Jack's mind was clear almost serene compared to before, his muffled memories sharpened and his distorted thoughts came into focus.
His mind was finally free.
The distant whispers that plagued him vanished along with the little girl into wisp of white smoke.
Leaving behind a single word.
"Good bye"
Jack quickly accessed the current situation and grimaced.
Things weren't looking good for them right now.
Though his mind was clear the corruption had already completely taken over the left side of his body leaving only his face unmarked.
While Harris corruption had reached his throat.
Soon he would become a monster and Harris would probably die of suffocation.
Jack gritted his teeth and cursed.
"Damnation"
They only had a few hours at most and the white death effect was still so strong, showing no sign of leaving.
Jack turned to Harris "Harris....you said we should venture into fog and kill it"
"Why? Do you know how"
Harris, seeing the desperation on Jack's face was relieved.
He was clearly free of the white death's influence.
But he was also a bit confused.
"Uhhh....who's Harris"
"Are you referring to me"
His heart sank.
'Harris isn't free of the fog'
'But then how.... how did he know how to save me'
"Harris huh, so that's my name"
"That's it"
Jack grabbed by his shoulder.
"Quickly, tell me a story about yourself"
Harris smiled faintly
"I'm sorry but I don't think that's gonna work"
"What, why, it worked for me"
He gently moved Jack's hand, gesturing for him to calm down.
"My past memories are almost entirely blocked by the fog and the parts that aren't, don't correlate at all"
"Some don't even make sense"
"My speculation is.... my mind was already broken way before I arrived in this cozy dark skull"
Jack froze, his mind went blank.
The words hit him, and he couldn't respond.
'No, don't panic, calm down'
'There's a way, there's always away'
'This can't be the end, it won't'
"But we are already surrounded from all sides"
"Trapped like rabbits"
"There's no hope"
Jack had tried to calm himself but still he was spiralling.
Spiralling into despair.
His dark gaze fell on Harris who was just pacing around in a daze.
And he thought.
'He would a die a normal death while I'll...i'll'
'The being before me was a monster. Born of a human or not, that fact did not change'
A sickly feeling erupted within him not because of his fate but because of his own hypocrisy.
'This truly might be my fate'
'There's no avoiding it'
A tired sigh escaped his lips as he unsheathed the dagger he had hidden within his coat.
'I guess am not as strong as you'
Jack raised the blade into the air and steeled his resolve but then an arm shot forward holding his hand in place.
Harris frowned.
"I just saved you and now you're trying to kill yourself"
"Ridiculous"
"Damnit" he cursed silently
"Fine I couldn't solve it, let's ask your old friend"
Jack stared at him with a dumbfounded expression.
"What friend?"
"Uhhh, you know the guy from your story"
Just then Jack felt a new presence behind them, he turned to back and....
There he was, a serpentine creature of ghostly white smoke towered above them.
It's voiced ringed like echoes in the void.
"Quickly. Come. Time is of the essence"
It saud
Jack stumbled backward but Harris stood firm.
"Will you lead us"
The creature didn't respond, instead it moved towards the carriage blocking the entrance of the skull and flung it away.
Jack's eyes widened and in an instant the cold damp skull was flooded by white smoke.