Despite the new found girl who clung tightly to his arm, they marched forward through the dark castle. The lamp's light allowed for safe passage and no trip ups, but the exit continued to elude him. He looked down at her tremling frame and felt an odd sense to protect her like an older brother.
"No need to fear. This happens every year, sleepers enter the dream realm and have to escape. Could you read me your aspect? It will help our chances of survival."
She looked up at Riley, unsure of whether to trust the words of a stranger.
But Riley doubled down. He deemed this information to be detrimental to both his and her survival.
"Forgive me, could you read to me your aspect's name?"
She nodded softly and closed her eyes. After opening them she mouthed the words.
[Wild Fervour]
'Seems like a fighting type, perfect.'
He took one more look at Lucy who had been trembling.
'You bad its wasted on a scaredy cat.'
He didn't really mean it. Those who are scared often survive longer than those who are not. And with time, she could could learn to overcome the fear, at least that is what Riley believed.
There were several reasons Riley kept her with him. The little sister feeling, her potential down the line, guilt. But one that stood out to him the most was that insatiable feeling of relief washing over his being.
Dread Core: [24/1000]
Dread Core: [25/1000]
The fear she was experiencing was slowly filling the dread core.
He still couldn't figure out what it did, but anything bestowed by a demon was bound to be powerful by nature.
'Ariel you beautiful bastard, next time write an instruction manual when you give out your lineage.'
He joked to himself, his chuckling slightly scaring Lucy. Her silence though was unbroken.
'Wait! There is a way to know where I am in the story!'
Riley turned to his new friend and grasped her shoulders.
"Lucy, please tell me. Is the war going on right now?"
She looked puzzled for a second then a bulb lit up above her head.
"Y-yes. My uncle told me that he was going to fight against the Song army. Something about battling against a cursed titan. B-But I am sure he was just joking…"
Riley muttered to himself.
"Damnation! We are further along than I expected… I need to get to the Bastion as soon as possible. Before the war ends."
He believed Sunny would be there after the war. After killing the Sovereigns. The novel said so afterall.
But there was another secret to the deal Riley agreed to. Demons were cunning creatures after all, so he stole parts of Riley's memories regarding situations. Instead, they were replaced with a sort of grey fog that created fake, everchanging memories.
"R-Riley? What's wrong?"
Lucy trembled by his side, as if a single feather-light brush would shatter her into a million pieces. Even though she was stronger than him with her aspect.
"Don't worry too much about it. All you have to understand is that everything will be alright. There are no nightmare creatures here to hurt us. They were all hunted by Lady Changing Star."
Her eyes lit up with joy, the insistent shaking finally taking a break.
"So let's find someone else to join us too, the more the merrier right?"
It was certainly not correct. Riley enjoyed his alone time much more than spending time drinking beers and ogling girls like his workmates.
But, it would help put Lucy at ease. She was visibly excited, jumping up and down at the thought of making more friends.
Even he couldn't help but smile at her childish joy.
Behind his back he summoned the [Twisted Scissors] that ended up being larger than expected. They hung by his arms, dragging his back down. His fall was barely stopped by the scissors planted in the stone.
"Heavy. Far too heavy! How am I supposed to use something like this, Ariel?!"
He kicked the scissors and instead of damaging the memory, his foot throbbed in pain.
"Damnation, why couldn't it just be lighter?"
His words lingered in the air, and for a second he felt the strain of holding the scissors up disappear. Now, they weighed no more than a simple sword.
Their edge glistened in the lantern light. The curved edges of its blades were painted a strange prismatic shade of pink and cyan. His finger sliced open as he ran it along the edge of his new weapon.
With a strong tug, the bolt connecting the scissors came off. Both sides changed forms slightly to become more swordlike.
"Alright. Ariel, no more badmouthing you. I now realise you had an impeccable sense of style."
Lucy who had been watching idly this entire time was growing scared of the person who promised to protect her.
"Uhm…sir Riley. Could we start leaving? I am getting a little bit anxious about staying still."
He nodded, the memory vanishing from his hands.
"Sure, let's go. I suspect there might be some people to be found around the main courtyard. Or maybe in the gambling den."
Riley tried his hardest to remember everything that was in the bright castle. Aside from many bedrooms and large halls, nothing notable stood out.
Even as they walked along, all that there was to be found were skeletons of humans long passed. Gunlaug's old guard. Their memories were long gone, which was a huge pity for Riley.
'I hoped to find some and read their information. It was a crazy time reading the chapter with the puppeteer's shroud again, especially after reading how Sunny killed it.'
While reminiscing about his old readthrough, another scream broke the veil of silence. This time it was that of a man, an awfully older man.
"Are you interested in rescuing an old man Lucy?"
She nodded eagerly, summoning sparks of her own, now armed with a long spear.
'Oh wow, I gotta read the description of that later.'
The screaming voice danced closer as it came to be accompanied by three more sets of footsteps.
'Didn't think a fight among humans would happen even here. But I refuse to be the one on the losing end!'