Before Fate could even attempt a retort, the yellow light that had been building erupted outwards, charring the floors and revealing jagged streaks that almost instantly closed the distance between Jacob and himself! 

 

-Sh*t!

 

Fate attempted to move out of the way, straining every muscle in his legs to escape before the zig-zagging energies could touch him, however, he was a moment too late. The strange energies collide with him, while only his legs had managed to clear the area where it impacted!

 

The moment it made contact with him, he was blinded and in the next second, he could feel his skin searing and itching, making him feel like he was being torn apart from the inside! He screamed and clenched the portions of his skin that he believed to be electrocuted.

 

Soon though, his vision began to return, slowly revealing the extent of the damage that had been done to him. His sleeves and pant-legs had been burnt to a crisp, a portion of the skin on his arms had been charred black like coal, but most importantly, his face felt like it had a searring-slash planted deep within it...

 

-Damn!

 

He attempted to move his limbs from where he had been holding them, but found that he couldn’t move and worse, seemed to have been paralyzed from the neck down! Desperately, in hopes that he could still make an escape, he attempted to trash around and force his body to stand up. However, it didn’t seem like he could.

 

-No, no, no! Move dammit!!!

 

Footsteps began to sound near his ear, causing the hairs on the back of his upper neck to stand up. Soon after, he heard a crackling noise and another flash of yellow light began to grow brighter and brighter in his peripheral vision.

 

Jacob: “I am truly disappointed, young master. It seems that I overestimated your abilities greatly and brought out this gift from the Lady unnecessarily…”

 

-Damn, damn, damn!!! I need to move, I need to counterattack, and I need to wipe that smug ass smile off his f*cking face!!!

 

Suddenly, Jacob appeared in his direct vision, still sporting the same, sadistic smile that he wore when he began his assault with the yellow light. His eyes were giving Fate the feeling that he was looking down on him, something he despised.

 

-I know that I didn’t sense from him when I used the journal to check for mages, years ago! So how the hell is he able to conjure this strong of an attack?!

 

Jacob raised his eyebrow questioningly while his sadistic grin became a mocking smirk.

 

Jacob: “I suppose that I should tell you about this glorious marvel before I dispose of you, young master. After all, I did bring it out mistakenly, making it my duty to at least commit its use to something more meaningful than a one-sided slaughter.”

 

-The ‘meaningful’ purpose here being 'have f*cking fun mocking me about my lack of knowledge on a piece of motherf*cking jewelry?!?'

 

Fate wore a furious grimace with his teeth barred toward Jacob, though the latter didn’t seem to pay it much heed.

 

Jacob: “This precious implement is a magical tool, known as a ‘Voltragon’s Eye.’ It was granted to me for my dutiful…”

 

He had begun a tirade about the gloriousness of the ring in earnest. However, the moment Fate heard two certain words, he had unconsciously tuned the entire world out to focus on them. It was as if the lightning that struck him had burrowed its way into his brain and gave him a true flash of inspiration!

 

-Magic...tool? He had a water ring before...So that’s what it was! Of course, how could I have been such a jackass?! All I need to do in this situation is…!

 

Fate seemed like he had steeled his resolve for whatever he was planning, but this too went unnoticed by Jacob, who continued his rant about the ring for a solid minute before stopping. He looked towards Fate, noticing that he had turned his gaze away. 

 

Jacob: “You are a mere child after all. Did you truly believe that merely closing your eyes would change reality? While I am aware that most children are naive in their thinking, I truly did expect that that would be one area in which you excelled...I suppose I was truly wrong then, what a pity. However…” 

 

He reached under Fate’s head and grasped his neck, pulling him off the ground while his burnt body dangled in midair. Fate had his eyes closed, seemingly hoping to avoid seeing whatever happened next…

 

Jacob clenched the finger around which the ring was held to, causing the yellow light that had remained on it to gradually change shape, shrinking and trimming itself into the shape of a small needle. The needle rippled for a moment before expanding outward, multiplying into a spread of numerous smaller ones!

 

The needles positioned themselves above the top of Fate’s head, poised to strike a lethal hit the second they landed…

 

Jacob: “I will dispose of you here and now, young master. However, before the deed is done, have you any last words that you wish me to communicate?”

 

He attempted to get Fate to elicit a response but received none. The hand around Fate’s neck tightened, to the point where his neck and face began to turn slightly blue, but still, no reaction was displayed…

 

Although, there seemed to be a faint distortion working its way through the electrified needle constructs, however, this too, Jacob failed to notice. 

 

Jacob: “However, in retrospect, it seems like you made no attempts at facilitating a friendship, or even an alliance. Truly pitiable. Now then…”

 

The needles drew closer to Fate’s skull, but he still did not show any signs of resistance. However, a few oddly-colored sparks seemed to flicker within the lightning, yet it didn’t seem noticeable unless you paid enough attention.

 

Suddenly, before Jacob could give the gesture that would cause this child’s swift demise, Fate started to flail and struggle to escape the vice-like grip. 

 

Jacob: “Ah, it seems that you’ve finally decided to relent, young master.”

 

Jacob’s hand, that was tightly clenched around Fate’s throat, released slightly, prompting Fate to breathe heavily and allow his color to return. Jacob’s smirk became a displeased frown with his eyes, angrily focused on the top of Fate’s skull that his needles would soon pierce…

 

-Same old dungeon...same tricks with the restraining and attacking…

 

Jacob: “Truly, you disappoint to the last moment... Now please, perish!”

 

The needles began crackling, making contact with his scalp and singing it slightly. However, Fate suddenly began to laugh maniacally, it seemed as though he’d gone insane out of fear and pain! Jacob had thought this way as well…

 

-Regardless of if he’s using a tool to do this...it’s still magic, right?!~

 

Fate’s inner voice took an insanely happy tone.

 

-In that case, all I need to do is…

 

At that moment, a few of the needles began to swell, consuming the others while beginning to switch colors from yellow to a light blue…

 

Jacob: “Hm?”

 

Only a fifth of the needles was fully absorbed into the violently pulsing blue mass before the rest of the needles shifted positions and changed their target to the back of Fate’s head. However, Fate’s bright smile seemed to exclaim that that was all he needed…

 

Jacob’s expression quickly morphed into one of shock and slight panic, but before he could do anything else in response, an explosion sent Fate flying at a low enough angle that he was able to sail below the needles!

 

-...BLOW IT ALL TO HELL!!!

 

How he had suddenly flown away was uncertain, but what was certain was that the mass of bluish electricity had hurriedly struck Jacob through the chest soon after, causing bluish lightning to permeate throughout his body! 

 

In the instant after Jacob and Fate were both sent crashing to the floor! One was spasming while the other’s wounds had begun to leak a massive amount of blood and puss onto the floor in a streak... 

…

 

After a while, with neither seeming to move for the longest time, Fate’s pained grimace from the impact became a satisfied smile. He couldn’t bring himself to get up to check his foe’s condition but was confident that he had dealt enough damage to say he was out for the count.

 

-He’s old...had to use tools...to fight and...Well, he just looks pretty...frail, I guess...so hopefully...he doesn’t have the strength...to…

 

Suddenly, he heard a noise from the other side of the room…

 

-...That can’t be...right?!

 

He heard it again, this time it definitely resembled a shoe scuffing the floor…

 

-Oh, f*ck...please no…!

 

Footsteps reverberated throughout the small room, causing Fate to be sent into a furious panic. He broke into a cold sweat, all the hairs on his body that he could feel stood on end, and his entire being trembled in fear…

 

-How…?! Why?! How did he get up?! Is this, reality?! Is he some sort of immortal?! How is this happening?! No, NO, NO…!!!

 

He felt a pair of hands grab hold of his quaking frame, gradually pulling it up and turning him...When his vision was focused, he saw Jacob, barely harmed save for a few scuffs and burns on his clothes. That whole effort was worthless, it hadn’t even been able to deal any real damage to him…!

 

Fate felt his brain shutting down as Jacob stared him down with a serious expression on his face, his cold gaze piercing his own. He didn’t want to keep living, he didn’t want to keep breathing, but most of all, he didn’t want to face this nightmarish reality...and so, braced himself for his immediate demise...but it never came.

 

He seemed to wait an eternity for Jacob to move an inch and in so doing, confer death upon him, but there wasn’t even a single peep to be heard, only silence.

 

Jacob: “Hmmm, quite interesting I must say, young master! To think that you were truly able to turn the spell I conjured against me! Although it was only a portion, it isn’t any less relevant!”

 

-...W...W-w…W-what...in the hell?!

 

His thoughts sparked back to life, shocked into existence by this extreme shift in personality. This man had been attempting to kill him in earnest, not but a moment ago, but now, he seemed to resemble a proud grandfather whose grandson had just learned how to ride a bike!

 

Jacob: “You truly did have the skill, after all, fascinating! I knew that there was an anomaly when young master Atlas attempted to attack you previously, but now I know that it wasn’t a mere falsehood made up by my aging mind!”

 

Fate sat there, left completely dumbfounded and slack-jawed by this extreme turn of events...