The Extra Wants Control

With a snap of his fingers, the skeletal horse dissolved into a wisp of darkness. In its place, a crimson circle pulsed into existence, emanating an ominous aura that.

"Apocalypse: Plague," Constantine declared his voice with a chilling finality.

Neveah was now extremely confused and frustrated. What was it m with this guy and his ever-changing law forms?

"What..." Before he could even say the question, a wave of nausea washed over him. His limbs grew sluggish, his muscles burning with a searing heat. A dull ache, initially ignorable, intensified with each passing second, it became annoying. Soon, it morphed into a \'okay now this fucking hurts\' pain.

He stumbled backwards. Just as his body started to adjust thanks to his adaptation trait, a horrifying reset occurred.

The wave of nausea returned, the searing hotness of his body intensified, and a deep hunger gnawed at his insides. Movement became a great task effort, his mind sluggish and clouded by the sheer intensity of the

pain, he couldn\'t think.

Constantine observed the scene with a cruel satisfied smile playing on his lips.

He was systematically dismantling him, not just physically, but mentally as well.

Neveah gritted his teeth, refusing to give in. He had to find a way to counter this, to break free from this insidious cycle. His mind, a battlefield of pain and confusion, searched desperately for a solution. The red circle above them pulsed, a constant reminder of his dwindling time.

He could barely make out Constantine advancing towards him, a glint of metal catching the dim light – a dagger clutched in his hand.

Summoning the last of his sanity and strength, Neveah rasped, "Protect me!"

His remaining shadow soldiers, ten in total, surged forward, a wave of darkness blocking Constantine\'s path.

They swarmed the warrior, blades flashing in the flickering light. One of the shadows scooped Neveah up, carrying him away from the red circle\'s area of influence

Even at a distance, the effects of the Plague lingered. His body ached, but his remarkable adaptation kicked in. The searing heat dulled, the gnawing hunger abated. It was a slow process, but he was slowly clawing his way back from the brink.

Meanwhile, Constantine fought with a practiced ease. His movements were a whirlwind of darkness, effortlessly dispatching the shadow soldiers. Each one that fell dissolved into a wisp of smoke, their brief sacrifice buying Neveah precious seconds.

As the last shadow soldier faded, Constantine turned towards Neveah, his eyes burning with a mix of annoyance and grudging respect.

Neveah, now standing on his own two feet (although slightly wobbly), met his gaze. Frustration gnawed at him. "Mother said she could never experience the same thing twice," he thought, his voice still rough. "That she could never suffer from the same thing twice… she always came back stronger. But that\'s not happening to me.

I\'ve been stuck in that circle for what felt like eternity, going through that cycle of pain over and over, definitely more than twice. What\'s the difference we both have Adaptation trait but why is it different for me. Age? Strength? Sigh… I\'ll have to ask her later."

He straightened his back, forcing down the last wave of dizziness. This wasn\'t over. He had survived Constantine\'s law, for now, but the battle was far from won.

There were still questions, unanswered riddles about this new form of power, this "Apocalypse" law and its variations.

He locked eyes with Constantine, a newfound determination burning in his own. He wouldn\'t succumb to this torment. He would unravel the secrets of these laws, and he would use them to form a great law for himself. The fight for acknowledgement had become a quest for knowledge.

A bewildered silence descended upon the alleyway. Constantine, his earlier ferocity replaced by a sigh of resignation, dissolved the dagger in his hand. "I give up," he announced, kneeling in a formal bow. "You win."

Neveah\'s jaw dropped. "Huh?" he choked out, his mind reeling.

Seeing his confusion, Constantine elaborated. "Laws, even powerful ones, have limitations. Maintaining them for an extended period consumes a tremendous amount of energy. And you, young master, endured both variations of my Apocalypse law. A remarkable feat."

Neveah stared at him, a barrage of emotions and questions forming within his mind. "This revelation – that laws could be waited out – was a bombshell. Why hadn\'t mother mentioned it? Was it unreliable? Did she simply overpower her opponents so quickly that waiting wasn\'t even a factor? So many questions."

The silence was broken by Kael\'s voice that was full of concern . "Young Master?"

Neveah blinked and looked at Kaeltearing himself away from his thoughts. "Yeah?"

"We\'ll be leaving now," Kael informed him. "We\'ll wish you success in the tournament. We shall await your orders."

Neveah frowned. "So, you won\'t be helping me in the tournament?"

Kael shook his head. "Our sister specifically instructed us not to intervene."

"Damn you Bianca." Neveah thought. "Fine," he conceded and sighed. "But at least leave me your tokens." He extended his hand expectantly.

A moment of hesitation passed. Then, with a shrug, both Kael and Constantine produced two wooden tokens each, passing them over to Neveah.

Neveah examined the tokens curiously. "You didn\'t collect any?" he asked, surprised.

Constantine met his gaze. "We have no desire for nobility. We already serve another, You. So... Bye"

Both warriors vanished, leaving Neveah alone in the now destroyed roadside. He gazed down at the two tokens and gripped them tightly.

"You have bad luck," Sharon\'s voice echoed in his mind, cold and professional as always.

Neveah nodded in agreement with a defeated sigh in agreement. "I know," he muttered, slipping the tokens into his pocket.

**********

Silence descended upon the rooftop. Kael stood behind Constantine and his gaze fixed on the horizon. Constantine stared up at the starry night sky.

Finally, Kael broke the silence. "I\'m sorry," he said.

Constantine tilted his head slightly, a hint of surprise in his posture. "What are you apologizing for?"

Kael shuffled his feet. "I\'m sorry I lost. I\'m sorry you have to keep living your life as a servant…"

Constantine remained silent for a long moment, then said. "Lost huh?" he echoed, still facing the night sky. "I also lost, Kael."

Constantine turned around, his eyes looking at Kael. "Tell me, what do you think about him?"

Kael was quiet, then removed his helmet, revealing his confused face. "The young master… well, he\'s certainly… odd. His orders are strange, and his behavior is… unpredictable, to say the least."

"Unpredictable? Yes, that he certainly is. I love monotony... I like things being the same but thr young master is different... But is that honestly a bad thing? " Said Constantine

"No," Kael admitted slowly. " And he\'s fair. He doesn\'t treat us with disdain or cruelty. He respects us in his own… that\'s why he\'s weird."

A smile formed on the corner of Constantine\'s lips. "You see, Kael? There\'s your answer then. As long as we are content with our lot, it matters little what others think. And the young master, for all his… weirdness, isn\'t so bad, no, not at all."

He reached out and tapped Kael on the shoulder. With a soft shimmer, Constantine vanished. Kael stood alone on the rooftop, a small smile forming on his face. "Is that so…" he said.