Chapter 6- The witch's warning

The precious hours that the group had at their disposal, before their dangerous encounter later that evening, swiftly flew by. Every minute that passed made the professor more and more anxious. It was no coincidence that he had this feeling. There had to be a reason why he felt like this and it didn't take a genius to work out that this reason wasn't a good one. Something would happen that night; he knew it…and he could feel it…

Layton screwed up his hands and tapped the wooden desk he was currently sitting at impatiently. His eyes were tightly shut and his hat obscured his face from the view of the rest of the room's inhabitants. If anything were to happen to the others…particularly Flora…

The professor slammed his fist against the table. His daughter was growing up and needed independence, as much as he disliked admitting it. She was sixteen now-she could look after herself in certain situations…and the rest of his assistants were smart…and they had a secret weapon, should the evening turn into a bloodbath. Their 'said-weapon' was ready and raring for action as she continuously paced across the room, glancing repeatedly at the dusty clock on the wall and sighing loudly.

"Oh hurry up, you stupid clock!" she shouted, sending a shoe hurtling at it for good measure, "Why won't time go faster?! I want to get out there and kick this sorceress back to—"

"Time is not a thing to be rushed," The professor interrupted in a serious tone, "Also; I would appreciate it if you stopped seeing this situation as if it's child's play. This sorceress has killed several innocent villagers…well…robots, from this village and there is nothing to stop her from going after you, or me, or Luke, or Clive, or Luke's parents or…Flora. Do you understand?"

Emmy looked at the professor, stunned at his tone for a moment. The professor instantly realised the sharpness of his previous statement and a wave of guilt ran through him. He pulled his hat even further down his face and turned his attention to a rather interesting scratch that ran along the far corner of the desk.

"Forgive me," he said quickly, closing his eyes again, "A gentleman shouldn't…I'm not—"

"Professor?" Emmy asked in a slightly worried tone as she pulled one of the wooden chairs over so that she was sitting directly to his right, "Please don't worry. You're right; I'm not being serious enough and I should be more wary about this…sorceress, after all of the trouble she has caused…"

"No, it's fine. I just can't stop worrying about…I fear that something may happen tonight…when the sorceress comes…and I know that you all are very brave and smart but…I can't help but worry over—"

"The safety of a lady-and others," Emmy finished for him, having been used to him saying the same phrase since their first adventure together, "I know, but you know me-I'll protect you, all of you…even Birdie—"

"Wow. My saviour stands before me. How utterly reassuring," interrupted a familiar voice from the doorway as Emmy jerked her head at the sound.

"You should be grateful, Illegal!" Emmy replied with a smirk as Clive strolled confidently through the doorway with one hand on his hip, "It's my choice that I save your lazy gentlemanly—"

"Ahem," the professor coughed, covering up Emmy's next word, "I would appreciate it if you didn't speak like that, Emmy."

Clive threw himself down on the bed, ruffling his hand through his hair as he grinned at Emmy.

"Thanks, 'Old Emmy', my guardian of Heaven!" he responded as he peered at the shaken appearance of the professor, "Um…is everything okay? I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Layton straightened out his jacket and managed a forced smile as he peered over at the boy.

"Oh no, my boy, I'm fine-just concerned…as always…," he answered with a sigh, before he acknowledged the dull empty atmosphere around them, "Where are Luke and Flora? I don't want them out of sight for too long!"

"We're fine, Professor! There really is no reason to worry!" the cheerful voice of his apprentice responded from across the corridor.

Layton smiled as his apprentice and Flora quickly made their way back inside the room, with Melina cradled in the girl's arms. He beamed as Flora ran up to him and Luke gently sat down next to Clive, eyebrows furrowed as he watched the professor carefully.

"We will solve this thing! I know we will, Professor!" she squealed as she hugged him tightly, setting Melina down carefully on the desk, "We're going to solve this mystery and save St Mystere…right?"

The professor acknowledged Emmy's questioning look as he nodded and adjusted the red ribbon securing her pony tail.

"Of course, dear; we shall, as always, do everything we can to help. I promise you."

Flora smiled widely at the two adults before she skipped over to the bed at the other side of the room and lay down on it, sighing as the fresh fabric brushed against her skin. Emmy grinned after her as Luke started searching frantically all over the bed with a confused expression, nearly knocking Clive off of it in the process. Layton watched, biting his lip as he shot a quick glance at the now cracked clock that hung precariously on the wall. Clive started twiddling his fingers and whistling as Luke rounded on him.

"The cat's out the bag," Clive muttered guiltily.

"Okay, I give up. What have you done to my shoe?" Luke asked sadly, hunching up in a defeated posture.

Clive tilted his head to the side and shook his head in confusion, looking slightly relieved. Luke glowered at him.

"I'm serious! Where have you put it?! Answer me now, please!"

"I'm telling you the truth, Luke! I don't know where your shoe is and I haven't taken it! I swear on…on…on 'Old Emmy's' camera!"

Luke frowned but sighed, seeing that he was telling the truth; whenever Clive swore on Emmy's camera that was a sign of definite honesty. Luke shook his head in frustration as Emmy slowly turned towards the professor, trying to supress a laugh. The boy whipped his head around, thrusting his finger in her direction as if accusing her of a despicable crime.

"Whoops…"

"EMMY!" the boy exclaimed, refusing to lower his finger, "I should've guessed! Where've you put it?"

Clive looked at Emmy with raised eyebrows as she slowly gestured to a dark item next to a specific patch of the pale wall behind them. Luke rolled his eyes and hurried across the room to retrieve it, glancing up at the clock as he put two and two together.

"Are you having anger issues, Emmy?" he asked playfully, "Does throwing my shoe around the room to break specific objects entertain you now?"

"For your information, second assistant, I didn't intend to throw your shoe! I was intending to throw Illegal's shoe-as revenge for him ruining my new suit!"

Clive fixed Emmy with a dangerous look, which failed to seem as serious as he intended it to appear.

"Thanks for admitting that, 'Old Emmy'! What a most comforting thought that your own guardian wants to throw around your clothes because she's bored and impatient—"

"I am not!" she retorted, folding her arms.

"You could've fooled me!" Clive answered with a smile as Luke fastened his shoe and glared at Emmy.

"You still haven't apologised," Luke pointed out as Emmy sighed.

"I'm so-rry," she responded in a bored tone.

Luke placed a finger to his chin and smirked.

"That doesn't seem satisfactory enough. I want to see if Emmy's camera is scratch resistant! Don't you, Clive?"

"I think that would be a brilliant science experiment!" Clive responded, rubbing his hands together gleefully, "I'll just go and get her camera and you get the clock and on the count of three I'll chuck the camera at the clock like 'Old Emmy' did with your shoe. How's that sound to—"

"You wouldn't dare!" Emmy growled, her face flushing with anger, although the fear that the boy really would throw her precious camera to its doom was identifiable in her threat.

Clive sniggered and motioned to Emmy's bag as Luke waltzed over to it slowly. The professor pulled his hat over his head.

"Now, you two, a true gentleman doesn't throw items at other things unless absolutely necessary—"

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! Luke, let me make it up to you. I promise not to steal anything of yours again and if you'll accept my apology, I will offer you a puzzle about shoes instead. How does that sound?"

Luke licked his lips and looked up at the ceiling, pretending to mull over her offer as she stood still and waiting expectantly. After several moments, the boy smiled and gestured for Clive to sit down. The teenager sighed in mock disappointment and slid down on the bed next to Flora, who was giggling quietly at the scene in front of her.

"That seems perfect, Emmy-apology accepted!"

Layton breathed a sigh of relief as he stood up and made his way for the door, now confident that his young assistants wouldn't wreak havoc whilst he was away.

"I'm going to check on Clark and Brenda. I shan't be too long."

"Okay, Professor! Don't worry about us!" Luke answered cheerfully as he turned to Emmy assertively, "Professor Layton's apprentice number one is ready for your puzzle!"

Emmy smiled and cracked her knuckles together.

"Very well-if you're ready, second assistant!"


Puzzle 7- Shoe shuffle (30 picarats)

Four children are trying on shoes in a shoe shop. Unfortunately, because there are so many shoes to try on, each of the children loses their shoes.

These boots really hurt my feet!

Hey! I don't like black shoes!

I didn't come wearing shoes…

This looks like what A would wear! Where are my black shoes?

Who is wearing whose shoes?

(Get this puzzle right and you will have 270 picarats)


"Hmm…I'm sure this is right!" Luke announced after a few minutes as Emmy leaned against the desk with a grin on her face, "D is wearing A's shoes, C is wearing B's shoes, B is wearing D's shoes and A is wearing C's boots! The solution is simple after a bit of thinking!"

"Bravo, apprentice number one!" Emmy applauded, clapping her hands together, "I expected that to be a piece of cake for you-you took longer than I expected!"

Luke rolled his eyes again and perched himself on the edge of the bed next to Flora and Clive, whilst Emmy ran over to her bag and quickly pocketed her camera; a precaution should Clive bother to carry out his threat. The boy laughed gently as Flora smiled widely at them.

"You two drive Emmy and the professor up the wall sometimes," she commented truthfully, "that is not how a gentleman behaves!"

"I know…we're naughty-and proud of it!" Clive declared as Flora shot him an amused look.

"Great! Now I've lost my notebook!" Luke exclaimed in exasperation.

"Um…that would be me," Clive confessed, throwing the precious paper pad to Luke, "I swiped it a few hours ago."

"Well…I should've figured!" he sighed, throwing an annoyed look in Clive's direction.

"That's true."

Luke tittered and quietly murmured to the small kitten as she purred in contentment.

"It must be quite noisy in the tower," he whispered softly to her, "Did you like Bruno?"

Melina wrinkled her nose in response as Luke let out a quiet laugh. Flora drew her knees up to her chest and sighed, settling down against the smooth pillows as Clive's arm encircled her.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently as he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

Flora nodded carefully, looking up at him with bright questioning eyes in response.

"I'm fine. I just…can't believe that someone would want to do this to our little village," she answered, "I don't know what will happen tonight but…you're not scared, are you?"

Clive coughed slightly but forced a smile at the girl.

"Meh. It'll take more than a sorceress to scare me away!" he said assertively, "However…when you hear about what this sorceress has done…killed villagers, burnt buildings…left freakish signs to terrify innocent people…I'm not so sure…there's no telling what she has cooked up tonight."

"I know. I just can't help wondering though…do you really think that we can stop all of…this?"

"Believe me- if you can solve the cases that you've solved-then you can solve absolutely anything!"

Flora smiled warmly at him, feeling extremely grateful at his attempts to cheer her up.

"Thank you, Clive. I know that you're right…but the professor seems so worried…I hate to see him like this!"

Clive nodded in understanding, turning slightly so that his youthful face met the young girl's. He gazed into her eyes and caressed her face gently.

"Flora, you know that none of us will let anything happen to you. Okay?" he told her in a comforting tone, "If anything happened to you then we'd probably die trying to protect you-Luke and I especially—"

"Clive, please don't talk like that!" she exclaimed, drawing her knees even tighter to her chest and shuffling a few centimetres away from him, "I'll die before that happens—"

"Flora—"

"Clive," she responded in the same warning tone he had used.

"If we all die we will die trying to save each other. That's what friends do," interrupted a serious voice, "That's what will happen if it happens. End of story."

The two teenagers jerked their heads to the side to see Luke sitting cross legged behind them, a serious expression imprinted on his face. Flora met his eyes, nodding silently as she and Clive slowly pulled away from each other. Clive sent a grateful nod in Luke's direction, relieved that he had ended the uncomfortable conversation.

"Yeah," Clive said, before the silence got too long, "you're right, Luke. Thanks."

The teenagers pulled themselves into a more comfortable position, constantly wondering what unknown horror they would face later that evening. The familiar sensation of silence filled the room once again, but it was quickly broken by the return of the professor as he quietly entered the room. Flora nudged Clive and Luke, forcing a cheerful smile onto their currently sullen faces.

"Hello again, Professor!" Flora greeted with a wave, "How were they?"

"They're fine…they seem much more cheerful than we do…," he answered honestly, "What have you been up to? How was Emmy's puzzle?"

"I solved it faster than you can say 'picarats'!" Luke replied with a wide smile.

"That's good to hear," he responded, smiling at them all as he ruffled Flora's hair, "We have just a few hours left before we need to head out to the village square. I'd advise you to get some rest and something to eat, if you're hungry."

Flora yawned quietly, as if in response to his advice, whilst Luke sat up brightly and patted his stomach.

"I'm really tired, Professor!" Flora murmured, yawning again to prove her point, "I think I'll have a little nap to…rest up…"

"Of course, dear. Sleep well," he replied in a soothing tone as the two boys jumped off of the bed so that Flora could lie down on it.

Layton smiled adoringly at her as he turned his attention to the two grinning boys.

"I'm going down to have a cup of citrus classic," he announced, stretching slightly, "I take it that you two will accompany me?"

"You bet, Professor! I'm famished! What about Emmy? She won't want to miss a bite to eat!"

"It appears that 'Old Emmy' has been staying up too late watching karate videos!" Clive sniggered as he gestured to the hunched up form of the woman, head on the desk with her arms extended and a loud snoring noise issuing from her still figure.

Clive tried his hardest not to laugh, which proved to be the most difficult thing in the universe, as Layton pulled his top hat over his eyes and Luke giggled quietly. Clive crept over to her sleeping form stealthily as he carefully removed the camera from her pocket and fiddled with the buttons. He pointed it at Emmy and made sure to zoom in as far as the lens would allow him to.

"Is this…necessary, Clive?" the professor asked uncertainly.

"Sure!" he answered quickly, taking the most hilarious picture he had ever seen in his life of the snoring woman, "This is SO going to go on my wall!"

Luke bit his lip to prevent the laughter escaping as Clive placed the camera gently on the table and ran after him and the professor. Layton glanced one last time at the sleeping girls before he smiled and locked their door securely. The boys skipped down the corridor ahead of him as thoughts invaded Layton's mind once again. Never before had he been looking forward to a steaming pot of citrus classic as much as he was now; it would push his worries and thoughts to the back of his mind…for the time being, at least.


"WAKEY, WAKEY 'OLD EMMY'! SLEEPY TIME'S OVVVVVVER!"

"GAAAAH!"

The woman sat bolt upright in shock, her hair standing up on end as if she'd been electrocuted with her arms flailing about in shock. Her eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets and she almost fell backwards on her chair in her moment of immense shock. The mocking sniggers met her ears instantly and she jerked her head to the side, glaring daggers at the annoying boy.

"That isn't funny, Illegal!" she growled, rubbing her eyes to get used to the light, "I was having a nice dream too where I was bombarding you with apples!"

"…How original…," Clive smirked at her as she pulled herself into a more comfortable position and stretched her arms.

Clark and Brenda entered the room a few moments later, looking refreshed and alert.

"We're all set, Hershel," Clark announced as Brenda hugged Luke and smiled at Clive.

"I'm curious to find out what this 'sorceress' has planned," Emmy stated as she retrieved her camera and her bag, "I bet it will be—"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'I MUST STAY HERE'?!" Flora shrieked loudly, throwing up her hands, "This is my village as well, Professor! I want to be there to help—"

"Flora, it's different this time! If this sorceress is targeting the Reinholds then you are in grave and serious danger!" he told her firmly, "You shall be safer here; there is no telling what she has planned tonight and I cannot risk you getting hurt! You have to understand! If there was another way then I would take you, but in the current circumstances—"

"Please, Professor! I—"

"No," he responded, "If you ever got hurt, I would never be able to forgive myself! We'll go and return here as soon as it's over. I promise."

"You'll leave me on my own?! With what's happening?!" she exclaimed, furiously.

"Flora, you must—"

"I'll stay with her," Brenda offered, "You go and do what you need to and I'll keep her company and make sure she doesn't get hurt. Please, Hershel."

The professor turned to look at her, seeing her determined and protective demeanour. After a few moments of hesitation he nodded, seeing no better alternative.

"Okay, Brenda. I'm counting on you. Please be careful-that goes for both of you."

"Of course, Hershel," she answered as she quickly hugged Clark, "You be careful too, Clark. Don't go getting yourself injured!"

"Would I ever?" he replied with a loving smile, "Please, be careful yourself."

Flora blinked at Brenda gratefully as she approached her and pulled her into a sweet scented hug.

"It'll be alright," she murmured in a soothing tone as Flora clung to her.

"We'd better be heading out to the square," Layton announced, ushering everyone out of the room, "Flora, I'm really sorry, but I love you and this is for your own safety. We'll be back as soon as we can though. Do you understand?"

Flora nodded weakly as the professor sadly handed the keys to Brenda, a serious expression on his face.

"You must promise me that you won't leave this room unless absolutely necessary and only allow people in who you or Flora know. I'd still be careful-you don't know when the sorceress could turn them evil again. Understand?"

Brenda nodded silently and bid them look on their meeting with the sorceress as Flora managed a weak farewell. The professor sighed sadly, as Brenda locked the door behind him, feeling reassured that he knew his daughter was safe.


"Just stay close to me the whole time. I don't want anyone to get hurt," Layton ordered as the group nodded.

Luke walked in between his father and the professor with a confident step whilst Clive was on the professor's other side next to a constantly nagging Emmy. The boy wished he had a needle and thread so that he could sew up her mouth on the spot so he didn't have to listen to her endless lectures about 'not waking a lady when she was in the middle of a pleasant dream' and 'not throwing cameras at delicate objects'. The professor and Luke bid farewell to Beatrice as they slowly made their way out of the inn and into the dark streets in front of them. At least the rain had weakened, so they didn't get too wet.

"Wow! It's gone dark really quickly, Professor!" Luke commented, squinting into the darkness to try and make out what specific buildings remained.

"It must be her," Clive muttered, ignoring Emmy's words, "It must get dark when she's near…"

"That would seem the most likely explanation," Layton answered, not sounding so sure himself.

"Do you really think that sorcery is responsible for all of this damage, Hershel?" Clark asked curiously, "What do you make of it all?"

The professor turned to face him, sighing sadly.

"I can honestly say that I have not the faintest idea, but we should hopefully learn more tonight. She may leave some clues behind..."

"I hope so…," Luke responded quietly.

The next few minutes of conversation between them consisted mainly of silence. The wind was cold and bit deeply into their flesh as the group made their way down the streets and tried to get a clearer view of the obstacles in front of them. An eerie screech caused Luke and Clive to grab onto the professor's jacket simultaneously as they shivered in fright. Emmy tittered and peered ahead of her as a blurry figure shifted into view.

"That sounded more like a man than a monster," Emmy stated as Luke and Clive let go of the professor after several moment's hesitation.

The figure shuffled towards them, his distinctive features being reflected by the thin rays of moonlight: the straight back and vivid outfit that he wore; the golden tint of his hair; the dark colour of his eyes and the olive tone of his skin, accompanied by red lips that moaned sorrowfully into the night. Upon catching sight of the figures in front of him, the man screeched loudly and backed away slowly, trembling vigorously.

"I DID NOTHING! PLEASE! LET ME GO! PLEASE—"

"It's okay, good sir. We're not going to hurt you," the professor assured him, although it took a few moments before he finally got the message.

When he had eventually calmed down, the man coughed slightly and quickly regained his composure.

"Thank goodness! I have a real dilemma on my hands that I have to fix immediately!"

"Please, tell us what it is you need and we'll help you," Emmy told him kindly, "What do you need then, Mr-?"

"Johnson-but please, call me Marvel," he answered, before he returned to his panicky state, "Well, unless you can solve this puzzle then I doubt you can help me-it's a real toughie!"

"Oh, really?" Emmy asked as she clasped her hands together, "Give it to me, Marvel!"


Puzzle 8- Camera contest (40 picarats)

Five contestants have entered a competition in which the aim is to take as many professional photos as possible. At the end of the competition, here is what each of them has to say:

A: I took twice as many photos as B!

B: I took more photos than D in the contest.

C: B is the only one of us who took a square number of photos in the contest.

D: My camera broke halfway through the contest. I took only 6.

E: C took three times the amount of photos that B and D took in total and five more than I took!

Assuming that none of the photos were faulty and all showed professionalism, where did E come in the contest? (Get this right and you will have 310 picarats)


"Ha! You call that a challenge?!" Emmy smirked triumphantly, "E came second in the contest and took thirty-four photos, which is five less than C, who took thirty-nine photos!"

"Impressive! Very impressive!" Marvel exclaimed, "It seems you may be of use to me after all!"

"So? What's this 'dilemma' of yours?" Emmy asked impatiently.

Marvel pulled out a large camera from his satchel, sighing sadly.

"My aim in life is to be one of the best photographers who ever lived!" he explained, straightening his shirt, "I have taken three brilliant photos of sights around St Mystere…and just when I got them printed…SOMEONE RIPPED THE PHOTOS TO SHREDS AND A GUST OF WIND BLEW THEM OUT OF MY HANDS BEFORE I COULD PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER!"

Emmy raised her eyebrows slightly, debating whether the man was crazy or not, but it was the duty of every lady to help a gentleman in need.

"So…you want me to try and find these paper scraps for your photos?" she confirmed, "Where do you suppose I'd find them?"

"All over St Mystere-and in hidden puzzles too," Marvel explained, now in a cheerful mood, "There are three in total. Please try and find them! I'll give you a nice surprise if you recover them for me!"

"Very well, I will try my hardest…," Emmy mumbled, but was quickly cut off as Marvel launched himself at her, throwing his arms around her waist.

Emmy tried to pull him off but to no avail, listening to Clive's snickers as Marvel squeezed her even tighter.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise that I shall never forget this!" he exclaimed, finally releasing her, "I'll be headed to my house now-and I advise you do the same. You don't want to be out when the sorceress of darkness prowls around here. Understand?"

"Of course, Marvel. Good evening," Layton replied quietly, bidding the eccentric man farewell.

Emmy immediately straightened out her suit, looking disgusted.

"That was…eventful…," Clive muttered as Emmy shot him a look warning him to be quiet.

Layton held onto Luke's hand and stared ahead of him.

"We're halfway there. Just keep together and walk straight ahead," he ordered as they advanced further into the darkness, "It won't be long now…before we see this sorceress with our own eyes…"


"Professor Layton! There you all are! I was wondering whether you were going to show up!" Bruno called out to them as the group advanced towards him.

"Oh no, Bruno, I made my promise and a gentleman never breaks his promise," Layton replied, lifting his hat slightly as he surveyed the scene in front of him.

Other than his small group and Bruno, there was hardly anyone in the square at all. Bruno had obviously done a good job in making sure that the residents had locked their doors to keep themselves safe from the evening's events. An official warning had been sent out and everyone was sent to the safety of the few remaining buildings that had been given extra protection in the previous hours of the day. Only a few stubborn villagers, that were persistent in watching the evening's events, had stayed behind in the square to observe it all, even though it couldn't have been considered more reckless. The sky seemed the darkest around the square, but maybe that was due to the dull, terrifying atmosphere around them. Clive shuddered slightly.

"She chooses her spots wisely...," he said quietly as he pulled his jacket around himself to be spared from the bitter cold.

A quick pattering filled the air as a familiar figure ran up to the professor, panting hoarsely with her face free of makeup and appearing heavily aged. She wrapped her shawl around her body as if it was a shield of the strongest material in existence, before she grasped Layton's hand tightly.

"Where's Flora?" she asked in a frightened voice.

"She's safe at the inn, Dahlia. I wouldn't let her come tonight, not with the danger."

Dahlia loosened her grip and breathed a sigh of relief, smiling at the professor gratefully.

"Thank you," she whispered, "I couldn't bear to see her in danger."

"Lady Dahlia, if the sorc-she is targeting the Reinhold family, like you said earlier, then why are you here? You're at the highest risk!"

The woman turned towards the small boy, smiling sadly before quickly replacing it with a defiant glare as she stared into the distance.

"I don't care about my safety anymore," she declared bitterly, "and if I'm going to go down anyway, I at least want to go down protecting this village and standing up to this…this…monster!"

"My, my-how courageous and heart-wrenching…what a beautiful final scene!"

The professor whipped around immediately, his eyes narrowed to slits as he straightened his top hat. Clark gasped and pulled Luke closer to his side, his eyes failing to penetrate the thick fog that had inexplicably appeared at that moment. Even Emmy showed signs of wariness as she advanced closer to Clive and clenched her fists. Dahlia's expression instantly changed and she began trembling vigorously again, this time being supported by Bruno as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"P…Professor?" Luke asked in a wavering voice.

"Where is she, Hershel?! None of us can see her!" Clark exclaimed, still finding no sign of the sorceress.

"The fog must be to conceal her! It's working too! I can't see a damn thing!"

A loud cackle issued from somewhere above their heads, causing the group to instinctively crane their necks towards the sky.

"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed that! Very well, allow me to shed some light on the subject!"

A blinding flash filled the square, as every villager shielded their eyes to protect themselves from the dazzling light that could burn their very souls. The professor pulled his hat over his face so that he wasn't exposed to the piercing light, gesturing for the others to look away. Bruno was the only one who showed no sign of fear, as he stepped forwards bravely and grinded his teeth together.

"SHOW YOURSELF, YOU COWARD!"

"With pleasure!" purred the reply as the light finally ceased to a dull throb of brightness.

The professor forced his eyes open, which still felt quite sensitive because of the light, glaring at the shadowed figure that waited above.

Standing on the roof of the tower itself, the sorceress of Darkness stepped slowly into the fading moonlight, glaring down at the puny creatures below her with contemptment. For the first time, Layton saw her striking and deadly features: her dark blanket of hair that blew around her shoulders in a mystical manner; the blood red glint of her eyes in the night and her tall and thin figure, which obviously hid unimaginable power. That was all that was visible, or what she wished her prey to see, for the rest was concealed underneath a dark flowing cloak that covered her face and her body. At a first glance, she was a creature of pure beauty…but any pitiful soul that thought that could never have been more mistaken.

Another cackle issued from her dark lips as she began mocking the villagers repeatedly. Layton himself felt intimidated by her, but there was no way he would let that show; St Mystere was counting on them and the last thing he wanted was to let them down.

"Are you the Sorceress of Darkness?!" he demanded loudly.

The figure laughed maliciously.

"You're meant to be the genius here, Professor Hershel Layton!" she responded, by her way of answering his question.

Her answer caused the professor to reel back in shock. Clive took a step forward.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW HIM?!"

"Dear boy, I know all and see all. I am the most powerful being in all of St Mystere, as well as the world, after all!"

She swished her cloak and clicked her icy fingers, causing glowing light to emit from her palms.

"I see all of my invited guests had the decency to turn up! I trust you got my mark, as well as my warning note?"

"YES! WHAT DO YOU WANT, YOU COWARD?! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE COURAGE TO EXPOSE YOUR FACE IN FRONT OF ALL OF US!"

The sorceress's smile faltered slightly at his words. She scowled and balled her fists, focusing so intently on Bruno that she could've been trying to penetrate his mind.

"I have more courage than you ever will," she spat, "You have seen what my magic can do…the damage it has caused. I feel I have done more than necessary. I am prepared to be merciful. Tell me where the Reinhold fortune is…and I will make sure that you don't suffer…much."

"GO TO HELL, YOU VILE BEAST!" Bruno roared, "YOU WILL NEVER POSSESS THE FORTUNE! I SHALL DIE BEFORE THAT HAPPENS!"

"Oh, you are right at that point," she replied, pretending to look upset, "and I shall go to Hell-taking you with me!"

Dahlia took a step forward, her skin slowly turning to ice.

"You want revenge on the Reinhold's!" she announced, "Take me! I am willing to sacrifice myself for the future of this village!"

"DAHLIA, NO!"

"You can't do this, Lady Dahlia!"

"Ha! Ha! How noble. You'd give yourself to protect this village…and your precious 'daughter'—"

"YOU LEAVE FLORA OUT OF THIS!" Dahlia screeched furiously, her eyes boring into the sorceress's.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't dream of it," she growled in response, "The last living member of the Reinhold family…how tragic…"

She paused for a moment as the professor forced himself back towards his assistants, still keeping his eyes firmly on the sorceress and trying to figure out her next move.

"Well, I believe that the end is near-for you. Hell is waiting…and its demons shall come to claim your wretched souls!"

She threw back her head, screaming several incomprehensible words into the night as her pupils steadily became larger and brighter.

"PROFESSOR!" Luke called fearfully.

"She must be casting a spell!" Emmy gasped, now denying everything she had said about beating the sorceress.

"DAHLIA! YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO THE MANOR!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING!"

"WHAT DO WE DO?!" Clive yelled as he ran over to the professor.

"Keep with me and don't do anything reckless or dangerous!" Layton ordered in a powerful voice.

The chanting ceased and silence filled the square for several moments, which was quickly broken by the roaring wind as it screamed across the streets, terrifying anyone who was near. The wind also carried a low snarling growl, freezing both humans and robots to the core.

"What's the wind doing, Professor?!" Emmy asked frightfully as she clutched her ears to block it out.

"It's…snarling?" Clark asked in a confused tone, "She isn't making it come to life, is she?!"

"Dad," Luke answered, swallowing hard, "that isn't the wind…"

The sound rapidly increased in volume, until the unknown being could've been standing right next to them, but now it seemed to be howling too. The professor waved his arm around in several directions; the creatures she had summoned had to be invisible. Luke's ears pricked up at the sound and he instantly began pulling his father backwards.

"It's…it's—"

"Let's see the powers of the Sorceress of Darkness against St Mystere once again. Let's see how you fare against these darkest creatures from the fires of Hell itself!"

The howl was unmistakeable now-loud, long and clear. There was only one type of creature that that howl could belong to.

"Hounds!" Luke cried out as the professor gasped.

"DEATH DOGS! THEY KILL ALL IN THEIR PATH AND SPREAD NOTHING BUT DESTRUCTION! THEY FEED ON SOULS-AND THEY SHALL NOT REST UNTIL THEY HOLD YOURS IN THEIR POSSESSION!"

The sorceress murmured under her breath as the creatures slowly emerged from the darkest shadows of the village, one by one. Layton shoved his assistants behind him and stood in front of them in a protective stance, glaring repulsively at the hounds.

Several dozen stalked menacingly towards them, their dark coarse fur melting into the surrounding darkness, which would've made them appear invisible, if the long streaks of blood didn't run down their bodies. Each one was the size of a full grown adult, standing on all fours alone. Six long claws protruded from their blood-soaked paws, each measuring about seven centimetres long and four centimetres wide at the minimum. Their muzzles were dripping with saliva and fresh blood from their previous victims, the scent of death carried with them wherever they went. Their eyes were rubies, planted into their skulls, shining dangerously in the vanishing light as they locked on to the blurry sight of their petrified prey. Ears pricked up detecting the slightest sound of pain or terror, fire engulfing the ground where they stood (although the death dogs showed no signs of pain from the fire) , limbs poised to strike and noses sniffing the air repeatedly as blood trickled from their fangs-their name couldn't have been more appropriate.

Luke cowered behind the professor, clutching onto his father's jacket in fear; there was no way he could talk to these beasts. They weren't proper animals and were under the sorceress's control only.

"Stay still…and silent," Layton breathed as he inhaled deeply to keep a calm composure.

Even Emmy appeared terrified as she timidly took a few steps back in terror, not taking her eyes off of their eyes.

Then they raised their heads simultaneously to their master above them and opened their muzzles.

Instantly, the group found themselves doubled up on the ground, knees drawn tightly to their chests as silent screams issued from their lips. Agonising pain shot through them and threatened to rip apart their very souls with the pain and torturous noise that filled their eardrums as they vibrated endlessly against the mere howl of these dark creatures. The professor squeezed his eyes shut and clamped his hands over his ears, trying desperately to blot out the horrifying noise.

The sorceress cackled in response and yelled more complicated words as the ground below them lurched forwards. With a superhuman effort, Layton leapt to his feet bravely; he was half expecting to see the ground open before his eyes and consume every living thing on its surface. There was no crack-just empty space around him where the dozens of creatures had been several minutes ago. Still dazed, the professor spun around, his eyes widening as he witnessed them bolt across the village, smashing into houses as a perfectly orchestrated chorus of screams echoed around the square.

"What are they-?! LUKE! CLARK! EMMY! CLIVE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

"IT'S THEM WE SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT!" Clive yelled in response as he pointed to the now burning buildings that had survived to see the worst come.

Layton gritted his teeth and ran over to the tower entrance, smashing one of the pipes that ran along the outside to use as some sort of weapon, even though he doubted it would give him effective protection against the monsters. He turned to the side, relieved to see that his assistants were slowly recovering from the pain that had jolted them. Luke stirred slightly when Clark pulled him to his feet, still clutching his head and moaning in pain. Emmy was up on her feet and had broken off another piece of pipe. She leapt to the professor's side, eyes blazing with determination.

"Emmy, it's too dangerous! Even for you!"

"I'm your assistant and I won't let you plunge into headlong danger without me! You need help-those people need help!"

The group could now see and hear the whole thing: flames billowed all around the houses, slowly eating up whatever remained. Chunks of debris and materials were flung effortlessly aside by the beasts, as if they were made out of mere cardboard. Screams and the helpless crying of innocent villagers were quickly drowned out by the blood thirsty roar of the ravenous creatures, ripping through flesh and materials in seconds with their sharp talons. They watched, distraught, as the dogs dragged screaming bloody masses of metal and flesh out of the burning furnaces into the icy clutches of the night where death was waiting for them. Only one thought ran through Layton's mind: there was no way he could do this alone.

"Alright, but do as I say and if I tell you to abandon me and save yourself, then you must do so! Do you understand?!"

"Of…of course, Professor," Emmy answered quietly as she raised her pipe and nodded at the professor, "CLIVE! CLARK! GET SOMETHING TO DEFEND YOURSELVES!"

Clark was already prepared, wielding another part of the pipe as Clive broke off another chunk, surprised by the weight of it. Luke had picked up a thick metre chunk of slate that had fallen off of the roof, as the pipe weighed too much for him to handle.

"Ready, Emmy?"

"For anything!" she replied boldly.

"Remember what I said," he reminded her sternly as he closed his eyes and grasped Emmy's hand.

Feeling mildly surprised, Emmy clung tightly to his hand and ran across the street like a bird of prey taking flight, raising her weapon as they approached the burning buildings. The dogs were still dragging out victims, who were screaming at the top of their lungs, begging the heartless creatures to spare them. A lethal bite, a flood of fire or blood-their ends weren't pretty. Some were killed instantly, others suffered torturous moments with their limbs bitten off and blood drenching their bodies.

Bruno and Dahlia stared horrified at the scene, speechless and unable to move. The man snarled and bolted to the tower entrance, hammering on the door like crazy. Dahlia remained still and silent, witnessing her friends suffer painful and gory ends-robots felt pain and torture as well as humans. He ran over to Dahlia and held her hand tightly.

"Dahlia, get back to the manor at once! They haven't seen you yet-YOU HAVE TO RUN!"

"I WON'T! NOT WHILST OUR PEOPLE DIE!" she argued defiantly, wrenching her hand from his grasp as he tried to pull her in the opposite direction.

Bruno seemed startled at first but bowed his head respectfully as he too picked up a chunk of pipe and turned to the woman.

"I'm going to help them. I want you to stay hidden-it is my duty to protect my creations, especially you!" he shouted over the screams that came from every direction.

He looked into her eyes and for the first time in her life, she could see how he really felt about his creations and the village: the feelings of love, kindness, care-those of a true friend…

Dahlia reached out to stop him but all she grasped was choking smoke and hot air as his blurry figure vanished into the grey, shielding him from view. The woman called his name repeatedly, a tear leaking from her eye as she quickly ran into one of the alleys, her heart hammering against her ribs…


"EMMY! BEHIND YOU!"

Emmy spun around in horror, throwing aside the beast that had just lunged at her as another charged at her in a position ready to kill. Layton thrust his pipe at another, scratching its fur deeply as the end of his pipe started smoking. His eyes widened when he saw the position that his assistant was in, but another three began cornering him. To smash the pipe against their heads was all he could do not to run out and save her. The beasts howled and fell to the ground as the pipe came in contact with their skulls. The professor jerked his head around, closing his eyes to spare himself from the gruesome sight. Emmy threw her pipe at the creature, but it merely grazed it and disappeared into the smoke. There was nothing else she could use-there wasn't anything to defend herself with.

'I failed her,' the professor thought sadly as Emmy closed her eyes to brace herself for the impact and the pain that would follow shortly, 'Just like I failed Claire!'

She ceased breathing and fell against the building, but no agonising pain followed. A pitiful yowl filled her ear drums, followed by the familiar clang of the pipe as it bashed against the creature's skull, sending it sprawling for a few moments. The woman shakily opened her eyes, wondering how her beloved mentor had miraculously managed to reach her. A hand grasped her shoulder and pulled her to her feet just as a scorching ball of flames licked the side of the building she was previously standing by. Her rescuer pulled her away from the building, laying her on the floor before he spun around and started fending off the other beasts that followed, calling for their blood.

"HYHA!" yelled a familiar voice as another beast howled in pain, "No one goes against MY guardian protector and survives!"

Emmy stirred slightly, trying to force herself up as her friend fought to save them both.

"LEGAL?!" she gasped, "but…why?! How?! This is…this is so embarrassing!"

"With a 'thank-you-very-much-for-saving-my-life' to you too, 'Old Emmy'!" Clive answered cheekily.

"Yeah…well…thanks…"

"Don't mention it!" he added with a smile before he replaced it with a serious expression and locked eyes with Emmy, "Bruno doesn't stand a chance against them! I've got to go and help him!"

"Okay! I'll go and help get the villagers to safety, but remember- be careful!"

"Always!"

The two ran in their desired direction as Emmy forced herself to focus, still hardly able to believe that Clive had saved her life. That was something she owed him for in return. The woman peered around the scene for any sign of the professor, grinning in a relieved manner when she saw him fending off more of the beasts and standing back to back with Clark.

"You're better than I remembered, Clark!" he called out to him as Clark smiled reassuringly at him.

"It's a hobby," he admitted as more beasts ran in their direction, "Pretend we're back at Gressenheller in the fencing matches. We can do this!"

"You're right! TOGETHER!"

Layton broke off another piece of the pipe and scanned the circle of creatures as they simultaneously thrust their weapons outwards and charged towards them. The flames seemed to be ceasing from their paws now, making them slightly less dangerous. Their pipes collided, sending the hounds hurtling backwards. The professor quickly surveyed his surroundings, trying to make out where his friends were amidst the chaos.

"EMMY! LUKE! CLIVE!"

"I'M FINE, PROFESSOR!" Emmy bawled at the top of her lungs as she emerged from the flames with three bloodied children in tow.

She gently set them down when they were at a safer distance and ran back to the house, tugging their parents to safety as the five robots peered sadly back at their house, seeing everything that they owned for the majority of their lives be devoured by the flames.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT, PROFESSOR?!"

"I'M FINE! WHERE ARE DAHLIA AND BRUNO?!"

"THEY'RE OVER HERE!" Clive yelled in response as he stood over Bruno's unconscious body and swung his pipe in every direction.

Dahlia lay behind him, trying to rouse Bruno as she screamed his name into the smoke. Clive shot them a reassuring glance before he continued to fend them off, one by one. Every time he hit them they howled and a strange noise followed. So far, they were doing a good job, but for how long though was another question altogether. A blurry figure stumbled through the smoke, clutching a huge piece of debris as Clive smiled slightly.

"Finally decided to join in the fun?" he asked, trying to lighten the situation.

"You bet! I'm not going to stand around doing nothing!" Luke replied as he neared him, holding his shield over them both so that their bodies were concealed from view, "How are we doing?"

"Average so far…at least we're okay…"

"Yeah…," Luke sighed sadly as Clive took careful aim with his pipe when another snarling beast leapt at them, "LET'S SHOW THIS SORCERESS WHO IS BOSS!"

"GOOD IDEA!" Clive answered as he let out a low battle cry, "LEGAL LUKE POWER!"

The two immediately dodged the dog's homing attack and ran to the other side, with the dog's deafening bark ringing in their ears. It was only a few metres away now, poised and ready to jump.

"NOW!"

A pitiful howl rang around the square as the beast immediately retreated into the dark alleyway where it was safe. Clive clutched his slightly bent pipe, grinning triumphantly at Luke.

"Who says we can't be of help?!" he encouraged as Luke turned to Clive with a confused expression on his face.

"Clive, haven't you noticed that…they're not bleeding?" he stated quietly, "Surely they would—"

"Maybe this type of beast doesn't have blood of its own?" he suggested with a shiver, "Perhaps it can only be killed by magic… or something else…"

A low moan sounded behind them, followed by a gasp of obvious relief. The two spun on their heels, smiling as Dahlia helped the old man to his feet with a concerned expression. Bruno shot her a grateful look before she finally let go and handed him his pipe. Standing up strong with confidence, he gently pushed Luke to the side and looked at him.

"You've done wonderfully so far, but I think that's enough," he said seriously as Luke looked at him with a slightly pained expression, "This is my village too and I shall defend it until my last breath! If you want to help then try escorting some of the residents to safety."

Luke bit his lip as more screams sounded several metres away. Bruno shook his shoulders vigorously, staring into his eyes.

"Do you understand, boy?!" he repeated in a sharper tone.

Luke quickly nodded as he passed the shield to Clive and ran to the other side of the square, taking a final look at the pair as another hound started circling them. He covered his mouth with his shirt, trying not to inhale the smoke, as he made it through to the burning inferno in front of him. He could faintly see the bright flash of Emmy's coat as she hauled an unconscious villager out of harm's way.

There had to be something he could do to help, but why was this sorceress murdering innocent people who had done nothing to offend her?

"GRANDDAD!"

Luke's head instantly jerked at the sound of the familiar voice as he skidded to a halt and sprinted in the opposite direction. The fear and sorrow was unmistakeable in the voice as Luke got closer to finding the source of it. Upon penetrating the grey shield he saw her small figure on the ground, trying to drag a motionless body that could only be her grandfather. If she didn't get out of there soon then the dogs would find her.

"LUCY!" he called, taking her arm and leading her in the opposite direction, "IT'S NOT SAFE HERE! COME ON!"

The girl screamed and clawed at the boy.

"I CAN'T LEAVE HIM! HE'S ONLY JUST BEEN REPEAIRED!"

The teenager's expression softened as he gently lowered her to the ground next to the other victims that Emmy had already gotten out of the fire. He bent down and looked at her tear stained face.

"I'll go back for him. I promise," he said soothingly as he ran back towards the flames.

The man was unconscious and had several scratches running down his body, but there was still hope he could be saved. Hauling the man to his feet, Luke gripped his waist and began tugging him away, heaving with all of his might. The man was heavier than he looked, that was for certain. The boy dropped him next to Lucy as she clambered onto him and repeatedly started checking for any signs of injury or discomfort.

"Don't go anywhere. We'll let you know when it's safe!"

Lucy simply nodded as the boy disappeared from sight once again. The fires seemed to be getting worse; his vision was becoming blurry and weakening. Sounds bounced continuously against his ear drums, screams, sounds of sympathetic reassurance and…snarling…


"TAKE THIS!" Layton yelled loudly as he sent yet another hound sprawling in pain.

The sorceress above remained impassive, fixing Layton with an icy glare as he fended off the hounds, one by one. Sweat dripping from his brow, a look of pure determination imprinted on his face, there was nothing that could stop them from protecting the village and fending off these creations—

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The professor dropped his pipe in shock, scanning the scene around him frantically.

"LUKE!" he called worriedly, desperately trying to find his apprentice, "LUKE!"

It wasn't hard to locate him, from the volume he was screaming at. The boy was backed against a stone wall, surrounded by three snarling hounds all closing in on him as fire enveloped their paws once again. He had nothing to defend himself with except his bare hands, which wouldn't be of use in the current predicament. The professor turned to face Emmy, but she was busy fending off the other hounds. Luke locked eyes with the professor and he began shaking as the hound closest to him prepared to leap at him-aiming to kill its prey. The teenager squeezed his eyes shut and held up his hands as if they would offer at least some protection against the beasts' rapier claws…

The next few seconds were a blur; all Luke felt was a painful impact force slamming into him, pushing him to the ground. He could only acknowledge the comforting warmth of the object next to him, cushioning him from the sharp rocks that littered the ground. He turned over several times, acknowledging the fact that he was rolling against something-that had saved his life. A steady, hollow breathing filled his ears as silence followed. Luke moaned slightly, feeling the unknown creature with both of his hands to get at least some idea of what it was.

"Uhm…hmm…"

"Shh…it's okay, Luke…"

The boy gasped in shock as he forced open his eyes to see the tired and concerned face of his father looking back at him.

"Dad?! You…you saved me!"

Layton looked over at the scene, feeling immensely relieved that Luke hadn't been harmed. He shot a thankful look at his friend, being reminded of the time he had taught Clark how to do that specific roll in gymnast's class when they were at university.

Clark stroked his son's hair gently as he gritted his teeth to stop the groan escaped his lips. Luke looked up at his father and noticed he was forcing his eyelids shut; he was obviously in pain. That was when he finally acknowledged the warm scarlet stream flowing down his father's shoulder, bathing it in blood. The teenager let out a rasping cry of terror as he sat bolt upright and began tearing at his shirt to find material to staunch the flow.

"You're hurt!" Luke cried as tears fell down his cheeks, "You're hurt and it's my fault!"

"I'm fine, Luke…really…it's not..."

Clark gasped in pain again as Luke observed the damage: a long bloody streak running down his shoulder, clearly showing that one of the creatures' claws had scratched him severely. His eyes slowly closed as Luke started shaking him vigorously.

"NO! DAD! DAD!"

Clive almost fell down with shock upon hearing Luke's terrified voice. The hound he was currently facing barked loudly and charged off in the opposite direction, sending something spinning to the ground with a quiet clang. The teenager bent down, intrigued, to examine what the creature had just lost. Holding it up to the light to get a better view of it, he could make out the main features of the strong material that the object was made up of. It was a strange shape too and was just about big enough to fit into his hand.

"Huh?" he mused, tilting his head to the side as he shrugged and quickly put it in his pocket, "This may prove to be a valuable find…"

The sorceress seemed to be becoming impatient now, infuriated that her pets were being beaten by mere humans. She shot a dangerous glance at Clive as she began yelling at the top of her lungs, throwing back her head and screeching. Clive shook his head, trying to blot out the piercing sound.

"EMMY! PROFESSOR! LUKE! WHERE ARE YOU?!" he bawled as he frantically started searching for them, "Don't leave me on my own..."


All events that were currently occurring were completely blotted out from Luke's mind as he knelt over his father's body, clinging onto his hand as though it were a lifeline. A sympathetic pat on his shoulder brought him back to his senses as Emmy gently pulled him closer towards her, looking down at Clark with a grave expression.

"It's not too deep…he'll be okay…," she mumbled reassuringly to the boy as she hugged him gently.

"Emmy! What's going on?!"

"Professor! Clark is injured!"

Layton was by her side in a second, kneeling down beside Clark and trying to calm down the wailing boy.

"Please don't leave us, Clark. I've lost all of my other friends-I won't lose you too!"

"Hershel…I'm not leaving you…that easily...," Clark breathed, forcing a small smile on his face with what seemed to be a superhuman effort.

"Good…the last thing anyone needs is for any of you to get—"

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

Luke was too upset to hear the pleading cry through the air as he cuddled closer to the professor. Layton sat bolt upright upon hearing the scream, startled beyond words. The majority of the residents were safe now. Who was left?

"Who was tha-EMMY! EMMY, COME BACK HERE AT ONCE! YOU'LL GET YOURSELF KILLED!"

The effect on the woman was instantaneous as she shoved aside anything and anyone in her way, bolting through fire without even acknowledging it as her heart thumped against her ribs and her breathing became more rapid. She leapt over the falling debris and quickened her pace, her eyes wide with horror and her face contorted with fear. Keeping her eyes on only one point in the distance, she could now make out the blurry figure being dragged away by the beasts, thrashing wildly against them and leaving a trail of blood.

"NO!" she screamed as the figure was dragged even further away, "NOOOOOOOO!"

From up on the rooftop, the sorceress cackled loudly and held up her hands.

"That is enough…," she smirked as she muttered more words under her breath so that the hounds ceased their attack, "This is the final warning. Tell me where the Reinhold fortune is-or I shall not rest until every speck of dust in this village is nothing!"

Before the professor could demand an explanation, the same blinding flash of light filled the square, illuminating all of the death and pain and loss that had occurred in that one evening. This flash was only momentarily though, for as soon as it had been cast it had vanished, bringing darkness and fear to the place once again.

The professor stood up shakily, observing the heaps of ash, walls of fire and pools of blood that decorated the scene. He shook his head, disgusted at the situation, as Dahlia and a badly shaken Bruno ran up to them. Luke whimpered slightly as Layton gently patted his back and turned to them.

"She's gone, Professor Layton-leaving nothing but this!" he shouted, gesturing to the damaged scene around them.

"I know," he answered seriously, tending to his friend's wound.

"He'll be fine," Bruno answered with a sympathetic shrug, "Better than some of the others will be…dead…and injured. I…I must thank you for saving as many of the villagers as you could…"

"It's what a gentleman does. Are they alright?"

"Shaken, but better than they could be," Dahlia answered as she closed her eyes, "They were my friends…I—"

"You couldn't have done anything Dahlia. Thank goodness that you are alright," said Bruno gently as he tenderly took her in his arms, "You need some rest…come…"

"O…of course, Bruno," she replied in a voice barely more than a whisper, "At least…the other Reinhold's are okay…"

The professor looked sadly at his assistants. It had been a long day for them all as well and they had kept the others waiting long enough. However, when Layton thought about the look on Brenda's face when she saw the state of her husband, his confidence and hope seemed to rapidly fade.

"Pr…Pr…Professor," Luke whimpered, choking back sobs, "Where's…Emmy?"

The professor's eyes widened and he leapt to his feet in terror. Rasping muffled sobs sounded from a few metres away, helping provide to the miserable atmosphere. Layton carefully walked over, looking down at the floor, as he gasped in shock.

The familiar figure of his assistant was kneeling on the floor, her back arched as her hair fell in an untidy mess of chestnut down her shoulders, obscuring her face from view. She held her hands over her heart, continuously sobbing. The professor watched helplessly as her tears fell and she hunched over even more. He was scared; he had never seen Emmy like this before. She was tough and never cried unless something had really shaken her-which meant only one thing.

Layton braced himself, preparing for the worst, as he placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. She whipped her head around, showing her face, which was fresh with sorrow, as well as the dark marks under her eyes. She bowed her head and continued crying, as if the man didn't exist.

"Emmy, it's okay. It's okay. What's wrong with—"

"I…I…I…I…I've…failed…I…promised…that—", she choked through her tears.

"Emmy, please! Tell me, what is it you—"

The professor froze in his tracks, noticing something else. Emmy was clutching a small soft object to her chest as if it held her soul. Layton's eyes widened as he gestured for her to hand it over. She let it drop to the floor before turning away again. Immediately, Layton saw what the object was: it was a small dark cap, now stained with Emmy's tears. He didn't even have to check the label to work out who it belonged to.

Emmy blotted out every other living thing around her as her tear-filled eyes stared vacantly into the distance.

"I'm…I'm…I'm…I'm s…sorry…C…Clive…"