Morning had arrived.
Through the boards of the roof, streams of the glistening sun managed the stretch down and into the building below. Shining directly onto Nyx's face, he was quick to be awoken.
For a brief moment, it felt as though everything was normal. Of course, as the grogginess left his mind, he remembered his horrific predicament.
Today, the group would choose. Would they go above, or march beyond?
Looking just to his side, Nyx could see that Silas was still out cold. In fact, the sheet he had grabbed to share between them was now entirely wrapped over him. Nyx had slept the entire night without a blanket.
Even still, Nyx didn't feel cold. In fact, he could barely feel anything. He didn't have time to think about the oddness of his situation, however. For now, he had to act.
Peering around the room, everyone appeared to still be asleep. Everyone but one person.
Rei.
Nyx immediately began thinking the worst. To him, there was one obvious conclusion: She had left them during the night to try and ascend on her own.
He didn't waste any time in confirming his theory. Every nook and cranny of the building did he check, only to no avail.
She was really gone.
Not wishing to give up, he hastily peered out the door and stepped out onto the stone streets. Nobody.
Just as he had began to give up hope, the sound of a slight whisper from behind caught his attention. "Psst."
Turning around, he was expecting to see... well, a person. Much to his surprise, there was nobody. "Where are you?" He murmured in confusion.
"Up here!" He turned his head upward, much to his surprise seeing the head of Rei slightly poking out from behind a small bit of debris on the roof. "Get up here!"
She gave a slight gesture towards a small series of rocks piling up towards the roof, acting as a natural staircase. He rushed over, making his way to the top before crouching beside Rei.
"What the hell are you doing?" He whispered, "Why are you out here?"
"I'm scouting," She gently responded, "I'm looking for a way to the surface."
"When I saw you weren't here, I had started thinking the worst!"
"Well, if it means that much to you, then I have some good news."
"What?"
She placed her delicate hand onto Nyx's shoulder, then used her other to point towards the south.
Along the wall of the canyon appeared to be what can only be described as the perfect opportunity.
The canyon had formed a slope.
Made up of ground that seemingly appeared too sturdy to fully collapse, that area, so far away that it was clearly outside of the city limits, had formed a stairway of dirt and rock.
Immediately, it was clear to Nyx what the good news was. That very slope was, once again, positioned to the south. That was where they were going if they chose to find the Phantoms. In other words, they had yet to make a decision — they didn't need to. Yet.
Rei gave a slight frown. "We can stick together- for now. If you prove to slow me down in any way, or go against my word, I won't hesitate to set off on my own. That goes for every single person in this group."
"I understand."
As if on cue, the doors beneath them began to swing open, and from it the rest of the survivors.
"Up here, guys-!" Nyx exclaimed, quick to grab their attention. "We have good news!"
* * *
It was finally time. Standing out on the street, just before their journey began, they were preparing. Steeling their hearts, and heartening their resolve, with a heavy sigh they began to walk.
Nyx, just before leaving to head down the canyon, briefly turned back to reminisce. He peered at the desolate house they'd stayed the night in. He peered back to the city still managing to cling to the surface. He peered at the sun, barely managing to keep afloat over the high canyon walls.
Regardless of how he looked at it, his fate had changed. All of their fates did. He knew, with a heavy heart, that not all of them would live — but he was ready to face those circumstances head-on.
He was determined.
He wanted to slaughter- and now he was ready for it.
The journey forward, however, notably wasn't easy. Everyone tried their best to remain separate from one another. They didn't want to speak unless they absolutely had to. Of course, the only exception to this rule was the two childhood friends.
As they snaked their way through the abandoned, sunken city, they were sure to always and exclusively take whatever they deemed the safest route. They had failed to see any Terror on their walk so far, though were careful anough to only follow the most discrete paths possible.
Trying to sneak their way through at every turn wasn't particularly fast. Even still, come nightfall, Substantial progress down the canyon was made — regardless of how awkward the trip was.
With the sun just on the verge of cowering behind the western wall, the group knew it was time to stop for the day.
"We should find a place to stop for now," Rei muttered. "Let's start heading towards the east to hide beside the canyon edge."
Everyone in the group agreed. By now, they were standing out in what seemed to be an open plaza, being centered with a rather sizable statue of some form of priest or religious being.
Notably, to the tail-end of the plaza was what seemed to be a grand church. Its walls were made completely of stone, still scarred from the fire which once ravaged the town. Chunks of its exterior were no longer attached to its base, simply carved out and scattered onto the ground below.
Its roof rose like a triangle, only being topped by a single tower towards its back end — a large brass bell being encased within.
Something about that building was almost asking for Nyx to investigate. Low and behold, however, that time wouldn't come. Not yet.
Instead, turning towards the east, the group traced their way through a small, narrow and dark alley so as to minimize their exposure during the night. By now, the sun was already gone. It was nothing but darkness that they trudged through.
In this scenario, darkness was both their friend and their foe.
* * *