We burst into the room, and the sight that greeted us sent a chill straight to my bones. Capuchin was crumpled in DJ's massive, grotesque claws, her body limp and her breathing shallow. His transformation was even worse than I'd imagined—his body warped beyond recognition, eyes scattered across his skin like a horror I couldn't unsee, and his tail, twitching violently, had sprouted more eyes than I could count. His growl reverberated through the room like a wild animal barely holding onto its sanity.
Without hesitation, Kail rushed forward, his movements faster than I had ever seen. In our sparring matches, I thought I'd seen his true strength, but this... this was different. He moved like lightning, dodging DJ's attacks with ease, his strikes precise and relentless. Every kick and punch sent shockwaves through the room, but DJ, even in his monstrous state, fought back with the raw, terrifying power of the parasite. Kail was holding his own, but it was clear this was no easy fight.
Galaxy didn't waste a second either. His prosthetic arm began to glow with an ethereal light, humming with power. He raised it skyward, and in the center of his palm, a small, brilliant star formed. With a flick of his wrist, the star shot forward and exploded near DJ's chest. The blast was small, but it was enough to burn the skin off part of DJ's torso, causing him to hiss and stagger back. His multiple eyes turned toward Galaxy, then settled on me, narrowing in with deadly intent.
My heart pounded in my chest as DJ's magic flared wildly, erratic and unstable. I could feel it thrashing against the room, like it was trying to tear free from DJ's body. His eyes locked onto mine, and in an instant, he lunged—his claws outstretched, teeth bared, and fury in his gaze. But I saw it before it happened. The flow of his magic became chaotic, spiking in a way that told me exactly what he was going to do.
Without thinking, I raised the hatchet I had brought and blocked his attack just in time. The force of his claws colliding with the blade rattled my arms, but I held firm. He snarled in frustration, his tail whipping behind him as he prepared to strike again. Before he could, Kail appeared in a blur, landing a vicious kick to DJ's side that sent him crashing into a pillar. The impact was so hard, I half-expected the building to come down, but thankfully, it held.
"JLC!" Kail's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was breathing heavily, but his eyes were sharp, focused. "I could use some help here."
I nodded, gripping my hatchet tighter. "Let's do this."
We charged together, Kail's movements swift and precise, while I focused on predicting DJ's attacks with the Eyes of Truth. DJ, or whatever part of him was still fighting through the parasite, lashed out, but his movements were sloppy—like the parasite wasn't fully in control of his body yet. He was strong, sure, but not coordinated, not sharp. I could see every twitch of magic before he acted, and it gave me just enough time to evade or counter. Together, Kail and I pushed him back, our combined assault wearing him down.
But I couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping in. DJ wasn't just some monster—he was our friend. And now, we were fighting to save him from something that had taken hold, something that threatened to consume him completely. Every strike we landed felt like a step closer to losing him, but I couldn't stop. If we didn't fight with everything we had, DJ would be gone for good.
As the battle raged on, I felt the familiar burn in my eyes, my magic flaring with every heartbeat. The flow of DJ's magic became clearer, each erratic burst giving me a window into his next move. I could feel the parasite fighting back, but DJ... DJ was still in there, somewhere. And we had to save him.
"We're almost there!" Kail shouted, his voice strained from exertion.
DJ wasn't completely lost—not yet. I could feel it, see it in the brief flickers of his magic that still belonged to him, as if he was grasping for life, holding onto whatever piece of himself hadn't been consumed by the parasite. I yelled, pleading with him, "DJ, don't give up! You can fight this, you have to! Keep going, man! If not for you, then for Capuchin, for all of us!" My words echoed in the space between us, desperate, raw.
But DJ—he wasn't hearing me. He was screaming now, a sound that rattled my bones, making the very air seem heavier. His form twisted again, fluctuating violently between his usual self and something far more monstrous, something so powerful it made the hair on my neck stand up. His muscles bulged, his eyes—those endless, cursed eyes—glowed with unhinged fury. For a moment, I thought we were getting through to him. But then it happened.
In the blink of an eye, DJ moved. Faster than I'd ever seen, faster than even Kail could track. One second he was across the room, the next, he was right in front of me—his claws slashing straight through my stomach.
I didn't even register the pain at first. It was like my mind couldn't process what had just happened. Blood gushed from the wound, hot and thick, staining everything in red. My vision blurred as I staggered back, trying to keep myself upright, but my legs gave out beneath me.
Everything was a blur. DJ's form disappeared, fleeing into the distance, leaving me on the ground. The sounds of Kail yelling my name started to fade as I clutched my stomach, trying to hold in the blood that was pouring out faster than I could breathe.
It didn't make sense. How could this happen? How did I let this happen? The Eyes of Truth should've seen it coming... I should've seen it coming. But I didn't. I failed.
I'm no magician. I'm no hero.
As the world darkened around me, I could feel the weight of my own despair creeping in. Weak. Useless. I couldn't even protect myself, let alone my friends. What kind of magician was I, if I couldn't even keep DJ safe from himself?
I'm less than human. Worthless. Lowly trash.
The last thing I heard was Kail shouting my name, his voice frantic, but it was too far away now. I was sinking, deeper and deeper, into the abyss of my own failures. The cold crept in, and then everything went black.
