After Sunny's alarming words, the cohort had gone to work. Seishan and Jet called for their respective backups. Sunny was surprised to see the adoptive daughter of the Song qween helping them. Though glad, it was not entirely unexpected, as she was probably sent as a spy to the ball, either to gather information about the Valor or to investigate the kidnapping cases and illegal trafficking of Shards that had happened over the past few months.
Aiko and Kai, on the other hand, were assigned to monitor the statues. Thanks to Kai's awakened ability to see through solid objects combined with his flight capabilities, he was the best air support they could have. His mission was to report every movement inside and around the manor, track the Count's location, and detect any abnormal behavior from the wooden statues in case of an attack. The only downside was... well, himself. Nightale was a renowned K-pop artist and one of the few humans with the ability to fly without transforming. Luckily, Aiko had already solved that problem for now-Kai was wearing an invisibility cloak she had given him. It only confirmed how popular he really was.
The last team, unsurprisingly, was the blind seer and the dark shadow. Cassie and Sunny had the biggest task: gather information against the Count.
Tap, tap, tap, tap
In the quiet, moonlit hall, with the only source of light streaming through the glass windows on the left side, two sets of footsteps echoed alongside a heavier knock at every second.
Cassie and Sunny walked through the dim hall, with Cassie leading the way. Now that they were no longer surrounded by unwanted attention, Cassie summoned her wind staff to guide her. Meanwhile, the Midnight Shard in Sunny's hand reflected the moonlight on the red carpet beneath them.
"So... you're telling me we should investigate the dark room the Count invited you to, right?" Sunny asked, glancing at her. Fortunately, Cassie had covered her enchanting dress with a cloak and hood, which gave her high defense against both physical and magical attacks. Sunny, on the other hand, had summoned his Ascended VI Memory Armor, the Mantle of the Underworld, which he had repaired using the essence he'd acquired after becoming awakened.
"Yes, we need to start somewhere, right? That would be the first place I'd think of," Cassie responded as her staff tapped once more through the dark hall.
Sunny frowned as a thought crossed his mind. "You know, if the Count has the ability to control wood, wouldn't your... Memory be in danger?"
Cassie paused for a moment, a confused look crossing her face. "There's a difference between regular wood and the wood used in Memories. There's no way the Count can control wooden Memories."
Sunny pressed his lips tight, tilting his head slightly as a sarcastic tone slipped out. "Of course, it's impossible for a man who can create artificial life using carved wood and crystal shards to control a wooden stick."
"Staff," Cassie corrected him. "A wooden staff."
She turned her head back toward the front, remaining silent for a moment. Sunny waited for a response.
"Alright," her voice finally replied, with a hint of mischief.
The wooden staff in her hand disappeared in a thousand sparkles as she unsummoned her Memory. "Hold my hand."
Sunny froze at her words, looking at her outstretched hand. "Wha- Why did you unsummon your wind staff?!"
"What do you mean why? If the Count can control my wooden staff, shouldn't I reduce his chances of defeating me by not having it at all?"
Sunny considered her logic. She was right. That would be the best move if the Count could control a wooden staff. But two dilemmas remained: first, the Count was being watched from the air by Kai and wasn't near them, and second, she needed the staff to guide her while walking. So why did she want to hold hands?
Seeing Sunny not respond, Cassie's lips curled slightly. "Sunny, I need something to guide me while walking. If my staff is useless, then I need someone's hand."
Sunny's skin crawled at her words. He wanted to tell her the Count was far away, and it would be better to hold onto the staff in case they were ambushed, but...
"Yeah... you're right," Sunny muttered, somewhat dazed, as he slowly reached out and grabbed her hand.
Cassie's smile grew at his action, causing Sunny's heart to ache. His dark soul core felt as if it was being tainted by a drop of red.
As Sunny grasped her hand, Cassie did something unexpected: she slid her fingers between his as she started walking.
"Let's go," she said, almost humming.
'This... is absurd... how... why... so nonchalant,' Sunny's mind was in shambles as her next words sent a shiver down his spine.
"Did you just want to hold my hand?"
"Wha-?! N-"
CREEK
They both froze. Cassie tightened her grip on Sunny's hand and looked to her right. Sunny followed her gaze, spotting a white door from which the creaking sound had come. Cassie narrowed her eyes as she summoned her Echo, Quiet Dancer, an Echo she had obtained from Nephis that had helped her on many journeys during Sunny's absence from the cohort.
"This is it," Cassie said, turning toward the door.
Sunny gripped the Midnight Shard with one hand as he approached the door and grabbed the knob. "Stay behind me."
Cassie obeyed, letting go of Sunny's hand and summoning her staff again. Sunny would've liked to comment, but now wasn't the time.
He twisted the knob and opened the door. The room was completely dark, but for Sunny, it was as clear as day. That's when his face turned to horror.
"Sunny?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah... this is it."
Sunny stepped inside, staring at the nightmare creatures and human figures carved out of wood. Some were halfway complete, while others were perfectly finished.
"It reeks of wood even more than last time," Cassie commented as she narrowed her eyes and covered her nose with the back of her hand.
"What do you see?" she asked.
"Your vision was correct. This place is full of wooden nightmare creatures and humans."
Cassie's expression darkened. "Let's... check them out."
"You sure? You know, in a lot of movies, when the protagonists say those words, the doo-"
Sunny's sentence was cut short by the door slamming shut.
Click
The sound of the lock echoed through the room. Sunny and Cassie didn't say a word, but Cassie shot a glare in Sunny's direction.
"It's not my fault," Sunny muttered, feeling her glare as he scanned the statues with his eyes.
'They're well carved... this guy really knows his craft.'
Cassie sighed and spoke, "You couldn't keep your mouth shut, even now... and you wonder how I figured out your true name."
Sunny was stunned for a moment, then lashed out, "Oh yeah? Who the hell were you to use it and tell Nephis to imprison me in the dreamland?!"
Cassie's eyes widened, and she froze. She lowered her head, looking away without saying anything, though her face was clearly apologetic. Sunny knew she wouldn't say sorry; she probably thought she deserved his outburst. Yet, to her surprise, Sunny didn't react as he had on the balcony.
Sunny sighed, feeling another drop of red fall on his core.
'This girl... that dream did something to me, for sure.'
He brushed away the stray hair from his face and muttered, "Come on... now's not the time to regret the past."
Cassie nodded and followed Sunny around the room.
Sunny stopped in front of a human statue carved from wood. "Damn..."
"What?" Cassie asked, gripping his sleeve.
Sunny glanced at her hand for a moment before speaking, "It's one of the kidnapped Awakened."
Cassie tightened her grip. "Oh..."
"But-" Sunny didn't stop.
"I don't see a soul core."
"Huh?... Maybe... he wasn't experimented on yet?" Cassie suggested.
"Could be..."
Sunny raised his hand, about to touch the statue.
Crack
The creak sounded, and Sunny quickly grabbed Cassie, blocking the attack from the shadows. Sharp teeth and glowing eyes emerged from the dark, gnashing at him as they clamped down on his Midnight Shard, tree-like roots resembling teeth spilling forth.
"Cassie, three steps to your left! There's a window!" Sunny shouted as he kicked the wooden being off his chest.
Cassie frowned but took three steps, grabbing the window's edge. She commanded Quiet Dancer to stab the wooden creature's arm. The creature growled.
"AGHHH... MY HANDDD... HELP... I DON'T WANT TO DIEEEE..."
Cassie froze at the strange voice. Sunny had no time to dwell on it.
The battle continued.
"IT HURTS! SAVE MEEEE... I DON'T WANT TO DIEEE!"
The creature leaped onto Sunny with precision, pinning him to the ground with just one hand.
'What's with this... insane power?'
Clank clank clank
"HELP... GHAALP... I DON'T WANNA DIEEE!"
The creature's wooden teeth were blocked by Sunny's Midnight Shard. Drool spilled across Sunny's face as the being mumbled its words.
"You... damn strong... ugh... guy."
Sunny's strength was overwhelmed.
"I guess... Pinocchio... still hasn't become a real boy!"
Sunny smirked as he thrust his knee into the creature's abdomen, lifting its body off him.
"Cassie, now!"
Sunny shouted as a gust of wind sliced through the air, decapitating the creature. The wooden head rolled to the side, but the body continued to thrash violently.
"Shity..fucker..."
"Quiet Dancer!"
At Cassie's command, her Echo flew toward the creature, piercing its chest where the Shard was supposed to be. The creature stopped moving as Sunny shoved it aside.
"Sunny?!"
Cassie called out, concern clear in her voice as she waited for some sign that he was okay.
"I'm fine. Did I push you too hard?"
Sunny asked as he got up, brushing off the remnants of the struggle. Faint growls still echoed from the severed head.
"Ugh... hahahaha... help... bgahha..."
The creature was choking-or rather, the person trapped inside the wooden body was trying to communicate, having lost connection to the crystal Shard that controlled them.
"I... I'm okay, but Sunny-"
Cassie started to speak, but Sunny cut her off as he rose to his feet. He winced slightly, glancing at his leg.
'Did I step wrong?'
"Sunny?!"
"I... ahem... I'm alright."
'Why's she worrying so much?'
"Don't worry," Sunny reassured her, drawing his sword and driving the Midnight Shard into the head of the creature. "His nightmare is over."
"..."
"Why so quiet?" Sunny asked as he approached her, noticing her expression. He reached out to take her hand.
"Sunny... that guy, he was-"
"It doesn't matter," Sunny interrupted, his voice firm.
Creek
Creek
Creek
"There are still more inside." He shifted his focus to the door, noticing swift movements among the other statues.
"SAINT!"
At Sunny's command, a towering female knight, clad in heavy armor, rose from his shadow. With a single swing of her sword, she smashed through the wall, causing several statues to stir, even those only half-finished.
"Let's go." Sunny grabbed Cassie's hand as she nodded, and they slipped through the hole in the wall. As they moved outside, creaks and crashes echoed from behind them-doors breaking, walls splintering, as statues came to life.
"Damnation-"
"Sunny... there are multiple cores everywhere... I can feel them. Plus..." Cassie trailed off, covering her nose. "It reeks of wood."
As soon as she spoke, the ground beneath them began to tremble.
CRASH
CRASH
THUD
THUD
BOOM
Sunny's eyes froze in shock at what he saw. Instinctively, he wrapped Cassie in his arms, pulling her close as Saint shielded them from falling debris. But what stunned Sunny wasn't just the chaos around them.
"Pssst... Su-...ny!"
Sunny glanced at his watch.
"Kai! What's going on?"
He asked, his eyes darting toward the mansion's windows, now blocked by wood.
"It's bad... really... bad..."
"I can't hear you!"
"Sunny! The mansion opened its eyes, and tentacles-tentacles made of wood-are rising from the ground! All the windows are covered!"
Cassie's face turned pale with horror.
"What-"
"It's bad, Sunny... It's like a wooden dome."