As soon as they left the familiar confines of the labyrinth and pressed into the vastness of the ashen wasteland, Sunless felt a sudden, inexplicable discomfort. It was as though he had developed agoraphobia without realizing it during his journey through the intricate chaos of the crimson labyrinth.
He had grown accustomed to being surrounded by towering walls of coral, with countless tangled paths stretching in every direction as far as the eye could see. Though the labyrinth hid many dangers, it also offered a peculiar sense of security.
At least to Sunless, who enjoyed the advantage of seeing beyond twists and turns thanks to his stealthy shadow scout.
Now, with gray sand beneath his feet and nothing to break the horizon line, that advantage had vanished. The thought of being unable to hide from enemies made him feel vulnerable.
'Keep calm. There's no creature here.'
That thought, which should have reassured him, had the opposite effect. Indeed, there were no Nightmare Creatures anywhere in that desolate wasteland... but why?
What drove them to shun this place so utterly?
Ariandel strode at the head of the group, followed by Nephis and Sunless, while Cassia and Echo brought up the rear, moving more slowly. Sunless glanced around and, hesitating, murmured under his breath:
"I don't like this."
The Illustrious Artisan of Fantasy shot him a brief look... then winked.
"Perhaps one day this will make a pleasant memory. Do not fret too much," he replied, sounding entirely at ease as he turned away.
They pressed on in silence, the gray sand crunching beneath their steps. After roughly fourteen minutes, Ariandel raised a hand to signal a halt. Turning back to Sunless, he asked:
"What does the gloomy one see?"
Sunless furrowed his brow.
"Some irregularities—small dunes or shallow depressions—but nothing moves. It's mostly flat and lifeless."
He then faced Cassia and, rather uncertainly, asked:
"Cassi, do you hear anything?"
In certain situations, her keen hearing outmatched his shadowed perception. When they faced the storm, Cassia had detected danger long before any of the sighted ones.
This time, however, there was nothing. She merely shook her head, indicating no strange sound reached her ears.
Ariandel sighed, running a hand through his short hair, contemplative. Fixing his gaze on the distant Ashen Barrow, he warned:
"Remain vigilant."
Shifting their course slightly, he guided the group toward one of the mounds Sunless had noted.
By the time they drew near, the sun hung high overhead—midday.
The noonday sun shrank their shadows to indistinct smudges on the sand. Even Sunless's own shadow had retreated beneath his feet, a shapeless blot of darkness.
It hated this hour of the day.
Ariandel summoned his bow and nodded toward Nephis to investigate the mound. Nothing about it seemed remarkable, save that it stood in stark relief against the flat plain. About Sunless's height, it was gently elongated and cloaked in the same gray sand as the wasteland floor.
It posed no obvious threat—but it never hurt to check. Well... most of the time. Perhaps they might uncover something useful.
As the Star of Change prepared to touch the mound's surface, Sunless's shadow detected movement in the distance, near the edge of the labyrinth they had just left.
Acting on instinct, Sunless darted back to Echo and hissed:
"Hide!"
At the same moment, he dismissed the enormous scavenger. Cassia raised her arms in surprise and fell—Sunless caught her as though she were a princess, then sprinted with her to the base of the mound, crouching behind it and placing the blind girl between himself and Nephis.
Ariandel positioned himself at Cassia's side, resting an arm on her shoulder, and cast Sunless a questioning look.
Sunless raised a hand, palm outward—a signal to wait. His shadow already crept beyond the mound's crest, straining toward the source of the movement.
In the distance, the dead walls of the labyrinth loomed over the sands. Suddenly, one collapsed, knocked down by a colossal shape. Wreathed in a cloud of gray dust, the creature advanced, each powerful step crushing the flat ground.
Eight legs, two dreadful bone scythes, a black-and-crimson carapace like ancient armor stained with blood... a centurion.
Sunless swore silently.
They had faced these monsters twice before—and emerged victorious both times. Yet that success had relied on meticulous planning and carefully crafted tactical advantages. He wasn't sure they could defeat one in a straight fight now without suffering grievous losses.
Turning to Ariandel, Sunless whispered:
"A carapace centurion has just emerged from the labyrinth."
Ariandel merely blinked, while Nephis frowned in concern. Cassia, however, touched Sunless's hand lightly and asked:
"Where is it heading?"
Focusing through the shadow's sight, Sunless exhaled with relief.
"It seems to be making for the Ashen Barrow. If we stay hidden behind this mound and it doesn't change course, there's a good chance it won't notice us."
Nephis nodded.
"Keep watch. Alert us at any sign of change."
Pressing themselves close to the mound, the four strove to remain as low and silent as possible. The space was cramped, forcing them into an uneasy closeness.
Perhaps "uneasy" wasn't quite the word—under different circumstances, Sunless might have even appreciated the proximity...
'What are you thinking, idiot?! Focus on the monster!' he scolded himself.
Still, it was difficult to concentrate with Cassia's gentle form pressed against him—
'SHE.'
'HAS.'
'A.'
'BOYFRIEND!'
Finally shaking off the unwelcome thoughts, Sunless sighed and fixed his gaze on the centurion.
The imposing creature continued its approach, each worn crimson plate of its carapace now clearly visible. Yet what truly caught Sunless's attention was something else.
Cradled carefully between its scythes was a crystal of hypnotic beauty, radiating a blinding inner light.
A Transcendent Soul Fragment.
They had seen something like it before, when two centurions retrieved crystals from that giant shark-like beast.
'So that is their destination.'
Glancing at the majestic Ashen Barrow, Sunless noted again the remarkable tree atop it, its branches onyx-black and its leaves a vibrant scarlet. It looked like something sacred, hidden in the heart of hell.
He shared his discoveries in hushed whispers, all the while keeping his eyes on the centurion.
The monster passed by the mound without a glance.
"It's heading for the Barrow," Sunless murmured.
"Follow it," Ariandel ordered, disconcertingly calm.
Sunless nodded and sent his shadow in pursuit. The creature pressed across the wasteland, bearing the transcendent fragment with almost reverent care, as if a pilgrim bound for a holy site.
When it neared the Ashen Barrow, the centurion halted abruptly. Slowly, it laid the crystal upon the sand and stepped back, kneeling before it with scythes bowed low.
Noticing Sunless's surprise, Nephis raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
He hesitated.
"Wait..."
At that moment, his shadow—lurking safely beyond the kneeling monster—perceived a subtle shift on the Ashen Barrow's surface.
The intense glow they had first seen from the leviathan's spine had returned, only this time far more blinding.
The radiance rose from the shadows cast by the great tree's branches and drifted toward the footsteps of the hill.
When Sunless finally discerned the true source of the light, his eyes widened.
A chill rippled down his spine, and he forgot to breathe.