Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 197 They Are Alive

"A Nightmare...?"

What Reyna found in the basement of some destroyed house was a corpse of a Nightmare which looked like a Fallen Nightmare that seemed to be also cut into thin slices.

It was still emitting a dangerous scent like what Fallen Nightmare could be doing but all of them didn't focus on looking at this particular Nightmare.

Their gaze was stuck in the middle of its chest where a shape of a cube seemed to have been stolen from the Nightmare itself.

"What the hell is that thing? It looks like an Artifact but we aren't seeing anything. Also, it looked like it was stolen but it seemed to be new?"

Reyna pointed his finger near where interior where the supposed cube was stolen and stated.

"Imagine that there's a cube there and someone plucked it out, the things beside it suggest the good was stolen."

'This...'

Cesar already experienced something like this in the past. In fact, he came to a similar experience when he was traveling towards Dawn Breaker.

It was the time when he was finding a higher concentration of Soul from the mountainsides of Flora City and found another Fallen Nightmare with an Artifact that seemed attached to the city itself.

Of course, the Nightmare was no more since Cesar got a good harvest there but the artifact in that place was still standing strong, and he was afraid something would happen to the city if he disturbed it.

"I've encountered a similar situation before and some Fallen Nightmare seemed to leave their Artifact behind and used it to activate it around its range of influence."

Cesar pondered whether he should give this opinion since this information isn't widely known in the Army.

If Reyna or the rest recognized it sooner, they would've already given their points.

But looking at it, Cesar realized that this type of information was pretty new to them which was visible to their faces as he explained.

"These kinds of Artifacts that came from the Nightmare and weren't harvested yet the moment they got killed is shocking, I know. These Artifacts looked like they were alive and was activating by themselves until something stopped them. This is the only thing I could've given you since I'm pretty much clueless as you,"

Cesar then mused inwardly, 'I mean, I couldn't have known that Fallen Nightmare had this kind of use where an Artifact would activate on its own without the use of somebody's essence. This point is already proven since this is the second time I've seen something like this... however the said item was already stolen,'

Cesar was starting to form a conclusion inside his head and the others looked like they were already making up their minds.

Vanke came to this city to steal the Fallen Nightmare's Artifact.

'And the people here were just unfortunate enough to be here in the right time and place. That's tragic,'

Cesar then paused, 'It meant that the Artifact holds great importance.'

Cesar looked at the team and said, "Have you begun asking the information regarding this residence? Keeping a Nightmare or under their possession illegally is a crime and could potentially lead to imprisonment."

Understanding the rules regarding the whole Nightmare since they were already briefed about it when they were in the Academy, Reyna answered.

Cesar smiled as he couldn't comment on that and just waved everyone goodbye.

Watching them all depart from the cities from the corpses that were spread around the city, Cesar sat down on the ground while continuing to be patient.

That was until someone made a noise that brought him back to reality.

"Cesar?"

Suddenly a voice reverberated in his mind which made his eyes widen in surprise and relief.

With a disbelief tone, Cesar muttered, "Cedeit?"

The voice that he slightly missed since its disappearance replied with a groggy tone.

"Hey, kid. Long time no see... Well, at least for you." Cedeit paused, "Thankfully, you aren't dead yet. It might've caused a lot of problems for both parties,"

'It's Cedeit all right,'

Cesar mused inwardly before stating, "A lot happened while you were gone, Cedeit. I can explain it to you the moment I receive an order for my next site. It should be coming by now,"

Cedeit who was quiet for a moment answered but didn't seem related to the statement he raised.

It was different.

"Are your senses dulled or what? Someone is interfering in this area we're in. And you might've not noticed it but I did. And you know what, you're already surrounded,"

'Huh? Surrounded?'

Cesar looked around the place and was suspicious since it clearly showed that he was alone there. He heightened his senses to double-check and realize it was still the same thing.

The only thing he was surrounded by was nothing but the corpses that belonged to the deceased people.

"Wait,"

Cedeit paused.

"I couldn't have noticed it if I didn't get an upgrade..."

Cedeit then took a long breath.

"Listen here, those corpses are acting as if they are dead. Just gone. But in fact, they are very much alive. Don't agitate them. You fighting them is not worth it,"

Cesar felt shivers down his spine as he couldn't help but raise a brow.

'Those corpses are alive?'