Nephis nodded. "Yes, we indeed live here. Although our quarters are not where the devil resides, of course. I assume you did get our message, then?"
"I did get a piece of paper with an invitation to this hellhole couple weeks back, if that's what you mean. I thought it was a prank of some sorts. It could have even been some of Gunlaug's spies trying to get me killed."
Nephis nodded. "It's understandable that you thought so. You weren't in the slums at the time so I couldn't contact you in person. Now you are here though, and that's all that matters."
Effie frowned and looked at them for a long time. Sunny, Cassie and Kai had stopped when Nephis had, so the parties just stared at each other across the distance of ten or so meters. Nephis started to become little impatient, so she opened her mouth. "We should go to the base and discuss some things. You too, Effie. The invitation was not a prank of any kind — I'd like it if you joined our cohort. As you have seen, we are currently the most formidable hunting party in the whole city, and that's not all. If come with us, you will hear some things that will surprise you." She looked apologetically at Kai. "Things that not even all of us have yet heard."
"You do have a way with words, princess", Effie scoffed. "As for the things you are referring to — I really doubt anything you say might surprise me. You have been here only a couple of months unlike some of us." She smiled brightly. "No offense, but you are really just beginners."
Nephis had to fight really hard to keep her cool. Cassie, on the other hand, could not contain herself. Effie's sharp eyes settled on the seer as she erupted in giggles. Even Kai looked at her, surprised. Nephis just shook her head. "Everything will be explained. Now, will you come with us?"
"Yes I will", Effie said. "I didn't come all the way here just to bicker. But I must say, I'm really starting to doubt the mental health of you lot. Even you, Kai. What in the world made you come to this place?"
Kai looked at Effie somberly. "This is not just about giving people free food. We have a plan to escape the Forgotten Shore."
Nephis facepalmed and prepared for another round of laughter.
They did not talk much more. Effie had hard time containing her mirth even when they showed her the way to climb to the cathedral's roof and into the priestess's quarters. Sunny, Nephis and Effie climbed and Kai just flew up with Cassie in his arms. Nephis thought the singer had become quite protective of her friend, which of course was no wonder. Cassie seemed quite fragile after all. But looking at Effie she realized immediately where her thoughts were heading.
"Effie, I suggest you refrain from saying what you're about to say", she said.
"What? What was I about to say, then? That I have just now deduced the real reason Night decided to team up with you? I must say, she is adorable. As are you two, by the way."
Sunny coughed. "What you are suggesting couldn't be further from the truth... "
Effie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. As I said, you are beginners... "
In the end everybody made it safely inside, even if some of the cohort were slightly irritated by then. Kai suggested they change clothes before doing anything else, and Nephis didn't see a problem with that. When everybody was somewhat clean again, she made a little fire for them. Sunny took a pack of monster meat and they started eating. Smoke escaped from a little hole in the ceiling and the white fire made everyone's face look gloomy and dreamlike. Everything around their little circle of heat and light was shrouded in deep shadows. Sunny sat on the edge of the circle and his black armor made it difficult to discern him from the darkness.
"I will now explain everything about us, me, our objective and our plan", Nephis started. "Most of this is known to you Kai, but there are still things I have not told you. It is not because I don't trust you, it's because I was waiting for Effie to join us so that I could tell you both at once."
Kai nodded. "I guess it makes sense — well, more like, it doesn't make a lot of sense, what you three have done in this sort time here. I knew from the start that I didn't have the full picture and I still decided to trust you — and I guess my Flaw is to thank for that." He chuckled. "It is as you said — it helps me find those around me that are pure of heart."
Pure... that's and interesting word choice... Nephis thought, but nodded. "Indeed. And for you Effie, this will almost all be new."
"I'm listening. But this better be worth it after all this build-up."
Hm... where to start...
"First of all, you need to know that I'm not actually eighteen years old", Nephis began. "In fact, my mental age is twenty-nine. That is because I traveled back in time for about ten years from the future."
Effie burst out laughing, but her laughter quickly stopped. She turned to look at Kai, who was... not in good condition.
"Nephis?" Kai said in an uncharacteristically small voice. "Please repeat what you just said."
"I travelled back in time to being a sleeper again after almost dying when category five gate opened in NQSC", Nephis said. "By then I was a supreme, but my only option was to flee the fight and come back here. Although that was not my plan. It was his."
She pointed to Sunny.
"Hey! You didn't tell that to me."
Nephis shrugged. "It's not the most important thing. Although I thank you for your ingenuity. Without you I wouldn't have this chance to make everything right."
"Hold on for a minute", Effie intercepted. "How could you do that, you monster? Look at the poor Night! He's distraught. I suggest you drop the prank for a second..."
Kai shook his head feebly. "No. My Flaw is silent. It's not a prank." He turned to look at Nephis, his eyes wide like plates. "Gods, it's not a prank." He looked to be in deep terror.
Effie scoffed. "What do you mean? It obviously can't be true. You lot have lost your minds. I don't know why I even came here -"
"Stop", Nephis said. "Effie. I know your Flaw — your physical needs are amplified to account for your physical strength. I know that you turned down offers to join Gunlaug's men because you despise him. I know that your spear is called zenith shard. I know that your dream is to challenge the second nightmare and never need that wheelchair again." She smiled when Effie's face contorted into a grimace. "Now do you believe me?"
Effie spat to the floor. "Figures, you didn't need to say all that!" After a moment of contemplation she said: "I guess I have to believe you." She shook her head even as she said that as though she still couldn't wrap her head around it. "So you have... what? Been reborn into your younger body? How do these things work?"
"Yes", Nephis affirmed. "I was thrown into the body of my younger self. She was sent into Forgotten Shore like I was, and that is the reason why I know so much about this place. Last time I helped the people of this city escape through the Crimson Spire while staying behind myself because of... of an accident. For months I hunted in the city by myself before making my way into a desert east from here. I eventually found a nightmare seed and completed my second nightmare as a sleeper to emerge back into waking world."
Nephis could tell the people of the room had hard time believing her tale — mainly Kai and Effie of course. She couldn't fault them. It did sound unbelievable.
"It seems that truth is sometimes more ridiculous than any lie could be", Kai eventually mumbled. "What about you two? Were you sent back in time as well?"
Cassie shook her head. "No. But we were close with Nephis in her last life — obviously, as we would have formed a team when entering this place, like we did this time."
"We became a cohort", Nephis said. "Famous cohort of Changing Star." She gestured to Kai and Effie. "You were the last two members. You both became saints, if you would like to know. Cassie as well. Me and Sunny were sovereigns, meaning we reached a supreme rank by the time this whole time-anomaly happened."
"Really? You two?" Effie chimed in. "Were you two close, then?"
"Yes, we were", Nephis said calmly. She felt heat radiating from where Sunny sat and decided to not make eye-contact. "As were you and Gemma, by the way."
Effie planched. "You are kidding."
"She is", Kai affirmed. "Thank gods. But only about the last part."
"Before we get too far out of track", Sunny said too loudly, "we should probably talk about the plan."
"I am of the same mind", Nephis said. "Our plan is, of course, to escape the Forgotten Shore. It should not be too difficult as I already know everything we need to do. Firstly, we need to gather the shard memories left behind by the seven heroes. Currently we have three: midnight shard, moonlight shard and zenith shard. One is in the castle. To get the last three we need to first kill the Lord of Dead — " at this point Effie spat out her chunk of meat. Nephis continued: " — and go on an expedition south, to the base of the Hollow Mountains. After that we will overthrow Gunlaug or potentially forge a deal with him, although that might be out of the question now. Lastly, we should conquer the Crimson Spire and kill the fallen terror there."
She calculated some time in her head, blissfully unaware of Effie's and Kai's state, and concluded. "I think it will take around three months."
*******
And not long after, their planning session was finished. Or maybe planning was the wrong term; it was more like Nephis telling everyone what to do. She would have preferred for them to have more of a say in things, but they simply didn't know everything she did. Only Cassie managed to get couple of her suggestions in. Most notably she suggested killing the black knight of the cathedral before going south. Nephis deduced that had something to do with Sunny as Sunny had wanted to kill the thing last time, and she decided it was worth a go. Cassie's intuition had often saved them after all.
They got to sleeping quickly after. Effie had to unfortunately sleep on the floor, but she was obviously used to such discomfort. It wouldn't make sense for her to travel all the way to the outskirts alone at night, and Nephis decided against sending Sunny to help her. She was pretty sure one of them wouldn't survive the journey, and not because of the monsters.
Tomorrow Effie would get her belongings from her hut and as she was doing so, Sunny, Nephis and Saint would kill the black knight. They would then rest for one day and kill the Lord of Dead on the next. Then they would be all set and ready to travel south. Nephis and Cassie had calculated when the arrival of the seventh statue would occur, and they didn't have much time left before it happened. If they missed the ride, they would have to go all the way on foot.
Still, it feels so simple compared to being a sovereign... Nephis was shocked that she didn't really miss most days as the queen of humanity — what she missed was the connections she had formed with her friends. Although she had befriended them once more this time, those connections could never be what they once were. It was a bitter thought. And it led her to contemplate, once again, what to do with Sunny. She wanted to be close to him, yet he didn't want any of it. Or did he? He certainly found her appealing, but that was not the same thing as genuine love and care. How could Nephis ever earn that back?