Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Seven: Of Beginnings and Ends

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Jason lunged for the window and stared out into the twilight of the In Between. Massive stone legs, jagged and battle-scarred, jutted from beneath the fortress, lifting it higher with each thundering step.

In the distance, shapes moved—dark, monstrous things, shifting, flickering, like shadows given form. They were teeth and claws and eyes, bodies twisted into grotesque parodies of something like wolves—or was it bears?

The fortress groaned again, its legs—massive, spindly things—emerging from beneath the ground, lifting the structure high into the air. The monsters reached them, some clawing at the legs, others leaping, trying to scale the walls. The fortress swiped at them, its limbs crashing down, batting the creatures away.

“What do we do?” Jason asked, his voice tight with urgency.

Alex met his gaze, eyes blazing with a fierce, unyielding light. And then, with a boyish grin that defied the years between them, he said, “We fight.”

With a shared nod, the two brothers moved in perfect sync. They sprang forward, the air crackling with raw energy as they vaulted through the open window. The wind roared past them, and for a split second, there was only the rush of freefall and the pounding of their hearts. Alex accelerated mid-air, a burst of energy propelling him forward in a streak of light and force. Jason was right beside him, using Soul Step to close the final distance and soften his landing, the ground quaking beneath their feet as they plunged into the chaos. Their hearts pounded, adrenaline surging, swords already drawn and poised for battle.

Jason sidestepped a swipe of jagged bones and gnashing teeth, his Affinities flaring to life as he darted between the massive, stone legs of the fortress. Shadows gathered around him, coiling, forming into vines that lashed out, wrapping around one of the creatures, pulling it to the ground. He stepped, his body flickering, disappearing from one spot and reappearing in another, his sword already in his hand, its blade biting into the flesh of a massive, black-furred beast.

Beside him, Alex moved like a storm, power crackling through the air, which shimmered with raw, electric energy. Bursts of green and violet light erupted from his hands as he spun, each movement fluid and deadly. The monsters that surged toward them were grotesque amalgamations—hulking forms with the massive bulk of bears, but supported by unnaturally long, sinewy legs. Their gaping mouths were filled with rows upon rows of jagged teeth, and exposed bone jutted through their fur in sharp, uneven spikes, giving them a nightmarish, skeletal armor.

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Alex struck with wild grace, each blow precise, his eyes blazing with a fierce joy that made him seem almost untouchable. For a fleeting moment amidst the chaos, Jason felt it too—the rush of battle, the shared thrill of fighting side by side with his brother, back to back, just like when they were kids playing at heroes.

But the creatures kept coming, wave after wave, their grotesque forms shifting and adapting with each surge. They grew larger, their skin hardening into a dark, chitinous armor that deflected Jason’s blows. His breaths came ragged now, each swing of his sword met with mounting resistance. The fortress shuddered violently, its massive legs quivering under the relentless onslaught, cracks forming in the stone as it struggled to hold its ground. The thunderous roar of the beasts and the grating scrape of claws against rock filled the air, drowning out even the pounding of Jason’s heartbeat.

“Jason!” Alex shouted over the roar of battle, his voice straining to pierce the chaos. “They’re coming here because they can sense you. It’s taking everything I have to dampen your essence, but it’s not enough. They’re like white blood cells, honing in, and more keep finding you. If you don’t leave now, they’ll overwhelm us. There’ll be too many, even for me.”

Jason gritted his teeth, his heart pounding. “I’m not leaving you! Come with me.”

Alex smiled, a sad, knowing smile. “This is where I’m needed. For now, at least. There’s so much I wish I could say, so much I’ve wanted to tell you over these years. But you have to trust me.”

Something cracked deep inside Jason, a pain sharper than any blade he had ever known. His chest tightened, and his voice shook as he yelled, “I won’t leave you! Not again.” The final words fell softer, almost a whisper, meant more for himself than for Alex—a plea born of old scars and unhealed wounds, remnants of beginnings and ends.

Alex’s smile widened, softening into something genuine and heartfelt. His eyes, fierce with determination but a moment ago, now glistened with a rare vulnerability. “I love you, bro.”

Alex paused, mid-fight, his hands moving in a fluid motion, drawing symbols in the air. The world behind Jason shimmered, a portal opening, its edges rippling like water. Jason felt the pull, an invisible force wrapping around him, tightening like a vice. It dragged at him, relentless and irresistible, making every muscle strain in protest. It felt like the universe itself was rejecting his very presence. He tried to fight it, to anchor himself, to Soul Step, but it was no use—his body surrendered to the powerful current, drawing him back.

“No!” he shouted, reaching out, but it was too late. The portal swallowed him, the world spinning, twisting, colors and shapes blurring together until—

He landed hard, the ground beneath him cold and unforgiving, the impact jolting through his bones. Disoriented, he blinked rapidly, his vision clearing just in time to see his reflection flicker in the towering, ornate mirror before him—its silver frame cracked and ancient, swirling with faint remnants of energy. He had burst through it, tumbling out in a rush of cold wind and shadows that dissipated into the air.

The mess hall stretched around him, alive with the familiar murmur of voices, the clatter of cutlery, and the warm, rich scent of roasted meat and spiced bread. The portal sealed with a resounding thrum, the shimmering surface of the mirror solidifying back into glass, trapping the battles of the In Between—and his brother—behind it.