-Four Days Left-

Aster sat on Jack's couch and let out a huff of amusement at the sight in front of him, "So he does this everyday now?" He looked to Eathan who was standing the kitchen threshold.

Eathan nodded with a smile, "Yeah," Eathan glanced to Jack then back to Aster, "No idea where he goes to in there, but he seems to be more relaxed lately." Eathan shook his shook and gave his meditating brother a sad smile, "No matter how good of a front he had, you could always tell, ya know?"

Aster laughed, "He seemed pretty relaxed to me, aside from the monsters hiding in his head."

Eathan mulled over Aster's words for a few silent moments before he looked to Aster with a raised eyebrow, "You think it's all in his head?"

Aster nodded his head curtly, "Yeah I do. I've played along for along time, though I do want to help him in anyway I can," Aster paused and thought over his next words carefully, "I think that whateva had happened to me while in his company, was him blacking out and getting a surge of adrenaline."

Eathan hummed for a moment, "That makes sense, but I have to ask, what exactly happened to you?"

Aster gave a chortle and looked at Jack as he spoke, "Well, I was held against the wall off the ground and thrown out a window after I had just been thrown across mah livin' room into the wall."

Eathan gave a short laugh, "You're telling me you think Jack lifted you off the ground and threw you across the room and out a window?" Eathan held a baffled expression toward Aster.

Aster nodded, "Yeah, I do. People can accomplish unthinkable feats when pumped with adrenaline."

Eathan nodded, "True."

P/A/G/E/B/R/E/A/K

Tress blurred past Jack's vision as he sprinted through the forest. His breaths were deep and the usual exhaustion he would feel was non-existent. A smile plastered on his face as his legs hauled him through the thick woodland.

As quick as he was running, he was immediately stopped in his tracks, clothes-lined by an arm he didn't see coming. At the speed he was rushing, the sudden force caused him to flip back in the air and land on his stomach.

Jack grunted as he hastily made his way to feet. He spun on his heel and faced where the arm had come from. His eyes went wide with shock at the site of what was there; A dark figure who's form was too distorted to figure what it really was. It's out-stretched arm in mid-morph of something solid to bleed back into the smoky form that was now next to the tree it had been hiding behind.

Jack took a step back and eyed it suspiciously, "What are you?"

It cackled in a screeching tone, "Why, I'm your fear. The monster lurking deep within the dark corners of your mind," It cackled again before it streamed to the air mere inches in front of Jack.

Jack misplaced his step back and fell down to his butt, "W-What do you want?"

It laughed deeply and loomed over Jack, "I want you."

Jack could hear it laugh as he scrambled away from the thing in front of him. He got to his feet and stumbled away into a sprint.

He didn't get very far before the thing that called itself his fear appeared a few feet away from him. Jack gasped and staggered as he tried to turn away from it. He fell back as it was where he had turned. It was in front of him again when he went to turn around again. He fell back and curled into himself. He could feel it get closer as he laid there.

He was roughly picked up by his shoulders and placed on feet. Jack held his eyes closed as his shoulders remained tightly held.

An angry, raspy, authoritarian voice spoke, "Look at me!" Jack shook his head in response. The grip on his shoulders constricted and the angry voice spoke, "I said," It paused for short moment before it finished in a yell, "LOOK AT ME!" Jack let out a shuddered breath and hesitantly opened his eyes.

As he stared at the smoky figure holding him, his breaths became shallow. His body shook from the panic and terror at the smoky figure holding him.

"Do you understand why you're afraid of me?" The murky figure spoke, its voice even. Jack shook his head. The smoke of creature moving right next to his ear, "Anticipation." Jack shuddered at the word before it moved away and spoke again, "Anticipation of what I will do to you in your own mind." Jack could tell it was smiling by the change of tone.

P/A/G/E/B/R/E/A/K

Aster stood from the couch and walked over to his boyfriend sitting on the floor. He leaned down to Jack and kissed him on the top of head. I love you. He walked over to front door and looked back to the living room.

"'Ey, Eathan, I'm leavin now, I'll be back later t'night!" Aster shouted throughout the house.

"Alright, see you then." Eathan shouted from somewhere in the house.

Aster smiled as he left the house and pulled out his cellphone to call a cab.

Eathan was standing in front of a blank canvas. Thank you Aster for the canvas and paints, but I don't know what to paint. Eathan wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there, staring at the canvas wondering what to paint. He knew that his legs were tired from his fixed position.

Eathan grabbed his palette he had already put paint into and reached for his brush. He went to dip the brush in blue, but found that he couldn't. Uh, what? He went to dip his brush again. His arm paused inches from the blob of paint. He pulled away from it and rotated his shoulder a few times, determination setting in. He quickly moved his arm to the palette. The same result as the first two times, his arm paused before he could even touch the paint.

Eathan huffed in frustration and set the palette on the ground. He bent down on to his knees and raised his brush above his head. He slammed his fist towards the palette, Not even thinking, he kept swinging his brush towards the palette. Every time he swung down, his arm would stop just above the paint, never quite touching it.

Eathan shouted out in anger. He picked up the palette and threw at the wall. A foot before the palette hit wall it froze in the air and simply fell to the floor, paint side up. Eathan stared at it, fuming. He stomped over to it, picked it up and flipped it upside down. He attempted to push it down on the floor, but he couldn't, his arms froze above the floor.

He turned it right side up and stared at the paint. He held it in one hand reached for the paint with the other. To his extreme relief, he was able to dip his fingers into the paint. He stood and briskly stepped to the canvas in front of him. He tentatively reached toward the canvas. Eathan's hand became numb and fell to his side, staying just far enough away to avoid his pants.

P/A/G/E/B/R/E/A/K

Jack was vainly hiding behind tree. As soon as the figure had eased its grip he tore away from it and ran. He was trying to slow his breaths and calm himself down, but felt tense from the ominous feel in the air. He looked around the dense trees, and saw nothing. He refused to move from where he was. It might find me. It could be behind this tree right now, waiting. Jack quivered at the thought.

He heard a snap of a twig to his right. He quickly turned his head and stared from where the noise came from. Nothing. He sighed and looked forward again.

Jack's body froze at the sight in front of him. He felt eyes staring at him, though there were none.

Jack let a blood curdling scream echo through the forest. He shut his eyes tight as wind began to blow through the trees, carrying Jack's scream even farther.

Just as the distorted smoke of a monster lunged at Jack, he heard a sharp sound and the wind was gone.

Jack timidly opened his eyes. He was surprised to find himself at the base of the mountain, surrounded by sand with what looked to be an ocean in the distance. He reached down and gripped the sand between his hands, tears starting to run down his cheeks.

"I made it." Jack cried with relief and joy, "I made it. I made it. I made it." Jack looked to the clear sky above, "I fucking made it!" He shouted joyfully, throwing the sand in his hands behind him.

"You sure did." said a joyfully familiar voice.

Jack turned to his left and saw a pleasant smile, "Rick." A smile spread across Jack's lips as he looked on at his friend.

"Hello, Jack." Rick said with a smile.

Jack stood quickly to his feet and ran up to Rick. Jack wrapped his arms around him tightly, "I'm so glad to see you, you have no idea."

Rick returned the hug with gusto, "Heh, you made it."

Jack laughed, "I know."

Rick smiled, "You still have a mountain to climb though." Rick released Jack and gave him a warm smile.

Jack looked towards the peak of the mountain, "How do I climb it, I can't just scale a mountain."

Rick raised an eyebrow, "And why not?"

Jack gestured to the mountain, "It's steep and rocky as fuck. I need equipment for that."

Rick rested a hand on Jack's shoulder, "How about this instead?" His other hand waved in front the mountain.

As Rick's hand rested back at his side, the mountain began to smooth out. The mountain shifted and started to form a winding staircase. It looked as if it wrapped around the mountain, making the rough stairs less steep and easier to step up.

Jack huffed in amazement, "That works too."

Rick grinned at Jack, "Good. Also," Rick pulled a long, thick stick from behind his back, "watch your step." He handed the stick towards Jack.

Jack grabbed the stick, "Thanks." Jack thought for a moment, "So what's the lesson today?"

Rick shrugged his shoulders, "No idea, I'm just here to help you."

Jack smiled, "Good. I'm tired of lessons."

Rick laughed, "Oh there's sure to be one more. I'm guessing at the peak."

Jack scoffed, "It better be damn well flat up there."

Rick laughed again, "You'll find out when you get there I guess. For now though," Rick paused and looked to sky, "I think its high time you went and calmed Eathan down."

Jack tilted his head, "What's wrong with Eathan?"

Rick shook his head, "Not sure, but he's been yelling a lot."

Jack hummed before speaking, "I'll see you soon. The real you."

Rick shook his head, "Don't tell me. Tell the real me."

Jack nodded his head and closed his eyes, "Thank you."

Jack opened his eyes and looked around his living room. He heard Eathan's voice yelling incoherent words down the hall. Jack stood up and jogged down the hallway to Eathan's room. He stopped in the doorway when he saw what was happening.

Eathan had just jumped from the bed and nose-dived to ground. He was holding a paint palette in an outstretched hand. Before the palette could touch the floor, Eathan's body was flipped to the side and to the floor. The paint on the palette never touched the ground.

Eathan stood with a grunt and turned to the doorway. He eyed Jack with a glare.

"What?!" Eathan shouted.

Jack startled from the tone, "I was just wondering what you were shouting about?"

"I can't paint!" Eathan shouted at Jack.

Jack gave him a frightfully confused look, "What do you mean?" Jack's voice calm.

"I mean the only thing this paint has touched are my fingers and they couldn't touch anything but water to wash it off!" Eathan huffed his words out angrily, "And it hasn't happened again! I can't color anything!" Eathan stomped over to the barren canvas and grabbed it roughly. He threw it across the room and split the wood apart as it crashed into the wall, "See!" The canvas fell over the paint palette, it floated just a above for a second before it moved away from it to the ground, "Jack! I can't do anything!"

Jack raised both his arms towards Eathan slowly, "Calm down, We'll figure this out." Jack thought for a moment, "Okay, so I have no idea why that's happening."

Eathan fell to his knees, "Jack," He said as he covered his face with his hands, "I don't know."

Jack walked over to Eathan and began to rub his shoulders, "Why don't we move into the kitchen away from this room?" Jack suggested to Eathan.

Eathan nodded, "Okay," He spoke as he diffidently stood with Jack.

P/A/G/E/B/R/E/A/K

Aster stood outside his building entrance, getting lost in his thoughts. I have everyone fooled. Most importantly, I have Jack played. Aster hummed and smile spread across his features. It's all falling into place; Soon the Elder of fog will visit Jack, Amari will fight the capture of Jack, and Anzan will be stuck on the sidelines. Just as my Elder predicted. Just as Aster finished his train of thought he heard a loud ping.

Aster closed his eyes as the Elder of sight stood before him.

Passer-bys walked through the Elder as it spoke, "Amon, Don't be so sure in my predictions. They aren't always correct." The Elder paused before speaking again, "So far things are correct, but things have a funny way about them. They're always twisting and turning and changing."

Amon stood straight, "Elder, everything else has gone just like you've said it would."

The Elder t'skd, "Just be prepared. Jack mustn't take the side of the demons."

Amon nodded, "Yes, Elder of Sight." The Elder stood there silently for a few moments before fading away.

Aster huffed and looked around, a few on-lookers were giving him strange looks. He snarled at them and proceeded to walk into the building.

Aster stepped into his kitchen and leaned against the counter. He let out a long sigh. Fuckin Elder had to go and kill my confidence in the plan. Aster jumped when he heard loud and sudden whooshing sound.

"Hello?" Came a voice from the living room.

Aster raised his fists as he quickly stepped into the living room, "Who's there?" He said as he faced the loft door.

"Me." said a deep voice behind Aster.

Aster turned around with a quick punch, "Got ya!"

Aster's eyes went wide as he saw his fist was still pushing against the cheek of his intruder; a slim man who stood just as tall as himself. The intruder was smiling wickedly at him. Aster grunted and attempted to push the man away. Aster's feet slid across his floor.

The man grabbed Aster's wrists and twisted them up, pulling Aster closer to the man. Aster raised his knee quickly and hit the man in the hip. The housebreaker raised his own leg and locked Aster's foot with his, and pushed them both to the ground.

Aster grunted as the man fell on top of him. The burglar held Aster's hands to his sides and spread Aster's legs apart, holding them down with his own legs.

Aster was still trying to wriggle free when the man spoke angrily, "Stop." Aster tried for a just a moment longer before he gave up, "Good."

Aster huffed, "Who are ya?" He stared angrily at his assailant.

"I know who you are and seeing the things I've seen, you tend to need to know some things to get by." The man spoke evenly.

Aster's eyes went wide at those words, "What are ya?"

The man smiled, "A much better question."

Aster grunted as he tried to free his hands, "Ya still haven't answered mah questions."

The man hummed, "You're right." He tightened his grip on Aster's wrists, "To answer your first question, my name is Anzan…or Liam to the humans."

Aster winced at the increasingly tight grip on his wrists, "And the second?"

The man smirked, "I'm what the flesh of this world would call godly." The man laughed shortly to himself, "Though quite the opposite, you know that though don't you, Amon?"

Aster's expression fluidly changed from shock into fury, "I guess since you know, I don't have to hold back?" Aster's tone emitted rage, "I guess that means I can kill you."

Anzan laughed, "And what makes you think we're equals?"

At the end of those words Anzan's grip tore away from Aster's wrists as Aster raised his arms high and shoved Anzan off his body. Anzan flew back into a standing position. Aster rapidly got to his feet, raised his fists and, took a deep breath.

Anzan rushed toward Aster. Anzan raised his left leg and kicked Aster in a quick succession at his kidney. Aster blocked each kick with his palm. Aster grabbed the fourth kick and held Anzan's leg up. Anzan started to punch at Aster with his right fist. Aster block each hit with his forearm.

Aster threw Anzan's leg down, not even phasing Anzan, who returned it with a roundhouse kick. Aster stepped back smoothly and then stepped forward. Anzan didn't see the fist coming towards his chest and was thoroughly surprised when he felt a deep pain in his chest. Anzan launched back several feet and fell to his knees.

Aster stayed where he was as he watched Anzan cough and spit up blood. Aster scoffed at his weak opponent.

"You know," Aster spoke calmly, "I'm not even trying nor am I in my true form."

Anzan spit out more blood and looked to Aster with a smile, "Sounds cliché."

Aster smiled with him, "It does. Ah well, I still have to kill you."

Anzan's smile faded, "I can't let you protect Jack," He paused and stood, "That is my job."

Aster laughed, "Great job you're doin too!"

Anzan raised his fists, "I won't let you take Jack."

Aster lowered his fists and stared at Anzan before breaking out in laughter, "Is that what you think I'm going to do? Take him? Make him join the Chief Elder?"

Anzan tilted his head, "Wait, you're not? I thought the Elder of Fog sent you?"

Aster's laughter continued as he spoke, "Fuck no. And I've been doing a damn good job of keeping it hidden who did. Which is why," Aster's laughter immediately stopped and he gave Anzan a death glare, "I have to kill you."

Anzan took a step back, "What makes you think we're equals? You can't possibly win."

Aster smiled wickedly as swiftly made his way towards Anzan, "I never said we were equals," Aster's hands gripped Anzan's throat too quick to be seen, "I said I have to kill you."

Anzan made a quick punch to Aster's jugular. Aster didn't even cough at the impact. Anzan started to strike Aster's torso with all he had in each fist. The hands around his throat slowly constricted as he attempted to stop Aster.

Aster held a sinful grin as he abruptly gripped Anzan's wind pipe, his finger's ripping through Anzan's flesh and wrapping around his windpipe, tearing through his throat. With a brutal pull, he ripped out Anzan's windpipe, pulling his lungs after it. Shredding the hole wider. Aster held the organ in his hand as Anzan fell roughly to the ground, collapsing on himself. Death of one body, death to each body. Aster thought coldly to himself.

P/A/G/E/B/R/E/A/K

Jack was soothingly rubbing Eathan's shoulders, calming him down from the things that happened in Eathan's room. Eathan let out a relaxed sigh and leaned into Jack's touch.

"Thank you," Eathan said quietly to Jack.

Jack smile warmly, "It's no bother, I find have magic hands for this."

Eathan hummed, "No, I mean…" Eathan paused and grabbed Jack's hands lightly for him to stop, "For everything. For letting me stay in your home, both of them. Even though I was an ass the first time," Eathan stood and faced Jack, keeping their hands together, "I appreciate it so much. I want you to know that." Eathan wrapped his arms around Jack, "I love you."

Jack was taken aback by the suddenness of Eathan's words and took a moment to return the embrace, "I love you too, Eathan."

Eathan smiled into Jack's shoulder, "Thank you so much, Jack." Eathan took a deep breath, "I'm so lucky to have you as a brother."

Tears started to well in Jack's eyes, "And I'm lucky to have you."

The brothers stayed embraced for sometime, enjoying the moment that had waited to long to happen for each of the boys. A moment that spoke louder than any words either one could say.

A/N

Have a wonderful Day/Night/Afternoon/Morning/Evening/Dawn or Twilight!