The girls dodged with all of their might and forced themselves low to the ground as possible, as an eruption of dead bug cells showered the shopping district.

With Cal’s heightened senses, she felt how strong the wind gusts were, heard metal buckle on impact, and glass turn into dust within seconds. Repeated over and over, yet all at once.

As she slowly rose on her claws and knees, which was laborious due to Melissa still on her back, it dawned on Calypso that this new trick means that their enemy planted multiple upon multiple of these. And there’s no use in trying to figure out where they are or how they work.

“Crafty bitch…” Calypso admitted under her breath. “Gale? You alright…?”

Gale not only responded with a curt yet passionate “mm!”, but she also came towards Calypso’s side, and helped her up along with keeping Melissa along. “We just have to book it there! It’s only a block away now!”

“Well said!” Calypso agreed.

Scrambling onwards, the duo outright ran on the streets. Needing the space to continue their mode of heightened tension. Listening, watching out for anything that could be a trap.

But Calypso recognized this stretch of shops. When Sal drove her to the nearest bookstore she vaguely knew, and Calypso rushed in trying to find anything remotely helpful with her curse. She wished she had the time to laugh or groan at the idea that the answer was right under her panicked nose, but there wasn’t any chance for reflection.

If it wasn’t cells raining from above that they had to spilt to avoid the shower, it was stumbling into yet another cocoon—be it planted on a car, or a streetlamp—that they had to use their entire body to maneuver away from. Thankfully that all the combatants had some form of healing, otherwise it would’ve been a death of a thousand cuts for Calypso, Gale, and the unconscious Melissa. Or worse yet, rendering them into minced meat as they tried to brave the passage, killing them soundly before they could even reach the store.

The only reason why the duo were alive, that they’re no worse for wear, is purely because they’ve been through the “lighter” version of this. Being in modes that help them versus one being stuck and the other having nothing. And knowing how bad it can be for them to lose again.

Calypso kept her dark eyes on the skies. Random showers of cells, and yet no blur—no buzzing to give the enemy way. Were these all planted cocoons in the end? Where is she…?

The skeletal girl’s sharpened eyes widened. It couldn’t be that simple, could it…?

“CAL! CAL, WE’RE HERE, WE’RE HERE!” Gale shouted in elation.

The appearance of the bookstore was very colonial, or at the very least colonial presenting. Ignoring the anachronisms such as modern lighting and glass window displays; the architecture brought to mind the style of the 13 Colonies. Sandwiched between contemporary stores.

But the eeriest aspect of it all was the glances inside from the windows in general. The insides shined a light bloodred, and the furniture itself was black and darker colors to compliment the crimson shade.

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If this wasn’t the place they needed to go, Calypso was going to be very. Very upset.

There was no time. The skeletal girl rushed in, using her shoulder to push open the small-by-comparison glass door, and hoped that Gale was close enough to not hold it open more. The chimes of bells didn’t even alleviate the tension, not one iota.

Calypso glared at the door, as she clutched on Melissa tightly. She hoped. She prayed that what she realized didn’t come to pass. That it wasn’t enough for the enemy to sneak in.

“…Hm. Are you three college-aged, young women by chance?”

Calypso turned to see who asked that. A laidback, jovial yet regal tone of voice.

And she saw the man whom that voice belonged to. Shocking white hair with a sole black streak that ran down the middle of it done in a short ponytail. Round, small glasses that hung from his long nose. Wearing an orange-pen-stripped, white dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves to the elbows and a dark green smock. And yet all of these features indicated that he should be older, but no. He still had youthful features, clearly an adult enjoying his 30s.

Calypso immediately wanted to ask if he was Richard (which admittedly, was a stupid question due to him never revealing something like that if he was), but Gale had just a legitimate point.

“…That’s uh. A really weird question to ask, man—”

“Maybe so~” the owner cheerfully answered, not meeting the girls’ gazes in the slightest. His hands rested on a massive, leathery tome. Calypso couldn’t see it fully, but it was like… The book itself had lesions. But wounds and scarring that barely healed. “Answer the question, and answer it truthfully. Then I’ll be able to help you to the best of my ability~”

It was so unnerving. Completely different from Richard. That was bloodlust that was masked with politeness. Here, this? This was a regal, condescending attitude… That felt completely earned.

“…Yes,” Calypso answered, “We are. And we need to get you away from—”

And what Calypso feared proceeded to happen.

The gnat emerged from the shadows she hid in, lancing forward towards the shop owner at blinding speeds that caused Calypso to drop Melissa in a panic, trying to trigger her arm to defend the last chance for their salvation against Cassie.

Only for the owner to raise his right hand and snap.

The shadows came alive. Every corner and what every table or bookshelf that cast shade… It became tendrils that wrapped the gnat’s every limb. Tugging her in place as she was completely immobilized within seconds.

Calypso could only gawk and Gale cover her fanged mouth with her claws.

“In that case… For as long as you need me, until the current problem is resolved… Niles. Niles Moses, at your service~”

“MOSES?!” Gale turned her head back at the owner. “YOU’RE MRS. MOSES HUBBY?!”

“In a sense,” Niles answered… Leading to more questions. With a twirl of his finger, he tightened the shadowy restraints. “We have pressing issues we need to attend to, but I’m feeling rather generous considering the attempt on my life… But do you wish me to kill her~?”

Gale slowly looked towards Calypso, with a shaky, panicked pace. It was written on her face. Every single fear she had regarding this ordeal, and how it ended… It was beginning to manifest.

Calypso simply trained her dark, amber-glowing eyes on the gnat. Taking her in.

Noticing that the side of her face was still shattered, due to Gale hitting her. Her mask still crumbled as it slowly healed, and her right, massive compound eye turned to pulp. It was due to this, that there was no connection, and easy dehumanization due to lacking any “eyes” to look into.

It was so easy, thinking about just discarding her. She wanted nothing more than to see her dead. It came so naturally to her.

…But as it occurred to her, being drunk on that natural instinct. It’s gotten a boy killed. A boy that deserved terrible, terrible things to happen to him—but undeserving of outright cruelty.

So Calypso simply sighed. Sighed at the fact that despite all this “learning”, still weak as a human and a monster.

“…No,” Calypso finally answered. “She’s with us.”