Sun

Aldric was now fighting a defensive battle. Choosing to hold back on his usually offensive fighting style to recover as much stamina as he could. Hence, he had limited his own battle range to a two metre radius around himself. 

While he had not sustained any injuries, the same could not be said for his armour. It was the biggest expense of his darkness pool. Constantly regenerating an ever battered armour of darkness. It was exhausting. And for the worst part, it was becoming mentally exhausting. 

Aldric could handle the toll that such a battle had on his body. He was not a stranger to pain; however, it was a lot more rare that he would be pushed to this extent mentally. 

Of course, it was a gradual process. An errant thought here. A negative thought there. Luckily, with the enchantment from his [Sundured Sorrow] that boosted his willpower, the effects were not as prevalent as he would have anticipated. But even that had its limits. 

The dark sea rising did not help either. It was slowly creeping up, now reaching their ankles. This exponentially made any movement or manoeuvre that much more difficult.

With all the whispers from the spell talking about memories and dark sprites, Aldric knew that this battle would result in his biggest rewards ever. It was something to look forward to in this hell.

With Nephis in the battle, the burden on Gemma, Caster, Aldric, and Effie reduced somewhat. The reduced volume of nightmare creatures allowed Aldric to support those around him that needed help. His focus was interrupted by a familiar whisper, alerting him of the presence of a fallen. Looking up, he could see a figure darting around five others that were in chase. With the difference in altitude, he had no hope in assisting who he knew to be Kai.

DODGE 

Retaliating with a stab, he kicked the parasite-infested primate in the chest while withdrawing his blade from its heart. Guaranteeing the creature's death. 

Looking down at the ground, he could feel a change in the terrain.

The darkness within the sea began to swirl. Coalescing the sea towards the Crimson Spire. In a supernatural display, the water was drawn by an unknown force towards the gate. The volume of water entering the gate should have already long filled the spire; however, it kept going. In a few minutes, all that was left on the battlefield were blood, bones, and bodies. All covered in a grimy black liquid. 

The change in the terrain was a boon for the dreamer army, who could now exercise their abilities to their fullest without worrying about slipping. They were now making up for the ground lost to the horde. 

All of a sudden, Aldric felt [Insight] screaming at him. The danger was not in front of him or behind him but above. The entire sky was screaming danger.

Knowing that the spire gates should be opened now and that they would soon be under the full might of the artificial sun, he got within Nephis' range. Just close enough that she could hear him but far enough that he was not affected by her flames. 

"Nephis! We need to all go to the tower."

He spoke in a clear voice, leaving no room for misinterpretation. 

Looking at the darkness-clad adolescent, she nodded and raised her sword. 

"Everyone! Charge for the tower! Something is coming."

During the many months of their expedition, Aldric's sharp and borderline precognitive senses warned them of many ambushes and surprise dangers. So she would not dismiss his command. 

With her voice having a finite range, those that could hear her relayed the message to those around her. 

Noticing her sight linger backwards, Aldric spoke. 

"I'll grab Cassie. You need to lead them in."

Aldric and Nephis knew that the army would not follow without their commander leading the charge, so there was no other choice. 

Rallying the people around her to begin to move forward, fighting the horde as they met them. Luckily, they did not have to fight a charging battle as the artificial sun began to shoot down soul-destroying beams of light.

It seemed that nightmare creatures had a much more susceptible soul.

Given the fact that they were mid-charge, nobody wasted time in wondering what the pressure eating away at their soul was. Connecting the dots, most assumed that was what they were running from. 

Seeing everyone move forward in waves, Aldric moved as fast as he could, covering himself in a shell of darkness to halt the effects of the light. He could immediately tell that it would not hold for longer than a minute. That was all he had. 

Coming near the healers tent where Bael was in battle with two fallen beasts, all three were withering in agony from the sun's rays. He noticed that Bael had long run out of any darkness to encase himself. 

"I hope this is worth it. Using those shards won't be painless."

Injecting the remaining 20% of darkness into his apostle, he ordered Bael to take everyone to the gate.

He knew that there were many people left inside the tent, taking shelter from the soul-destroying rays. Given the distance from the gate, the injured would not make it at all. Aldric knew that he could easily leave them behind; however, it left a horrible taste in his mouth. Not out of a heroic soul but out of ego. The ego of wanting to make an impact on someone else's life as well as influence the rest of it. Subconsciously, perhaps it was to compete against the death and destruction that Nephis had brought. Wanting for this siege to be a crucible in which she can pick the strongest sleepers that would ever exist. Every life he might save would be in opposition to her darwinistic machinations. But in either case, his ego was at the forefront of this decision.

Knowing of how little time he had remaining, he approached a lone figure standing further behind the line of tents and grabbed her in a princess carry. Not wasting anytime, he carried his momentum and twisted back the way he came.

Aldric was surprised that she did not scream in fright, but it was to be expected from a seer.

He heard her speak.

"I thought it would have been Nephis to come for me."

She said in a strained voice as she endured the damage to her soul.

Aldric ignored her comment and focused on trying to reach the gate as quickly as possible. It was not time for chitchat. 

While the added weight of the dainty girl did exhaust him more, attempting to lead her by hand through such battered terrain would have been even more demanding. 

He could see Bael blitzing by, enhanced by darkness, as he carried over seven injured people on his body. Even his over 200 cm body would not be big enough to carry such a load; however, Bael seemed to have some intelligence to him. Shifting slightly into his wraith form and extending his body while still covering himself in darkness gave him a bigger body to carry so many people. 

With only 50 meters to go, Aldric's darkness had completely depleted. 

His core was burning in agony. The wave of pain almost staggered him, combining with his exhausted body. It seemed that he was very sensitive to anything relating to the soul ever since making Bael. While he had recovered some strength in his soul since, it was not enough to make the slow damage of the artificial sun manageable. However, he no longer had to worry about such a thing as he entered the open gates of the Crimson Spire. 

Him and Bael were the last ones in. Battered and bruised, however, it seemed that everyone was here. Well, everyone that was still left.

Nephis' eyes immediately locked onto Aldric's as she approached them.

With a hand on his shoulder, she recovered some of his stamina and waned a lot of the pain in his body. Having no injuries allowed her soul flame to focus on helping his exhaustion. 

Thanking her with a nod, he gave them some space as they talked. 

Looking around at what was left, he noticed that there were plenty of injured sleepers, much worse off than him. 

'I guess she's conserving her strength for those that can help.'

He thought.

It made sense for Aldric. After all, they would be returning to their original bodies soon. Showing no sign of the damage they accumulated. It was something to look forward to. His new hair change had not grown on him just yet.

Realising the precarious situation he was in with his reserves, Aldric quickly grabbed onto his silk pouch that contained the soul shards of awakened and fallen creatures that he had killed. This was his emergency reserve. Utilising the ability that he learned deep within the caverns that the nightmare spell first sent him to during the winter solstice, he crushed the cores in his hands. 

A burst of light entered his body through his hand, gradually turning black as it went up his veins. 

Aldric did not enjoy doing this. It was a painful experience, like ice travelling through his veins. He hadn't done this since his reserves increased to a manageable level. Even then, it only resulted in him gaining 30 percent of his pool. Any more shards would just increase the pain and give diminishing returns. 

Scanning around for those that were still remaining, he could estimate that there were between 150 and 175 sleepers left. He could not remember the exact number that remained the first time, but it had to be less than this. Looking for people of interest, he could see the regular group. With Kai and Effie unconscious. He could see a few of the hunters that he recognised, as well as Gemma. However, many familiar faces that made up the dreamer army were missing. 

Not wanting to think about it any longer, he began to follow the group as Nephis led them up the large coral outgrowths along the wall. Fashioned like a staircase. 

DANGER

Swiftly turning around, he noticed something by the centre of the ground. Exactly where all the dark sea had been absorbed.

A lone black orb of darkness. 

**********

Thank you for reading. 

How are we doing today? This might be my longest chapter yet.

Azdal: I'm up to date. Love the damn thing. 

Till the next one.