EDGE OF THE FOREST – NIGHTFALL
REI:
"Huh..? What do you mean?"
The air thickens, like something invisible just snapped. Mono stands a few meters away, staring at me—not angry, not confused. Just calm. Too calm.
He points at my wrist.
MONO:
"That bracelet... shouldn't exist."
I look at Nokko, still wrapped around my wrist. No glow. No pulse. Just... sleeping?
REI:
"What are you talking about?"
MONO (flatly):
"Since I need to eliminate the host to stop the Observer..."
"I would need to exterminate you."
Mono raises one hand into the air like he's reaching for something only he can see.
MONO (chanting):
"REGULATORIS DAMNARI"
The earth around him cracks and glows with violet and gold light. Symbols—ones I can't read—swirl beneath his feet. His veins pulse with golden fire. His eyes turn amber like burning honey. His skin seems to fracture with blinding lines of light, like stained glass under pressure.
In a sharp burst of black mist, a scythe emerges in his grip. The blade is curved like a crescent moon—sleek and pulsing with energy. It's not made. It's summoned. Born.
REI:
"What... what even are you—?!"
I run.
DEEPER INTO THE FOREST – MOMENTS LATER
Branches slap my face. Dirt kicks up in my lungs. I'm not even thinking—just escaping.
REI (yelling):
"Nokko! NOKKO! PLEASE! I'M SERIOUS! DO SOMETHING!"
I slide behind a tree, crouched, gasping. My chest heaves.
MONO (calmly echoing through the forest):
"Rei~... hiding won't change anything. You know that."
REI (desperate):
"Nokko, can you PLEASE do anything?!"
Finally, a glow flickers. Nokko speaks.
NOKKO (sleepy):
"Wh... what's going on? I was resting…"
REI:
"HELP!!!! YOU STUPID FREAKING IKEA ANGEL!!!! CAN YOU DO SOMETHING EXCEPT BEING A BRACELET OR CHATGPT?"
"I NEED SOMETHING STRONG! I NEED SOMETHING THAT CAN PROTECT ME!"
He chokes back a sob, voice cracking.
REI:
"You're so—Ugh!! You're so useless right now!! You can't do anything else?!"
Silence.
Then…
REI (wide-eyed):
"Wait... you can transform...?"
His breath shakes, but a grin cuts across his fear. Hope. A desperate kind of hope.
REI (muttering):
"Okay... okay… let's try crazy."
THE FOREST – FOG SWIRLING
Nokko begins to glow—bright white, like a star being born. His body fractures into light and arcs across Rei's arm. The bracelet unravels, floating into shape—lines shift, snap, combine.
And then…
Rei grips something solid.
A sleek, futuristic pistol.
Painted white, etched with glowing blue streaks. It feels weightless, yet powerful. There's a star insignia where the hammer should be, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
Printed on the side:
NOKKO – WHITE STAR .57
REI (still trembling, aiming forward):
"Let's see if this can end a nightmare."
END OF CHAPTER 8