The blast from Jack's steamrune shotgun tore through the night.

  Pellets shredded the 'mother' puppet. Superheated by the weapon's runic power. Sawdust, splinters of wood, and scraps of fabric exploded outwards. The puppet staggered. Its shredded body were thrown back with unnatural force before it collapsed. Unmoving.

  Olward, in his hulking form, grunted. His massive arms now swung with even more brute force. He caught the just-recovered 'father' puppet and broke it into pieces. Just using his bare hands.

  The 'son' puppet stabbed Olward's neck with its blade hand. The primal sorcerer ignored it. It only drew a shallow line of blood on his hardened skin.

  Olward tried to catch the 'son' puppet. But it darted away quickly to evade his hands. was too fast for him.

  However, it was not fast enough for Jack. He used his [Mysterious Anomaly] telekinetic power to halt it for a second. It wasn't as effective as when he used it in specter form. But it was good enough. He immediately sent a concussive blast from his steamrune shotgun. Slamming pellets into the puppet.

  Splinters of wood, and scraps of fabric again exploded. The puppet's tattered body staggered. Then fell. Its wooden limbs were twitching uselessly before stopping completely.

  "Three down!" Olward roared. Adrenaline was thick in his voice. He spun. Looking for the last target.

  The 'daughter' puppet darted past Olward's guard. Small and eerily doll-like. Its sharpened wooden hand scraped across his leg. Again, it only drew a shallow line of blood on his hardened skin.

  Olward barely flinched. His eyes narrowed. This small puppet was also too fast for him.

  "Hold still, Old Man!" Jack shouted. He holstered his shotgun.

  His twin chain bracers blazed on his wrists. He thrust his hands forward. [Chains of Vengeance] were activated.

  Black, yet blazing chains erupted from the bracers. They chased the 'daughter' puppet with the velocity far exceeding its top speed. Soon, they coiled around it. Binding its limbs.

  The puppet struggled. Its static wooden face seemed to contort in silent rage. Its movements were jerky and desperate. But the blazing chains held fast.

  "Got it!" Jack announced. Tugging on the chains. Pulling the puppet closer. Its small body was still thrashing around. But the magical bindings were unbreakable.

  Olward glanced at Jack. "You'd better be right with this, Boy." He grumpily muttered.

  The Primal Sorcerer shifted back to his normal, thin form. The hulking transformation dissipated. Leaving him with ruined shirt but pretty much intact pants.

  He nursed his scraped neck. "Appreciate the assist, though. These things are a damn nuisance."

  Just then, a flurry of footsteps approached. Mayor Glaiver and Mr. Spear arrived. The mayor was holding a grimoire. Mr. Spear was clad in his Town Watch armored uniform and was holding a weapon. Unlike his name, he didn't carry a spear. Instead, he was holding a long sword.

  Almost at the same time, the shadow of huge bird appeared above them. Rapidly changing into a man with wings as his arms. Dropping down from the height elegantly. It was Sir Shellarrow, in his partial Thunderbird transformation.

  "Mr. Night! Mr. Overgale!" Mayor Glaiver's voice was laced with relief. "Thank the stars you're alright. You caught the puppet?"

  "It's all Jack." Olward said. Waving a dismissive hand. "These damned dolls caught me off guard with their speed."

  Jack stepped forward. Pulling the bound puppet closer. "They're more than just runic puppets I originally thought, Mayor. Something is driving them. And it was not runes."

  He activated his [Eyes of Judgement] on the puppet...

  [Name: Eternal Wish Puppet Part]

  [Grade: Cursed]

  [Durability: Tough (73%)]

  [Special Ability: Eternal Wish Curse]

  [Description: A part of the set of puppet imbued by the creator's dying wish.]

  Jack frowned. The [Eyes of Judgement] this time didn't provide enough details. Was it because the 'daughter' puppet was just a part of the set.

  He looked at one direction. "Rune!" He called.

  A moment later, a tiny, mechanical fairy zipped close. Hovering above Jack's shoulder. Her sparkling eyes focused on the bound puppet. She didn't speak. But her body began to glow with a soft, pulsing azure light.

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  "Analyze this thing, Rune. Find its origin. Trace where it came from." Jack instructed.

  Rune bobbed her head. A silent acknowledgment. She zipped to the puppet's head. Her azure glow intensified. Extending in thin tendrils of light that wrapped around the puppet.

  The puppet shivered under the magical inspection. Its wooden frame was creaking.

  As Rune worked, more figures appeared. Drawn by the signal flare and the commotion. The rest of the group got there.

  Reina arrived in a puff of smoke. Teleportation. Mixed with fog magic effect. Her black hair flowed behind her like a midnight stream. She moved closer with quiet grace.

  Her eyes immediately found Jack and walked to him. A small, knowing smile played on her lips. She didn't speak. But her presence was a comforting anchor.

  Not long afterward, came Father Greythorn. Staff in hand. He was immediately followed by Lady Orlenna Luther. Nick, Alenna, and Harold, the three apprentices, appeared a few moments later. Looking with a mix of awe and trepidation.

  "Any luck, Dear?" Reina finally asked Jack.

  Jack shook his head. "Not yet. Still waiting on Rune. These things are beyond normal enchantment."

  Rune's azure light flared brightly. Then receded. She hovered back to Jack. Her glow was now a steady, calm green. She emitted a series of rapid, intricate pulses of light. Then she pointed a tiny, metallic finger towards the northern edge of town.

  "She found something." Jack translated for the others. "A point of origin. In that direction."

  "Let's go." Mr. Spear stated. He was already moving to that direction. "No sense in waiting."

  Jack recalled his still floating hoverboard and put it back to his [Spatial Bag]. And then, he carried the bound puppet. Moving to the same direction. Followed immediately by the others.

  The group moved quickly. Following Rune's persistent green glow. The night air was cool. But the atmosphere was thick with unspoken questions.

  ...

  They arrived at a small, dilapidated workshop and house. Nestled uncomfortably close to the edge of the Mirebarrow woods. It looked abandoned. No light. Dust motes could be seen dancing there, in the faint light filtering from the town.

  Lady Luther's eyes narrowed. "This is Carpenter Teakarm's place. He's been missing for about a month now. I've come here once for investigation. There was nothing unusual inside at that time."

  A perceptible tension settled over the group. A missing carpenter. And puppets that killed teenage girls. The pieces, though disjointed, began to suggest a grim puzzle.

  Mr. Spear didn't hesitate. He was the definition of a man of action. He pulled out a set of lock picks and moved to the door. His movements were precise and efficient. A soft click echoed in the silence. The front door swung open with a groan, revealing a dark, musty interior.

  "Stay close!" Jack ordered the apprentices. A warning in his voice.

  He glanced at Rune. "Where now, Girl?"

  Rune's amber glow pulsed again. Guiding them past the workshop. Through a living area choked with cobwebs and dust, and towards a small, narrow closet.

  The air grew colder here. A damp, earthy smell was emanating from within. Rune pointed emphatically at the floorboards of the closet.

  "A secret cellar." Reina murmured. Her hands instinctively went to her sides. Where a pair of steamrune handguns were holstered.

  Mr. Spear knelt. Examining the floorboards. "Cleverly hidden. Almost seamless." He mumbled.

  He found a latch. Barely visible. And with a grunt, he pulled up a section of the floor. A set of rickety wooden steps descended into blackness.

  Jack took out a small orb from his [Spatial Bag]. It was a standard device for Steamrune Engineers. One of the first tools they created to practice steamrune craft. The [Self-illuminating Orb].

  Jack activated the orb and tossed it down ahead of them. The orb hit the floor, bounced, and floated about a meter above the ground. Casting a pale, steady light into the gloom.

  He stepped onto the staircase. Then turned to Reina. "Love, stay vigilant. This place feels… wrong."

  Reina nodded. Her eyes were already scanning the darkness below as she moved after Jack. Olward, Sir Shellarrow, and the others followed cautiously. The air in the surprisingly big cellar was thick, stagnant, and cold. The orb's light revealed a big, underground room.

  In the center, stretched on a rough wooden pedestal, was a shriveled, dry corpse. Its skin was dry and leathery. Its eye sockets were hollow. Its mouth was agape as if in a silent scream.

  Around the pedestal, on the dirt floor, was a complex hexagram circle. Its lines were drawn with what looked like dried blood. Strange runes, ancient and unsettling, glowed faintly within the geometric pattern.

  "Carpenter Teakarm." Lady Luther whispered. Her face was pale. "By the gods… this is what happened to him?"

  "Look for any clue!" Mr. Spear gave a command. He himself examined the corpse. The others spread out, carefully explored the room for any possible information.

  It was Alenna who found a leather-bound journal lying on the floor. Not far from the ritual circle. She carefully reached for it. Her fingers were trembling slightly.

  "A diary!" She said. Her voice was barely above a whisper. But everyone else could hear her. "He wrote in it. Not that much…"

  "Read it aloud." Jack told her. But then, he amended. "But don't read anything written outside Common Tongue."

  She swallowed hard. Then began to read. Her voice was shaking but clear enough for all to hear in the echoing silence of the cellar.

  "My name is Teakarm. I was once a carpenter in Mirebarrow. A simple man. But simple days are long past for me. I am about to perform the only act I could do that would save this town. My sacrifice."

  Alenna paused. Her eyes darted to the shriveled corpse. Then back to the journal. A shiver ran through the group.

  "They say time heals all wounds. They lie. The memories of Highcliff Town are fresh, etched into my soul with fire and blood. I was there with my family. My good daughter, her kind husband, and my two beautiful grandchildren. Highcliff was a beautiful place once. An artistic town, full of laughter and life."

  A collective hush fell over the cellar. Jack gritted his teeth. His gaze was fixed on the journal in Alenna's hands. It immediately reminded him of that damn Highcliff's tragedy.

  He knew partially about what would be written. It would definitely be that incident. The clash between the Purity Cult and the coalition of the Church of Justice and Countess Ashworth. The damned calamity. He was there after all...