Ricardo was born like most children; a family with an absent father, barely any food around, in a town that had no hope of developing past its war ridden and drug addicted age, coupled with frequent daemon attacks and crime. He grew up in it, the town's life merging with his pure innocent self. Later on, he joined a band of mercenaries to go make some cheap money. A few daemon over here, a few daemon over there. Once or twice they went after actual people. And he carried out the deed of killing them.
But everyone has the chance to change, so long as one is willing to. And despite all Ricardo's crimes, he grabbed hold of this chance with zero hesitation. Or rather, he grabbed hold of her.
His marriage life wasn't the best. Sure, trying to be an upstanding citizen, a loving husband and a caring father was quite the task for a man like Ricardo, but he still pressed on. And if he was given the chance, he would have been one of the best. But life always has its ups and downs, no matter how good or bad you are. Rubbing shoulders with the wrong man could be as costly as losing an arm or a leg. And cost him it did.
One after the other, Ricardo's old sins started to come into the light. Even crimes he hadn't committed were placed on him, forcing those around him, even his own loving wife, to desert him. At the end of the day, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in one of the worst prisons ever. Tartarus.
It was there that he met Edgar Lionharte, the newly appointed Grand Prime. The hand he offered was no different than his old life, but Ricardo did not care. It was better than rotting away. It was far better...
Blake woke up in a white room, no injuries or pain in his body. A few meters away from him was an invisible which blocked of a mirrored ground, reflecting a clear blue sky. Behind the invisible wall was Ricardo, sitting on a bench, staring straight ahead. Blake slowly walked towards him, sitting down beside Ricardo. For a while, neither said a word.
"I thought we die alone." Ricardo said, finally breaking the silence.
"We do." Blake replied. "I'm...not dead."
"Oh. Figured as much. Your soul technique, right?"
"Yeah."
"Guessing this isn't your first time, huh?" Ricardo sighed. "What happens now?"
Blake looked at the wall. "We can wait as long as we want on this side. But only you can cross to the other side, and you can't come back."
"And you?"
"I wake up."
There was a moment of silence between the two.
"You saw, right?" Ricardo asked, "My memories."
"Yeah." Blake said, "Happens sometimes. Mostly regrets."
"Well," Ricardo said with a sad smile, "Figures."
"You did bad stuff, but you still stood for the good in the end." Blake said, "You should be proud."
"Proud." Ricardo shrugged. "I could have done better, kid. Way much better. As a person, as a dad. Heck as an inquisitor."
Ricardo got up, looking back into the white space. "Ives, is he..."
Blake nodded. Ricardo smiled. He walked towards the invisible wall, stopping right in front of it, staring into the scenery that lay before him. Inwardly, he felt a peace like never before. A new journey that lay ahead of him, an unknown plain of unknown possibilities that led to everything yet nothing at all.
Ricardo fell to his knees as tears streamed down his eyes.
"ITS NOT FAIR!!!" He cried, "I COULD HAVE DONE MORE! I COULD HAVE MADE THEM ALL PROUD!! WHY!!!?" He banged his fist on the floor, his body violently shaking. Blake was already on his feet, but he couldn't approach him. He stood still, only watching, a great weight on his chest. The two were like that for a long while.
Jacquez opened his eyes, spinning round, confused. He groaned in pain as he stood to his feet, limping through the damaged forest. He couldn't sense anything. Everything spun around him as he made his way to the forest. Blake, Zhao. Ricardo. Ricardo. Ricardo.
Jacquez stopped, his eyes dilated as he saw who was in front of him.
[Powerful.] Avarice said, admiring the impact of the blast. [Truly, you are someone I want.]
Jacquez took a step back. There was literally nothing he could do. All his energy was spent. Blake and Zhao had been badly injured due to using their own bodies to ricochet the blast. Ricardo was on the other side, in a worse state. They were done for.
"I am truly disappointed in you, Ives Jacquez." A cold voice said from the dark, right beside Jacquez. "So, so disappointed."
Jacquez knew who it was. The voice was all too familiar, yet at the same time dreaded. It was a voice that he hated beyond anything else.
"I expected much from you, Ives Jacquez." Kael Sannin said.