Cassia was adorable as her blush deepened, hugging her knees to her chest and hiding her shy smile.
"It was a pleasure," she murmured, almost awkwardly.
I heard a little chuckle from myself and hummed a melody—another that sprang up unannounced.
We remained close, the atmosphere light—or at least that's what it seemed like; my skin no longer had that natural reddish tone, but it still disguised any shyness well.
"..."
"..."
As Cassia hugged her knees, her expression began to shift: the blush and smile gave way to something more distant. Then she drifted into thought, until a barely perceptible tremor passed across her lips, leaving her pale and fearful.
I averted my eyes to the sky, now tinged a deep, opaque gray.
"You know... I had more visions than I told you," she broke the silence, voice low and husky.
I closed my eyes, letting out an almost lazy sigh.
"And you're afraid that by speaking them aloud, you might make those visions come true," I concluded, my tone reflecting the weight she carried.
Cassia laughed—a fragile sound that soon dissipated. Her smile was lovely, but there was a melancholy to it that was painful to witness.
"You know, Cas..." I looked at her, noting the contrast between her apparent fragility and the strength that still shone through.
"The truth can hurt; knowledge is a burden. And while forgetting has the power to free, rebirth... rebirth always carries its own sorrow."
I let the silence guide me for a moment.
"Some will blame you for not revealing what you know. Others, for the choices they made with what you did reveal."
I touched her shoulder gently, shifting to a more relaxed tone:
"But if you'd like, I'm here to listen. Maybe that will make things more bearable."
In response, Cassia placed her hand over mine, still on her shoulder... Then she tilted her face toward mine, as if seeking my gaze in the darkness.
And so, she smiled.
There was nothing shy or melancholic in that smile—it was genuine, sweet, and so enchanting it almost hurt.
— thum-thum.
"I understand. Yes." Something imperceptible in her seemed to shift. "That's fair... Thank you, Aria."
...
Later that night, Sunless continued practicing with his sword under Nephis's watchful eye.
My knowledge of fencing came from the First Self, who surely practiced only as sport—if he ever had an opponent at all. So I let the assassination specialist take over. Unlike the [Immaculate Prism], my new Flaw would not compel me to meddle in everything.
Nephis pointed out something important to Sunless: survival belongs to the most adaptable, not the strongest. She said the sword is known as the queen of weapons precisely because it is the most practical in most situations. However, she emphasized that the wielder—and not the weapon—is the true source of strength.
As they trained, the sun slowly sank below the horizon, painting the sky red and orange. Seated nearby, I watched in silence. Sharing silence with good company has always pleased me—judgment aside.
When night fell, the sea began to return. Dark waves flooded the crimson labyrinth, while scavengers scurried in search of shelter. Some climbed the cliffs, hoping to spend the night safely on the island.
Sunless noticed the movement. His shadow was alert.
"We'll have visitors soon," he said, discouraged at the prospect of his rest being interrupted.
Nephis sighed, but replied firmly:
"That's fine. With the high ground, dealing with them won't be too difficult."
I rose, moving toward the edge. Sunless cast me a brief glance before returning his attention to the sunset.
Yet his mood soon turned visibly sour.
Doubt raised its head, plunging him into anxiety.
After hesitating, he asked:
"Do you think we'll be able to reach that castle?"
Nephis regarded him without any particular expression.
"Yes."
Sunless turned to her, forcing a smile.
"Why are you so sure?"
Silently, I summoned my bow and enhanced it with the soul's frost.
The long wooden bow—once plain—was enveloped in a white-gray crystal that spread in arabesques, almost like frozen vines. The air around it condensed in the biting cold, forming iridescent snowflakes.
"This will be fun," I thought, taking aim and drawing the string to my ear. The wood and crystal creaked in a soothing melody as the oneiric essence condensed into a crystalline, icy arrow.
Nephis briefly shifted her gaze from the west to me. In the blood-red glow of dusk, her calm eyes seemed to burn with celestial fire.
"If this is our will," she replied, "who dares stand in our way?"
The first shot wasn't as precise as it would have been with the support of the [Kaleidoscope].
However, the frost compensated with pure destructive power.
The arrow pierced the creature's armor and lodged in its brain. The excruciating pain froze and shattered the scavenger from within.
[You have slain an awakened beast, Legion Scavenger.]
[Your soul shines even brighter.]
At twilight, Sunless and Nephis needed not move.
I received ten oneiric fragments practically for free. Sadly, no soul fragments could be recovered.
...
We spent another day on the cliffs, resting and training.
Sunless continued with the sword, while his shadow scouted the labyrinth.
Cassia maintained her usual cheer, but something about her seemed different—more determined. I simply watched, unable to pinpoint exactly what had changed.
I hope it doesn't go badly.
Nephis meditated.
From time to time, a faint white glow seemed to emanate from her closed eyelids, vanishing when anyone approached.
She trained to endure the pain of her Flaw.
It was lamentable how cruel the world could be to someone.
I imagine that, had she not had to endure her torments, she might be a more agreeable person—like her mother, Smile of Heaven, once was.
...
As we talked, Sunless recalled stories from the Academy and our Profesor Julius, including his strange lessons on the dead languages of the Dream Realm. Cassia protested much as Sunless had back then, but in the end she smiled, curiosity winning out.
When night fell, no scavenger dared scale the cliffs.
I suggested that I and Sunless's shadow keep watch, allowing the others to rest. They hesitated but accepted.
...
In the night sky...
A sun shone with its matte white light, surrounded by a halo forming before it.
The Sea of Souls was crystalline, and a white-gray mist—composed of micro icy, diamond-like crystals—pervaded the air.
Five iridescent golden crystals orbited the matte white sun—Imaginary Relics. Three of them were ephemeral, their presence flickering without sufficient substance.
Three spheres of light floated above the waters—Memories.
One thousand and thirty reflections of iridescent golden crystals shimmered subtly across the deep seabed, instead of any other reflections.
"What a fantastic place," I admired to myself. "Honestly, just by being here, my bored soul finds peace."
'This tranquil landscape has a 'Dark Souls' vibe... So much that I almost miss the music those scenes never had.' I reached toward a specific Memory. 'I wonder if I can add a soundtrack?'
The runes describing the Memory appeared before me.
===
Memory Rank: Dormant
Memory Tier: I
Memory Type: Weapon
Memory Description: [A simple longbow, forged with wisdom, symbolizing transformation.]
Memory Enchantments: [Infinite Bow].
=
[Infinite Bow]
Enchantment Description: [The bow creates pure-energy projectiles without the need for physical arrows, using the bearer's soul essence.]
===
"Hello, Nameless One. I don't know how I didn't connect the emergence of this Memory to your death before," I spoke to the bow in my hands.
"I challenged the same Nightmare as Nephis and, like her, slew only one creature, yet I awoke with two Memories. It was intuitive that their origin was the same as the Dream Blade, which she received upon slaying herself to escape the dream in which the Weaver kept her trapped."
"When you sacrificed yourself, I emerged from the cocoon wielding your Memory: [Ariandel's Maturity Bow]."
"I firmly believe it was our Innate Attribute that allowed your survival after being consumed by the Terror. You managed to reclaim the First Self's fragments from the mist out of nowhere, fused with him, and wove me into being."
I gripped the bow with trembling hands, feeling its weight—and all it represented.
"What should I say to you?"
...
At dawn, they finished the last of the centurion's meat and prepared to descend into the labyrinth again.
It was time to continue the journey west—cautious, but determined to reach the mysterious citadel.