"What did you find out?" Baby stood up, closing in on Leon.
"I think the watch is a compass," Leon retorted, showing it to Baby.
"Ahh, why do you think this is going to lead us to the haunted house? That doesn't make any sense, young man," Baby shook its head in disapproval.
"It's not like we have any leads to follow, and I think the map is only visible in the moonlight. Strange, it might mean something, but it doesn't help with locating the haunted house," Leon stated, pulling out the map.
"Well, that makes sense," Baby agreed, and they both walked in the darkness as the moon illuminated their path. Leon kept glancing at the night sky, filled with mesmerizing stars and planets. He was used to the long night, and at equal intervals, he looked at the compass as it showed the direction. Sometimes, it led them to narrow, crooked paths, but they followed it as if it was their sensei.
They saw some people, all looking pale and sinister, staring back at them with curious eyes. Finally, they reached the end of all the streets, and the town square was now a long way behind them, as they had traveled far away. Baby sat down on a nearby house's doorstep, catching breath.
"I have to regain my Qi, let's wait a bit here," Baby said, sounding tired.
"Sure, you've survived long enough. I'm impressed," Leon said, grinning proudly at the baby.
The baby looked at him for a while, then suddenly raised both of its arms, "Daddy, pick me up."
"Oh hell Nah!" Leon exclaimed as he pulled back his leg to kick Elias, but he forcefully stopped right before his leg touched the baby, remembering his qi level would drop by 50%. His sudden change in composure caused him to fall down as the baby snorted.
"Got you!" the baby cheered.
All this ruckus made enough noise in the silent street, and the house door opened behind the baby.
"What's all this noise about?" said the trembling old woman who emerged from the house.
"Ahh, we're sorry, milady," the baby apologized.
The lady looked at them carefully, as she held her old torn maiden's dress tightly.
"You look like you are traveling somewhere," she said, her voice wheezing.
"Yes, to the haunted house," Leon replied.
The old woman gasped dramatically, her hands on her chest, "Why would you go there? Don't go!"
"We need the Ember Crystal; we're in a bit of a situation," Leon shrugged, looking away.
"The Ember Crystal?" She raised her wrinkled forehead.
"Macaw's Request," the baby added.
"I see why she might need it, for she's the one who defeated the grand mage," she said, looking at Leon, her expression elaborating her reminiscence.
"Tell us about it," Leon asked.
"Grant Mage was a powerful soul here. Some said he was a whisperer! But no one knew what he truly was. Although he was formidable, he never left this realm. He made most of the souls here his slaves and even thought about going against the great Belphegor! Ha! Such pride! He wouldn't even have reached the tomb!" the lady said, now sitting beside the baby.
"Who the fuck is this Belphe-" Leon questioned but Baby Elias covered his mouth.
"Shh! Let her talk first," the baby hushed.
"But then Macaw appeared out of nowhere, challenging his powers and questioning his ways. Yes, she was our savior. She defeated the Grant mage, and he disappeared," she paused, looking at the sky.
"Many said he turned into a soul object and doubted it could be that Ember Crystal. Some tried to get their hands on it, but in vain. Now Macaw wants it herself, I see. Then it should be true -- he turned into the Ember Crystal," she nodded.
"Eh?" Leon looked thoroughly confused, but the baby seemed as if it was a very touching story.
"Yeah, the haunted house is a nasty pla--"
"Have you ever seen it?" Leon cut her off in the middle.
"No, but I've hea--"
"Alright, rest time is over. Let's get going, Elias!" Leon turned his back, taking out his pocket compass and map.
Baby hurriedly nodded a goodbye to the old woman as she murmured behind Leon's back.
"You have no manners, young man!" the baby yelled.
"She ain't got nothing to offer us, a waste of time. Her spooky story will only cause us to be more afraid of that damn house," Leon replied.
Leon stopped in his tracks, realizing that the path ahead had no owl-hybrids for light, and he felt skeptical about depending solely on the moonlight for illumination.
"Hold up, we need something as a source of light," Leon turned toward Baby.
"It seems so," the baby agreed, looking ahead.
They both turned toward a lamp post adorned with one of those owl-firefly hybrids, hooting and fluttering.
Leon put back his map and watch inside his suit, rolled up his sleeves, and walked slowly toward the post.
"Got it!" Leon exclaimed.
He had expected the creature to fight to get out of his grip, but it seemed strangely comfortable being held. He noticed that the light was coming from its tail, which had an owl's face but wings of a beetle. He handed it to the baby, lifting Baby up and having it hold the bird while it sat on his shoulders.
"This is a better way," he said.
"YeeeHaww, I like this idea of yours, young man!"
"Don't get too comfortable," Leon gritted his teeth. He pulled out his map and compass again.
They were so close. They walked carefully in the darkness as the buildings grew scarcer, becoming engulfed in darkness as the moon hid behind dark clouds.
Leon took out his moon dagger, inspecting it carefully before he got the chance to use it. It had a fine grip and measured twelve inches in length, double-edged, and adorned with sapphire stones in the handle. It looked like any other dagger.
*ding*
[Equipment: Moon Dagger]
[Owner: Macaw]
[Uses: //locked//]
'Huh? locked?'
Just then, the moon completely hid itself from view behind the clouds. Panicking, Leon looked at the map, but he wasn't quick enough as the locations vanished. He looked at the compass, and it was vibrating without showing any particular direction like it did before.
"Oh no, we are lost," Leon said in distress.
"What do you mean?" the baby asked, its voice filled with fear.
All of a sudden, the moon came back into view, and Leon quickly looked at the map. "Wait, it says we are in the haunted house! What the hell?"
"Uhh, Leon, look up, will you?" the baby urged.