Tobey had taken control of his body again. Mask had finally finished his job there and didn't want to continue controlling them anymore. He just wanted to rest by now.
The detective was tired as well, both mentally and now physically, but there was nothing he could do. At least, his demonic self helped him to stay alive, even though he used quite dirty tricks and needed to resort to someone else to do the job. Anyway, a victory was still a victory in the end.
'Now, leaving these things aside, that man... Just, what the hell is him? Why is he so similar to me in all aspects? It's not just his looks. Even his Soul Mirror. It has runes carved on its blade, though they have a slightly different design. Also, the blade color is also red, though its color is darker than mine. The cable is black as well...'
Tobey watched as Mark reaped his enemies with ease as if he was just taking a stroll in a park. He didn't seem tense at all while fighting. Instead, his movements were fluid and calm, though sharp and quick. Each of his swings, the precision behind them, his gaze full of coldness and battle knowledge; everything coupled together with perfect harmony, showing just how much experience he had.
As that carnage went on, Tobey didn't know whether he ran or stayed there. Mask didn't warn him anything, but he commented that he was unsure whether that man was on his side, indeed. As he lectured before, there were some clans of demons that were fighting against each other and could see him as a potential threat regardless of him having a clan or not.
'He is my best chance now, though. And, look how good of a fighter he is, how fast and strong... If I try to run away, this guy will catch me with ease. In the state I am right now, I doubt that I would be able to withstand even one of his attacks.'
Mark killed the last of the paladins that were in that parking lot. There wasn't even a single drop of sweat on his face, nor did he seem tired at all. His breathing was firm and steady as if he was just plainly walking around all this while.
The only person remaining was Gabriel, the commander of that troop. He was so mentally broken that he couldn't even move anymore, not before that monster, who now was walking towards him as his scythe absorbed the blood around.
Gabriel refused to fall on his knees, run away, or lower his head, though. He couldn't do it at all. He would never forgive himself. God would never forgive him for being such a coward.
Mark got as near him as possible, taking him by his neck and raising the man from the ground like he didn't weigh anything at all.
"Tell me one thing, Gabriel: who is Lancelot Yoder?"
Gabriel kept his mouth shut, staring at the demon's pitch-black eyes. They weren't showing fear anymore but had a challenging gleam within them.
"Yeah, the last commandant I killed a little while ago looked at me in this very same way. How unfortunate."
Mark launched Gabriel's body upwards, took a step back while charging his scythe, and cut him in half in mid-air.
Silence befell the battlefield as that battle finally ended. The only sound remaining was that of the beating hearts of the two survivors. Somehow, Mark seemed to mourn the deaths of those paladins that he had killed, even though he was so angry at them before. That mourning didn't last more than some seconds, but he took that minute of silence with due respect.
For Mark, it was very sad... That silence on the battlefield when everything ended was quite melancholic. It was worse when you were alone, just you and the fact that you were the only one that survived the clash.
'One of the burdens of being the strongest is that you are untouchable, but the people around you aren't. It's easy to protect yourself, but to protect others...', he closed his eyes strongly for a moment, then shook his head.
'Not the time for this kind of thought. Look at your brother, you finally found him, you idiot!'
Mark made his Soul Mirror disappear but kept his demon form. He turned his head to Tobey, a smile appearing on his face.
Tobey couldn't help but give a step back. After seeing the carnage that Mark just made in front of him all alone, he couldn't believe him right away. Even the smile on his face seemed quite devilish.
The detective wanted to ask Mask what to do, but he couldn't even trust his own alter ego anymore as he discovered his true intentions.
"Stay back," Tobey said, raising his hand and showing his palm to Mark. The latter stopped to walk right away with a dumbstruck face.
Tobey seemed like a hurt animal that was too afraid of everyone to trust them even to approach. He was in a deplorable state, and Mark only noticed it at that moment. He was so consumed by his wrath that he didn't even pay attention to his brother.
"I-I am not here to hurt you. I am talking seriously. I wouldn't have killed all these guys if it wasn't for your sake."
Tobey looked straight into his eyes.
"How can I be sure when I can't only trust my own shadow anymore?" Tobey said. It was a rhetorical question, though it looked more like a vent as well.
The detective took a step back while clenching his fists. His eyes were studying the environment around him, trying to find what would be a good choice if he just needed to run away. However, how could he possibly run away from a monster like that? That man could just approach him with a single kick on the ground and split him in two as he did with those paladins, after all.
'Damn it...', Mark thought, gritting his teeth. 'I never had stopped with my relentless research to think about how he was feeling. This man in front of me isn't my brother anymore, he lived a big lie and was manipulated during all these years in human society. Although I view him as a brother, he just sees me as a demon; I cannot blame him for that at all...
'However, I cannot leave this place empty-handed, not after putting everything on the line just for his sake. I need to persuade him into-'
Mark needed to interrupt his line of thought as he felt something in the air. His heart trembled as his instincts told him that something bigger than Gabriel and his troop was coming.
'That bastard again! Damn it!'
The kind and soft gaze of Mark got replaced by a cold and sharp glare that he cast in the north direction. He was looking at the top of the buildings like something was coming from there.
[You know by looking at his face that there is something bad going to happen, right? So, there is no need for you to suspect me, right?]
Tobey didn't answer, but his silence was enough for Mask.
[Remember that paladin that talked to you back in the streets, trying to make you give up? There is someone at the same level as him coming. I don't really know what are the intentions of this demon in front of you, but he seems to be willing to fight against those paladins. Anyway, in a fight between this strong person and that demon, I don't know what can happen to the surroundings, so you do better by run away.]
While Tobey pondered about Mask's remark, wondering whether he should try to run away or not, Mark was also reasoning about what to do.
'I need to play smart here now. I can't put him in danger right now. However, I cannot fight against this guy, either. It would cause too much trouble. However, I can't waste all the efforts I put all these days into finding him... I hope that he grew intelligent enough to make use of what I will give to him right now.'
Without looking at Tobey, Mark prepared himself to run and quickly said to him: "Ariel Terzic, Melissa Paige, Lancelot Yoder, Clementine Ludvik, and Caleb Alek. The others are all garbage. These are the only ones that matter. Be careful, brother!"
"What?" Tobey asked, finally having his interest caught by him with that list of names.
"I would like to explain further but... Run away!" He ordered as he summoned his scythe, Lamia, and prepared it. His pupils dilated at the exact moment he spotted something moving on top of the buildings.
Tobey felt a burning sensation in his right side and turned to see what it was, just in time to get a glimpse of a flash of golden light that descended from the buildings and crossed the streets until it collided against Mark, raising a cloud of dust.
"Run away! I trust you to find me again, Zed!"
'Zed?'
[Shut the hell up and run, Tobey!] Mask interrupted his rambling once he noticed that the paladin who just clashed against Mark wasn't the only one coming toward them.
Tobey swallowed his questions and brushed off his curiosity, running away by using the remnants of strength in his body and leaving that mysterious man behind, together with the dangerous paladin.