**Warning:** This chapter is intentionally awkward and cringeworthy, and it delves into the reasons behind Alice's behavior. Initially, Alice was conceived as a vehicle to illustrate the ripple effect—the "butterfly flapping its wings" concept. However, as I worked through her character, I realized I could use this opportunity to explore something far more meaningful and layered.
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1. **The Reaction to the Forgotten Shore**: I wanted something that is focused on how each character reacts to being stranded in the Forgotten Shore. In a sense, it's about the emotional aftermath of such a harrowing situation. Here's a quick look at the different characters:
- **Sunless** is consumed by paranoia, unable to trust anyone or anything, with the only exception being in combat, he sees everything as a game of manipulation even when with Cassie.
- **Cassie** is in a state of denial, refusing to accept the true magnitude of their predicament. She struggles, keeping dark thoughts at bay, but it's clear she's barely holding it together.
- **Nephis** finds herself on unstable ground—never quite sure of herself or where she stands, emotionally or mentally.
- And **Alice**? Alice is spiraling into a full-blown manic episode. This explains her erratic mood swings and chaotic behavior. She's teetering on the edge, dangerously close to losing her grip on reality.
2. **A Buff for Nephis**: Now, you might wonder why Alice is being portrayed in such an unstable light. Well, while **Sunless** will get his fair share of development, I don't want this story to become a "curb stomp" narrative where one character reigns supreme over the others. This story isn't about making one character the unchallenged powerhouse—there's more.
- **Alice**, in her unpredictable state, is going to act as a catalyst for **Nephis'** development. Nephis' biggest weakness has always been her struggle with social interaction, particularly during the Dark City arc. She could have easily gained the support of generals, if not **Ganlaug** himself, if only she had been more adept at expressing her knowledge and making connections. But Alice will force her to accelerate her social growth.
3. **Nephis' Growth as a Fighter**: Nephis' growth isn't limited to just her social skills. Her combat ability will evolve as well. In addition to learning from **Sunless'** dishonorable and tactical fighting style, Nephis will be exposed to the chaotic and often unorthodox strategies of **Alice** and her sidekick, **Puffy**. While Alice's approach may seem chaotic, it is incredibly effective—and Nephis will learn how to adapt it to her own style, gaining a deeper understanding of battle and strategy.
4. **The Cringe Factor**: So why all the awkwardness and cringe? Why put the characters through such uncomfortable, messy moments? Well, that's the essence of growing pains. In order for the characters to evolve, we first need to see them at their worst—vulnerable, insecure, unsure of themselves. It's these moments of discomfort that create the tension necessary for change.
- Nephis, for example, is a socially awkward ball of hormones, stumbling through the early stages of her journey. It's painful to watch, but these awkward moments are key. Without them, we would never see her become the confident, battle-hardened warrior princess we know she will eventually be. And this time, we don't just get to see the unreliable narration of **Sunless**—we get to see **Nephis'** inner thoughts, her doubts, her struggles, and her growing pains firsthand.
In essence, this chapter is about creating those uncomfortable, cringeworthy moments that push the characters toward change. The "bad" is necessary for the growth that follows. By forcing Nephis to confront her weaknesses—both socially and in combat—she will evolve into a stronger, more capable version of herself. This growth may be painful to witness, but it's through this discomfort that we will see the seeds of transformation planted and nurtured.
Ps the opportunity to kill of Alice or other characters, or even save them, like noctis is on the Table just comment what you want.
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Alice had *totally* been ready to take on four nightmare creatures. Like, duh. She'd done it before! Slayed two of those freaky horrors all by her cute little self, okay? So what was two more? Just double the drama, double the sparkle, right?
The plan? Easy peasy. She just had to wait for the mist—*not just any mist*, mind you, but the floaty, dreamy kind that bloomed from her ultra-ladylike lamp, the one and only [Essens of Ecstasy]. That gorgeous glow? *Chef's kiss.* And sure, it could send creatures spiraling into druggy dreamland, but not her. Nope. She was immune. Thank the stars, 'cause getting high on your own supply? *So* not aesthetic.
Once the monsters were busy chasing rainbows in their heads, it was Puffy time.
Okay, *real talk*—Puffy wasn't, like, "born" born. He was *made*. Crafted out of swirly emotions, too many bad vibes, and that deliciously dangerous Mist that poured out of her lamp. Honestly? She'd been cold, sad, and over the whole "camping inside a decomposing sea god" vibe. So she did what any fabulously unstable girlie would do in her situation: she conjured a bestie out of sheer willpower and aesthetic trauma.
Puffy popped out like some cursed collectible—part bat, part iguana, all spooky-cute chaos. His wings? Velvet-dramatic, like he belonged on a dark couture runway. His tail curled behind him like it had *feelings* about everything, and those little spiky things down his back? Total DIY punk mood. Beneath his chin was that stretchy skin-pouch-thing (Alice didn't know what it was, but it wobbled when he got excited, and honestly? Iconic). She loved him *so much it hurt*.
His eyes? Big. Shiny. Potentially adorable or vaguely horrifying depending on the lighting and your vibe. But to Alice? Always adorable.
And the best part? He made his *own* Mist now. That thick, clingy dreamstuff swirled from him like he had a whole mini fog machine inside. She always joked it was because he was born from *her*—the most fashionable Mist source around. (Technically, it was the [Essens of Ecstasy], but whatever. She *was* the aesthetic.)
Puffy's Mist wasn't just for show, either. It could knock you out, confuse monsters, or just make you feel like your soul went on vacation. But Alice? Totally unfazed. Probably because she made him. Probably because she was just *built different*. Her Aspect *was* [Mistress from the Mist], after all.
And when Puffy flew through his own swirling clouds like some tiny demon prince? It was *everything*. Sneaky. Elegant. Like a haunted perfume ad with wings.
He wasn't just her pet—he was her Mist baby, her emotional support assassin, her first little win in a world that kept handing her Ls.
And if anyone dared mess with him?
"Try it," she'd whisper, flipping her tangled hair over one shoulder. "I'll deconstruct your entire *aura* in alphabetical order."
Puffy would just squeak, blink his weird lizard eyes, and nuzzle under her chin like he hadn't just nerve-gassed a beast five minutes ago. Pure perfection.
Then—boom. Something totally unexpected happened.
Someone called out to her.
Puffy, ever the protective fog bat, scouted ahead like a tiny ninja drug lord. Once he was sure it wasn't a monster (or worse, a basic), Alice got *so excited* she just—jumped. From, like, ten meters. And landed flat on her face. Cute, right?
Minor breakdown in the arms of a gloomy stranger? *Totally valid*.
The emo boy in black had hugged her back, all stiff and awkward, while she sobbed into his chest like some tragic heroine. It was the emotion, okay? There was just *too much of it*. She wasn't alone anymore. There was this brooding little guy in black, looking all mysterious and stabby, and honestly, that was the happiest she'd been in forever.Well, unless someone offered her a bubble bath. That would beat everything. Maybe she could share it with Puffy. Or the emo boy. Or both.
But then?
Then came *the Cohort*.
First up—Scavenger's echo. *So cool.* Echos were super rare, which meant they probably had to fight a bunch of scary things to get it. Like, *respect*.
And on top of that giant creepy-crawly was the cutest girl ever, perched on a makeshift saddle like some post-apocalyptic Barbie princess. Pale blonde, big blue eyes, totally porcelain-doll core. She wore this adorbs tunic, little sandals, and a sea-colored cloak. Alice's brain immediately screamed *Bestie Alert*.
She was *so* going to do her nails. And maybe make her a cute Mist-panda.
But wait. Then there was *her*.
Tall. Slender. Slay. Like, total warrior goddess. She had silver-white hair that managed to stay *perfect* in this grimy hellscape—how?! Alice was dying to know her haircare routine.
Her armor? White, pristine, all glinty and elegant. Seven stars engraved on her breastplate—seven! That was, like, a whole constellation of cool. Everything about her screamed deadly and stylish. And those claws? Three gleaming blades slipped out between her fingers like she was some kind of TIGER QUEEN.
Alice's heart did a little jazz hands thing in her chest.
Because that girl?
That was Nephis of the Immortal Flame Clan , owner of the True Name Changing Star.
The girl Alice was technically supposed to kill. Like, "murder as repayment" kill. Classic orphanage debt drama.
'Couldn't the song clan be more creative?'
But was she gonna do it?
Lol no. That would be, like, peak dumb. Nephis was her *ticket out* of this death-zone dumpster fire.
So Alice did what any fashion gremlin would do.
She struck a pose and squealed:
"GIRRRRL! You look *absolutely fab*! Like, you're totally giving TIGRESS with those claws, meow~!"
Cue: full-on neko-chan pose.
And the Ice Queen just blinked and went, "Thanks? Who are you?"
Rude. But also? On brand,she kinda liked it.
Alice just beamed. She'd break through that frosty exterior if it was the last thing she did. Bestie bonding incomin.
'*'
"I'm just the ever-amazing Alice~!" chirped the girl with far too much energy for someone who lived inside a dead Leviathan. She poked her own cheek with a clawed fingertip—gently, like she'd done it a thousand times before and still wasn't over how pointy she was. "But come on in, sweetie—my crib is *your* crib!" she cooed, grabbing Sunny's head like a beloved plushie and motioning for the others to follow with a grand sweep of her arm.
The mist curled around them like a welcome mat, swallowing the group as they ventured deeper into the Leviathan's decaying spine. It was creepy. It was gross. It was very on-brand for the ruins of the Forgotten Shore . But Alice? Alice just bounced forward like she was taking them on a house tour in a haunted spa.
Then, halfway through a skip, she stopped. *Dead still*.
"Ohhh, I totally forgot to tell you! Minor detail~" she said, twirling around dramatically. "I'm kiiinda a single mom!"
*What?!* Sunless blinked. The girl had clearly gone mad. It was the only logical explanation for the whirlwind that had been the last fifteen minutes in her presence.
"Wait, what?"
Even Cassie and Nephis sounded just as thrown, their voices overlapping in a duet of pure confusion. The blind porcelain doll and the silent knight? Equally stunned.
"Yup! I made Puffy the first night I got here! Oh—oh my stars, here he comes!!"
She dropped her weight, bracing herself like a linebacker at a masquerade ball, arms wide in preparation—half battle stance, half mom about to receive a flying toddler.
And that's when Sunny *felt* it. His shadow-sense flared with a ripple of warning as something small and fast cut through the Mist toward them.
"PUFFY! Come to mamaaaa~!" Alice squealed.
There was a puff—a literal puff—of silvery Mist.Something slammed into her chest hard enough to send her tumbling backward like a ragdoll. Nephis nearly cleaved the assailant in half before Alice burst out laughing from the floor, cradling something in her arms.
She held up… it. Him.
The creature was about the size of Sunless's torso—not counting the tail—and it did *not* look real. Or natural. Or even correctly imagined.
Thin, leathery wings flapped frantically as it tried to escape her grip, more bat than bird, but all wrong. The tail was long and curling, reptilian, like someone had taped a whip to a fruit bat. Jagged little spines trailed down its back like fashion choices, not armor. And dangling under its chin was a soft, fuzzy dewlap that puffed outward when it made that bizarre chirp—high-pitched, weirdly cheerful, and absolutely *not* Echo-coded.
Its eyes were glossy and dark, like someone had polished two beetles and glued them to its skull. Curious? Hungry? Impossible to tell.
But one thing was certain: that thing wasn't an Echo.
It wasn't mindless. It *watched*. It *reacted*. It moved like it *understood*.
Alice called it *Puffy*.
Sunny watched it wriggle free, flap up to her shoulder, and snuggle into her neck like it was born for exactly that. It clung to her like a sleepy toddler, and—dammit—it *acted* like one, too. Emotional. Intelligent. Definitely *not* a pet Echo.
And its Mist didn't just *exist*. It clung,oily and thick, sticking to surfaces like it didn't want to leave. Like it had a favorite place—and that place was *around Puffy*.
"So this is Puffy!" Alice beamed, stroking its back as he purred (or maybe wheezed?) in pleasure. "Isn't he just the *cutest*?!"
Nephis gave her a puzzled look, glanced at Puffy, and blinked once.
"…Yes. He is cute," she said, and if Sunny wasn't mistaken, there might have been an *actual* sliver of emotion in her voice.
"Y-yeah, he's kinda cute…" Sunny muttered, and hated himself for meaning it.
Only Cassie didn't respond—because, well, she was blind.
And that? That was *unacceptable* to Alice.
"Looook at himmm!" she whined, stomping one foot like a kid who didn't get their dessert.
"I can't…" Cassie replied softly, almost like she regretted it.
Sunny tensed, ready to step in, but he didn't need to. Alice just waddled over—still holding Puffy like a sleepy baby—and placed him carefully in Cassie's arms.
Puffy immediately started licking her, slow and deliberate, probably tasting the mix of sweat and salt and grief that clung to her skin. And Cassie? She just giggled.
"He *is* the cutest."
Alice looked like she might cry. "Right?!"
And then—casually, as if she were pointing out the weather—she added:
"Oh, and the Mist? Yeah, it's like… kind of a drug."
'*'
Not long after the drug Mist scare, Nephis sat quietly, her gaze fixed on the scene unfolding before her. Cassie, with her usual grace, handed [Endless Spring] to Sunless. The motion was simple, almost casual, yet for Nephis, it felt like a heavy, deliberate act, each second stretching into eternity. Her heart clenched in her chest, an uncomfortable tightening she couldn't shake. She already knew what would come next. Knew what it meant. And what she would have to do.
It was a quiet sacrifice. A choice made, not out of duty, but necessity. The kind of choice you make when there are no other options left.
Before the three of them—Nephis, Cassie, and Alice—had trundled off to their makeshift shower, Sunless had asked her. His voice had been quiet, but firm, and the weight of it had settled on her shoulders like an invisible mantle. He had wanted it. Needed it. Just as badly as they had needed the shower. Their bodies were caked in the grime of days spent traveling, the sticky residue of sweat and dirt mashing together in the oppressive heat. Their only means of cleansing themselves had been their improvised soape—a crude, clumsy mixture of ash and rendered fat.
Now, however, it was Sunless's turn to bathe, and with it, she was left behind. Alone. In the silence.
And exposed.
Not to the raw discomfort of physical dirt or fatigue, but to something far worse. Something more insidious and dangerous.
People.
Human interaction.
Nephis stiffened where she sat, acutely aware of every breath she took, of every shift in her body. It felt as if she could do nothing right—one wrong move, one misstep, and the world would see how incompetent she truly was. How out of place. How other.
The truth had crashed down on her after watching Sunless and Cassie interact. Their words had flowed together so easily, effortlessly, like water joining the river. Even when they disagreed. Even when they said little. They still understood each other, each silence filled with meaning.
And then Sunless had turned to her. Spoken to her. Told her—with calm certainty—that she couldn't lie. Not convincingly. Not well. The words had struck like a blade, leaving her raw and exposed.
After that, Nephis had watched them even more closely, analyzing their every move. Their gestures, their tones, the way their words intertwined like carefully threaded beads. She had studied Cassie's every quirk—the way her voice softened at the right moments, the tilt of her head, the way she allowed silence to speak for her. Nephis had mimicked them, trying to find her own balance. Trying to test her own edges. Like a blade in a novice's hand, unsure of its weight.
She had thought she was making progress. That she was... ready. Ready to face this. To talk to others.
But then came Alice.
Alice, who was chaos personified. A whirlwind wrapped in skin and bright eyes, a girl who spoke in riddles, in unknown words , in the strange clashing of sounds that made no sense and yet somehow made everything make sense. Every word that left Alice's mouth was like a perfectly executed ambush, and Nephis never saw it coming. Her instincts, so sharp when it came to combat, were dull when it came to this—this delicate dance of words.
And yet... Nephis couldn't stay silent. Not this time. She couldn't afford to. Not with Sunless's request hanging in the air, not with his need for her to keep Alice talking so that his shadow could listen. To judge. To decide.
So Nephis had no choice but to endure.
Alice, meanwhile, lounged by the fire pit, drying herself off. The flames flickered and danced in the twilight, casting warm, golden light over her. Her bare feet were stretched out toward the fire as she reclined on a massive, sun-bleached bone, looking every bit like a lazy cat in the sun. Nephis caught herself watching her a little too long. Cassie's laughter was soft, a sound that felt like the calm after a storm, and Nephis found herself drawn to it.
"Anhhhh... I really needed that!" Alice sighed dramatically, her voice rising on the curling tendrils of smoke. "So thanky, really. Oh! Maybe next time you make soppe, we could scent it?"
Her words floated through the air, unanchored, not directed at anyone in particular. Her gaze drifted, unfocused. The question, if it was even a question, hung there like the softest of veils.
Nephis froze. Her heart stuttered in her chest. The silence between them stretched taut, a web she didn't know how to navigate.
*is she talking to me? Or is she speaking to Cassie? Is she not looking at Cassie because she's blind? Or is it something else entirely? Is this one of those questions that doesn't need an answer? Or is it meant for both of us?*
Nephis felt the weight of the moment pressing down on her, a suffocating uncertainty. This should have been easy. Simple. But it wasn't. She couldn't read the signals, couldn't see the thread that tied this conversation together. The rules seemed to shift, constantly, when Alice was involved.
Then, like a gentle breeze parting the heavy fog, Cassie's voice broke the silence, calm and steady.
"I don't believe so," she said, her tone as soft as always. "At least, not until we reach our destination. Sunny mentioned that the scent might make us stand out even more."
"Ohhh…" Alice groaned, her disappointment hanging in the air like a storm cloud. It was a sound of childlike frustration, drawn out long enough to feel like a dramatic pause in a play.
Nephis swallowed, feeling the dryness in her throat. Her mind scrambled for something—anything—to keep Alice talking. She had to keep her talking. For Sunless. For them.
"What scent?" Nephis asked, her voice a little shaky, but at least she spoke.
Alice's head snapped toward her with the suddenness of a striking serpent. "Huh?!"
Nephis blinked, taken off guard. "What would you use... for the soppe?" she clarified, the words coming a little clearer this time, though still sounding strange on her tongue.
"Uhhh, idk… like, I don't know what we could use," Alice muttered, trailing off. The awkward silence stretched, until Alice leaned toward Cassie, her voice turning more tentative. "Hey, uh, you mentioned a destination... Could I maybe ask what it, like, is?"
Her question was hesitant, fragile—nothing like the usual vibrant energy Alice normally exuded. For a moment, Nephis saw something new—something vulnerable.
This was it. The opening. The moment of weakness. Nephis seized it.
"We're heading west," she said, her voice steady now, more sure of herself. "We have good reason to believe that there are other Sleepers there."
A small thrill of victory ran through her veins. She had taken control of the conversation, decided its course, and for once, she had the upper hand in how much information to give away. It was something she had seen Sunless do, time and again.
"Really? There are others? We could leave this place?" Alice's voice quivered, the vulnerability in her tone stark against her usual bombastic demeanor. Nephis could hear the thread of desperation there.
And just then, Sunless's voice cut through the air, smooth and calm, though carrying an edge of something deeper. "Yes, we could. The only question is, do you want to join us?"
Nephis didn't even flinch as he approached, his form silhouetted against the flickering firelight. He was only wearing the lower half of his black, slick armor, leaving his chest bare. The contrast between the hard lines of his armor and the smoothness of his skin was striking, but it was the definition of his muscles that caught Nephis's eye—not because Sunless was some hulking figure, but because his body bore the marks of a different kind of struggle. His muscles were lean, sharp against his skin, shaped by malnutrition, dehydration, and years of hardship. There was no excess fat, just taut muscle, the evidence of a body carved by necessity, not vanity.
She watched as he moved, his posture perfectly controlled despite his thin frame. His body was defined by a stark absence of fat,. His muscles, while lean, were evident beneath the surface—taut and angular, as if carved from the bones themselves, each one in sharp relief.
The lack of fat across his torso gave a sharp definition to his muscles—particularly his abdominal muscles, which were clearly visible beneath his skin, though not from sheer size or strength. Rather, they seemed to press outward almost painfully, as though the skin itself were stretched too tightly over them. His form was deceptively delicate, every muscle a soft curve, an artist representation of the human musculature, as if his body had grown hardened not by choice, but by necessity. His frame was small compared to others, but every inch of him was like a study in survival. The contours of his body, the faint dips and peaks of his ribcage, suggested more than hardship. They suggested that he lived on the barest edges of what the body could endure.
*He needs to eat something*
Nephis thought. Sunless had always insisted that eating wasn't necessary for him. He ate only for pleasure, he'd claimed. But Nephis knew better. Still, seeing him standing there like that...
What surprised her, though, was his hair. She had always noticed how he took care of it—how he would groom it meticulously, never letting it fall into a disheveled mess. It had been his point of pride, something about it that Nephis had never fully understood.
She assumptions though.
She had observed him grooming his onyx-black hair on multiple occasions, never letting it stay in a visually unpleasant way for long. Nephis had deduced that his hair was a point of pride for him, as besides that and his face, he had no other features that would let him find a mate. He was small and lacked other attractive qualities women typically sought, like financial or social status
But today, it was different.
His hair was strange—shorn close at the sides, almost to the scalp, as if he'd been punished with shears, yet the top was left wild and thick, swept back like a crest of some proud beast. It looked as though it had been dragged through wind and battle, yet still held fast in its shape, as if the strands themselves refused to fall. She had never seen a style like it—so stark, so sharp. It made him look fierce, like a warhound with its hackles raised.
Nephis blinked in surprise. She hadn't known he could cut his own hair like that. Hers had always been done by the few loyal servants her family still had. They didn't care for her—they just cared for the fact that they owed her family their lives.
The change in Sunless's hairstyle was only not noticed by the blind Cassie.
Alice's voice broke through the silence, cutting through the moment like a knife.
"Ughhh, okay, Cassie, so like, his hair? Literally looks like he just stepped out of the Outer Districts or somethin'. The sides are, like, shaved suuuper short—hella dramatic—and the top? All swept back like whoosh! Like he just ran a hand through it after blowing something up. It's all messy, but on purpose, y'know? Like that kinda 'don't touch me, I'm dangerous' look? Honestly? Kinda hot. He totally gives off that 'silent broody guy with trauma and killer vibes.' If I saw him walking down the street with that face and that hair? I'd cross the street just to accidentally bump into him. It's giving 'bad decisions,' and I am here for it."
Nephis was surprised at how quickly Alice included Cassie's inability to see into her actions. It was kind of sweet of her to describe Sunny's hair to Cassie, if not for the fact that her hands freely and unashamedly explored his torso.
The words felt foreign on Nephis's ears, but they were clearly meant as praise, yet they struck Nephis like a bitter pill. Was Alice flirting? Was this her way of showing interest? Nephis didn't understand these subtleties, but her gut clenched uncomfortably all the same.
'No'
Alice was just being herself, wasn't she? So bold. So confident. So... in her element.
"Oh, Sunny, you cut your hair? Come here, let me feel it," Cassie requested, her arms outstretched, indicating that it was more of a demand than a request.
Sunny did so, followed by Alice. "So, what is your answer? Are you willing to accompany us to the west?"
Alice paused her chatter with Cassie about Sunless's hair for a moment. "I would, but… like, west is where the evil tree is, so idk." She paused for a moment, then grabbed Cassie's hand and placed it on Sunny's abdomen. "Here, you gotta feel this!"
Cassie was clearly flustered, caught in an unfamiliar dynamic, and Nephis couldn't help but notice the faint blush coloring Cassie's cheeks. Cassie wasn't used to feeling this exposed, not like this. Her usual demure attitude and elegance was nowhere to be found, replaced by a subtle vulnerability.
. *This is all Alice's doing*, she thought bitterly, her eyes flickering over to Alice, who was practically grinning with mischief at the whole scene. Alice was always pushing boundaries, always testing limits, never afraid to stir the pot.
And now Cassie was caught in it
'She is doing this, causing a disturbance or crating uncomfortable situation to escape! The sudden and bold change in the conversation is designed by her to control the emotional response of others when she feels that she lost control.'
This realization dawned upon Nephis as she studied the enigma that was Alice.
Nephis started to dread their journey to the castle.