The first rays of dawn painted the perpetually overcast sky of the Forgotten Shore in slightly brighter shades of grey as the assembled group gathered near the camp's perimeter.
The air was cool, carrying the familiar scent of damp earth and distant decay. A low murmur of conversation filled the space – discussions about gear, hushed jokes, and the feigned anticipation of a fruitful hunt.
The sheer number of people preparing to depart gave credence to the cover story; it looked every bit the large-scale expedition Nephis had intended.
Ray adjusted the straps of his pack, his eyes scanning the faces around him. He saw focus, apprehension, and in some, a practiced nonchalance. He caught Henry's eye and offered a curt nod, receiving one in return.
Effie stood nearby, stretching lightly, her usual boisterous energy subdued into watchful readiness. Caster radiated a calm, but unusually energetic aura, while Cassie stood calmly beside Nephis – her expression unreadable.
Nephis gave the final signal, a sharp, clear call that cut through the morning air. "Alright everyone, move out! Stick to the formations, stay alert. We have a lot of ground to cover."
With that, the large party began to move, melting into the desolate landscape like a column of determined ghosts. They travelled together for the first hour, maintaining the facade, pushing away from the relative security of their main encampment and deeper into the ruins and treacherous terrain that ringed the Dark City. The path was familiar to many, worn by countless scavenging runs and patrols.
Eventually, they reached a predetermined junction – a collapsed intersection where several crumbling streets met, offering multiple routes forward and relative cover from prying eyes. Here, Nephis called a halt. The larger group gathered around, their eyes on her.
"Alright," Nephis announced, her voice loud enough for all in the main group to hear, "From here, we will split up. The main group will establish a forward camp in the designated sector."
She gestured towards a more sheltered area within the nearby ruins, a place known for its defensible position and slightly lower monster activity. "Conserve resources. Hunt only if necessary and only if you are certain the area is clear. Maintain vigilance at all times."
"My team," she indicated the five chosen individuals – Cassie, Caster, Ray, Effie, and Henry – "will scout the northern territories. We anticipate being gone for three days, potentially four at the maximum. Hold this position and await our return or further instructions. Stay safe."
Nods of understanding rippled through the larger group. They knew the drill, even if not everyone understood the true stakes of this particular 'scouting' mission. They began peeling off, heading towards the designated ruins under the quiet command of a trusted senior member, already starting to set up watches and clear the immediate vicinity.
Nephis turned to her small team. The pretense dropped, replaced by focused intensity. "North," she said simply, pointing towards a less-travelled path leading away from the intersection.
"Effie, take point with me, we will still need your experience till we reach the wall. Caster, Ray, watch our flanks. Cassie, Henry, rear guard. Let's move efficiently. We have a location to reach."
Without further ceremony, the group of six detached themselves from the main party, their footsteps quieter now, their movements more deliberate. They left the relative security of the known path and plunged into the overgrown, rubble-strewn expanse to the north.
The ruins here felt older, less disturbed, the silence deeper, broken only by the crunch of their boots on debris and the distant, unsettling sounds of the Dark City. Their real mission had only just begun.
The small group continued northward, leaving the more frequently traversed sections of the Dark City behind. Here, the destruction felt more ancient, the silence heavier.
Buildings leaned at precarious angles, skeletal remains of an unknown civilization that once Habitus the dark city, choked by unnaturally pale vines and shadowy moss that seemed to absorb the dim light. The air remained still and cold, carrying whispers of unseen things skittering just beyond their range of vision.
Their passage wasn't entirely unobstructed. Nightmare Creatures, twisted abominations endemic to the Shore, lurked in the ruins. Cassie's sharp senses, especially enhanced by her Aspect, often alerted them to danger before it was visible.
A hulking, shadow-wreathed beast shuffling through a collapsed structure to their left was given a wide berth, the group melting into the deeper shadows of an adjacent alleyway until it passed.
Later, a pack of smaller, skittering insectoid-creatures with too many legs and razor-sharp claws erupted from a debris pile. There was no avoiding them.
Caster met them head-on, his movements a blur of precise strikes, while Effie's shield deflected a pouncing attacker. Ray and Henry swiftly dispatched the remaining stragglers before they could surround their vanguard.
It didn't take the group long to eliminate the pack – a brutal, efficient extermination that spoke volumes of their experience and synergy. No words were needed; each member fell back into formation, their pace barely interrupted.
They moved with a practiced ease born from – by now – countless similar hunts in the dark city. Nephis' quiet commands directed their flow, while Cassie constantly kept them updated, ensuring they weren't walking into the territories of actually dangerous nightmare creatures that strayed from their usual routes.
Their destination, clarified during a brief halt under the relative cover of a crumbling building, was known simply as the Statue of the Slayer. One of the seven effigies of the Starlight Order, each having a connection to a Shard Memory, its location now pinpointed thanks to Nephis' informant.
Despite the ever-present threat posed by Nightmare Creatures and the oppressive atmosphere of the Dark City, their progress felt steady, almost comfortable. They were a capable team, well-equipped and focused.
The dangers they encountered were anticipated, dealt with swiftly, causing minimal delays. For this first day, their objective was clear and relatively straightforward: reach the imposing northern city wall that marked the northern most edge of this sprawling hellscape.
Whatever challenge the Statue of the Slayer posed, it lay beyond or near that boundary.
As the day wore on, the sole weird sun above them gave them an estimate on the time they had left, till the shadow of the crimson spire would fall onto the city again and bring with it the dark sea. They navigated through skeletal districts, crossed rubble-choked plazas, and slipped through shadowed corridors, always pushing north.
The massive, dark line of the ancient city wall grew steadily larger on the horizon, a stark reminder of the scale of the world they were trapped in, and the next waypoint on their clandestine mission.
The colossal northern city wall loomed before them, a sheer cliff of ancient, dark stone scarred by time and conflict but largely intact. Its sheer scale was humbling.
With perhaps an hour of their designated 'daylight' remaining before the actual dusk set in, signaling their time for rest, they located a partially collapsed section offering easier access to the ramparts above. The climb was tense but manageable for the experienced cohort.
Once atop the wide, windswept walkway, they found the ruins of several watchtowers dotting the wall's length. They chose one that offered reasonable structural integrity and clear fields of view both back towards the city and out into the unknown territory beyond the wall.
The remaining time before nightfall was used efficiently. Gear was stowed, prepared 'bedrolls' unfurled within the relative shelter of the tower's main room, and rations were prepared – simple, cold sustenance that required no fire, avoiding unwanted attention. The wind whistled eerily through cracks in the ancient stonework.
Vigilance was paramount. Nephis established the watch schedule immediately. "Two on watch at all times," she stated, her voice low but firm. "Standard rotations. Cassie, you're exempt." It went without saying; Cassie's senses worked differently, and visual observation wasn't really possible.
Nephis nodded towards the darkening landscape. "I'll take the first rotation, double shift."
As the others settled down, conserving energy for the days ahead, the spatial dynamics within the stone watchtower room became apparent. Nephis sat near one of the arrow slits, already beginning her watch, with Cassie resting close to her.
Caster positioned himself somewhat centrally, leaning against his pack, though noticeably closer to Nephis and Cassie's side of the room.
Across the cramped space, the familiar trio of Henry, Ray, and Effie formed their own cluster, speaking in low tones as they made final checks on their equipment before attempting to rest.
The small camp fell into a watchful quiet, punctuated only by the wind and the distant, unsettling noises of the Forgotten Shore. High atop the ancient wall, sheltered within a crumbling tower, the group prepared for the night. They were aware that the true objective, the Statue of the Assassin, lay somewhere nearby, waiting in the darkness beyond the wall.
Nephis kept her steady gaze fixed on the landscape, her double watch beginning under the oppressive, unchanging twilight. For the first part of her double watch, Caster would keep her company, before later changing to Henry. The rest of the night would then be watched by Effie and Ray.