Ink

Isaac stood there for a while, still dazed by the sudden appearance of Arcana and her even more shocking invitation to join Manus Vindictae.

By all accounts, joining the Manus does have its benefits — but the consequences of doing so and the hidden price was the deal breaker for him. It was because, like what Arcana said, she has a similar ability to Isaac, and he did not want to be anywhere near someone like him.

Her ink — or tar — whatever it was — can easily influence the minds of others to either cause them to hallucinate or lose their reason. Not only that, but he also knew that the monsters which were part of the Manus were created by her, like the masks they always wore that would eventually turn them to said monsters.

Moreover, he suspected that she was like him in more ways than just their arcanum. To be with someone like that was akin to entering a tiger's den.

But there was still one thing bothering him.

"How did she know...?" Remembering her last words, Isaac frowned slightly. It was as if his long-buried secret was dug up and plated in front of him like a five-star meal — it did not feel right one bit.

He contemplated for a good minute or so before being roused up by the distant clamor in the distance — clearly from the fight currently occurring between Vertin's team and Forget Me Not. Seeing this, Isaac lingered for a bit before shaking his head, shaking off any unwanted thoughts.

He sighed. "That's that and this is this. There's no point in thinking about this right now — I'll find a chance to think about this in the future."

Indeed, there could be many reasons as to why and how Arcana was aware of such private information about Isaac. But as it stands, it was currently pointless to pursue it since the means to do so were currently out of his reach.

Having recollected his thoughts, Isaac lingered for a bit, observing the fog around him, before gently nudging his monocle. "I should go back and help them... Sooner or later, Arcana would also show up in the battlefield and start screwing the team up."

With that said, Isaac willed the fog around him to move. Almost instantaneously, in a bird's-eye view, the grayish white fog covering the charred forest suddenly started stirring vehemently, a sudden swirl akin to a typhoon forming.

Then... They dispersed in all directions.

---

The piano keeps playing.

Even amidst the rain.

Forget Me Not, who had sat down and started playing his piano in the middle of the battlefield, was using it as a medium to cast arcanum towards Vertin and the rest. Combined with the Disciples present, their battle was in a stalemate.

"My Lady, please stand behind me!" Mr. Karson, Sotheby's butler, warned the young lady of their house. "It's dangerous to face them head on!"

"Yes! Oh, um... It seems that I'm not that hurt?" Contrary to his worries, however, Sotheby appeared fine after being targeted by an enemy's attack, the black sludge that was aimed at her squirming to the ground. "Something seems to have blocked the attack!"

Indeed. Just hovering in front of her was a thin layer of grayish-white fog, acting as her shield and resembled the shape of a cocoon.

The young lady looked around her and noticed that, like her, the others around her also had cocoons of fog enveloping them, acting as shields that could block some of the enemies' attacks. At some point, the fog around them had drifted and started covering them.

"What's this?" Sonetto muttered, looking at the swirling fog around her. "Is this an arcanum skill?"

"It's Isaac's fog." Not far from her, Druvis spoke, her face focused on the enemies being eliminated by her roots. "Vertin will fill you in later. Just know that another arcanist is helping us."

"An arcanist with a control over fog, eh?" Another member of the reinforcements, X, said while dodging an attack before countering. "Not the first I've heard of. Say, isn't there someone named Oliver Fog in the Foundation's records? I feel like they're a bit similar in that fog aspect."

With the aid of the grayish-white fog provided by Isaac, the team was gradually regaining their foothold and — ironically — breath. The cocoons acted like shields, enabling them to continue their attacks without having to worry about the lighter attacks from the enemies.

Finally, after a while, they beat Forget Me Not — with Druvis landing the last blow.

Forget Me Not staggered and backed off slowly, unable to utter anything as he just glared at them — his piano broken after Druvis' attack. He was wounded from their attacks and was bleeding here and there, but the wounds weren't serious enough to kill him.

"It's over, Forget Me Not." Vertin said, standing a few meters away from him. "We've already told you that your own hatred would consume you. You should have expected this."

He didn't reply immediately — no — on the contrary, he stood up straight and adjusted his glasses.

Vertin was just about to speak once more, when suddenly, a puddle of black ink manifested near Forget Me Not, the sound of something sludgy reaching everyone's ears. Then, from that black ink puddle, a figure of an alluring woman started to manifest.

"...!" Seeing who it was, Sonetto's eyes contracted — a clear sign of shock upon seeing who had arrived. "You..."

"Everyone! Back off at least 50 meters!" Also realizing who it was, Vertin immediately warned the others — knowing how that woman's arcanum could affect the minds of others. "She's dangerous!"

"Has thou been enjoying thyself?" Arcana, who had just appeared, smiled faintly at Vertin. Then, a light chuckle escaped her lips. "Art thou leaving?"

"Correct." Vertin answered, her head tilting downwards for a bit. She then continued, a clear conviction laced with her voice. "And one day, I'll be back to personally defeat you."

"Ha ha, how wonderful." Arcana laughed dryly, clearly amused by the words of the child. "Well then, Lady Vertin..."

"Thou lead them, from vanity to reality, from past to present." Seemingly also bidding her farewell, Arcana started uttering words reminiscent of wishing her good luck. "Blessings be unto you, whose people shall be no more in hours."

"Mayst thou be in peace, when the rain falls from the sky. As always."

With that said, Arcana lifted her hand, and from her ink-like limbs, the black sludge started dripping down to the ground, staining it with its corrupting appearance and echoing crazed murmurs into the heads of those affected by it.

As if roused by a call, the Disciples of Manus Vindictae started running towards that black sludge that had just dripped off of Arcana, lunging their bodies and offering themselves into it — merging into one being.

At the same time, the rain that was pouring down on the battlefield intensified with the arrival of a new lightning, increasing the downpour.

Having done this, Arcana smiled once more — as incomprehensible as always. She then tilted her head to the side and spoke. "Thou can step out of thy hiding now."

"...I was caught."

From where she was looking, the thick grayish-white fog that acted like a wall suddenly churned, and from within emerged a figure. Covered in wisps of white mist, Isaac's figure emerged, looking directly at Arcana.

"You know, I really did try to conceal myself there. I could have assassinated you or something." He casually spoke as if he and Arcana had been friends for a very long time already. But of course this was just a front to appear collected and in control in front of a much stronger enemy.

Arcana scoffed. "Thine peculiarities are endearing. But thou shalt know that such trivialities cannot work on me."

He shrugged, already knowing such outcome. "One can dream..."

With that said, he walked over to Vertin's team while manifesting more fogs on standby in case they needed more shields.

After doing so, he looked over to Vertin. "You alright, Ms. Vertin?"

"Yes, your help was much appreciated." Knowing that his fog had been protecting them, Vertin nodded. She then looked at Arcana not far from them. "But I might have to trouble you again for helping us with whatever she's about to do, Mr. Isaac."

Arcana scoffed, her faint smile as incomprehensible as always. Then, accompanied with the sound of thunder in the distance, she spoke. "It's raining. Home we shall be."

"Leave no regrets in these final hours." Looking at both Vertin and Isaac one last time, she added. "Adieū."

With that said, along with Forget Me Not accompanying her, the both of them were swallowed by the puddle of ink beneath their feet and slowly disappeared.

Seeing this, a faint smile appeared on Isaac's face. 'Thank God... It would have been really bad if Arcana herself decided to fight. Fortunately, things didn't go that way...'

He feared that due to his appearance and her prior proposal, she might have been compelled to show off a bit and derail the original story's plot — which was something he really didn't want to happen.

There was a reason he didn't want to fight her directly. It was akin to winning a pyrrhic victory but with devastating results for them.

"They ran away!" Having watched Arcana leave, Sonetto commented. However, her expression soon changed when she noticed something. "But...!"

All of them looked at the "thing" Arcana had left behind — created from her black sludge and the numerous Manus Vindictae Disciples.

There, not far from them, the distorted figure of a humanoid female giant stood, its lower body nonexistent and its head distorted and unrecognizable. Its body was black all over, akin to ink, and its imposing aura weighed down on all of them. Its posture was facing up the sky, almost like worshipping it, accompanied by a white halo that hung on its nonexistent head.

Then, noticing them, the giant creature moved, initiating an attack.

"Everyone, hold on!" Seeing this, Vertin immediately gave out a command. "Let us defeat this first!"

Isaac, meanwhile, looked at the "thing" and a sigh escaped his lips. 'What in the eldritch abomination is this...'

He really didn't want to fight Arcana.