"Haah..." Hanxing woke up in the cabin. It was the best sleep he'd had since coming to this world.
The sound of the door opening came, and Firefly appeared in the doorway. "How about it? Are you ready?" Hanxing nodded. "Let's go."
"Good, you're ready. Let's go." Blade's voice came from behind Firefly, and he stepped out. "Since we weren't invited, the only way in is to 'sneak across the border.'"
"Sneak across the border?" Hanxing stared at Blade, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "How?" "Just follow me," Blade answered briefly.
The three walked out of the room, and Hanxing grabbed some bread nearby and stuffed it down in a few bites. They passed through a narrow corridor and entered a dim room.
"What's this?" Hanxing asked, looking at something like a pool that glowed green. "A Dream Pool, though the filling fluid is a bit low-grade," Blade answered briefly. "In a place where Memoria is sufficiently abundant, you can use this to connect to Penacony's Synesthesia Dreamscape."
But looking at the only Dream Pool in the center of the room, Hanxing had a bad feeling. "You mean... I have to lie in the same pool as Firefly?"
"It can't be helped. This Dream Pool was abandoned, and we had a hard time snatching it from the Company. Just make do," Firefly answered, giving Hanxing a look as if to say, It's not like we haven't done it before. What are you afraid of?
"Memoria?" Only then did Hanxing recall the strange term. He looked a little puzzled, but didn't ask further. "And we're in an area rich in Memoria right now. This is a shuttle. Once Blade brings us into position, Silver Wolf will pilot the mothership away to avoid pursuit, leaving the shuttle here." Firefly briefly described their plan.
"Oh, I should remind you," Firefly spoke again. "Without the hotel's facilities, the only way to leave the dream is to experience a real 'death.'"
"A real 'death'..." Hanxing shook his head. He had experienced it countless times already. Star Eyes could repair the damage, but he could still feel pain. "Everything's been explained. Let's set off."
Blade silently left the cabin. Hanxing and Firefly stepped into the Dream Pool and lay down. At first, the heavy pressure of the Memoria bore down on Hanxing, as if it would crush his bones. Then came the deep, shadowy gazes of various Memory Zone creatures.
Slowly, the past rose in his mind as well. The figures of those eight swordsmen killed him over and over, making him experience the agony of death.
In a daze, Hanxing saw Firefly suspended in midair. He did his best to move toward her, but under the crushing pressure of the Memory Zone, it was almost impossible. Firefly seemed to catch sight of Hanxing too, however, and began drifting toward him.
Come on, let's get out together! Hanxing said silently, and finally caught Firefly's hand. He was about to draw his blade, but suddenly the two of them found themselves in a bustling place. The crushing pressure of the Memory Zone and its creatures all seemed to have been illusions, but Firefly beside him was real.
Hanxing glanced down at himself. He was dressed no differently than usual. "If you think those clothes aren't suitable here, you can change into something else. This is a dream, after all," Firefly reminded him. Hanxing gave it a try and put on the suit he'd bought on Jarilo.
"As expected, for someone who can't dream to enter the Synesthesia Dreamscape, the price is comparable to 'death'..." Firefly muttered to herself.
"That's enough musing." A familiar voice rang out, and Silver Wolf's projection appeared nearby. "First, let me tell you what's going on: all of Penacony is divided into twelve hours. This is the 'Golden Hour.' Dawn never arrives here; everything stops at the moment before it."
"The 'Charmony Festival,' held once every Amber Era, is currently underway. The Family sent invitations to many factions, including the Astral Express: 'The Family's honored guests are cordially invited to Penacony to join the other guests at a grand feast.'"
"Isn't that just a perfectly ordinary invitation? It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the Stellaron. What are we doing here?" Hanxing asked. Silver Wolf waved a hand. "That's where the second half of the invitation comes in, and it's the most important part: 'Witness all the impossible things in dreams, find the legacy of the Watchmaker, father of Penacony, and then answer: why does life slumber?'"
"The ultimate question of logic? That's rather interesting..." Hanxing thought for a moment, then spoke again. "So what does that have to do with us?" "Our goal is to get the Astral Express to pursue the 'grand legacy' as well," Firefly said from the side, bringing the little meeting to a close. "I don't have anything else to ask." Hanxing nodded, then looked toward the brilliantly lit city.
"It's been a long time since I've seen such a bustling place..." Hanxing sighed, then turned to Firefly. "Should we... go look around somewhere?"