"Kyaaahhh!"

 

When Alverost and the rest heard the scream from inside the haunted house, they all began to discuss amongst themselves. That scream was clearly from Jade. It seemed like the haunted house attraction was at least somewhat promising if it could even make someone like Jade scream in fear.

 

"One down, three more to go. I hope they lose!" Bluebery paced about nervously.

 

Nyanko looked at Bluebery in shock and flicked her forehead. "Girl, don't be rude."

 

"Owie! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." The female youth rubbed her forehead in pain.

 

Suddenly, Ace stepped forward and nervously scanned the haunted house. Zero300 walked up to him and asked him what was up. The male Scribbler glanced up at Zero300 and murmured that he could feel the fluctuations of Jade's Creativity being used from within the house.

 

When Zero300 heard this, he dismissed it as something trivial. "No worries, Ace. Maybe Jade was jump-scared so hard that she accidentally activated her ability."

 

"That could be it, but something still feels wrong...it's like a gut feeling I'm having." Ace turned and focused his attention on the haunted house once more.

 

"Is that so?" Zero300 asked as he looked towards the house as well. "Okay, I understand. I'll go talk to the community leaders."

 

Worried that something wrong had truly occurred within the haunted house, Zero300 rushed towards Alverost's group to inform Alverost of Ace's concerns. Suddenly, another scream burst out.

 

"Puuaagghh!"

 

Even Zero300 knew that something was going on from that scream. It was not a scream of horror but a scream of bone-breaking pain. Knowing this, he quickened his steps and maneuvered through the amassed crowd towards Alverost's group in the back.

 

Once Zero300 reached the leaders, he whispered to them so as to not cause any unnecessary panic amongst the other Scribblers. "Hey, Ace and I think something is wrong with this haunted house."

 

"What do you mean?" Ispheria asked in surprise; the other leaders curiously looked over as well.

 

"Earlier on, Ace detected that Jade had used her Creativity." Zero300 explained.

 

"Detected?" FriendlyDragon interrupted out of curiosity. "How?"

 

"He noticed fluctuations of Jade's Creativity stirring from inside the house. Don't ask me how, but given the mysterious and powerful abilities of Ace, it must mean something." Zero300 responded.

 

"Maybe Jade accidentally unleashed her ability from being scared too much?" Alverost pointed out the possibility.

 

Zero300 nodded in agreement. "I thought so as well, but when I made my way here, I heard another scream."

 

"Yea? What about it? We all heard it, too." Ispheria replied dismissively.

 

"Don't you think something was a little off about that scream?" Zero300 peered over to look at Ispheria's expression.

 

The female Scribbler frowned as she carefully thought over the scream. "Off how?"

 

"I think it didn't sound like a scream of fright." FriendlyDragon pointed out. "Instead, it more closely resemble a scream of agony."

 

"That's right! I thought so as well!" Zero300 agreed.

 

"Maybe someone stubbed his or her toe or they bumped into something while running away from the props?" Ispheria explained. "I just want us to be sure of this. If we barge in and all turns out to be for nothing, it could be really disrespectful to the owners as well as embarrassing to us."

 

Everyone nodded in agreement as they continued to discuss their next course of action. Should they barge in? Or should they wait a while more? The leaders were basically split on these two options.

 

All of a sudden, Ace appeared before them and remarked with a hint of worry. "Bad news. I just sensed that Owl, Kupid, and Res had all used their Creativity. In addition, I can't sense Jade anymore."

 

"What?!" Alverost cried out. A couple of nearby Scribblers glanced over curiously at the sudden outburst. Alverost smiled at them and apologized before leaning in and whispered in a serious tone. "Are you sure about this?"

 

"I'm 100% sure." Ace nodded solemnly.

 

FriendlyDragon hissed and Ispheria frowned. If Ace was this sure, something bad was definitely going on in the house. Zero300 turned towards Alverost and asked him what they should do. The man closed his eyes to think.

 

After a while, Alverost replied. "Gather our members. Ispheria, tell those who have not activated their Creativity Core or generated an ability to go home immediately. FriendlyDragon, find our best Scribblers and have them assemble here as soon as possible. Ace, can you keep me updated on the situation inside?"

 

"Okay!" The three youths replied as they went about their assigned tasks.

 

While FriendlyDragon and Ispheria divided their community members, Ace continued to survey the building. Suddenly, he paled in fright. Bearing the additional bad news he had acquired, the young man hurried towards Alverost and Zero300.

 

"What's the situation?" Zero300 rushed up to meet him.

 

"I can't sense Kupid or Res anymore!" Ace grimaced worryingly.

 

"What?" Zero300 exclaimed. He looked over at Alverost and urged. "We don't have any time to lose. We must go in now!"

 

"Alverost! The fighters are assembled!" FriendlyDragon proclaimed as she and Ispheria brought over more than twenty capable Scribblers. "What's the situation now?"

 

"Ace said he couldn't detect Kupid and Res. The situation seems dire. Let's break in. Scribblers! Ready your abilities! There may be a battle incoming!" Alverost announced as he began to exude little strands of Creativity.

 

Suddenly, Zero300 pointed up in the sky. "Look! Isn't that one of Owl's tiny owl?"

 

A tiny owl flew out of the house through the chimney and glided towards their direction. Zero300 held up his finger for the owl to land on. As soon as the owl landed, the young man was mentally connected to the owl.

 

What he heard infuriated him. Killing intent seeped out of his body, frightening those closest to him. Alverost patted on Zero300's shoulder, awakening him from his berserk stupor.

 

"What's wrong?" Alverost asked with concern.

 

Zero300 looked at him blankly. "Jade...Kupid...Res...they're all dead."

 

"WHAT!?" Everyone exclaimed when they heard the young man.

 

"Dead! My friends are dead! Dead! What can we do? What can I do?" Zero300 ranted as his eyes turned red from tears and anger.

 

"Zero300! Snap out of it! Explain to us properly! Zero300! ZERO300!!" FriendlyDragon shook Zero300 and slapped him sober.

 

Zero300 shook himself alert and glanced at his fellow peers. "Demons! There are demons inside that house! They have killed Kupid, Jade, and Res! Scribblers! There's no time to waste! We must save Owl! Charge inside! GO!!"

 

The thirty odd Scribblers roared in fury and bashed into the house only to find themselves barred from entering. There seemed to be a barrier of some sort preventing them from breaking in.

 

Alverost squinted in anger and roared. "Zero300!"

 

"I'm on it!" Zero300 approached the door and placed his hands on it. "Activate! <<All Things Must End>>! Durability of the door becomes zero!"

 

Pale white streams of Creativity seeped out of Zero300 from his hands and enveloped the wooden door. Soon, the wooden door aged and cracked as if it's durability had diminished to almost nothing.

 

With a ferocious kick, Zero300 smashed the door to smithereens. The group followed Zero300 as they rushed into the haunted house...just in time to see the elder demon-looking man drain Owl's vitality and tear him into nothingness.