After Medici received the signal. Namely, a four-eyed raven furiously pecking his head, he gave the order to march straight toward the Spire. Luna, noticing the situation, raised servants of flesh and blood from the corpses to cover their retreat, ensuring they wouldn't be struck from behind by the loathsome beasts.
Luna was breathing heavily, her dark skin now flushed red, her chest rising and falling with each labored breath. Half of her face had been torn off by a beast's claws, and her body was riddled with cuts from fighting the Carapace Centurions. Overall, she was a mess but that was fine.
Looking up, she saw her flesh and blood servants battling the horde of Abominations. She gathered the corpses, molding them into bombs of flesh and gore, and hurled them forward, raining down corrosive acid upon the army of beasts. Then she healed herself, her shredded skin knitting back together, her wounds closing.
Haaa… haaa… I'm tired… Fuck, no time to think, she thought before dissolving into a writhing pool of flesh and blood, vanishing into the ground.
As for Medici and the rest of the Dreamer army, they successfully entered the Crimson Spire but were met with nothing but darkness and a coral-red gloom. The eerie stillness made the Sleepers shiver as they looked around nervously.
The sight was eerie, beautiful in its horror. The air felt thick, suffocating, and alive, sending chills down the Sleepers' spines. Their battered bodies were tense with exhaustion and disgust. Faces pale, eyes sunken, their expressions carried worry… and sorrow.
But those emotions vanished the moment they saw him, a lone silhouette shrouded in shadows, arms crossed, expression calm yet thoughtful.
The instant their eyes locked on him, the air froze. Every single one of them stood motionless, fists clenching as their gazes burned with disgust, horror, and rage.
Until finally, one of them snapped.
"You vile bastard! You said you had a plan! What are you thinking?! Why aren't you sealing the Dark Sea like you promised? Or… was it a lie all along?!"
The words echoed through the coral halls.
Another voice followed, trembling with rage.
"You lied to us! What will happen to the Sleepers in the camp now?! They'll die… Wait… Don't tell me... You intended to sacrifice them from the very start, didn't you!?"
The Sleeper's words were met with uneasy murmurs as people tried to digest them. Soon, the whispers grew into open curses, their voices echoing in the gloom. No one cared about his strength anymore. Not in that moment.
Amon ignored them. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, on the rising Dark Sea that now reached the Sleepers' waists. The Archers, Artisans, and Handmaidens were still far behind, and the light of the sun was being swallowed whole by the spreading darkness.
It wouldn't be long before the sea rose faster, drowning them all in its cold embrace.
He lifted his eyes to the sky. Dark clouds were gathering above, and a blinding flash tore through the heavens. A moment later, thunder roared, and rain began to pour, hammering against the crimson stone and accelerating the Dark Sea's relentless rise.
Above, Kai and Harus plummeted from the sky but Raven reached them just in time, catching their falling bodies in his talons and carrying them toward the camp. Kai was exhausted, his breathing ragged and shallow. He needed rest, desperately. Sadly, he only had a few minutes to recover, but he intended to use every second wisely.
Meanwhile, Amon watched the battlefield below. The beasts were still locked in brutal combat against the Sleepers. From thousands of monsters, only a few hundred remained. His plan had worked, mostly but it was far too early to celebrate. There were still a few steps left before he could finally relax.
Those still in the camp needed to cross the island and the coral bridge to reach the Spire, yet hundreds of hideous creatures still blocked their path. Fortunately for them, Amon had prepared for this. He had all the information he needed to save these people. The situation was dire, so much so that even with knowledge of the future, saving so many would be impossible for anyone else.
But Amon wasn't anyone. Trickery and deceit were his sharpest weapons. And now, he was playing chess with the Terror itself.
A faint smile curved his lips. Who else but him could devise a plan so insane… and so outrageous?
The shouting behind him grew louder, sharper. People cursed Amon openly. Some even raised their weapons.
But Medici's cold, commanding stare froze them in place.
Amon didn't even look their way. His thoughts were elsewhere. Quickly, Luna… quickly.
His eyes stayed fixed on the battlefield, fingers tapping impatiently against the cold stone wall while he bit at his nail, his expression tense and restless.
The Dark Sea was rising too fast, its surge accelerated by the violent storm above. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. In the novel, the storm had struck days later. Amon had deliberately changed the day of the siege to avoid such a disaster… and yet, it still happened.
A flicker of suspicion crossed his mind.
Could this storm be the Terror's doing? He didn't know but what he did know was that time was slipping through his fingers.
Then, his train of thought shattered at the grotesque sight unfolding below. For anyone else, it would have been horrifying. But for Amon, it was a rare moment of relief.
Finally… she made it. Just in time.
From the heaps of abomination corpses, new shapes began to writhe and twist, hideous humanoid figures sculpted from flesh and blood. With distorted screams, they rose to their feet and hurled themselves at the Terror's legion.
Amon's lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile.
Bingo… Now it's time for the next step. Gunlaug… I hope you're up for the job.
Luna's skill was working. Her servants of flesh and blood were holding back the beasts, buying the Sleepers in the camp precious moments of survival.
For a brief while, silence fell among the Sleepers. They stared at the battlefield in stunned disbelief. But as the minutes crawled by and the Dark Sea climbed higher, their fleeting hope began to crumble once more.
Their companions out there would soon be swallowed whole... Drowned or torn apart by the Depth Dwellers.
Still, none of them could have imagined what would happen next.
The sight before them was so insane, so utterly beyond comprehension that everyone fell silent. Mouths hung open. Eyes widened in disbelief and terror. Some collapsed onto the cold coral floor, while others burst into nervous laughter, unable to accept what they were seeing.
Effie, lying on the stone, frowned and looked up… only for her expression to freeze.
Sunny wasn't any better. A stunned look crept onto his face, his fingers trembling slightly.
Nephis stood motionless. But the faint quiver of her lips betrayed her shock.
Gemma and Medici, however, remained composed.
Gemma's face was unreadable, his gaze locked on Amon as he recalled the words of the Great Mother he had heard in his dream. So… he really will lead us out of this hell.
Medici's cold, piercing eyes drifted toward the fallen. Two of his soldiers lay lifeless, men he had carried with him in the desperate hope that Nephis might save them. But she had confirmed what he already feared: he was too late. They were gone.
If Amon had just given the signal sooner… Medici's fists clenched, his jaw tightening.
He wasn't alone in his anger. Everyone felt it, the quiet fury of pawns forced to play in someone else's game. No one liked following orders, especially when those orders were unclear… when only one man could see the vision that guided them all.
It was as if Amon were playing a grand game of chess against the Terror, humiliating the mighty creature at every turn. Yet what burned in the Sleepers' hearts was the bitter truth, that while they bled and died on the battlefield, Amon stood safely apart, deciding their fates from the shadows.
Meanwhile, an unsettling smile spread across Amon's face as he watched the most unbelievable scene unfold on the Forgotten Shore… Well, maybe not as unbelievable as burning an entire city or destroying a castle with a ship, but still... An outrageous sight for the Sleepers nonetheless.
Amon's eyes widened, his expression turning pensive as he tilted his head slightly.
I won… Hmm. That was boring. The Terror might have some twisted intelligence, but she's far too dull and predictable.
"I think you guys should take a step back," he said casually, glancing over his shoulder at the Sleepers.
A few minutes ago...
Gunlaug stood atop a mountain of corpses, his expression calm as he took a slow sip of wine. Beside him, Aiko shifted uneasily, her petite frame trembling as she glanced at the Handmaidens and archers desperately holding back the beasts.
"Um… will it really work?" she asked quietly.
Gunlaug smiled, eyes gleaming with that familiar mix of ferocity and madness that had once made him the Bright Lord. Then, he laughed. It was a deep, unrestrained sound that echoed through the battlefield.
"I don't know," he said, grinning. "Nor do I care. Just follow my orders, shorty."
He paused, swirling the wine in his hand before chuckling again. "Eh, who would've thought I'd end up taking orders from someone else? But heh… that guy's truly insane to think of something like this. Hahaha! I mean, what kind of lunatic do you have to be to even imagine such an outrageous plan?"
He smirked, the grin darkening as he watched the chaos below.
"Still… it's a damn creative one, I'll give him that."
In some strange way, Amon reminded him of himself. They were alike, except Amon's madness ran deeper, and his imagination was far wilder.
Aiko huffed, ready to argue back, but the sheer size of the man before her made her shrink instead.
Gunlaug's gaze swept over the battlefield. Hmm… she needs to be quick… Oh? She made it in time. That's good.
A horrifying pool of flesh and blood erupted from the ground, reshaping corpses into grotesque servants that surged toward the beasts, tearing them apart in savage frenzy. Gunlaug remained motionless for a few seconds, then raised his arm and shouted. His booming voice carried across the battlefield, even as rain pounded from the heavens and lightning streaked across the sky.
"Retreat!"
The Sleepers, seeing Gunlaug in his golden armor, trembled. Not from Echo's enchantment, but from the natural fear his presence commanded. As for the enchantment itself, it targeted the monsters, sending mental attacks that made the mindless beasts even more chaotic and disorganized.
Then, as Harus and Kai landed on the ground, carried by Raven, Gunlaug grinned wildly, glancing back at Caster.
"It's time, speedster. Bring everyone here."
Caster gave a faint smile and vanished in a blur. Moments later, he reappeared, carrying the sleepers and setting them down before disappearing again. Those who could still move stumbled toward Gunlaug on their own; the exhausted ones were carried by Caster.
Soon, all the sleepers were gathered in front of him. Gunlaug drained the last of his wine and threw the waterskin aside with a grunt of annoyance.
"What a shitty drink…"
Then, he raised his arm. White sparks of light burst into existence around him, twisting and shaping into a form none of them could have expected.
Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, a majestic ship materialized beneath their feet, its massive frame rocking back and forth as it manifested upon the mountain of the dead.
Gunlaug rushed to the helm, gripping the dark wooden wheel with a ferocious grin.
"What are you waiting for!? Run forward!" he roared.
The Sleepers snapped out of their daze and sprinted toward the bowsprit. The ship tilted sharply, then began sliding down the mountain of corpses at breakneck speed, faster and faster with every second.
Gunlaug laughed wildly while everyone clung to masts, rails, or anything they could hold onto, their screams lost beneath the roar of descent.
"Let's fucking go!!!"
They plunged into the black sea below, the impact sending towering waves skyward. But the splash also meant something else, depth dwellers would be coming. And indeed, moments later, shadowy figures began circling beneath the waves.
The siege of the Crimson Spire had become a full-scale naval battle. Lightning tore through the sky, striking the sea and sending water exploding outward, while thunder rumbled above. Rain poured down harder with every passing moment, soaking everything in cold, relentless sheets.
Meanwhile, Luna released her flesh-and-blood servants, breathing heavily, her crystal blue eyes glinting with grim determination. She sank her teeth into the scavenger's flesh before leaping from the mountain of corpses onto the ship. She crashed onto the deck with a groan, rolling across the wet planks, her face twisted into a pained grimace.
Caster dashed up the mast in a blur, releasing the sails to catch the wind, while Cassia lifted her staff and unleashed violent gusts to push them forward even faster.
Harus grinned, letting his chains uncoil before activating his ability, blinding every abomination that dared approach the ship.
Meanwhile, Gunlaug's eyes caught the dark shapes moving beneath the water. His voice thundered across the deck:
"Bring out the containers the boss prepared!"
Instantly, the Sleepers hurried below deck, hauling up massive wooden containers.
"What now!?" Kai shouted, panting. Everyone was utterly spent, their expressions grim. Bloodstained clothes clung to their sweat-soaked, grime-covered bodies, now drenched further by the heavy rain.
Gunlaug nodded in approval, spinning the wheel hard as his golden armor gleamed under the flashing lightning. He uncorked another flask of wine, gulped it down, and growled, "Harus! It's time."
Kai glanced around in confusion, then spotted Harus and Caster hurling containers into the sea.
"Let the arrowheads ignite! Nock your arrows and… shoot them!" Gunlaug bellowed, his voice cutting through the storm.
The exhausted archers raised their bows, loosing arrows that shattered the containers midair. Thick, inky blood spilled into the sea below.
At first, the Sleepers didn't understand what was happening, the thunder drowned out Gunlaug's commands but Kai had heard him. He nocked an arrow, its tip blazing with fire, and shot it into the dark waters. Seeing Kai's arrow ignite, the others quickly followed suit, sending flaming arrows streaking into the rising Dark Sea.
In an instant, a majestic explosion erupted across the surface, fire blooming like a crimson flower against the black waves. The water churned and turned molten-hot, and the approaching Depth Dwellers recoiled from the searing inferno.
More and more containers were hurled into the sea, each one exploding moments later until the water itself seemed to burn. Flames stretched across the surface, forming a blazing road ahead of them. Barriers of scorching fire blocked the nocturnal abominations that feared the light, allowing the ship to surge toward the Crimson Spire.
But not all monsters feared fire. Some didn't care.
They hurled themselves into the inferno, their flesh melting and crackling as they forced their way through, just to reach the ship.
Caster blocked the snapping jaws of a massive fish-like creature, his ghostly Jian slicing its body clean in half. Harus crushed abominations with his chains, splattering gore across the deck.
He activated his ability again, blinding the attackers. The tide shifted instantly, the Sleepers cut down monsters with ruthless efficiency.
Luna gritted her teeth and pushed herself off the wooden floor, deflecting a strike from the frog-like creature and leaping back. She knew these beasts were insanely tenacious; she understood their anatomy. No matter how many wounds she inflicted, they would keep fighting unless she completely destroyed them, tore their bodies apart, or pierced their hearts.
She raised her arms to block another strike, her bones cracking under the impact. Quickly, she healed them, hardening her skeletal structure and flesh. Her muscles bulged, and her nails grew longer, transforming into dark, lethal claws.
She let the creature strike. Its wide mouth snapped shut, swallowing her upper body, and then gulping her down entirely.
Caster flinched, eyes widening as he cut down another creature.
"Shit! Luna's offed!?"
His worry vanished the moment a disgusting, deformed arm pierced the frog from within, seizing its beating heart and crushing it. The creature's body split in half, and Luna emerged from its stomach. Her flesh had been melted by the creature's acidic stomach, but she quickly absorbed it, reformed herself, and continued the fight without hesitation.
Still, it wasn't easy. These creatures possessed terrifyingly sharp senses. Even without sight, they somehow tracked their prey: by smell, by sound, or perhaps by some other sense unique to their kind.
But none of that mattered. All that mattered was fighting… and surviving long enough to reach the Spire.
Below deck, Aiko faced two limbless beasts trapped in the cargo hold. Her hands trembled as she forced a smile.
"P-please be good boys…" she whispered.
The monsters snarled, chains rattling. She flinched, sweat beading on her forehead.
Above, Gunlaug barked orders from the helm, his voice booming over the chaos while Kai soared higher, firing arrow after arrow, his teeth clenched in pain and focus.
Caster became a blur, wherever he went, red mist followed. Every abomination he met was shredded to ribbons before it could even scream.
Seishan had already transformed, her face twisted into a shark-like snarl, muscles bulging and limbs hardening until she looked more beast than human. She leapt from the deck, grabbing the sail and kicking a disgusting creature off the ship. Landing back on deck, her sharp fangs snapped as she tore the head off a Gorgon, licking her lips before kicking the corpse away and rushing toward another target.
One of the beasts lunged at Gunlaug, fangs sinking into his golden armor. They cracked, and shattered instantly.
Gunlaug looked down at the attacker: a tall, fish-like creature… no, more like a shark, with pale eyes and slick, glistening skin. He didn't bother deciding which.
His armor rippled and shifted, golden liquid spilling from his shoulders before solidifying into the shape of a spiked morning star.
With a lazy swing, he spun the chain and smashed the weapon straight into the creature's face. The impact tore it apart, bone and flesh exploding into a wet mess as the body was flung away from the helm.
"Retarded beast…" Gunlaug muttered, hearing the Spell chime faintly in the back of his mind. Fallen Monster, huh? "Too easy," he grinned, gripping the wheel again.
"Hey, blind brat! More wind!"
Cassie flinched but obeyed, her staff bursting with light as violent gusts surged toward the sails. The ship groaned, accelerating as the waves crashed beneath its hull.
"Everyone! Hold onto something..." Gunlaug shouted, his grin turning wild, "Or die! I don't care! Hahaha!"
He spun the wheel sharply left. Instead of following the fiery path carved across the water, the ship veered east.
For a moment, everything went still. The Sleepers clung to the railings, confused. Only the dark, endless sea stretched around them.
Then the ship lurched violently. Wood screamed. They were thrown to the deck as the vessel tilted hard to one side.
Panic broke out, but Gunlaug just laughed, his golden armor glinting in the firelight.
He remembered this place, the ridge of crimson coral rising from the sea like a jagged mountain.
"Found it…" he whispered, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Five…
Gunlaug looked back, his eyes narrowing as the tentacles surged after them, tearing through the waves like serpents. He gritted his teeth.
"Use every damn memory that can speed us up!"
Four…
Sleepers scrambled. Those who possessed memories of wind, fire, or propulsion unleashed them without hesitation. Gales roared, bursts of energy flared at the stern, and the ship surged forward, cutting through the crimson waves like a bullet.
Three…
The hull rattled violently. Gunlaug could feel the ground scraping beneath them, the jagged coral ridges striking the bottom of the ship. They were close. Too close.
Two…
Everyone grabbed hold. Kai clung to the crow's nest, the mast creaking under his grip. Caster blurred from spot to spot, dragging sleepers toward the mainmast, while Harus jumped into action, his chains snapping out, coiling around the group, binding them together.
Then both men darted toward the foremast and mizzenmast, securing the others with desperate speed.
One…
The tentacles were there. They breached the water, massive and slick, reaching for the stern, just a breath away from dragging them into the abyss.
Now!
Gunlaug's grin split wide. The ship shuddered violently as it struck coral, grinding forward on the rocky ridge. The sea here was shallower, the hull screamed, sparks flying as it scraped over the crimson stone.
And then… it launched.
The vessel tore free from the ridge, shooting into the air, carried by its own mad momentum, sails snapping, masts groaning and sleepers screaming.
"AAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
Gunlaug threw his head back and laughed, anchoring himself to the deck as his golden armor dug into the wood.
The ship soared over the chasm, then plunged straight toward the gaping entrance of the Crimson Spire.
Inside, Medici's eyes widened. "Fall back!" he shouted, as the other Sleepers scrambled away, their eyes wide with horror, finally understanding why Amon had told them to step back.
Amon's grin stretched from ear to ear, madness flickering in his gaze. Three… two… one…
BOOM!
The world shook as the ship crashed into the Spire's entrance, timbers splintering, waves of dust and crimson shards exploding outward.
Nephis and Sunny froze, their eyes wide as the bow of the ship tore through the Spire's wall. Splinters of wood exploded outward, the mast snapped, and the remains of the vessel crashed onto the cold, crimson stone.
Amon adjusted the crystal monocle on his right eye, his expression calm amid the chaos. The sea had already begun to pour into the Spire, flooding the cavern as the ship came to a grinding halt.
Without wasting a moment, Amon approached the carving of the seven stars and inserted each key into its lock.
I did everything I could… This is my best, with the resources and people I had. Many died, but at least five hundred Sleepers survived. Now, it's time to take another step forward… I won't leave anyone behind. I will show them the light. That is my gift to these forsaken Sleepers… even if all they do is curse me.
He thought with a self-deprecating smile and inserted the last key.
[Prometheus]-Attribute Description:
"No matter how cold and dark the night is, do not be afraid. Prometheus will steal the forbidden flames from the gods, even if he must suffer for eternity once again, for he is your guiding light and savior. No matter how far you sink, he will always reach for your hand to pull you out of the darkness, for his strength lies in lifting others, not leaving them behind."
And then, the Forgotten Shore shuddered.
The furious wind died in an instant. The rain, which had hammered the ground without end, ceased. The deafening thunder went silent.
The storm vanished as suddenly as it had come, dissolving into nothing, like a mirage fading under the sun.
Even the depth dwellers paused. The monstrous silhouettes rising from the water stopped their pursuit, their grotesque heads lifting as they turned toward the sky.
Then, the dark clouds split apart, and a single, blinding ray of sunlight broke through.
The restless black sea froze. Then, slowly, impossibly, it began to recede, its tide retreating into the Crimson Spire. The abominations it had birthed were dragged back with it, their screams echoing as the sea swallowed them whole.
Within minutes, the darkness was gone. The cursed sea had vanished entirely, as though it had never existed.
A blazing white sun filled the sky, its merciless light burning away the remnants of the Terror's legion.
But Amon had expected this outcome, that was the very reason he had devised such a plan.
The Soul Attack of the Sun would have killed countless Sleepers, yet now… everyone remained.
From the very beginning, everything had been orchestrated.
There had been a few miscalculations, but in the end, Amon's plan had succeeded. Still, he wasn't fully satisfied. He could have done better; he had to think outside the box… which he had, yet the flaws in his strategy still gnawed at him. He was the Error, and for the Error to make errors was simply… embarrassing.
Yet, in the end, Amon the Blasphemer had won this game of chess against the Crimson Terror.
***
[A/N: Well… I love this chapter. Seriously, I think I outdid myself. This is my best chapter yet, not just in terms of writing, but word count too. Four thousand words! I spent two days writing this, and I finally finished it.
I think I stayed true to my vision, guys. When I said Amon would resolve conflicts with his intelligence, cunning, and habit of thinking outside the box… I really meant it. Honestly, my main character's superpower might just be common sense, lol. Having all this knowledge and not using it? That would've been stupid.
I also tried not to focus solely on Amon, giving everyone clear roles. I think Gunlaug really shines in this chapter, as do Luna, Caster, Kai, and Harus. The gang fought without hesitation, and they won.
And yes, the containers Amon was filling were used cleverly. Remember in the original novel when Sunny used blood of scavengers to burn a Carapace Demon? Yep, Amon improvised that tactic for his own plans.
This chapter was incredibly challenging because it's the culmination of all of Amon's schemes but I think it turned out great.
So, who performed the best in the Forgotten Shore? Okay, it's fine to choose someone other than Amon, since everyone had a task to complete:
1. Luna
2. Amon
3. Medici
4. Nephis
5. Sunny
6. Gunlaug
7. Harus
8. Caster
9. Kai
10. Raven
That's it for now, guys. Enjoy the meal! ]
***