Execution

After what felt like forever, my fight finally came up. I was hanging out in my room with Sal when I got the notification to make my way to the arena. I picked up my scythe, pocketed my watch, and was about to head out the door when Sal stopped me.

"Hold on," he said grabbing the bottle of APple cider off my bedside table. "Why not have a quick drink before you go out there?"

"I think I'd be off staying sober for this," I said.

"A little buzz won't kill you, will it?" Sal said.

"I think I'll pass," I replied.

"Justin," Sal said, looking me dead in the eye, with a serious expression, as he cracked open the bottle. "Trust me."

I hesitated for a moment before taking the bottle from him. I raised it to my lips and took a couple swigs, tasting the bitter sweetness of it as it spilled down my throat.

"Feel better?" Sal asked.

"Yeah," I said, handing the bottle back to him. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me just yet," Sal replied. "Now get out there."

I began walking to the arena. As I did, I felt a weird sensation in my mind. This wasn't a normal buzz. It took a few moments for me to recognize what I was feeling.

Adrenaline. I was feeling a massive build up of adrenaline. Stronger than anything I had felt in a long time.

I arrived at the arena to find Henry standing across from my. I smiled to my self, as Daniel nervously shuddered inside my head.

Not good, he said to me. We can't win against them.

Quiet, you, I thought back. Enough of that defeatist talk. I can take him.

William stood up, addressing us all.

"The next battle will be between Justin Ferin and Henry Mitchel," he announced. "Begin!"

The platforms began doing their weird elevating thing like it did in the last couple fights. Henry and I stood on the same platform, staring each other down.

"Justin Gremori Ferin," Henry said. "Daniel Xavier Ferris. Your Judgement begins now!"

"Bring it," I said, taking a stance.

He threw one of his hammers, as I had expected. I quickly hooked the head of the flying hammer with my scythe, spun around quickly, and sent it flying right back at him. His eyes widen in alarm, and he barely dodged it. It fell to a lower platform out of his reach.

I took advantage of the momentary distraction and closed the gap between us. I began swinging my scythe up close with rapid, flourishing motions. The blade grazed his arms and shins a few times as he struggled to defend himself. I knew I'd have trouble overpowering him, but if I could get some light damage in, I'd be able to wear him out and leave him weakened.

As I kept it up, I realize that the Eye was locked onto the blade of my scythe, following its every move. As it did, he slowly got better at deflecting my attacks with his remaining hammer.

What's going on? I thought to myself.

I told you, Daniel replied. We can't win. Judgement is watching all of your moves and adapting to them. Add to that the benefits of his Enhancement, and we've got an enemy you can't fight.

The tables turned. Henry became the one attacking, while I struggled to defend against him.

Super strength and the ability to predict and counter your fighting style, Daniel said. We're dead. We are so de-

SHUT UP! I snapped back at him. If predicting my moves is a strength of his, then I just have to be unpredictable!

And then I spat in his gross, glowing eye. And I think I still had some cider on my tongue, so I imagine it must've stung a bit, especially considering his reaction He cried out, dropped his hammer and clutched at his eye, desperately trying to rub the spit out of it.

See, Daniel? I said. Everyone has an Achilles Heel! Speaking of...

I hooked the blade of my scythe around one of his legs, and pulled hard, causing him to fall over. I raised my scythe again, and prepared to bring it down on his head. Unfortunately, he recovered too quickly, and knocked the scythe out of my hand before grabbing me by the skull and slamming me into the side of a nearby platform.

"That stung!" he hissed at me, as the veins protruded in his glowing eye. "Now, that pretty little sis of yours is going to see what the insides of your skull look like."

I suddenly felt one of my hands moving of its own accord. The index and middle fingers straightened out and grew tense, while the other fingers curled back.

What the...? I thought.

Yeah, gonna borrow this real quick, Daniel replied.

"And once I win this bloody tournament," Henry continued, "I'll track that little bitch down and kill her t-"

My fingers shot forward and jabbed him straight in the glowing eye. He cried out in agony and stepped back, releasing me.

What the fuck was that!? I demanded.

An Immortal Man strike, Daniel replied. It's when you tense up your lead two fingers and-

I know what an Immortal Man is! I snapped. Did you just possess my fucking hand!?

Yeah, for a second! He replied. He was about to kill you!

"Damn it!" Henry roared, rubbing at his eye. It starting to swell already, and the yellow glow had shifted to a soft pink.

I think that weakened the Eye's power, Daniel said. At least a little bit. So maybe...

No maybes, I replied. We definitely have a chance. Now less commentary and more planning. I get the feeling you know more about the Enhanced than I do. Weakness?

The heart, Daniel replied.

I suddenly had a vision of an Enhanced man clutching at his chest, as his heart visible beat arrhythmically until it seemed to explode indie his chest, and he dropped to the ground, with blood spilling from his mouth as he took his last, pained breathe.

The human body isn't made to handle the kind of eldritch power Slender Man infuses into the Enhanced, Daniel continued. Slendy might have improved the Enhancement process in the universe, but it's not perfect.

So his heart is vulnerable? I replied. You shoulda said so sooner.

I charged at Henry. He swung, but I blocked it balled up one of my fists, and swung as hard as I could.

Now, you all know from a previous post that my training regimen involves swinging a lopsided barbell around in order to build up muscle and adapt to the weight distribution of a scythe.

That being said, I can hit like a fucking truck.

My fist landed right on his heart, and he stepped back. His dense muscled softened the blow, but damage had clearly been done. A drip of blood poured from between his lips. I charged forward again and got in a second jab, hurting him some more. I reeled back, preparing a third blow, but he vanished, reappearing a short distance away.

How did he do that? I asked.

The Godsway, Daniel said. The domain of the Fears. The Eye is allowing him to access it. Which means they're getting desperate.

Henry's body trembled, and I could see a soft, burning light under his skin, along his muscles.

Unfortunately for him, the human body isn't made for that either, Daniel said. Keep it up! Keep him on the edge!

I charged at him again, and he teleported away again. This time, he appeared where I had dropped my scythe, and he scooped it up, turning back to me. He charged at me, but I'm clearly more experienced in scytheplay than him, and I disarmed him easily and got in another hit to his chest. He teleported again, this time reappearing against a wall, slumping against it. He panted heavily, clutching his heavily beating heart.

"No," He growled. "No. No! NO! I can't let it end like this!"

"It's over!" I said, charging at him.

My torso was suddenly met with his iron fist, and I hunched over, gasping for breath. He struck me again, shattering some of my ribs, then he grabbed me by the hair and threw me to the side. My scythe clattered to the ground beside me. I panted, and raised my eyes to look at him.

He stood there, shuddering, as his muscles throbbed, and blackness began oozing from his wounds.

What is this? I wondered. Some kind of second wind?

Auto-Hallowfication, Daniel said. He's allowing the Enhancement to corrupt his mind and soul as some kind of last resort.

Well, shit, I thought, fighting off the pain and picking my scythe back up.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," came another voice. A voice I new all too well.

I looked up into the familiar gaze of my old Mentor, Rillek. But he's body was shadowy, and completely translucent. Ghostlike.

YOU! Daniel said. Why are you hear!?

"Ah, yes," the phantom said. "Mr. Ferris. I'm sorry about what happened all those years ago. I truly am."

It suddenly clicked for me.

"You're the Archangel," I whispered.

He smiled, and raised a finger to his lips.

"Only you and Daniel can see me right now," he said. "You opponent is currently wielding the strength of two Fears. Seems a little unbalanced, right?"

As he spoke, Henry's good eye turned solid black, and his possessed eye glowed with a fierce crimson light. The Archangel stepped beside me, placing a hand on my own hand that was gripping my scythe.

"His soul is still intact," the Archangel said, and as he spoke, I became aware of Henry's soul.

I couldn't see it, but I could feel it, like a black mist writhing inside his body.

"For now, anyway," the Archangel continued. "Once he becomes fully Hallowed, there won't be much of a soul left to take."

A soft, gray-blue light appeared around my scythe's blade.

"You'll have to act quickly," the Archangel whispered in my ear, as he faded away. "You know what to do."

I readied my scythe, and Henry and I charged at each other.

"Dread Harvester!" I shouted, as I swung the scythe.

The blade seemed to phase harmlessly through his body, but as it did, it tore away some of that black mist inside of him, and his fell to his knees, shaking.

"What did you do to me?" he asked.

"I tore out a chunk of your soul," I said, as the black mist flowed through my nobody, nullifying my wounds. "For my own consumption."

He looked up at me in horror for a moment, before his expression was replaced by rage. He made a last ditch effort to strike me, but I hit him first, slugging him hard in the face. He dropped to his hands and knees, coughing up blood, mixed with blackness. I placed the edge of my scythe against his exposed throat.

"Embrace the Archangel, motherfucker," I said. "And when you do, give Oceana my regards."

And with a sharp tug, I took off his head. A moment later, William announced my victory. I returned to my room and lay down in my bed. I was tired.

You've met the Archangel before? I asked Daniel

I don't want to get into it, He replied.

Fair enough, I thought back.

So yeah. There's only one fight left of the Semi-finals. The only people left are Sal and Faceless. Wonder how that'll go...

Stabbies

So, the latest fight was that Cerise girl vs Javonir Horak. And I have to say...

Why do all the hot people keep dying?

It was a close fight, but Cerise eventually managed to stab him to death. A shame. He was sexy as hell without that robe.

I feel like I'm getting off track...

There's only 2 fights left of the quarter finals, meaning I have 3 possible opponent's I may be up against.

It could be Sal. I hope not. I'd like us both to proceed to the semis, if at all possible.

Then there's Faceless. I'd love to duke it out with him. Especially since Daniel confirmed that we're "friends" in some other, distant universe. And from what I've heard of him, I think it'd be a fun battle.

But who I'm really hoping for, is Henry. That dude has such a hate boner for me that it'd be disappointing not to fight him. Daniel seems convinced We stand no chance, but the shear risk itself is tantalizing to me. Plus, I've never fought a Judgement before. I'm curious what the Eye exactly does for them.

Also, Malkator seemed pretty convinced that our destinies are about to intertwine, so... I think I'll trust him on that. Finger crossed.