Before night fell, Aisling entered the castle.
He greeted Harper, who returned the greeting uncomfortably, hoping he wouldn’t talk to him.
He headed straight to his room without wasting more time.
Inside the safety of his dark room, Cian, the walking doll, appeared on his head.
“It must be suffocating not to come out all day.”
He sat on his bed and opened his hand with the palm facing up.
The doll appeared in it.
Aisling pulled out a small brush with a wooden handle, carved with care showing no apparent imperfections, with an elegant though worn style from constant use.
He began to brush the doll carefully, letting the time pass and enjoying the moment.
“Today I met a special Dreamer.
I feel like I discovered a treasure at the bottom of the black sea…”
Aisling spent an hour talking with the doll.
After finishing brushing her, he pulled out a fine silk dark cloak.
The clean black color seemed to absorb the light and, along with its Forgotten Child enchantment, he could pass unnoticed — at least if he didn’t walk in front of someone.
Making sure his clothes and hair couldn’t be seen, he looked through the empty hallways before moving through them in silence.
Aisling usually wore his Insidious Tunic as everyday clothing.
Very useful for looking like nothing more than a fragile garment, but very recognizable as a unique Memory.
It didn’t matter how much it broke; it repaired itself even while he wore it.
He’d discovered that the core of his Memory was the silver cord at his waist: as long as it suffered no irreparable damage, he could keep exploiting it to its fullest.
Covering his hair was also necessary; he hadn’t seen another with hair so dirty and grey, and he’d be recognized quickly.
Following his path, he came across guards and had to go around or press himself to the wall to blend into the shadows.
Why sneak away and have to slip past the guards in the immense Bright Castle?
To mock the security and visit a Handmaiden.
* * *
A shadow drifted through the castle, stopping to listen to conversations and, once satisfied, continuing to wander hidden within the shadows.
This shadow was Sunny — or rather Sunny’s independent shadow, sharing senses to snoop through the castle without being discovered.
Slipping through the hallways, it found a very interesting scene.
Another shameless type inside the castle.
The dark cloak absorbed all the light while he hid in the shadows to avoid being seen, his appearance invisible; the only thing that drew the eye was the Fox Mask made of marble fragments.
Every time a guard appeared, he hid in the corners, patiently waiting for them to pass, or simply took a longer route around.
Sunny could see him very well and laughed inwardly at the man while following him, certain he couldn’t be discovered.
This is what my Aspect is for!
Not for fighting Nightmare Creatures.
Unable to resist, he moved closer to get more information, very sure that what he’d get would be too juicy to pass up.
The shadow moved faster.
Suddenly, it stopped.
It had lost sight of the mysterious figure.
Not only that: in an instant, the dark figure appeared above the shadow and struck the floor with monstrous force.
Sunny nearly had a heart attack feeling the force with which it destroyed the floor, the most terrifying thing being those empty eyes full of murderous coldness.
It didn’t hurt him; a physical attack like that wouldn’t damage his shadow.
But the terror of being targeted made him withdraw his shadow without hesitation.
He stopped sharing senses with his shadow and collapsed on his bed, trying to calm his heartbeats.
Damnation!
That bastard detected me!
What the hell is a monster like that doing in the castle?!
If it weren’t for being a shadow…
I’d definitely have my body embedded in the floor.
That night he decided to stop exploring.
* * *
Strange…
Could it be one of the newcomers?
No one has an Aspect Ability like that, and no one else would be shameless enough to snoop around the castle except a newcomer.
Moments earlier, he had sensed a presence in the distance, so he’d waited for it to get closer to put it to sleep.
But without finding anyone…
just a shadow.
Doesn’t matter…
I’ll hunt it if it becomes a problem.
He continued through the hallways until he reached the Handmaidens’ area, female Dreamers who were under Seishan’s command, one of Gunlaug’s lieutenants.
Inside that place he could breathe easy.
He didn’t take off the cloak and kept walking under the Handmaidens’ gaze, who on seeing him only looked away and continued with their work.
On reaching a certain room, a Handmaiden opened the door for him in silence.
They’re well trained; they don’t ask questions and don’t let curiosity affect them.
Inside the room, a beautiful woman with an exotic appearance received him.
Her mysterious, elegant aura made her look like the princess of the entire castle.
“Good day, Sei.”
“You’re late.”
“I have my reasons.
I found something interesting that I need to observe.
I also need to ask you for something more.”
Seishan appeared very elegant, showing no trace of her thoughts.
“You look more animated.
Did you find the way home or something like that?” Seishan said without much expression.
“In fact…
something like that.
A female Dreamer with silver hair.
She’s very different from savages like me and wise ones like you.
She’s very…
intriguing.
I’ll stay a few days to watch her.”
Seishan’s complexion shifted.
“You’re leaving?
You have other duties, though less strict ones.
You should walk around a bit with the mask and do patrol.”
“Yes, I should, but not yet.
I came to let you see I’m alive.
New Dreamers arrived at the castle a short while ago, and I met one of them who went to live outside.”
“Is that what you find interesting to watch?”
“Yes!
I wouldn’t know where to start.
The first time I saw her I was fascinated: she has very beautiful silver hair, similar to Cian’s.
Her eyes burned with conviction; it’s incredible to find a Dreamer who wants so badly to return to the waking world, even more so after hearing the dangers.
Her reasons carry a weight I wouldn’t want to carry, but you can’t help but applaud.
Something inside me says it: the Forgotten Shore will change completely with the arrival of these people.”
Seishan went quiet for a moment.
She got up and proceeded to push him.
“Out.”
“Sei?
Did I say something wrong?”
“You’re insufferable.”
“Huh…?
I haven’t fulfilled my responsibility.
Don’t you need me?
And I still haven’t taken my share; my reserves are a little tight.”
“You’ll have to manage; you have time to play around with a pretty Dreamer.”
“Did I say pretty…?
I can’t deny that.”
Seishan gave him an assassin’s look.
Aisling knew that if he said one more word, he might not literally make it out with his head intact.
“Think about what you did and come back when you’ve figured it out.”
She pushed Aisling out of the room and closed the door in his face.
Aisling had to grab his cloak and cover his face in front of the Handmaidens, who wore expressions that were somewhat complicated and carried a certain…
pity.
What kind of atmosphere is this…?
Summoning his mask, he walked away so they wouldn’t see his face.
“Complicated…”
Aisling retraced his steps until he reached his room.
He put away the cloak, returning to his humble appearance, and slept soundly.
* * *
The next morning, he left the castle as soon as the gates opened.
Returning to the slums, he went back to the dangerous and nearly forgotten boundaries.
“Silvery Nephis, another day we survived.
Let’s keep going to the end.”
“Good morning.”
Nephis said, seated around a campfire.
In her hand she held a piece of Nightmare Creature flesh that she was carefully managing over the fire.
Beautiful and expressionless as a princess; she also looks like a beautiful doll…
Two in one.
She seems like the right person to ask for advice.
Aisling picked up a rock and placed it at a decent distance to sit.
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
This is more embarrassing than I thought…
Rubbing his nape, he stared intensely into the fire, trying not to make anything of it.
“Nephis…
I need to ask you about something.”
Nephis didn’t stop cooking the Nightmare Creature flesh, but her face turned somber and she only nodded.
Aisling kept talking.
“You’re a girl, right?”
What the hell am I saying?
Nephis’s gaze sharpened, white flames piercing through his head.
Aisling panicked.
“Wait!
Wait…
hear me out…
I’m expressing myself badly…
hear me out…
I’ve had a problem with a certain girl, somewhat similar to you, and she kicked me out the moment I came in for no reason at all.
What do you think?”
Nephis tensed visibly; the flesh slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.
* * *
“Here.
It almost got dirty.”
Aisling managed to catch the piece of flesh before it touched the ground.
“Thank you.”
Nephis, for her part, unlike what she showed in her expressionless exterior, took off in her mind and didn’t stop.
What is that question?
It has no relation to anything I’ve ever learned; nothing to do with the Dream Realm, Nightmare Creatures, Awakened, combat, legacy clans.
This…
is a relationship topic.
Nephis had no domain in that area.
She was exceptional as a Dreamer, but completely inexperienced in sentimental territory.
I thought he’d ask me something of vital importance and, using the help I received yesterday as an excuse, he was going to take advantage…
Why didn’t it go that way?
It would be simpler to deal with this…
If Cassie were here, what would she say?
Nephis came up with nothing.
She looked away, trying to keep calm.
Being the first person to approach her voluntarily and in good faith, at least she should help him with his problem.
“Maybe…
you did something wrong.”
Aisling took her words seriously.
‘Each one takes advantage of the other.’ That’s what we usually say.
He already knew it; he also took advantage of the shared responsibility.
But for some reason he felt annoyed.
The years they’d spent together didn’t show when he got lost in the labyrinths for months, and without realizing it, each encounter had grown closer…
more…
intimate.
Aisling brought a hand to his face.
“Maybe…
I tend to be very sharp in several matters and very dense in others; it’s not the first time she’s gotten angry and her attitude is almost like that of an assassin.
But I think I know when something is wrong…
Ugh!
I’m confused…”
Nephis felt the same.
She didn’t even know why Aisling was telling her this.
Aisling kept rambling on his own; at some point he pulled a canteen from his Secret Compartment and started to drink from it.
“Maybe it was my words…
She gave me a horrible look when I talked to her about you.”
“About me?”
“Yes; you fascinate me a little.
Then, I barely managed to get out without losing an arm.
Horrible creatures have taken my arms several times to teach me to appreciate them; I rarely lose them now.
Either way, I’m always on guard.”
Nephis blinked a couple of times at his words.
“And she got angry just from talking?”
“Yes.
She always gets angry in a terrifying, silent way.
There were other things, but she got even angrier just from the talking.
So much time has passed since we met, and each time there seem to be fewer things that bother her; I have to say I was a little surprised and I liked that she treated me with a certain brusqueness.
Don’t misunderstand me; it’s just something nostalgic — I don’t want it to always be that way.
I remember our first meeting…
but I’d better keep that to myself; it’s something very unique between us.”
Nephis felt exhausted without having moved a muscle since she woke up.
“It might be considered…
irrelevant, if there’s no benefit.”
“True…
But I bleed for her.
She tends to be pragmatic, something I can’t deny I am too, so she shouldn’t complain so much.
I’m the one who risks going out while she sits there like a princess.
I shouldn’t be treated so coldly; I rarely get to see her gentle moments…
What a great idea!
Excellent, Silvery.
I should tell her she won’t have me as her toy anymore and, if she wants something, she should come out herself.”
Faced with Aisling’s sinister laugh, Nephis tried not to think about it too much.
I’m not ruining a couple’s relationship.
I only said a few words.
No one can blame me.
All that reasoning was produced by his own mind.
Aisling kept talking to himself for several minutes, switching between complaints and praise for his “partner,” until he finally calmed down.
Nephis took the opportunity to ask him.
“Why do you do all this for me?”
“What part?”
“Everything.
Helping me, guiding me, and giving me things I haven’t asked for.”
Her voice showed not a trace of annoyance, though it did question his intentions.
She had made it clear that his behavior wasn’t normal.
Her question came from simple curiosity.
Aisling found the question amusing and answered with another:
“Why did they bother bringing a blind girl?
The journey must have been hard, given how long it took them to cross the labyrinth…
You learn that there’s no justice or crimes to point out.
If you abandon the girl, it’s a crime; if you rescue her, it’s justice…
Forget all that garbage.
There are no eyes to judge your acts in the moment, and no one knows what decision you’ll make…
Even so, you chose to take her hand and continue the journey.
Why?”
Nephis shrugged.
“Because I want to.”
Aisling snorted.
“Those are the best choices…
I think almost the same.
I want everyone in this place to have at least one chance, not because I want what’s best for everyone — it’s inevitable they die from the misfortunes of fate — but I’ll still help them, because it’s my choice, and I hate the simple randomness with which they’re handled.”
He stood up.
He looked at the Bright Castle rising in the distance and turned to Nephis, who was enjoying her roasted creature flesh.
“I’m sorry for interrupting your meal, and I thank you for your patience.
It’s very pleasant talking with you, Silvery.
I’m done with what I had to do to help you; if you ever need help, you can try to find me.”
Nephis blinked a couple of times, watching his retreat until he disappeared into the slums.
“Is it pleasant talking with me?”
She couldn’t help the corners of her lips trembling, forming a barely perceptible smile.
* * *
Days later, while Aisling was wandering through the slums, he witnessed a great scene.
He’d heard about a Nightmare Creature being inside the slums and quickened his pace through the narrow alleyways.
Reaching the scene, a white flame reflected in his eyes.
He managed to witness how Nephis’s sword pierced the Nightmare Creature’s head with cold resolve.
He couldn’t help being left in awe where he stood, with no intention of approaching.
Hidden between alleyways, he looked at the hopeful Bright Castle.
I feel blinded by something intense and devastating.