There was a ringing in my head.
And I don't an taphorically.
I an literally — a sharp, shrill, deafening ring. Like a giant tuning fork had been struck against my skull.
My body refused to move for a second.
My limbs didn't ache — they humd, like overloaded machinery about to catch fire.
Everything around pulsed in and out of focus, dipped in smoke and the tallic taste of blood coating the back of my throat.
If you want to understand what I was feeling — try not sleeping for three days, then get hit by a speeding car.
That's how bad my condition was.
A grunt clawed its way up my throat as I tried rolling over to my belly but failed.
My spine seed to be bent over sothing — a broken pillar? Rubble? My own dignity? I don't know. It was hard to tell.
Above , the ceiling of the ruined building swam like I was underwater. Or maybe that was just my vision doing the swimming.
My fingers twitched.
And I realized my both hands were currently empty.
Aurieth — my precious sword — had been knocked away from my grip when I crashed through the wall earlier. I could sense it on the ground sowhere to my left since it was tethered to my soul.
This was not good. I'd just been ambushed, and my attacker was already here.
I really shouldn't be empty-handed right now.
So I gritted my teeth and willed my soul-bound weapon to return to .
There was a faint shing as Aurieth lifted off the cracked floor and flew toward at blurring speed.
But then, a low whistle cut through the silence and—
Thooom—!!
A massive battlehamr struck Aurieth mid-air with a sound like steel shattering steel.
My sword was flung sideways along with the hamr.
Both weapons blasted through the opposite wall, demolishing the old concrete and crashing into the adjacent building in a spray of stone chunks and dust.
I spat blood on the ground beside and groaned, half in pain, half in exasperation. "Now was that really necessary, Jake?"
My voice was raspy, almost grating. I wheezed once, then pulled myself to my feet, cursing as pain flared in places I didn't even know existed in my body.
And when I finally stood upright and looked ahead… I saw exactly what I'd suspected.
The dark figure before belonged to a young man.
A young man obscured by layers upon layers of swirling shadows that churned around him like black mist wrapped in chains.
Then, all at once, the shadows receded — revealing the young man's sharp face. His erald eyes were soft like morning dew on fresh grass, and hair as green as spring leaves caught in sunlight.
Without a doubt, that was Jake l Flazer.
He looked taller than before. A lot leaner, too.
He looked… good.
And that was a massive complint, considering he used to look like an overfed pig dressed in aristocratic arrogance before.
"I see you've gotten stronger," I rasped, my voice still dry and cracked. "And slimr. Are you finally ready to share that diet plan you've been gatekeeping?"
Jake didn't laugh — or even blink — at my joke.
He just tilted his head slightly, his erald eyes strangely calm as they studied . "You're not at all surprised to see ."
"Eh." I waved a hand dismissively. "I've seen bigger disappointnts."
Still no reaction.
He just kept staring.
"No shock. No confusion. No 'why' or 'how.' I really thought you'd be more surprised."
I scoffed, rolled my shoulder, and wiped blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. "Oh, don't get wrong. I am indeed surprised. Just… not about you."
He stayed silent.
So I kept going. "I knew you were behind the massacre."
That got a little reaction.
His eyes narrowed — just a little.
I pressed on. "I knew you'd wait until the plaza was mostly cleared before making your move. I figured you'd co for . Or Michael. Or both of us."
I gave him a crooked grin. "That's why I asked Michael to distract the hellhound. Not just to protect the retreating Cadets… but also because I wanted a quiet little mont with you."
His jaw flexed.
Barely.
But I caught it.
I smirked. "I drew you to . And you ca running like the loyal mutt you are."
To my surprise, he still didn't lash out.
He was acting far more composed than I'd ever seen him.
Too composed, even.
So I went for the jugular. "And I know a lot more. For example… I know about the demon."
And there it was.
Finally, his stillness cracked.
His pupils contracted. His lips quivered once. The ghost of a scowl flickered at the edges of his lips. "…How do you know that?"
I let out a breathy little humorless chuckle.
"Does it matter how I know?" My voice dropped. "What matters is… do you know what happens to people who make deals with demons, Jake?"
He didn't answer.
So I did it for him.
"They rot. So slowly. So screaming. But all of them end the sa. They beco horror stories to scare the next generation. Myths that end with: 'Don't be like him.'"
I stepped forward and locked my gaze onto his.
"And that's what you'll beco now, Jake — a cautionary tale. Because what do you think will happen when the Monarchs find out it was you? When they realize you betrayed humanity by siding with a creature from the abyss? You won't just die. They'll break you. Dismantle you. Peel you apart until every secret spills from your throat. Until you tell them everything you know about your demon friend."
I leaned in and whispered:
"And when they're done? They'll bury your soul under so many chains that not even hell will want you."
Jake didn't flinch.
But the shadows curling at his feet tightened.
"You know what?" he said eventually, voice low and laced with venom. "It doesn't matter that you know. Because you're not walking out of here alive."
His eyes glowed faintly green, nothing but unbridled rage simring behind them. "You're drained. You're barely standing. If you were really that smart — if you knew I was coming for you — you should've let those Cadets die and saved your strength. Or you could've brought Michael with you and turned this fight into a two-on-one."
He scoffed. "But instead? You decided today would be a good day to be the saviour. You played the hero. You saved lives. And now? Who's coming to save you?"
I rolled my neck, letting it pop, then started stretching my arms. "You know , Jake. I don't play well with others. I work better alone."
"Then you'll die alone." Jake's tone was final — like he was delivering a death sentence. "Because right now… I'm faster than you. I'm stronger than you. I'm sharper than you. Killing you won't even be a challenge."
My smile widened until it was a challenging grin — it was the kind of grin that doesn't just show teeth, but also dares soone to try and knock them out. "Then co prove it."
A mont of silence passed.
The air turned cold.
…And then Jake moved.
Shadows snapped around him like a shroud — and in a blur, a long obsidian dagger folded from the darkness and landed in his grip.
He lunged.
And I bent my knees, bracing to et him head-on.
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