“Cannibal?”
“Yes; I can’t eat anything other than human flesh.”
“That’s terrible.”
“I know.”
“And do you know mine?”
“More or less.”
Seishan was thoughtful.
She doubted he was lying; the simple fact that he had come back after she had killed him gave him away, and it was much more complicated than she had assumed.
He had no reason to lie, and a lie can be broken with facts.
The simpler the facts, the more obvious the falsehood.
She hadn’t seen Aisling eat in weeks, and he remained in good condition.
Madness could also come from that, but she was sure there was something else tormenting him.
“How did you manage to survive?”
“That…
I found the corpse of another who had been sent in, days before I found you.
You have a lovely scent of blood soaked into you.”
Seishan clenched her fists; she didn’t know where to begin expressing what she felt.
“Do you know what you just did?”
“What part?”
“Trusted me.”
Seishan frowned.
Even with what she had just gained, she was deeply displeased.
“You know the risks — don’t you fear I’d use it against you?
There are reasons why people don’t reveal a Flaw, much less such a scandalous one.”
“I know.
Do I have your trust?”
Not trust; I’m worried about your future.
You’re out of your mind.
Aisling went on, unconcerned by Seishan’s icy stare.
“On top of that, your Flaw has something to do with a craving for blood.
You looked at me with such passion, as unfamiliar as it was familiar; I wondered if I looked the same when I lose my reason.”
Aisling’s words reached Seishan.
“It’s a shameful act — humans hiding their weaknesses even with the threat of Nightmare Creatures around them.
Do we really believe another person will kill us even with nightmares as the real danger?
I don’t understand…
Listen, Sei: as long as we’re trapped together, you’ll help me cover my Flaws and I’ll help you with yours.”
“Wait!
Don’t say it like that; could it be that…”
Seishan grew more and more anguished.
“I’m going to return to the waking world, by whatever means possible.”
Aisling smiled, amused.
“You know it yourself, but you deny it.
Your own desire to return blinds you.
This region of the Dream Realm hasn’t been mapped; the odds of survival are far worse.
Even if we manage to find the portal, who knows if we’ll be able to cross it.
So I’m asking for your understanding if I go mad and attack you.
And I’ll understand the same from you; you can use me.”
The tension in the air was palpable.
The place fell silent.
Neither spoke, keeping their eyes locked on the other without looking away, each still trying to understand what the other was hiding deep down.
Seishan was the first to give in, sighing heavily.
Aisling was relieved; he sensed he had done something wrong, but Seishan hadn’t rejected him.
It was better than he expected.
That’s what he thought, until he saw the look in Seishan’s eyes.
He took a step back, and she followed.
Every time he retreated, she advanced another step.
“Why are you running?”
“Sei?
It’s just that…”
“No more ‘Sei,’ Ais.
You said it yourself: I’m allowed to use you however I want.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
Seishan’s smile twisted with a terrifying red glint in her eyes…
“Take responsibility.”
And she lunged at him.
* * *
As the sun rose, the dark sea retreated, leaving the labyrinth free of the marine horrors and allowing smaller creatures to roam freely.
The crab was still bothering them, but something was different.
Aisling was about to mention it to Seishan, but it wasn’t necessary.
The crab roared; it was as sudden and loud as thunder, spreading across the entire labyrinth.
Several tense seconds passed before hundreds of Red Worms emerged from holes in the labyrinth, scaling the statue.
Aisling could only sigh.
“It doesn’t tire.”
Moments later, Aisling pierced the pearl of a Red Worm, jumping over another that appeared from the edge.
Using the momentum of the fall, the moment his feet touched the beast’s back, his needle-leg pierced through the worm’s back, precisely splitting the pearl within.
Another Red Worm lunged.
Aisling bent his knees, letting his body fall onto the corpse, narrowly dodging the needle-like legs.
The moment the monster passed him, he jumped, piercing the pearl inside.
“How annoying.”
He had little time to complain before seeing more worms climbing from every direction.
“Doesn’t matter.
Time to work.”
Under the grey sky stood a young man with dirty hair.
From the distance, Aisling admired the Crimson Spire.
A jagged tower the color of crimson.
More visible each passing day.
He stayed seated; his eyes wandered across the horizon without stopping, searching every day for some sign that would let him move forward.
It was getting harder and harder to believe in his own words.
It was true, but he couldn’t help doubting in the face of the wasteland of red corals stretching out before him, something so disheartening and full of danger.
He’s barely learned to kill Awakened Beasts and he wants to go straight for a Fallen Devil.
“If I don’t die soon, I’ll curse the world.
Idiots only die once.”
Even more surprising was Seishan’s readiness to fight; he didn’t see her as that aggressive — more elusive.
She was the kind of person who’d stab you with a beautiful smile and then thank you for your death.
Or maybe not…
She’s not that bad; she just wants to survive and get back home.
Same as everyone.
He rubbed his neck with annoyance.
It’s painful having your blood sucked.
With his Supernatural Body, the pain was much more intense…
and so was the touch.
Her skin is soft, very unique, considering it’s grey.
He couldn’t help but notice.
Amid his thoughts, he glimpsed something more in the distance.
A structure resembling a…
He nodded, sighing heavily.
“Why are we even thinking about fighting?”
Upon arriving at the Dream Realm, he had gotten lucky.
He hadn’t died only because that creature had set a trap for him.
Sensing the danger, he had fled without giving it a chance to react.
“Are you giving up?”
Aisling chuckled.
“What a pointless question.
You need me to get out; if it’s not together, you’ll turn me into cannon fodder.”
“Good boy.”
“What was that…?
Doesn’t matter.
Let’s go hunt that devil.”
Without further preamble, they descended from the statue.
How do you defeat a Fallen Devil with two Dreamers?
You can’t.
At least, not safely.
Humans use their heads to run into the same wall and to find the solution to a problem.
In situations like this, it’s not a question of whether you can win or not; you’re obligated to create your own victory.
If they wanted to win against an enemy that surpassed them in every Aspect, they had to take the first step, surprise it, and land a decisive blow that finished it.
In the next minute, one of two things could happen: either they died, or the crab died.
“Stone by stone, that’s how towers are built.”
They stopped at the statue’s knee, barely holding on to cracks in the stone.
Aisling looked down, despondent.
The enormous crab with its thousand needle legs, hundreds of mouths across its body, and dozens of pincers waited for them.
His doll, Cian, appeared on his shoulder just in time.
“It’s your turn; you’re going down.
Remember to smile and think nice thoughts, not about that bastard’s damned limbs.”
Without delay, he counted in murmurs and threw the doll.
Seishan and Aisling looked at each other for a moment: her with her majestic aura she couldn’t help but display, and him with a tortured smile.
And they let go.
The clean air was excellent for just letting go and breathing deeply.
Nothing compared to the polluted waking world, and there was no need to focus on the danger.
It was the best moment.
An instant of calm before the coming storm.
In the air, Seishan’s body transformed.
Her body twisted and stretched; her limbs grew; her mouth opened with force, unhinging, revealing rows of sharp fangs.
She was more than double Aisling’s size, but still small compared to the crab.
With her stretched hands, she caught Aisling in midair without trouble.
Just as they were about to land, Cian fell first onto the creature’s red shell.
She looked so small and harmless, but the crab reacted furiously, roaring with rage.
The pincers and several of the needle legs rose, trying to reach the small porcelain doll.
Just as the doll was about to be besieged, she vanished.
The doll’s presence disappeared, leaving a presence in front of the creature, dangerously close, almost touching it.
Suddenly, something entered the crab’s enormous mouth.
Aisling moved within the maw, advancing straight toward the enormous pearl deep inside.
The space shrank; Aisling sensed it as the crab closed its mouth, but before crushing him, it stopped.
Aisling didn’t hesitate and advanced into the cavern of flesh and teeth.
He pulled his personal needle-leg from his pocket and drove it into the pearl.
The sound of two metals clashing resonated deep within.
Aisling shuddered at the pearl’s hard surface, having caused no damage whatsoever.
I’m not letting this go easy on me, bastard!
Knowing from the start it wouldn’t be easy, he struck again with all his strength — no effect.
The needle-leg cracked; it wouldn’t survive another hit.
His Presentiment screamed danger, but he ignored it.
He prepared to strike again.
Caught off guard, he was stabbed in the chest, the leg, and the head by multiple needle legs emerging from the creature’s fleshy walls.
The crab was stabbing itself to kill him!
Days earlier, they had tried to figure out a way to attack without dying in the attempt.
Ruling out all the other senses down to touch: they had discovered the sensitivity it had to vibrations, able to detect any movement on the surface.
The space shrank again; the crab was about to crush him.
Aisling had little time left.
Being optimistic, he had less than three seconds.
With his functioning arms, he stabbed the pearl again, hearing a crack.
The pearl showed a fissure and his needle-leg shattered completely, becoming unusable.
Aisling didn’t care; he dropped the leg and struck the pearl with his bare hands, shattering his hand and cracking the pearl further.
More needle legs emerged from the fleshy walls, stabbing him in the head, the arm, and all over his body.
Aisling lost sight in one eye and still didn’t stop his movement.
Annoyed by that — though anyone else in his situation would already be dead — his eyes darkened with murderous intent.
He was one step from death, with only his other eye still working, but without losing focus.
Even with death by his side, he had to keep fighting; even more reason to make sure he killed it.
Aisling stood, held up by the needle legs that had pierced his body, his one free arm raised.
Not once had he stopped moving or hesitated.
He’d had setbacks, as always, but he wasn’t going to throw it all away over some insignificant pain.
Tear me apart, stab me, leave me without options…
In the end…
you’re the one who ends up dead!
He brought his arm down with all his strength, destroying his arm and the beautiful pearl.
* * *
Seishan was in her human form, facing the crab’s corpse.
Her body had been severely wounded: her arms had deep cuts and her stomach had been pierced.
She barely survived thanks to her healing Memories.
In her monster form, she had held the mouth shut for a few seconds to keep it from crushing and eating Aisling.
Among the worst seconds of her life, where she nearly died a couple of times.
Her gaze stayed fixed on the corpse, on the darkness of its enormous mouth, trying to discern any movement.
“Where are you?”
She whispered, only to cough up blood a moment later.
Since when do I worry about that guy?
I should have already foreseen this outcome.
This is no time to…
Just then she saw the silhouette of a person emerging from the crab’s throat.
Seishan felt relieved, until horror filled her eyes.
“Oh…
Sei…
I think…
I’m…”
Aisling emerged with the worst wounds she could imagine.
His entire body had been pierced by countless needle legs, leaving his body bathed in blood from every opening.
One of the needles was lodged in the back of his neck and came out through his eye.
Suffering horrible pain, Aisling smiled and collapsed to the ground.
Seishan rushed to check on him.
He still had a pulse, but it was barely there, the same with his breathing.
Seishan had no idea what to do.
She had to remove the needle legs piercing his vital points, but doing so would only make everything worse.
Cian appeared, stretched out her tiny porcelain hands, and pulled a piece of flesh from the Insidious Tunic.
She put it in his mouth, but there was no reaction.
Seishan watched and understood at once.
She tried to pull something out herself, but with no result. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
It’s a Memory; only its owner can use its effect.
Cian kept trying to get him to eat the piece, but without success.
“Wait.”
Seishan addressed the doll, the first time she had ever done so.
Having always seen her as a Memory, she couldn’t speak to her with the same ease Aisling did.
Talking to her is already very strange.
“Pull out as much as you can; I’ll save him.”
Understanding her words, the porcelain doll followed her instructions.
Seishan took the piece Cian was carrying.
She put the piece of flesh in her mouth and chewed it.
Feeling the blood in her mouth, she forced herself to resist and pressed her lips against Aisling’s.
Pinching his nose, she forced him to swallow the flesh.
Seishan pulled away.
Seeing no effect, she repeated the process, over and over.
At some point Aisling stopped bleeding.
Pulling all the needle legs out of his body, a slow process of restoration began.
Seishan pulled away from his lips.
Taking another piece of flesh, she found none.
Cian looked at her and shook her head.
They had used up all the flesh, which truly wasn’t much.
“We have to go.”
Aisling’s voice was heard.
Taking a needle leg still lodged in him, he used it as a cane to stand up.
Seishan moved to his side, draping his arm over her shoulders, helping him stay upright.
“You’re badly hurt.
We should find shelter.”
“No…”
Seishan looked angered by his response, saying with a note of worry:
“If we keep going, you’ll be a burden and you’ll die.”
Aisling lowered his head, not letting her see his face.
“If we don’t keep going, I’ll become more of a danger the more time passes.
Something inside me…
is hungry.
Don’t stop; even if we do, my wounds won’t heal.
We agreed on this from the start: don’t look back, keep going.”
Aisling touched her shoulder, bared by a tear in the dress, transferring a Memory to her.
Seishan noticed and summoned a hammer in her hand.
“I’m giving it to you.
I’m in no condition to use it.
Let’s get out of this damned place already.”
With the doll on top of his head, she pointed forward.
“I’ll warn you of anything; let’s keep going.”
* * *
In front of the Crimson Spire, Aisling sighed.
“We’re not getting through there; there are too many.”
Nightmare Creatures of every kind surrounded the Crimson Spire like an immense army guarding their domain.
“Although I think there might be another place.”
“A safe place?”
“I don’t know.
I barely saw it, so I might be hallucinating.”
The two turned off the path, heading deeper into the coral labyrinth.
* * *
They spent days crossing the labyrinth.
They dodged flying Nightmare Creatures and turned aside at the slightest danger, taking many detours most of the time.
Seishan was able to breathe a sigh of relief at seeing it: great walls and a rising castle.
She arrived at the wall carrying an unconscious Aisling, gagged.
He had already tried biting her several times and had gone mad.
With no other choice, she had to knock him out so he wouldn’t cause trouble.
Fortunately, Cian would often settle on her shoulder and warn her of dangers, pointing them out with her tiny hands.
She crossed the wall and found a city of grim aspect.
She crossed the city and hid from several dangerous creatures lurking nearby.
Until at last she found another human like them.
She knocked on the door of a random hut, greeted by a Dreamer.
“Excuse me, I need help.
My friend’s life is in danger!”
Seishan said, full of panic; tears filled her eyes, ready to burst into sobs at any moment.
Seishan’s appearance alone was enough to seduce anyone and have men at her feet.
Combined with her pleasant voice and her vulnerable act, the Dreamer, blushing, agreed very quickly.
They laid Aisling down.
Seishan asked him several questions, frowning at the truth of the situation they found themselves in.
There was no way out.
There was a portal, but there was no way to approach it; it was so dangerous that they had spent years stuck there, and many had died trying to find the way out.
Hundreds of Dreamers found themselves trapped in that place; they had managed to conquer the Bright Castle, but had no chance to return.
The portal was located at the Crimson Spire, but it was too dangerous.
The current ruler had given up on returning to the waking world.
Long ago, there had been two attempts to return: one trying to find an exit, and another trying to conquer the portal.
Both attempts failed and their leaders perished, causing total anarchy, until the arrival of the third ruler, Gunlaug, who gathered his own group and rose above the rest.
That had happened only a few months ago.
Finishing her conversation with the Dreamer, Seishan placed a hand on her chest with a grateful smile.
“Thank you so much.
You’re very kind.”
The Dreamer couldn’t help growing nervous at the touch.
“O-Of course!
We have to look out for each other.
We’re all the same!”
“Tell me, is there anyone else living around here?
The city looked very dangerous.”
“No…
I’m the only one who lives nearby.
Not to blow my own horn, but I’m strong and I can survive just fine.”
“You’re impressive…
What’s that?”
Seishan pointed at an object inside the hut.
The Dreamer turned, finding nothing remarkable.
Confused, he was about to ask, when he felt a heavy blow to the head that blurred his vision.
“Eh…?”
Dazed by the blow, he raised a hand to his head, feeling the wetness and the confusion.
The bright blood on his hand was enough to make him tremble with fear.
Feeling the cold embrace of death, the last thing he saw in his life was a captivating, emotionless woman wielding a war hammer, falling without mercy and shattering his skull.
Seishan looked at the body at her feet and put the hammer away again.
She approached Aisling and reached her hand out, very close to his.
But she stopped halfway.
Her eyes reflected complex emotions and she hesitated.
In the end she only lowered her hand, whispering:
“We’re going to survive.”