Shadow Slave: Diaries of a Stranger in even Stranger Lands

Chapter XIV: It's Alive, Igor! It's Alive!

After a few hours of serene silence, the Dark Sea began to surge and rumble as if it were afraid of something.

"Is it morning already?" muttered William as he observed a corner of the dark, starless skies beginning to gray. A new dawn was coming, and with its appearance, the black waters began receding - afraid of the light.

Before his very eyes, the sea level decreased more and more, consequently revealing the topography of the land hidden beneath it. This continued for some time until the sun was clearly seen in the sky.

From his vantage point, he could see rows and rows of craggy and irregular rock formations, and beneath it was a forest of red coral-like substance. No, not a forest. It resembled more a labyrinth than anything. A labyrinth made of collosal coral formations that interlocked and weaved into each other into an unnatural reef. It continued as far as his eyes could see only being interrupted by the occasional cliff or the rare chasm.

Only William, out of all the dreamers that came here, knew where they were in the dream realm. This was the Forgotten Shore, a land cursed by the eternal darkness somewhere beyond the Hollow Mountains. This place was a death trap filled with various creatures that can slaughter cohorts of unprepared Sleepers.

'Focus William,' he told himself, 'first things first.'

Looking over to his companion, who had over the course of the hours made her position more comfortable - to his increasing discomfort. However, they needed to start moving while the sun was in the sky.

Using the only free hand, he shook Cassie gently to awaken her.

"Cass, wake up. Nap time's over. It's time to move."

"Five more minutes pleeeeaaaaase," she muttered in protest as she squirmed in his arms, her arms searching for a blanket of some kind.

"I would love to do that," his reply was strained due to various unmentionable reasons, then he gripped both her shoulders and pried the blind oracle off his body, all the while turning his head to the side as a token of modesty, "however, we are in the Dream Realm and we need to start moving while we have daylight to burn."

"Dream.....Realm?" she seemed to be coming to as her voice became less lethargic. "Dream Realm!" she suddenly cried in panic before looking checking her body for any injuries. "The water! I drowned! I died!"

Not wanting to go through another panic attack, William shook her lightly a few times, "Cass! Relax! You're safe!"

The young man's voice seemed to reach her since she immediately got quiet, "W-William? I-Is that you?"

"The one and only," he answered her confidently as he released his grip on her shoulders. "Now, do you have some sort of garment or amor memory to wear? Trying to talk to you while looking to the side is kinda hard."

"No, I don't.... have....." her voice got lower and lower as she finally felt the wind bowing over her modest chest and between her thighs. Thankfully, she was smart enough not to scream at the top of her voice to attract any unwanted attention.

"Do..... you have something?" she inquired in a tone, quivering with shame and embarrassment.
Well, if he was being honest, he only had one armor memory, and he kind of needed that to fight against monsters. However, he had something others don't: Magic.

His right hand glowed dimly as he cast the [Prestidigitation Spell]; then, seconds later, a gray robe appeared in his hands.