Chapter 554: Coming Clean
On the way back to the Sanctuary, Sunny tried to impart as much knowledge about the Chained Isles as he could to Kai and Effie.
The archer, in particular, needed to go through a tough adjustment. His main combat tool was his ability to fly, which was obviously restricted in this strange land.
Looking at the clear blue sky with a bit of trepidation, Kai asked:
"So… that Crushing. How deadly is it?"
Sunny grimaced.
"Deadly enough to kill a Saint. But it is also situational. After a bit, you'll develop a sense of how high or low the island you're standing on is. When it is at its lowest point, like right now, you will probably be able to rise several hundred meters into the air before feeling any pressure. The exact margin depends on how long the chains of the island are."
He paused, then continued:
"However, when it is ascending or descending, you'd better either stay on the ground or not fly more than a dozen meters up. And if it has already reached the peak… well, you really should have already escaped to another island. But if you failed to do that in time, lay on the ground and pray. If the chains are short enough, you will survive."
Kai studied the Sky Above some more, then looked down.
"What about below the islands? Can I fly freely there?"
Sunny nodded.
"Theoretically, yes. The Sky Below is generally safe, there's just nothing there. But that is only true for its depths… the underside of the islands is actually much more dangerous than their surface. The creatures that dwell there are the true horrors of this place. Some of them stay put, some move through the darkness as they hunt and migrate between islands. So flying under the islands is lethal in its own way."
…Effie was less concerned with the Crushing, since her mighty constitution allowed her to withstand it on par with someone like Master Roan or Sunny himself. She was, however, very interested in all the kinds of Nightmare Creatures that populated the region. The huntress was determined to finish saturating her core in the month left before their departure.
Sunny shared all the knowledge he had about the inhabitants of the Chained Isles. He had spent many months fighting local abominations, so he knew a lot — which creatures frequented which island, how they attacked their prey, what their weaknesses were, and so on. He also knew which islands had to be avoided at all costs.
By the end of their journey, even Effie seemed impressed by the amount of knowledge he had accumulated.
"I, uh… I guess the Academy doesn't pay you for nothing. You really did do a lot of research."
Sunny grinned.
"When I hunt Nightmare Creatures, I get to sell their shards, and also get paid by the research faculty. So much money! Aint't it a dream?"
She giggled.
"The wonderful thing about you, Sunny, is that you are very easy to please…"
'Uh... what is that supposed to mean?"
Effie, meanwhile, looked east and asked with a bit of tension:
"What about the Saint who rules this region? What's your opinion of her?"
Sunny thought for a bit, then said with uncertainty:
"Sky Tide… she is a bit of a recluse. I don't really know. But her husband is a really decent guy, so that earned her some points in my book."
Effie smiled lightly and didn't continue the conversation.
…On the third day, they finally reached the Sanctuary.
Due to how high-profile both Raised by Wolves and Nightingale were, the trio was invited to have a meal with Saint Tyris before visiting the Gateway.
The dinner was pleasant enough, but when the plates turned empty, the real conversation began.
Saint Tyris looked at Effie and Kai with her usual expressionless severity and asked:
"I was surprised to hear that two more of the most brilliant Awakened of the new generation had decided to visit my remote and unremarkable Citadel. If you forgive my bluntness… to what do I owe the pleasure?"
The three of them glanced at each other. They had discussed what to say in advance… at this point, there was no reasonable way to keep their intention secret, so it was easier to just let the cat out of the bag.
Kai smiled politely before answering.
…That smile of his was charming enough to make a crowd of women feint on the spot, but Sky Tide did not even blink.
"We came here with the intention of challenging a Nightmare Seed. Sunny… Awakened Sunless discovered one not too long ago. Since the Seed is years away from blooming and doesn't pose a threat to the waking world at the moment, he didn't inform you… please forgive him that transgression."
Master Roan frowned.
"There is a Seed on the Chained Isles? Where?"
Effie pointed down.
"To reach it, we'll have to descend into the depths of the Sky Below. Song of the Fallen will also be joining us. We plan to use that ancient ship the Fire Keepers are repairing."
Roan blinked a couple of times.
"Well... how extravagant. At least that explains a few things, I guess?"
Sait Tyris lingered for a few moments, then asked evenly:
"Are you sure that you want to enter a Second Nightmare? It has been less than a year since the four of you Awakened. Most people take much more time to prepare for the rigors of the Spell's trial. And even then, many don't survive."
A wild smile appeared on Effie's face.
"Sure? Yes, I guess we are sure, as much as anyone can be. The decision to challenge the Seed was not made rashly, nor was it based on blind ambition. You are right, of course, but the circumstance of our Awakening was not ordinary. Even though it only happened recently, between the four of us, we already share a decade of battle experience. And the battles we fought were not soft."
Sky Tide did not answer immediately, turning her face away to look at the vista of the Chained Isles.
Kai cleared his throat.
"Are you going to try and dissuade us, my lady?"
Tyris remained silent for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.
"...No. If four Awakened with the SSA designation want to challenge a Nightmare Seed, they must know what they're doing. Your timing… is actually good, as well."
Sunny frowned slightly.
'Good timing? What does she mean?'
But Sky Tide wasn't going to elaborate. Instead, she looked at Effie and asked:
"When do you leave?"
The huntress shrugged.
"Cassie and Sunny have an errand to run in the Night Temple. So, we'll depart as soon as they return."
Tyris shifted her gaze to Sunny. Was he imagining things, or did her expression become darker?
"You are going to the Night Temple, Sunless?"
He nodded.
"Yes. It is a part of our preparations… why?"
The beautiful Saint remained silent for a few moments, then said simply:
"Be careful to strictly follow the rules while you're there."
Sunny politely agreed.
Inwardly, though, he was a bit disturbed.
'Well, that… did not sound ominous at all…'
Cassie, too, had seemed a bit apprehensive about the Night Temple.
Just what kind of a place was it?
Chapter 555: Dinner with Friends
A few days later, a delicious aroma was slowly spreading through Sunny's home. He was currently in the kitchen area of the first floor, whistling an upbeat tune as his hands juggled several cooking utensils. There were several pans and pots simmering on the stove, and a scattering of fresh ingredients on the countertops around him.
"Ah, this smells so good…"
Taking a step to the side, he produced a strange knife out of nowhere and started slicing and dicing the vegetables, the triangular blade moving so fast that it turned into a blur.
Rain, who was tasked with peeling the potatoes, gave him a long and dark look.
"Sunny… not to doubt your honesty and professional integrity, but how exactly is this a part of my training? Are you sure you're not just using me as cheap labor? No, wait… it's not even cheap, I am actually paying you!"
Without stopping what he was doing, Sunny looked at her and frowned.
"Why, of course! I am very sure. Also, is this how you handle a blade? By gods, you just sliced half of that poor potato off and threw it into the sink! It's called peeling, not destroying, you know! Where's your finesse? Where's your precision? Control that knife better! These things are very expensive!"
Rain stared at him with burning resentment for a few moments, then sighed heavily and continued peeling the potatoes. Sunny grinned.
Effie, who was watching him cook with a wolfish expression, gulped.
"So, uh… it's not ready yet?"
His eyes twitched.
"...Forty seconds, damn it. That's how long ago you asked the same question. For a hundredth time. What do you think changed since then?!"
Effie opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, the doorbell rang.
A sadistic light suddenly gleamed in Sunny's eyes.
"Oh. I wonder who can it be."
He glanced at Rain and said nonchalantly:
"Rain, go see who it is."
The teenage girl blew a strand of hair out of her eyes, wiped her hands on her apron, and glared at him.
"What, I am your doorman now, too?!"
Grumbling, she put the knife down and went to the door, then opened it.
Sunny observed her with keen interest.
Rain looked up, revealing that the unexpected visitor was quite tall… and then suddenly froze.
Her face paled so much that it turned almost entirely white, and her pupils became as wide as saucers. Her mouth hung open. It was as though the girl was paralyzed by horror.
Sunny weighted the heavy kunai in his hand and walked over.
As he walked, a strange sound escaped Rain's mouth.
"N… n… n…"
A tall and ridiculously attractive young man was standing on the porch, looking at her with a polite and friendly smile. His hair was auburn and absolutely gorgeous, and his electric green eyes were nothing short of stunning. He was dressed in simple, but exquisitely stylish clothes, holding fashionable sunglasses and a facemask in one of his hands.
"Oh… I am so sorry. I must have come to the wrong house."
Even his voice was charming and velvety, causing one's ears to tingle.
Rain was finally able to force out a word, her voice a panicked squeal:
"N—Night!"
Sunny gave her a short look, shook his head, then smiled at Kai.
"Hyung! You're here! Sorry, the dinner isn't even ready yet… come on in, come on in!"
Kai returned his smile and came inside.
Sunny raised a hand and poked Rain in the back, then narrowed his eyes and said with exasperation.
"Rain, why are you just standing there? Get my hyung some slippers quick!"
Then, he turned to Kai and sighed.
"So sorry. That's Rain, a girl I tutor. She is a bit slow, sometimes."
Kai glanced at her, two lethally cute dimples appearing on his cheeks.
"I am sure that is not true. It is very nice to meet you, Rain."
She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but no words came out of her mouth.
Sunny waited for a couple of moments, then shook his head again and bent down to push a pair of house shoes to Kai.
"Make yourself at home! This is the living room. I'll be over there in the kitchen area for a bit, but please, for the love of gods, can you distract Effie? She's driving me crazy."
Kai laughed, patted him on the shoulder, and went in to greet the hungry huntress.
Sunny and Rain were momentarily left alone.
The teenage girl breathed heavily for a few moments, then slowly looked down, at her dirty apron and hands with pieces of potato peel stuck to them. An expression of utter horror appeared on her face.
Then, she looked at him with wide eyes and whispered:
"Sunny… why is N—n… N-n… why is Night in your house?!"
He blinked a couple of times, pretending to not understand the question.
"...What do you mean? Kai is a dear friend of mine. We're practically brothers, one might say! What's wrong with you today?"
Sunny shook his head in derision. Rain stared at him in shock, then opened her mouth to say something.
However, before she could, the doorbell rang again.
Sunny calmly opened the door, revealing a petite, exquisitely beautiful young woman standing on the porch. She had delicate features, pale blond hair, and stunning blue eyes. Despite the fact that the young woman was dressed humbly, there was an aura about her that made it almost impossible to look away. It was as though she was a pristine heavenly creature that had somehow found her way to the dirty, imperfect mundane world.
In her hand, she was holding a long white cane.
Cassie hesitated for a moment, then turned her head a little, facing Sunny.
"I hope I am not late."
Rain stared at her with a ghostly expression.
"S—s… Song of the…"
Then, she turned to Sunny as well, her eyes even wider than before.
Poor thing looked as if she was about to faint.
Sunny smiled brightly.
'Ah, finally! Vengeance!'
Chapter 556: About Those Potatoes
Kai, Effie, and Cassie settled in the living room and chatted while Sunny returned to the kitchen. The two areas were basically a single space, separated only by distance and a tall counter, so he could see them clearly. Watching his friends at ease and happy to be reunited with the blind girl turned his expression dark for a short moment, but Sunny quickly put on a carefree mask.
Rain was by his side and staring at them, too.
Her gaze lingered on Kai for a while, then on Cassie. Finally, she looked at Effie and studied her face with a complicated expression.
'Here it comes!'
A few moments later, her eyes widened. Sunny didn't think that it was possible for the teenage girl to become paler than she already was, but he was proven wrong. Looking like a ghost, Rain slowly turned to him and whispered:
"Effie… she is… she's…"
Sunny offered her a polite smile.
"Huh? What are you mumbling about?"
Then, he glanced into the living room and raised his eyebrows.
"Oh, do you want me to call her over? No problem. Hey, Ef…"
Rain waved her hands and pressed one against his mouth.
"No! Don't!"
Sunny stared at her with a silent question in his eyes.
The girl looked at him, then at her hand, then awkwardly stepped back.
"What I wanted to say was… Effie, is she…"
Sunny grimaced.
"...Awakened Athena, also known as Raised by Wolves? What, you didn't know?"
Rain suddenly swayed and grabbed the counter to balance herself. A comically mortified expression appeared on her face.
Really, he couldn't blame her for not recognizing Effie. The girl wasn't that interested in the Awakened, to begin with, and the government mostly used the heroic visage of Raised by Wolves as she looked in the Dream Realm — mighty, tall, and brimming with vitality — in their propaganda.
It wasn't easy to match that image with the weak, gaunt, and sickly young woman who was bound to a wheelchair. Not to mention that a normal person would never expect to meet a famed hero in their backyard... still, looking at Rain now was incredibly funny.
"But… but she and I… oh gods, I even said… oh, no. Oh, no!"
She lowered her head, then suddenly looked up and pierced Sunny with an unexpectedly furious gaze.
"Damn it! Sunny… why are you friends with Raised by Wolves, Nightingale, and Song of the Fallen?! They are famous people!"
He frowned in confusion, then shrugged.
"So what? We used to be members of the same cohort."
Rain blinked a couple of times. Her voice became even quieter.
"But… but Song of the Fallen, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale were members of Lady Changing Star's cohort."
Sunny smiled innocently.
"Oh? Yup, that's the one."
The girl lifelessly sat down, almost missing the chair. She remained silent for a long time, then asked slowly:
"Sunny… you know Lady Nephis? The Lady Nephis? Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan? You're from... from her cohort?"
He grinned.
"Who, Neph? Yeah, sure. I guess."
Rain closed her eyes.
Sunny did not say anything for a bit, then cleared his throat.
He waited for a few more moments, then said gently:
"So… about those potatoes…"
She flinched, looked down at her apron again, then answered weakly:
"Oh, sorry. Actually, I have to go home. I, uh… forgot to do homework. Sorry."
With that, Rain stood up and rushed to the door.
Sunny yelled at her back:
"Hey! What homework? It's Saturday!"
Without turning around, the teenage girl squealed "sorry" one more time and fled the house in a panic.
Sunny watched as the door closed behind her and laughed.
He felt avenged. He felt... wonderful!
"Ah, priceless. That was priceless… I do wish she would finish peeling the potatoes first, though…"
***
After the dinner, the four of them settled around the table and moved on to the real reason for today's gathering — the discussion of their plan to challenge the Nightmare Seed.
This conversation could have taken place in the Sanctuary, but despite having a somewhat good relationship with the White Feather clan, Sunny didn't want to say some things aloud in their territory.
Their territory was also a Sovereign's territory, after all.
So, the cohort had made plans to meet in the waking world.
There was a lot to discuss. The Second Nightmare was a deadly challenge, and they had to be as prepared to face it as possible. There were also a lot of preparations to be made for the journey to the Seed itself — venturing into the Sky Below and locating the rift in the ocean of flames that hid in its depths was not an easy task in and of itself.
So, they spent many hours going over every little detail, sharing knowledge, and finding solutions to potential problems they could encounter. The Nightmare itself was a mystery, of course, so no matter how much they tried to account for every possibility, they still had no way of knowing what awaited them inside.
All they knew was that it would be dangerous, deadly, and terrifying.
Still, there were things they could do to improve their chances. Grow stronger, improve their arsenals. But most importantly, aim for maximum flexibility in the collection of tools at their disposal. After all, it was not the strongest who survived… it was the most adaptable.
It was already deep night when the conversation stopped. It seemed as though they had discussed everything they could, at least for now.
Sunny made a pot of coffee for everyone, poured it into the cups, and sat down opposite Cassie.
"Now that everything else is settled, let's talk about the Night Temple. The more I hear about it, the stranger I feel… isn't it supposed to be just a private Citadel of clan Valor? What's the deal with it?"
Cassie remained silent for a bit, then took a sip of coffee and sighed.
"Night Temple… how do I describe it? It is an eerie place. The first thing you need to know, I guess, is that it's actually situated on the underside of the Northern Island, and not on its surface. In the eternal shadow... that makes it harder to access, but also more defendable. I doubt that even an army of Nightmare Creatures — or Awakened, for that matter — would be able to take it by force."
She paused, and then continued:
"At first glance, it's a frontier outpost for the knights of Valor, a transfer base that was supposed to serve as a staging ground for their push further north during the active expansion of the previous decades. But, as you know, after humans encountered the Hollow Mountains, our progress in that direction stopped. Night Temple remains, though."
Sunny frowned.
"So… it's basically empty?"
Cassie lowered her head.
When she spoke, her voice sounded tense:
"Logically, it is supposed to be. But it's not."
Chapter 557: Night Temple
Cassie chose her next words carefully:
"Despite the fact that the Hollow Mountains were designated as a Death Zone, it seems that clan Valor still has ambitions of exploring them. Perhaps that is why Night Temple exists, and why a Saint is stationed there."
Sunny frowned. Even Kai and Effie seemed to be perplexed.
"...I thought Sky Tide was the only Saint on the Chained Isles."
The blind girl shook her head.
"No, there is another. Saint Cormac. He oversees the Citadel and ventures into the mist of the Hollow Mountains from time to time... as though searching for something. In fact, that was how I was able to receive permission to anchor myself and my cohort in the Night Temple. In exchange, I was meant to use my Aspect to aid him in the exploration. But nothing much came of it."
Sunny thought for a bit, then said:
"So far, everything sounds reasonable?"
Cassie nodded, then shifted uncomfortably.
"Yeah. But there are just too many strange things about that Citadel, ones that have nothing to do with the Saint and his mission. For one, there are just too many Awakened there — around a hundred, I think. That is much more than is needed to support one Saint. However, the most eerie part is not their number, but who those Awakened are."
She hesitated, then said somberly:
"With the exception of two Masters who serve as Saint Cormac's lieutenants, all of them are… Lost."
Sunny perked up.
What Cassie had told them was, indeed, strange… and more than a little bit disturbing. There weren't that many Lost among the Awakened, so why would a hundred of them be gathered together in a remote and isolated Citadel?
But that wasn't the reason why Sunny was suddenly excited. Leaning forward a bit, he asked:
"Oh, yeah? Is there one called Mordret?"
Cassie thought for a few moments, then shook her head.
"...I don't know. We weren't really allowed to interact with the Lost while living in the Night Temple. You see, the whole Citadel is separated into three areas. The outward ring is where we were given a space to establish a base. We were forbidden from entering the temple itself, unless escorted by one of the Masters. That is where the Lost live and the Gateway is situated."
She suddenly fell silent, and then added in a darker tone:
"...But there is another area inside the temple, too. One that even the Lost aren't allowed to enter. The Inner Sanctum. One time, while we were entering the Gateway, I felt the doors of the Sanctum open, and accidentally glimpsed the people guarding it."
The blind girl shivered.
"Or at least, they seemed like people. But they weren't. They were all Echoes… human Echoes."
Sunny scowled.
'What the hell?'
One human Echo was creepy enough, but many? What exactly were they guarding that actual humans couldn't?
No… that wasn't important. Clan Valor could keep its secrets. He just needed to get the knife from the altar.
"So… what about an altar? Have you perceived an ivory knife lying on it?"
Cassie lingered for a few moments, then shrugged.
"The Gateway in the Night Temple is different from the one in the Sanctuary. You don't need to touch the altar to activate it. So I've only felt the altar from afar… it is indeed cut from a slab of black stone, from what others told me. There is a statue of a veiled woman holding a star and a bolt of lightning behind it. Other than that, I can't say."
Sunny sighed, a bit disappointed.
'Well, doesn't matter. I'm sure it's there… the problem is to convince the representatives of clan Valor to let me approach the altar. Or even sneak to it when no one is looking."
"Do you think you'll be able to convince them to let me inside?"
The blind girl nodded, but there was a bit of uncertainty on her face.
"I think there won't be a problem. Although I wasn't able to help Saint Cormac a lot, we parted on good terms. However… that whole place is very mysterious. I am reasonably sure that they will at least allow us to anchor ourselves to the Gateway, but…"
Sunny didn't like the sound of that.
"But what?"
Cassie sighed.
"Performing a ritual over the altar is another matter entirely. They can also simply refuse to let us in. I doubt that this will happen, but just in case, we should be prepared — the day we leave the Sanctuary might be the last time we'll have access to a Gateway before the Second Nightmare is over."
Sunny grimaced.
Although he hated to admit it, she was right. It was best to prepare for the worst… he had a few things to do in the next few days, then.
"Alright. Then we will leave in two days. Make your preparations, and I will make mine."
Cassie nodded and fell quiet.
In that silence, a strange sound could be heard. Sunny turned around and saw Effie noisily devouring the leftovers of their recent dinner. Noticing that he was staring at her, the huntress froze.
"...What? You guys were busy, and I was hungry."
He covered his eyes for a moment, then shook his head.
'This woman...'
Speaking of preparations, he had to do something right now.
"Hey, Kai. Come here and give me your hand."
Kai looked at him with a silent question, but didn't ask anything. He stood up and walked over, then stretched one hand over with a smile.
Sunny put one finger on it and sent two Memories away with a regretful sigh — the Blackhorn Bow and the Full Quiver. Effie was well-equipped with powerful Memories from her time on the Forgotten Shore and from the months she had spent hunting as an Awakened, but the charming archer lacked good armaments.
Even though it pained Sunny to let go of two Ascended Memories, he knew that this was for the best. It was going to give Kai an opportunity to grow stronger in the next month and be better prepared for the Nightmare… plus, he still had Morgan's Warbow and the Strike of Thunder.
Kai frowned in confusion, then stared into emptiness, clearly reading the runes. Then, an excited light ignited in his eyes.
"Oh… thank you, Sunny!"
Sunny scowled.
"Now, don't get me wrong! This is not a gift. I am lending them to you… lending, you understand? Brilliant Emporium is a respectable business, not a charity! I'll be expecting a full repayment or an exchange of equal value. In the future. Got it?"
Kai beamed and looked at him with a wide smile.
"Aww. That's so sweet..."
Sunny's scowl deepened.
'Sweet? What does he mean, sweat?! What's wrong with this idiot… I just told him that he's now in debt…'
The sun was already rising, and that meant that they had to part ways. Each had a lot of things to do.
When everyone left, Sunny stared at the table full of empty plates for a while, and then sighed.
Somehow, he felt that they won't be able to have a nice dinner like this for a while.
Chapter 558: One Last Lesson
It was already morning, so he didn't bother going to sleep and just brewed himself more coffee, poured it into a cup, and went to sit on the porch.
The mental fatigue of the long planning session made his thoughts a bit slow, but Sunny knew that he would be able to remain awake and lucid for a couple more days without any problem. He wasn't going to return to the Dream Realm until all his business in the waking world was taken care of.
So, Sunny just rested for a bit, watching the dawn and unhurriedly thinking through all the things that had to be done.
"...say goodbye to Teacher Julius… talk to Aiko about the Emporium…"
The Second Nightmare could take a lot of time to conquer, so there was a question of how long the supply of soul shards he had given her would last. Sunny didn't want to return and discover that his store had closed doors and lost all its clients.
He took a sip of coffee and looked down.
…Of course, there was a very real possibility that he would not return at all.
Sunny did not delude himself. No matter how powerful he was and how swift his progress had been, this Nightmare was going to be nothing except for absolutely deadly… like all Nightmares were. Better people than him had ventured inside and never returned. The possibility of death was very real...
Was there even a point in planning for the future?
As he thought about it, suddenly, a sound of light steps could be heard on the path leading to the porch. Sunny smiled a little, and then looked up.
Rain was standing a few steps away, looking at him with a bit of awkwardness.
"I, uh… are your guests still here?"
He shook his head.
"Good! I mean… bad? I just wanted to talk to you… alone… that's all."
Sunny raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? What about?"
Despite the fact that Rain was obviously trying to be apologetic and respectful, a familiar angry light ignited in her eyes.
"You know what about! I mean, uh… sorry…"
She stumbled, remained silent for a few moments, and then asked in a more polite tone:
"...Why didn't you tell me that you are a big deal?"
Sunny stared at Rain for a bit, then smiled:
"Have I not told you that I am probably the strongest Awakened in the world, the best of best, and all that? I think it happened right here on this spot."
Rain scowled.
"I'm being serious!"
Sunny took a sip of coffee and looked at her for a few moments. Slowly, the smile disappeared from his face. Finally, he sighed and looked away.
"Because I'm not. As far as Awakened go, I am not a big deal at all. In fact, I am very small, and easily squashed. So I don't like to advertise my prowess. It's best that everyone thinks of me as weak and stupid. That way, I'll be much harder to kill."
Rain's looked at him in confusion.
"I… I don't understand. How would Nightmare Creatures know that you are considered strong? Why would that put your life in danger?"
A dark, sad smile appeared on Sunny's face. He glanced at Rain, and then asked:
"Who said anything about the Nightmare Creatures?"
Sunny put his cup on the floor, then said:
"After you left, you must have searched the network for all the information about the Forgotten Shore you could find, right?"
Rain blushed, and then nodded.
He nodded, too.
"Then you must know that around four hundred Sleepers died during the Siege of the Crimson Spire. So many. But do you know how many were killed in the months before? Almost twice that."
Her eyes widened slightly.
Sunny looked at the young girl, no levity in his voice anymore.
"And they weren't killed by the Nightmare Creatures. They were killed by people. So, ironically, more humans were killed by other humans while I was out there, in that hell, than they were by monsters. Well… other monsters, to be precise. And that is a lesson you are going to have to learn, if you want to become strong."
He sighed.
"I can teach you how to hold a sword or a spear, how to traverse the Dream Realm and not starve, and how to kill your enemies. But I can't teach you how to be strong, Rain. That is something that you can only learn yourself. This world… it is a cruel and ruthless place. Some people are lucky enough to never learn its truth, but some do. And out of those, soft ones never survive. You are very, very soft… but are you lucky? I don't know. It's up to you."
She listened to him attentively, an expression that was a bit too serious and somber for a girl her age appearing on her face. After a while, she said:
"I… I think I understand."
Sunny smiled.
"I hope that you do. But also, a part of me hopes that you don't."
He hesitated, then took out his communicator.
"Oh, and by the way… our lessons are going to have to stop for a while. My friends and I are going on a big expedition, you see, and I am not sure how long it is going to take. Don't worry, though — I have already taught you enough for you to continue practicing on your own. Do it diligently and don't get lazy! If you feel that you mastered everything before I return, call the number I just sent you. It belongs to a friend of mine. Her name is Aiko, and she'll find you a new tutor."
Rain stared at her communicator for a long time, then looked at him and asked quietly:
"You are going on a big expedition?"
Sunny showed her a carefree smile and shrugged.
"Sure. Why?"
She hesitated for a few moments, and then asked, her voice suddenly uncharacteristically timid:
"Will it… will it be dangerous?"
He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then shrugged again.
"Dangerous? Yeah, of course. Really dangerous, I guess. But… anything having to do with Spell is."
Rain looked at him with sudden intensity, her previous timidness gone. When she spoke, her voice rang with tension:
"Then why? Why are you going?"
Sunny looked at her in bewilderment, and then suddenly threw his head back and laughed.
When he was done laughing, he glanced at her and said with an amused smile:
"Why? The same reason you wanted to train. To become strong! Really strong..."
Chapter 559: No One Path
Some time later, Sunny waiting in a cafe, looking out of the window at a lively street outside. People were rushing past, in a hurry to get inside before the heavy clouds covering the bleak sky erupted with rain. The subtle smell in the air told him that this was going to be a bad one — maybe not toxic enough to burn through clothes, but still unpleasantly hazardous.
The acid rain didn't bother Sunny too much, since it was something everyone was accustomed to. Even in the outskirts, people knew how to avoid getting caught in one. Here in a prosperous part of the city, citizens had much more protections.
What he was thinking about was the street itself.
This was the same cafe he used to visit when observing Rain, and the same street that had become a scene of panicked evacuation during the Gate incident several months ago. Armored vehicles of the government had torn apart the road, and several violent skirmishes had spilled into the peaceful surroundings.
And yet, there were no signs of the furious battle left. The road was long repaired, and the battle damage mended. The cafe was open again, and people went on about their business as though nothing had happened. They had endured the disaster and moved on, showing the astonishing resilience the human race possessed.
Not even the Nightmare Spell could overcome it.
At least it had not managed yet.
Sunny sighed and glanced at the pastry in front of him. At that moment, the door of the cafe opened, and the familiar sensation of phantom cold enveloped him.
Master Jet looked even more disheveled than usual, her uniform jacket actually sporting several small holes, their edges charred. However, she looked just as relaxed and strong as ever, her icy blue eyes radiating fierce energy. She seemed dead tired, but also, somehow, brimming with life.
Jet looked around, noticed Sunny, and offered him a smile. Then, she flicked a few flakes of soot off her epaulet, walked over, and crashed on the chair.
"I hope that this pastry is for me…"
He smiled, and pushed the plate and a cup of fresh coffee toward her.
"Of course."
Master Jet took a bite out of the pastry, closed her eyes in delight for a few moments, and then cradled the cup of coffee in her hands. After a while, she looked at him and sighed.
"So… Second Nightmare, huh?"
Sunny simply nodded.
Soul Reaper Jet was the only Ascended he knew well enough to trust… a little… so he had asked her to meet him, hoping to receive some advice. Nothing he could read on the network, or even in the staff library of the Academy, could be as valuable as talking to a person who had actually conquered a Seed once.
She took a sip of coffee and shook her head.
"Crazy kid…"
A slight smile appeared on his face.
"Kid? I am not that much younger than you. Well… I think?"
Jet glanced at him with a dangerous grin.
"Are you asking me about my age? Damn. I guess I haven't slapped you in a while..."
The two of them stared at each other for a few moments, and then laughed.
In truth, Sunny knew that Master Jet was in her late twenties, so the age gap between them was not insignificant. Considering how much had happened to him in the past two years, ten seemed like a lifetime. But at the same time, he wasn't a kid anymore… not by a long shot.
He looked down, thought for a few moments, and then said:
"Now is as good a time as any. I thought things through before deciding to challenge a Seed. This is for the best."
She studied him for some time, then nodded.
"I see. Well, there are a lot of benefits to being an Ascended. There are certain… drawbacks, too. But you don't need to worry about that for now. Right now, you need to concentrate on surviving the Nightmare."
Sunny smiled.
"My thought exactly. So… is there any wisdom a venerated elder like you can share with this ignorant junior?"
Master Jet glared at him, then took another bite of the pastry.
"Elder? Maybe I really should slap you…"
She lingered for a few moments, then sighed.
"The Second Nightmare… it is a lot like the First, but at the same time very different. The Spell will send you and your cohort into an illusion of the past, one centered around a central conflict. To conquer the Nightmare, you will have to resolve that conflict — one way or another. There is no right or wrong way to do so. You just have to end it somehow."
Jet fell silent, as if remembering her own trial. Her icy blue eyes stared into the distance.
"...That won't be easy, of course. Your friends might die. You might die, too. But you know this already… let's talk about the differences, then. The first one is rather obvious — the Nightmare will be larger, longer, and harder than your First one. The Nightmare Creatures populating it will be of higher Ranks and Classes, usually either Awakened or Fallen. But if you're unlucky, you might meet a Corrupted one, too."
Sunny grimaced. His First Nightmare had pitted him against an Awakened Tyrant… what were the chances that he would get lucky this time and only encounter abominations within his ability to handle?
…Slim.
Master Jet, meanwhile, continued:
"The other difference is less talked about, but very important. Unlike the First Nightmare, this one won't be tailor-made for you personally. You're smart enough to think through the implications of that fact on your own, but I'll mention one thing that very few people consider. The Spell will try to find you a body that closely resembles your own, but due to what I have just mentioned, it might not be as similar as what one might expect."
Sunny tilted his head and frowned.
"How different are we talking?"
She shrugged.
"You will be of the same Rank, that is certain. Your build will be more or less the same. But that's the thing… if you are unprepared, in a fight, "more or less" might cost you your life. A specialist has to rely on his or her body… it is our first and most important tool. Imagine that you are suddenly slightly higher or shorter, your limbs are of a bit different length, your center of gravity has shifted a little. Many people died because they weren't quick enough or couldn't adapt to that sudden change."
Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.
For a fighter, their body was like a well-oiled machine that they knew in and out. They knew every detail about it, how it moved, how it performed in any given situation, what it could accomplish and what was beyond its ability. All battle techniques were finely tuned for that precise machine… changing its parameters was like throwing a wrench into the mechanism, potentially causing its collapse.
He had not known that detail. Luckily, now that he was informed, he would be able to prepare and shorten the adjustment period as much as possible.
"Thank you. That is a very valuable piece of information."
Master Jet shook her head.
"It's not like it's a secret. People just don't think about this stuff."
She hesitated, then said in a darker tone:
"The last large difference… hopefully, you won't have use for that knowledge. But if worse comes to worst, it is better to be prepared."
Sunny looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
She glanced at her cup, took a sip, and then carefully put it on the table.
"The thing is… I said that there is no one way to conquer the Nightmare. That means that some solutions can contradict each over. And people participating in the trial are not forced to aim for the same result."
He scowled.
"Uh... what exactly are trying to say?"
Master Jet looked him in the eye and said, her voice cold and grim:
"I am saying that not all challengers have to be on the same side. That rarely happens… but you should keep that in mind, anyway."
Sunny stared at her for a few moments, then turned away.
He wondered what she wanted him to realize…
Was Master Jet warning him that his allies could betray him and turn into another obstacle he would have to overcome to escape the Nightmare?
Or saying that he… could betray them, if needed?
…They talked for a while, discussing various matters having to do with the Nightmare Seed and the trial itself. Sunny acquired a lot of useful information, as well as several pieces of valuable advice.
But throughout the whole discussion, he continued thinking about that one statement.
'Rarely happens… but you should keep that in mind, anyway…'
Chapter 560: Pawns of Fate
Sunny left the cafe and caught a train to go visit Aiko. After that, he traveled to the Academy and said his goodbyes to Teacher Julius. The old man was a bit emotional to let him go, but did not try to dissuade his unruly pupil. Instead, he tried to offer encouragement.
"The Second Nightmare! Ptui! No student of mine can be killed by a mere Second Nightmare. Don't you dare put a stain on my reputation, Sunny my boy… you hear me?"
Finally, Sunny left the Sleeper compound and stood outside for a while, watching the setting sun. Then, he turned around and headed deeper into the Academy complex.
The room where Nephis slept did not change much. He replaced the flowers on one of the tables and sat down, looking at her pale and motionless face.
No matter how many times Sunny came here, seeing her… seeing her like this… brought a dull pain to his chest. The cauldron of emotions burning in his heart was too deep and seethed too furiously for him to understand it. Sunny was never good with emotions, after all.
There was resentment, longing, guilt, affection, fear… and hope.
Looking at the transparent lid of the sleeping pod, he sighed.
"Hey, Neph."
Just like before, this was the only thing he said out loud. He lingered for a bit, and then thought:
'You are still alive, out there somewhere. That is good. That… makes me happy. It really does. You know, right after everything happened, I wasn't sure if I wanted you to live. I thought that maybe it would be better for you to die. Sometimes, I did.'
Sunny lowered his head and closed his eyes tiredly.
'But after a while, as time passed, I... I started to miss you more than I wanted to be free of you. Maybe what Master Jet said is true… maybe no one is really ever free in this world. Maybe the only freedom there is is the freedom to choose your own chains.'
A dark smile appeared on his lips.
'But that is the thing, isn't it? Even that choice was taken away from me. By you, by Cassie. By fate. I never had anything, and then, I had even less than that. Wouldn't you be angry to be dealt a hand like that? Because I am. I am so, so angry. And that is why... I am never going to stop trying to break free. Screw truth, and screw fate. Who said that its chains can't be broken?'
Sunny shifted slightly, and stared at the sleeping young woman with burning intensity.
'I just have to get strong enough to rip them apart. You want to destroy the Spell? Well, I want to destroy fate itself. Which one of us do you think is more crazy?'
He suddenly laughed, his voice full of both mirth and bitterness.
'If Weaver did it, why can't I? And if Weaver created it, why can't you break it? If that is our will… who dares to stop us?'
Sunny smiled widely, and then grew quiet again, his eyes full of darkness.
After a while, he rubbed his face.
'Anyway… Cassie and I are going to challenge the Second Nightmare soon. We might not be able to visit you again for a long time. So you… you take care of yourself, Neph. Don't disappoint me. I am counting on you to stay alive... to keep me striving to surpass you."
With that, he sighed heavily, stood up, and left without looking back.
It was finally time for him to sleep, too.
***
...Before climbing into his luxurious sleeping pod, Sunny had a conversation with Effie. He moved her pod into the underground dojo and installed it near his own. The two of them were most likely going to spend a long time in the Nightmare, so the house had to be put on lockdown for the duration.
Hopefully, Sunny would be able to do it himself after coming back through the Gateway in Night Temple, but if things went wrong with the representatives of Valor, Effie was in charge of making the final preparations. He gave her the passwords from the security system and explained the procedure.
Then, Sunny ran the diagnostic on the pod, made sure that it was functioning perfectly and could sustain his body for months, if not years, and sighed.
…It didn't matter, really. After entering the Seed, he would either die or become a Master. If the former happened, the well-being of his physical body was a moot point. If the latter happened… paradoxically, the same statement applied.
Ascension merged the physical body with the spirit body… however, even if the physical body was completely destroyed, the process would create a new one. So, maybe, it was more appropriate to say that Ascension allowed the spirit body to become corporeal. In any case, the result was the same.
That was why Effie wanted to become a Master so badly, knowing that it would make her as strong and healthy as she was in the Dream Realm. Why many of the Lost dreamed of challenging the Second Nightmare, as well.
…And that was why it didn't matter even if the sleeping pod malfunctioned and thoroughly roasted Sunny's physical body instead of preserving it. If the Nightmare didn't kill him, he would be as good as new.
Still, Sunny was very attached to his mortal shell. He didn't want any harm to come to it, if only out for sentiment reasons.
With a sigh, he undressed, took one last glance at his spacious dojo, and climbed into the pod.
Effie, who was watching him silently from her wheelchair, strained to raise a hand and waved him goodbye.
"Sweet dreams!"
Sunny wanted to snarl at her and remind the gluttonous huntress to not leave dirty dishes all over the house, but he was just too tired.
As soon as the lid of the metal sarcophagus started to move, his eyes closed, and he fell into the deep, dark embrace of sleep.
When Sunny opened his eyes again, he was already in the Sanctuary of Noctis.
***
Sunny was standing on the edge of the island, looking at the heavenly chain that stretched far into the distance. His body was clad in a slender armor forged out of bleak steel, and in his hand was a somber black spear with a polished silver blade.
Cassie was standing by his side, wearing her midnight blue coat beneath a polished cuirass. Her hand rested on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, and an elegant half-mask rested on her face. A few strands of her long, golden hair were blowing in the wind.
They were ready to depart.
Sunny glanced at the two of them, then at the dull steel of the Undying Chain.
He wasn't foolish enough to fail to recognize that this was exactly how her vision of their death happened — with the two of them alone, and him wearing metal armor.
The only thing missing was the snow.
…But Sunny didn't care.
He had been deceived by the knowledge of the future once, and all his desperate attempts to avoid it had only helped the vision happen. This time, he was not going to allow himself to be a pawn of fate. He was going to do what needed to be done, in a way he wanted to do it, and face the consequences without regret.
Sunny sighed, glanced at Cassie, and said:
"Let's go."
With that, he took a step forward and plunged off the edge of the island.
Chapter 561: Journey to the North
When they started their expedition, the last vestiges of summer warmth were leaving the Chained Isles. Not every region of the Dream Realm had seasons that were the same as those of the waking world, but this one was somewhat similar. By the time they were supposed to reach Night Temple, autumn would be in full swing.
If everything went well, the journey was going to take two or three weeks. Sunny wanted to reach the mysterious Citadel and retrieve the ivory knife by the middle of October, then rendezvous with Effie, Kai, and the Fire Keepers at the Shipwreck Island in the first days of November. That would give them almost a full month to reach the Ebony Tower and enter the Seed before winter.
Of course, in the Dream Realm, one could never put too much faith in any plan.
Sunny felt reasonably confident in his ability to travel across Chained Isles, but he knew not to get arrogant. This was a wild and deadly land, one full of fearsome creatures and insidious threats.
He had explored many islands and hunted down many abominations here, but even after nine months of fighting and traveling across the region, Sunny was only well-acquainted with the southeastern part of it, where the Sanctuary of Noctis was located. He had never ventured west or north of the Tear.
The situation was only made worse by the fact that the closer one got to the vast emptiness at the heart of the Chained Isles, the more dire dangers they would face. To reach Night Temple quickly, Sunny and Cassie had to reach the Tear and skirt around its edge, which meant that they would be moving through the most perilous area of the entire region.
Not all was bad, though. Cassie had some of the knowledge that Sunny lacked, since the Fire Keepers had spent a lot of time in the northern reaches of the Chained Isles. He also had all the information copied from Mordret's map, which contained a detailed description of many places they were going to have to travel through.
He was strong enough to face the dangers that awaited them there, and Cassie wasn't defenseless anymore. The two of them were enough... most likely. These were the reasons why Sunny had decided to attempt the expedition without a full cohort.
The following days proved that he had been right in his decision. Their journey was surprisingly smooth. The traversal itself provided no problems — Cassie was more than capable of moving from island to island without his help, which was a relief.
Due to her second Aspect Ability and the Quiet Dancer, the blind girl was able to move through space with an adequate measure of accuracy. As it turned out, she also had an Ascended charm that provided a powerful augmentation to a single Echo, which she used on her rapier.
With its help, the Dancer could carry her weight for a short distance, which allowed Cassie to get to and off the chains with ease. The only drawback of the charm was that it ate through her soul essence rapidly, and she couldn't use it often or for too long.
Of course, traversal was the least of their problems. As they traveled further into the heart of the Chained Isles, more and more Nightmare Creatures picked up their scent. That was where Sunny came in.
With the help of Saint and, when needed, the Soul Serpent, he was able to deal with anything that dared to attack them. Cassie helped, too, but there was rarely anything for her to do — Sunny and his Shadows were just too swift, cunning, and deadly. Their combined power was almost terrifying.
That was not to say that the blind girl was useless. On the contrary, her presence was perhaps the single most important factor of why they were able to move toward their goal with such ease.
Her great affinity to revelations, keen senses, and supernatural intuition complimented Sunny's battle prowess perfectly. It was almost disturbing how well they worked together — him scouting ahead and obliterating monsters, her guiding them through the maze of shifting isles in a way that took them past the true horrors, the hidden hazards, and the Crushing.
The strangest part about all of this was that they didn't even talk to each that much, yet were able to achieve such a deep level of understanding. Most of the journey was spent in silence, with both of them preferring not to speak to another unless absolutely necessary. There was no small talk, no irrelevant conversations, and no friendly banter.
Sunny didn't even talk to his shadows and Saint like he was already used to, which made the silence almost suffocating. It was indeed a bit awkward in the beginning… but then, he got used to it. He actually started to enjoy the peace and quiet, as well as the company of another human being — even if it was Cassie.
Their cooperation was efficient, seamless, and not burdened with emotions and other troublesome complications. An alliance of pure convenience. What was there to complain about?
They traveled across islands that were barren and stark, and across islands that were lush with beautiful verdure. Across islands that teemed with vile abominations, and islands that were full of nothing but bones and ash. Across islands that were open and vast, and islands that were small and hid unseen dangers behind a veil of deception.
…It wasn't long before a day arrived when a dark line became visible far away, over the northern horizon. When Sunny first saw it, he stood motionlessly for a while, looking north with a dark expression.
The Hollow Mountains.
After so long, he finally saw them again.
Every day after that, the black line grew bigger and closer. Soon, he was already able to discern individual peaks and the jagged shape of the mountain chain that pierced the sky, like the fangs of a colossal dragon.
And on the day that the dark peaks towered above, shrouded in flowing mist… they finally reached Night Temple.
Chapter 562: lnto the Night
The chain swayed lightly as Sunny and Cassie walked across it, rattling loudly from time to time. Since the island that they had just left was currently ascending, the one in front of them was below and fully visible.
The Northern Island was not too large, maybe two kilometers in diameter. Its surface was one vast level plain, and covered entirely by a beautiful field of violet flowers, as if wrapped in a silken mantle. Despite the fact that the sun was high in the sky, the buds of the delicate flowers closed.
From what Cassie had told him, Sunny knew that they would open only at night, emanating an eerie and beautiful light. He would have liked to witness that strange and magical sight himself, but right now, there were far more important things for them to do.
Not to mention that, at the moment, Sunny's attention wasn't even on the island itself.
Instead, he was looking past it, at the draconian peaks of the Hollow Mountains that towered above the island, submerging it into their vast and deep shadow.
They were shrouded in white mist that flowed slowly down the dark slopes and fell into the black abyss of the Sky Below like an endless wall of white, swirling clouds. The image of it was both magnificent and frightening.
It was as though the sky itself was slowly being devoured by the lightless void… or maybe invading it.
Looking at the dreadful mountains, Sunny couldn't help but wonder if Nephis was currently lost somewhere out there, in the white mist. Or had she not dared to enter it and instead chose one of the other directions?
There was no way to know.
With a sigh, he looked down and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.
Soon, they reached the Northern island and flew up — Sunny with the help of the Prowling Thorn and the Dark Wing, Cassie by unsheathing the Quiet Dancer, jumping, and holding tightly to the hilt as the flying rapier pulled her into the air.
The two of them landed softly amidst the delicate flowers and looked around. Without the need to say anything, Sunny allowed the blind girl to take the lead and followed her as they walked toward the only landmark on the island — the ruins of the ancient fortress that perched precariously on its northern edge. It was very similar to the crumbled stronghold where he had met Effie and Kai.
Trying not to disturb the flowers, they crossed the island and entered the fortress. Nothing attacked them on the way, and there were no sounds except for the whistling of the wind and that of their footsteps. The Northern island was beautiful, silent, and strangely peaceful.
Looking through the broken gateway of the ancient stronghold, Sunny studied the colossal chain that anchored the Isles to the Hollow Mountains. The swirling mist flowed down on both sides of it, obscuring the point where the chain sunk into the dark stone.
He remained motionless for a few moments, then shivered and looked away.
At the very corner of the platform that lay beyond the gate, almost unnoticeable, a narrow set of stairs led down, cut from weathered rock. The path snaked around the overhanging slope, clinging to the stone surface as it led to the dark side of the island.
Cassie put one hand on the stones and, tracing her fingers across them, cautiously stepped onto the stairs. Sunny followed, looking down with a dark expression.
The path leading to the Night Temple was long and narrow. There was barely enough space for two people to walk side by side. To his right was the stone wall of the island, and to his left was the bottomless dark abyss of the Sky Below. One careless step could spell a person's doom.
The placement of the stairs was not accidental, as well. If an attacking force tried to lead an assault down the path, they would have had to fight the defenders one at a time, with the movements of the fighter's right hand being restricted by the slope. Range attacks wouldn't help much due to the curvature of the wall, too.
In a place like that, one warrior could stop an entire army.
They descended lower and lower, finally reaching the dark side after a long time.
At the point where the slope turned almost completely horizontal, the stairs transformed into a strange hanging bridge that was attached to the stone surface above by rusty chains. It swayed precariously above the dark chasm of the Sky Below, leading all the way to the center of the isle… to the Night Temple.
Sunny froze, startled by a mournful sound of a loud bell that suddenly rolled through the darkness.
In front of him, at some distance, a magnificent structure protruded from the underbelly of the floating island. Made out of black stone, it resembled a tall, somber cathedral that was somehow built upside down and hovered above the abyss of impenetrable darkness. The foundation was its highest point, and its seven belfries descended into the depths of the black void, each ending with a short chain that held a massive bell cast of tarnished green copper.
Since Night Temple was located under the island, the light of the sun never reached it. Instead, the cathedral was shrouded in eternal shadow, with only the pale shining of the distant divine flames caressing its black walls.
In a strange reversal, the velvet darkness of the abyss and the scattering of false stars in its depths seemed like a vast night sky hanging above it.
As Sunny watched, a second bell rang. He shifted a little and turned his attention to the narrow path, tracing its treacherous steps all the way to the massive iron gates of the cathedral.
Cassie turned to him, lingered for a moment, and said:
"Let's go. They've seen us."
Sunny nodded and took a step forward.
Night Temple waited ahead, its gates opened like a hungry mouth.
Chapter 563: Lost Sentinels
As they walked toward the gates, Sunny asked quietly:
"So… what happens now, exactly?"
Cassie thought for a few moments before answering.
"I am not sure. That depends on whether Saint Cormac is inside the Citadel or out exploring the Hollow Mountains. In any case, my standing should be good enough to at least get an audience with one of the Masters overseeing the Temple in his absence."
She hesitated, then added:
"If we are allowed inside, there are several rules you must follow. Outsiders aren't allowed to summon any Memories or Echoes inside the Citadel. We can only go into the allowed areas, unless a Master is escorting us. We may not speak with the inhabitants of the temple unless they address us first… additionally, all items we bring inside have to be inspected."
Sunny frowned. The rules were not only strange, but also strict and would put him at a disadvantage should anything happen. However, he remembered Sky Tide's warning… she told him not to break any rules inside Night Temple.
'Alright… I won't do anything risky unless absolutely necessary. Let's see how this plays out first.'
As they approached the ornate gates, two figures became visible standing on both sides of it. One was a man, and the other was a woman. Both sentinels were in their thirties and had calm, cold, dangerous eyes.
'So… these are the Lost.'
It was Sunny's first time meeting their kind. In truth, there was not much difference between them and those Awakened who had not lost their physical bodies.
…That was not to say that the sentinels were ordinary.
Both radiated an imposing, overbearing aura. Just from how the Lost held themselves, Sunny could tell that they were extremely experienced and fearsome warriors. Their armors were perfectly crafted, and their weapons had a dangerous luster, all clearly of a high Rank.
The pressure these sentinels exerted reminded him of the oldest and most deadly hunters of the Dark City, those who had survived long years of bloody battles in the hell of the Forgotten Shore. If he was honest, he had to admit that most Awakened anchored at the Sanctuary of Noctis seemed like children when compared to the two Lost.
These people were no joke. And there were a hundred more inside the cathedral, if what Cassie had told him was true. If all of them were the same as the sentinels…
Sunny suppressed a shiver.
He might have vastly underestimated the scale of the force that clan Valor had stationed at the precipice of the Hollow Mountains. The somber cathedral hid an entire army.
But… why only keep the Lost here? What purpose could it serve? The mystery had been tormenting him ever since he learned of it.
…At some point, one of the sentinels raised a hand, commanding them to stop. He studied both Sunny and Cassie for a while, and then said in a cold voice:
"Lady Song of the Fallen… what a nice surprise to see you again. I hope that the other members of your cohort are well."
His tone did not match the friendly words at all.
The blind girl simply nodded.
"They are well and in good health, anchored at the Sanctuary of Noctis."
The second sentinel raised an eyebrow and spoke:
"Oh? What prompted you to make the long journey and return to our modest Citadel, then? In a company of a stranger and without your loyal comrades, no less..."
Cassie glanced at Sunny and smiled.
"This is Awakened Sunless, and he is not a stranger. In fact, he is a dear friend of mine and one of the few people in this world I would trust with my life. Both of us used to be Lady Changing Star's companions."
Sunny almost choked.
'Such smooth lies… admirable!'
The blind girl, meanwhile, lingered for a moment, and then said:
"...We hoped to have an audience with Lord Cormac."
The sentinels remained silent for a while, making Sunny feel a bit nervous. Finally, one of them answered:
"Lord Cormac is carrying out one of his missions. He won't be back for several weeks, at least."
Cassie's smile didn't waver. Without skipping a bit, she said, her voice as polite and pleasant as before:
"Sir Pierce or Lady Welthe, then."
The sentinels looked at each other. After a while, one of them sighed.
"Wait here."
With that, he disappeared, leaving Sunny and Cassie under the heavy gaze of the remaining Lost.
Sunny stared back, shamelessly studying the sentinel. No matter how he tried, he couldn't tell the difference. She looked just like a normal Awakened would in the Dream Realm… well, it made sense. Her spirit body was the same, after all.
…It was also shaped very nicely.
"What are you staring at, boy?"
Sunny looked up and smiled. For a moment, he was very tempted to answer honestly… but then his common sense won other.
"...Your armor, ma'am. It seems like a fine Memory."
The sentinel snarled and didn't say anything.
After some time, the second one returned and beckoned them to follow.
They were led into a small, chilly room at the side of the gate and handed two sets of simple garments made out of crude cloth, then locked inside. Sunny stared at the bundle in his hands with a perplexed expression.
"Uh… what is that for?"
Cassie sighed and unbuckled her belt, then dismissed the Quiet Dancer and placed its empty scabbard on a bench.
"No Memories or Echoes allowed, remember?"
Sunny frowned, then glanced at his armor. If he dismissed it, he would be more or less naked…
"They are expecting us to change here?"
The blind girl silently turned her back to him. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then did the same. His shadow looked away, too.
Cursing inwardly, he dismissed the Undying Chain, and felt the shadows in the tiny room shift as Cassie's cuirass and coat crumbled into a rain of sparks. They were close enough for him to hear the steady beating of her heart, and sense the heat emanating from her body. Trying not to let his imagination wander, Sunny put on a pair of simple trousers, and heard the fabric rustle as it slid across her smooth skin.
'Bastards… they couldn't give us two rooms to change?'
Suppressing his anger, Sunny put on a tunic and frowned. Its sleeves were too short to hide the coils of the Soul Serpent. More than that, they revealed the two shadows that were wrapped around his body, shrouding it in a thin layer of darkness.
…Not to mention that both the tunic and the trousers were several sizes too big for him.
With a sigh, Sunny commanded the shadows to crawl up his arms, hiding them from sight.
Then, he dismissed the Serpent and bent down to roll up the pant legs and put on a pair of leather sandals, and cleared his throat.
"Are you done?"
Cassie answered after a short pause:
"Yes."
The clothes provided to her consisted of similar sandals and a long tunic that left her shoulders bare and her legs exposed below the knee. The silver half-mask was gone, too, revealing Cassie's beautiful blue eyes. Sunny stared at her for a few moments, realizing that he had almost forgotten how they looked.
Then, he scowled and banged on the door.
Soon, the same sentinel let the out and led them through into the depths of the Night Temple.
As soon as they left the gateway behind, Sunny tensed, as if expecting something terrible to happen.
…But nothing did.
The sentinel glanced at him and frowned.
"What are you waiting for? Come. Sir Pierce will see be with us shortly."
Chapter 564: lnspection
The interior of the somber cathedral was as bizarre as its exterior. Sunny expected the actual floors to be constructed properly, and some of the corridors they walked through were. But other parts of Night Temple were upside-down, as well, the flat floors serving as ceilings and the arching ceiling serving as uneven floors.
And that was just the outward ring. He didn't even want to imagine how the temple itself and the inner sanctum looked.
As they walked, he saw several Lost silently going about the mundane business of maintaining the Citadel. They were dressed in the same crude clothes he was now wearing, and wielded no weapons.
However, every one of them, from a person calmly changing the oil in the wall lamps to a man sweeping the floors, radiated the same aura of strength and lethality as the two sentinels that had met them at the gate.
They were all battle-hardened, veteran elites.
'...Just what is this place?'
After descending a few sets of twisting stairs, Sunny and Cassie were led to another, slightly bigger room. That one had a large table in its center.
The sentinel gestured at it and said, his voice not betraying any emotions:
"Sir Pierce is on his way. Please, present the items you brought from the outside for inspection."
Cassie took a step forward and place her belt and scabbard on the table. The Lost shifted his gaze to Sunny and waited.
"Uh… all my things are stored inside a Memory."
He considered hiding the existence of the Covetous Coffer, but thought better of it. There was nothing inside of it worth hiding, anyway... or rather, almost nothing.
The sentinel frowned, then said in a dark tone:
"Summon it."
Soon, the small box was sitting on the table. Sunny opened it and started producing item after item, slowly building a large pile. They were spices, cooking utensils, hygienic products, several packs of underwear… both male and female, which earned him a strange look… a piece of a broken mirror, a couple of soul shards, a folding chair, various snacks, packs of tea and coffee, and many more.
As the pile slowly became larger and larger, the sentinel's face grew more and more incredulous. Finally, his eye twitched.
"How much trash do you have in that box?"
Sunny smiled.
"Almost finished!"
He fished out a tube of sunscreen and several sticks of lip balm, threw them into the pile, then thrust his arm into the maw of the Coverous Coffer up to the shoulder, swept its bottom a few times, ignoring Weaver's needle and diamond string, then finally took a step back.
"That is all."
The Lost shook his head and started picking up the items one after another, inspecting them carefully. What he was expecting to discover, Sunny did not know.
At that moment, the door of the room opened, and a tall man with sharp features and steely eyes came in. His dark hair was cut short, and there was stubble on his cheeks. The man wore a scale armor forged out of lusterless blue steel, and held himself with the relaxed confidence of an experienced killer.
Sunny didn't need an introduction to realize that he was standing in front of a Master… and a powerful one, at that.
Sir Pierce seemed to be less frightening than Morgan of Valor, but Morgan was barely older than Effie while this man had a decade or two to sharpen his skill and accumulate battle experience. He was a knight of Valor, still. Sunny harbored no illusions — in front of this monster, neither Cassie nor he stood a chance.
Especially not while surrounded by an army of a hundred Awakened elites.
'Why am I thinking about this? We are here to talk, not fight…'
And they really needed this conversation to go well. Depending on how convincing they could be and how receptive Sir Pierce was, Sunny would either have to do things the easy way, the hard way… or abandon his plans to retrieve the second knife altogether.
The sentinel greeted the Master respectfully, and then continued to inspect the mountain of items Sunny had produced from the Covetous Coffer. Sir Pierce glanced at it for a moment, then turned to Cassie.
"Awakened Cassia. Welcome back to the Night Temple."
Cassie bowed slightly.
"Sir Pierce."
Sunny suppressed the desire to roll his eyes.
'It's like I am invisible.'
Both the sentinels and the formidable Master had ignored his existence entirely, preferring to address the blind girl. Part of the reason must have been that they already knew her, but mostly it had to do with her status as a bearer of a True Name.
Well, it suited Sunny perfectly. He liked to remain as unnoticeable as possible.
Sir Pierce and Cassie exchanged several pleasantries, slowly approaching the discussion of the real issue. Sunny listened attentively, knowing how much rode on this conversation.
…At some point, however, he got distracted.
'What… what was that?'
For a moment, he thought that he heard someone sigh deeply behind him. No… he definitely did!
But there was no one there.
Sunny frowned.
'Am I hallucinating, or…'
It was then that a familiar voice suddenly resounded in his ears:
"Sunless… I am so glad that you made it."
Sunny eyes widened slightly. He looked at the sentinel, Cassie, and Master Pierce. None of the showed any sign that they had heard anything. Turning away, as if to stare at the wall, he hid his face and said in a barely audible whisper:
"Mordret! Where have you been, bastard?"
His words sounded harsh, but his tone was actually elated.
The voice chuckled, making Sunny feel a bit tense, for some reason.
Was it just him… or did the mysterious prince sound a bit different?
"Me? Oh… actually, I was with you this whole time, watching as you traveled across the Dream Realm. I just chose not to speak."
Sunny blinked a couple of times. A heavy, cold feeling settled in his chest.
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong…
"You… chose not to speak? Why?"
Mordret remained silent for a few moments, then said in his usual pleasant tone:
"With how cautious you are, I was afraid that you wouldn't come if I said too much."
'What… what does he mean?'
Sunny felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. His intuition was sounding the alarms, filling him a sudden feeling of dread.
'Fooled… was I fooled?
"Come where? Here, to the Night Temple?"
At that moment, the sentinel picked up the piece of the broken mirror from the pile.
Mordret spoke again, his voice still friendly, but suddenly much colder and deeper beneath the surface. Like a dark and restless ocean hiding under a thin veil of mist…
"Indeed. Thank you to bringing this piece of mirror to me, Sunless. I am very grateful."
Sir Pierce casually glanced at the sentinel while responding to Cassie. His gaze stopped at the mirror. In the next moment, his pupils widened.
"...And very sorry for what is about to happen next."
The formidable Master was suddenly near the table, the Lost thrown aside. The piece of the mirror was in his hand.
Throwing a wild look at Sunny, he screamed:
"Where did you find it, boy?! Answer me!"
Sunny took a stoop back, stunned.
"I… I…"
He remembered Saint Tyris telling him not to mention Reckoning island. However, at the moment, it seemed like Pierce would rip him apart if Sunny dared to twist the truth even a little. So, he answered honestly:
"Reckoning. I picked it up after slaying a strange creature."
Sir Pierce stared at him for a moment, and then his face suddenly changed. It became deathly pale and motionless, as if aged by ten years. His eyes grew wide and glassy.
The fearsome Master was… was…
Terrified.
But before any of them could do anything, a thin crack appeared on the shard in his hand.
And in the next moment, all Sunny could hear was the sound of breaking mirrors.