We arrived at a large fortress inside the city of Zuva itself. There were several of these all around the city, but this one was the main one. The one that the city had been formed around. Skyscrapers surrounded the black stone fortress, each of them having turrets of Sun Stone weaponry, ballista, nets, spotlights.

The fortress itself also had these same defenses ringing the square building. Inside the gates and hallways were all collapsible, and there were always more than a hundred members of the Forged Order on call to deal with any incursions in the city, as well as a dozen or so Dreamers.

It was the entrance to the Second Layer. The gateway to a world of Nightmares.

Our vehicles stopped at one of the entrances, and we all offloaded. In front of the towering gate stood four people. Two were soldiers, Sun Stone rifles in hands, bayonets glinting from the tips of the weapons.

The third was a short Solarian man with deeply tanned skin. He wore long black and gold robes, and pinned to the left side of his chest was a shining golden Sun Stone badge. The intensity of the light coming off the Sun Stone told of how high quality it was. Actually, the man himself seemed to be glowing slightly.

He was a Cardinal of the Solaris Church. Every Cardinal was a Dreamer, that was common knowledge, but now that I knew what it meant to be a Dreamer I had some thoughts on the matter.

“That is Cardinal Wont Wong,” Melanie whispered. “In the church he’s the current one most favored to take the name of Saint, but it won’t happen any time soon.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Is he part Empyrean?” Elina asked.

“His grandfather was, and one condition for a Saint to be ordained is for there to be a real need for one, like the war with the Coal Empire.”

The Saint of the Setting Sun had been one of the most powerful Dreamers ever known, at least in known feats. He had been primarily responsible for the destruction of the Coal Empires capital.

The last man was a familiar face. Line Sergeant Brightstrike, at the moment he wore a clean pressed uniform. His broad shouldered body similar to Mr. Rider, though he was a bit shorter.

The four professors moved forward, and the started to talk with the sergeant and Cardinal. While they did so the rest of us stood awkwardly next to the towering fortress. After a couple of minutes Professor Liraca called out to us.

“Follow us inside.”

The large gates began to open, prismatic steam gushing out from above as the Sun Stone mechanisms went to work. One would think that to help stop giant monstrous Nightmares from invading the First Layer they would make a small door fit for humans, but the Seoncd Layer was also a treasure trove of rare resources that needed to be shipped up to the surface.

We entered, and looking up I saw the thick metal mesh top that would help to stop any flying or climbing Nightmares to escape, but still allow the weapons from outside to go in.

The hole itself was huge, more than a hundred meters in diameter. This had been the hole that the Children of the Sun had once protected the continent from, and the same hole that the largest Sun Stone ever mined was taken to the surface.

There were four gates to the fortress, the other three having been added as humanity got a more stable foundation for Zuvas Pillar, and each of them were currently open people and resources going in and out. The hole itself was clean and bricked, and from the hole there were several ways down. Lifts took people and smaller resources or parts up and down quickly. But a huge platform dominated a quarter of the hole, being used to bring huge pieces of machinery down and heavy loads of resources up.

Another part was normal stairs, used in case of machine failure, and next to that were chutes. Those could carry emergency messages up and down to the posts situated around the Pillar. I knew that there were several openings on the way down the Pillars and small towns and exploration parties could use light signals to send emergency messages to the Pillar which would then be brought up to the surface.

Eventually we would also see tubes from solar farms. Those were places where large sections of mirrored surfaces would funnel light into a mirrored tube and take those down so that Sun Stones down below could be charged without having to be brought back to the surface.

Overall, the place was beautiful. There was still some chaos that came from multiple people not being completely in line with one another, but this was still a systemic practiced activity honed over decades. Bronze and steel machinery rumbled as large gouts of steam blew upwards through the grated top, if not for that grate the room would be chocked with the humid smell of sunflowers and sugar. People exchanged handshakes, papers, materials, coin in rapid speed and great quantity.

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Off to the side of the organized chaos was the group of Forged Order members. The Champions already had their armor on, and I wondered if that was for show, or because they were expected to wear it for the entirety of the journey. There would be charging stations, but that would still be a lot. The regular soldiers of the Forged Order were more than soldiers from the typical military.

Normal military had Sun Stone weaponry made to kill humans, these soldiers had more powerful and unique pieces meant to slaughter Nightmares.

Each of them had a large backpack, no doubt carrying not only extra Sun Stones, but also to connect with their weapons.

Those weapons were not like the rifles the soldiers outside had carried, they were large unwieldy rifles, supported by mechanized arms, or huge gatling guns, a few of them even looked like they carried flame throwers. Compared to the majesty of the Champions, these guys looked like they were there to masacre everything in their path.

We were put next to the contingent of Forged Order, the group of four professors, Sergeant Brightstrike, and the Cardinal.

Sergeant Brightstrike took a step forward, going into one of those military stances that looked like it would be uncomfortable to stand still for long periods of time.

“Company! Attention!”

The entire group of Forged Order took the same stance, and the sergeant turned around.

The professors didn’t do anything as dramatic as that.

“Hey, pay attention to Cardinal Wong, he has a few words for you,” Professor Pure called out.

The Cardinal took a step forward and the light he was giving off seemed to grow, not blinding, but definitely attention grabbing.

“Hello soldiers and students of our beloved Sun State,” the man began, his voice loud, cheerful, and clear. “I am Cardinal Wont Wong. While our church has fallen on harder times after the death of the Saint I am not here to waste your time or to ask for financial and spiritual support. I am here to give it, spiritual that is. This pendant here is the most expensive thing I own.”

He said this with a wry smile, poking the exquisite pendant on his chest. To be fair, that pendant might have been the highest quality Sun Stone possible, added along with its religious significance it might even be worth a decent house.

“All I hope is that each and every one of you is able to come back safely from your journey. You all should have a long path of happiness and prosperity. Now…”

Cardinal Wong put one hand over the other and pressed it to the center of his chest.

“I ask that you please do not roll your eyes, but there is also no need for you to join me if you do not wish. I will now begin the prayer,” said the man, before lowering his head.

Almost all the Forged Order did a similar prayer, but only with one hand as they carried weapons on them. Mr. Rider was the only one of the teachers who joined, but most of the students did as well, including my three teammates.

I was one of the few who did not immediately go into prayer, as I didn’t pray. I was actually surprised so many of my classmates did, including my three team members. One person I noticed that didn’t join was Cystella. Her people were once the Children of the Sun. But instead of praying, or whatever her people once did, she clenched her opened umbrella tightly, using it to cover as much of her body as she could.

After a moment of standing there feeling as though everyone was staring at me, despite most of them having their eyes closed. I followed suit and stood there, my eyes shut too tightly as to be uncomfortable.

“Oh, shining Solaris, thank you for the gentle warmth you give us each day. However, today these young souls will trek to where your light cannot reach. I ask that you see they are successful in their journey, and come back home safely. Oh, Sun above, thank you.”

All around me I heard the echoes as others repeated the ending. I didn’t, partly because I didn’t care to say the words I didn’t even remember, and partly because my honed senses picked up activity.

A warm, bright feeling fell upon the group. Like a blanket that had been out in the sun all day, wrapping around us.

Opening my eyes I saw shining yellow light all around. It was as though the sunlight that fell from straight above became a curtain of solid light. Looking up, I saw that the source of the power was indeed the sun. It wasn’t just that I could see it, I could feel it. We were being bathed in love and warmth. The god Solaris… was real.

But while the power was real, it was also familiar. It was the most dense Intent I had ever felt. My Intent was coal compared to the diamond of the sunlight.

That brought another wave of unease. This was Intent, not some unexplainable divine power. Did that make the sun, Solaris, a Dreamer? A Nightmare? A sapient being that looked over us at all times?

The thought chilled me to the bone and at the same time sent my blood boiling with excitement. Several of the other students seemed to sense that the power of Solaris was familiar to them as well. Would this shake their belief in the god? In fact, the Dreamers of the Solaris Church have to of sensed it as well. What did they think of it?

An odd sight drew my attention. The rays of tangible sunlight were draped all around the area, even on those that had not prayed, except for one person. The light bent around Cystella in a perfect dome, as though it was scared of her.

I could see the wooden handle of her umbrella crack as she clenched in her hands.

Selfishly I wanted to see her face, the expression she was making. Was she ashamed? Sad? Angered? I wanted to know.

Cardinal Wong raised his head, and the light began to fade as it funneled into everybody's present body bar Cystella. A warm bubble formed in my gut, as though a miniature sun had risen in my stomach. The pack on my back felt lighter, and the fatigue from the car ride faded.

“Thank you all for your time, and good luck on your journey,” the Cardinal said with a warm, sunny smile.