I look into the now familiar inside of the spell. It's done, we survived the second nightmare.... something is wrong.... oh! I'm back in my original body. I guess I probably won't be able to shapeshift anymore.
Well unless I become a saint and my transcendent ability is to turn to ice, which seems about right. Focus. What did he mean, i get not trusting the gods in that context. But what did noctis mean by don't trust the Chained one. Its singer I'm very sure of it but she's a echo.... well ice shard but aren't they basically the same? A echo is always loyal to its master. Right?
I don't think I'm powerful enough to summon noctis, but judging by what I'm aware of there is in fact a chance I'll be able to. Although I probably have to be a saint to do so. Things above my rank being able to be summoned seems far too powerful. Anyways I'm a master I guess, this really is something. When I was little and still thought awakened were always upstanding members of society, I never imagined I'd become a master.
[Awakened! Your trial is over.]
I sit down hard, i doubt it will matter what I get, I already have a divine aspect and true name.
[A singular being of death found themself in a land ruled by a apathetic demigod. It teamed up with those living on the land to repel creatures from the mountains. It helped a young scout girl find her aspect by showing her the world in a way she could have never without it.
When one from the fog was too cunning and intelligent to go down easily, it did not leave behind those it teamed up with but was betrayed. It fought the fog creature and ultimately neither side won the conflict and both where forced to flee. It left the now destroyed base in which it started, finding a lone blind prophet.
The two traveled together giving news about the one in the north's death to a mad sorcerer. It teamed up with the mad sorcerer and his allies, a lonesome shadow, a feral child, a crippled archer and the blind prophet.
When the time came they waged war on a holy city and its protectors. It battled a immortal lord alone holding it off until it could be killed. Its spite made it help take down the dragon lord of the holy city. When only the mad sorcerer was left as hopes chain, he willingly died to its hands. Hope was finally set free from its chains]
Now I think the saint thing is overblown, I just distracted the sun prince until noctis was done. But I will take the praise! Lord knows i need it and totally not kai or sunny. But dealing with prince was in fact really hard.... wait. Prince! I'll have to ask, what was he doing in the ivory city? God damn it!
[You have slain an Awakened…]
It lists a lot of names. None of which I listen to. Okay so prince had a plan, sunny knowing him probably messed them right on up. Maybe causing a grudge maybe not. That's not important, what is important is that prince had some kind of plan within the ivory city.
The major two things in that city where the dragon and the ivory tower.... wait the ash tower, its likely that it wasn't a one way portal, so maybe he did something with that. I would not be shocked. Shit wait i missed something the final verdict is here
[Final appraisal: great.]
Yay I got a good grade in spell something which is possible to achieve and normal to want. I start tapping my foot, I want this to be quick. Wait! Oh fuck! Valor! Their going to be pissed, really really pissed. Valor is going to want its run back with us. Nobody can know prince was there. Not a damn soul.
[The Third Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
A actually nice cold washes over me, i let myself fall backwards. I lay on my back how nice, its all finally over, i keep my eyes closed.
"Oh fuck!"
I sit up at the feeling my essence clearly suddenly. Okay, okay I stand up.
[Awakening Aspect Ability.]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[...Aspect Ability Name: death of many.]
That, that does not in fact have anything to do with ice. Oh really weird. I guess its because of how related to death my aspect is. I'll have to figure out how that works.
Maybe its some good old utility. I always want more of that. Ehhh i check on that later. I'm not in the mood. I'm not like physically tired anymore but mentally I am wiped. Plus I can use that bed now.
[....Wake up, ■■■■.]
[Your nightmare is over!]
I lift myself slowly and promptly hit on head on the sleeping pod. Ow. I open the door to see
"Damnation!"
Sunny in his real body on the floor.
"Pfft haha!"
He shoots me a almost murderous glare. I shoot a glance at his sleeping pod and I burst out laughing
"You broke it!"
He gets all embarrassed. I get up slowly
"Oh wow your all slow"
"At least i didn't fall on my face"
He glares then starts doing fake fighting thing. I stare blankly at this show of stupidity i then just one hand grab his face
"Ah! Damnation!"
He scrambles away as I snicker to myself
"Sucks to suck shadow boy"
His face scrunchies up
"I'm a adult you damn popsicle"
That's when the house is shaken by a very happy shout.
"What... the hell was that?!"
Effie no doubt.
"Well come on then"
I go upstairs, sunny teleports, like a lazy person. The door! That was so expensive! Also effie is standing. Effie is standing!
"Doofus! Dork! I'm standing!"
I tap my foot pointing to the door and the hole in the wall
"Effie! You broke it"
Sunny clears his throat not looking at her
"Congratulations! I am very happy for you… I am. But, please… can you put something on?"
Oh. She's naked.
"Ah… well… pretend you didn't see anything!"
I sigh and go to take a bath in my real body.
I walk over to sunny after the bath, I notice him in that jacket ans gloves I got him, heh.
"Sunny! What… what happened? How did the Nightmare end? Is everyone alright?"
I sigh hoping into frame.
"I am alright. As you can no doubt see ■■■■ is just fine too. Effie and Cassie are alive and well, too. After you dealt with Sevirax, everything… everything went smoothly."
Kai seems to finally let go of his worry.
"Thank the gods. But what about…"
He grows silent
"I didn't see him. Luckily. For him."
He shakes his head
"Actually, don't answer. I'll be there in ten minutes!"
It shifts and I hear a faint
"Mr. Night? What are you… what do you mean, step away from the window?!"
Me and sunny glance at each other
"Pfft"
He notices some of Effies handiwork, a price of wall on the table. He glares at it, like it was the one who killed his parents. The shadows move and fling it off of the table.
"Okay."
I simply leave the area, that was weird. While everyone gets here I decide to check on my craft room. Its clean and not went through. Good good, I don't have to beat someone to.... well not death but not awake either. Forgot the word.
I smell food so I come out of my hideyhole I see cassie had brought food with her. I see kai, he's not burned! I walk right over grabbing his face
"Your okay! Your not burned anymore!"
I hug him. I knew that he was in a lot of pain before now he's okay.
"Uh yeah I am. Please let go your very cold"
Oh yeah. I let go
"Sorry"
He smiles
"No no I get it. Really i do"
I sigh
"I'm just glad you aren't in pain anymore."
Me and effie seem to be the only ones excited. Kai gets a look
"So… what happened? I don't remember much after being swallowed by Sevirax."
Huh?
"Swallowed… what? You were swallowed by the dragon?"
Kai gets visibly embarrassed
"Oh… not really. I just, sort of… jumped into his mouth. Because I didn't know how else to kill him."
"Pfft"
They look at me
"Maybe you and sunny have been hanging out too much"
Effie snickers and cassie seems to find it amusing as well. To be fair that was a very sunny response, and to sunny by kai as well!
Sunnys looking down
"Nothing really happened. I managed to stall the… the fifth challenger for a while. He fell for my deception because he had assumed that I would not trust anyone with the knives, I think. After you killed the dragon, there was no real reason for him to stay. He left to salvage at least some rewards before the Nightmare ended, and I crossed to the Ivory Island."
If I knew he was that close I would have beaten the snot out of him. I am definitely feeling less violent. I guess hope was affecting my negative emotions more, that does make sense I tend to get angry or annoyed easily.
"When Sevras died, one of the two remaining chains that held it in place broke. Then… then the other one did, too. The Tower rose into the sky, and as it did, the force holding the islands afloat shifted, creating the Crushing. That is how Chained Isles came to be. Hope escaped, and the Nightmare ended."
We all stay silent until cassie speaks
"So… so Lord Noctis fell, too?" Before sunny can speak I do
"Yes i arrived just before he was going to and for some reason he had me do it for him."
I look away and I hear effie sigh
"Damn it. I wish we had something stronger to drink, in his honor. Some wine, maybe. Noctis, he was a devious, wicked, two-faced lunatic. But he was also… great. In more than one sense. You know?"
She pauses for a few seconds
"Isn't it strange? Mourning a figment of the Spell. They weren't real, after all."
Feelings are things you normally really can't explain.
"...Actually, I think that enjoying some tea is what he would have wanted us to do. That was his plan, you know? Win a war against the immortal Saints, defy the gods, release the Demon of Desire from her prison… and then have a cup of tea."
Sunny drinks then sighs still looking at the cup
"So, let's relax and do exactly that. We deserved this much, at least... don't you think?"