When Caster heard the voice of Sunless in his head, it took all his training to hide a reaction.
Standing at the most important crossroads of his life. Caster could abandon the Workshop that had helped him become who he was, a better warrior, perhaps even a better man.
Or he could choose Legacy. The Great Clan Valor was offering him a position he once would have killed dozens to receive. Not only that, he would receive that wonderful Memory again. The [Helix of Kanahkts Spawn] was an Ascended Charm Memory of the 7th Tier, and absorbed the passage of time from the user. So far as he could tell, there was no limit to it. It essentially nullified the accelerated aging of his Aspect.
His pupils dilated when he saw that earring.
He had been so powerful with it. On the Forgotten Shore, amidst a sea of monstrous generation talent, he had been among the very strongest.
Gehrman obviously was the strongest. Beside him, perhaps only Nephis and Gunlaug (with that golden armor of his) could stand against him. Even then he had been fairly confident he could put up a good fight.
Then, of course, there was one other. The rat who turned his world upside down. That very same mongrel now spoke in his mind.
[If you go with them, I will kill you.]
Caster tensed, the primal fear of death that had been instilled in him by the shadow still reared its ugly head despite the years and training he had undergone.
[You can communicate telepathically now?]
[It's an Enchantment on my Attire. Forget about that though. I'm giving you a warning because Gehrman spent so much time and energy trying to make you a decent guy, but if you go back now, that's all out the window. After what you tried to do to Neph, all I need is a single excuse to slit your throat. So don't tempt me.]
Caster's mind felt like TV static, crumbling and screaming. Lady Morgan was making it clear that this was his only chance to return to Valor. To return to honor.
That damn word.
Honor.
He was reminded of a certain scene from his 2nd Nightmare. Against that Stone Creature that served under the army of a Daemon, he had been totally outclassed, out matched in every sense of the word.
Caster had killed it, receiving the unique [Underworld Armor] Memory that was now at the 5th Tier and continuing to grow.
To do that, he had resorted to a most foul trick, using the fog that lorded over the Hollow Mountains. Even back then, he had taken a page out of Gehrman's book. Springing a trap that the stone creature had no way of getting out of.
Then, as if to taunt him, he finally received a True Name.
After the 2nd Nightmare, the Spell had lauded his tricks. Its twisted sense of humor appeared even more cruel that day.
Unlike the names of Sky Tide, Summer Knight, and Whispering Blade, his True Name did not instill respect and fear.
Now, it seemed like that name was taunting him.
True Name: [Honor Fell]
Even then, the Nightmare Spell thought him a fiend, no longer worthy of the core value of Valor.
He knew ever since then, perhaps even before it, what would happen if he tried to return to Valor.
Caster came to a decision, one that felt like a blade cut his very soul into pieces.
[You can create Memories. Can you recreate one?] Caster asked Sunless.
The shadow appeared startled.
[You…you mean that Charm? Why would I do that for you?]
[I'll pay you back, and I'll forever swear myself to the Workshop.]
[...So you'll rule over the Workshop until Gehrman gets back?]
[No, I'll pass that task over to Oskar. I'm not suited for it. That guy at least has experience in managing operations on a large scale. He was always the one who would inherit the Workshop.]
Caster's eyes steeled.
[And while he gets that, I will be the one to inherit the Hunter's Will.]
Outside this internal conversation, all sides were starting to get antsy. Due to the nature of the telepathy, they were talking much faster than they would be able to with words, as thoughts were being communicated instantly.
[Damn it.] Sunless's voice was a mix of annoyance and relief. [I really wanted an excuse to kill you…forget it. I can recreate the Memory. However, I'll need time with that earring and some special materials. I can see from here it only has one Enchantment, 7 nodes are leading into it. It's extremely complex. I can connect 2 or 3 nodes into powering a single Enchantment, but I've never done all 7. I'll need a few weeks with it in my possession. 2 months would be ideal, honestly.]
[It seems I only have one option at the moment then. I'm not letting it slip through my fingers. I'll get it to you some time after this.]
Caster stepped toward Valor.
What followed was a blur. Seishan insulted him, Gehrman giving a far too understanding look, and then they reached the front lines.
Caster felt a rush go through him.
He could use his Aspect again, that speed, he missed it so dearly.
It was in such a state of excitement that he noticed that Sunless had actually followed them.
"Master Sunless, I thought the Government forces were to pull back? Have you chosen a side today?" Morgan turned with an analytical eye toward the frightening Ascended. Over the course of the campaign, he had been deployed a few times, and had proven to be a terror not unlike Changing Star. Though he did not have her level of destructive power, his sword skill and ability to control shadows had made him an ineffable force of death against the hordes of Nightmare Creatures.
The young man shrugged.
"Don't get me wrong, this is all lunacy and I think you're idiots for doing this. But if Awakened deaths are inevitable, then I might as well try to keep casualties to a minimum by helping one side win overwhelmingly."
"Oh? Despite that creature's display, do you still trust that Valor will win?"
"With Gehrman off the table, I would say so. Though, if he does manage to claw his way back to the battlefield, this fight will instantly end."
Morgan smiled.
"Oh, but didn't you hear that my father is personally attending to him? No matter what happens, no matter what tricks he pulls out, even that monster will fall before a blade such as his."
Sunless looked at her without a word. He didn't indicate either way whether he believed her confidence was well placed.
Curious about this turn in events, Caster decided to test whether the telepathic connection with Sunless was still open.
[Do you really think Valor has the advantage?] he asked.
It seemed that Sunless had indeed kept communications open, since his response came swiftly.
[No way in hell. Not with Mordret as he is currently. That guy survived an onslaught of three Saints and a few Masters. Even without the Reflections he'll be a force to be reckoned with.]
[What? When did he fight such a force? How do you know about it?]
[...I snooped around a bit while I was playing envoy for the Government.]
[As expected, you always were much better suited as a Scout.]
[Oh yeah? What does it say about you if you're a worse killer than a scout.]
[Careful, with my Aspect back, I think I may have a fair shot.]
[Gods, I'm tempted. Maybe I'll just go over to Song so I can have an excuse.]
[Why don't you? I don't mean that as a way to goad you, I am actually curious. Your intentions, as you've said them, do not match with your actions. Why are you under the crimson banner?]
Sunless went silent. Out of the corner of his eye, Caster saw his eye twitch with annoyance.
He never did reply.
[Ah. Of course.]
There was only one reason. One with white hair and blazing eyes.
Caster remembered how back on the Forgotten Shore Gehrman had mentioned them being a couple in order to tease him. It had seemed appalling and impossible at the time.
Now, it still seemed odd to him, but a relationship seemed practically inevitable.
They were practically circling around each other with their protectiveness and acts of care.
At this point, Caster just wished they would clear the air so he wouldn't have to deal with the unsaid tension that rose every time one was mentioned around the other.
"I have finished preparations. Are you ready?" Morgan asked Sunless and Caster both.
With a flick of his wrist and a bit of flourish Caster summoned both the [Prideful Chikage] and the [Underworld Armor].
Sunless gave him an odd look for some reason, but then shook his head.
A truly enormous storm of sparks appeared around him, the only thing comparable were the summoning of 20 Transcendent Echoes from Morgan. All of which were now stationed and ready for war.
Only three Echoes (if that's what they were) appeared from Sunless. However, each was horrifyingly dangerous and emanated a menacing aura.
What appeared to be an imp made of metal appeared, exuding an aura much too powerful than its pitiful form.
A horse with dangerous fangs and iron like hooves rose from the shadows, its mere presence spreading dread.
Then, Caster's heart jumped as a creature all too similar to the stone abomination that he had killed for the [Underworld Armor] stepped calmly out of his shadow.
She was by far the most imposing, having a presence not at all lesser than a Transcendent Human.
Not only that, she held the bearing of an experienced warrior with untold skill.
Sunless summoned his weaponry, arming the Stone creature.
Then, he turned to Morgan.
"Now I'm ready."
Everyone in Valor turned to look at him with a mixture of horror and relief. On the one hand, they had just gained an immensely powerful ally, one whose worth was not less than a Saint (when including his Echoes).
However, he had also just massively upstaged them.
Morgan was the Princess of War. These Echoes were, for the most part, inherited. However this man came from no Legacy Clan and his servants were in no way inferior.
In fact, the stone soldier looked to be just as mighty as any Transcendent Human on the battlefield.
Of course, Morgan wasn't one to get caught up on formalities during war time.
After some quipping, she smiled and let Sunless go to his own devices. Unsurprisingly, he moved over toward Changing Star's side of the battlefield.
Caster took a deep breath.
Morgan was shouting now, most likely offering words of inspiration. Once upon a time they would have set his heart ablaze.
Now they seemed utterly hollow.
Unfeeling and underwhelmed next to the Princess of the Great Clan which he fought so hard to return to, a bit of Caster died. That part that clung to the warmth and admiration that came with glory.
Now there was just the enemy. Now there was just prey.
The horns sounded, the battle started.
Immediately the Saints all shot forward, the armies marched, and an onslaught of Nightmare Creatures enthralled by Beastmasters assaulted the first wave of Valor.
Then, in one man's perspective, it all slowed to a crawl.
Only the Saints were still moving, but even they were still slower than how a normal person might move through the world.
Caster took a step and shuddered.
He was not in silence when he was in this state. The low droning of the battlefield still echoed, but it was at such a deep volume that in Caster's ears, it just sounded like one, everlasting sigh.
This feeling was that of his Dormant Ability.
It made him feel like a god, and his ego threatened to immediately return with force. This power, and indeed his Aspect, revolved around the concept of acceleration.
As a Dormant Ability, entering this state of acceleration was only limited by his physical and mental capabilities. It strained him as much as remembered.
In order to go this fast he needed to think this fast. Which was why his brain also had to be accelerated to an absurd degree. The whiplash of such an ability was not easy, even while he negated the constant aging that he would be put under without the Charm on his ear.
Still, since this ability cost no Essence, he really could be in this state forever so long as his willpower was strong enough.
Caster took another step.
His balance shook a bit.
It wasn't something one would usually consider, but when one ran, they pushed off the ground. Due to physics being what they were, an equal and opposite force usually rebounded when one kicked downward on the ground to start their running. However, at this speed, that force did not come fast enough, forcing Caster to move in a very specific way so he didn't trip himself up.
Fortunately, it came back to him in seconds. After struggling, he got in the groove, adjusted his gate, and ran.
Dimly, he thought about his Awakened and Ascended Abilities. Gehrman had talked to him about them, mostly to come up with theories on their utilization. They managed to come up with some pretty solid uses of his powers, but Caster quite literally had no experience with them.
His Awakened Ability was [Accelerant's Imbument], which allowed him to share a modicum of his own accelerated nature with other objects and even people, though the price of Essence was much steeper when the things he accelerated took on more rare and mystical nature.
However, he passively noted that now that he could use the ability, it would be nice to try to use it on the Vermin Breeding Tank to further improve their progress.
It seemed the main way to use this Ability was actually in a more supportive role. He could accelerate the natural healing of wounds, for example. Apparently the "Vilebloods" already had innate regeneration to a degree, so if he managed to combine those powers with his own, he could potentially operate as a healer.
Of course, there was also the option of imbuing weapons with Acceleration. It would no doubt be very tricky to work into his swordplay, though that was something that would inevitably have to happen.
At the moment, adding the imbuement to projectiles seemed the simplest and best choice.
His Ascended Ability actually ticked him off for a while. [Accelerant's Aura] did much the same thing as imbuement, except it provided the enhancement in an area of effect.
Gehrman proposed that all three abilities could stack to further increase his speed, which would indeed be utterly incredible, but the similarities between his Awakened and Ascended Abilities still annoyed him.
His only hope was that, after experimenting with both, he could find a fundamental difference between the two that could be exploited for further power.
In any case, that didn't matter.
At that moment, the Awakened of Song were taking their first steps in charge.
In the same breath the [Prideful Chikage] cut through the thralls of Beastmaster. A dozen Fallen Beasts fell to his blade in a single slash.
His strength and speed had been enhanced with [Crows Vow], but with his actual Aspect, his physical power was incomparable.
The Battle of Black Skull started just like that, with dozens of Nightmare Creatures dying in a single second.
The [Prideful Chikage] felt light and even more deadly in Caster's hands than usual.
He smiled amidst the utter carnage he wrought.
To all who witnessed him, the man formerly known as Han Li Caster was most clearly and evidently a Hunter.
A butcher of beasts had been served up over a thousand Nightmare Creatures on a silver platter and he had no qualms painting these lands red with their blood.