Five hundred people stood silently in the magnificent great hall of the ancient castle. Beams of sunlight were falling through the tall windows, making the air appear bright and effervescent.
There was no sign left of the terrible bloodshed that had happened in this hall just a few weeks ago. The bodies were dragged away, the blood washed off the marble floors.
But the memory of it remained.
On the steps leading to a beautiful throne of white marble sat a young woman with silver hair. Her ivory face was distant, and her clear grey eyes were calm and heavy. Hundreds of people were looking at her, waiting quietly for their lady to speak.
Finally, Changing Star sighed. A moment later, her voice resounded in the throne room, reaching far and wide:
"Dreamers of the Forgotten Shore. A week ago, I sent several scouts into the Labyrinth to look for those young men and women who, like us, were sent to this cursed place. Among them was Nightingale, whom you all know. He spent seven days searching for them. But he didn't find anyone. Not even a single sign of their passing. This year… no one has come."
A wave of stunned whispers ran through the crowd. Sunny glanced at the faces of people gathered in the great hall, noticing different expressions on them. Confusion, fear, shock. However, it wasn't as bad as he had expected. No one seemed to become consumed by utter despair.
Instead, all of them turned to Nephis, hope burning in their eyes.
She was their hope. Until Changing Star was with them, they weren't going to give in to despair.
Indifferent to hundreds of eyes observing her every move, Neph continued:
"Many of you understand what that means. To those who don't, I will explain."
She lingered for a moment, throwing a glance at the walls of the ancient citadel. When she spoke, her voice seemed solemn:
"For many years, this castle served as a fortress for the humans sent to the Forgotten Shore. Some of you enjoyed the safety it offered, while others survived in the shadow of its walls. But none of us would have been here if not for the Bright Castle. It offered us protection against the dreadful beasts of the Dark City. It offered us shelter. However, this shelter was never free."
A dark expression appeared on her face.
"Some people lost their souls to preserve it. And many more lost their lives. Every year, hundreds of human lives were sacrificed to allow the Bright Castle to exist. And every year, hundreds more came to be thrown into its maw."
Sunny silently scoffed. She was making it sound as though the Castle was some creature that fed on human lives… not unlike the Soul Devourer, really. The meaning was subtle enough to not be obvious, but still affect the people gathered in the throne room. Observing them, he saw many Sleepers shiver and frown.
'...Insidious.'
Meanwhile, Nephis continued:
"But no more. There won't be anyone coming to the Dark City this year, just like no one will come after that. Without new people, the losses we suffer will slowly accumulate, until there is no one to man the walls, no one to fight off the Nightmare Creatures, no one to keep these halls safe. Until there is no more shelter. This end…"
She made a pause, and then said calmly and with frightening finality:
"...is inevitable."
Her words crashed into the crowd of Sleepers, causing a storm of emotions. Their eyes widened and their faces paled. The shock and fear they had felt grew tenfold.
As if to hammer the last nail into the coffin of their worldview, Changing Star said:
"Which means only one thing. We cannot remain in the Bright Castle anymore."
Screams rose from the crowd, full of disbelief and terror. There were many things people were trying to say, but they all boiled down to three:
"What do we do?!"
"How do we save ourselves?!"
…And:
"Save us, Changing Star!"
Sunny smiled.
Nephis remained silent for a while, letting the chorus of screams wash over her. And then, white flames ignited in her eyes, making everyone fall silent. Her voice resounded once more between the walls of the great hall, penetrating through the crowd like a sharp blade:
"But this not the end of us. A long time ago, I made you a promise. And I intend to keep it."
She suddenly rose, towering over the crowd like a shining, ruinous angel.
"Come with me! Follow me. Only I know how to save you."
The radiance of her flames reflected in the eyes of hundreds of people, making it seem as though their faces shone with an inner light. Her words had submerged them into utter darkness, and then gave them a beacon to find a way out of it.
That beacon burned with the most seductive of lights.
The light of hope.
And that hope was synonymous with her.
Changing Star slowly descended from the steps, her words echoing from the marble walls of the throne room:
"Follow me, and I will lead you out of this hell. Follow me, and I will show you the path back to your homes. But make no mistake…"
She stopped and remained silent for a few long moments. When she spoke again, her voice sounded calmer, colder…
Heavier.
"The road ahead will be long and arduous. Not everyone will make it. The weak will die. The strong will die, too. And those who remain won't be the same. But there is one thing I can promise you…"
Nephis entered the crowd and looked at the people surrounding her with absolute resolve burning in her beautiful eyes.
"Follow me… and you will never be slaves."
Sunny shivered, feeling as though she was speaking to him alone. Everyone in the great hall felt the same way, perhaps.
Staring directly into their souls, Changing Star spoke:
"...Slaves to your fear, slaves to your fate, slaves to the Nightmare Spell. Come with me, and whether you live or die, you will do so humans. Not cowering beasts."
She closed her eyes and exhaled, then looked down. Finally, she said, the passion disappearing from her voice:
"But… I will not force anyone to follow me. Ever. Whether you come with me or stay, it is your choice. There is no shame in staying. Those who do not wish to go may leave this hall right now."
Sunny looked at the Sleepers, trying to guess what their reaction would be. People were staring at each other, doubt and fear written on their faces.
Not everyone was enthralled by Changing Star. Not everyone was brave and strong. Not everyone was ready to die fighting.
…But in the end, not a single one of them left.
Nephis sighed and slowly turned her head west, as though trying to pierce the stone of the castle walls with her gaze. After a while, she said:
"Good. I am glad. Then it's decided."
She turned to face them, furious white flames illuminating her pale face:
"Then the day after tomorrow… we will leave the Bright Castle. The day after tomorrow, we march on the Crimson Spire!"
