An hour later, the six of them were gathered in a half-ruined house on the edge of the Outer Settlement. Dust motes swirled lazily in the sunlight streaming through broken windows, illuminating cracks in the walls and scattered debris across the floor. Sunny had already scoped out the area beforehand, but he hadn't protested when Sasrir offered to do the same. The shadow man melted into the darkness of a corner, his figure dissolving completely as he merged with his own shadow.
Sunny and Nephis watched intently, fascinated and slightly unnerved. After five minutes, the shadows writhed like liquid, and Sasrir re-emerged in full form, clothes perfectly intact. Sunny's mind raced—how did he do it? Were his garments somehow woven from shadow, like the weapons he was rumored to forge?
Once Sasrir was seated, Adam took the lead, leaning forward slightly, his hands resting over the brambled cross that hung around his neck. "Now, Lady Changing Star," he began, his tone light but inquisitive, "may I ask why you called me to such a secluded place? Conversing here, one cannot help but think you are plotting something… nefarious."
His eyes flickered with humor, signaling no real threat in his words. Nephis smiled slightly, a carefully measured expression that came very close to being genuine, and wasted no time cutting to the heart of the matter.
"I want your help with escaping back to the Waking World," she said simply, her voice steady and commanding.
The three men reacted differently. Kai blinked rapidly, startled. Adam's gaze narrowed, his expression sharpening into concern, while Sasrir merely tilted his head slightly, his shadowed face unreadable, focusing intently on her words.
"You wish to enlist me in taking the Crimson Spire?" Adam's voice was calm, almost measured, though he stroked his cross in thought. "I am honored you think so highly of me, Lady Changing Star, but I must warn you—a Citadel is not easily claimed. Even the most talented cohort would struggle against such odds. Adding me alone changes little."
"That's why I intend to use more than just us," Nephis replied evenly, her eyes meeting his without hesitation. Adam paused, hand frozen mid-stroke over his cross, then looked up at her, giving her his full attention.
"I plan to bring everybody on the Forgotten Shore home," she continued. "Every Sleeper who still breathes deserves a chance to fight for their freedom. That is why I need you, Adam."
Adam's frown deepened, and he shook his head slightly. "My Lady, your ambition is admirable, but things are far more complex than you imagine. Many here hate, fear, or despise the Forgotten Shore, yes—but they fear the Spire far more. They've been institutionalized, trapped for so long that any alternative feels alien. Many have already surrendered to hopelessness. They cannot fight if their desire to live has been extinguished."
Nephis' expression sharpened, her stormy grey eyes burning with determination. "Who says I won't rouse them?" she countered, her voice now carrying the subtle weight of authority. "With your guidance and my gifts, we can rekindle the will to live in every Sleeper, to break the Spell's chains. Together, we can lead them to the Spire, topple the Lord at its peak, and return them to their homes and families."
Adam's gaze lingered on her, now intense and searching, as if he were measuring the depth of her resolve. Kai, sitting to the side, leaned forward slightly, his bright eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. Even Sasrir's head shifted a fraction, though the expression behind the shadows remained inscrutable.
"What about Gunlaug?" Sasrir's voice cut through the charged silence. "I'll admit, your words are inspiring, but the Bright Lord won't stand idly by while you empower the downtrodden. Even if you only intend to direct them toward the Spire, he will perceive them as a threat to his own heart. Gunlaug has tolerated Adam and me barely enough as it is. He will crush anyone who moves against him."
Nephis' lips pressed together, considering his warning. "I know he will," she replied evenly. "And I know we will need to be smarter, faster, and more precise than anything he expects. But fear will not stop this plan. It cannot."
Adam leaned back slightly, his fingers tightening over the brambled cross as he seemed to fall into deep thought. The room fell into silence, broken only by the soft creak of the floorboards and the faint wind whistling through the broken windows. Sunny could feel the tension building like a living thing, his eyes darting between Nephis, Adam, and the shadowed figure of Sasrir. Time stretched, each second thick with unspoken questions.