The path up to the hill was quick and direct, thanks to Nephis's impeccable leadership. She seemed to know the red coral labyrinth as the back of her hand, guiding the group without hesitation. Fortunately, they encountered no scavengers, which made progress even smoother.
Even so, the march was not as efficient as it could have been, mainly because of Cassia. Despite the confidence with which she moved under Ariandel's guidance and with the help of her staff, her steps were still slower than the rest of the group. The uneven terrain of the crimson forest presented constant challenges, forcing them to adapt their pace to hers.
Sunless observed everything in disbelief, unable to ignore what he saw as a troubling dependency. To him, it was evident that Ariandel's kindness and Nephis's pragmatic acceptance of her only put everyone at risk. He even wondered if her blindness—her Flaw—hid an extraordinary Aspect, something that would justify her presence. But so far, nothing indicated this was the case.
Even with the silent confidence Ariandel seemed to place in Cassia, Sunless could not help thinking that Nephis, so practical and efficient, was contradicting herself by accepting her into the group. This only deepened the mystery surrounding the blind girl—and, by extension, the young man guiding her.
When they finally reached the hill, the sun was already low, tinting the sky with shades of orange and red. In front of the massive coral structure, Ariandel released Cassia's hand to support her by the shoulder. The girl, without words, summoned a golden rope, which Ariandel caught and threw to Nephis. Sunless realized it was a Memory—a tool that expanded to aid in climbing.
Nephis, as efficient as ever, tossed the rope and secured it to a ledge, climbing with an agility that Sunless could not help but admire. She waved for him to follow, and Sunless had no choice but to trust, at least for the moment.
As he climbed, his cynical mind insisted on conjuring scenarios in which Nephis would easily eliminate him. He knew, however, that if she had wanted to kill him, she would have done so already. That certainty comforted him in a strange way.
When Ariandel also reached the top, Sunless watched with curiosity the method used to bring up Cassia. Without her staff and holding only the rope, she placed her foot in a loop and let Ariandel lift her. The efficiency of the process was undeniable, but Sunless could not avoid thinking it all seemed like an unnecessary complication.
Nevertheless, part of him began to understand the dynamic among the three. Nephis was practical and capable, Ariandel gentle and dependable, but Cassia... well. Sunless could not tell if she truly had something to offer, or if she was merely a responsibility carried by Ariandel out of naive compassion.
The coral mound was far larger than the circular stone platform around the giant knight's neck. In fact, it looked more like a small island. At the highest point of this formation, hidden behind crimson coral blades, there was a small camp. It consisted of piles of seaweed for sleeping, strips of scavenger meat drying in the sun, and a makeshift fire.
Sunless pointed to the fire.
"Was it you two nights ago? I saw an orange light in the distance."
Cassia's expression darkened, and Ariandel cast a calm glance at Nephis—he did not need to say anything; his silence communicated mild reproach.
Nephis sighed, averting her gaze before answering evasively:
"It was me, alone."
Sunless raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden tension.
"What happened?"
Cassia absentmindedly touched her hair before turning her head to Nephis, as if seeking permission to speak.
"The Spell transported us to this peak, together. But Ariandel and I hadn't yet found Nephis... When she lit the fire, we weren't the only ones to notice its presence."
She hesitated, the color draining from her lovely face.
"At night, any light attracts monsters. Ariandel reacted quickly, hiding us from what would come. First, scavengers attacked us. And then... then..."
Her voice broke, but she needed no more words. The memory of the colossal tentacle was still alive in Sunless's mind.
He took a deep breath, trying to mask his discomfort with a light tone:
"I understand."
Nephis looked up at the sky, clearing her throat, perhaps embarrassed—though her expression remained serene.
"We should be safe now. We still have time before nightfall."
She busied herself lighting the fire, while Cassia sat on a seaweed pile, waiting patiently. Ariandel, for his part, moved away slightly. Sunless watched, intrigued, as he settled into a comfortable-looking chair that simply... appeared out of nowhere.
'Is that chair a Memory that can be summoned silently? If not, then what is it?' Sunless's eyes widened, confused and incredulous.
Finding no immediate answer, he decided to let himself drop to the ground, allowing his tired body to rest.
After a moment, he murmured:
"I have fresh meat in my backpack. Do you have water?"
Cassia gave a gentle smile.
"Yes!"
She held out her hand, and, a moment later, a beautiful blue glass bottle with delicate designs appeared in her palm.
"That's a Memory I have. It's always full."
'An endless supply of water, huh? That's much better than my noisy bell,' Sunless accepted the bottle, admiring it with a hint of envy.
"Thank you."
He raised the bottle to his lips, drinking eagerly. The water was fresh and delicious, and no matter how much he drank, the level inside the bottle did not seem to decrease.
"Is it really endless?"
Cassia touched her hair once more, visibly embarrassed.
"Not exactly... If you let it flow continuously, it stops after half an hour. But soon after, it refills."
As Sunless absorbed the explanation, Nephis had already finished lighting the fire.
Without ceremony, she opened her backpack and took out the meat, letting a fragment of soul roll out. She gave a quick glance at Sunless before returning the fragment to the backpack.
He tensed, but Nephis said nothing, and Ariandel seemed uninterested. Relieved, Sunless turned his attention back to Cassia.
"It's still a great Memory. Getting drinkable water isn't easy."
She smiled, genuinely pleased with the compliment.
The rich aroma of roasted meat soon filled the air, as the sun began to set, tinting the horizon with warm hues. Then, a distant rumble echoed, and patches of black water began appearing between the crimson walls of the labyrinth.
Sunless looked east, where the darkness was already creeping in.
He shifted uncomfortably before asking:
"Do the scavengers come this far?"
Ariandel answered casually:
"Yes, but only at night. During the day, they seem to go elsewhere, which I have yet to identify."
Sunless gave a crooked smile, understanding.
"Probably near where I spent my days recently. You should have seen it—a high cliff to the west of here. Actually, it's a statue."
Cassia tilted her head, curious.
"A statue? For you to survive there, it must be—"
Sunless interrupted.
"Huge. A headless knight at least two hundred meters tall. I hid in its neck. On the day we were sent here, two sea creatures fought near it. When the water receded, there was a huge corpse, with hundreds of scavengers devouring it."
Nephis frowned.
"How long?"
"How long what?"
"Until they finish devouring the corpse."
Sunless blinked, surprised by the direct question.
"Another day or two at most."
Without another word, Nephis quickly put out the fire.
'Something's definitely wrong with her,' he thought, irritated.
As they ate under the dying light of twilight, Sunless noticed that Ariandel did not join the meal—something no one seemed to question.
At the end of the meal, night fell, and darkness consumed everything around.
Believing herself invisible, Cassia let raw emotions show: loss, loneliness... fear.
Ariandel watched her in silence, his iridescent eyes emitting a strange glow in the dark.
Sunless sighed.
"What if we introduce ourselves properly?"
The blind girl smiled, trying to overcome her torments.
"I'm Cassia."
"Nephis," said the tall girl simply.
"My name is Ariandel, the Illustrious Artisan of Fantasy," said the flowery bastard, with elegance.
Sunless shuddered at the mention of a True Name.
"I'm Sunless. But you can call me Sunny."