Completing his first task, Cade slowly descended from the twisted branches of the Soul Devourer. His feet touched the ash-strewn ground and he cast a wary look around. He still had some work to do.
Moving to the side, Cade reached a vantage point and gazed at the ground. There, Changing Star and Cassie lay sleeping. Their forms were still beneath the shifting shadows. He lingered for a long moment, his eyes settling on Cassie. He was making sure they were both soundly asleep.
Damn, I must look like one hell of a creep right now… The thought was simply a wry attempt to lighten the pressure sinking into his chest.
He wasn't a creep, though. This was all part of the plan he and Maya had thought up. It was necessary. Logical. And yet...
After one final check, he stepped away from the onyx trunk of the abominable tree. His footfalls were careful against the ash. Overhead, the Soul Devourer rustled— its red leaves whispering warily, like it knew what Cade was about to do. His fingers twitched, hovering at the edge of summoning the Voidfang. If the tree dared to stir its buried thralls, he wouldn't hesitate to cut them down.
But for now, silence held. An oppressive reverence tried to curl around Cade's thoughts. However, it was dispelled easily enough under the potent enchantment of the Crown of Stillness.
Finally, he reached the point where Cassie was resting.
She was completely still. But it didn't look the peace of a tranquil sleep— no, it was more like the eerie stillness of a corpse. She was curled on her side, one arm beneath her head, the other resting beside her pale face.
Her beautiful features, which had been full of quiet vitality at the Academy, were gaunt now. Her cheeks were sunken. The delicate outlines of bone were drawn too sharply beneath her skin. Cade didn't know if he was simply imagining it, but she seemed... smaller. Fragile. As if the slightest touch might break her.
Cade knelt beside her. As his knees touched the ground, his gaze drifted to Changing Star— she was still out cold. That was good. If she woke now and saw him crouched beside Cassie, she'd probably slice his head off before he could say 'Shadow Slave'.
He turned back to the blind seer.
"Hey, Cas..." he whispered in a low voice.
Cassie didn't stir.
Looking at her unmoving form, Cade felt a mix of emotions. Melancholy. Guilt. Anger. Disgust—most of all, at himself. He was quite angry at the abominable tree, of course. It was only natural. But that loathing was nothing compared to what he felt for himself at the moment.
So much for following the damn story, he thought, cursing himself.
In his obsession with the original plot, he'd nearly let her die. He'd let her suffer. Let her fall into this monster's grasp when he could've saved her in a heartbeat.
Just one choice. And he'd been too afraid to make it.
Cassie had trusted him. He'd promised to protect her. But what had he done? He'd watched her slip— inch by inch— into oblivion. He felt disgusted with himself.
I'm sorry... he thought, clenching his jaw. But what good was an apology now? This wasn't the time to wallow in regret. There'd be time later, plenty of it, to hate himself.
He took a breath and leaned in. He gently placed his hand on Cassie's shoulder.
"Cassie... wake up," he murmured, giving her the faintest shake. "Come on..."
The delicate blind girl stirred slowly. Her eyes fluttered open— not that they saw. Her eyelids seemed weighed down, reluctant to lift. Like something within her was anchoring her to sleep.
Cassie blinked. Her small hand came up to cover a stifled yawn.
Cade withdrew his hand, watching as she sat up sluggishly, turning toward him. Her sightless eyes blinked again and her brows knitted together in confusion.
"Sunny?" she asked, voice groggy. "Is it late? Why did you wake me?"
Cade's heart clenched the moment he heard her voice. Something about the way she said it— the trust, the vulnerability— made the guilt of what he'd done almost unbearable.
He opened his mouth, but no words came. Just silence... and a single tear tracing the line of his cheek.
He'd endured so many horrors in the Dream Realm. He had slain Tyrants, faced Terrors, even survived a battle between Corrupted horrors. He had fought death so many times that he'd lost count. But nothing— not a single moment— compared to this.
Her face was so pale. Her frame was so delicate. It was a wonder she could still register her surroundings.
And it was all his doing. He was the one who'd let it happen. He was the reason Cassie was hovering so close to the edge.
Looking at her, Cade felt his resolve falling apart. He felt a painful tremble in his throat, a deep anguish in his chest.
But he refused to yield. He bit down on his crumbling resolve. He couldn't afford to break. Not now. Tears wouldn't fix this. Regret wouldn't help her now.
"...Sunny?" Cassie said again, a little more alert now. There was a faint wariness in her voice.
Cade wiped his face quickly and managed a strained smile. "I—It's me, Cas. It's me. Cade."
She paused. Her expression shifted. She tilted her head forward slightly, and though her eyes couldn't see, he knew what she was doing. Cassie was using her Dormant Ability— reaching through the fog to read his Attributes.
Wait…
Since their last encounter, his Attributes had changed. Well, not changed, but new ones had been added. And they were even more suspicious than before. Especially the [Sliver of Profanity]. How would she react?
But just as he braced for her response, the crimson canopy above them rustled ominously. Several of the blood-soaked leaves drifted down like falling knives. Simultaneously, the faint clarity that had sparked in Cassie's blind eyes dimmed— snuffed out like a dying flame.
"...Sunny?" she repeated, exactly as before.
Cade clenched his fists.
This damned tree… he thought, his rage flaring. He almost summoned the Severance then and there, ready to drive it through the onyx trunk of this loathsome fiend. But he restrained himself. He had to stick to the plan.
He grabbed Cassie's shoulders again, this time more firmly. Cassie winced slightly— she was far too weak, too frail to withstand a Monster's grip.
Still, he didn't have time.
"Listen to me, Cassie," he said. "It's me. Cade."
"...Cade?" she whispered.
It was breaking through— barely. Her eyelids drooped again.
He gave her another gentle shake. "Yeah. It's me. I can't stay long, but you need to hear this. You need to leave, Cassie. Leave this place. Understand?"
The moment she heard the word 'leave', she started to struggle. "Leave...? Leave where? Let go—you're hurting me!"
"This place! You need to get away from here!"
She grabbed at one of his gauntleted hands with her own tiny fingers, trying desperately to free herself. It was futile.
"Who are you? Let me go! Neph!" Her voice grew louder, more panicked.
"It's me— Arcadius," Cade said quickly, casting a glance at Nephis's slumbering form. She seemed to shift imperceptibly. Her waking was something he couldn't afford. His voice turned more insistent as he continued. "Just say you'll leave. That's all I need. Please."
At the mention of his full name, Cassie's resistance faltered a little. She turned to him fully now. Her wide, blind eyes sought his face, like she could still see him.
"...Arcadius?" she asked. "Cade? A—Are you really here?"
Something inside him loosened. She remembered. A small flicker of relief passed through Cade. She might not be able to retain the memory of his presence for long— but that was fine. She just needed to understand that he had been here.
"Yeah. I'm here," Cade said softly. "But I can't stay. Just promise me you'll leave, Cas. Please."
Her face trembled. Her lips parted, and tears welled in her eyes.
"B—But why? I... I like it here..." Her voice cracked. "...And where were you? All this time? Y—You were here, weren't you?"
Of course. She knew. She had obviously known. He'd all but announced himself when he attacked back then. Maybe that was why she hadn't had a vision.
Not that any of it mattered now.
"I'll explain everything," he said. "I swear. Just—just promise me. I need to hear you say it."
She hesitated. That fragile clarity was slipping away again.
"I'm sorry..." Cade whispered, tightening his grip just enough. She winced, but the pain brought her focus back. After all, pain was the one thing that could resist the Soul Devourer's hold.
"Please," he said again. "Say it. Say you'll leave."
"C—Cade, you're hurting me," Cassie whispered, her tears finally spilling. "Please..."
Cade could barely breathe. He felt something clamp down on his heart. Every second of this was tearing him apart.
"Just say it, Cas. Please..."
"...Okay..." Her voice cracked as she finally relented. "Okay, I'll leave. Just let me go. Please."
Cade exhaled, sharp and ragged. He released his grip. Then, he gently took her hand in his own, transferring the Tidemark Whisper to her. He didn't even know if it would work— after all, he had no soul. Still, he had to try. She needed all the help she could get.
The Whisper went through.
Thank the Gods…
Without another word, he rose and turned away. Cassie rubbed her shoulders, her blind eyes darting about in confusion.
"Cade...? Arcadius...? Are you really there? Cade?!"
He didn't answer. He'd done what he came to do. Every part of him screamed to take Cassie away from this cursed tree— to carry her to safety and never look back. But he'd promised Maya he would stick to the plan.
With luck, it would work. And all three Sleepers would survive.
Cassie's voice faded behind him. When he turned for one last glance, she had already fallen back asleep.
His gaze drifted to the bloodied branches overhead. The hatred that burned in his eyes now had nothing to do with his Flaw. This wasn't madness. This wasn't lust for battle.
It was simple. It was personal. Pure, lethal hatred.
Oh, what I wouldn't give to kill you right now...
But he couldn't.
So, he turned, and walked away.
***
As Cade reached the eastern slope of the Ashen Barrow, he cast a quick glance around, scanning the landscape.
He needed to find the knoll— the same one where the trio had hidden while witnessing the Centurion offer the Transcendent soul shard to the Carapace Demon. That was the designated meeting spot. If everything had gone as planned, Maya would be bringing Sunny there soon.
It didn't take him long to locate it. The knoll lay directly ahead, a small, uneven mound rising from the grey expanse. Satisfied, Cade exhaled. The remnants of his encounter with Cassie remained. A rush of emotions threatened to overwhelm him, but he kept himself grounded. There were lives at stake; his emotions could take a backseat for now. Squaring his shoulders, Cade broke into a sprint. He moved swiftly across the ashen terrain.
Reaching the knoll, he dropped low behind it, pressing his back against the rough surface. Up close, it was clear that the formation was an outgrowth of the Soul Devourer's ancient roots, now buried beneath layers of fine ash that stretched between the Bone Ridge and the Ashen Barrow.
Though the knoll barely reached his own height, it provided enough cover to crouch behind. Even still, it did little to shield him from the relentless heat of the artificial sun.
Cade ran a hand through his damp hair and let out a slow breath. Now, all that was left was to wait.
He leaned back, letting his muscles loosen just a little. There was no rush— Maya would still be busy breaking Sunny out of his enthrallment. And knowing her, that process wasn't going to be gentle. Cade had noticed the way her icy eyes had gleamed when they realized pain could keep an enthralled mind from slipping away.
Maya was... well, a bit of a sadist. Not outright cruel, but she never shied away from making someone suffer if it got results. And right now? Sunny was the unfortunate soul on the receiving end. Cade almost felt bad for the guy. Almost.
With nothing left to do but wait, Cade let his thoughts drift. The image of Cassie's death-like face was still stark in his mind.
...So, this is how it ends up, huh?
After everything, after trying to keep his distance from the main characters, after making sure he wasn't found out, here he was— sitting in the scorching heat after revealing himself to the blind girl, waiting for the protagonist himself to show up.
Damn it all... he thought, clenching his jaw. How the hell did it come to this?
Of course, Cade had always known this moment would come. Ever since he first ended up in the Dream Realm, he'd understood that sooner or later, he'd have to reveal himself to the cohort.
In fact, a part of him wanted to join them. It made sense, in hindsight. He had knowledge of this place— its dangers, its future. With him and Maya on their side, the cohort could go further, faster than they ever had before.
If Cade had listened to Maya, back when they first met, and helped the trio escape the Soul Devourer's clutches, Cassie would not have been in such a sorry state then. Her critical condition, her near-death state was on him. It was his doing.
But what's done was done. That did not mean it was too late, though.
Take the Forgotten Shore, for example. In the original timeline, it had taken the cohort nearly a year to escape. But with Cade's help? With Maya's? They could cut that time down significantly.
But did Cade really want to do it?
That was the real question.
What would happen if the cohort Awakened too early? If they returned to the real world months ahead of schedule? What would be the consequences? Cade had no idea.
And that was what unsettled him the most. The inability to predict the outcome. He knew that Fate would somehow pull the strings and bring about everything the way it was supposed to happen. But what about the path leading up to a known outcome?
Cade gritted his teeth, his hands forming fists.
With his Unholy Aspect, his broken Attribute, his Corrupted weapon, he could do what no one else could— he could cut down Bright Lord Gunlaug the moment he set foot inside the Bright Castle. He could eliminate the lieutenants first, preventing them from turning on each other after their lord's death. If he wanted to, he could seize the throne for himself, take command of the City, and lay siege to the Crimson Spire under his banner.
He could be the one to bring about the salvation of the Forgotten Shore.
Not Changing Star. Not Lost from Light. Him, the Shroudkeeper.
But... did he want to do that?
Well, even if he didn't, there were still so many things he could change. He could guide the cohort, tell them where to find the Shard Memories long before Cassie ever had her visions. He could stop Sunny from killing Harper, stop him from ever uttering his True Name, stop Cassie from revealing it to Nephis.
He could stop Sunny from becoming a slave.
He could rewrite everything.
But did he really want to?
What would that accomplish?
Was he truly free to make his own choices, or was he just another piece on the board, shackled by Fate itself?
Sunny had tried to break free of Fate's chains countless times. In the end, he had even succeeded— but at what cost? The world had forgotten him. His name, his struggle, his very existence had been erased.
Was that what awaited Cade, too, if he tried to defy Fate? And did he care?
It shouldn't have mattered. Not really. After all, he didn't belong here in the first place, so what if he was forgotten? Why should he care?
And yet… why not?
Why couldn't he belong here? Why couldn't he call this place home? He was strong— stronger than most. He could carve out a life for himself, a good one, without being bound by the script he knew all too well. He could choose to ignore Fate entirely.
But would Fate ignore him?
Would it really be that easy? Could he take the weight of certainty— the knowledge of what should happen— and mold it into something new? Could he turn Fate into Destiny, into Choice, bend its will into something of his own making?
And if he did— what would be the cost?
What if, in changing this path, he doomed some other, unseen thread of reality? True, he knew more than most— no, he knew more than anyone. But he was not a God. He didn't know everything.
How could he be certain that his path was the right one? Did his judgment even matter in the grand scheme of things?
Would Fate truly let him choose his own path?
As if.
That much was obvious. Fate wouldn't let him go so easily.
Every choice he made, every decision he thought was his own— in the end, they would all be Fate's machinations. And he would be caught in the web, just another thread woven into its grand design.
Unless, of course, he followed in Sunny's footsteps and untethered himself.
But he knew all too well as to what that entailed. Was he really willing to pay that price?
He had spent mere months in this world, yet the thought of being forgotten was... scary, to say the least. The most obvious reason was Maya, of course. He had found family in this godforsaken world. He wouldn't give her up.
And there were others too. Cassie.
He'd grown close to the blind seer— closer than he ever intended. A month. That was all. And yet, when she'd not recognized him earlier, a knot had formed in his chest. The mere thought of her forgetting him— of her standing in front of him, seeing him yet not knowing him— unsettled him far more than he cared to admit.
Then, there was Sunny.
Somewhere along the way, he'd found a friend in that distrustful bastard. And now, even their half-hearted camaraderie felt like something he didn't want to see reduced to ash.
True, he was a slave to Fate.
It might not command him directly, but it dictated the outcome of his every action, his every thought. Yet… was that really so bad?
Sunny had been obsessed with freedom for as long as Cade could remember. And in the end, he had earned it. He was erased from the tapestry of Fate. Banished from the Nightmare Spell. Untethered. Torn from the world.
Forgotten.
And he was free.
Would he really have strived for that freedom if he had known the price? If he had truly understood what it meant?
Cade smirked. I bet he would have.
And there was truth in that. Even if Sunny had known the cost, he would have done it anyway. That was just the kind of person he was.
But Cade wasn't Sunny.
Cade was Cade.
He wasn't obsessed with freedom. He didn't dream of unshackling himself from Fate. But then… what was he obsessed with? What was it that truly drove him?
After the struggle with the Mawshade and the escape from the Corrupted horrors, Cade had begun to think that he'd finally found something to strive for.
Strength.
He wanted power. Power to not feel helpless. Power to always be able to crush his enemies, no matter their strength. Power to never be overwhelmed or looked down upon.
But after just a few days following that ordeal, he'd quickly realized that the search for strength was not something he could base his entire life off of.
Instead, in this world— in the world of the Nightmare Spell— it was a prerequisite. Strength, capability, power. They were all the first and foremost things any Awakened strived for. He wasn't special in wanting to be powerful.
So, what made him him? What was it that was at the heart of his being, driving him forward through everything?
He sighed. Hell if I know.
And that was the problem. He didn't know. He really didn't.
He knew where this world was headed. He knew what the future held. That was his greatest strength— his knowledge. So he had decided, logically, to go with the flow. To grow stronger. To make allies. To stay alive.
But was that enough?
Was it enough to merely exist, to drift along with the current, watching from the sidelines? Or was he simply afraid? Afraid of the responsibility that came with making his own choices?
Because that was the thing about choices.
When you made them, you had to live with them.
And wasn't it safer— easier even— to let the current carry you forward, rather than steering yourself into the unknown?
Yes. That was it.
He was afraid of making his own choices.
He cursed Fate for laying out a path before him, for pulling the strings, for dictating his every move. But deep down, he was... grateful for it. Because it meant that he didn't have to decide for himself. He could leave the burden of choice to some higher existence, to something greater than him.
He could simply follow.
He was fine walking a predetermined path.
But was that really living?
If he was just going to drift along, waiting for the world to move him, then what was the point? Wouldn't it be simpler to just… let go? To let himself fall into the embrace of death?
After all, there was peace in death. The God of Death was the God of Peace.
No choices. No consequences. No paths.
Just… oblivion.
Was that what he truly wanted? Was that what he strived for? Oblivion? To disappear into nothingness? If so, then he was already walking the right path.
Cade shook his head slightly.
Of course I don't want to slip into oblivion. Nobody does…
He feared the weight of his own decisions. He feared the consequences of straying from what was already laid out.
But wasn't that what life was? Struggle. Uncertainty. Diving headfirst into the unknown.
Where was the fun in following a path that had already been walked?
No. There was no fun in that. So, that wasn't what Cade would do. He was a fun guy, after all.
He would live. And he would choose how he lived.
Was he bound by Fate? Well, Fate could go fuck itself.
What did it think it was? Some kind of god? Yeah, right.
Well, I am Arcadius. The Shroudkeeper. The Abyssbreather. The Otherwalker.
His entire being was an ostracized anomaly. A wound in reality itself.
And so, reality would bend to his will. And so would Fate. Whether the damned thing liked it or not.
If that was his will, who dared to stop him?
The story be damned. Fate be damned. Consequences be damned.
He would carve his own path. He would achieve better outcomes than the cohort did. He would do it better than even the best ever could.
And he would do it with his head held high, with his gaze fixed forward.
No more walking behind the cohort. No more picking up their scraps.
He entered this world for a reason. And he would turn it upside down. So, it had better be ready.
It'd better be ready for the Shroudkeeper.
________________________________________
Yup. Finally, Cade's eyes have opened. Did it take him too long? It did, didn't it? Still, better late than never. The dynamic of the story will obviously shift now. But we'll see... I know the pacing has turned even more crappy, but because I'm updating daily now, I don't think that should be a problem.
Any thoughts? Don't shy away leaving them...
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Until next time, people... :]