The Devil's Good Girl-Chapter 307: Stop the world

The sound of metal clashing resonated in the forest situated on the hill. Jackson and Quentin were akin to shadows, appearing and disappearing, meeting halfway. The only indicator of where they were was the sparks of their weapons.

After minutes of nonstop battle, their weapons screeched and rattled once more before they leaped away from each other.

Jackson flung his sword to the side, splitting the air cleanly. On the other hand, Quentin wiped the corner of his mouth with his index knuckle. Both were still perfectly fine as if the battle they had engaged with wasn’t even worthy to call a warm-up.

"This brings me back to the good old days, Jackson," Quentin mused. "We used to spar together as well. Don’t you remember?"

"I do." The corner of Jackson’s lips curled up subtly. "And each time, I beat you."

Quentin arched a brow. "You beat me?"

"Quentin, all the times you won against me were deliberate so as not to hurt your pride and fragile ego."

"Hah." Quentin chuckled. "Is that so?"

"I understood that my purpose is to not only become your war dog but also to accentuate your... greatness — as what you call it," Jackson dawdled, sizing up Quentin and the growing dark aura behind him. "Isn’t that right, Quentin?"

Quentin smiled. "And you did that very diligently because, as you said, that was your purpose, Jackson. Be it then or now, you are nothing and will never be anything without me! You will always be underneath me."

As soon as those words rolled out of his tongue, Quentin teleported in front of Jackson. Fortunately, despite the sudden increase in speed, Jackson was able to block the incoming attack.

Clang!

Just one attack and Jackson could tell it was more powerful than the last. Quentin leaped away once more, stopping several meters from the man.

"Surprised?" Quentin smirked arrogantly. "Jackson, did you think I was fighting with you seriously until now?"

Jackson didn’t answer.

"I’m simply buying myself some time." A knowing look turned up on Quentin’s face. "No one was left near the circle and even if anyone else comes... Vincent Hale will guard the ceremony for me."

A vicious chuckle immediately followed his remarks. "It had started."

The minute Jackson heard those words, his ears perked up, followed by this sudden wave of pervasive aura in the air. His eyes dilated, remembering Dustin was still there, all alone. Aside from Kenzo, there was also one person left near the circle.

Vincent Hale.

"Jackson," Quentin called to get the man’s attention. "The only part of you that is going back there is her heart."

Slowly, he reached his hand out to the side and spread his fingers. The moment he did, a small black portal appeared underneath his palm. Quentin casually shoved his hand inside and when he pulled it out, he was already holding a black sword.

Seeing the sword with a black blade, Jackson couldn’t help but squint his eyes. "How come it’s in your possession?"

"Heh. It never left me, Jackson," replied Quentin with a slight chortle. "The one Alamo and the council confiscated was another one. Right. You didn’t know there were two of them, did you?"

The black sword Quentin was holding was one of the ancient swords created by the most powerful witch to have ever lived. It was said that this sword’s main ingredient was life. The first holder of the said weapon slayed countless people until the blades turned black, trapping the souls of those the warrior slayed inside. Hence, the color.

Quentin got a hold of it many years ago. Because of this, Alamo was still recovering until now from the injury inflicted by the sword. Even so, they were able to recover it and sealed Quentin into a very long slumber.

Now, Quentin was saying there were actually two of them.

How come Jackson and Alamo and everyone in the council didn’t know of that? Or was this one a replica? But how? Quentin wasn’t that powerful even as a warlock and a vampire to create such a powerful weapon.

"That sword in the council’s possession is the original." As if reading Jackson’s mind, Quentin happily explained. "And this one... is created by Filomena. Have you ever wondered how Latrice was able to regain control over that body?"

Jackson’s jaw sharpened once more the moment he heard the name Filomena. Surely, Filomena, Latrice, and Fil were all different. Filomena were the worst.

"It’s because of this." Quentin slowly lifted the sword in front of him. "Creating this exhausted Filomena and Latrice took advantage of her moment’s weakness. If only I knew that would happen, I would’ve killed you sooner, so she wouldn’t dare seal my queen back!"

A surge of displeasure swelled in Quentin’s heart as he remembered that time as if it only happened yesterday. "Well, there’s no need to be angry. Everything is already said and done. What’s important now is that my queen and I will be reunited soon."

Just as Quentin smirked, Jackson suddenly disappeared from his vantage point. In a matter of milliseconds, he heard Jackson’s quiet voice behind him.

"Quentin, I never realized this, but... you do talk a lot."

Clang!

The sound of another ear-splitting metal clashing sound rang in the air as both their swords met. Despite Jackson’s increase in speed, Quentin was able to react in time. And thus, started another fierce battle between them.

This time, they weren’t just playing.

Every time their swords clashed, a powerful gust of wind would erupt from where they were. Tree branches and leaves started falling while evident cuts appeared on the tree trunks. The weapons weren’t even hitting them directly, but the impact itself was powerful enough to leave such traces.

For Jackson, he knew he didn’t have plenty of time to stop the ritual. Dustin might have been there and he might’ve been able to stall time, but he was aware of Dustin’s physical and spiritual state.

As for Quentin, his desire to stop Jackson stayed at an all-time high. Even if Jackson still ended up overpowering him in this duel, Quentin was certain once the ritual was over, Jackson would fall. After all, the person who had given him life was Filomena and if Filomena awakened, Jackson was as good as dead.

The longer the battle raged on, the fiercer it got.

The victor was yet decided.

*

*

*

Dustin clenched his teeth when he was near the circle. Just a little more and he could cross it. Now that the circle had come to life, creating a portal of the dead and alive, Dustin was certain he could buy some more time if he entered it.

The circle, after all, would first target anyone in the circle that had the most life force and energy. The stronger the sacrifice was, the more painful the process would be. It was why Vincent was more in pain and the first to feel the agony of hell.

If Dustin jumped in it, the hands that were pulling all the people in the circle down would shift to him. In that way, he could buy Kenzo some time, and probably, Kenzo could take Fil’s family and friends out of it. It was a little farfetched, but Kenzo already did the impossible.

There was hope.

But just when Dustin was a few feet closer to the circle, the air suddenly went still.

"Huh?" Dustin paused for a moment, looking up and catching some leaves in the air, stopping midair. Not just the leaves, but everything in the air stopped in place. Even the grass that had been swaying along the harsh wind stayed bent.

Slowly, he shifted his dilated eyes on the circle, and the hands also stopped. Even Kenzo and Vincent, who had been screaming in agony, paused.

"What... is going on?" a whisper came out of his lips because this seemed like time, or rather, the world stopped itself. For some reason, Dustin felt his heart thud because such an unknown occurrence could also mean another huge omen.

They were already dealing with an omen. Another one right at this moment would definitely put them at a disadvantage.

Dustin wasn’t the only person who stopped by this sudden phenomenon. Even those who were fighting in the vicinity had to stop fighting.

Alamo stopped when Shanaiah suddenly froze, along with everything in their surrounding.

Quentin and Jackson, on the other hand, separated from each other when they noticed the abrupt change of atmosphere. The trees that had been victimized by their fierce battle even stopped from falling apart.

Everything stopped, not just on the hill where all of this was occurring.

The entire world stopped.

All the people in their homes or somewhere else stopped; the spilled beverages stopped from reaching the ground, the vehicles, the ocean, and even the sky.

At this very second, the entire world literally stopped and only a few were conscious enough to grow aware of this phenomenon.

Meanwhile, at the foot of the hill, Fil spread her arms as she gazed up. Her eyes shone brightly until all that could be seen in her eyes was that blinding light.