The moment they stepped into the mansion, the air itself seemed to fracture. Leo's eyes locked onto Mira—her fragile body barely clinging to life—and his fist tightened, veins straining as rage coursed through him. Hodgins' voice rang out, sharp and commanding: "Chancellor, kill them."
Everything unfolded in a blur.
Egry, trembling but resolute, tore Mira free from her bindings. Lily turned, her gaze meeting Egry's, and for the briefest instant she smiled.
That smile was enough—the contract snapped, threads dissolving into light. Hodgins screamed, her fury echoing through the chamber.
The Chancellor roared, his body twisting grotesquely as he transformed into Bungo. He lunged at Brittany, monstrous and unstoppable.
But Lily's body shifted, her hair flashing, her stance changing—Ellie emerged. A guitar swung into her hands, and with a single strum, a melody rang out, sharp and defiant. Ellie grinned, charging forward, the sound waves slicing through the air.
Leo rushed to Mira, his roots and fog surging with a speed and strength he had never summoned before. The fog was warm, alive, wrapping Mira in its embrace.
Hodgins turned, her face contorted in horror, screaming in slow motion: "Nooooo!" But Leo was already gone, moving faster than her eyes could follow.
The Chancellor staggered as Ellie's melody struck him. Rings of sound tore through his monstrous body, ripping away the beast's facade until his face was exposed, raw and furious.
Anne, frozen in shock, suddenly lifted into the air, her body pulled by unseen force. Brittany and Lily—Ellie still blazing with music—charged toward her, their movements synchronized by desperation. The mansion itself seemed to respond, its walls stretching, widening, reshaping into a corridor that led them all into the living room.
It was as if they were being pulled farther and farther apart. Brittany reached out, her fingers trembling, almost brushing Anne's hand.
But Hodgins widened the distance, the corridor stretching endlessly. Brittany's eyes locked onto Anne one last time, and what she saw broke her heart—Anne, lost in hope, her spirit fading.
To be continued…