Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 101 : Library’s Intruder

"Oh no…" Stay tuned to m-v l|e'm,p y r

Amar muttered in a slightly fearful voice as everything that had been moving came to an abrupt halt. They stood frozen, witnessing the library tremble right before their eyes, the very walls shaking with the force of the rumbling.

Even the Keeper of the Void, who was willing to continue fighting the small fries, immediately stepped back a few meters away from its initial position to gaze upwards.

Rumbleeee—!

The familiar shaking and the grumble of a being behind the thunderous roar echoed through the library, screaming with an urgency that could no longer be prevented. It felt as if the very walls were struggling to hold back the force trying to break in as it was unable to contain itself from barging its way inside.

Those who experienced it couldn't help but remember the image of the cold stone table being eaten away by the purplish emptiness after simply breaking apart in half.

While those who understood the situation remained tense, the rest were bewildered by the sudden shaking of the library, questioning how such a thing could happen at all. They likely felt a sense of security while being inside the library, viewing it as a safe haven, aside from worrying about the Nightmares and the library's own mysteries.

Jacqueline, however, swiftly noticed the change of emotions from the three as she couldn't help but ask in a roundabout way.

"Oh no? Oh no… what?"

Jacqueline couldn't help but ask Amar, who was tending to another soldier's wound, but her attention was swiftly drawn elsewhere, just like any others floating in the library.

Above within their sight the ever-changing and never-ending machinations of the library, a web of cracks formed at a singular point which so big, it was enough for anyone gazing at it to notice immediately.

Crash—!

The paper floor and the wooden shelves began to vanish into a purplish emptiness that started to emerge from within the library, swallowing everything in its path.

It started peeking through inside.

"The Void…"

Rumbleeee—!

As if announcing its presence to the library's occupants, The Void let out a louder deafening roar. The same crack earlier began to widen, stretching across the floor as the library itself continued to shift and rearrange, seemingly unresponsive to the encroaching darkness for a brief moment.

"What the fuck is happening!?"

Quite taken aback by the sudden quake and the purplish emptiness peeking through the library, Maine hovered beside them to regroup, observing that the Keeper of the Void wasn't interested in fighting anymore as she demanded an explanation.

"It's okay, we can handle whatever that is,"

Jacqueline spoke with confidence, her tone serious, but a laugh escaped Cesar's lips in response. A frown settled on her face as she turned to glare at the chuckling man behind them, waiting for him to answer.

"Are you serious? No one can handle that abomination. That thing is alive and is able to think on its own. It's the Void, in the flesh,"

Upon hearing that name which isn't widely known as there isn't much information on that entity, the rest who didn't know how threatening that existence was remained passive at how things were, confident that the library would be able to handle it.

But Amar and Klaus immediately warned the group.

"We need to get out of this place right away!" Klaus then hastily demanded, "During everyone's stay here, do you know the exit of this library?"

"Exit? Every hallway led to this library—"

"We know!" Amar shouted as he glanced at Cesar for a brief moment before looking at the peeking purplish emptiness right above their head, "Cesar already told us that a while ago. What we want to know is how much progress we are talking about!? There's absolutely no way we're going to fight that thing!"

Meanwhile at the other part of the Floating Period, Jeremiah was also warning everyone about the Void inching closer to the library. Leah and Quentin, who were together, began pressing for answers about the library's exit, insisting that there must be a way out after spending so much time in here.

But Vin, Maine, Sean, and anyone couldn't answer that question since they just didn't have the answer they wanted.

"We're fucked…"

After hearing no responses that satisfied their needs, Klaus was disheartened, mostly disappointed. With no clues coming from anyone, it seemed the little time they had left was to wait for The Void to swallow them whole.

If that was a Nightmare, then it could be placed as something they were never going to defeat no matter what.

Rumbleee—!

As the Purplish Emptiness relentlessly forced its way inside, widening the crack in the library's floor, something unexpected occurred. A sudden surge of energy pulsed through the air, causing the very atmosphere to crackle with tension.

Every machinations happening in the library seemed to have ceased before it answered the call of the threat that disrespectfully made its way inside its abode.

Rumble—!

The entire library shook violently as it began to shift, desperately trying to cover the hole that continued to enlarge due to the intrusion. Wooden shelves, the paper floor, Paper Mannequins, and other residents of the library that even made the Guardian Shelves move rushed toward that singular point.

It appeared like it was going to be the solution to the current problem.

Yet deep down, someone sensed with certainty that their efforts would be in vain and that it wasn't going to work.

It's not a solution but just merely delaying the inevitable that was about to come.

"You need to move fast. The library isn't going to hold on much longer," Cedeit reminded before adding, "Get ready to dive and grab that Fabric,"

Cesar who was the only one who heard the news, already expected that the beautiful machinations and structure of the library would not be able to stop the intrusion of The Void inside.

Throughout the time his encounter with The Void, everything that felt possible to overcome will become impossible.

That's why he have to work fast.

"I have an idea."

Everyone's attention fell on him.

"I was waiting for you to say that,"

Klaus felt gladdened since Cesar was the one who always appeared at the right and in the right place in whatever situation they encountered. Probably the people who crossed the table were expecting Cesar to say something, and now, he did.

"Lend me your strength. I will get you all out of here,"

Just as he finished speaking, Cesar and the others, who had been floating moments before, felt a sudden shift in weigh and gravity.

In an instant, The Float Period had ended, and the Dive Period came next.