With ragged breaths, and whilst holding the section of the stomach where the nightmare gave him a blow, Snappy staggered to a tree and sat down.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!" His senses began to register just how much in a bad condition he was in as blood dropped from his mouth.
He had shattered ribs, scorched body and…
'Nah, forget about it. Won't help me in the least.' He shook his head.
Even so, he knew that his earlier run was all thanks to adrenaline. He was a walking corpse, and this was the more reason he decided to remain and put his last energy to good use.
His death was guaranteed the moment that beast came out of the pupa. No, that's not right. It might have been when he encountered the female nightmare…
or when he decided to follow Idel from the station…
or maybe the moment he met Idel…
or possibly his own birth crafted the end of his road.
'Hmmm, fate. Is this what Emontarions refer to as fate? If people's fates are decided the moment they are born, then what's the point of having dreams? Why do they cry when they fail? Can't they just accept that everything is out of their control?' He smiled lightly. 'The answer is pretty simple, ain't it? It's in our nature: when faced with turbulence, when our moments of comfort are threatened, we neglect our beliefs and turn primal.
Not giving a shit about what society deems to be normal… honestly, this is not always good for the third party. It depends on who has decided to jump out of the bandwagon. If a degenerate loses it, people are most likely to suffer as opposed to when a Saint does… wait, when a degenerate loses it, does he become a good person or become more wild? How do we even juxtapose a degenerate and a Saint?
In all due honesty, when holistically considered, one man's fool might be another's Saint. It all falls down to subjectivity at the end of the day… I wonder what people will think of me when I die, especially my brother. I know Mr. Freak will see me as somewhat a Saint.' His smile became even more evident.
There was something about Idel he could not understand; during their short time together he had come to respect him significantly. Whether it was how he carried himself—always calm—or how he was willing to fight for others, he could not tell.
'Tsk… this is death calling, isn't it? Cough! Can't believe am saying all this nonsense. My brain must be bleeding or something.'
He leaned his head against the tree and looked at the shimmering sky. And as he did so, he heard the roars of the nightmare.
'Guess I was right, the old man was no match for the beast.' A part of him was not happy with the realization.
He closed his eyes and focused on his core.
"I leave everything to you, Mr. Freak."
…
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Idel did not ponder on what was happening to Snappy or the Hitter; there was no time for that. If he failed to complete his part, it would mean their sacrifices were futile.
Plus his mind was occupied with a terrifying realization: he could no longer sense the position of the nightmares that were in the desolate mine plains.
Did they move? But when?
Maybe the smoke had something to do with it. It might have hindered his senses.
Whatever was the case, he became increasingly worried with each stride.
'Shit! Due to the use of Regeneration back there, am appearing to be getting weaker.'
Dash!
He crossed the swamp and blitzed out of the dark smoke.
"…!" He gasped as his senses became accustomed to the scene that greeted him.
Seated across the bridge was Tintless covered in black blood, and around him 5 disfigured nightmares lay dead next to Shifty.
The nightmares had already attacked the village and the screams of pain and struggle traversed in the air.
"Tintless!" He shouted, forgetting that the boy was deaf.
He briskly crossed the bridge, and at the sight of him the boy stood.
"Where have you been, Mr. Freak? Did you finish your adult work and where is Snappy?" he probed with a carefree face as he walked towards him.
Idel's face, however, was paler than usual. Behind Tintless was a burning village swarming with nightmares. They were struggling with the mustached officer and his comrades outside the station, while some villagers were making their escape to the mine plains… unknowingly to their death.
"No," his eyes widened in terror. He dropped his eyes to the boy and could not believe that he was not in the least concerned.
Whack!
He gave him a slap. He turned grey.
"What is wrong with you? People are dying and you could not even try helping them. Why do you have to be such a creep?"
And though the boy could not understand what he was saying, it was apparent he was very angry. He raised his hand to say something, but Idel had already run past him.
He watched him run into the village, and after a moment picked up Shifty and followed him from behind.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Idel's breathing became increasingly dreary as he entered the village. Some nightmares attacked him but were violently met by his blows, some dying on the spot while others sent flying to the burning houses.
'Shit, I should have suspected the smoke was a cover by the nightmare to conceal the presence of its subordinates. I thought it lacked intelligence. No, the smoke came out as it was coming to be, so it was a last-ditch attack by the female nightmare. Damn! Damn it all.'
Amid his thoughts he heard an explosion.
It was from the forest!
The heat from there was so massive that he could almost feel his back slightly becoming affected.
Following this was a familiar roar and a wave of suffocating energy.
The beast nightmare was on its way!
He gritted his teeth as he continued running. His eyes were fixed on the station.
Four nightmares were currently attacking the two remaining officers. And by focusing, he could tell that 12 Emontarions were left inside the station… mostly teens, terrified down to the core.
If he could just get there, he could summon his Labyrinth and save them. As for the property of his energy depleting fast due to many occupying the Labyrinth, he planned on consuming the fear of the four nightmares and including those that were lain dead as soon as they were in the Labyrinth.
This was his only choice; he would deal with the repercussions later.
But he had to do it fast, for the nightmare had now crossed the bridge and was wildly following him.
'Damn!' He looked on his side and saw Tintless with Shifty on his shoulder. He turned his head forward and suddenly everything appeared slow and foggy.
He too was slow.
Tap!
The mustached officer was brought to the ground by two nightmares…
Tap!
One of them, with its large maw, ripped his head off, leaving his body to convulse in a pool of blood…
Tap!
The other officer turned to run, but his endeavor was cut short as the nightmares tore him to pieces. He cried and cried and eventually stopped when his fate was sealed.
Tap!
The nightmares began to hit the door of the station in an attempt to break in.
At the same instance he could feel the energy of the beast nightmare drawing closer to him… most likely, a couple of meters lay between them.
As his thoughts turned chaotic, a distant yet calm voice resounded in his ears, "There are just apparitions…"
His eyes widened.
Tap!
"They are not real. The humans. All of them…"
Tap!
"Do not get attached. It's nothing more than…"
Before the voice could say more he gritted his teeth and muttered, "I am sorry, everyone."
Then, with a simple gesture and thought, the surrounding turned black and seconds later was illuminated by a crimson moon as hills and fog came to be.
Idel, seated on the highest hill, had his head dropped. A question resounded in his head.
'From whom did I hear those words?'