36 Chapter 35

Right after waking Cassie up, the group gathered what little stuff that withstood the onslaught between Ariel and the tentacle before heading out swiftly.

Descending the statue wasn't that hard for them, especially with someone like Ariel around. He was piggybacking Cassie throughout the descent. Getting to the bottom with ease. While Nephis and Sunny tied themselves by the ends of the golden rope. Taking turns on their way down. The two also made it look like the easiest thing in the world. Their feet touching the soil five minutes later. Ariel. Who was standing by with Cassie still on his back, had his eyes locked on the surroundings, his senses expanding through the labyrinth. The labyrinth that had no end, thousands and thousands of passages branching away and mixing together. This was the most important and annoying part of their journey.

Ariel beckoned for the two to get closer.

"The two Awakened Monsters came from west. A direction we have to go to reach the city according to Cassie."

"Which means we will face more of those Monsters at some point."

Nephis finished his thoughts with her usual calm face, her eyes glinting with firmness.

Ariel nodded.

"Indeed, as she said, we will be meeting more of them, so we have to be prepared to face them. And what's better than hundreds of Awakened Beasts as practice? Nothing."

"I understand your point, but what about us actually winning against Awakened Beasts? how will that work? I, myself have only killed a few since our time here, Nephis too."

Sunny's voice rang out, his tone betraying him by leaking a bit of ridiculousness at Ariel's take.

"We're not like you Ariel, we can't just go into a battle without worrying about injuries, we don't have an aspect that gives us such a massive physical boost. Scouting is my strong point. Combat awareness is Nephis's. And Cassie's strong point is… uh… well… she doesn't have much use right now besides guiding us."

"…"

Sunny almost slapped himself for talking without thinking. These days his mind has bees so possessed with his survival and only his. He blurred out certain details or he just didn't care that much. Especially with the recent happenings. Last night was worse than a nightmare, it affected him in a way, not a good way mind you. But he didn't have time to figure it out becuase of the urgency of the situation.

Damn it! This flaw is gonna be the end of me I swear. But what I'm saying is reasonable. No sleeper wants to battle it out with Awakened beasts just for practise. He or she would be laughed at by all awakened if they hear such an absurd claim. True, our circumstances isn't really the common sense that has been engraved into our mind by the world, I just… can't comprehend the fact that fighting Awakened nightmare creatures for practice is slowly becoming normal the longer we stay here.

Noticing the deafening silence brought forth by his words. Sunny tried to placate it by giving a forced smile.

"I apologise, I tend to rant a lot. It's a very good trait to have for wining conversations. That's why I argue a bit, it's a habit. Please don't take it seriously."

Ariel just smiled, apparently not minding his words.

"Honesty is good. I like honest people the most Sunny. Not the ones that use their honesty to manipulate others but the ones that truly say whatever is on their mind. And you seem like the latter. And I'm pretty sure Cassie doesn't mind. After all, being in a position like hers would certainly give you some type of resistance to such comments."

Cassie peaked her head out from Ariel's nape, her eyes slightly glazed. Her face holding a dreamy smile. She, without even looking at Sunny nodded at Ariel's words absentmindedly.

Sunny relaxed noticeably, his mind churning at Ariel's words. His thoughts were ones of bitterness.

Don't worry Ariel, I'm the most honest person in two worlds. Nobody can match me at that. I'm not sure whether I am as you've described or the opposite of it. Even I don't know for certain which type I am.

Nephis was listening to the conversation from the side. Or so it appeared. In truth, she was secretly side-eying Cassie sniffing the back of Ariel's neck like a dog happy to see her owner. She even managed to peck his neck for a brief moment. Causing Nephis's eyes to flicker intensely. The glow of her eyes intensifying as time went on. And before she could dig deeper to understand what was happening. Ariel's voice resonated in the air again.

"I appreciate the honesty Sunny. In fact, I intend to be truthful too. I know exactly what you were thinking about when you said those words. You were thinking we're slowly starting to turn insane, our plan to face the awakened creatures all the more cementing your thoughts. Am I right?"

Sunny Confirmed his statement by Nodding slowly. Birthing a small smirk onto Ariel's features.

"You're correct but wrong at the same time. You see, we're in a very harsh environment, this region hasn't been discovered nor had we heard anything about it. However, we do know one thing. And that's Awakened nightmare creatures roam like insects around here. There's no possible end to them from what we have seen since we were dropped here. So it's natural for our common sense to warp a bit. It's inevitable. That's why I'm treating these battles as practise, because I know that far more horrifying creatures await us, my mind has already adapted and is considering these nightmare creatures as no more than regular soldiers. You better start mending your mind the same way, otherwise, you'll find yourself dead in some corner of this hopeless, dark region."

Listening to his lengthy but very believable speech, Sunny's face contorted a tiny bit. Realising that he was absolutely right. So the only thing he could do, was to let out a quiet mutter…

"Hah… let's just go for it."

Ariel grinned once he heard Sunny's voice.

"That's the spirit!"

He then began looking at the labyrinth once more…

"What are we waiting for then? We're wasting time the longer we stand here. Remember the high point we mapped out, so that in case we got seperated. Our destination would be the same."

All of them nodded in synch before sprinting into one of the many, many, openings of the labyrinth. Its entrance wide and covered with jagged coral that seem sharp and deadly. The feeling of no longer having the option to go back settled in once they passed the entrance.

Sunny glanced back only to see the 'door' to the passageway closing like a beasts maw. Trapping them for eternity in its body.

A uneasiness grew in his stomach. An uncomfortableness unlike anything he had experienced so far. But he did what he was the best at.

He ignored it.

The cohort of four made their way through the labyrinth, the passageways sometimes leading to dead ends or just unnaturally cut of areas. The terrain wasn't in their favour with its spikey coral mounds and pillars haphazardly laid around. As if obstructing them.

After some time, the cohort confronted a few nightmare creatures, three in total. And all three of them were Awakened Beasts. No surprise there. They were screeching and clamping their mandibles against each other.

A smirk crept up Ariel's lips. The sight in front of him was what he wanted.

"Perfect… this is perfect for training. You two will take on one them, I'll handle the third one don't worry."

Nervousness was felt within Sunny's reply, as he tried his best to sound nonchalant.

"You're firm on this decision aren't you?"

"Yep, there's no way you can get out of this."

Damnation! No, damn you Ariel! I know I already agreed, but now that I see them in person. I'm more apprehensive than ever.

Sunny's expression nearly faltered by his vehement thoughts. But he gathered his resolve and spat out forcefully.

"Fine… I'll do it."

Sunny ran towards one of the shadows of the passagway. They were his home. A place where he can truly be comfortable in. He blended himself with the darkness of the walls, slowly moving in to ambush one of the three targets. None of them had the ability to perceive him. So he was fairly confident in his stealth. An area of abilities that was perfect for him and his aspect.

As he was progressing towards the creatures. The wind whipped through the air. Ringing out in his ears. There, he saw Nephis already blasting towards them without hesitation. Her speed much, much faster and precise than him. More straightforward, more deadly. She was like a comet barraging toward them. Resembling a beast more than a human.

Just like Ariel…

Sunny's thoughts were halted. He had reached his goal. One of the scavengers was 5 meters away from him, the only thing separating them was the darkness of the walls. He collected his breath and summoned the Azure Blade. His shadow melting into his body, giving him a small boost of strength, agility, and everything else. It was good, but it wasn't enough to survive. He waited. He waited for Nephis to start the onslaught.

Nephis arrived beside one of them in a blast of air, her sword already in hand, glowed in incandescent light, her face contorted in pain. She striked one of the weak joints between the beasts chitin armour, specifically its kneecap.

Clang!

A sound akin to metal clashing against metal rang out, the beast buckled onto its knee, releasing a powerful screech, not out of pain, but out of anger. It swiped its mandibles, its intention obvious. Nephis slid to the side before ducking under it, her eyes shined with firmness that seemed unshakable. Her sword once again, shone in white light. But this time, clear wisps of pale flames wrapped around the blade. The blade was no longer visible a few seconds later. Only writhing flames remained, shaping into a fiery long sword that she swung precisely into the beasts shoulder joint, another weak point of theirs.

This time the beast shrieked in pain, a nasty, burning smell of meat permeating through the air. Its shoulder missing a big piece of it. Its already maddened eyes turned even more feral, attacking Nephis in a cluster. Its limbs swift and fast, its eight crab legs chittering along the ground. Nephis, at the brunt of its long cluster of attacks, pushed her body to the limits, her keen eyes bouncing around rapidly in an attempt to follow the beast's trajectory. Barely managing to avoid its snapping claws heading for her neck.

While Nephis was avoiding blow after blow from the hulking beast. Never wavering, never stopping in her place for more than one second. Her hands gripping the hilt of the sword tightened to a worrying degree. Her face showing a flicker of intense pain.

The other beast lagging behind, started making its way towards the duo, not noticing the dark visage running up a pillar, then jumping right behind it. The visage held a light, sharp sword a meter long, its length ending in an angular tip. The visage's sword flashed in the air, carrying great momentum in its descent. The dark eyes of the visage glinting with murderous light. Its hands basked in shadows except for the sword. It let the momentum carry the sword, its target right beneath the nape of the scavenger. One of their dangerous weak points.

The sword pierced into the beast, and with such monstrous momentum, the scavenger was mushed into the ground by the visage's body. Its form writhing and dripping viscous saliva coated in blood, blood that flowed uncontrollably from its devastating wound. It tried to kill its hunter by pushing its body through one last effort. But it's counter-attack ended before it began. The visage still unsure, quickly stabbed the beast multiple times in the same place. Its actions hurried and frantic but filled with sharp focus at the same time. It didn't stop until the voice of the spell rang out.

[You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]

[Your shadow grows stronger.]

[You-]

Before it could continue, the visage waved it off. Looking at the corpse of the beast beneath him in surprise. Surprise directed at himself.

I did it… I actually did it! All on my own. True, It was an ambush but still. I slayed an awakened beast as a sleeper. As a damn sleeper with a dormant core! Maybe Ariel had influenced me a bit. But my focus right now was unlike anything I have ever experienced, it was magical. My mind empty, my eyes only occupied by one thing. My enemy.

Finally feeling a whisper of confidence. Sunny raised his eyes to see whether Nephis's fight had come to an end. And as expected, the scavenger had a long sleek sword, stabbed into its throat. The sword flickering with pale flames weakly. Nephis was on her knees, Panting heavily. A big gash on the right side of her waist. Her face pale, hinted at immeasurable pain.

Sunny then looked around for the third creature, only to find its headless body laying limply on the jagged terrain. A sight he expected if he were to be honest.

Clap! Clap!

Claps resounded in the passageway, Ariel with Cassie still on his back became visible.

"Great job, I knew you guys had the potential. I'm very proud to have such strong comrades. Especially you Sunny, that was incredible."

Ariel's compliment prompted Sunny to scratch his cheek with a small smile.

Well… it's kinda nice receiving praise once in a while.

"And you Nephis, was that your aspect? It was impressive, the flames made me scared a bit too. A very dangerous aspect. I imagine controlling it is even harder am I right?"

Nephis gave confirmation with a grunt. Walking close to Ariel before looking up at him with expectant eyes.

"Ah right, you need my blood. Here drink."

Ariel cut a small wound to let a few drops flow freely into Nephis's mouth.

Nephis's body quaked at the taste. Her thoughts dancing in joy.

Ah… finally, I get to taste it again.

A/N: my update rate my seem slow. That is because I do not want to make a mistake and just write on a whim. I wanna build up the chapter slowly but surely. I've done that before and it only netted me plotholes and mistakes. So yeah. And there's also the factor of my mood. I'm only writing this for fun. If I'm not in a good mood for writing. Then it may not happen. I don't wanna burn myself out. But I hope you like it. A different perspective on fights other than Ariel. Also thanks for the support.