The mansion groaned as flames from the previous battle licked at its walls, casting long, sinister shadows. The stench of burnt wood, blood, and decay permeated the air. Serena leaned against a scorched column, catching her breath, her crimson skin glowing faintly in the dim light.
"You two go ahead," she said, nodding toward Aaron and Seth. "I'll search this place. There might be others… someone who needs saving."
Aaron and Seth exchanged a glance, then nodded. "Be careful," Aaron said, his voice steady.
Serena hefted her spiked mace and stalked deeper into the burning mansion, her fiery resonance illuminating the corridors. Meanwhile, Aaron and Seth climbed a creaking staircase, the air growing colder and heavier with every step.
At the top, they found themselves in a massive chamber that stretched far beyond what the mansion's exterior should have allowed. The walls were lined with grotesque puppets—human corpses suspended by glimmering strings of resonance, their lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead. At the room's center stood the Puppeteer.
He was gaunt and wiry, with skin stretched tight over his bones, giving him a skeletal appearance. His pale, bald head glistened with sweat, and his hands moved with unnerving precision, each finger manipulating a shimmering string that extended into the air. His grin was wide and twisted, his teeth yellowed and jagged.
"Welcome," the Puppeteer hissed, his voice high-pitched and unnervingly cheerful. "More playthings for my collection!"
Aaron's eyes narrowed as his Nether Eye flickered to life, its black glow radiating ominously. Seth unslung his sniper rifle, his movements methodical and calm.
The Puppeteer raised his hands, and the strings above him began to shimmer. The corpses lining the walls jerked to life, their heads twisting grotesquely as they turned to face Aaron and Seth.
"Kill them!" the Puppeteer shrieked.
---
The room erupted into chaos. The dead surged forward, their movements unnatural and jerky, their rotting limbs flailing as they closed in on the duo.
Seth moved first, his sniper rifle already aimed. He pulled the trigger, and a resonant bullet tore through the head of one corpse, its body crumpling to the ground. But for every one he felled, two more took its place.
Aaron stepped forward, his Chaos Resonance crackling around him like a storm. A corpse lunged at him, its claw-like fingers aiming for his throat. Aaron's hand shot out, unleashing a Chaos Blast. The pulse of pure resonance obliterated the corpse, sending a ripple of destruction through the others around it.
But the Puppeteer was relentless. He laughed maniacally, his fingers dancing in the air as he pulled the strings tighter. The corpses moved faster, swarming Aaron and Seth like a tide of death.
Seth grit his teeth, slinging his sniper rifle onto his back. "I need something bigger," he muttered, raising his hand. Resonance flowed through his fingers, forming into a spectral machine gun.
"Cover me!" Seth shouted, and Aaron nodded.
The air was filled with the deafening roar of Seth's Machine Gun, the resonance bullets tearing through the horde. The corpses dropped in waves, their bodies riddled with glowing holes, but still they kept coming.
Aaron closed his eyes, focusing. The Chaos Resonance within him pulsed like a living thing, urging him forward. He opened his eyes and let out a roar, unleashing a second Chaos Blast. The wave of energy radiated outward, clearing a massive swath of the corpses and giving Seth a moment to catch his breath.
But the Puppeteer wasn't done. He grinned, raising both hands. "You think you've won?" he taunted. "Let me show you what true mastery looks like!"
The strings shimmered, and the corpses began to fuse together, forming a towering abomination. Its many heads screamed in unison, its countless limbs flailing as it lunged at them.
Aaron dodged to the side, the massive creature's fist slamming into the ground where he had stood. He focused harder, feeling the Chaos Resonance within him shift. It was no longer just a destructive force; it was something more.
He raised his hand, and a new ability began to form—Chaos Waves. The energy condensed into a swirling orb in his palm, vibrating with a repelling force. With a cry, he hurled it at the abomination.
The orb struck, and the creature was thrown back, crashing into the far wall. The Puppeteer screamed in rage as his strings snapped, his control over the corpses faltering.
"Now, Seth!" Aaron shouted.
Seth steadied his aim, his rifle glowing with a brilliant resonance. The Puppeteer tried to summon more strings, but it was too late. Seth fired a single, precise shot, the bullet piercing the Puppeteer's chest.
The villain staggered, his hands clutching the wound, and fell to his knees.
Aaron stepped forward, his Nether Eye glowing. "You've caused enough suffering," he said coldly. He raised his hand and unleashed one final Chaos Wave, the energy engulfing the Puppeteer and slamming him against the wall. The Puppeteer let out one last, agonized scream before falling lifeless to the floor.
---
Meanwhile, Serena wandered through the lower levels of the mansion, her mace resting on her shoulder. The screams from above told her the others were still fighting, but she had her own mission.
She kicked open a door and froze.
There, in the corner of a filthy, blood-soaked room, was a girl. She was chained to the wall, her ebony skin marred with scars and mud. Her short hair was matted, and her eyes were wide with terror.
Serena approached slowly, her voice soft. "Hey… I'm here to help."
The girl flinched, her chains rattling as she tried to back away.
Serena knelt before her, setting her mace aside. "What's your name?"
"M-Mia," the girl whispered, her voice barely audible.
Serena nodded and placed her hands on the chains. Her fiery resonance surged, melting the metal with ease. As the chains fell away, Mia collapsed into Serena's arms, trembling.
"It's okay," Serena said, holding her close. "You're safe now."
---
The trio reunited outside the mansion, the flames casting an eerie glow on their bloodied figures. Mia clung to Serena, her wide eyes darting between Seth and Aaron.
Aaron wiped blood from his mouth and glanced at Seth. "We're taking the warden and the Puppeteer with us. Waste not, want not."
Serena scowled but didn't argue. They gathered the bodies, their silence heavy with the weight of what they had done.
As they made their way back to the cottage, the night air was filled with the crackling of flames and the distant howls of the wild. But for the first time in a long while, Mia felt a flicker of hope.