CHAPTER 92: THE FALL OF A FROZEN WORLD(27)

"I’ve been meaning to ask, just how much blood is in that body of yours?

Aether didn’t respond; instead, he took the chance to catch his breath, limping toward The Jack. The fight has only been going on for some minutes, and he’s already bleeding like crazy; he even had to take off his cloak to wrap it around his biggest wounds, but there were still many others he couldn’t take care of.

If it wasn’t for Praise helping his body pump enough blood to cover the one lost, or at least try to cover it, his whole body would have turned yellow by now.

His legs could hardly keep his weight anymore, and his knees felt like sticks ready to break any second.

And yet he didn’t say anything. He continued his march without any purpose, trying to make his fist finally land. But to no luck, his knuckles were the same as they were from the beginning, the only scratches being from hitting the ground.

Every time he missed, he was met by countless punches and kicks; his liver will never be the same again.

And to think he has to fight not only a stronger Knight after this, but the Queen, who is also immune, and a class higher than The Jack.

It was pointless.

...

He kept his jaw closed tight, as he felt the force of J.’s fist strike him right into the lower part, he could swear he heard it move slightly.

And yet, not even a second after the impact took place, he turned his eyes back. Twisting his waist as he swung his fist toward The Jack, and he had... finally hit him.

Just that it had done nothing.

J. looked down on him with disappointment; he let his weight fall through the punch; the knuckles slammed into Aether’s ribs, cracking one of them slightly.

He had wanted to scream, but he had stopped it from coming out, and in response, his body protested by making him vomit blood.

"You’re a lost cause, you know? What do you get that you can’t win? If I had wanted to kill you, I would have done it with just one strike. Do you even know how much I’m holding back?"

His punch came out of him like a prayer, as his last hope, but like most of his attacks, it was unanswered. The Jack caught his fist, staring at him as if he was on the edge of losing control.

"Did I hit your head too hard? This is the last chance I’m giving you, Aether, leave... respond."

...

He laughed, with blood slipping through the crack between his teeth, running all over his jaw. And yet, he found something funny.

"Like hell."

The Jack gritted his teeth. He wrapped his leg around Aethers, hitting the back of his leg so he would tilt back, a moment where he lunged in, and buried his elbow into his neck, as his other arm let go of his fist and wrapped tightly around his neck.

Aether felt his neck break slowly as The Jack pushed deep into the middle of his neck. He gasped for air, but couldn’t find any, his head turning a hue of red.

With his free arms, he tried to push him off, but it was like trying to move a massive boulder. He cursed, or at least tried to, as he didn’t even have the breath for that. He felt himself lose power, and his vision was blurry.

As J. saw that he stopped trying to escape, he let him go.

Aether fell on the floor, hardly conscious, his ears ringing like crazy, and his vision blurry and dark. But he could still see The Jack kneel down, and grab one of his arms, only to break so he could use it from the shoulder down.

He screamed in pain as he tried to stand up, but J. had already pressed his weight to stop him with his other arm. His legs kept hitting the air in terror as he went for the next arm, breaking it like he had done for the first. He could hear his eardrum burst as he felt the warm blood come out of them.

"Are you done? What could you even do now?"

...

"...No."

The Jack sighed, covering his face with his hand, looking devastated.

"I regret making you come and kill me. I should have realized sooner that it was useless. But if you won’t give up, I’ll find something that will, by asking your shadow."

...

His eyes widened.

’My shadow?’

The Jack leaned forward, placing his arm on his shoulder, as he saw some kind of white glow travel through his body. After it reached his core, J. got back up, looking beyond him, at his shadow standing behind him, scared like a rat.

But it wasn’t the only one. He cursed, looking at how many shadows had gathered around them, and to think he couldn’t even see them until now... their voices were so annoying.

"Aether, what is your weakness?"

Even if J. had used his name, he knew the question wasn’t meant for him. Instead, it was for his shadow. It was interesting seeing that The Jack couldn’t ask the question without saying a word, like the Queen did.

His shadow looked at The Jack, then back at him. Tilting his head, confused. He knew that if he told him, that was the end...

...

"No."

...

"What?"

The Jack looked in disbelief, his anger reaching a new level, but before he could say or try something new, he felt the sound of chains being dragged against the floor, and before he could react, he felt something sharp penetrate his chest.

He looked down, where he saw Aether holding the hilt of the blade with his teeth, using his body to dig deeper with the blade.

It didn’t hurt, but he knew what was next.

"Shit..."

He cursed under his breath as a pain ran through his body, and his essence turned black. He felt his body turn weak, and the voices of the shadows growing stronger, as they were screaming into his ears, but covering his ears didn’t stop them.

Aether laughed.

"Copying my ability was your worst mistake."

...

His knees turned weak as the poison made his muscles burn from the inside, and his bones felt like they were rusting as he spoke.

"But how, how did you know that was my ability? And how did you figure out that I could only copy one at a time?"

Aether let the blade go, finally being able to stand down, as the blade slowly retracted from J.’s chest, cutting through his flesh slowly for the last time as it made its way out.

"I didn’t, I just guessed... and hoped. And my hope was answered, as you gave me an opening. You copied my ability, without knowing that at its level, it doesn’t make shadows have to answer truthfully."

He took a step forward, as he stuck his blade back in the hole, to be sure he felt the poison. And then step on the side of the blade, looking down on him as his arms just waved around in the air.

"I also figured when you copied my ability that your invincibility was from the Queen, after all, why wouldn’t The King, or The Queen card have that immunity, but you would. So when you got Shadow Speech, you lost that immunity. It was only a theory at first, but when I saw that you were bothered by the words of the shadows... that was enough proof, so I took the chance."

...

...

"Now, die. That way, I can say I finished my promise..."

The Jack didn’t respond, looking at the blade stuck in his chest as the poison slowly killed everything in his body.

...

"You know, Aether, The Jack always has a trump card."

...

"Hm-"

In the blink of an eye, he felt his skull almost break as his head hit the wall with great force, breaking the concrete and many of his other ribs with it. But it wasn’t over. The Jack tightened his grip around his head, dragging his face against the wall, leaving a trail of blood as his skin and muscle were taken off from the friction.

To finish, he threw him to the ground and grabbed his neck, holding it tight, not letting him breathe, yet again.

Aether tried to get his hands under, to try and push him off, but to no avail.

...

...

"You know, I don’t understand. You say you want to die, you hope that I would find a way. But when I finally do, you still cling to your life."

The Jack gritted his teeth, his grip around Aether’s neck tightening.

"What are you saying?"

Aether had wanted to laugh, but it would have wasted his breath.

"You said that hope has brought you only ruin... but then why now that you’ve lost it... are you clinging to this life in ruin. You say that hope caused it, but if you would still hope for your salvation, you would let the poison take its effect..."

...

...

His grip loosened slightly around Aether’s neck as he looked at him with his eyes bright open.

He was right, wasn’t he? If he stopped, he could finally die.

So then why did the voice in his head keep telling him to kill him? Why was he even fighting it? Why was he so scared to lose the life he hoped to end so much...

...

"It’s your decision... Eir, not the Queen, you can finally rest... Your little brother will finish things..."

...

"But how do you..."

He stood motionless as he felt something fall from his eye. Wiping it with his hand.

’A tear?’

But how, he hasn’t cried once in his life, so then why were his eyes filled with tears?

He let go of Aether’s neck, gripping his head by his hair, and screaming as the voices in his head got louder.

His own voice was getting overshadowed by hers; it was so loud, he could hardly think straight, and it made him want to rip his skull into pieces and get her out. That was why he kept clawing at his head until blood kept coming out.

Aether got up on his feet, all his body telling him to stand down, but he didn’t. He instead smiled as he wiped off The Jack’s tears.

...

"Your shadow told me. Irnoic, isn’t it? But don’t worry. I’ll end your misery, older brother."

...

"Thank you for everything."

The Jack stole one last glance at Aether before The Fool stuck his blade in his face.

He didn’t die, not at first; he had to endure every last bit of pain. But without fighting it anymore. He lost his life to the poison.

...

...

[You have killed a Harbinger Demon, The Jack]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

[You have gained a relic]

...

"Damn it, stop it already... are you a child?"

Aether said, trying to keep a twitching smile as he wiped the flowing tears from his eyes.