Chapter Text
The clinic smelt of disinfectant and blood, nurses and staff constantly running around. It all becomes a blur to Evourai sitting on the bed. His injuries and wounds bandaged and tended to. As he looked to his side, he saw Supzec on the other bed. He hissing at the alcohol landing on his face.
Evo then turned to face the other side, a faint sound of beeping would be heard. Nufuli on the bed with cuts and slashes everywhere on his body, nurses piling around him while he was cleaned and bandaged. A pang of guilt hitting him in the chest, his eyes diverting his gaze, then staring at the tiled floor.
He felt horrible, and that alone couldn't even cover just how bad he felt. Just imagine opening your eyes after a blackout to blood everywhere and your own friends staring at you like a monster, he barely even knew what he did!
Yet that can't excuse what he did. He, or what Supzec said, did wounds so deep he might even not recover fully. But then again, he wasn't conscious! How was he supposed to be held accountable for what he did? Maybe they all just didn't get it.
Evo shook his head, hopping off the bed and walking off. The phantom pain of where Nufuli had stuck him still there, making it hurt whenever the man took a step. His body instinctively leaned beside the hallway walls to balance himself, making his way to the spectators area before sudden footsteps and a voice caught up to him,
“Hey, Evo!”
The man turned around, seeing the pink devil walking up to him. His wounds barely there due to the fight not being as dangerous as the others,
“Oh, hey Boomie.”
“Where ya’ going?”
“To the spectators area, clinics are too loud.”
Boomie hummed, they then resumed their walk. Now together as Evo didnt realise the stare the devil was giving him, it immediately turned to normal when Evourai looked up.
The hallway then came to an end as the two walked into the area, the silence of it all comforting,
“So, what happened down there?”
Evo walked over to the railing, leaning on it as he replied back with a sigh,
“I–I don't know, I blacked out.”
Boomie walked closer, he leaning beside Evo on the railing,
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that like, I was about to get eliminated and everything went black!”
“Hm, you know, I think we can try something..”
Evo looked to the man,
“Do what?”
“Come with me.”
Boomie then grabbed Evourai’s hand, dragging him to one of the fighting rooms and locked the door,
“Are you gonna kill me?”
“What? N–tsk just stand here.”
Evo looked at the devil with speculation, then walked to when Boomie pointed. Watching as he shuffled in the chests, pulling out candles and red ink.
Boomie then placed the candles around in a big circle, surrounding Evo. Then putting chalk in a pattern, the final line making the whole thing glow.
The pink man then stepped in the circle, grabbing Evo’s hands and closing his eyes. Evourai soon following as the sound of candles lighting echoed around him,
“Hey wait are you sure this is—”
WOOSH
A large gust of wind would surround the two as they would be flashed with a bright light, it being visible as Evo tightly had his eyes closed. It all went black as everything he heard disappeared, his grip on Boomie’s hands fading as everything disappeared.
When he opened his eyes again, it was to a familiar flower field. The sunbeams never quite reached him as he looked around, standing this time. Boomie being on his right, looking at the place,
“Youre mindscape is much more different than I imagined.”
Evo stared at Boomie, the soft gust of wind passing through the two like they werent there,
“Boomie, what the fuck?”
“What?”
“What's a mindscape, how are we here?”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.”
“Well, this is your mind. All your memories are stored here.”
“Ah.”
“So why are we here?”
“We're here to find out what happened.”
Boomie then began to walk around the field, looking around like he was looking for something. His hands touching the different flowers and feeling the grass,
“What are you looking for?”
Evo walked over, crouching down to where Boomie was sifting through. The array of flowers shifting at the touch of their hands,
“Im looking for your memories, mine looks like a big library. Maybe they're somewhere here.”
The two then began to search the flower field, picking flowers and checking the floor for anything. A loud yell being heard from the distance,
“I think I found it!”
Evourai turned his head to the distance, seeing Boomie waving his hand as he held a stone slate. He then walked over to get a better look,
“What is it?”
The man said, holding the stone slate. It looked old, almost faded as moss and small bits of chipped stone littered it. A carving in the center being nearly untouched, it being in the shape of a small heart,
“Im not sure, but I think we need to search for whatever fits in that carving. I'll continue looking.”
The devil turned around, ready to search the flower field more thoroughly when Evo shouted out,
“Wait!”
Boomie paused, turning around to Evo as he watched him shift and shuffle through his pockets. The man pulled out a small green crystal, the shape being almost perfect,
“You think this’ll work?”
The two held the gem and stone side by side, their proportions being almost made for each other as they nodded,
“Yeah, yeah I think it will. Where’d you even find it?”
Evourai then put the crystal into the slate, the two fitting like puzzle pieces,
“I think it was a gift.”
Just as he pressed the crystal in, it immediately let out a bright glow. The cracks in the slate glowing the same green colour.
A loud rumble would be heard as the two looked around in alert, Evo’s hand gripping the slate as the shaking intensified. The flowers and grass shifted violently as cracks formed on the ground, the same green glow illuminating the floor.
Just as the cracks grew bigger, a door would appear out of nowhere, it being a wooden door overgrown with moss and flowers of all kinds, their blooming colours being the same as the one in the field. The door handle opened without their hands grazing it as it swung open with a loud swoosh, revealing a white light.
Both Boomie and Evourai’s eyes widened in shock just as yet another rumble shook the two, snapping out of their awe. The pink devil grabbed Evo’s hand and ran towards the door, dragging Evo as he also began to run towards the door. The mindscape around them breaking and destroying itself.
The two then ran right into the door head first, their vision going bright white as the sound of rumbling and cracking ground stopped. Their vision returned as they were shoved out the door, it closing with a harsh thud. The two then stopped to catch their breaths.
As they finished, Evo looked up to see where they were. His eyes widening at where they were, Boomie soon looking up.
It was a grand library, the shelves and pillars being a polished quartz infused with blackstone and gold. The flooring being a tiled pattern of white and black tiles, the ceiling being filled with astonishing architecture and quartz details,
“Woah.”
“Youre mindscapes cool.”
Evo laughed dramatically, dabbing a fist to his chest arrogantly,
“Yeah! Cuz I'm the best.”
Boomie rolled his eyes, a grin on his face as he punched Evo lightly on the shoulder,
“Okay bro, but seriously.”
“We’ve got to find that memory and get out of here.”
“Yeah.”
The two then began to walk around, their footsteps echoing off the quartz, making each footstep feel more louder than necessary.
Each shelf was filled to the brim with books, all being recorded by date and time. The shelves stretched for miles as Evourai kept looking. The top of the shelf showing the year it kept, he walked and walked till he found the right year. His footsteps coming to a halt as he looked at the sign above and read it,
ℸ∴ᒷリℸǁ-ℸ∴ᒷリℸǁ ᓭ╎̇/
Evourai then began to check the books, taking one and opening it. The book then flashed a white light, the words inside it seemingly becoming reality as Evo watched it like a dream. He soon returned to reality as the book closed shut. His eyes blinked rapidly at the sudden stream of information.
The man then looked at the titles of the books, each of them being a day,
ᒲǁ ⎓╎∷ᓭℸ ↸ᔑǁ ᔑℸ ∴𝙹∷ꖌ
ᔑ ↸∷ᒷᔑᒲ ∴╎ℸ⍑ ╎⋮⎓ǁᒲ
╎ リᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ ∴ᔑᓭ ᓭ𝙹∷∷ǁ
Evo frowned at the last one, yet his hand grabbed it and turned around. Waving the book and yelling to Boomie,
“Hey I found it!”
The devil turned around, his expression looking sour as he put a book back, yet Evo ignored it. Then walking over to Evourai as they held the book together,
“Okay I think we just open it while holding it together.”
“On three,”
“One.”
“Two.”
“Thre–”
SMASH
Evo’s hand would be thrown aback as a mace hit Boomie in the face, a blur of blue shoving him and the book away. Evourai’s eyes widening.
As Evourai finally saw the attacker stop and get a good look, his body froze.
The attacker had the same attire as him, a blue kimono, and the same black hair and blue bandana. Was it him?
No, it couldn't be. He was right here. How could that be possible, it's not like he had a doppelganger, did he?
The look-a-like him turned around, their face exactly like Evo’s. Except, their hair was instead hiding his other eye. His scar in full view as the eye staring at him looked almost dead, the bright shine he usually had in his red eyes a dull red colour, deep dark circles rimming the clone's eyes. As Evo stared, the weapon in their hand would be gripped tighter. Their weapon being a mace, it having a customized handle. It molding his hand perfectly, the head having pointed metal edges on the sides, the whole thing being adorned in gold and blue gems and an eye at the center of it.
The clone then turned sharply on his heel, the weight of the mace being dragged as he smashed into the man running behind him. Boomie being thrown into a wall with a harsh thud, the quartz cracking at the pressure.
The pink devil groaned as he held the book in his hand tightly, he gathering all the energy he had to throw the book at Evo, he catching it as the clone began to run to Boomie,
“EVO! CHECK IT WITHOUT ME, ILL FIGHT IT.”
The man screamed, dodging the mace attack by a hair as his left antler got chopped off by a bit, blood seeping out,
“I—what?! But what about you?”
“JUST DO IT EVOURAI.”
Boomi yelled, pulling off a golden bracelet on his wrist. Throwing it at the clone as it expanded, trapping him as it bought the devil time to pull out a weapon using magic. Pulling out a glowing pink blade and slashing the clone.
Evourai then looked down at the book in his hands, the sound of Boomie clashing with a clone paining him. Yet he still opened the book, the white glow shining brightly as he was transported to the memory.
The white light began to fade as it opened to the fighting arena, Evourai materialising in the battlefield. His eyes opening to the part where he was getting beat up.
Evourai then watched himself getting beat up by Nufuli, the pain still paining in vital areas as he saw the slashes and punching land on himself.
“Look man, just give up. I dont want to hurt you anymore.”
“No.”
The man then ran towards Evo, his sword raised as he watched himself close his eyes. Immediately noticing a change as he watched him dodge the sword, his hand moving to move his hair. Revealing his scarred eye, those same dull eyes staring at Nufuli.
“I thought you said you gave up?”
Nufuli stared at Evo confused, not noticing the change in attitude.
He then watched himself grab nothing at first, then, a mace slowly appearing. It looking the exact same as the clone in the library, grabbing like it weighed nothing ,even though he knew he could barely bench 20 KG, even spinning it and charging at the hydro-dragon.
The fight Evourai then watched was something he could never do in a decade. Watching as he effortlessly moved the mace like a light stick and striking Nufuli with efficient hits, bringing the man soon bleeding,
“Okay, okay! You win, I'm eliminated.”
Dull eyes stared at Nufuli’s bleeding state, stashing his mace and kicking him in the stomach. The force knocked the air out of Nufuli, he then being hit with a barrage of skilled attacks Evourai didn't even know he could do. He was still attacking when Nufuli bled out on the corner, the crowd slowly realizing that Evo wasn't stopping.
Evourai reached his hand out of instinct to help, his ghost-like body just phasing through the two. The sound of fist meeting skin. The crimson blood forming on Nufuli’s clothes making Evo go pale.
Supzec then ran over, phasing through Evourai and to the man attacking Nufuli and holding him back. He thrashing and attempting to break free as others began to rush to Nufuli.
Evourai watched it all with wide eyes, his hands beginning to shake at all of it, the familiar white light returning and bringing him out of the memory and to the library, the fight still ongoing as he came back to Boomie and the clone clashing swords,
“DID YOU FIND ANYTHING?”
The man stayed silent. Boomie then grunting as the clone shoved him to another bookshelf, blood smearing on his clothes as he forced himself back on his feet. Sweat beaming on the man,
“EVOURAI!”
Boomie yelled once more, shoving the clone hard and slashing him in the chest. Blood oozing and staining the blue kimono red, their eyes staring at Boomie before they disappeared. The clone poofing into a blue dust, the pink devil finally having a chance to breathe. His heavy pants filling the silence between the two.
He then walked to the nearest wall, leaning on it as his weight slowly dragged him down till his body hit the floor. Resting his hands on his knees as his head was resting on the wall, staring at the roof while sweat and blood dripped on his forehead and cuts.
Boomie then glanced over at Evourai, his posture the exact same as when he opened it. His head down and his hands holding the book, his knuckles turning a white-ish colour as the grip on it visibly tightened. Evo’s body shaking as he finally moved, his hand returning the book on the shelf with an echoing thud.
Evo then made his way to the pink man, sliding down the wall and resting his head on his knees and covering his head with his hands,
“I–me? I don't know. I beat him up.”
“Hm, maybe it wasn't you. And, you have a scar?”
The man finally looked up from his quick mope, facing Boomie with a face full of regret,
“Yeah, it's more of a birthmark actually.”
Evo said, removing his bandana and retiring it to part the hair covering his left eye. His full face came into view,
“It looks exactly like that Evourai I fought.”
“But it doesn't make sense, I can't even see with that eye.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, when I close my right eye, all I see is this creepy red.”
Boomie then stared at Evo, his hand covering his eye. Leaving only his left in view as the same dull colour was there, it moving around,
“Are you moving your eyes?”
“Hm? No, why?”
The red eye then stared at the devil, their eyes making contact as chills went down his spine. Spooking him and grabbing the hand that was covering his right eye, pulling it off,
“Youre, youre eye just moved.”
“What?”
“It–it moved without you moving it.”
“WHAT.”
Evourai exclaimed, covering his left eye immediately with his hair and feeling just as creeped out as Boomie,
“That was weird.”
“Very.”
“You think that Evourai fighting me was like, like your left eye?”
“I'm creeped out as is, Boomie.”
“No! I'm serious, unless someone else has been here.”
A flash of when Evourai dreaming came into mind, the blurs of purple and their conversations ringing every bell in his mind,
“Oh! There's this guy.”
“What guy?”
“His name’s–”
..
…
…?
Why can't he say it?
Evourai coughs, cold sweat collecting on his palms,
“His name’s—”
..
Just say it, Evourai.
Why can't you?
Evourai slapped his mouth, his eyes widening as Boomie stared at him confused,
“What–what happened?”
“I–I'm trying to say their name. It–it won't let me.”
“Like, you're not gonna say it?”
“No! I can't–I can't say it. I'm trying to but it cuts me off!”
Boomie’s brows furrowed as he stood up. Evourai soon following as he watched the devil grabbed both of his hands,
“I think we need to leave, whatever’s stopping you, doesn't mean anything good.”
Evourai immediately nodded, the two closing their eyes as a flash of light returned. Their minds then returned to the real world, the candles unlit and the chalk seemingly erased.
The two seemed to stand in the room longer than necessary. Evourai then walked to the door and unlocked it with shaky hands, the air shifting from the tense, cold one to the refreshing air. Slight chatter and murmuring could be heard from the end of the hallway.
They then made their way over back to the clinic, the walking feeling miles longer due to the silence throughout their whole trot. The clinic doors already open as the scent of disinfectant and alcohol filled the two’s noses, their minds forgetting what happened for just a bit before returning to what had just happened earlier.
Just then, an announcement boomed over the entire clinic. A vice crackling to life as the speakers boomed,
“Everyone, please refer to the hallways and enter door 4A.”
A pause would be heard before the announcer continued,
“The final test shall begin.”