Sunny awoke feeling strange.
Some fatigue remained within him, yet his body also carried a freshness he rarely experienced. Few circumstances allowed him to sleep long enough for every Trait, Attribute, and principle of his transformed Nature to contribute to his recovery.
His eyes remained closed while Mind Weave and Silver Weave accelerated his thoughts, allowing him to examine his condition before his body completed its first waking breath.
Being an Angel possessed certain advantages.
Among them was an Authority over Time, although its expression differed between Angels. Each commanded only the portion belonging to their nature, and many could not reproduce the feats of their fellows.
Sunny's current expression of Time was minor. Whenever he slept, his body gradually reversed the damage inflicted upon it, turning back an internal clock to restore wounded flesh and dispel fatigue.
He would not consciously wield that power anytime soon.
According to [Heavenly Eclipse], his Aspect Legacy restricted the power of a True Angel until he completed it. Reaching that point would require considerable effort, since the hints contained within its description offered direction without explaining the path.
Sunny could not rely upon his inherited memories, either. Among all the versions of himself whose lives he had experienced, none had ever been an Angel.
Therefore, the Legacy lost to him had to be recovered through his own efforts.
The first hint had been clear in hindsight.
[One piece slumbers in death.]
Sunny believed that he received [Shadow of Parsimony] after experiencing a genuine death, when he became Lost and his body in the Waking World perished.
He had expected that body to fail, it was no surprise to him.
Human flesh could not contain everything Sunny brought across by sacrificing his Probability. His soul body within the Dream Realm adapted because souls were inherently more malleable, whereas mortal flesh broke beneath the burden.
'I'll have to apologize to Jet and Professor Julius.'
His death must have frightened them.
Jet would have taken it especially hard. Once again, she had become the last Outskirts Rat among them to survive the First Nightmare.
Sunny pushed the thought aside and considered the second reward, [Flesh of ???].
'A piece slumbers in Heritage...'
The hint was useful, although its meaning remained elusive.
The third was [One piece in sea], which probably referred to his Soul Sea. Sunny suspected that the second reward needed to be unlocked before he could reach the third.
'Although... why would the order matter?'
His Aspect Legacy had not been bestowed by the Nightmare Spell. Nothing connected to his Second Aspect truly belonged to it. The Spell merely described powers that already existed within Sunny, translating their nature into information he could comprehend.
The rewards were not gifts. They were dormant parts of his own existence.
'It dreams within thee still. Wake it...'
Sunny wondered whether Avarice had addressed him directly.
The Legacy's description possessed a voice distinct from the impartial accounts provided by the Spell. Its tone resembled the words of an God speaking across the division within his soul.
Surprisingly, that possibility caused little unease.
Avarice was awake within him, although it remained dormant. Sharing an existence with a Dormant human must have diminished the Archangel continually, forcing an existence of immeasurable Status beneath a crushing limitation.
In some respects, Avarice had become Sunny.
It was now a Shadow, yet the Death of an Archangel could never become entirely pure. Archangels existed beyond ordinary definitions of purity and corruption, carrying both as intrinsic parts of their being.
Abaddon had still assimilated it into Sunny as a purified Shadow. The contradiction left it [Formless].
The Archangel had chosen to become him.
It was no longer the creature Sunny fought. It was no longer the Angel that ruined humanity in the First Worldline or the Original Worldline.
That Angel had killed Sun God's first Avatar during the Age of Gods. Later, Abaddon assimilated with it to keep it sealed, condemning himself to an eternity of sharing existence with the creature while Sun God imprisoned them within a Divine Law.
What remained inside Sunny was different.
It was the grand Shadow born from the Archangel's end. It was the "Death" of a being that originally possessed none, given form through Sunny's actions.
Archangels could overwrite the Law of the Flame. Therefore, Death held no dominion over them.
Sunny had woven a Death for Avarice while Shadow God contended with the Archangel and granted him the time required to accomplish the impossible.
'Damn... that was a battle.'
Even with his accelerated thoughts, time within his mind began catching up to the waking motion of his body.
'We can't rest forever.'
The loss was unfortunate. Sunny deserved far more sleep after allowing a Corrupted Devil to tear through every organ in his body.
He survived that assault because he was an Angel.
Soul Flame had contributed. His Traits, Attributes, and Aspects had done the same. Ultimately, however, the unconscious manipulation of Time within his body and lifeforce allowed him to approach death before returning in less than a second.
That miracle consumed an absurd amount of Essence.
As a result, depleting his reserves remained an effective method of killing him.
'As though accomplishing that would be easy.'
Sunny's Essence pool already approached what he possessed as an Ascended. The thought of how much Essence he might contain as a Transcendent, or even a Supreme, filled him with anticipation.
'Ah... I can hardly wait.'
Transcendence interested him most.
Upon reaching that Rank, expressing his Will would become possible. His nascent Domain could not bloom before Supremacy, yet the ability to impose his Will upon the world in any capacity was enough.
His genuine plans would begin moving after he became a Transcendent.
'Unfortunately, that'll have to wait until the Third Nightmare. I can't Transcend naturally before entering it, just as Ascension remains impossible before the Second Nightmare.'
Still, the future promised entertainment.
As an Ascended, Sunny could be expected to challenge a Corrupted Terror or a Great Monster. Under favorable circumstances, he might even kill a Great Demon.
As a Transcendent, provided he unlocked the rewards preceding the sixth piece, [One piece in world], his reach would grow far greater.
He might contend with Abundance.
If the circumstances favored him...
'Even Condemnation.'
Sunny needed to kill that Profaned Spirit before Anvil did. Condemnation represented his greatest opportunity to create a Sacred Memory suited to his unique Nature.
Greed and ambition occupied him until his eyes opened.
.
.
.
'...Damn.'
Cassie and Saint remained curled against him.
'I wonder what Surya would have done in this situation. That guy is the God of Passion, after all…'
—
Sunny's body finally caught up to his thoughts, and his gaze moved toward the weight resting upon his right side.
Cassie had curled against him during the night. Her quiet breaths warmed his neck, while both hands clutched the silk of his mantle as though she feared being carried away if her grip loosened.
The darkness could not hide her from his Shadow Sense. He perceived every blond strand of hair crossing her face and the faint peace softening her sleeping expression.
'Cute.'
Another weight pressed against his left side, accompanied by a distinctly soft warmth.
Sunny turned his head again.
Saint rested upon the space between his chest and shoulder. Her black hair spilled across him, brushing his fingers in the form of a dark river. One of her arms lay over his chest, and her fingertips touched Cassie's forearm, maintaining contact even in sleep.
Perhaps some part of Saint had been making certain the blind girl did not disappear during the night.
Considering the strange events surrounding Cassie, the precaution was reasonable.
'Beautiful...'
Sunny exhaled.
His mind was clear, and the effects of [Lonesome Soul] had faded.
'This is fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.'
For a brief moment, he believed it.
Sunny was not some insufferable protagonist who panicked whenever a woman came near him. He had behaved similarly in his youth, yet experience had cured much of that foolishness.
They had merely slept beside one another.
There was no reason for embarrassment…
He was definitely not lying to himself…
'Who am I fooling?'
Accelerated thought was only part of the problem. Sunny's heightened senses perceived everything surrounding him with merciless precision.
Every touch reached him. He felt each soft breath and the smallest movement of their bodies. Worse still, Saint's lips rested against his chest, and a faint trace of moisture had gathered upon the silk beneath them.
Ordinary clothing might have spared him from perceiving it so clearly. Yet… the Mantle was also a Shell, and that Shell was part of his body.
The Shell had assumed the shape of a comfortable shirt, although anything touching its silk reached Sunny as though it touched his skin. From a practical perspective, it was his skin.
He needed time to master these senses outside combat.
Sunny's embarrassment did not come from being held so closely. It came from feeling far, far too much in too much detail.
His senses were invaluable during exploration, travel, and battle. They allowed him to detect poison through taste or scent, despite his near immunity to every toxin he knew.
They were considerably less helpful while resting between two young, beautiful women.
His Shadow Sense already perceived details as minute as insects and grains of sand. There was little reason for his touch and smell to possess equivalent acuity during sleep.
The thought drew his attention toward another peculiarity.
'Damn, I smell good. Is this another boon?'
A subdued fragrance surrounded Sunny despite the absence of any perfume. Unless he covered himself in blood or suffered a grievous wound, he suspected that his transformed body was incapable of producing an unpleasant odor.
Saint carried a similar fragrance, while Cassie smelled human and familiar.
'Nether, you crafty bastard. What else did you weave into our Shells?'
Apparently, the Daemon possessed an interest in fashion and fragrances in addition to his many darker pursuits. Among the Daemons Sunny had met, Nether remained one of his favorites, rivaled mainly by Hope.
Regardless, Sunny needed to wake them before Blood Weave redirected his attention somewhere dangerous.
He shook off the heat spreading across his face and gently moved his shoulders. His arms were thoroughly occupied, limiting his options.
'I probably woke up first because my recovery is fastest.'
Saint stirred before Cassie. The blind girl only murmured in her sleep and tightened her hold upon him.
Saint's violet eyes opened and slowly rose toward Sunny. He greeted her with a careful smile.
"Welcome back to… consciousness? I would say good morning, but we have no idea whether it is morning."
There was neither sun nor moon beneath the Forgotten Shore. They had lost track of time soon after falling into the pit.
Saint smiled faintly and swept the hair from her face. She lifted herself enough to release some of the pressure from Sunny's left side.
'Freedom at last! Welcome back, left arm!'
Her newly awakened voice emerged husky, possessing an allure that pleased Sunny while making Blood Weave decidedly inconvenient.
"Waking beside you is pleasant regardless of the hour, Milord. Did you sleep well?"
Sunny considered the question before answering honestly.
"Better than I have in a long time."
He did not mention how much the company had contributed.
Sunny already suspected that proximity to Cassie or Saint reduced the severity of his Flaw. Physical contact appeared even more effective, although he did not understand why.
He only knew that their presence helped.
Saint nodded.
"Good. We may not receive another opportunity for some time."
Sunny tilted his head and accidentally pressed his temple into Cassie's blond hair.
"Because of the Idol?"
"The Idol suggests that worse creatures may inhabit this place. A Warpgate brought us here, yet this temple has been maintained despite the passage of centuries."
Saint sat upright and began arranging her hair. Then she remembered that her Shell could alter it directly, causing the black strands to gather into a ponytail while several locks remained near her face.
"Natural preservation seems unlikely. Time may be distorted within the structure, or a Nightmare Creature may possess enough intelligence to maintain it. There is also a third possibility."
Sunny finished the thought.
"The Shadow."
His gaze moved toward the chamber.
"Where did it go?"
'Just where are you?'
Sunny last sensed the powerful Shadow when it opposed the Crimson Blight inside Cassie. Since then, he had found no trace of its presence.
His nature should have revealed a Shadow of such magnitude even without Shadow Sense, yet the being had disappeared completely.
'Maybe protecting Cassie diminished it.'
Shadow Creatures possessed only embers in place of true Shadow Cores. Sunny's cores, naturally, were complete spheres. But the core of an ordinary Shadow Creature resembled a large crystal whose missing whole had never formed.
Saint's cores followed a similar principle because she remained one of Sunny's Shadows, although hers were far greater than mere embers. Whenever Sunny examined them, he saw half-broken spheres shaped like frozen crescent moons.
He would grant Saint freedom if he could, but creating a true Shadow required Will, which remained beyond him until Transcendence. There was another complication as well.
'Saint is a Phantasm now.'
Her Shadow Cores did not consist entirely of shadow. Pale mist drifted within them, accompanied by fractures resembling mirrored Nothingness. Sunny could not be certain that transferring one of his cores would complete hers.
However, he knew it was possible because Amanises had also been a Phantasm.
Still, comparisons between Saint and Amanises were misleading. The only other being fit to stand beside Amanises had been Abaddon.
Amanises had created herself. Later, she absorbed the uniquenesses of Beast God and Storm God, earning the Modifiers 'Lady of Crimson' and 'Evernight Goddess.' Her power rivaled the Great Old One known as the 'Fount of Putrescence', who had reached 'The Root' despite Amanises never attaining it herself.
She had been among the strongest beings in existence.
…Then the Forgotten God killed her.
The hands belonged to an Avatar, yet the Avatar had shared Sunny's identity in the final Worldline. Those hands had been his while also belonging to another self.
Sunny's mood collapsed.
His face darkened beneath the weight of the memory until Saint's fingers touched his cheek. When he looked toward her, she regarded him with an expression so solemn that it became faintly amusing.
"Whatever memory has seized you, release it."
'She's right.'
Sunny nodded.
Saint withdrew her hand and glanced at the blond girl still wrapped around his right arm. After examining the peculiar arrangement, she reached a conclusion.
'I did not know one person could entangle a single arm with such determination.'
She noticed something else as well...
'She's also… awake.'
Cassie's body reproduced every sign of sleep with impressive skill. Her breathing remained even, her muscles retained an appropriate softness, and her face showed no conscious tension.
Her Shadow betrayed her, though.
Saint could perceive the emotions traveling through it. Fear, happiness, anger, and excitement each altered a Shadow differently. Concealing them required an individual to still their Shadow deliberately.
Sunny possessed that skill.
Cassie did not.
Amusement softened Saint's expression as she bent closer and brushed pale hair away from Cassie's face.
"Cassia, how long do you intend to continue pretending?"
Sunny had not noticed. His head snapped toward Cassie, bringing his face close to hers once again.
The blind girl's eyes opened and directed themselves toward Saint. Irritation entered her expression, although the prospect of releasing Sunny seemed to trouble her more than being exposed.
"How did you know I was-"
"Your Shadow."
Saint's answer interrupted her cleanly.
"You do not need to monitor it in ordinary circumstances, although learning to control the signals it reveals would be prudent."
A slight smile touched Saint's lips.
"Your joy was too intense for sleep. Even an unusual dream would not explain such sustained excitement."
Cassie buried her face deeper into Sunny's silk and grumbled. The tips of her ears turned pink.
Sunny considered this.
'So she was… happy? I should remember this for future blackmail.'
Eventually, Cassie released his arm with visible reluctance and stretched. She turned her Shadow Sense toward Sunny, and a sheepish smile appeared.
"Good morning, Shunny..."
'Who now?'
Sunny raised an eyebrow.
"Good morning to you as well. Though the hour is questionable. Was my arm really pleasant enough to justify lying us?"
Cassie considered the question with unexpected seriousness, confusing him further.
"I don't know whether it comes from whatever you have become, but the texture to your skin has changed. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that your body alters how another person experiences touching it?"
Her expression became uncertain.
"You felt like a teddy bear."
Sunny's eye twitched.
'Nether and I are going to have a serious conversation. How many hidden enchantments did that bastard weave into me?!'
He sat upright, stretched his right arm, and rolled his neck until the stiffness receded.
"Putting my apparent resemblance to stuffed animals aside, how does everyone feel? My Essence has recovered, and ordinary rest won't improve my condition any further."
The Authority of an Angel would have to reverse the remaining damage through Time. Sleep had accomplished everything else it could.
Cassie answered first.
"I feel a lot better! Shadow Sense is still confusing, though. I've never needed to interpret sight before, much less a form of sight this expansive."
Her voice became quieter.
"I think I can perceive the world through shadows more clearly than I ever did through my eyes."
By the time Saint responded, her mantle had resumed its armored form.
"I have recovered completely, Milord. Provided nothing beyond the doors is a Corrupted Devil, our combined strength should be sufficient."
Saint examined her fingers.
Cassie would have needed exceptional concentration to perceive the minute changes through Shadow Sense. But Sunny saw the blue threads at once.
Diamond Weave had awakened fully.
The evolution provided only a moderate enhancement to Saint's body. Its true value came from Sorcery.
Countless Spells already existed within her mind. Mirage and Nether had ensured that she inherited Nether's Legacy, including every Spell created by him.
Offensive and defensive arrays were the most useful for their present circumstances.
Saint had mentioned a Corrupted Devil because an unexpected encounter at close range would remain dangerous. Given time to prepare a battlefield, she could potentially challenge a Corrupted Devil or even a Corrupted Tyrant.
A Terror or Titan would probably kill them, though. Even that conclusion depended upon the creature's nature.
The Sybil of Fallen Grace offered a useful example. With preparation, Saint could have slain that Corrupted Terror alone because its primary abilities targeted the mind, and she possessed complete immunity to mental attacks.
Sunny's defenses were formidable as well. Once he became Ascended, the Sybil would struggle to dominate him through its powers, although the physical strength of a Corrupted Terror remained another matter.
Winter Beast represented the opposite extreme.
Preparation, Sorcery, and numbers would accomplish nothing against an environmental Titan of that kind. Rank decided such a battle. In their current condition, Sunny, Saint, and Cassie possessed no credible path to survival against a creature comparable to Winter Beast.
'Wit can't overcome every obstacle. Some differences are simply too absolute.'
Sunny acknowledged Saint with a nod.
Cassie continued scrutinizing her, bewildered by every new revelation concerning the pair. Finally, curiosity overcame restraint.
"Saint... forgive me for asking, but are you a Sleeper? Or are you Awakened? No one remembers an Awakened being trapped on these Shores."
Saint looked toward Sunny.
He shrugged.
She returned her attention to Cassie.
"I am an Ascended."
The blanket slipped from Cassie's hands.
She stared toward Saint through Shadow Sense for several breaths before her voice returned.
"Then how did you get here?"
Saint placed one finger beneath her chin and studied the ceiling as though the answer might be written there.
"I appeared here."
Cassie's expression became incredulous.
"I opened my eyes while Milord was fighting a Fallen Devil. We defeated it together, although he lost consciousness shortly afterward."
Cassie looked ready to rupture a blood vessel.
Saint continued with calm precision.
"There is little else to explain. I Ascended through an abnormal process as two additional Shadow Cores formed. It was unpleasant, and I have considerable sympathy for what Milord and Lady Nephis have to go through every single time."
Cassie placed both hands against her head and shook it rapidly.
"Stop. Just stop! You can explain everything after I become accustomed t-to this madness! Seriously... you have a Divine Aspect, just like Neph?"
Sunny lifted one hand, smiling cheerfully.
"For the record, so do I. I'm currently a Devil, and Saint is one as well."
Cassie's hand searched the floor, found a small object, and threw it at his face.
Sunny leaned aside.
The object passed harmlessly through the space beside his ear, and laughter escaped him.
'Gods, she reminds me of Kai. This is going to be fun.'
When the time came, tormenting Kai would be immensely entertaining as well.
—
Some time passed before Cassie recovered from the latest assault upon her understanding of the world.
Sunny and Saint answered several restrained questions. They explained that each possessed multiple Affinities and enough personal strength to defeat Fallen creatures alone.
The explanation reduced some of Cassie's fear while thoroughly disordering everything she believed about Aspects and Ranks.
Then Saint prepared breakfast.
Sunny did not expect her to possess ingredients.
His surprise deepened when she reached into her mantle and produced several bundles of red grass, a considerable amount of salt, Awakened Nightmare Creature meat, and an assortment of unfamiliar provisions.
Sunny had not known that her mantle could store anything.
That discovery created several additional questions, none of which received immediate answers.
Cassie cried after taking her first bite.
Sunny nearly joined her. Nothing he ate during this lifetime, including meals served at the Academy, approached the quality of Saint's cooking.
'A shame I won't establish the Brilliant Emporium in this Worldline.'
He had too many responsibilities to devote time to running a business.
Saint's skill was formidable. She seemed to apply [Battle Master], culinary knowledge inherited from Mirage City Noir, and her own disciplined precision to every stage of the preparation.
The resulting meal consisted of three courses.
The meat retained its juices while absorbing a rich sauce that Sunny suspected required some form of Sorcery. Saint also transformed red grass and several types of subterranean growth into vegetables whose taste bore no resemblance to their unappealing origins.
It was the finest meal served upon the Forgotten Shore.
Even so, Sunny refused to concede superiority!
His own culinary skill remained greater. That… that was simply a fact.
'As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I possess a Fable related to cooking.'
The thought filled him with pride. The fact that a Fable could form from his culinary skills only proved to point that he was the best!
Several minutes after breakfast, Sunny stood before the Phoenix. His inhuman digestive system had already absorbed most of the energy provided by the meal.
He glanced over his shoulder.
Saint and Cassie sat beside one another in quiet conversation. Their shoulders brushed while Cassie listened, occasionally smiling at something Saint said. Saint appeared pleased to answer every question.
'They're already becoming close.'
Sunny chuckled before turning back toward the Phoenix. His expression became serious.
He placed one hand upon its feathers and expanded Shadow Sense throughout the creature.
'There's no doubt. It's a Transcendent Titan.'
Sunny perceived the Localized World possessed by every Titan. They were standing within it, because the entire chamber existed inside the boundary of the Phoenix's influence.
That discovery was troubling purely because… the chamber was so small.
Winter Beast's Localized World had overwhelmed the Antarctic Center with its mere presence, creating a devastating blizzard across an enormous region. The Phoenix's World should have possessed comparable breadth.
Instead, its influence barely extended beyond the chamber.
It seemed inferior even to the "World" of a Fallen Titan.
Sunny shifted his perception toward the creature's soul and grimaced.
'Damnation. Its cores have lost their radiance.'
Seven Soul Cores existed within the Phoenix. They should have resembled suns, blazing with the blessings of Sun God and Beast God.
Instead, they appeared even less complete than Saint's cores.
Saint's condition followed the rules of her present nature. She was a Phantasm rather than a true creature.
The Phoenix was a genuine Noble Creature. Therefore, the condition of its cores indicated catastrophic damage.
'All things considered, It should be dead.'
Something within its Shadow contradicted that conclusion. Sunny spoke before realizing the thought had reached his lips.
"I can't even call this "life." It's almost like It's trapped in stasis."
Saint heard him, although she remained absorbed in Cassie's questions and chose not to interrupt.
The Phoenix's Shadow retained overwhelming strength. Its presence remained worthy of a Transcendent being despite the millennia spent beneath the Forgotten Shore. Sunny could feel its "Death" inside the chamber.
The Phoenix just refused to die. Perhaps it was incapable of doing so.
'Was its cycle of Death and Rebirth interrupted?'
That was the first possibility.
The second concerned the Supreme Shadow.
'Or did the Supreme preserve it through his Will?'
A Supreme could imbue another being with Will, yet the effect should have faded across so many centuries without continual reinforcement. A Sacred being might establish such an influence once and leave it to sustain itself — but a Supreme was not capable of that.
Sunny brushed one hand across the Phoenix's right wing, feeling warmth travel through its feathers. The same blessing that protected Cassie entered his arm and accelerated his healing.
It was the blessing of the creature's diminished Localized World.
Sunny withdrew his hand and faced the others with determination.
'Whatever happened to you, I'll find a means of waking you. I owe you for preserving Cassie's life.'
A Transcendent Titan would also become a formidable ally.
Sunny would not force the Phoenix to accompany him through the Chained Isles, Antarctica, or the distant future. However, if it participated in the fall of Constellia, he would ask it to help conclude the war that began there.
Four Corrupted Nightmare Creatures had to be slain — all of high Class.
The Western Disaster appeared to be the most dangerous among them. Sunny hoped to restore the Phoenix, or help it complete the interrupted cycle, before facing the Silver Wing of the Evil Star.
He did not know the Disaster's present Class. Even as a Corrupted Titan, it would exceed most creatures of the same Rank.
Once, it had been a Corrupted Nephilim. Mythical Creatures defied direct comparison because their existence violated the rules governing everything else. They were "Myths" after all, and not supposed to exist.
Sunny approached Saint and Cassie.
Their shoulders remained close while Saint explained the basic principles of Sorcery. There was little reason to describe Diamond Weave itself, as Cassie lacked the foundation and time required to comprehend it.
'Runic Sorcery would suit her better. I'll teach her eventually.'
…Sunny suddenly noticed that he had been smiling more often during the past several days.
Saint's presence drew the expression from him with surprising ease. Since finding Cassie, happiness had become even harder to suppress.
The realization should have comforted him.
…Instead, his heart tightened.
A sudden pressure appeared near his neck, carrying the impression of a scythe poised to descend. Sunny slowed as he contemplated joining the two young women.
The scene became intolerably wrong.
Repulsion rose from somewhere deeper than his mind. It rejected their happiness and warned him away, transforming the warmth in his chest into pure, unfathomable dread and sorrow.
Why?
Why did approaching them feel dangerous?
Sunny turned his gaze aside before either woman could notice the fear crossing his face.
Saint noticed.
Her explanation ended in the middle of a sentence as she studied him. She had never seen such an expression upon Sunny during this lifetime.
'Milord...?'
—
Saint received Sunny's four shadows, and the augmentation joined the four already wrapped around her body.
Her strength rose elevenfold.
She placed both hands against the grand doors and pushed. Muscles tightened beneath her Mantle while blue threads shone briefly across her arms, reinforcing flesh, bone, and soul. The Runic Sorcery covering the doors awakened in response, yet the enormous slabs eventually yielded to her strength and receded into the walls.
Sunny passed through first, leading Cassie by the hand. Saint followed them into the temple's outer chamber and pulled the doors shut, sealing the Phoenix behind layers of stone and Sorcery.
The stairs they had climbed earlier waited ahead, but something… something was wrong.
'Our footprints are gone.'
The floor carried no evidence of their previous passage. Dust had never gathered upon the dark stone, and even the faint abrasions left by Saint's sabatons had disappeared.
Sunny tightened his grip upon Cassie's hand.
Holding hands had been her demand. He found no reason to object, especially while she continued adapting to Shadow Sense.
"Extend your perception. Tell me when the chamber becomes clear."
Cassie turned toward his voice and nodded.
Her Shadow Sense spread.
Information flooded her mind. The texture of the floor emerged first, followed by the lines carved across its surface. Blue flames burned within uniquely shaped lamps beside the staircase, casting intricate shadows from the pillars that supported the temple.
Cassie perceived Sunny and Saint beside her with astonishing clarity. The folds of their garments, the minute movement produced by breathing, and the Runic Sorcery upon the doors behind them all entered her mind at once.
Nothing escaped her.
Interpreting so much detail remained difficult, yet [Harbinger's Mind] allowed Cassie to endure the burden and adapt with remarkable speed.
Less than a day had passed since Sunny blessed her through [Black Sun]. She already wielded Shadow Sense with greater proficiency than he possessed before entering Viceroy's Dimensional Gate.
'Impressive! That's my girl!'
Cassie turned toward him.
"Something has maintained this temple. There isn't a speck of dust on the floor, pillars, walls, or ceiling. The blue flames are still burning after all this time, and every footprint disappears soon after we move."
She pointed toward the opposite end of the chamber before tracing both walls with one finger.
"Another large door stands directly ahead. It also carries Runic Sorcery. And… there are murals to our left and right."
Sunny and Saint examined the walls with their ordinary sight.
Both blinked.
…They had overlooked the murals during their previous passage. At the time, the encounter with the mysterious Shadow had left them vigilant, and after finding no immediate threat, they proceeded toward the inner chamber without studying the temple itself.
Saint placed a hand upon Cassie's head.
"Remarkable. Your sight is already dependable."
Sunny nodded with open approval.
"Damn impressive, Cassie. You're learning faster than I did, and it's my Ability. What a shameless cheater you are!"
Cassie laughed.
They reached the bottom of the stairs and approached the left mural. It extended horizontally from the front of the temple to its midpoint. Beyond it, decorative paintings covered the remaining wall without offering anything useful.
Sunny sent Happy Shadow toward the mural on the right. He examined the left with his own eyes while receiving the second account through their connection.
"Huh. Oh? These continue the story from before."
Cassie tilted her head.
"What story? Did you find another mural before reaching me?"
Saint answered.
"We did. It depicted a horned knight carrying a royal figure made of shadow. I assumed the figure was the ruler of Constellia, or someone closely connected to its royal family after seeing your Dream."
She looked toward the chamber they had left.
"That figure was the same Shadow that guided us here and later protected you. It has disappeared since then."
Sunny studied the black shapes engraved upon the wall.
'I hope you haven't vanished completely.'
A Supreme Shadow without hostile intentions would make a valuable ally. Even if it could no longer establish 'Conduits of Power', its knowledge of Constellia and the Disasters would be priceless.
After examining both murals, Sunny began describing what he saw.
"The first scene shows the horned knight crossing this temple. Spears have pierced its back and neck, one horn is missing, and blood follows every step. Judging by the number of wounds, reaching this place must have required it to go through a prolonged battle."
Saint followed the carved trail of blood.
"Those may have been its final moments. The Shadow remains in its arms, so the knight succeeded in bringing it here. The left mural ends with that arrival, while the right continues after the knight reaches the inner gate."
Sunny turned toward the grand doors behind them.
"The gate leading to the Phoenix. That Transcendent Titan."
He shifted his attention between the two murals.
"The crowned figure stops before it. Then the knight tears a… crimson bandage from the figure's head? Black runes cover the cloth, and the Shadow seems to speak through them."
Cassie listened closely while tracing the mural through the surrounding darkness.
"More runes emerge from the air and wrap around the crowned figure. The scene continues on the left wall, where the Shadow stands on its own feet. It has recovered its crown and wears royal garments formed from the darkness."
Sunny's eyes narrowed.
"This… must be the Supreme Shadow before its power deteriorated. It was still whole at this time."
He moved several steps along the wall.
"The Shadow places one hand upon the knight. The gesture seems mournful, perhaps a farewell? The knight bows and stumbles out of the temple, leaving the Supreme behind."
The next portion of the mural showed the crowned Shadow passing through the outer doors.
"It leaves the temple as well, although the mural doesn't show what happened outside. The next scene begins with its return."
Sunny frowned.
'Huh?'
"…Something important occurred between those moments. It might have gone to retrieve an object, confront an enemy, or complete part of a ritual. Whatever it accomplished was important enough to preserve, yet the mural omits it entirely."
The final sequence drew all three of them toward the middle of the chamber.
"The Supreme enters the room where we found Cassie. The Phoenix is alive there, standing beneath a crown of flame. Its wings fill most of the chamber in rays of sun-light."
The depiction of the Noble Creature carried a splendor absent from its dormant body.
"The Shadow rests both hands upon it as black and white runes appear between them, then… those runes transformed into blades."
Sunny's expression darkened.
"The blades pierced the Supreme and the Phoenix together. More of them spread throughout the temple until the entirety of it was impaled."
Silence followed.
Cassie asked the most immediate question.
"Those blades probably represent Sorcery, don't they?"
Sunny nodded.
"That's likely. I haven't sensed physical blades anywhere, and my Shadow Sense can cover a considerable distance for a Dormant Devil. However, the temple walls are distorting my perception."
His angelic Nature naturally interfered with Sorcery that should have negated his senses entirely. As an Ascended, he might have pierced the obstruction. But at the present time, the barrier merely weakened and confused his perception.
Saint looked toward the outer doors.
"Whatever lies beyond them occupies a considerable area. The structure of this temple and the pressure surrounding it suggest a city rather than an isolated sanctuary. Prepare yourselves accordingly."
Sunny and Cassie nodded.
They crossed the chamber with Saint, but Sunny stopped before reaching the grand entrance. Cassie tugged his hand with a silent question and Saint tilted her head curiously.
Sunny placed his free hand against his chin and narrowed his eyes, weighing a decision he had postponed for too long.
'At this point, I might as well.'
He studied Cassie.
Through her Shadow and Shadow Sense, she perceived his gaze with greater detail than ordinary eyes could provide. She smiled at him happily.
Sunny then looked toward Saint.
Her expression remained composed. After several moments, she blinked and gave a slight nod, recognizing his intention.
Sunny sighed.
"Cassie, Saint and I can each defeat most Fallen creatures alone. We can also contend with lower Classes of the Corrupted Rank under favorable conditions, and Saint may be able to face a Corrupted Demon by herself."
…Cassie's smile faded.
The direction of his explanation seemed obvious. She could not fight beside them. Once again, she would become a burden who needed protection while her companions confronted danger—
Sunny interrupted the thought before it could take root.
"That is why I'm assigning you a companion! A very powerful companion, I might add. It was also profoundly, fucking irritating to kill."
Cassie blinked.
"Under ordinary circumstances, I would allow you to fight beside us. You'll be capable of doing so now, soon. However, there may be Fallen and Corrupted creatures beyond these doors, and I won't gamble your life while we know so little about the city."
He offered her a reassuring smile.
"Fortunately, Silvershade is an airborne Echo. It… might be the fastest Awakened Echo I have ever encountered. Gods, that damned owl was so troublesome."
Cassie's surprise gave way to thought, followed by doubt.
"Am I worth giving away something that valuable?"
Sunny's eye immediately twitched.
'Did she seriously just say that?'
He tightened his grip upon her hand.
"Never ask whether you are worth saving or protecting again, Cassie. You are precious to me, and nothing you can say will change that."
Saint placed one arm around Cassie's shoulders and drew her into a reassuring embrace.
Color entered Cassie's cheeks. She had not expected such direct sincerity, and Sunny's voice carried no hesitation.
He continued before she could answer.
"Second, I'm not really "giving" the Silvershade away. You still possess [Dyad of Shadow], even though it should have disappeared yesterday. The Attribute allows you to reach my Soul Sea, along with my Memories, Echoes, and Shadows."
Cassie hesitated as she considered the new information.
"So wherever you are, I can summon one of your creatures to defend myself?"
"More or less. Silvershade will become a Shadow instead of remaining an Echo, which comes with several advantages. Besides, I'll acquire an unreasonable number of Echoes in the future."
'Once I repair the Fable governing my Spellweaving.'
Spellweave allowed Sunny to create an Echo using the slain abomination's body and the required Soul Shards. For him, the process amounted to reanimating a creature before its lingering essence completely dispersed.
The Thread of the Nightmare Spell embedded within him made the craft easier. An Unholy Miracle had saturated that Thread, enabling feats that ordinary Sorcery could not reproduce.
Runic Sorcery imposed harsher demands, however.
Sunny needed specialized tools, a suitable medium, and an environment capable of enduring the reanimation of a Nightmare Creature's body and soul. Soul Shards had to sustain the Runic Array while reconstructing the creature's lingering essence into functioning embers.
He possessed enough Soul Shards. In fact, his supply of Awakened and Ascended souls had become excessive.
Unfortunately, he lacked every necessary tool.
As a result, Sunny could not transform each suitable high-Class Fallen creature into an Echo. That limitation would persist until he gathered the proper materials and established a workshop.
The future still appeared promising.
Someday, Sunny intended to unleash an army of Ascended Echoes upon the Disasters and every other threat awakened by the Wave of Divinity. The four Disasters were unlikely to be the only dormant horrors disturbed by it.
For now, he could transform the Silvershade Harrow into a Shadow.
Sunny had examined his Soul Sea and confirmed that Cassie's blessing did not bind her directly to his Devil Core. It remained free, and blessing both Cassie and Silvershade would place no meaningful strain upon his soul.
Saint pulled Cassie closer and spoke quietly.
"It appears another creature will be joining our ranks."
Sunny closed his eyes and entered his Soul Sea.
Mind Weave allowed him to divide his perception, so only a fraction of his consciousness needed to descend.
His feet landed among Astérisque flowers instead of the dark waters he once associated with his soul. Constellations formed by the Nightmare Spell illuminated an otherworldly world, shining above the four dark suns suspended over the island.
A great tree stood at its center. Its leaves were white.
And the Echo of the Silvershade Harrow waited beneath its branches.
Sunny approached the enormous owl and sighed.
"Don't make me regret this. If your performance is disappointing, I can always turn you into a true Shadow later! Or evict you from my core."
Shadows rose from the flowers and curled around his hand. Its tendrils circled his fingers, occasionally darting toward the Echo before returning to him.
The Spell whispered.
[Transform Echo into a Shadow?]
Sunny smiled.
"Welcome back to Death. Or life. Hells, congratulations, Silvershade."
The shadows surged forward.
They wrapped around the owl and entered its body. In the distance, where Sunny's unmoving legion stood upon the dark sea, the Shade of the Silvershade Harrow disappeared.
Sunny reopened his eyes.
Cassie jolted as a new presence entered the temple. She turned toward Sunny's shadow and perceived a silver mask rising from the floor.
Two magnificent wings followed.
Their multicolored feathers spread through the chamber, reflecting the blue flames. The hollow eyes of the mask appeared deeper than before, yet they were no longer empty of sentience.
Sunny turned toward the immense creature towering behind him.
The Spell spoke.
[You have created a Shadow Devil: Silvershade Harrow.]
True to its nature, the creature offered no triumphant cry. Its head rotated through several unnatural angles before lowering toward Cassie and Saint.
Cassie took a cautious step backward.
"I… I didn't expect it to be so large."
Silvershade had grown after becoming enveloped by Sunny's Devil Core. Fully extending its wings would have struck the walls and damaged the murals.
Cassie approached.
Her palm rested against the enormous silver mask. Silvershade leaned into the touch and released a soft, wavering hoot that resonated through its hollow face.
Cassie smiled.
"It's beautiful."
Saint studied the Shadow Devil.
"It is."
Sunny examined its runes while Saint and Cassie did the same.
Shadow: Silvershade Harrow.
Shadow Rank: Awakened.
Shadow Class: Devil.
Shadow Description: [Long ago, the royals and priests of the Mothers of Mothers Church were each attended by a Winged Messenger. One such creature was still young when all those it knew disappeared.
For thousands of years, the messenger carried on alone. It searched for its fellows, yearned for its mother, and waited to return to the place where it belonged. Yet there was no one left to find. The messengers had vanished, the rulers It served were gone, and the church had been swallowed by the darkness.
Still, the young messenger flew beneath the starless sky, bereft of home and purpose. Solitude eventually hollowed out its mind, leaving madness in place of devotion.
At last, the treacherous Lost from Light brought its long vigil to an end…]
"Interesting. A Winged Messenger serving a Mother. The title probably refers to..."
Sunny grimaced.
'Ugh.'
"…A damn Tyrant that became Corrupted. Naturally, we'll probably have to fight it eventually."
Cassie giggled.
Sunny turned toward her while Saint's lips curved with faint amusement.
"What?"
Cassie waved one hand.
"Nothing, nothing. I was only wondering why the Spell called you treacherous."
Sunny resisted the urge to glare at the Spell itself.
"Look, I don't know! It has called me that since my First Nightmare. What is supposed to be treacherous about me?"
Several possible answers entered his mind in that same moment. He wisely kept them there.
Saint raised one eyebrow, silently asking whether he truly required an explanation.
Sunny ignored her and read the Attributes and Abilities.
Shadow Attributes: [Winged Messenger], [Silent Hunt], [Shadow's Grace], [Dyad of Shadow].
Attribute: [Winged Messenger]
Attribute Description: [This Shadow was born to bear the will of the skies. Its wings are tireless, its senses are keen, and no path beneath the sky is unknown to it.]
Attribute: [Silent Hunter]
Attribute Description: [This Shadow can fly without making a sound and perceive even the slightest movement in darkness.]
Shadow Abilities: [Silvershade], [Silent Hunter], [Mutable Plumage], [Unveiled Truth].
Shadow Ability: [Silvershade]
Ability Description: [This Shadow can alter its coloration to match its surroundings, concealing its presence from unwary eyes.]
Shadow Ability: [Feather Blades]
Ability Description: [This Shadow can shed and launch its feathers as a storm of keen blades.]
Shadow Ability: [Mutable Plumage]
Ability Description: [This Shadow can alter the substance of its feathers, granting them different material qualities at will.]
Shadow Ability: [Unveiled Truth]
Ability Description: [By opening its mask, this Shadow reveals the terrible truth of its visage and lays a hex upon all who behold it.]
He scratched his head.
'Strange. It never used [Feather Blades] during our battle. Was that Ability unavailable at the time?'
Sunny dismissed the question and gave Silvershade a thumbs-up. The owl rotated its head toward him and released a low trill.
'Time to face the music.'
Sunny rolled his neck and summoned the [Burden of Conflict].
The Ascended weapon belonged to the Second Tier and came from a creature resembling a Fallen Stone Saint. Saint had killed it, although the victory troubled her.
Something seemed to have puppeteered the creature, and silver liquid poured from its orifices after death.
[Burden of Conflict] formed as a bastard sword, occupying the length between a longsword and a greatsword. Sunny tested it with several movements, twirling the blade between his fingers after reducing its weight through the [Weight of Conflict] Enchantment.
[Shadow Guide] allowed him to control Essence despite remaining Dormant.
Saint summoned her Soul Serpent, which assumed the form of a jet-black longsword.
Cassie possessed no Ascended weapon suited to her. She reached into Sunny's Soul Sea and summoned [Midnight Shard].
White sparks gathered within her hand and formed a black tachi. Her expression tightened when she recognized its unfamiliar balance.
Sunny thought that at moment, 'I really do need proper tools, and soon.'
Sending Cassie into battle with a weapon she had never trained to use was unacceptable. The problem would have to wait until they secured their immediate surroundings.
The trio gathered before the grand entrance.
Silvershade stood behind them with its wings folded.
Saint glanced toward Sunny in silent inquiry.
He nodded.
Four shadows left him and wrapped around her body. Saint's four shadows joined them, restoring the elevenfold augmentation.
She placed both hands against the doors.
'Really… these really were built for Transcendents.'
The enormous slabs resisted.
Saint was one of Nether's Children, however, and her strength exceeded ordinary standards for an Ascended. [Diamond Weave] reinforced her physical body and soul with benefits resembling those granted by [The Weave].
The doors began to part. Their movement produced a deep resonance throughout the temple. Light entered through the widening gap and spread across the dark floor.
Cassie perceived the sight through her shadow… and gasped.
"Whoa..."
Sunny and Saint shared her wonder.
An underground city extended beyond the temple.
Its architecture belonged to a civilization with a distinct culture. Slender towers rose beside domed buildings, while broad avenues crossed terraces cut into the cavern. Bridges joined distant districts at different elevations, and motes of light drifted among them.
The architecture was magnificent, but it was the sky above it all that was impossible.
Stars covered what should have been the cavern ceiling. Clouds and pale mist moved beneath them, creating more than the appearance of an artificial sky.
'No...'
A true sky had replaced the stone.
It seemed as though someone had torn the lost heavens from the Forgotten Shore and placed them above this buried city. Such a feat should have been impossible, especially because the city remained smaller than the Dark City and could not contain the entire celestial expanse.
Sunny, Saint, and Cassie approached the nearest railing.
The city spread beneath them. A large bridge crossed the distance toward another large area, while their present location stood near the heart of the main plaza.
Saint's violet eyes reflected the stars.
"It is extraordinary."
Sunny looked downward while sending two shadows through the nearby streets.
"Extraordinary and inhabited. Stay on guard, I can already sense several Fallen creatures nearby."
His expression changed considerably.
"There's no trace of anything Corrupted. Better yet, I can sense Awakened creatures as well."
Cassie's face brightened.
The prospect of participating in battle filled her with anticipation. During their journey across the Dark Sea, she had been forced to remain behind while Sunny and Nephis fought the Carapace Scavengers.
That helplessness had tormented her.
Cassie glanced toward Sunny.
He leaned against the railing, examining the city with a focused expression. With Shadow Sense, she perceived how much he had changed during their separation.
His hair had grown longer. His eyes appeared darker, holding a depth she could not interpret. He stood at least two inches taller and, really, could no longer be called short.
Her perception traveled across his attire, hands, and face, recording every difference.
Then… Cassie examined her own heart.
Sunny and Saint turned toward her with challenging smiles, each anticipating whatever battle awaited below.
And in that moment, truths became clear to the young Seer.
'Who is Saint to him?'
Cassie was intensely curious about the beautiful woman. She wanted to know how they met, what they endured together, and why their trust seemed even deeper than the trust Sunny once gave Nephis.
Saint struggled to communicate certain feelings, yet she carried herself with commanding strength. She confronted danger without hesitation and possessed a confidence Cassie admired.
She seemed to be Sunny's ideal companion, even.
But during their conversations, Cassie had also discovered something more pure.
She wanted Saint to become her friend.
The second truth concerned Sunny.
'I… I can't lie to myself anymore.'
Sunny and Saint each took one of her arms and began leading her down the stairs toward the plaza. Cassie wrapped her arms around theirs in response.
Then she leaned her head against Sunny's shoulder.
"Uh?"
His startled sound nearly made her laugh.
They descended together toward a city occupied by Fallen abominations and whatever greater horrors the Wave of Divinity had awakened.
Yet, in this moment, Cassie felt no uncertainty about the emotion within her.
'I'm in love with you, Sunny.'
Perhaps it was immature. She had known him for less than a year, yet unlike Nephis or Saint, Cassie already possessed enough experience with human emotion to recognize what had taken root in her heart.
She loved Nephis dearly.
Her love for Sunny had grown stronger, indeed.
Cassie could not know what the future held or whether he would ever return her feelings. Neither uncertainty diminished them.
She tightened her embrace around his arm while the false stars illuminated their descent.
'I love you, Sunny.'
For without a doubt, Cassia was in love with Sunless, Lost from Light.