Kane and Sunny were both utterly shocked by the sudden and total disappearance of the dark sea. The vast expanse of water that had surrounded them moments before had vanished completely, leaving behind a landscape that was both alien and unsettling. Kane, his voice filled with incredulity, exclaimed, "What the fuck! Where did the sea go? One minute it's there, and the next it's just… gone!"
Sunny, equally flabbergasted by the bizarre phenomenon, could only manage a bewildered, "I have absolutely no idea. This place defies all logic." He shook his head, his expression a mixture of confusion and a growing sense of unease.
Kane and Sunny cautiously approached the edge of the platform, their eyes scanning the strange terrain that now stretched out before them. They saw a desolate expanse of cracked ground, forming a labyrinthine network of black and red fissures, a stark and alien landscape that seemed to defy the laws of nature. Scattered across the cracked earth were clumps of what appeared to be dried-out seaweeds, remnants of a world that had seemingly vanished. These clinging remnants were the only proof that a sea had ever existed in this desolate place.
Kane, his mind reeling from the strangeness of it all, thought, "What type of hell has the Nightmare Spell brought me into? This place is beyond anything I could have imagined, a twisted and surreal landscape that feels both familiar and utterly alien." He felt a growing sense of unease, a premonition that this realm held dangers and mysteries far beyond his current understanding.
After a tense silence, Kane, ever pragmatic, broke the stillness. "I'll explore the labyrinthine terrain on one side," he proposed, gesturing to the cracked and uneven ground stretching out before them. "Can you do the same on the other side? We need to get a sense of this place, see what we're dealing with."
Sunny, after a moment of consideration, nodded in agreement. "Sure," he replied, his voice low and serious. "Let's meet back here before the sun sets, if there even is a proper sunset in this place."
Following their agreement, Kane nodded, a silent acknowledgment of their plan. He then took a running leap from the edge of the platform, his body transforming mid-air. His armor shifted and reconfigured itself, morphing into a pair of static wings, extending outwards from his back. He let the transformed armor glide him away from the platform, soaring over the bizarre and treacherous terrain.
While gliding over the cracked earth, Kane actively used his Aspect abilities, focusing his perception to see the minds and souls of any living beings below. He was able to discern the faint presence of several creatures, their minds and souls flickering like dim embers in the desolate landscape. He saw a group of them feeding on a half-dead shark-like creature, their forms grotesque and predatory, and he also detected the presence of others, their minds and souls hidden, lurking in the shadows.
Kane, his senses heightened, carefully concealed himself nearby, using the uneven terrain and shadows to his advantage. He spied on the creatures, observing their behavior. They were fiercely fighting over the meager remains of the dead shark, their movements savage and desperate.
Kane thought, his mind racing, "These creatures are fighting over a dead shark. This is a brutal and unforgiving place. I need to meet up with Sunny and inform him of what I've seen. This place is far more dangerous than I initially anticipated."
As he navigated his way back, Kane aimed for what he thought was the platform, their agreed-upon meeting point. However, as he drew closer, he realized his mistake. The platform was not a natural formation but a massive, ancient statue, its features eroded and weathered by time and the elements. It was a headless figure, a silent sentinel standing amidst the desolation.
Kane, his armor reconfiguring once again, formed sharp, powerful claws on his hands and feet, allowing him to grip the rough surface of the statue. He climbed with surprising speed and agility, scaling the ancient structure with practiced ease.
As he reached the top of the statue, he saw Sunny sitting idly, seemingly unconcerned by the strangeness of their surroundings. Kane, slightly exasperated by Sunny's apparent lack of urgency, said, "Did you scout the other side? Find anything of interest?"
Sunny, without even turning his head, replied in his usual laconic tone, "Yeah, I scouted it… by sitting here and without moving a finger. The creatures are moving towards the other side, the same direction these creatures are. But they are hiding, lurking in the shadows. Any idea why?"
Kane, relaying his findings, replied, "Yeah, there was a dead shark, or something like it. All the smaller creatures were feasting on it, fighting over the scraps. It seems to be drawing them in."
Sunny nodded in acknowledgment, his expression still unreadable. Kane, observing his companion, thought, "His Aspect must be suited for scouting, I guess? He seems to be able to sense things from a distance without moving. His Aspect is supposedly divine, after all, so it wouldn't be surprising."
After this exchange, Sunny and Kane remained on the statue until nightfall, the landscape around them growing even more surreal as the light faded. When darkness finally descended, the dark sea, which had vanished during the day, returned, flooding the cracked earth once more.
Kane and Sunny decided to stay on the statue for the night, seeking the relative safety of its height. They settled down to rest, although Kane found it difficult to sleep, his mind still racing with questions and anxieties. Sunny, however, told Kane that he would keep watch during the night, his senses presumably heightened by his strange Aspect.
After some time, Kane, who had only managed to doze fitfully, was abruptly woken by Sunny. Kane, his eyes snapping open, asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"
Sunny, his gaze fixed on a certain direction, pointed silently. Both of them saw it then: an orange light, glowing faintly in the distance. It was a beacon of sorts, a point of light in the surrounding darkness.
Kane, his mind immediately alert, thought, "That light could mean a number of things. It might be other Sleepers, lost and confused like us. We should try to regroup with them, find out what's going on."
He voiced his thoughts aloud, saying, "That might be other people, other Sleepers. We need to go there, try to meet them, and see if they have any information."
Sunny, ever cautious, countered, "It can also be a trap, a lure set by a Nightmare creature to draw us in. Should we really risk it? We know nothing about this place."
Kane, weighing the risks and the potential rewards, replied instantly, "Might be. But the only thing we can do is go there and check it out. We can't just stay here, waiting for something to happen. We need to be proactive, to take the initiative."
Both of them, after a moment of tense deliberation, nodded in agreement. They decided to wait for sunrise, the return of the strange daylight, before venturing towards the mysterious orange light.
Once the sun rose, the sea receded as usual, the water draining away to reveal the cracked and desolate landscape once more. Kane and Sunny climbed down from the statue, their bodies stiff and sore from the uncomfortable night.
As both of them began to walk towards the distant orange glow, Sunny, utilizing his strange abilities, sent his shadow forward to scout the area. The shadow detached itself from his body, moving independently across the cracked earth, a bizarre and unsettling sight that visibly shocked Kane.
Kane, unable to contain his curiosity, asked, "So, you can send your shadow independently, huh? That explains some things about your… unique abilities."
As both of them continued their journey, using their Aspects to sense the environment around them, Kane suddenly detected the presence of two minds approaching them. One was coming from the direction of the labyrinthine terrain they had explored the previous day, and the other was approaching from the side.
Before Kane could even utter a warning, a pincer shot out from the ground, piercing Sunny through the chest. He cried out in pain, his body convulsing. Another pincer erupted from the earth, breaking Kane's leg and sending him sprawling.
As Kane struggled to regain his footing, he saw the creatures that had ambushed them. They were giant, monstrous beings, resembling scorpions but covered in thick, black chitinous armor. Their massive pincers dripped with a viscous, dark fluid, and their eyes glowed with a malevolent intelligence.
Kane, his adrenaline surging, summoned [The Ultimate Defiance], the sword materializing in his hand. He took a defensive stance, his eyes scanning the creatures, searching for an opening.
Kane focused his Aspect, attempting to read the firing patterns of the creatures' minds, to anticipate their movements. He saw that the creature on his left was preparing to attack with its pincer and leg, its mind focused on the impending strike.
Kane, his senses heightened, watched as the creature moved forward, its left pincer extended, ready to strike. He deflected the pincer's movement with a swift and precise parry, redirecting its attack. At the same time, he switched his Aspect focus, channeling his power to strike the creature's mind and body simultaneously,leaving soul in. no harm, in a fifty-fifty ratio. He attacked the creature's left pincer joint, aiming to sever its connection to the creature's nervous system.
The creature's mind recoiled from the psychic assault, its connection to its limb disrupted. It let out a guttural groan of pain, its movements faltering. Kane, seizing the opportunity, immediately switched his focus to attack the creature on his right. But the creature, despite its wounded companion, attacked immediately, its right pincer lashing out with surprising speed.
Kane managed to deflect the pincer, but he was caught off guard by a sudden attack from the creature's mouth. The creature's mandibles snapped open, and it bit down on Kane's arm, its grip surprisingly strong.
Kane, his arm trapped, his situation dire, switched his Aspect focus to purely mind, channeling all his power to attack the creature's consciousness, ignoring his own physical pain. The sword, while not doing any physical damage, wreaked havoc on the creature's mind, causing intense psychic agony. The Nightmare creature, its mind reeling from the psychic assault, thrashed wildly, its grip on Kane's arm loosening.
Kane used this opportunity, the brief moment of distraction, to switch his Aspect focus back to pure body, ignoring the mental and spiritual aspects of the attack. He pierced the creature's skull with [The Ultimate Defiance], his blade finding its mark with deadly accuracy.
The creature screamed in pain, a high-pitched, grating sound that echoed across the desolate landscape, and then died, its body collapsing onto Kane's blade.
Kane, his arm still throbbing, his body covered in dust and grime, thought, "This one is done. Now, let's go help Sunny."
But before he could move, he heard the disembodied voice of the Nightmare Spell, its tone cold and impersonal.
[You have slain an Awakened beast: Carapace Scavenger]
[...Your rebirth grows stronger.]
Kane was both surprised and intrigued by the message he had received. He checked the runes on his arm, the indicators of his progress, and saw a new entry:
Rebirth Fragments: [22/1000]
Kane, his mind racing, thought, "So, I can increase these 'fragments' by killing these creatures. That explains the 'rebirth' message. It seems I'm getting stronger with each kill."
After the notification, he took the soul shard from the dead creature, the glowing crystal that represented its essence. He immediately tried to absorb the soul shard, hoping to gain even more fragments, but nothing happened. Kane thought, "So, I can't directly use these soul shards to increase the fragments. They must serve some other purpose."
After dealing with the creatures, Kane went to Sunny, who was still recovering from his injuries. As Kane approached, Sunny, his voice weak but steady, asked, "What happened to the creature? Did you manage to kill it?"
Kane, his face grim, said, "Yeah, I killed it. It seems you succeeded in taking down your opponent as well. Any idea what we should do next?"
Sunny, his gaze fixed on the distance, replied, "After killing the creature, I saw that you killed the creature yourself. I scouted the area, and there were other Sleepers, heading in our direction. They noticed us, and we are going to meet them."
Kane, relieved at the prospect of meeting others, replied, "Good. Let's go then."
After a short walk, Kane and Sunny finally met up with the other Sleepers. Kane, however, was shocked to the core when he saw who they were. The two figures holding the rope, leading the group, were none other than Nephis and Cassie. The very person he had hoped to avoid in the Dream Realm was standing right in front of him.