Siderius wiped his bloody nose and used a clean piece of cloth to soak it.
The Baron and his men ran inside, helping the victims.
"What’s going on? Where am I?"
"No! Please, no more! I didn’t do anything wrong!"
"Mother? Mother, where are you?"
"Don’t chase me! Don’t chase me!"
"I can see again! I can see!"
The victims were all delirious when they first woke up. But they quickly understood that they had escaped the nightmare they were trapped in. The guards helped them get up. They’re trying to move them to a herbalist or healer to get them examined further.
"You’re alright?" The Baron came over to Siderius and reached out a hand to help him get up.
"Just a bit of overexertion." Siderius said.
He used True Aether to command Light and Dark Aether. Light to protect and Dark to attack. Dark Aether had no power to damage the Phantom but it worked perfectly fine to sever the Phantom’s power.
However, all of it was a little out of Siderius’ power at the moment, causing him to have a bite back because of the Aethers.
Still, there was nothing to worry about. He just needed to have some good sleep and meditation.
"Did you find out what it was?" The Baron said.
"Oneiros Eidolonidae." Siderius said.
"A Nightmare Phantom. Phantom of Dreams. It is a specter that exists only in the mind and attacks people while they’re in their sleep."
"So that’s why no one was able to catch it." The Baron contemplated.
They tried everything to catch the creature but they never saw anything. But still, it still succeeded in harming people. He should have known it was more than a simple killer.
"Were you able to kill it?"
Siderius shook his head. "Not that simple. A specter is tied to the physical world via a grudge, an unfulfilling request so to say. Unless we can deal with this grudge, we won’t be able to kill it."
"What if I just burn the entire estate down? I have enough resources to build a new one."
"Then the phantom would just relocate. It won’t stop unless its desire is fulfilled. Or if we’re able to kill it."
"Do you have any idea on how to do that?"
"I do. But I will need you to help me gather some unique material."
Siderius whispered. "..."
The Baron shared a funny expression when he heard what Siderius needed.
After the whole ordeal, Siderius stayed within the estate, at one of the Baron’s guest rooms. He was confident to protect himself against the phantom so he wasn’t afraid of encountering it.
The Baron was smart. After the seventh ’murder’, he moved everyone outside of the estate. The only one left was the Baron, a dormant witch that was too brave to be scared of some ghost. Now Siderius joined him.
The estate was a luxurious building with two floors and a vast number of rooms. Each was built by handy craftsmen. Compared to the shabby houses of the commoners, the Baron’s estate was on a different level.
The room Siderius stayed at had decorative trinkets all around, a silk sheet that felt smooth to touch and a private small fireplace for warmth.
Siderius fell onto the bed and slept off after the encounter with the Phantom. When he woke up, the sky was already dark.
[PSYCHOSIS LEVEL: 28/125]
[USER: Siderius ’Snow’ Satterblade]
[WITCH HUNTER RANK: OCULUS EXTIMA I]
[ALCHEMIST RANK: SILVER I]
[MERCURY EXTRACT: 8/150]
[PSYCHOSIS LEVEL: 28/125]
[TOXICITY LEVEL: 0/100]
"It has been awhile since my Psychosis reduced." Siderius mumbled.
He didn’t have a lot of chances to meditate on the road. He did start to meditate again once he reached Scalize but he had a lot to do and didn’t spend too much time on it.
"I already reached sub thirty points but the second ring still doesn’t solidify. It might take a little bit more work than I anticipated."
He stood up and walked out of the room. Beside the door, new fresh clothes were placed neatly on a stool.
After the encounter, the Baron treated him as a guest and had ordered maids to take care of him. Siderius’ hunter uniform was getting a bit stinky from the long journey so he had given them away for laundry. Now, he was only wearing a thin piece of ordinary pants.
Siderius picked up the clothes, it was a fresh tunic and pants of his size.
"Jude really thought of everything."
He put on the respectable clothes, strapped on his sword and went downstairs. There wasn’t anyone in the Baron’s estate, the place is abandoned at the moment.
The Baron, with his fat belly, sat at the front porch with a pipe in his hand, the smell of tobacco reeking the air.
Siderius walked outside.
"Can’t sleep?" Siderius said.
Jude shook his head. "Can’t. And won’t. Now that I know it is a nightmare ghost." Original content can be found at NoveI-Fire.ɴet
"A nightmare phantom, not a ghost."
Jude let out a huge puff of white smoke into the air.
"I have ordered the men to find what you’re looking for. They should have it by dawn."
"Much appreciated, Baron."
Jude laughed. "Don’t get all formal with me now. You and I both know that we are equal here."
"Still, official is official. You hold a greater title than I am."
"For now, yes. But you will soon exceed me. I know that at least."
Siderius didn’t answer. He sat down at a chair at the other side of the porch.
"What are you going to do next? Once you have the ingredients?" The Baron said.
"Rescue the remaining victims. Then deal with the phantom."
"You know. If you’re telling me that those victims are unsavable, I wouldn’t think twice. I wouldn’t blame you either.
Kill the phantom and I will reward you handsomely. But why are you so persistent in saving these people?"
"I’ve said it before, haven’t I? It benefits me."
"In what way?" The Baron said.
Siderius looked over to the Baron. Before, he was not able to notice it. After the short encounter with the Phantom, he was able to see a thin silver strand tied around the neck of Jude Fisher.
This strand was connected to the Nightmare Phantom. Whatever was happening here, he was responsible.
Siderius answered the question with another question.
"Do you believe in fate, Jude Fisher?"
The Baron looked up in the sky and contemplated. He’s wondering why Siderius had asked him such things.
"No. We create our own fate. Don’t you think so?"
"I agree. Fate is not predetermined. But fate is real, Jude. It is made by the sum of our choices and the action that we take. It will decide our life in the future."
The Baron laughed. "What are you trying to say? Are you telling me you’re saving those people because it might influence fate? So that you have a better life in the future?
I’ve seen good people die young and bad people live to the end of day. There is no fate, Siderius."
"No. Fate is real. And fate will come for us no matter what we do."