Immortals and Empires

Chapter 19: Immortal Conflict

Error and Ink reunite. They try to make a move.

Then they part, again.

- - - - -

The hard part wasn't taking out the people in his way.

Error couldn't help how his gaze kept flickered back with every blow he landed and every attack he dodged. It would've been laughably easy to— if he was in any mood to laugh.

But, yet, something was definitely wrong about this entire fight. This was way too organised. This entire battleground—

He ducked, his ears ringing at the explosion. Fuck—

Even just a footstep was like a shard scraping across his ear, and— shit, ow— strings cut through the barrier and got out of range of an incoming attack.

His train of thought kept being interrupted. Which, was mildly irritating at best, but—

His strings twinged and they flipped the incoming aggressor off their feet. At worst, this was intentional. God, his sensitive hearing may have been (and was being) an asset but fuck if it wasn't so annoying.

(Was Ink okay? He'd left them there, they'd be safe, the charms—)

Yes, his magic was nearly impossible to dissolve (what if the new God unravels it

the clang of metal slashed into his ear.

fuck)

Ink was fine. Dream was fine. They're fine.

He had made sure of it.

He just had to make sure they were still fine—

(what if he failed?

it's not like he knew how to protect

Ink, Ink—)

I have no right to ask you to stay safe. But, please— do.

- - - - -

Ink still felt empty, but it was a steely, velvety empty and not a hollowness. He felt like light, weightless and afloat. Or maybe he was just glad to be able to move again.

If his body was light, then his shoulders and fingertips were wind. It was so simple, like a dance, even, with the very air of existence.

It was an elegant thing, but that wasn't why he fought. Nor was it meant to be a distraction, for he wasn't running away from the glaring issue.

He was missing something.

Something was wrong with him.

When all this was over, he had to get it checked. He'd scour every inch of this world to find an answer.

(He wasn't going to run away from it.

He had never run away in his life.)

Then, the question went; would it ever be over?

After all, Dream's in danger. He's not in a state where he'll be able to kill Tahitian, but he's the only one who can.

The only one who even stands a chance.

So he had to protect Dream.

(Error.)

But Dream doesn't stand much of a chance, either way. Will he be able to hold out?

Will he be okay?

For now, he circled the Palace, knocking back anyone from getting too close. But not actually fighting. Spilling blood so close would not be a wise idea. The negativity in the Palace would definitely be abundant at the moment. So no one would be allowed near, even those from the Empire. They were bruised, battered, broken; but he could not let them interfere.