Suddenly that thing became visible, if only partially. Its feet weren't visible, just a black cloak floating a few feet off the ground, swaying in the icy wind that the creature carried with it everywhere it went because it was the end of all things.

From my position I couldn't see its face, but for some reason I would have bet that even from a better position it would be impossible. Me and anyone else.

Not until our time came, at least.

The masked man stood up. Though he was weak enough to need someone's help, he was unconcerned about his injuries, seemingly convinced of his victory.

How stupid. How deluded.

He wasn't facing something or someone, but a force of nature. It would be like trying to trap the ocean in a bucket.

It was simply impossible.

It wasn't a matter of skill, or lack thereof, but that they were using an inadequate tool for the job. In this case, that tool was themselves.

The human being.

How could they cope with death, with the natural order, with the simple and harsh cycle of life, no matter how much magic they could use?

“Now can we talk like civilized people?” And on top of that, he thought he could act as pompously as he had done so far.

By way of response, the creature roared. I realized then that it couldn't move. It had been trapped, not just made visible. For the moment. Despite this, I remained convinced that the natural conclusion was inevitable. Humans couldn't defeat Death.

Roared wasn't the right word.

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It wasn't a human or animal sound. It was a sound alien to this world, any world. A glimpse of what lay on the other side of the curtain, after the end of all things.

It didn't matter who I should cheer for. Death would win. That wouldn't be good for me. No, no.

I had to get away from both of them. Something about that... The sound convinced me of it.

All the windows suddenly exploded. I couldn't even hear myself think in the midst of that infernal cacophony. To tell the truth, the parody of a heartbeat I should no longer possess had been getting in my way even before that.

Why was that?

What exactly had happened, had it...?

Had it been because of that sound? A delayed effect of what he'd done, somehow, for some reason? I never thought I would say, or well, think that, but how I missed Plague right now. At least with her I wasn't completely alone in this strange and hostile world.

But even she couldn't stop this thing. That, too, was evident.

I heard more cracking.

At first, I thought there was unbroken glass. Not windows, that was obvious from looking around, but maybe a cup. Things like that.

What had creaked were the chains on my wrists.

They hadn't broken, but...

I could give them a hand. It was worth a try. I'd already wasted too much time here. I managed to summon the spectral spear, though I thought maybe I'd screw up out of fear, in the heat of the moment.

My hands weren't free, but there was still my mouth.

Yes. I grasped the spear by clenching it with my teeth, and brandished it as best I could by shaking my head. After a few swings, each one given in fear that it would slip out from between my teeth, though in theory I could simply pull it back inside me and pull it out again, in that case, my arm was free.

My right arm. I moved the weapon to that arm.

“He's getting away,” someone warned not very loudly, out of fear.

And because there were simply higher priorities. No one cared about this little brat right now. Fine by me.

Yeah, who cared?

Death, apparently. He turned to look at me. I didn't see what he did, I didn't have the slightest chance to dodge the attack. Whatever it was, thanks to that I didn't get to finish breaking the second chain, instead I was thrown almost to the other end of the room.

Almost through the holes that were all that remained of the windows that covered the front of the building.

The chain, still attached to the place of emergence from the doorway, a piece of floor this time, tightened. But it didn't break.

Nor did it need to. I had managed to keep the spear from slipping out of my hands.

I finished the job I had started.

Free at last. For all that was worth.