With an awkward forced smile, Jack maintained his stance as he waited for the knight to move.
'Sephiroth, I think using the Appraisal Charge in this situation would be a really good idea!'
[On it.]
[<<Name: Cruciatus
<<Species: Forbidden Knight
<<Level: 600
<<Type: Undead
<<Strength: 140
<<Agility: 70
<<Intelligent: 30
<<Survivability: 900
<<Fortitude: 300
<<Ability: Unknown
<<Trait: Unknown ]
[Apparently, it's not really as useful in this case. It seemed like this figure is someone important to this world that I couldn't gather as much information on him.]
Jack sarcastically nodded. 'Indeed, at least now I know that the big guy can just kill me with a flick!'
The eerie choir from the whole chamber began to manifest with every wasted second. The knight waited for his adversary, maintaining his tall and towering presence throughout the terrifying face off.
Jack then glanced back to the entrance. Just like all hope had disappeared, the pathway disappeared from existence, isolating Jack within this gigantic chamber with a four meter tall knight.
'Hmmmmmmmmmmm,' Jack tried to utilize every bit of his brain cells to come up with a solution. Knowing that the knight did really wait for him to make a move, he had a lot of time to plant in his plate.
'Well, let's see if this big guy accepts peace and diplomacy. Negotiation is better than bloodshed afterall.' Jack cleared his throat, wryly smiling after realizing that it might be a stupid idea.
"Sir Cruciatus! That's you, right!?" Jack shouted, trying to hide his fear with a nervous smile.
It might be a bad way to start a conversation but it might be the most powerful way to gain a reaction and act according to the result.
If the knight didn't reply, then the only way to exit this place would be killing him. If the knight did reply, then there might be a chance of negotiation while also trying to uncover the mystery of this world.
The knight went silent for a few seconds before replying in a deep and somber voice. "Indeed, it is I. Albeit, it's been a eons since I last heard that name." The knight could be seen glancing to the grave behind him. "How do you know my name?"
"I've heard from somebody on the surface a long time ago." Jack could only smile as he bullshit his way.
"I've forgotten everything related to the surface." The knight slightly tilted his head. "You're a weird one."
Jack was filled with happiness after knowing that the knight was up for a talk. He then let his tentacle hold his sword so he could gesture his hand toward his chest.
"You want me to kill you, yet you didn't tell me why" Jack gulped his own saliva. "Just like you've said, I'm a rusty foreigner. But! I'm not a cheap barbarian.
"Sir Cruciatus, I'm just a normal explorer that has no need for mindless accomplishment. So to make everything worth it for you and me, may you kindly be lending our time to sate my curiosity first?"
There was a sign of disappointment and boredom when Jack appeared within the knight's sight. As if he had been fending off numerous invaders that wanted to take his life for no reason. Jack wondered if approaching this matter by seeing the knight as a human would be more proper.
Was it an honorable death or peace that the knight sought? Most likely, neither.
If it has a soul and the conscience to reveal his feelings upon his revealed name, then there was a chance that the knight was longing for someone to hear his unspoken story. Otherwise, the knight would've cut Jack into pieces or denied his own name.
"Carry on, foreigner. Tell me what you wanted to know."
"In exchange, I will let you ask everything from me." Jack gestured his forefinger.
"I see." The knight could be seen loosening his grip ons his spear.
Despite Jack acting like he normally was, his cute voice played a good part in being unintimidating.
"Who are you, and what is this place? My journey from the surface was filled with riddles and corruption. This place is far from it."
By being as open as possible, Jack showed that he was someone to be trusted.
The knight glanced to the ceiling, trying to find his hidden memory behind the scenery of the beautiful glass illustration.
"This place has no name, neither does everything outside of this cage." The knight then glanced at the puny mortal in front of him. "But if I'm really going to call it. This place is the land where 'Mother' resides."
"Is it related to the grave that you've been taken care of?"
"Indeed. Anything else?"
Jack wanted to prod further but looking at his answer, it seemed like the knight didn't remember as much.
This reminded Jack of his former situation, trapped in the same place for who knows how long. If not for the constant bickering he had with Sephiroth, he too would be like the towering knight in his frame. Empty and broken.
However, that vague response gave Jack a lot of information regarding the situation. He was at the level of understanding where the knight won't be wary of him as much.
The rhythm of the lullaby accompanied their discussion.
"Do you want to die?"
"I'm yet to know the answer myself."
"Then why do you assume that I was going to kill you?"
"Because many before you have unsheathed their weapons in front of me." The giant knight sat on the grassy land, leaning his back against the wind. "It was until the point where I knew that I must protect this place. The grave that I've cared for since I realized I'm not alive."
"Did any one of them succeed?"
"Some of them did, until they didn't."
Jack then undeployed his tentacle, dropping his sword on the ground. With contemplating eyes, he sat on the ground.
"I noticed that the entrance where I came from disappeared. Did you happen to know anything about it?"
"Nothing." The knight sighed. "Albeit, you can try killing me and destroying the 'Mother' resting place. Only by then, this place will let you go alive."
"I see, so we're forced to fight in the end."
"This time." The knight paused for a few seconds. "I think it would be fine if you're the one who managed to kill me."
"I told you that I'm just a normal explorer." Jack wryly laughed. "There will be no way I'm able to kill you."
"Those who control their words are able to control their weapons." A seemingly chuckling sound could be heard from the giant knight. "I'll shrink more to your size, so that our strength is equal. That way, you will have a better chance of killing me."
"Hahaha. Well then, as promised, you can ask me everything before we start our fight."
The knight went silent for ten seconds.
"What does the surface look like?" The knight pondered, gazing to the ceiling once more.
"It's rich in scenery. There are rivers, grassy land, and forests with titan trees lining up to preserve the land from heavy rain.
"Many life roaming around such as animals and crazy bipedal primate shooting at you with a giant cannon. There is also a terrifyingly huge monster when the world rotates and the night falls from its grace."
After that, the knight kept asking about Jack himself and who he was. Jack was surprised at first but he immediately went into his old man mode of yapping nonstop about the so-called good ol' days.
"So there is a chance that you will be reincarnated when the reaper hurls its scythe," said the knight.
"Most of the time, you won't remember much of what happened in your past life." Jack wryly smiled. "Thanks to that, we don't even know if reincarnation exists without any interference from the outside."
The knight went silent again for a few seconds. "If reincarnation exists, I'm hoping that I'll be reincarnated as a bird."
"You want to fly out of this cage?"
"I want to fly out of this cage."
"That is a simple wish for someone as big as you."
"I don't even know how I'm this big to begin with."
Both managed to acquire the laughter of one another after several hours talking about the world on the surface.
Neither of them want this to end, but the knight knew that Jack deserved to be freed of the chain of this place.
As much as Jack wanted to accompany Cruciatus, he still wanted to explore the world outside, finding his own purpose and settling on his retirement. The promise that he made with Sephiroth.
"Well, then." Jack stood up, picking up his jagged sword once again as he deployed his tentacle back to his tailbone. "I'm sorry for this."
Jack was a little bit saddened that there was nothing he could do. Although he managed to decrease the difficulty while also gaining the respect of the knight.
The knight followed suit, brandishing his spear once again. Fulfilling his promise, the knight shrank himself to Jack's size. "I'm also sorry."
[<<Name: Cruciatus
<<Species: Forbidden Knight
<<Level: 200(-500)
<<Type: Undead
<<Strength: 20(-120)
<<Agility: 25-(-45)
<<Intelligent: 30
<<Survivability: 600(-300)
<<Fortitude: 300
<<Ability: Unknown
<<Trait: Unknown ]