The following morning, as the sun rose and the sea receded, Sunless and Nephis were the first to awaken.
Silence reigned, broken only by the distant sound of water vanishing on the horizon.
After lighting a fire, they began preparing a simple breakfast—more out of necessity than any social intention.
Cassia was still asleep.
Ariandel was reclining a short distance away, his eyes closed. He appeared at peace, as if in a meditative state.
Nephis glanced at him occasionally but showed no curiosity. To her, Ariandel was merely another enigma to be watched with discreet vigilance.
Sunless, in contrast, preferred to focus on the conversation. He looked at Nephis as she suggested:
"The best option would be to move east, away from the concentration of scavengers to the west. North and south are possibilities, but they offer no clear advantages."
"Makes sense," Sunless agreed, crossing his arms.
"We explored a bit to the east yesterday, but not enough to guarantee reaching a safe point before sunset. We need to map out the route before committing."
He sighed. Then asked, almost rhetorically:
"Any idea where we are?"
Nephis shook her head.
"No. This place doesn't match any description I know. But wherever it is, what matters is that we keep moving. We'll find a Citadel and claim its Gate, or die trying."
Sunless gave a bitter smile. The conversation was straightforward, but far from comforting.
At that moment, a sudden gasp drew their attention. Cassia sat up abruptly, her face pale, showing a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Ariandel opened his eyes. His expression retained its usual calm, but his gaze still radiated sharp attention as he rose.
He approached in silent steps, and when he spoke, his tone was firm yet pleasant:
"Are you alright, Cassia? What happened?"
The blind girl turned her face toward the voice. Her hands were trembling slightly, but her answer came brimming with excitement:
"A vision! I had a vision!" she exclaimed, almost laughing.
Ariandel knelt beside her.
"A vision..."
He smiled slightly.
"Can you tell us what you saw?"
She took a deep breath before beginning:
"I saw a ruined city, made of stones worn down by time. It looked desolate, with several monsters wandering through its narrow streets, but in the center, there was a castle... full of people! There were Awakened living there, safe, with food and protection. And... I was being guided."
Her voice softened as she spoke and pointed westward:
"But I'm not sure how to get there."
She paused, then remembered something else:
"There was a mist around me. It was constantly shifting... almost as if it were following my steps. It felt like... it was part of me."
Ariandel frowned slightly but kept his tone composed.
"Did the mist seem threatening?"
Cassia blinked.
"No. Actually, it was comforting... as if it was protecting me."
She hesitated before continuing:
"I also saw Sunny with me... He was the one guiding me."
Sunless raised an eyebrow, surprised to be mentioned. He turned to Nephis, who remained silent, contemplating the revelation.
Ariandel smiled.
"Thank you for sharing, Cassia."
He stood up.
"It might be important. Let's discuss it together."
Cassia's gaze vaguely followed the direction of his voice. She relaxed a bit, comforted by his tranquility. Ariandel turned toward Nephis and Sunless.
"What do you think?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Considering her vision, should we prioritize exploring that direction?"
Sunless let out a short, humorless laugh.
"She pointed west. You know what that means? A sea of scavengers."
"Naturally," Ariandel reasoned calmly, "but having a direction to follow—no matter how dangerous—is safer than wandering blindly through this unknown zone. If that way leads to a structure that can take us to a Gate, we must consider the possibility."
Nephis, who had remained silent, nodded.
"Let's go."
"We'll head west," she declared without hesitation.
...
The sea had not yet fully withdrawn, but the group had already gathered for breakfast and to plan their journey.
The surrounding scenery, with its towering coral islands, was silent yet tense, as if the very place were waiting for what would come next.
Sunless took the moment to try and understand the people around him better.
It was then that he made a discovery that left him perplexed. Something that, in his mind, didn't match the first impressions he had formed:
Nephis had always seemed like an untouchable figure. Serene and confident in her posture, her silent presence caused a strange pressure to fall on those nearby.
Sunless had the feeling she knew more than she let on—that her words were always traps of enigmatic intention.
But her interactions... they never made sense.
Nephis wasn't the calculating and distant person he had imagined. On the contrary, she was... disarmingly awkward.
Always stumbling over her words, failing to express her thoughts, and when she did, her tone came out completely out of sync with her intent.
Her usually impassive face hid an evident confusion about how to behave around others.
It was as if, despite having a firm heart, the art of communication was uncharted territory for her.
All of this made Sunless reconsider his view of the girl.
The "ice princess" he had envisioned now seemed to be just an introvert with trouble connecting—but still capable of everything she had already achieved. Still as deadly as she appeared.
While he reflected, Nephis looked at him with her cold eyes. After a long pause, she simply asked:
"...What?"
He blinked, forcing his thoughts back to reality.
"Nothing. Just wondering when we'll head out."
She studied him for a moment, as if weighing his words.
Finally, she replied in her low, direct voice:
"Soon."
Sunless tried to pull himself together, masking his surprise with a smile.
"Ah, alright then."
...
Soon, the Sleepers of the misfit group were ready.
The field of vision opened westward, where a dangerous journey awaited.
Nephis walked ahead, her sword arm ready to strike at any moment. Her striking gray eyes reflected the pale morning light.
Ariandel followed a little behind, observing the group's dynamic with curious attention. His focus was mostly on Cassia, whom he guided by the hand with almost inexplicable efficiency.
Cassia, in turn, held a courageous posture, but a subtle anxiety hid behind her smile. She trusted Ariandel more than the others, and that was plain to see.
As the path unfolded before them, Sunless began to realize that his own impressions of Ariandel were shifting.
He showed himself to be a charismatic presence in the group, but his "perfection" didn't feel as insidious as the Old Man's or Caster's. The feeling that Ariandel knew more than the others—but without arrogance—made Sunless feel a growing trust in his decisions.
With the group moving westward, the coral labyrinth stretched ahead, some corals jutting from the black mud like sharp blades of red stone.
The tension in the air was palpable; something was different today.
Sunless's shadow moved ahead, scouting the path's dangers. Soon, as they turned a corner of the labyrinth, the sound of massive monsters moving echoed toward it.
Scavengers were near.