Shadow Slave

As they ventured further east, the Moonriver Plain started to change. There were fewer and fewer canyons in their way, and the air grew a little warmer. At night, the three beautiful moons seemed more distant.

The wind carried with it swirling black flakes. Rain did not need to touch them to know what they were… ash. It was as if they had returned to Ravenheart, but also different.

Back in the stronghold of Clan Song, the ash fell from the frigid sky because of the raging volcanoes. But here, it was somehow different, making Rain feel uncomfortable.

Eventually, the members of the survey team stopped. No one had given the command, but they simply froze in place, looking at the horizon in stunned silence.

«…Wow.»

Out there in front of them, far away… it seemed as if a snowy mountain chain was rising from the ashen haze. But as Rain studied the towering mountains closer, she couldn't help but feel a sense of incongruity. Because the shape was wrong.

Then, something clicked in her mind, and she opened her mouth in shock… or horror. Or awe.

The mountains weren't mountains at all. Instead, they were bones.

An inconceivably large skeleton lay on the ground in the distance, too large to be seen whole. What Rain had thought to be the slopes of a mountain chain were several titanic ribs, each rising into the sky like ivory pillars that supported its weight.

The skull of the unfathomable corpse was mercifully out of view. The closest group of bone mountains, however, extended far into the Moonriver Plain. It was also shaped strangely, consisting of five lower peaks. Beyond them, a wide ridge rose gradually to a great height, like an eerie stairway to heaven.

The five mountains were the phalanxes of the colossal skeleton's fingers, and the rising ridge were the bones of its arm.

One of the porters whispered quietly:

«G-gods…»

Rain remained silent, but she felt like uttering something like that herself. There were simply no words to describe her emotions.

Awakened Ray glanced at them and smiled faintly.

«Gods? A god, maybe. That is Godgrave ahead of us.»

The porters, who weren't very well-acquainted with the topography of the Dream Realm, looked at him in confusion.

He sighed.

«Godgrave is a Death Zone that serves as the north-eastern boundary of the Song Domain. It is a region of the Dream Realm where Great, Cursed, and maybe even Unholy abominations dwell. As for why it is called that… I think you can see for yourself. Nobody really knows what that terrible skeleton is, but it's easy to imagine that these are the remains of a god. Therefore… Godgrave.»

The porters shivered.

«Awakened Ray, sir… are we going there?»

but it was Tamar, the leader of the survey

A Death Zone is not a place for humans. Even if we aren't devoured by some

the porters and the

not reach Godgrave, so you can't go there. As soon as you

She sighed.

returning to the main camp should not take us nearly as long as it took to come here, since we'll be going in a straight line, The marching will

her back to the Incredible sight of the

the desire to

Legacy for

it kill Tamar to act like a normal girl? No one could remain calm when witnessing

Rain, who was used to rolling in the

heiress mercilessly… well, or at least tease her a bit. Of course, she never did — Rain wasn't

a complete idiot would do something like that. Even the best outcome

the last day of their official duties, they made a larger fire than usual and roasted all their remaining monster meat. Even the three Awakened joined the rest of the team members, leaving the Echo to

remained standing at the edge of the camp, emotionless and unfeeling, staring into the darkness with his glassy

his presence, but the members of the survey team had long

who cooked for everyone. Her easy smile and friendly demeanor put everyone at ease, so the conversation

Lady Tamar… if you don't

front of the young Legacy. He mumbled something quietly, and asked in

very impressed by that huge skeleton. Have you

lingered for a few moments, then

with Godgrave. That is where the Spell sent us on the

the porters widened. Even Rain was

hell? It sent these kids to a Death Zone? How were

feeling a little guilty. As it turned out, Tamar had not been acting haughty… she was just familiar with

«…Talk about being prejudiced.»

ashamed

were staring at the three Awakened in

winter solstice? I… ah… I would have thought that

used to be that every Sleeper was sent to the Dream Realm on the winter solstice, where they had to find a Gateway, anchor themselves to it, and thus Awaken. These days, however, the situation

before the solstice and anchor oneself in advance.

darkened, prompting

we completed our First Nightmare in late autumn, so there was not a lot of time before the solstice. There is a lot of paperwork involved in getting access to the Dream

glanced at

and I did. Tamar's father is a Saint, so he could have brought her to the Lake of Tears personally, without the need of using the Dream Gate. Still,

looked at the young Legacy with confusion. After a bit

lady's father must have

She furrowed her brow.

«He wasn't.»