Jace's Tragic Past 4

The next few years were comprised of hellish training and deadly tests. Just as the bald stern faced man had warned, everyone was his enemy, and every moment was a chance to die. This dark place was not meant for things such as friendship and kindness, but a place of brutal merciless survival.

Everyday Jace would struggle to survive and grow stronger. Food, water, and better weapons were the only things he desired in order to survive just one more day. Regardless of how hard the training or how brutal the situation he was thrown into he would sojourn on, fighting tooth and nail to live just one more day and grow a little stronger.

As the years passed by the ruthless environment forged him into a cold merciless killer. Over time Jace's souls grew colder and colder until the only remaining ember of warmth was the thought of his sister, for no matter how many times he wished to give up, the thought of her trapped somewhere kept him going.

After almost five long years of working his way up the food chain he was finally told that he had only one last test. As long as he could pass it he would be accepted as a member of the mysterious organization that ran this horrible place and finally be able to leave.

On the eve of the night before the last test he found it hard to sleep from excitement and spent the entire night checking his equipment over and over in the dark. Over the course of five years he had adapted to the dark and learned to become one with it. Now instead of fearing it, he had grown fond of it, and was only truly comfortable when he was submerged within its shadowy depths.

The next morning he was brought to a very deep and very large badly lit pit several hundreds of feet wide. As he entered several thousand others like him who had survived many years also entered the pit. Despite the large number of people the pit was oddly quiet and the air was tinged a bloodthirsty crimson.

These dark and silent individuals were no longer the immature girls and boys that had been. No, now they had all become cold and callous like Jace having managed to survive till now in this hostile dark place which held no mercy or compassion for the weak.

Upon a stone outcropping several hundred feet in the air above the pit their suddenly appeared three dark individuals who all exuded a terrifying presence, especially the one in the center who wore an eerie golden crowned skull faced mask, for upon his appearance with a snap of his fingers a malevolent throne of bones was place down for him to sit upon.

Sitting down upon the ghastly throne he exuded a terrifying majestic air like some dark overlord overseeing his subjects. Gesturing to the dark figure on his left, he silently issued an order for the final test to begin.

Nodding reverently towards the dark ruler on the throne, the dark figure turned towards the many thousand survivors and spoke. "That you have all managed to survive to this day is a testament to your innate potential and will to live. You are all the best of the best which have been picked from this divisions many dark dens. Today, you have the honor to take your final exam under the eyes of are illustrious Leader. Usually he will not appear for the final exam, however this time he has decided to appear for this is a special exam with a special prize. But there is only one prize, which means, there can be only one winner. Let the bloody battle royal begin!"

"KILL!!!"

Immediately chaos ensued as everyone began to engage in wanton slaughter, killing those nearby. In a matter of moments hundreds died while thousands more continued to fight to survive. Jace having survived similar situations, (although on a lesser scale) knew the key to winning was conserving ones strength and hidden cards until enough people had been eliminated.

With this mindset he retreated into the shadows and concealed himself, making the occasional kill when someone got to close. After five minutes had passed more than ninety percent of the survivors had died leaving only a few hundred. Yet despite this Jace maintained his cautions state and remained hidden until this number was even further reduced to a mere handful numbering less than twenty.

Finally it was time to emerge and just as he did a few more likeminded individuals also emerged from the shadows and began their own killing sprees. After a few minutes only two others besides Jace still lived, a spear wielding boy with a lion mask and a dark faceless masked girl holding a dagger in each hand with several more tucked into her dark boots.

Although they paused for a moment to examine one another the moment of peace only lasted for a few seconds before they began to fight. After exchanging several moves Jace caught a lucky break when he caught one of the small knives the girl thru at him an quickly returned it into the neck of the spear wielding boy.

As he died with a gurgle clutching his bleeding neck Jace continued the fight with the masked knife wielding girl. After exchanging several moves he barely dodged one of the girls attacks which scraped by his head causing his mask to come undone.

As his face was reveal he heard a gasp from the girl and she suddenly hesitated. Not one to let and opening go he suddenly lunged with his blade and plunged it into the girls heart. However as the blade sunk to the hilt he suddenly heard the girl feebly utter with a familiar voice one final word with her dying breath.

"Brother!"

His eyes instantly widened in shock as he quickly reached up and removed the mask from the girls face. As the girls face was revealed he felt his body grow numb in horror as he realized he had actually killed his own sister.

While his soul screamed out in utter despair he maintained his outer appearance for he was frozen stiff as his mind tried to deny what he had done shouting "DEAR GOD NO! NO! NO!" over and over. After a few moments he laid her down on the ground, collapsing to his knee's with his head down as he stared at his sisters face which oddly bore a warm smile, the first he had seen in many years.

As he kneeled upon the ground denying reality while losing himself in his memories he suddenly felt cold as a shadow was cast over him. Suppressing his feelings, his face assumed a deadpan expression as he looked up and discovered the organizations terrifying leader who exuded an overwhelming spiritual pressure had silent appeared next to him.

Under the intense spiritual pressure Jace quickly looked down as the leader continued studying him closely. After a few moments of silence passed he suddenly felt the pressure and the cold disappear and heard a voice he would never forget for the rest of his life.

"Well done. That was a good kill. You saw her hesitation and mercilessly went for the kill. She deserved to die for she was weak just like her mother. You on the other hand are just like your father and have the same killer instinct. Unlike your disappointing parents I expect great things from you Jace. Welcome to ECLIPSE."

And then he was gone. Only his faint voice remained in the dark void where he had once stood. Yet his words filled Jace's mind, echoing over and over as he suddenly realized he knew. The Leader knew everything from the very beginning. He knew his parents, he knew his name, and he knew she was his sister all along. And yet he still let them fight.

As this thought filled his mind he suddenly felt his cold soul quake then burst into flames as the unquenchable fires of rage roared into existence. THAT BASTARD!!! He made him kill his own sister and then called her weak right to his face. He not only spat upon his sister but his parents as well.

Such a thing could never be forgiven. It was at this moment he swore his revenge against the Leader of ECLIPSE and decided he would dedicated his life to growing strong enough to crush the accursed bastard beneath his boot for what he had done to him and his family.

However after years of surviving in this hellish place Jace was no longer the brash young boy he had been, but a cold calculating killer and quickly suppressed any thoughts or external signs of his true feeling as he recalled the words that stern faced man had said to him. Only the living have hope. As the last of his family he was the only one who could seek their revenge so for now he had to survive, grow stronger, and bide his time so he could plan his revenge.

Wearing a solemn expression his eyes were dark and cold as he rose to his feet and collected his, his sisters, and several other good weapons from the many fallen then returning to his sister he carefully lifted her corpse and followed a dark silent man out.