"What has Anti done?" Jack whispered, feeling his heart break as he took in all of the people homeless laying in the cracked streets, their bodies thin and skin almost translucent.
Everyone looked miserable.
"C'mon, we have to move fast." The Engineer returned Jack's focus to the task at hand as he strode ahead towards the palace, avoiding looking at anyone.
The palace was made of black obsidian, any traces of the old palace Jack remembered from his childhood gone.
"What are you waiting for?" The Engineer paused as well, watching Jack with a tinge of concern in his voice.
"This is my fight. All of you need to stay out here." Jack instructed.
"But-"
"Please." Jack cut off Robin before he could protest.
There was a moment of silence before the group reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"You got this." Signe squeezed his hand reassuringly as the group watched Jack take a deep breath before marching inside with his head held high in confidence and cape billowing out behind him.
Guards were instantly alerted of their arrival. They ran out in dark green uniforms trimmed with black to stop them, but froze when they saw Jack.
"Jack?" One of them whispered in disbelief.
"Where's Anti?" Jack ignored the guard, feeling tense at the lack of security. Usually septic spies lurked around the palace, but none were to be seen.
"I-in the throne room." Another guard stuttered, bewildered at Jack's sudden arrival.
Jack nodded in appreciation at the group before running off to the throne room and bursting through the black polished doors.
Anti was there sitting on what used to be his father's throne counting out money, piles of it lying around him.
"Hey assbutt!" Jack yelled to get his attention.
Probably could've said something cooler, Jack thought as he stood there, waiting for some kind of response.
Anti calmly glanced up at Jack, smirking at him as if he was a small child.
"Hey Jackaboy." Anti sneered, unmoving from his casual position on the throne.
"Get off of the throne." Jack demanded in a dangerously calm tone.
"Or what?" Anti taunted in amusement.
"This world is mine, these people are mine. I've already won." Anti gestured around him triumphantly.
Without warning, Jack charged towards him even though he was unarmed, his vision tinged with red.
Anti laughed as he easily kicked Jack away, sending him skidding down the polished floor a few feet away.
"You're weak. Pathetic." Anti shook his head as he stood up from the throne, circling around Jack like a lion stalking its prey.
Anti abruptly grabbed a sword from the scabbard at his side, the black blade glistening in the light shining through night the windows and swung at Jack.
He had to quickly step to the side to avoid getting sliced through the chest, however the blade nicked his arm.
"You're not even gonna make this a fair fight? What, are you scared?" Jack taunted, doing his best to pretend the pain in his arm didn't exist.
