The Jester of Apocalypse

[BOOK 3 FINALE] Chapter 136: The Eighth Wave

The room swiftly quieted down, and as the last of the monster outpouring was extinguished, the golems began exchanging information on the fight's outcome.

Through touch, flashes of light signaled their growth and lit up the cave ever so slightly, revealing the tired, defeated expressions on everyone’s faces.

Harel got up to her feet and started walking away.

There was a void hanging in the air. It was precisely this sort of moment where Dukean would ask where she was going. But he was gone.

Yet, she paused anyway, “It isn’t a big deal. Sure, it sucks, and I hate it. But dying here is inconsequential. We will see him again soon enough.”

The others wanted to nod at that, they wanted to agree with what she had said, but they simply couldn’t bring themselves to do it.

This was more than simply being kicked out of a mystic realm. The other members would move on, training and growing, while Dukean would be left behind.

Likely permanently.

They may not have lost Dukean, the person. But Dukean, their comrade, was gone.

Suddenly, a blue, featureless, humanoid creature appeared out of nowhere and gazed at them in silence. Everyone instantly readied themselves for combat.

However, they lowered their guards as the thing spoke in Neave’s voice, “What the fuck happened here!? Where is Dukean!?”

The others all tried to speak, but Neave suddenly turned his head and rushed up into the chamber where they had fought.

Soon enough, he located the corpse of the spiked creature and dug a fist into its torso.

The others followed him and watched in terror as Neave pulled a monster core out of what they had presumed was a demon’s body.

Gabrias gasped, “Monster core!? Could the monsters have fed on the demons and turned into…?”

“Where is Dukean!?”

The others all wanted to say something, but their faces dropped.

“I asked where the fuck is Dukean!?”

Harel shot Neave a sharp glare, “He’s dead.”

“Then where is his body!?”

Harel gritted her teeth and snarled at him, “It has been dragged down into the core of the planet, Neave. What the fuck is wrong with you!?”

“Are you absolutely sure he was dead!?”

“He is now!”

Neave’s grip tightened, and the monster core in his hands burst apart, releasing a small cloud of pitch-black mist, “If you didn’t watch him die, then he is likely still alive.”

Marven looked ready to say something, but suddenly, Harel shot forward and punched Neave in the head, “Then tell us fucking why!? Why did these things come for us!? Why did they take him away!? You’re hiding something, and you have been hiding something since the moment we entered here. I swear, if you don’t tell us immediately, I’m killing myself this instant and leaving this farce of a sect!”

Neave got up, “I can’t tell you why, Harel.”

Marven stepped forward again, “Harel…”

She whirled to him, “Do you know what he is hiding!?”

The old cultivator opened his mouth slightly but promptly closed it again.

“I didn’t think so.”

Neave got up and almost immediately collapsed to the ground. Before his body could land, however, he swung a fist at his own head. However, the slime suit absorbed the impact.

ҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾ

He pulled the slime suit off his head and gripped his hair, pulling a chunk of his skin off in the process, “Get the fuck out of my head!”

What will you do now, Neave?

“Ghaar! Arrgh!”

Will you leave this place, leaving your precious little comrade behind?

“I said, get out of my head!”

Harel took a few frightened steps back, “He’s insane. He’s lost his damn mind.”

Gabrias rushed forward, holding Neave, “Lord Neave! What is happening to you!?”

Neave struck out at Gabrias’ chest, audibly cracking several ribs, but the large man refused to back off.

Harel turned to Marven, “Hey… Marv… Why did we let him drag us in here?”

Marven gritted his teeth and stepped forward, “Why are you acting so hostile suddenly!?”

Hunter stepped forward and placed a hand on Harel’s shoulder, “Please, Harel, Marven, both of you… Let’s first figure out what’s happening, then decide how to react.”

Harel smacked his hand off her shoulder, “He won’t tell us! Heavens know what could be happening to Dukean right now, and he is still refusing to speak!”

The young man screamed at her, “He is in no state to speak, Harel!” He pointed at Neave.

Astrador has confirmed it, hasn’t he? I am not manipulating you, Neave. We have the same goal.

“I don’t care about that! Arggh– I just want my fucking mind back!”

Pity. It is no threat in the face of you, and I. Nothing is. We could reset it all, shatter the stone and crumble their fake reality away.

We would have all we ever wanted.

We would have peace. True freedom. There would be no defying the heavens when there are no longer any heavens to defy.

Smack. Crush.

Everyone turned to the wall. Something was trying to break into the room. One loud bang after another echoed through the chamber until finally.

Smash.

Xurbon stepped into the room. It still had deep cracks all over its body, “The… Teleportation… Platform… Broken… Had to… Break in.”

It slowly approached Neave, and the others watched it place its hand on Neave’s forehead.

Neave suddenly stopped shaking.

However, the cracks over Xurbon’s body deepened, “Aargh… Hurrg… Aaah!”

They all watched several pitch-black tendrils travel up Xurbon’s arm and eventually vanish as the shrub’s avatar fell to the ground, unconscious.

Gabrias rushed to hold it, and Harel looked down on both of them, confusion, anger, and anxiety coursing through her veins.

Not long after, Neave opened his eyes, “We have to go.”

Harel yelled, “No! We aren’t going anywhere until you tell us what’s happening!”

Marven looked like he wanted to protest, but the other three stared at Neave. Gabrias held Xurbon’s unconscious body, Harel stared daggers at him, and even Hunter looked reluctant.

The moments of silence stretched on, and finally, Neave opened his mouth, “Okay, fuck it. Who cares anyway? I’ll just come out and say it.” He got up, “Ever since I’ve left the loop, and likely even before leaving, something has been manipulating my mind.”

Silence.

The moments of quiet stretched on, and Neave continued, “I don’t know what it is,” He frowned, “I don’t know where it is,” He began yelling, “And I don’t fucking know how to fight back!” Tears streaked down his cheeks, and he continued with a whimper, “I don’t know whether I can tell my own thoughts apart from what’s being shoved into my mind. And if I ever fall asleep in this realm, my mind will likely be fully taken over.” A violet flash lit up the room, and Neave began pulling things out of several compartments.

Several blue slime suits, boxes of rounded monster cores, and healing pills.

He put them on the ground and began walking away, “Now, that thing has Dukean. I have prepared these sets of powers for you guys already. I am so, so sorry for not giving them to you sooner. The powers are best suited to each of you, or at least that’s what I believe. I will go to try and find where he is… If you wish…” Neave paused for a moment and then disappeared.

Harel’s eyes hung wide open as she dropped to her knees, “M–Mind manipulation…?” Her hand reflexively reached for her throat.

Would she be safe if she killed herself right now?

Her thoughts were interrupted as Marven walked past her. Without hesitation, he grabbed the box with his name and sat down further away.

Gabrias grabbed his, and soon enough, Hunter followed.

She looked at them with sheer incredulity seared into her expression, “You idiots don’t get it. We are talking about having your minds overtaken! This isn’t just a matter of being kicked out.”

Rather than reply, the three sat and stared at her. There was a hint of disappointment in their gazes, and she couldn’t bear to meet their eyes.

They don’t get it.

Even death would allow one to retain their freedom. This wouldn’t.

Hunter eventually sighed, smiled, and scoffed, “Coward.”

“Huuuh!?” Harel stared at him, “What the hell did you just call me?”

Hunter grabbed a container that came with the box of monster cores, bit his finger, poured the blood in there, melted the core, and drank it, initiating the trial.

The other two soon joined him.

She groaned, sat beside them, and repeated the same thing.

***

As Harel sank into her spirit realm, a deep reluctance enveloped her. Was she seriously about to go along with this?

Before getting deeper into her musing, she arrived at her spirit realm and had to focus on the spirit trial.

However, the moment she arrived, she froze. Her opponent was a giant magma golem, but it was slow, and there was little urgency to begin the fight.

She had never seen her spirit realm before. But the last thing she expected to see once she arrived… Was this.

It was nighttime. The golem lit up the stretch of forest, and the only other light source was a campfire.

This was where Marven and her talked to Neave after finding him.

She held her spiky ball on a chain, gripping it tighter as her words, which she had spoken so thoughtlessly back then, rang through her mind.

I… I want to be seen as a hero!

***

Neave stood in the center of a crater. It was the one he made when he obliterated the talking monsters. Without much further thought, he ran straight away from the glass forest.

He had an inkling he knew precisely where he was headed.

And soon enough, he confirmed that he was right.

A large stretch of pitch-black ooze spread out to the horizon and beyond.

The black sea.

A section of the ocean shifted, and a humanoid figure walked out from within.

It was a monster that resembled the dead one Neave had seen in the chamber. A humanoid, demon-like, bald creature that stood at average height for an adult male.

“Well, there… I see you have…”

Before it could continue, Neave grabbed its head and slammed it full force into his knee, shattering its face, “Where the hell is Dukean!?”

It spoke through bloody gurgles, “Oh, wow, you are truly something. Ack!” Yet another strike, this time, a kick to its midsection.

“I asked you a question!”

“Now, let’s not get hasty.”

Neave instantly jumped back as the same voice that echoed in his mind now spoke through the monster.

With a mock offended tone, it continued, “Why do you reject me?”

“Okay, first of all, fuck you. Second of all, fuck off. Third of all, fuck you again! I don’t know who you are, what you are, or what you want. I just know I’m getting Dukean back, one way or another.”

“Want me to tell you who I am?”

Neave froze at that.

“I am…” It mouthed something, but no sound came out, “Ah. Seems that bastard is preventing me from sharing that. What a joke. Well… Don’t worry. You will know soon enough.”

Neave ignored its words, and rushed in for another strike, however…

The monster dodged. He was already after it when it shifted its position, but something was wrong.

Just as Neave was about to appear before it, a strike was already rushing at his head. With all his willpower, he channeled the speed to avoid it, and the creature summoned a massive tentacle, which he had to distance himself from.

“What’s wrong? How do you expect to get your friend back at this rate?”

A massive tentacle rose out from the ocean of black ooze, tightly grasping Dukean’s charred body.

Neave gasped, “Oh, no! Not my friend. Please, do not kill my friend. I would be very sad if you killed him. I would even cry.”

The creature scoffed, “Good one. I almost fell for it. Worry not. He will remain with me for the time being. Besides…” The tentacle sank back into the roiling sea, “I do not need hostages to defeat you, you failure.”

The two combatants stood still, simply staring each other down.

Until suddenly… A flash of violet light lit up the nightmare realm, and the massive ogre appeared, already swinging the titanic sledgehammer down.

However, the monster summoned a gigantic tentacle that near-instantly wrapped around the ogre’s leg and pulled it back, tripping the massive avatar and interrupting the strike.

At that moment, Neave appeared before the monster, swinging his sledgehammer at its head. However, it dodged and immediately counter-attacked with a clawed thrust, one that Neave contorted around as he used a movement technique to make the sledgehammer appear on the other side of the monster’s body, where it was still flying into another blow.

Again, the creature dodged the strike and retaliated, but its claws couldn’t reach Neave’s slime suit. Neave prepared the sledgehammer for a thrust. However, as he swung it, he released it, and it went flying toward the monster’s torso.

As the creature bent out of the way of the strike, another flash of violet appeared, and the centaur charged at it while Neave picked up the sledgehammer.

As the creature dodged the strike again, the ogre was once more swinging its titanic sledgehammer down.

Suddenly, the monster lifted its finger, and a thin, black line shot toward Neave’s body. He couldn’t swap consciousness in time to dodge the near-instant attack.

ҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾ

The slime suit squirmed and melted away under intense pressure, and rot rapidly spread where the thin line touched Neave’s skin.

The giant sledgehammer landed, but a massive tentacle was prepared to somewhat cushion the blow.

However, yet another flash of violet appeared, and the slime gripped the centaur, throwing the avatar toward the monster’s body. Neave manipulated the centaur avatar to straighten its body and, with an insane momentum behind it, landed a halberd strike right on the monster’s chest.

A deep gash appeared at the point of impact, and moments later, the monster disappeared.

A massive mouth appeared behind Neave’s body, and he barely managed to avoid the bite in time.

The centaur appeared again, but this time, a tentacle grabbed it from behind and threw it high into the air, where Neave had to unsummon it.

Neave and the monster exchanged several strikes, and none of them landed. Both could move with impossible speed, and Neave couldn’t believe the skill he was witnessing.

It was far beyond anything he’d seen so far… No. The only person he could compare it to would be himself.

The mouth appeared yet again, and Neave, rather than dodge, summoned the slime to wrap it around the monster’s body. The mouth bit a massive chunk of flesh out of his side, but his insane regeneration immediately recovered the lost flesh.

ҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾ

Neave had to fight off an intense flash of mental pain, and the slime’s body began melting rapidly. Neave immediately detached most of it, letting it explode around the monster’s body.

As the explosion triggered, Neave dove head first into it, suffering some damage but healing it away immediately as he swung his hammer at the creature’s body repeatedly.

A massive strike landed on its side, then its head, and finally its left shoulder. However, rather than reeling from the strike, the monster counterattacked.

A single clawed finger traveled to Neave’s body rather slowly, and he ignored it as he readied another strike.

However, as the finger suddenly appeared far closer, he was forced to dodge. Yet, as he moved out of the way, another claw was rushing at him, and even after using a movement technique to get away, he was still in the trajectory of the strike.

Neave used several movement techniques to escape far into the sky, and finally, the attack was no longer following him.

ҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾ

From beyond the clouds, something unseen struck Neave’s body, and he was sent flying down to the ground. Spinning his body around in the air, he spun once, twice…

And before he could finish the technique, the clawed finger finally reached his body.

ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ

“Arghh!” Neave dropped to the ground, clutching his head.

The monster scoffed and kicked his side, sending his body flying away. Neave landed at the edge of the black shore, and a wave of ooze washed over his body.

“You are worthless.” It took a step forward, “Nothing but a discarded, failed attempt at facing the eighth wave.”

It reached his body, and another kick sent Neave flying over into the sea. However, he mustered all the force he could to keep his body afloat on the surface, preventing himself from sinking into it.

“Ever since you’ve left, you have been nothing but an indecisive coward. One problem after another, all caused by your hubris and foolishness. Face it, Neave. You have no chance of defeating the final wave. You will never reach the stone and shatter it.”

Despite the endless agony roiling in his mind, despite the constant pounding, screaming, and whispering he could hear, Neave raised himself up to his feet, standing atop the surface of the black sea with a footing technique.

And he smiled, “Mate… I don’t know what the fuck the stone is.”

Moments later, four figures wearing blue slime suits appeared one after another. Marven, Harel, Hunter, and Gabrias surrounded the monster.

“However, I do know one thing. My enemies are plentiful, and my journey will be long…”

“... But there is no such thing as the eighth wave.”

With that, Gabrias fired an arrow at the monster. As it was about to dodge, the projectile suddenly swerved and struck its side.

The ice wrapped around it, and before it could react any further, Harel appeared, glowing bright red and swinging her spiky ball. The weapon landed, and deep cuts spread over the monster’s body.

A sudden flash of light shimmered before them, and Marven appeared as well, swinging his sword.

The creature disappeared out of the way of the strike, but Marven immediately redirected it to its position. It couldn’t get out of the way in time, and the flash severed its arm.

Hunter dashed over to it, and the creature reacted by swinging an arm at him. Before its strike could land, the air before Hunter shimmered, and a powerful barrier sprang to life.

However, the creature persisted, and its attack pierced through the barrier, and tentacles spread toward Hunter’s head.

Phwung.

A small stone ball flew out of nowhere directly toward the monster’s head. It raised a hand to defend from it but as the stone cracked, a blazing light appeared from within, and a fierce burst of fire enveloped it.

Dukean appeared on the shores of the black sea, severely injured, but he had a harsh, defiant glint in his eyes.

Hunter swung his sword, striking the monster’s side and throwing it toward the others.

Midflight, another one of Gabrias’ arrows landed on its side, and the monster flew directly into another one of Harel’s swings.

Just as Marven was about to finish the fight with a powerful technique, the air around them darkened, and the creature got up, sizzling with a cloud of thick, smelly smoke.

“You bloody fool. I will show you just how valuable these allies of yours really are! Behold how fast they crumble before despair!” Its arm shot out toward Marven’s head, however…

Red, glimmering runes appeared out of nowhere, etching themselves into the demon’s arm, telling the story of how its strike failed to land.

A quick cut from Marven severed the creature’s arm, and another swing from Harel sent it flying away.

Neave crawled out of the black sea, blazing in crimson flame as he helped Dukean back up to his feet, “These are no ordinary allies, Manipulator.” Near instantly, Neave appeared before the severely injured monster, “These are fledgling disciples of the Immortal Arts.”

Neave inhaled. His lungs inflated to an insane size, and inside them, fierce flames danced in a vortex. Suddenly, the crimson glow of ignited life force meshed with it, and countless shimmering runes appeared around Neave’s body.

A thick stream of blazing red fire blew out of Neave’s mouth and struck directly at the monster’s torso. Every lick of flame held the endless retaliation of the monsters he had devoured, and shred by shred, the body the Manipulator was controlling was evaporated into nothingness.

***

Marven, Harel, Gabrias, Dukean, and Hunter sat around in a circle.

Marven and Gabrias hadn’t changed much, but the other three were noticeably different. Their bodies were bigger, their faces more mature, and their disposition was greater.

They had all grown up.

The decision had finally come. It was enough.

Getting up, they walked out of the third iteration of the combat chamber and stepped into the hallways. The fortress had seen heavy renovation many times over. It was so heavily fortified now that it was hard to call it a mere fortress.

Soon enough, they encountered Xurbon as it appeared out of nowhere, “Should I wake him?”

The others looked at one another and slowly nodded.

Xurbon nodded its head and disappeared.

Soon enough, they reached the nearest teleportation platform and appeared within the main chamber.

Xurbon’s true body sat on the ground, holding a caring finger to Neave’s temple. And as they approached, Neave finally opened his eyes.

It had been a long time since Neave was last awake. He wasn’t asleep, either, but he crystallized his brain to effectively place himself into a frozen state. It was all so he could buy enough time for the others to learn the necessary qi techniques.

As the effect was finally undone, he looked at them with a gentle smile, “Diamond path, I see… Can I assume you’ve learned enough?”

The others all nodded.

“Heading out?”

With a slight hint of reluctance, the others nodded again.

Neave sighed in relief, “Dad, stay behind for a bit. I have something to say to you.”

Marven happily agreed, and the others all went to sit a bit away from them.

Harel, Dukean, and Gabrias all released a thick stream of red mist, and as the last of their life force abandoned their bodies, they all dropped dead to the ground.

Neave sluggishly got up into a seated position, and Marven patiently waited to see what Neave had to say.

They sat quietly as Xurbon ran its fingers through Neave’s hair, ensuring it couldn’t sense any interference within.

Then, finally, Neave spoke, “I think Mom is alive.”

Marven’s eyes shot open, and his mouth gaped. However, as the seconds passed, his mouth gradually closed, and he calmed himself.

Neave stared at his father blankly, “I thought you would react more violently than that.”

Marven chuckled slightly, “You know… For a long time, I refused to accept that she was dead. Such a talented cultivator, killed by some random bandits? It just seemed impossible. But now it makes sense… She likely faked her death.”

They continued sitting silently, and eventually, Marven spoke, “You know, there is something I’ve always been hiding, even from you.”

“Hmmm?”

“Your mother. A short while before she passed away, she told me she met an agent from the heavenly continent.”

Neave sat up, “Langen!? Wait, no… That makes perfect sense.”

“I assume you’ve learned of her survival from the Great God?”

Neave nodded. Yet again, silence settled between them, and eventually, Neave asked his father, “Why are you so calm?”

A sorrowful smile he always wore when remembering the Zearthorn sect settled on Marven’s face as he looked at Neave, “Brivia… She was all I ever wanted in a woman. She would say all the things I wanted to say. Repeatedly, she put their blatant bullshit down and fought whoever provoked her. And man, was she hot…”

“Dad, what the fuck, ew!”

“Hahahaha!“ Marven ruffled Neave’s hair.

Neave groaned loudly, and the cultivator eventually stopped laughing, “But you see… When one holds a lot of power, they have two options. Either they can accept responsibility or face the consequences. I lived my life as a sect master, never quite accepting responsibility but always postponing the consequences. Brivia embodied the foolish dream of simply… Letting go.”

Marven laughed slightly, with a sad look in his eye, “But that is no way to live one’s life.” He turned to Neave, “Hey… Do you mind reverting the transformation?”

Neave raised an eyebrow, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His father gently smiled at him, “... Please.”

Neave still looked identical to his appearance when he first arrived in the nightmare realm. Well, besides the absurd mass of muscle.

His hair hadn’t grown, his face hadn’t changed, and he hadn’t grown any taller.

Upon hearing his father's request, he finally undid the transformation that stopped his age from showing. Where the absurdly muscular little boy had stood, a giant, ultra-masculine man appeared. His face was chiseled in muscle, and his gaze alone could make lesser men shrivel.

Marven chuckled, “... Please, Neave.”

With a great deal of hesitation, Neave agreed, “Alright.” And then, he finally, truly undid the transformation.

He was about as tall as Marven. His pink hair, streaked with red, draped over his broad back and covered his face.

Marven gently moved Neave’s hair aside and revealed the beautiful face beneath.

With a shaky smile, Marven said, “You look just like me when I was younger.”

Neave chuckled, “You’re lying.”

Marven’s smile vanished, and he pulled his son in for a hug, “You’re right,” He said, tears streaking down his face and into Neave’s hair, “I am.”

***

Neave stood before his allies’ corpses. They had all gone back, and he remained behind just a while longer.

There was still one more thing he needed to do.

After a bit of thinking, he decided to eat their bodies.

Xurbon stared at him incredulously, and Neave cocked his head, “What?”

“Why would you do such a thing?”

“You know… What if we return here? I wouldn’t want them to find their dead bodies. Hasn’t happened to me before, but juuust to be safe.”

Xurbon rolled its eyes, and Neave waved it off, “Are you sure you’ll be fine here on your own?”

The glass shrub’s avatar looked sad upon hearing that and soon shook its head.

“Alright, then. But you have to promise to play nice.”

“Oh, please, Master. I’m far past something like that.”

Neave smiled. Soon enough, the main chamber had three more plants in it.

A beautiful, flowery bush.

A small sapling of a fruit tree.

And, surprisingly, an obsidian brush, as per the glass brush's request.

It gently caressed the plants and promised Neave that it would take good care of them, “We will be waiting for your return, Master.”

Neave patted Xurbon’s head, “And we will hurry to get back, any way we can.”

He left the if we can part unspoken.

With that, Neave headed out to do the one final mission he had to accomplish.

***

A positively enormous ball of spirit sat on the surface, just above the fortress. At its center sat the core of a diamond-ranked magma golem, one that Neave had dragged out of the fiery depths.

With that, Neave began enveloping it in glass. Eventually, the thin layer of heavily processed glass enveloped the giant ball of spirit, and Neave painstakingly melted it to start the diluting process.

The ball started to shrink, and once it did, it glowed so brightly that Neave’s eyeballs, and his entire body, sizzled and burned in contact with the glaring light.

He willed his body to remain whole and flung the massive glowing ball into the sky. Then he used a movement technique, and threw it higher again. Over and over, he repeated this, and eventually, he appeared above the clouds.

Then, the air ran thinner. And finally, Neave held the giant ball in space above the planet.

There was nothing to be seen up here but an endless, black void. Until now. Neave threw the ball with all the force he could muster, setting in on an orbit around the planet.

The intense light lit up the endless clouds below, and they shone.

In one final act of defiance, Neave brought a cycle to the nightmare realm.

There would be night. And there would be day.

As he watched the ball fly away, Neave felt a heavy weight fall off his shoulders. In just a bit, he would finally get some damn rest.

ҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾҾ

Neave whirled.

What was that!?

The light emitted by the fake sun illuminated the planet's surface, but that wasn’t the only thing it revealed.

A massive, incomprehensively large skeleton of black mist.

ØeØÿ

A creature with countless holes in its head instead of facial features...

ØeØeØ

Reached a hand toward Neave’s body.

“... Nope, nope, nope, nope, nooopey nope, nuh-uh, fuck that.” Without hesitation, Neave brought his hands together before his face and merged life force and qi into plasma spirit.

A white light enveloped his entire field of view, and in an instant, he was gone.

Back on his way to reality.

[The Jester of Apocalypse: Insanity]

[BOOK 3]

[END]

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