When I awake next, I'm at first confused about where I am. Actual blankets and a bed? Metal walls... Oh, right, I'm in Idofront. My face is tight and my limbs are numb as I rub my eyes, finding my cheeks sticky with dried tears. I wince as I wipe my face on my shirt before realizing I should've washed it instead.

"Ya finally awake, kid?"

I roll over, looking at Melva's side of the room. She's sitting on the bed, bad ankle hanging over the edge as she leans with her back against the wall. I purse my lips as I sit up. "I-I suppose I am now... You never woke me up last night."

She sighs in frustration, hitting her head against the back of the wall. "'Cause I fell asleep before I could wake ya up. Yeah, ya were right that I was tired as hell! An' the worst part is I actually got to sleep... But I have a feelin' we slept longer than we should've." She holds up a half-eaten ration bar. "Ya think they got coffee 'ere? If I'm eatin' more of these things, I need somethin' with flavor."

"How long will that dried meat last?" I ask, and Melva shrugs.

"A couple months. I just don't wanna eat any more of it, even if I hate these bars."

I'm in no mood to eat, at least not yet. I lean against the wall to take some pressure off my tailbone, which hurts less than it did before. This confuses me since I beat it up so much running yesterday. "I'd go out there and see what's going on since Bondrewd said he'd give us some time, but I'm not walking around this place by myself... I suppose we'll have to wait until they come to get us." I look at Melva's foot. "How does your ankle feel?"

She scowls. "It still hurts when I move it, an' that pisses me off. I mean, I guess I shouldn't be surprised since we were gettin' way too lucky so far." She takes a bite of her ration bar, bitterly chewing away. "I'm sorry, kid... I probably just delayed us for who-knows how long, even worse if they don't let us stay 'ere until the both of us are healed."

"No, don't apologize," I say despite myself, though there's sincerity as well. "It's not like you tried to hurt yourself. We were both running for our lives, either of us could've made that mistake. Even if you hadn't hurt your ankle, we shouldn't be moving right away. Sciro said we hadn't torn any of our muscles, but our wounds weren't insignificant. Combine that with my tailbone and our blood loss, and neither of us are fit to go down to the Sixth Layer."

Melva's silent for a moment, but then she smiles warmly. "Th-thanks for tryin' to make me feel better, kid. I just don't wanna feel useless."

"I know how that feels," I mutter, but I still try to keep the mood up. "You're anything but useless. I mean, you've saved my life more times than I can count."

Her smile becomes a grin. "That Silkfang was the start of it all, an' I learned I could carry a kid with one arm that day!" We both laugh a bit, even if my face flushes from long-buried embarrassment. Our voices echo a bit in the small room before dying out, and we fall into a more comfortable silence. I'm about to ask Melva for a ration bar when loud knocks on the door to our room nearly make me jump out of my skin.

"Len? Melva?" a muffled but familiar male voice says through the door. "This is Scirorocco... Are either of you awake?"

I'm relieved it's him and not one of the frigid Umbra Hands, as they seem to be called, and I get up to open the door. Looking at Sciro directly with a less-hazy mind, I notice he's a few inches shorter than me. He gives me a small bow before speaking, and I can hear the smile in his voice as he does so.

"Good morning! I-I was worried something was wrong since neither of you answered for a full day. Are either of you feeling any better? Have you eaten yet? Either way, Lord Dawn wishes to speak to you, Len."

His words come out in a rush, and it takes me a second to process them before I can answer. We'd slept for a day? I know we weren't running on the most sleep, but I didn't know we were that exhausted. Before I can reply, my stomach does it for me. My face warms as Sciro nervously chuckles.

"I believe Lord Dawn's offering something to eat as well, so that problem can be solved. I don't want to rush you, but you've kept him waiting for a day already..."

"N-no, I understand," I say, shaking my head. "But is it only me he wants to speak to?"

Sciro hesitates. "He didn't specify... but I'm sure he's welcoming you as well!" He looks in at Melva, who shakes her head.

"If the man didn't specify me, then that's just it. I ain't 'bout to disagree with a White Whistle. An' I'm stubborn, but I ain't stupid. I'm lettin' my ankle rest." I honestly don't like the idea of possibly being alone with Bondrewd considering the conversations I've had alone with Ozen, but I don't object. Melva gives me a smirk. "If there's coffee, bring me back some, kid." I manage a smile and nod before following Sciro.

We don't even make it two hallways over from our room before I find myself feeling completely lost. "How do any of you navigate this place? Everything looks so similar."

Sciro shrugs. "I don't know how the others do it. I'm assigned to a select couple of floors in one part of this place. I've never seen the other areas aside from what other Praying Hands have told me."

"I see..." I say quietly, looking around still. There's a very slight chugging sound reverberating around us. It's so low I can't hear it with my ears, rather the pit of my stomach as it vibrates the sole of my remaining foot and travels into my core. It's like a great wheel being turned—the cogs of the very earth—or merely the sound of the structure rotating. Even if I can't feel the spinning any longer, imagining it brings it back to the forefront of my thoughts. My balance briefly falters as my stomach turns over.

"Len?" Sciro doubles back to grab my shoulder before I can fall over. Realizing that almost happened, my face flushes.

"M-my apologies... I don't do well with things that cause motion sickness or seasickness. Even thinking about it makes me feel ill."

I can only imagine Sciro's expression, but the concern but also morbid curiosity in his voice are clear. "How does the sea make you sick? I thought as a Delver, you knew not to drink the water. It has far too much salt in it, after all." And I thought he would at least know what that means since this layer houses the Sea of Corpses.

"Huh? I-I don't drink the water, it's just the movement of the waves that gets to me and makes me sick. The ocean can be horribly choppy even in good weather, and it's never sat with me well." As I explain this, an interested "huh..." slips from Sciro.

"I've never been outside Idofront, but from what I've heard from Enri, the water in the Sea of Corpses is always calm. I suppose with a proper sky it would present new issues such as... blizzards and rain over the water?" He says this thoughtfully, then looks back at me, again speaking in that cautious tone. "C-can you please tell me more about the sea? Or you called it the ocean?"

"Oh, there's actually a difference between a sea and an ocean," I start, finally stabilizing myself. "A sea is enclosed by land while an ocean isn't." As we continue to walk, I tell Sciro all I know about seas and oceans such as their varying colors along with their fauna and flora. I wish I could tell whether Sciro's feeling genuinely interested in what I'm saying, but the way he mutters everything I'm saying on repeat seems to be a good sign based on his memory issues.

Even as we come to a stop outside yet another metal door, I continue speaking, admittedly caught-up in my own explanation. "The tallest waves I've seen, even from the shoreline, were almost forty feet high. Because of that, our fishing boats are very large so they can't be capsized easily."

"If that's the case, how do they run?" Sciro asks. "We have boats here that run on oil, but they're small, and that doesn't seem efficient for a large ship."

"I... admittedly don't know." My shoulders slouch. "I was twelve when I came to Orth, and that was over fifteen years ago now. But you have boats here?"

Sciro nods. "Only Lord Dawn can authorize their use, though." At that, he seems to startle. "L-Lord Dawn!" He looks at the door we'd stopped in front of, and I then realize how long we've been standing still. "H-hurry inside, Len! I'm sure he's been waiting this whole time!" He doesn't need to tell me twice as I hurriedly thank him and leave the hall.

As I enter the room, I'm struck with horribly rich smells. Fried eggs, some kind of fish, and... fruit? I recognize the tang of citrus anywhere. After smelling wet copper for so long, these scents make my head spin and my stomach cry out in hunger.

"My, you've finally arrived. It's a pleasure to see you again, Len."

I stiffen momentarily before turning around to see a decently large table in the room's center, a dozen chairs placed around it. Lights hang above the table, illuminating a colorful spread of food that looks more than out of place in this monotone-colored room. The eggs, fish, and even fruit I picked up on before—some kind of small orange—rests on plates along with sliced bread and a couple dishes I can't recognize. A pair of plates are placed before two chairs adjacent to each other. Sitting at the head of the table, chin resting on a propped-up arm, is Bondrewd. Even with the plentiful light, the light of his mask still seems to shine more brightly. He gestures for me to sit, and I nervously take a seat at the only other place setting.

"Since you needed to rest for longer than I expected, I'm certain you must be famished," Bondrewd says. "Eat to your heart's content. This is a rare occasion, as it's not often we can provide such a hearty meal in these conditions."

"F-food from the surface?" I venture, and Bondrewd shakes his head.

"The netherworld tangerines are products from the greenhouses I have been attempting to establish here. This has been our first harvest that has come to fruition, and most of the fish were brought from the Fourth Layer as the waters here are often more dangerous than fruitful. All that has come from the surface is the wheat and yeast needed to bake the bread, but I digress." He waves a hand to the tantalizing-looking food. "Eat, young Sovereign. The cold places far more strain on the body, and your frame clearly needs to be supplied with a great number of calories."

He isn't wrong, but I'm still wary. This sounds like a setup for something awful happening, and Bondrewd himself doesn't seem to be eating. Is he planning to eat with his mask on somehow? But then my stomach cramps, and my need to be respectful overcomes my wariness. "Will my mentor be able to have some of this?" I ask as I serve myself, and Bondrewd nods.

"I've made sure Enri brings her a plate. I wish for you alone to be here since this exchange only concerns those who bear Your Worth." That name again shakes me to my core, making me grit my teeth as the two words eat at my mind. Your Worth, Your Worth... I somehow manage to tear my thoughts away and focus on the food.

Shamefully, I take a gluttonous amount of the eggs and fish along with the bread, aching for its fresh, light taste. My eyes light up when I notice fried, shredded potatoes with some kind of onion mixed in. The tangerines don't seem different from their surface counterparts, and I mix them in with a side of oatmeal I take. I hesitate when it comes to the unrecognizable dishes, especially one in particular that seems to be a shallow bowl filled with a shiny, green slime. A salty and fishy scent emanates from it.

"Hamashirama sashimi, a fish native to the Sea of Corpses," Bondrewd says when he notices my staring. "Stripping away the inedible flesh and rubbing salt into its organs creates an edible mucus that's quite hearty and filling despite the texture. It's admittedly a profitable gamble to take when they can be poisonous, but the grayer ones are free of poison."

Although that doesn't make it any more appetizing, my curiosity starts to take hold. That familiar pull makes me want to refuse on instinct now, but I can't resist and poke the tines of my fork into a thicker-looking strand of the sashimi. I look at the dripping strand on my fork for only a moment before shoving it in my mouth. The cold, slimy texture makes me shudder, but then the taste hits me. My brows lift in pleasant surprise as a sweet and salty taste fills my mouth, like sea bass, and there's even a hint of ground Eternal Fortunes.

"An unusual delicacy of the Abyss," Bondrewd muses as he serves himself a larger helping of the sashimi. Why does he seem to be right?

Llyr would've loved this odd taste... My heart sinks at that thought, and I merely eat what I've served myself, more than satisfied with my plentiful selection alone. Thankfully, Bondrewd eats as well, so I don't have to worry about something being wrong with the food. He pushes up the bottom of his mask to eat, the resulting shadow still obscuring his face so I can't even see his chin or mouth. For a time, the room is silent, save for us eating. With the silence, I'd almost be able to imagine I was somewhere else then.

As my stomach starts to fill, I slow my pace and decide to try and get some much-needed answers. "Bondrewd... What exactly is 'Your Worth'?"

There's silence as Bondrewd places his fork on his plate before he lowers his mask and turns to me, holding up his whistle. "Your Worth: the Life Reverberating Stone. From our understanding, it's a First-Grade Relic that works to activate the hidden functions of other Relics. It appears as a mass of white stone, made of petrified bone marrow caused from unnatural calcification that can take place anywhere in the body. It is created from... devotion, a promise."

"A promise?" I echo.

"When one is at their life's end and their thoughts consist of nothing but another person, a part of their body will petrify into Your Worth. One must be willing to give themselves wholly and utterly for another person to create Your Worth, otherwise the process will fail." He spreads his arms, as if gesturing to the walls themselves. "Idofront was seemingly constructed for the purpose of creating Your Worth, as they are the only way one can descend to the Sixth Layer."

"And how can somebody do that?"

Bondrewd pauses, tilting his head a little. "You wish to make a Last Dive?"

I nod. "Once my mentor's ankle heals and our other injuries heal, we plan on it. That was the reason why we were coming to you in the first place, but then our paths naturally seemed to cross when your Umbra Hands saved us from the... Frostbite Runners?"

"That is the working name for them at the moment, yes. Research on them has been difficult due to their pack tendencies and vicious natures. I've already lost a dozen Hands to them in the few months we've been attempting to study them. But curiosity begs me to ask, why do you wish to make a Last Dive? You have potential, even with your disabilities. It would be a terrible shame for them to be lost to the Abyss' depths."

I bristle at this, my eyes narrowing. "M-my business is none of yours... My mentor and I wish to descend, nothing more. And what makes you think I'm of any use in your eyes? This is the second time we've spoken, you know nothing about me."

"That fact is true, but so is how a party of two Delvers was able to make it this far without any additional help, I presume? And may I bring up your eye and leg again? It's more than remarkable. Daresay it's simply wonderful such a promising Delver exists in a world where the Annihilator had taken Orth by storm, even with the world against him? I would like to get to know that Delver better."

'Had?' The thought quickly leaves as I find myself at a loss for words, staring blankly at Bondrewd. I think my brow is furrowed a little, but I know my mouth is agape, and I close it. Yes, it should be a feat Melva and I made it here, everything I've heard and read about bolsters what Bondrewd said, but... I'm truly nothing. I haven't been anything for a few years now, and despite the confidence I should be feeling from being complimented by a White Whistle, I'm still hollow.

"Call my feelings a hunch, though I wish not to press it," Bondrewd says, shaking his head. "You came here for information, yes? Is there anything else you would wish to know?"

That preposition would normally open the floodwaters for my questions, but even my curiosity has been dampened. Still, I have a few questions that I can't leave this room without knowing. "Can we use the means of descending once my mentor is healed? I heard something about a 'vessel' when we arrived here."

Bondrewd nods. "You have Your Worth, so the vessel will respond to you. The only way down aside from the vessel is by going over the falls at the edge of the sea, and that method is a guaranteed death wish."

"O-okay, my second question is why my stone doesn't look like yours or Ozen's?" I'd almost said "Aedia," but I still feel like I'd be seen as crazy if I referred to her in that way.

"All Life Reverberating Stones start out in an unrefined matter such as yours. Refining them allows for Relics to reach their full potential while an unrefined stone merely gives brief life to a Relic's true purpose. When used repeatedly without a period of rest between uses, a refined stone inflicts a mild physical toll upon the user they must adapt to. I have the means to refine a Life Reverberating Stone, though the device is currently in need of repair. After all, this facility was once constructed for the purpose of creating these Relics, though that is no longer the case."

"And this is my last question..." I take a breath. "Wh-why does the guild allow this? Sacrificing people to make these stones, it's essentially murder! Who died to make your whistle? Ozen's? Lyza's? They all couldn't have been people already at death's door!"

Bondrewd is silent for a moment. Perhaps lost in thought? Before I can ask again, he replies. "The one who sacrificed for me... was aware of the toll from the beginning. Still, it occurred, and it wasn't in vain. Nothing I do is in vain for the sake of my research, every step can be one forwards to the future. As for the guild, they are of little concern to me. I provide them with the findings I choose, and they provide me with what I desire. It's all a process of give and take so long as they don't interfere with my research."

My shoulders slouch as my heart sinks. "So you don't have a real answer."

"Unfortunately, no," Bondrewd says with a shake of his head. "Now, are you sure that's all you wish to ask? I noticed the way your eyes lit up before as you were asking about the food, it's a spark of curiosity."

Or me being far too interested in eating, I think, my face flushing a little. "All curiosity has done for me is nearly kill me."

"Even so, you're still here, and curiosity can bring on wonderful discoveries," Bondrewd replies. "Are you a researcher of the Abyss? A seeker of knowledge?" I reluctantly nod, and I swear I can hear the smile in Bondrewd's voice as he next speaks. "Then you and I strive for the same purpose, even if our goals may vary. We both still pursue a beautiful dawn."

I frown at this, confused and (dammit) curious. "What do you mean by that? What's the dawn?"

"Oh? And I thought you said you said you were through asking questions," Bondrewd says. "But I'm happy to inform you regardless. We all seek a dawn, and mine is progress. I study the flora and fauna of the Abyss, yes, but I study the Curse of the Abyss as well. I wish to see if there are any ways to circumvent it and promote survivability, for us to live and step into the next two-thousand years... There's that look in your eye again; you're curious."

I furrow my brow, shrugging and looking away. I don't know why I'm curious, none of it matters at this point. Yet it still tugs at me, like an itch I can't scratch, and the irritation makes me want to bite at it like a dog. Why is it always so persistent?

"You're not going anywhere for a time, so why not join me in my knowledge?" Bondrewd asks. "Study what I've accumulated to your heart's content, learn about what you may face below when you make your Last Dive. I'll even allow for you to wander this facility, within reason, of course. I would prefer Scirorocco or Enri guide you, but they have their own tasks to fulfill. We'll have to make do."

Again, why is he right? And I again find myself damning my curiosity as I nod. "I-I can't turn down your generosity, so I'll accept it, thank you. But I do want to ask... Why me? You don't even know how I even got my Life Reverberating Stone, but you're fine with me looking through your research?"

"You said it yourself. You're making your Last Dive, and it's nigh impossible to send anything up to the surface so deep into the Abyss. Though of course, I'm only allowing you to learn what I want you to. One can never be too cautious, even if they claim they'll be lost to the Abyss."

My hands clench into fists as I nod. "R-right... Thank you again."

With not much else left to do, I excuse myself from the table and head for the door. I can swear Bondrewd is staring at me as I leave, but a glance out of the corner of my eye shows him indulging in the remainder of the sashimi. Then again, my paranoia hasn't stopped for weeks now. I take a slow, deep breath before leaving the room, what Bondrewd said bouncing around my mind. Is what I'm striving for even a dawn? If anything, it's more like sunset or dusk, the end of life rather than a continuation. But why does it still sound so appealing to me?

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I commissioned the art of Melva in the chapter media from my friend LynxNoThinks! She's a great artist and person, and I thank her again for taking my commission.