One thing that started everything

Chapter 9: Aneko

The darkness closed in around me, thick and consuming. But I couldn't afford to waste time on fear. Each step I took felt heavy, as though I were moving through syrup, yet my mind remained sharp. The Nocturnalis Imps had constructed this nightmare with sinister precision, but precision was something I could dismantle. And if they thought they could trap all of us here, they were gravely mistaken.

My hazel eyes cut through the haze, piercing the shadows that writhed and snarled around me. Each sound—twisted whispers, the soft pattern of unseen feet—was designed to unnerve. But I blocked it out, taking in everything with an unnervingly calm focus. The others needed me: Rikona, Rudina, Takami, Chisuke, Yoshina, Kaelan, and even our teacher, Griffin. I wasn't going to let any of them stay ensnared here. I clenched my hands and felt the gentle hum of my powers. They'd be essential in this nightmare.

"Focus, Aneko. Step by step."

I could sense them nearby, each one trapped within their own version of this illusion. But we weren't alone; shadowy imps hovered in the periphery, shifting in and out of sight with sharp, unnatural grins. They taunted, playing with the threads of our fear and confusion. For a moment, I wondered if they knew who they were dealing with.

I summoned a thread from my fingertips, near-invisible but charged with a steady flow of life energy. With a twist of my wrist, I activated Thread Trap, sending nearly invisible strands spiraling outward. The first imps lunged, only to be caught mid-air by the threads, its form contorting as it struggled. One by one, the threads wrapped around it, pinning it in place. Its grin faltered, then vanished entirely as I pulled it down to the ground. "That's enough," I whispered.

I scanned the shadowed landscape for my friends. A faint glimmer of Kaelan's aura caught my eye first. He was bound, struggling against the nightmare, his breathing shallow and desperate. With another flick of my wrist, I threaded a string toward him, letting it coil around his arm. String Marionette allowed me to gently pull him from his trance, lifting his head as I gave him a steadying pull. His eyes cleared as he looked up at me, hazy but grateful.

"Aneko..." he whispered, his voice weak.

"I've got you," I assured him. "Now go. Find a safe place and keep watch."

I turned my gaze back to the twisting darkness and summoned a set of my Doll Army from the void, watching as they materialized around me. They were warriors of every shape and size, their features twisted but formidable. Each one had its own distinct power, and I infused a bit of my energy into them, letting Life Infusion animate them fully. As soon as they were ready, I sent them forward, scattering to find and free the others.

With each person I approached, I found them bound by illusions that kept them vulnerable. I sent out strings of energy, cutting through the darkness like finely honed blades, manipulating their limbs gently until they could move. One by one, they broke free from their personal nightmares, shaking off the remnants of fear.

As I freed them, the Nocturnalis Imps caught on, snarling in anger. One of them, larger and wider than the others, lunged toward me. I felt its claws scrape the air near my face, but my reflexes were faster. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a Thread Trap again, sending a web of threads around it. It writhed, caught and snarling, its movements jerky as I tightened the binds.

"You picked the wrong fight," I muttered, eyes narrowing.

It screeched, but the threads bound it tighter, until it could do nothing but glare at me, red eyes seething with frustration. But I had no time to relish my victory—I moved forward, seeking out the last trapped figures.

Finally, I reached Griffin, our teacher, who, despite his stern expression, was clearly affected by the nightmare. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened, as though surprised I could navigate the nightmare so adeptly. I didn't linger. Wrapping him in a secure String Marionnette pull, I guided him free from the illusion, his stern face a mix of perplexity and hidden respect. He nodded curtly as he gathered his bearings.

The darkness around us began to thin as each person was freed. But before I could celebrate, an eerie silence settled. Three figures emerged through the mist, already standing on solid ground outside the nightmare.

Kyosuke's easy smirk broke the tension as he saw me, his dark blue eyes gleaming with that mischievous spark of his. "What took you so long, Aneko?" he teased, as thought we'd just strolled out of class.

Beside him, Mizuki's face was as stoic as ever, her midnight blue hair with white-tinted ends giving her a spectral presence in the dim light. And Katsuaki, ever unreadable, had his usual poker face, but his eyes held a glint of respect.

I blinked, surprised but impressed. "So, you three managed to break free, too," I murmured, taking in their collected calm, the quiet intensity that surrounded them.

"Of course," Mizuki replied, her voice barely more than a whisper but carrying weight. "Couldn't let you do all the work."

Rudina, Takami, Chisuke, and Yoshina, still shaken but safe, gathered around me, their expressions softening into smiles. They each muttered words of gratitude, their relief palpable.

"Aneko, thank you," Kaelan said, his voice laced with emotion as he stepped forward. He looked at me with sincere gratitude, and I felt a warm rush of pride.

The imps scattered as the nightmare finally dissipated, their twisted forms fleeing back into the shadows. Griffin, finally released from his trance, was staring at us, his expression an unusual blend of confusion and silent admiration.

"You... all managed to break free," he said slowly, shaking his head. "I don't know whether to be impressed or concerned."

Kyosuke laughed, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Guess we're full of surprises."