And at the hall above which the three suspended bridges reside…
They both heard those chants made of strange words. Linkaten felt that something dangerous was going on. The hall had slight vibrations, barely noticeable, but enough to be heard or sensed.
"Man, the situation is out of control… Can you find a solution since you read that book?" Clenteen spoke as he looked around, prepared for any sudden attack or unexpected event, directing his question toward Linkaten.
"Stop whining and let me think for a bit," Linkaten answered angrily.
"Think… Think… Damn geniuses," Clenteen mocked sarcastically.
'There's something connected and obvious, these vibrations indicate something. And it's death unless we solve every puzzle as fast as possible,' Linkaten muttered to himself, trying to find a thought or link between the book and this place.
Linkaten then said aloud:
'Before I dive into the subject of the book, the bridges and this hall were made to instill a sense of terrifying loneliness in a person. Walking continuously on a bridge with no one around you—just walking—is madness itself. And even this hall probably has vibrations——
Linkaten's eyes widened as he remembered one word:
'The Host. There is someone here who is unwelcome, just like in the Sparrow's Tale. And if I kill the host, the bridges will change their positions. And the original bridge that leads outside will appear. The vibrations in the hall hit the brain directly and make one anxious and afraid… I have to search this place for the unwelcome host.'
Linkaten looked up at the ceiling from which the three bridges were hanging. He saw that the ceiling was smiling at him and uttering strange words. He looked around to find something or a loophole. But he found that the walls were moving and then stopping repeatedly.
"Man, you're overthinking. Why don't we just climb the wall and head up to those hanging bridges and get out of this damned place?" Clenteen's expression showed boredom and anger.
"This place is just a mind game. Don't lose your sanity. It's just a simple puzzle, but it has some horrifying threads," Linkaten spoke calmly toward Clenteen, looking around carefully.
He continued:
"And also, be useful and find a creature, a symbol, or anything that could indicate the unwelcome host in this place."
"Host? What do you mean by that?" Clenteen asked, bewildered.
"Yes, a host. I'm sure you felt the vibrations in the hall?" Linkaten answered quietly.
"Yes, I felt them. Oh, don't tell me these vibrations are the ones messing with our minds… Whoever created this place is a son of a bitch," Clenteen put his hands on his head, shocked.
Linkaten spoke in a calm but focused tone:
"That's why I'm trying to find any sign or creature to eliminate it and get out of here."
In the middle of his focus, Linkaten noticed near the edge of an abyss that words were falling from nowhere onto the ground and then being rewritten in white.
Linkaten smiled, as if he had found the thread that would lead to solving the puzzle. Both of them headed toward the edge. Linkaten started observing and examining the words, which read:
"In the depths of hell, you shall look above existence only to escape from the pain that blinds your eyes. If you find it, then you are among the ones who shall escape."
Linkaten placed his finger on his chin, thinking aloud:
'Depths of hell? And looking above existence. Of all the sentences, these two seem somewhat logical… But what does he mean by looking above existence?'
While Linkaten was deep in thought, Clenteen was staring into the abyss, which glowed red for fractions of a second, then vanished.
Clenteen looked closely at something that seemed like a string or fine transparent threads emerging from it. Clenteen felt that something was not right around him.
"Hey, Linkaten, you've got to see this," Clenteen called out to Linkaten, pointing toward the abyss.
"Can't you see I'm thinking abou——"
A deep moment of silence from Linkaten. He placed his card on the four black holes and pulled out his pistol, firing into the abyss. Something caught the bullet and muttered in terror.
They both stepped back. Clenteen had no idea what was going on. He spoke in shock:
"What is that strange creature?"
Linkaten answered as he pulled out his sword made of black water:
"That's the unwelcome host."
"Dm, Dn, Dk, Dl, Dmik."
The creature leapt from the abyss into the hall. The aura it carried was terrifying and horrifying. Its head was a brain bleeding like dew drops. Its body was made of veins and parts of a brain. It had many hands, but all were severed except two. It wielded two swords made of veins connected to its brain. Its leg was made of a liver.
"Fear… Death… Insight… Two-faced one." The creature spoke those strange and terrifying words.
Both of them were shocked by this horrific and disgusting creature.
"What is this thing? And why is its aura so heavy?" Clenteen spoke, placing his five fingers on his neck.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is Dmagadal… a creature responsible for fear and horror, like the part of the brain," Linkaten replied to Clenteen's question.
"Death… Sight… Don't look at the sky… Close your black eyes… Insight is but rage, and you stare at what enrages you…"
Dmagadal prepared for an attack, swinging his swords through the air, still connected to his brain. Both of them got ready to fight, but Linkaten spoke to Clenteen calmly:
"Take a rest, let this fight be mine."
Clenteen smiled and pointed at Linkaten, saying:
"If another enemy shows up, he's mine, got it?"
Linkaten smiled, rested the sword on his shoulder, pulled out a cigarette, and placed it in his mouth:
"You got it."
As Linkaten prepared to attack, the creature appeared in front of him and struck his stomach, launching him at the gate with unbelievable speed. Linkaten spat blood from his mouth.
'That speed… I couldn't even see it.' Linkaten muttered to himself.
On the other side, Clenteen was stunned, unable to believe what he was seeing:
"Linkaten is going to have a tough time taking down that freak."
Linkaten shot forward like a rocket toward Dmagadal. He swung his sword to cut off his head, but Dmagadal grabbed his hand and slammed him into the ground hard.
Linkaten quickly got up, leaped into the air, pulled out his pistol, and fired a shot directly at Dmagadal. But Dmagadal appeared behind him, stabbed him in the back, and smashed him into the ground.
Linkaten crashed onto the ground, bleeding from every part of his body. Clenteen wanted to interfere, but Linkaten raised his hand and shouted:
"I said this is my fight! Don't interfere!"
Clenteen frowned and replied angrily:
"But you're going to die, you idiot!"
"I won't die. This is my fight," Linkaten stood up, covered in deep wounds.
Clenteen backed off and watched the fight.
"You wretched freak, you will return to what you were," Linkaten roared angrily with a sharp tone.
"Pity… sorrow… anxiety… and fear… Why are you hiding something great?" Dmagadal spoke in a strange tone as if vomiting.
"You're starting to ramble, let's——"
Dmagadal placed his hand on Linkaten's chest, then released a terrifying wave that slammed him into the wall and ground repeatedly with tremendous force. But Linkaten stood back up and launched another attack, only for Dmagadal to swing his sword and sever Linkaten's arm. Linkaten saw it flying through the air, and before it hit the ground, he caught it and placed the hand on the severed spot.
"The hunters really are annoying… You're so, so, so stubborn… Killing you won't be fun at all," said Dmagadal in that terrifying tone, then looked toward the gate. In a sudden burst of speed, he destroyed it and exited the hall.
Clinten approached Lenkaten and said:
"There are many questions, but right now I just want to get out of this strange hell."
As Clinten spoke, three bridges fell to the ground. They moved in a strange way, like shifting mountains. All three bridges were connected, leading to a single path: "Exit."
"It seems the host has left. We're done with this cursed area," said Lenkaten as he wiped the blood off his head and mouth.
He continued muttering to himself:
"If the fight had lasted a few more minutes… the outcome might've changed a little."
Both walked on the bridge and passed through a small door. They appeared in a narrow street lined with massive, destroyed Victorian mansions.
"The feeling of leaving that hell… is amazing," said Clinten, spreading his arms wide.
They walked along the path until a head fell from above, pierced with two holes.
Lenkaten looked at the head and said, slightly terrified:
"Isn't that a member of the Saratdra family?"
A quiet voice from above replied with dread:
"That's right. I cut his head off because he hunted monsters… and it seems your heads will be next."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Village of the Mad Women…
Eleonora and Emilia were both shocked.
Emilia spoke in disbelief:
"You mean this village… and that cursed witch's house are all made of illusion? And we have to stay there for an hour or more to escape? I don't think that's the best way. There's only one…"
Eleonora looked at her and listened carefully:
"And what is it?"
She replied calmly and without hesitation:
"When she appears, I'll grab her body, and I want you to slash the arteries in her hands… That way, we'll break the illusion curse through slow death… not complete death."
Eleonora smiled and laughed:
"That cursed plan is the best, but we must be careful. She could switch bodies."
Emilia grabbed Eleonora's shoulder and said confidently:
"Leave it to me. We're getting out of this cursed place."
Eleonora nodded. Then she re-entered the old woman's house. And there… was terror. The darkness changed shape into a moving shadow filled with silent crying and laughing faces. Black rain dripped from nowhere.
"It seems every failure changes the shape of the illusion," said Eleonora, hiding her fear while looking around.
"It seems you've returned. It's no use… you won't leave this place alive… you filthy whores," said the old woman in a disgusting voice, laughing mockingly.
A group of the mad women appeared and began attacking Eleonora and Emilia.
"Stick to the plan, Eleonora, and let's kill this filthy witch!" Emilia shouted.
The situation was very difficult due to the sheer number of enemies. Though hunters have terrifying endurance, it has its limits. So staying for an hour or more would make the hunters vulnerable to losing due to exhaustion.
As Eleonora sliced through the mad women, the old woman appeared in front of her. Eleonora was surprised, but grabbed her quickly. Emilia looked and shouted:
"Grab the scepter quickly, Eleonora!"
Eleonora grabbed the scepter—but terrifyingly, her hand started to melt.
The old woman laughed:
"Hahaha, you'll melt before your friend can reach you."
Eleonora screamed:
"Hurry, Emilia!"
"I'm coming!" Emilia tried to reach Eleonora quickly, but the many mad women blocked her path. An idea came to Emilia. She leaped forward, slashing through them rapidly with her dagger, then appeared before the old woman and slashed her arteries.
Black blood gushed out, and Eleonora's hand was melting in pain. After five minutes of suffering and the witch's horrific screams, the old woman let out a horrifying cry that shattered the darkness, revealing the ruined hall.
Eleonora and Emilia slapped their hands together. Eleonora praised Emilia:
"Grabbing the scepter to stop her from switching bodies was a good idea. That's what saved us… smart move."
"Thank you. But let's not forget your great effort too. Now, let's get out of here."
They reached the exit gate. Eleonora smashed it, and a new place appeared before them. When they stepped into it, the gate behind them closed and turned into a shattered wall emitting whispers.
"Who'd be crazy enough to go back there?" said Emilia sarcastically.
The new place was ruined. Gothic houses were destroyed—some still standing despite the destruction—and strange mansions stood in odd places.
"I don't feel comfortable in this place," said Eleonora, looking around.
"I agree. This place is weird," said Emilia as she walked the ruined road.
As they walked, they arrived at a broken fountain gate spewing ordinary water, with a small path leading into a forest.
"It seems we've arrived at the pla———"
Before Emilia could finish, she was stabbed by a slightly curved sword, and then struck hard in the stomach. She crashed into one of the ruined houses, causing some rocks to fall on her.
"Emiliiiiiiia!" Eleonora screamed, horrified by how brutally she was struck.
A terrifying, heavy female voice spoke while spinning her sword in the air:
"Enough screaming, you whore… It seems you hunt monsters. So prepare yourselves, hunters, for it is you who shall be hunted now."