She grabbed the fan and hung it on her belt. The corridor seemed brighter than before. But maybe that was because every door was ripped out. The wind hissed, and plants crackled as if they reacted to the sudden change. Kurumi hopped ahead. Both hands behind her back. Why was that?
"So, what did you want to show me?"
They walked past the first door. Laila's old room. It remained empty, yet she didn't want to look inside.
"Someone tried to hide a summoning circle under a rug in the front room. To the left of the stairs. Strange that I didn't notice it yesterday."
Laila's eyes widened. A student? A summoning circle? Here inside the hotel! Did someone else call a servant? But when and Who? No one except Jones should have known about the Holy Grail, so how?
"That was Lando's room if I remember correctly," Laila said. "His family is quite old, and his mother organized this trip, so who knows?"
"Then he either has support or is doing it alone. Not exactly helpful."
"He's not that stupid," Laila thought aloud. "Are you sure the circle is intact? That would break all clock tower rules."
"The spider was still alive. A servant would have made short work of it," Kurumi added. "It's quite likely that he's the culprit."
"Yes, but I still find it hard to imagine; he didn't really make a competent impression on me..." Laila replied, suddenly pausing in front of a battered door.
Her eyes stared inside, almost blurred and regretful. Overwhelmed by what she saw, Laila stumbled backward against the wall. Kurumi paused and turned around. A quick breath made the rune of the mouthcloth pulsate. The trembling hands did not escape her notice, even though Laila hid them in her jacket pockets.
'So this is Amalia's room,' Kurumi thought. 'Strange.' Chair, table, bed, and suitcase were neatly lined up. There was no sign that a massive spider body broke into the chamber. One could even doubt whether anyone had spent the night in there.
Perhaps that was even more suspicious. Suddenly, she heard Laila's breathing. Fast, very fast. The pollen in the air crackled with each vibration.
"Come on," Kurumi said carefully, giving Laila a little shove away from the door. A mushroom burst under the sole.
"All good," she continued in a calm voice. "Breathe in and out. Would it help if we left? We don't have to stay here. We got everything we wanted, after all."
Laila clenched her fists before shaking her head.
"Can we," she began before wiping tears and snot from her face. "Can I have another look at the Magic Circle?"
Kurumi looked at her pale face and the prominent circles under her eyes. Then she nodded.
Like her room, Lando's had the same furnishings. Only the round rug rolled up on the bed looked out of place. The circle they talked about exceeded Laila's expectations. It was almost three meters in diameter. No plant had dared to grow near it. And the ones that did look small and sickly.
'Even the police would find that strange,' Laila thought.
Lines were carefully carved into the wood. A faint smell of burns. Laila ran her fingers over the cut lines. A little ash had settled inside and around the edges. Even now, her fingers were still trembling. Everything was alright; it must be the cold, she told herself.
"That is far too smooth and precise. You can't do that with a knife. Two, no, more like three weeks. He must have spent the whole study trip working on it."
"Then the circle is functional?"
"Hard to say," Laila replied, opening her fan a little. "Let's say there's a possibility. Wow, that thing is a monster! How can one circle consume that much mana?"
For a brief moment, Laila put her head back on her neck as if she thought. Then she shook her hair.
"No, that's impossible. Even if you have as much mana as the Dunkfell, nothing human could perform that ritual."
Something frosty prickled under Laila's skin, and she found it hard to move her fingers. Her body trembled gently as if a cold breeze had penetrated the house. She could still faintly make out white lines hovering a centimeter above the engraving. They pulsed as a translucent vapor emanated from it. Laila's eyes narrowed, and the lines became clearer, but she could already see the magic fading. It would likely be gone by the end of the day.
At least she wouldn't have to worry about removing it herself. Meanwhile, Kurumi crouched down. She didn't notice the ash. But now, taking a closer look, it really was clinging to everything. Even the bed was not spared. No plant grew wherever the ash had been swirled.
'That's strange.' Something was wrong. It was practically on the tip of her tongue. What was it? Kurumi looked at Laila. Her skin suddenly looked alarmingly pale. 'Is she cold? I hope she's not getting sick.'
Suddenly, Kurumi opened her eyes. She had it! This room seemed familiar to her. Wait... why did this place seem so familiar to her? Why? This memory felt wrong. Was it the aura? When had she encountered this presence before?
"The circle is still active," Laila suddenly whispered.
"Really? Should we be worried?"
"More like an echo. It's slowly evaporating and should be gone in an hour or two." She opened the fan a little wider. The lines under the steam became clearer. It was more than perfectly drawn. She could hardly believe it. One could almost think that tiny runes formed the line itself. But on that scale, Laila shook her head. She was too tired; that couldn't possibly be true.
"You damn asshole, Lando. Why would you summon a monster like that?"
Kurumi raised an eyebrow and looked spellbound at Laila's face. Even her lips had lost all color. 'We'd better go; maybe the pollen is poisonous to humans after all.'
"Get up; otherwise, you'll freeze to death.'
"Hey! I don't wear any winter clothes, but it's not that..."
Suddenly, a numbing frost paralyzed Laila's hands. The fan vibrated as if possessed. The feeling enveloped her body, almost binding her. She sank to one knee, shivering.
Her head—she couldn't lift her head! Even her legs seemed frozen and would no longer obey orders. There was something nearby. She could practically feel the shadows. Something tried to hide its form in the dark. It was moving, almost escaping the mana waves entirely. She had to do something! Somehow, give a warning! Quickly!
"Down!" Kurumi yelled and drew her weapon. Before Laila even knew what was happening, white hands wrapped around her stomach and pulled her back.
The window burst as daggers smashed through the frame. The wood didn't even creak before it exploded into dust. A shock wave followed the bang, shooting shards forward like bullets. Laila covered her face. A hailstorm rained down and almost knocked her down.
Laila didn't hear her voice; only the pain in her throat told her that she had been screaming.
Meanwhile, Kurumi shifted her posture. Shoulder and flintlock protected her eyes. Blood dripped from the many cuts and ran down her arm. It clicked. The weapon was loaded.
Just a blink of an eye. Suddenly, an unrecognizable figure crouched in the window, wrapped in a black, tattered coat. Its bony, narrow arms hung to its knees while empty eyes stared behind a skull mask with oversized teeth. Abruptly, its head dangled, half-dead, to the side. Its breathing seemed rough.
"Don't let them disappear."
The flintlock was already humming. A flash of light ignited the room. It clicked. Kurumi immediately dashed towards the figure.
When Laila could see again, the man had disappeared. With monkey-like arms, it hung sideways out of the window. As if paralyzed, Laila did not notice the red light. Her body was still half peeking out of a red mass when she suddenly received a push from behind that sent her flying over the bed and onto the floor.
A moment too late, Laila activated her magic circles to cushion the fall. Luckily, she was wearing a thick jacket today. The fabric ripped under splinters. Slime stuck everywhere. Even on her face! Kurumi's footstep shook the room. Lightbulbs rained down. Something smashed sideways through the wall and disappeared outside in the blinding light.
"Get away!" Kurumi ordered. Laila raised her head and froze. Another figure stood at the entrance. But it was not a man. The women had gray skin and an almost bare upper body. A bone mask hid its face in the middle of the long purple hair. Without hesitation, two daggers formed above Laila's head.
Instinctively, Laila rolled to the side. She didn't even realize the fan in her hand. The knives split the wood.
Another Kurumi jumped out of the shadow. Her musket crashed into the woman's upper body. The force flung her through the opposite wall directly into the next room.
"Huh?" Laila groaned as the portals disappeared. She lost the mouthcloth! Air tingled inside her chest. The bitter taste of plants stuck to her face. Then she heard Kurumi's voice again, and a strong grip pulled Laila on firm feet.
"We're leaving!"
Suddenly, everything felt warm as she used reinforcement magecraft. The numb, tiring feeling left her body, but even that didn't help Laila keep up with Kurumi. In the blink of an eye, they reached the corridor's end.
A firework spewed from the musket, tearing a human-sized hole in the wall. However, the clouded sky did not greet them. A third gray figure with two daggers had already been waiting and closed the distance in a flash.
Kurumi took a step back, taking the musket in both hands. The wood broke underfoot as the force crashed into Kurumi like a truck. She lost her footing, sliding back several meters.
The figure turned. Laila stumbled backward against the wall. Everything happened at once. The knives cut the hair on her forehead effortlessly. A slow wind pulled the strands out of the house. There was no time for another move. Shots rang out, and Assassin rolled sideways into another room.
Pain tore Laila out of shock. Finally, she noticed the Mystic Code in her hand. A glimmer of hope flared up. Get away! Just disappear and leave the house behind. She slipped through the hole and fell, leaving the creature and Kurumi behind. She could escape... She had to get away. Away from the scary and cruel figures! Far away!
"Get down, Laila!" For the first time, there was fear in Kurumi's voice. But Laila didn't understand why. There was no one outside, or did she miss something?
Then, both legs hit the hard concrete floor. The impact was stronger than expected. Pain flared up the calves as one leg lost all strength. Tears blurred her vision. With wide, open eyes, Laila stared at the woman, who was already materializing new daggers. Instinctively, Laila swung her fan. The wind caught the projectiles, barely directing them into a neighboring house.
A fire blasted on the first floor. A cloaked figure crashed into the bricks before flying off and plowing through the distant street. The woman drew daggers again. The blades hissed through the air. Through the moisture, Laila only saw a blurry flash before bullets deflected them.
"Laila! On your feet!" said one Kurumi, jumping from the first floor. A thud rang out in the distance. Over Kurumi's shoulder, she saw another cloaked figure spinning through the air, landing next to the woman.
Suddenly, Laila felt the mana connection resonate within herself, and a second Kurumi landed next to them. The mana waves vibrated as the command spell on her hand tingled slightly. That was the real one; Laila knew immediately and hid behind the red dress.
"Ara Ara, How did we deserve such an unfriendly welcome?" Kurumi asked but did not loosen her grip on the flintlock. "I suppose you won't introduce yourself? That surprised me, I have to admit. How exactly did you sneak up on us? Servants should sense each other, after all."
The dark creatures remained silent. It was the first time they waited. Waiting, but for what? Could there be another one lurking around here? If so, she had to warn Kurumi. But what could she do? 'My fan!' Laila opened the Mystic Code slightly. A cold rushed uncontrollably into her fingertips.
Murderous lust soaked the mana waves. Laila's body shook like a blizzard raged over her bare skin, ignoring the warm jacket. But darkness only came from the front before the rose-red dress intercepted it. Kurumi had protected her again... Pathetic, how could she be this useless?
"Alright," Kurumi said. Anger burst out of her. The wave hit the fan directly. The pressure was too great, so Laila closed the fan to rub her blue fingers. "Then I'll have to suck the knowledge out of you. Be good, and let me catch you. After all, I have a use for well-fed boys."
"Understood, Master. Your wish is our command...
...We are the eyes lurking in the shadows...
...who are destined to become one!"
The three veiled figures changed their stance. Their muscles tensed. The wind blew through their purple hair while their eyes focused on Kurumi's group.
"It is bitter that you crossed my path," Kurumi hissed, pointing her weapon at the sky. "Today, your shadows will be consumed by the worst of all nightmares. Come to me, Zafkiel!"
The hatred in her voice froze the wind. But maybe it was the ominous sound of the clock. A red flash tore open space behind her back, and the golden clock appeared. Laila was pulled aside by the other Kurumi. It was the first time the figures took a step back. Laila's heart beats faster. What if the three still had an ace up their sleeve?
"Aleph," Kurumi said, pointing the gun at number one on the clock. Powerful mana pulsed so intensely that Laila's hair stood on end. Red smoke poured into the barrel, and Kurumi pressed the weapon to her temple.
"...!" Laila swallowed her voice. At the same moment as the bang, Kurumi disappeared. She immediately stood next to one figure, the musket aimed at his legs. Assassin could not dodge. The barrel was already spewing fire.
Kurumi turned away as Assassin collapsed onto glowing red mud wrapping around his joints like quicksand. The other two servants had jumped to the side; knives hissed at Kurumi but missed. She disappeared again, appeared in front of the woman, and kicked her in the chest, hammering her deep into the ground.
Meanwhile, the third figure ran, dashing through the trees without looking back, while his companions were engulfed by a red glow.
Laila breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, something sucked mana out of her body. The change made her stumble, and she steadied herself with one hand on the clone's shoulder. 'What was that?'
Kurumi's voluminous dress swayed in the glittering sunlight. How could she remain so composed in such situations?? Kurumi acted as if these figures were nothing more than annoying beetles.
'Pathetic,' Laila thought, looking at her shaking fingers. 'I'm nothing more than a mana battery...'
"We're leaving immediately!" Laila nodded obediently. The portal opened beneath them. She saw the light but, at that moment, felt nothing. Everything seemed numb, and yet she couldn't calm her shaking body.