Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Light Meets Darkness ❯ How the Mighty Have Fallen ( Chapter 14 )
Light Meets Darkness
How the Mighty Have Fallen
Author's note: Hoosah! Slowly closing in towards the conclusion! I'm looking forward to the end yet I have certainly enjoyed working on this fic. I hope to do just as well in 'Ashes, Ashes'. ^__^
One reviewer Ryia Jen Rowen commented on something that nearly had me dying from laughter. Her nickname for Auge, or Augie, as she likes to refer to him.
Augie…..I was practically keeling over from laughter at the thought of someone calling him that.
Matsumo: I don't know if I would be brave enough to call him that….
Chaosdreamer: Why not?
Matsumo: *shifts around uncomfortably* He might get a little…antsy…
Chaosdreamer: Oh pooh. You know you enjoy his attention.
Ken: What the heck are you trying to do, kill me in this chapter?!
Chaosdreamer: Not intentionally.
Ken: Oh that boosts my confidence by so much. And what about Wut?
Chaosdreamer: What about him?
Ken: What does he plan to do to me? H-hey, don't ignore the subject of discussion!
Chaosdreamer: *wanders away whistling aimlessly*
< < < < <> > > > >
"Oh gods!!" Matsumo gasped, panting softly as he buried his face against the pillow, hands tightly clenching around the sheets within his grasp, hair splayed out around his face and shoulders slightly damp with perspiration. He whimpered as Auge moved harder against him, the Seer's shaft buried deep within the telepath, Matsumo crying out wordlessly from the fluid shifts and thrusts his lover performed with merciless force.
Auge growled fervently against Matsumo's nape, tugging on the man's hips, forcing Matsumo further up onto his knees, the telepath's rump resting firmly against Auge's thighs. Auge grinned darkly as Matsumo's choked passionate cries escalated from the shift of the Seer's thrusts brushing over his prostrate, the Seer reveling within the familiar heat of his lover's body. The dark-haired demon snarled warningly when Matsumo's hand attempted to relieve the pressure within his own groin, the Seer clasping both of the telepath's hands and pressing them tightly against the bed. "You will receive your relief when I allow it, Matsumo." Auge purred close to Matsumo's ear, teasing the tender skin along the man's earlobe and the skin just beneath.
"P-please!" Matsumo pleaded, mewling in frustration and filled with the desperate need to reach that pinnacle of electric heat, begging to release the heavy pressure within his groin, face flushed and skin damp from being held back from release for so long.
"You always beg so wonderfully." Auge rumbled intensely, taking extreme delight in driving his lover to making soft mewls of desperation. "This torture shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, I have so many years to make up for."
Matsumo groaned in distress at Auge's words, sensing that the demon would make the tormenting pleasure last until the telepath nearly fainted from the extreme force of release. He sobbed in abandonment as Auge's thrusts somehow seemed to increase in force and speed, Matsumo's body physically jolting from every lunge forward, the telepath hoping that they wouldn't end up damaging the bed beyond repair. He personally did not want to have to face the owner of the hotel room they had rented from and explain that their…excitement…had unintentionally broken the bed frame.
It had all happened so fast….Matsumo thought in wonder. After their short tryst in the abandoned temple Auge had nearly dragged the telepath to the closest hotel and proceeded in laying his claim once again on the shorter man. Matsumo flushed at remembering how the both of them had used nearly every portion of their acquired room as a spot to explore one another's body and on several occasions unable to make it past a certain area without climaxing. Matsumo bit his lip, groaning as Auge nipped at the back of his neck and shoulders, tongue laving over the stinging areas in soundless apology for every hurt and ache.
My lover, you always give me more than I deserve, more than I even ask of you…Matsumo regarded solemnly, recognizing that there were still wounds that must be healed on both of their parts. But at least both lovers understood that they would take as much time as possible and allow their significant other the space and time to bring up their own pains.
Matsumo couldn't help the small whimper of surprise when Auge pulled completely out of him but his confusion was short-lived when Auge rolled him over onto his back, lying down between Matsumo's thighs. The telepath eagerly wrapped his legs around Auge's waist, murmuring soft words of delight when Auge slid back inside of him, the Seer's thrust aided by the lubrication from before and Matsumo's relaxed state. The shorter lover wrapped his arms around Auge's neck, tenderly running his hands through Auge's hair as the demon began to move slowly and deeply within him, the Seer purposely drawing out the intimacy of their coupling.
Auge tangled his fingers through Matsumo's long wavy hair, laying their bodies chest to chest, relishing the sensation of being pressed so closely to his smaller lover. He dipped his head down and caught Matsumo's mouth, tongue seeking entrance and which the telepath readily allowed. Their tongues tangled together like dancing snakes, Matsumo tilting his head to the side to allow Auge's mouth to press more snug to his. The telepath angled his hips back to take in more Auge's weight and he couldn't help laughing against his lover's mouth when Auge moaned from sliding in deeper and from the clenching of the telepath's internal muscles. Auge pulled away and feigned a glare at his lover although the smirk on his face clearly showed his amusement, "Tease." He said.
"Beast." Matsumo countered playfully.
Auge chuckled softly, Matsumo's answering smile making the Seer's heart beat faster and he grew to appreciate the warmth and presence of his lover with an even greater fondness.
Matsumo laid back further within the rumpled sheets and pillows, arms dangled loosely above his shoulders, milking the sensations of his lover against, above, and within him, hips rocking steadily from Auge's precise motions.
Matsumo was just beginning to breathe more heavily from the mounting pleasure when a sharp jolt shot through his telepathy, signaling an imminent danger to one close to him.
Ken! He thought franticly, his mind reeling from the danger he sensed surrounding his family member, his telepathy unconsciously having been keeping tabs on the young Empath.
Auge stilled above his lover sensing Matsumo's sudden rigidness and the spark of fear in the telepath's eyes. "What is wrong, Matsumo?"
"K-Ken is in danger!" Matsumo said fearfully, pushing himself up by his elbows, groaning softly as Auge pulled out of him, his body shivering slightly as the pleasure receded.
Auge sighed patiently, rolling over to the opposite of the bed, searching for his clothes. "That relative of yours has the worst timing to get into trouble." Auge muttered composedly.
"I don't think he chose the situation in the first place." Matsumo argued calmly, desperately trying to find his pants.
"Well then, lets go help the boy before he gets into any more trouble. After all, it wouldn't do to let the relative of my lover be eaten alive."
"I'm so glad your priorities are so selfless! If he does get eaten then you have to explain that to his lovers!"
< < < < <> > > > >
Ken rolled sideways, barely avoiding the strike meant to pierce through his chest, Wut's hand burying deep into the floor up to the demon's wrist. Ken stumbled to his feet and managed to lurch through the wooden pews to the complete opposite of the church, wanting as much distance as he could get between him and the demon.
:Oh gods, it hurts!: He thought painfully, Wut's poison making him feel as if he were on fire. Ken was at least thankful that the bones in his wrist had Healed finally but he wasn't too sure how long his good fortune would last.
Wut yanked his hand out of the floor, flicking away the grit and debris. He smirked at the young man, enjoying the hunt, pleased that the Empath was putting up a decent enough fight. "Poor boy. Your efforts to fight back only makes my hunger rise closer to the surface. Demons so enjoy the chase."
"Shut up. I grow sick at the sound of your voice. You think so highly of yourself yet you're just a deranged demon feeding off of others just to sate your own selfish hunger and sick desire to prove yourself as being worth the effort to breathe." Ken spat contemptuously, growing sicker of the demon by the minute.
"Brave boy. Your bark is just as bad as your bite." Wut sighed, closing his eyes while his smirk remained plastered upon his face, "You should be honored. You'll be the first to see me in my complete demon form. All the others had been on the brink of death when they had looked upon my true form."
Ken had to brace himself against the pew behind him as he became the unwilling onlooker to the rising of Wut's true form.
Wut's shrieks were horrendous as his bones snapped and reshaped themselves, his arms and legs lengthening and muscles popping and reforming along his legs, the demon's red uniform ripping and tearing along his shoulders, thighs, and wrists. Wut's stomach muscles and chest rippled and shifted, making his physique more muscular yet with a predatory leanness that put any weightlifter to shame. His fingers hardened and shifted, and finally each elongated into eleven-inch long talons that glowed from an internal light that emitted an evil crimson shade, flexing and twitching with a terrible clack of noise.
But the worst was Wut's face. Ken had to clamp his hand over his mouth to avoid retching as the skin and muscles along Wut's face warped and began to melt off of the front portion of his skull, the wet flesh and muscles falling to the floor with a wet plop. Ken groaned in sick dismay when Wut's naked eyeballs fell onto the floor as well, the pupils somehow managing to appear as if they were still watching Ken as they rolled across the floor. What was left of Wut's face was a bare gleaming skull that grinned back at Ken's look of horror and revulsion, the demon's long red hair and black streak enhancing the sheer creamy whiteness of the demon's bare grinning skull. Wut's bare face shifted and bones and cartilage cracked as his cheeks widened and sharpened, the cartilage of his nose flattening against naked bone. All of Wut's teeth sharpened and lengthened to inhuman portions, a long ribbon-like serpent tongue flicked out between that mouth of pearl-shaded fangs, Wut's tongue seeming to taunt Ken's visible fear.
In the empty sockets where Wut's eyes once lay small pinpoints of red burning light rose out of the darkness, slowly widening and shaping until both eye sockets held grape-size spots of burning red that were as malevolent and evil as the deepest pits of Hell.
Ken barely held back from collapsing onto his knees, unable to verbally describe the amount of fear and revulsion he felt. He desperately tried to fight back his fear but the effort did almost no good in comforting him.
Wut grinned at the Empath's obvious fear, his fanged mouth seeming to be permanently fixed in an evil delighted smile. "And so you see my true form," Wut's voice had shifted to a deep aching rumble that nearly made Ken's bones tremble, "And you shall remember it as I rip your heart out."
:Bastard, don't you dare think I'll make it easy for you…: Ken thought bitterly.
As if sensing Ken's words Wut chuckled darkly and he took a large breath of air that rattled deep within his lungs.
And when he released that deep breath, all the candles within the church were blown out at the same instant.
< < < < <> > > > >
:I can hear my heart beating like a drum…: Ken thought numbly, squinting through the complete pitch-black darkness, trying to locate any sign or sound of Wut's presence. There was no sound within the ink-drenched stillness around the Empath. Ken managed to feel his way along the pews making sure to keep his back pressed to the firm wood in order to stave off an attack from the rear.
:Damn it! You'd think I'd at least be able to see his eyes since they seem to glow with an unholy fire!:
The same eyes that Ken had been thinking of seconds before blinked open mere inches from his face.
:SHIT!!: Ken screamed internally, ducking down to crouch low to the floor, hearing the dry crunch of wood above his head. The Empath was amazed that he somehow prevented cracking his skull open as he scrambled on his hands and knees away from the demon, feeling along the floor until he came to another pew, tucking himself against the side of the silent structure.
"Do you really think you can keep running away forever?" Wut asked curiously within the darkness, his rumbling voice seeming to echo throughout the room with a faint hiss like that of a coiling serpent.
Ken squeezed his hand over his mouth, refusing to make any sound of distress, his breathing horrendously loud around him.
"You can't hide from me, Ken," Wut purred, purposely using Ken's first name with such sarcastic intimacy. "I can hear you breathing and I can hear your blood pumping. I can smell your fear just as I can smell the blood from your open wound."
"I can also smell your fear." Wut whispered right next to Ken's face, his breath brushing the strands of Ken's long hair.
Ken gasped as a hot slash of pain raked down his back. He twisted away, collapsing and rolling beneath the flimsy protection underneath the seat of the pew. He reached back with one hand and felt warm fluid snake between his fingers and the torn ribbons of the back of his shirt.
:So stupid…: He thought bitterly, :How could I underestimate his speed and how well he wields his claws?…:
Something heavy smashed down above Ken, the wood cracking and groaning overhead. Ken bit back a sharp cry of agony as he rolled over again, landing on the other side farther away from the previous pew, his back a patch of raw hot pain that made Ken lightheaded.
:Damn it! I can't keep this up. My back feels like it's been torn to shreds: He thought with a tinge of alarm, all but sensing the trickles of blood dropping sluggishly onto the ground and tracing along his torso, :My Healing ability is slower than normal. It must have to do with Wut's claws, like his teeth did with my shoulder:
:If that is the case…: Ken heaved himself onto his hands and knees, blinking his eyes against the slightly dizziness from his abrupt movement, :then the next attack will keep me down, if not permanently:
"Missed killing you both times. How lazy of me. The third strike will be sure to keep you down, boy." Wut promised coolly.
:Shit. If only I knew which direction he is now, let alone where his next attack will be from. My empathy didn't catch a hint of his presence the first two times. Do all demons have the ability to hide themselves away from an empath or telepath's senses?:
:I have to get out of here…: Ken surmised, :this is just one large wooden cage. If he backs me into a corner then I'm done for!:
:But how do I get past him?: Ken tried desperately to recall which direction the main doors were but his memory was hazy, head heavy from the amount of blood loss he was suffering from.
:Wait…this church has a large stained-glass window. If I can reach something that I can throw so as to break the glass, then that will allow enough light for me to see what's going on!: Ken almost congratulated his quick thinking but reality quickly kicked in, :but what the hell can I reach that is big enough to break the entire window?:
:The cross…: Ken looked blindly in the vague direction the broken wooden cross lay courtesy of Wut throwing Fighter not even minutes prior. :That should do well. But man, I'm so going to Hell for this. Breaking the cross and now planning to break the stained-glass window. Great, Ken, just move yourself to the front of the waiting line:
:Cross, cross, who's got the cross?…: Ken's mind rambled silently as he moved slowly and carefully feeling along the floor for the broken pieces of wood. The fingertips of his left hand traced along the rough edge of splintered wood and Ken had to hold back a small yip of excitement as he carefully grasped the large pieces of wood within both hands.
:Only got one shot at this. Wut's been too quiet. He won't stay that way forever: Swallowing any nagging doubts and hoping that his aim was true Ken flung the heavy broken pieces of the cross, its shattered glory hitting hard and straight through the stained-glassed window, amber-light spilling into the interior of the church, managing to light up every corner of the room.
Ken's success was short-lived as Wut appeared and filled up the entire space of his line of vision, the demon's hands pulled back for a head-on strike, red eyes burning as he shrieked in triumph at the Empath's stunned expression.
The only thing that saved Ken's life was how he was crouched down upon the floor after having thrown the cross towards the window. He managed to jerk back far enough to avoid the first strike meant to rip out his throat, but as he fell backwards he was unable to avoid the downward lash of talons that sank into the upper portion of his left thigh.
The Empath didn't have enough air to scream from the pain as he collapsed onto the ground, his hands clutching tight around the three talons buried within his leg. Thankfully the talons had not severed any major artery, although the amount of blood pooling through his jeans and on the floor didn't make the situation improve by much. Ken gasped in a soft exhalation of pain as the talons were extracted cleanly from his thigh, the brunette falling onto his right side with his hands tightly pressed down to staunch the blood-flow from his left thigh.
Wut hissed in delightful conquest, the disgustingly long serpent tongue flicking out and lapping at the thick sheen of blood coating thick talons. "You'll bleed to death before you manage to escape, boy." Ken bit back a small cry as Wut bent down and leaned forward, pressing their bodies chest to chest, the demon grasping both of Ken's thighs and nearly bending the Empath in half as he pressed his entire weight on the injured man. Ken's vision sparked and rolled when Wut wrapped his enormous hand over his bleeding open wound, the Empath's hands clenching so tight that blood trickled from between his fingers from his effort to hold back a long torrent of painful screams.
"How fragile the human body is." Wut laughed darkly at Ken's pain, pressing his face along the empath's, running his long serpent-like tongue across a wane cold sweat dampened cheek. Ken flinched and shuddered from the cold damp tongue, turning his face away from the disgusting slithering flesh.
A sharp slap brought Ken's face back, Wut's sharp talons leaving raw red streaks of pain across the brunette's face, the demon glaring furiously down at the impudent man who had dared to turn his face away. Wut smashed his lips to Ken's with brutal punishing force, teeth cutting into Ken's lips and tongue, blood streaming out from between their sealed mouths. Ken choked and screamed raggedly against the brutal assault, gagging as blood poured down his throat from the raw burning wounds on his lips and tongue. The empath's stomach turned when Wut's tongue slid deep inside, the forked tip reaching down into his throat, the brunette gagging and choking on the cold wriggling ribbon of flesh suffocating him.
Ken fell back weakly when Wut finally released him from that punishing kiss, the back of his skull connecting solidly with the floor as Wut's tongue finally flicked out from between his torn lips, the long piece of flesh seeming to twist and taunt Ken as it slid back into its respectable owner's mouth.
The demon rose to stand at his full height of over seven feet, talons flexing in front of him like rattling dry bones. "As pleasing of a chase you offered, it is now time to finish this."
"You lose." Wut said with dark finality, talons striking and burying deep.
< < < < <> > > > >
"We're almost there!" Matsumo shouted over the roar of the wind as he and Auge nearly flew over the rooftops, thankfully avoiding any of the large fires that were now beginning to die out.
Auge didn't reply, merely increasing his speed as if some sort of signal warned him that time was of the essence.
Matsumo pushed himself harder in order to keep up with his lover, hurling his telepathy outwards, searching for the familiar presence of the redhead telepath.
Schuldich! Matsumo sent out.
//Matsumo? Where the hell are you?// The redhead answered back almost immediately.
Heading in the last direction that I sensed Ken. Matsumo replied.
//Shit. I can't even narrow in on him with all the humans running around screaming their heads off!// Schuldich growled in frustration.
"We're here." Auge interrupted, leaping off the side of the building and dropping down to land in the open doorway of an abandoned church.
We found him. Follow us through the link. Matsumo instructed, leaving a thread of power for the telepath/shapeshifter to follow.
Matsumo nearly crashed into his unmoving lover, startled as to why the Seer hadn't deigned to move out of the way. Auge cut off any exclamation the telepath would have made. "We're too late."
"What-" Matsumo stilled, catching sight of what Auge was staring at.
A large skeletal-faced demon stood in the center of the aisle leading to the farthest side of the church, the front of his red uniform nearly drenched slick with blood, splatters of crimson painted over the whiteness of his skull. Wut's permanent grin somehow seemed to stretch further as the demon looked upon the two new arrivals. "Running a little late, aren't we?" He asked snidely, standing to his full height while never removing his gaze from Auge's.
"Ken! Where's Ken?!" Matsumo demanded frantically, desperately trying to shove himself past his unmoving lover. Auge caught the telepath and trapped him within his strong arms, trying to calm his shorter lover's furious pleas. "Don't look, Matsumo." Auge hissed pleadingly.
Wut chuckled as he looked upon the longhaired telepath. "Ahh, a blood relative of the Empath. Is he as delicious as the boy?" Wut sneered venomously as he caught Matsumo's stunned gaze. "I do admit the boy tastes far better then both of his parents did."
Matsumo stared at the demon in wordless disbelief, gaze lowering from the blood-drenched figure to stare down at what lay at Wut's feet.
Only a small short rise of the brunette's chest indicated that he was still alive. Ken's head was turned away from the two lovers but a wide pool of blood was spread out beneath his limp form, arms draped limply at his sides, legs outstretched and just as bloody as the rest of his torn body. Large gashes and tears covered his entire body, no portion of skin larger than a hand's width left untouched. Ken's hair was dyed red from his own blood, crusted and hanging in limp twisted tendrils around his face. Wut bent down and caught the Empath's weak right wrist, lifting the ragged doll-like body enough so that the man's torso was off the ground. "Say hello, boy." Wut commanded snidely, giving the broken man a rough shake so that his head tilted to the side, the brunette's left cheek falling against his shoulder. Matsumo met the glassy gaze of his only living family, his telepathy desperately digging in deep to the man's mind, searching for a spark of awareness, finding only a shattered landscape of obsidian glass.
A long agonizing howl of distress and grief tore free from the telepath, the man screaming and tearing at his lover's strong grip, arms extending to try to reach the Empath's broken form that lay at the demon's feet. "KEN!!! KEN! KEN!!!! KKKEEEEEENNN!!! NO….NO! NNNOOOOO!" Matsumo's voice broke in the end, no more words spilling out, knees giving out from underneath as he hung loosely from his lover's supporting limbs, wordless cries of wrenching agony spilling agonizingly out of him.
Auge clenched his jaw tight, ignoring the sharp ache forming from his tight grimace, trying to anchor his lover from sinking into madness-driven despair. The Seer's eyes stared at Wut with unnamed fury and hate, raging ruby gaze promising an agonizing and painful death. Wut met the challenging gaze with a confident sneer, releasing his grip on the brunette's body, allowing the man to collapse harshly to the ground once again. "I'm shivering in fear." The demon mocked.
"You're going to choke on your words." A venomous voice hissed in dark promise behind the overconfident demon.
Wut's grin dropped and burning gaze flickered and brightened in disbelief as he spun around, looking up at the figure who had suddenly appeared in the large opening edged with broken stained glass that the Empath had shattered earlier. "Who the hell are you?!" Wut shrieked in challenge, snarling and baring alabaster white teeth stained crimson.
Farfarello's eyes were burning and livid, his eyepatch literally combusting into flames, falling away to reveal his demonic eye that swam with power. "I'm your worst nightmare." Farfarello said with an answering snarl and baring of lengthened teeth.
Wut hissed and spat in rage, long talon fingers flexing and curling as he crouched down facing his newest opponent.
"Don't you dare insult me!" Farfarello screamed in fury, slamming his fists into the remaining pieces of stained glass at his sides, "You pose no challenge against me, worm!" The white-haired demon stepped forward, dropping to the ground below and rushing the other demon, slamming a balled fist along the shrieking demon's skull. Wut was lifted bodily off from the ground from the solid contact, careening through the air and smashing into a wall over fifty feet away, falling into a huddled heap onto the ground as wood and debris shattered around him.
Farfarello spat in disgust, ignoring the other demon for the moment. He groaned softly in pained agony as he knelt down at the side of his young lover, carefully gathering the Empath's hurt form within pale scarred arms. "My Angel. Wake up. Please wake up. Don't hide away within your mind. You don't need to be afraid anymore. He won't hurt you anymore."
Ken's body convulsed as awareness sank in and he drew in a ragged gulp of air, chest rising and falling in erratic spasms, glassy eyes sharpening and were now dilated so far that only a thin line of velvet brown was visible. The Empath wheezed and drew in agonizing large amounts of air, legs kicking convulsively against the floor and arms shaking as if a large shock of electricity had been shot through his entire body, fear and pain making the Empath's mind spin and twist in madness and confusion.
"Stop it, Angel. You're hyperventilating." Farfarello commanded in a serious tone, a hand coming up to brush blood-drenched strands of hair away from his lover's face. " You're going into shock now, Ken. I know you're in pain. But you must overcome it. You must focus and Heal your wounds before you fall into a comatose-like state from the loss of blood."
Farfarello was unsure if Ken had heard his words but he did notice that the Empath's gaze seemed to become more focused and less shaky. "That's it, Angel. Slow your breathing. Slow and steady. Breathe in…..now breathe out. Breathe in…….and out….."
Ken heard and latched onto that familiar voice, chest now falling and rising in a slow and even pattern, legs ceasing to kick and arms stopped shaking within the cradle of Farfarello's form. Ken whimpered painfully and threw himself further against his lover, wrapping his stiff and pained arms around his lover's neck. "I'm sorry! I just-He made me hear what he was doing to those people-I couldn't let him-I didn't want to-I thought I could take care of it-" Ken sobbed as he couldn't finish a complete rational sentence, pressing himself as close to his lover as he could. He whimpered and cried softly as he curled away from the pain and memories of what had transpired between himself and Wut, the demon having taken great pleasure in causing the Empath as much pain as possible during the five minute period before Auge and Matsumo had arrived.
Farfarello shushed his lover's soft cries, whispering soft promises and comfort. His sharp hearing caught the soft pained grunt as Wut shuffled onto his feet, the red-haired demon shaking his head to dispel the sharp dizziness away.
"Auge." Farfarello called out, the Seer stepping towards his fellow demon without a shred of hesitancy. "Protect him." Farfarello commanded, handing over his precious bundle to the Seer. Auge nodded his head in understanding and acknowledgement, gathering both the Matsumo and Ken within the protection of his solid form as he melted back into the bright light outside of the two demons' battleground.
"You-I'll kill you…" Wut hissed in promise. Farfarello shrieked in fury, rushing the demon and smashing his fist into the demon's face, the red-haired demon shrieking along with the white-haired demon as blood streamed from where his nose had once been.
"You have it turned around." Farfarello snarled, skin tearing and bones reforming beneath his skin, "It is I who will kill you."
And as Farfarello shed his human form the world around them erupted into chaos and shrieks of rage and hot splashes of blood.
< < < < <> > > > >
Author's Note: Not much further, not much further! Only two chapters to go, maximum!