Shattered

I heard footsteps approaching me...….. I stood there frozen unable to move. "Are you kidding me this guy is Ace Park, tsk tsk tsk," a voice said, I don't know why but the voice sounded so familiar 'Who the-' I thought, "You're just like Xander.....pitiful and weak." The voice said, "You couldn't even save him how weak....." the voice mocked, "SHUT UP!!" I yelled while clenching my fists.

Suddenly, a hologram appeared in front of me //XANDER PARK// it said. The hologram showed my brother who had nine...…tails and fox ears.

Ever since I was a child, my brother was always told a story. It was about a nine-tailed kitsune....who was very cunning and killed everyone he saw. He was merciless but deep down he didn't want to kill he was made to kill all so that he could pay off his king's debt.

At first, I always thought it was a silly bedtime story my brother used to tell me but now I don't think that it's a silly bedtime story....could my brother be the nine-tailed fox?

"N-n-n-no NO!!" I exclaimed, "Your brother was a beast, a killer, a murderer and a NINE TAILED FOX!" The voice said, "Wait, if he was a fox then does that mean I'm a fox?!" I asked. At this point, I was questioning my sanity and my life...…..was my life a lie?

"Foolish child ever thought of your mother?" The voice asked, 'My mom?' I thought...…..all my life my father nor my brother told me about my mother. Whenever I tried to bring up my mother or even ask who she was, my brother would dodge the question and my father would yell at me for mentioning my mom. I didn't even know her name! Ever since Xander left I had a feeling of emptiness inside me, it felt like some part of me was missing.

Felix had been there for me ever since Xander left...… I always tell Felix everything, even the incident where I saw my brother who was getting sucked into the screen. He's the only person who listens to me, the only person I have left.

"THIS JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!" I yelled, "Why am I not surprised," the voice said. "Who are you?" I asked, "That's none of your concern," the voice replied, "Why does your voice sound so familiar?" I asked, "Uh...…..probably because you aren't in the right mind."

"Who am I...…. IF YOU KNOW THE TRUTH THEN TELL ME!!" I exclaimed...…. The voice cackled, "Foolish.....foolish and weak, my dear child you are a fox, a nine-tailed beast," the voice said, "Then why don't I have nine-tails and fox ears?" I asked, "How stupid are you...….you are supposed to earn your fox magic...….." 'Earn?' I thought.

I saw a figure step out of the darkness, they were wearing a black cloak, a black hood and a black mask. I couldn't see their face...."Tell me boy...…..what tempted you to plug in the video game?" The figure said I tried not to respond to that question, "Secrets....." I blurted out. I covered my mouth with my hands. It was like that figure was controlling my mind and I couldn't escape it.

It felt like I was in prison being tortured and my mind was on the brink of destruction.

The figure let out a dark chuckle, "Secrets huh...…..tell me boy what is it that you seek?" "The truth about my brother and why this game has a warning on its case," I blurted. I tried not speaking but my mouth just opens up and talks on its own.

As soon as I said the words 'Brother and Warning' the figure was surrounded by fire, "I don't think you learnt your lesson when you were a child," the figure said.

I felt two arms around my wrists, gripping them tightly and a burning sensation around them, "AH! MAKE IT STOP!" I yelled as my skin melted and blood was dripping from my wrists, "STOP!!!" I bellowed.

The floor was covered in my blood. My knees fell to the floor, my wrists had purple and blue bruises on them. I gripped my head...…..there was pure and utter silence...….drops of blood dripped from my wrists. It hurt, it burned, it felt like someone had complete control over me.

I couldn't move, "Pfft, we haven't even started yet and you are already on your knees," the figure said. I felt a certain type of sensation I had never felt...….. I had a small spark inside me which motivated me and told me to get up. The spark soon turned into a fire...…a fire full of will, pride, ego, determination, agony and vengeance. The fire wanted to be unleashed, the feeling of keeping it inside me felt so suffocating, it felt like I was about to burst.

I stood up and stared at the figure, "Bring it on...….." I said while cracking my knuckles.

Suddenly lightning surrounded the room. There were nine doors each with a unique symbol, "Choose one door and open it," the figure said, I chose the fifth door...….

I opened the door and I saw a hologram which said, //I tried to avoid it all...…..I've tried everything but I can't deny the truth, too much ego satisfied my hunger and left me with no compassion and no one//

'What does this mean?' I thought. "You chose the gate of truth...…you avoided the truth then why did you choose this gate?" The figure said, "Because I felt a certain temptation to do so," I replied …something isn't right.

'My ego satisfied my hunger and left me with no compassion and no one, How?' I thought, "All foxes avoid this gate but...…you....chose it...."

There was a long silence.

"Are you sure you are Ace Park?" the figure asked, "Uh...…yes?" "Do you recognize me, Ace?"

The figure took off his hood, cloak and mask. I gasped in shock.

It looked like the person was my father...…

At this point my mind couldn't take it anymore, I blacked out.

It felt like my whole world was shattered...…