Shadow Slave

At first, Sunny wanted to shout to warn everyone, but after observing the silent figures for a few moments, he changed his mind.

Hidden in darkness, countless coral golems were staring mindlessly into the distance. They were very similar to the creatures he had fought to get to the Star Sigil, but also different.

Because they weren't copies of ancient heroes… just that of mundane people.

As such, they wouldn't be too dangerous. A single Sleeper could fight dozens with ease, let alone the experienced, powerful warriors of the Dreamer Army. More than that, the golems did not seem to be hostile.

Some of them stood motionlessly, while some aimlessly wandered about. These sad, empty things were even more lifeless than Echoes. He felt that they weren't really creatures, even. Just… physical manifestations of the Crimson Terror's madness, perhaps. A representation of its broken psyche and scattered thoughts.

He was sure that each of these golems represented one of the souls that had been sacrificed to the artificial sun and had once flowed through its vessel, becoming a part of it. Forever.

…There were thousands of them, and even more had to be hidden somewhere out of sight.

Lingering for a bit, Sunny informed Nephis of his discovery. She frowned and glanced into the darkness, then nodded.

"We will be careful."

Now that they had a better understanding of the ground level of the Crimson Spire, it became clear that the Gateway was not on it. To find it, the remains of the Dreamer Army were going to have to ascend higher.

There were no stairs or lifting mechanisms in sight, but luckily, many of the twisting coral pillars were wide enough for several people to walk on them, and not as steep as to make things too difficult. The Sleepers could use them to easily reach the next level.

…However, as soon as Sunny stepped forward, Neph suddenly pulled him back and shouted:

"Everyone, back!"

ray of blinding light fell from somewhere above and swiped across the interior of

that the ray was imbued with the same soul-destroying property

strange, they were unmistakably aimed at the exhausted mass of human invaders and full of

"Hide in the shadows!"

for too long and were exposed to the light. They didn't scream or struggle, just fell down to the ground, their lives extinguished

rest froze, consumed by tense

a slightly inclined pillar of coral, Nepth and Cassie by his side. Carefully looking out, he saw the deadly beam of light grow dim and dissipate. A moment later, however, several more

was

coral golems suddenly surged forward, moving toward the place where the Dreamer Army was hiding.

'...Crap.'

summoned

"What now?"

for a bit, and then said

to attack the Crimson Terror directly to draw its

a strong sense

might that

took a step back, summoning her silver

It has to

his next words. But in the end, he

crazy? That's a

didn't answer, instead looking up, as though trying to discern the source of the blinding rays of annihilating

gritted his teeth

Because you are the great daughter of the Immortal Flame clan? Don't tell me that you started to believe in your

look and then