Nightmare Mythos

'Are you serious?'

The serious situation just turned somewhat kind of funny leaving Cesar with no words to utter. He was blankly blinking his eyes, having no idea how to un-conscious himself–after just getting out from the unconscious state–after being under the power of the Nightmare.

'H-how do I do it though? Seriously. I really wanted to help Jeremiah. The puppets have stood up again after the Nightmare achieved a bit of control once more. Still... This… How do I force myself to lose consciousness without actually resulting in my death?'

Cesar couldn't help but touch his face ridiculously, feeling the absurdness of the task. It was something pathetic but wild, and the more time wasted the more he endangered Jeremiah's state where he was slowly being pushed back.

Shouting the Nightmare's name isn't cutting out as well.

That's why Cesar wanted to rely on this gamble.

He knew his weaknesses more than his strengths which is why he was sure that no one, not even Jeremiah, nor with a team effort from the cohort could be able to scratch the Nightmare that resulted in the death of one of their squad members.

That's why he will risk it, in a more calculative way.

Even if it is selling his soul to the devil.

'Come, come, think fast! You don't have to lose another person because you chicken out! Just do what Cedeit is saying and fucking think of a way to make yourself unconscious!'

Cesar racked his brain swiftly, trying to flip the pages of his knowledge to see if there was another torture or unalive textbook he could use.

Finally, he stopped doing it… and trusted his instincts that he would be able to do the only job for that moment.

Cesar swiftly dropped his revolver and dagger from the ground before immediately starting to choke himself with the use of his available hands.

Within moments, César's battered and blood-soaked face grew pale as he struggled to 'un-conscious' himself. His survival instincts were kicking in, even as he attempted to choke himself with his own hands. The hesitation in his movements showed his internal struggle, torn between the drive to survive and the desperation of his acts.

'Don't hesitate, you fucking shit!'

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Feeding his mind with a sense of malice to do this crazy requirement, Cesar continued to choke himself. For a minute or so, he struggles to breathe while his vision slowly fades and wavers.

'God…'

After adding yet another minute for another self-torture he had put himself through, Cesar's face appeared pale blue before he slowly fell backward, his head hitting the solid ground.

He achieved losing consciousness.

…

'No, no, no! What is that brat doing!?'

Jeremiah couldn't help but want to punch Cesar right in the face after taking a glance at his situation where he was merely… trying to kill himself. It appears to him that fighting the Nightmare was the last thing he'll ever do, hence he just had to kill himself.

It's better than being killed by the Nightmare by witnessing how it tore their own flesh and skin apart.

Still, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

'Fucking kid! You're the reason why I'm still standing and fighting the Nightmare. Now, you're backing away and leaving me alone? I better drop dead then!'

Whoosh—!

Unable to continue thinking any further, Jeremiah had to quickly dash away after a puppet tried to stab him in his heart. With quick reflexes, he was able to pull off something that most people wouldn't be able to.

But that didn't mean he could do it repeatedly.

Just as he escaped from his position, another one went to hit him right in his chest successfully connected, and blew him aside.

"Guh!"

Before he could even land on the ground, another puppet dashed away to his point of impact and kicked him right in the same place once again, doubling the damage he had already received.

Coughing out a mouthful of blood, Jeremiah finally dropped down after being thrown out just like that.

'God damn it… I've purged his manipulation to darkness yet it's still able to use it like it is nothing! Fucking Nightmares and their unpredictability!'

Though barely, Jeremiah could see that the Nightmare had gone back to controlling its puppets, realizing that it wasn't enough to put a stop to the pressure he was exerting on it.

His Null, with the use of his Purge, was a perfect counter for the smart Nightmare.

However, the Nightmare still managed to do it.

'How? Is it because it is leveling up as well?'

Just as humans learn, Nightmares are the same. If that was the case, then he was in a really deep shit.

Crack—!

Jeremiah tried to stand up but the bones on his chest felt so revolting he was about to scream due to pain.

He pretty much held on to himself while fighting the disorientated Nightmare and half-controlled puppets but that was the best thing he could do.

"Hahaha… I guess this is it,"

Jeremiah could only hold out a chuckle before glancing on the side, to see Cesar had already been dead as well. It seems his suicide had worked.

"Man, you could've just sliced your throat or something,"

The puppets were closing on as the Nightmare stayed in its position, trying to gauge if there was another trick right under his sleeves.

But there was clearly nothing. Jeremiah knew he was spent.

"Hahh…"

As if he had finally given up, the last thing Jeremiah did was glanced upward, trying to catch a glimpse of the roof that none of their cohort had ever seen.

'How terrible.'

His thoughts drifted, wondering what it would be like to gaze at the open skies of the outside world instead of the dark, cold, and obscured ceiling above him.

'Well, I've tried my best…'

Jeremiah just closed his eyes, prepared to meet the rushed and anticlimactic ending of his life. After all, even moving his finger was a hassle.

Giving up is for the best.

"…"

Suddenly, a few seconds had passed.

Nothing happened to him.

"…"

A minute later, he was still in the same position, not getting his inside forcibly gauged out or bitten to death.

He was still alive.

Opening his eyes to see the weird situation, Jeremiah was able to witness something weird.

Right on his front, standing between the puppets and Nightmare... was Cesar.

However, he felt different. The puppets, even the Nightmare, especially the damn Nightmare were observing Cesar with its bloodshot eyes wide open are all feeling the same thing.

"You sure are having fun,"

Cesar's voice is even, with a little bit of mockery added in the mix.

"Killing your kind has been fun for me too, Nicotara. Do you remember?"