— Tape #10: Fighting Back —

– Tape Begins –

// Just gasped loudly, breathing heavily as he woke up from his dream. He expected to see Whisper standing with him in the room; but only silence welcomed him, lost in Soren's Darkest Mind by himself. He then started to cry, the overwhelming emotion of being alone and going through this all alone. After his mental breakdown, Just looked down at his cross, slowly breathing to relax himself before getting up off the bed. He had to focus on his mission; his heart was pounding with nervousness, but he tried to replace it with excitement. Just looked around inside the 1-story building; then all of a sudden he felt a sense of a strong feeling flowing through his body. //

Just

"Could it be the weapon? I can feel it."

// He looked to see an object embedded with a bright light resting on top of a table, and then that unfamiliar voice from his dream sank into his mind. //

???

"Let's see how long you'll last without me."

// Its laughter rang in his ears, covering them tightly as he shook his head, yelling out violently at It to go away. //

Just

"UUGGHH!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!"

// Whisper appeared behind Just and placed his hand on his left shoulder. //

Whisper

"Stop it, you're fine. I know who is talking to you, but it's best to avoid It."

// Just looked at Whisper as he started to tear up, apologizing to him. //

Just

"Whisper... I'm sorry for what I said... I'm already tired... I don't know if I can do this."

// Whisper reassured Just. //

Whisper

"It is okay, I get it. You're in a dangerous world; I must understand your situation through your perspective. We are bound together, if you die, I die. So I need to be hard at you from time to time, you need that warrior instinct. Look, you see that? The weapon. Claim it."

// Just nodded his head as he looked at the weapon, slowly approaching the table cautiously. //

Just

"That voice said something about a weapon that I can use against them. Is there a catch to this?"

// Whisper walked beside Just, observing the weapon as he looked at him with his arms crossed. //

Whisper

"Does it look like there's a catch? Is it not a gift from your God? This Haven. The weapon. Do you think it's a trick?"

// Just let out a deep sigh as he slowly reached for the weapon that took the form of a bat, feeling an uncomfortable sensation flowing through his hand as he winced in pain, trying to fight the pain as his cross started to light up. //

{Music Playing: palinopsia ilusoria - xojira, pluto's ashtray}

 // The pain Just was experiencing vanished, feeling at ease, staring at the bat as he began to laugh, such a sensation he'd never felt before, a way to fight back. Whisper asked Just a question. //

"So, Wanderer, how does it feel? Are you ready?"

// After some time of enduring the power, Just looked at Whisper, chuckling in disbelief. //

Just

"This feels pretty good. A way to defend myself, a fighting chance from God!"

// Whisper inspects the bat and then looks at Just. //

Whisper

"Great, you have a weapon; but you don't even know how to defend yourself."

// Just looked down at the bat, then at Whisper, nodding. //

Just

"I have no choice but to learn along the way. I have to save Soren and deal with D.E.F.E.A.T, but I have a damn bounty on me, so I'm unsure how to progress from here."

Whisper

"Start slow and take your time. I am sure that your God will help you, won't He?"

// Whisper then fades away in the darkness, alone Just is again as he looks down at his cross and then at the bat. //

Just

 "Can I do this?"

– Tape Ends –