31: Meeting of the Protagonists

{Isaac's POV}

It had been a week since we arrived at this place. After looking toward Ashen Barrow, Jonathan entrusted me with the task of exploring the area around it.

All I found was ash and some shallow holes in that dead expanse of the labyrinth. I was given this task because my ability hides me from most beasts, making me the most suitable for it.

The most important discovery was the demon atop Ashen Barrow, seemingly guarding the tree like a sentinel. When I told Jony, he didn't seem very surprised.

I know he hides things from me and Ludwin, but it also seemed he hid a lot from Sasha. I thought he trusted her a lot, but it doesn't seem like he can tell her everything. It doesn't bother me; since we met, he has been the group's leader and has done a good job, proving trustworthy and saving us many times in battles against nightmare beasts, so now I trust him, at least as a leader.

I don't understand why he insists on staying here. He says he's waiting for someone but won't tell us how he knows someone will come or who it is. We just have to wait. Anyway, no one seemed eager to face a wakeful demon.

In any case, he now asked us to meet in the center of the camp we set up beneath an opening in the dead titan's bone.

"Did something happen?" Sasha asked, concerned about Jony's sudden call.

"Well, today should be the day my guests arrive. I wanted to tell you in advance how to behave in front of them," Jony said, somewhat seriously. It's rare for him to talk like this; usually, he is reserved but not serious. He's more cheerful and shows enthusiasm in moving around all the time.

"Who are they supposed to be? Why should we be polite when they're here?" Ludwin asked, irritation seeping into his voice. I share his question; until now, Jony hadn't told us whom he was expecting or why he was expecting them.

"Well, it's because they are very important people who will help us kill that demon. They are also the ones who will help us get out of this hell."

It seems he doesn't want to tell us who they are yet; that wasn't an answer and only said something that seemed like one. Sometimes it bothers me a bit that he hides these things from us, but he has already proven he can make the right decisions, so I'll trust him.

"Well, how are we supposed to act?" I asked, looking into his eyes, their color similar to the crimson of the labyrinth's red coral, now darkened by the bone's shadow. He looked back at me and responded.

"Well, I need you to do one thing. The rest, I'd like you to let me do the talking. I'll make sure they can trust me; I believe I can do it." His voice didn't betray his expression, which was still and seemed to command rather than suggest.

"What do you want me to do? I'm not good at talking to strangers, so I won't be able to help much," I said, something he and the others already knew. On the way here, I didn't talk much with the group. We exchanged words and conversed, but it wasn't me who talked. It was them. Still, I liked talking to them. You could say I now see them more as friends.

"I don't want you to talk; I just want you to hide. Stand behind the boy with black hair and eyes, and have your sword in hand. When I tell you, you'll come out of your camouflage and appear behind him. This will show that we're not a joke and that if we wanted to kill someone, we could do it without much trouble," Jony said, as if it were just a chat about the weather and not about intimidating someone in a realm of death and madness like the Forgotten Coast.

"Wouldn't that be a clear provocation, the opposite of the trust you want to build?" Sasha asked. I also wanted to ask that but didn't get the chance, so I just waited for his response.

But it wasn't Jony who responded.

"That's not the case. By showing we can kill them but haven't, we make it clear who the strong group is and that we don't have bad intentions. We draw a line and make them respect our position. Isn't that right, Jony?" Ludwin said, with a cheeky smile on his face as he looked at our leader.

"Yes, as Ludwin said. I want to show we're strong too, but not cross the line of directly threatening them. There will be three of them. Two women and a boy; one of them is blind but has a skill that sees the future. The other is Nephis, whose true name is Star of Ruin or Changing Star." I'm surprised he knows so much about who will come here, and even more that it's about Nephis. But how does he know all that?

"What about the boy in black? You said there would be three, and he's the one Isaac will intimidate. Does he have anything special?" I'm grateful Sasha and Ludwin ask the questions I wanted to ask; I don't like asking too much. It makes me seem ignorant.

"Well..." his voice now sounded somewhat somber.

"He's the most dangerous. He'll make it seem like he's weak, wanting to be underestimated so he can stab you in the back when you do."

So he's sending me to scare the most dangerous one. Does he have that much confidence in me, or is he just risking the weakest in his group?

"I'll trust that boy to Isaac since he has a special sense that lets him perceive everyone's shadows. When Isaac hides, he also loses his shadow, making him the most suitable to sneak up behind him." Oh, so it's not because he wants to sacrifice me or something. Well, I expected that; he wouldn't throw me to the wolves just because. I hope.

Jonathan quickly turned his head to one side, in the opposite direction of Ashen Barrow, and then looked at me.

"Hide," he ordered, with a face and voice more serious than during the fight against the centurion. I obeyed and hid, waiting for the guests to arrive.

***

Three sleepers climb a giant bone of a long-dead titan. The boy leads, followed by two women. One is tall and slender, with a rope tied around her body. The other is small and delicate, tied to the rope and being lifted by her friend.

The boy at the front spoke.

"I sense three shadows above. They don't seem like monsters. What do you want to do, Neph?"

She looked at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Climb," she said, without hesitation in her tone.

...

After a while, the three sleepers met the people atop the bone.

Sunny and Nephis saw a scene that could be painted in a picture and sold for millions of credits.

With the dim sunlight falling on their backs, casting shadows around them, they saw three people looking at them as they climbed all the way up the bone.

On the left side of the scene was a girl, tall and beautiful, as dazzling as Nephis, with pink hair that seemed to reach her back. Her toned, muscular figure was covered by a brown body armor that highlighted her beautiful curves even more. Her green eyes looked at the guests who had just climbed up.

To her right stood a tall man with broad shoulders, covered in silver armor with battle scars everywhere. His golden hair shone in the dim sunlight. His blue eyes looked at Nephis with what seemed like recognition.

Lastly, the most fearsome of the three, standing at the front of the group. A man dressed in black armor with golden edges led them. His armor was intimidating and commanded respect. He was tall, with a toned but not overly large physique. His black hair seemed to darken his face, which was shadowed due to the lack of light. However, his eyes, red like the crimson coral of the labyrinth, looked at each member of Sunny's group.

Sunny felt pressured under the gaze of this boy. He turned his head to Nephis, who still maintained her neutral expression, showing no emotion.

They had their weapons summoned and ready to fight, but the people in front of them had nothing besides their armor, seeming not to want to fight. But Nephis kept her grip firm on her sword's hilt, ready for any unforeseen situation.

Breaking the tension in the air, the black-clad figure leading the group of sleepers spoke first.

"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Nephis, Star of Ruin. I didn't expect to find such a great person in this desolate Forgotten Coast."

Without denying the proclamation of her true name as Star of Ruin, Nephis spoke to the boy in black.

"We also didn't expect to find other people here."

She said nothing more, as if she were done talking, but Sunny knew she was terrible at interacting with others. Even though she had practiced with Cassia, she still didn't know how to talk normally, so he spoke up.

"As she said, we didn't think we would find other people. I'm Sunless; you can call me Sunny. This is Cassia. We came here looking for a place to spend the night. We don't want any trouble, so please don't cause any."

Sunny knew they were as strong as him and Nephis, or even stronger, so he tried not to be an idiot and make enemies of these powerful sleepers. It wouldn't be good, considering they would have to protect Cassia if a fight broke out.

Jonathan was next to speak, the other two still silent beside him.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to be an enemy of the Star of Ruin, and there's no need to be so formal, Sunless. We already met in the desert survival classes," said the boy in black, his voice slightly amused.

Sunny was very confused. He still remembered the other boy who attended classes with him under Professor Julius, but he couldn't reconcile that image with the imposing figure in front of him. He couldn't believe someone could change so much in such a short time. But he also couldn't be sure if his demeanor at the academy was just a facade and this was his true self.

"So, can I assume you won't attack us, right?" Sunless asked, directing his question to his former classmate.

"Of course not. You can settle wherever you want," the boy replied, looking at his friends before continuing. "Oh, pardon my rudeness. These two here are my friends; she's Sasha, and he's Ludwin. It seems he and Lady Nephis have already met."

Indeed, Nephis remembered Ludwin, the boy who had knocked her unconscious and nearly killed many other sleepers. She had trained hard with her Aspect to withstand the pain of her defect and become stronger.

That defeat had shown her that her power was insufficient and that she had to learn to endure the pain of her flame to become more powerful.

"Yes, we've already met," she said without emotion, looking at Ludwin.

Ludwin glanced at her and then spoke.

"I want to apologize for that situation. I was just carried away by my power and was more immature. So please forgive me, Lady Nephis." He didn't really want to apologize, but their leader had told him to do so if they wanted to get out of this hell, so he swallowed his pride and apologized to Nephis.

She was a bit surprised by the significant change in the attitude of the heartless and ill-mannered boy he had been at the academy. But only for a moment; a second later, she was as expressionless as ever.

"It's done. Don't worry about it," she said, accepting Ludwin's apology.

The boy in black looked at Sunny, and before speaking, Sunny noticed he wasn't looking at him but rather behind him.

"Allow me to apologize as well, Lady Nephis. This was a necessary measure; we didn't know if those coming up were allies or enemies. You can come out now, Isaac!"

Sunny was startled by the sudden apology from the boy, but even more so, he was confused about whom he was addressing and who this 'Isaac' was that he seemed to be speaking to.

A moment after those words were spoken, Sunny tensed up all of a sudden, his muscles straining to their limit as he took a big leap backward, ready to fight whoever had appeared so close behind him.

When Jonathan said those words, Sunny had felt a sudden shadow form from nothingness itself just a few steps behind him.

Nephis raised her sword toward Isaac, but her eyes were fixed on Jonathan.

"As I said, I apologize for that. It was necessary. This is Isaac, our fourth group member."

"You have a very interesting group," Nephis said, her voice threatening as she shielded Cassia.

"Oh, please, forgive me, Lady Nephis, Sunny. It's just a precaution. You can go wherever you want on this carcass; we won't stop or attack you."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"But I'd like you to help me with something since you're here and it seems we'll be heading the same way."

Nephis looked at him for a moment before responding.

"Speak." Jonathan already knew she spoke like that, so he didn't mind the short response and answered.

"It's about that giant tree to the west."