Fate (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 12

Hunters' Side
Jack stood in front of the screen, humming his favorite tune as he spectated every single detail of Joseph's match going in the Moonlit River Park.

For the first time in his life, he was impressed. Impressed by how everything went. Impressed by how he had met someone so new yet so good at whatever he is doing.

No one might notice it, but deep down inside the only thing he wants to do is to thank Michiko for bringing in someone so professional.

His eyes analyzed every single detail. From the way the photographer took a picture with his camera, projecting another world that captures souls. He had no idea how it works, but the photographer is very proficient and the survivor he pursued had been chaired and eliminated.

"Wow. Just wow." The Ripper muttered to himself as he pulled his mask off, revealing his human face that only Joseph had seen. He would even stare at the mirror he's holding in between his spectating, his right hand tracing the incurable scar that lies right all the way from the lower part of his eye to the top of his lips.

"The new guy's good, eh? Wait. Who the fuck?!" A voice behind the ripper yelled, making him to look into his back.

"Hastur! Hey! It's Jack! Stop freaking out!" The Ripper panicked as he placed his right hand on the cloaked man's mouth.

There are some moments that he was close enough to using his left hand towards those he know despite his full awareness that his left hand had gone into nothing but claws. Long claws.

Hastur was so panicked that Jack had to put his mask back on to prevent the rest from coming their way.

"For goodness' sake, Hastur, it's me, Jack the Ripper!" He said between breaths.

"God, you scared the shit out of me! It still startles me that that skull thing you always have isn't your real face! Does the rest know about this?"

"No. Can we stop talking about my face and just talk about how the match is?" The ripper said, irritated.

"Well, Mr. Good-Looking, before you say anything, maybe you should see this..." Hastur said, removing his cloak.

Jack froze in place as he took a look at the feaster's face behind the cloak. He also has a human face and appearance, only with a few tweaks. Instead of white and black as most humans do, his eyes were a pair of black with orange orbs on it. In the part where his hands and legs should be, lies two scars that look like bite marks, with one in each body part.

The ripper stared at the feaster, his mind at loss of words.

"You see what I mean now, Match Official? Just in case if you ask, these scars are the source of my tentacles. That cloak I usually wear is just a cover."

Jack stood silent as Hastur put his cloak back on. The unexplainable sight he just witnessed went back to the way he usually sees it.
"And.. yes I agree with you. That Joseph guy is good. Looking forward to actually play with him. You should consider thinking of putting him into a 2vs8 match, with me as his partner. I wanna see how he uses his skills in person!"

Jack raised one eyebrow in confusion at Hastur's words. He, along with the feaster, had been the match officials of Oletus Manor and had been the ones who made all the rules regarding who can and cannot partake in all the matches. And Hastur, among every hunter here, should know that Joseph is unable to take part in a 2vs8.

"Hastur." The Ripper said, running his hair through his messy hair.
"Joseph is not meant to play in a 2v8. We made the rules, dude."

He did nothing but shook his head as the Feaster tapped his forehead, laughing hard.

Giving a slight kick towards Hastur's legs was the last thing Jack did before going back to monitor the details of Joseph's match, in which it had shown the Photographer eliminating the mind's eye, perfumer, and mercenary, leaving behind Eli Clark the Seer on his own.

"Ow! That hurts you deathscythe! By the way, Jack, you might not believe what that new guy is up to. It's with a survivor!"

                             ***
JOSEPH
"You really know how to do your part, Joseph. You broke the record of being the fastest here to earn multiple wins in a row!" Hastur said the moment I walked back into the main lobby, my breathing all harsh and ragged from all the mayhem I had earlier.
"That breathing, man. You sound like a jet engine! Control it, dude."

I lied down on one of the sofas, ignoring the Feaster's words as he kept on talking. Little did he know that I just had another encounter that made my heart feel like being stomped into pieces.

"Don't talk to him just yet, Hastur. He needs to catch his breath!" Jack said the moment he noticed me lie down there senseless.
"No pun intended, by the way."

I had no idea how long I had been lying down before I heard Michiko's familiar voice approaching me.

"Hey. Did Jack overwork you again with the matches? Your breathing is heavier than that of the last." She said, helping me stand on my feet.

I shook my head.
"No. It's fine. I just breathe this way everytime I get tired. It's fine, Michiko."

It's true. Everyone here but Michiko finds my tired-breathing state to be so annoying. I tend to breathe out of my mouth than that of my nose, which is a habit that I should have tried my best to rid, but I can't.

That incident.
The one that turned my whole life upside down.

I don't know whether it is my mind trying to play tricks on me or what, but I noticed Jack keeps on shooting me looks. His eyes were focused into me.

He must have seen the look on my face since he puts his usual smile on me.
"It's nothing, Jose. Ignore me."

No, Jack. Something is totally off with that act of yours.
Those words echoed in my head and I had to take deep breaths to get a hold of myself from saying it out loud.

***
I laid my head in my pillow, still in my clothes and shoes. My long hair had sprawled all over the pillow with the tie still on, but I ignored it.

I stared at the ceiling, letting the Victorian styled wallpaper burn its sight into my eyes.

I have never felt this hurt before.

My heart clenched as I closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would take me over.

One survivor left. Just one more and it will all be over.

Joseph approached the seer as he noticed him standing in front of a cipher. He looks like he just had a fight with himself.

As if he snapped of his trance, Eli's eyes went wide as he noticed the photographer coming for him, his sword in his hand.

The seer had deployed his owl before Joseph placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry. I will spare you. I see you zoning out the whole time and I feel bad. Come, follow me. The dungeon is right there."

The seer stared at him before muttering a huge sigh. He muttered a few words as the photographer led the way. It was the moment when Joseph realized Eli's hands had curled into fists.

"Joseph." The seer said with a stern look as the dungeon opened wide before them, welcoming whoever that walks into it.
"What have you done to Aesop?"

The photographer felt anxiety go down his spine. Did he actually find out? How?

"Don't you realize how much trouble you're getting him into?!" The seer yelled, letting his anger flow through.
"Listen here, Joseph. I'll point this out towards you."

Joseph stood in silence, his head looking down.

"Lay a finger on him and you'll be in trouble."

Joseph still froze in silence as he watched Eli hop down the dungeon, leaving him drowning at the thought of his words.