As he darted forward, with Alice on his back, heavy drops of rain began to fall.
At first, they were scattered.
Then they became constant.
Then relentless.
Strong winds howled between the jagged coral blades, carrying with them bits of mud, broken fragments, and rotting seaweed. The labyrinth seemed to come alive under the storm, every surface trembling under the force of the rising gale.
Above, the sky darkened rapidly.
Storm clouds gathered with unnatural speed, devouring what little light remained.
A cold twilight descended.
Caspian ran.
The Stargaze floated before him, its arrow unwavering.
Forward.
Always forward.
His breath came out ragged.
His body ached.
Alice's weight on his back was light—
Too light.
That worried him more than anything.
"It's my fault…" he muttered under the roaring wind.
"If I hadn't hesitated…"
His grip tightened as he adjusted her position.
"I should have moved faster…"
The rain intensified.
It no longer fell.
It struck.
Each drop hit like a small projectile, stinging against his exposed skin and armor alike.
The wind pushed against him violently, forcing him to lean forward just to keep moving.
Still—
He ran.
Shapes moved in the storm.
Caspian tensed—
Carapace Scavengers.
Several of them.
But they didn't attack.
They fled.
The bulky creatures scrambled desperately through the labyrinth, trying to hide inside coral mounds or burrow beneath the mud.
Some clawed at the ground in panic.
Others squeezed into narrow crevices.
They were afraid.
Just like him.
That relaxed his muscles a bit, just a bit.
"…What is happening?" Caspian whispered.
But there was no answer.
The storm grew worse.
The rain turned into a torrential downpour.
Visibility dropped sharply.
The world became a blur of gray, crimson, and black.
The wind howled like something alive.
And then—
The sea returned.
At first, it was just water pooling between the coral ridges.
Then streams.
Then currents.
Then—
Flooding.
Dark water surged through the labyrinth, rising rapidly.
Caspian's steps splashed.
Then slowed.
Then struggled.
"Damn it…"
He looked around, trying to understand where the water was coming from.
There was no source.
It simply… appeared.
Like the labyrinth itself was drowning.
He forced himself to think.
Calm.
Rational.
Then—
An idea.
He focused.
The water around his feet trembled.
Then—
It solidified.
A thin platform formed beneath him.
Caspian stepped forward.
Then another.
Then another.
With each step, the water beneath him hardened just enough to support his weight.
A path.
He was creating a path.
Relief flickered in his chest, it seems it was easier do walk on water when one have fear.
Not for long.
The sea continued rising.
Faster.
Stronger.
The currents grew violent.
Then—
A shadow moved behind him.
Caspian turned his head slightly.
And his eyes widened.
A wave.
A massive wave.
Towering above the labyrinth.
Crashing forward like a living wall.
"…Run."
He didn't need to tell himself twice.
Caspian pushed forward with everything he had left.
The cliffs loomed ahead now.
Close.
So close.
The first one rose before him like a wall of salvation.
The wave roared behind him.
He reached the base—
And didn't stop.
His hand shot forward.
He thought of how Velpam changed the shape of his armor, and with the clarity of a desperate man.
The gauntlet of his armor shifted.
Sharp metallic edges formed along his fingers.
Claws.
They struck the wet stone.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
He climbed.
Faster than he ever had.
Faster than training.
Faster than childhood games.
Faster than fear.
Alice's body shifted slightly on his back.
He tightened his grip.
"I won't let you fall…"
The wave crashed below him.
Water surged upward, slamming against the cliff.
Spray engulfed him.
Cold.
Violent.
But he didn't stop.
He climbed.
And climbed.
And climbed—
Until finally—
His hand grasped the edge.
With a final effort, Caspian pulled himself over.
He collapsed onto the top of the cliff.
Breathing hard.
Alive.
The storm still raged.
Rain hammered the stone.
Wind howled across the cliff's surface.
But here—
There was space.
A large rock formation stood nearby.
It offered partial shelter.
Caspian moved quickly.
He laid Alice down beside the rock.
Then sat down for a moment.
Just a moment—
His body screamed for rest.
But—
He heard it.
Heartbeats.
Four of them.
Faint.
Hidden beneath the thunder.
But unmistakable.
Caspian's head snapped up.
"They followed…"
From the edge of the cliff—
Four Carapace Scavengers climbed up.
Their movements were desperate.
Driven by instinct.
Caspian stood.
Exhausted.
But ready.
The fight was short.
He broke their skulls one by one with the cover of darkness, hiding behind their bodies when lightning iluminated the cliffs, his strikes heavy and precise as his gauntlet broke their faces inward.
The storm swallowed their final sounds.
Then—
Silence.
The runes appeared faintly before his eyes.
---
[Your Moonlight grows brighter.]
[And so your shadow grows deeper.]
[Your Moonlight grows...]
---
Caspian exhaled slowly.
Then moved.
He took one of the scavengers.
Cracked its shell open.
Like breaking into a luxurious crab.
The comparison almost made him laugh.
Almost.
He took the shell.
Placed it over Alice's body.
A crude shield.
Better than nothing.
The storm continued.
Thunder roared.
Lightning flashed—
And in that moment—
Caspian saw it.
A figure.
Standing near the bodies.
A Carapace Centurion.
It was eating.
Feeding on the dead scavengers.
Its scythe limbs moved slowly, tearing flesh and shell apart.
Recovering.
Gathering strength.
Caspian's body tensed.
Velpam appeared beside him.
Perfectly dry.
Completely calm.
"That…" he said lightly.
"…would be a problem for you, murderer."
He extended his hand.
"Let me take care of it."
Caspian didn't move.
Didn't look at him.
Then—
He spoke.
Cold.
Firm.
"Not this time."
Velpam's smile faltered slightly.
"…Deceiver."
The word lingered in the air.
For a moment—
Velpam said nothing.
The centurion turned.
Velpam's voice came again.
"You won't be able to kill it."
"…You need me."
Caspian finally looked at him.
"Look who's talking."
"A mere shadow of mine."
Silence.
For the first time—
Velpam had no answer.
Caspian turned away.
Focused.
He summoned his weapon.
The River Blade.
At first—
Nothing happened, it was a mere cross guard with no blade.
Then—
The rain responded.
Droplets gathered.
Flowed.
Formed.
Like water filling the shape of an invisible sword.
Until—
A blade appeared.
A sharp blade.
A sword made of water, the water in it seemed to be moving at great speed, Caspian thought about a strange type of cooking knife which had the ability to vibrate the edge to make it easier to cut things.
Caspian tightened his grip.
Then—
He summoned the Blood Pond.
A small amount of Transcendent blood rose.
He drank.
Power surged through his body.
Warm.
Burning.
Necessary.
He exhaled slowly.
"There is someone behind me who will die if I lose this battle."
His grip tightened.
"I can't die here."
He stepped forward.
"You wanted will?"
His crimson eyes sharpened.
"…Then this is my will."
"To kill this thing."
Velpam stood in silence and nodded, then dissapeared from Caspian's sight after saying.
"If that is your will, who dares to stop you?"
The centurion noticed him and charged.
And the storm swallowed everything.
---
Time passed.
How much—
Even Caspian didn't know.
---
Alice woke up slowly.
Her body felt cold.
Wet.
Heavy.
The storm had passed.
The world was quiet now.
Only the faint dripping of water remained.
Night had fallen completely.
She couldn't see anything at first.
Only darkness.
Then—
She realized something covered her.
A shell.
She pushed it aside weakly.
Tried to stand—
But froze.
Footsteps.
Approaching.
Slow.
Heavy.
Alice's eyes sharpened.
Her soul stirred.
She prepared her soldiers.
Ready to summon them instantly.
Then—
She saw him.
A silhouette in the darkness.
Walking toward her.
The first thing she noticed—
Were his eyes.
Crimson.
Glowing faintly in the night.
Then—
The armor.
Silver armor with a crescent moon on the chest.
Stained with azure blood.
Then—
His face, also covered in the azure blood of the crabs of the labyrinth.
Caspian.
"Alice…" he said quietly.
She exhaled in relief.
"Caspian! What happ—"
Then she saw it.
In his hand.
A scythe.
A massive bone scythe.
Torn from a Carapace Centurion.
Her words died.
Caspian stopped in front of her.
"I want to sleep…" he muttered.
His voice was empty.
"…Wake me up if something happens."
And then—
His body gave out.
He fell to his knees.
Then forward.
Face-first onto the cold, wet stone.
Unconscious.
Asleep.
Alice stared at him.
Then at the scythe.
Then back at him.
She said nothing.
And covered him with the same shell he covered her.