Chapter 87: The Final Round

Chapter 87: The Final Round

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryugii. This has been pulled from his Spacebattle publishment. Anyway on with the show...errr read.

The Final Round

My disorientation lingered for a second before fading, whether because of the Gamer's Body or my current, spiritual existence. Even so, I didn't look up yet, trying to gather my thoughts. Hewhoever 'he' washad me by the literal throat which meant my instinctual desire to act might be ill-advised. A strong enough opponent could do a fair number of horrible things to me and I didn't know how my spiritual form would react to such an attack.

Because the man holding me by the neck feltreal. Like more than a mere image, a creation in my father's thoughts and soul. I could feel him in such a way that seemed more solid, more dangerous. I didn't know the rules here, didn't understand the situation, but I felt pretty damn certain I was in dangerous territory.

Should I try a sneak attack and attempt to break his grip? Or should I do nothing and play along? I knew the power of appearances, especially the appearance of strength, but appearing weak could have its own advantages, especially in a situation like this. People tended to have looser lips around defeated enemies, at least in games and movies and such. Would that work here?

Seemed worth a shot, considering that I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I'd just have to hope that I wasn't actually as defeated as I seemed.

That in mind, I looked up at him slowly, lifting my head as much as the grip on my neck would allow. At first, I seemed to be staring into what seemed like a dark, twisted vortexnot an emptiness like Conquest had been underneath it all, but more like something hungry, devouring everything around it. Dark, but more like how a Black Hole was dark; something with such gravity that nothing around it could escape, not even light. The fabric of my father's very soul seemed to bend around the outline of that pit, straining at the edges.

And then that image was gone and a young man stood in his place. No, more than a young manfor a second, I thought I was looking at myself again. We had the same hair color, same eye color, same height, even the same clothes. In many ways, it was like looking into a mirror, but there were enough differences to draw the eyes; probably deliberately so. He looked like me, but

Well, he was better looking. Enough that I couldn't help but notice, even with the confident smirk on his face. Though our features seemed the same, they wereperhaps arranged was the word? Arranged differently. His hair was better kept, his smile a bit more natural on his mouth, skin just a tad better in a way that was hard to pin down. It was like someone had deliberately designed him to be me, plus one.

Whichwas probably exactly what had happened. He couldn't look like this naturally, but he'd adopted the form of mybetter looking twin just to make a point of some kind. It kind of made me want to punch him in the face. A lot.

What he'd said though'old friend?' I had no idea what he was talking aboutbut I couldn't let him know that, could I? Or would he tell me more if I seemed confused? No, the hand on my throat, the better looking thing, the smirk, it all screamed 'enemy.' Probably better to play the defeated enemy then the defeated moron, to preservewhatever connection there was supposed to be between us.

"And you're still an asshole," I grunted, meeting his eyes. "I wasn't going to mention it."

He chuckled and gave my neck a shake. My body tried to resist before I controlled it, but it didn't seem to matter; he shook me like a stick in the wind regardless, overwhelming me with sheer strength.

Exceptthat couldn't be true, at least not in a physical sensebecause we weren't physical. He overwhelmed me spiritually, forcing me to move with his will. His soul. I suspected it from the moment I noticed the difference between him and Conquest, but now I was sure; whoever this bastard was, he had a soul, however twisted it might be.

And if he had a soul, he couldn't be a Grimm. He was human, then? Or something similar, at least; he could be a robot like Penny or something stranger, but whatever he was, he was alive.

I knew something else, toothat this guy was the source of the Grimm or at least tied to it closely. I'd summoned him unintentionally when I'd tried to sever Conquest's link, confirming in the process that there was a link, and he wasnot at all what I expected, butthe implications

Was he a mad scientist? Some wannabe god or dark spirt or ancient warrior? I had no idea, but if he was tied to the source of the Grimm, if there was a source of the Grimm and it was something alive, than this could what the people of Remnant had been searching centuries for; an enemy, perhaps ludicrously powerful, but definite and realsomething that could be fought.

Could maybe even be beaten.

I could very well be looking at something people had only dreamt of before nowa solution. An answer to the Grimm, a way to save Remnant from the endless, nightmarish hordes that ruled it. A way to overcome Humanity's ancient, unbeatable enemy. This wasgroundbreaking.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

If I defeated him here and now, destroyed the source or whatever he was, would that be the end? Could things be that simple?

Probably not. But the mere knowledge that such a thing existed, the idea that I might be able to do something against an opponent we'd long since given up actually defeating, it washard to even imagine. If Ozpin knew, if the Kingdom's knew

I'd found something unbelievable.

But I still couldn't leave. Not without my father. I knew that was stupidwhat I'd just stumbled across was something beyond my father's life, beyond my life, beyond anything. This informationthis could save not only every man woman and child in Remnant, but countless future generations. If there could, one day, be a world without Grimm, if people could grow up without having to worry about attacks or staying within the Kingdoms or drawing down the Grimmthat was a future that was

Logically, I knew I should retreat, do everything I could to get this information to Ozpin where it could do the most good. Inside my father's head, he had no way of knowing what might be happening, no way of knowing what was going on, so I had to get the message to him somehow. I knew that I should cut my losses here and now, try to escape and retreat without taking any risks, because the knowledge I carried now was just worth that much, but

I didn't move, couldn't move. I couldn't leave my father behind. Even if I knew it was foolish, to take any risks now, II had to do everything I could to save him. Just becauseeven though I knew it was stupid and selfish and shortsightedthat amazing futureit needed to have my father in it. I couldn't settle, not over this.

So I kept talking.

"I got your gifts," I said, taking a shot in the dark as more pieces fell into place. Might as well make the most of this horrible decision. "Crom Cruach, the Goliath, all the othersthat was your doing, right?"

He chuckled.

"It's rare that I can express my will so directly," He said, sounding amused. "But my children are smart and they listen to their father. I was actually doing something else, butwell, I always have time to help an old friend."

'Help,' he said. The Goliath, Conquest, he called them 'help.'

No, I realized, going back further. It went beyond that.

"And that Beowolf," I remembered. "And I suppose it was rather lucky that Ziz woke up when he did, chased off my pursuers, and whisked me away to safety. Must have been hard for you, waking him up like that."

"Perhaps a bit," His smile widened. "Really, the lucky part is that you were nearby. You were even weaker back then; those children that had been chasing you probably would have run you down."

I wanted to say something to thatthat I'd had it under control, that the White Whale would have been able to escape. It might even have been true. Of course, if I'd gotten away and flown to Atlas as I'd intended without being waylaid by Ziz and forced to train, that fight with Penny probably would have gone a lot worse.

Assuming it had only been Penny. If not for the international terror inspired by Ziz, Atlas might have been able to mobilize more forces. At the time, me against a Hunter or two or three or five

That probably would have gone pretty badly. I guess I'd really had a guardian angel watching over me.

Just my luck that he was probably a fallen angel, though.

"You've been a good friend," I noted, staying calm. "But friendship goes both ways. I assume there's some way I could help you? To repay your kindness."

He chuckled and patted me on the head.

"That's very kind of you," He said. "But the best way you can help me is to just do what comes naturally. In fact"

"Dad," I whispered. "Don't. You can't win this fight."

"Shh," He said, just as quietly. "I know. I felt it. I feel it."

"Then let me handle this," I insisted. "He won't risk killing me. So he can't"

"We both know he's just toying with us," My father said, shaking his headand damn it, we did both know that. He'd literally barely lifted a hand against us and was just standing around looking smug. I'd have to be a fool to think he didn't have anything up his sleeves, that I'd truly stopped him; it was all but certain that he had some other way to get to us. Buteven if that was true

"Dad," I said and then stopped, for once having no idea what to say.

My father smiled at me gently.

"It's okay," He said. "I saw ithow hard you fought to save me, how strong you've become, how much you've grown. You came this far for my sake, down into my very soul, and I was the one who had to lean on you."

"That was just because of my power," I said, shaking my head helplessly. "I wasI still"

"You don't need me, anymore," He shook his head.

"Yes, I do," I denied immediately. "There's still so much I have no idea about and there's Mom, my sisters, everyone. I stillI'll"

"You'll be okay," He continued. "Some days you'll be uncertain or lost or confused, but you're strong and you're smartsmarter than your old man, at least. It'll be hard, sometimes, because it always is, and some days it'll hurt like hell, but you're strong. Even stronger then you think, Jaune; I know, because I've seen it. Everything you did, how hard you fought, what you were willing to do to save meyou'll be okay. And there are people who need you more than me."

I swallowed once, looking down.

"Someone needs to tell Ozpin about this," He said. "And someone needs to keep your mother safe and your sisters and the worldand someone needs to make bastards like Conquest and this asshole pay. And it might sound like a hard job, but you're up to it; you might be the only one who is. SonI always knew you'd do great things, but you surpassed all expectation and I knew you'll just keep going. So don't go wasting your time on me."

"I failed," I said. "II couldn't save you."

"What are you talking about?" He raised an eyebrow. "You came down here to free meand I'm free. Even got to beat up the asshole who locked me up, avenge my team and who knows how many other people. It turns out there's an even bigger asshole, but that's not your fault. You saved me, Jaune, like I know you'll save everyone. So how about you let me save you? One last time, so I don't feel quite so old."

I had to take three breathes before I could force out the words.

"For old time's sake, then," I swallowed. "And, uhI'll take care of everyone. Everything. And I'll work hardI'll protect people and help them andand live up to your example. And I'll make you proud. I'll become a man you can be proud of, so you don't have to worry about me anymore."

"Idiot, haven't you been paying attention?" He snorted but gave me a smile. "You already are. After today, I couldn't be prouder."

I blinked twice, wondering if tears would come. They didn't, so I simply took another breath and nodded.

"I love you dad." I said. "I'llsee you later."

"Later," He nodded and then raised his voice. "So you're my son's ugly clone, huh?"

"Please," He drawled. "I'm beautiful and everyone knows it."

I looked at him as he said the words. He hadn't moved at all during our exchange, hadn't so much as twitched in our direction. But the look on his facehe was smiling like he'd won. Like the words my father had spoken meant nothing, like they made no difference, like nothing couldthat he had and would always get what he wanted.

And I decided then and there that I'd prove him wrongand break that smug looking face while I was at it.

"We'll see what they say after I break your face, you smug little shit," My father snorted. "You aren't catching me off guard like Conquest did. This time I can fight back."

"I'll keep that in mind," He said dully, eyes still on me.

"Jaune," My father said.

I closed my eyes and felt myself falling away, up and down at the same time.

"See you next time, Jaune," My evil twin called out. "You bring the friendship bracelets, I'll bring the murder."

I didn't dignify that with a response and after a rising tide of sensation, I felt my senses expand. My Elementals, my Clairvoyance, everything; it all came back as easily as opening my eyes.

Then I opened my actual eyes and looked down at my father. His body was still adorned in twisted Grimm armor, his skin still blackened, but with his mask torn away I could see his face. It seemed like no more than a short time had passed on this side, though I couldn't be certain of how long. Butlooking at his face, even twisted as it wasfor just a moment, I dared to hope.

His eyes opened and our gazes met.

"Jaune," He said quietly. "II beat him. I won."

For a moment, I didn't move.

"That's a lie, right?" I asked at last, remaining impassive.

His lips twitched once and then he began to laugh.

"Yeah," He shrugged a shoulder, smirking. "Sorry; I was just messing with you. But what are a few games between friends, right?"

"I don't have time to play games right now, ironic as that may be," I said, leaning back. I kicked him hard in the stomach, cutting off his laughter. He fell to his hands and knees, choking, but I watched him carefully even as I lifted my sword high. "I'll remember that I owe you one, though."

His smile widened and he made to say something, but I brought Crocea Morsmy sword now as it had once been my father'sdown upon his neck, blade burning as it cut through the air. I felt it pass through flesh and blood and bone and watched as my father's head came free, as it fell, as it hit the ground and rolled away. I watched the entire thing and knew at last that it was over.

God help me.