Madam Sharon

As the four Nighthawks arrived on Osna Street, they found the garden of Madam Sharon's house shrouded in dense shadows.

Klein pulled a pendulum from his sleeve, making a quick divination. The topaz swung with medium speed and amplitude—a sign of impending danger, though not overwhelming.

So, not high, but not low either, Irina mused.

"That's the most reasonable deduction." Dunn said, pressing down on his hat as he studied the second floor of Madam Sharon'sapartment. "There's no need for us to rush in."

"Why?" Kenley instinctively asked, clutching Sealed Artifact 3-0217. Fear tightened his grip around the Spirit Medium Mirror as if holding it back from performing any unwanted event.

Dunn, now wearing his black gloves, turned to Klein. "Do you still remember what happened when we tried to capture Instigator Trissy?"

"I remember," replied the seer after some thought. "She seemed to be able to detect our presence and make the necessary responses, which resulted in her successful escape."

The Captain's gaze drifted to the crimson moon high up in the sky, a faint approval in his eyes. "Good, your answer is very good. You're rather intuitive in such situations."

"We cannot approach recklessly and end up alarming Madam Sharon. I'll try dragging her into a dream from a distance. If I'm successful, you, Kenley, and Irina will go and capture her. Well... you can make the decision of whether to kill her or not. Kill her if you cannot control her. Your safety is of utmost importance."

Dunn's ability to drag someone into a dream... it has a limited range. Usually, it's for closer confrontations. The custodian nodded to herself.

"Alright." Kenley's voice was steady, accepting the Captain's plan.

Without further words, Dunn leaned on the corner of a wall and closed his eyes. He put his hands together, his black windbreaker blending with the night as he lowered his head in silent concentration.

Seconds turned into minutes and Irina noticed Klein seeming to recall something. He looked at an uneasy Kenley pacing back and forth but, before either could speak, their eyes became unfocused, glazing over, and distant before being closed completely.

This is when the Captain notified Kenley and Klein that he successfully dragged Madam Sharon into a dream. She sighed silently, her eyes drifting to the form of her Captain. And, just as usual, I'm left out.

Dunn was still leaning against the wall, looking down with his hands clenched tightly into fists. On the other side, Kenley, who had stopped pacing around, opened his eyes together with Klein.

Well, that was fast. Irina observed the two's interaction.

The duo exchanged looks and nodded, before turning towards the only woman in the group. "The Captain told us..."

Kenley, though this being the first time he participated in such a dangerous mission, pulled himself together, his grip firm on the mirror as his nerves settled. He had still taken part in multiple missions, making him more experienced when compared to Klein, so he quickly adjusted his mental state.

"Let's go." The seer seemed to take on the role of the leader, even though Irina was the higher sequence between the three of them, he signaled for his partners to follow.

Klein grabbed onto the crevices of the wall and made it to the top of the wall with little effort. The custodian followed suit with similar ease.

Irina followed, her own heart pounding loudly in her ears from concern. She knew her role, her plan. But what if it goes wrong? Just like with Old Neil... what if there are more casualties than in the novel? Her chest tightened. If Klein...

Suddenly, she snapped out of her thoughts as the balcony door clicked open, and Klein took the lead. Fake it till you make it. 

Her gaze sharpened, and she stepped forward with renewed confidence. I can do this. I have to.

Kenley raised Sealed Artifact 3-0217, its polished surface reflecting the cold tiles beneath them. He and Klein prepared their revolvers, and Irina did the same, bracing herself.

I have to be fast... Her heart raced, pounding in her throat, the faintest ring echoing in her ears. Everything went wrong from the very first moment. I have to change it.

Inside, the warm light from the gas lamp dimly illuminated the room. Madam Sharon was slumped over her chair, her alluring body not being covered by anything.

Her eyes were open. Reclined in her seat with a faint smile across her mouth, mocking her visitors.

Irina's attention shot to Kenley, whose instincts were to flip the Spirit Medium Mirror toward Madam Sharon. Without hesitation, she slapped his hand, knocking the artifact to the ground, its polished face-down. She couldn't let it reflect anyone—not yet—not him.

I did it! Her eyes widened in joy.

ButKlein froze, his voice tight with alarm even before he turned around, "No!"

Don't worry! He didn't do it!

Without hesitation, Irina raised her revolver and fired twice. The bullets whistled through the air, barely missing their target. The image of Madam Sharon became blurry before turning into a full-length—two fractures aligned exactly where her shots had landed, on the frame.

An elegant figure appeared beside the mirror, draped in a nightgown. Madam Sharon's expression held amused hostility as her gaze swept over the three intruders. "If it wasn't for the fact that the statue happened to be close to me, I'd still be asleep, waiting for you to wake me up with a kiss." Her mocking laugh sent a shiver through the room.

Kleindidn't wait. In a sharp voice, he uttered a single word in ancient Hermes, "Crimson!"

Irina's attention flicked to the charm that dropped at Klein's feet, but she ignored it, her focus locked on the mirror lying face-down. She lunged forward, only to feel an invisible force pressing her back.

A crimson flame burst in the air, followed by a series of sharp, continuous explosions.

A serene and deep feeling instantly emanated and engulfed most of the bedroom, only Irina being excluded. Her protection shielding her from the effects at the great cost of her own spirituality.

The Slumber Charm didn't distinguish between enemy and caster. Klein meant to throw it towards the target, only to be blocked by the countless invisible threads entangling his form.

The custodian felt the web of threads binding her arms, legs, and body loosen. She cast a quick glance at Madam Sharon, a vacant look on her face, struggling to shake off the effect of the Slumber Charm. Her eyes turned once again to the Spirit Medium Mirror flipped upside down.

I have to hold it till the end of the battle. No incidents allowed!

Irina seized the moment, she tore through the fine threads with all her might, covering herself in multiple shallow cuts, and grabbed the mirror, holding it face-down to prevent any accidental reflection. The moment her fingers brushed the surface, she felt her spiritual perception tighten suddenly, as if it wasn't a simple mirror, but a door to some unknown, dangerous alternate world.

I have it! 

Blue flames flared to life around Klein, incinerating the web of threads clinging to him.

Bang! Bang!

The sound of demon-hunting bullets sliced through the air, Klein's aim unwavering as he fired at Madam Sharon.

He leaped over to Kenley, his movements fluid as he severed the last of the fine strings wrapped around him.

The faint blue flames twirled in the air, dancing across the fine threads in the room. In this surreal glow, the silver bullets tore through Madam Sharon's form, her body in its translucent nightgown shattering like the moon's reflection in a lake. The mirror next to her cracked into pieces, fragments scattering in jagged pieces like shards of porcelain.

It was only a substitute.

Madam Sharon's figure vanished, but Kenley, dazed, shook off the slumber charm's effect just in time to react.

Klein pulled another charm from his pocket, shouting, "Crimson!" The triangular charm flared in his hand, igniting into icy-blue flames. The gentle and serene darkness blanketed Kenley and affected even the seer himself.

The nervous emotions dispersed in an instant. They entered an extremely serene state. Irina edged closer to the two, putting away her revolver, and focusing solely on the dangerous mirror at hand. Come on, just a little bit more...

Klein rolled to his left, narrowly evading a dagger that drove into the floor where he'd just been.

Madam Sharon's figure materialized once again. The custodian immediately took the chance, she shifted her stance, lifting the mirror just enough to catch the woman's reflection without including herself or her fellow Nighthawks.

When Madam Sharon missed her strike, she immediately went to chase after her agile opponent who was rolling away, but her eyes locked onto the reflection.

The surface of the mirror rippled, and a woman's figure appeared. Her hair, black and thick, hung low and blocked her face.

In Irina's spirit vision, the mirror's surface pulsed with different colors, just as her hand began to shake. With a swift motion, she let the Spirit Medium Mirror glide on the carpet with the front facing upwards.

A pale hand stretched from within the glass, followed by the woman's figure as she climbed out, her ghostly dress flowing like water as she lunged toward Madam Sharon.

Her expression became gloomy, a layer of darkness forming above her innocent-like brown eyes.

Her surroundings ignited with seven black flames, one of them shooting toward the ghostly figure. The woman caught on fire, wailing in pain, and vanishing into thin air.

Sharon's flames turned toward Klein next, each orb slicing through the air like bullets.

His pupils constricted as he quickly rolled away, not daring to stay in that same spot, but the fine threads entangling him again, slowing him down and affecting his motion.

Black flames streaked past both Irina and Klein, smashing into Sharon's bed, and she leapt forward, desperate to seize the mirror. She tried reaching for the artifact, but the danger of her own reflection forced her back.

Klein twisted mid-roll, barely dodging as an ice spear formed in the air and plunged toward him, freezing the ground in jagged crystals. His face went pale, his movements sluggish, as frost bit at his skin.

Madam Sharon held her own icy spear in hand, her dark flames raging around her. Klein, struggling to move, shoved his hand into his pocket. Irina's heart clenched. No, not Azik's whistle now! Who's going to explain all this to the Captain? Panic clawed at her mind, but relief came as Kenley finally broke free of the Requiem and Slumber charm's grip, springing into action and aiming his revolver at Madam Sharon. His shots missed but they caught her attention.

Sharon narrowed her eyes and shot the black flames one after another at Kenley.

With her heart racing, Irina darted forward, grabbed Kenley by the arm, and yanked him back from both the mirror and Madam Sharon's attack.

The black flames disappeared, not hitting anybody. Klein, not wasting a second, took aim with his revolver, his eyes cold and focused.

Bang!

Madam Sharon dodged just in time and threw the frost spear toward Kenley and Irina. The custodian, being able to see the trajectory ahead of time, dodged, dragging the poor Kenley along with her.

Bang! Klein fired another shot, and Madam Sharon slipped to the side, her movements fluid as she dodged toward the broken full-length mirror.

Releasing Kenley, Irina lunged for the sealed artifact. If the novel's events play out as expected, Kenley's life will end here... Determined, she swore silently to keep both him and Klein out of that deadly reflection. Not a chance I'll let them be caught, not even by accident.

As she reached for the artifact, Klein's revolver clicked empty. He hesitated, then threw the useless weapon aside, its hollowed-out chamber clattering against the carpet. Without a second thought, Irina turned, tossed her own weapon to him, and continued her focus on the mirror. Let him take care of Sharon. My priority is stopping this mirror, it's the key to all this chaos.

Klein caught the revolver with his right hand and fired another shot at Madam Sharon. The silver demon-hunting bullet pierced through the invisible threads and shot toward her head and transparent sleeping gown.

Madam Sharon's body was yanked in another direction, as if pulled by something, allowing her to evade the shot in the nick of time.

Why is he still shooting?! Irina'sthoughts boiled with frustration. He's supposed to use his— "The cards!" She shouted to him with urgency, hoping he would understand.

Madam Sharon smiled, her beautiful brown eyes once again taking on a black luster. Klein used his other hand and reached into his coat, pulling out a stack of tarot cards.

At that moment, her waterfall-like brown hair suddenly flailed into the air, as if lifted by an invisible force. Her eyes watched Klein as he tossed the cards in her direction. She started to dodge but was too late. Klein's 'Magician' card pinned her hair to the wall with pinpoint accuracy.

Madam Sharon forcefully tore away her hair and rolled forward, her body quickly vanishing from the three's line of sight.

She turned invisible again... Irina dismissed the opponent and focused on grabbing the mirror again.

Klein, fingers tense around another tarot card, turned, scanning the room with sharp instincts. His gaze caught on the window.

"Windows and doors!" Irina warned her teammates again.

Kleinflicked his wrist, sending a card toward the window. In rapid succession, five more cards flew from his fingers, sealing the window with three cards and aiming the other two at the door. 

The air pulsed with a hum as two of his cards slammed into the bedroom door just as a faint sound confirmed his aim. Klein tossed out more cards, using his honed intuition to trace Madam Sharon's invisible movement.

The cards sliced through the air, embedding themselves in the wall. For a heartbeat, the silhouette of Madam Sharon became visible, her figure outlined in a strange shimmer. Her features softened, her gaze vacant, as if drifting to sleep on her feet.

Thank you, Captain... With a smooth flick, Irina tossed 3-0271 towards Madam Sharon, the mirror side facing her.

The effect was immediate. Sharon's figure trembled, her brown eyes slowly regaining focus, only to widen in shock. Her skin frosted over, crystal clear and deadly as her form became encased in ice.

The mirror reflected her face, innocent and beautiful at first, before suddenly being contorted into a horror: wrinkles, gashes of blood, rotting spots...

"No!" Sharon's scream tore through the room, raw and agonized. Green seeped into her skin as yellowish pus dripped from her eyes.

Suddenly, silent black flames surged from within her, consuming the rotting flesh as she let out another shriek.

The flames condensed, turning to thick frost as if she was forming her own icy tomb. The invisible threads finally took on a color that was visible to the human eye, enveloping the frost, and forming a gigantic cocoon.

A crash of glass rang out as Dunn leaped through the window, landing deftly. He took in Kenley's troubled face, confusion crossing his own.

At that moment, the icy cocoon cracked. Sharon's frozen prison began to crumble as black flames dissipated, leaving only faint specks of light. Her skin regained its color, her eyes tired yet clear, reflecting Klein, who pointed Irina's empty revolver at her. Dunn pressed a finger to his glabella, eyes closed in silent concentration. Irina's gaze locked onto Sharon, unwilling to miss a second of her final moments. After all this, I want to see her take her last breath.

A formless ripple spread outward from Dunn as Madam Sharon's eyelids drooped uncontrollably. 

Klein knew that the Captain couldn't restrain Madam Sharon for long, just like when they were previously fighting Monster Bieber. He grabbed three demon-hunting bullets with his left hand and familiarity stuffed them into the round chambers, and took aim steadying himself with both hands.

Bang!

The bullet tore through the air, embedding itself squarely between Sharon's brows.

Blood welled from the wound, but the bullet seemed to lose its strength, barely penetrating her skull. Irina tore her eyes away from Sharon's face, steadily moving to reclaim the mirror, ensuring no mishaps could happen. Klein fired two more shots when Sharon's eyes flickered open, desperate.

Bang! Bang!

Blood sprayed, the vision of her beauty now transformed into a nightmarish corpse, her substitute powers exhausted.

Klein finally lowered his arms, breathing hard. Madam Sharon's mutilated body slumped onto the floor, her skin still unnervingly white, her figure untouched by death's toll.

Dunn straightened himself up and opened his eyes. He, too, lowered his hand from his glabella, his face pale. He wasn't injured, but he looked as though he had lost a lot of blood.

"If it wasn't for the fact that she wanted to kill a few people before she tried to escape; if it wasn't for Sealed Artifact 3-0271 reflecting herself by chance, we probably would've only been able to injure her..." Dunn slowly walked forward to Klein's side, his voice unusually low.

Chance my ass, Irina thought with grim satisfaction. I worked so hard for this.

Klein turned to look at Kenley who was silently staring into the void. His complexion pale, his eyes devoid of light.

The seer's voice was somber. "Captain, Kenley..."

Irina froze, her hand mid-reach for the mirror. Kenley... what?