#aotdt

The trip back to Wizeman’s sanctuary is short, as usual. Reala silently thanks their creator for giving them such an excellent sense of direction as they approach.

 Wizeman and Antasma are deep in discussion until they notice Reala.

 “Master Wizeman, I come bearing good news. I have captured Mario.”

 “Excellent work, Reala,” Wizeman says. A slight smile appears on their face. At least, until Antasma flies up to them and begins chattering away about something. They don’t pay much attention to him, but they try to look engaged enough that Wizeman doesn’t get mad at them for not paying attention at all. He rambles a bit before Wizeman cuts him off, clearly annoyed with him.

 “Get to the point, Antasma.”

 “Ah! Yes, the point. Right. Haff you captured Dreambert as vell?”

 Reala kneels, prepared for the barrage of insults they surely know is coming. “He fled before I could force him into the portal.”

 “HE VUT!? Argh, I vill just have to find him myself, then.” With a poof of smoke, he turns into his bat form and flies off in a huff.

 Left alone with Wizeman, Reala falls deeper into their kneel, almost to the point of flipping around in the air if they don’t stay steady. “I have failed you, Master—” they begin.

 “Reala.” They look up. “You do not have to tell me something I already know. And while there is no excuse for your failure, there is also no way for me to punish you that I have not used before. Therefore, I’ve decided the knowledge of your failure is punishment enough. You know what you must do, Reala.”

 They nod, and with a quick thank-you, fly off to follow Antasma.

 Wizeman hovers, muttering to himself. “It seems these Visitors may be easier to dispose of than previously thought.” He cups a pair of hands.

 “Still…” A light appears, shifting from vibrant purple to a pale, ghostly white.

 “Better to take precautions.”

 The light floats away from Wizeman’s hands, taking on a more solid appearance. Two piercing purple eyes gleam with malice above a fanged, smiling mouth. A massive tongue waits behind the grin. A gleaming crown sits atop the newly-created Nightmaren’s head.

The voidlike surfaces of Castle Bleck are only broken up by the glowing white lines bordering every corner and joint, giving the place a 3-D cg rendered feel, almost like a laser tag arena without the neon space-themes carpet.