Every leaf fall, rustle of the grass. Chirping of wildlife, every hint of movement. All of it could mean a predator that could kill the both of them.

Gale moved behind Calypso, pressing her back against the visibly smaller girl. Calypso couldn’t dwell on that, she looked about her surroundings she couldn’t trust.

“W-what do you think it is--?” Gale sputtered out. “Who it is--?”

Calypso sighed, refraining from closing her eyes, such a habit. “I have a possible inkling. And if it’s the case, which at this point it’s totally her, then we’re absolutely fucked…”

“…Who else did you piss off, Cal--?” Gale ruefully asked.

“To be fair, we’re too low on the rung to do that, apparently…” Calypso turned her head, towards what she thought was strange rustling. “I’ll tell you more as we go, it’s a lot to unpack, but there’s a bat-themed Subsumed that’s basically super powerful… I assume, because I certainly ran and did not want to find out.”

“…The fact that you ran says, like… Enough,” Gale deflated a tad. “I hope that it isn’t her—”

Calypso darted, away from Gale—which caused the latter to jump in her skin. Staring at her, on the verge to scream “what the hell” before the skeletal monster girl cut in.

“Either way, we have to keep moving and be on guard. We’re looking for clues for the other Subsumed anyways, and going back to our respective homes is completely out of the question, now… We stay here, until we face either of them.”

“Y-yeah,” Gale shook her head before running after her, “Right, right!”

The duo kept an even pace, glancing about from side to side, before looking forward and keeping such. Gale was clearly on edge, her panic etched on her face, brow furrowed to punctuate it. Calypso in turn had her usual smirk, always reflective of her anticipation… But it melted into worry. Every time she wanted to be excited, the memory of her running on sight, because of that woman… Who casually rested her chin on Calypso’s armed shoulder. No threats, no soul-shattering screams to unnerve. But immediately set the tempo that Calypso was forced to follow, right to this second.

So much so, when Gale suddenly stopped, Calypso snapped into action—her fingers angled to invoke the imagery of her claws.

“N-no, sorry, sorry,” Gale waved her own hands. “I just thought of something…”

Calypso sighed, continuing to walk forward, “Well, at least share with the class.”

“Weeeeeell,” Gale clasped her hands together. “Maybe this is nothing to you but… Have you turned in the day at all? Because maybe we can just get ready now.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“…I’ve always held myself back, during the day…” Calypso pondered, looking gobsmacked.

So she let go. Gave no reason for that cultivated mental block to exist anymore—at the very least at this moment. Calypso felt the surges, her flesh ruffling in stress before suddenly stopping. Letting every primal thought completely flood the brain, promising each and every one that whatever the desire, no matter the cost or ridiculous, she will do all of them.

And none of that mattered. Calypso Grimes was still Calypso Grimes.

“…Oh no—” Calypso muttered.

Thrusting her hand forward, immediately summoning her Illuminator onto it.

“Nope, nuh-uh, no way. We are not doing this right now.”

Calypso mustered all the impulsive, intrusive thoughts, she tried again—looking at her glowing gemstone which screamed out silently with the legion of souls within it…

Nothing.

“Are you kidding me?!” Calypso sounded incredulous.

“See—” Gale gulped a bit before continuing, “I, like—because I’ve always transformed at night, and it kinda dawned on me that I never actually did it during the day—like, there was that threat, yeah? But has it actually happened to any of us--?”

“Considering how the threat was very much real; this makes zero sense!” Calypso complained, looking at her so-called soul bounded to her leather glove. “I’ve felt myself slipping and moments from tearing away! And now when I want that, I have--?”

The thought donned on her so hard, the weight was nearly physical, as the bookish girl nearly tripped.

“…Performance anxiety…”

“Oh geez, could we not phrase it that way--?” Gale muttered. “I mean, it’s natural and fine, but er—”

“All this time blocking it all out until the very last minute taking its toll…” Calypso reasoned, unable to hear Gale. “Even if we can focus now, our bodies are used to letting it loose during the night, mustering it now is useless because it’s unfamiliar to us… Plus, culture—with transformation horror movies and books, like were beasts, we’re also conditioned a bit to turn at night because it’s 'always' at night, or in the 'aid' of the moon—but not at all the case for us, at least what I can reason… It makes enough sense to be plausible.”

The rumination made Calypso closed off to the outside world. So when she was yanked away by Gale, she was completely caught off guard.

As well as the massive object being hurled towards them, crashing near them so hard, the dirt and leaves were tossed up—once being the very spot they were once inhabiting despite running.

“JESUS CAL!” Gale expressed her worry loudly. “You didn’t hear me, like, the first gillizon times?!”

Calypso blinked at the natural debris that floated in the fall air. “Apparently.”

Gale scrambled back to her feet, marching towards the fresh indent. Purposefully getting in front of the still downed Calypso.

From the black hair, to the protective intention. The back of the girl’s late best friend flickered in her misty sights for a second, before fading just as quickly as she lived.

Calypso grumbled again, wiping her eyes with her arm.

“Caaaal… I think this might be your lady…!”

“In the crater?!” Calypso quickly got to her feet, rushing toward Gale.

“N-no…” Gale pointed to the gnarled corpse of the former Subsumed. “But… That looks… Vampire-y!”

The skeletal monster girl’s eyes studied the body. It was a different creature, not at all the Jaw… A minotaur. Only mummified, face not only contorted by its own muscles shriveled up, but twisted by agony. Its last moments immortalized.

And on its once broad neck, rested two very distinct puncture wounds. Fresh.

“We need to figure this mental block out. And fast.”