...Stunned by what she said, the group of four stood there, their faces drained of color as they gazed at the young woman. Rin felt as though something delicate and vital inside her had been shattered, causing an ache that seemed to pierce her heart. The triumph and relief she had felt moments before now felt like a cruel trick, an illusion she had fallen for, leaving Rin feeling like a fool.

It felt impossible to accept. How could everything they'd worked for suddenly seem futile? How could their aspirations, dreams, and wishes crumble with just a few words? It was a bewildering thought. Then, in a moment of despair, Cassie's voice broke, barely audible, as she whispered:

"What do you mean, there is no Gateway?"

Effie shrugged.

"It's very simple, really. I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you, but deep down inside you must have known already. Didn't you? The Forgotten Shore… it's not really a place where humans are supposed to survive. That's why you have never heard of anything like it in the school or the Academy."

*Gods we are stupid*

*And naive*

The Dream Realm sprawled in all its vastness, a realm of mystery and wonder largely untouched by human exploration. Yet, scattered morsels of knowledge about its regions existed, some even controlled by humans, their towering Citadels like Bastion offering refuge to countless Awakened souls.

When Rin first set foot on the Forgotten Shore, the unfamiliarity of its features struck her deeply. Initially, she attributed her lack of recognition to her and Sunny's incomplete education. However, as neither Nephis nor Cassie could decipher its secrets either, Rin began to question the very nature of this enigmatic locale. Why did such a distinctive region remain shrouded in obscurity? The only plausible conclusion was that those who ventured into its depths never returned to share their discoveries with the waking world.

After settling into the cozy routine of Academy life for just a few weeks, she found herself utterly oblivious to the harsh reality that constantly plagued people like her and Sunny. It seemed that no matter how hopeful she tried to be, the truth always surpassed her darkest imaginings.

The world, relentless and predatory, never missed a chance to pounce.

So, why would this instance be any exception?

The bitter taste of familiarity crept into her mouth, a bitter reminder of past disappointments. Meanwhile, Effie maintained her gentle demeanour as she spoke.

"Fifteen years ago or so, a group of powerful and desperate Sleepers managed to reach this city and claim the castle for themselves. Not because it had a Gateway, but because it was the only place that could keep them safe. At least for a while. Ever since then, a few lucky or resourceful people would find their way to the castle each solstice, only to get stuck here with the rest of us."

Nephis sat in solemn silence, her tightly clenched fists the only hint of the turmoil brewing within her. But it was Cassie who seemed to bear the weight of their situation most heavily. It was her vision that had guided them into this perilous trap, and now her anguish was palpable.

Her complexion drained of color, Cassie's face bore the marks of agony and disbelief, each delicate feature contorted in a mask of pain. With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes and whispered softly:

"But that's… that is not fair!"

Effie looked at her with pity. Then, she chuckled, smiled darkly and said:

"When was anything ever fair?"

...She was absolutely correct. Justice, in truth, seemed to reside solely within the abstract confines of human thought. Rin had grasped this truth ages ago. In fact, she could even make the case that justice was merely a figment even in the tangible world.

As memories of her brother and parents flooded her mind, Rin couldn't help but reflect on the stark reality of injustice.

Amidst the brooding resentment of the two dark-haired individuals, Effie's smile underwent a striking transformation. The once somber expression melted away, replaced by a radiant grin. Leaning in slightly, she spoke:

"But it's not all bad! At least you have met me. You guys are incredibly lucky, really. If you hadn't run into a local, you would have been dead already."

Nephis stared at her and asked in a flat tone:

"Yeah? Why is… that?"

Her awkward manner of speech was back again in all its glory.

Effie sighed.

"The Dark City is simultaneously the safest place to be on the Forgotten Shore, and also the deadliest. It is safe because no sea monster can cross the wall, let alone reach the castle. But at the same time, it is far more dangerous than the Labyrinth because almost every Nightmare Creature here is of the Fallen rank."

Rin blinked, a sudden chill coursing through her veins, sending shivers down her spine. The notion of facing fallen creatures, beings of incomprehensible might compared to mere Awakened ones, was daunting beyond measure. It seemed utterly reckless for dormant humans like them to dare confront such formidable adversaries.

Even contending with a single awakened demon had proved overwhelming, leading them to desperate measures like summoning a true terror from the depths of the cursed sea—an act that, in hindsight, appeared disastrously ill-advised. The thought of confronting something even more dangerous than the Carapace Demon filled Rin with a paralyzing dread. Recalling the monstrous forms of the giant shark and tentacled horror, she couldn't suppress her trembling.

Were each of those shapes she had encountered manifestations of fallen monsters? The idea of surviving even a day in this cursed city seemed ludicrously perilous—only the truly insane would dare to venture forth. Gradually, the full magnitude of the perilous trap they found themselves in began to sink in, enveloping Rin's mind with a sense of foreboding.

Effie smiled.

"But you guys managed to stumble into me before descending from the wall. Otherwise, the Fallen Ones would have been feasting on your souls already. Lucky, very lucky! There are very few people in the castle who go out hunting in the ruins, let alone venture so far away from it. Meeting an experienced hunter like me was probably your only chance to avoid finding out about the true face of the Dark City a second too late."

She shook her head.

"That's, like… one to one thousand? Ten thousand? A million? At any rate, the odds were really not in your favor. Fortune is definitely in love with at least one of you, guys. So… cheer up! Do you want some meat? I had a truly amazing hunt today. It was so amazing that I don't even mind sharing."

Nephis didn't even glance at the sizzling meat; instead, she shifted in her seat and spoke with intense words:

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"If there is no Gateway here, why didn't you try to leave?"

Effie blinked a couple of times and looked at her with sincere confusion.

"...Leave? And go where?"

As the aroma of sizzling meat filled the air, Effie noticed it was extremely close to being overcooked. With a quick move, she reached for the skewers, carefully swapping them out for fresh ones. Letting out a soft sigh, she turned towards Changing Star and spoke gently:

"You've been to the Labyrinth, so you know what it's like. There's nothing else but that damn coral and cursed sea for months of travel in every direction. You can't go on foot, you can't swim. You can't even fly, because there are swarms of dreadful flying abominations hiding in the clouds. But try to leave? Yeah, many have tried. They're all dead now. Actually, that's how the initial master of the castle had perished."

Sunny spoke first

"So, what? You guys just hide in the castle and wait for death?"

The beautiful young woman laughed.

"Of course not, doofus!"

*I like it, better than idiot*

As she gazed at Sunny with an unexpectedly somber expression in her hazel eyes, she uttered:

"Most of us can't even get into the castle. The king demands his tax, you know? So we just wait for death outside."

*Great there's a king, wanna bet Nephis is gonna kill him*

*Bet, i don't need to bet i know one of you is probably gonna kill him*

*****

Every pair of eyes in the room were fixed on her, each person grappling to decipher the meaning of her words.

"What do you mean?"

Effie shrugged.

"The castle belongs to a man named Gunlaug. If you want to enter and live in the safety of the castle walls, protected and provided for by his hunters, you need to pay a tribute. One shard each week."

*If i'm being honest, i'm not even that surprised*

*I know right it's like the slums all over again, the strong prey on the weak*

Rin felt a familiar, ominous sensation stirring within her, emerging from the depths of her being. It was a sensation she had once subdued and pushed aside, but now it resurfaced, reclaiming its hold on her consciousness.

A faint smile played on Rin's lips as she glanced at Sunny, recognizing the shared understanding between them. It was evident that Sunny too was grappling with the dark thoughts.

*You wanna ask or me?*

*Let me speak, you already spoke before*

Rin spoke

"What happens if you can't pay the tribute?"

The huntress glanced at her with confusion.

"What do you think? You are not allowed to step anywhere near the gates. There's a small settlement for us unfortunate wretches beneath the castle walls, where we make do with what little we have and tremble in the night, hoping that nothing comes out of the darkness to devour us. That's pretty much it."

Sunny spoke

"But how are people even supposed to get soul shards in this cursed place?"

Effie gestured to the corpses of the monsters she had slain.

"By hunting. One can find Awakened creatures here and there in the city. The trick is to find and kill them without stumbling into something far more deadly. Gunlaug's people form parties and go out to hunt, with experienced pathfinders leading the way. They bring back food, Memories, materials and shards. Nothing stops people from attempting the same."

She fell silent for a few moments, and then said in a darker tone:

"Of course, without good Memories, vast amounts of accumulated soul essence and intricate knowledge of the city, those people usually don't live long. Most of them either die or turn to other ways of earning shards. There's very few independent hunters with more than a couple of successful hunts to their names. Ones that are still alive, I mean."

They both glanced around at the giant dead monsters.

"What about you? How many did you survive?"

Effie smiled.

"More than a couple."

With a chuckle, she raised her hand and began folding fingers, a thoughtful expression on her face:

"Let's see… one, two… uh, five…"

As she ran out of fingers to count on, she absentmindedly scratched her head, voicing her thoughts with a hint of uncertainty:

"I'm not really sure, but it should be around a hundred or two. Yeah."

*Two…hundred!*

*That's what she said sunny, you really are an observant one, nothing gets passed you*

*Can you… shut up*

*And let you enjoy peace and quiet… never*

Thinking back to what Effie said

Effie's words carried weight, suggesting she possessed formidable strength. Taking down even a single Awakened creature commanded admiration, but dispatching hundreds elevated her deeds to a level of remarkable heroism, albeit tinged with a hint of intimidation. What made her feats all the more astonishing was the fact that she ventured into the heart of a cursed ruin teeming with Fallen abominations, braving the perils alone, with no one but herself to depend on.

Beneath Effie's casual exterior lay a complexity not readily apparent.

Her expression shifted into a frown.

"If this is true, then you should have had no problem paying the tribute to stay in the castle. This doesn't make sense. Why haven't you?"

Effie shrugged with ambivalence. The topic didn't seem to interest her.

"Let's just say that I don't like the… ambiance there."

Rin's curiosity burned brighter, hungry for more knowledge, but then, unexpectedly, Nephis broke the silence with a hint of tension in her voice:

"You said that there were… other ways of earning soul shards. What are they?"

The huntress glanced over, her gaze lingering for a moment with a touch of intensity, hinting at a hidden emotion. Yet, just as swiftly, her familiar easygoing grin returned, dispelling any trace of the momentary seriousness.

"Well, there's a few ways. If you have a useful Utility Ability, you can become a craftsman or an artifex in the castle. There's not a lot of such Sleepers, so they are well-regarded and cared for. If not, uh… there are other opportunities, too. Boys can become Gunlaug's soldiers, while girls… can enter his harem. Pretty ones like the three of you especially. No one will force you, of course."

"I would rather ki-"

Nephis's interrupted Rin with a scowl on her own face

"So… you can either become his soldier, his servant, his plaything, or die. But that is… your own choice. No one is forcing anyone to do anything. Of course."

Effie grinned.

"Smart girl. You get it."

As Changing Star gazed downward, a shift came over her normally indifferent expression, morphing it into one of steely resolve. Her fists tightened with such intensity that they appeared drained of colour, embodying the depth of her emotion as it hardened into icy determination.

"So why hasn't anyone… killed him yet?"

*There it is*

*The Nephis we know*

The huntress laughed.

"Kill Gunlaug? Oh, many have tried. Great people, terrible people, and everyone in-between. You can see their skulls above the castle gate, actually."

She shook her head.

"I like your train of thought, princess, but you should forget it. Just consider him to be immortal. He practically is. Believe me when I say that no Sleeper can defeat Gunalug, ever. It's simply impossible."

Effie sighed.

"Plus, no matter how much I hate the bastard, he is the only thing that holds this place together. Despicable as he is, without him, we would have all been dead already."

They observed Nephis intently, eager to gauge her response. What they witnessed didn't sit well with them.

Upon her lovely ivory countenance, there lingered only an icy indifference and steely determination.

It mirrored the same demeanor she wore prior to the showdown with the carapace centurion and later with the Carapace Demon. Even without relying on Cassie's prophetic ability, it was clear they could infer the thoughts swirling within her mind.

*This is… going to become a problem.*

*I mean, I kinda wanna kill him too*

*Rin… no whats wrong with you did you not hear the beefy woman, she clearly said-…. You're not even Listening are you?*

She was looking away, mainly at Effie's… big personality…until she spoke to Sunny again

*Don't be that one person in every group that doesn't want to do anything dangerous*

*there is no such thing as impossible, only improbable Sunny*

Effie spoke again:

"No, seriously. Trying to go against Gunlaugh will only get you killed... if you're lucky. Don't even think about that. Thinking too much is not good for your health here in the Dark City, anyway."

Then, she smiled and gestured to the fire.

"Just have some of this delicious meat instead. Life is good when your stomach is full, right? Let me tell you, this is most likely your last chance to eat anything for free. Food is a real rarity in these parts. Can you believe it?"

Rin let out a heavy sigh, then leaned in to grab two sizzling pieces of meat, passing one over to Sunny. Despite the challenges they faced, they knew they had to press on, taking on every problem as it came. It was the only way they could make it through alive.

"Of course I can believe it. I'm from the outskirts, you know. I didn't even know what real meat smells like before entering the Academy!"

As Rin sliced through the meat, she generously passed a portion to Cassie, and together they eagerly indulged in their meal. Nephis hesitated briefly before mimicking their actions, joining in the feast. Amidst the hearty meal, Effie couldn't help but burst into giggles, adding a touch of joy to the atmosphere.

"That's the spirit! See, scary eyes and doofus get it."

*You got a new nickname, scary eyes i kinda like it *

*Yeah doofus fits you perfectly too, but I like idiot.. it has a nice ring to it *

It appeared that Changing Star had taken her advice to heart. On the surface, it seemed like she had come to terms with the idea that taking down the current master of the castle was an insurmountable task.

However, deep down, both of them understood that Nephis wasn't truly convinced.

Because, let's face it, Nephis had a knack for defying the odds and turning the impossible into reality.