(Lazaros) Well, looks like he wants a second round with you.

  Taking a few steps back, Lazaros pced his left hand into his right sleeve, having his sleeves covering both ends of his arms. By just seeing the way Jason readied his stance, Gwen turned her entire body to face his direction, her hands still enclosed into fists that didn’t let a single air sweep through them.

  (Gwen) Once I deal with him … you’re next.

  (Lazaros) Oh, don’t worry. If he doesn’t kill you, then I will.

  Having her body in a lunging position, she readied her body as her feet were glued to the benevolent stone ground beneath her. And in just one swoop…

  She kicked her right heel off of the stone ground, disappearing like an ant in the wind.

  His eyes not able to perceive her speed, Jason put both of his forearms out in front of him, having them together to protect his face. By just protecting his face, the bckened fmes that caressed his gray hoodie sleeves soon balled up to cover his entire body, the fmes spreading outward until they came crashing down on him.

  But this wasn’t his way of attacking himself, but rather a way to defend himself.

  Once the fmes leaped downward onto him, they molded themselves into a rge bck and ghostly ball, prisoning Jason like a bnket.

  (Jason’s thoughts) Hope this doesn’t break.

  The light couldn’t escape nor enter inside the bckened fme ball, putting Jason’s sense of smell into overdrive as his sense of sight was withdrawn. Slumping down onto the pitch-bck fme floor where he found comfort, he let out a soft chuckle from his mouth.

  (Jason) Too easy—

  But the light was bestowed upon him again.

  His pupils already diting from the shock of the light, he put both of his palms onto his eyes as the blinding light was enough to make him gag.

  Soon after, the dimming heat that smoldered his gray jacket and pale skin ceased as he felt his butt sm on the stone floor yet again.

  With his shield ball gone, Jason crawled backward since the blinding light still limited his use of his eyes. Continuing to see through his closed eyelids, he mustered out a low groan from the innards of his throat.

  (Jason’s thoughts) Damn it! Is her power a counter against mine!?

  Jason spread both of his hands outward, his palms facing the direction of the brightening freckled woman.

  The fmes soon returned to smoldering from his wrists to his shoulders, it wasn’t long before the bckened fmes spread outward. Creating a circle with his power, the fmes soon started to mold and transform quickly as the bck humanoid creatures sprouted out from just the air alone.

  (Jason’s thoughts) This is my trump card…

  But instead of the power of a dozen men, he unleashed the power to that of the power of ten.

  By creating the same bck humanoid creatures yet again, this time, it wasn’t just a group or squad of lethal monsters. If there was a limit to how much Jason could summon, then the answer to that might be…

  About 100 or more.

  All of their forms brushing the contents of the stone floor beneath their ghostly bare feet, Jason opened his eyes as he squinted against the blinding light in front of him. Having his finger barely pointing at Gwen, all of his creatures looked at the command that they were given, their all-white eyes staring into the abyss or to the soul.

  (Jason) Kill her.

  A bright light emerged from on top of Jason directly.

  Rubbing his eyes with both of his hands, he dug his knuckles inside his eyelids as he made sure that it wasn’t a dream he was in. Putting down his hands to his sides, his breath soon hitched inside of his own throat, his nostrils fring up from the sudden gush of air that he forced his body to take in.

  As he saw Gwen high in the air, her body was still in motion as she reached the climax of her height.

  (Gwen) There is no escape…

  Putting both of her hands down toward the unguarded Jason, he then cleared his throat as he pushed his entire strength onto the muscles of his neck. Spreading his feet apart from one another, he had his palms opened up followed by his face wrinkling up from the light that bestowed on him.

  Followed by his trembling finger pointed toward the woman who was soon falling onto him.

  (Jason) ATTACK!!

  In an industrial-like fashion, the horde of ghostly bck creatures soon formed a hellish bridge, a bridge that caused them to pile on top of one another. With their bodies mingling, the dim bckened fmes that sprouted out from their skin and bodies soon burned evermore. As long as their bodies were connected…

  They could let the rest of their comrades climb on top of one another.

  Seeing the cruel way that the horde was trying to reach her, Gwen pced both of her hands outward so that her palms were facing the horde. The glowing light forming on the ends of her palms, she straightened her body so that the horde were all lined up in one area.

  And fortunately for her, her traveling speed of hitting the ground floor was soon upon her.

  (Gwen’s thoughts) You will never take me out that easily.

  Blinding light poured out of both ends of her palms, the light reaching down onto the cursed bck shadows that made its hellish ghost bridge.

  Upon being hit with the blinding light, all the rest of the bck creatures soon let out a vocal tearing shriek that came from the soul, a one-second scream that sounded as if a baby was on the verge of death. Soon after, every single bck ghostly creature that was in the vicinity of the attack faded away like blossoms in the te spring.

  With his entire army of ghostly creatures gone, the only thing that he mustered up was a slight moan from the depths of his throat.

  (Jason) … uh…

  He soon scraped his knees against the cement, his legs giving out from the amount of strain that his body was already in. Since using blessings or curses requires a lot of stamina, one must push oneself to the very limits for survival.

  But Jason didn’t let that thought sink in, as his eyes soon began to roll onto the back of his head.

  His vision blurred again just the same as st time, and his back soon smmed onto the harsh cold stone that welcomed him in, his hoodie not even willing to protect his bones and skin. His mouth agape, he couldn’t let the air from before set into his pink lungs, creating rasping groans from his trembling vocals.

  (Gwen’s thoughts) This time … I’m going to finish him…

  Like a bullet in the wind, Gwen sped through the air like clockwork, her body already reaching where Jason was currently injured. Having her right leg having enough speed and momentum to mimic a metal guillotine, she aimed her sights right where his neck was, the air around her burning up as she then made contact with—

  A hand grabbed the tip of her heel.

  (Lazaros) Hey, aren’t you supposed to be the good guys here?

  Gwen widened her glowing eyes as she saw the only person who could block a simple burning kick.

  Her body remained still in the air, her breath quickened as the glowing light from her body soon began to flicker. Controlling her breathing, she soon brought the same brightness back to her own body.

  (Gwen) What?

  (Lazaros) Where’s that joyous personality of yours? Don’t tell me you ditched it just for this fight alone.

  Putting down his right hand that grabbed the helm of her heel, Gwen then pulled back her right leg. Having both of her feet down on the ground, she id her hands right by her sides as well as letting her entire body feel as if she was doing a marathon.

  Taking a step back from the nonchant Lazaros, she straightened her back to appear taller than him.

  (Gwen) Only just for you …

  (Lazaros) Hmm … I suppose you could take the news well, correct? I mean, you did want to know what happened to that spiky-haired elf.

  Pcing his right hand onto his chiseled and clean-shaven face, he rubbed his cheekbone back and forth along where the bone sprouted out. By having his fingers rex under the partially wrinkled skin, he had his left hand down to the ground as his knuckles felt the cold air brushing against his porcein skin.

  As for Gwen, the light from her body soon radiated more as she took a right step forward. Her body and soul juggling with the emotions of both nervousness and anger, she clenched her stomach as well as perked her ears up at the same time.

  (Lazaros) Well … Jason did end up fighting him in a 1v1, but that Jerry fellow was too weak to even swing a sword. Jason didn’t kill him, hehe, only just beat the living lights out of him.

  (Gwen) … Did you kill him…?

  Drool started to pour out from the corners of her mouth, her body clenching up like a rabid dog that found its meek prey.

  Her body was on the verge of erupting in a ball of light that could rival the sun, her flickering glow ever increased as she spoke with him.

  Lazaros however didn’t beat around the bush, as he curled up the crevices of his lips up to the height of both of his ears.

  (Lazaros) His girlfriend did. She’s the one that you’re all trying to defeat right now. Small world right?

  A deafening silence took hold of the stone room that they both were in.

  Not even a tap of water or a movement of a muscle was enough to break it.

  Her body remained still, her body soon dimmed as if a star was in the middle of its cycle. With her entire body not even able to push herself forward, the only thing that she could do was pucker up her lips.

  (Lazaros) If you want proof, here’s his sword.

  Using his right hand, he pulled out a sword that was tucked away inside of his right hip. Having his fingers wrapping the grip of the sword, he then threw it down onto the cold cement ground, dismay of disrespect that puckered up Gwen’s lips even more.

  Looking down to the floor, she saw the engravings of the sword tched onto its metal, two words that were carved by none other than Jerry himself.

  (Gwen) …

  (Lazaros) So … any hard feelings? It’s ok if you scream or shout or—

  A glowing fist thrust upon his chiseled right cheekbone.

  Almost having his right hand catch the thrusting hand, he didn’t even have enough time to prepare for the catch. The crevices of his eyes widened in slow motion, the burning light that caressed the left cheekbone of his old wrinkled face…

  Sent him flying through the air at breakneck speed.

  As for the girl who thrust her fist at the old man, she sharpened her gring eyes onto the pushed-away Lazaros. Her body radiated a yellow-reddish color, the change of it flickered intensely as she steadied herself on the stone floor that blistered her feet.

  (Gwen) Die…

  In an instant, the entire building around them dented the pilrs that held the underground electrical room, as…

  The fight between the two strongest forces commenced.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Hallowmonath 25, 55 / 6:55PM)

  Several years ago.

  An old broken door soon colpsed onto the wooden floorboards below.

  Soon after, light let in the old and stale air that was trapped within the contents of the messy farmhouse, the smell of gasoline and dirt escaping from out of the door.

  Two soldiers took in the smell of the little farmhouse that both saw within their own eyes, followed by both of their arms wielding military-grade weapons.

  One was a tall freckled woman, while the other was a shark-human with a rge blue nose.

  (Gwen) Reminds me of my childhood … well, repce gasoline with beer though …

  (Benn) gags.

  Benn pced both of his hands onto his knees as he started to cough and gag out loud, causing Gwen to furrowed her brow. Tilting her head to the left, she let out a small frown as her lips made a slightly arched upside-down U.

  (Gwen) Come on, even the smell of gasoline is enough to turn you into a gagging mess…

  (Benn) Any smell that’s strong … gags … is sensitive to my nose.

  (Gwen) sighs …

  Pushing her feet forward into the darkened room inside, she noticed the creaking floorboards beneath her feet. Seeming to make the wood scream out with every step, her frown was repced by a smile as she turned her body toward Benn.

  As for Benn, he had his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, before pounding his chest with his right hand two times to allow the unneeded contents to go back to where it came from.

  (Gwen) You know, these old wooden floors are pretty cool.

  (Benn) Try … gags … not to do anything here. We’re here … gags … for a search mission…

  (Gwen) Come on, loosen up a bit. I don’t know what they want to search for, and even the Sergeant wouldn’t tell us what we’re searching for…

  Gwen started to gently jump and down on the wooden floorboards, the wood holding her shrieking loudly as it wished for the sense of death. Giggling softly at the screams of the wood, she had her face pinned toward the shark-human that didn’t even set foot on the unstable wood.

  A bead of sweat rolled down his right temple, Benn still maintained his sharp frown followed by his pale face mesmerized by the smell.

  (Benn) Stop doing that.

  (Gwen) Then make me—

  The floor beneath her snapped in two.

  Unlike in cartoons, Gwen didn’t stay in the air for a few seconds. Because of their pnet having gravity, it pulled Gwen down deep inside where she st stood. Free falling for several seconds, her eyes couldn’t tell if she was falling or not as the motion of the fall blurred the lines between imagination and reality.

  Eventually, a loud crack was made from the bottom of the hole.

  (Gwen’s thoughts) What … What happened?

  Unable to turn her head, she id the back of her head on the cold hard covered ground, her eyes looking up at the light that didn’t shine through the hole. Her arms barely able to function, her legs and feet ceased to work as she couldn’t even move a muscle upon her feet.

  Cmping both of her palms onto the cold ground, she slowly tried to push her body upward, trying to gesture her legs and feet to—

  (Gwen’s thoughts) Wait … why can’t I move my legs?

  Having her butt on the cold floor, she had her body in a sitting position where her hands and arms did all the heavy work. Drunkenly pcing her right hand under her knee, she tried to make it move but for some strange reason…

  She couldn’t trace any sense of feeling within her legs.

  Her breathing soon hitched fast and hard, she started to hyperventite as her throat rasped the air that came in and out. With her eyes widening as she looked up at the hole from above, she noticed a shark-human from the edge of where the hole formed.

  (Gwen) H-Help! I can’t move my legs! I can’t move my legs!

  (Benn) I’ll get help!

  Leaving the edge of the newly broken hole, Gwen saw the st of the shark-human now that she was all alone.

  Tears welled up in her eyes, her nose sniffling with the scent of body odor roaming the hole, Gwen bit down her lower lip with her front teeth. As a trickle of blood spurted out from the bitten area, Gwen frantically looked around the darkened hole that she was trapped in, the darkness surrounding her.

  (Gwen’s thoughts) Not the dark … I don’t like the dark …

  But a shining light appeared in a little corner of the hole.

  Remaining still, Gwen stared right into the blinking light that got the attention of her snted eyes. Her body leaning toward the yellow light that dimly shone in the darkness, she soon crawled with just only her hands and arms.

  (Gwen’s thoughts) Why is there a light here?

  Sweat trickled down from both her temples, her hands soon started to form blistering calluses that were caused by the dragging of hardened stone. The cuts on her hand soon burned up her palms, her lower body couldn’t even take in the pain that was endured on her legs.

  By reaching the blinking light, she noticed that it was nothing more than just a simple glowing crystal.

  (Gwen’s thoughts) And why a crystal of all things?

  Having her left hand hold up her body, she extended her right hand toward the blinking substance that intrigued her curiosity. As her fingers barely touched the ends of the crystal, the glowing light—

  She was now in a world filled with sand etched across the horizon.