Angor heard noises coming from somewhere and looked that way. About a dozen apprentices in thick, black robes were walking through the dark barrier and into the outer city while a witch with too few clothes followed behind. The whip in her hand and how she was wielding it suggested that she was in charge of commanding the apprentices ahead.
The witch had a see-through cape on, through which people could see her basic underwear that barely covered her privacy. The strangest part was a dark-crimson imp tail, which was currently playfully swaying to and fro, that grew on the top of her backside.
There was a type of alluring energy coming off her body each time her whip slapped the floor. When bathed in her pink aura, the apprentices showed frenzied smiles and rushed into the darkness ahead without looking back.
Filo had finished his explanation to Sunders. When he saw Angor looking at the ruckus, he thought about satisfying the boy’s curiosity so that he could leave a good impression both to Angor and Sunders.
“That’s ‘Whipping Witch’ Rak’sel. She’s sending her apprentices to scout the darkness. That’s the fifth team, by the way.”
“Fifth? Did they learn anything?”
“No, just as we all expected.” Filo shook his head. “Even wizards can get lost in there, let alone those weaklings.”
“There are wizards exploring the outer city?” asked Sunders.
“Yes. Debnam, Kerry, Gragg... At least twenty wizards, including level-2 wizards, have gone inside, but not one of them came back, nor did they send any message to us. Anywhere within a range of a thousand kilometers from here is affected by the unbalanced dimensional energy that stops anyone from establishing plane passageways, which means the wizards cannot get out that way. As you can see, many organizations sent their people over, but most of them remained outside. They only command their familiars or apprentices to do the job for them.”
“And they are not going to get anything by that.” Sunders snickered. “Is there any truth-finder wizard inside?”
Most such wizards knew about secret arts that allowed them to escape from great danger. It might cost them dearly in such a situation, but they would stay alive.
“None.” Filo’s answer was firm.
“So we know absolutely nothing about the condition out there...” Sunders considered. “They are waiting for a chance to get inside. Such a pity we can’t bring Maya with us. She’s only interested in that young man you brought back.”
Sunders’ last sentence was meant for Angor.
In fact, the gentleman went to ask Maya’s assistance the moment he received Filo’s message. However, Maya wasn’t interested in the incident at all now that she had Dodoro.
“Didn’t Miss Maya use her prophecy for this?” Angor asked.
“No. It seems the disaster has disturbed the ‘string of fate’ of this very world. Prophets cannot tell us anything useful unless they come and see with their own eyes.”
They weren’t talking via Spirit Bond this time. Filo spoke again when he heard Sunders’ words, “There aren’t any prophets in Sleepless City but... I heard that another wizard organization sent someone. I saw Mister Radiance speaking to him earlier. But the prophet didn’t predict much other than the general condition of the wizards who went inside.”
The general condition of trapped wizards can tell us a lot. Looks like we need to pay Douglas a visit later. Sunders pondered.
Next, Sunders questioned Filo about what he saw inside the darkness before he was rescued, especially about the monsters.
“The frog monster spoke strange things? What exactly?” Sunders noticed an interesting detail.
“I think... it said two things. Well except for all the flattering that praises some queen, the moon, and someone called Shava...”
Sunders narrowed his eyes.
According to Filo, the frog’s voice was heard across the entire city even though nobody saw it.
Before the darkness came, the frog said, “This place is filthy without moonlight”. Next, it mentioned that “it will get better soon”.
It was obvious that the monster knew about the coming crisis.
As for whether it was the frog who brought the darkness... this could be seen by looking at the “second thing” it said.
People heard this one when Douglas and a group of wizards created their plane passageway when it was still possible to do so.
Compared to the “praising words” before, the frog monster seemed surprised to see someone when it exclaimed, “Why are you here?”
Apparently, something else showed up from the dark vortex above them and surprised the frog.
This meant Froggy and Fox did not come to Sleepless City “as planned”. Something else told or maybe forced them to.
Also, Sunders was sure about his previous assumption that a nightmare tunnel did exist somewhere in the outer city, which was probably the vortex in the sky.
As for who or what emerged from the tunnel and bewildered Froggy... It remained to be found out.
Telling from Froggy’s attitude, it probably recognized the third monster.
Inside the uncharted darkness ahead, an unknown monster who likely came from the core regions of Nightmare Realm was wandering about.
...
Sunders made sure Filo did not leave anything out. He then went to Douglas to find out what the prophet had to say about the situation.
While on their way, Sunders explained his theories to Angor through their Spirit Bond, especially about the unknown monster that might be carrying a powerful Mystery item.
Since Angor was basically powerless against such a monster, Sunders meant to tell him to dive into the gravity garden at the first sign of danger.
While Angor had no problem following the order, he was wondering about another matter that he just heard.
According to Filo, the “god-damned student of Ness” was affected by the mental-corruption energy and almost destroyed their escape plan.
It was a woman wearing a large bamboo rain hat. Angor was sure Filo was talking about Hookdick.
He failed to learn any clues about Hookdick from Bartterfly Pub, and he never would have thought he’d find the man here.
And it wasn’t bad news.
Filo also mentioned someone fighting Hookdick, which was Shiliew.
And this suggested that Nausica and Shan were probably also here. As far as Angor knew, the three of them left Brute Cavern on a mission as a team.
Angor sighed and shook his head. Even if this was the case, they would have to survive on their own—there was not much he could do.
Following Filo’s direction, they found Douglas along with a group of powerful wizards inside a small hut constructed out of pure magic.
They were currently simulating the possible circumstances in the outer city by using a magic sand table. As for Douglas, he was moving several pawns around the table.
Sunders’ arrival immediately caught everyone’s attention.
Angor had backed away to the wall just to avoid unnecessary trouble. None of the wizards said anything since it was Sunders who brought him here.
Angor couldn’t hear anything because of the soundproof ward, which covered the discussing wizards. Bored, he stepped to a window and gazed at the endless darkness in the distance while thinking about random concerns.
He suddenly got a strange feeling, as if someone was watching him.
Many people paid him various attention since he arrived at Sleepless City. But people did not usually keep staring at him because most wizards could ascertain his identity by a simple glimpse.
Now, however, he felt that someone completely focused their gaze at him... for a long time.
He turned around to look at where the attention came from.