He wasn’t allowed time to even consider it.
As soon as he saw it again, the same scarecrow monster he had believed to have beaten already, Somnu’s legs simply acted on their own and took off running.
Even though he had vowed to himself not to flee again.
Even though he had promised himself to not run out of fear again.
There he was, running for his life across an eerily empty graveyard, the same scarecrow Nightmare Creature on his heel.
How?! How is it here too?! Shouldn’t this place be outside of the Nightmare Layers?! Can Nightmare Creatures travel through layers?! And…
A lot of questions were running through his mind now, all remaining without an answer, but there were two in particular he simply couldn’t brush off.
How did it survive that acidic swamp?! And why the hell does it almost look like an actual human?!
With his quick glance, Somnu had noticed the strange transformation the scarecrow monster had undergone. Sure, it had mostly the same characteristics, and yet, its figure didn’t seem as tall anymore, but shorter. Its previously long arms which stretched to the ground were now at its sides, reaching simply to its hips instead.
And to make matters worse, it almost seemed like the face had undergone a transformation of its own, going from a weird combination of straws, to a well-defined clean head of straws. It even had long white flowing hair behind it, which along with the crimson eyes and steam-covered jagged teeth, only served to make it more horrifying, like a true creation meant for terror.
To top it all off, it had another level of confidence. It simply walked in chase, didn’t even bother running after its prey. Despite that, the distance it was closing was beyond comprehension, as if every step made it cover half a dozen meters.
“!”
In his panic, Somnu hadn’t realized, but Fala was completely gone too.
Did she abandon me?! That… That can’t be true… The thought entered his mind briefly, but somehow deep down he knew that wouldn’t be the case.
[Crow’s Call!]
He tried to summon her while running at the top speed his new leveled up abilities and Dream Catcher gave him, closing over a dozen and a half meters per second.
[Unable to meet the Sleeper’s request.]
[The Sleeper Somnu {ERROR} is under the effects of multiple fears.]
[Advisable: Face and overcome your fears, or retreat to fight another day.]
Yeah, no shit!
He was on his own.
Neither Grudgekeeper seemed interested in showing its teeth, nor was Somnu able to rely on his favorite crow companion to help alleviate his loneliness as he had done thus far.
He could only run, fully on his own, with no destination or plan in mind.
The enhanced active fears grew stronger by the second, as if more and more were being added as he ran. He was growing sick of feeling it, being forced to feel it.
The heavy breaths, the tightness in his chest and stomach, the beads of sweat running down his face like he was doused with a bucket of water, the shaking arms, the rapid pounding of his heart… Every time he saw a Nightmare Creature, he was forced into that state.
No… I don’t want this… He thought, gritting his teeth.
The monster was getting closer, faster with every step. Barely a dozen meters stood between them.
I don’t want to run… I want to fight! He remembered his promise. I’m done being this weak, pitiful boy that everyone feels bad for… I want to be strong again, even if it makes others fear me…I want to change, I want to protect. The crop, everyone… I want to protect myself!
However, no matter how many times he proclaimed those words to himself, his feet wouldn’t stop running. As many times as he commanded them to stop and turn back, they simply didn’t listen.
That’s when Somnu finally realized.
It wasn’t that his body had instinctively run away. It wasn’t a natural body reaction.
Something else was going on.
Is this that damned monster’s ability?!
The moment he realized it, a surge of anger, of resentment, rushed into his head, making Grudgekeeper thrash about with vigor again.
The Slowing Bunny had slowed him down, the Zombies had made him almost eat his own rotting flesh, and now this scarecrow monster was forcing him to run away despite him not wanting to run.
The scarecrow monster enjoyed the chase, it wanted its prey to run away in fear.
And it most likely had more tricks up its sleeve, but Somnu wasn’t simply going to wait for it to start using them either.
If he couldn’t stop running, then his legs could keep on running as they have. Jumping over empty graves, sidestepping light poles or anything else standing in the way, none of that mattered anymore.
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GRIP!
Now that he knew he wasn’t running because he was simply scared, Somnu made up his mind to fight. Through all the chaos raging within his body, he summoned his new Memento, Eclipsed Requiem, and gripped both sickles tightly by the handles.
“Come and get it, asshole! You won’t be grinning for long!”
While still running, Somnu swung both his sickles backwards, sending two violet crescent-shaped slashes at his closing pursuer. The wind whistled as they traveled.
And yet, all that served to accomplish was to make the scarecrow grin wider.
CLANG!
Out of nowhere, the scarecrow monster had quickly reached behind its back, then swung its arms in opposite directions in front of it, blocking Somnu’s slashes with a weirdly metallic sound.
Crow-shit!
Even so, Somnu didn’t let up. He continued swinging his sickles around and behind him, all while his uncontrollable feet continued to run through the endless foggy graveyard.
While some of his moves were blocked, others hit the ground, creating a cloud of dust and dirt, but none of it helped with anything.
The scarecrow monster was playing with him, almost as if it wasn’t even interested in catching him.
It just wanted him to run, run until his very last breath.
Run as he had his entire life.
Somnu could do nothing but struggle in vain.
Both [Crow’s Call] and [Rooted Vigil] wouldn’t even respond to his commands.
Both [Silent Step] and [Straw Strike] were useless against this monster that can easily counter or see through them.
And he was sure at the level it currently was, [Hollow Gaze] wouldn’t even amount to anything.
So far, only Grudgekeeper and Eclipsed Requiem had kept him alive, prolonging the inevitable.
“!”
PLASH!!
CRASH!
“Agh!”
Seemingly getting bored of a simple chase, the scarecrow monster stretched its arms and began lashing its running prey’s back, making him shudder and scream out in pain with every hit.
Every time it whipped its arm through the air, both the collision and the twisting of the arm resounded through the graveyard as if it were using metallic chains instead of straws.
It wasn’t long before the outfit on Somnu’s back gave out, ripping and exposing the bloodied slashes on his skin.
And yet, the scarecrow monster didn’t stop. In fact…
PLASH!! PLASH!!
CRASH! CRASH!
“Kee! Kee Kee! Kee Kee Kee!!”
“!”
It was laughing.
Cackling with joy and amusement at the success it was achieving.
“Damn you!!!” Somnu finally let out, the dam on his pent up emotions shattering. “I’ve had enough of you already! I’m done with this! I don’t care what happens to me… I don’t care how much longer you want to chase and torture me, but you remember this, you bastard!”
“?!” Hearing its prey suddenly shout in an anger never expected from him, even the monster stopped for a second.
“For all this, whatever it takes, however long it takes… I’m going to rip you to pieces and kill you!” His proclamation echoed in the distance, but the one who reacted was closer than anything else to Somnu.
[Your Grudge grows stronger.]
[Your Grudge has reached a boiling point.]
[Grudgekeeper is reacting to your intense resentment.]
“?!”
Before he could question what was going on, Somnu’s world got smaller and smaller.
A second later, everything turned dark.
Then, a small light sneaked through the jagged pointy teeth enveloping him.
Grudgekeeper’s mouth had completely covered its master like a monstrous helmet.
And with it, Somnu could feel an overwhelming surge of energy course through every one of his veins, bones and cells.
He had become one with Grudgekeeper, he was in control, and yet he wasn’t.
All he knew now is that he had stopped running. His feet were standing still.
[Grudgekeeper has entered the Night Terror State.]
[Countdown: 03 Minutes 29 Seconds.]
“...”
Even the scarecrow monster stood with wide eyes at the sight. The cackling laugh had stopped, the grin on its face completely disappeared, its feet stopped chasing.
And instead…
[Hollow Gaze!]
***
When its prey turned around, the monster shuddered. It was a prey no longer.
What stood before it was a predator, one that feeds on fear just like it did.
And for the first time ever, the Nightmare Creature, the scarecrow learned what it was based upon.
It learned fear.
And those feelings only served to make the new predator stronger somehow.
SWISHH!
“?!”
In a blink of an eye, the predator was gone from the monster’s sights. Instead, a big slash exploded from the scarecrow’s neck and cheek, forcing it to take the first step back it had ever taken.
Holding the new wound dripping with green goo, the Nightmare Creature slowly turned, feeling the empty purple gaze glaring into its very being from behind.
THUD!
Before it could even steal a glance, both its knees hit the ground, everything that had been below them was now completely gone.
“!”
Raising its head to meet the gaze finally, the figure slowly walked closer towards it.
The dim lights from the surrounding poles seemed to simmer down to only reveal a monster blanketed by the night. A purple aura shot high from its body, only overwhelmed by the two eyes glowing through the darkness of the jagged teeth.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The figure repeatedly clashed its shining violet sickles against each other as it walked closer, creating static with each hit.
“No more running.” A deep voice said. “I told you I’d kill you.”
“!”
“But before that.”
[Crow’s Call!]
“Caaw!”
The monster looked up as a crow appeared from a cloud of black smoke in the air and landed on its master’s shoulder, looking just as menacing.
“I don’t like the eyes.” The voice sounded again. “Gouge them out, Fala.”
“Caaw!”
The crow accepted without delay.
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