Chapter 2 - Be In The Mirror

[Anna Leigh Williams]

Four months ago, Kazuya Mishima finally killed his father, Heihachi. He was faced by Akuma, and hasn't been seen since. Jin Kazama finally awoke, and has declared to his associates, Lee, Lars, Alisa, and Lei, that he will end this war by killing Kazuya Mishima once and for all. Lei Wulong has decided to seek out Anna Williams, who has taken her mother's company 'Williams Weapons & Armory' after her mother's death, to have her stop providing G Corporation with their weapons, and to give the Zaibatsu an edge over the war. Meanwhile, The Espelhar had completely destroyed the Cathedral of Sirius and killed many Archers of Sirius. Among those lost was Antonio O'Donoghue. Claudio, along with Sorin, Xiaoyu, and Xinglong, have all sought refuge with Anna at her estate in Ireland. They have been preparing to find and destroy the demon that nearly destroyed their lives. 

During all of this, a mysterious woman named Madison Grant has announced a tournament to the world. In honor of Heihachi Mishima, this tournament was extended to those who planned to participate in the cancelled King of Iron Fist Tournament 7. Get Ready for the Next Battle....

[Anna Leigh Williams]

ROUGH DRAFT

Basically, Anna decided to take Daniel's place as the Espelhar's host. As as a result she ends up giving birth to her child. Meanwhile, at the same time, Elise miscarries her triplets and stumbles upon Anna's child and takes care of him. Elise and Lei both work together to figure out who the child belongs to.



Meanwhile, Zakk attempts to search for his cousin, Lian, but is unsuccessful due to Madison's plot. Madison also reveals that she is holding Drusilla's book that might be of use in fighting against the Espelhar.



Eric was later to have been framed for a terrorist attack, in which Marcella is investigating. He meets up with Madison who instructs him to investigate Elysium and the Williams family in order to find justice for her son's death. Unbeknownst to Eric, Madison already knows who killed her son, but she was only using him to stall the family.



Espelhar soon begins to taunt everyone using Anna's host, making everyone keep the whole entire thing a secret as Daniel was later recovered and sent to the hospital due to malnutriton during his time as the Espelhar's host. The doctors uncover several broken mirror pieces in his stomach.



Kazuya and Jin are both planning their next move to ultimately face each other. With Jin trying to draw out Kazuya by making the Zaibatsu look weaker, while Kazuya wishes to capture Katya and absorb her Devil Gene so he can become whole and grant him an edge over Jin in their final showdown.


-Will be updated as Arc continues-

[Anna Leigh Williams]

Three months ago, a battle of the self took place after the events of the Rave Wars Tournament on the Poseidon... The following is what happened during this battle. Could they look in the mirror, and see their true selves, or did they shatter to pieces upon seeing their greatest fear?

---

"YOU MURDERED MY SON!" Madison screamed as she kicked the already defeated Lillian in the face. Meanwhile, Michael and Chris were going toe to toe in the background, as well as Nina and Edgar, and Elysium and Lian. There was no one to stop her now... "I will... end your LIFE!" Madison gripped Lillian by the hair, holding a blade to her face. "..I have been waiting for this... for a long time..." As Madison went to deliver the killing blow, she stopped.

'Don't do this...' She heard, echoing in her mind. Lillian weakly gripped Madison's arm, but not in defense... Almost for.. Protection.

"Wait!" Madison's face shot up, as all stopped fighting. Her vision was blurred, she couldn't tell who it was... "...Anna...?" She called out, "This has nothing to do with you, Anna! If you don't wish to see your sister die, then leave!" Madison took notice of Lillian's grip... "...it's... not.... her..." Madison heard Lillian say under her breath. "...What do you mean it's not her!?" Madison looked up, and clenched her jaw at the sight of Anna mere inches from her face. "...What she means... is your fear... is so palpable..." The demon gripped Madison's throat, and held her tightly into the air, kicking Lillian to the side.

"Your fear that you'll never avenge your son, or save the world from impending doom... It's laughable..." Madison barely struggled, instead looking into the glassy eyes of her attacker, remaining vigil. "You never expected me to come..." It laughed. "It now your great fear... That I will begin to plunge this world into an eternal nightmare...!" Madison then began to become weaker, and then... limp. The Espelhar dropped her, and she hit the ground with a loud thud. It turned, "ALL OF YOU!!!!" A thick haze began to emanate from the demon. "...WILL FALL INTO AN ETERNAL NIGHTMARE!" It laughed, as everyone around it began to fall...

...Please excuse this interruption...

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!!!!" Daniel roared into the air, shielding Katya from a fierce force. "I won't let you take her...!" He held her hands tightly behind him. The Espelhar was... broken. Holding it's breaking hands out at them. It screamed, as a familiar overwhelming presence began to take him. He shoved Katya to safety, where Fulong pulled her into his arms. Daniel gasped, rising into the air, with his possessed mother.

'AND I SAY, LET THE ILLUSION BE BROKEN!' Matheus yelled in the corner of the room. A force then thrust Anna's body down, a loud crack could be heard. Daniel fell to the ground aswell, gasping for air. He scrambled to his feet.

As the demon began to regain it's composure, it's body groaned and cracked more as it twisted to face them. "....You want to see real power, now...?" It said, in a low raspy voice. It then rose up into the air, glass shards forming in the air. "Look into the mirror and see thine true self!" The mirrors began to form... into people...

...A fractured mind is a terrible thing...



...Destroy the illusion...

"STOP!!!!!" Daniel screamed, as chaos ravaged the woods around them. "You wanted this... You had your chance to survive, with me..." The demon said. "But now, you will perish with all human kind...!" It raised it's arms up, as a vortex began to form behind it, full of shards of mirror and lightening. "My first victim..." It's hands balled up, as the ground began to churn in on itself. Before Daniel's eyes, Sorin appeared from the Earth. "NO...!!!" He yelled out, pulling Sorin into his arms. "No..."

"Machines kept that annoying thing alive, and now..." It laughed, "There are no machines... ONLY FEAR!!!!!" It screamed as the vortex began to get stronger. Before he realized it, Nina dove in with a kick aimed for the demon's chest. The Espelhar simply turned to avoid to the kick, and looked at Nina with hungry eyes. "Shall we see what the girl with no fear has to offer!?" It's skin crackled as it walked towards Nina with it's arms raised. "...We belong together... You and I... " The Espelhar then lunged at Nina, holding nothing back..! "We don't belong together. At all."
Nina quickly dodged the incoming strike and stabbed the Espelhar from behind. "This is for Anna!"

The Espelhar laughed in her face, twisting the knife. "Did you think it'd be that easy..!?" It said, through gritted teeth. Obscene crunching noises could be heard as it dug the knife out, and it tossed it to the ground. It rose into the air, dust and glass floating around. "Anna is here... She is present... Your dead nephew awoke her from her death sleep, and now... she gets to watch all of you DIE!!!!" Glass shard and boulders were sent flying at Nina. The Espelhar landed on the ground, "LOOK AROUND YOU PATHETIC BITCH!" Claudio was facing a hoard of mirror monsters. Daniel was defending Katya from a few. Fulong and Lei were battling together. Matheus was fighting alongside Madison. "They will all die! There will be no saving your kind, and You will all be dragged to HELL!!!!"

Daniel took notice of Nina, pulling Katya through the hoards of monsters. He pulled the now united staff from Matheus, and tossed it to Nina....

Nina takes the staff twirling it acrobatically as she dodges everything. She finally lands and points the staff at the demon.
"Time... To die!"
Suddenly, energy came from the staff as it fired at the demon. The Espelhar was sent back in a deep blast. It began to scream, as the monsters began to dissolve, and fly into the vortex to hell... Claudio came running, and stood next to Nina... "Did you kill it!?" He said, his hand still vibrant with blue light. He hadn't yet noticed Sorin laying on the ground....

---

Sorin awoke in a large room, "Ugh...." He rubbed his head, and looked around. He laid in a black room, on a shiny black stage. The floor beneath was filled with a black ooze. In the center was a large ornate glass mirror coffin. Was he inside.... The Espelhar..? Sorin stood up, and walked slowly to it. As he made his approach, the room began to vibrate... Sorin was flung forward, gripping the side of the coffin. It soon stopped, as he looked down. It was Anna in there... The coffin was filled with a clear, glistening liquid that reached halfway up her body. Cracks of light began to break through, as he looked around in a panic. "What's happening!?" He looked down, "...Is this... Your hell!?" He had just assisted in waking everyone from their nightmares... Was this hers...?

The room began to shake again, and Sorin looked back down at his mother. He went to reach in, but the liquid burned his fingers like acid. He yelped, pulling his hand back. As the vibrating escalated, he gritted his teeth. With a scream, he wrapped his arms around Anna, and pulled her from the coffin. Holding her, he felt the liquid burn his flesh, as he began to walk away from the coffin. He grunted in deep pain, as he jumped off of the stage. The both land in the black ooze, as Sorin painfully trudged through holding his mother close. He began to walk to the light. Everything went dark, as he fell...

"...Sorin!..." He heard, as he came to. He sat up, all the burns, black ooze, and pain were gone. All there was around him was light. He sat up, "I am getting so sick of this..." He looked up, his vision finally coming clear... "....Dad..?!" Antonio smiled, "Hello, Sorin..." Sorin looked up up and down, his father dressed in all white. "Am I...?" He asked, looking at his father. Antonio shook his head, "Not yet... It's really up to you... You can come with me, or you can return... But, Sorin... It's not going to be easy. If you decide to stay here, I will not be disappointed..." Sorin's eyes began to glass over, as he hugged his father tightly. "...I've missed you so much...!" Antonio smiled, and softly hugged his son. "I know..." Sorin began to sob, "I love you, daddy..." Antonio's hug became a little tighter, "I love you son...."

---

The Espelhar's eyes flew open, as it rose. "...." It couldn't speak, as it floated to Nina, Anna's body began to break away. Pieces flew into the vortex, as it's host shattered into pieces, leaving only a hooded figure. It let out a piercing scream, as it flew towards the group with sharp talons....

Nina quickly ducked and avoided the talons as she tried to protect the others. Fulong quickly pushed Elise out of the way as Lei tried to deflect the claws by tossing his leather jacket at it. As Claudio dodged out of the way, he finally took notice of Daniel holding the now deceased Sorin in his arms. Katya stood next to him. Claudio gritted his teeth, "...You... TOOK..." Arrows began to form his hands, and all around him.. "EVERYTHING FROM ME!" Arrows pierced the Demon, as it squealed in agony. It once more attempted to lunge at them, when something pulled it back. Matheus and Madison helped Claudio up, as Matheus took notice of the being pulling it back.

"....Drusilla...!" Matheus called out, as his mentor pulled the demon back... but she wasn't alone. Antonio, Giorgia, Jacinta, Sylvia, Lei Long, and all the victims of the Espelhar emerged from the vortex, pulling the demon inside. It clawed at the ground, as it began to disintegrate. It's cries of death echoed through, as it was pulled in. The spirits gazed on to the victors of the battle. Claudio breathed heavily, but calmly. Drusilla smiled, as all the spirits faded in the wind...

..."Sorin..." Claudio rushed to be at his lover's side, with Daniel swiftly moving out of the way.

"Oh, God....!" A sobbing Claudio clutched onto Sorin. "You have to help him!!!!" He yelled out, kneeling onto the tattered forest ground. He held on to his dead lover. Claudio was heavily injured. Red feathers blew past, as he cried. "He's gone, Claudio... There's nothing I can do to bring him back....!" Matheus said. Matheus had bruises on his face, and chest. Blood trickled down his nose. "YOU CANT JUST SIT THERE AND DO NOTHING!" Daniel screamed. "We just watched your mentor and MY MOTHER turn to DUST!" He was so unlike himself. A man who just went to war, changed forever. Daniel"s face looked hollow. His body was cut up, and his shirt was soaked in blood.

"The ritual you performed on Samael worked, Matheus..." Madison said. Her long red hair was frazzled. She looked like she had been through multiple brutal fights, but stood strong, acting as if she was ready for the first. "But it didn't... He came back wrong, Madison!" Matheus said, his voice breaking. She frowned, "I know... But that wasn't without reason... There's still a chance you can save him!" She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Don't let someone go through the loss I was forced to bare!" She said, showing more emotion than normal.

Matheus took a deep breathe, and nodded. He knelt down, placing his hands on Sorin's chest... He began to speak in Latin, his words getting louder with every motion. Claudio laid Sorin on the ground, allowing Matheus to perform his ritual. It was like Matheus could feel Drusilla's magic and words flow through him. Suddenly, Sorin gasped, and rose up--

Three nights later

Nina couldn’t believe it. Anna was really gone. While she would never have Anna sabotage her missions, annoy her, Nina already missed her sister. The best she could do now is just carry on without her. As Nina stood at the small grave that she and her family made, she took notice of Elise carrying baby Giorgio. Nina didn’t know much about this woman, other than she was one of the scientists who stole her DNA to create Steve. She somewhat has a slight hatred and grudge on this woman, but she’s Anna’s friend. The best she could do is give this woman some respect. Not to mention, she’s just a scientist.

“Hello, Nina. I didn’t expect to see you here.” Elise Said. “She’s really gone.” Nina could only say.

“I know… and it hurts…” Elise rocked the baby. “So what are you going to do with Giorgio?” Nina asked. “Well, I plan on sending him back to his brothers. Wulong and I would rather we wait until marriage before we start having kids.”

“Are you going to adopt?”

“Maybe. We'll see when the time comes. And Giorgio, you'll have a nice little friend! Maybe even a girlfriend or boyfriend! How does that sound, little guy?”
Giorgio giggled, rubbing his chubby face. “Well, I’m happy for you.” Nina really meant it. “Giorgio should be with his family. Oh, look… he's reaching out for you!” Giorgio reached out for something. Elise handed him to Nina, but Giorgio was still reaching for something. “Huh?” Soon Nina heard a sound… a yelp. “I think you should go check it out.” Elise suggested.

Nina nods, investigating the Forest until she noticed someone who looked like she just crawled from underground. Nina took a closer look at the person and realized that it was her dear sister Anna. And she’s still alive? “Anna?” She didn’t reply but only let out a groan. Elise eventually appeared with Giorgio as she was speechless. “Anna is that you?” She groaned. “I don’t think that’s her.”

“Nina…” She finally said. “Anna, are you okay?” Nina asked Anna. “Nooo…”

Elise then checked Anna’s vitals. “She’s okay… I just don’t think we should let her mingle with society just yet… she is probably in shock.” Anna remained mostly silent, groaning in pain. “I’ll take care of her, and Giorgio.” Nina said. “Nina? Are you serious.” Elise said, with a shock to her voice.  “It’s fitting. She tried her best to take care of me when I had amnesia. I owe it to her to look after her at her lowest.” Elise nods in understanding as Giorgio reached out for Anna. “My son… Giorgio…” Anna sat up, cradling her son and rocking him as Elise and Nina both watched the mother and son reunite for the first time. Elise smiled at the reunion. “We need to keep this a secret between you and me. I don’t think Anna is able to go see the world right now. She’s too fragile.” Nina nods in agreement.

“This is the way it was meant to be.”