The dark sea began receding again, signaling the start of another day in this hell. Inside the cramped watchtower, the cohort stirred. Watches had rotated through the artificial night without incident, leaving everyone somewhat sleep-deprived but otherwise unharmed. The wind still moaned through the ancient stones.
They packed their meagre belongings quickly and efficiently. The 'Bedrolls' were secured, leftover rations stowed. A shared look passed between them – fatigue was evident, but so was resolve. Today, they must reach their target.
Descending the crumbling section of the northern wall proved tricky, but they managed it without mishap, landing softly on the ground outside the Dark City's boundary.
Before them lay a new landscape, heavily different from the ruins.
The ground had a reddish tint, and strange, twisted coral-like formations jutted out like an eerie skeleton. Hardy, crimson-leafed vegetation clung to rocks all around, creating a disorienting maze. As most called it, the crimson labyrinth. They pressed onward, heading deeper north.
Their pace was brisk. The estimated travel time – nearly half a day – weighed on them. Delay brought the risk of being hit by the dark sea or finding shelter in this mostly unfamiliar land. Every step took them further from the wall.
The labyrinth tested their navigation. Cassie proved invaluable, guiding them through winding paths. They encountered fewer Nightmare Creatures here, but the ones they saw seemed smarter, stranger. Most were avoided.
Hours passed. The terrain rose and fell. Finally, cresting a low rise, Nephis signaled a halt. Below them, in a sunken basin surrounded by jagged crimson peaks, stood their objective: the Statue of the Slayer.
Carved from dark, resilient stone, it depicted a lithe figure cloaked in shadows, holding a dagger, all while its head was missing. It exuded silent menace. At its base, the ground was churned – a lair. Assessing the basin, Ray noted a series of ledges on the statue's massive base and adjacent rock formations that looked potentially climbable. "If things go bad, maybe we can get some height there," he murmured, pointing it out. Nephis gave a curt nod, acknowledging the potential emergency escape route.
Nephis turned to the group, her silver eyes serious. "Listen carefully. The statue is guarded. A Fallen Beast nests beneath it. Engage it, but do not kill it before one of us touches the statue. Securing the Memory is the priority. Killing it first might compromise the Memory."
Nods went around. Caster was the implicit choice for the touch-and-grab.
"Ray, Effie, draw its attention and hold it," Nephis instructed. "Henry, Caster, flank. Look for openings. I'll support in melee and heal as needed. Cassie, stay back, stay alert." Healing required Nephis to touch her target, adding another layer of risk to her close-quarters role.
With the plan set, they descended into the basin, spreading out, weapons drawn. As they approached, the ground near the statue erupted.
From the earth emerged the Chitinous Stalker. Large, obsidian-plated, multi-limbed, its multiple eyes fixed on them as it hissed, a sound like grinding stone.
Effie reacted instantly, shield up, drawing its focus. Ray was beside her, his halberd glancing off its thick carapace. The Stalker lunged, Effie absorbing the blow with her shield. "Hide's tough!" Ray confirmed.
Caster darted in, his blade seeking gaps, but the armor underneath limited the damage. A swipe forced him back.
Nephis engaged with her sword, a silver flash against the dark chitin. Her strikes were swift, aimed at joints or eyes, trying to create openings for others. She stayed mobile, ready to dart towards anyone who took a serious hit.
Henry moved opposite Caster, his own sword scraping uselessly against the shell. Frustration built as he circled, unable to penetrate the beast's natural defense, keenly aware of the power he held in reserve.
The fight became a dangerous stalemate. Effie and Ray worked together, tanking the ferocious assaults. Caster harassed the flanks, unable to get a clear path to the statue. Nephis weaved through the chaos, her sword seeking purchase, occasionally breaking off to dash towards Effie, placing a glowing hand on her shoulder to mend a minor wound sustained when the shield couldn't absorb hits fully.
Time dragged. The Stalker seemed tireless. Henry's inability to contribute meaningfully gnawed at him.
Suddenly, Cassie tensed, her head tilted. "Something... feels wrong," she whispered, a tremor in her voice. "There's a pressure building... I don't like this." It wasn't a specific vision, just a powerful sense of impending dread settling over the basin.
Ray heard her, saw the endless fight, felt the mounting pressure Cassie described. This wasn't working. He made the call.
"Henry!" Ray shouted, his voice raw. "Do it! Now! Forget the consequences!"
Henry met Ray's gaze, saw the grim necessity. He nodded once, closed his eyes, and unleashed his Aspect.
The transformation was immediate. Henry's skin paled further, his cheeks hollowed, giving him a slightly gaunt look. A faint, crimson aura shimmered around him, brightest along his sword blade, making it glow hungrily.
He moved, unnaturally fast and strong. He lunged, his crimson-wreathed sword biting deep into the Stalker's chitin with a sickening crunch. Dark ichor sprayed. The Stalker shrieked in pain and shock.
Henry pressed his attack, his glowing blade a blur, carving deep gashes into the beast's armor. The tide turned instantly.
"Now, Henry! Its neck!" Ray yelled, seeing the Stalker reel. Ray unleashed the stored energy from his halberd into a focused strike at the neck joint, cracking the chitin. Henry's crimson blade followed, widening the breach. The Stalker roared, momentarily stunned.
"Caster!" Nephis yelled, driving her own sword into a leg joint to further hinder the beast.
This was the chance. Caster shot forward like a phantom, ducking under a flailing limb, hand outstretched. He slapped the cold stone of the statue base.
He didn't pause. Pivoting instantly while the Stalker was still reeling from its wounds, Caster lunged. His ghostly and eerie Jian found the deep fissure Ray and Henry had created in the beast's neck armor. With a final, desperate surge of strength, he drove it deep down.
There was a wet, tearing sound, followed by a final, gurgling screech. The Chitinous Stalker convulsed and then collapsed, lifeless.
Silence slammed down, broken only by panting breaths. Effie sagged against her shield. Caster clutched his sword, with a slight vacant look in his eyes.
Victory.
But the relief lasted only a heartbeat. Henry stood nearby, the crimson glow fading, the gauntness starkly visible. He had used his Aspect.
Cassie gasped, pressing hands to her temples. "The feeling... it's not gone... it's..."
Then the ground trembled. A low, deep vibration that grew rapidly, accompanied by a rising cacophony from beyond the basin – growls, screeches, hisses, the thunder of countless limbs. Henry's flaw had broadcast its irresistible invitation.
"The high ground!" Nephis shouted, pointing frantically towards the climbable ledges on the statue and the adjacent rocks they'd noted earlier. "Up! Now! Go!"
There was no time to think. They scrambled towards the base of the massive statue and the nearby rock face, adrenaline surging through exhausted limbs. Looking back, they saw the first wave of Nightmare Creatures pouring into the basin – a horrifying mix of shapes and sizes, ignoring each other, eyes fixed solely on the group, drawn by the lingering scent of Henry's power.
Claws scrabbled on stone behind them as they began the desperate climb, the horde surging across the basin floor like a nightmarish tide, mere seconds behind them. Their escape was uncertain, their only hope the precarious height offered by the ancient stone.