Chapter 707: All According to Plan? (2/2)

Scoffing, 12-13 tightened Jack's body to the point the hero couldn't even move his lips. ”Don't assume what I can and can't do… That's the worst thing a captive can do to their captor. But I suppose you want to learn that the had way…”

Jack was carried through the air as 12-13 forced the immobile hero into Halmut's bedroom chamber. There, Jack was horrified to see the stress and pain riddling his father's face.

”That's what happens when you're uncooperative… Are you sure--”

”That I'm a coward?” stated Jack, barely able to speak. ”Why should I fear a man whose own parents hated him so much they couldn't bother naming you properly?”

”Enough…” Dropping the causal tone, 12-13 turned toward Jack and allowed the young cosmician to experience hell for the first time.

As Jack's body tensed up and his mind was constantly probed and pounded with mental attacks, 12-13 sighed, ”To think that someone was even more disrespectful than Sterfen… I won't bother asking you any longer. I'll simply enjoy cracking your mind and selling away Daruun's greatest secrets, including the secrets behind your construct body.”

*****

'Jack, we've found a green spatial rift.'

'Good. Just keep looking. You should be close to the next area,' Jack replied, assuming that the rifts at the maze's entrance were designed to help those seeking certain rooms pass the maze more quickly.

Still invisible, Jack followed Halmut closely as his patience was finally paying off.

The Sun God began to smile as a purple barrier came into view. Halmut was speechless as he gathered holy energy around his eyes to scan the area around him with great caution.

Recognizing that now was his best chance to do something, Jack rushed toward the barrier and flashed his card against the barrier. It took one hundred keys to open, practically everything that Jack had left from defeating constructs within the maze and taking the keys from the puzzle challenge. But it was worth it as Jack was one step in front of Halmut.

”YOU?!?!” Halmut roared as the barrier began to fade. Multicolored flames were already spilling out of Halmut's mouth as Jack darted into the enclosed space, snatching the purple core for himself. ”HOW DARE YOU?!?!”

Though Jack managed to grab the core, Jack was now trapped in an enclosed space. The powerful flames rocked Jack's body as he guarded his card carefully. A clawed hand reached into the fire and gripped Jack tightly as the hero stored his card away.

”What's wrong, Halmut?” Jack stated with painful breaths, being gripped by his neck.

”You… YOU!!”

”What's wrong?” Laughing, Jack ignored how hard it was to breathe and how painful it was for Halmut to run his other hand through the hero's abdomen. ”That all you got… Considering how easily you found this… Were you given--”

”Shut up and die!”

Roaring, Halmut unleashed another breath attack directly into Jack's open wound, forcing Jack to wince in pain.