Chilling darkness veiled Antarctica like a burial shroud. The twilight of the dusk had finally succumbed to the inevitable advent of the cruelly lasting absence of light, and the long night had come to the Southern Quadrant, pregnant with countless horrors.
This night was going to last for many months, and by the end of it… who knew if any of the humans it embraced would still be alive? How many of them would be lucky enough to see the light of day again?
…Sunny had never experienced a night quite like that.
The sun was gone, and the empty sky was full of brilliant stars. The pale visage of the moon lingered among them from time to time, coming and going as it pleased. Despite how dark and cold the world had become, it was strangely beautiful.
Back in the alloy jungle of the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital, stars were rare guests. Light pollution kept them away. Similarly, there were no stars shining upon the cursed expanse of the Forgotten Shore…
Antarctica was different. Despite the coming of the night, it only grew more dazzling. The stars, the moon, and the breathtaking tapestry of the Aurora Australis that shimmered above them as ethereal shades of green, blue, purple, and red flowed into each other… all of it was very beautiful.
However, that beauty hid oppressive horror.
'Dread… that's the word to describe it. This is a land of dread.'
Sunny and his cohort were walking through the encampment of the First Evacuation army, their armor covered in dents and painted by the blood of the Nightmare Creatures they had recently killed. The tense and tired soldiers hurried to get out of their way, throwing intense looks at the Irregulars.
"Look, it's the Devils! They're here."
"Thank the gods…"
Recently, they had become a comforting sight for the rank and file of the First Army. Wherever Irregulars appeared, problems seemed to disappear and the number of casualties drastically fell. Of course, these victories had a cost. It's just that the soldiers weren't the ones paying it.
With a grim expression on his face, Sunny glanced at Dorn, who was limping and seemed barely able to walk. The giant man's face was pale and covered in cold sweat. He had received a severe wound in the last battle… even with Quentin's help, Dorn was going to be out of commission for at least several days. Which meant that they would be short a man should a new mission arrive.
The campaign was still on track, but it was getting more dire with each day. The air in the encampment was full of fear and tension. More and more Nightmare Creatures poured into the waking world, and now that darkness reigned Antarctica unopposed, any area that was not illuminated by powerful spotlights could be hiding a deadly threat.
Even then, the spotlights tended to flicker and break down spontaneously, which made even artificial light unreliable. People were constantly on edge and afraid of every shadow. After all, most couldn't see through them like Sunny.
Even worse, danger lurked not only in the darkness outside, but also inside the fortified encampments. The Spell was spreading through the ranks of mundane humans like a plague, and anyone could turn into a rampaging monster if left alone for too long.
There was no real safety anywhere.
'If things are like that after just one month, how are we going to last the whole year?'
Shaking his head, Sunny looked ahead and caught a glimpse of the Rhino. His eyelids suddenly grew heavy… he really needed rest.
Despite the glum atmosphere in the camp, objectively, things were going reasonably well for the field army dispatched to the Antarctic Center. It had already advanced almost all the way to the southern edge of the narrow landmass.
All but one division — the one Sunny and his cohort were assigned to — had already reached their destinations and were in the process of converting them into siege capitals.
Evacuation networks had been established, with fortified transit outposts placed near the strategic points. Constant patrols maintained protected corridors for the armored convoys to ferry the civilians from smaller settlements into the handful of human strongholds. Up north, the relocation was already in full swing.
Here in the south, however, it was only starting… still, the first phase of the operation was well on its way.
'Maybe we'll get to relax behind a thick wall of a siege capital soon, too.'
Climbing into the Rhino, Sunny glanced at Kim.
"Status?"
She studied her military communicator.
"Army Command designated this camp as a green zone. Last check was thirteen minutes ago."
He nodded. A green zone was one with no Gates close enough to affect the Dream Realm anchors of the Awakened. People could sleep safely within its confines.
"Okay. Quentin, tend to Dorn. Kimmy, Luster, Samara, and Belle — enjoy the first sleep shift. I'll stand watch until you guys return."
They nodded and soon disappeared inside the sleeping pods. Quentin got busy dealing with Dorn's injury, using both his Aspect and an extensive medkit. Sunny, meanwhile, walked over to the command and communication suite and sat behind a console.
He lingered for a moment, and then summoned his runes.
Shadow Fragments: [1332/4000].
Shadow Fragments: [133/200].
Nightmares required: [209/1000].
And finally:
Vanquished Foes: [5523/6000].
He had achieved a lot in the past month. So much, in fact, that exhaustion had seeped into his very bones. Sunny had long lost count of how many Nightmare Creatures he had slain, but it had to be a couple of thousands, at least. Even more if he counted those that Saint and Nightmare had hunted down.
'Mantle of the Underworld will probably be first.'
Even though he could not wear the onyx armor in every battle, its counter was swiftly approaching the limit.
Sunny sighed, and then dismissed the runes. Almost simultaneously, the symbol of an incoming communication appeared on the console's screen.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
'Looks like a new mission is here, after all…'