saw their target disappear from sight. Fort and Ignis were confused, they checked the alley once again...
reached the end of the alley, where they were both faced with two roads going in opposite directions.
Seeing their cornered condition due to the disappearance of Mr. Aries from the surrounding area, Fort decided to take a different path.
Although the risk of "death" would be greater, he insisted that this would increase the chances of Mr Aries being found.
Ignis thought about the risks of the choice Fort made and agreed.. If the perpetrator controlling Mr Aries is the same person who killed Azzel and Rucard, this could be a big clue to the light of this case.
therefore losing Mr Aries will make the Pioneers suffer a loss of resources, Ignis nodded and took the left path while Fort took the right path.
Passing through a quiet and dark alley, Fort felt the cold from the heavy rain that had fallen previously piercing his neck, making him break out in a cold sweat.
Holding his revolver, Fort walked slowly down the alley which was still watery from the previous heavy rain.
He took step by step with his eyes darting forward. While he was focusing ahead, a loud noise was heard behind him. Fort's eyes opened wide and reflexively turned his body around
(aaa!) He shouted in his mind while turning towards the voice.
When he turned around, what he saw was a cat that had come out of the trash can and accidentally dropped a can.
he breathed a sigh of relief.. (da** cat) Fort stroked his chest in shock. no matter what, he had to continue down this path...
Fort shook off the lingering anxiety from the false alarm and continued his cautious journey down the alley. The rainwater pooled around his boots, causing a faint splashing sound with each step. The streetlamps overhead flickered intermittently, casting unsettling shadows that danced along the wet walls.
As he moved deeper into the alley, Fort's senses were on high alert. The earlier tension had heightened his awareness, making every small sound and movement seem significant.
He adjusted his grip on his revolver, prepared for any sudden threat.
The alley seemed to stretch endlessly, the dim light barely penetrating the darkness. Fort's thoughts wandered back to Ignis, who had taken the other path.
He hoped that Ignis's decision to go left would lead to something promising, but he knew that their chances of reuniting with Mr. Aries depended on their own individual success.
Fort passed a few more bins and discarded items before he noticed a faint glimmer of light ahead. It appeared to be coming from a narrow side street that intersected the alley. He approached the intersection carefully, listening intently for any signs of movement.
As he reached the side street, he saw that the light was emanating from a small, dimly lit café.
The sign hanging above the entrance was barely visible, but it read "The Hidden Brew." The café seemed out of place in the desolate surroundings, and Fort felt a strange pull toward it. "Café? In a place like this??"
He hesitated at the entrance, peering inside. The interior was cozy but appeared deserted, With maximum alertness Fort pushed open the door, and the chime rang softly, echoing in the empty space.
The light was warm and inviting, contrasting sharply with the bleak environment outside. He wondered if Mr. Aries might have sought refuge here or if it was merely a distraction.
Fort decided to investigate. He stepped inside, his revolver at the ready. The smell of coffee and pastries lingered in the air, a stark contrast to the damp alley outside.
He scanned the room, noticing the scattered tables and chairs, as well as a counter with a cash register and a display of baked goods. There was no one in sight, but the faint sound of music playing from an old jukebox hinted at some recent activity.
Fort carefully moved toward the counter, his eyes searching for any clues. He noticed a small note pinned to the wall behind the counter. It was written in a hurried scrawl: "He's close. Find the key."
His heart raced. The message seemed like a cryptic clue, but it could also be a trap. Fort needed to be cautious. He scanned the area for any signs of hidden threats and then turned his attention to the note.
He searched the café, looking for anything that might resemble a key or further hints. The jukebox caught his eye, and he approached it.
As he inspected the old machine, he noticed a small, hidden compartment behind it. Fort carefully opened it and found an old brass key and a note, which he pocketed immediately.
With the key in hand and the note, he felt a renewed sense of determination. He turned and exited the café, ready to follow any leads this new clue might provide.
The alley outside seemed even darker now, but Fort pressed on, driven by the hope that he was one step closer to finding Mr. Aries.
looking at the note he found along with the key, a writing was written on it.
" Saturday at 16:00"
2 days again..
Fort senses a possible trap in the cafe.
He then looked at the cafe again to make sure no one was following him.
"this is too obvious" Fort said in his head. feeling doubtful and curious at the same time, Fort kept the note in his pocket along with the key he got earlier.
He ignored the keys and note for now, his eyes wide open with determination staring down the dark street. Fort still has to find Mr Aries as soon as possible..
...
On the other hand's
Ignis, who had explored the alley quite thoroughly, had found nothing but rats and other animals until he reached its end.
Turning around,
he grew anxious about his companion, who had taken a separate path alone.
As he turned, an eerie coldness enveloped him, and he heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer. Ignis lowered his head, straining to catch the rhythm of the footsteps advancing toward him.
The sound of feet splashing through puddles echoed in the narrow darkness of the alley, making Ignis, already seasoned in such situations, break into a cold sweat.
As the footsteps drew nearer, Ignis readied himself for a confrontation. But suddenly, a gunshot rang out, echoing through the dawn sky. The sound of the footsteps abruptly shifted direction, moving away from him toward the source of the gunshot. Ignis breathed a sigh of relief. But as he observed the direction of the gunshot, Ignis's eyes widened and his face turned pale. He realized the sound had come from someone he knew. "Fort! " Ignis shouted in panic and ran toward the source of the gunshot.
...
In the dark alley, Fort continued forward, his revolver gripped tightly. His eyes remained wide open, alert to any danger that might threaten him.
He soon reached a pool of light at the alley's end and saw a figure standing still, staring at the wall of a building that blocked his path. The figure had brown hair and appeared to be around 34 years old.
The figure looked familiar to Fort, and it wasn't long before he recognized him. "Mr. Aries!" Fort shouted.
But the figure didn't turn around. Instead, his body convulsed abnormally before he walked forward and slammed his head repeatedly against the wall, making no sound of pain or complaint.
Fort's heart sank as he realized the truth. Mr. Aries was already dead, making him the third victim. The figure continued to slam his head against the wall, blood splattering and marking the stone. Witnessing this horrific scene, Fort aimed his revolver at Mr. Aries, ready for any other strange threats that might emerge.
Fort shouted again, "Mr. Aries!" as he tried to move closer.
Mr. Aries ceased slamming his head against the wall. Seeing the sudden change, Fort, who had intended to approach, now retreated step by step.
Aries turned only his head while keeping his body fixed against the wall. His face was smeared with blood and stone fragments.
He then smiled, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. His body convulsed abnormally for a second time, causing Fort to swallow hard and his hands to tremble.
As the convulsions ceased, Mr. Aries's head transformed into a tentacle with sharp edges. Bones emerged from his waist, quickly morphing into spider-like limbs.
The tentacles lunged at Fort, forcing him to dodge. Despite his efforts, sharp cuts were clearly visible on his left arm.
With his body transformed into a spider-like shape, Aries easily climbed up the building's wall, circling Fort while attacking with his sharp tentacles.
Fort fired three shots from his revolver, each hitting Aries in the "legs," causing him to fall from the wall.
Fort quickly fired a fourth bullet, which was deflected by the tentacles.
The tentacles lunged at Fort again, but he ducked just in time to avoid a fatal head injury. Fort was trying to catch a breath when
The tentacles attacked again, cornering Fort against the wall.
Fort ducked and avoided the third strike, managing to fire a bullet into Mr. Aries's body. However, he was thrown backward, slamming into the wall and spitting out blood.
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Fort reached into his pocket, contemplating using Binding Time. He knew, however, that doing so would make him vulnerable to attack. Furthermore, with only one bullet left in his revolver and the need to reload, time was running out.
Desperate, Fort grabbed Binding Time, preparing to cast the spell. But before he could utter the name of his Celestial Creation Item, one of Aries's tentacles shot toward him, aiming directly at his head.
In this moment of crisis, Fort tried to dodge, but the tentacle's speed far exceeded human limits, leaving him in a situation that seemed "definitely fatal."
Just then, a hand grabbed his shoulder, pulling him out of the path of Mr. Aries's attack.
Looking at the hand that had saved him, Fort realized the figure was Ignis. Ignis pulled Fort away from the tentacles' reach and said, "Perfect timing, huh? Lucky break!"
He then turned his attention to Mr. Aries, who had transformed into a monstrous creature of the night. Mr. Aries's tentacles shot toward Ignis with a speed almost invisible to the eye.
But Ignis managed to dodge the attack and set the tentacles ablaze.
A scream erupted from Mr. Aries's headless body, the sound deafening both Fort and Ignis.
Ignis then drew a card from his pocket.
"Is it... an Act card?" Fort wondered to himself.
Ignis held the card and began chanting a spell
"o deus qui lumen praebes, dum noctis vis latebat in praesentia, tenebrae non oriuntur, lux primigenii sol terram iterum illustrabit, creaturas tuas intuens, quaeso, eleison, Light! ".
Ignis threw the card towards the contaminated Mr. Aries. Aries immediately tried to escape from the card, but it was too late; the card was already closing in. It burned fiercely and emitted a dazzling light.
While Ignis and Fort closed their eyes, Aries looked directly at the source of the light. When the light faded, Fort and Ignis saw that the once-powerful creature was now kneeling on the ground, fire pouring from its mouth and eyes.
As the flames subsided, Fort saw that Aries's internal organs had been incinerated. Fort sighed in relief, realizing he had narrowly avoided death.
Curiosity finally got the better of Fort. He gathered the courage to ask Ignis, "Uh, Ignis, was that an Act Card?"
Ignis responded with a slight laugh, then grew serious. "No, it's not an Act Card. It's a derivative version," Ignis explained. "This card has less power than the original Act Card but comes with minimal negative effects."
Ignis continued, "One downside is that it's a bit complicated to use; it requires a spell-reading ritual to activate."
"It's not limited to cards," he added. "It can be used on any flat surface, like paper or wooden boards."
"Its name is Mantras."
Ignis further explained that these cards could be created by oneself, provided the correct symbols and spells were used.
"I thought you had been taught this already?" Ignis asked.
"Not yet. I haven't mastered spirituality," Fort replied.
Ignis looked at Fort incredulously, then shook his head. "Never mind. Let's go. We'd better call the other pioneers to handle this."
Fort and Ignis returned to the museum to meet the pioneers they had previously summoned. While Ignis directed the pioneers, Fort sat pensively, pondering the questions in his mind.
"Who did this?" Fort wondered. Glancing at the key and note, he felt that the answers he sought might reveal themselves once he entered the café again. Fort's gaze turned to the yellow evening sky, making him recall the memories of the past once again.
With determination, Fort grabbed the key and left. Walking to the carriage stop he then get inside to the carriage. Going to his house.
As Fort navigated through the throng of people rushing home, he felt a growing impatience. The city streets were filled with hurried footsteps and the murmur of conversations, each person driven by their own end-of-day rituals.
Fort was no exception. His thoughts were fixated on the simple pleasure that awaited him: a quiet evening in his own space, free from the day's chaos.
He quickened his pace, weaving between pedestrians and sidestepping the occasional street vendor. The thought of finally reaching his front door and the comforting prospect of a meal he had purchased the day before made his anticipation palpable.
The food, carefully chosen and still fresh in his mind, promised a respite from the demands and unpredictability of his day.
The streetlights flickered to life as twilight settled over the city, casting long shadows that danced across the pavement. Fort's eyes were fixed on the familiar silhouette of his building, each step bringing him closer to the sanctuary of his home.
He imagined the warmth of his kitchen and the satisfying taste of his meal, which seemed to make the journey through the bustling streets more bearable. As he approached his doorstep, a sense of relief and contentment began to wash over him, overshadowing the stress of the day...