Somewhere on the Forgotten Shore, a trail of blood marked the wake of a limping figure.
Clutching a gruesome wound on her thigh, a Sleeper stumbled into a narrow crevice carved into the coral. Jagged edges tore at her skin like knives, but she forced herself deeper, wincing through bloodied tears and leaving a smeared trail of blood in her wake.
The pain was excruciating as she willingly minced herself.
But it was more comforting than what she struggled to run away from.
Outside, a thud sounded as something massive dropped from the sky.
An inhumane screech rang out as a disgusting feathered claw reached from outside into the hole, forcing the Sleeper to push herself further into as her blood now pooled on the floor. A bloodshot eye peered through the opening—its unblinking gaze filled with malice. The Spire Messenger squinted, then slammed its body against the coral with a roar. The entire structure trembled, shards of coral raining onto her head. Little by little, the coral chipped away.
The Sleeper cried in a desperate mixture of fear and pain as the gap widened and the terrible claw inched closer and closer towards her.
She had nothing.
Her meager Awakened chainmail armor had been torn to shreds by its claws, a second later and it would have been her lower torso. No weapons in her sparsely armed Soul Sea were capable of doing damage. Her aspect had no means of combat or survivability. She was alone. She was hurt.
And death would grab her with its claws in a few moments.
She could only cry in fear, mumbling a quiet helpless plea in the forgotten land.
Both the Gods and Daemons were dead…..
But something else listened.
Outside, the Spire Messenger froze. Its claw halted mid-reach. Another screech rang out as a blur of shadow descended from above, colliding with the beast and shaking the ground. The Sleeper clutched their sweat stained hair in fear as inhumane wails continued to sound outside, more and more pieces of coral raining down as everything shook.
Through her bloodied gaze, she couldn't understand what she was seeing.
The Spire Messenger was fighting….
Another Messenger.
Except this new one was different. Contrastingly its entire body was inky black, wisps of smoke rising from its back. It was entirely identical….apart from the chilling aura it emitted. And more harrowing of all….
It's overwhelming brutality.
The two clashed fiercely, slashing with their talons, snapping with their crooked beaks—even ramming their entire multiple ton bodies into one another. All around the coral cracked as dust stirred in the outgoing shockwaves. Profane blood splattered all around as the two tasseled on the ground. But despite their identical nature….
The shadow was winning.
Little by little, more real feathers became strewn about, while the other lay completely unharmed. The Messenger managed to break away, its body heaving up and down as it glared at the perfect reflection of itself. Its shadow only coldly stared back, offering nothing, only death.
Realising the destined outcome, it spread its wings as it launched off the ground—desperate to flee.
The shadow silently watched.
Then if followed.
The two abominations spiralled in the air, wings and bodies overlapping as they entered a deathroll. Slashing, biting and tearing into each other without a care as the ground greeted them and a cloud of debris shot up.
As the dust settled, the Sleeper covered their mouth in horror as the shadow perched on the living's back.
Pinning its great wings down, its beak closed around its neck. The Messenger struggled, screeching in vain desperation as it flailed its body. Its shadow did not care. Without hesitation….it ripped its head clean off—a geyser of muddied blood spurting from the wound.
The Sleeper was so shocked by the sight they forgot to breathe, taking a shaky gasp of air as something even more horrifying happened.
From the beheaded corpse…..another rose.
Her body uncontrollably shook, watching as from the corpse—another shadow Messenger rose. Covering her mouth in panic she watched as the two shadows briefly looked at each other….
Before turning…..and staring right at her.
Her body went limp.
One Spire Messenger was a grim reaper, but two were promised death. She could only shakily collapse to the ground in despair as the two gazed at her, deciding what to do. The Sleeper said her final words, expecting her end to follow….
But to her shock….the two shadows simply turned around, launching themselves into the air as they perfectly camouflaged with the night sky, looking for their next victim.
Through sniffles and tears, her raspy voice spoke:
"W-Wh-a…"
Her words never came out, as in the next second, a silent arm reached out from her shadow….pulling her inside as everything went dark.
*************
In the eternal Dark Sea, a Sleeper boy desperately gasped for air, their wounded arms flailing as they struggled to hold themselves above the surface. Their bloodied teeth clenched in a grimace as sharp gasps of air hissed between.
Not too far away, a jet of water exploded.
A skeletal fin broke the surface, water flying as something below the surface rushed towards him. His legs kicked, trying to make some impossible distance….but there was no hope.
Ahead of the fin, water cleared—a twisted skeletal maw with rows of teeth that resembled a megalodon opening to swallow him whole.
Below the water, his thrashing ceased as his muscles became light—the pain momentarily disappearing as a pathetic smile of acceptance curled on his lips.
"I…j-just wanted t-to make th-em p-proud"
His eyes closed, hoping it would be painless.
But as he waited for his supposed demise….it never came.
After a hesitant pause, he peaked with one eye…only to see darkness.
His head tilted up as his mouth dropped open.
From somewhere in the depths….a titanic inky tentacle had shot up dozens of meters in the air, twisting around the skeletal megalodon. Droplets of water rained down, its body helplessly thrashing. Its head twisted, jaw snapping—trying to tear something to shreds. In response the tentacle rippled….before it effortlessly crushed it, chunks of its pulverized meat raining down, splashing into the water.
Aimlessly the Sleeper stared at the titanic tentacle as blood rained down on him.
It was the last thing he saw, before something below wrapped around his leg, dragging him down as the world went dark.
*************
Atop a spiraling spike of coral, a Sleeper desperately climbed. The skin on their palms had been slashed away, their bare muscles and nerves exposed—only the adrenaline pumping keeping her from rolling in agony.
They continued to climb, desperately pulling themselves up ledge after ledge.
Beads of sweat and blood rolled off their hair, dropping down below as a swarm of Nightmare creatures that resembled dog sized leeches pursued—their frenzied bodies writhing as they gained on her.
The Sleeper raised her arm…only to grab nothing.
Her heart dropped as her body pulled her onto a small ledge, no more available clenches or footholds leading up. Silently cursing, fragments of light began to condense into her hands, forming into the shape of a barbed whip.
Looking over the ledge, a guttural yell sounded as she lashed downward.
Barbarically she fought, her grunts and screams drowned in the sound of flesh being cut. With each swing numerous bodies plummeted below….but it meant nothing, just drops of water in a rising ocean. Slowly her arms became tired as her swings reaped less lives, the distance now even shorter.
Glaring at the advancing hoard, she channeled everything to her right arm as she swung one last devastating blow, causing a cluster of leeches to squeal and plummet.
Her knees collapsed as the energy drained from her body, watching with empty eyes as they reached the ledge. With her last remaining essence, she summoned a short bread knife, the first memory she had gained from her trial.
Tilting her head back, she poised the knife, tears welled as she turned the blade toward her throat.
Her fingers tensed—
And then paused.
A flicker of movement catching her eye.
From somewhere unknown, two dark arrows screamed through the air, piercing through the coral structure, the impact causing everything to shake. The entire structure groaned, cracks racing through it. The world rocked violently—throwing her into the open air—screaming as she plummeted towards the ground.
Despite her situation, time seemed to slow, as her pupils dilated at what she saw.
From below the swarm of leeches….another even darker swarm of centipede and millipede looking abominations surged up, destroying everything in their wake. Blood rained everywhere as slimy crunches were mixed with the scrapes of armoured chitin, the dark swarm strangely only growing more and more with each kill.
They were devouring them.
As the ground approached, an enormous body broke through the formation of centipedes and millipedes, the Ember Queen roaring as it towered above them all.
The air whistled, the Sleepers back now inches away from the coral ground.
And yet…she never greeted it—her shadow stretching as she fell into it, disappearing like she had never been there in the first place.
**************
Darkness, in a decrypt cave, something deep inside stirred. Crushing the surrounding stalactites, a giant Nightmare Creature that resembled a lobster over 10 meters tall moved forward—peeking through the entrance—its antenna twitching.
Across a chasm of water on an elevated hill, a Sleeper looked over the body of water, a luminous bottle floating next to him.
Glaring at the human, it menacingly clacked its claws, its body moving.
But as the lobster exited the cave and rushed towards the boy….something strange happened.
From below him, an inky arm grabbed his shoulder—yanking him down into the shadows—gone like he'd never been there.
Confused, the giant lobster starred where he had just been, its claws now clacking with a questionable tone.
Suddenly from its cave, a chain made of shadows shot out, wrapping around its tail. It lurched, mandibles angrily clacking as its claws tried to sever its bindings. But it was no use….
Slowly….the chains dragged it back towards its cave, as more and more shot out, entangling its body. Futile, its body spasmed, rolling to free itself. Yet the shadows did not give.
It's eyes turned, looking at the entrance and what lay hidden inside.
Suddenly….the cave did not feel like its territory.
It did not feel like it was the apex predator in the area.
It did not feel like it was a Fallen Demon.
Instead….it felt like prey.
Clawing at the dirt, it helplessly tried to pull itself away, only to be dragged into the shadows of the cold cavern it once called home. Silence hung in the air. And then a brutal crunch sounded from within, a stream of blood shooting out before going quiet.
From the cave, a new shadow lobster emerged, clacking its claws as it dove into the shadows.
***************
On a dry hill, the Dark Sea lapped around the edges, a group of Sleepers ascended, their bodies cast in the shadows of looming branches of a great tree. Despite having been thrown into the Dream Realm….the sight of the tree was reassuring—comforting.
Turning to the other girl and boy, the third Sleeper mumbled, "I-I…I think we should take refuge here for the night."
The others blankly nodded, still fixated on the tree, their dazed voices whispering in response.
"I agree"
"Y-Yeah…it's safe after all"
He didn't even have to reply as they quietly shambled up the slope towards its welcoming branches—all stress and worries fading away as they approached their graceful salvation.
It looked…so warm.
So welcoming.
Its crimson leaves rustling in the wind, like welcoming whispers as they neared. The Sleepers smiled.
'Yes…the tree was safe….the tree was good….the tree was home….'
They had to protect home.
Their pupils dilated, a milky white hue glazing over them as their bodies moved on their own, unaware of the Nightmare creature charging towards them. A good distance away, dust flew as a black armoured crab bellowed, barreling towards them, furious at the intruders approaching its home. Yet before it could deliver retribution to the invaders, its limbs became sluggish, consciousness fading as it crashed into the ground.
Momentum dragging it across the dirtied coral floor, its body going still….
'Clip-clop, clip-clop'
From the darkness a graceful steed leapt out, landing atop the armoured crab's head—crushing it effortlessly as bits splattered all over the coral. Trotting ahead it passed the shambling Sleepers. Its crimson eyes swept them, watching as they absentmindedly tried to get to the tree.
It approached them—gently nudging their weak bodies with its snout as they fell back into their shadows.
Turning around it glared at the Soul Devourer, flames igniting in its eyes.
The leaves shivered, branches swaying as the rustle of leaves created an eerie cacophony of what sounded like pitiful pleas and wails, begging the terrible steed to leave it alone.
Nightmare bared its fangs, raising its hoof….before turning around.
Its fate was for its master to decide.
Pushing its powerful hind legs it launched into the air, body angeling as it nosedived into the shadows.
*************
In the world of shadows—usually still, usually silent—there was motion. There was life.
Countless shadows of young Sleepers drifted through the void, guided by unseen hands. They glided in from every direction, converging like trickling streams into one great river of darkness, flowing toward a distant light.
Along the side of the river of shadows, a steed galloped up and down. Nightmare in his shadow form overlooked all the formless sleepers, extending his domain, lulling all of them unconscious.
They had just been saved from death…yet how were they supposed to react if they watched themselves be helplessly pulled towards an ominous destination? In a world beyond their comprehension.
Above the Forgotten Shore, six of Sunny's avatars continued to hover. All six of their outstretched hands trembled as their eyes jittered behind their masks.
'J-Just….a little…more…'
Sunny's mind—now honed by apotheosis—was capable of splitting itself across tasks, juggling feats that would have shattered him before. But this? This was beyond even his limit. Blood seeped from the orifices of his masks as his avatars convulsed in the air, straining under a mental burden that felt like knives carving into his soul.
His mind was collapsing from the strain, pain indescribable, reminding him of the time he activated the charm of Weaver's mask for the first time.
All across the Forgotten Shore his shades surged, tearing into abominations and saving Sleepers moments away from death. The slaughter only continued as those that fell emerged and joined the army. Sunny wasn't capable of individually commanding the shadow army, something he surmised was only possible once he became Sacred or Divine.
Thus he was instead purposed with spreading his Shadow Sense to every corner of the Forgotten Shore, searching for as many possible Sleepers, pulling them into the shadows and transporting them to the safety of the Bright Castle.
With his mental capacity fully taken up, he wasn't capable of giving orders.
So he had engrained one final statement before letting them loose.
"Destroy all corrupted"
And so the shadows did.
His shadows acted as commanders for given areas.
Fiend was currently squeezed in the ravine of the catacombs. The gluttonous giant was shoveling handfuls of the immortal skeletons into his fiery maw, chomping down without pause as he continued to fill his insatiable appetite. Both Slayers had taken an elevated peak of coral, picking off targets from afar with their lethal precision. The Ember Queen was commanding the growing horde of crustaceans and waging war on the coral labyrinthe at the edges of the Dark Sea—while the Abyssal Eledone commanded the aquatic shades and continued to conquer the dark depths of the sea. Nightmare was moving in and out of the shadow realm, keeping the Sleepers unconscious with his dream domain. Fenryr and Serpent, who had copied the wolf's form, moved like grim reapers across the shore, their speeds immeasurable as they tore through legions of creatures, resulting shockwaves destroying stragglers and the surrounding land.
Unfortunately….there were two non-compliant shades. Condemnation of course, who still refused and lastly the newly acquired Vile Thieving Bird.
Condemnation was the remains of a God, the nature of their Will was tyrannical and absolute, violently rejecting himself who was inferior. But the Vile Thieving Bird was different.
Compared to Condemnation, the bird didn't express adamant rejection….instead it simply had no desire, only disinterest. It held no resentment for having been killed by him, instead requiring something of value in return for its service.
Such a setting was only fitting of a being who stole from Gods and Daemons.
Hence like Slayer, Sunny was pained with the thought of having to find something that ignited the desire of the fabled thief. And he could only dread at what could possibly meet its standards.
Sunny sighed internally.
'Why couldn't it be loyal and joyous like the tentacled wolf?'
Lastly there was Saint. She stood atop the Bright Castle, watching as near the walls more and more unconscious Sleepers were thrown out one by one—piling up. Through her, Sunny watched as they began to stir. They rose, confused looks on their faces at the sight of so many others.
Some yelled in confusion, while others rushed to companions and hugged with tears. Those that were wounded were surrounded and treated by those capable. Voices spoke out in disbelief at what they had claimed to see, while others cried, sobs of gratefulness for having been saved by something.
The sight made the surrounding shadows lighten as an alien warmth bloomed in Sunny's being.
It felt foreign.
It felt… warm.
He watched with estranged thoughts, his tongue caught at the sight of what could have been for him, which he instead made a reality for others.
Their attention shifted toward the front of the castle. Piles of Soul Shards shimmered in the light—mostly Dormant and Awakened rank.
They rushed forward, crushing shards to empower themselves, clutching handfuls to their chests. The smarter ones approached the castle's guards, shards in hand. There was confusion, then realization. A price had been set—and Sunny had made sure it could be paid.
Watching as the first few conversed with the confused guards before handing over a shard and entering, they realised the required payment. They all moved to the entrance, brandishing the Soul Shards as the startled guards called for backup—whispering something before begrudgingly taking the payment and letting them in.
Sunny watched contently from the Saint's perspective.
He'd made sure there was more than a surplus to get them all in. A moment later the last few Sleepers emerged from the shadows, noticing the crowd as they grabbed their own Soul Shards and joined them.
With that, Sunny finally pulled his consciousness back as his avatars plummeted from the sky, crashing into the hard coral as they trembled before turning back into shadows and traversing to one who lay on its back.
Sunny lay there, daemonic form sprawled on the shore, his wings slowly retracting into shadow. He groaned.
"Gods…I thought I was going to die. Again"
But he didn't.
And he had done it.
Looking at the distant silhouette of the Dark City, he could feel the thousands of new Sleepers moving into the Bright Castle. Behind the mask, his lips slightly curled, a cold breeze quietly ruffling his hair as he listened to the thankful voices and sobs of the survivors.
The survivors…
His smile faltered.
He had saved many. But he hadn't saved them all.
Some had been lost in seconds.
Dropped into spikes of coral. Landed in infested waters. Others into nests of monsters—steel-strung spider lairs. His shadows had slaughtered the threats… but they had arrived moments too late
A few seconds was all it took for the pitiful Sleepers to be overwhelmed and killed.
Their limbs ripped off, disemboweled, some fortunately dying as they were strung up in cocoons—escaping a far worse end. Those that had their faces intact held heartwrenching expressions of utter fear.
Sunny could only silently curse from the shadows as he gently dug them individual graves, burying their bodies which would never go home.
He had saved thousands.
But he couldn't save them all.
It was strange.
Growing up he had not been one of selfless nature. He lived for himself, and survived on his own. Yet he had been changed with time. The past with his cohort. His experiences as a commander in Antarctica…his role as the Lord of Shadows in GodGrave. Countless lives had been saved by him, but even more had been lost before him.
The fall of Falcon Scott.
War in GodGrave.
Even the few people he considered friends during his Nightmares, ended up having their lives ended by him.
He was Shadow's heir, a being that wielded death.
...
'So why does it still hurt so much?'
He wasn't a God. Not everything was in his control. Yet….he still blamed himself for his inability to save them. Sunny was terrified of apotheosis and losing his true self. And there was no going back.
But if it meant attaining the power to not let a few lives slip from grasp….
Would it be worth it?
He could only sit in silence on the coral, his shadows watching. All around him, untold eyes from the shadows watched their lord silently, the dark visage of the Crimson Spire towering in the distance. Eventually a whisper escaped from beneath his mask.
"Your Nightmare is over"
Feeling the cool breeze against his neck, he turned to another direction. He had dismissed his shades and was still recovering from having strained his mind….but his Shadow Sense still tracked two individual Sleepers who hadn't joined the rest.
Rising from the coral, Sunny took a deep breath.
"I want to see them…"
With that, he dove into the shadows.
*************
On a quiet hill of coral, a girl trembled in a ball. Cassie held her legs to her chest, muscles shivering from the lack of clothes memories she had. Her lips quivered as she held her eyes shut, a mixture of sniffles and sobs sounding.
She was alone.
In the foreign land of the Dream Realm, she could do nothing. Her Aspect gave her no means of combat, she had no strong Memories. She couldn't even see what her surroundings looked like—and so she could only curl into a ball—waiting for it all to end.
Somewhere ahead of her, the sound of waves lapping the edge reached her.
She could only think of what could crawl out and helplessly drag her away. Her legs jumped upon contact with a slimy piece of seaweed, something she assumed could be the appendage of a Nightmare Creature.
All around her the alien sounds continued as she helplessly curled into a shaking ball, a quiet shaky whisper escaping her lips.
"Sunny…"
And he heard her.
Rising from a shadow a few feet away, he painfully saw her state. Cold, naked and helpless. With a command, the shadows rose around her, weaving themselves into clothes. But Cassie panicked, shrieking, ripping at the conjured fabric like it was attacking her. She flailed, as if caught in a net of monsters.
Sunny reached for his bracelet and activated it.
[I'm here Cassie.]
Before him, she visibly jumped, looking around in panic. Then making his heart crumble….he watched as tears began to fall from her face, sobs escaping as her shaky voice echoed in his mind.
[S-Sunny…? O-Oh Gods is i-it really you? I-I was so s-scared…]
Tears continued to fall from her face as she messily wiped them. Sunny looked down at her, quietly walking towards her. His foot stopped as she quietly whispered both in his head and in person.
[I was so scared.]
The words cut him like a knife. They drew his own memories from his time on the Forgotten Shore, and the state in which Nephis had found her in. He bitterly smiled behind his mask…
[I'm here now]
Cassie smiled, weak and trembling. She tilted her head toward his voice, trying to locate him. But then her body froze.
Her smile vanished.
Suddenly, she scrambled away, panic flooding her face, skin scraping against the coral as panicked incoherent mumbles escaped her lips.
"N-No…No! T-This isn't right! Y-You can't…"
[Can't what?]
She froze. Gulping, her lips nervously quivered as her voice spoke in his mind, tone questioning.
[Y-You…a-are you really Sunny? How did you f-find me so quickly..? No Sleeper should be capable of surviving alone and finding others so easily…]
Clutching her chest, now yelling out loud without a care.
"Who…w-what…who are you?!?"
A few steps away, listening, his face blank behind his mask.
'Who are you?'
He looked at her panicked face, heart aching. He also wanted to know who he was to her. Finally, in a voice barely above a whisper, he spoke.
"I…"
…
"I'm your friend."
She traced the direction of his voice—far too high. Too… inhuman.
"No. No! Y-You're not Sunny!" she cried, retreating. "G-Get away from me, y-you monster!"
Her hands scratched the ground, picking up a rock, pathetically throwing it in his direction. Sunny didn't move as it bounced off his inhumane body. He watched as it clattered on the ground, a few more hitting the hems of his mantle as Cassie crawled on the ground, desperately picking up anything she could find to throw at him.
He took a breath, speaking in a quiet tone.
"In a sense…you are right. I am not Sunny but I also am Sunny. You call me a monster. Maybe you're right, I actually don't know what I am anymore…"
He paused, eyes hidden behind the mask.
"But I am your friend."
Cassie only yelled, voice cracking as she continued to scrabble on the ground away from him—cutting herself on the sharp coral—blood dripping on the coral.
"Y-You….you liar!"
Sunny shuddered at the words.
"Y-you're just a liar! You tell me nothing truthful about yourself, hiding behind fake stories and false promises! I chase after you everyday trying to find my only friend…and n-now y-you're just a Nightmare Creature pretending to be human!"
Tumbling down the slope, she unknowingly continued to crawl in the direction of the edges of the Dark Sea. Sunny moved, rising from the shadows to block her path as she bumped into him…yelping in panic as she recoiled.
'A liar…?'
He let out a dry chuckle, taking a step in her direction.
"You're right Cassie, I am a filthy liar. I try to live through the truth….but even that isn't enough. Because the truth is more than just itself. But right now, I won't lie to you…."
He spread his six arms as a gust of wind rushed through the area. All around the shadows grew unfathomably dark and cold as his voice quietly echoed.
"I am neither human nor monster, I live on the horrible edge between the two, afraid to indulge fully in a single nature. You call my stories lies…but they are more real than my existence. Every claim related to Gods and Daemons, every described battle of power, every glimpse into the possible future of reality…..all of it is real Cassie. All of it."
He continued to walk towards her, his voice continuing as Cassie slowed, her body still trembling.
"I am in fact very powerful, there is nobody stronger than me in both these two worlds. I have killed Gods, conversed with Daemons, fought beings that can only be described as calamities. My life is incomprehensible to the human mind, even I find it hard to believe what I've lived through."
He stood a step away from her cowering body, watching as her pale face looked up to his unnatural height.
"This world…is heading in a direction I do not desire. Which is why I'm going to change it."
Cassie's mouth dropped open.
"C-Change it?"
Sunny chuckled, causing her body to shiver.
"Yes! All of it! I'm going to change everything, from this point forward. You are interested in Fate no? Wel let me tell you….I've looked into fate Cassie. I've seen its cruel terrible weave, I've seen the future. And I loathe it."
He knelt back, shadows rising into an unnaturally large chair to fit his body.
"I have already broken fate before, what's stopping me from doing so again?"
Backing against a rock, Cassie continued to tremble, her voice confused and loud.
"B-Break fate…what the hell are you saying?"
Sunny only laughed.
"Hard to believe no? Well that's the summary of my existence. But it doesn't matter, because I have the power to do so. You think it's a coincidence that nothing found or attacked you upon your arrival? I have kept my promise. Everything that looked in your direction was killed by me, pulled into a darkness it couldn't escape."
Cassie digested the impossible words. She remained still against, before her voice quietly spoke.
"....it's true? A-All of your stories are really true?"
Sunny solemnly nodded, "Unfortunately so."
"F-Fighting hordes of Great Nightmare creatures..?"
"Lunch," he said dryly.
The words physically hit her as her shoulders shuddered. Sunny watched with quiet pity. Her small chest heaved against the rock as her heartbeat steadied. Eventually, she responded.
"Then what happens now"
Sunny's face darkened.
"Cassie…do you want to go home?"
She shot up, her eerily blue eyes open and wide. Momentarily the panic of her unknown environment and the mysterious person left her mind.
"Y-You really can take me home? B-But you'd have to take me to a gateway….and people don't notice your existence an-"
Sunny coughed, cutting her off.
"People can in fact be aware of my existence."
Cassie brows frowned in rage, "So you did lie!"
The words stirred a smile beneath his mask as he lazily shook his head.
"No, it's just that my existence is quite peculiar. I am not seen because it is not a privilege I have at the danger I may put others in. This indeed did result from an unwanted development…and so I am forced to live literally as a shadow. I would love nothing more than to be known and be loved by people…."
The words trailed on his tongue as he leaned forward, his tone much quieter.
"But it is not a choice I have."
Cassie listened, her shoulders dropping at the words. Her heart was still pained by what he had hidden despite their time together. She had always surmised that he carried a painful burden, something he wished to move past. And yet…he was still here, trying.
Suddenly, a pang of guilt stabbed her gut. She was still panicked by the sudden reveal and overload of information. But he had been there for her.
And now when he seemed to need her, she pushed him away.
Hesitantly, she opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
"More importantly about getting you home, the gate is not an issue. I'll make one."
"Wha-"
Behind Sunny a shimmering tear in reality formed as a gust of wind pushed through. Cassie couldn't see it but she felt the change in the air. Sunny smiled.
"This is something you become capable of once you ascend from Transcendance, but that's not important right now."
He rose, dismissing the chair of shadows behind him as he moved. Cassie stood frozen on the spot, voice stuttering, "Y-You've conquered the 4th Nightmare!?!"
Sunny scoffed.
"Nightmare? Who needs that pesky spell? I simply had to naturally ascend amidst a battle that would decide the fate of humanity, nothing too serious."
Cassie's body swayed in response. Sunny was quite troubled by the sight as he tried to help her up, but as he reached over she took a slight step back.
"If you step through this gate you'll be back in the real world. You'll have returned and received your Aspect ability. You can go home and live peacefully with your parents and enjoy your mom's pancakes every morning. Once you step through you can forget and leave everything behind…live the life you desired. I won't interfere or involve you in anything."
He paused, whispering quietly.
"It will be like I never existed."
Cassie stood a few feet away from the gate, pulsing light reflecting off her pale body—contrasting with her dark dress made of shadows. She stared in its direction for a few seconds…before walking towards it. By the side Sunny solemnly watched. In this moment he was glad his face was hidden by the mask—he didn't know what sort of expression he wore.
Only that it hurt.
He was saying goodbye to one of his closest friends after all. Even if she wasn't his Cassie…he had greatly enjoyed their quiet time together.
'This…this is right. Cassie won't have to suffer, she'll get to live a peaceful life with her parents. She won't have to be a marionette to fate.'
Yet one of his six arms hesitantly raised….pausing, before motionlessly returning to his side.
He was ok with doing things alone. It was not too different from the last few years of his life, it would just be…..another few years of solitude.
Cassie stopped before the gate, tilting her head to the side.
"This will really take me home?"
Sunny nodded, "Yes, not directly, but I'll transport you to your doorstep in the blink of an eye."
She reached out. Her fingers brushed the gate, light dancing in her palm…taking a step forward before pausing. Turning around she quietly asked:
"Why me? Out of everyone in the academy, why did you reveal yourself to me?"
Looking down at her, he quietly studied her face. How her lips slightly trembled yet her eyes remained forward and resolute—fists slightly clenching. Sunny remembered the month they had spent together, smiling at the fleeting moments.
"I told you when I first talked to you….I saw you alone, and could relate. Which is why I wanted to talk to you."
Cassie looked up in the direction of his voice.
"You really spent all that time with me because of a feeling of empathy?"
….
"Yes Cassie…."
….
"....you're my friend"
The quiet girl listened, before glancing back in the direction of the gate. She raised her finger, pointing at it, "And if I go through….will I ever see you again?"
Sunny could only laugh.
"Well not like you ever saw me in the first place."
His laughter quieted down as Cassie gave no reaction, her face still flat and tensed with emotion and seriousness. He rubbed the back of his head with two of his shadow arms.
"No…no, you will not see me again Cas-"
"Then I'm not going."
Sunny froze.
"…What?"
Then he blinked.
Then he blinked again.
And then his composure cracked, "What the hell do you mean you're not going?!"
Cassie tilted her head up in the direction of his voice, frowning in slight confusion of the all powerful entities sudden falter in persona. Looking back in the direction of the gate, she considered her actions. Then she helplessly smiled.
"If I were to lose my only friend…how am I supposed to continue living?"
Sunny stared at her silently from the shadows, his tone now deeper and ominous.
"You have the chance to be free from all this and yet you want to stay with me because I'm your friend?"
Cassie stood before the gate quietly. And then she spoke, words cutting him like knives.
"I don't want to forget about you" she whispered.
Sunny's hands trembled.
He…
He wanted to hear those words for so long.
When he'd given up in his Trial.
From the moment he entered the academy. His months alone on the Forgotten Shore. His Torture in the Red Colosseum. The perilous journey across Antarctica. Four years alone after the Third Nightmare. All around the shadows stirred, the gate quietly dismissing behind Cassie—briefly turning as the draft disappeared.
"You're an idiot," he muttered.
Cassie smiled, noticing something else hidden in his tone. She carefully took a step forward, wincing slightly as her bare soles were cut on shards of coral. To her surprise something wrapped around her feet, the same cold material that had also wrapped around her body. Pulling her foot up, she brushed it, feeling a strangely cold but gentle fabric.
"Give me your hand" Sunny said.
Gingerly lifting up her cut palms, she slightly jumped as she felt….a long seven fingered hand grabbed her arm, pouring something cold on her wounds which refreshed her body before dressing it in a cloth. Considering her words, she tilted her head up.
"Is this your true appearance? Your hand before….didn't have…..seven fingers."
Sunny chuckled.
"I don't have an actual appearance."
Cassie gasped, "What?"
Gently dressing her other palm Sunny sighed, "I used to, but after ascending further I sort of lost my original body. Now I instead exist as a shadow, and a shadow can take whatever appearance it wished."
Looking at her frail body he laughed.
"I could even turn into you if I really wanted to."
Cassie hesitantly nodded, unsure whether to be disturbed or take it as a compliment. She tried to create a mental image in her head. What did he actually look like right now? His voice was trailing from something close to three or meters above her while his hands were boney and had additional fingers. As if sensing her unease Sunny asked her:
"Actually….I can do something that would kind of let you see."
His smile widened further as he felt Cassie's hand tighten in his large palm—looking up at him with a face of pure excitement—her voice loud and impatient.
"REALLY!?"
Calling on serpent to wrap around his body, he said "Well it's not really sight but something similar…..but it comes with a price"
At the words Cassie quietly asked.
"M-My blood? A part of my soul?"
Sunny's grip tightened on her palm. Cassie winced…preparing for the worst as he spoke.
"Do you have a problem with tattoos?"
"Tattoo's….? Wha—No!"
Shrugging, Sunny commanded Serpent to move down his arm. The sleek serpent rose from his palm looking at Cassie as its tongue flickered. It bent its head pushing it's snout against her forearm before slinking back into his body. From where it had touched, inky blotches bloomed and spread up her arm. Cassie looked at her right arm in alarm, her skin becoming cold and prickly before subsiding.
Covering her entire right arm, was an intricate tattoo of an onyx serpent.
The Mark of Shadows.
"Now it might be a little tricky, but you have to see your surroundings through the shadows by feeling them. It's kind of like opening your eyes underwater but without using your ey-"
His voice trailed off as he noticed Cassie looking directly at his mask, her mouth agape.
Sunny stiffened.
'Oh Gods maybe this wasn't the best appearance to choose…'
He knelt forward, raising his arms to show no harm as he prepared to calm her down….But was pleasantly surprised as she rushed forward and hugged him. Sunny stood frozen on the spot as her arms wrapped around his legs, her grip tightening as Sunny uncomfortably towered above her.
Eventually a muffled whisper sounded through her face pressed against his mantle.
"I see you….I finally see you…."
Sunny listened. Gently raising his arm, he gingerly patted her head, pulling himself away as she beamed at him from below.
"Y-You're fine? My appearance doesn't startle you?"
Cassie wiped her face.
"It's absolutely horrifying! To someone who doesn't know what kind of person you are of course…"
Sunny smiled. His body shuddered, slowly shrinking down as he now towered at only two and a half meters instead of four. Cassie felt through the shadow, pleasantly surprised.
"This height should be more manageable"
Cassie took in his appearance properly through the shadows.
He towered above her. His body hidden behind a robe of shadows far above her in hierarchy, as she felt them scrutinize her for casually staring at their wearer. His hair was long and silky while his face remained hidden behind a dark Daemonic mask that sent shivers down her spine as Cassie felt the shadows around it. But most ominous of all was Sunny himself.
Feeling through the shadows….he was absolute. Reality seemed to bend around him as she felt the shadows respect his presence.
She tilted her head up in awe.
"Y-You…you really are strong."
Sunny scowled in agitation-
"Don't make me say it again! I already told you I killed a God!"
Cassie nervously gulped, now looking at him in a different light as her shoulders slouched.
"R-Really?" she whispered
"Well technically it was the remnant of a God which I chased down and killed in the body of an even larger God while fighting a very troublesome Sacred. We were able to work things out though since now I have her—or both of her working as my employees!"
Dumfounded, Cassie just stared at him, "Y-You….you have….. t-two Sacred's….working for you?"
Sunny smiled beneath the mask, leaning forward.
"Want to meet them?"
Cassie lips quivered, her eyes fighting between childish anticipation and rationality.
"Y-Yes…No. No! J-Just not now, I…have to process this. L-Later you can clear up things…and…introduce me."
"Fair point" Sunny said, looking off in a direction with a faint glowing light, "We should probably go meet the other now."
Cassie looked at him puzzled, "Other?"
Gently grabbing her hand, he began to walk with her—a bridge of shadows manifesting across the sea in their destination—Cassie staring at it in awe as Sunny droned on.
"You've actually met before, it will be one giant reunion party! We'll even have a feast!"
Cassie smiled, holding his hand a little tighter.
"Will you make your supposed Supreme Waffles?"
Sunny laughed "Of course"
Cassie shifted closer, her shoulder brushing against his side. She leaned her head gently against his arm, careful not to press too hard.
"...Thank you, Sunny," she whispered.
He didn't answer right away.
His mouth opened to reply, but them shut—instead staying quiet—letting the gentle sounds of lapping water fill the air from below, only broken by her faintly whispering again:
"Thank you for being my friend"
Together, they walked forward — two silhouettes in the dark.
Not alone anymore.
*************
On a lone coral mound, a white flame crackled in a shallow pit. Nephis sat against a wall, her eyes dull, catching glints of light with each flicker from the fire. Her sword rested across her knees. Above the flame, a flat stone slab sizzled, fat popping from a chunk of Nightmare Creature meat.
She said nothing. Just watched the fire.
And then, slowly, her gaze shifted — to her shadow.
It stretched beside her, vague and flickering with the movement of the flames. But still.
Nephis stared.
Then she stood.
Without a word, she stepped over, flipped the meat, and sat back down. Her eyes flicked to the shadow again. Narrowed.
After a pause she rose again.
Gripping her sword in both hands, she lifted it — and drove the blade straight through the shadow's chest.
Steel scraped against coral. The fire hissed.
She waited, tense. Watching.
The shadow didn't move, as a shadow should be..
Then…it blinked.
Slowly, it looked down at the sword… and back up at her. Its mouth curled into a smile of amusement that didn't suit her reflection.
A low voice slipped out, causing her blood to run cold.
"When did you notice?"