68 Brushing Dread

"So you come in here with so much confidence just to hide after a single attack!" A sick voice danced through the underground car park to the tune of the slow steps that echoed with the laughter that rattled the windows of the cars. "Oh, you thought you could handle us on your own." It teased as the laughter cut. The deadly low growl that came from a predator circling prey.

Rolling behind a car he took a deep breath, tightening the strip of cloth around his arm, tasting the blood that had soaked into the fabric as he bit one end.

His arm was almost useless now. It had been the first thing the spirit had gone for. It was cunning, it knew how to fight. He couldn't even heal it with reverse cursed technique for some reason. The spirit's technique stopped his wounds from closing.

Hearing the shattering of thousands of lights as glass rained down twinkling in the flickering moments of the bulbs before the entire car park was enveloped by darkness.

The screeching of claws against metal whined through the air along with the deadly low tone that had replaced the previous song and dance. "Why don't you come out and finish what you started spirit shaman. You wanted to find us! Well, HERE I AM!" The voice said as it bounced around the walls as if it were everywhere.

The silhouette of a figure appeared and moved in multiple windows of the cars. The same gruesome look assaulted his eyes. Torn flesh hung from shattered bones held together by writhing masses of exposed muscle covered in eyes and mouths.

"I expected more." It said with a final disappointed sigh, the changing of the moods rapid and unexpected.

Taking a deep breath again Geto tried once more to heal but felt nothing happening. He was being forced into a corner. But the corner he was in was where he was strongest.

Slowly the small amount of light that trickled in from the entrance to the car park vanished as the darkness deepened. Thickening and coating surfaces.

The car he was leaning on was suddenly thrown to the side with enough force that the frame bent before it jolted. Crumbling out of the way of the massive hand that swept cars out of the way forcing Geto to sheath himself in Darkness.

"THERE HE IS! THE SHAMAN AND THE TRAITOR!" The spirit's voice screamed as he glared through hundreds of eyes at the disappearing form of Geto.

"Not. So. Fast." It spat out as its 'face' shifted in unending rage as he swung its other hand towards Geto with a flick of his fingers just before Geto disappeared into the shadows.

Appearing again on the other side of the car park Geto gasped as blood poured from his mouth. A giant wound tore open on his chest as if a hand had ripped out a chunk of his flesh. The searing energy stopped it from healing as the voice of the spirit echoed once more towards him.

Slowly it spoke as it moved towards Geto who had fallen to his knees. Its tone shifted between enthusiasm and rage. "You think you can run? Do you think that Darkness can hide you? Oh, you truly are a fool-"

Its words were cut short by 10 giant spirits jumping out of the darkness, appearing from nowhere as the surroundings were leached of their colours as a voice started to speak, "Do you think-"

But with a single wave of his hand, all of them were obliterated into nothing but flakes of black. The swipe tearing through the innate domains that had started to form as 10 first to special grades were obliterated without a single thought.

Like nails dragging down a whiteboard, it pulled its fingers across its chest tearing away flesh as sinew screeched like violin strings being tortured ringing through the air in a desperate whine. "Such small fry… why don't you fight me yourself Darkness."

The voice was no longer directed at Geto who collapsed to his side as the darkness thinned and light stretched. The pool of crimson running out from around him slowly grew as it stained the edge of the spirit's feet.

And no answer came.

Raising his foot the spirit put it on Geto's head and said with a pitiful tone. "For a shaman, you really were disappointing."

"You talk a lot for a spirit."

Hearing the voice the spirit's eyes widened as its body started to stretch, its torn flesh elongating as the ends of the strings started to turn black and swirl towards Geto's palm.

Appearing behind the spirit from its own shadow Geto slammed his good hand into the spirit's back and pushed all his power into ruining its will as it fell to its knees and gasped as it looked over its shoulder in terror. The darkness that had stayed idle around it jumped up and wrapped tens of arms and legs each covered in thick scales.

But Geto was the one who showed shock. Feeling the pain before he saw the wound his hand suddenly exploded from the wrist down turning into a mangled mass of flesh. The form of Darkness that was holding the spirit suddenly blew away with hundreds of deep torn wounds.

The cackling laughter and the hiss of pain filled the car park with echoing screeches that almost deafened Geto.

Backing away he tried to run but the spirit spun around too fast and grabbed his collar, other spirits appeared and tried to fight but were torn to shreds as soon as they emerged from their portals.

"ENOUGH!" The spirit yelled as it threw Geto into the ground shattering bones and concrete before his foot slammed down onto Geto's chest only for it to impact and obliterate a scaly tail that rolled away.

The form of Darkness was far smaller than it was meant to be. The once towering serpent reduced the size of a truck at its thickest part. Its now torn-off tail going to a slow point as even at this size it wound around the entire car park more than once. Its true length was still hidden in shadows and mist that despite being weakened he could still do.

"Leave the SSSShaman alone." Darkness hissed as it's four red eyes glared an intense crimson light. The countless smaller ones glared towards the other spirit.

Cackling the gruesome spirit pressed its foot down into Geto. Despite the momentum being stopped his foot still was on top of Geto's chest. The shattered ribs pressed into his organs that bleed crimson spots under his skin as his eyes slowly started to fade.

He was seeing death. He could see it and he was begging for it to stop. He had promised he would come back.

"Or what SNAKE! I see why you took that form, you can't help but go behind others' backs to be the strongest and live the longest can you." The gruesome spirit spat, despite never being hit once blood ran from his body and the gruesome flesh.

With his head hovering over Geto and the other spirit Darkness hissed in anger. "I was never going to agree with the likesss of you-"

"THEN YOU CHOSE WRONG!" The spirit yelled as he swung his hand. His attack slammed into a blank abyss that suddenly appeared enveloping the bodies of Darkness and Geto plunging the car park once more into an endless void.

Countless attacks of claws, teeth and blows slammed into the spirit as it flew backwards and slammed into a car shattering the windows of it and crumpling the frame. Its body flattened into a mass of gore, bone and blood as the impact ruined it.

As he tried to stand Geto felt his body ache as he collapsed back to his knees and coughed up blood and part of his internals. He was blacking out. He couldn't speak, he couldn't do anything but stare in horror as his hopes that the attack had worked vanished as a figure emerged from the gore.

"We need to get you to Atlas, only he can sssave you." Darkness said as the coiling mist started to envelop them transforming their bodies into smoke.

Darkness had put everything into defending and the one attack, yet he had still been hit harder than he ever had before. Looking in shock Geto finally noticed the wounds of Darkness as he coiled around him. His face had been torn to shreds. His eyes were blown out of their sockets and hundreds of gashes and chunks were littered and torn from the right side of his body and his face.

It was the worst he had seen someone wounded. That much he could tell.

And Darkness wasn't healing so whatever this spirit did to him it had done to darkness.

Looking through the coiling body Geto got a last glimpse at the spirit as it stood from the 'remains' of its body. The broken and torn flesh fell away to pale scarred skin. Its eyes were a dull sickly yellow that flared orange at the edges. Its body was ravaged by scars to the point that there was no clear skin left. Only white tissue stretched and tore as it moved letting black blood flow between the lines of the scars drawing out the foul detail.

And it started walking towards them. The once hulking monstrosity of broken and torn gore turned into a lean and impossibly muscled human figure. Its wiry and harsh hair down to its lower pack.

"You think I will let you leave Darkness!" It started to yell before its eyes widened and its strength faltered for just enough time that Darkness finished turning them into the embodiment of his domain.

As the world started to fade and the last of his strength left him Geto started to hear. "You will die once more-" But was unable to hear the name Darkness spoke. His vision vanished as he fell into his friend's embrace.

---

Appearing through shattering space as hundreds of mirrors folded into themselves wounding space and ripping reality Atlas stormed out into the yard of Jujustu High. "Where is he!" Atlas almost yelled as he ran forward looking for any sign of his friend.

And the scene shocked him.

Collapsed in the middle of the yard was Geto who lay down on the ground blood running down onto Darkness who was coiled around him protectively. Its face was torn to shreds and its once impossible length was reduced to something that could only wrap around Geto a few times.

Seeing Gojo standing to the side looking at the fallen form of Geto. His blindfold was off and his face showed nothing but desperation, anguish and confusion.

Shoto crouched at his side her hands desperately pumping energy into Geto's body as her hands shook and tears ran down in waves and onto his torn chest…

The wounds were unlike anything he had ever seen.

This was the brutality he hadn't seen for a long long time.

Dashing forward Atlas called through a strained voice. "Hoshi!" As he arrived at Geto's side and fell to his knees he put his hands on Geto's chest and tried to feel what was happening. His eyes flared as he pulled on the endless waves of cursed energy that he could use.

"What is happening." His voice came out rushed as Hoshi appeared at his side folding out of mirrored space leaving a similar wound in reality that hung there without care.

Atlas didn't even notice he wasn't fixing the ruined gaps in reality. Their wild nature reflected the desperation of Atlas as space shook with the effort of fixing itself tearing the air apart as it tried to fill in the void in reality that sucked in everything.

All loose objects drifted through the air as they fell towards the portal whipping the hair of Geto around his head as his peaceful face limply rolled to the side. His chest wasn't moving.

He wasn't breathing.

"NO NO NO NO NO." This couldn't be happening. Geto was strong? There was nothing that could possibly hurt him. There wasn't anything that he could think of apart from Sukuna at peak strength that would be able to do this to him.

But these wounds were not even something Sukuna could do.

It was as if parts of his body had just been ripped out in the most brutal and harmful way possible.

His organs were shattered and some even completely mush.

But there was hope, a small amount of positive energy was still circulating in his brain keeping him alive. It was the faintest sign but it was something.

Getting a stuttered response from Gojo he spoke rapidly he said. "He just appeared- There is a cursed technique that is stopping his wounds from healing and his cursed energy pool is practically the lowest it can go," Gojo said, stopping himself from saying anything useless.

They might not even have a single second left.

Pushing as much positive energy as he could into Geto's body Atlas felt his reserves flare as he pulled on everything he had. His body started to crack as hundreds of plains of cursed energy soared through his flesh. His eyes blazing like pillars of violet light.

The energy in Geto's body clung with desperate claws to the wounds. The technique was singing in every single part of the damaged cells. Geto's body was flooded with it.

And it was stuck to it. He couldn't move it to another plane. It was somehow engraved onto the body itself at a level almost as deep as a soul.

It was impossible. Nothing like this should exist.

But that would never stop Atlas. Screaming with effort as the yard filled with a blazing ball of cursed energy Gojo grabbed Shoko and with a single leap jumped out of range as the positive energy went so wild that it left Geto and Atlas' bodies, floating through the air.

But Atlas will, like gravity to a star, force it to fuse into Geto's body.

And it obeyed.

Slowly, the wounds started to close as positive energy forced the technique out of Geto's body. But it wasn't enough, it wasn't leaving truly, it was just being forced back.

He felt his world was swimming. His body was dissolving with the amount of cursed energy he was using. The air was shimmering as his core was used for the multiplication of energy. A blazing light.

And a hand on his back was like rushing water. His soul cooled as he felt the technique in Geto's body start to shake and break apart as Geto's soul flared and fought back.

He didn't say anything but Hoshi's presence flared as he helped Atlas guide his cursed energy where it was needed and help in healing more than just body and soul. But whatever this technique was.

With a final push, Atlas felt his strength vanish as his throat closed and his gut wretched.

The cursed energy cutting off for a brief moment. The star vanished as silence enveloped the clearing.

Walking forward Gojo looked at Geto. His flesh was mended, his wounds gone.

His heart healed… but still.

Feeling tears start to trail from his eyes reflecting the brilliance of his irises Gojo spoke slowly. "Did it work?" The barest traces of hope. Hoshi could do something right? He had done it before.

Watching Hoshi crouch down beside Geto Atlas stood up and shakily backed away, his eyes widened. The amount of cursed energy he had used had made his endless reserves strain, that shouldn't have been possible. He had cut himself off subconsciously because he had felt… something… respond.

Something had looked at him from within Geto. Something had reacted to his presence.

With Hoshi's help, Atlas brushed something, he was sure that Hoshi hadn't seen it. But Atlas had felt it like the tips of his fingers had grazed something impossibly cold. So much positive energy coming into form at a single point with the power of souls backing it.

One thing that humans feared and dreaded more than anything yet some were grateful for.

Death.

The final unknown.

Hearing Hoshi speak he snapped back to reality as he said. "I can't bring his soul back… something is, talking to it." His voice quivered.

"W-What do you mean!?" Gojo started to yell as he glared at Hoshi but before he could do anything Hoshi backed away in shock as Geto's eyes flew open.

Laying there still he slowly sat up. His body shook as he looked around and said. "W-what is h-happening?" Clearly confused, his healed voice box shaking as it was used.

"Suguru? You're alive?" Gojo said as his eyes widened and his head started shaking. "No, you're not." He whispered answering his own question.

"What do you mean?" Geto asked in confusion as he felt his chest and his eyes widened.

"What have we done…" Atlas muttered as he stared at Geto's figure.

His heart wasn't beating. He wasn't breathing. Yet here he was… alive.