Leonard walked out of the Blackthorn Security Company. Once outside, he paused in front of the alley that led to the building. In the distance, he noticed the Nighthawks' carriage pulling up. After the carriage stopped, he straightened his back and lifted his arms in a welcoming gesture.
"Welcome," Leonard said with a faint smile.
"Leonard, it's nice to see you," Aiur greeted warmly as he stepped down. He was a charming middle-aged man dressed in a gray windbreaker with a thin sword of his hip, his expression serious but friendly.
"Likewise," Leonard replied as he gave him a polite nod.
"Let's go inside," Leonard added, motioning toward the door in the alley.
Aiur Harson carried the suitcase containing the sealed artifact with steady hands and careful movements. Lorotta followed after him.
Lorotta was a black-haired woman who looked about thirty. She had sharp, elegant features. She wore no hat, only a black coat over a white shirt, paired with tight black trousers and leather boots.
Behind her came Borgia. He was a cold-looking man with a knife scar running down the side of his face. His sharp brown eyes scanned the area.
What truly caught Leonard off guard, however, was the last figure to step out of the carriage.
Miss Daly Simone descended gracefully, her black robe flowing around her as she adjusted the hood framing her face.
"It's nice to see you, Miss Daly," Leonard said quickly, trying to compose himself. "You look beautiful as the crimson moon, as always."
Daly tilted her head, her blue eyeshadow catching the light as she gave him a playful look. "Oh, little Leonard," she teased, her voice smooth with amusement. "You've learned to talk so well. I hope you don't need any poetry lessons from me, fufufu."
Leonard flinched and let out a nervous sound, taking a small step back. The memory of her so-called lessons sent a chill through him. Daly's way of teaching poetry had been to channel spirits through him, flooding his mind with 'inspiration'. Agreeing to it had been one of his greatest regrets.
Daly's silver bracelet clinked softly as she moved, the white crystal pendant swaying at her wrist. Her makeup was precise, with a sweep of blue eyeshadow and a touch of blush that made her seem older.
Leonard cleared his throat, forcing himself back into focus. "Cough… Let's go. The captain is waiting for us."
---
All five of them walked toward the Chanis Gate. Leonard led the way through the underground tunnel, while the others followed behind him. Aiur and Borgia walked quietly, with their footsteps echoing in the dim light.
Lorotta, however, chatted with Miss Daly about desserts, and Daly eagerly suggested a few for her to try. The conversation soon drifted to Lorotta's newly hired maidservant with large breasts.
Leonard overheard just enough to think helplessly, 'Even Miss Daly can't handle her weirdness…'
When they reached the Chanis Gate, Leonard paused for a moment. The black iron split gate loomed before them, carved with seven sacred emblems of the seven Orthodox Gods. It stood heavy, cold, and imposing, like a giant sentinel in the dark.
From somewhere nearby, the voices of two men carried through the tunnel.
"A grade 3 is considered considerably dangerous, while a grade 2 is outright dangerous."
"Wait, if it's dangerous, then why did the Church even use them?"
"It's because of their effects. A sealed artifact, even with its drawbacks, can provide a massive boost to a Beyonder's abilities in battle."
Their conversation stopped as the group arrived at the Chanis Gate. Captain Dunn was waiting there with the newest Nighthawk, Klein Moretti.
Dunn looked like a man in his thirties. He had light brown hair, a straight nose, sharp gray eyes, and a slightly receding hairline. He was holding a tobacco pipe in his hand, pressing the tobacco carefully into the bowl.
Klein had black hair and brown eyes. His face was average but sharp around the edges. He was thinly built and carried a clear scholarly air.
When they got closer, Captain Dunn began the introductions. He pointed at Leonard.
"This is Leonard. You have already met him. He is a Sequence 8 Midnight Poet."
"Uhh… it's nice to meet you again, Mr. Leonard," Klein said with an awkward smile.
"Yo," Leonard replied casually. He gave Klein a wave and leaned against the railing, striking what he hoped was a cool pose. "No need to be so formal. We're colleagues now, just call me Leonard."
"Okay…" Klein nodded.
Captain Dunn continued. "Next to him, are colleagues from the Backlund diocese. They escorted Sealed Artifact 2-049 here. This is Aiur Harson, a Sequence 7 Nightmare. And this is Borgia."
Klein exchanged polite greetings with both men.
"This is Lorotta," Dunn introduced. "And this is—"
Before he could finish, Miss Daly lowered her hood, revealing her face. A faint smile appeared on Captain Dunn's usually calm expression.
"Miss Daly," Klein blurted out in surprise.
"And everyone, this is Klein Moretti," Dunn introduced. "He has a unique relationship with the notebook and will be joining us on the mission today."
On the side, Leonard caught the glint in Miss Daly's eyes and felt his heart lightened as a warm peaceful breeze went over him. She was interested in Klein… 'Poor Klein. Your sacrifice won't be forgotten. Keep that evil spirit's attention on you as long as possible, save us from her torment.'
"Leonard," Daly said suddenly. Her eyes didn't even turn toward him, but her voice carried a sharp edge that sent a chill down his spine.
"Yes, Miss Daly?" Leonard answered quickly.
"Were you just thinking something bad about me?" she asked. Then she turned her gaze on him... It was calm but piercing.
"No, not at all," Leonard said, forcing himself not to flinch. He kept his expression composed, but sweat soaked his back.
'Old man, help me!' he pleaded in his mind.
'You got yourself into this mess,' the voice in his head grumbled. 'Don't drag me into it. I'm out.' The voice replied.
'You freeloading old man!' Leonard's thought was cut short when Daly shifted her attention back to Dunn.
"Good," she said softly. "Or else, We would have needed another poetry lesson."
An audible gulp left Leonard's mouth. 'That's what you get for badmouthing a spirit medium in your head, stupid…' the old man in his mind muttered.
'Old man! I thought you were shielding my thoughts…' Leonard shot back inwardly.
'I was,' the old man replied, 'but I figured you shouldn't rely on me too much. It's a good time to be a little independent…'
Leonard was about to retort when Captain Dunn stepped in. "Stop bullying Leonard," he said firmly. "Let's go."
"Of course," Daly replied. A beautiful smile spread across her face as she walked alongside the captain.
Inside, Leonard loudly praised Captain Dunn for saving him again and again. (AN: Sasuga, Dunn-Sama.)
On the outside, he kept up his calm, poetic persona. He ran a hand through his hair casually.
'Sigh,' the old man let out a breath of exasperation.
...
All of them entered the room, with Klein trailing behind.
"Okay, here's the situation," Captain Dunn began. "Two days ago, after leaving Klein's apartment, Leonard and Frye captured Hanass Vincent from the Divination Club."
A picture of the man was shown. He had obvious dark circles under his eyes. His brown hair was thick and stiff, each strand sticking out like a porcupine's quills. Other than that, there was nothing remarkable about him.
"After that," Dunn continued, "with Daly's help, I went into Hanass's dreams and discovered him buying a book from someone named Regence. We captured him as well. He had the mark of the Secret Order."
"So now we know this case involves two secret organizations," Lorotta concluded grimly.
"Can we handle this mission?" Klein asked.
Captain Dunn nodded. "Don't worry. We can take it. If not…" He bent down, picked up a stick from the drawer, and slid it into his pocket. His eyes looked heavy with fatigue. Even as a Sleepless, working two days straight had clearly taken its toll.
An elbow bump broke him out of his daze. He glanced to the side and saw Daly.
"You forgot to mention how we confirmed the Aurora Order was involved," she said lightly.
"Oh, yes," Dunn replied. "In Hanass's dream, I saw a massive upside-down figure shrouded in gray fog. From its shape, I can confirm it was related to the Aurora Order statues that they worship."
A soft scoff came from Daly, but there was a fond glint in her eyes.
"You didn't mention the danger you put yourself in with that stunt," she said.
"What danger? It was safe enough," Dunn answered matter-of-factly.
At the corner, Leonard and Klein exchanged looks. If they could, they would have pulled out popcorn.
"Does Captain Dunn often forget to explain things?" Klein whispered.
"Yeah," Leonard replied with his tone casual. "The Captain is well-known for having a bad memory. He always forgets things he considers unimportant."
Klein turned toward the bickering pair and muttered, "They sound like an old married couple,"
Leonard nodded as he exaggerated the situation. "Yeah. They don't even realize it. Look at those lovey-dovey eyes they're giving each other."
Aiur coughed into his fist, snapping the pair out of their quiet bickering. They noticed the group staring and quickly composed themselves. A faint blush crossed Daly's face before she smothered it with self-loathing.
"Ah, yes. Where was I?" Dunn asked.
"Your reckless attempt at looking at a mad god," Daly reminded him.
"Yes. Ahem…" Dunn straightened. "It is common sense in Beyonder circles that you should never look directly at a god. Mortal minds cannot handle it and will go insane."
Klein raised his hand nervously. "Then… how are you not insane, Captain? If you don't mind me asking..."
Dunn chuckled. "Sometimes, if a god's visage is obscured by something, like a barrier or the gray fog I saw in the dream, it reduces the backlash."
"Anyway, back to the main point." Captain Dunn's tone was serious. "Our mission is to hunt down and secure the Antigonus family's notebook. That is why I requested a sealed artifact from headquarters. They agreed."
"That's where we come in." Aiur stepped forward with steady confidence and set a suitcase on the table. Its surface was draped in gray cloth marked with the Evernight Church's seal. "This is Sealed Artifact 2-049, the Antigonus Family Puppet. It will help us locate the notebook."
Captain Dunn nodded at Aiur then turned toward Klein. "Klein is a Beyonder of the Seer pathway so he'll stay in the back."
Leonard blinked. "Huh? You became a Seer? So that massive burst of spirituality yesterday was you…" He tilted his head. "Why the Seer pathway though?"
Klein shrugged. "I don't really like hand-to-hand fighting. And I'm a decent shot. I practiced with… Welch."
"Check your gear." Dunn looked directly at Klein. "Make sure you've got demon-hunting bullets."
"Yes Captain." Klein nodded.
"Let's move." Dunn nodded at Aiur. "We need to get to the carriage to continue."
The group left the Blackthorn Security Company and walked together down the narrow street. Borgia stayed close to Aiur with his vigilance fixed on the sealed artifact, while Lorotta wore a nonchalant look.
When they reached the carriage Cesare, the carriage driver, helped them climb in and checked that the horses were ready. Dunn took his seat at the front and Aiur placed the suitcase carefully on the floor.
"Everyone copy this movement." Aiur raised his elbow and moved his forearm up and down in a stiff rhythm. Everyone followed his lead.
Leonard kept his face straight, but his eyes flicked toward Klein. The younger man's expression was priceless. It took every ounce of willpower for Leonard not to burst out laughing.
"Good. Then we will unseal the artifact." Aiur placed his hand on the suitcase and pulled away the gray cloth releasing the spiritual restraints.
From inside a puppet draped in oil-stained brown fabric crawled out. Its face was painted like a clown bright red and yellow against the dull cloth and it moved disturbingly lifelike.
Almost immediately Klein's movements slowed his body and mind weighed down as if caught in invisible strings. Leonard reacted quickly bumping Klein's shoulder to break the influence. Klein coughed and steadied himself.
"What was that?" His voice was shaky.
"It is the power of 2-049." Aiur explained calmly. "It slows people nearby both physically and mentally. If you are not freed in time you will eventually become its puppet."
The unsealed 2-049 started to move, and Aiur conveyed its movement to Cesare, the carriage driver. After a while, they reached Foreston Street and stopped the carriage in front of an old apartment building.
Aiur Harson looked out the window several times, confirming that no pedestrians were within five meters. He placed the suitcase on the ground and removed the gray cloth to release its spiritual restraints.
The puppet was showing interest in it.
The clown puppet crawled out in a disturbingly lifelike manner and began walking toward the apartment.
Suddenly, both Leonard and Miss Daly's hand movements became sluggish as the puppet's power affected them.
The sealed artifact had influenced two people at once.
Captain Dunn and Borgia quickly snapped them out of the effect.
After confirming the situation, Aiur placed the suitcase back over the puppet and locked it under spiritual sealing once again.
Noticing Klein's puzzled face, Aiur Harson answered before he could ask.
"When Sealed Artifact 2-049 enters berserk mode, it can affect up to two people at once. It seems the residents of that building are somehow connected to the Antigonus family," Aiur Harson said in a mechanical tone.
Lorotta let out a faint chuckle. She looked at Klein and said, "2-049 becomes very agitated when it senses a descendant of the Antigonus family, even if only their scent remains. Its abilities also increase considerably. I believe you can understand its feelings."
"There haven't been any reports of unusual movements here. It's possible the puppet caught the scent of an Antigonus descendant inside that building," Captain Dunn said. He instructed Lorotta and Borgia to check the apartment for anomalies.
After a while, they returned and reported they hadn't found anything unusual.
After completing the search, the group made their way back to the carriage. Aiur carefully lifted the suitcase with the puppet and secured it again under spiritual sealing.
"Next, we should check the harbor," Aiur said as they prepared to move. "Criminals often hide in the maze-like empty warehouses there. It's the kind of place they assume no one will look."
Captain Dunn nodded, and the carriage started moving again, rolling slowly through the streets as everyone settled in and kept watch.
—
The carriage raced to the harbor, where warehouses clustered along the docks. After circling a few times, they confirmed that 2-049 was trying to head for the innermost grayish-white warehouse. Aiur Harson's expression turned solemn. "The puppet picked up something in the harbor district linked to the Antigonus family," he said. He handled the puppet carefully and closed it back in the ornate case.
"Let's get down," Dunn said in a low voice. "Cesare, move the horses to a safe distance."
"Wait. There's a heavy scent of death in there," Daly warned. Everyone stopped and scanned the area.
As they approached, Dunn lowered his free hand and made a quiet signal for the group to halt ten meters from the warehouse door.
"Klein, divine if there is any danger inside. Tell me how bad it is," Dunn said, turning his head toward him. His gray eyes were steady and unafraid.
Klein pulled out the topaz pendant Captain Dunn had given him before the mission. He held it in his hand and focused, trying to read the warehouse.
When the topaz stilled, Klein half closed his eyes, drew the spherical light into his mind, and entered Cogitation. He muttered the incantation once, then twice, then a third time. "There's danger in the warehouse," he said.
At the third incantation his face suddenly tightened and sweat broke out across his brow. "There is a tremendous amount of danger in there. My spirituality warned me not to divine anything about the situation," he added, voice shaking.
Every face went grim.
The puppet inside Borgia's case stirred, straining toward the gray warehouse a short distance away.
Dunn and Aiur exchanged a look. Aiur nodded and readied himself.
Dunn glanced at Klein, then turned to Daly. "Stay here and watch 2-049. Aiur and I will go in and survey the situation. I will signal you if anything goes wrong. Borgia and Lorotta, sweep the outside of the warehouse. Leonard and Klein, stay with Daly and watch the puppet. When I give the signal, be ready to fight."
Aiur nodded at once. Daly obeyed, though she looked reluctant.
Dunn saw the worry on Daly's face and gave her a small, steadying smile. She forced a calmer expression. Dunn shook his head once and walked toward the warehouse. When he reached the door, he kicked it open.
—
The air inside was stale, as if the warehouse itself were holding its breath.
In the middle of the room, on an elevated platform, a beautiful woman lay peacefully. What caught Dunn's eye was the large bulge of her belly. She was pregnant.
Dunn and Aiur grew cautious. "Pregnancy and rituals are never tied to benevolent spells," Aiur said grimly. His hand hovered over the hilt of the thin sword on his hip, ready to draw at the first sign of danger.
Dunn's gaze shifted to a man lying naked on the ground. His eyes were pitch black, and one hand stretched toward the door. He must have tried to escape, but the ritual had killed him. Dunn recognized him from the memories of Hanass Vincent.
"Sirius Arapis," Dunn whispered as he looked around. Along with Sirius Arapis, there were three other dead bodies, with their throats slit. Their blood had been used to draw the ritual circle.
Two of them had clown makeup on, while the other man had black hair and wore a pair of spectacles. His eyes were pitch black, just like everyone else there.
His investigation was interrupted by a low chuckle from the other side of the pregnant woman.
A strikingly beautiful androgynous figure knelt behind her, whispering in reverence while repeatedly tracing an upside-down cross across their chest. In front of them lay a book, which they read with intense, fanatical focus. The way Dunn and Aiur had entered the warehouse had kept the figure partially hidden from view.
As they got closer, the figure's eyes snapped toward them.
Dunn did not recognize him, but Aiur did. He muttered quietly, "Mr. Z of the Aurora Order."
The man rose slowly and walked toward them. He kept a steady lazy step as he spoke. "Looks like the Church dogs have figured it out, but fortunately you are too late. My lord has already descended into this world. It is only a matter of time and flesh and blood before he walks this world again."
He stopped a short distance away and never paused his hand as he kept tracing the upside-down cross over his chest. On his empty hand hung a sickle-like weapon, its handle attached to a chain wrapped around his forearm. "But don't worry... my lord, in his infinite mercy, has decided to bestow upon you the role of being sacrifice. So die!"
The blood-red sickle whipped toward Dunn with terrifying speed. Dunn twisted his body just in time, narrowly dodging the blade as it whistled past him. Aiur met it head-on, swinging his thin sword to deflect the sickle, sending it skidding harmlessly aside for a moment.
Before they could react further, Mr. Z yanked sharply on the chain connecting him to the sickle. The weapon shot back into his hand with fluid precision. He let out a cold, mirthless laugh and pressed the edge against his palm, slicing just enough to draw blood. The sickle seemed to pulse with renewed strength in his grasp.
Dunn saw the fight was inevitable. He whistled loudly to signal everyone, as well as breaking a stick on his hand he retrieved from his pocket.
Roof beams cracked under the force.
Lorotta burst in first, Borgia right behind her. Borgia pulled out a gun and fired at Mr. Z. The bullet didn't hit him; it was aimed at the pregnant woman and slammed into a rippling barrier instead.
"There is a barrier around the ritual circle," Borgia shouted, warning everyone.
"It's a barrier that only lets designated people inside. Everything else gets pushed back," Aiur said.
"How do we break it then?" Lorotta asked
"The only way we know… break it using brute force, or use the cultist to disrupt the ritual circle," Aiur replied.
Lorotta clicked her tongue and charged forward, moving alongside Aiur, who swung his sword at Mr. Z.
Mr. Z didn't pause. He dodged Lorotta's charge easily and deflected Aiur's sword with his chained sickle. With a fluid movement, he swung the sickle directly at Lorotta, forcing her to jump back to avoid it.
Before she could even land, he jumped toward her and kicked her in the belly, sending her flying through the warehouse walls and breaking them.
Just as he was about to land, Dunn's voice rang out as he recited a poem.
"Calm is the morn without a sound,
Calm as to suit a calmer grief,
And only thro' the faded leaf,
The chestnut pattering to the ground."
A dreamy air descended inside the warehouse. Mr. Z's eyes suddenly felt as heavy as lead. He stabbed the sickle into his own belly in pain, breaking the spell that had been weighing him down.
Before he could regain his bearings, a tentacle-like nightmare limb smacked him in the face, throwing him toward the barrier. Using his sickle, he stopped himself from colliding with the pregnant woman in the ritual circle.
Mr. Z rolled on the ground to stop his momentum. A frustrated growl left his mouth, turning into a terrifying scream. Shadows bubbled around him as dozens of shadow creatures rose from under his feet.
He gestured toward the Nighthawks. The monsters screamed and rushed at them.
Before they could reach the group, a chilling atmosphere descended over the warehouse.
A beautiful woman appeared, cutting down the shadow creatures with a colossal crystalline frost scythe. Her hands were covered in a layer of ice that looked like armor. She sliced through the shadows like they were weeds.
Mr. Z growled in frustration. He looked at the Nighthawks, who were ready to fight him. He swung his sickle to build momentum.
Suddenly, The rushing Nighthawks and Mr. Z mid-swing all stopped. A cry from an infant echoed through the broken warehouse.
Everyone froze as the deity's aura filled the warehouse. Their eyes were bloodshot and the veins stood out so clearly that every single strand was visible.
The blood vessels on their faces bulged and twisted like poisonous snakes. Red liquid began to flow from their ears with a low gurgling sound.
Every movement stopped completely. The Nighthawks, Mr. Z, and the shadow creatures all froze in place. The shadow creatures bowed their heads toward the pregnant woman.
A tentacle of flesh and blood pierced through the woman's belly from the inside and slithered toward the black-hand covered notebook on the ground.
Dunn's eyes widened. Seeing the book, he finally shook off the stupor. It was the Antigonus Family's Notebook.
The tentacle took the notebook into the belly of the pregnant woman. In the next moment, it started to writhe and squirm. Using all his willpower, Dunn moved his mouth and recited a poem:
"When once the sun sinks in the west,
And dewdrops pearl the evening's breast;
Almost as pale as moonbeams are,
Or its companionable star,
The evening primrose opens anew
Its delicate blossoms to the dew;
And, hermit-like, shunning the light."
The poem created a tranquil air that broke the Nighthawks free from the deity's aura.
"Everyone, retreat!" Dunn commanded. Everyone stepped back. The squirming belly bursts one with a wet, sickening force, releasing a mass of flesh and blood.
It engulfed Mr. Z and consumed him in moments before he could do anything.
Dunn's chest heaved. He wiped sweat from his brow but didn't let his eyes leave the spectacle. He saw the barrier stop the mass from expanding further.
Using the chance, Dunn and the others got out. Outside, Leonard and Klein were standing still with the suitcase in hand. They had also been affected by the deity's aura.
They snapped out of their trance when they saw everyone exiting the warehouse.
Klein's hands trembled as he lifted them. "Wh-what was that, Captain?" he asked, his voice shaky.
Dunn exhaled slowly and pressed a hand to his forehead. "That… was the aura of an evil deity," he said, and straightened, forcing his focus back to the group.
Lorotta crouched slightly and breathed heavily. "What do we do now, Captain?" she asked.
"Don't worry," Dunn said, and scanned the group. "I already contacted backup."
Auir's eyes flicked toward the warehouse, and he said, "The stick, I presume?"
Dunn Smith nodded and replied, "We need to retreat as far as possible. When backup arrives, we will give them support."
A massive scream erupted from inside the warehouse, and with a sound of glass shattering, the building suddenly exploded in a wave of flash and blood. The cry of an infant still reverberated through the area.
Suddenly, a white streak shot through the air and collided directly with the mass of flesh and blood. A sonic boom rattled around them.
Everyone ducked behind a wall and braced themselves as the force passed.
"What was that?" Klein asked and looked around.
"That was my sword," a deep voice replied from behind.
Klein spun around and saw who had spoken.
The man had very short golden-brown hair and blackish-green eyes as dark as a forest on a moonless night, and he wore a black windbreaker over a white shirt. The collars of both were propped up high and hid his chin.
Dunn Smith stepped forward and bowed toward the man.
Klein leaned toward Leonard and whispered, "Who is that?"
"That is Crestet Cesimir," Leonard said and kept his eyes on the man. "He is one of the nine high-ranking deacons of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, and he holds the title 'Goddess's Sword.'"
Their whispering was interrupted by Crestet Cesimir's voice. "The oracle of the Goddess was indeed correct. The situation has gotten out of hand."
"I will take care of the situation and then we will talk."
Dunn nodded, and the next moment Crestet Cesimir vanished before their eyes. A sonic boom sounded where the monster was once again, and the scream of the infant deity followed.
—
In the evening,
Klein in his Merlin Hermes persona was holding onto the Fooled 0-08 and sitting on a bench at the sidewalk of the Daffodil Street. On his other hand was a Notebook. It was the one that had once belonged to Ince Zangwill, where the story of Tingen had been recorded.
He opened the first page and began to read.
| Regence, a member from the Secret Order, sold the Antigonus family's notebook as an ordinary ancient book by accident due to the influence both of weariness and illusions. It was a coincidence that made logical sense.
Affected by the calling of the Antigonus family's bloodline, the notebook secretly affects its owners, one after the other. After repeated changes in ownership, it came to Tingen. It fell into the hands of the members of the Aurora Order—Sirius Arapis and Hanass Vincent.
After they flipped through the content that temporarily appeared in the notebook and copied the corresponding potion formulas, Sirius and Hanass were worried that the Secret Order, who were good at divination, would track them down. After discussing it, they decided to avoid the risk by selling it to another person. |
After reading the beginning, his eyes fell on a paragraph that had been changed with his tempering.
| Through Sirius's introduction, Hanass got to know Welch McGovern from the Khoy University Department of History. Then, Hanass sold the Antigonus family's notebook to McGovern as an ancient book, using the name Mr. Z to strengthen the authenticity of his claim. |
Klein chuckled at the last line. Hanass had never used the name Mr. Z in front of Welch. It was the result of his own Tempering, as he had Fooled the Quill into believing Hanass did.
Later, in front of Dunn Smith and the others, Klein said that Welch claimed the notebook came from someone named Mr. Z. The Quill accepted it as a reasonable development.
| After a dark divination, the Antigonus family's notebook was awakened fully. Welch and his classmate died. The lucky survivor, Klein Moretti, sent it to Ray Bieber's house under the influence of the notebook. It was a destined ending. |
He kept reading until his involvement completely changed the story.
| But then something inexplicable happened. The Antigonus Family's notebook vanished from Ray Beiber's hands. |
The next paragraphs were scribbled.
| The Secret Order members who had come to acquire the notebook were confused, as it could no longer be detected through divination.
They rested for a while and tried again. This time the divination succeeded. It was a logical development since they were well-rested and focused all their effort.
Through divination they discovered that the book had appeared in the hands of Lanevus. |
Many rows were scribbled out, and new content followed.
...
| For some baffling reason, with no sufficient explanation, Klein did not commit suicide after that. He somehow managed to stay alive.
During the Nighthawks' investigation into Welch's case, Klein met Dunn Smith. There, he mentioned that Welch claimed the notebook had been sold by someone named Mr. Z through Hanass.
Dunn Smith realized the Aurora Order was involved and instructed Leonard Mitchell to contact Church Headquarters.
Dunn Smith then invited Klein to join the Nighthawks, and Klein agreed to join as a member.
Although the story had already gone beyond Ince Zangwill's description, it did not affect the development.
Mr. Z returned from Enmat Harbor and asked Sirius about the status of the evil ritual to pray to the True Creator and deliver His spawn into the world. Sirius replied that it had failed because the lamb he had charmed as the sapling for the ritual had vanished. Mr. Z became crazed and decided Sirius would serve as the sapling instead, which aligned with his personality.
They made a warehouse their base for the ritual, and a female member of the Aurora Order was chosen as the mother of the child.
Lanevus was hiding in another warehouse. Seduced by the power of the Antigonus Family's notebook, he attempted to contact a powerful hidden existence, but received no reply.
Driven to madness, he tried to absorb the book's power through an ancient ritual.
Mr. Z and his companions found Lanevus and decided to use him as ritual material. They killed him without hesitation.
The members of the secret order tried to resist, but they too were captured, slain, and used alongside Lanevus as materials for the ritual.
Afterward, the notebook itself was used as a source of power to carry out the ceremony. When the ritual reached its climax, the mother of the child died from having sex with a deity, and Sirius, who had been the sapling, perished as well.
The Nighthawks discovered the scene and attempted to interrupt the ritual, but the barrier prevented them from breaking through.
The infant of the true Creator awakened, sensing danger, it began to consume everything around it.
It easily broke through the entire warehouse and began attacking everything in sight. The cry of the spawn drove everyone nearby to the brink of madness. The effects of the madness were halted when Crestet Cesimir appeared and began to fight the True Creator's spawn.
Everything up until now had been a distraction. Taking advantage of it, the protagonist, Ince Zangwill, slipped into the relatively unguarded Chanis Gate and stole Saint Salina's ashes. Just as he was preparing to leave, the Quill of Alzuhad vanished from his pocket and appeared in the hand of a mysterious, bizarre, and horrifying existence.
Before Ince Zangwill could take another step, an expressionless woman with black eyes appeared before him. In the next instant, he vanished as though erased with an eraser, leaving only Saint Salina's Ashes behind.
With Crestet Cesimir's help, the True Creator's spawn was defeated, and the Antigonus Family's notebook was sealed without corrupting anyone. |
As Klein sat there, the sound of footsteps and voices made the street lively and busy.
He picked up the quill and wrote the ending of the story.
"All this commotion brought the attention of a certain existence to Tingen."
"Tingen's story ends here."
Klein's focus then shifted to the sidewalk. A man was walking toward him. He wore a simple white cloak, had golden hair and a beard, and a silver cross hung from his neck.
A small smile appeared on Klein's face.
Adam walked slowly until he reached the bench where Klein sat, then stopped at his side.
"Hello, Adam."