5 years passed after that week, all his sisters had already become Awakened. Some were already masters, while others were preparing for the second nightmare.
Seishan was still nowhere to be found though, still lost in the Dream Realm.
Sunless was 12 now, 5 years left for his turn, and then, he could finally see her…
Time went by rather fast, training was still brutal, but he did not care anymore, he never complained, always got up. But his demeanor changed… he got more serious…
Terra put Sunless on the ground again. She was smirking happily… He could feel his Mother too…
"You are still trying to do too much at once…"
His trainer, Saint Frostblade, stated coldly. She was one of the 4 Saints entrusted to train the heirs of Song, She had white silver long hair, red crimson eyes, an angular face, and wore a blue outfit with moon patterns.
She, together with Undying Blade, were the ones who trained in combat.
Right now, the four were only training Sunless since the others already became Awakened, Terra and Moon had free time so they came to… 'Help'.
"I am trying to be effective…"
"And meeting the ground in the process!! Want to meet the wall next?"
Terra was teasing, again. Sunless was not amused.
"Terra, enough, he's still mundane."
Moon approached Sunless to help him get up.
"Leave it Moon, he needs to learn how to take a hit.
Or he can just become an assassin like Revel, that way he stays safe!"
If Terra's tone and body language wasn't so smug, you would think she was giving advice.
"Shut up…"
Frostblade was in no mood to watch the siblings debate.
"Just get on with it Lady Terra, Sunless still has class with Saint Lunae."
Frostblade had just enough of Terra's smugness. Smiling coldly, the Saint decided to tease the arrogant student.
"Or maybe you want to join him? I'm sure Lunae would love to teach you once more."
Terra wasn't good with studying, she was the worst by far.
Her face got red in embarrassment really fast.
"Looks like you can't handle teasing, only knows how to give it!"
Moon said suddenly, and Sunless agreed, after all, even the're silent sister could tease their brutish sister without saying anything.
Terra was really fast to shut up.
Frostblade rolled her eyes and looked at Sunless.
"Go rest, after that, one more spar."
The Saint got on her knees on the center of the arena and started to meditate. It was normal for her to do that, from what Sunless heard, it was a way to combat her flaw… Whatever that may be.
Only his mother and his other 3 mentors knew what it was.
Sunless sat on the bench on the side, sighing as he did.
He watched his combat teacher as she stood imobile. The ground started to freeze beneath her, the air got colder… Merely her presence was already powerful…
'Can I really reach that?'
He was surrounded by powerful Awakened ever since he came to Ravenheart, even the maids were at least Awakened or Masters.
And he was expected to reach, no, surpass the strongest Saints of humanity…
How could he do that…?
"You seem down…"
He looked up to see Moon with a worried look.
"That obvious?"
She shook her head.
"No, but I have spent enough time with you to tell. What's the problem?"
Sunless looked away, not wanting to look in her eyes.
"I'm lacking behind."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not improving. I can't find a battle art to specialize in. It's just like teacher Frostblade said…
I'm just trying too much, I can't decide on anything…"
Moon watched him for a few seconds, thinking of what to say.
"You are trying to make your own style…?"
"Yeah…"
The elder sister let out a deep breath, and kneeled in front of him.
"Stop with that."
"What?"
"Stop trying to do this, you don't even have an aspect yet, you don't have enough experience, it will only hurt you in the long run."
"So… What should I do?"
She raised one finger.
"Choose one style you know. One weapon, something you're familiar with. Leave the rest as complements, things to fall on to, tools. Then, when you get your aspect, when you become Awakened, then you think of your unique, battle art."
Sunless widened his eyes, then thought for a bit, finally answering.
"I like Revel's style…"
The white haired girl smiled, satisfied.
"Then focus on that for a while. It's what we used to… Actually, we still do it, right Terra?"
The brutish sister, who was not paying attention, turned her head and just nodded.
Moon rolled her eyes, Sunless laughed.
The younger brother smiled at his dear sister.
"Thank you sis…"
The girl smiled back.
"Your welcome Sunny… Now go, I still need to practice my archery."
Sunless nodded and got up. Ready for one more spar, this time, he would use the battle style of his eldest sister.
Frostblade stood up, a subtle smile on her lips, she had heard it all thanks to her improved senses of a Saint.
"Young Lord Sunless… This time…"
She created a sword made of ice through her aspect.
"Try to graze me."
—
A few hours later, Sunless was in Saint Lunae class, he was the one who taught everything he knew about the Dream Realm and the Waking World.
Ki Song wanted her children to be educated on everything they could, even if it was the history of an era long forgotten.
He also taught them about survival. But that was something all of the mentors did.
But although Saint Lunae was an excellent teacher that could make all the siblings interested in any subject…
He was exhausted after being humiliated by a Saint that did not even use 1% of her strength. And she said he did good…
Sunless, the once Ace student, was so tired that he could not pay attention.
Sunless rolled his eyes, he was so tired, he couldn't even write on the paper.
"Tired Sunless?"
Saint Lunae's voice was calm and firm, never showing any anger.
He was a tall individual with a young face, betraying his age, green eyes and black hair, wearing a tunic that meshed with armor.
"Yeah… Frostblade kind of destroyed me…"
Lunae sighed.
"That woman doesn't even consider that you are still mundane."
Lunae sat in a chair beside the young Prince of Song.
He had a calming aura, everywhere he went, the ground seemed to get stronger, richer, the air was easier to breathe…
"But there's something else right? A lot on your mind?"
Sunless sighed.
"You can say that… There's something that I have been thinking about… Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, you can ask me anything."
"Teacher, what do you think is the essence of combat?"
Lunae was taken aback.
"Didn't Queen Song already answer that for you?"
Ki Song had already taught him what it was, Failure, if you are forced to fight, you've already lost.
It is one of the reasons that she values Saint Lunae and Divine Strategist, they teach more than just battle.
(And why she was going to have a talk with Saint Frostblade later…)
Sunless looked uncertain.
"Yes… but, I wanted to hear from you, I had considered the essence to be survival once, so how about you?"
Saint Lunae got up and went to his desk to lean over it to think, it took a while but he had his answer.
"Knowledge. If I know more than my opponent, I will defeat him.
History, geography, technique…
It all comes to knowledge."
"Mother says it is failure…"
Saint Lunae smiled.
"She is right."
If Sunless wasn't confused before, he was now.
"I'm sorry, what do you mean?
Didn't you say that it was knowledge?"
"Yes, and I still think I am right.
You, Queen Song, me, we are all right, it merely comes to personal philosophy. I once heard that the essence is murder, another, that it is honour, it all depends on you.
Queen Song taught you the philosophy that made her reach Supremacy, so she deems it as correct.
So, Lord Sunless, let me ask you, what do you think the essence of combat is?"
Sunless thought long and hard, and could only come to one conclusion.
"Failure."
Lunae smiled.
"Then you have your answer Sunny. You can go, we'll continue this another day."
Lunae allowed himself to call his student by his nickname as he watched the boy get out of the room.
Watching the boy get out, he smiled and closed his eyes, noticing that there was someone else in the room.
"I think he will surpass me in no time…
How about you, Ki?"
The Will inside answered with a ripple.
"Of course… he is your child after all, no matter if you don't have the same blood.
They all are."
—
Sunless was walking through the Palace with no destination, thinking about what Saint Lunae said.
In the end, he couldn't deny his mother's philosophy, it wasn't about not fighting, it was about choosing when to fight, learning from mistakes.
And knowing when not to fight.
As he was passing through a window, an arrow pierced the glass and almost hit his eye.
He placed his hand on his chest, almost having a heart attack, he went to the window.
"WHERE ARE YOU AIMING AT?!?!!?"
Sunless screamed at the person who shot him.
"Sorry!!!"
Moon answered, still training archery.
Sunless went on his way, sighing, what was his sister thinking? She almost made him lose his eye!
'Sister… huh…'
His sisters… He could still remember his blood family, his father, mother, Rain…
He knew she was fine, Ki Song made sure of that, she was with a happy family, not knowing that she even had a brother.
Ever since that day, being rescued from the dollhouse, he sees Ki Song more and more as his mother, he is seeing the girls as his sisters…
Revel, Eunbin, Caera, Hel, Moon, Terra… Seishan.
They were his family, his new family. But, was it really fair to his birth parents?
Was it fair to his birth mother that he saw Ki Song as his Mom?
Ki Song took care of him, watched over him, taught him…
He was deep in thought.
'Should I…'
"Is there a problem Sunny?"
The boy jumped, startled.
"Teacher Divine Strategist !"
Saint Divine Strategist, he was the overseer of the Song Clan, tactics and war was his domain, and he was the last teacher of the children of Song.
He was an easygoing, if not lazy person, silver hair tied up in a bun, golden eyes that showed kindness, and wore an eastern white tunic from the past.
He laughed to Sunless.
"Please Sunny! Call me Jin, Divine Strategist is such a mouthfull."
Sunless calmed down.
"Teacher Jin."
"That's better, come, let's play a game, shall we?"
Sunless smiled.
"Sure!"
Aside from Seishan and Ki Song, Saint Divine Strategist was the only one who could match Sunless in strategy games.
They went to the Saint's classroom and played chess.
Eventually, The General asked Sunless.
"Are you happy Sunny?"
"Huh?"
"Are you happy with the life you have now? Training, talking to your sisters, Ki Song watching over you."
Sunless could feel the Will, looking at him, always, she always did. After that day.
"I… am."
The Saint showed a sad smile.
"Lying doesn't get you far Sunny…
It is a good tool, but not a perfect one, you must be honest with yourself."
He got up and rested his hand on Sunless' shoulder.
"Building new bonds, loving new people is not replacing, it is healing."
He got to the room's door.
"It was a good game."
The Saint got out, leaving Sunless with his thoughts.
—---
Undying Blade was in his forge, deep beneath the Jade Palace.
He was the Clan's memory enchanter after all, he needed somewhere to work.
It was hot, the forge was burning, his Hammer roaring to the vast room as he made a new memory, blood went down his whole body, his aspect allowed him to use his own blood to create Memories and Echos. The weapons and creatures he created absorbed his own blood to consolidate them, that caused him pain, but he didn't care.
He deserves it.
Frostblade went down to the forge, she looked at her old friend that was working without respite.
Her cold presence did little to cool down the place, merely creating a field to stop her from feeling the heat.
"Working late again?"
Her cold voice pierced through the high temperatures and reached the forge, she was met with silence.
"Making his weapon?"
The bloodied Saint finally looked up and answered her.
"Yes, what do you think it should be?"
He hadn't even finished deciding the blueprint and was already making the weapon?
If Frostblade didn't know any batter, she would call him an amatuer.
Frostblade put her finger on her mouth to show her thinking.
"Maybe… An odachi."
"Same as Revel?"
She smiled.
"Same as Revel."
Blade laughed, smiling as he cutted himself to let more blood fall in the anvil.
Frostblade looked at the odachi being made, destined to be wielded by Sunless Song while the enchanter worked.
She could swear the shadows grew darker around the forge.