Somnu was alone. At least, partially.

  The lights of the gems scattered around the wall had been dimmed, and the silence of the night had taken over.

  The blind Sleeper was slowly scraping off the blood on the wall, aiming to remove all traces before his sister woke up.

  After Somnu’s last proclamation, Arman had suggested making use of the scheduled rest time in the fort, the equivalent of the night time, so that everyone can think things over properly and get some sleep.

  Before the head doctor could suggest to alternate the watch between each other, Somnu had volunteered to spend the night looking over Leyna.

  Aurora had left first after giving the sleeping sister one last glance, her own face filled with sorrow.

  It was only when Somnu was supposedly left with Leyna that Bro’Ski showed up out of nowhere again, spilling water everywhere from the full bucket he had been carrying. Without even realizing what had been going on, he proudly proclaimed to have successfully completed the favor he had been tasked with before leaving to get some sleep as well.

  ‘Master, are you okay?’ Naga asked hesitantly, noticing the constant pauses in the scarecrow’s strokes.

  ‘I’ll be fine, Naga. Just make sure to keep a clone close to Leyna at all times, just in case we get separated at some point.’ Somnu replied telepathically, keeping his tone soft.

  ‘Of course, master! You can count on me!’

  ‘Any news from Carmella?’ He asked, choosing not to switch his vision to that assigned clone for a couple of different reasons.

  ‘She’s still surrounded by a lot of voices, drinking and laughing… Are you certain I can’t eat her?’ Naga asked, nudging her master’s cheek with the soft, smokey scales on her head.

  ‘I’d prefer you don’t eat anyone who’s not dead…’ The scarecrow paused again, halting his hand at one of the eyes of the skull. Then added. ‘Unless I specifically ask you to.’

  ‘Okay, master! That bird brain is eating a lot… but I’m happy to be close to master and his family!’

  It was true, Somnu had tuned out the notifications going off in his head. Hearing his own voice directly in his mind was still odd, but at the speed it had been going off, he would get no thinking done if he stopped to consider every single notification.

  All he needed to know was that Fala and her clones were hard at work, killing as many Nightmare Creatures as they could. To be fair, Grudgekeeper being split among the familiars too, deserved some of the credit as well.

  For that, Somnu was glad he was farming more Terror Cores from low level Nightmare Creatures and leveling up Grudgekeeper while sitting within the fort’s walls.

  In a way, that was his ultimate cheat.

  Even if they had mostly been killing more of the same monsters they had encountered in that area, like the Flipping Monkeys and Failing Dogs. He hoped they would be able to face other fears soon, and find the Nightmare Creature based on Mathros’ last active fear.

  But why can’t I resonate with Fala anymore? Is the distance too great? Somnu wondered, encountering a new limitation he hadn’t noticed before.

  He had been able to follow Henry’s movement through one of Naga’s clones, even when that man had walked for a few hours away. Perhaps the scarecrow’s friends were currently keeping a further distance away and relying on either the crow familiar or Mathros’ compass to keep track of where the fort was.

  The issue was neither Lulu nor Mathros would be able to communicate with Fala, not unless one of them ranked up soon, or used the same cawing method the scarecrow had used with his familiar early on.

  That took him back.

  Worst case, his friends could encounter another hidden Dreadbeast. However, Lulu was a fast runner, and Mathros could adapt to any terrain as long as he didn’t meet a restriction that stopped him.

  Well, anyway, if they were in any trouble, Fala would resummon herself around me to let me know. The scarecrow thought, bleaching off the last imprint of his sister’s blood. He turned slowly towards the sleeping girl, casting Naga’s gaze towards her. Wake up soon, Leyna. Mo will worry to death if he sees you like that when he comes back.

  Flames that both burned and chilled were running through his veins, fighting each other for supremacy. The deathly pale face of his sister, the precious memory of the old man he looked up to…

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  If nothing is done, nothing will change. Somnu clenched his fists tightly, his face twisting into a frown under his blindfold. Dreams don’t work, unless we do, was it?

  A deep unseen wound in his soul was widening; a catalyst for the inevitable shift to follow.

  ‘What are you thinking about, master?’ Naga cut into his mind again.

  The constant voices of the notifications, familiars and his own thinking were all quickly giving him a headache as he rubbed his temples.

  ‘Naga, I think it’s time I keep my promise to you.’ Somnu walked slowly toward the single couch again, sat down and folded the serpent’s body in a spiral shape on his lap.

  He hadn’t forgotten about the blood on his sister’s body, but he couldn’t bring himself to walk closer to her just yet. He hoped Aurora would take on the task come morning.

  ‘Master?!’

  ‘I’ll praise you now, so go to sleep and rest. We have a long day ahead of us.’

  ‘I…’ The serpent hesitated, then gave in under the scarecrow's first, gentle touch, lowering her head and resting it on her long body. ‘Okay, master. Thank you…’

  Although he had lost his vision again, his mind had become slightly clearer. He relied on his high perception to pick up any potential danger that may come near Leyna, and sunk into deep thought.

  It’s time I consider all my options here. First, John Doe is hiding somewhere within the fort, but no one has ever been able to find him. Not even the Luscairna who know the place like the back of their hands.

  They may not be too dependable, but both Mathros and Arman trust their judgment. If they aren’t working with him, that only means he’s using them somehow to hide his whereabouts. For some reason, he only kills Sleepers, and never Luscairna. Maybe he doesn’t care to go after those who can’t be terrorized.

  The Luscairna were unpredictable in their behavior and actions. Their spontaneous feelings didn’t remain for long, as they constantly switched between moods. This wasn’t too difficult to notice for anyone who briefly met them.

  On the other hand, John Doe was cunning. He didn’t kill only based on his impulses and addiction, he chose his targets and timing on purpose. If he wanted to, he could have killed everyone in the fort, but that hadn’t been his goal.

  John Doe’s goal was to inspire fear in every Sleeper on the Abyss of Lethe. And that was just the start.

  Perhaps he had a Personal Title that boosted his power the more fear he accumulated. At least, Somnu knew of one other person with that kind of skill, himself.

  That was the very idea of [Fated Terror], one of the two first Personal Titles he had received.

  The more others fear him, the stronger he would get. So far, he had only used it to momentarily boost his strength against some Nightmare Creatures, combining his [Naked Prince] and [Hollow Gaze] to achieve that.

  If John Doe similarly had such a passive ability, it would certainly explain his actions, and why he had chosen to manipulate Almon through fear and trauma, rather than work with him like he had done with Henry.

  Somnu kept patting the soft scales on the serpent’s body, his world devoid of any light or color.

  And yet, a strange calmness was enveloping him.

  His sister had been attacked, his treasured friend who had done so much to him was likely killed, but despite the raging, yet cold hatred within him, the sinking terror of losing his loved ones chilling his bones…

  The scarecrow took a deep, long and fresh breath, letting it circulate through his entire being. As it passed through him and then out, it purified his tainted blood from all that had previously made him weak.

  He would no longer run from his fears or responsibilities as he had done in the past. There was no one else who would come to annoy him at his door every single day, nor should anyone have to do so. Not every day, nor every week or so, as his siblings had.

  It was enough to know they had never given up on him, always believing he would bounce back and take control of his life. Something he never thought possible after everyone he had hurt, dear loved ones he had deceived and betrayed for his own gain…

  Now, with that restored life, he needed to live up to the expectations of those who stuck by him. He needed to make sure this second chance would result in better choices, in a better outcome.

  Somnu would no longer hesitate, this time, he would use everything at his disposal before he had to lose anyone else again.

  The Nightmare Creatures, John Doe, both the visible and Unseen pawns, and the Faceless Forager who was responsible for it all, Somnu would not rest until his enemies were no more.

  He wasn’t going to sit around and do nothing, he would be taking direct action.

  The scarecrow would no longer stand still and allow his enemies to come close enough to fear him, he would actively hunt anyone who dared set his sights on his crops.

  A plan was stirring in his mind, one that would likely cause many casualties, but Mr. Emberlyn had taught him an important lesson.

  Sacrifice the bad crops at the edges to protect the precious ones in the middle.

  You’ve been using fear to get what you want, you attacked my sister as soon as I got here to scare me too… Somnu thought, leaning his head back on the couch and taking in the silence for a moment.

  The last silence.

  I’ll take it all from you. The fear, the terror, and turn it all back on you.

  Before I take your life, I want to see that nasty grin on your face turn into pure horror.

  His mind was made up, and so was his newest reckless plan.

  Just you wait, bastard. This scarecrow will be made specially for you.