Chapter 57
Dermer med and bolted.
But golden light from the charts swarmed in from every direction. The broken lantern reformed itself.
Dermot sped up, desperate to break free.
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But the five Gilded Cores spread out to the live corners, powering up the Soul–Binding Spell and causing it to tighten even quicker. Dermot was boxed in, with no way out.
Dermot just couldn’t wrap its head around how Linda managed to pull this off.
“How could you possibly create a dream right under my nose?” Dermot demanded.
On top of that, it was a dream formed within a dream.
No matter how hard it tried to figure it out, Dermot had no clue when Linda started laying her plans.
Everything had seemed flawless. Dermot was about to lose its mind. “When did you begin to suspect me?”
Linda kept her cool. “I started doubting you the moment you reached out to me.”
Dermot was left speechless.
Linda said calmly, “As a Dermot, if you can’t even handle Claudio’s dreams or untangle the threads binding him, then what good are you?”
‘Say what you want, but did you really have to go after my pride too?” Dermot complained inwardly.
Dermot was fuming.
Linda said, “If what you said is true, and you can’t control Claudio’s dreams or untangle those dream threads, and you’re so afraid of him, you should’ve just gone into hiding.
“However, you dragged me into his dreams again and again. If you’re really that scared, why would you go out of your way to pull me into his dreams and tell me I can’t leave unless I solve them?
Linda let out a low chuckle. “Your motives were so obvious. I almost felt sorry for exposing you.”
Dermot’s face contorted. “Then why did you keep following my lead?”
Linda said, “How else was I supposed to figure out what kind of schemes you were plotting? Those dream threads wrapped around Claudio were all your doing.
“Those shattered memories you showed me were just baits. You really are clever. You found me through the fragments in Claudio’s dreams, and you wanted to use me against him, didn’t you?”
Dermot was totally stunned, stammering, “Well, I mean…”
Linda replied coolly, “Relax. He’s out cold, and he can’t hear a thing we’re saying. He won’t take you out just yet.”
With one dream from Dermot and one from Linda, Claudio was knocked out for a good while.
Just as Dermot was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Linda suddenly switched gears, her voice chilling to the bone. “But I
will.”
Dermot was stunned.
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“Where are the dream threads binding Laura and the others? Ulo them,” Linda demanded coldly.
“I don’t know,” Dermot stammered.
Linda scoffed.
The Soul–Binding Spell snapped tighter, contracting until it was no bigger than a lantern. and kept squeezing.
Dermot shrieked, “Please, don’t kill me. I’ll tell you everything.
“That guy barged into the dream on his own, stirred up the Dream Lake, and tangled all the dream threads.
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“So I trapped him in the dream, thinking I’d just keep him there for a while. But then he shattered the Veil space and fused my dream with his.
“That’s when I had to figure out a way to break free.
“I really don’t know where the dream threads for your friends are.
“Everything’s a total mess in there now.
“I saw you in his memories, and then you just happened to show up. So I pulled you in. I swear, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just trying to save myself.”
Linda weighed whether Dermot was lying or not. After a moment, she asked, “What was I like in his memories?”
“Well…” Dermot stuttered.
Just as Linda was listening closely, the whole Hermit’s Sanctum began to ripple and distort, like the space itself had turned into a shimmering water screen.
Waves spread out, growing wilder by the second.
Dermot shrieked in pain.
“Is someone attacking the dream?” Linda asked.
Linda frowned, glancing toward the disturbance.
Emmett sounded worried. “Someone’s attacking from outside.”
“Yeah,” Linda replied.
Linda raised her hand, about to reel Dermot back in.
But the Soul–Binding Spell whizzed past Linda without stopping shooting toward the back.
Her eyes flashed as she spun around and saw Claudio, now awake, holding a small orb of light and examining it with a puzzled expression.
“Linda, is this the companion spirit?” Claudio asked.
Linda was left speechless.
How did he wake up already?‘ Linda wondered.
Dermot was trembling as it thought, ‘I really screwed up. Why did I have to be so greedy? Now I’ve ended up dragging in two people, and each one is more terrifying than the other.
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Chapter 57
Where are the deans threads binding Laura and the oder? Ugo them, Linda demanded coldly.
*I don’t know, Deti stammered.
Und woffed
The Soul–Binding Spell snapped tighter, contracting until it was to bigger than a lantern, and kept squeezing,
Dennot shrieked. “Please, don’t kill me. I’ll tell you everything.
“That guy barged into the dream on his own, stirred up the Dream Lake, and tangled all the dream threads.
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and fused “So I trapped him in the dream, thinking I’d just keep him there for a while. But then he shattered the Veil space my dream with his
“That’s when I had to figure out a way to break free.
“I really don’t know where the dream threads for your friends ar
“Everything’s a total mess in there now.
“I saw you in his memories, and then you just happened to show up. So I pulled you in. I swear, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just trying to save myself,”
Linda weighed whether Dermot was lying or not. After a moment, she asked, “What was I like in his memories?”
“Well…” Dermot stuttered.
Just as Linda was listening closely, the whole Hermit’s Sanctum began to ripple and distort, like the space itself had turned into a shimmering water screen.
Waves spread out, growing wilder by the second.
Dermot shrieked in pain.
“Is someone attacking the dream?” Linda asked.
Linda frowned, glancing toward the disturbance.
Emmett sounded worried. “Someone’s attacking from outside.”
“Yeah,” Linda replied.
Linda raised her hand, about to reel Dermot back in.
But the Soul–Binding Spell whizzed past Linda without stopping shooting toward the back.
Her eyes flashed as she spun around and saw Claudio, now awake, holding a small orb of light and examining it with a puzzled expression.
“Linda, is this the companion spirit?” Claudio asked.
Linda was left speechless.
‘How did he wake up already? Linda wondered.
Dermot was trembling as it thought, ‘I really screwed up. Why did I have to be so greedy? Now I’ve ended up dragging in two people, and each one is more terrifying than the other!
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Linda reached out her hand. “Give it back to me.
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Dermol, now just a tiny glowing orb, whimpered and reached out its little hands, trying to latch onto Linda. After a moment of sniffling, it figured sticking with Linda was way safer than anywhere else.
Claudio flashed a cheeky grin. “Linda, let me play with it for a bit will you?”
Claudio was still looking pale, with dream threads swirling around him.
Clearly, he’d forced himself awake. Pushing him any further probably wouldn’t be the smartest move right now.
Linda took a deep breath to calm herself, then asked, “Do you know the Calming Spell?”
Claudio looked up, one eyebrow raised. “Why?”
Linda said coldly, “Just repeat it in your head.
“Dreams are fueled by desire. You’re too distracted. The Calming Spell will help clear your mind. Do it now and unravel all those dream threads.”
The noise outside was getting worse. Linda snapped, “Hurry up!”
Claudio knew Linda was telling the truth, but he didn’t want to go along with it. Seeing her tense expression, so much like the one he’d seen in the dream, he paused, then sat down without protest.
He carefully tucked Dermot into his sleeve. “Linda, you said I could borrow it, so no take–backs.”
Linda was speechless.
Linda thought, ‘Fine, you are really something else.’
Linda turned and headed toward the Hermit’s Sanctum, which was on the verge of breaking apart. Emmett called out, “We’re still not out yet.”
“Yeah,” Linda replied.
Linda knew that.
Claudio’s dream was fused with the Dream Lake, the birthplace of Dermot.
The blast in the Veil had mixed everything up so much that they couldn’t tell them apart anymore.
Just now, Linda had used the force of a fresh dream to strip away the dream threads and Claudio’s lingering obsessions.
Linda thought, ‘We are almost there. However…‘
Linda stared at the powerful fluctuations ahead, her gaze turning icy.
“There’s always someone who just has to make things complicated,” she muttered.
She knew that spiritual aura all too well.
It was Matthew.
Linda made a series of hand signs, and five more Gilded Cores whirled into the air. Dermot, having slipped out of Claudio’s sleeve, and Claudio both froze, wide–eyed.
“How are there so many Gilded Cores?” Claudio yelped.
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The five Gilded Cores locked the entire dream realni in place.
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Linda had burned through most of her mana pulling out all tho Gilded Cores. just to be safe, she shot Claudis a look. undid the seal, and snatched back the five Gilded Cores that had rapped Dermot.
Only one Soul–Binding Spell was left now.
“Claudio, since I’m letting you borrow Dermot, make sure you keep a good eye on it for me. Don’t let it make a run for it,” Linda said.
With that, Linda strode off.
Claudio called out, “Lindal
Linda turned back with a questioning look.
Claudio’s pale face showed a faint smile, a trace of hesitation, and an anxiousness he hadn’t noticed.
He asked with a hoarse voice, “Will you come back?”
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