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?»

Tamar, the leader of the survey team, who

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

the porters and

can't go there. As soon as you do, your souls won't be protected by the Queen's grace anymore, and you'll be summoned into the First

She sighed.

will camp here and turn back tomorrow… returning to the main camp should not take us nearly as long as it took to come here, since we'll

turned her back to the Incredible sight of the colossal bones, as if

suppressed the

a Legacy for

calm when witnessing something that unimaginable. Why did she feel the need to put

used to rolling in the dirt, couldn't help

to mock the Legacy heiress mercilessly… well, or at least tease her a bit. Of course,

like that. Even the best outcome would be

made a larger fire than usual and roasted all their remaining monster meat. Even the three Awakened joined the rest of the team

pilgrim did not join them, either. The dead man remained standing at the edge of the camp, emotionless and unfeeling, staring into the darkness

creepy to be in his presence, but the members of the survey team had long learned to ignore the

easy smile and friendly demeanor put everyone at ease, so the conversation flowed

Lady Tamar… if you don't

old goat, was uncharacteristically shy in front of the young Legacy. He mumbled

couldn't help but notice that you weren't very impressed

at him coldly, lingered for a few moments,

did see it before. Actually, all three of us are familiar with Godgrave.

porters widened.

It sent these kids to a Death Zone? How were

she was just familiar with the titanic skeleton. More than

«…Talk about being prejudiced.»

ashamed

at the three Awakened in awe.

would have thought that

every Sleeper was sent to the Dream Realm on the winter solstice, where they had to find a

through a Dream Gate before the solstice and anchor oneself in advance. That way, there was no risk of being sent

gaze darkened, prompting Fleur to

a lot of time before the solstice. There is a lot of paperwork involved in getting access to

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

with confusion. After

father must have

She furrowed her brow.

«He wasn't.»