The monsters were defeated under the red sky covered by grayish clouds.
Above the sky, the silver crescent rose magnificently above Skyler and Elijah, who watched the flames gradually dissipate across the bridge. The vast land separated them from the rest like they were the only people in that gloomy world.
The pungent smell of the carcasses of burning monsters hung in the air.
It was so nauseating that it made Skyler grit her teeth, trying not to throw up for the second time in a row. Even her stomach rumbled in disgust.
Elijah picked up the extinguished torch from the ground and extended it towards the burning carcass of a monster, lighting it.
He then turned to Skyler and smiled. "Incredible, you were amazing. You're pretty tough for a witch."
"H-how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me a witch?" Skyler retorted, her voice becoming soft. "Rather, y-you were very strong in facing th-those monsters."
Elijah laughed weakly. "It's all thanks to my dad who trained me since I was little. In the end the hard training paid off. What can I say... thanks for helping me, Skyler Hall."
"Well, th-the pleasure is all mine." Skyler replied faintly with blushing cheeks.
Inside, she felt like she hadn't accomplished much. After all, running across the bridge while Elijah held off the monsters wasn't much of a feat.
Even though she did kill the monsters in the end, it was because she had the parchment with her. Sure, the plan had worked, but it was only Elijah's credit that Skyler had gotten this far.
"Perfect, now we just need to defeat the Cursed Beast, and we can go home." Elijah exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Do you t-think we can defeat it?"
"Ah, what are you asking? Of course we'll defeat it. With my strength and the parchment, defeating it will be very easy."
"Well, that's what I hope."
Whilst saying those words, Skyler tightened the necklace around her neck and looked down. Doubts and uncertainties were getting the better of her. She could only laugh wryly at the emotions she was feeling.
Such emotions were not allowed in a hostile situation like this, nevertheless, such emotions were growing more and more inside her.
"You sure are a pessimist. My father always tells me that pessimists always die in the end because they don't believe in their own abilities." Elijah expressed, voice deep.
"I'm so sorry if I seem so negative in your eyes. After all, we are about to face an entity we know literally nothing about."
"Eeeesh, those are cutting words. Well, it's fine to have some doubts, but remember that you can't let those doubts stifle your skills. You've to be confident in your abilities, or you risk putting those around you in danger."
Elijah offered his candid and wise advice to her, phrased with an air of superiority.
Albeit his words were rational, Skyler felt unnerved by the fact that he was taking the situation too lightly. She turned and began to analyze the central tower.
As she walked cautiously, Elijah cleared his throat with "Aham-aham" and added, "It's going to be hard to find that Cursed Beast. I suggest we search every floor of the tower. It's been about ten minutes since you arrived, so we still have some time."
Looking around in the darkness, Skyler barely noticed that there were stairs leading to both the floors above and below.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
She took a few steps forward, her bare feet hitting the stony ground, stinging her coldly. She was sure that sooner or later she would no longer feel her legs.
"Ehm… I suggest we go down to the ground floor. It's best to avoid running into more monsters." Skyler suggested.
"Wouldn't it be better to search on every floor? Besides, we don't even know where that beast is, so it would be better to check."
"Yea, but t-the thing is, w-we don't have much time. Do you have a-any idea how long it'll take us to e-explore the tower? W-we don't even know if those m-monsters are around or not."
"Who can guarantee me that the Cursed Beast is on the ground floor? And what if it turns out to be a waste of time? The best solution is to explore every floor."
Elijah shared his opinion in a rather serious tone.
The thought of exploring every single floor of the tower was unnerving, and it made Skyler feel uneasy. It was definitely the first time she had reacted that way to someone. She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted this to be over and to go home to Benson.
Elijah stood beside him and looked down at the tower with the torch in his right hand.
"What's wrong? Are you tired already?" Elijah asked.
Skyler didn't answer Elijah's question. Instead, she clutched her necklace tightly while staring at her feet. She had no way to answer his question.
In response to her complete silence, Elijah sighed and began walking down the stairs with his back to her. Skyler followed him without thinking, also because without his help she would not have come out of the tower alive.
Therefore, following him was the only solution she had.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
West Mennork, at the Wraithcrow headquarters.
Sebastian Blackwood was in Captain Gustaf's office, along with Cleo, Duncan and Russell.
He was sitting composedly on the sofa with his back straight. While Cleo, who was sitting to his left, had his heel resting on his right thigh, placing his right elbow on the edge of the backrest.
Duncan and Russell stood behind Sebastian, and with their hands behind them, they watched as Captain Gustaf tapped the wooden table with the knuckles of his right hand.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes, his tone became serious, "Captain, we have informed the the police that Mr. Harlan's death was due to a possession caused by a grimoire."
"Good job, Sebastian. It's best not to alarm the Republic more than necessary after the murders that have been happening recently." Captain Gustaf said, looking Sebastian and the others in the eyes.
Sebastian could only sincerely agree with Gustaf. In recent months, after the murder of three women in the space of a few months at the hands of a serial killer, the forces of the Republic of Steatha took serious measures in this regard, organizing stakeouts and escorting women and nobles aristocrats to their homes during the night.
Being a member of the Wraithcrow of Conan County division, he was tasked by the Key of Eternal Flame with guarding the areas of North Mennork, while Cleo and other members had to guard different areas of the city.
He could not imagine what would happen if the people of Prestwich City found out about the documents. Panic would set in for sure, and he wanted to make sure that didn't happen.
"A real heartbreak if I've to share my opinion, Captain Gustaf." Cleo advocated, waving his left hand as he tilted his head.
Sebastian looked away, staring at Cleo who was sitting next to him as if to analyze him carefully.
"Now Cleo has started acting like a charlatan again as usual. Who knows what had gotten him before?" A thought crossed Sebastian's mind as he continued to look at Cleo.
"Hah, who knew we would stumble upon a murder case, and that Mr. Harlan would be in possession of documents from the New Testament Century." Russell raised his eyebrows, folding his arms while he curled the corners of his lips.
Sebastian could not blame Russell. Although he suspected it was a murder case when he first saw Mr. Harlan's corpse, he was stunned when he discovered the forbidden documents he was in possession of.
"Yea, and that is something no one but we needs to know about." Duncan exclaimed, his voice growing deep. "According to the investigations, Mr. Harlan was in contact with a research group called The Ark Scholars, who wanted to reveal the mysteries related to the Second Disaster."
Upon finishing explaining, Russell widened his eyes and added. "But on May 8, all members of that group search were found dead under suspicious circumstances, and Mr. Harlan was the only survivor."
"It all seems to fit together, but there are a couple of things that I don't understand. The first is the death of all the members of The Ark Scholars. Why were they killed? Did they discover something they shouldn't have known just like Mr. Harlan or for some other reason? And then there's the matter of the robbery at Mr. Sammer's shop. Why would Harlan commit a crime and want to become a Daredevil? Was it to escape his pursuers? And then that smile… hark, the case is just getting thicker and thicker." Sebastian sighed heavily.
While he sank into the depths of his thoughts, trying to find the piece of his question, Captain Gustaf slammed his right palm against the table, breaking the silence and catching everyone's attention.
Gustaf then clasped his hands like nothing happened, and glared to those present, "Listen to me everyone, you'll have to go to the Vatican of Aetheria to deliver the documents to our organization, and you shall leave this evening!"
Whilst Sebastian, Cleo, Duncan and Russell stood silently listening, Gustaf took a breath and continued, "You shall go to Ravenport, and board the first ship in Newcastle Harbor."
Sebastian nodded slightly, straightening his back as he thought deeply.
Cleo closed his eyes, and in an enthusiastic tone expressed, "I haven't visited the City of Seraphina in years. I really want to know what it feels like to return."
"It certainly shaln't changed much since the last time we went, but its charm shall remain unchanged." A smile formed on Duncan's lips as he waved his hands.
Russell nudged Duncan's shoulder lightly with his elbow. "We all know that you can't wait to see your fiance again."
As Cleo and Russell laughed happily and mocked Duncan, Sebastian looked away as if disgusted. He looked at his legs with hands clasped.
"What a waste of time to rejoice when we'd be travelling on a crucial case. This is definitely one of the peculiar cases I've undertaken so far. Thanks to the Dream Journey I at least know what the killer looks like, and that's definitely a step forward. Upon reaching Aetheria I will ask the local shops about the golden mask the culprit was wearing. That should suffice to track its whereabouts, and once I've solved this case I'll focus on the serial murders." Thoughts raced through Sebastian's mind as he ignored his comrades who were talking among themselves.
Russell took out the pocket watch he had in his vest, "In any case we'd better leave, otherwise we may risk missing the locomotive."
"Mhm… if I'm not wrong the next locomotive to Ravenport should leave in less than an hour." Duncan adjusted the frames of his glasses.
Gustaf frowned, his voice becoming serious, "The meeting ends here. I recommend maximum confidentiality for this case, no one must know about it."
Sebastian, Cleo, Duncan and Russell nodded at Captain Gustaf's words, and left his office without making a sound.
While they walked into the main hall, Sebastian saw Cleo and Russell talking happily as they left the headquarters. Something inside him was burning, but struggled to understand what he was feeling.
It was like he was detached from reality, and that the world around him did not belong to him. It could be said that he was in another reality, a place where he was surrounded by nothingness, and that he was completely alone.
As each echoing step sank him into that sorrowful reality that was devouring him, he felt something rough and warm on his right shoulder. That warmth was so reassuring that it dragged him away from the melancholic detachment.
Turning, he came across Duncan who was smiling. He touched the top of his glasses with his left hand while he placed his right on Sebastian's shoulder.
"Yea Mr. Genius, is there something wrong with Mr. Cleo and Mr. Russell?" Duncan asked, his voice was reassuring.
Sebastian turned to Duncan, gently shrugging his hands off his shoulder, and coughed twice, "Eh no, it's just silly that I have to suddenly leave for Aetheria Kingdom."
Duncan pulled his pipe out of his pocket, "Hark, I think you'd stop isolating yourself from others, and enjoy these little quiet moments. Why don't you think about being a little happier, and finally find yourself a person you can genuinely relate to."
What is he saying? Finding someone? How could Sebastian have time to relate with someone?
Sebastian looked at Duncan dumbfounded by what he said. What he said didn't make any sense to him, also because he was just a detective with an excellent reputation who was busy solving complex cases.
"I don't have time for this! I've other things I need to prioritize. First we need to find Mr. Harlan killer, then I need to advance to the Master Rank, and then…" Sebastian bit his lip instinctively.
In his mind, he had already prepared for everything. He wanted to capture Mr. Harlan's killer, taking a Trial to become Core Master of the Knowledge Class, and focus on the serial murders that occurred in the Republic of Steatha.
Nevertheless, there was one loose end he had to tie up, one he had left unresolved until now. While the tension between him and Duncan was rising, his blue eyes shone, his lips trembled as he clenched his fists.
Duncan lit his pipe with a match, his once reassuring voice turning serious, "Then what? Are you by any chance still thinking about what happened to your mother?"
His statement struck through Sebastian, akin to an arrow from a bow piercing his lacerating chest. An image of a blonde woman lying on the white bed covered by a white cloth was vivid in his mind like a projection, as though tormenting him for a sin he had committed.
It was a dark glimmer that had sucked him in, trapping him inside.
Duncan looked at Sebastian with a serious gaze, putting his pipe to his lips, "Mmmh… I know how it feels, but I shall be strict. If you continue to walk to the path you set out for yourself as a child, you shall die alone."
The words rang in Sebastian's mind. A faint smile formed on his lips, but not because he was happy. It was as if he had resigned himself to the destiny he had mapped out for himself, aware that his selfishness would condemn him to eternal solitude.
There wasn't much he could do except be manipulated by his resentment like an empty puppet.
"I… I know that very well, but I have no choice but to continue. In any case, I'm not ready for things like relationships and engagement, and I doubt that could happen." Sebastian pressed his hat against his head, lowering his head.
"I don't doubt it. Even if you don't have a clear mind, I'm sure someone shall clear it up for you." Duncan walked past Sebastian, opening the main door, "Let's go Mr. Genius, we need to take the money from the bank."
"People around me are just fools." Sebastian laughed wryly.
He then followed Duncan, leaving the headquarters behind for Aetheria Kingdom.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Skyler and Elijah reached the second floor of the central tower. Although walking was a struggle, they were making progress without too much difficulty.
As expected, Elijah had already gotten used to it, and there were no problems whatsoever with his movements. Skyler, unlike him, was struggling, and occasionally she felt her head getting heavy.
It was definitely due to the exhaustion from fighting the monsters and the nauseating smell that hung in the air. But she didn't give up, and slapped herself lightly to keep herself awake.
"Are you really sure that by doing this we will find the Cursed Beast?" Skyler asked.
Elijah glanced at Skyler. "I'm sure of it. And then we can always find clues by exploring the floors."
Along the way, wetting his finger on his mouth, Elijah tried to examine the airflow, but it was not quite clear. Pointing the torch at the wall, he and Skyler could see curling lines at the ends and an eye engraved across the entire hallway.
"Em, but aren't you afraid of this place? It's... it's all so queer and disturbing." Skyler murmured, staring at Elijah.
"Me? Why should I be afraid? I find it reeeally cool to explore ancient ruins. It's been my dream since I was a kid."
"You certainly have a lot of courage to spare, eheh."
"Oh, you really are a weird girl; in the sense that you killed those monsters but you're still afraid of dying. The more you act like this, the more you make me think that you're the kind of person I have to protect. Hmm, I don't know why but I think that's really cute."
Skyler was surprised to hear such words. The tongue-in-cheek talkative exchange seemed to distract her from the anxiety.
In the midst of that conversation, they advanced through the dark stone hallway. Nothing seemed to change, and the only sound that could be heard was that of their footsteps.
"I'm really curious to know what kind of powers you'd like to have." Elijah wagged his tail.
"Well, when I got the grimoire, it said blood on the cover."
"Amazing just like me. Did you know that once you advance you've the ability to turn your blood into crimson fire with a lot of abilities? My father told me!"
"Huh, can you really do such things with your own blood?"
Skyler remained strangely calm unlike Elijah who was stunned. But just hearing such statements greatly increased her curiosity to know more about the world of Daredevil.
Seeing Elijah raise his ears and wag his tail, she laughed lightly.
"Everyone in my tribe has beast-type abilities, but I've always been interested in the blood one because I find it crazier. Um, let's say I wanted to differentiate myself from my homeland." Elijah chuckled heartily.
"I wonder what it's like to live in the Lannister Territory... surely they'll be very peculiar people compared to us…" Skyler thought.
As she took a step forward, something odd was happening around her.
Sound. Sound was gone. There was no sound anywhere. Her heartbeat. Elijah and the flaming torch he held cheerfully in his hand. The sounds of their footsteps faded away.
It was as if time around her had stopped completely.
And then a strange fog came. A grayish fog was enveloping everything in darkness. Skyler, unable to move her limbs, watched the fog enveloping her completely.
She felt something gently caressing her slender neck from behind. It was something soft and ethereal that made her shiver terribly. Goosebumps ran down her spine. She was unable to move, and could only watch helplessly what was happening to her.
"Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall, Skyler Hall."
A melancholic, feminine voice whispered redundantly into Skyler's eardrums.
She recognized the voice. That soft voice with unimaginable strong emotions was the same as the silhouette that appeared in her dreams.
"Be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful, be careful."
"But… beware of whom? What should I be careful of?" Skyler was in aghast.
Her eyes were wide open, her heart was beating at a rapid pace, and just when she was wondering what the silhouette was saying.
"They are coming."