Episode 25

1

He was a monster.

A complete monster. Until recently, he had been burning alive, never uttering a sound of pain at any time. But now the flames were fading, and the burns, just like that. At breakneck speed. Not instantaneous, but too fast.

Besides, half a dozen flaming undead had been so easily disposed of.

Reduced to torsos, but still....

What a monster.

"Are you beginning to understand?"

He must have seen something in his eyes or his expression. Weakness. Jonathan gritted his teeth. He could stand anything but that, his enemy seeing him weak.

Besides, how could he possibly win if he couldn't even believe in his victory?

Jonathan went on the attack again. He had nothing that could really be called a plan. More like a vague hope. He should be weaker with severe burns all over his body. He should be more vulnerable as he regenerates. Only that. That was the only thing that propelled him forward.

"Stand up. I say this for your own good. Stand up and take a good look."

Jonathan paused for a few seconds. But, obviously, not because he had told him to. It was because he had noticed. Adam might possess monstrous strength, but it wasn't why he had so easily brushed his soldiers off.

They were crawling on the ground, still. But they had changed direction.

Now they were moving towards him.

"It was naive to assume I couldn't take control of your undead. Or maybe you thought that, but you believed you couldn't do anything about it, even so."

He was mistaken.

He hadn't thought about it. He hadn't thought it possible. Maybe he had had to not think it possible in order to move forward. In any case, he was wrong, but...

Believed you couldn't do anything? Just "believed"? Did that mean there was a way?

Some trick, some skill?

Did that mean he could still turn the tables, that he wouldn't be in this situation if he had figured it out?

Oh, shit. Oh, shit.

"Whatever... There's a gulf between you and me. Age, experience, stats and skills. You've barely scratched the surface of your new class, Jonathan.

In that... he wasn't wrong either.

However, he might be immortal, but he didn't have all the time in the world. He couldn't wait thousands of years just to be sure he was one hundred percent ready.

Besides, such a delay would only widen the gulf between him and Adam.

He didn't have time.

He'd never had time.

But... That was precisely the problem, not an excuse.

The dice had been rigged from the start. I'm not going to die here. No way.

"You really think you can win this? How bad would it be to shake my hand... and take me up on my offer? You think there's any point in fighting for dead people? They'll never thank you. They can't. And what's worse, you're not going to appreciate it either.

Jonathan gasped.

It was as if he had seen right through him. He looked like a complete lunatic, barely in touch with reality. But he wasn't stupid.

That's why his words would get on his nerves, even if he wasn't directly responsible for his suffering.

"Shut up for once, typical of nobles, talking too much. And also typical. That you're nobles only by your fucking title.

Adam laughed at that, as if it was actually funny. In the middle of a life"and"death battle, in the middle of such a fucked"up situation, he was laughing like a child.

That was perhaps the worst thing so far.

He wanted to tear that smile off his face.

Not wipe it away. Tear it off with his sword. From one side to the other, completely.

But now it would be impossible.

Jonathan had to retreat. The flaming undead, now advancing towards him, were dangerous, but not that dangerous.

They were wasting away.

The ones Adam controlled could regenerate due to some of his Skills, but not as fast as his own, certainly not fast enough to survive the flames. It was obvious.

He wouldn't hesitate much longer, but he had to retreat anyway. And wait to create a better opportunity.

So that's it.

He stepped back towards his army. Towards those you still control, he thought.

"You're just delaying the inevitable."

"That's living! But maybe you've long forgotten that, you walking corpse."

He had to calm down.

OK, that strategy hadn't worked. Okay, that strategy hadn't worked. But the sea monster could take him and then Jonathan would move in for the coup de grâce.

If Adam didn't take control of the monster too.

He had feared that Adam would resurrect it before he did. That was why he had risked it, it was what had convinced him. But if it didn't matter in the end, what could he do?

The sea monster was his ace in the hole.

The thing that was supposed to balance the scales.

And it would. And it would.

Their armies were slaughtering each other nearby, and Adam was still in the same place, staring. Not moving an inch. Every once in a while, one of the burning undead would stop, finishing consuming itself, its ashes scattering in the wind, lost forever. Not a single one of them would reach him before the flames finished them off.

The fire worked. No doubt about it. Good. Something to keep in mind in the worst case scenario.

But the Count...

Adam. How could that fucker regenerate so fast?

"This would be easier if you'd just accept reality."

"Shut the fuck up! Go!"

The sea beast had already taken care of those in the water. It hadn't taken them all, it couldn't have, but it had been a great help, tearing them apart to such an extent that even Adam couldn't bring them back from it. Their pieces are just sinking into the red-tinged waters.

But it is over now.

There were no more targets within its territory, the sea.

So he sent that monster after Adam. It was the only thing he could do, even knowing the risks. If he could take control of his soldiers, he simply had to kill Adam before he had the time.

Because it had taken him a while.

As they dragged Adam to the ground, as they burned him... he had been undoing his control.

If that wasn't true, then he had no chance of really winning.

So it had to be true. And he just had to be fast enough.

The monster lunged for the shore and, as it had chased him only a few days ago, crawled at great speed towards Adam. Only faster this time, of course. Because it had already destroyed a considerable portion of the obstacles along the way the last time it went berserk.

Adam still didn't move from the spot.

Grinning, he turned to face the creature. Which of the two looked bigger, stronger? That was, as ridiculous as it seemed, what crossed his mind when he saw Adam's arms outstretched.

"Okay. If you insist, I'll go all the way with you in this charade."

2

Someone put a hand on his shoulder. Leonard spun on his heel, jerking away from the grasping hand, and his hand was halfway to the sword before he stopped it and dropped it.

These people might not be friends of his. But they weren't enemies either.

He took a deep breath.

"Leonard. If you do that, he'll kill you."

The crew was looking at him as if they didn't know he was doing something crazy.

"Then we'll be even. Or at least I'll be at peace with myself. Which is good enough for me."

No one tried to stop him. They got off the boat together, but because the crew wanted to refuel.

Leonard could take advantage of this to take The Red Eagle away from them, but they could keep the ship if they wanted. In the end, it had never meant anything. It didn't take long to find another ship suitable for his purposes. Empty, for the moment, and one that could take him to Elesbury. That was all he needed.

When he judged that the distance was just right for him to successfully carry out what he planned, he leapt backwards.

A great leap, spinning in the air, above the water.

A normal human would have only managed to hit the pavement, perhaps fall into the water. Or at best, landed on his feet.

But he had certain skills.

The wind helped him, pushing him further than he could with his physical abilities alone. And he landed not only on his feet, but on the deck of that ship. Whatever it was called.

"What is he doing?" he heard one, more confused than anything else.

Leonard had been caught quickly. In any case, it was too late for the crew of that other ship to do anything about it. He kicked the gangplank away, so that they couldn't use it to get on the ship, though right now it was close enough to the harbour to just walk over and jump on. If they were fast enough.

The key word was now.

Leonard took the helm.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

They made a run for it.

Too late.

Far too late.

Normally, it took a whole crew to run a boat. But Jonathan had acquired a very special right-hand man.

Leonard possessed a unique set of wind-related skills.

Normally, he only used them to help out here and there. A little push here, to get away faster or manoeuvre better, small things, mostly. When he got serious, when it came to raiding other ships, well, his skills were a big part of the reason Jonathan's ship was called the Red Eagle. Not just the red sails.

An eagle flying above the waves, faster than any ship should or could be. The howl of the accompanying wind could be mistaken for the cry of an eagle as it swooped down on its prey.

He had never needed to go further, for they had always had plenty of crew.

But he could do it.

Pilot the ship on his own. And make it fly.

This ship was mediocre, not like the Red Eagle, but Leonard could still give it the push it needed.

He set it in motion. Away from the harbour. He wasn't going to abandon Jonathan. His home; he had once thought the ship was like home, but all this time he had been wrong. Without Jonathan, it was a cold, empty place, nothing like what a home should be.

They all ran after the boat, more than one jumped and fell, he heard them splashing about. But, as he had said, it was too late to change anything.

I am heading towards my own death, he thought.

But my heart feels clean and undisturbed, anyway.

That was how one knew he'd made the right decision. In spite of everything.

3

The sea monster reached Adam and grabbed him with its tentacles, lifting him high above the buildings.

"I should have known from the beginning that you would only dare to talk to me like that with an ace up your sleeve. But this changes nothing, Jonathan. No matter if you destroyed the ship or killed so many. This is a one-on-one fight. And I am stronger."

He spoke to him, but he was looking at the beast.

The beast stabbed a tentacle above his heart, deep. He had to be careful. Give it the coup de grâce. It was obvious, but there was nothing he could do if the thing killed him first, he would have to wait for Adam to come back to life.

Jonathan ordered it to put him down.

To bring Adam within range.

The creature's movements weren't completely under his control. They followed his orders, yes, but it wasn't as if he had to control them step by step or could. They had some autonomy. Quite a lot for dead creatures.

Simply put, lifting Adam up so high hadn't been his idea.

He'd only ordered the sea beast to pick him up, but it had overreached, perhaps out of instinct. Jonathan should be careful about that too.

Adam couldn't get away with that so easily.

Some of Adam's soldiers broke away from the fight and started running in this direction. But they wouldn't get there in time to help him.

The one in front suddenly collapsed, rolling to the ground, taking some of his people with him.

Causing them to trip or fall.

There was a hole in his forehead.

Jonathan lifted his head, searching, though only one person could have done it and that was it. Elizabeth was standing on a nearby rooftop, rifle in hand, reloading.

Good job, he thought.

They had done all they could to prepare. And it had to be worth it. He would make it worth it.

Jonathan brandished his sword. Let it be for the last time, he prayed inwardly. This world is better off without both of us.

Last time, Adam had stopped his sword with his own teeth. But now the sea monster's tentacles were holding him back, so he couldn't do that. However, it wasn't enough.

He had prayed, but he hadn't expected it to be so easy.

Adam kicked out.

That never reached him. But that hadn't been his intention either.

Merely to get his leg in the way of the attack, and he succeeded. Instead of skewering his heart, his sword only pierced one leg. The monster's blood splattered on his face, but Jonathan didn't even blink.

Jonathan was a vessel for his rage, nothing more.

His eyes were wide open, his hair stuck to his forehead from sweat and blood, his teeth clenched with his mouth open wide enough to show all his teeth.

In short, he looked like a wild animal.

He looked more human than he had in a long time.

But... right now he wouldn't bat an eyelash even if Adam hit him back, stabbing him in the chest. No. He'd see it as an opportunity, and he'd take it.

"Give it up. I'm saying this for your own good."

He still dared to speak that way. Jonathan...

He laughed.

Yes, he laughed

"It's you who's cornered now!"

The Count's other leg flew, coiling around his neck like a venomous snake, drawing him closer. All before he could draw his sword and try again. Quickly, too quickly.

He tried to strangle him.

Yes, with one leg, not even both legs. Ridiculous.

Ridiculous, but it was working. More than choking, he had the feeling that his neck was being ripped out. That's how strong the pressure was.

What a bastard.

But he was in Adam's hands and he couldn't escape. And, fortunately, he didn't need to pronounce the orders out loud. Just a little concentration. Just that or he would have been finished since the leg touched his neck.

He'd had enough.

Jonathan ordered the beast to kill him. To stab deeper with the tentacle, to crush him with the rest.

To tear him apart.

And so it did. Before his eyes, the creature he had been chasing for months, filled with as much despair and fear as rage, broke. As easily as if it were a toy.

Jonathan was aware that this wasn't the end.

That Adam had died many deaths and had risen again, time and time again. And this one would be no different because it wasn't him, he hadn't given him the coup de grace.

Still, it was great to witness it. To see him reduced like that. The surprise and the pain on his face. To see him so... scattered on the ground, in so many pieces, that he didn't even look like a human being anymore. Just a pile of minced meat.

Fuck, it was better than an orgasm.

The only thing he could complain about was that it had been too fast. He would have liked it to happen more slowly, so he could enjoy it better, but what could he do?

Better than an orgasm.

Yes, in fact, he could feel it as his lips quivered into a smile. Feel it in his trousers.

He had an erection.

Now, to wait.

Until he opened his eyes again. No, until he felt the slightest breath. Then Jonathan could deliver the finishing blow and put an end to this nightmare.

The world would be better off without us. But you're going to go first.

The battle between the armies hadn't been progressing in his favour, even with Elizabeth's help, continually firing and reloading. They had been outnumbered from the start.

But that was about to change.

For Adam could do nothing while he was dead.

Jonathan could bring back to life all those who fell, this time under his command, unopposed. And the tables turned quickly, just like that, as he waited for the right moment. While he mostly concentrated on that.

He watched the pieces of Adam furrow through the pools of blood to rejoin, forming his body.

He watched the blood flow back into his veins, disappearing.

And then...

Breathing. A faint breath, so faint that one might think it had only been his imagination. But there was no room for doubt, Jonathan lunged at him, sword in front, anyway. This had to end here!

Once again, he wasn't quick enough.

Adam not only repelled his attack with his own sword, but ripped it out of his hands, sending it flying away. He could barely keep up with Adam with his sword. Trying to fight hand"to"hand would be futile, stupid.

So he turned and ran for it.

Jonathan tried.

He couldn't reach it. Adam kicked him in the chest just as his fingers were about to graze the handle of the sword, and Jonathan rolled on the ground miserably.

He looked away, trying to pretend, as he heard the monster's footsteps approaching.

His heart was pounding a mile a minute.

When he felt him near, Jonathan turned quickly and threw the sand he had gathered into a fist. Blinding him. If only momentarily.

He grabbed the sword, raising it and...

Once again, he missed.

"Shit."

He collapsed as soon as Adam withdrew the sword.

With a red carpet spreading out beneath his body.

"Kill him! Kill him!"

He didn't need to pronounce his orders. But he was going mad with rage and fear.

Completely losing control.

The creature drew back, preparing to attack, its tentacles writhing in the air. And then it lunged for Adam. If anything, it was too close to him.

Not getting up, but at least he could roll away.

He made it, albeit barely.

The creature had landed on top of the ruins of a building. It wouldn't get up. Nor would it get up. Its abdomen was ripped open, its guts had been scattered everywhere. It was as if it had exploded.

Jonathan had thought he was following his order.

But in reality she had collapsed, dead. And almost crushing him, on top of it.

"What...? What was that?"

"There are Skills you're not aware of," Adam replied. "Possessing that thing would take me too long, but you made it eat a lot of my men. So I blew them up. I was just waiting until I really needed it."

Then Adam began to approach him again.

Step by step, in no hurry at all.

Extending his arms as if he wanted to give him a big hug.

Jonathan tried to stand up, but, as he had expected, it was a complete failure. He hit his head on the ground. His vision wavered as if he were floating on a piece of wood in the middle of the sea. Just a little, in other words, but it was the beginning of something worse.

He couldn't pass out.

Fuckin' fuckin' fuckin' fuckin' fuckin' shit.

Jonathan braced himself on the ground with both hands, pushing himself up.

On his feet. Unsteady though.

Adam looked at his sword. Then tossed it aside.

And kept walking towards him.

Adam stopped.

It wasn't because he'd suddenly changed his mind , that this was over. Of course not. He stared at the sword, twirling it around in one hand.

Then he tossed it aside.

Yes. He simply threw it away.

And continued his march.

"There is nothing you can do.

Jonathan assumed a fighting stance, with his fists clenched at eye level and his legs as steady as he could. Which wasn't much. He was already pretty busy just trying to stay on his feet.

Deep down, he knew he'd be lucky if he landed even a single punch. Not just with reaching him, it would even be a matter of luck if he was able to throw a proper punch.

But what else could he do? It wasn't like he could give up.

As long as he was alive...

Was there still a chance?

Adam grabbed his neck with both hands and lifted him up as if he weighed nothing. Of course, he began to squeeze. One leg was almost enough to kill him.

With two hands and especially in this state?

Jonathan's vision immediately filled with black dots.

"You've lost. Accept it. Close your eyes and stop fighting."

No.

He couldn't leave yet. He hadn't done everything he had to do yet. Jonathan gathered all his remaining strength into one hand, one hand, and stretched it out towards the Count's face as if he could do anything. He wasn't thinking. Wasn't making any sense.

Something cut the air.

He didn't have time to realise what that sound was, because it was drowned out almost immediately by a much larger one. And this one he identified instantly.

An explosion.

Everything flew through the air.

4

When he woke up, the world was a curtain of fire.

Had he lost consciousness... in the explosion? For how long? No, he was surrounded by flames, so it couldn't have been long. Otherwise, he'd already be on his way back with Adam.

Because he really was determined to take him.

Because, somehow, hAdame allowed himself to believe that any of this would change his mind.

Jonathan was fighting for something bigger than pleasure or fear. Bigger than himself. He... He... He brought his trembling hand to the flames.

Drawn in the sparks, he had seen the specter of his wife and daughter.

For a moment.

For a fleeting instant.

And then they were gone.

They had never been there. They were nowhere anymore.

Jonathan could breathe, but barely, his lungs filled with smoke. He coughed once, twice, three times. Hard. Very hard. His ribs screamed and he felt as if he was trying to expel something that was preventing him from breathing. If so, that's where it stayed. He wasn't getting better. Quite the opposite.

He looked around shaking his head as much as he could, even that caused him agony. It was as if his body was burning, even though the flames were still far away.

Still.

Just still.

Adam had fallen close to him. He was on the ground. Unconscious? He certainly looked like it. He crawled towards him.

Jonathan crawled because now there was no way he could stay upright. Or even stand.

His left leg was gone. Just a burnt stump.

His nails, black and mangled, clawed at the sand, propelling him forward inch by inch.

Bit by bit.

"I will kill you. I will kill you. I will kill you."

That was what he whispered to himself, over and over.

Over and over again.

Mad with rage.