The rest of the way to the tall hill didn't take long. With Nephis leading the way, taking all the right turns at exactly the right moments, there was no need to explore or backtrack after hitting a dead end. The path was direct — and oddly free of Scavengers.
They might have moved faster, too, if not for Cassie, who lagged slightly even with the help of her staff. Guided by the golden rope, she carefully tapped the ground ahead before taking each step. The uneven coral terrain was far from ideal for someone blind.
Sunny didn't say much, but every now and then, he shot a glance toward Cassie. No matter how he looked at it, she seemed like dead weight. Maybe it was cruel to think so... but in the merciless world of the Dream Realm, misguided kindness could be fatal.
Miguel, however, didn't see it that way.
She might be blind, sure — but in his mind, that just meant her other senses had to be sharper. Maybe she couldn't fight now, but people like her always ended up surprising others.
By the time the sun began to sink toward the horizon, they reached the hill. After climbing to the top and approaching the massive coral structure, Nephis dismissed the golden rope and immediately summoned it again. The rope untied and coiled neatly into her hand.
Calmly, she tied both ends into loops, then tossed one upward. It sailed through the air and looped around a prominent outcropping near the top of the coral pillar. After testing it for strength, she swiftly climbed up and gave the others a signal from above.
Miguel sighed quietly — he didn't feel like climbing. But he did it anyway. No reason to reveal his abilities just yet.
Sunny climbed up easily and joined Nephis, followed closely by Miguel. Once they were both settled at the top, Sunny turned and watched curiously.
How was Cassie going to get up here?
The blind girl dismissed her staff and approached the rope. Feeling her way along it, she found the loop at the end, slipped her foot inside, and held on. Nephis immediately started pulling her up, inch by inch, until Cassie was high enough to reach out. She grabbed Nephis's hand and stepped up beside them.
The coral mound was far larger than the round stone platform Sunny had used before. It felt almost like a small island. Tucked away behind a few thick coral blades was a modest camp — piles of seaweed for sleeping, strips of scavenger meat drying in the breeze, and a simple firepit.
Nephis quietly got to work building the fire. Cassie sat on a seaweed pile and rested, her hands folded in her lap.
Sunny, unsure of what to do, finally sat down and let his bruised body relax.
Miguel stood for a while, looking down at the crimson labyrinth. It hadn't changed — still mud, still coral, still blood-colored silence stretching endlessly.
After a few minutes, Sunny spoke.
"I've got fresh meat in my pack. Do we have any water?"
Cassie smiled and nodded. "Yes!"
She extended an arm, and a moment later, a beautiful glass bottle appeared in her hand — blue, patterned, and gleaming faintly in the light.
"It's a Memory," she explained. "Always full."
Sunny's eyes widened slightly as he took the bottle.
"Thanks." He raised it and took a long drink of cool, delicious water.
Miguel tilted his head. "Can I have some too?"
Cassie smiled again. "Of course."
Sunny passed the bottle over, and Miguel drank deeply, his throat burning with thirst. He wiped his mouth, handed the bottle back to Cassie, and gave a small nod.
"Thank you, Cassie."
She nodded back, content.
Soon, the rich smell of roasting meat filled the air. The sun hovered just above the horizon, and a distant rumble echoed from the depths of the labyrinth. Faint trickles of black water began to creep back through the crimson walls.
Sunny looked east, his expression tight. "Do scavengers come all the way up here?"
Nephis turned the meat and nodded.
"Yes. But only at night. During the day, most of them disappear."
Sunny grinned. "Yeah. I think I know why."
The others glanced at him, curious.
"They all gather near the place I've been staying — a tall cliff to the west. Or... well, it's not a cliff, really. It's a statue."
Cassie's face lit up in surprise. "A statue? But for you to survive, it must be..."
Miguel raised an eyebrow, silently amused. 'Why react like that? She can't even see.'
"Yeah. It's a giant knight statue. Must be two hundred meters tall. The head's missing, so I've been hiding out on the neck." Sunny shrugged. "Anyway, the day we were sent here, two sea monsters fought near the statue. When the water receded, there was a massive carcass left behind. Scavengers came by the hundreds to tear it apart."
Nephis nodded thoughtfully.
"That would explain the lack of Nightmare Creatures during the day."
Then, she turned her gaze to him.
"How long?"
Sunny blinked. "How long what?"
Nephis stared at him in silence, enough to make everyone uncomfortable.
"How long until they're done eating?"
"Oh. One day more, maybe two."
Without another word, Nephis pulled the meat off the fire and extinguished it.
They ate quietly, the last light of day giving way to dusk. The meat was tender, juicy — far better than it had any right to be.
Miguel grinned.
'Just like I thought. A little cooking makes all the difference.'
They passed the blue bottle between them as they ate. When the meal ended, the black sea had returned, and night consumed everything.
Under cover of darkness, Sunny could still see them clearly — Nephis, seated upright and watchful; Cassie, far more vulnerable now that she thought no one could see her; and Miguel, lying on his back, eyes half-lidded, his usual air of bored detachment unchanged.
Trying to cut through the silence, Cassie spoke up.
"How about we formally introduce ourselves?" she said, her voice bright.
"I'm Cassie."
Nephis glanced her way and nodded. "Neph."
Miguel stretched out, hands behind his head. "Miguel."
Sunny paused a moment, then smiled faintly.
"I'm Sunless. But... you can call me Sunny."