Rewind the Past (Futureshipping)

Chapter 14

Agad. A name he didn't want to say anymore. He hoped and prayed.
If he was it, he would be freed. If it wasn't, then...he didn't want to think about it. He focused on the Time Master face. Krux smirked and licked his top lip. "What did you just call me?" He asked, both unsure and excited. It was done. No going back. "Agad." Wu repeated. On Krux's face spread a big, weird smile. "Finally." He hissed cold.
Time took its normal course back. Acronix ran towards his twin and tackled him to the ground, under Sensei Wu horrified expression. "Get off of me!" The oldest Time Master hissed, before hitting the brother in his ribs. As result, Acronix spit blood on his twin's face. Krux grabbed on his face and neck and made him roll away from him. Krux got on his legs and stared at them. "You knew it was dangerous." He said, looking back at Wu. "Calling my name, not even sure I was controlling him." As a friend would have done, Krux wrapped an arm around Wu's shoulders. "You risked for them all to die, are you aware of that?" Wu closed his eyes, without a word.
Oh yes. He was well aware of the risk he was facing. "Don't you want to answer me? It's not very polite, Master." He chuckled. "Answer my question!" He ordered.
A low sigh reached their ears and Krux turned to Acronix. "You keep talking...talking and talking. You're so annoying! Stop with the talking, you don't look scary or smart. Just stupid!" Krux, or whoever that person was, felt outraged. "I should have killed you that morning!"

"Yes? Well, if you didn't do that...that means only one thing!"
"WHAT!? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!"
"You're scared. And weak."

It happened at those words. Krux froze and fell on his knees. His eyes both rolled in his head and became white.
His jaw dropped open and a weird dust streamed out his mouth, dripping on the bricks of the courtyard. He breathed in, a guttural noise. A grey puddle was forming on the ground. "Ac...nix..?" He whispered, looking for his brother. Then he slammed on the hard soil, passing out. Everyone was paralysed, including Blunck and Ruggmank. What should they do!? They were confused and, somehow, scared.
The answer to their questions came not late. The substance began to take form. A human shaped body, that grew and grew under their eyes. From the shoulders rose some long, sharp spikes.
The same happened on the head, with two big black horns, demon like.
The demon cracked his back, neck and almost every other part of his body.
"Ah, is so good to have my original body back!" The demon said in a growl. "I spent years trapped in an incorporal form, in that shell! And finally! My body, back under my control!"
Agad glared at Krux, unconscious in Acronix's arms. "That parasite! I don't need him anymore!" The demon announced, not even slightly annoyed by Acronix's whines, as he tried to wake his twin up.
"Master Wu!" Agad roared. "By calling me you summoned me! Are you aware of that?"
The old man nodded once. It wasn't the first time that Agad spoke his rules.

"The deal signed by mortals and demons is still valid. By summoning one of us, you free us from our jail of flesh and bone."
"I'm well aware of our deal, Agad. I was there, I signed it."
"Rules are rules. By freeing us, you are the only one responsible for the damages to your own world, from now, until the day the Demon will succumb."

Everyone was looking at Wu and Agad, speechless. They were used to brutal and violent fights. Yet the two were talking like politicians would do.
"The Jail the demon has been trapped in, will be tied to the Demon and will suffer for every wound."
Wu swallowed. For the first time in years he was feeling anxious. Krux had betrayed them, but he was still his friend and he had been under  Agad's influence. The poor guy was so weak he couldn't even stand on his legs.
"The deal we signed years ago declared that the jail's suffering could be transferred to a volunteer."
And Agad, the honest demon they were, nodded. "The Deal speaks clear, yes. Although, the Responsible cannot offer himself as a volunteer, only..."

"I'll do it!" Agad turned slowly, so, so slowly towards Acronix. "I'll be the volunteer. I'll take the pain, Krux had suffered enough."
Agad left Wu standing in the middle of the courtyard and approached Acronix. Agad observed as the little Time Master was holding tight around his twin.
"There's no going back." The demon said softly as they reached for Acronix's forehead, with a open hand. "I want my brother to feel well again. I don't care if I die, I care about him." Agad remained silent, breathing slowly. Then, slowly, Agad closed their eyes. "Very well." They hissed.
Agad stepped forward and leant a hand on Acronix's forehead. For a brief moment, the two glowed of a dark red light. Acronix gasped at a sudden feeling of cold, followed by a painful sensation of being burned alive but he couldn't even scream; his throat was blocked, his lungs felt like they were being scrunched. Small tears rolled down his cheeks.
After what felt an eternity, everything stopped. Agad withdrew Their hand and stepped forward, eyes glued on the Master of Time, collapsed on the ground, exhausted.
"The deal has been respected, Master Wu!" The Demon growled. "Although, my Ultimatum has resumed. You are well aware of the time left."
And with that Agad disappeared, in a cloud of smoke.

The dust was tickling his nose and throat, as Acronix laid still on the ground. In his head he could feel, no, hear a weird and continuous buzzing, like his skull was full of bees.
Next to him laid Krux, motionless, weak, wounded too.
"What the fuck was that?!" Kai exploded behind them. Acronix was startled, yet too weak to move or react at the sudden noise.
The Master of Fire stood beside Master Wu, who had an indescribable expression on his face. But he didn't respond.
Meanwhile, Blunck and Ruggmank had moved to their rulers; awkwardly they were trying to understand how to help them.
"Carry them inside!" Instructed Wu, seeing that the two Vermillion Warriors didn't know what to do.