Nephis' Second Nightmare

In her Second Nightmare, she was a woman made of stone.^[2] A crude, clumsy, and defective precursor of the Stone Saints laying on a mountain of abandoned statues in the true darkness that fills the halls and caverns of the Underworld, below the Hollow Mountains.^[1]

As a Sleeper, Nephis is the weakest among the abandoned creatures. Out in the darkness, her strength was pitiful and realize how much pride she has before her Second Nightmare. She had always relied on her own strength and thought that if she was the strongest then she wouldn't break apart and people around her wouldn't suffer on her behalf.^[1]

But in the Nightmare, she realized that personal power was a deceitful mirage and that she had to learn to accept her weakness and learn to survive despite being weak.^[1]

She explained that there were other creatures besides the outcasts and abandoned. They were the terrifying things born from the darkness that hunt other creatures and ancient horrors dwelled in the darkness that devour other creatures. There were no one who would protect them. The forsaken had to fend for themselves but they were weak, pitiful and, divided.^[1]

The lesson was harsh, demeaning, and painful, but she had no choice but to learn it. She coaxed, persuaded, deceived, enticed, and cajoled other forsaken creatures living in the darkness. She realized that there was something sharper than her wit, persuasive words, and lies, and that was desire.^[1]

Nephis sought to instill a desire for a better life and companionship among the creatures of the Underworld. They built a village with tall walls, stone houses, and a large hall for them to gather and enjoy each other's company. They believed they were on the right track. The old creatures taught her their knowledge and wisdom. There were also former warriors, who she learned from, as she was the weakest but also liked and value because she can create light.^[3]

However, the village was attacked, and the villagers disappeared after each passing day. They tried to find and confront the creature, but nothing worked. They set traps, carved sorcerous runes into the stone, placed lures, and sent an envoy to plead for help from the children of Nether, still nothing worked.^[3]

Eventually, everything collapsed, and the surviving creatures cursed Nephis and tried to abandon the village but didn't make it far. Eventually, only two people remained, she and another broken statue, the first one who had become her companion, and followed her from the very start. They locked themselves inside the village hall and barricaded the doors. However, the creature still came, as she felt the darkness around them became alive.^[3]

As soon as Nephis sensed it, she knew there was no hope and not something she could fight. So she tried to speak to the creature, trying to appease it and persuade it, even knelt and begged. In the end, the creature took her companion and spared her. The darkness felt empty again, and she was the only one left in the village.^[3]