The crimson glow of the mind-control Renshi circle pulsed violently as Exca poured more of his Renshi into it. Red light spread across the eerie landscape inside Sasaki's consciousness, illuminating the blood-red sky and the streets crawling with zombified spirits.
The circle continued expanding until it covered the entire town within Sasaki's mind.
Exca gritted his teeth as he left a fragment of his soul behind to keep the spell active. With that done, his main soul form withdrew from Sasaki's consciousness and returned to his physical body, which remained seated cross-legged inside the original casting circle in Guhan.
He immediately activated the mage-crafted telepathy link and contacted Lyon.
"Lyon, can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear. Did the spell work?" Lyon asked.
"Yeah, it worked. But maintaining it is draining my Renshi. I can only keep it active for a week at most. You need to find that woman, eliminate her, and bring the boy back to Guhan before then."
"Understood. I'm heading to the dungeon now."
"Good. I'm counting on you, partner."
"Don't worry. I'll get the little boy job done."
With that, Lyon ended the connection.
He had already sent one of his Octo tentacle clones ahead to the eastern border, where the Darkest Dungeon was located. However, he had stayed home a little longer to spend time with his children before setting out.
"Papa, are you going out again?" Jackson asked.
"Yes, my boy."
Lyon gave him a tired smile.
"Look after your sister while I'm gone, and don't neglect your training. I expect us to have a sparring match when I return."
"Of course. I can't wait," Jackson replied with a grin. "But how long will you be away this time?"
"Four or five days. A week at most."
Lyon patted his son's head before heading outside.
He mounted his horse and rode towards the eastern gate. As the distance between him and his home grew, he let out a weary sigh.
Ever since your mother passed away, raising you both alone hasn't been easy. I just hope this mission ends quickly.
Back inside the house, Scarlet sat beside her older brother.
"Big brother, have you noticed that Papa has been going out more often lately?"
"Yeah, I've noticed," Jackson replied. "He usually stays home unless there's a powerful Darkside Spirit causing trouble in another kingdom. Maybe he's going to fight one."
"I'm sure Papa will be fine. He's so strong that no Darkside Spirit can beat him," Scarlet said confidently.
Jackson smiled faintly, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
Who is this boy they're planning to bring back? Why are they going to the Darkest Dungeon, where Sasaki is sealed? And what did Papa mean when he mentioned a mind-control spell?
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious the situation became.
"Big brother, is something wrong?" Scarlet asked.
"Nothing. I just need to go somewhere and check something," he replied. "Don't wait for me. Make sure you eat dinner, even if I'm not back by then."
Scarlet frowned.
"You're leaving me alone too?"
Jackson crouched in front of her and gently patted her head.
"I won't be gone long. I promise."
She reluctantly nodded as he stood and headed for the stables.
"Where are you going, young master? It's getting late," one of Lyon's personal Shinras asked.
"I'm going to the castle. I need to speak with Marcel about something important."
"What could be so important at this hour?"
"It's personal. I'll explain later."
Jackson mounted his horse and rode away.
Sorry, Marcel. I know I'm about to drag you into trouble, but I need your help.
---
Meanwhile, Lyon had used a teleportation spell to reach the eastern border shortly after leaving home.
The entrance to the Darkest Dungeon stood before him.
He dismounted and approached it before activating the telepathy link.
"Exca, can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I'm here. What's wrong?" Exca replied through the connection.
"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure the connection was still working."
"Seriously, Lyon? You think I'd let my mind-control spell fail so easily?"
"It's not that I doubt your abilities. I'm just worried about what might happen if the spell fails. We're dealing with Sasaki, after all. He devoured a Special Darkside Spirit. Even sealed inside the dungeon, that monster is dangerous."
"Relax. The spell will hold as long as I can supply it with Renshi. Just focus on your mission and stop worrying about things that haven't happened."
Lyon tightened his grip on his sword.
"Fine. I'll find that woman, take care of her, and bring the boy back before the spell runs out."
"Good. Remember, we only have a week."
"I know. I'll contact you once I have something to report."
The telepathy link fell silent.
A cold wind swept through the dungeon entrance, its eerie howl echoing through the surrounding forest.
Lyon stared into the darkness beyond the entrance.
Let's hope nothing goes wrong.