Jarvis Light:, Nick Venom [most read books in the world of all time txt] 📗

attack Jarvis from afar while Jarvis was working with a power he wasn’t familiar with and couldn’t control while also trapped in the corner booth. He was losing and it was becoming apparent.

Andy gnashed his teeth as he sprinted towards Ironix with the fire extinguisher. Once he got close enough to Ironix, he sprayed the contents of the extinguisher onto him. The extinguisher dealt no damage, but it did allow Jarvis to escape the corner at Andy’s insistence.

“Go outside!” Andy shouted. Jarvis nodded, not affected by the extinguisher’s contents. He dove out of the corner booth, no longer trapped. He now sprinted out of the front door with Ironix glaring at him.

Ironix turned to face Andy, who sprinted out of the front door. Andy was unarmed, so he kept his distance from Ironix to avoid being killed without any resistance. Unlike Jarvis who could fight back, Andy was a normal human. He couldn’t survive a single attack from Ironix.

“You… You’re not a target, so leave before I have to kill you.” Ironix told him. Andy stopped, turning around to face Ironix. He spat in front of him - treating that action as his answer. Ironix shrugged his shoulders in response. “Suit yourself then.” He remarked, holding one end of the chain tightly with one hand. The other hand dipped to his belt, brandishing a throwing knife. He threw it at Andy, grazing his cheek. Andy barely dodged it in time. 

“Andy!” Jarvis shouted, seeing blood spray from the wound on Andy’s face. Fortunately, the wound was small and wouldn’t lead to his death. 

“I’m fine, focus on stopping that crazy bastard!” Andy shouted, retreating several steps backward. Jarvis nodded, acknowledging Andy’s words, and fired off several more blasts of energy. His attacks burn through Ironix’s clothes, but none of them crack through his skin. It was as if his skin was a permanent shield against Jarvis’s attacks. 

“Damn,” Jarvis muttered. His attacks were powerful, but it was evident that he lacked experience and control as his attacks were often random bursts of energy, some being long blasts while others were short. He hadn’t even scratched the surface of his powers, but yet he engaged in two fights since gaining the powers. Everything was moving too quickly for him.

While Ironix attacked Jarvis with his chain and Jarvis counterattacked with his blasts of energy, a gas truck rolled into the restaurant’s parking lot. The driver wasn’t paying attention, half-awake. He shambled out of his truck, swaying back and forth as his sleepy eyes led him towards the restaurant. He was starving and tired, a dangerous combo for a truck driver.

Andy approached the man, stopping him before he entered the fighting zone. “Sir, please leave!” He told the driver. The driver furrowed his brows and tilted his head.

“What ‘ya mean? I-” He glanced at Ironix landing a strike, watching as the chain wrapped around Jarvis’s back and front. Ironix yanked on it, retrieving his chain while causing more damage to Jarvis. The chain tore several finger-length wounds into his body. 

“Ahhhhh!” Jarvis shouted through his teeth. “Damn you, bastard!” He shouted, this time with a clear voice. Ironix, however, could care less about Jarvis’s words. He approached Jarvis and struck at him again, piercing his body and forcing him to his knees. The wounds weren’t small anymore, now growing by severity and number of them. The chain was littered with sharp points that tear into skin and tickle bones. Jarvis knew from first-hand experience how sharp the points were as they continued to pull on and break his skin. The broken skin would then release blood. He was bleeding out gallons because of the wounds. Soon, if he wasn’t patched up, death would be in the cards for him.

“Stop resisting Jarvis. They want you alive.” He muttered.

Jarvis cracked a smile. He glanced at the gas truck, eyeing it hungrily. The driver and Andy are far enough, but… will it be enough to escape from him? He thought to himself. Andy looked in his direction before at the truck. He quickly deduced Jarvis’s plan.

“Sir, I need your truck right now,” Andy said, rushing to the driver’s seat.

“Hell no! That’s my truck, don’t you dare touch it!” The driver shouted, but he wasn’t faster than Andy. Andy slid into the driver’s seat and quickly moved the gear into drive. He slammed on the gas pedal and angled the car towards Ironix, nearly hitting the driver in the process.

Andy barreled the gas truck towards Ironix but slowed down as he approached him. He put the truck to a stop, some distance from Ironix, and jumped out of the truck. He turned to face Jarvis, holding up a thumbs up. Jarvis didn’t respond instantly, focused on what was in front of him. Ironix stopped attacking him, now staring at him.

“Why were you picked?” He asked.

Jarvis shrugged his shoulders. “Dumb luck?”

Ironix smirked. “There is no such thing as luck. Only your decisions.” He remarked.

Jarvis nodded, glancing at the gas truck. “You’re right, there isn’t luck… only our decisions right?”

Ironix nodded. “What happened earlier with your friend wasn’t luck, but a decision he made. When you escaped my first attack wasn’t luck, but a decision you made.”

Jarvis didn’t say anything, simply rising to his feet. Ironix allowed him to get back to his feet as it would be easier to take him standing than sitting. 

Jarvis glared at Ironix, glancing at Andy for a split second before focusing his attention solely on Ironix. “Who is after me?”

Ironix shook his head. “Can’t say.

“What can you say then?”

“Not much.”

Jarvis bit his lip. “Then can I say something before you take me in?” Ironix nodded, seeing no reason to refuse. “Can my powers ignite a fire?”

Ironix furrowed his brows. “Ignite fire?” He questioned. He looked around, noticing the gas truck. His eyes widened as he realized Jarvis’s plan. Using Ironix’s narrow view, Andy moved the gas truck close to him without him even realizing it. Then Jarvis prepared himself and readied the first blast. Once he was ready, he fired the blasts of energy into the gas truck and hoped that it would be close enough to be affected by it. Everything was founded on his hope that his amateur plan would work.

Fortunately for him, his hope was enough. He executed his plan and the blast of energy passed Ironix and struck the gas truck. The single blast was enough to create a spark amidst the gas and create a large explosion. The explosion shook the ground, knocking everybody to the ground. The flames consumed Ironix and tickled at Jarvis. They also began spreading towards the restaurant, but Andy kept them at bay with the fire extinguisher. However, he wasn’t able to maintain them for long as Jarvis called him over. He released the rest of the contents before running towards Jarvis. Both men sprinted as quickly as they could, leaving Ironix engulfed in flames, a spreading fire, and a shocked driver. They didn’t deserve the ‘hero’ titles.

***

Andy exited a small clinic and dressed Jarvis’s wounds. They were some distance away from the restaurant, but Andy wanted to be farther. Unfortunately, Jarvis’s wounds slowed them down.

“How are you feeling? Any better?” He asked Jarvis. They sat behind the clinic, out of sight. “Still bleeding?”

Jarvis shook his head, feeling his several tens of wounds. He felt where the chain dug into him. “I’m fine for now. We need to leave now before the police come.”

Andy nodded. “Hopefully my aunt could give us some money to buy new clothes and disguises. I’m sure that driver is blabbering our details to the police.”

Jarvis nodded, lowering his shirt and covering the wounds with what fabric he had left. “Let’s leave.”

Andy nodded, rising to his feet. Jarvis followed suit, both men entering the public’s sight. They walked alongside the sidewalk, keeping an eye out for Ironix or anyone with malicious intent. Fortunately, there was nobody in their way. They managed to go farther into the suburbs, getting closer to Andy’s aunt’s house. 

As they walked, Jarvis lit a cigarette and smoked it. He felt his lungs filling up and some of the smoke being exhaled from his wounds. He didn’t mind the extra exhaust ports, continuing to smoke and fill his lungs with the toxins. 

Andy didn’t question his behavior as he was used to Jarvis smoking. It irritated him as he hated the smell of cigarette smoke, but he knew that he needed it, especially now. He continued to walk, leading the way. Every once in a while he’d looked at Jarvis, making sure he was still with him. His medical knowledge was limited and he wasn’t sure that the wounds were safe from infection by his poor bandaging. He hoped that his aunt could erase that problem as well as many others. She was his saving grace if she accepted him. If she didn’t it would be the end of him.

 

After a half-hour of walking, Andy and Jarvis grew tired. They approached a park that was in their path, sitting down on one of its benches. Jarvis sat down, his hands feeling his wounds. They sighed whenever he made an action that they didn’t like. They were fighting with him, threatening to infect themselves and kill him. 

Andy, recognizing his state, bit his lip. We need to reach my aunt’s house. He’s going to die sooner rather than later. Please, God! Let her be an accepting aunt. He thought to himself. 

He intertwined his fingers and sat them on his lip. He glanced at Jarvis, who was breathing slowly. “Jarvis, do you… ?” He asked, cringing at his own words. “Do you think you can continue?”

Jarvis turned to face him, his face flushed. His body was wounded seriously by Ironix and his mana pool took a large dent. “I… I can do it. I’ll be fine.” He told him.

Andy nodded. He turned away from Jarvis, staring at his surroundings. Families were at the playgrounds or in the large oval-shaped field in the middle of the park. Friends played in the field or at the basketball court and elderly people jogged on the oval-shaped pathway. They all enjoyed themselves, none of them even batting an eye at Jarvis’s state. They were living their lives with no regard for outsiders. Andy couldn’t hate them as he understood it. Why put your neck out for strangers or even include them in your personal bubble. If that’s the case, though, why did I help Jarvis? I could still be at the hotel, surrounded by rats and bugs, but safe. I would’ve traveled to my aunt’s house in a few days and everything would’ve gone smoother. So why did I decide to help Jarvis? He got himself caught up in a messy situation and I think we’re considered criminals because of what happened at the restaurant. I could be living my own safe life and enjoy what years I got left. So why did I invite him? It can’t be because we’re good friends, right? Then why? He thought to himself. Why am I helping him?

“Hey, Andy?” Jarvis muttered, surprising Andy. He was absorbed in his thoughts, now re-entering reality. 

“Y-Yeah?”

“What happened to Roxy?”

“Roxy? I don’t remember.” Andy told him. “I think she must’ve escaped during your fight with the man. I’m sorry, I should’ve gone after her.”

Jarvis shook his head. “Don’t apologize for her. I… I should’ve been paying attention to Roxy.”

“You were fighting for your life, how could you remember about her?”

“She’s one of my two lifelines. Because of Roxy, I could deal with the grief of losing my ex. She helped keep me sane through the messy break-up..”

“What’s your other lifeline?” Andy asked.

Jarvis cracked a small smile, facing him. “You, Andy.”

Andy tilted his head. “I’m one of your lifelines… really?”

Jarvis chuckled softly. “Well… to start, look at us now. You helped me get through this entire… thing. Without you, I would’ve been captured by Ironix and the people who kidnapped me.” He paused, waiting for an elderly man to jog past him before continuing. “You also