Madness (1)

Previously ~

The beast’s head rolled on the floor, blood bursting like a fountain. The world paused—windless, wordless—as if unsure it had just witnessed victory.

Henry leaned back. “Should have brought a drink with the popcorn. The real show is just beginning.”...

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VOOOOOORHHHHK!

Four more Pale Maws crept out of the Lake, circling the group with their skeletal grins stretched across their faces.

Olivia brushed her coat. “Well,this is getting interesting.”

Orianne’s gaze shifted towards Sophie and Amelia, “Take one each,” she said.

Amelia and Sophie nodded.

FWOOSH!

In a flash, she lunged towards the Pale Maw nearest to her.

The monster lashed its tail-

CRASH!

- a huge wave followed.

Mid-air, Orianne twisted. Her feet pressed against a glowing magic circle suspended in the sky. With a burst of wind, she launched forward again.

Beads of water floated skyward, defying gravity.

BOOM!

The beast started its siege, propelling the water bullets towards her. Orianne weaved through them with grace, closing in on the creature.

CLUNK!

Once again, obsidian chains shot out from the ground, binding the monster.

ROAR!

The monster roared in protest, trying to free itself. A sigil glowed near Orianne’s hand, two daggers made from ivory materialized in her hands.

‘She’s using my gifts!’ Henry munched on more popcorn, this time, with orange juice. A combination as weird as him.

With a powerful jump, Orianne was airborne, staring at the monster.

SWOOSH!

Water shot up from the lake, piercing the air like a needle. Orianne summoned more circles. Stepping on the purple circles, she avoided the attack.

SLASH!

Orianne descended in a swirling storm of slashes. All her slashes were aimed at the little skin the monster showed. Her blades danced, stripping flesh from bone like a seasoned butcher.

BAM!

Orianne landed at a purple magic circle hovering just above the lake’s surface. The monster plunged after her, crashing into the water with thunderous force.

The lake started to become red, the blood from the Pale Maw seeping into it.

On the other side of the lake, Sophie dodged as spears of water sliced through the air, narrowly missing her.

The Pale Maw flicked its tail—

almost crushing her like an insect underfoot.

RUMBLE!

A burst of coiled vines erupted from the earth, shielding her just in time.

She stepped onto the twisting growth, launching herself forward.

More vines surged ahead, snaking toward the monster.

The Pale Maw roared in frustration. Sophie chuckled under her breath and sprinted forward, a sleek sword of black wood forming in her grasp.

Jets of water screamed toward her.

BAM! BAM!

She twisted through them with effortless grace, then raised a hand—

A strange flower bloomed in the middle of the battlefield.

BOOM!

The blossom detonated, releasing a thick cloud of glowing pollen.

As the golden mist touched the Pale Maw’s face, it flinched violently.

Its roar choked down into wet gurgles of pain.

Without hesitation, Sophie leapt—

vines unfurling beneath her feet, creating a path mid-air.

THRUST!

Her black blade pierced straight through the monster’s skull.

It jolted from the impact, its body spasming violently. Bullets of water rained around her.

SKID!

She dashed between them, weaving with practiced precision.

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SNAP!

With a dramatic flick of her robe, Sophie snapped her fingers—

And aimed the spell straight at the monster.

Black roots exploded from its face, burrowing deep.

The creature shrieked and thrashed, its eyes bulging as the roots dug deeper—

twisting and constricting.

Until—

BOOM!

Its head burst apart in a fountain of blood and flesh, spraying the battlefield in crimson.

Sophie raised the vines into a canopy, shielding herself from the grisly downpour.

“Ew, it smells bad!” she muttered, nose scrunched.

Sophie looked over at Amelia and Olivia.

One Pale Maw was sliced up like a sushi roll.

The other? Covered in ice spikes like someone had pressed the “freeze and stab” button.

Both of them were discussing something, staring at a bush.

Olivia raised her hand.“Orianne, Amelia!”

The women grouped up, as if whispering something secret.

“Why do I feel it's Henry?” Olivia squinted at the bush.

Orianne furrowed her brow. “Shouldn’t he be with the kids?”

Amelia perched her hand on her chin. “Maybe he came here to see you sister.” she pointed to Orianne.

Orianne blushed slightly.

Sophie rolled her sleeves. “That absolute crackhead! Flirting in a death forest?!”

Olivia snapped her fingers. “Why don’t we find out?”

A gust of wind sliced up the bush, showing an empty box of popcorn and a cup of unfinished orange juice.

“Henry!” Her shriek ran throughout the forest.

BOOM!

An explosion occurred somewhere. The ladies glanced in the direction.

“Evergloam Thicket?” Amelia blinked.

“Ignore it. Probably just Thomas blowing something up.” Olivia sighed.

Meanwhile...

Thomas yanked his sword from the skull of a Ridgegnasher. Another explosion rumbled in the distance.

“Was that Evergloam Thicket?” he muttered.

Edward, dragging a Mournsentinel corpse to add to the pile, shrugged.

Alexander wiped blood off his blade. “Think the ladies are there?”

Thomas sheathed his sword and waved a hand dismissively. “Let them be.”

Location — Evergloam Thicket, Duskrane County

BOOM! WHAM!

Raphael and Leon tore through the underbrush, hunting Fangroot Behemoths with maniacal grins stretched across their faces. Not far behind, a Thornshade Revenant observed them silently, its hollow eyes curving into an almost-smile.

And watching it all from atop a blackened root, Vincent stood still, curved smile etched on his lips like a signature.

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A few moments earlier—

Vincent led the boys through the twisted trees of Evergloam Thicket, toward a jagged cave mouth, veiled in creeping moss.

Raphael lit the way, flames dancing on the edge of his spear. “How will we awaken our talents?” he asked, voice soft with curiosity.

Leon glanced at Vincent expectantly.

But Vincent just smiled.

Leon froze. Too late.

Vincent raised a hand.

“By fighting.”

BOOM!

An explosion swallowed the flame. Darkness surged like a tidal wave.

Then—

Light.

A colorful world unfurled before them, completely unnatural. Fields of flowerbeds stretched endlessly, glistening with dew. Cute rabbits bounced across the meadows. Chickens clucked lazily near pink windmills. The sun glowed—pink.

Vincent was gone.

The boys blinked. Silence.

“…Where are we?” Raphael asked cautiously.

Leon squinted at the surreal horizon. “A… mind realm, maybe?”

CLINK.

Raphael unsheathed his spear, gaze locked and sharp.

Leon tensed. “Why’d you draw your weapon?”

Raphael’s eyes darted across the cheery landscape. “Because this is Brother Vincent’s illusion. And it’s never just rainbows and sunshine.”

He was right.

The moment their blades were drawn, everything froze.

The rabbits stopped mid-hop.

The chickens stared, unblinking.

The windmills came to a screeching halt.

A crimson hue began bleeding into the sky.

The air thickened.

Even the flowers stopped swaying.

Raphael and Leon instinctively huddled back to back, weapons raised.

Something had awakened.

GROWL!

STOMP! STOMP!

The cows, once grazing peacefully, now thundered toward them with rage burning in their eyes—eyes that glowed faintly red.

Raphael’s grip tightened around his spear. “Dodge!”

The boys split apart—

WHOOSH!

A massive cow barreled past, missing Raphael by inches. Its hooves cracked the earth as it skidded to a halt.

SNORT!

It pawed the ground once, then charged again—its bellow like a war cry.

Leon leapt into the air.

THRUST!

His gladius sank deep into the cow’s neck. A burst of blood sprayed as the beast collapsed, its momentum dragging dirt and grass with it.

CRUNCH!

“AAGH!”

Raphael screamed—

A rabbit, small and white, was latched onto his hand, its jagged teeth buried deep in flesh. Blood poured down his wrist.

He snarled.

STAB!

With a precise motion, he skewered the rabbit mid-swing, flinging its twitching body aside.

More animals began to twitch and turn toward them. Their fur twisted unnaturally, teeth elongating. The field of innocence warped into a blood-soaked arena.

Leon’s eyes widened.

“…They’re all turning.”

Raphael spat blood from his lip and twirled his spear. “Then we finish this fast.”

The rabbit twitched once, then stilled. Raphael panted, staring at the blood dripping from his spear. “This place is cursed.”

Leon didn't answer—he was too busy watching the sky. The red hue deepened, bleeding into the clouds like ink in water. The once-fluffy sheep in the distance began to swell unnaturally, limbs elongating, wool peeling off like wet paper.

“Uh, Raph?” Leon muttered.

He turned. “What n—”

BAAAAAA!

A mutated sheep charged at them, its maw unzipping vertically down the center. Rows of jagged teeth shimmered inside. Leon leapt forward.

SLASH!

He carved through its neck, but instead of blood, thorny vines spilled out, wrapping around his arm.

“Shit!” he growled, yanking back. Raphael spun beside him, slashing the vines free. The two boys pressed back-to-back.

“They’re not illusions,” Raphael said, “They’re guardians.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed. “Guardians to what?”

The world began to crack.

No, shatter.

The dreamland broke apart like glass, and the pieces floated upwards. Beneath their feet, an obsidian platform emerged, glowing with ancient glyphs. In the center stood a massive cocoon—pulsating, breathing.

A voice echoed from nowhere and everywhere.

“Only those who conquer the dream may awaken the beast.”

Vincent appeared above them, standing mid-air atop a swirling magic circle, arms folded, smiling like a god of mischief.

“You wanted strength, didn’t you?” he called out. “Then earn it.”

The cocoon split.

A shriek rose, guttural and high-pitched.

Something ancient was about to be born.