'Seismic Sense…?' River wasn't too sure what exactly the term Seismic Sense meant, but with his brief knowledge of the runic language, he could decipher different translations—Vibration Sense, or perhaps even Sense of Tremors.
'So… it's about sensing the vibrations around me?' River wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't have time to overthink it. With the impending danger of other Nightmare creatures and unfamiliar environment—he needed any edge he could get.
Without hesitation, River let the sensation overtake him. The pulse of power throbbed through his chest as the Spell spoke to him once again. Yet, strangely enough, the Spell sounded almost… bitter?
[What was never meant for you is now yours.]
Then, suddenly, pain. A sharp, searing pressure clawed through his skull as though his senses were being forcibly stretched beyond their limits. His thoughts twisted, warping under the pressure, jagged sensations splitting through his consciousness like splintered glass. Reality blurred, his grip on the ground slipping. His knees nearly buckled, but he forced himself to endure, pushing through the pain raging in his head.
As the pain reached its peak, it stopped suddenly. And in the next moment, his senses flared to life and began stretching beyond his own body, reaching into the earth below. The new sensations that Seismic Sense brought River were disorienting—everything around him felt as if it was vibrating in a way his mind couldn't fully grasp. It was like seeing the world in doubles, one version of reality through his eyes, and another through his body, feeling the shifting tremors beneath him. The sensation crawled under his skin, invasive yet somehow familiar, making his head spin.
To alleviate the discomfort, River attempted to grow familiar with the new feeling by closing his eyes and focusing intently on the vibrations around him. Beneath him, there was a faint hum, an almost rhythmic tremor pulsing through the ground. At first, he thought it was just the usual shifts, the land settling or reacting to his presence. But then it intensified.
It wasn't a sudden crash or a violent shaking but something else—a slow, insidious pressure. The vibrations beneath him grew in strength, spreading outward from an unseen source, rolling forward with a relentless, consuming force. River's gut tightened, an instinctive warning that something was coming. The earth itself seemed to buckle as though it were being filled with an unseen weight, pressing upwards, pushing against everything in its path.
Then, without warning, the sky darkened, and the first heavy drops of rain began to fall. In moments, the downpour intensified, hammering the earth and blending with the growing tremors beneath. The relentless rain and shuddering ground pressed down as if the world itself was bracing for something catastrophic.
But the rain began to interfere with his sense of the vibrations below. The rhythmic hum of Seismic Sense became muddied and distorted as the pounding drops collided with the ground, sending out their own chaotic ripples. It was harder to focus, the vibrations blending with the clatter of rain and the tremors beneath, making it more difficult to differentiate between the two.
"I can't ever catch a break…" River muttered, tilting his head towards the sky.
Without wasting any more time, River moved swiftly, butchering the Carapace Scavenger and Chitinous Dweller for their soul shards. The process was a bit unfamiliar to him at first, but he quickly picked it up due to some of Awakened Cecilia's teachings and Viper's Lament.
With the shards in hand, River didn't waste a moment longer. His mind raced, his body instinctively pushing him forward, but there was no clear direction. The ground trembled beneath him, every vibration urging him to move, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that it didn't matter where he went. The impending force, the unknown threat creeping below, loomed too large to ignore.
It wasn't just the vibration of the unseen force he was feeling, either. River could faintly sense something else—similar forms to the Carapace Scavenger, and other unfamiliar shapes, all reacting to the same force. They were fleeing, too, their movements erratic and desperate, as if they could feel the rising threat as keenly as he did.
His gut twisted with unease. He didn't have much time. River's eyes scanned the terrain ahead, but all he saw was the flat, crimson expanse of the unfamiliar landscape—nothing but open ground and coral-like trees, endless and vulnerable. River intently focused on any sort of hint that the vibrations could tell him, but it seemed to be of no luck. It was as if the world itself was impassive to River's impending doom.
Just as the weight of despair began to settle in, River's gaze caught a sharp movement to his right. Several nightmare creatures were rushing toward higher ground, doing their best to climb as high as possible.
A spark of realization shot through River. These creatures had survived the Dream Realm long enough to know its dangers. If they were fleeing upward, then that was his best—and only—chance.
'Like hell, I'll die here.' The thought burned through his mind. His instincts kicked in, and without hesitation, River shifted direction, following the creatures' path toward the rise. If it was good enough for them, it was good enough for him.
The closer River got to the rocky outcrop, the more the wind howled as the storm intensified. The rain now a torrential downpour, blurring River's vision. With each drop that hit his skin, River's body ached. The strain of running and fighting had already worn him thin, and the earth beneath him was turning slick, making every step a struggle.
River's fingers tightened around one of the soul shards, and with a sharp breath, he crushed it in his grip near his chest. The essence surged through him, a fleeting but vital spark that pushed back the weight of exhaustion, giving him just enough strength to keep moving.
'What the hell did I even do in my past life to deserve this?' River gritted his teeth and pushed forward, but then he felt it—the unmistakable vibrations of movement in front of him.
Then suddenly, another Carapace Scavenger came charging toward him from the shadows of the coral-like trees, its eyes gleaming in the dimming light. But, contrary to the previous one he'd slain, this one seemed to be injured. Its carapace shell was damaged, azure blood leaking from each crack on its body. It also seemed to be lacking a few of its legs, but River couldn't distinguish how much exactly.
'These damn bastards won't leave me the hell alone.' River thought, refusing to waste his strength on saying it out loud. With a sharp motion, he tossed his last soul shard ahead of him before gripping Viper's Lament with both hands.
As the injured scavenger lunged at him, River barely sidestepped in time, relying solely on Seismic Sense to dodge its blow. As its pincers slashed through the air where his body had been just moments before, River retaliated with a swift slash to its side, feeling the chitinous shell slightly give away under the pressure of Viper's Lament. It didn't do much, but a slight scratch was all he needed.
Under the influence of Regretful Melody, the scavenger began to screech as its mind was filled with anguish, leaving it vulnerable for but a moment. Not wasting a second, River jumped off of a nearby rock and thrust his sword cleanly into the back of the scavenger's head, killing it instantly.
[You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]
"And stay dead asshole." River grunted as he landed on the ground, barely able to keep his balance on the slick, shifting ground. With a quick curse, he immediately sprinted towards the outcrop again, picking up the soul shard again on the way.
River didn't slow. With a desperate growl, he crushed the second soul shard in his grip, feeling the essence flood into his soul. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
The rain pounded harder, and the thunder cracked overhead, causing the ground beneath River to shake. His heart raced, but his body felt heavier with each passing second, the exhaustion creeping in. He couldn't let himself stop—he couldn't afford to die here.
River could barely see what was in front of him as the water surged higher, almost creeping up to River's knees and turning the once-slick ground into a treacherous mire. With every step, his legs felt like they were sinking deeper, the water thickening and slowing his movements with each passing moment.
His breath came in ragged gasps, and despite the adrenaline pushing him forward, his body was on the brink of collapse. The storm had already drained much of his strength, and now the rising water threatened to swallow him whole.
With one last desperate surge, River reached the edge of the outcrop. His arms trembled with the effort, the rock cutting into his skin as he began to climb, his soaked body struggling against the slick surface. Every movement felt like he was fighting against a tidal wave. The water churned below, now almost at his chest, and the storm above seemed to thunder in time with the pounding of his heart.
River's only hope was Seismic Sense, pulsing beneath his feet, guiding him to the best handholds. Each crack and contour in the rock was a clear map in his mind, showing him the safest, fastest path up the cliffside. With a steady breath, he found the first notch—just wide enough to dig his fingers into. His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain and focused entirely on the vibrations beneath him.
As River climbed higher, the rain intensified, and the wind howled with a ferocity that threatened to tear him from his path. River's pulse quickened, and his grip tightened as he pushed himself upward. The vibrations in the cliff were becoming more chaotic, the tremors of the waves crashing against it reverberating through his entire body.
'Don't give up… don't give up.'
Each wave was like a force of nature itself, trying to pull him back down. He had to time his ascension perfectly. As the next wave approached, River braced himself, pressing his body flush against the rock wall, feeling the force of the water as it collided with the cliff. It sent a jolt of pressure through his limbs, forcing him to tense every muscle in his body to stay grounded.
The water surged up again, a roaring wall of liquid that slammed into the cliff with a bone-shaking impact. River gritted his teeth, using the moment of turbulence to climb higher. His muscles burned with the strain, but the rhythmic pulse of Seismic Sense kept him on track.
Another wave hit, this one more intense than the last. It splashed high, its foam spraying over the cliffside like a brutal wave. River's footing wavered for a moment, and he had to slam his feet into the grooves of the rock, using the force of his legs to stabilize himself.
He was still ages away from the top of the outcrop, its peak still around thirty meters away.
"Shit. Shit." River cursed under his breath, doubt creeping in. He wasn't sure he had the strength left to make it to the top. His muscles burned with every movement, screaming for release, begging him to stop, to give them a moment's rest.
But then, Seismic Sense picked up an opening in the cliffside—a slight hollow hidden in the jagged rock.
River hesitated only for a moment, then angled his climb toward the hollow, his movements becoming more desperate. He wasn't sure if it'd be enough, but it was the only chance he had.
Just as he reached the ledge, another wave crashed against the cliff, forcing him to brace himself. The water surged beneath him, nearly dragging his legs from beneath him. With one final, powerful push, River hoisted himself up into the opening just as a massive swell hit the base of the cliff. The force sent a tremor through the ground beneath him, causing River to lose his balance, almost falling out of the hole before catching himself.
'I made it… I fucking made it.'
River collapsed inside, his heart pounding as he gasped for air, soaking wet and exhausted. He quickly pressed his back against the rock, trying to calm his ragged breathing. His eyes darted around the small, dark space, which was just large enough to hide in. It wasn't much, but it was enough—at least for now.
***
After a while, the water's rise slowed, eventually halting just a few meters below where River sat. With the threat of the ocean drowning him finally gone, River took the time to finally calm down and notice that he was, in fact, naked.
'...have I seriously been naked this whole time?' River stared at himself in a bit of shock. How was it possible that he hadn't noticed the entire time?
In an attempt to find something to cover himself, River summoned his runes and quickly found the cluster that represented his Memories.
Memories: [Viper's Lament], [Shell-woven Guard]
'Shell-woven Guard?' River thought with a bit of curiosity before the shimmering appeared in the air around the memory.
Memory Name: [ Shell-woven Guard ]
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: I
Memory Type: Armor
Memory Description: [Not all people were fortunate enough to find shelter within the cities. Forced instead to climb the highest peaks that the darkness could not reach. Driven by their hunger and desperation, they braved the depths of the seas. In the end, their struggles were swallowed by the endless tides.]
Enchantments: [ Toughened Shell ]
'Armor? I guess the Spell is fair after all.' River quickly summoned the memory without even bothering to read exactly what the enchantment did. He was too focused on finally having something to wear.
The armor materialized around him, its enchanted weight settling swiftly as tough chitinous segments fit snugly against his skin. Resembling the shell of a massive crustacean, each plate was weathered and worn with barnacle-like growths. Dark brown and amber tones patterned the surface, giving it an ancient and enduring appearance. The helmet, sleek and turtle-like, had a visor-like faceplate with ridges that resembled eyes.
"Well, at least I won't die from embarrassment now," he muttered under his breath, though a small part of him wondered how he'd managed to miss something so basic.
After admiring his armor for a bit, River barely had time to appreciate the warmth it brought when something unexpected happened.
The wall behind him, still damp from the storm, began to tremble. River's pulse quickened. The vibrations from Seismic Sense, which had been faintly pulsing beneath his feet, now grew more intense. His eyes widened as cracks slowly formed in the rock face. The stone wall shifted, grinding against itself as if reacting to the presence of the armor, responding to the essence he had just summoned.
With a groan of ancient stone, the wall slid open to reveal a dark passage beyond. A soft breeze stirred, carrying with it a scent he couldn't place to be either sea or earth.
'What the hell is this?'