Ace and Inara arrive back at the church, facing Father Kayden, who is still sitting where they left him. "Inara, Ace, good to see you again. Seeing as you're both still alive, my useless underlings didn't do their job right," Father Kayden says.
"Yeah, you could have definitely gotten better ones," Ace retorts.
"I know, right, but alas, sneaking into the second realm isn't easy. So I had to settle with just possession. When it came to them." Father Kayden says.
Inara, who has been quietly staring at Father Kayden, finally speaks up. "Do you mean you're not possessing that body right now. And you're actually here? " she questions
"Yes, I am the real deal. No possession, just me borrowing the face of a man who gave me a tough time killing him, that's all," Father Kayden says.
"So the fight that happened at the barn was you and the real father kayden. " she asks
Father Kayden claps "congrats you figured it out before this guy. " he says holding up the stick with himey head on it.
Ace visibly angry throws a card towards Father Kayden. He tilts his head at the last moment to dodge the card, which takes a little piece of his ear. Feeling his ear, he sees drops of blood, Father Kayden says, "Ouch. Impulsive as always," clapping his hands.
Inara quickly grabs ace hand. "we need to get out of here now" she says as lightning begins to cloak her body.
"What? " ace says confused.
But a wall of blue flame blocks her path causing her to skid across the ground.
"Hey what's wrong" ace yells.
"You're not going anywhere. Please join me on the stage" he says as the ground beneath them begins to rumble. The church collapses into rubble as the intensity of what seems to be an earthquake gets greater. Finally, the ground gives in, and they all begin to fall into the underground cave.
Ace throws a card to the ground. "Joker, catch us!" he yells, as two hands come out of the card and catch them before gently lowering them to the ground cushion. "Thank you," Inara says.
"You're welcome, but what got into you up there" Ace replies.
"Remember the deal we made. " she asks
"Yes. "
"Good because right now we're not fighting a body he possessed we're actually fighting the real prince of hell." She says
"So he's weak but he's power isn't halved like I thought" ace says.
"Pretty much. " she says
"Now let's see what you two are capable of," Father Kayden says as he gently lands on his two feet, a menacing aura coming off of him.
"Defro Aimi!" Inara says as a sword with an unusually long white handle appears in her right hand. She holds it tightly in nervousness. "Still think we can beat him in two minutes?" Inara whispers.
"Yeah, we just need a little more effort than I imagined," Ace says with a serious tone as he puts on his mask. "En-nym Joker!" he says as a small black and red chequered cape appears over his shoulders. Two decks of cards now hover on either side of him.
"Going all out from the beginning. Am I that scary" Father Kayden says, laughing. "Are you afraid, Ace?"
"Am I afraid?" Ace questions. He takes a deep breath and then replies, "No, I'm always calm," with a mix of excitement and nervousness in his voice and face.
"At least you're not taking me seriously. Unlike your friend over there. I've been wondering why would a left-handed person decide to fight with just her right hand . " he says.
"She's left-handed? " ace says to himself
"That's none of your business. Let's go sleeping beauty" she snaps back
"Right " he says throwing the decks of cards into the air and for a brief moment it feels like it's raining cards. Inara stabs her sword into the ground with a card along with it. An aura of jagged white lightning arcing outwards crackles all over her body as she instantly appears behind father kayden. Their backs are facing each other. Inara does a spinning back fist to his head. Father kayden is quick to block with both forearms but staggers. Not relenting inara continues with quick jabs to his mid section, father kayden readily parries her attacks with a smirk on his first "you have to do better than" he says.
Inara responds with a smirk of her own as suddenly a card shoots into the shoulder of father kayden who winces in pain jumping away to give himself some distance. "Don't forget about me" Ace says from a distance standing beside inara sword with a baton in his hand. As some of the cards some of the cards from earlier started floating around inara.
"Oh I can't forget you. But in my opinion playing support doesn't suit you very well" father kayden says as he gives up trying to remove the card from his shoulder.
"Can you keep up? " inara asks looking towards ace
"Please, You're fast but not that fast" ace says as he moves his hands like a conductor controlling an orchestra. The cards keep up with inara as she dashes towards father kayden aggressively launching jabs and kicks with the cards circling around them fluidly attacking father kayden while ignoring inara. Father kayden struggles to keep up with inara flurry of attacks as well as the cards. Taking damage from both. "You're both annoying as ever " father kayden says as a wave of fire erupts from him pushing away the cards and inara.
Father kayden quickly throws a ball of fire towards Ace as he dashes towards the tumbling inara who's just regains her balance. Father kayden goes for inara throat in her vulnerable position. In a last ditch effort to inara tries to jump away. "Too late" father kayden yells with a devilish smile on his face. But that smile didn't last long as in that brief moment father kayden suddenly stops moving in his tracks, inara pulls out her sword from a card behind her. Slashing him across his chest. "Yes, Too late for you" inara says with a blank face staring into the eyes of a shocked father kayden. Ace appearing behind inara. "You like my work? " Ace asks.
Inara looking at father kayden being held by 2 hands coming out from a card supported by ropes coming out from various other cards. "It's not bad" she says.
"Told you he wouldn't take long now what's our next move " Ace asks.
Inara sighs "well we can"— father kayden begins a loud uncomfortable laugh.
" uhm are you okay" Ace asks with a worried look.
Father kayden continues to laugh. His half of his skin turning a pale purple along with half his hair turning black contrasting the white on the half. A sword in its hilt appears by his side with a small Grimiore"You two really are something. Round 2" he says looking up at them with a white eye filled with a solid red iris and a wide grin.
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Father kayden breaks free from his restraints slashing his sword"Get back" inara yells pulling Ace away as the sword cuts through his mask injuring his eye Ace grits his teeth in pain as he holds his bloodied eye with pieces of his broken mask on the ground.
A long tail with a blade at the end impales inara from behind bringing her closer to father kayden. Inara grits her teeth in pain as she imbues her sword with lightning slashing downward across his neck. The sword makes contact but doesn't go through. Barely making a cut into his skin. Father kayden holds inara sword arm pulling her close to his face. "Allow me to demonstrate what real lightning looks like. " father kayden says. As red lightning travels from his arm and tail towards inara greatly electrocuting her. She screams in pain hitting and trying to pull away from him with her other arm. Her lightning aura does its best to mitigate and slow down the damage being done.
Ace appears behind father kayden with a card in hand aiming to cut his tail off. Father kayden is quick to jump into the air dodging the attack. With a flick of two fingers two cards launch themselves towards the head of father kayden but misses. "You missed" father kayden says looking down behind him on ace.
As the cards make their way past the screaming inara. Ace substitutes with one of the cards appearing behind inara catching and placing the second card on her both substituting to a distance in the cave away from father kayden. Leaving a card in place of inara. "Joker" ace says. As a hand lands a punch on father kayden sending him back to the ground.
Ace lays inara gently on the ground. "She's unconscious. her spine is severed as well. This is bad" Ace thinks to himself. As he studies the burns on her face alongside her bloody arm still firmly holding her sword and her pierced midsection bleeding out. He quickly pulls out some bandages from his pocket and plugs up her bleeding midsection. Before turning to face father Kayden.
Father Kayden who is now back on his feet dusting himself as he sees Ace calmly start to approach him at a steady pace. "Oh so now you want to play offence. "
Ace says nothing as stands a few inches away from father kayden. "Told you playing support doesn't suit you" father kayden says looking down at Ace. A horn starting to protrude from the side of his forehead.
Ace gets into a southpaw fighting stance hands up to his face, palms open. "You're either boldly naive or stupidly arrogant." Father kayden says as he takes a wide fighting stance. They stare down at each other. waiting for the other to make the first move. "Do you really think you're going to win" father kayden asks.
"I think a dead man shouldn't be standing" ace responds.
With a smile on his face father kayden throws the first punch. Ace weaves the punch on the outside countering with a strong punch to his jaw father kayden staggers backing Ace. Not waiting a moment Ace closes in to tackle him from behind. Father kayden responds with a spinning kick to aces head. Ace blocks with his arm the weight of the kick pushing him slightly. "Damn that's heavy" he thinks to himself"
Nonetheless he still closes in on father kayden with quick jabs and hooks. Father kayden does well to Parry and Dodge but is clearly being overpowered as Ace left no room for him to counter attack while some of Ace punches and kicks start to connect but it doesn't do enough damage."I need to hold him still so I can land heavier hits " ace thinks to himself.
He then over extends on one of his punches allowing father kayden to sweep him off his feet with a low kick. Ace rather lands on his hand sweeping father kayden to the ground as he spins back up to his feet. Wasting no time he slams a card on father Kayden chest and screams. "Joker hold" as this time the face and the torso of the clown can be seen hugging father kayden tightly and closely to the ground. With no hesitation and a black aura covering his fist ace pounds the face of father kayden repeatedly over and over as turning it to a mush.
Finally satisfied. Panting heavily. Ace lays down to catch his breath. "Okay now I just need to patch up inara and things should be fine" he says.
"Are you sure about that" father kayden says his neck Elongating itself over aces face.
Ace opens his eyes to see father kayden face Completely fine besides a bruise on his cheek. His face now fully pale purple, two horns now sticking out of his forehead.
Ace stumbles backwards with a scream. A black wing bursts through the clown holding him down as he quickly pins Ace down to the ground by his arms with his two tails. Ace screams in pain fear breathing heavily and uncontrolled. Father kayden sits on Ace's struggling body as his elongated neck slowly returns to normal but his head now facing backwards from his body. "You see this is where you say something like forgive me father for I have sinned. " father kayden says as his head spins back to the front. Ace who is still overwhelmed with shock and fear doesn't reply.
Holding his face licking the blood of his eyes with his snake-like tongue. "Are you afraid ace " he asks. Raising his hand to strike ace.
Suddenly they both hear the word"En-nym". Inara appears holding father kayden hand. Ace stares at inara in shock. "It's red " ace thinks to himself.
"I can feel it. She's actually draining my soul. I need to get away" He thinks to himself. " father kayden says to himself. Noticing the jagged blood red lightning emanating from her. "Can you still fight" she asks breathing heavily with each breath containing sparks of red lightning. "you really"— " "talk you lose your head, move you lose your arm. Your move" inara cuts father kayden off. They both stare at each other. "She's quite scary when she gets going. Let's test how scary" He thinks to himself. Slightly opening his mouth to speak. Just to suddenly lose his arm and his two tails. He immediately retreats to a safe distance. "That's not fair you said just an arm" he says in a sulking tone. He snaps his fingers setting his arm and tail ablaze. Inara quickly pulls it out of ace. He grunts in from the sharp pain as they watch the tail and arm turn to ash. "Sorry but I can't just let you Feed on me. And heal up. that would make you too troublesome to deal with." He says as he regrows a new arm.
"Are you okay" inara asks
"I'm fine just an annoying headache. What of you? You shouldn't be using that. " ace replies panting heavily. "Damn I'm on my last legs." He thinks to himself.
"Good then get away from me and this place" inara orders with her heaving breathing.
"No you need help and I can still—"
"Don't be dense. We had an agreement." She says
"Yeah we did. If things go south. It's every man for himself." ace says getting back on his feet. "So just fight like I'm not even here. I'll do the same"
"Just so you know. You're going to die an idiot."
"That's what you think. I still have one more trick up my sleeves"
Father kayden kayden on the other has healed his arm and is changing appearance again. A pale man with sharp features and dark hair. From his pointed beard, tapered sharp nails and slanted eye brows. He stands there with his delicate features menacingly in his tuxedo with a sword strapped to his side. "Is that how you really look" ace asks.
"No, but seeing as you've forced me to take this form closest to my original form a guardian should finally take notice of me. " father kayden replies.
"So what's your real name " inara asks
Father kayden laughs "survive this and you'll know"
One last stand off inara imbues her sword in red lightning. ace calls out joker the full body of the clown finally coming out slightly shorter a good inch shorter than ace. "This should help me keep up. I'm out of cards anyways" he thinks to himself. Father kayden unsheathes his sword.
The clash happens as inara and father kayden engage each other with quick slashes and thrusts. While ace and the clown circle around them looking for an opening. Inara and ace opt to Dodge rather than block any of father Kayden attacks. The openings come as ace and his clown land solid hits on father kayden. Inara as well is doing well to cut father kayden here and there. "We aren't doing enough damage. And I'm getting slower" ace thinks to himself. Father kayden notices quickly ignoring inara attacking ace by grabbing him by the neck slamming him to the ground. "One down" father kayden says as he goes for a stab.
Ace substitute with his clown. Father kayden ends up stabbing the clown. Inara jumps in with a slash to his neck. Father kayden smiles "gotcha" he says as he lets go of his sword dodging her attacks and her catching inara by the arm breaking it in an instant. Inara screams in pain as ace charges in barely stopping in time as father kayden uses inara sword to slash ace across his midsection. Ace falls to his knees gritting in pain.
Not letting off the tempo father kayden uses inara limp body to smash ace face flat into the ground. Going to stab ace. Ace pulls himself forward slightly the sword now stabbing into his back pinning him to the ground. Ace winces in pain. "Oof I was going for your neck but good reflexes. looks like she dies first". Father kayden says. Holding inara by her broken arm he throws her up a bit catching her by the throat. Then picking up he sword and stabs right through her.
The lightning aura surrounding inara becomes violent. Starting to draw in the souls of everything and everyone around her Fixing her arm. Which she uses to hold on to father Kayden arm choking her. Easing the grip he has on her. " arrh" ace yells. "That really does hurt" he says.
Father Kayden laughs. " that's it. Fight till the very end. Do whatever it takes."
Suddenly the lightning around inara and in the air turns white. Eases up. "What? why are you holding it back. You'll die you fool." Father kayden says while she looks towards ace. Who she could see whispering "do it. Say the commandment" . "Ffff..." Inara utters before biting her lip. "Sorry but I can't do something like that again" she says to herself. And Instead spits out a bolt of lightning completely taking out a good portion of father kaydens face.
He screams in agony holding his face letting inara fall to the ground before kicking her away from himself. "That's a disgusting thing to do you know. " he yells. "You could have lived,fought longer. Yet you're choosing to die like this. " he says.
Ace looks towards father kayden with his mask finally breaking and falling down in pieces. Father kayden pulls out his sword from inara. The clown . Ace coughing up blood" 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨", a little girls voice says. "𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖,"a deep voice says. "𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘺" "𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕".
Ace heads the voices feeling dizzy, his vision blurry. " great is this what dying feels like". He asks himself.
"𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥" a little girl says on her knees holding a teddy bear with her outstretched arm.
"You're the voice I've been hearing earlier. Are you real" ace asks
The Little girl giggles "yes,yes I am"
"Saying your final prayers ace" father kayden says as looks at ace before turning to inara who he lays on their on the ground. Staring daggers at him.
"I don't know what I was expecting. When I met you two but it's definitely not this. If someone else had come here in my place. You two would have died a lot earlier than this. I'm a bit ashamed" father kayden says as he steadys himself to behead inara.
Ace takes the hand of the little girl "why are you helping."
"𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘢". The little girl says
Ace notices his hand becoming cold. "What's this" ace asks.
"It's our power. Just repeat after me" she says.
"FREEZE" they both say. As cod wind blows through the entire area ice crystals forming as everything and everyone is covered in ice in the surrounding area.
Ace still barely conscious hears the loud swirling sound of a portal opening with multiple foot steps coming through it. He hears as someone yells out and inara names while others yell to stop father kayden from escaping.
"If you can hear me any of you. A deal is a deal. My name is Mephistopheles I hope to see you and your friend again" ace hears him say before being picked up by someone "don't worry everything is going to be okay. You're both going to be okay" a teary voice says. The last words ace hears before he passes out.
Ace's world was spinning, his eyes closed tightly as he tried to keep the darkness at bay. He could feel the cold, hard ground pressing against his face, and a searing pain in his back. His mind struggled to make sense of what had happened, but all he could remember was a sharp impact and the sensation of a sword piercing his flesh.
Through the haze, he heard the loud, swirling sound of a portal opening, and multiple footsteps coming through it. His heart raced with fear and confusion as someone yelled out his and Inara's names, and others shouted to stop Father Kayden from escaping.
"If you can hear me, any of you," a voice called out. "A deal is a deal. My name is Mephistopheles and wish you both a quick recovery ace and inara"
Ace's eyes flicker open as he is lifted up, and he winces in pain at the movement. He feels a warm, wet sensation spreading across his back, and he knows that he is losing blood fast. The rescuer's voice sounds distant and muffled as they speak, but the urgency in their tone is clear.
"Don't worry," they say. "Everything is going to be okay. You're both going to be okay."
Ace tries to speak, but all that comes out is a weak gasp. He struggles to stay conscious as the group makes their way out of the cave, the pain in his back intensifying with every step. As they emerge into the light of day, he sees Inara lying nearby, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. "We're going to be okay" the little girl says. "Yeah" Ace replies before losing consciousness.