Jason sat in a darkened room of the Loft, leaning on a leather sofa while clutching a bottle of rum. He was on the first floor of the Loft, the surveillance room which was equipped with the supercomputer, that was masquerading as a living room. He was drinking from the bottle while next to him was a raised platform from the floor that was doubling as a small side table; on the table were two empty bottles, indicating that he had been like this for a while.

As he took another swing from the bottle, Jason incessantly watched the sprawling metropolis of Sanctuary that was around him. Currently, the walls, floors, and windows were activated with holograms that transmitted the scenery outside in 4D format. If one were to enter the room, they'd think that Jason was sitting and drinking on a chair in midair amongst the clouds.

Why didn't I choose differently? Why did I have to be such a ... fucked up asshole? Jason asked himself. His mind drifted to the day that it all changed for Alina and him...

At evening, while Diana and the servants prepared for Alina's twelve birthday, Jason was called away by Katelyn who asked to meet him outside the Sage mansion. Arriving at the park where he first met Alina and Katelyn, Jason found the latter standing alone gazing up at the sky, her pretty silhouette painted a warm yellow light by the street lamps. Jason smiled wickedly and sneaked up from behind her. He embraced her tightly while kissing her neck. Katelyn, who was surprised, gave him a rather forlorn smile before she reached behind and wrapped an arm around his neck, slowly caressing his head and hair.

"A little risque doing it here, Katie," Jason murmured in her ear. He breathed in her sweet, flowery aroma that was tinged with perfume while brushing his face against her neck "But I'm game if you are."

"That's - that's not why I called you," Katelyn said. She pulled away and turned to face Jason, her soft eyes were hesitant and confused. "I just want to ask, do you love me?"

Jason's eyes turned frigid. The answer was yes but he didn't want to admit it. If he did, then he'd have to accept reality, that he loved her, and that was something he wanted to avoid. In his mind, the figure of a singing redhead, as lithe as a fairy and as fair as an angel, appeared once more, throwing his heart into turmoil.

"Why are you asking this now?" Jason's midnight brown eyes looked darker in the shadows, and Katelyn couldn't help but find herself lost within them.

"I- that night," Katelyn muttered.

Jason knew what she was talking about. Some time ago, when they were in the middle of making love, Katelyn moaningly confessed her love for him after an intense climax. Jason, upon hearing her, immediately pulled away and ordered her to leave, his emotionless eyes bereft of the love she had for him. Since that day, despite continuing their love affair, neither of them brought up their feelings for each other.

"If - if you love me, then, please. Please, just say it. Say it once," Katelyn closed her eyes and asked.

"Katelyn," Jason said quietly while looking away guiltily. He started all of this while thinking of, and yearning for, Elizabeth but then things changed and now ... "Why bring this up now? Let's just focus on the celebration. Alina will miss us both if we're gone for too long."

Katelyn grabbed Jason's hand and stopped him from leaving. The latter looked back at her inquisitively with bemusement; her behavior was abnormal, it was almost like she was panicking and preventing him from leaving.

"I know we can't be together. Not as long as you're a Sage. But it doesn't have to be that way," Katelyn said with tears leaking from her eyes. "Come with me. Let's run away … disappear. Leave all this behind and go somewhere else. Just us, you and me. Together."

"Katie-" Jason felt tempted. He hated the life of the upper class.

His relationship with Alina was complicated by his not so subtle relationship with her mother, Diana which, thankfully, Alina was unaware of. The distaste for how people treated him, smiling and fawning over his every word and move while conspiring against him behind his back, the looks of lust socialites, of all age, sent him when he had to entertain people in private parties, all while they tried to ruin Katelyn for being so close to him ... it was all so … sickening. And tiring.

"I know you've never opened up, not entirely, but I promise to accept you all. Everything, your anger, your wounds, your scars, every bit of you. And I'll give you everything. My heart, my body, my soul. Just ... stay with me. Stay … here. With me … away. Away from danger."

"What do you mean?" Jason, bemused, paused when he felt several people approaching him at a fast speed. His narrowed eyes locked in Katelyn while his aura shifted, the coldness emanating from him chilled her to her core. "Katelyn, what have you done?"

"I …" Katelyn stuttered before taking a deep breath. "They threatened me. They told me that if I helped them ... with the Sages ... they wouldn't hurt you."

"They? You ... betrayed us? You ... sold out Alina, who trusted you ... loved you?" Jason said back quietly with arched eyebrows, his voice dangerously low.

All around him figures in black surrounded him. Some were armed private forces, with enough ordinance that would put the best militaries in the world to shame. Others were dressed more archaically while wielding cold weapons such as swords. Jason, without moving a muscle, eyed them ferally. Every person that felt his gaze shuddered; it felt like a dangerous predator was eyeing them.

"Please, they're only here to keep you from reaching the mansion," Katelyn said pleadingly, her emotions torn in two. Her love for Jason made her betray the people who treated her like family and this hurt her. She felt like she was ripping a limb from her body, but it was better than losing Jason, better than losing her heart. "They won't hurt you if you just leave with me."

"Sorry, but that's not the plan anymore," a rich man, dressed impeccably in a suit, and was clearly the leader, stepped forward from amongst the masses. Jason looked at him apathetically. He had recognized him.

"What do you mean, Christopher?" Katelyn looked at him with a sinking heart.

"What I mean is: you're a naive, stupid, bitch," Christopher answered with a sneer while Katelyn paled. "You really think we'd let that bastard go after he ruined my plans? After he slaughtered my people? That's right, fucking slut, I only lied to you so you'd lure him here. But don't worry, I'll keep my word. The Sages will soon follow him to hell. But not you, I have ... plans for you."

"Jason - I" Katelyn looked at Jason guiltily but Jason ignored her and looked at Christopher.

"Before you start killing me, indulge me for a moment. Have you ever heard of Air Embolism?" Jason asked Christopher in a casual voice. He made it seem like they were two old friends conversing, it was as though he was unaware of the danger, of the armed men, surrounding him. "It's when a bubble of air travels to your heart or brain and causes a stroke or such. Just goes to show how, hmm, fragile the human body is. Just. Like … this."

As Jason spoke the last word, he snapped his finger. For a moment nothing happened and Christopher sneered. He was about to reply when he heard noises behind him; all of his men, including the Practitioners, collapsed while clutching their chests or heads. A chill passed through his body as he turned to look at Jason who smiled back at him coldly.

"Oops," Jason said mockingly with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Didn't see that coming, now, did you?"

"Jason-"

"SHUT UP!" Jason bellowed at Katelyn, who jumped back in fear. This was the first time he yelled and the ferocious air around him frightened her.

"I'll deal with you in a moment," Jason spoke quietly, his voice seeping through to her in a low growl. He turned to look at Christopher and smiled while taking a step forward. "You first, Christie."

Christopher pulled his handgun out and aimed at Jason. He was using both hands to steady the gun. "D-d-don't come any c-c-closer!"

Jason stopped and looked at Christopher who was stuttering in fear with shaking hands and rolled his eyes.

"Christie, remember, all the way back when ... what did I say about pointing guns at me?" Jason asked slowly.

A second later a blade of compressed air fell from the sky and cleanly cut Christopher's hands off. The latter gazed at the stumps where his hands once were with blank eyes; he couldn't understand what happened.

"I. Hate. Guns. Pointed. At. Me," Jason said quietly, enunciating every word slowly.

Katelyn raised a hand to her mouth in shock. She knew Jason was strong but he never revealed his full powers to her. To her, killing a small army of mercenaries and Practitioners was unbelievable. Regret filled her heart as she realized that he was never in danger and that her action of betraying the Sages' was absolutely ludicrous.

"Now then, let's try a new trick, shall we?" Jason used telekinesis to pull the screaming Christopher towards him. "But first, some silence, please."

Jason stuck his hand into Christopher's mouth and grabbed his tongue. With a yank, he tore the latter's tongue out, silencing him permanently.

"There. That's better," Jason said as blood gushed out of Christopher's mouth while he tossed the torn tongue behind him. "And now ... open sesame."

As Jason spoke, he placed both hands at the side of Christopher's head and released an electrical flow that connected both their minds. The electrical current damaged Christopher's brain but traveled to Jason's body without harming Jason while allowing him to read Christopher's thoughts. Soon he grimaced and stopped the connection.

Right now, Christopher was spasming nonstop while red foam leaked from his mouth. His eyes were rolled back and he was gurgling nonsense laced with foamy blood.

"I see. I wondered what gave you the courage to stand up to the Sages. I should've known he was involved," Jason muttered before turning to Katelyn. "And, somehow, you realized that he was behind it all, didn't you? You realized that Alina's father wanted her dead. Wanted them both dead, huh, Katelyn?"

Katelyn didn't respond and stared at Jason sadly. She knew what she did was unforgivable but still, her heart bled when she saw his gaze; she could barely recognize the man in front of her, who was now refusing to call her Katie endearingly.

"So instead of coming to me, or Diana, you … you just switched sides? Just … gave up on Alina?" As Jason spoke through gritted teeth, his hands that were gripping chapters Christopher tightened. The latter, though brain-dead, struggled as Jason slowly applied pressure on his head, deliberately crushing it in a slow manner. "You joined the winning side because you thought that Diana and Alina were doomed? You sided with this filth-"

The sound of a watermelon shattering sounded out as blood and brain matter splashed all over Jason's body and face.

"- and gave the enemy a way to kill everyone I hold dear?" Jason finished calmly while blood and chunks of white matter dripped down his chin.

"I-I only wanted -"

"SHE'S MY SISTER, SISTER! YOUR FRIEND! SHE LOVED YOU LIKE FAMILY! AND YOU SOLD HER OUT!" Jason shouted in rage and Katelyn flinched with guilt. Gathering his breath, Jason paused and shook his head in disgust. "And for what? Me? Did you think you meant more to me than her?"

Katelyn shook visibly as her face blanched, the blood leaving her head when she heard him.

"Let me tell you what you are, Katelyn. To me, you're nothing. A conquest, a game … a ... fucktoy for me to play around with. You are nothing to me. You mean nothing to me. Nothing. Nothing at all."

As Katelyn's mind reeled from Jason's word, she failed to detect the pain that passed through his eyes as he repeated the word 'nothing' continuously; it was as though he was trying to convince himself. True, Jason regretted his words as soon as they came out, but he didn't take them back. His anger, pain, and stubborn pride forced him to stride on, despite what he truly felt.

As Katelyn collapsed to the ground, Jason turned to walk away. "If I see you near Alina again, I swear, I will drug and throw you ... into a brothel. Don't you ever appear in front of me again."

After walking away and once he was out of her sight, Jason stopped and stabilized himself by leaning on a tree. He closed his teary eyes and took a few deep breaths. While he tried to calm himself, the sounds of a struggle reached his ear; clearly, reinforcements of Christopher's had arrived and captured Katelyn, who was the lone survivor at the scene. Jason considered turning back and rescuing her. He understood that her capture meant her death, but he hardened his heart. He needed to rescue Alina and her mother, and that was his top priority.

***

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 his trusty Tang blade that he always used when 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 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 from 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 dark 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