It was true.

  After the fight with John Doe in Almon’s body, Somnu had allowed his familiars to make their own choices.

  The reason for that was simple. The scarecrow didn’t feel right giving orders, especially not to sentient beings with their own personalities and consciousness.

  At least, that’s what he had told himself.

  Deep down, he could no longer see his familiars as just tools he could summon for aid, they were truly his dear companions who supported him no matter what he would choose to do.

  Fala the crow in particular was the very first friendly entity he had encountered in the Nightmare Realm, even if she had been grumpy at first. After slaying that Hopping Turtle and receiving the System initiation, Somnu was glad to have someone accompany him through the Nightmare Realm.

  She hadn’t simply accompanied him, however. She had helped him, even saved him on a couple of occasions. It wouldn’t be too farfetched to say he would have likely died without her by now.

  And yet again, now she was offering herself up to save him once more, knowing full well she might never come back.

  Since she had been affected by the restriction inflicted on her master, she had been losing most of her strength this entire time. She had pushed through her limits to save him when he was trapped, to the point where she had briefly been affected by a vision as well.

  A dream of a bright future she had secretly imagined.

  A future that wouldn’t be possible if her master continued to be fixated on the troublesome enemy that is the Blood Fiend.

  That was why she had summoned herself despite his warnings, and allowed John Doe to possess her.

  It was the only way to reach the conclusion the scarecrow had hoped for.

  Somnu understood this very well, and yet, he could not accept it.

  “Fala…!”

  “Hahaha! That’s what you get! You thought you were smart, that you would be able to corner me if I didn’t have a body to jump into! You two I couldn’t possess anymore, but this one…! Hahaha!” From the crow’s body, the vile laughter of a murderer bellowed. “Now! Give up and let me devour you or I’ll start with her first!”

  “...”

  “Shit! It’s not working!”

  As Somnu gritted his teeth, Aurora had strained herself to activate more of her skills, enveloping the crow’s body in a multitude of lights.

  “I can’t seem to purify the possession…!”

  Whether it was her current state, or the fact her skill only worked on a specific kind of afflictions, even Aurora with her savior Aspiration Class could not help Fala now. The frown on her face as she continued to try made her feelings about this weakness apparent.

  Dammit… Damn it all! Somnu bit his bottom lip, drawing blood at the thought crossing his mind.

  “Hahahaha! Once again, I will let you choose! Give yourself up without struggle, or I’ll kill and devour everyone around you! I have no qualms doing both, it is his will after all!”

  Fala… It wasn’t supposed to go this way! I… I don’t want to lose you too… The scarecrow clenched his straw fists tight, almost breaking them apart.

  “It’s okay… Master…”

  “!”

  “He’s growing tired too… Hurry…” Fala took brief control of her own body again, then addressed the serpent appearing around her master’s shoulder to give him sight. “You better take care of him… and stop him from doing reckless things…”

  “...”

  “Hold on, Fala! I’ll figure out another way! You won’t come back from this if I follow the plan!” Somnu moved forward and grabbed the flying crow by its wings.

  “There is no other way… This is the only time he’s going to be alone… and this tired…” Fala nudged her head against her master’s chest one last time. “Please… let me protect you…”

  “!”

  The words cut deep into her master’s chest. The words that had carried him so far, motivated him all along.

  His own words.

  To protect, that was the scarecrow’s job, not the crow's.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  He had protected most of the ones he wanted to protect, but now, the one that had been with him from the very start of this journey…

  On the other hand, he couldn’t simply ignore her words, the unwavering resolve she had shown towards this path.

  It’s not like he had any other choice either.

  “Fala, I promise you…” He tightened his grip on the oversized crow, embracing her one last time. “I don’t know how yet, but no matter how long it takes me… I promise you, with all my heart and defective soul, I will bring you back…”

  “Master… I… I’m sorry I couldn’t… accompany you further…” Her thin voice broke.

  “Don’t say that… I will find a way no matter what, Fala, so this isn’t the end.” Somnu’s world was shattering. Despite his promises, his reality was shaking, barely holding together.

  Naga’s borrowed vision had grown blurry. The master pursed his lips, unable to join her without his eyes.

  “One day, I will figure out how to turn you into a human too, just you wait… I’ll make it my mission… No matter how long it takes me… I’ll avenge you.”

  “I will… look forward to that day then… Master… Ca…aw…” She tried to say more, but her voice kept cracking as she struggled to hold back the presence within her.

  “...” Aurora turned back, wiping her eyes, then focused her efforts on what she could still do now.

  Using the last ounces of her skills, she made sure to finish off the final pieces of the Dreadbeast with the same purifying light which failed to help the crow. With that done, John Doe’s last backup pawn had been destroyed.

  Leaving only the bird. The one he had been too weak to escape from now, sealing his fate with hers.

  “Thank you, Fala.” The scarecrow said with a wince. Wavering for a moment, he still held the struggling crow in front of him with one hand. “Thank you for everything.”

  Then, he summoned the last item he had prepared for this plan.

  The plan which had consistently fallen from his ideal design.

  It was a paper, a simple sheet of paper torn from a book.

  “Rest now, Fala. You’ve earned it. Your night has ended… for now.”

  “Ha… Haha…” The crow’s beak was beginning to leak laughter before Somnu tightened his grip on it.

  “Here we go… Fala.” He repeated her name, etching it deep within his memories so it would never fade. Then, he recited the necessary incantation as it got translated on the back of the paper he was holding up to the crow. “Whispered name, forgotten past, your faceless spirit here shall forever last. Ink for blood, words for breath, a tale reborn, beyond your death. Fold your fate, let words consume, a story’s womb shall be your tomb.”

  “!”

  With the incantation’s end, a faint purple glow suddenly enveloped the crow and the sheet of paper. A moment later, a ghostly outline appeared from the physical crow, one that was squirming uncontrollably, its form consistently struggling between a crow and an incomprehensible, distorted form.

  It only took but another second before the physical crow turned completely numb, the lights had been absorbed by the sheet of paper.

  ‘Thank you… Master…’

  Those last words echoed in his mind, never to be out of reach.

  “...”

  “Somnu…”

  “I know, give me a second.”

  As Aurora tried to come close, he stopped her, simply standing there staring at the paper, its two pages fighting for dominance between purple and crimson.

  The Dreadbeasts who had evolved from Lurkers and Specters were still on their way to hunt the last Sleepers on this Layer, especially with Somnu’s Omniphobia drawing them towards him.

  The two needed to leave quickly, as neither of them were in any position to fight a single Dreadbeast now.

  And yet, Somnu couldn’t feel any sense of urgency anymore. He raised his head up as Naga followed, both starting at the distant crimson moon, their ultimate enemy.

  He took a deep breath, noticing the hollow emptiness expanding within him.

  As if he had lost a part of himself again.

  The scarecrow had lost his crow. What remained would be quite clear.

  Now, he was simply Fated Terror.

  He crumbled the piece of magical paper in his hand. This was what he had worked so hard to achieve. He had asked Arman for two things.

  One, create a way to help him block the Bloodbind ability.

  Second, figure out a way to use Bree’Niu’s Memento to seal away the murderer once and for all.

  The second option had required Arman to promise the Luscairna something, but ultimately, she allowed him to research it carefully and create a page that replicates the ability.

  Somnu had been glad, naturally. If that hadn’t worked, he was afraid of the other option he had briefly considered prior to Arman joining in on the plan.

  Which was stealing the Memento from Bree’Niu and tricking it with [Distorted Fallacy] to do his bidding. He hadn’t been sure if that could work, but that would have been his only option.

  Thankfully, Bro’Ski’s constant appearances out of nowhere had not been due to the scarecrow’s lack of eyesight, but rather a unique ability of the Luscairna. He could teleport to his friends at will, hence how he was briefly able to visit Somnu so far away to hand over the items before going back to the fort.

  From the moment Somnu had witnessed the power of the book, he had considered it as a way to trap violent Sleepers he may fight in the fort, although Bree’Niu might have never agreed to give up her precious book. Nonetheless, Things had worked out differently, but it ultimately came in handy.

  Now, it was in his hand, a crumpled piece of magical paper, holding both the spirits of his worst enemy, and closest friend.

  Originally, he had planned to have Grudgekeeper devour it, but now…

  “Good riddance…” Somnu stuck it in his mouth and swallowed it.

  From then on, they would all be one.

  That became abundantly clear when Somnu suddenly found himself in a wide white void, with only a crimson mist filling the air and red strings hanging upside down.

  From that mist, another Somnu appeared with a wide, nasty grin plastered on his face.

  “We meet again, my Somnu! Welcome to my home, my own mind palace!”