Lana slowly released his hand, her gaze sharpening as she stepped back. Quinn’s expression went blank again, his body moving on its own as he followed the others out.
The mansion fell deathly quiet.
The silence was so profound it felt oppressive, enough to unsettle anyone. Lana stood alone, unmoving, the realization settling deep in her chest.
’This is a dream...’
Her fingers curled slowly into her palm.
"And soone is controlling it."
The mont those words left her lips, a sharp burst of laughter echoed through the farmhouse, hollow and grating, as though it scraped directly against her nerves.
"So smart," the voice mocked, amusent dripping from every syllable.
Lana stiffened, her breath catching. The air around her felt colder, carrying a faint musty sll, like damp wood left untouched for years. Her gaze darted around the dim space, shadows stretching unnaturally along the walls.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the chill creeping up her spine.
Silence followed, thick and oppressive, before the voice finally returned, echoing from nowhere and everywhere at once. "I am the owner of this farmhouse."
Lana rolled her eyes, irritation flashing through her fear. "That’s nonsense," she snapped.
Her hands instinctively moved to her pockets, fingers fumbling as she desperately searched for a talisman, anything that might ground her. Before she could find even a shred of hope, mocking laughter rang out again.
"It’s useless," the voice sneered. "You can’t break anything in a dream."
Those words struck deep. Lana froze, her fingers curling into tight fists as realization washed over her.
’A dream...?’ Her heart pounded violently. Sothing was terribly wrong; she could feel it in her bones, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
The voice softened, almost gentle, which sohow made it even more terrifying. "Since you already know the truth," it purred, "you should die peacefully."
In the next instant, an invisible force clamped around Lana’s neck.
Her breath hitched as pressure crushed her throat, panic flaring. But she reacted instantly.
She lifted her hand, teeth clenched, and focused inward. ’Calm down.’
Since aether was absorbed by the soul, her Mystic Energy existed in the sa form. Drawing it out felt natural, almost instinctive. In a heartbeat, she gathered the swirling energy and hurled it toward the direction from which the force was coming.
The world shattered.
The scene in front of her exploded into countless glass-like shards, fragnts spinning and dissolving into nothingness. Lana gasped as she snapped awake, her chest heaving violently.
Before she could even orient herself, a familiar weight pressed against her shoulder.
Mr. Crow.
Seeing her pale face and trembling hands, he imdiately stepped closer, one clawed foot steady on her shoulder. His weapon glowed faintly as he activated it, his presence firm and grounding.
"It’s alright," he said calmly. "I’m here."
Thinking she was having one of her episodes, he deliberately slowed his breathing, trying to guide her back to reality. Lana didn’t hesitate. She threw her arms around him, her body shaking uncontrollably.
The warmth of his feathers and the steady rhythm of his presence soothed her frayed nerves. Slowly, the tension drained from her limbs, and she leaned into him, snuggling closer, suddenly timid and vulnerable.
Mr. Crow let out a soft sigh and gently patted her hand. "If you’re this scared," he murmured, "why not just leave?"
As they moved, Lana told him everything she had seen, her voice low and urgent. The more she spoke, the more unsettled Mr. Crowe beca. "Even if it creates a ti paradox," he warned gravely, "it’s better if you leave."
Lana shook her head. ’Not yet.’ From what she knew, the real danger would strike on the second day.
She glanced around her room, unease settling deep in her chest. Earlier, nothing had seed amiss. Now, every object... her bed, the chair, even the curtains... appeared tainted, shrouded in a faint black aura that made her skin prickle.
"That’s impossible..." she muttered under her breath.
Mr. Crow ruffled his feathers uneasily, sensing it too. The air felt unnaturally cold, a chilling energy swirling slowly around them. "It feels like soone opened a door to extre cold," he muttered.
At those words, Lana’s mind flashed.
’A door...?’
An idea surfaced... but just as quickly, her thoughts dulled, slipping away like mist. Her brows knit together in frustration. "No... there’s sothing I’m forgetting," she whispered. "Sothing important."
She clutched her head, nails digging into her scalp. Mr. Crow instantly went on alert. "What’s wrong?"
"There’s sothing in this house," Lana muttered hoarsely. "Sothing is controlling ."
Without another word, she bolted for the door. "Get on my shoulder. Now."
Mr. Crow complied imdiately. Lana moved fast, stuffing essential supplies into her bag with shaking hands before rushing out. She began pounding on doors, one after another.
Betty, Layla, Fay, Wade, Richard, and Quinn stumbled out, rubbing sleep from their eyes, confusion written all over their faces.
"What’s going on?" soone muttered.
"We need to leave," Lana said, panic lacing her voice. "Right now."
They stared at her in disbelief. Wade yawned loudly and waved his hand dismissively. "What’s the rush? Whatever it is, we can deal with it tomorrow. It’s not like the world’s going to end."
He even sat down, eyes drooping.
Quinn’s expression darkened. He shook his head repeatedly, as though fighting sothing unseen, then suddenly turned and slapped Wade and Richard without hesitation.
At the sa ti, Lana dug her nails brutally into Fay’s, Betty’s, and Layla’s hands.
Sharp cries echoed through the hallway as pain jolted them awake. Their minds cleared instantly, shock replacing drowsiness. Lana didn’t stop there. She broke a vase, picked up a shard and sliced her own arm, blood welling up as agony grounded her consciousness.
Her voice was cold and firm. "Stay awake. We’re leaving."
Only then did they realize how wrong things had felt monts ago, how desperate they had been to sleep, how easily they had ignored her. Fear replaced confusion.
Without wasting another second, Lana dragged her ergency supplies outside.
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