Chapter 23.3

By the time he arrived at the burning Sage mansion, Diana and Alina were both lying on the ground in the garden; Meredith and Blake's beheaded body also lay nearby the cluttered garden which was prepared for Alina's birthday. The blood-covered tables and upturned chairs painted a grim picture. Diana had a sword pierced through her and Alina had a stab wound to the chest as well, both were barely alive. Blood soaked the earth around them as Diana tried crawling to Alina while the flames behind her licked the mansion to ruins.

"Finish them," a man ordered to the surrounding Practitioners.

But, before anyone could step up, Jason jumped from the shadows and slashed at a Practitioner with his blade, cutting him in half. The Practitioner's upper body slid down and spilled his sliced intestines onto the ground while his lower body slowly fell to the floor.

Jason was dressed in his old mercenary uniform with his special air-tight helmet and, in his hand, was the trusty Tang blade he always used in melee combat. The bloodlust he was emitting froze everyone with palpitation before they jumped to engage him.

Through bleary eyes, Diana looked up and saw Jason cutting through the Practitioners effortlessly. Her dimmed eyes could barely catch his quick movements as he stabbed and slashed through all of them, leaving no one alive. Once he was done, he ignored the man who commanded the Practitioners and walked up to Diana. He looked down at her apathetically, his cold eyes stared at her through the visor of his helmet.

"Help her," Diana breathed while pointing in the direction of Alina.

Jason kneeled and lifted his helmet off. He examined her wounds with a swipe of his eyes and realized that he could only save one in such a short time. It was either Diana or Alina.

"I save her then you die, ma'am," Jason told her quietly.

In his mind, he wanted to save Alina, and, he would choose to do so regardless of what answer Diana gave him, but he still felt compelled to inform her. No matter what, he shared an intimate bond with her. Sure enough, to his satisfaction, Diana glared at him and pointed at Alina, her mind firm regardless of knowing that she would die from her decision.

"Help her! Please …" Diana begged as blood dripped from her mouth, her voice hoarse from the effort is speaking.

Truly incredible, Thought Jason. The love one has for their child ... willing to sacrifice their own life so resolutely ...

Jason did as he was told and moved to Alina instead while the man watched. He wanted to interfere, but Jason's killing aura forced him to his knees. Jason, in the meantime, placed his helmet on Alina and used the breather to stabilize her breathing while applying a poultice to heal her injuries.

"Please … keep … her … saf … e …" Diana breathed her last words and passed away, her open eyes frozen with hope and regret. Hope that Jason would protect Alina, regret at leaving Alina alone.

"I will," Jason murmured. "I promise." [1]

Jason stood up once he knew Alina was alright and turned to look at the man who was still kneeling with gritted teeth. "Any last words, 'dad'?"

The man looked up at Jason when he heard those words and didn't reply. His glare of hatred aimed at Jason said enough about his feelings.

"Why?" Jason asked.

He wanted to sate his curiosity on why anyone would want to murder his own wife and daughter. True, their marriage had stalled, and both he and Diana sought comfort with other people. Alina's father, Aarav, married into another family and even had other children, one of which was Christopher. But regardless, that didn't explain his need and eagerness to kill his family.

"Hah, what does it matter? I lost," Aarav spat.

"Why kill your own wife and daughter?" repeated Jason menacingly.

"You know why. Her will. She transferred everything to Alina in her will," Aarav snarled. "She was going to leave me with nothing. But if they both died …"

"You'd inherit it all," Jason finished quietly. He looked at Aarav in disgust, unable to understand why Diana fell for such a man or why Alina yearned to be closer to such a father. For the first time, he was glad that he was an orphan. True, he never received love as an orphan, but he didn't have to deal with such ugliness either. All he received and felt, all he desired was ... emptiness.

"Unfortunately for you, you have failed. Alina is alive, but ... you. You're too dangerous to be left alive," Jason muttered.

"So, what? You'd kill me?" Aarav grinned and looked at him savagely. "I wonder how Alina will take to that, hmm? How would you, eh, 'son'?"

"No. I won't kill you," Jason disagreed with a shake of his head as he focused his Esper powers. He tried recalling that frightening scythe the hooded figure wielded and concentrated on the energy within him. A scythe formed of black aura and deathly Qi appeared in his hand, its form almost incorporeal.

"You …" Aarav seemed to realize something but it was too late.

"The Reaper, delighting in torturing me, will kill the only family member Alina has left ... just to send me a message," Jason said quietly as he swung the scythe up from a downwards angle like he was swinging a golf club. The blade stabbed through Aarav's chest and pierced his heart, causing him to spit blood from his mouth. Jason lifted the scythe upwards and the weight of Aarav's body forced the blade deeper; the blood he was leaking dripped onto Jason's face as the blade finally exited from his back.

"And I will mourn with Alina. But we'll move on with our lives," Jason tossed Aarav aside while the scythe in his hands slowly dissipated into smoke.

"She'll find out," Aarav rasped with his dying breath after being thrown like a ragged doll. "She'll know … and when … she does … she… will ... hate … you ..."

Jason didn't reply and instead knelt by Alina's side as Aarav stopped breathing. He caressed her hand before slowly lifting her up and walking away as the fire behind him consumed the Sage mansion, the remains crumbling away into ashes.

"I know," Jason whispered. "She'll hate me for ruining her life ... I know."

***

A few hours later, Alina woke up from the low rumbling that reverberated around her. Opening her drowsy eyes, she saw trees passing by very quickly through a glass window. It took her a moment to realize that she was in the front seat of a car. The scent of leather and spice entered her nose and calmed her down as she tried recalling what happened earlier.

Immediately, the memories of her mother, hugging her in an attempt to stop the assassin, who killed Blake, from stabbing her, entered her mind. She recalled her mother being stabbed and the pain of the blade as it pierced her chest as well. Her last memory before collapsing was seeing Meredith cut down while the voice of her father entered her ears, she was unable to understand what he said but she was sure he was trying to stop the killers who intruded in the Sage mansion.

Mom! Alina thought while getting up. As Alina jumped up, a hand from beside held her arm.

"Whoa, there. Easy, you're still injured," Jason said as he stopped her from panicking. He was driving the car with one hand while he turned occasionally to look at her.

"Wh-where are we?" Alina asked while looking around. Her heart sank when she noticed they were alone.

"Autobahn. Germany," Jason added when he saw her confused face. "You were out for a few days."

"Mom?" Alina asked and Jason looked away, unable to keep eye contact with her. "Jason? Where is she? Where's mom? Dad? Katie? Where are they?"

Jason didn't answer her and focused on driving. He bit his lower lip before looking at her after a minute. "I'm sorry, Alle. I'm so ... so sorry."

"No … no. It can't … they aren't …" Alina shook her head as tears fell ceaselessly from her eyes. "This isn't real … this can't be happening … no … no … NO!"

Jason grabbed her hand leaned her closer to him while he activated the autopilot. Taking his hand from the wheel, he patted her head while hushing her.

"I'm sorry. I was with Katelyn when she …" Jason paused as he felt his heart ache with pain. "By the time I got back ... you were the only one still alive. I'm sorry, Alle."

"Why … why did this happen to me? Why am I …" Alina cried into his shoulders, her tears soaking Jason shirt. "What do I do? I'm all alone …and ... everyone is … dead."

"Hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me," Jason said while raising Alina's head with his thumb on her chin. "You're not alone. I'm here. I'm right here, right next to you. And I'm not going anywhere. Ok? Whatever happens, we'll face it together. As a family. Alright? C'mere."

Jason pulled Alina into a hug as he stared over her head while she silently cried.

I'm sorry, Alle. For ... everything...

_______________________________________

Jason finished his fifth bottle and picked up his phone, the light of the device illuminating his drunken face in the dimly lit room. For some reason, he had an urge to call Elizabeth. He wanted to seek comfort and warmth from her. He wanted to hear her voice as she sang him a song, calming the surging waves within him. He wanted to drown his sorrows in her body while snuggling close to her, feeling her soft but firm bosoms against his face.

Three minutes later, after three call attempts, Jason threw his phone away; Elizabeth wasn't answering his calls. The sound of the phone breaking as it hit the window echoed the room, amplified by the silence in the Loft and he slumped back into his seat.

"Jason? Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?"

Jason turned to look at Michelle who came down from the hoverlift, her voice was full of concern when she saw the state he was in ...

[1] Same scene from Jason's dream in the prologue