What is change?
Was it the act of becoming something else?
Or was change merely the process of revealing what had always existed beneath layers of fear, ignorance, and desire?
Humanity worshipped transformation with almost religious fervor. Children were taught to become better. The weak sought strength. The ignorant sought wisdom. The cruel sought redemption. Every civilization ever conceived had been built upon the assumption that who a person was today ought not remain who they would be tomorrow.
Why?
The question lingered within the boundless darkness of Sunny's sleeping mind, carrying neither accusation nor curiosity. It simply existed, suspended between thought and instinct.
If a soul possessed a perfect form, then change implied corruption.
If a soul lacked one, then perfection itself became unattainable.
Which was it?
He could not decide.
When looking back on the past, Sunny could see it for himself. He was no longer the weak, scrawny, malnourished Outskirts Rat. He was taller now. He had power, wealth, and even some amount of political influence, meagre as it was. There were many things he didn't know, but at the very least, he could confess that he was less ignorant than most.
But was that really change?
A rat was a rat, until the very end. Rats can only survive like a rat, and couldn't do anything more.
Surviving and living. Such similar words, but the implications were so drastically far apart that they couldn't be more different. To live was not the right of a rodent. Sunny had abandoned that choice the moment he turned away from that window, dropping that doll in the puddle.
Staying alive, on the other hand, was.
...So, where was there to walk? Return south, and return to who one once was, or journey north, and be reborn anew?
The towering figure of his master lingered in the stirring depths of Sunny's malformed mind. Her contemptuous emerald gaze flashed from beneath her visor, as if disgusted by the form of her slave. Of her God.
The answer was simple, wasn't it?
There was no point. None at all.
Nothing about him needed changing, especially not towards her preferences. For a slave to bend to their slaver's will was no different than the death of the self. There was nobody... nobody in the world — two Universes, really — who deserved the entirety of Sunny's body, mind, and soul. He would sooner collapse into nonexistence than give himself up.
To become something that was not him. To become someone who would willingly give away his freedom. To become someone who would give another the power to hurt him.
So, even if every ounce of hate he had for that woman was stolen from him, he knew what he had to do.
He had to kill Firefly. Or die trying.
***
Sleep receded like a sluggish tide, carrying the last echoes of his thoughts back into the depths of unconsciousness. Sunny stirred faintly, his brow tightening before his eyelids slowly parted, revealing a world softened by the warm glow of afternoon light filtering through the lattice windows.
At some point during his brief slumber, his posture had shifted. Rather than remaining folded awkwardly over the table with his forehead pressed against polished wood, his head now rested sideways upon a folded arm, leaving his cheek cushioned against his sleeve.
Directly next to him, Fu Xuan sat with the same impeccable posture as before, one leg neatly crossed over the other while a small porcelain plate rested beside her relatively untouched teacup. Between slender fingers she held a delicate confection coated in translucent syrup, taking measured bites with all the refinement expected of the Master Diviner.
Only upon closer inspection did Sunny notice the faint bloom of pink lingering across her cheeks, subtle enough that another person might have mistaken it for the warmth of the tea. It contrasted curiously with the perfect composure she maintained, her expression betraying nothing despite the lingering embarrassment she stubbornly refused to acknowledge. Without turning toward him immediately, she spoke in the same calm, even tone she seemed incapable of abandoning.
"It has been half an hour. Next time, don't drink laced tea so recklessly."
Tilting his head, Sunny took a moment to observe himself. He even checked his runes — mainly to see if he gained an Attribute that would denote an effect he hasn't noticed yet. Seeing nothing concerning, he decided to skip the small talk.
"After the fight, how long have I been unconscious?"
"About four hours."
Such a short amount of time felt unreal... until he remembered who he had woken up to. Those flames could restore flesh, and in only an instant. He held his suspicions to the Master Diviner, but kept them concealed. He rubbed his wrists.
"Seeing that you're basically chilling over here, I'm guessing the ghost was dealt with?"
The corners of her lips rose.
"Mhm. With two Heliobi on our side, Cirrus' influence was cut down greatly. Your pony's lullaby eventually lulled Jing Yuan to sleep, though, he did almost die."
Sunny raised a brow. Almost dying? What could have possibly—
He paled. There was something about sticking a dagger into Jing Yuan's eye, wasn't there? But was that really enough to push someone near death?
"Wait, two Heliobi? Not one?"
Who else could have possibly chosen to side with humans? Well, Tail was an indentured servant, but he didn't know the Luofu had another at their disposal.
Fu Xuan sent him a strange closed-eyed look.
"You don't know?"
"Why else would I be asking?"
She frowned, mindlessly tapping the table with her finger. Sunny's gaze lowered when she leaned forward.
"A scarlet Heliobus flew out of your chest and invaded the General, attacking Cirrus directly. The strange part was that it managed to survive against Cirrus despite the Rank difference. Well, survive long enough for the other Heliobus to join in targeting the core."
Sunny felt like a headache was about to come around. In their plan, Tail was meant to go around and annihilate as many fragments of Cirrus as possible, freeing those possessed by them. During the process, Tail was bound to grow stronger. At the same time, Nightmare was meant to leave Cirrus vulnerable by bringing them to sleep, which would lead to sealing.
But... it seemed that Cirrus managed to realize their plan and fake their own slumber, and tried to use that opportunity to kill of Fu Xuan. That was the only option, as Fu Xuan had her own ways of dealing with something trying to invade her body.
They failed to kill her, naturally, as Sunny had pushed her out of the way. He managed to injure Jing Yuan, and at some point, a Heliobus flew out of his chest and fought against Cirrus, but didn't get devoured in the process. It would have been understandable if it weren't for the fact that Jing Yuan had been possessed by Cirrus' largest fragment, which made it the most powerful.
And considering Cirrus in their entirety was a Transcendent Tyrant, that fragment was not just large in comparison — but in truth. And if there was really a Rank difference as Fu Xuan said, then Sunny simply couldn't get how the Heliobus managed to survive and eventually take them down with Tail.
In the end, Nightmare managed to put Cirrus to sleep, leading to the largest fragment being expelled from Jing Yuan and sealed away. Their Class must have lowered, as well, causing their control over the remaining bodies to collapse. The rest of the undevoured fragments must have separated from Cirrus' consciousness, becoming separate Heliobus.
Which meant that there were now thousands upon thousands of Dormant and Awakened Rank Heliobi scattered around the Luofu. At the very least, they were rapidly being dealt with...
Sunny sent Fu Xuan a meaningful look.
"And you aren't hiding anything?"
She snorted.
"Why would I? I told you all that I know."
He let out a sigh.
"It took you more than a mere four hours to restore your arm. You sure nobody tall, in heavy armor, and particularly illegal—"
In a blur of speed, she stuffed one of her delicacies in his mouth, causing his words to cut off. Sweet goodness exploded upon his tongue as he sent her a questioning, and alarmed, look.
"Silence!"
She paused for a few long moments, a worried look on her face, before whispering:
"...Give me your hand."
...Was she going to rip it off again?
"What are you waiting for?"
Hearing her irritation, Sunny flinched, before hurriedly handing her his hand. He didn't want to test her patience...
[You have received a Memory.]
[You have received a Memory.]
[You have received...]
Dozens.
Dozens upon dozens of Memories were transferred to him. His eyes remained wide as the melodious voice of the Spell repeatedly echoed in his ears. Fu Xuan narrowed her eyes.
"You were doing this all for Memories, yes? I'm rewarding you in Jing Yuan's place. I picked them up from the armory, so most of them are useless, but one of them is... I suppose you can say it's a gift from heaven."
As she spoke the last word, she pinched his hand.
She was signaling him.
'Heaven?'
...He opened his runes, scanning through the names of over a hundred — a hundred! — Memories. After a few moments, he found what he was looking for.
Memory: [Eye Under Heaven].