Into The Deep End

Jax holds out his hand and feels the heat on his fingertips, flame form on his hand, but the flame is small and weak. He closes his hand into a fist, and the fire goes out; the heat slowly fades away from his hand. Jax feels the cold of winter air in his hands and face. The night was dark. There are no stars out; it's a quiet night no sounds of owls, bugs, or wind moving the trees. Jax feels frailer wash over him, and he wishes that this power was stronger; he wishes he was stronger.

Aetius pulls out of Jax's mind and gives him an apologetic look "Listen Boy whatever you do, don't ever put yourself down son or else you will not find your way out of that hole."

Jax lets out a sigh of tension; it is always comfortable talking to Aetius, mostly because he is a vampire and Jax doesn't need to speak. Jax told him that Aetius could read his thoughts whenever he wants, but only when they are training. Any other time his mind is closed for business.

"I know Aetius, but my power is worthless. I can only conjure up a small flame; after the fight. The night my powers manifested; after Em died… I think there is a mental block with the power I have," Jax feels his back tense up.

He and Aetius stand for a second for Aetius to mole over what Jax said. "Jax, power is something that will cost you greatly," Aetius pauses for a second, "In search for more power; I became a vampire, and I did become stronger. Yes, but I had to live with the fact that I outlived my family bloodline. I am the last of my kin, and I have to live with that weight on my shoulders."

Jax could hear the heartbreak in Aetius voice, but before Jax could ask why did Aetius want to be a vampire. Images start to flash in Jax's mind; one place is as clear as day. Architect City at the church in the middle of the city.

"I know where my mom is. She is back in Architect City. Aetius we need to get her. I need to sure her." Aetius holds up a hand, stopping Jax from speaking any more.

"Boy think about what you are talking about; you are not ready to fight anyone of the caliber in The Knights of The Sun."

Aetius sees Jaxs eyes change color for a second; Jax grows quiet and starts walking back to the house his mind narrows to "I need to save her. They will all die for what they did to her and me."

He opens the door and runs up the stairs; he hears wood squeak behind him, and an arrow is loosed from the bowstring. He turns his head, seeing the arrow flying throw the air, but he does not move. The arrow catches fire and burns to ash while in the air. Jax turns his head back and steps into his room and closes the door with a loud bang.

Alex hears the door slamming, and she pokes her head out of her room to see what is going on. She overhears Aetius talking with Patty about Jax's mom and how it might be a trap and things like that. Alex's eyes widen; she makes her way to Jaxs room she knocks on the door softly, so Aetius and Patty don't hear. She slowly opens the door and looks inside and sees Jaxs packing a bag.

"Hey… Jax, I will take you to that church; I know where it is," she and Jax stand in silence for a second.

Jax nods his head.

Alex pulls out her chalk and draws the transportation circle; she and Jax stand next to the ring. They lock eyes.

"You don't have to come with me Alex," Jaxs tone of voice is one calm and sincere.

Alex steps into the circle and grabs Jaxs hand and pulls him into it and says, "shut up and let's save your mom." Jax nods and Alex actives he spell and they step into purgatory Jax can see the church. He recognizes the big window panes and the large cherry wood doors with shiny gold handles.

"Is this the church you saw in that vision thing you hand," Alex points at the church, but she didn't need him to answer because she could see the yes on Jax's face. Alex opens a door, and they step through it, and they exit back into the world of the living in front of the church.

"Let's go."

Alex looks at Jax two words have never scared her as much as those two had. Jax said them in a very robotic tone hat Alex didn't think she would ever hear out of Jax's mouth.

Jax takes three steps forward but stopped by the sound of a disembodied voice with an Italian accent. "Where are you going, Demon? We still have some business to settle."

Jax turns his head to see nothing but trees and bushes around them but nothing. Jax looks up at the bell tower, Jax's heart sinks when he sees a man with a mask on; sitting on the edge of the bell tower. The man jumps off and lands in front of Alex; he grabs her by the throat, and he lets out a low laugh.

"I think we need to take you out of the equation quale."

He picks her up and throws her at a nearby tree, but she stops herself from hitting the tree. She pulls out three knives and throws them at the man.

"You're not going to get rid of me that easy asshole. I'm here to stay." Alex lands on the ground and looks at him with fire in her eyes. The man doges the knives.

Jax steps forward and holds up a hand to stop her from attacking him "Let us pass."

"I can't do that kid. Nice try though," the man steps forward not fazed from Alex's attack and Jaxs words. Jaxs eyes find there way over to Alex as she stands up eyes fixed on the masked man.

Jax feels lightning rush through his body; his feet start to move before he could think. Jax cocks his fist back as he runs. He feels his hand warm-up and sees out of the corner of his eye, his hand engulfed in flame. His fist slams into the masked man's jaw.

Jax unleashes a barrage of punches, and with every hit, he could feel the bones in the masked man's body crack and brake. As Jax slows his punches, he sees the masked man fall to the ground limp; Jaxs breaths are slow, calm, and sincere.

"Let's go," Jax steps over the corpse lying before him. Alex looks at him concerned, but she doesn't say anything.

They reach the doors Jax breaths deeply and can smell the old carry wood doors, a familiar scent that he couldn't place. All that aside, it's time to save his mother. He pushes the door open… nothing. He can see nothing the church is pitch black, but a small nose that can be heard from the back of the church. Alex puts her hand on Jax's shoulder and squeezes softly.

"Let's be cautious, moving forward," Alex pulls out a flashlight and shines it around, but it is only an empty church.

Jax slams his hand down on to the wooden bench next to him and breaks it and swears loudly. As Jax turns around, he hears the same noise but louder. Jax turns and starts to walk fast, but Alex grabs his hand and stops him.

"Jax, we need to move slow we need to be careful," Alex trying to be the voice of reason in his head.

Jax stops and looks at her and nods as she lets his hand go; they walk toward the noise as they reach a door the cry has gone silent. Alex grabs Jaxs hand. He looks at her and smiles, trying to keep her calm, but he could feel the anxiety coming off of her, and the truth is Jax is feeling the same amount in his gut. Jax reaches for the door handle; every inch of Jaxs body screams do not open the door, but Jax continues. He turns the doorknob and pushes it open.

"What is this place, Jax?" Alex pauses in disgust at what she sees, "Why this in a Church?"

Jax stands there and feels a tug in his mind, "I-I've been here before."

Alex looks at him "What do you mean you've been here?"

"They brought me here when I was young… I think most of my life was here," Jax looks around seeing tools and harnesses on the floor and walls. Blood… dried blood all over the floor. The smell makes Alex feel sick, but Jax feels his mind fill with memories. Things that Jax had forgotten things that would drive a man insane.

"Do you remember the first time I went to Mercy Elementary I started in the fourth grade," He pauses in the realization that his memories are fake from when he was a kid. "The Knights of The Sun took me, and they brought me here and experimented on me." They both grow quiet.

A loud noise rings out, breaking the silence and bringing Alex and Jax back into the present. Jax walks past the bad memories of the room and opens the door on the other side of the room and finds holding cells with children inside of them. Each one after the other can't be older than 8.

"Alex is there a way you can make a transportation circle large enough for all these kids," Jaxs tone grows angry and weak. She nods and starts to make it "I'm going further into this hellhole I will find my mother, and I will kill of these monsters on my life… they will pay."

Alex stops him "Here take this if you what you say about your mother is true about her being a demon this can track her," she put a small crystal in Jaxs hand. He nods and runs off deeper into what is most likely hell itself.