River's blade cleaved through the air in a wide arc, its edge catching the glint of the pale sun just as it carved through the centipede's armored skull. The creature let out a rattling hiss, spasming violently before slumping to the side with a wet thud.
[You have slain an awakened beast, Voracious Vermin.]
River exhaled through his teeth, rolling his shoulder with a grunt as Viper's Lament disappeared back into his soul sea. "That's the last of them," River called over his shoulder. "We should be clear for now."
Behind him, Nyx stood silently, her eyes fixed on the mangled centipede corpses that lay scattered across the black earth. Their bodies were grotesquely long, stretching up to three meters, covered in plates of deep red chitin that gleamed like dried blood. And worse of all, they had thousands of twitching legs that lined their sides, which allowed them to move insanely fast.
If River hadn't spent time observing their movements through Seismic Sense and watching them from a distance as they fought another Nightmare Creature, the centipedes would've been a much greater threat, especially for him and Iris. Their ability to secrete a corrosive substance strong enough to eat through even Carapace Scavenger armor made fighting in close quarters a death sentence if they had caught them off-guard.
But with enough preparation, the centipedes had proven far less dangerous than expected. Although their sheer size and corrosive secretions were intimidating, their shells were surprisingly easy to pierce through. If it wasn't for that, they might not have been able to fight them off without suffering major injuries.
'I wonder if they taste any good…' River curiously thought, his stomach grumbling slightly at the thought. Over the past few days, he and Iris had experienced quite a few of the delicacies that the Dream Realm had to offer. And, surprisingly, he had begun to grow fond of them despite their repulsive appearance. At the very least, they were much better than the food he had in the outskirts.
One dish in particular had stood out: a mix of scavenger meat, the gelatinous innards of a carnivorous worm, and the lightly charred petals of a flesh-eating flower they'd stumbled across. It had been so good that it brought him to tears. But… he wasn't sure if that was because of how good it was or a byproduct of the slightly poisonous ingredients. Either way, he would definitely have it again.
'Another thing to thank Awakened Cecilia for when I get out of here.'
He had, at first, been skeptical of Awakened Cecilia's long-winded lessons on the anatomy of Nightmare Creatures and their so-called "culinary potential". But, in hindsight, they'd turned out to be more useful than he ever expected. He was even starting to regret not taking more notes on the subject. Who knew what kind of meals he could've come up with by now?
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it now. So, with a brief sigh, he began harvesting the soul shards from the corpses before crushing them near his chest while Nyx did the same. It was a bit concerning to watch her harvest and absorb soul shards, not because she did it in some strange way when harvesting. No, nothing like that. What actually concerned River was how, with each passing day, she seemed to stay in control of Iris's body a little longer.
'Is it because of how dangerous this area is? Or is there something else about her flaw that I don't know yet?' River wasn't too sure, but either way, it wasn't a good sign for Iris.
As the last of the shards were crushed against his chest, River slowly rose to his feet, brushing a streak of blood off his jaw with the back of his hand. Once he stood fully erect, he glanced at Nyx one last time. It was clear that she was still in control of her body with how sharp and precise her movements were.
River frowned at the sight but didn't say anything. Instead, he closed his eyes and reached out with his Seismic Sense. The ground beneath him pulsed with faint tremors, but none of the movement was close enough for them to worry about. But that was only true if they planned on staying here. If they wanted to reach the next safe spot before nightfall, they'd have to move forward, straight through the group of scavengers waiting ahead.
If they managed to catch the scavengers off guard, the fight wouldn't be too difficult. There were only three of them, after all. The real problem was their condition, unlike most of the stragglers in this area, these ones didn't look injured or worn down from what he could sense. Their movements were too consistent for them to have suffered intense injuries.
With a soft yawn, he glanced at Nyx and murmured, "Time to move." Without waiting for a reply, he turned back toward the scavengers and started walking.
'As long as nothing goes wrong, it shouldn't be too bad of a fight.'
The thought crossed River's mind with a casual certainty that made him stop mid-step. His foot hovered above the ground for a moment before settling down gently.
'Have I really started seeing Awakened Beasts as easy prey?'
The realization was unsettling. He didn't know when it began, but he had started to grow arrogant. The fear and caution he used to hold before every encounter had slowly begun to disappear, replaced by a quiet confidence that bordered on recklessness. He may have grown stronger, but that wasn't an excuse to act as if he were untouchable.
He shook his head, clicking his tongue under his breath.
He was growing complacent.
He drew in a deep breath, steadying the quiet churn of unease in his chest. Then, slowly, he emptied his mind of every lingering thought and reckless confidence. His fingers curled tighter around Viper's Lament as he narrowed his eyes in the direction of the scavengers.
He wouldn't slip. He wouldn't falter. And most of all, he wouldn't ever let himself become another reckless fool lost to the Dream Realm.
***
River crouched behind the jagged ridge of a collapsed stone slab, Nyx still and silent at his side. Deep claw marks scored its surface—faded reminders of some distant, long-forgotten clash. Ahead, the land sloped into a shallow basin scattered with coral spines and uneven ground, bathed in the dull light of an overcast sky.
Below, three monstrous figures loomed beneath the crooked arch of a towering coral spine. They hunched over the mangled remains of Nightmare Creatures, their chitin-streaked bodies glistening with fresh gore. Blood clung to their armor in thick smears as their pincers snapped through bone, mandibles twitching as they fed.
It was quite a disgusting sight, but then again, it was one that they had grown used to. And more importantly, it was the perfect situation for them to attack the scavengers before they could get the chance to react. His gaze lingered on them for a few more seconds before he spoke under his breath, barely louder than a whisper.
"I vow to strike first, and not let a single one escape."
He could feel Faded Promise thrum faintly against his skin, the enchantment sinking into his limbs with newfound power. With the past few days to experiment, River grasped a decent understanding of how the enchantment worked. The enchantment only had a certain number of charges per day, depending on how severe a vow he made.
For example, if he vowed to simply strike down a single creature, the charm might grant him one brief burst of strength to slay it, and he'd be able to make another vow shortly after. But if he vowed to do something that carried more weight, the blessing would extend for a much longer period of time, and he wouldn't be able to make another vow for a while.
He still wasn't sure how one was meant to make amends for a broken vow. The enchantment's description was still as vague as ever, and he hadn't yet been put in a position where he had to break one. But so far, the enchantment was an invaluable help in slaying Nightmare Creatures.
Without wasting any more time, River exhaled slowly through his nose, focusing on the vow he had made.
'Strike first. Let none escape.'
The vow didn't carry that much weight. But it was just enough to tip the scales—to tilt the fight in their favor before the scavengers even realized they were being hunted. His grip on Viper's Lament tightened.
Now, all that was left was to keep his word.
With an unnatural burst of speed, River lunged out from his cover and dashed towards the group of scavengers as Nyx followed closely behind. His eyes locked onto the nearest scavenger. And in one fluid motion, he drove Viper's Lament forward, the blade slipping cleanly through the narrow seam in the creature's armored skull. The monster jerked once, then collapsed in a heap of twitching limbs.
[You have slain an Awakened Beast, Carapace Scavenger]
Then, a flash of movement to his left. River pivoted smoothly, shifting his weight to engage the third scavenger as Nyx surged past him, her curved dagger thrusting forward. The blade bit into its torso as she slipped beneath the lumbering swing of a pincer.
In the same breath, her phantom flickered into existence behind the scavenger's head, perfectly mirroring her movement. The spectral blade plunged cleanly through the weak point in its skull, driving the beast to the ground before it could even let out a sound.
Just before the beast fell, River engaged the last scavenger as it let out a sudden cry before snapping its pincers wildly. River didn't flinch for even a second. The vow was still burning steadily throughout his whole body, flooding him with strength.
He met the scavenger's lunge head-on. Ducking under its first strike, he swept to the side and carved a clean gash across its stomach. The blow barely slowed it down, its anger overpowering the mental attack his sword inflicted. With a guttural screech, the creature lunged again, trying to slam its full weight into him. River dropped low and rolled forward, the beast's charge missing him by inches as he came up smoothly onto his feet.
'I need to finish this fast.' River thought for a brief second before throwing himself back into the fight. He knew the smarter move was to play distraction. Let Nyx circle behind and strike the final blow like before. That would've ended it cleanly.
But he didn't.
Even if the kill meant nothing to him. Even if it wouldn't earn him any more memories, or shards, or recognition.
He still wanted it.
It was a selfish, greedy desire. A perverse instinct buried deep in his soul that refused to let go. So instead of pulling back, he lunged again determined to be the one who brought the scavenger down.
River feinted left, baiting the scavenger's attention just long enough for it to snap its pincer toward him. At the last moment, he shifted his weight and surged forward in the opposite direction, unleashing a focused burst of icy air from his entire body straight into the creature's face. The pincer missed him by inches as the scavenger staggered, mouth opening wide in a sharp, startled shriek.
Without wasting a second, River drove Viper's Lament straight through the beast's exposed throat. The impact jarred up his arm, but he didn't stop. He twisted the blade, forcing it deeper, until something gave.
The scavenger reeled back, shrieking as black ichor sprayed from the wound. River yanked his weapon free and followed through with a vicious upward slash that tore through its chin and split the creature's skull in two.
The scavenger toppled with a sickening crunch.
[You have slain an Awakened Beast, Carapace Scavenger.]
River's chest heaved, breath misting faintly in the cold air as the last tremor of the vow faded from his limbs. He watched the body twitch once, then fall still.
He'd done it.
And despite the fact that it gained him nothing, that he could've made the smarter call, he didn't regret it.
Not even a little.
***
With a bit of daylight still left, River and Iris set up a campfire and began cooking the scavenger and centipede meat they'd gathered. Their resting spot was around two hundred meters up the cliff, which would have made hauling the meat up that far a pain. Thus, they settled for cooking at the base, letting the fire crackle beneath the fading sky.
The scent of seared meat soon filled the air, thick and oddly sweet. River crouched by the fire, turning a skewer of centipede leg over the flame. The outer shell hissed as it blackened, the juices bubbling beneath the chitin. He leaned back slightly, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist before handing a piece to Iris.
"One piece of premium centipede meat, courtesy of the world-renowned River's Crawling Delicacies," River said, presenting it with mock grandeur. "With one bite and you'll either love it… or meet a god."
Despite his joke, she barely reacted; she just accepted the piece of meat and took a bite without a word.
She had been strangely quiet since she had regained control from Nyx, to the point where she hadn't even cracked a joke when River yelped after burning his finger on a sizzling strip of scavenger meat. Normally, she would've teased him for the next hour. But this time, she didn't even glance his way.
She just chewed slowly, her eyes fixed on the flickering flames. The usual spark in her gaze was missing, replaced by a heavy silence that hung between them.
'Is it because of how long Nyx was in control today?' River questioned internally as he took a bite of a piece of scavenger meat.
Their journey had been ruthless today. It was one creature after another, barely giving them a moment to breathe. And through most of it, it hadn't been Iris walking beside him. It had been Nyx.
He tried to picture it: your last memory being the start of a climb down a cliff… only to blink, and find the sun nearly gone, your body sore from fights you never remembered having—about to climb back up another eerily similar cliff as if no time had passed. A whole day lived without you.
It was a terrifying thought. And as much as he wanted to know, it wasn't his place to ask. If she ever chose to talk about it, it would have to be on her own terms.
With that final thought, River turned his focus back to the food, savoring each bite while he could. Iris did the same, quietly chewing through her portion with slow, deliberate motions. The silence stretched between them, filled only by the soft crackle of the fire and the distant wind.
Iris shifted slightly, resting her elbows on her knees, the skewer dangling loosely from her fingers. Then, almost out of nowhere, she finally broke the quiet.
"…Hey." Her voice was soft, barely louder than the fire. "What happened today? While I was gone."
River looked up, caught off guard by the question. He chewed slowly, eyes lingering on her before answering. "…Not much, really," he said with a slight shrug. "Mostly just fighting one creature after another."
Iris's face looked slightly annoyed at his comment, her brow creasing as she let out a dry breath. "Glad to know it was all so forgettable for you."
River's gaze dropped, the weight of her words settling in. "… That's not what I meant," he said with a sigh. "It wasn't forgettable. Just… hard to explain when you weren't there."
Iris gave a humorless scoff, her voice barely holding together. "Yeah, well… when you blink and lose a whole day of your life, you start to wonder what you missed. Who you were. If any of it even mattered."
She let the words hang in the air, then looked over at him. "...do you know why I hate Nyx so much?"
River looked up, curiosity prickling beneath his skin as he shook his head.
"I didn't always hate her," she began, voice low and steady. "At first, she was a symbol of hope for me. I was never much of the fighting type, surviving my First Nightmare through sheer luck only."
"So, could you imagine the smile on my face when the Spell gave me a flaw that could protect me from any sort of danger?" She spoke, looking almost bittersweet. "It was as if a dream came true. I would not only finally be reunited with my family, but I'd also be able to protect them."
She paused for a second and glanced up at the sky, her expression distant. "For the first time after being infected by the Spell, I thought things were finally turning around for me." She swallowed hard, her eyes watering slightly. "That maybe my life would finally have meaning."
Her gaze returned to the campfire, her expression suddenly darkening as she continued speaking. "But then, as if to crush my dreams, a gate outbreak happened about a mile away from my house. And from it, came hordes of Nightmare Creatures spilling out like a relentless tide. They swallowed up everything in their path, determined to wipe out as much life as they possibly could."
"By the time we heard the news, it was too late for us to evacuate." She paused, swallowing hard as she recalled the memory. "The horde had already breached their neighborhood."
"With no other hope but myself, I promised that I'd protect them," her fingers clenched into fists. "That as long as I was around I'd never let anything hurt them."
"And while I knew that I couldn't face it, I trusted that Nyx could," she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. She drew in a shaky breath before adding, "She was everything I wasn't… and with her in control, there was nothing the creatures could do to hurt my family."
River's eyes narrowed as she continued.
"But…instead of standing and fighting to save my family, Nyx fled." Her shoulders trembled slightly as she pulled her face closer into her knees. "Faced with the threat, she fled—abandoning my family because she decided that delaying the horde until help arrived without dying was impossible."
Iris's voice cracked slightly, tears flowing down her face. "The look of betrayal on their faces as I ran away… it's a scar I'll never forget. That day, Nyx became more than just a part of me. She became a reminder of everything I lost."
She glanced at River, the firelight catching the pain in her eyes. "That's why I can't ever forgive her."