Sixteen days, two hours, one minute, and seventeen seconds.
The countdown flashed before my eyes. The edges of my vision had a faint reddish tint, like when those avatars in the video games Joshua played were about to die.
Magnus? Joshua called, his voice filled with deep concern. I managed to raise my hand up and give him a weak thumbs up.
He nodded, his jaw set and turned his attention to the giant before him.
The giant probably did not know what to make of the god before him. In this world of scale, what could one so small do to one so big?
He took a huge step forward, covering five normal human strides with one, while Joshua took his stance and waited, his legs spread wide into the bloody snow as the giant approached.
Sixteen days, two hours and twenty seconds.
The giant struck with his signature catchphrase, "Maggatutooa!!!" The volume of it resounded through the trees. Joshua, still dressed in his now tattered suit fluidly sidestepped away from the blow at the last second and struck with terrifying force into the giant's ribs.
The punch was so powerful it produced a shock wave, sending snow flying in every direction, bending and snapping trees.
The giant man crumpled to his knees, but Joshua spared no time. He struck him again, his blow connecting perfectly with his temple.
The punch sent it flying a hundred meters, smashing into trees and forming a giant sized crater when it landed.
I was going to congratulate my brother on his moves, but everything he had done were basic moves,I had taught him, so I deserved the praise. But nonetheless,It was good to see he hadn't lost his edge.
I struggled into a sitting position, resting my back against a nearby tree. Immediately drops of blood splattered down my nose to my fomerlly white shirt.
"Shirt!" Joshua mumbled, rushing to me. But he suddenly stopped and tensed. I was in the middle of wiping my nose when I immediately did the same.
An immense amount of aura had just been released. It was an avalanche of oppressive energy so strong it felt like it was strangling me.
Joshua turned to me, his eyes betraying a hint of fear for the very first time. He immediately turned, his hand raised to block whatever attack was about to be thrown.
The giant moved out of its impact zone so fast it felt like it teleported, leaving streaks of black mana in his wake. Joshua's hands were already up to block and defend himself, but the giant completely ignored it.
He swatted my brother sideways, forcing Joshua to let out a heavy groan.
I slowly struggled to my feet. With the way the battle was going I wasn't seeing my brother staying ahead for too long. He needed my help.
I shut my eyes and used every ounce of strength I had left to force my body to awaken, hoping I could jump start my powers. After straining for a whole minute my eyes flew open and the only thing I was able to jumpstart was more blood out of my nose.
Things were not looking too good for my brother either. He shot a stream of ice from his hands, but the giant moved aside with an agility I wouldn't even expect from a gymnast. He grabbed Joshua's hands and squeezed hard.
I listened with horror as a resounding crack echoed through the forest and my brother fell to his knees in screaming agony.
And that's when I did it. Something so stupid if someone told me beforehand I would have sworn, it was Joshua being referred to, not me.
The brute held my now exhausted brother by one hand, and pounded his face with the other, his face all smiles, like it was performing some work of charity.
Nobody did that to my brother. Not even me. The last few days I had watched helpless as Catherine had drugged and hurt us. I almost watched him die.
Never again.
He was here because of my countdown, because of my spark. I wiped my nose, my blood feeling excessively warm to the touch.
"Leave…him alone." I commanded. In my head, I had sounded as intimidating as the northern wind, but my voice had been nothing but a squeak.
The giant continued at his merciless beating, Joshua now unable to even defend himself, his face a bloody mess. The sight of it drove my body nuts. The red I had been seeing all day blazed into focus.
The world went silent, the only sound left being the frantic, useless drumming of my own heart. Joshua wasn't moving.
I sprinted forward, not caring about the danger,or the fact that I was basically mortal. The beast turned his attention to me and finally let go of Joshua who settled to the ground in a crumbled heap.
Good.
My trusty weapon lay just a few feet away. Anyone would ask, 'but Magnus, what would a piece of wood do against a foe this mighty?'
Nothing, but I did not care. I slid in-between its legs, and reached for my weapon. I struggled to my feet and waited for it to turn, before swinging up with as much force as I could muster.
My divine strength chose the perfect time to return. The wood disintegrated on impact, the force of it creating a massive shockwave so strong it flung the both of us in opposite directions.
A wave of pain tore through me and I looked down to see my right arm bent at an awkward angle at the elbow.
"I don't think hands are su.. supposed t..to bend that way." Joshua remarked weakly. I have to say, I have never been more happy to hear a stupid joke in my entire life.
"Joshua…" I called, about to go to his aid, when a tree flew past me. I turned to find our opponent waiting, his scars now glowing a deep black colour.
Chaos magic. That was why his aura had felt so oppressing. This behemoth was literally an anti god. A child of something my father had referred to as the mirror engine.
I swallowed a lump of saliva. My brother and I were not making it out of this one alive.
The giant yelled, sending a heavy spray of chaos onto its surroundings. The black goo burned away at the existence of everything it touched.
"This wasn't exactly my plan for the weekend." Joshua said, struggling to his feet. I could not help but smile. If this was the end, there was no one I would rather spend it with besides him.
For a second, the vision of the woman smiling with two boys before a fire side, returned, and then…the heavens opened.
The giant leaped forward, its hands stretched to tear us apart but it was frozen to the spot by a blast of ice from above.
I immediately turned to my brother who shrugged and winced.
"Wasn't me."
The culprits landed. A tall refined gentleman with snow white hair and electric blue eyes descended In front of us, his navy blue coat flapping in the wind. Next to him stood a taller man, his skin paler than the first, his hair long and extremely black, dressed in ceremonial robes that left his chest bare.
He turned to me and smiled
His eyes were no eyes, but deep black pools of night.
Father and Askarion had arrived.