Changing Star
Sunny blinked as his two perspectives adjusted. One from his own eyes, the other from his shadow slithering along the walls. His gaze inadvertently landed on Cassie, who was still asleep, curled up against the cold stone floor.
And, of course, she was still naked.
Heat rushed to his face, and he immediately turned away, cursing under his breath. He had tried not to think about it too much yesterday, with survival being the bigger concern. But now, in the relative stillness of the morning, it was hard to ignore.
'Great. Just great.'
Gritting his teeth, Sunny focused on something, anything else. His mind raced through old lessons from Teacher Julius. Makeshift clothing, insulation, survival tactics… His gaze landed on the discarded remains of the Carapace Scavenger from the previous night.
Without hesitation, he tore off a chunk of its furred hide. It was rough, damp, and reeked of the sea, but it would do. He quickly fashioned it into something usable but enough to offer Cassie some modesty.
Turning back, he hesitated. She was still asleep, her breathing soft and even. For all the terror of the past day, she looked almost peaceful now. Almost.
But then her brows furrowed, and her fingers twitched, clutching at nothing. A quiet, shuddering breath escaped her lips.
Sunny sighed.
"Cassie," he called, keeping his voice low.
She stirred, but didn't wake.
Frowning, Sunny crouched beside her and gently shook her shoulder.
Cassie tensed immediately, her entire body going rigid. Then, as she realized where she was, she exhaled shakily.
"…M-Morning?" Cassie's voice was small, still thick with sleep.
"Yeah," Sunny muttered, holding out the makeshift wrap. "Here. It's not much, but it's better than nothing."
Cassie reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against his hand. The moment she realized what he was handing her, a deep blush spread across her cheeks.
"O-Oh… uh… th-thank you," she stammered, quickly snatching the fur from his grasp and turning away.
A beat passed before she mumbled under her breath.
"Pervert."
Sunny blinked. "What?"
"Nothing!" Cassie squeaked, hurriedly wrapping the fur around herself.
A few minutes passed in silence.
Then, quietly, Cassie whispered, "…I hate this."
Sunny glanced at her.
She was sitting with her knees drawn up, arms wrapped around herself. Though he couldn't see her eyes, he knew they were glistening with unshed tears beneath the blindfold.
"I hate being like this," she admitted, her voice trembling. "Weak. Helpless. A burden."
Sunny was quiet for a moment.
Then, without thinking too much about it, he moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Cassie stiffened.
For a second, he thought she might pull away. But instead, she exhaled and leaned into him, her forehead pressing against his collarbone.
"…You're not a burden," Sunny muttered.
Cassie let out a shaky laugh, but it sounded more like a sob.
"D-do you think so?"
Sunny paused for a second, before his flaw demanded for an answer.
"Sure, you may not be of use in battle, but.. I think you can be useful in different ways. I don't lie, you know."
Cassie sat there, looking at his direction, before slightly chuckling and saying "I know."
Sunny tilted his head like an owl.
'You know..?'
Curious as he was, he asked...
"How do you know?"
Cassie froze.
Instead of telling the truth, she lied.
"Well, it was kind of obvious that you can't lie. Your performance in the school was quite astounding to hear." She chuckled.
Sunny, as spiteful as he was, simply chuckled next to her.
They sat there like that for a while, neither moving, neither speaking.
Just two lost souls, clinging to whatever warmth they could find in a world that wanted them dead.
Eventually, Cassie pulled away, wiping at her face. Her expression was calmer now, but her shoulders still trembled slightly.
"…We should eat something," she murmured.
Sunny nodded. His stomach had been gnawing at itself for a while now, but he had been too focused on survival to care. Now, though, the hunger was undeniable.
He glanced toward the carcass of the Carapace Scavenger. Its thick, tough hide would make it difficult to get to the meat, but it was their best option.
Pulling out the Azure Blade, he set to work cutting away strips of flesh. The sword's edge sliced through the tough material with surprising ease, proving its worth once again.
Cassie sat beside him, silent, listening to the wet sounds of the blade carving through the scavenger's remains. Her fingers idly traced patterns in the dirt, as if trying to distract herself.
After gathering enough meat, Sunny glanced around. "We need fire."
Cassie hesitated, her fingers curling into the rough fabric of her makeshift wrap. "I… I can try to help."
Sunny glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "You know how to start a fire?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it, uncertainty flickering across her face. Finally, she gave a small, hesitant nod. "I learnt it in a field trip in school."
Sunny slowly nodded, before inwardly thinking 'What's a field trip?'
Together, they began collecting whatever dry wood and scraps they could find. It wasn't much - the Forgotten Shore wasn't exactly filled with lush greenery - but Sunny managed to gather a few brittle sticks and some remnants of dried seaweed. As he worked, his shadow slithered ahead, scouting for any threats.
Cassie knelt beside him, fumbling slightly as she reached out, feeling around for something to contribute.
Then, after a moment, she froze. Her hands clenched into fists.
"This is useless," she whispered, her voice tight.
Sunny stopped, looking up from where he was trying to set up a fire pit. "...What?"
Cassie's breath hitched. "I can't even- I can't see anything, Sunny. I can't tell what's dry, what's not, what I should pick up. I can't do anything!" Her voice rose, cracking with frustration. "I thought maybe- Maybe I could help, but I, I just-!"
She let out a shuddering breath, her shoulders trembling.
Sunny stared at her for a moment. Then, sighing, he sat back and crossed his arms.
"Yeah," he muttered. "You're pretty useless."
Cassie flinched.
"But so am I."
She turned her head toward him, her expression hidden behind the blindfold.
Sunny gestured at their pitiful pile of supplies. "You think I know what I'm doing? I barely scraped by in survival training. The only thing I was ever good at was not dying." He exhaled, shaking his head. "So yeah, you might feel useless, but at least you're not alone in that."
Cassie let out a weak, watery laugh, rubbing at her face with the back of her hand. "That… is not comforting."
"It wasn't supposed to be." Sunny shrugged. "Just the truth."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the distant crash of waves against the shore and the eerie, whispering wind that never seemed to die down in this cursed place.
Then, without a word, Sunny reached over and took her hand.
Cassie stiffened, her breath catching.
"Relax," he muttered, guiding her fingers toward the pile of wood. "Feel it. Dry stuff is lighter, rougher. The damp stuff feels heavier, colder. Just focus."
She hesitated, her fingers twitching against his. Her hand was small in his grip, colder than it should have been. Vulnerable.
Sunny ignored the strange tightness in his chest and pressed on. "You don't need to see," he murmured. "You can still help."
Cassie swallowed hard but nodded. Slowly, carefully, she started sorting through the wood, relying on touch alone. She still fumbled, but Sunny didn't let go, keeping her hand steady whenever she hesitated.
It took longer than it should have - Cassie was hesitant, and Sunny was far from an expert - but eventually, the first embers flickered to life.
They fed the small flame carefully, watching as it crackled hungrily in the dim shelter, their first fragile step toward survival.
Neither of them realized their mistake.
Nephis moved with silent determination, her bare feet pressing into the cold, blackened earth. The jagged ruins around her loomed like broken teeth, the remnants of a world long since consumed by the nightmare.
She had been walking for hours. No food, no water, only the steady pulse of hunger gnawing at her stomach and the dull ache of exhaustion weighing down her limbs.
Her hands tightened into fists. She ignored it. She had suffered worse.
What mattered now was survival.
The moment she had awoken on this accursed shore, she knew she had been sent to the worst possible place. A desolate ruin, no immediate shelter, and worst of all, alone.
She had seen no signs of other Dreamers.
Until now.
Nephis halted, her breath catching as she spotted it in the distance.
A thin, curling column of smoke rising into the grey sky.
A fire.
Her heart pounded.
People.
The realization sent a sharp wave of relief through her. Others had been sent here too. If they had the means to light a fire, they had resources. A fire meant warmth, food, safety, at least more safety than wandering alone in this forsaken land.
But then, that relief soured into wariness.
A fire was a beacon. A signal.
Not just to other survivors, but to the creatures lurking in the dark.
As if the thought had summoned them, a shrill, chittering screech echoed through the air.
Nephis froze.
Carapace Scavengers.
She turned her gaze to the smoke in the distance. Another screech rang out, then another, closer this time. The monsters had caught the scent.
A moment later, she heard them - heavy, skittering footsteps, the clatter of jagged limbs striking against stone. A hunting pack.
Nephis clenched her jaw.
There was nothing she could do.
If the people at the fire weren't prepared, they were already dead. If they were strong enough to survive, they wouldn't need her help.
Still… she didn't move. Not yet.
Instead, she crouched low in the shadows, her body tense beneath the damp kelp she had wrapped around herself for the barest semblance of warmth. Her breathing slowed.
And she waited.
Minutes passed.
The screeches faded into the distance, swallowed by the wind.
Only then did she move.
Cautiously, Nephis emerged from her hiding place and made her way toward the source of the smoke.
She expected to find corpses. The aftermath of yet another slaughter in this wretched place.
What she didn't expect…
Was to find survivors.