Chapter 47: Escape
Reinhard watched as the Cup Inquisitors summoned their Beast Spirits, weapons, and manifestations appearing in flashes of light.
But before they could engage, the transforming townspeople suddenly stopped mid-change, their bodies freezing in half-bestial states.
The townspeople groaned in obvious pain before their transformations began reversing. Fur retracted beneath skin, claws shortened back into human nails, and limbs compressed to normal proportions.
Within moments, they collapsed to the ground fully human once more.
"What’s going on?" Lloyd asked, lowering his guard. "It usually takes hours before they revert to normal."
Reinhard turned to him. "So they don’t stay transformed permanently?"
Jessie sighed heavily. "They don’t. The process usually takes until close to morning before they revert completely."
"When they transformed around you, they didn’t attack?" Joseph asked.
Bruno shook his head. "We have to thank Phineas for that. He always kept them from attacking us directly."
"He doesn’t want his audience to die." Reinhard observed flatly.
Kyle nodded. "He would stop them before sending them out into the town. Then they’d return when the time was close to reverting."
Marie’s frown deepened. "Wait... If he’s the one who sends them out, then could those two Phantasm Beasts that attacked Rein have come from here?"
The implication hung heavy in the air.
Reinhard’s mind raced through the previous night’s battle, but he hadn’t paid attention to individual townspeople during the partial transformations he’d witnessed.
"Do you know which two went out yesterday?" Reinhard asked. "They looked like Werefangs."
One of the recovering townspeople spoke weakly. "The two who went out yesterday haven’t returned."
Another added, concern evident in their voice, "Did you... kill them?"
Reinhard shook his head. "No. They escaped." His eyes widened as connections formed. "Wait a minute."
"What is it?" Suzy asked in surprise.
Reinhard’s expression darkened as he said. "When we found Ven in this tunnel and took him to the clinic, the doctor told me there were two holes in his waist." He looked at Marie and Joseph. "And last night-"
Marie’s eyes widened in disbelief. "My spear and Joseph’s lance struck its sides... Are you saying that the Werefang you fought was Ven?"
Reinhard nodded grimly while one of the townspeople confirmed, "Yeah, it was Ven who went outside last night. I’m glad you rescued him."
Joseph’s expression twisted with concern. "But if we rescued him and brought him to the clinic, won’t he transform there?"
Jessie furrowed her brows. "I’m not sure. We only ever saw transformations when Phineas was present. With him dealt with, it shouldn’t be the case anymore."
"Hey now, don’t kill me off just yet." Everyone tensed at Phineas’s voice echoing from the destroyed doorway.
The man walked in slowly, his white coat now stained with blood. More wounds showed through torn fabric on his shoulder and side, but his movements remained controlled despite the injuries.
"I have yet to implement my climax scene in this beautiful play." Phineas continued, his smile returned as if he wasn’t hurt.
All eight Inquisitors immediately raised their weapons, Beast Spirits appearing with renewed energy.
Phineas clapped his hands together slowly. "Marvelous performance, you three. For that, I shall promote you from audience to supporting roles." His smile widened. "Now then, shall we proceed to the next scene?"
"Not a chance." Reinhard stated with a frown.
"Now, now. That can’t be the end of this show! It must go on!" Phineas waved his hand, and golden threads shot from his fingers toward the recovering townspeople.
The civilians’ limbs froze as threads wrapped around them. Their eyes widened in terror before screams erupted as transformations began again, this time progressing with horrifying speed.
Reinhard rushed forward, Zenuken cutting through visible threads.
But Phineas simply sighed.
"It doesn’t matter. I only helped initiate the process, and the transformation will continue without my direct control now." Phineas turned toward the tunnel behind him. "Enjoy the performance."
Joseph tensed. "Should we pursue him?"
Reinhard shook his head sharply. "Right now, we need to get back to the town. Anasha might be in danger if Ven transforms."
Marie and Joseph grimaced at the thought but nodded in agreement.
Behind them, the townspeople completed their transformations, leading to over thirty Phantasm Beasts appearing in the chamber and their eyes glowing.
Lloyd’s arms sprouted thick fur as bear claws extended from his fingers. Jessie’s hands ignited with flames that cast orange light across the walls. Suzy summoned a sword of crystalline ice that radiated cold mist.
Four hawk wings burst from Kyle’s back in sprays of feathers, while Bruno manifested a crimson axe as black markings spread across his exposed skin.
The transformed beasts rushed forward in a wave of claws and teeth.
Lloyd met the first Werefang head-on, his bear claws tearing through its shoulder and sending it crashing aside. Jessie’s flames engulfed an Autumn Deer, the creature shrieking as fire burned it, and then a foot sent it flying.
"Go!" Kyle shouted, his wings beating as he rose above the melee. "We’ll knock them out and catch up!"
Reinhard, Marie, and Joseph exchanged quick glances before nodding. They turned and sprinted toward the door they’d entered through, leaving the Cup team to hold the line against the transformed townspeople.
Their footsteps echoed as they raced up stone steps, through the tunnel system they’d navigated earlier. The corpse room flashed past as they ran through the burnt area and moved towards the ladder.
They quickly climbed the ladder with Reinhard pulling himself up while Marie and Joseph followed close behind. The cellar appeared above them, then the burnt building, and then finally the cold night air of Mensis Town’s restricted district.
As they began rushing through the burnt streets that no longer had the illusion of being around. The ground below began to tremble, and a scraping noise rang out, leading them to pause.
Reinhard glances up to see a Werefang slowly moving on the roof before hurling itself at the head and landing on the ground in front of them.
But if that wasn’t enough, more Werefangs descended from rooftops above them.
The Phantasm Beasts landed with heavy impacts that cracked cobblestones, their crimson eyes glowing in the darkness. Their black fur stood up while their claws extended and scraped against stone as they circled.
Then the ground trembled even more, leading Joseph to frown as he muttered that more was coming.
From the opposite direction, bears with massive spikes protruding from their backs charged forward. Each spike was as long as a forearm and gleamed like polished obsidian in the moonlight.
The creatures’ bulk made the ground tremble with each thunderous step, their massive frames easily twice the height of a normal bear.