61. Manipulation
'I'm guilty.'
That single thought clung stubbornly to her mind, impossible to shake off.
The moment Cassie's memories returned, even without her sight, she could sense the overwhelming power that filled the air—dense and suffocating. It was quickly followed by a sound like an explosion, echoing through the void.
The next thing she knew, Neph was speaking to her about the tree… and Chris had collapsed, unconscious.
Unable to see, she could only trace his figure with her hands. Thankfully, aside from his missing left hand, the one that is usually made out of thread, there wasn't a single injury on him.
Neph and Sunny were scouting the aftermath of the Soul Devouring Tree's demise. It was likely they would need to move before sunset—either by boat or by retreating to the last high ground they had found before encountering the tree.
"I'm sorry… it's all my fault," she murmured once more in regret.
The truth was, on the night she woke Chris up, the figure she had seen in her vision wasn't Chris—it was Sunny.
Sunny, who had been fortunate enough to gain a new attribute, would eventually be able to resist the influence of the Soul Devouring Tree. Sooner or later, he would gather everyone and lead them to the boat, making their escape possible.
However, because of her selfishness, because of her wish, she had gambled with everyone's lives.
She wanted to try something different from what she had seen in her vision. She longed for hope, for the possibility that the future wasn't set in stone.
She had heard of Schrödinger's cat: how the outcome, whether the cat is dead or alive, remains uncertain until a third party observes it.
What she feared most wasn't the unknown, but the moment the unpredictable future became fixed…
Because she had seen that future.
That's why she woke Chris up—the one who dared to say that visions of the future were a scam, that calling her a prophet made her nothing more than easy prey.
She had hoped… but there was also a hint of mockery in her heart at his absurd claim.
And yet, her gamble paid off.
Chris had given her the answer. Just as he said—future sight was a scam.
Even if he was no longer with them in the future… even if she one day had to choose between Neph and Sunny,
it wouldn't be because the future was unchangeable.
It would be because of her.
Her choices.
Her responsibility.
If there's a problem it means she simply hadn't done well enough.
***
"I'm sorry," Cassie said, finally revealing the truth behind her underhanded actions after Neph and Sunny returned.
Their reactions were quite different.
Neph took it well. Even if Cassie had said nothing, it wouldn't have changed much—whether her plan succeeded or failed, no one will know it.
There is nothing Neph capable of doing in the beginning. Besides, the result was good. In the end, her sincerity in exposing the ugliness within her own heart was enough to be respected. However, the way she just so easily accepted her made me think maybe she had some other agenda to which Cassie's is crucial or she might just be a good friend.
Sunny, however, became wary. It was the normal reaction.
He had been played—without even realizing it.
Even a puppet knows when it's being pulled by strings… but with Cassie's powers, the choices you thought were yours turned out to be part of a larger design.
That realization hit hard.
Then there was the last person—the one who had been forced to bear the responsibility, all according to Cassie's design.
He was wrapped in threads from his toes to the base of his neck, with only his face and head exposed to the air.
The rest of his body looked as if he were wearing a sleek, science-fiction-inspired suit of armor.
His limbs were cylindrical, almost mechanical—resembling something straight out of a futuristic world.
It looked eerily similar to MegaMan's armor.
"Why do you two get weirder every time you're left alone together?" Sunny asked, clearly struggling to focus amidst the bizarre scene.
I waved at him with a grin. "The color's a bit off, but doesn't this look cool?" Chris struck a pose in front of him, proudly showing off the armor-like threads.
Sunny gave him a look of disbelief… but eventually muttered, "Well, it does."
After all, he was still a boy—there was no way he didn't like robots.
"To be honest, I feel like my body is breaking apart, even now. I can't move on my own," Chris admitted, explaining his current condition.
He was using his control over the threads to move his body, relying on the experience he had gained from manipulating his missing left hand. That familiarity helped him adapt quickly—he could move almost like normal, though he no longer possessed the strength he once had.
At this point, even Cassie and Sunny might be stronger than him.
"Are you alright?" Neph approached, checking on me.
"Well… not exactly 'fine,' but I'm okay," Chris replied.
"It's not an injury, so it's nothing your flames could heal. I just need a little time to rest."
"All right," she nodded, then added, "However, we have to keep moving."
In a way, the Soul Devouring Tree had kept other Nightmare Creatures away from this area. But now that the tree had been consumed by flames—lighting up the night sky like fireworks—it was only a matter of time before other creatures ventured into this land.
Even without them, we're sitting ducks out here on this barren ground, vulnerable to any flying predators.
"I've reviewed your work—you did a very thorough job," Neph complimented, clearly impressed by the meticulous effort.
"Well, I'm not the son of an artisan for nothing," Chris replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
"Alright then, let's move on."
With that, he began making his way toward the boat.
"Oh, by the way, what the hell is with all those fruits?" Sunny asked, eyeing the boat alongside Neph. There were so many of those fruits piled up, the one that almost gave him PTSD—he definitely didn't want to be around them again.
"Aren't they delicious? We have to ration them before sailing, don't we? It's just common sense," Chris laughed, already thinking about the points he'd accumulate later.
"You remember the Dark Sea only appears at night, right? By morning, the water's gone and we can hunt like usual," Sunny said, trying to jog Chris's memory.
Chris paused for a moment, realizing the reminder wasn't really necessary. "Well, don't sweat the small stuff," he replied.
"Small?" Sunny sighed, once again realizing he just wouldn't get Chris's way of thinking.
They walked and chatted, having just overcome another crisis. Even Neph joined in from time to time. For Chris, it almost felt like a vacation.
"Oh, before I forget—Cas." Chris stopped again and turned back.
Cassie, caught between gloom and relief, was unsure how to react to their lackluster response. She had braced herself for curses or even being left behind, but… none of what she imagined came to pass.
Sunny's reaction was the closest to what she had expected.
She looked up when she was called. There was nothing in her vision, but from the others' perspectives, the golem-like covering on Chris's right hand began to unravel, revealing his original arm.
"Ah?" Cassie yelped—more surprised than in pain—as she instinctively touched her forehead, which Chris had just flicked.
"That's what you get for using me," Chris replied. Then suddenly, "Agghhh!" he screamed in pain, clutching his own hand as he instinctively crouched down.
Neph and Sunny exchanged a quick glance before acting.
"Ah! Ow!" Cassie cried out, shocked as both her hands—the ones shielding her forehead—were suddenly grabbed from either side. Before she could react, a quick second and third flick struck her forehead. This time, it actually hurt.
She crouched down beside Chris, rubbing her now-red forehead.
"That's what you get for playing with us,"