Ramsey had completely let down his guard, allowing the mysterious creature that wore the face of his sister to get close. It even pulled him into a hug. For a moment, he allowed himself to believe in the illusion of safety.
Then the moment shattered.
"See you in the next life, idiot."
Those words rang in his ears just before the pain struck. Jagged teeth sank into his shoulder. They pierced his flesh deeply, tearing through muscle. These were not human teeth but something monstrous, twisted, and sharp.
The illusion broke apart before his eyes. His sister's warm embrace vanished, and Ramsey realized he was hugging something grotesque. The creature's humanoid body was covered in decaying flesh. Maggots writhed and tumbled from open sores that oozed with rot. Its touch was clammy and revolting. A cold shiver traveled down Ramsey's spine, and the agony of the bite overwhelmed him completely.
"Ahhhhhh!" he screamed with everything his lungs could give. His body jerked uncontrollably in the creature's mouth. Every twitch only drove the teeth deeper. He was vulnerable, defenseless, and in terrible danger. The pain worsened with every struggle.
In the past, he might have surrendered. He might have closed his eyes and accepted that death had come for him. But he was not ready. He had not yet achieved his dream of immense wealth, the one goal that had fueled him through hardship after hardship. He could not allow himself to die here.
Ess, the serpent that was just a tattoo on his arm, sensed his desperation. It lunged from his hand with blinding speed. Its fangs tore into the creature's rancid skin, and pieces of flesh dropped to the ground. The monster let out a terrible shriek, a ghostly howl that echoed through the Midnight Forest like a curse.
It recoiled violently, tearing its teeth from Ramsey's shoulder. He fell forward onto his knees, clutching his wound and gasping for breath. Blood ran freely from the injury, and every inhale rattled with pain. Through blurred vision, he forced his gaze upward.
That was when he saw the beast for what it truly was.
The stories he had heard as a child had not lied. This was the most terrifying predator in the Midnight Forest. Its name had been whispered with dread for generations.
The Incidus Blender.
The sight was worse than anything Ramsey had imagined. Its body was a rotting parody of humanity, patches of skin peeling away, saliva dripping from its jaws. The thick white slime pooled at its feet, sizzling against the ground. Its head twitched erratically as it grinned at him with rows of crooked teeth.
Ramsey's heart hammered.
The fog had deceived him before, tricking him into believing the illusion of his sister. But now that his mind was awake, he felt his guard rise. The fog would not fool him so easily again. Even so, the damage was already done. His body was weakened, and blood loss made his vision dim. Could he fight something like this?
No. He realized that the creature was not truly a fighter. Fighting was too simple, too honest. This beast lived by deception and illusion. That was what made it dangerous.
"Well, well, well," the creature hissed, its words dripping with mockery. "What is a human doing in my territory? Oh wait. I already know. I know everything about you, Lue."
Its laughter rang through the trees, cold and maniacal.
A shiver crawled through Ramsey's body. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself up. His legs shook, his wound burned, but he would not remain on the ground. He raised his sword with trembling hands, voice heavy with both rage and pain.
"How dare you pretend to be Mary?"
The Incidus Blender burst into laughter again, its body convulsing as if laughter was not meant for it, lest the loose flesh come off.
"The question is not whether you can fight back," it said. "It is not even about whether you will see your sister again. Now that I have bitten you, you will never escape my illusions as long as I am alive.
Tell me, Lue, how can you fight what you cannot see?"
Cold dread filled him. His limbs trembled. His mind faltered. Was this truly the end?
He let out a shout and swung his blade. But in that instant the world around him shifted.
The forest vanished.
He was now standing in a barren desert. The sky above was a blazing orange, and scorching winds whipped against him. Sand stretched endlessly in every direction. His throat burned dry, and grit coated his tongue. The heat pressed in on him from all sides.
The beast's mocking laughter rang across the empty dunes.
Ramsey staggered, his wound flaring with every movement. His strength slipped away. The Incidus Blender controlled not only what he saw and heard but also what he felt. It had trapped him completely. Against such an enemy, there was no way to win.
The laughter grew louder, echoing from the horizon.
"You cannot escape me."
Ramsey dropped to his knees. His chest heaved, his body weak. His thoughts raced in panic. There was no path forward.
Then he heard a hiss.
Ess slithered from his arm and onto his chest, its scales cool against his burning skin. The snake hissed again, louder this time, and something about the sound broke through the illusion of despair. Ramsey began to laugh.
At first it was only a faint chuckle. Then it grew louder. Soon it spilled out of him uncontrollably. He laughed until his stomach ached, laughed until he could barely breathe, and laughed with a madness that echoed across the desert.
The creature's voice came from above, full of scorn.
"Has the pain and despair finally broken you, boy? Or have you simply given up?"
Ramsey gave no answer. His only reply was more laughter, loud and defiant.
The Incidus Blender hesitated. Its illusions had broken countless victims before. They had begged, they had wept, and they had screamed in terror. But never had they laughed.
Then the pain struck the creature.
It howled in shock as its body erupted in agony. The sensation spread across its decayed flesh like wildfire.
"But how? When did you…?"
It could not comprehend it. Its fog had always been absolute. Those who breathed it were trapped. Their memories were stolen, their strength drained, until nothing was left. It had never failed before.
Yet this human had resisted. Worse, he had turned the illusion against it.
The desert collapsed. Sand crumbled into smoke. The burning sky dissolved. The illusion broke apart piece by piece until only the forest remained.
Ramsey blinked as the Midnight Forest came back into view.
The Incidus Blender's form flickered violently, unstable and chaotic. It shifted between faces. One moment it wore the likeness of Mary, then a childhood friend, then a stranger from his present life. It could not maintain control.
Ramsey stood, clutching his wound. His body was weak, his breathing shallow, but his eyes burned with determination. Just how did he escape the illusion?