Chapter Summary: The Cohort enjoys a nice, relaxing night.
-------------------------------------------
Sunny was reconsidering all of his life choices.
"Ten minutes left and we are on air!"
He sat on a couch, his back ramrod straight, staring into space so he wouldn't have to look at the buzz of activity around him.
The stage had been made to resemble a rustic cabin in the woods. All the furniture was made of wood -real wood, at that- with chairs, sofas, and a small, low table where the refreshments rested. Hunting trophies adorned the walls. A hearth stood against one wall, already burning slowly through its synth-wood supply, and finally, a set of wide-open windows offered a glimpse of a vast forest right outside.
A distant part of him, the one that wasn't busy panicking, could admit that it was impressively well done.
The much bigger part, however, was too busy freaking out to really care.
At some point, somehow, he had decided to walk down a path whose endless twists and turns had led him to this time and place.
He had gazed into the soul of an Unholy Titan, challenged the Third Nightmare as a Sleeper, stood before the Shadow God and Oblivion, watched on in horrified wonder as a mere clash of their Wills was almost enough to pop the realm itself like a balloon. And somehow, none of those things made him feel as nervous as this did.
"Why did I agree to this?" he muttered beneath his breath.
"They paid you. A lot."
Sunny glared in Kai's direction, and Kai raised his hands in surrender. He was seated on a chair to his left, looking as well-groomed as ever and far too at ease for his taste with the whole thing.
"You asked," the man defended himself.
He glared at him for a second longer before relenting. Kai wasn't at fault for his terrible life choices.
Damn his love for money. It led to far too many terrible choices.
"It's alright, Doofus. You can hide behind me if you are scared." Effie, as expected, did not miss the chance to tease him.
His glare turned to her next, but the infuriating smile plastered all over her face didn't fade a single millimeter. If anything, she looked even more obnoxious now than she did before. She was further down on his left, occupying all of a small sofa on her own, with her arms sprawled across the backrest.
"If you think this is bad, you should have seen some of the other interviews we have attended," Cassie commented, taking a slow sip of her tea.
The petite Seer was down on his right, on a small chair that nonetheless looked very comfortable. Which only left one more person, sharing the couch with him...
"They were... uncomfortable," Nephis added evenly.
She and Sunny were seated side by side, the small couch leaving them pressed against each other and aware of every tiny movement the other made. He could have left to take another spot, but he was comfortable right where he was. Besides, a little contact felt like nothing after what had taken place three nights ago.
Now, if only he could stop stealing glances at her like an awkward teenager, everything would be perfect. Or if the others could stop glancing at him -even Cassie was doing it!- with that knowing smirk. At least Nephis was doing it too, so he wasn't alone in the embarrassment.
"Yeah, remember the one right after we returned from the Second Nightmare? I swear the host looked more ravenous than some Nightmare Creatures I have fought," Kai added with a frown.
He, too, was drinking, his expression that of someone wishing there was some alcohol in his coffee.
"She did look ravenous," Effie agreed, then wiggled her brows. "Though that was about you and not what we talked about, Prince Charming."
Kai sighed exasperatedly.
"Just because she gave me her number doesn't mean that she was flirting with me. And stop calling me that."
Cassie leaned forward in her chair, smiling like a predator whose target had walked into the ambush all on its own.
"Funny. I remember you complaining about how often she texted you before you finally decided to block her."
"That was flirting?" Nephis asked, looking confused. "Kai, didn't you insist that she was only being polite?"
The handsome archer went to defend himself, then hesitated when Sunny patted him comfortingly on the back.
"Don't bother. They won't relent."
He knew it by experience.
Sunny himself was still irritated by that stunt they -including Kai- pulled off following him and Nephis around. The only reason he hadn't decided to stop them was that they were genuinely dealing with the problems that arose due to his dear parent.
Their expressions were hilarious when he destroyed the camera and all the recordings.
"How about we change the topic to something else?" Kai pleaded to all of them.
"Oh no, do continue. This is very amusing."
Someone else interceded, their voice quickly approaching.
Sunny turned to regard the speaker with curiosity. He had sensed her watching them, but since they weren't speaking about anything sensitive -and this was a public space- he hadn't bothered to stop her.
It was a woman in her late thirties or maybe early forties. With tan skin and pretty enough to stand out in a crowd, but not much more. Though she had a certain air about her that kept drawing the eye. She had long black hair and a pair of light brown eyes currently set on them with clear amusement. She wore an outfit that vaguely resembled that of a hunter of old, to go with the rustic theme of the scenario.
"Is it time already? I thought we had more time," Nephis inquired.
Laura, the program's new host, took a seat on the vacant chair in front of him, covered in the hide of some animal that he severely doubted had ever existed.
"We have a little time left," she clarified with a pleasant smile. "But it's always good to make sure everything is in place before getting started. The program is live, after all."
"Like what?" he asked curiously.
"Well, first of all, I wanted to make sure all of you read the questions."
Sunny nodded, quickly followed by everyone else.
All of the questions and answers had already been decided weeks in advance before this interview had been set to take place. It was, after all, an interview meant to drive up support for the incoming Antarctica campaign. One that had been agreed upon as a joint effort between Song and the Government.
Sunny had also made sure that none of the questions that were going to be asked were dangerous or would force him to lie, so his Flaw would leave him alone. It helped his nerves a little. Spell, it was the only reason he had even agreed to this to begin with.
At the same time, he couldn't help but be nervous anyway. He wanted to be remembered, yes, but not for doing stuff like this. He had spent so long trying to avoid the spotlight that standing at the forefront like this, or at the many events he had been forced to attend as a Prince of Song, still made him feel uncomfortable.
"That's good," Laura said, nodding, still smiling. "Have you all memorized the answers?"
"Yes," Sunny answered immediately.
"Very good. But just in case you blank out..." She pointed at one of the teleprompters. "They will be displayed on that screen."
Sunny glanced briefly out of curiosity and saw the technician in charge of it tapping away at the keyboard while humming a catchy tune.
In the remaining time they had, Laura asked a few more questions to make sure everything was in place before finally looking satisfied.
While she did, the crew worked quickly, almost resembling a kicked anthill in the sheer number of people moving around and the uncanny coordination with which they did so. It was almost impressive. The technicians, assistants, security guards, and other varied workers seemed to know exactly what they were doing, never once bothering to check their surroundings before carrying out their tasks, trusting completely that the others would not get in the way. All the while, they worked with bright smiles on their faces, looking genuinely happy to be there.
They were paid very handsomely, he guessed.
Soon enough, though far too soon in his opinion, one of the smiling men walked to the forefront, just outside the view of the cameras, and raised a hand in the air with three fingers raised.
"We begin in three, two, one..."
Laura's serene smile morphed into a bright one, revealing a set of pearly white teeth that almost blinded him with their flash.
"Welcome, welcome, my dear spectators! Tonight, we are here for another program of Hunted, the most-viewed Sunday night talk show!" A jingle played for a few seconds, then she waved at them. "Tonight, none other than Changing Star and Black Star, along with their cohort, have joined me for a conversation! Please give them a warm welcome!"
The technicians played the sound of applause and cheers over the speakers, loud enough to seem real.
"Good evening, Laura," Sunny said lightly while leisurely leaning back against the couch. "I know it's an honor."
He capped the words with a wink that made the host chuckle. Laughs were played over the speakers, the kind he was sure he had heard before in other TV programs.
"What Sunny means to say is that it's an honor to be here," Nephis said seriously, shooting him a disapproving stare.
"Oh, there is no need to say that." Laura lightly shook her head. "It truly is an honor to have you two here. Why, you could even say I caught some big prey-" More laughter echoed. "-tonight."
Sunny resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Damn, but the script was corny.
Things had barely started, and he was already done with it.
"Notice how she didn't mention us, Nightingale?" Effie asked while softly jabbing Kai's side. "'Their cohort'? Wow, that's cold."
"I apologize if I caused any offense, Lady Raised By Wolves—"
Cassie snorted haughtily, looking at the host with amusement. "Lady? Her? You better have your hunting rifle in hand, Laura. Otherwise, you might end up being the one hunted tonight if you lower your guard."
"Hey!"
"Better keep your hands away from the snacks, too," Kai added conspiratorially. "She bites."
Effie pouted, and Laura chuckled in time with more of the canned laughs.
"I apologize nonetheless. Masters of your caliber are few, and much rarer are those brave enough to put their lives on the line for the sake of protecting humanity. We should thank you all."
"There is no need to thank us, Laura," Cassie said warmly. "We are doing nothing but what's expected of us. After all."
"And we have the chance to have some fun along the way while we are at it," Sunny added, an arrogant smile playing on his face while he shot a wink toward the camera. "Mark my words, everyone. By the time I'm done, the Nightmare Creatures won't dare leave whatever hellhole they come from."
"You are eager, I see," the host noted.
Nephis nodded, looking like the vivid image of a noble hero. "Of course we are. I have been preparing all of my life for this very moment, and now that it's finally here, I can barely wait. I know it in my heart: my family is looking down on me with pride."
Seated so close together, it was impossible for Sunny to miss just how tense saying those words made Nephis. It must have been truly infuriating, seeing her trauma being reduced to little more than an uplifting backstory.
He scuttled a little closer to her in silent support. His options were limited in such a public setting, after all, and he had no intention of giving Effie or the show itself any more ammunition.
Nephis did not say anything, didn't even glance his way, but the corners of her lips twitched upward for a fraction of a second in appreciation.
"There you have it, folks," Laura said brightly. "The defenders of humanity are ready to fight for us. I, for one, am relieved to know that."
"Just don't expect us to do it all," Kai added, shaking his head. "We can fight, that's true. But if we want to make this a successful campaign, we will need more than that. Boots on the ground. Doctors, engineers. Food, water. And a thousand other things. We will do our best, but only when we all work together can we truly succeed."
They all nodded to his words, acting as though they had heard words of unparalleled wisdom.
Sunny could understand the practical purpose of them. He even agreed with saying them. But damn if it didn't make him feel dirty to participate in these things.
He himself had hated seeing talks like this back when he was still a child, looking at the people on the screen, all clean and well-fed. Not a single hair out of place while they talked about how essential it was for others to take action.
The only reason he didn't feel like even more of a hypocrite was that he himself was going to participate in the fight against the Chain of Nightmares instead of just spouting some nice words before leaving, like he had to at the charity events he had participated in.
"Thank you for your wise words, Sir Nightingale," Laura continued smoothly, bringing out a stack of cards. "Since the introductions are done, how about we get started on the interview part?"
"Already wanting to kick us out, Laura?" he asked lightly. "Fine by me. I still have many preparations to make before I leave in two days, after all. Warm clothing, enough dental paste to last me a while, some board games. Maybe a few plaques for my trophies, too."
Sunny died a little inside when more canned laughs followed his words.
"I wouldn't dare!" she retorted, looking scandalized. "Sadly, the schedule has to be maintained, so we will have to move along."
"We understand," Nephis said soothingly.
Laura smiled gratefully and took a look at the first card.
"At this point, we all know about the Antarctica Campaign and the incoming Chain of Nightmares. However, we don't have much information about how it will be handled. Would you mind shining some light on this, Lady Changing Star?"
"Not at all." She took a breath before starting. "As most of you know already, Antarctica is divided into three landmasses. The western one has already been evacuated, as it is sparsely populated. The central and eastern ones, on the other hand, represent a much bigger challenge. For that reason, the Government, in alliance with the Clans, has decided to send the biggest force ever fielded to both landmasses to protect the population from the Gates while the evacuation takes place."
Nephis took a break, both to sip water and to allow the audience to digest the information before continuing.
"The plan is simple in theory but complicated in practice. As the central landmass is smaller and less populated, a choice has been made to first evacuate the civilians to the eastern landmass, which will act as the staging ground for the evacuation to the distinct quadrants. Once the evacuation of the central continent is completed, all of our forces will converge in the eastern one, where we intend to start our counterattack against the Nightmare Creatures and begin the task of reconquering Antarctica in the name of humanity. Of course, more detailed versions of what I have just told you will be released soon."
Sunny was thankful for not being the one who had to answer that question.
It would have been far less encouraging if he had just told them that the idea was to evacuate as many people as possible within the span of nine months they could 'safely' stay within the cold continent before the Category Six Gate was predicted to open and then run with their tails tucked between their legs.
This version was more hopeful. They weren't running away, just biding their time until they could strike back. Once the time was up, they could always come up with an excuse that made it impossible to carry on, after all.
"I see. Thank you for the clarification, Lady Changing Star." Smiling serenely, Laura nodded in her direction before turning to him. "Now, Sir Black Star, what do you think of the plan? Do you think it can succeed?"
Sunny shrugged nonchalantly, still playing the arrogant, extravagant man.
"If there is something I learned, it's that no plan survives contact with the enemy. But I do think it's a decent one-" the real one, that was, not the one meant for the masses "-as for whether I think it can succeed? Well, as you all know, I have faced worse odds and come out ahead."
Laura chuckled at his lackadaisical attitude, then brought out another card.
"Now, this question is for you, Lady Elegy of the End. Your foresight is famous all over the world by now, so we would like to know if you have had a vision on this matter."
Cassie took a slow sip from her tea, savoring every drop, then unhurriedly placed the cup back on the table.
"I do, though I cannot claim sole merit for this. I have worked with diviners all over the world to correlate our premonitions into one that has as much assurance of coming true as we can." She smiled mysteriously. "The result is simple. Tough times are ahead of us, dark times, terrible even, but humanity will come out of it with its head held high. Stronger than ever."
Sunny quirked an eyebrow.
That was a very embellished version of the more straightforward one she was meant to give. Cassie had a theatrical flair too, he guessed.
"Sir Nightingale, would you like to say anything to the people considering whether to enlist as volunteers for the Campaign?"
Kai straightened up, looking at the camera with a serious frown on his normally gentle face.
"If you have something you can afford to give, then give it. Do what you can, in whatever way you can, but don't throw your life away trying to prove your courage. As I said before, the Campaign needs every hand it can get, and there is more to helping than standing on the front lines."
Laura nodded approvingly and looked toward Effie to finish the first round of questions.
"Tell us, Lady Athena, what's the best advice you can give to the men and women of Antarctica in the face of the incoming danger?"
Effie hummed thoughtfully for a second before nodding.
"That's easy. Stand together. With the people you love, with those you merely tolerate, even those you hate. Whatever happens, you must stand together. Our differences may divide us in times of peace, but they cannot be allowed to divide us now that we are at war with the Spell. After all, in harsh times, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives."
Sunny barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The advice was sound, but the way to deliver it was rather questionable.
"Thank you, I hope that they all listen to your wise advice." The host's eyes twinkled brightly, as though the words said by Effie had deeply inspired her.
He would have to ask later how she did it; it looked very convincing.
Laura cleared her throat and turned to Nephis again. "Now, Lady Nephis, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we are quite curious about the recent news. More specifically, the fact that we have Supremes walking among us now. As the daughter of one of them, what could you tell us about Lady Ki Song and Lord Anvil?"
Nephis frowned, seemingly deep in thought, then shook her head. "I'm afraid I cannot share anything. It is confidential information, after all." She hesitated briefly, visibly reconsidering, then leaned forward like she was about to say something she shouldn't. "However, I can tell you this. Thanks to them, and the risk they put themselves into by challenging the Fourth Nightmare, the campaign's rate of success has increased by more than a hundred percent."
Ah yes, and two was twice as much as one.
Truly humble, those two. Sunny almost snorted in amusement.
Laura's reaction was oddly restrained, as she only nodded with that serene smile of hers before moving on to the next questions, asking each of them a question in turn.
They ranged from their assumed roles within the campaign to how a specific matter would be addressed, to what their personal thoughts were about the way the Government was handling the incoming disaster. The Great Clans. Some recent scandals. And so many other things that Sunny eventually fell into autopilot and just answered word for word with the script to every question directed his way.
All of them were a variation of "I trust that we are taking, if not the best choice, then the best one we can within the circumstances," anyway.
At some point, mind-numbing boredom had started to settle in. He couldn't even entertain himself by focusing on the shadow he had left with Rain, as she was watching the damn interview too. To remedy that, he started making shadow figures across the studio. He even made a game out of it, trying to get the others to notice them without the staff or Laura doing so.
Kai was leading the scoreboard, followed closely by Effie, with Nephis far behind. She was just that bad at pretending not to be looking. He had also decided to disqualify Cassie since she just cheated using his senses, much to her chagrin.
Just as he was considering what shape to make next, Sunny's attention was brought back to the interview. Effie had just finished giving her answer, and the air had changed somehow. It felt heavier, for some reason.
His brow furrowed in thought for a brief moment. Should he...? Nah, it was probably nothing.
"Thank you, Lady Athena, that's certainly a colorful way to handle that problem." Laura cleared her throat. "With that, we have finished this portion of the interview. So now it's time to get to the one that our viewers are more interested in." Her serene smile became brighter, eyes alight with almost childish wonder. "The personal questions part!"
Cheers played through the intercom, and for some reason he felt a foreboding sensation.
Sunny guessed that it made sense. This part had been planned in advance too, but it wasn't like he wanted to speak about himself for the whole world to see like this.
Resisting the urge to shudder, he decided to just soldier on and deal with it. There wasn't that much time left, anyway.
"To get things started, how about this, Lady Nephis? Favorite dish?"
For the first time in the whole interview, a faint smile appeared on her face as she looked at him sideways.
"I'm not a picky eater. But if I were to choose, then whatever Sunny prepares."
He was prepared in advance for that answer, and he still almost blushed. Damn her, and how cute she could be when speaking like that!
"Oh my, that's certainly a romantic answer," Laura cooed, looking between the two of them. "How about you, Sir Sunless? Is anything she prepares your favorite dish too?"
"Of course!" he said with complete honesty, making sure to make eye contact with Nephis. Served her right for almost making him break character! "I have eaten all kinds of terrible things across my life just to stay alive. The food at the Awakened Academy was great, far better than what I was used to, but then I ended up in the Dream Realm alongside her, and I learned what true cooking looks like. Everything else simply lacked her special ingredient."
The host leaned forward eagerly. "And what ingredient would that be?"
Sunny, with a completely straight face, answered immediately.
"Love."
He was sure that he had just taken soul damage.
Or maybe it was just that everyone. Everyone. Was doing their best not to laugh at him.
He hadn't been paid enough for this shit.
At least Neph looked embarrassed too. He was going to kill whoever came up with that stupid script anyway.
Somehow, Laura managed to keep her face straight too and looked toward Cassie next. "Tell us, Lady Cassia. Is there a vision you favor over all else? Do Seers even rate them?"
The petite woman smiled mysteriously. "Of course we do. I even have a top ten, though I sadly cannot share it since it would take too long. Now, if I were to pick one, then it's probably this one."
"What do you mean?" the host inquired curiously.
"I already foresaw this evening taking place," she revealed easily. "You see, it's rare for my visions to be happy ones. Most times, they include some kind of disaster that I have to do my best to avoid. I'm not complaining, mind you. I am even happy to, as it means that I can protect humanity much better like this. However, it can also be a little of a downer. Then in comes this vision of just me spending a fun evening with my friends, talking to such a pleasant woman. Of course, it is my favorite!"
"You honor us, Lady Cassia. Thank you!"
The writer who chose that answer sure liked their program.
"Favorite song, Sir Kai?" Laura asked next.
The archer frowned thoughtfully for a few seconds before answering with a sheepish smile. "This is going to sound a little self-centered, but that would be 'Fear Not This Night' from my former band. I composed it shortly after returning from the Dream Realm, and it holds a special place in my heart."
"Oh, I assure you that there is no shame in appreciating your own work." She chuckled self-consciously. "Why, I quite enjoy watching reels of my own interviews from time to time. As few of them as I have done so far."
"That's a relief," he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.
Smiling, the poor woman's jaw must have been aching already; she hadn't stopped doing it the whole night. She turned toward Effie.
"What's your favorite form of exercise, Lady Athena? You have been spotted practicing many sports ever since you returned from the Second Nightmare."
The huntress smiled confidently. "I would share the first one, but I'm afraid the age ratings of this program are a little low."
"I would appreciate it if you don't, thank you," Laura said, laughing uncomfortably, just as the script demanded.
"Exactly, so I'll go with the second. That would be athleticism. There is a special kind of freedom in just running as fast as you can, freedom in tasting the air against your skin, and all of that sappy stuff."
They all shared a laugh at that, joined in by the canned laughs.
A series of fast-paced questions followed after that.
"Favorite weapon, Lady Nephis?"
"The straight sword, though I don't mind using other weapons."
"What would you tell a past version of yourself, Lady Cassia?"
"That no matter how dark things may look, there is still light at the end of the tunnel."
"Favorite color, Sir Sunless?"
"Black, though I'm also fond of white."
"Pizza with or without pineapple, Lady Athena?"
"With."
"Any fashion advice for our viewers, Sir Kai?"
"Variety is important. Do not always use just one color."
The bastard looked at him when answering that one.
"Did you ever have a pet, Lady Cassia?"
"No, my parents couldn't afford such an expensive thing."
"Is there a hobby you would like to share with us, Sir Sunless?"
"Does writing reports of my adventures count? Then that one."
"Favorite movie, Lady Athena?"
"A Song of Light and Shadows."
Sunny made a shadow kick her in the shin for that one. It was part of the script, but the massive grin she wore and the way she wiggled her eyebrows in his and Nephis' direction wasn't. The wink she shot him back said that she regretted nothing.
"Do you miss singing, Sir Kai?"
"I don't. I still do it, after all."
"Have you ever considered retiring from the Awakened life, Lady Nephis?"
"Yes, though I won't until I accomplish a dream of mine."
Eventually, they fell into a comfortable rhythm as question after question was asked and they answered in turn.
Until...
"We have talked about the Sovereigns before, but we haven't asked you about your opinion of them. What is it, Sir Sunless?"
He was asked a question meant for Nephis instead.
Sunny barely managed to stop himself from breaking character. He shared a quick look with her and confirmed that he wasn't remembering wrong; the question had been meant for her. Had Laura mixed them up by accident?
Pressed by his Flaw, and unwilling to ruin the interview so close to the end, he took a quick look at the teleprompter since he hadn't bothered memorizing Nephis' answers. He almost blinked upon seeing it, but he didn't give it much thought, deciding that it was meant to build up to some sort of conclusion.
It was close enough to his own opinion that he could answer with it too.
"I don't like them that much," he answered casually, acting as though nothing strange was going on. "They have done nothing for close to two decades, and now they come out to play the heroes. It's just too convenient."
Laura nodded enthusiastically. "An opinion shared by many, Sir Sunless. I have even heard rumors saying that they have done nefarious things and hid all the evidence."
What? That sure wasn't part of the script.
"Now, Lady Changing Star, I heard that before being adopted by Sovereign Ki Song, you refused all of their offers to join their clan. Why would that be?"
Nephis hesitated. That question wasn't planned, and given her earlier reaction to his words, that answer wasn't on it either.
"I just wanted to..." She struggled, visibly torn between saying two different things for a long few seconds before she finally managed to spit out the words. "Stay independent for a little longer... build up my own strength before relying on others."
For the first time that night, Laura's smile dimmed.
"I understand, I understand. Quite commendable of you, if I may say so myself," she praised, looking her dead in the eyes.
"Thank you," Nephis said uncomfortably.
Sunny felt uncomfortable too, like there was something pressing against him from all sides.
"Now, sir Sunless!" Him again? "Would you rather be part of a Legacy Clan or be independent?"
"I…" he hesitated, feeling a little woozy. He continued a moment later, pressed on by his Flaw. "I would prefer to stay independent. Clans feel too constricting."
The woozy sensation lasted for a moment longer before it finally disappeared, and Laura's smile returned as though it had never left. She looked at the watch placed on one of the walls and gasped audibly.
"Oh! Look at the hour! It's almost time to finish this interview!"
Sunny was about to let out a relieved sigh. And then the host's neck snapped toward him so fast he could swear he heard a crack.
"But before we finish things, how about one final question, Sir Sunless?"
He resisted the urge to swallow. There was something in those light brown eyes that gave him goosebumps. They were just too clear, almost yellow under a certain light.
"Sure," he answered with a calm he did not feel.
"How did it feel to be enslaved?"
Sunny's heart skipped a beat.
"What?" he heard himself asking, though he did not remember opening his mouth.
"You heard me, Sir Sunless," she said softly. Then she continued, pronouncing every word with a slowness and intent that made his blood freeze. "How. Did. It. Feel. To. Be. Enslaved?"
Sunny stared in incomprehension for a moment longer.
He had heard the words clearly, but they were so shocking he failed to parse them.
The moment passed, and shadows erupted all around the set, aiming toward Laura, the cameras, and the microphones, only for all of them to vanish a moment later. They hadn't been destroyed or annihilated somehow; they had just been dismissed.
By Sunny himself.
Laura tilted her head to the right, avoiding a beam of white fire by millimeters that tore through her chair's back and through the wall behind it.
A spear was thrown in the woman's direction, followed close behind by an arrow and a rapier.
Laura caught the first and used it to bat the arrow away, then destroyed the rapier with a simple slap. She stood up next, dodging with a nimble side-step the beam of white shooting at her, and started walking toward him with slow, measured steps.
With each step she took, something seemed to change about her.
Her form filled out, muscle rippling beneath her skin as she grew larger by the second, until she stood a full head taller than before. The fabric across her chest flattened as her figure changed, while her features sharpened, swiftly transforming from those of a pretty woman into those of a handsome man. Her eyes were the last to change, their light brown fading into a burning, unmistakable gold.
Moments before, Laura, the talk show host, had stood before him. Now, there was a man instead, standing within arm's length.
"You haven't answered my question, Sunless," Asterion chastised softly. "That's rude of you."
Nephis went to stand up, a shroud of fire flaring around her, and then a Will with the weight of a mountain behind it fell on her, locking her into place. Immediately after, everyone else was frozen too.
"Now, now, little Nephis. No jumping ahead in the queue. Let your boyfriend speak first."
The golden-eyed Supreme fell silent after that, patiently awaiting for him to speak.
He fought the man's Will, straining against its tyrannical authority with his own, only to find out just how futile it was. It didn't matter what he did, or how skillfully he wielded it; a needle would always lose against a sword.
Pain wracked his body while he did so, growing more excruciating with every passing second as his Flaw demanded, again and again, that he answer the question. It felt as though his very nerves were being twisted apart, yet he clenched his jaw and forced himself to endure it as long as he could. There had to be a way out of this. There had to be.
And yet, he found none.
His teeth ground together with such force that one cracked. He tried, Gods, he tried. Never had he lasted so long against its influence, but eventually, there was no other option left but to speak.
"Horrible. Violating. Like my soul had been lashed."
Asterion's serene smile widened. Slowly, he turned around toward the cameras, his smile back to its previous length, presenting his back without fear of retaliation.
Shadows stirred behind the Supreme, followed by a white inferno, threatening to swallow the room whole. And yet the strike never came. They crawled on the ground, danced through the air, surged forward only to stop within the same motion.
No matter how much he wanted to strike at Asterion, he couldn't muster the willingness to.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Asterion said kindly, smiling toward the cameras like a pastor would at his congregation. "I must apologize for sequestering this lovely program for my own purposes. I understand, I truly do. You are tired. It's late. The only thing you want now is to enjoy this little moment of leisure before going to bed."
He paused, his expression turning grave, like he was being forced to deliver terrible news to a dear friend.
"And yet, circumstances have forced my hand." He shook his head slowly, mournfully. "The sins I have uncovered merit nothing else."
The man placed a paternal hand on his shoulder, looking for all purposes like he was trying to console him.
"Sir Sunless, the Black Star, as some of you may call him, has a terrible secret." He turned back toward the cameras. "This brave young man has a True Name. Oh, I'm sure that few of you are surprised. His feats more than merit it, after all. What will surprise you, however, is the reason why he hid it."
No.
He wouldn't dare.
He wouldn't say such a thing.
It wasn't possible. Not like this.
Sunny strained against the Will keeping him in place with renewed vigor. So much that it started to tear at the edges. Asterion looked back at him briefly, brow quirked in surprise, and then his Will fell down on him with twice the pressure, rendering his efforts moot.
Asterion stepped away, his serene smile morphing into a severe expression of barely constrained fury. His golden eyes turned toward Nephis, who stood frozen under his Will.
From an outside perspective, it looked like he was accusing her, and she didn't dare to answer.
No. No. No.
"Lost from Light," he said with reverence. "That is his True Name. One that he had to hide for an important reason. His Aspect is a powerful one, but it also comes with a terrible price."
No. No. No. No no no nononononoNONONONONONO.
Asterion paused, slightly leaning toward the cameras as he let the tension build before delivering the truth.
"Whoever utters his name becomes his Master. Someone whose orders he has to obey no matter what."
Something broke within him.
The fury that had been clawing its way through him. The hatred. The hopelessness. They piled higher and higher until something inside him finally snapped, and then, just as suddenly, it all drained away. No anger was left. No despair. Just a hollow, aching numbness where it had all been.
His biggest weakness and shame. The curse he had been saddled with. Aired out for all of the world to know. There was no hiding it anymore. No chance he could ever just liberate himself from his chains and live a normal life when every single person in the world knew it.
Faintly, he heard something crack beside him. He turned slowly, almost disinterestedly, just in time to see Nephis' thunderous expression before a wave of fire like no other he had ever seen erupted out of her with all the might of a cracked core behind it.
It reached Asterion in the blink of an eye, and just as fast, the man, the Sovereign, the Ghoul who had dared to reveal his biggest secret was dead.
There was no fight, no resistance, no last proclamation or attempt to strike back. He had simply died. His body lay on the ground, calcined to the bone, his features forever scarred and made unrecognizable by the merciless flames of Nephis' Aspect.
Sunny felt no joy nor relief. It was just pointless.
Who cared if Asterion was dead?
He was done for.
He—
A chuckle echoed around the stage, coming from one of the technicians. He had been watching the whole thing in silence, with that creepy, serene smile on his face, the same one that everyone else on set wore.
"Did you really think," the man began to say, and then, out of thin air, as if a phantom, another Asterion appeared and finished the sentence. "That it would be so easy?"
The Dream Spawn shot his own corpse a disdainful stare and chuckled again, facing the cameras once more.
"I would say that you can all guess it by now." Asterion paused, shooting a look of great disappointment at Nephis. "Yes, ladies and gentlemen. She is the one who enslaved Sunless. In the Crimson Spire, she uttered his True Name, revealed to him by none other than the treacherous Elegy of the End. Then, she ordered him to stay behind so that she could run away. To this very day, she still holds the same level of control. The kind from which Sunless cannot break out, no matter how dearly he wishes to."
The pressure on them magnified, making it impossible to so much as twitch a finger.
Sunny wanted to laugh and couldn't.
Laugh at how easily Asterion had ruined every effort he had ever made to hide his True Name, at how unlikely it was he could ever be free after this, at the absurdity of it all.
"Tell me, Sunless, or rather, Lost from Light, is anything I have said so far a lie?" he asked gently.
He didn't even bother to fight his Flaw. What was the point?
The pressure was relieved long enough to answer. "No, it's all true."
Asterion placed a comforting hand on his shoulder once more.
"It is very brave of you to admit it, Sunless."
A shadow tendril half-heartedly attempted to lash out at Asterion, but it was crushed with ease by his Will.
The Dream Spawn turned toward the camera once more, looking grim and disappointed.
"You have been lied to for a long, long time. Made to believe in the kindness and benevolence of those who only care for their own gain. Changing Star, the Government, and worst of all, my fellow Sovereigns. And tonight, I will tear apart that farce myself." He looked aside briefly, as if overcome by memories. "But first, allow me to present myself. Few of you might remember me today, but once upon a time, I was part of Broken Sword's cohort along with Sovereigns Anvil of Valor and Ki Song. My name is… Asterion."
Sunny felt a terrible sensation crawling up his spine, like a millipede was trying to hook its claws into his brain. He railed against it with his willpower, and the thing fought back, sinking its claws deeper. Suddenly, the hate he felt toward Asterion didn't seem as vivid.
It felt hazy, unimportant, pointless. In fact, he should be grateful.
Hadn't he wanted to stop lying? There were no more lies thanks to him. No more having to worry about his True Name being revealed.
This, too, was a form of freedom in a way. Yes, he should be gratefu—
Deep within, Sunny's soul roared in sheer apocalyptic wrath. The millipede tried to dig deeper, tried to make him think that Asterion was his friend, that he alone could be trusted, that he alone was kind, that he—
With a final wrathful roar, the millipede was destroyed, torn to shreds by his Will and sheer fury.
Sunny glared with hateful eyes toward Asterion, who merely observed him with that infuriating paternal air as he continued his speech.
"Almost two decades ago, we challenged the Fourth Nightmare. A harrowing challenge that took everything we had and more to overcome. And yet, the most harrowing of all was their betrayal. The moment the Nightmare was completed, they murdered Broken Sword in cold blood." Asterion paused, closing his eyes as if overcome by grief. "Not content with that, their thirst for power led them to oppress and eliminate any who would dare think differently from them."
He waved to Nephis, who was glaring at him with such fury that the air itself was starting to catch fire around her.
"My poor niece, led astray as she might have been since the last time I have seen her, is the biggest proof of their sins. They have sent assassins after her ever since she was little more than a child, and it was my refusal to abide by it that led them to sealing me away to this very day." He shook his head sadly. "I had hoped that by now, they would know better, repent for their sins. You may call me a fool for it. I will do it myself. But they didn't. Even now, they continue to lie to you. Humanity is about to face the biggest menace it has ever known, and still, they only care about eliminating each other and me. Even worse, they have hidden one more thing from you all."
He paused, taking a deep breath, as if preparing himself to say something terrible.
"In approximately a year, a Category Six Gate is predicted to open in Antarctica. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we are pitted against. Humanity's possible extinction, and they would rather fight their petty wars than truly defend us."
Asterion's eyes shone a brighter hue of gold.
"However, there is no need to fear. No need to be concerned about what the future has in store. Why? You may ask yourselves."
He smiled brightly, arms spread out as if to embrace the world itself.
"For I am here. I alone shall protect humanity. I alone shall drive the darkness back. And I alone can bring forth a new age. An age of kindness and unity as the world has never seen before. I am Asterion, and that is my promise."
End of Volume 3: Entwined in Fate and Ruin.