It used to be that every Sleeper was sent to the Dream Realm on the winter solstice, where they had to find a Gateway, anchor themselves to it, and thus Awaken. These days, however, the situation had changed.
It was possible to pass through a Dream Gate before the solstice and anchor oneself in advance. That way, there was no risk of being sent to some unforgiving land, away from human Citadels.
Tamar's gaze darkened, prompting Fleur to laugh nervously.
«Oh, that… we completed our First Nightmare in late autumn, so there was not a lot of time before the solstice. There is a lot of paperwork involved in getting access to the Dream Gate, as you know. We just went to the Academy and tried to prepare ourselves instead.»
She glanced at Tamar and smiled.
«Well, Ray and I did. Tamar's father is a Saint, so he could have brought her to the Lake of Tears personally, without the need of using the Dream Gate. Still, we met at the Academy.»
The porters looked at the young Legacy with confusion. After a bit of awkward silence, one of them asked:
«That… lady's father must have been terribly busy…»
She furrowed her brow.
«He wasn't.»
Then, Tamar blinked.
«…I mean, he was. He is. But that is not why.»
Actually, Rain knew what she meant.
There might have been a safer way to Awaken for most Sleepers, but not for Legacies. That was because the Legacies had always had such an option — they just never used it. For them, the trial of the Nightmare Spell was like a sacred rite.
Legacies were fundamentally a warrior caste — the martial aristocracy of the new world. Their culture was uniquely harsh and unforgiving, forging them into people capable of facing the senseless terror of the Nightmare Spell. They took their valiance seriously.
Being sent into the Dream Realm on the winter solstice was a rite of passage. Some would say that it was an unnecessary risk… maybe even point to the Forgotten Shore as an example.
Thousands of young men and women had perished there before Changing Star finally conquered the Gateway.
But, at the same time, those who had survived were among the strongest champions of humanity now. Most were Masters, and some were Saints. Changing Star herself, Song of the Fallen, Nightingale, Raised by Wolves… those were legendary names.
So, even if Tamar's father had been afraid of sending his daughter to her death, he would have still done it. Because that was how Legacies were.
Rain sighed.
«That is so messed up.»
How had the leader of Clan Sorrow felt, willingly putting his daughter's life at risk?
How had Tamar felt, knowing that her parents would rather see her dead than weak?
Things like that would mess one's head for life.
Suddenly, Rain didn't want to mock the young Legacy anymore.
She lingered for a few moments, the asked curiously:
«But how did you survive? As Lady Tamar said, a Death Zone is no place for humans. To make it out alive… it's like a miracle.»
The three Awakened looked at each other somberly.
Eventually, Ray answered with a pale smile:
«We… received help.»
Fleur shivered.
«Yeah. No human can live in a Death Zone… but actually, one human does. Well, at least he… he seems like a human? Nobody is really sure.»
Tamar nodded with a dark expression.
«He was the one who saved us. The Lord of Shadows…»