been you. Even though I may not know what's happening, I might have an idea that could explain it all. You always had summoned spirits from the under world, so m-maybe you were possessed again? I wish I knew. But whatever this is, it's coming after Ren. And right now, I need to save her in more ways than one.

I picked up the torn painting and whispered under my breath.

"I don't think we're going to have a quiet day after all."