Four days had past, Jake was hating every minute of it. He had swiftly recovered from most of his injuries, but longed to be out with his friends. Only the deep cut across his chest bothered him now, and that was only when he bent the wrong way. He moved his hand over Kagami restlessly, the constant contact with the sword soothed his impatient mind.

“Come!” Marco called from the doorway, “I have a favour to ask of you.” The stocky man waited expectantly a thick cigar was constantly clamped between his lips.

Jake sighed, following Marco as he slowly moved throughout the orderly house. They made their way outside into the heat of the mid-afternoon. The blistering sun beat down upon his shoulders.

“I need you to follow this path,” Marco announced, puffing out a large plume of smoke before coming to a stop at the bottom of the overgrown garden. He pointed to a barely discernible path, disappearing into the surrounding jungle.

Jake groaned, peering down the weed laden track, it looked like a tricky path to navigate.

Marco ignored his protest, “I need some of these,” he continued, pulling a small leaf from his pocket. It wasn’t very distinctive and Jake knew he would have difficulty distinguishing it from other plants. “If you follow the path you will come to a pool. Around the edges, this plant should grow,” Marco urged, pushing Jake towards the overgrown track.

“It’s a thirty minute walk but take your time. The fresh air will be good for you. Lunch will be ready when you get back,” Marco promised, handing him the leaf and giving him no option of choice.

Jake sighed in resignation as Marco left, scurrying towards the house with speed.

Jake muttered darkly, stalking off into the forest, pushing through the overgrowth as he went. “Just limp your ass out into the forest and get me some herbs… Send the injured guy!” he growled, pushing through a curtain of moss and promptly tripping over a gnarled root, falling heavily to his knees.

“Why are you going?” Kagami whispered, announcing her presence.

Jake looked down at his knees, discerning her face in a muddy puddle.

“What do you mean?” he growled frustrated, wiping his dirty palms on his jeans.

Kagami shrugged, “It just seems to me that you are every ones whipping boy, you are too nice.” she said nonchalantly.

Jakes automatic reply dried up in his mouth, “Too nice…?” his face screwed up as he mulled her words over.

“You always just agree with whatever anyone says. No questions asked,” Kagami pressed, “You are a human shaped doormat. I mean right now you are walking injured into the jungle, which is teeming with dangerous plants and animals and you don’t even know what for!” she said pointedly.

Jake groaned, “And now I am being scolded by my blades soul. Just great.” he bit out, climbing to his feet begrudgingly.

Kagami sighed, “I am not scolding you Jake, just helping you see outside the box you live in,” she implored.

Jakes face fell and he sighed, “You’re right,” he breathed, scrubbing his hand across his face.

“Well what do you plan on doing about it?” Kagami urged.

Jake shrugged, “Well I am going back to the house to begin with. I really am not in the mood for bush walks today,” he confessed, summoning a tall mirror.

Kagami shrugged, “I guess that’s a start…” she now stood in his mirror and motioned for him to step through.

He entered into his refurbished paradise. The glorious mansion was only a shell of its former brilliance. Jake hadn’t put in as much care after finding out the truth behind the mirror world. Kagami showed him to a mirror that looked out into Marco’s impeccably neat house. The mirrors surface rippled as Jake stepped through the make shift portal.

Jake stepped softly onto Marco’s cold kitchen floor, expecting the man to be preparing their lunch, but the benches were spotless and Marco was nowhere to be seen. He strode quietly through the small hallway of the house, listening hard for any trace of his host, but the house was deathly silent. The front door was slightly ajar, angry voices drifting through from the other side. Peering cautiously through the gap, Jake saw Marco standing on the driveway. The forest loomed at his back and was conversing with someone out of Jakes line of sight. Jake carefully creaked open the door a little more to get a better view.

“I don’t know where the boy is,” Marco yelled, his body rigid with anger, catching Jakes complete attention, “Even if I did know, why would I tell you?”

“If you did tell me, then I might let you live,” the voice replied, it was dry and empty, causing a chill to creep up Jakes spine.

“What makes you think you can kill me?” Marco asked, drawing a cutlass sword from his side clutching it tightly in his right hand.

The cold voice chuckled humourlessly. “Not me,” the voice spoke calmly, “Him.”

Jake watched disbelievingly as a familiar face jumped out from concealment in the tree line, plunging his sword through Marco’s back. The tip of the sword protruded through Marco’s belly, painted blood red.

“Brad!” Jake whispered in horror as the gangly man pulled his sword from Marco, sending him to his knees clutching at the open wound.

Brad grinned insanely, prowling around a dying Marco, squatting down so they were face to face.

Jake was in shock, “But how? His head was cut from his body…” he whispered, feeling Kagami’s own confusion. “I am unsure Jake,” she whispered, fear in her voice.

“Where is the boy that killed me?” Brad asked again calmly to Marco who was bleeding out before him.

Jakes eyes widened, noticing the deep red line across Brad’s neck, It’s the same Brad… But how?

“He is gone,” Marco spat blood, splattering red dots over Brad’s pale skin.

Jake gasped, He sent me away to protect me! He knew this was coming! He suddenly felt awful about not trusting Marcos decision.

Brad calmly wiped the blood from his face before backhanding Marco violently, “Filthy Liar!” he screeched, Marco’s head tilting back harshly from the hit.

“Why won’t you tell me where the boy is?” huffed Brad kicking Marco in the ribs. Marco cried out in pain, hardly any life left in him.

“It’s simple really. All you have to do is open your mouth and tell me where he is!” cried Brad, kicking him insistently, a hard blow landing on his spine with a loud crack. Marco let out a wince of pain before becoming limp. This did not dissuade Brad, who kept up his violent assault landing kick after kick.

Jake held back a loud cry as he watched Brad continue to pummel Marco’s dead body. His head rolled in Jakes direction and his lifeless eyes begged him not to come outside.

“Enough!” came the dry voice.

Jake froze with terror as a hooded figure stepped into view.

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“Aww come on Grim, I can get him to talk!” Brad cried, kicking Marco once more, oblivious to his death.

“I brought you back, you do what I say,” Grim responded, kneeling beside Marco’s corpse.

One pale hand slid from his cloak coming to a rest upon Marco’s bloodied chest, the other clenched about a giant scythe. There was a dark glow and Marco was encased in shadow. Jake held his breath until the shadows dispersed, watching in horror as Marco blinked once before sitting up. The gaping hole in his shirt revealing an angry red line, and Jake learnt how Brad still lived.

“Let’s go before there is any more trouble,” Grim commanded.

Marco stood beside him helplessly his eyes still empty and dead, not even a shadow of life. Just a walking corpse.

“Why would you bring him back?” Brad almost pouted, stamping his foot dramatically.

“He could be good leverage, no one knows he is dead,” Grim pointed out.

Brad growled angrily, “They won’t be fooled!” he cried, gesturing at Marco, “He is barely functioning. He is a puppet.”

“If you do not cease to talk you will be reverted to my puppet too,” warned Grim, Brad shut his mouth scowling.

A hunter silently burst from the forest coming stealthily to a stop beside the two and handed Grim a golden box, “Here is Pandora’s Box as requested, and the other Hunters are on their way. His friends will be back soon,” he puffed, his cheeks ruddy with exertion as he pointed at Marco.

“And Slash?” Grim asked, not paying the Hunter much attention but taking the box securely.

“Dead,” the Hunter said tersely.

Grim tutted, “The stupid fool. What about Excalibur?”

“The Snake has it,” the Hunter bowed his head as he spoke to Grim.

Grim spun quickly towards the road, he muttered as he walked away, his scythe acting as a walking stick while his long black cloak dragged across the grass.

Marco followed stupidly, like a dog after its master. Brad scowled but followed whilst the hunter vanished back into the forest.

“Grim?” Jake whispered, his blood like ice in his veins.

“The one and only,” whispered Kagami. “You won’t see another as cold as him. His blade ‘Thanatos’ is one of three blades with no soul in it. Instead, it entraps the user’s soul until they die.”

Jake shivered.

“There is no one more powerful than Grim,” whispered Kagami, almost visibly shivering, “Pray you never come up against him.”

Jake was silent for a moment before he dashed out after the leaving party.

“What are you doing Jake?” Kagami screamed as Jake dashed through the forest determinedly.

“Taking charge of my own life!” he murmured as Grim came into sight, the dark cloak sending chills through Jake.

Kagami’s eyes went wide, “But this is suicide!”

“Grim wait!” he yelled, ignoring Kagami and sprinting after the trio.

Grim spun slowly, he was unconcerned and his cloak lifted slightly as he spun.

“My my my... The Keeper of the feared Mirror Blade!” he clapped his hands together as if delighted.

Jake came to a halt. Only a few meters separating the two. He suddenly had a change of mind, realising this wasn’t a good idea. Brad turned to face him, pure hatred upon his face.

“This one killed me,” Brad hissed, drawing his unusual blade. “Please let me have him.”

Grim held up his hand and Brad fell back disappointed, venom in his gaze.

“What do you want?” Grim asked, a chill contrasting the sunny afternoon.

Jakes eyes darted about, now vividly doubting his rash decision.

“You killed Marco.” he said with an uncertain conviction, ignoring Brad’s peals of raucous laughter.

“You have to be joking.” he chuckled, holding his belly with flushed cheeks, “You have come for revenge? How quaint,” he laughed.

Grim was silently regarding him, his face hidden beneath the dark hood. Jake felt Kagami’s growing panic.

“Is this true?” Grim questioned, gliding closer to Jake, dead leaves blowing at his feet, his movement made it seem as though he wasn’t even walking, “Do you know who I am boy?” his words were but a dry whisper now.

Jake bit back his revulsion as he smelt the putrid stink of rotting flesh upon the air, “Yes, it is the right thing to do. You are evil.” Jake retorted raising Kagami, halting Grim’s approach.

Grim let out a humourless laugh, waving his scythe. “You know nothing Boy,” the wicked blade emitted a dark shadow.

Even the insects were silent, waiting in baited breath. Jake stood, Kagami’s terror pulsing through his head He is going to kill you Jake... She whispered silently, You have to get out of here...

There was movement beneath his feet and Jake jumped back in surprise. Surprise soon turned to horror as skeletons crawled from the earth.

Brad laughed gleefully as Jake hacked at bony arms that sprung forth from the earth. Cackling as Jake winced at the sounds of shattering bones.

“You need to run Jake,” Kagami screamed as more skeletons crawled from the earth.

Jake scrambled backwards, but not fast enough. Strong fingers clamped down around his ankles, two yellowing skeletons moved up behind him, pinning his arms.

“Disappointing,” Grim murmured, “And this one killed you?”

As Grim moved closer Jake gasped, catching a glimpse of what lay beneath the hood. Empty eyes gazed back at him. Rotting flesh clung to a white skull, it seemed to degenerate and regenerate at the same time.

“You are weak,” he continued, his lips only small piece of skin stretched over yellowed teeth, “Pathetic even.”

He stepped closer to Jake, one pale finger beneath his chin forcing him to look into his lifeless eyes. “I could make you strong though,” Grim offered unexpectedly, the proposition delivered in a smooth whisper. Both Jake and Brad gasped, their mouths hanging open like fish.

“You can’t be serious!” exploded Brad, storming forward only to be stopped by a flick of Grim’s scythe against his neck. He paled, falling silent, stepping away from the glinting blade.

“What do you say?” Grim asked, turning his attention back to Jake. His bony minions releasing Jake’s ankles and wrists, letting him collapse to the ground amongst a mess of bones.

“I...” Jake swallowed hard his eyes searching for escape.

“Well?” Grim asked, impatience seeping in to his tone, the first real emotion he had heard from the man.

Jake looked up in panic, Kagami freaking out within her blade, Run Jake, you will have more of a chance!

Jake opened his mouth to give his answer, but loud shouts interrupted him. They turned in the direction of the voices, noticing an approaching party.

“Jake!” Nathan yelled, Jakes eyes widening as he saw his friends running towards them, trees moving across the ground swiftly clearing a path in front of them.

Rocko, wielding Kaminari, shot off three bolts of lightning. Two blew Brad off his feet, causing him to land on his back meters away. The third grazing Grim’s shoulder. He growled furiously as smoke rose from his smouldering cloak.

With Grim distracted, Jake took his chance and sprinted towards his friends.

A loud howl of anger ripped behind them and Jake spun around to see Grim waving his scythe furiously. The ground rumbled and the dead clawed their way from the ground.

“Join hands!” Jake screamed, sprinting towards his friends, the dead ripping from the ground and grasping at his heels. He watched in relief as his friends ceased their assault and instead joined their hands. Nathan was at the end with his hand outstretched towards Jake. Paige at the other end with Teresa perched calmly on her back.

“Don’t just stand there fool,” Grim yelled, “They are getting away!” Brad whimpered once, but Marco pushed him aside and sprinted after Jake, who was almost home free.

Crossing the overgrowth quickly, Jake cursed as his foot found a loose rock which sent him sprawling across the ground. Jake groaned as his chest reopened, his large cut beginning to leak blood.

“Jake!” Sophie yelled, moving forward to help him.

“I’m fine,” Jake cried reassuringly from the dirt, kicking away a rising skeleton, “Stay linked!”

“Hurry!” Bellowed Rocko, still sending blast after blast over Jakes head.

Marco dodged with remarkable speed, closing in on Jake.

Jake reached the group and took Nathans outstretched hand. He waved his sword, causing a large mirror to form beneath the group, sending them plummeting into it.

Time slowed as they fell through. Jake saw Nathan’s face turn from relief into a look of horror. They tumbled out of the tense jungle scene, and instantly onto the hard floor of the abandoned warehouse in an unceremonious heap.

“Jake!” Nathan cried, scrambling over to him as fast as his legs would move.

“What the hell Nate?” Jake groaned, moving to sit.

“Don’t move,” he cried, pushing him back down by the shoulders.

Jake stared up at Nathan, confused.

“Oh my god!” cried Sophie, rushing over.

Rocko and Paige’s faces’ were just as white as they stumbled over, Teresa’s face even fell.

“What is going on guys?” murmured Jake, staring around at each of them, a strange fuzziness moving at the edge of his consciousness.

“Can you fix him?” Nathan asked, turning to Sophie desperately.

“I don’t know,” she cried, “There isn’t enough life in here. There is no nature here to take it from. And even if there was, I’m not sure if I can heal anyone in the way I healed myself. He cannot absorb the forest like I can,” she cried.

“We need to get him to a hospital,” Teresa barked.

Paige nodded, pulling a phone from her pocket.

“We need to stop the bleeding,” Teresa instructed Nathan.

Nathan didn’t waste a second, he ripped off his shirt, pressing it to Jakes abdomen. That was when Jake felt something. He screamed in pain as Nathan applied more pressure.

“I have a better way,” Rocko murmured to Nathan as Jake hissed in air between his teeth, “It will hurt a lot though.”

Jake, who was lost in a sea of pain didn’t comprehend Rocko’s next few words, but he didn’t miss Nathan’s pained nod.

Jake felt the pressure subside as Nathan removed the shirt, the blood stained material caught Jake’s eyes. Nathan then placed a wedge of clean cloth between Jakes teeth.

“Bite down on this,” he instructed, “Hurry!” urged Nathan, as Rocko knelt beside Jake, the cool tip of Kaminari rested on Jake’s belly.

There was a moment of calmness before the heat of Rocko’s blade began to sear the wound shut. The intense pain within his belly caused Jake to scream, his back arching off the ground as the pain consumed him.

Strong hands on his shoulders was all that kept him from moving away as liquid fire trickled through his being.

Seconds passed as hours, and Jake screamed as he was consumed by fire again and again.

Hours later or possibly minutes, the fires dulled, and Jake fell into deep unconsciousness.