The sun had long dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, dying glow across the craggy hilltop where the group had set camp. The fire crackled softly, painting their faces in flickering amber light.
Raizel was crouched over the spit, turning the meat with mechanical precision. Beside him, Nephis was focused on grinding herbs collected by Raizel, making them into a makeshift sauce, her movements graceful, measured—almost too perfect.
A short distance away, Sunny was sprawled across the sun-warmed stone, arms folded behind his head as he stared up into the grey sky. Cassie sat beside him, her knees pulled close, fingers brushing faintly against the edge of his coat as they spoke in low tones.
Raizel didn't miss a word of their conversations.
"Your Flaw is the most debilitating I've ever seen or heard of," Sunny said, his voice softened.
"Without people like Raizel or Neph… it would've been a death sentence. And people like them? I'm not sure there's anyone else like them in this world, "
Sunny himself wasn't sure that people like them exist after all from where he come from people would kill each other for just a bread.
Raizel hearing this blinked, mildly surprised.
'So he included me too… well i already know that but still it is.... interesting.' Raizel knows that Sunny would have included him after all he is the only reason they all are alive and well.
He rotated the meat once more, then pulled it away from the fire to let it rest.
"But…?" Cassie asked, tension creeping into her voice, she seems to know more then Sunny was letting on.
"That means your power, the other side of your Flaw, is just as extraordinary. You haven't figured it out yet. But when you do… you'll remember this conversation and will think that how damn naïve you were."
Cassie turned her head slightly, lips parting.
"Do you really believe that?"
"Please. I'm the most honest men in both worlds." Sunny's smug grin could be heard in his voice.
After all people can call him whatever they want but a lier... no!
Raizel almost cracked a smile hearing this 'He's not wrong about that.'
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Nephis. She was holding one hand close to her face, eyes lowered, and—
'…Was she smelling her hand?' he thought, then his voice, cold and low, broke through the moment.
"Nephis. What are you doing?"
Nephis flinched almost like a thief caught in stealing.
Her mask cracked, a flicker—subtle panic behind her eyes.
"N-Nothing," she said, a faint tremor betraying her.
Raizel studied her for a moment, then said nothing, returning his focus to Sunny and Cassie's conversation.
"The vision I saw… it was an angel," Cassie whispered, her voice low and raw.
"Swimming underwater. Trying to save someone. I couldn't see who it was. But I knew… if I didn't do something, I would lose something precious."
Raizel's eyes narrowed slightly.
'An angel, huh?' He already knew who the angel was. But the question burned inside him:
'Who were you trying to save, Nephis?'
His eyes lingered on her for a moment before turning back.
"Can you promise me something?" Cassie asked suddenly.
Sunny sat up slightly.
"Depends on what it is."
A long silence.
"Promise me you'll take care of Raizel. No matter what."
Raizel blinked surprised.
'Me?'
His mind instinctively drifted to Nephis—wasn't she supposed to be the one people worried about? Yet here Cassie was, asking Sunny to protect him. There was something oddly intimate about the request… and unsettling.
'Does that mean Nephis was trying to protect me' he thought confused, but this was a good thing for him after all, he now know that he needs to prepare for the future.
Hearing this Sunny hesitated.
"I can't." His voice was softer now. "I can barely take care of myself."
Cassie let out a tired breath, nodding, almost as if she knew that this was the outcome.
"That's fair."
She stood, her blind eyes unreadable, summoned her staff, and walked toward the fire. Toward Raizel. Toward Nephis.
Sunny watched her retreating figure, thoughts curling like smoke inside his head.
Raizel could feel that Nephis today was oddly quiet. He could feel her presence, warm and intense. He turned his head slightly to see her gazing at him—not the blank stare she gave most, but something more raw, more open.
He didn't ask what she was thinking.
He already knew.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Evening draped its heavy veil over the crimson labyrinth as Raizel quietly observed Sunny practicing with his sword. Each motion carried more weight now—more intent. His strikes weren't just reflex anymore. They were _shaped_ by understanding.
"Hah! hah! hah.....Hah!"
After the thousandth strike, Sunny exhaled sharply and sat down, wiping sweat from his brow. The blade in his hands shimmered faintly, reflecting the dying light. He studied it for a while, then asked.
"Do you think I'm really suited for a sword? Or should I consider switching weapons someday?"
Raizel, standing nearby with arms crossed, regarded him silently. Then replied, flatly:
"That depends. What are you trying to become?"
Sunny gave a lopsided smile. "I don't know… strong enough not to die?"
Raizel shrugged.
"Then the sword is a good start. It's called the king of weapons for a reason."
Sunny raised a brow. "Why's that?"
Raizel paused for a beat. His gaze drifted from the sword to the horizon.
"Do you know how natural selection works?"
Sunny frowned. "Survival of the fittest? The strongest live, the weak die."
"Not quite." Raizel's voice was calm, low.
"It's not the strongest who survive. It's the most adaptable. If strength was everything, lions, tigers, elephants… they'd rule the world instead of humans."
Sunny tilted his head. 'Tigers? Elephants? Must be extinct predators.'
Raizel continued, tone almost philosophical.
"Combat works the same way. A spear's better at range. A war hammer can crush armor. A mace? Easier to maintain. Each weapon has its purpose."
He Summoned his sword, dark particles started gathering in his hands taking a shape of the Azure Blade, the same blade Sunny has.
"But the sword is versatile. It can pierce, slash, bash. You can use it at range, up close, even defend with it. The tip, the edge, the pommel—each part is a tool."
He looked directly at Sunny now.
"You won't be the best at any one thing. But you'll never be helpless. A sword makes you adaptable. And in a world that constantly changes, that's what keeps you alive."
Sunny nodded slowly, the logic settling into his mind like stone into earth.
"I think I get it."
Raizel turned his gaze to the sea.
"In the end, though… it's not the weapon that matters. It's the one holding it."
He dismissed the Azure Blade with a quiet whisper of light and shadow.
"You are the weapon."
Silence followed—comfortable, thoughtful. They watched the sun sink behind the cliffs, bleeding gold and red across the sky. Below them, the sea returned to the labyrinth, filling its grooves like dark ink. The scavengers, as always, began to stir, scrambling to find shelter.
Sunny's open his eyes, as his shadow stirred.
"We're going to have guests soon."
Nephis stepped closer, looking down her eyes tracking the dark figures climbing the cliffs.
"With the high ground, it won't be too hard to deal with them."
Raizel waved a hand dismissively.
"That won't be necessary."
He summoned his Echo.
The echo appeared in a silence and leapt down the cliff with quiet ferocity. The scavengers barely had time to scream. The Echo carved through them with inhuman efficiency, limbs after limbs scattering like broken toys.
Sunny raised an eyebrow, as he scoff 'Yeah he is showing off.'
Raizel turned to Nephis.
"I'm going to sleep. You coming?"
She glanced at the Echo, still tearing through the remaining scavengers, then back at Raizel. Her face was unreadable, but she nodded.
"Yeah. Let's go."
They walked off without another word.
Sunny look at the back of the couples that were slowly despairing into the darkness.
He then look at his own shadow, then said with a tired smile.
"Well it seems like it you and me Buddy."
The shadow pretended to not notice and ignored him.
'Disloyal bastard!'
The rest of the night passed quietly. No monsters managed to scale the cliff—Raizel's Echo had torn them all apart before they even got close.
By morning, the four Sleepers were on the move again, continuing westward through the crimson wilds.
Raizel rode atop his Echo, calm and silent, calmly wiping the blood from the edge of his sword.
{The darkness inside you grows stronger.}
He glanced down at Sunny and Nephis, who were busy extracting soul shards from the corpses strewn around them. After dozens of battles, their movements were sharp and efficient—more so than Raizel expected at this stage.
'They're progressing fast... much faster than in the book.'
His eyes narrowed slightly as they landed on a corpse that Sunny had slain alone.
'That shouldn't be possible. Not yet. He's not supposed to be this strong.'
In the original story, Sunny had survived early encounters by relying on stealth, deception, and traps. He avoided direct conflict—yet here he was, carving through scavengers solo.
'But this time.' Because of Raizel existence Sunny has become stronger in this stage then he was supposed too.
Raizel shifted his gaze to Nephis, who was casually slicing through the creature's carcass to harvest its meat. Her movements were measured, graceful and... deadly.
'She's gotten stronger too. I'd say she could handle four scavengers alone if she used her Aspect ability…'
He paused, frowning slightly.
'Though she hasn't used it once. Is it because of my Flaw? I'll have to look into that later. For now—'
"Raizel," Cassie's voice cut through his train of thoughts. "Are they alright?"
He turned to the blind girl, face unreadable.
"They're fine."
Cassie exhaled in relief, tension leaving her shoulders. "Good."
He offered no reply.
Soon, Sunny and Nephis approached. Sunny handed over a pouch of soul shards and a bundle of meat. Raizel accepted them wordlessly, storing them inside his ring.
He glanced up. The sun was high, burning pale and cold above the grey sky. Still plenty of daylight.
"What do you think?" Sunny asked, glancing at the terrain. "We're between Flat Hill and Bone Ridge. Should we head back, or try to reach the Ridge before sunset?"
Nephis said nothing, instead looking toward Raizel, waiting for his decision.
Raizel considered for a moment.
'We're moving faster than I expected. Not sure if that's good… or dangerous.'
'But i am more to believe the latter.'
He looked at the others.
"Let's push forward. To the Bone Ridge."
Sunny nodded without hesitation. Nephis gave no verbal response—but she agreed.
Raizel, however, noticed her eyes flicker toward Cassie, who had been sticking close to him since morning. A faint frown crossed Nephis's face—barely noticeable.
Barely...
But Raizel saw it.
'Is she… jealous? Interesting.'
He said nothing.
Later, as the sun began its descent, they reached the outskirts of Bone Ridge. The horizon was a dying crimson, the shadows lengthening across the ridges of pale stone and jagged peaks.
They still had time. But not much.
And as always, time was a luxury they couldn't waste.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Raizel and Cassie rode atop the Echo, its heavy footfalls steady as a drumbeat, while Nephis and Sunny walked at its flanks—silent, alert, weapons out. They were ready for anything the Bone Ridge might throw at them.
Up ahead, Sunny's shadow moved with a will of its own, scouting the path in eerie silence.
Raizel cast a sidelong glance at Sunny. The boy looked tense, eyes scanning the ridge with growing unease.
'Right... it's about time.' Raizel shifted his gaze toward the looming structure ahead.
Suddenly, Sunny stopped in his tracks. His voice, tight and uncertain, broke the silence:
"Uh… guys, I think something's wrong."
The group halted. Three pairs of eyes turned to him.
"What is it?" Raizel asked calmly, though he already knew the answer. Still, best to play the part.
"This place…" Sunny hesitated. "It doesn't feel right. Something's… off."
Cassie furrowed her brow. "I don't sense anything."
Raizel glanced at Nephis. "You?"
She shook her head. "No."
Raizel looked back at Sunny.
"Then it's something only you can perceive. Likely tied to your shadow affinity—your 'Shadow Sense.'" His tone was even, clinical. "Whatever's wrong here, it must be affecting the shadows."
That gave them pause.
Sunny looked thoughtful, the gears in his head turning. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah… yeah, that makes sense. The shadows feel... wrong. Like they're watching."
The rest of the journey continued in tense silence.
Hours passed. The sun dipped lower in the sky, draping the crimson labyrinth in long shadows. Then—just as the last rays of daylight bled across the horizon—a vast darkness surged over the path ahead.
Raizel's eyes narrowed as he looked forward. He could feel it now—subtle, but undeniable. The darkness here was... different. Thicker. Hungrier.
His gaze shifted to the enormous shadow of the Crimson Spire as it blanketed the path ahead.
"Sunny," Raizel said, voice low. "I think we've found the source of your unease. The Spire's shadow."
Sunny and Nephis turned to look. The towering silhouette of the Spire loomed like a blade raised to strike.
"Cassie," Sunny asked, "Is this the same Spire from your vision? The one with seven seals?"
Cassie's face paled slightly. She nodded.
"Yes. In the dream, it was massive—taller than a mountain. I saw it from the walls of the human stronghold. Its shadow stretched for miles when the sun set, like a crimson spear across the land."
She paused. "And the feeling I got from it… it was exactly like what you're feeling now. Just—worse."
Sunny frowned.
"Is it crimson because it's made from the same stuff as the labyrinth?"
Cassie hesitated. "Maybe… or maybe it's the opposite. Maybe the labyrinth is made from the Spire."
That hung in the air like a curse. If true, then the Crimson Spire wasn't just a relic of the Dream Realm—it might be its heart.
Raizel watched them quietly, then spoke with finality.
"Speculation later. The sun's almost down. Let's move."
The others nodded, and without another word, they pressed forward into the deepening shadow of the Bone Ridge.
Everyone nodded their head and started continuing their journey to the Bone Ridge.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
From his vantage point atop the Echo, Raizel surveyed the landscape ahead with narrowed eyes.
'The Bone Ridge.'
A fitting name, though it lacked imagination. The ridge was not just made of bone—it was bone. The remains of a colossal sea creature lay stretched across a rising mound of chaotic coral, its vast spine arcing skyward like the ribs of a sunken cathedral. Time and tide had gnawed it down to its essence, leaving only a skeletal monument to whatever ancient terror it had once been.
Even in death, the creature dwarfed the imagination. It must have been immense, even by the brutal standards of the dark sea. Raizel couldn't picture its living form—not clearly. Just shadows and hints: a maw wide enough to swallow ships, eyes deeper than the abyss, hunger without end.
But this was far from the first giant carcass they'd passed.
The Crimson Labyrinth was littered with the ruins of forgotten titans. Their bones, bleached and half-swallowed by coral, jutted from the terrain like gravestones. Natural arches formed from ribs larger than tree trunks. Coral spires grew thickest around them, as if trying to reclaim the ancient dead, burying their ivory remains in a sea of blood-colored stone.
'So even monsters have graves here,' Raizel thought.
He tightened his grip on the Echo, watching as the others advanced through the skeletal terrain.
'What kind of nightmare was this place… that even leviathans ended up as bones in the dirt?'
And more importantly—'what killed them?'