Jin clung to the railing. His hands wrapped around the cold bars. His left hand slipped free, leaving his body to sway and dangle. One hand clasped the bar with white knuckles. Blood trickled down his left hand and dropped from his wrist to the streets below.

"E...elixer," he mumbled with a crack in his voice. His hand swiped but nothing came about. His light magic was dormant...or gone. his heart and mind were frantic. The curse on his family seemed to have been lifted...or nullified. The irony was that he needed it now more than ever. Free from the curse, but now he felt he was missing a gift. The ability to heal others and keep himself alive.

"recklessness has finally come for me huh," Jin grumbled trying to reach his other hand back up to no avail.

"The undying Jin Tatsumi...you've lived life in the fast line. Throwing yourself into harm's way. Putting yourself in line with the wrong lot...And now it looks like the devil's luck has run out." A man stepped out onto the small landing that hovered over the streets below. A plum of smoke trailed behind him. The man reached into the chest pocket of his dusty brown suit.

"Looks like it," Jin laughed back. The fall was too far to live through, especially with the wound he had sustained so far.

"You made too many people mad my friend. Lights out for now," The man rose a gun and fired. The bullet burned through Jin's chest. His hand slipped and the paladin passed away. Mid-air he gasped for air.

The whisper of death brought him back to life, just in time to hit the ground with a heavy splat. His body cracked against it. His whispers of death were unheard this time.

He gasped for air but nothing came. gasps turned to gurgles as he choked. The splat cast water out from around him. His body felt wet and weak. Almost disconnected. He rose his hands and saw liquid dripping from them. His body reconnected like sinew of water becoming one again. The fall had barely even hurt.

"What in the..." he muttered just as cuffs clamped around his wrists and he was tossed into the back of a rune knights car.

"Don't know how you survived that but we're taking you in now."

"Taking me in? I haven't done anything wrong. No crimes here." Jin refitted as his butt hit the seat.

"Sure. We can't prove anything wrong and you don't have a bounty. But we know you're in Eternal Nightmare, and we know you were probably up to something. Broke some laws. And truthfully. You're one of the last pieces we have to take out of the equation."

Jin sighed and held his head low as the car took off. Things never changed. He tugged at the cuffs and his wrists turned to a water mess and nearly slipped through. Jin looked wide-eyed and pushed himself up onto his seat, "What the hell..."

"SIT DOWN," a guard yelled and slammed Jin back down into the seat. Jin's hands reformed quickly and he turned his eye to the barred window.

"Maybe I can," Jin began to talk when a guard lashed out and stuck him across the face. His jaw turned to goo and water splatted against the wall. Jin reflexively punched forward. His arm phased through the cuff and slapped the guard like a whip. His arm extended more than a meter long and slammed the guard against the wall.

Jin looked frantic and his heart raced with confusion. The other guard started to move. Jin threw his other hand at the man. It extended out and slammed him against the wall too. He dropped the guards and pressed against he bars of the window. His body molded through it and Jin dropped to the ground and rolled. His body reformed and he looked at the car. The driver started to turn around and Jin threw his hand once more. This time a bullet of water shot forward and snipped the driver off the seat.

Jin held his breath and ran off down an alley. "What's happening, what's happening."

WC 430

Jin leaned his back against the wall. The brick was cold on his skin. His body felt less tangible. He pressed a hand on the brick behind him and watched his skin turn to water and shift. He yanked it back and staggered away. He clenched his fist a few times before hearing the sounds of guards rushing to the alley. He looked around in a hurry and saw a small drain into the sewer. He pressed his hand against it and his body shifted through. He lay atop the bars and his whole body merged through the bars. He dropped into the sewer passage and reformed. A voice cried out in his mind.

"You have my power now...you have been chosen young one," the voice said and faded unable to answer any questions.

Jin shook his head and crawled out another exit to the sewer. He snuck around into the street and fixed his clothing. This was...exceptional. he never felt so good. He could see a guard scouting the area from atop a stairwell. Jin snuck by and climbed the stairs until he faced the man's back. He leaned against the railing.

"Hey...you done," he replied and the guard whirled around to stab Jin. The blade struck through watery flesh. He could hardly believe it. It barely hurt. "So...this is my new form," Jin scoffed and then slammed a fist into the guard's face. Water splashed off and sprayed the rails. The guard fell fast asleep with a lump on his head.

Wc 240

The guard slumped over the railing. Jin snagged the man's body before it could crash all the way down. He set the man against the rails and fixed his shirt and armor. Jin stood up and looked at the strange body that he now felt he partially inhabited. With a deep breath, he wished he had some ale right about now. He shook his head and then stretched his legs. When he did, he felt them try to extend further than he needed. He slapped his arm outward and he flung like a tentacle. His arm was a whip just like the weapon he wore on his hip.

Now all he needed to do was find a way to reconnect with his healing magic. If that actually what he wanted to do at all? He jumped off the side of the stairs and let his legs hit the ground. The impact was barely a sting. His body rippled with energy. All of a sudden he felt strange since of thirst and set out to buy some bottles of water.

Wc 180

Exit