Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Chapter 126 Twin Challenge Conclusion

As Jett stood in the middle of the strange landscape, the scorching heat and biting cold seemed to swell and push against each other, constantly fighting for dominance. Each time one of the voices spoke, the borders of fire and ice expanded, creeping closer toward him, yet neither side would touch, like two rival kingdoms locked in a tense stalemate.

"So what now? You want to kill me too?" Jett asked calmly, raising an eyebrow as though this had become a regular occurrence for him. 'Feels like this keeps happening more often now,' he mused internally, somewhat amused at the ridiculousness of it all.

The fire blazed fiercely, followed by a voice dripping with power. "What is your motive? Why are you here? You want to harm them don't you?"

Jett threw his hands up in mock exasperation. "Seriously? I just helped your successors find their goddamn Divine Weapons. What's the deal with you guys anyway? Making impossible, borderline suicidal tasks for the same people you want to inherit your legacy." He scoffed, unimpressed. "Have you no shame?"

The ground cracked beneath his feet as the freezing wind howled. The second voice, sharp and cold, lashed out. "It is not for you to question our methods, mortal. Those who seek our legacy must be tested beyond their limits. It is how they will survive what is to come. You of all beings should know this."

Jett rolled his eyes. "Oh please, cut the theatrics. You want them to inherit your powers, but you set them up for failure at every turn. Maybe, just maybe, stop making it so damn hard."

There was a moment of stillness, the land between the fiery and frozen realms at a standstill before both voices answered in unison, shaking the very air around him. "They must prove their worth. Only the strong will rise. But your presence here... your origin disturbs the balance. A fire that burns without end, and a cold that freezes the light itself: danger lurks in your blood."

Jett furrowed his brow slightly. "Danger in my blood? Great. Another riddle, just what I needed. Why don't you stop talking in cryptic nonsense and just say what you mean?"

"Beware, child of the forgotten flame and forsaken ice, for you walk a path where neither fire nor frost may protect you forever. Heed this warning: Your origins may consume those you cherish, as they have consumed others before."

Jett snorted, unphased. "Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about."

The land crackled with energy as one of the voices pressed on, insistent. "The contract we saw on both of them, that was your doing, wasn't it? Terminate it."

Jett tilted his head, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, I'll think about it."

The fiery side flared up, towering high before subsiding into a controlled burn, while the icy side mirrored it with an even colder chill that sent shivers down his spine.

"Do not toy with us, mortal. We have seen your true self. Your interference will only bring ruin. Leave our successors to their own path, or face the consequences."

Jett's nonchalance was unshaken, even as the environment around him became increasingly hostile. "Face the consequences? Is that supposed to scare me? Come on, you guys really need to work on the intimidation factor."

The two forces seemed to pause, and for a moment, the fire dimmed and the ice receded. When they spoke again, their voices were less harsh, though no less commanding. "You meddle where you do not belong, yet we acknowledge but fear your unusual strength and cunning. We will offer you this: A title. You are now known as [Loved by Fire and Ice], but be warned... you tread a perilous path."

Jett raised an eyebrow, intrigued but unmoved by their theatrics. "[Loved by Fire and Ice], huh? Sounds fancy. What's the catch?"

"The catch is this: Leave our successors alone. Your interference has gone far enough. Let them face their fate."

With that, the voices began to fade, the border between fire and ice shrinking once more, leaving Jett standing in the middle of the fading battlefield. He couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I'll think about it," he muttered, turning his back on the fading realms with a smirk.

Jett turned back toward the fading voices, still wearing his trademark smirk. "How about this…" he began, his tone casual yet challenging. "Instead of taking away the contract, I'll make sure they both reach the peak of their potential."

The voices, once mighty and imposing, seemed taken aback by his proposition. "You mean…" one started to say, but Jett interrupted them swiftly.

"Yes," he said confidently. "I'll max out their levels and help them with their unique quests."

As Jett spoke, his inner thoughts followed, 'I was going to do that anyway, but I might as well get paid for it.'

The land of scorching heat and biting cold fell into a hushed murmur. The voices seemed to contemplate the proposal amongst themselves, their silent deliberation stretching for what felt like ages.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a small shard of ice materialized before Jett, floating delicately in the air.

"Touch the ice and swear that you mean my successor no harm," one of the voices commanded, its tone still menacing but more measured. "If you can do that, then we have a deal."

Jett sighed, giving them a look as though they were making things unnecessarily difficult. "Could try being nice about it," he muttered, before reaching out and taking hold of the ice shard. The cold stung his skin for a moment, but he ignored the sensation.

Holding the shard up, he spoke with a mischievous grin. "I swear that whatever I do to them or with them will be with their best interest in mind."

The shard trembled in his hand, responding to his words. As soon as he finished crafting his own oath, the ice crystal shattered into a thousand tiny shards, scattering into the air before vanishing entirely. In that moment, Jett felt a surge of power wash over him, like a hidden door had opened deep within.

"You have earned the title [Loved by Fire and Ice]," the voices declared. Their tone softened, but there was still an underlying tension. "But remember this: your future will be a dark one, and not even fire nor frost will shield you from the path you've chosen."

Before Jett could respond, the world around him blurred and shifted, the fiery and frozen landscape dissolving as reality returned to him.

*****

Suddenly, Jett found himself standing back at the academy, the familiar surroundings of Clarendon School solidifying around him. He glanced to his side and saw Aiden and Elora appearing at the exact same moment. They all looked at each other, checking if they were still in one piece.

'We got here at the same time? I guess they still had enough power to pause time just to talk to me,' Jett thought, smirking at the absurdity of it all.

Aiden stretched and flexed his arms, clearly reveling in the aftereffects of the Divine Weapon he had acquired. Elora, on the other hand, looked composed but quietly proud.

"Alright, you can go show off your new weapons," Jett sighed, crossing his arms. "I guess you won't be needing the ones Cedric made for you guys."

Elora shot him a glance, feigning indignation. "Why would I want to show off? How immature do you think I am…"

Before she could finish, Aiden jumped in with a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "I'm definitely showing this off," he said, holding up his newly acquired Divine Weapon like it was a trophy. "I want to see the look on Finn's face when I show him this baby."

Jett turned to Elora, his smirk widening. "You were saying…?"

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Elora rolled her eyes and sighed, clearly irritated. "He's a moron, he doesn't count." She defended herself, glancing sideways at Aiden as if to drive her point home.

Jett chuckled, knowing that despite the seriousness of their recent ordeal, some things never changed.

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I guess its over now