The finger was missing.
Yet, none of them noticed.
Tyler, Mathilda, and the others had no recollection of the Pinky Finger's existence. Their memories had been silently erased, leaving behind only fragments of the battle they had just fought.
To them, it was simple—they had defeated an Abyssal Being and were now escaping.
Nothing more.
No lingering doubts. No gaps in memory.
The scene around them shifted.
The oppressive darkness that had once surrounded them vanished, giving way to something familiar.
Tyler turned his gaze toward a lake—a shimmering body of water reflecting the dim light of the sky.
Recognition flickered in his mind.
It was the same lake they had seen before, the one near the illusory village.
Yet—
The Village of Vale was gone.
Nothing remained. No structures, no streets, no sign that it had ever existed.
It was as if the village had been nothing more than a dream.
A sudden, sharp crack echoed through the air.
Tyler's eyes snapped toward the sound.
