When the silence, that was still lingering around the group got too unbearable, Ray broke right through it, once more. "I did not want to bring the mood down like this. Again. Lets just continue."
Sunny, the game master, picked up on it, and simply brought his gaze over to Caster.
The legacy, in return, merely shook his head, showing his disinterest and indicating his intention not to play this time.
With Effie, Kai, Ray somewhat, and Caster now out of the game, Sunny, with a smile, turned his gaze to Cassie, who was still wrapped in her cloak, "Hey Cass, wanna give it a try?"
She smiled slightly in return, and came a bit closer.
"Ah right, just like I said, the roles might have switched. So, what is your question."
An even more apparent smile appeared on her face, as she turned to the shadow, and asked her question, "If I were to ask Sunny which one of you has the treasure, what would he say?"
Hesitating for only a moment, Sunny gave the command for the 'shadow' to respond. The answer came in the same comically deep voice, "...the shadow has it."
In response to this, Cassie simply nodded and turned to Sunny again, this time even showing a hint of glee on her doll-like face, "Sunny you have the treasure. Give."
With a somewhat disappointed sigh, the young man took out the ascended shard, and put it on her palm, while giving his own comment, "Congratulations. You've won. Great Job, yay."
She took the shard and giggled for a second, in response to his 'enthusiastic' commentary.
Meanwhile, Effie, could not follow what had happened, and how Cassie had won the game. Her answer seemed to confuse the huntress more than the riddle itself did.
"What?! That's it?!"
She looked at the blind girl, and couldn't help but ask, "How the hell did you do it?"
Cassie, first crushed the shard, absorbing the essence stored within, before answering, "It is relatively simple. No matter who you ask, with this question the answer will always be the opposite of the truth."
Ray continued in her stead, "Yeah, the liar will, after all, have to lie about the truthful answer of the awakened, while the awakened would say the truth about the lie from the shadow. This, in essence, is actually a very old riddle."
The last part caught Sunny off guard, so before Effie could even say anything, he spoke, "Huh, what do you mean it's an old riddle? I just thought of it myself!"
The taller sleeper looked at him with a hint of pity, and a hint of amusement. "Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but this riddle has existed since before even the spell had descended. Just in a slightly different manner."
Sunny was shocked for a moment, remaining silent.
Now, Effie had finally the time to respond too, "Heh, serves him right. But, about the explanation, sorry, all the words you guys used seemed familiar, but together in that sentence they don't make sense to me."
Cassie simply smiled, "You should think about it in your freetime. Or, you know… just beat Sunny up the next time he decided to tease you with such riddles."
After saying that, the blind seer walked away without looking back, nor saying another word.
Sunny just looked at her back with shock, 'Did she really just say that?'
Effie, in turn, looked at Sunny. A deep frown visible on her face, "Yeah… I might just do that the next time…"
The young man visibly paled, upon hearing that, "What's up with that? This was a fair competition! Don't be a sore loser!"
The huntress only grinned even more menacing, as if having found prey again, "Sore? Let's see who of us will be sore, when I'm done with you."
Sunny hurriedly stood up, and scoffed at her, "Who's going to be done with who? Don't flatter yourself too much, beanpole."
And then he walked away. In a comically hurried manner.
"Well, guess the fun is over, so, I'll also take my leave." Ray said in a light tone, before standing up and walking back to where he had been reading before the group's activities.
Most looked at his back for a second, before thinking about what they themselves could be doing now, while their memories were still repairing themselves. But, one pair of eyes remained on his back for a moment longer, before it's owner also stood up, and went after him, a couple minutes later.
---
Having just settled in, summoned the tome, and slowly getting in the zone, Ray was once more interrupted by another hand on his shoulder.
He sighed, and then looked up.
Nephis stood right there, behind him, in the very revealing attire most of the girls were wearing at the moment.
"Well, how can I help you?" Ray said in a tone mixed with slight irritation, and interest, though, more irritation, while also partly admiring the view.
She looked around for a moment, and after seeing that no one else was in earshot, asked what she had come here for, "Why did you kill that sleeper back in the catacombs, weren't you trying to bring as many people out of here, as you could?"
Hearing this, a somewhat amused expression revealed itself on Ray's face, "Really? You are asking me why I took a single life, while your plan would kill hundreds of them? Quite hypocritical if I may say so."
"…"
Not getting any response whatsoever, Ray sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, "...i needed to make sure of something. Does that satisfy you?"
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, but its intensity seemed to lessen with each second. "Yes."
After that one word, she took her leave without saying anything else.
'As talkative as ever…'
With that short conversation over, he put his nose back into the book and continued.
And just like that, evening came, and most memories had repaired themselves to an acceptable state, due to which everyone was walking around in them again.
Ray, though, kept his [Second Skin] on for now. There was simply no plausible reason to change into [Sentinel's Embrace] for the time being.
When everyone was in their armors again, he also noticed how Caster and Nephis were heading to somewhere a bit farther away. Due to their swords in hand, it sure as hell looked as if they were about to spar.
Nevertheless, Ray wasn't as intrusive that he would simply follow them, and just watch. He simply relaxed for a while longer, until the smell of roasting meat reached him.
The lone sun in the sky would soon disappear behind the horizon, bringing with it the dark sea once more, therefore the campfire erected by the cohort would need to be put out soon. That was if they did not want to attract some horror from the sea itself.
As Ray, Effie, Kai, and Cassie were seating around the fire place, and already beginning to eat their dinner, slowly but surely Sunny, Caster, and Nephis were also joining them.
The group exchanged some light banter, small talk, and a few more information how they would continue the following day, before all heading to sleep again. Of course, one of them still needed to keep guard.
---
Thankfully, this night too, went without any accidents, or without anyone being suddenly pulled down into the sea, by some unseen horror, inside of it.
In the morning, Effie, together with Nephis, was once again sitting in front of the campfire, with both of them preparing the group's breakfast.
By the time it was finished, most had woken up, and were sitting around them. All of them, besides one.
Sunny.
He was currently sitting to the side, looking a bit dazed, before a stupid grin appeared on his face.
"Hey, doofus! Breakfast is ready, and why are you spacing out there, smiling like a complete idiot?"
Effie's loud voice quickly pulled him out of his daze. Somewhat. While still not clearly thinking again, he already responded, "Just thinking about creating a legacy clan. Have you ever thought about creating a clan, huh, Effie?"
The capable pathfinder looked at him for a second, before grinning mischievous, "...is that an invitation?"
Sunny did not respond immediately, and instead turned to her, apparently checking her out for the moment.
At his point, the others had already noticed their conversation, and after listening in for a second, looked at the young man shocked, though, some looked at him as if they would see a corpse sitting among them.
After about half a minute, he finally responded, "...Huh, what? No, not an invitation. Just considering different options."
It was also then, that Sunny noticed what he had been doing for the last half a minute, as well that the expression of Effie had changed drastically, while the others also looked at him, completely shell shocked.
Sadly, his realization came too late, Effie was already cracking her neck, while some of the all familiar lights of a memory forming were appearing in Ray's hand.
Both suddenly stood up, and walked over, Effie unarmed, Ray with a club in his right hand. A courtesy of his [Oblivion's Thread]. He couldn't kill the young man, but hurting him would be still in the gray zone.
""I see. So you have chosen death…"" both of them spoke at the same time. The exact same words came out of their mouths in sync.
Sunny couldn't help but blink in surprise, and horror. "No! Wait! I didn't mean it like that! I was just, you know, theorizing."
Their faces only grew darker, and their smiles more menacingly upon hearing this.
"Oh, so you were 'theorizing' about me. Do tell, do tell…"
"No, no! Wait! Stop! Please, merc-"