Chapter 29: Tragic
Inside the warehouse of Grant's clothing store, the wiry yet muscular Taylor's eyes glowed crimson with bloodthirsty desire. He strained against Jason's grip, barely restrained from charging out.
"Jason, how much longer? I'm about to lose control!" Taylor hissed, his voice trembling with the urge to roar.
"Just a bit more—" Jason hadn't finished speaking when a faint voice echoed around them, the voice of the wraith Sharron.
"Go do what you want. Sharron and her people are already here. Indulge yourself one last time and lull them into complacency, so they don't pull back at the last minute."
Upon hearing this, the "werewolf" Taylor could no longer contain his lust for blood. With a roar, his body erupted in black fur and razor-sharp fangs.
With one punch, he shattered the warehouse door. A few leaps later, he reached the residential section of the clothing store.
Inside the bedroom, Mr. Grant, who hadn't yet fallen asleep, instantly sensed the intense malice. He sprang up, scooping his sleeping wife into his arms and rolling them away from the bed.
The very instant they left the mattress, a shadow with savage fangs crashed through the window, lunging at the spot Mrs. Grant had just vacated.
Clutching his wife, Mr. Grant charged to the doorway, using his "Corpse Collector" strength to smash it down. He was about to flee when the shadow vanished—only to reappear behind him in an instant.
His pupils shrank sharply. Acting fast, he snapped the wooden ring on his finger—a magical item given to him by Mr. Bryan!
As the ring shattered, a strange spirit creature, shield-shaped, materialized between him and the black-furred beast, blocking the blow.
Though the spirit absorbed most of the strike, the leftover force sent Mr. Grant flying. He crashed through the shop's mahogany doors, finally stopping after toppling a dozen racks in the front hall.
He coughed blood. The injuries were only minor for a "Corpse Collector," but he wasted no time. Staggering up, he ran toward the back corridor. His wife, however, lay where he had fallen.
The next sight drove Mr. Grant to the brink of despair: his wife was now in the claws of that black-furred monster.
At that moment, his daughter Jane, awakened by the noise, rushed downstairs in a panic. She screamed and collapsed in horror at the scene before her.
The monster tore away Mrs. Grant's clothing with one hand and ripped her arm off with the other.
Mrs. Grant regained consciousness just long enough to scream in agony before fainting.
Meanwhile, back in the warehouse, the moment Taylor lunged into the bedroom, Jason's arms twisted. His hands locked around his own neck as he began strangling himself.
The pale-faced zombie's eyes reflected the ghostly image of a slender figure in a black gown. Her golden hair framed porcelain-white skin.
Snap!
Jason's arms bent further, pressing with bone-crushing force. The eerie creak of straining bones filled the air—it was Sharron, possessing him.
As Jason's grip tightened, about to snap his own neck, the warehouse and yard flooded with crimson moonlight. Jason regained control, shaking off Sharron's influence. Behind him, the spectral image of a small, soft-capped figure appeared.
High above the warehouse, Steve manifested, holding a miniature scarlet full moon in his right hand. It was a dark red artifact, its edge set with crimson gemstones, its center inscribed with lunar and esoteric symbols.
The "Scarlet Lunar Corona."
Sharron squinted instinctively. Her intangible form wavered and grew faint; her legs gave out, and she slumped to the ground.
"The Scarlet Lunar Corona? How do you have that?" Sharron's eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing it. "You two recovered too quickly… so this was a trap for me."
"Indeed." Jason got to his feet with a cruel grin. "I deliberately let the Mandated Punishers injure us, so we'd look weak and lure you into striking." He stepped toward her, hand outstretched to seize her.
But before he could, a burst of golden holy flames struck him mid-step. Maric, who had been lying in wait, dashed forward, hoisted Sharron onto his back, and fled without hesitation.
Despite his efforts, Maric was barely holding on. The maddening pull of the scarlet moon gnawed at his sanity, slowing him down. Even so, he gritted his teeth, commanding his undead to stall Jason.
But before he could escape, an invisible grip seized his limbs and even his clothes. Around him, indistinct figures appeared—some missing limbs, others drenched in blood, their skin pallid or burned.
"Hah! Maric, I thought you had tricks left. Turns out you're just relying on charms from the Eternal Blazing Sun!" Steve sneered, unleashing death magic to immobilize him completely.
Maric's face twisted in fury as he crushed another charm, summoning a warm beam of purifying light. It swept over the translucent figures, dispelling them instantly.
But the brief reprieve was enough. Jason broke free of the undead distraction and closed in.
In the hall, the werewolf reveled in the screams—Mrs. Grant's agonized cries, and Jane's panicked wails. His twisted soul swelled with perverse satisfaction. He laughed and tore Mrs. Grant's body apart with one wrench, blood and gore spraying across the room.He licked his claws with a deranged look of bliss.
"No! Mom!" Jane sobbed, her trembling legs ignored as she crawled desperately toward her mother. The werewolf grinned cruelly, welcoming her helpless advance.
In that instant, a voice boomed in Ancient Hermes, casting the word 'Venus' with furious weight.
Mr. Grant, shattered by his wife's death but desperate to save his daughter, had activated the "Confusion Charm" he had bought at the occult gathering.
The werewolf froze. His eyes went blank as the little reason left in him collapsed into madness. The charm overloaded his mind, sending him into chaos.
Though brief, it bought Mr. Grant precious seconds. He scooped Jane into his arms and fled, pulling a copper whistle from his pocket.
Knowing he couldn't outrun the monster, he stared at the whistle with grim resolve, recalling Mr. Bryan's words when he'd given it to him:
"Charlie, this whistle is a simplified ritual—a way to offer your soul to Death. If official Beyonders discover you, blow it. You'll be drawn back to the gods' realm. It's your last resort. Once blown, it releases a Demigod's aura. It has no offensive power, but I'll know you're in danger… and it could draw higher ups to avenge you if other secret organizations were to capture you."
Taking a deep breath, Mr. Grant hardened his resolve. He would sacrifice himself to give Jane a chance.
The beast's enraged snarls closed in. Without hesitation, he blew the whistle.
A powerful energy descended from the spirit world, blanketing the shop in dark mist. It swallowed the crimson glow of the Scarlet Lunar Corona.
Looking at his tear-streaked daughter, as Mr. Grant felt his life slipping away. He whispered regretfully, "It's my fault… I should have acted when I sensed that malice last night. Jane… find Mr. Bryan…"
Before he could finish his voice faded into silence. Jane stared wide-eyed at her father's lifeless corpse, overwhelmed with grief and confusion, with fresh tears pouring down her cheeks.
Back in the warehouse, as the black fog smothered the crimson full moon, Sharron and Maric regained their strength.
Sharron's form grew insubstantial, her blue eyes glowing once more. She opened her mouth and unleashed a piercing shriek.
Jason's head felt as though struck by a hammer. His vision blurred, his breaths tasted of blood, his sight turned crimson. For a moment, all he could hear was a deafening hum. Meanwhile, Steve reeled from the backlash of the broken Scarlet Lunar Corona.
Sharron and Maric wasted no time. The black fog would soon dissipate, and the Demigod's power would surely draw the nearby St. Wind Cathedral's attention.
If they didn't leave now, they wouldn't get another chance.
Using her ghostly abilities, Sharron appeared through a shattered mirror near Jane and Mr. Grant's body.
Just as the werewolf prepared to strike again, she snatched Jane and the lifeless Mr. Grant, tossing them to Maric. With seamless coordination, he caught both and bolted down their prearranged escape route, vanishing into the night.
Behind them, the furious howls of the Rose School of Thought Indulgence faction members echoed—but none dared pursue. They couldn't risk being caught in an official Beyonder raid.
Meanwhile, in Hillston District, Enber was jolted awake by a stirring in his spirit. Donning his coat, he found his teacher at the window, gazing solemnly toward distant Cherwood Borough.
"Teacher, what's happening?"
"There's an explosion of Demigod power… nearby."
(End of Chapter)