Kane, Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie sat perched on a broad branch of the great tree, patiently awaiting the sun's final descent. The branch was wide enough to easily accommodate twice their number, so they felt relatively secure from being spotted from the ground. Still, a palpable tension hung in the air, and they remained silent and motionless, wary of the giant monster that occasionally patrolled beneath their precarious hiding place.
The sound of his heavy footsteps sent shivers through the tense bodies of the four Sleepers. Not once since arriving on the Forgotten Shore had Kane hoped for the night to arrive faster. But, as they say, there was a first time for everything. They could only proceed with the next crucial step of their risky plan after the cloak of darkness had fallen, so there was nothing to do now but wait. Sitting with his back pressed against the others, Kane stared into the distance, attempting to clear his mind and not dwell on the potential dangers that lay ahead.
The first part of the plan went completely off the rails, Kane thought, a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. The Echo seems to be destroyed. If we need to engage the demon directly, we're severely shorthanded.
Soon, the night finally descended, drowning the world in absolute darkness. The Ashen Barrow transformed into a solitary island in the black, undulating void of the dark sea. The branches of the great tree swayed gently in the darkness, their vibrant scarlet leaves now indistinguishable from the obsidian surface of the wood. The leaves whispered and rustled, creating a strangely calming melody in stark contrast to the threatening murmur of the surging waves below.
At the end of it all, they were still essentially tossing a coin, hoping that its fall was not going to spell their doom.
He felt Nephis's position shift beside him. She turned her head and glanced in his direction, a calm expression etched on her face. Today, her inexplicable ability to remain composed in any situation, no matter how dire, was especially frustrating. Even though Changing Star could not see anything in the pitch-black darkness of the Starless Void, she somehow knew that he would notice her questioning look.
Sunny slowly exhaled, a signal of grim determination and spoke. "Let's begin."
The four of them moved with practiced precision, performing a rehearsed set of motions. Cassie and Kane carefully shifted to the side, giving Sunny and Nephis the space they needed to execute their part of the plan. Sunny gently placed the seaweed rucksack between himself and Nephis, then carefully opened it. His motions were slow and cautious, each movement deliberate.
Inside the rucksack, two large clay containers lay nestled within several layers of soft seaweed fiber. These jars had been hastily crafted by Sunny and Kane, and as such, were not particularly sturdy. After all, neither of them was a skilled craftsman — their collective knowledge about pottery stemmed from a single day of listening to Teacher Julius's passionate rants about the importance of clay in the development of human civilization. Still, they had at least remembered the basics.
Inside the jars, the volatile contents sloshed ominously, making Kane's heartbeat unsteady. A centipede monster had two distinct sacks in its body, each containing a different oily substance. When mixed, these substances produced an incredibly corrosive, deadly oil that could eat through a scavenger's carapace in mere seconds. It was also highly flammable.
The jars contained the two components of the centipede oil, carefully separated. If they were to break during their desperate run to the great tree, allowing the components to mix… well, there was a reason why the rucksack had been entrusted to Nephis, while Sunny and Kane bore the burden of carrying Cassie, despite his inferior physical endurance.
The centipede oil was the centerpiece of his audacious plan.
Carefully placing the clay jars on the branch, Sunny took out one last item from the rucksack. It was a makeshift torch, crudely fashioned out of bone and… yes, more seaweed. Traditionally, torches were supposed to be made out of wood, but on the Forbidden Shore, bones were much more readily found than sticks.
In the oppressive darkness, Sunny reached out and found Nephis's cool hand, gently placing the torch on her open palm.
Sunny deeply inhaled, steeling his nerves. "I'm ready."
Nephis nodded silently and then rose to her feet. Standing tall and resolute, she grasped the torch firmly and closed her eyes, as though offering a silent prayer. Clad in her stark white armor, with her silver hair dancing in the wind, she looked like a beautiful, solemn angel, poised on the edge of a precipice.
Kane watched Nephis, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes. This better not attract any more Nightmare Creatures.to attack us.
Then, a sudden, blinding white radiance ignited beneath her eyelids. In the next moment, a bright, intense fire burst from beneath her hands, igniting the top of the torch. Changing Star opened her eyes, extinguishing the inner light that had shone within them, and raised the torch high above her head. In the lightless world, this single, small flame looked like a lonely star, drowning in the vast sea of darkness.
Simultaneously, Sunny stepped to the very edge of the branch, inhaled deeply… and screamed at the top of his lungs. "HEY, ASSHOLE! COME GET ME IF YOU DARE!"
Then, all hell broke loose.
Instantly drawn by the sudden burst of light and Sunny's belligerent cries, the Carapace Demon appeared out of nowhere in a storm of fury. Its towering legs tore through the ashen sand below, throwing clouds of it into the air. Two scarlet eyes, burning with murderous intent, immediately focused on the shouting human, sending a nervous shiver through Sunny's legs.
Kane, never one to be outdone, shouted his own taunts. "Yeah, right here, you pile of scrap! Come and get it, fat lobster! This is my island now!"
The demon, enraged beyond measure, dashed toward him with terrifying speed. This behemoth was as tall as a house, but still not tall enough to reach the branches of the great tree with his scythes. So, for the moment, Kane was still relatively safe. He was pretty sure that this wouldn't be the case for long, but it was enough time to bring the plan to fruition.
If Sunny doesn't miss…
Just as the Carapace Demon was about to appear directly beneath the branch Sunny was standing on, he took a deep breath, carefully aimed, and tossed both of the clay jars down.
The creature reacted with lightning speed, its reflexes honed by countless battles. It slashed both jars into pieces with its horrible scythes. However, it was of no use: the oily liquids contained inside still rained down on its carapace in a torrent, followed by a scattering of clay shards. If anything, it only made the surface area of the impact larger, covering most of the demon's metallic carapace in a layer of the volatile liquid.
The two components mixed, producing the deadly corrosive oil, which then began to burn into the lustrous armor. Kane held his breath, his heart pounding in his chest.
However, the centipede monster's oil, which was capable of effortlessly destroying the unbreakable chitin of both scavengers and centurions, turned out to be completely ineffective against the strange alloy covering the Carapace Demon's body. It didn't even leave a scratch on it.
Luckily, we have a backup plan, Kane thought, a flicker of grim satisfaction in his eyes.
The plan had not placed a lot of value on the oil's corrosive qualities, to begin with. He needed the oil for its other, equally potent quality. Its flammability.
Guided by the loud sounds produced by the massive monster, Nephis moved to the edge of the branch and threw the burning torch down with a powerful swing of her arm. Spinning through the air, the torch streaked downwards like a meteor and landed right in the middle of the demon's oil-soaked carapace.
In the next second, the giant creature was completely engulfed in flames.
Kane and the others did not really expect the fire to be able to directly damage the demon. He was sure that the behemoth could withstand much more than just simple heat. But now, covered in the burning oil, the Carapace Demon shone brightly in the pitch-black night of the Forgotten Shore.
He had turned into a fiery beacon, a living lighthouse, calling all the monsters of the cursed dark sea to come crawling from its black depths.
Now it's time to hide properly and watch the show, Kane thought, a chill running down his spine despite the heat of the flames below.
The giant demon was engulfed in flames, shining like a bright beacon in the hungry darkness of the night. His polished armor blazed with reflected light, sending radiant glints in all directions. Drops of burning oil were falling to the ground, flaring up as they hit the ashen sand.
The Carapace Demon roared with fury, a sound that made Kane feel like his ears were going to bleed. The roar sounded like a deafening cacophony of rusted metal being torn apart by giant claws. Two scarlet eyes shone through the conflagration of flames, piercing the young man with a concentrated beam of murderous hatred.
Before that, they had to last until the sea monsters arrived. The infuriated demon was out for their blood, and no one knew how much time it would take for the dark sea creatures to appear on the Ashen Barrow. Kane was scared that the demon was capable of performing ranged attacks. If not, he might be able to climb the tree to get to them, or try to kill them in a way that they had not even considered. In the worst-case scenario, they would have to endure his rage for quite a while.
Looking into the giant's hateful eyes, he sensed that the creature was thinking in the same direction. When the demon glanced towards the great tree's obsidian trunk, Kane's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Kane could see clearly that the demon seemed to be more rational than it seemed. It is way too smart for a creature, he thought, a shiver of unease crawling down his spine. Better that the other creatures take care of it.
However, in the end, cold rationality won over seething rage in the Carapace Demon's mind. Instead of wasting time trying to get to the three tiny humans, he suddenly rolled on the ground, hoping to use the sand to douse the flames dancing on his carapace.
The whole island shook with the force of his movements, almost throwing Kane and Cassie off the branch.
Suddenly, Kane turned to face the dark surface of the sea. His face paled slightly as he used his aspect to see. He saw an ominous mind in a fog, its thoughts shifting rapidly, as if changing its very structure like water adapting to a particular vessel. Sunny and Nephis were a second late to react, but almost instantly, they too felt a strange change in the world around them.
It was hard to describe with words. The rustle of the scarlet leaves suddenly felt quieter, the sound of the waves crashing against the shores of the ashen island louder. It was as though some invisible pressure descended on the world, making everything feel slightly different.
Then, the air became colder, and a wall of thick fog appeared above the dark waters.
The Carapace Demon had also noticed this change. He stopped trying to douse the flames and rose from the sand, the oil still burning fiercely on his carapace. No longer paying it any attention, the demon turned to the sea, a sense of grim resignation radiating from his posture. Then, it was replaced by dark resolve and frenzied bloodlust.
The fog slowly moved, crawling onto the island with an unnatural purpose. Kane felt shivers run down his spine, realizing with growing horror that it was flowing against the wind. The sound of the waves was now muffled and changed, almost imperceptibly so.
And there, in the fog, something was moving. He could almost make out a figure. It was… it was…
Suddenly, Cassie's small palm covered his eyes, blocking out the terrifying sight. With her voice trembling with tension, she whispered urgently, "Don't look. No matter what happens, don't open your eyes."
Kane obediently shut his eyes, a cold sense of fright wrapping itself around his heart. He had never heard the blind girl's voice sound like this before, not even when she was recalling her most terrifying visions.
Cassie slowly removed her hand. Blinded, he could only rely on his hearing… At least, that was what he thought, until the cold fog touched his skin. Then, in the muffled silence, he heard Cassie's voice again. Only this time, it was distorted and coming from the wrong direction.
"Don't look… don't look… don't look…"
Kane gulped, feeling his hair stand on end. The sound of the blind girl's distorted voice echoed in the fog, surrounding him from all sides. Instead of growing quieter, it was becoming louder, overlapping over itself.
"Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look!"
Then, it grew even louder still and turned into a cacophony of inhuman screams, crashing into Kane like a wave, sounding nothing like what human vocal cords could ever produce: "DON'T LOOK DON'T LOOK DON'T LOOK DON'T!!!"
Kane stood paralyzed, stunned by the onslaught of inhuman shrieks. All he could do was try not to fall to his knees. And then, when his resilience was almost broken, everything suddenly stopped. The abrupt silence enveloped the world, making him exhale with profound relief. It was over.
A few seconds later, Cassie whispered into his ear, her voice calm and reassuring. "Open your eyes."
Kane initially was about to open his eyes, but he felt something was wrong. When did Cassie's voice become this calm? Moreover, I didn't feel her breath at all. Kane then remembered his First Nightmare. The awakened titan Cruel Tempest had an ability to mimic a person who was related to the victim in a negative way. Then, everything clicked into place for Kane. It mimicked Cassie. Better stay silent.
Kane remained silent, his eyes firmly shut.
Cassie's clear, familiar voice repeated, "Open your eyes… open…"
Then, mere centimeters away, it exploded with cold, malevolent authority: "OPEN YOUR EYES!"
But he didn't.
A second passed, then another, then one more. Each of them felt like an eternity. Kane trembled, practically feeling his body aging and his ears tearing in pain. Finally, the voice returned. But this time, it felt as though it was further away, withdrawing.
"No matter… no matter…"
Soon, he was able to hear the rustling of leaves and the sound of waves again. He could also hear Sunny, Cassie, and Neph breathing ruggedly beside him. It seemed that they were also assaulted by the terrifying mimic.
And also… Somewhere beneath them, the Carapace Demon roared and hit his scythes against each other. The loud clamor of steel resounded beneath the great tree, sending an almost palpable wave in all directions. This wave seemed to expel the unnatural fog, creating an enormous sphere of clean air.
Kane still kept his eyes shut, but he felt that he was sitting on the edge of a battlefield.
In the next moment, the whole island trembled as the demon clashed with the unknown horror that had been hiding in the fog. Something shattered with a deafening thunder, and the ground shook again, causing the branches of the great tree to sway violently.
With his hands trembling, Kane outstretched them and grabbed onto his companions, drawing them close. Holding each other, they listened to the sounds of the furious battle and waited.
An eternity later, the fight between the Carapace Demon and the guest from the depths was over. Silence had returned to the Ashen Barrow once again.
Kane had long ago lost track of time and grown desensitized to the tremors running through the great tree each time the two monsters clashed. The sudden stillness gave him a start. With a slight shudder, he turned his head and listened intently, trying to discern what was happening.
In the quiet aftermath of the terrible battle, Nephis hesitated and then said in a raspy voice, "We can open our eyes now."
The pale light of dawn was creeping from the east, slowly enveloping the island in the dim twilight. Beneath them, the surface of the island was torn apart and upturned, almost unrecognizable. It was as though the Ashen Barrow had been pummeled by several rounds of heavy artillery fire.
And on that ravaged surface… The Carapace Demon was slowly limping back from the edges of the island, leaving a trail of azure blood behind. He was heavily wounded and in a terrible shape, with several limbs missing and a spiderweb of cracks covering his once pristine carapace.
Two of his arms were gone, leaving him with a single scythe and a single pincer. Most of his rear legs were either broken or severed, forcing the behemoth to walk in a strange, unsteady gait.
However, he was still alive. More than that, none of the armor plates covering his vital organs were seriously damaged, his metallic shell still strong and impenetrable.
Sunny clenched his fists, his face a mask of fury, and glanced at the demon. "What… what do we do?"
Changing Star looked down at the wounded demon. There was a cold glint in her usually calm, grey eyes.
Kane summoned [The Ultimate Defiance], his voice a chilling monotone. "Let's finish off that bastard."