She was kind enough to give him an opportunity to not be cursed to hell forever, all he had to do was find his heart again.

But that proved to be nearly impossible. Tracking the witch had taken most of his life, and every time he got close she would disappear again. Over and over like a twisted game of cat and mouse.

Jesse was tired, but didn't want to die or give up. He just didn't know what to do anymore.

Then he woke up in this dark place. A place cut off from reality it seemed. With ichor black shadows writhing and moving. He instinctively knew this place was the Dark Realm. After awareness came the realization that he was changed. Looking at what he had become caused rage and anger to consume him. He couldn't go back like this! He felt empty, like a part of himself was gone that he never knew he'd had in the first place! He didn't know how long he'd raged about, carving a path of destruction. It was only until he realized his emotions were being influenced by his new state of being did he calm down with a herculean effort. The question remained however. What did he do now?

Through experimentation he had discovered he could create portals. He found himself quietly watching Tifa from the shadows, wishing he had the strength to speak with her. But he could not. How could he show himself as he was? His objective became clear. He had to find a way to reclaim what was missing. So he returned to the Dark Place to start his search. Somewhere inside him, he felt a pull. It was his only lead.

----

How long had he been here wandering the Dark Place? Days? Weeks? Months? He did not know. The creatures that dwelled here, these Darklings gave him a wide berth. He studied them. They always watched him but they did not harass him. Perhaps they recognized him as kin? Or was it some primal part of them that told them he was an Apex Predator? He did not know. But then one day something changed. It was as if the entire realm seemed to come alive. He could feel the pull. The hunger. The pull to devour the light. Someone else was in this place. Clamping tightly down on his new instincts, he quietly followed through the air on wings of shadow.

He found a woman with blue hair surrounded by darklings.

D̵̤̟̖̓̿͟ẹ̵̵̴́ͮ̆͗̇͐͟͞v̵̧̢̰̟͎̼̺͖̠̈́͐ͮ̍́̀̚͢o̫͙̾ͤ̈̽̌̽ͧ̂́҉̶̷̨u̵̴̼͎͔̝̗̯̗͑̑ͩ̊́͆ͧ͘ȓ̩̖͔͇͈̝̩̪̊ͯͅ҉ C̶͍̎͊̋̂̇҉ȍ̼͎̹͖͉ͅ͏̵̵̀͟͞͏n̷̰̪̤͇ͦ̍͋ͩͨ̈͢͏̸̧̛͘ś̴̡̛̬u̢̝̗̺̫̻ͪ̐̏ͥ̊̃̐͜͠m̶̴̡̧̛̛̞̍͛̎̓ͮ͐̏̾͢͞ë̸̴̡̟̞̙͛̾́ͤ͗̈̽ͧ

He ignored the growing urge. Instead he dove down from above like a comet, slamming into the ground with wings curled. With a grunt he snapped his wings out like a fan, sending the encroaching darklings flying back. A particularly gutsy darkling lunged for the girl once more, and his left arm lashes out, clawed hand clenching around the creature's neck. With a grunt he clenched his fist and the creature was no more. Yellow eyes panned to the darklings that were hesitating now. He let loose an animalistic savage growl from his throat, an inhuman sound like a roar from a demonic beast.

"Back. Off!" He snapped with fangs bared. The darklings retreated to whatever corners of the Dark Place they came from. Turning, he regarded the woman before him with yellow eyes gleaming. Even now he felt the urge. Sensed the heart within. He ignored it.