"Everyone move towards the shadows!!".
Sunny's voice called out.
Having already completed the seal, the annihilating sun had begun to destroy the souls of both humans and Nightmare Creatures.
Due to Isaac's physical enhancements, and due to him already being Awakened, he was able to quickly make it under the shadows away from the blinding light of the sun.
Immediately after escaping the sunlight, he turned his head, looking around to make sure the other members of the cohort and as many as the future Fire Keepers would stay alive.
The more that survived the forgotten shore the higher, his chances of surviving in the future, and the more help he would also have in his time future endeavors.
Sadly, a few Sleepers still could not make it. Their souls were destroyed and absorbed into the artificial sun.
Their lifeless, hollow corpses littered the bridge and the entry space in front of the spire.
Entering the long hallway of the spire, Isaac clicked his tongue.
The spider had already begun to break down small bits of light flowing through the cracks.
Isaac had to make sure the soul-destroying light would not affect many of the Fire Keepers.
"Everyone avoids the light as much as possible. Also avoid overusing your Aspect, and try keeping the usage of attack-type Memory enchantments to a minimum.".
Isaac relayed.
He needed to make sure their sole focus was getting to the Gateway.
If their minds were clouded by anything else, it was possible more Fire Keepers would die to stray beams of light that flowed through the cracks.
The spire was just that deadly.
As for the abominations that had begun to form from the coral infesting the spire.
Isaac had already brought out his weapons. Backed by his Awakened strength the coral creatures were easily destroyed and incapacitated.
Dodging a few stray beams of light that had begun to form due to his battle with the coral creatures, Isaac slowly advanced as he began to see a structure appear in front of him.
Out there in the darkness, a vast balcony was built into the wall of the tower, reaching almost to the center of the gargantuan structure.
On its surface, broken pillars of marble were overgrown by the everpresent streaks of crimson coral.
They led to a circular dais, with a wide iron ring submerged into its stone surface.
Around the ring, a beautiful pattern of runes was shimmering with familiar light.
They were just like those runes that every Awakened had seen countless times when communicating with the Spell.
But that wasn't the first reason why Isaac had noticed it.
The most unusual thing about the dais was that unlike everything else inside of the Spire, it was utterly devoid of growths of crimson coral.
The stone surface surrounding the ring was strangely clean and untouched by it.
Looking at the shimmering runes and the iron rings, Isaac felt something move in his heart.
He was sure that this was the Gateway.
They were so close...
As he watched it, the whole Spire suddenly shuddered.
Massive pieces of coral broke off and fell, crashing into other branches down below.
Suddenly, the darkness that surrounded the Dreamer Army became less impenetrable.
High above them, the radiant halo of light became several times more bright.
'Nephis had reached the Crimson Terror.'.
With a cool head, Isaac escaped from his reverie and dashed forward, slicing several golems as he went.
The frightened Sleepers followed, entrusting their fates into his hands.
As more and more tremors ran through the ancient tower and several enormous pillars of coral completely collapsed, they ascended even higher and approached the vast balcony.
And then, finally, Isaac jumped down and landed on a solid stone.
Shattering a few golems, he cleared enough space for others to follow and watched several more people reach the balcony.
One after another, the Sleepers jumped off the treacherous coral and joined him.
Those who were the first to catch up repelled the attacking golems to let the others come down.
Soon, all hundred of them were on the balcony — and just in time.
A few seconds later, a tremendous piece of debris fell from above, pulverizing the branch of coral they had used to get there.
Isaac lingered for a few moments, watching as crimson pieces rained down, and then turned away with a determined expression.
"Come on! We're almost there!"
The remains of the Dreamer Amry cut through the mass of golems and escaped it.
Running with all the speed they could manage, the crowd of young men and women approached the Gateway and froze, stunned by the sight of it.
Hypnotized by it.
In front of them... was the hope that they had forgotten for so long.
The torturous promise of freedom that had taunted them every day, hidden away in the terrifying, looming silhouette of the Crimson Spire.
Their way home.
His way to a new "home".
Salvation.
His salvation.
Most of them had spent so long on the Forgotten Shore that the thought of ever being able to escape it became nothing more than a distant dream.
Even when they had followed Changing Star and chose to believe her promises, salvation was just a concept.
An idea.
Now that they saw it as a real thing, many did not know how to react.
Isaac himself did not know how to react.
Stepping upon the Gateway would either bring his salvation or with his doom.
...Well, Sunny was there to make the process easier.
"What are you staring at, idiots?! Pick up your jaws and move! Battle formation! Protect the rear! Wounded and non-combatants go first, everyone else holds off the damn golems and then follows! One at a time, bastards!"
Coming back to their senses thanks to his angry shout, the Sleepers quickly reorganized themselves.
Those who could still fight faced away from the Gateway and formed a defensive line, protecting the wounded with their bodies.
Those who couldn't help the people in the worst condition entered the iron ring.
Issac watched as the first human was placed in the center of the Gateway.
A moment later, the runes surrounding the ring flashed with shimmering light.
The body of the Sleeper suddenly shone, too.
The ghostly shine was dim at first but then grew brighter and brighter.
Soon, it was hard to distinguish the shape of the human body at the center of that light.
Yet slowly, but surely the light soon dissipated and the Sleeper that was placed inside also vanished.
The dark weight that had once encompassed the forgotten shore had slowly begun to melt away.
In real-time, Isaac could see the despair within the eyes of the Sleepers sparkle with sparks of hope.
Yet this was not the only thing that he saw.
In a large number of the Sleeper's eyes, something gleamed deep within their eyes as a flowing from their souls.
It was crazed and fanatical almost to the point of mad worship.
As Isaac watched this "mutation" happen in real-time, a sigh escaped his lips.
'It seems my hard work was not for nothing'.
As his observation slowly began to come to an end, he noticed that most of the Sleepers had already gone through the Gateway.
A large figure then approached him.
It was Effie.
"Why are you standing around for?".
Turning his head, Isaac debated whether to answer honestly.
'Heh. Honestly what a joke.
The fact that he even began to think about it filled his head with a twisted form of amusement.
And so a small smile formed on his lips.
The smile wasn't exaggerated yet at the same time it did not quite reach his eyes.
"Don't worry about me. I have two idiots I need to get them I will meet you on the other side.".
Effie looked at him for a while, her eyes tracing the smile on his face with unease.
She then opened her mouth as if wishing to say something, but no words came.
A split second later, a wary smile made its way onto her lips.
It was fragile as if it would shatter at any moment, and yet the smile persevered, no matter how strained it was.
"I- I will see you on the other side then".
Walking past him, she slowly made her way toward the Gateway.
Isaac didn't turn around even when he heard the gateway activate pulling Cassia and Kai who Effie was carrying into the Gateway.
...not even when it pulled her.
After a little bit, a small smile formed across his lips.
Turning around, he walked towards the Gateway.
One step.
Two Steps.
Three steps.
Fours steps.
Five steps.
Six steps.
Seven steps.
Isaac was right in front of the Gateway.
Taking his final step, he stood directly above it and waited.
And waited... and waited... and waited...
"I- I see. It w- was always met to b- be this way".
Isaac's voice began to shake uncontrollably.
The world slowed down to a halt.
Isaac's perception had been boosted to an abnormal extent.
And for the first time in a while, Isaac felt his heart tighten.
A burning sensation formed in the edges of his eyes as a warm, clear liquid ran down his cheeks before dripping off his jawline.
"Haa... haa... haa".
Heavy breaths escaped to Isaac's lips.
The emotions that he hadn't felt in a long time, finally surfaced through.
They broke past his Innate Ability revealing themselves to the world.
Isaac abruptly bowed his head, raised his hands, grasped his hair, and whispered in anguish.
Yet, his whispers fell on deaf ears.