Fors sat in the room, tied to a wooden chair. Her mouth was securely gagged with a blue cloth, and her hands and legs were bound tight by a stout rope.
Alista Tudor looked at her, concern etched on his face. "Is it really necessary?"
Fors, her eyes conveying a strange mix of fear and relief, managed to speak, the sound muffled by the gag. "Mmmph! Trust me. Ever since I entered the Dream Realm, this feels… comforting. And nobody knows."
Alista stayed silent, but his gaze was filled with worry. this was her flaw
Suddenly, Fors's body began to spasm. She started wriggling violently against the ropes. Her face contorted, and a terrifying sight began: bluish maggots started writhing beneath her skin, making her face twist and distort. The Maggot Form was slowly trying to manifest, barely being held back by her sheer mind and the physical constraint of hers.
She screamed in pain, but the gag muffled the sound. This continued for an agonizing duration. Alista looked on helplessly. He could have used his [Bribe] ability, but that would weaken her mental fortitude, putting her at an extremely high risk of turning permanently into the maggot-ridden form.
This terrifying ordeal lasted for the whole night. As morning came, and the Dark Sea receded, Alista saw Fors completely spent. The ravings had ended, and she was utterly exhausted.
Alista slowly unbound her from the chair. Fors was too tired to move. Alista looked at her gently. "Are you alright?"
Fors barely looked at him. "I… am… alright," she whispered hoarsely.
Alista slowly lifted her, allowing her to lean heavily on his shoulder. Slouching against him, Fors asked, "So, when are we going to meet Artemis?"
"After an hour," Alista replied. He brought her outside of the temporary residence and moved toward a safer location.
It had been a week since they had met Fors in the outer settlements. Alista, Artemis, and Fors had been meticulously planning their next steps, focusing on searching for the rest of the Shards. Ever since Artemis learned that their true gateway was guarded by a Fallen Terror, she had started preparing for the long haul. Thus, Alista, Fors, and Artemis spent part of their time hunting local monsters to gather resources.
Meanwhile, they were actively looking for Scouts and Healers. Usually, people with specialized skill sets were available, but most of them were already aligned with either Nephis's Cohort or Gunlaug's people. Middle-ground individuals like Alista and Artemis were currently sided by no one.
Alista and Fors entered a new room, which was filled with boxes. Inside were maps, Soul Shards, data logs, and food rations—all the supplies they had gathered. Alista and Fors quickly started to unpack and organize.
Fors looked around. "No one has touched it. We need to find a safer location for the long term, though."
Alista scanned the perimeter, checking for any familiar fluctuations. "No Sunny, no Shadow Scout," he confirmed.
As they finished preparing the room for a meeting, they heard a sudden knock—a rapid succession of two, and then a delayed, quiet third knock. Alista immediately opened the door. Standing there were Artemis and two new faces: a young man with blue eyes and silver hair, and a petite woman with blond hair and red eyes.
Artemis came inside, followed by the two recruits. She looked at Fors and Alista with a purposeful expression.
The silver-haired young man spoke with a slightly dirty smirk. "It seems these two were busy for all night."
Fors immediately looked at him with pure rage, understanding the implication. The boy laughed, unbothered. "Sorry. It was just an attempt at making an impression."
Alista intervened, keeping his voice level. "Are these the people who were willing to join us?"
Artemis nodded. "I haven't given them full details, but they accepted the terms,they willing to share their abilities now,if you are fine with it."
"Then, introduce yourselves," Alista commanded.
The young man stepped forward first. "I am Klaus."
Alista frowned, a flicker of recognition from his past life crossing his mind. "A Mikaelson?"
"A what?" Klaus replied, confused.
"Nothing," Alista dismissed it. Klaus continued.
"I used to work under Genma, but recently quit. I have stayed in the Forgotten Shore for five years. I am a Pathfinder."
Alista's eyes widened slightly. 'Five years? That is a long time. And Pathfinder. I wonder what the price for his loyalty is?'
Klaus continued, describing his power. "My ability is that I can give non-living things a life and get information from it."
Alista immediately thought of a particular fictional character—Giorno from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. "What is the price for joining us?" Alista asked directly.
Klaus replied with a smug smile. "Nothing. Just for free."
Alista, Artemis, and Fors all frowned simultaneously. 'Free things cost the most,' Alista thought, instantly suspicious.
Klaus's smile faded slightly. "I just need to escape from this hell. That is what I want."
Alista's curiosity was piqued. "You could have joined Changing Star. She has more fame than me."
Klaus spoke with genuine conviction. "Your attitude is different from hers, and moreover, I would bet on the Valor Clan rather than some almost extinct clan." He looked directly at Artemis.
Alista mentally decided to tolerate the boy for now. "I will sort that way out later." He turned his attention to the blond woman.
Fors introduced her. "She is Gwen. She belongs to the Handmaidens. She is an introvert."
Alista frowned. "Why are you speaking instead of her?"
Gwen immediately made a series of hand signs. Alista understood immediately: Her Flaw was that she could not speak. And since he couldn't understand the complex hand signs, communication would be a serious problem.
Alista picked up a small rock lying in the corner, handed it to her, and spoke gently. "Write it down on the table, about your abilities and why you're here."
Gwen picked up the stone and scribbled on the dusty table surface. Alista, Fors, Artemis, and Klaus read the makeshift writing.
Alista looked up. "Apparently, she can form a healing field similar to how Artemis can form a gravity field. And she came to join me because we are the only ones willing to accept her. She was avoided because of her flaw; even in the Handmaidens, she was treated like a broken person."
Alista understood. Her situation was similar to the early days of Cassie, but the fact that Gwen had survived in the Forgotten Shore for a year was significant.
He looked at Fors,she nodded meaning that,this is a good,He spoke,"Welcome Aboard.",Klaus laughed and Gwen gave a smile
Alista immediately took out a map. "We will train for a week to increase our coordination and gauge our formation."
Artemis pointed to a marked point on the map—an offshore ruin. "After that, we are going to this Statue and we hunt there. This is a must."
Klaus looked at the point, recognizing the danger. "Dark Sea, huh? That is… unexpected. Still, no problem." Gwen also nodded her assent.
Alista's mind raced. 'If my guess is right, this is where the Moonlight Shard is located.'
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