Shadow Slave: The Holy Emperor

It took them an extra day to get to the Dark City, but when they did it was about mid-day.

Keter grabbed Nephis's and Cassie's hands as he leaped atop the wall. Keter let go of their hand and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We finally made it. After three whole damn months."

"We haven't made it yet we still have a city of nightmare creatures to get through."

"Nephis stop being a downer, and what do you see Keter?" Nephis shot him a glance and in return, Keter flicked his tongue at her, saying 'I'm the Favorite'.

"A ruined city filled with nightmare creatures. A colossal gothic-style castle with guardsman layering its sides."

"Yes! This is the castle I saw!" A wide smile appeared on Cassie's face. 

Keter's ears perked up at the sound of crunching. Keter smiled 'It's time to meet Athena'

"Follow me Nephis, I found someone." Keter grabbed Cassie's hand and gently led her to the tower. Keter knocked on the wall of the tower to alert her of their presence. Keter walked in finding Athena chomping down on the bones of a nightmare creature. Nephis stood ready for a fight behind him.

The young woman looked at them in surprise and raised her eyebrows.

"Humans? Huh! Unexpected." Then she smiled and shook her head.

"Ah, where are my manners?" With that, she lightly rose to her feet. The white fabric of her tunic shifted slightly, revealing even more of her toned, powerful thighs.

"You're the tallest woman I've ever met." Keter sat down by the fire right next to her.

The woman snickered and sat back down. "Nah you're just short"

Nephis and Cassie sat down soon after, trusting in Keter's judgment.

"Short?" Keter gasps offended. "I will have you know I am now 5'11, so I am above average height-wise."

The woman laughs. "So you're compensating for something?"

"Well I'm not the one who's more than two meters tall, now am I?" Keter snapped back.

The woman's grows a grotesque smile as her laugh booms. "Oh, I like you, kid. My name's Elfie. What is your name kid? And I don't think I've seen any of you around before. Are you new?"

"Keter-" But before he could continue Nephis began speaking.

Nephis gave her a nod. "Yes. We have just reached the city."

Keter looked towards her slightly annoyed she cut him off but he moved on to other things. 'She's gotten better at talking to people.'

The young woman grinned. "In that case, my condolen… wait. You guys survived for three whole months in the Labyrinth?!"

She whistled and looked at them with newfound respect.

"That's one hell of a feat. Congratulations."

Nephis lingered for a few seconds "I'm Nephis, and these are my companions, Cassia and Keter. We are Sleepers who came here during the winter solstice." Keter rolled his eyes at them ignoring him.

The young woman gave them a wide, friendly smile. "Nice to meet you! I'm Effie. Well, at least that's what people call me. I'm also a Sleeper."

Keter pushed his way back into the conversation. "That spire, it's the citadel, isn't it?"

Elife looked at him surprised for a moment. "Yeah, it is and I will warn you all, in the three years I've been in this place, not a single person has been able to escape to the real world."

She stood up and signaled for them to follow her. "So abandon hope all ye who enter here, and all that…"

--Elfie POV--(Very Short)

Elfie was surprised that one of the three sleepers seemed to be affected by the news. The blond one, her name was Cassie if she remembered correctly, sighed as if she was just having to accept something she was slightly in denial about. The hot one Keter, just didn't react at all. (She would never admit she was admiring the view far too much, or that it stunned her for a moment.) Nephis the one who looked like a legacy, turned pale-faced but quickly pulled herself together.

'This is a weird group, but I guess you have to be to survive the Labrinth for three whole mouths.'

"How many shards do y'all have?"

--Keter POV--

"Three and have you met a woman named Seishen?" Keter asked as he stood up. Nephis pulled Cassie up soon after.

"Three is decent enough, but Seishen? Do you know the leader of the Handmadians?" Elfie looked at him curiously as she packed up all the meat.

"Yeah, we were friends before she disappeared, almost ten years." Keter then looked towards her as she stuffed far more meat in a bag than it should be able to hold.

"Do you have any extra of that memory? I could trade a few memories in return for it."

Elfie looked at him surprised."I never knew that women could have friends. And yeah I do, do you have any spear memories?"

"A few how many you want?" Keter puts his hand out.

"Three if they are Azure memories." She grabs his hand. After she does he transfers the memories.

[You have lost a Memory: Azure Spear]

[You have received a Memory: Spatial Bag]

"Thank you, but elfie I have to ask. All the nightmare creatures I saw beyond the wall were all fallen right?" Nephis and Cassie's heads whipped toward him.

"Yeah, that's why you're so damn lucky to have met me." Elfie then gives them an explanation.

"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."

"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."

Elfie smiled. "Well come on I will finish the explanation on the way to the Castle."

Nephis looked toward Keter with an exhausted look. "Don't worry, at least once we get to the castle we can a good rest for the first time in months." 

Both Nephis and Cassie smiled at that.