The eerie silence that followed the Jesters' introductions was shattered by the sudden sound of drums. The rhythm was deep, rhythmic, like a heartbeat, sending chills down their spines. It was a loud, thunderous sound that echoed in their chests. And then, as if on cue, the clowns moved.
The Jester with long, twisted legs broke the stillness first. His arms stretched as he screeched with excitement, his voice almost too high-pitched to comprehend.
His legs jerked unnaturally, the bones cracking with a disturbing sound. With a mad, gleaming grin, he launched himself onto the walls, his legs bending in impossible angles.
[ Catch me, catch me! ]
he yelled, his body twirling as he sprinted around the room at an impossible speed. His movements were erratic, almost impossible to track. Dune's eyes followed his every twitch.
Nely's eyes narrowed as she watched him, her fingers twitching, but before she could react, the next clown made his move.
The Jester with a single, enormous eye disappeared. One moment he was there, the next he was gone, vanishing into thin air with an unsettling silence. Not a trace. Not even a shadow.
The Jester without a mouth was slow to move, but his body shifted toward them. His figure was silent, foreboding, as though each step was calculated in deliberate, ominous intent.
And then, the Jester with the wide, toothy grin landed directly in front of Nely.
His expression was almost sickeningly joyous, his eyes wide with excitement as he tilted his head. [ What a lovely game it will be, ] he said, his voice dripping with an unnerving enthusiasm. [ Let's have some fun, shall we? ]
Dune's heart raced as he turned to face the Long-legged Jester. There was no time for hesitation. He exploded forward with Neba Steps, creating platforms beneath his feet in quick succession, his speed increasing with every step, but the Jester was fast, too fast.
The Jester darted around him, effortlessly avoiding Dune's calculated attacks. His laughter echoed through the space, the sound high-pitched and mocking. [ Catch me if you can, darling! Catch me if you can! ] The Jester jeered, weaving in and out of Dune's path, his long, spindly legs skittering along the walls like a nightmare.
Dune gritted his teeth, pushing his Neba Steps to the limit, but the more he tried, the further the Jester seemed to get. Each time he moved forward, the Jester would spin, flip, and taunt him.
Damn it, Dune muttered, his mind analyzing the situation, trying to determine a way to trap the creature. His body moved mechanically, each step calculated, his ability exploding the platforms beneath him to give chase. He wasn't used to being outpaced like this, but it seemed like the Jester with long legs was playing with him, enjoying the chase. It was a game, and Dune was determined to win, no matter the cost.
Meanwhile, Nely's attention was split. The Grinning Jester was now in front of her, his smile widening as he reached for her.
[ Well, come on, sweet thing, ] the Jester said. [ Tell me a joke! I'd love to hear one. It'll be fun, I promise! ]
Nely froze, caught off guard. She wasn't the best at jokes, her usual humor awkward and offbeat. She didn't have a quick wit Dune. But she forced herself to muster an awkward smile and opened her mouth.
"Okay okay i got one…."
"What do you call fake spaghetti?"
Jester smiled even more widely. [ Oho What do you call it? ]
"An Impasta! Haha" … "it's funny… right?"
"…"
"…"
There was a beat of silence, followed by a tense and uncomfortable stillness. Atlas, Ned, and even Dune exchanged looks, all of them clearly fighting the urge to groan. It was terrible.
The Jester's face twitched. First, there was a slight drop in expression, as though he was trying to process the words. And then, his smile faltered. His face began to twist, the grin stretching unnaturally as his anger started to rise.
[ You… you think that was funny? ] the Jester hissed, his voice growing dark. His eyes narrowed as his hands began to grow mouths, fangs sharp and dripping with saliva. The grotesque mouths gaped wide, as though wanting to consume Nely whole.
Nely's eyes widened in panic. She turned to run, but the Jester lunged at her, his mouth hands snapping at her back, eager to rip into her.
[ Don't you dare run! ] he Jester growled, his body convulsing with rage. His grin widened even more, no longer happy but full of malice.
While Nely scrambled to stay ahead, Ned and Atlas faced the Mouthless Jester. He hadn't said a word since the game began, but his movements were calculated, precise, dangerous.
He slowly advanced, his eyes locked on Ned.
"Stay back," Ned muttered to Atlas, his hands instinctively reaching for his own weapon.
"We need to figure out how to deal with him."
"Don't Be careful!" … Wait.. what? Why did i say that?
Atlas stopped for a moment, confusion flickering across his face. What?
But then, Ned realized. The Jester with no mouth must have some strange ability to manipulate thoughts or words, this is so annoying! [ I really love this game, ] i wanted to say that i hated this game… seems like whatever i try to say… Jester's ability will make it sound completely opposite.
The Mouthless Jester stood silent for a moment, then tilted his head slightly.
He dashed forward, a sharp umbrella materializing in his hand, its tip gleaming with dangerous intent.
With a roar, the battle erupted, each of them scrambling to defend against the grotesque clowns, their minds still spinning from the madness they had just encountered.
The battle raged on, the sound of chaos echoing through the space. Nely's awkward laugh filled the air as she faced the Grinning Jester, who was already glaring at her, his mouth twisted into an unnerving grin.
The air thickened, and the Jester's body grew more menacing. His grin twisted even wider, showing sharp, jagged teeth. The hands on his body began to tremble with anger, the fingers curling into tight, trembling fists.
Nely laughed nervously, trying again. "Okay, okay i got another one, uh, why don't—
The Jester's face grew darker, his teeth now flashing as his laugh became strained, low, and menacing. [ Enough! ] he screamed, his voice low and threatening. [ Enough with your foolishness! ]
Dune's breath was steady, his focus locked on the Long-Legged Jester as it sprinted across the towering walls of their cage-like battlefield.
Dune had been chasing it for what felt like an eternity, and yet, he wasn't getting closer.
His eyes narrowed as he analyzed the movement. It's useless. The Jester was untouchable, a phantom that danced beyond reach. Even when he closed the distance, the Jester would slip just out of grasp, taunting him with each movement.
Dune landed, skidding to a stop as frustration built up in his chest. He clenched his fists. There's no way to catch it.
Then, his gaze flicked toward another figure. The Jester with the Cards.
Unlike the others, this one hadn't moved at all. He stood perfectly still, his eerie, cross-shaped eyes fixed on the battlefield. Watching. Calculating.
Without hesitation, Dune changed targets, launching himself toward the Card Jester. But the moment he moved, the air in front of him rippled, and suddenly, a massive eye appeared, blocking his path.
Dune's blood ran cold. It was the One-Eyed Jester. The one that shouldn't be looked at.
His body locked up. His vision went black.
What?! I can't see!
A sharp pain exploded in his stomach as the One-Eyed Jester's unseen blade stabbed deep into him. Dune gasped, his entire body convulsing from the impact. The next thing he knew, a force slammed into his chest, he was hurled through the air like a ragdoll, crashing against the wall of one of the giant hands. The impact rattled his bones, and he collapsed to the ground, coughing violently.
"DUNE!"
Nely's scream was the first thing he registered, followed by the alarmed voices of Ned and Atlas.
Ned gritted his teeth, eyes darting between the battlefield and Dune's slumped figure. His breath hitched. "Shit… I forgot about that one."
Atlas, eyes sharp, took in the scene with growing unease. Dune had gone for the Jester with the Cards, but the One-Eyed Jester had stopped him.
Atlas' mind raced. It's protecting the Cards One. His stomach twisted. Did Dune figure it out?
Grinding his teeth, Atlas made a split-second decision. He turned toward the others and shouted, "Nely! Ned! Don't attack the one with the Cards!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake. His entire body tensed. Wait, no, that's not what I meant to say!
He had meant to say attack the Cards Jester. But the Mouthless Jester's ability had twisted his words. His message had been reversed.
Atlas' heart pounded. Damn it! Well, whatever, I'll just do it myself.
He lunged forward, dashing toward the Cards Jester, determination in his every step.
But the instant he moved, the One-Eyed Jester appeared again.
Atlas jerked his head away, trying not to meet its gaze, but something worse happened. The Jester split.Now, instead of one, there were many. A dozen identical One-Eyed Jesters formed a circle around him, each one a looming, shadowy presence, their single, massive eye locked onto him.
Atlas' breath hitched. Which one is real?!
Nely and Ned, realizing the trap, *abandoned their fights. Their previous opponents, the Grinning Jester and the Mouthless Jester, were momentarily forgotten as they dashed toward the Card Jester. It was clear now.
They needed to take him down.