Lulu and Mathros must have reached the next rank by now.

  Having taken the last night of the lockdown to relax his body and recharge his strength, Somnu waited for the doors to open. Once they did, he would need to get to work.

  Basing his newest assumption on the amount of Nightmare Creatures Fala had slayed, the scarecrow guessed his friends very likely had reached their goal already.

  Although he still couldn’t resonate with his familiars from far away, he had sent out Naga to pursue her own clone that was with Carmella.

  She relayed a message and after a quick test to confirm the exit, she immediately resummoned herself next to her master again.

  By now, Lulu and Mathros must have helped other Sleepers overcome their last fears, as well as helped them cross through the exit to this Layer. The scarecrow thought, pacing about his room.

  The test to confirm his suspicions had been Carmella herself. He had asked her to go on ahead to help pin down the process of leaving the First Layer. Although she had wanted to stay, she had quickly accepted.

  ‘She saw right through you, master! You chose her specifically so she would meet her child in time!’

  ‘...’

  Somnu didn’t deny that, part of the reason was to ensure Carmella was out of harm’s way. He simply hoped his other theories concerning that situation proved wrong.

  Nevertheless, with the exit confirmed, many Sleepers outside the fort were being guided to leave before the coming battle.

  Everything was still going according to the scarecrow’s plan so far. And yet, he couldn’t trust that sense of security, not when most of his plans always diverged.

  This time, my preparations are thorough, and I’m at full strength again. There are things I still don’t know, such as John Doe’s race and location, but I’ll have to cross that bridge when I get to it. No point in spending more precious time on that.

  At the moment, Somnu had spent all the Terror Cores and Ego Particles he could.

  If he could see his main stats, they would look something like this:

  [Hollow Core Level: Lvl 42.] {With 100 more Cores to the next level up.}

  [Dream Catcher {Grudgekeeper} Level: Lvl 14.] {With 3574 more Ego Particles or Core equivalent to the next level up.}

  [Memento {Eclipsed Requiem} Level: Lvl 24.] {With 100 more Ego Particles to the next level up.}

  [Memento {Wistful Daystar} Level: Lvl 19.] {With 100 more Ego Particles to the next level up.}

  [Terror Cores Available: 21.]

  [Ego Particles Available: 47.]

  With these upgrades, especially the ones to his Dreadbound-ranked and Ashen-colored Hollow Core, Somnu was now able to use [Distorted Fallacy] a few extra times, bringing it to a total of seven or eight uses before it drained him completely. This was assuming he didn’t overexert himself with other skills.

  I have to use them scarcely… Somnu reminded himself as he grabbed onto his trusty stick.

  In the end, he couldn’t figure out what the Unseen were after. During his time in the fort and the trading market, he used his fake blindness to both notice potential enemies and eliminate those who couldn’t be. However, the Unseen had their faces hidden and they always seemed to avoid him.

  Not one of them had been a pawn thus far, beside Almon. To Somnu, it looked as though most of them were minding their own business, even when Naga’s clones caught them in secret.

  It was an eerie feeling that made the scarecrow hesitate about dealing in the same way he was handling the confirmed pawns.

  Whatever the case, as long as they didn’t directly pose any danger, Somnu was better off focusing his energy and strength on the real threat. Dealing with the Faceless Forager can come after John Doe is taken care of, that was the only thing the blind Sleeper could do on the First Layer anyway.

  This is it. Somnu stood in front of his door, having followed the person walking up to it on the other side with his serpent clone. Time to get the ball rolling.

  In other words, it was time to work, to put on the mantle of the scarecrow.

  “Aha! Somnu friend! I have come to lead you to his great reverence!” Bro’Ski unlocked and opened the door without reaching up to the lock or handle. “Are you ready to be guided by the guide king?”

  “Let’s go.”

  Out of the remaining 221 Sleepers locked up in the fort, Somnu was the first to be released. He had a meeting with the Fortmaster that he had to attend in person.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  ***

  “Ah! Somnu, my boy! Welcome!” Evu’Dral caressed his long fur chin repeatedly, then waved for Bree’Niu and Bro’Ski to leave. “What news?”

  “I figured out how to leave this Layer, but I need your help again.” The scarecrow walked in using his stick.

  He was wearing the same clothes Leyna had prepared for him, but now, he had Mathros’ cloak thrown over his head too. It covered most of his body, almost making him look like a blind sage.

  “I’m impressed, Somnu.” A third voice spoke, walking out from behind the throne.

  “Arman…”

  “Excuse the interruption.” The head doctor lowered his head slightly. “Don’t hold it against Evu’Dral, he didn’t say anything. It was simply clear to me who this Unseen Dreadbeast was.”

  “I didn’t think it would fool you for long, but maybe it’s good that you’re here now.” The scarecrow leaned on his stick as he slumped his back somewhat, his plans already diverging ever so slightly.

  “Even now… No, go on. Where is this exit?”

  Who was Arman really?

  Somnu had questioned that in the last few days as well. A head doctor who happened to have been treating the sleeping disease? The lord of the Luscairna? The leader of the Dream Chasers who were already preparing for the inevitability of all this?

  Even though Mr. Emberlyn had entrusted this man with that last position, Somnu had still tested him, just like everyone else. Using the serpents to keep tabs, Naga saw the many Luscairna and Sleepers that came to rely on him, especially the ones belonging to the Dream Chasers.

  However, it was only after the mandatory [Distorted Fallacy] that Somnu was able to clear his suspicions of him being a pawn. That had been days ago.

  “Before that…” The scarecrow spoke once more as he kept his head slightly low. “You’re planning on freeing everyone soon?”

  “That’s right. We can’t force them to be confined without showing results for it.” Arman nodded.

  “I’m aware of at least five more pawns that the Blood Fiend could take control of. You can exile those first before freeing the others. They will likely not come back.”

  “That’s doable. They wouldn’t be able to enter the fort again even if they tried.”

  Since he was holding off on using his skills today, he hadn’t gone after those new enemies. Exiling them one by one for now would divide their forces to be picked off at a later time. Moments like these made the scarecrow hope there was some way to restrain Sleepers. He wished he had some of the cursed lake’s waters to use on them now, but alas.

  Naturally, Somnu knew there were likely more pawns still hiding. And if they had escaped his serpents thus far, they must have been smarter, and likely stronger.

  Those were the ones he needed to look out for the most.

  “Now about the exit, I have a plan.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  Somnu spent no time trying to gain Arman’s trust. The head doctor had been smart enough to read between the lines, not to mention he had already known about Somnu’s infamous past.

  The two, along with the Fortmaster, concocted a plan and, wasting no time, immediately put it into motion.

  ***

  “We’re finally free!” Aurora let out, stretching her body and arms in the air right after stepping out of the door. Then, she turned and looked back inside. “Come on, Leyna! You’re not going to a wedding!”

  “One minute!”

  “Seriously, girl, we’re not in a place-!”

  “Hey.”

  Caught off guard, Aurora noticed the cloaked scarecrow appearing behind her. Her brows quickly furrowed as she studied him.

  “You…”

  “We don’t have much time. Mo will be here soon.” He spoke, keeping a slight distance while his serpent familiar sat on his shoulder, looking at the girl. “I need you to take them to the trading market. There will be a pawn there you have to subdue.”

  “What are you talking about?” Aurora took a step closer, but suddenly stopped when he took a few steps back in response.

  “You said you’re the strongest Sleeper here. Can I count on you to protect them?”

  “... Tell me what you’re planning to do, Somnu. I can help.”

  “You can help by meeting me in the trading market with them.” The scarecrow said, then turned to the side.

  “Wait!”

  “Don’t waste time, and don’t follow me!”

  In an instant, the cloaked figure had taken off at rapid speed, leaving the girl gritting her teeth.

  This is the only way to keep everyone safe. Somnu reminded himself once more, ignoring the growing chest pains throbbing at him. We’ll meet again in the waking world after everything is done. We’ll visit the town, do everything friends and siblings do together for fun. Maybe we could even hit the escape rooms in the city nearby, solve some puzzles as if our lives depended on it.

  As those thoughts ran through his head, the cloaked figure quickly reunited with Bro’Ski and made his way back to the throne room.

  There were three possible options he needed to consider for what John Doe would do upon everyone’s release.

  The Blood Fiend had lost more than half of his pawns in a span of a few days, leading him towards an inevitable panic. Unless he acted, he would be running out of all his remaining options. It was in an addict’s nature to protect his addiction, whether they liked it or not.

  For one option, he would go on a killing spree. Two, he would target Somnu’s loved ones out of vengeance. Or three, rush to take control of the whole fort as soon as possible.

  After checking on the first two, the scarecrow reached the throne room to see dozens of pawns swarming in on the lone Evu’Dral.

  The fortmaster met them with the calmness and regality of a fearless king, plumped down on his oversized throne.

  The dice had been cast.

  This was it. This was where he would finally drag John Doe out of his hiding spot.

  The weight of the long-awaited grudge burned with rigorous, yet chilling flames, fueling Somnu with excitement he couldn’t contain.

  So, as the countless murderous glares noticed him back, the scarecrow, tightening his grip on Eclipsed Requiem, asked calmly with a cold snicker.

  “Who wants to go first?”