Reina was cradling Jack like a cherished plush toy. She moved through the late morning streets of Sapphire City. Her illusion magic put a discreet shroud around them.

  Jack could sense that others would see Reina an illusion of a burly man carrying heavy working tools on his arms. It would look very real for others. But for him, it was obviously an illusion. He had [Illusion Immunity] characteristic after all.

  Soon, they reached the vicinity of Gray Goose, their destination motel. The place was a squat, three-story building. Its paint had faded to a dull, patchy grey.

  Jack observed further. The sign in front depicted a goose with an unnervingly crooked smile. It creaked slightly in the breeze. The windows were grimy. And a few had cracked panes. Not a place to stay for normal travelers. But perfect for those who preferred to keep a low profile.

  Reina paused across the street. Scrutinizing the motel. "Room four and five, aren't they, Dear?" She murmured. Confirming the information. "Should be in the first floor. Easy access.”

  She crossed the street. Her illusion seamlessly blanketed them. This time it was an illusion of invisibility.

  They slipped through the motel lobby. The air inside was stale. It smelt like old tobacco and cheap ale. A thin old man with a bristly mustache sat hunched behind the desk. Snoring softly. A half-empty mug of something dark was on the desk in front of him.

  They didn't wake him up. Instead, they walked along the dark corridor. Room 4 and 5 were at the end of a short, dimly lit corridor. As they approached, hushed voices became audible from within Room 4. Whispers. Two men were talking in low voice.

  "It's them." Jack's low voice notified Reina. "I could already sense the foul scent of the undeath energy."

  Reina nodded. "They can't hear us, Dear. My illusion also affects sound wave. Shall we enter now?" She asked in normal voice.

  "Wait. I want to try something." Jack detached himself from Reina's embrace. Hovering silently beside her.

  "Sloth!" He called with a voice that resonated with an odd, hollow quality.

  Again the black, polished pearl appeared out of nowhere. It shimmered and was distorted. Before transforming into a plump, round baby panda plushie. One with a bizarre mix of dark crimson and vibrant yellow. Sloth, the bizarre puppet.

  "Let them sleep, Sloth." Jack instructed. Urging the puppet to use [Drowsy Aura]. A skill designed to lull the conscious mind into slumber.

  Sloth's eyes glowed with a throbbing indigo light. A wave of strange energy washed over the door. Phasing through it to the other side. The air around the puppet began to shiver. A faint, almost imperceptible haze spreading from its form.

  It was aimed at targets separated by a door and wall. Jack wasn't sure with just Sloth's natural abilities. He amplified it. His own [Mysterious Anomaly] power was now focused. Turning into a subtle dreamy lullaby that targeted the same pair.

  Seeing his effort, Reina added her own touch. Weaving a soft, comforting illusion that seeped under the door. A subliminal suggestion of fatigue and exhaustion. Making the idea of sleep even more appealing.

  Inside, the whispering quickly interrupted by a loud yawn. A moment later, another sigh could be heard. Deeper this time. Followed by the distinctive sound of someone sinking into a mattress. Complete silence. It was rather... an overkill.

  "Alright, Love." Jack stated as the haze around Sloth receded. Let's go."

  Reina tried the doorknob. It turned easily. It's not locked. She pushed the door open slowly. Just enough to peek inside.

  Two men lay sprawled. One on the bed. One on the table. Their forms were completely still with only their chest regularly undulated. Both were deeply unconscious. Asleep.

  Reina slipped inside. Letting Jack, Sloth, and Rune come in too before closing the door quietly behind them.

  Jack looked around briefly. The room was sparsely furnished. A single bed. An old wooden table with two chairs. And a chest of drawers. Scrolls and arcane trinkets were scattered on the table. Along with a half-eaten loaf of bread and a flask.

  Jack floated to the center of the room. "Alright! Time for a chat." He said.

  He mentally nudged Sloth to activate its bizarre skill... [Dreamy Truth]. The puppet’s eyes glowed bright in light purple color. And a soft, melodic hum emanated from it.

  The light, combined with the lingering hypnotic hum, guaranteed complete unrealized honesty from the sleeping warlocks.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  Reina gave a suggestion. "Start with who they are and their objective here, Dear."

  Jack pointed a stubby, plush finger at the warlock closest to him. The thin skinny man with flat nose. "You. State your name, your allegiances, and your purpose in Sapphire City."

  The warlock didn't open his eyes. But he somehow knew that he was the one who was being asked. He began to speak in a monotone, slurred voice. As if dreaming aloud.

  "I am Morte." He said. "I serve the Undeath Sect. My purpose in Sapphire City is to secure a supply of fresh souls for the Sect's rituals."

  Jack then turned to the second warlock. A heavy set man with asymmetrical goatee. "And you?"

  "I am Borin. From Undeath Sect. Here to assist Morte with soul collection. And to ensure the operation proceeds smoothly." This warlock voice was deeper. But it was equally devoid of consciousness.

  "The cursed coin." Jack pressed. Getting straight to the point. "Do you know who placed it at the bottom of the sea? What's the reason?"

  Morte's voice was still monotone. But it picked up a slight, eager tone. As if discussing a successful project. "The coin was placed by Borin. Under my supervision."

  "Do you know what it is?"

  "It is a beacon. A relic from the New Continent." Morte replied. "It calls a ghost ship from there. The Lonely Queen. The Bringer of Undead Calamity."

  Jack narrowed his triangular pumpkin eyes. "Why do you want to call it to Sappire City?"

  Morte was silent for a while and then said monotonously. "We have the [Soulcatcher Bell] hidden at the top of the city's clock tower. It can only be activated through intense chaos, panic, and great number of death. It will funnel souls directly to our great temple. It will be a grand harvest."

  Jack felt a cold knot twist in his devil puppet core. He had been right. It was malicious. And the scale was city-wide.

  "Why the Lonely Queen? Why not other calamity-level threat?" Reina chimed in.

  Borin answered this time. "The Eternal Soul Cult needed something in the ghost ship."

  "What is the connection of the cult with this scheme?" Jack asked.

  "They initiated the plan. They provided the funding. They created necessary diversion when we set the Soulcatcher Bell secretly on top of the tower..."

  Jack interjected. His voice was calm but sharp. "What's their motive? What are they looking for?”

  Morte provided the answer. "They seek the map kept in the captain's quarter in the Lonely Queen."

  "The map?" Jack's puppet eye glowed harder. "What map?"

  "The secret map." Morte clarified. His voice was still dull. "A relic from the early Exploration Era. The cult believes it shows the location of… a powerful Eternal Flame. They seek immortality through eternal flame."

  Jack digested this. Souls for one group. A map to immortality for another. Each was using the ghost ship as a means to their own ends. Typical cultist cooperation. Selfish and destructive.

  Reina stepped forward. Her gaze was fixed on the sleeping Morte. "Before you fell asleep, you were discussing something. What was it?"

  Morte stirred slightly. A tiny trace of frown appeared in his vacant face. "The… Purity Cult. They interfered. They discovered our plan. They want in."

  "Want in?" Jack echoed. "For what purpose?"

  "They want the ship." Morte answered. "They believe they can control, purify, and convert it. They want to make it their own vessel. Their holy warship."

  Jack frowned. He remembered that in the memory of the last ghost ship he encountered, the Brilliant Twilight, there was a trace of the cult's involvement. The impact of the cult's action turned a normal ship into a tortured ghost ship. Was that on purpose?

  He let out a low, sarcastic chuckle. "A holy warship. More like a corrupted one. And how do they propose to achieve this 'purification' thing?"

  Morte's response was less clear. More fragmented. "Rituals… arcane cleansing… converting the captain's spirit. They are arrogant. But they have the knowledge."

  Jack pressed for details. "When and where were you supposed to finalize this arrangement with the Purity Cult?"

  "Tonight." Morte mumbled. "Midnight. In the basement of the Gemstone Grinder. The secret headquarter of Eternal Soul Cult. The Purity bastards are extremely confident."

  "The Gemstone Grinder, huh?" Jack repeated. He knew that place. He discovered the fifty six cult members of Eternal Soul there.

  Reina gave Morte one last, probing question. "Is there anything else crucial we should know about these plans, or about the Purity Cult's involvement?"

  Morte answered automatically. "The Eternal Soul Cult has prepared a sacred relic. A moonstone lantern. It can restrain undead creatures in large scale. The purity cultists also brought their sacred artifact with them. A white anchor. They say they are immortal within effective range of the object. They are very confident in its power."

  Jack and Reina exchanged glances. This information was far more detailed than they had anticipated. Not just the perpetrators. But their motives, their allies, and even their tools.

  "Should we ended them here, Dear?" Reina asked.

  Jack contemplated for a while. "No. It would attract attention too early. We'd better finish them up during their meeting tonight."

  "It wouldn't be easy." Reina commented. "You said that the Eternal Soul Cult had more than 50 members. And there are still these guys and the purity cultists."

  "That's why we won't be alone." Jack said. "Let's try to involve the Mercenary Union. They need to know the threats. I hid the cursed coin. But, the Lonely Queen should already be on its way. We don't have a way to know whether it will reach this city or not without the beacon."

  "I see." Reina nodded. "But, there might be moles in the Union."

  "That's why we'll try to directly contact Big Boss Lodegrey." Jack replied. "Yesterday, Big Bill boasted that he knew him personally, didn't he? Let's see whether it was true or not."

  "That's an idea." Reina agreed.

  Jack shrugged his puppet shoulder. "If it didn't work, I'll just write anonymous letters and use my specter form to directly send it to Big Boss Lodegrey and Lady Gemrose."

  Reina nodded and smiled. "It seemed to be more reliable. Let's leave this place then."

  "Thank you for your cooperation." Jack said to the two sleeping warlocks. He then manipulated Sloth's bizarre power. Strengthening the lingering drowsiness. "Now, have a long, peaceful nap. You won't remember anything about us when you wake up later."

  He made sure the warlocks' sleep deepened. Ensuring they wouldn't stir for at least ten more hours. Enough to make them attend the midnight meeting without being late.

  He also used his [Mysterious Anomaly] to subtly alter items in the room. Making it appear as if they had simply fallen asleep on their own. Leaving no physical or magical traces of their presence.

  Reina watched him work. And checked the corridor again. Empty. When Jack was done, Sloth was condensed back to black pearl. Before disappearing to Jack's puppet storage realm.

  Jack himself transformed back to his human form.