Quick note:
I just wanted to apologize for the delays!
I've been having issues with wifi on my pc and haven't been able to post the chapters I had written for Saturday and Sunday.
Of course, eventually, my neanderthal brain realized that I could post chapters from my phone, and thus, here you are! The two chapters you were promised!
On another note, I've been writing the chapter for Monday on my phone, so it's been coming along significantly slower than it normally would...
In lieu of my network issues, chapters will probably be coming out later in the day than they normally would as I figure out what the hell is going on, but as soon as I find out, I'll begin updating at my promised speed.
Sorry once again for the issues!
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(Nephis' POV)
After having Cassie retreat into our room, I noticed that Sunny's door was slightly open.
'Good. I need to talk to him anyway.'
Walking into Sunny's open room, I was greeted with the sight of my two male companions giggling childishly while fiddling around with a diverse spread of memories.
Although I was initially surprised by Audun's presence, I didn't dwell on it for long.
I stood there for a moment, hoping that they'd notice me standing in the doorway, but unfortunately, they were lost in their own little world.
"Ahem"
I coughed into my fist lightly, which seemed to get their attention.
Awakening from his stupor, Audun put on a friendly smile and gave me a friendly wave, a gesture I returned with a simple nod of acknowledgement.
However, Sunny gave me a quick scan before sarcastically remarking:
"Didn't anyone teach you to knock?"
Inwardly, I rolled my eyes, merely raising my brow in response.
Slightly disappointed by my reaction, Sunny let out a sigh and shrugged.
"Before you ask, we didn't rob anyone. Well, not yet at least..."
I shot Sunny an unamused look before turning to Audun and gesturing at the memories littering the ground.
"Your haul?"
Audun nodded, a collection of purple text etching itself in the air.
The prices were good, so I ended up buying a bunch.
I took a quick look at the numerous accessories and trinkets covering the floor.
Even at a glance, I could tell they were high-quality memories.
"Good choices."
Audun beamed in response to my casual compliment.
Shaking his head subtly, Sunny sat on his bed.
"So... What do you need? I doubt you barged in just to compliment Audun's shopping skills."
I nodded, the slight furrow of my brow betraying the slightest hint of emotion.
"We need to talk. I met Caster earlier."
Sunny frowned as a noticeable furrow accented his eyebrows.
"What about Caster?"
I sighed.
"He gave us information on the so-called 'Bright Lord'."
Sunny looked me dead on.
"Can he be trusted?"
"Probably."
A brief frown crossed his face as he sat up a bit straighter.
"Well, what did he say?"
I shrugged.
"To not stand in Gunlaug's way."
With a dark smile, Sunny looked at me in exasperation.
"So... we're standing in his way, aren't we?"
"Not yet, but maybe."
I paused for a moment, thinking about how to phrase my next statement, before a forceful breath brought me out of my thoughts.
Sunny gave me a quizzical look.
"There's something I don't quite understand. From what I've gathered, Gunlaug is a prick with control over all the resources in the castle. Why hasn't anyone just... killed him?"
Audun also turned his attention to me.
I agree. Historically, people rebel when they're oppressed. Judging by the impoverished settlement outside the castle, there are probably a whole host of staunch Gunlaug haters out there. Considering the power the Bright Lord holds and the grudges he's collected, I'm surprised he hasn't been backstabbed by an ambitious lieutenant or killed in his sleep by a revenge-fueled hunter. Rebellions and coups are kind of humanities specialty, y'know?
I nodded darkly.
"All questions I had."
Sunny raised an eyebrow.
With a slightly bitter tone, I continued.
"Unfortunately, Gunlaug is strong. Well, strong enough to fend off any after his throne."
"Is it his aspect?"
I shook my head.
"It's his armor. He wears a transcendent armor that makes him functionally invincible to a mere sleeper."
Sunny's eyes widened, Audun's expression merely shifting into something more thoughtful.
Is he the legacy of some powerful clan?
Again, I shook my head.
"Worse. His aspect allows him to breathe and move incredibly fast underwater. Using his aspect, Gunlaug hunted in the Dark Sea and managed to get the last hit on a mortally wounded leviathan."
Audun nodded in amusement.
Quite the 'rags to riches' story.
Sunny let out a dry chuckle.
"So Neph... What's the plan exactly?"
I shrugged.
"No clue."
"YOU-"
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(Audun's POV Two Days Later.)
Turns out, Nephis did actually have a plan.
In fact, it was a very simple one.
'Gather more information.'
There were too many questions and not enough answers.
With a scattered mess of information and stories, our group fully committed itself to gathering and piecing together a way out of this unexplored and fittingly nightmarish part of the dream realm.
I snuck around under my celestial veil, occasionally seeking out Stev in the Memory Market to answer questions in exchange for memories or shards.
Sunny remained in his room, using his aspect to prowl the halls of the Bright Castle undetected, listening for juicy secrets via his shadowy proxy.
While Sunny and I focused on the Castle, Nephis focused her efforts elsewhere. She started spending a lot of time in the settlement, using her status as the bearer of a true name and the princess of the immortal flame clan to cultivate connections and gather allies for reasons that she has yet to fully share.
I should also mention that Cassie wasn't just sitting around idly.
With her visions as a guide, she and Neph slowly began to piece together a plan in the silence of their room, giving our group a much-needed sense of direction.
Together, we slowly began to tackle our lengthy to-do list, accumulating a solid foundation of information and power to escape the unescapable Forgotten Shore.
But, despite our efforts, we were still left with a few unanswered questions.
Where is the Gateway?
What exactly happened on the forgotten shore before our arrival?
Is Gunlaug truly as strong as Caster claimed?
Thankfully, we didn't have to wait too long to answer that last question.
On the fifth day of our stay in the Bright Castle, we finally met the tyrannical bright lord.
During breakfast, as our group was chatting in the keep, a flood of guards began to flood inside.
The entire hall grew silent, an air of heavy tension washing over the crowd of sleepers.
Oblvious to the sight but privy to the clear shift in ambiance, Cassie whispered:
"What's going on?"
Sunny shot a tentative look at Nephis, who could only shake her head helplessly in response.
While we were in the midst of our confusion, the hundreds of sleepers around the keep turned their heads towards a small, shadowy arch positioned at the end of the hall.
In the absolute silence, slow footsteps echoed, five distinct figures stepping out of the darkness.
Each of their strides was confident, each step ebbing with a sense of noble authority.
The five lieutenants, Gemma, Tessai, Seishan, Kido, and a hunched man who reeked of death, positioned themselves in front of a set of stairs leading to a throne, paving the way for the man they swore allegiance to.
My gaze sharpened.
With the stage set for his arrival, the bright lord, the golden serpent that ruled the castle, stepped out of the darkness in a set of complexly ornate golden armor.
The vane golden armor covered his form from head to toe, accentuating the bright lord's powerful stature.
The armor seemed to move with him like an exoskeleton made up entirely of precious metals.
Gunlaug's presence filled the entirety of the keep, casting an instinctive fear upon the sleepers present.
Stuck in place, the crowd watched as the Golden Lord gracefully walked up the pristine marble steps, taking a seat on the beautiful white throne standing at the apex of the Keep.
A voice possessing a distinctly coniving cadence echoed out in the vast hall.
"Ah, what a nice day it is today. A perfect day for justice, don't you think, my precious wards? I've heard that there's a criminal hiding among us today. Well... am I not fair? Am I not just? Let me show you how just I am."
I was practically glowering at this point.
'What a pretentious twat.'
Murmurs broke across the hall at his words as a man dressed in filthy rags was thrown into the center of the hall by a pair of guards.
Judging by his frame, the man was probably a hunter living in the outer settlement.
Nephis' eyes lit up with recognition upon seeing the hunter.
"...Jubei?"
The three of us turned to her.
"You know that guy?" Sunny asked.
Nephis nodded.
"Yeah, he's a resident of the outer settlement. I met him a day ago when I went out to talk with Effie..."
Nephis trailed off as the Bright Lord's voice boomed across the hall theatrically.
"My wards. We have a guest today. This man, called Jubei, is visiting us from the outer settlement. Recently, he had been heard leveraging an accusation against one of my men. As a just and benevolent lord, I have invited Jubei here to plead his case and expose the criminal. We must get to the bottom of this matter! After all, the law is our only guiding star in this dark world..."
Our eyes narrowed as we continued to spectate this corrupt trial.
Are we just going to watch?
I shot a look at Nephis.
She frowned, staying silent for a moment.
As she thought, Jubei roared in anger.
"That's right, you golden bastard! I'm here to accuse one of your thugs, Gunlaug! Let's see how you'll worm your way out of this one, asshole!"
Nephis, without tearing her eyes from Gunlaug, whispered to us sharply.
"Let's observe for a bit."
Jubei raised his hand and pointed at a group of hunters watching from a corner of the hall.
"That man right there, one of your so-called Pathfinders, is guilty of murder. He had killed an innocent kid in the most repugnant of ways. I've been watching you and your minions commit all sorts of vile crimes over these years, but enough is enough. Today, I'll see him answer with his life for what he did!"
His accusation shocked the crowd.
Unwilling to back down, the man was about to continue, but the Golden Serpent interupted him in an amused tone.
"Is that so? That is quite the heavy accusation, Jubei. Please, tell us more."
Jubei snarled.
"That scum and his people lured a naive kid into their party by promising him all kinds of rewards and riches. They told him that he is going to become one of them and come live in your damn castle. But in reality, they just fed him to the monsters as bait!"
My expression darkened considerably, and so did Nephis'.
I looked at Sunny, at the cold sweat pouring down his face as he watched, at his transfixed expression.
Jubei spat on the floor in disgust.
"How dare you call yourself hunters?! You're nothing but a bunch of fucking cowards! Don't you have any shame?!"
Silence settled over the grand hall, the tension practically unbearable.
The Lord turned his head arrogantly to face the Hunters, who shrank under the weight of his gaze.
"Is this true?"
An older Pathfinder shot a mocking glare at Jubei, the vestigial remains of a shit eating grin spreading subtly across his face.
In a greasy voice, the Pathfinder spoke.
"There must be some kind of misunderstanding, my lord. The boy that... Jubei is talking about was a member of our party that we valued greatly! We were merely trying to nurture the boy, but an unfortunate accident took him from us."
He gestured towards the other Pathfinders, a fake sadness bleeding into his voice.
"His death was a tragedy of the highest magnitude... The loss of a promising youth in such a brutal fight... My men and I are still mourning his loss..."
To add to the act, a few of the Pathfinders spoke up:
"I still can't believe little... uh... guy died like that!"
The pathfinder choked back a sob.
"Yeah! I couldn't get to... the boy in time! It's a mistake that I lament almost every day..."
Another pathfinder threw us his arms in anguish.
The older pathfinder let out an imperceptible snicker.
"See my lord! My party couldn't have POSSIBLY done something as abhorrent as that!"
At his words, Jubei practically roared:
"YOU FUCKING LIAR! I WAS THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED! I SAW EVERYTHING YOU DID YOU FUCKING MONSTERS!!!"
The older pathfinder shrugged and shook his head in confusion.
"I have no idea what he's talking about, my lord."
Gunlaug turned to the crowd.
With a fake solemnness, he spoke:
"What an unfortunate situation. It seems that it is your word against his, Jubei. What to do, what to do? I trust my brave men wholeheartedly, of course. Who would be so ungrateful as to distrust these heroes when they are the ones keeping you all alive? Surely, there's no one that vile and wicked among you, my precious wards."
I watched in disgust as the Pathfinders began to snicker and giggle quietly, clearly mocking the poor hunter.
In a theatrical tone, he spoke whilst gesturing to his lieutenants stationed at the base of his throne.
"But it would be unbecoming of me to play favorites in such a grave matter. And this matter, oh, it is grave indeed. What a dilemma. How do we uphold justice, my wards?"
With a mechanically rehearsed line, Gemma, one of Gunlaug's lieutenants, spoke up.
"My lord, if I may. Isn't there a law that suits this situation perfectly? It has existed for as long as humans have lived in this ancient castle. I'm talking, of course, about the right of challenge."
A practiced smile spread across the lieutenant's face.
"If this brave hunter has any shadow of doubt about his accusation, he should step down. If not, he can challenge the criminal and prove it with blood. Of course, the real culprit here is... me. As the person responsible for these men, any crime they commit in their roles as Hunters is my fault."
Gemma spread his arms invitingly.
"So how about it, Jubei? Will you step down? Or perhaps... You would like to challenge me?"
Righteous fury burned in Jubei's eyes, white hot words of pure fury flying out of his mouth.
"You think I'm scared? Bring it on, you fucking lapdog! I'll slaughter you like the mutt you are!"
I turned to face the rest of my party.
Sunny was in no position to help, and Cassie was helpless in this situation.
That left me with one option.
I locked eyes with Nephis.
He's been set up.
Nephis nodded solemnly.
He's going to die.
Nephis nodded again, but this time, a small smile spread across her face.
"You wanna do something about it?"
I returned her smile with a nod.
What did you have in mind?
Nephis gave me a steely look.
"I don't have much time to explain, so you'll just have to follow my lead."
Just as she was about to get up, I grabbed her hand, transferring a memory over to her.
She gave me a questioning look.
Equip it. It'll help us communicate.
Nephis nodded, a small ring manifesting around her index finger as I summoned and put on a matching one.
The rings shone as a thin telepathic line was drawn between us.
Nephis gave me an appreciative nod.
"Impressive memory."
"I'd hope so. I spent a pretty penny to buy it after all."
Nephis turned towards the so-called 'criminal trial' before turning back to me.
"You ready?"
A malevolent smirk contorted my features, slightly surprising my companion.
"Born ready."
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(A/N: long chapter today! Hope you guys enjoyed!
The timeline up till this point is going to stay relatively the same, but after this point, I'll start making more significant changes to the story.
Overall, I feel like I've done an alright job with the progression and with the pace, but after rereading some of the previous chapters, I feel like some of the interactions between Cassie and Audun have been a little... forced.
I'll probably spend a little bit of time fixing that up in the future, but in like, the far, far future, as the plans I have right now for the conclusion of the forgotten shore don't include any romance.
And before I forget, I did want to mention that I ripped all of Gunlaug's dialogue from the original novel.
Call it plagiarism, because that's exactly what it is, but every single time I wrote out his lines, I genuinely hated how it turned out.
I might rewrite his dialogue another day when I have more brain power, but for right now, I'll just bear the mantle of a plagiarist with the shame a plagiarist should feel.
Send your thoughts and criticisms my way in the comments, or if you're feeling particularly critical, perhaps write a review to really get my undivided attention.
Thanks for all the support thus far, and I'll see you guys tomorrow!)