Tresford finished talking to the two men how sat at the table then turned to look at me – the bastard was grinning from ear to ear. I looked at Hasin but she still looked the other way, refusing to look at me.
"What is going on? Why is Hasin looking wary? If you just sold me, I will definitely make you pay. I will just release all the abominable. We all know who they will come for," I said in a rush.
"Relax, it's part of your punishment for allowing Seires to escape," he began walking to the front. I just followed not knowing what to do.
What punishment was he talking about? Could it be? Oh, crap. This idiot just played me.
"We have a new fighter with us tonight. Please give a hand of applause to Jackson," the man standing next to the man who just ripped his friend's balls screamed. My heart sunk inside my stomach. No wonder Hasin looked wary.
My wizard powers were useless here. At least that was what I thought after falling to shadow walk. But they worked when Seires tricked me. Maybe only shadow walking wasn't working. I hopped.
But all I knew was, I needed to win if I stood a chance to see Caleb again.
The man in the ring smiled at me. "Jackson, step in please."
"If I die it's your fault," I glared at Hasin. Because it was definitely her fault. If she gave me a heads up or something, I would have maybe persuaded Tresford to choose a different punishment than to fight a testicle ripper.
"How is this my fault?" she argued.
"You allowed him to go ahead with all this nonsense. So, if I die, my blood will be upon your head. Even you," I glared at Tresford and made my way into the ring.
I walked and stood to the opposite of the ripper.
"So, this is the fight between Jackson and the ripper," the man screamed to the cloud again.
The bastard's name was actually the ripper. But I will be the one to rip him apart tonight.
Seconds later the man between us left after saying the rules to the game were none. Which gave both of us leverage, but not that much if you have insufficient powers.
We moved five feet from each other, and the damn ripper's eyes looked intimidatingly at me, making me swallow loudly involuntarily.
I looked at Hasin and she gave me a thumbs up. Tresford just smiled. Mockingly. I was going to kill him for this.
I just don't get why Seires's soul was so important. The man had about a hundred plus other abominable souls but he seemed to clinched to Seires. Was he special in some way? But he also mentioned something about Seires been dangerous. Was that something I was supposed to be worried about? If Seires was as dangerous as Tresford said and his soul was moving around wherever he disappeared to, then I was supposed to be worried.
I don't know what he could do to innocent people. But by what I had seen he was good with illusions. He made me believe my parents and Roland were right in front of me. But that was something to worry about later. First, I have to out-rip the ripper.
His green eyes stared back at me; he was grinning. I think in his mind, since he was twice my size, he thought he would finish me up in just a couple of seconds. He actually might if I didn't play this nicely and carefully.
I felt a tingle at the tip of my fingers and I sighed.
The Ripper began moving towards me and I was just moving backwards. Waiting for the perfect time to strike.
I hit the rope then looked at the Ripper; he was still smiling. I looked at my hand as I sensed it glowing. I blue firebolt was hoovering on my palm, and sparkles of lightning erupted from it.
A smile split across my face as I looked up at the stunned look on the Ripper's face.
As he got closer, I finally released my firebolt and it went sipping towards him, but he tried to move to the other side. With a swift wave, I pushed him back and the firebolt hit him. He went flying in the air and struck the rope then hit the ground with a groan.
I snapped my hands and two other firebolts formed on either side. I lunched them towards the ripper but a shield suddenly appeared in front of him and the firebolts vanished out of sight upon impact with the shield. I waved my hand and the shield went flying into the audience.
Then as I looked where the ripper was supposed to be, the bastard had vanished. I looked from one place to the other, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Crap.
Where the hell had he vanished to? Did he run away? Or he wanted to surprise attack the living hell out of me? Just thinking about the possibilities made my blood boil at a degree I didn't even understand myself.
I looked at Hasin and she was trying to help me. She was pointing behind me. Then I heard someone breathing loudly down my neck.
I cursed as he realized my shadowing was useless yet again. As I slowly turned, the creature I had never seen before about ten feet tall clouted me in the ribs and I went flipping in the air until I slammed the ropes and dropped flat on my face. Before I could get up, the creature took a fist full of my trousers and lifted me upside down.
I gazed at a monstrous-looking creature. It had the same cuts on its rough face just like the ripper. His teeth were more point and long. His mouth big enough to cut me in half.
His nails pinned on my leg and I spotted blood dripping. I flexed my shoulders and hurriedly withdraw the swords that appeared on my back. The audience gasped in stunned disbelief. But my main focus was on the ripper.
I cut through his stomach and he left me go, but kicked me before I slammed the ground.
I hit the ropes again but swiftly scrambled to my feet and sent my swords at him in hopes that one of them will rip his eyeballs out. But the damn shield appeared again.
I waved my hand again, but this time with a jet of lightening that slammed the ripper right before he could wink out of sight. The audience clapped, and I suddenly felt a wave of sensation.
Stretching my hand, the Ripper raised in the air. In his human form. Naked.
Shapeshifters.
The jet of lightning must have knocked the monster away from him. He opened his mouth and breathed out fire. I sidestepped and the fire missed me by an inch.
I waved a hand and again he slammed his knees to the group, but this time I pinned him with blue growing ropes.
As he struggled back to his feet, I went running towards him like I was going for a side-attack, but abruptly rose up and uppercut the goddamned ripper on the chin. He lifted five feet with verves of lightening on his jaw and he slammed the ground flat on his back-dust erupted and then vanished after a second.
The ripper groaned as I put my feet on top of him.
"Do you still need more?" I smirked.
"You will pay for this," he tried to get up but I waved my hand and pushed him, making him enter the ground a foot down. Everyone gasped, others were even whistling.
I looked at Tresford and the man was as furious as hell. I just out smarted him. I walked and left the ring majestically. Fist-bumping and high-fiving my fans.
"Impressive. And I didn't know you were a wizard," Hasin said, smiling form ear-to-ear.
"Thank you. Does this mean I get to go back home? I can't stand this place. and I'm sure Caleb is freaking out right now. I have passed you punishment will you send my home now?" I looked at Tresford.
"That soul was very important. You can't bring it back by just beating one monster," he said and began walking, pushing everyone out of his way.
I looked at Hasin as she caught up to me, but she just gave me a dismissive hand. Tresford opened the door and we entered a forest-looking place. But the trees were dry, like they have never been watered in a decade. And due to lack of the sunlight there was no photosynthesis taking place.
"I like the way your butt moves," Hasin said as she closed the door behind us. "It's so intriguing and delicate. I have seen enough distorted ones. But yours as that touch I can't explain," she passed me as she spanked my butt cheek.
Did she just mentally sex me?
I run up to her.
"What was that about? You can't just say things like that to me. Or anyone else for that matter." I said as I finally caught up to her. "And never spank my butt. Ever," I said guardedly.
"But I wasn't lying wizard. Your butt moves in a delicate manner. It was a compliment," she shot me a smile.
"I think you handle things differently here. But we never say such things to people on earth. It's rude," I said, making sure my voice was low.
"Sorry if it came out wrong. I didn't mean to…."
"It's ok, Hasin. I was making sure you didn't mean what I thought you meant. Where are we exactly?" I asked changing the topic.
"Foe forest," she said.
Tresford stopped and I nearly bumped into him. What the hell was he planning to do now? Was I going to fight another creature? Or it was something worse? I looked at Hasin and she looked at me in a I have no idea way.
I had no time for this. For all we knew Caleb might be in danger. There were still vampires left in the realm of shadows. And he can't handle all of them alone. He needs me. He was strong but there were just too many of them. And he might be distracted thinking I had dead or something. he can't lose his parents and his best friend on the same night. He might end up losing his mind.
I have to find a way out of this place, as soon as possible. But how? I can't shadow walk, and the only way that I currently saw was to go with Tresford's flow. But I can get into his head.
"Why are we here?" I asked.
"It's you next punishment," Tresford responded.
"Tresford please try to listen. He didn't mean to let the soul escape I…."
"Hasin, I don't want excuses. He needed to pay for allowing such a precious soul escape." He cut in.
Then it hit me. I can strike a deal.
"What if I bring another soul? Will you let me go?" I asked looking at him dead serious.
"What soul are we talking about? I need a soul that is as precious as Seires's," Tresford suddenly looked interested.
Bingo.
"Roland's, a very powerful wizard. I'm sure his soul is as precious as Seires's."
He began stroking his beard while looking at me studiously. I made sure I didn't display any doubtful thought on my face. I can't give him a reason to say no. not when I'm seconds from leaving this goddammed place.
"Where is this soul you speak of?" he asked.
"On earth."
"Here are the instructions."
In a few minutes he explained how I was supposed to extract Roland's soul and what I was supposed to do after I extracted the soul. All I had to do was to call Tresford's name four times then slam the damn glass tube that contained the soul on the ground.
After he finished, he just snapped his fingers and I was suddenly on earth. I opened my eyes and found Caleb putting me on his lap.
His eyes widened.
I swiftly got up and went to where Roland's body parts were. I heard Caleb's footsteps but I didn't look at him. I began asking a bunch of questions and what I was doing. But I didn't reply to any of his questions.
I removed the glass tube from my pocket just as Tresford told me and I said the spell. A glowing ball suddenly left Roland's split chest and I head Caleb gasp behind me as the ball entered into the glass tube.
I then moved to a nearby rock and called Tresford's name four times then slammed the damn soul on the rock. It shuttered and the soul vanished just like that. then I head Tresford's voice whispering in my ear that the soul was not enough.
"Are you kidding me?" I argued.
"You need to provide another soul. But as for now you can relax. I'll tell you when the soul is required," he said, and I sensed his voice leaving my head.
I looked at Caleb who was waiting to be filled in. I didn't even know where to begin.
So, I just began explaining whatever came into my head. From the time I opened my eyes and found Hasin, then about the fight with the ripper and after a I told him about how the ripper ripped the other man's balls he burst out laughing.
I then told him about Seires escaping foe after he used my parents as leverage. And then about the deal I made with Tresford. He actually cursed me for striking such a deal. But I had no choice. I finally finished with me sending Roland's soul to him and that he wanted another soul.
"Where the hell are you planning to get another soul?" he asked as we began walking.
"I don't know. But I have time to think about that later. Right now, I just want to go to bed and think this was all a nightmare," I sighed.
"And this place?" he asked looking around us.
"We will burn it down. Hold on to me."
As he touched me, I shadow walked us and appeared about ten feet from where we left the car. There was a flash of lightning and then seconds later a loud thunder.
Before we could get to the car, rain began pulling on us. We increased our speed. I looked at Caleb then realized the bastard was naked, hopefully he came with extra clothes. Then my hope vanished as a thought hit me. The bastard came with my clothes so he will sit his ass on my car.
Dammit.
We reached the car, and water was dripping from our bodies. I checked my pockets for the key, but I couldn't see them. I must have dropped them; I don't even know why I took them. I looked at Caleb. He was murmuring under his breath, probably insulting me for being careless.
The rain increased, and since Caleb was naked, he began shivering. Then I realized there was a spare key inside the car.
"Break the window!" I shouted hopefully he heard me.
He closed his eyes and took two steps backward. I looked away, fearing I will have to witness the bastard destroy my car as if my parents weren't enough. Then, after a few minutes, I heard him calling my name.
I whirled and saw him already inside the car. I opened the door and entered the car.
"If I get sick you will pay," he said.
Without replying, I took the keys, started the car, and drove off.
"Wait, where is the skull?" I asked and hit the brakes.
"I think where we were fighting Roland," Caleb replied.
I jumped out of the car and opened a gateway. Hoping for all odds that none of them got the skull. Their plan to freeze the enter earth would resume. The portal was big enough and I waved a hand; blue lightening hit the ground and the trees caught fire. It was the only thing I could think of instead of going there again and start searching for the skull. So, burning whole realm of shadows was the best choice.
I went inside the car and resumed my drive. I didn't even bother to ask Caleb if I should take him to his now own place. I just drove straight home.
My home.