After Effie assured him that no nightmare creatures would come near, and finding no sign of deception in her voice or expression, Ray finally allowed himself to rest.
A few hours later, he was woken by the Amazoness. His senses were still dulled from sleep, his vision hazy. At first, he only registered a silhouette looming over him. Instinct took over. In a heartbeat, he jolted awake, springing to his feet in a ready stance.
Effie snorted. "Relax, it's just me. Remember? The one who had to share her food with you yesterday?"
Ray blinked as his surroundings came back into focus. He exhaled, lowering his guard. "Right. Sorry, Effie. This whole thing is still too strange to process. It'll probably take some time before I really get used to it."
"Whatever," she said with a shrug before turning away. "We're heading out soon. That is, if you still want to go to the castle."
Ray nodded and quickly prepared. He stepped outside for a moment, unsummoning his [Sentinel's Embrace], then re-summoning it almost immediately. The dark armor returned to him in a ripple of shadow, gleaming with its usual black sheen. Ready.
After notifying Effie, they began their descent from the Walls.
The journey through the city was nothing like Ray had expected. In his mind, moving through a nightmare-infested ruin without a fight seemed impossible. But Effie proved him wrong.
She moved through the broken landscape with effortless grace, each step precise, each turn intentional. More than once, Ray spotted Nightmare Creatures in the distance, their grotesque forms shambling through the streets. Yet not a single one noticed them. Effie guided him carefully, explaining each step along the way, ensuring they remained unseen. He had to admit - she was an exceptional guide.
Still, it took time. The castle was deep in the city, far from the safety of the walls. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, the ruins had begun to shift into something else.
The path uphill was broad but steep. As they ascended, Effie glanced back at him. "One more thing. Keep your head down in the settlement. You don't strike me as the type to submit easily, and that's gonna get you into trouble real fast. I can get away with bending the rules a little, but you? You'd be better off staying outside the castle, like me."
Ray took in her serious expression and nodded. He didn't need to ask for more details.
Before long, the first structures of the settlement came into view. They barely resembled anything livable - ruined stonework, broken-down barracks, the remnants of buildings long abandoned. And yet, people lived here. Survivors moved through the wreckage as if it were normal. Some made homes out of collapsed walls and scavenged wood, others huddled under whatever cover they could find.
Ray hadn't even stepped inside yet, but he could already tell - Effie's advice was worth taking.
As they entered, many of the people outside the walls turned to greet Effie. Some nodded in recognition, others called out to her. But when they saw Ray, their expressions shifted. Pity. Greed. Curiosity. Some were more subtle than others, but he could feel the weight of their stares.
Effie stretched her arms with a sigh before turning to him. "Alright, rookie. You're in. Now, for housing - go grab one of the empty barracks for yourself."
She smirked. "Or, y'know, if you'd rather share with me-"
"Alright," Ray cut in smoothly. "I'll take you up on that."
Effie froze mid-step.
Her smirk vanished as a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face. For a moment, she just stared at him, mouth slightly open, as if she wasn't sure if she had misheard.
Then realization hit.
Her expression shifted through several emotions in rapid succession before she finally burst into laughter. "Oh, you bastard. You actually got me for a second." She shook her head, still grinning. "Alright, fine. You win this round. But if you actually show up at my door later, I'm throwing you off the mountain."
Ray chuckled, giving her a small salute before heading off to find a place of his own.
The settlement was worse up close. Most of the structures were barely standing. The farther from the castle, the worse it got - half-collapsed buildings, makeshift shelters, people scraping by in the wreckage. Those closer to the fortress had slightly better conditions, but it was clear that space near the castle was limited.
Despite the bleak surroundings, some had managed to set up small vendor stalls. One Sleeper was repairing weapons, another was selling strange charms that radiated weak essence, and a third traded food. Ray figured they must have utility Aspects - abilities more suited for crafting or survival than combat. Either that, or they had simply adapted over time.
And towering over it all was the castle.
An immense, dark fortress built directly into the mountain; its thick stone walls still intact despite the ruins surrounding it. Unlike the settlement, it wasn't falling apart. Its gates were shut, guards patrolling the entrance in full armor, weapons at the ready.
Ray studied them for a moment. Their discipline, their posture… these weren't just random survivors. Whoever controlled this place had power - and they enforced it.
Understanding the situation a little better, Ray continued on. Eventually, he found an empty hut in the middle of the settlement. It was nothing impressive - four walls, half a roof, and a door that looked like it might fall apart if the wind blew too hard. Still, it was shelter.
He stepped inside and dropped onto what passed for a bed - pile of worn-out blankets. With a sigh, he let his head rest against the cold stone wall.
He had a lot to think about.
Right now, he was too weak to fight Fallen creatures, which seemed to be the real danger in the city. At the same time, there were too few Awakened here - most that survived in the ruins did so in groups or through sheer cunning.
Which meant that if he wanted to grow stronger, he would have to take a risk. Either find a way to fight the Fallen… or return to the sea area.
For now, though, he let his thoughts drift.
And then night fell.
Trouble came with it.
The door slammed open. Two figures rushed inside.
Ray was already awake.
Two Sleepers - young, desperate, and armed. One wielded a curved dagger, the other a short sword.
"You should've locked the door," the one with the sword sneered. "You're new, right? You don't need that armor, do you?"
Ray stared at them blankly. Then, very slowly, he stood up.
The two hesitated.
Then Ray moved.
In an instant, he seized the dagger-wielder by the throat, slamming him into the wall. The second barely had time to react before Ray's fist drove into his gut, folding him in half.
It wasn't even a fight.
Ray let go, watching as the first collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The second groaned in pain, curled up where he fell.
Ray cracked his knuckles. "Now," he said, voice calm. "Let's talk about payment."
Neither answered.
"You broke into my home," he continued. "Tried to rob me. Attacked me. You know what happens next?"
Silence.
"You're going to give me one Memory each. Then you're going to leave."
They hesitated.
Ray's expression darkened. "Or I can take them."
Realizing their options were nonexistent, they relented, transferring the Memories to him.
[You have received Memory: Drifting Ember]
[You have received Memory: Tattered Veil]
Weak, probably useless. But sometimes, one man's trash was another's treasure.
Without another word, Ray grabbed both by the collar, dragged them outside, and kicked them into the street.
Heads turned. Voices murmured. The guards at the castle entrance took notice.
Ray exhaled, stepping back inside and shutting the door behind him.
So much for keeping a low profile.