Sunny picked up the knife. It was jet black with a white halo effect radiating off of it's vile design. He inspected the memory which he had named so eloquently as "Redo."
Memory: [Redo].
Memory Rank: Sacred.
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [I hope this works]
Memory Enchantments: [Timeless], [Thieving], [Memory].
[Timeless]
Enchantment Description: "This tool can withstand a journey through Time."
[Thieving]
Enchantment Description: "This tool may be used to forcibly interact with the Strings of Fate."
[Memory]
Enchantment Description: "The memories of individuals can be cut and transferred by this tool."
"I'm not sure exactly how I am supposed to cut our memories and transfer them here. It's not intuitive." said Sunny with a frown.
"We will have to cut ourselves to give it our memories. In my visions, our blood is what will allow the knife to house that part of us and then we will have to thrust the blade through your strings back to when the Spell first greeted you." Cassie replied.
"I have a feeling this won't be an experience full of pleasure." said Sunny thinking of when the bird had ripped out his fate.
Cassie sat next to him and gently took the knife.
"If I had to bet,I think it will be excruciatingly painful. We will also begin to lose consciousness as our blood is absorbed given that our memories will move." said Cassie as she calmly cut open her arm, blood flowing freely.
Sunny grimaced and took the knife doing the same.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Cassie nodded and Sunny placed the knife in between them allowing their blood to flow into the knife. The knife began to trade it's white and black hue for a red and black one. The pair began to feel the effects of their Strings of Fate being manipulated, their memories flowing into the blade.
"Sunny in a few moments you will need to stab yourself in the heart with the blade, that is where your Strings of Fate are the most consolidated." said Cassie.
"Ah I wonder how stabbing myself through the heart will feel a second time." Sunny said.
Cassie, knowing his flaw, gave him an incredulous look, which considering she was blind and had one eye remaining was quite a sight. She then shook her head with a laugh, though her expression turned more somber and thoughtful.
"One other thing, I am not sure how our past feelings will effect us and I am not sure if my past self will regain my memories... but please be mindful of her feelings. I-part of the reason I turned from my own feelings is because I acted cowardly toward my feeling towards you. My not exactly platonic feelings for you. If that becomes an issue please give her, give me some form of an answer." Cassie implored Sunny as she began to lose herself.
"I will." said Sunny who while losing himself and not able to fully process how he felt towards the confession, made sure in his soul to address and give the proper attention to the request when he would be able to.
Cassie smiled and began to fall more and more into unconsciousness. Feeling himself following suit Sunny grasped the knife. Thinking about his own life, Rain, his shadows, his friends, and finally the girl bleeding next to him he thrust the knife into his chest.
Excruciating pain filled him, it was as if the Vile Thieving Bird had plunged its talons into him while he gazed at Fate with [Where is my Eye]. Sunny endured this for an eternity and a single moment until everything became black.
And then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice rang:
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
Sunny once again was dreaming of a mountain shrouded in snow and fog. It stood above all of the nearby peaks. Time ran in reverse, bones that littered an old road disappeared. the sky blurred between moonlit nights and a sun struck days. However, Sunny did not fail to notice a purple and indigo haze and swirl infecting the image. However he was not given time to ponder because finally, Sunny saw a slave caravan and Sunny felt the freezing metal of chains against his wrists.
Looking around Sunny made sure that his surroundings where the same as before. Sure enough the slaves around him were the same, Shifty, the broad-shouldered man, and Scholar were all close to him. This time, however, Sunny made sure to keep pace.
A few seconds later, a soldier on a white horse came into view. Casting his gaze over the slaves, Auro of the Nine noticed Sunny and leaping off his horse walked over to him.
"Would you like some water?" Auro asked holding out a flask.
Despite no longer being the same weak kid from the outskirts as before, Sunny was still thirsty and gratefully took the flask. While of course, plotting how to reap the most benefits from his first nightmare.
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to endure a little more until we rest at night." Auro said with a pitiful look.
Sunny nodded and handed Auro back the flask noticing that he was receiving a biting comment from another soldier. Sunny almost felt badly for Auro, he never did find out what dreadful task was given to the member of the Nine as a child. However, in this nightmare Auro would aim to kill Sunny, no matter what feelings of pity Sunny felt they did not outweigh his spite for this sin.
Taking a deep breath, Sunny came to terms with his new reality. Cassie had done it. He was back in his first nightmare with his memories in tact. Pulling up his runes he was greeted with the a familiar sight.
Name: Sunless.
True Name: —
Rank: Aspirant.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Memories: [???]
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Child of Shadows].
Aspect: [Temple Slave].
Aspect Description: [Slave is a useless wretch with no skills or abilities worth a mention. A temple slave is just the same, except much rarer.]
Other than the memory, [???] and his [Mark of Dvivnity] being a [Flame of Divinity], they were the exact same as before.
Sunny sighed, he truly did not expect that his given aspect would change, but it still stung a bit to see that the Spell had given him the same tools as last time. That did not mean that his aspirations in this nightmare would be anything less than that which would be considered nigh impossible.
As evening fell, the soldier called for the caravan to make camp. The other slaves began to relax slightly relieved from their walk up the mountain. Sunny's eyes instead got sharper and he prepare his reflexes for the incoming assault.
Soon enough, rocks fell into the camp from above. Soldiers barked orders and the caravan as a whole was thrown into chaos. Sunny was three steps ahead, positioning himself so the the rocks snapped his chains from where they connected.
The Mountain King was already upon the rest of the caravan, however Sunny was preoccupied taking the opportunity to kill the fellow slaves around him and after securing the keys to his chains hiding behind the wheel of a wagon.
Auro of the Nine had engaged the monster, dancing gallantly while trying to find an opening. Another soldier was soon to meet their end, bleeding out after being throw by the monster into a wagon. Filled with fear towards the monster, the soldier tried in vain to stop the bleeding not noticing that Sunny had taken his short sword.
"Hey, let me put you out of your misery." said Sunny with a grim smile.
[You have slain a dormant human, name unknown.]
[You have received a Memory: Silver Bell.]
Sunny took a moment to both remember all that he and the Silver Bell had been through together and laugh to himself that Fate truly was an interesting thing.
[You have slain a dormant beast, Mountain King's Larva.]
Sunny was determined to capitalize on the chaos this time, not leaving the next day to the mercy of companionship. He dashed along the outer edges of the camp while Auro dueled the monster.
[You have slain a dormant beast, Mountain King's Larva.]
[You have slain a dormant human, name unknown.]
[You have slain a dormant human, name unknown.]
[You have slain a dormant beast, Mountain King's Larva.]
[You have slain...]
Sunny continued his rampage until he noticed that Auro was losing ground. If he had been the same kid from before he would not have been able to tell, but with years upon years of combat Sunny could see that Auro was planning to escape.
Sunny grabbed a chain that connected to a large wagon and began to run towards Auro. Even armed with his prior knowledge, without more prep he did not feel confident facing an awakened tyrant alone. At least for now he needed Auro.
"Hero, catch." said Sunny in a hopeful voice tossing Auro the chain.
"Wrap the chain around it." Sunny told Auro as he caught the chain.
Nodding Auro continued to dance around the monster slowly binding the creature as the fight progressed. Sunny, meanwhile, was preparing the wagon to fall. Luckily, it had already been right the edge leaving the work cut out for Sunny to be making a lever to help topple the wagon.
On each side Sunny put pieces of wood under the wagon at an angle and on one side brought over a chain heavy enough the leverage the wood and wagon.
Looking over at Auro, Sunny was pleased to see that the chain was nearly wrapped around the Mountain King five times over. Even more of a reassuring sight was that Auroo of the Nine was panting and seemed to be at the end of his rope.
"Watch out?" yelled Sunny to Auro as he both dropped the chain on one side and used his own weight on the other.
With the levers bearing almost all the load and the wagon being positioned perfectly, it toppled over the cliff and into the darkness below. Sunny watched as the chain disappeared into the dark. Following the end of the chain Sunny eagerly saw the Mountain King, in the middle of a lunge, suddenly be dragged towards the cliff falling into the darkness with the wagon.
Putting on a timid act, Sunny pretended to near the edge of the cliff to peer out after the monster. Sure enough Auro joined him and looked down himself.
"Don't worry, if it's not dead it's surely gone for tonight. We should-" Auro never finished his sentence.
The sword which Sunny had used to claim numerous slaves, soldiers, and larva was lodged under Auro's armor, up through his ribs and piercing his heart.
"Why?" Auro asked with disbelieving eyes.
"I'm sorry but my life… does not belong to me alone. I have an unencompassable duty I sworn to fulfill. Until it's done, I cannot allow myself to die." Sunny repeated the words Auro had once told him.
Auro gave him an inquiring and almost respectful look before taking his last breath.
[You have slain an awakened human, Auro of the Nine.]
[You have received a Memory: Dreadful Burden]
Sunny let out a deep breath. The night was just beginning and yet he had achieved as much as he reasoned he could have from the encounter. He turned back towards the wreckage of the caravan. Not a single soul remained alive.
Gathering a small bundle of supplies Sunny set out for the Nameless Temple. The body he was thrust into lacked strength, however Sunny had enough rations to make it to the temple and enough to last if the Mountain King arrived at the same time.
"Well without any other people to deal with it should arrive even faster." Sunny reasoned with a smile looking to his shadow which did not give any response.
"To think I would even miss that Gloomy guy." said Sunny with a shake of his head.
Determined he continued on. He did after all want to make it to the temple with time to spare.
'This time, I'll sacrific the Mountain King instead. Who knows maybe Shadow God will grant me a greater boon than slavery.' Sunny thought to himself.
'Hopefully, there will be some super weak nightmare creatures I can gain shards from if I have the time. Or I can locate the guardian to make my preparations easier.' Filled with optimism Sunny almost happily looked forward to his next time seeing the tyrant.
The following night Sunny reached the Nameless Temple. Feeling at home, Sunny set his few belongings down and made to relax for a few hours. Even with a quickened pace the Mountain King was not due for another half day at least.
While he wanted at least several hours for setting traps, he felt like rest was a far better option. Resting his head against the black polished stone he allowed his mind to wander.
What did he want to do with his second wind? What were his priorities?
First, he would find Cassie and try to return her memories to her. He was unsure how to do this but figured it would have to do with the not so mysterious [???] memory with which he woke up with.
Second, he needed to think about the Forgotten Shore. Rain was a priority above this in his mind, but he could not help her until after the solstice, which meant maximizing his time in the Forgotten Shore.
Third would be Rain. He was hesitant with how to protect Rain. Legacies purposefully infected their own with the nightmare spell with the hope to make them stronger. This of course came with the dangers of the nightmares. Even with his heavy advantage, Sunny remained on guard and carefully despite doing it all before. One wrong decision could easily spell death. On the other hand, natural ascension took time and if Cassie as right time was an even more precious resource in this life.
This brought Sunny to his fourth and final priority. His plans for walking the path of ascension. Anvil of Valor and Ki Song were alive and well. Any steps to challenge a seed to become a Saint would be heavily suppressed, even a seed to become a master could be a challenge with the oppression of the great clans. However, while Sunny knew Rain had achieved even transcendence naturally, he had no basis in this endeavor making an enemy of time.
'So many annoying issues.' Sunny thought as he drifted of to sleep.
Sunny dreamed of indigo and purple. He walked through a field a mist where the fog of such color subverted his mind, pulling him further into slumber and laying siege to his memories. Not a siege where Sunny completely forgot, but one where the lines between truth a dream became blurred. An insidious seed of doubt aimed to bury its way into Sunny's mind.
With a jolt Sunny woke up. His mind almost unaware that any change had almost come to pass, however the fleeting feeling of a purple/indigo string trying to piece his Fate remained. Sunny's blood ran cold as he suddenly remembered the strangeness of the beginning of his nightmare. How had he forgotten that?
Chilled by the fact he had been complacent in a nightmare, Sunny held onto the feeling refusing to forget it. Something told him that if he forgot, the next attack would have just as likely if not a greater chance at success. Whatever success meant for the attacker.
In order for Sunny to safeguard the feeling he began to mentally associate it with the memory [???]. So that whenever he looked at the memory he would be reminded of the danger posed by the mysterious force.
Once he was satisfied with his safeguards, Sunny went to work on the traps for the Mountain King if he hoped to sacrifice the abomination instead of himself he would need to severely weaken it. Rummaging through what he took from the caravan Sunny exited the Nameless temple and with some rope, canvas, and a knife took inventory of the rocky terrain.
After setting his preparations at the entrance of the temple and the space above the alter, Sunny decided to open his runes:
Name: Sunless.
True Name: —
Rank: Aspirant.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Memories: [???], [Silver Bell], [Dreadful Burden]
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Child of Shadows].
Aspect: [Temple Slave].
Aspect Description: [Slave is a useless wretch with no skills or abilities worth a mention. A temple slave is just the same, except much rarer.]
Sunny examined the [Dreadful Burden]
Memory: [Dreadful Burden].
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Type: Weapon.
Memory Tier: V
Memory Description: [A child blessed and cursed by Fate was handed a dreadful burden in order to serve the purpose of the Nine. The child carried this burden without regard to their own feelings until they met a treacherous slave on a black mountain.]
Memory Enchantments: [Resolve], [Hero's Arsenal],[Fatebringer], [Loyalty].
[Resolve]
Enchantment Description: "This weapon gains strength the more its user is aligned with their internal feeling, unmoved by unwanted or unknown external influence."
[Hero's Arsenal]
Enchantment Description: "A hero must be proficient in all weaponry. This weapon can take any form of weapon the user desires."
[Fatebringer]
Enchantment Description: "This weapon brings both fateful enemies to its user and strikes at the Fate of the users enemies dealing all forms of damage."
[Loyalty]
Enchantment Description: "This weapon can be dismissed instantly from any distance and will be readied to be summoned back instantly."
[Vanquished Foes: 1/5000]
Sunny stared at the runes. A grin beginning to take form on his face. It was just like his previous [Mantle of the Underworld].
'1/5000, I can only assume this is Auro's kill count' Sunny thought to himself.
If the Mantle was any indicator, Sunny would have to defeat almost 11,000 adversaries. A daunting number. However, Sunny was not planning on being passive in this life.
Looking at the enchantment he was very pleased. Not only did he somehow keep the boon from Weaver, but the enchantments were stellar. He assumed the former was a result of the feeling he got when traveling back. Feeling Weaver's insidious hands refusing to let fate be manipulated with even the slightest say.
[Resolve] was a simple power boost the more in control of his feelings Sunny was. [Loyalty] was a boon equal to the [Moonlight Shard]. [Hero's Arsenal] was of massive use, Sunny had already turned the weapon from his familiar odachi to a bow to a spear and back into an odachi. When Sunny coupled it with Shadow Dance he would both progress faster and become much more versatile and deadly.
[Fatebringer] brought Sunny some apprehension. While being able to strike at his enemies fate spreading his damage across all types, the price of attracting fateful enemies sounded like he just exponentially increased the influence of [Fated].
Overall, Sunny felt that his return to the past was already paying dividends, an not insignificant ones at that.
Sunny looked out at the entrance of the Nameless Temple. Dusk was falling. Sunny summoned the [Dreadful Burden] no matter the form it took the weapon kept either a beautiful silver with polished black accents or a polished black blade with beautiful silver accents. Its blade caught the light like a sliver of moonlight torn from the sky, cold and luminous and utterly indifferent to mercy.
He began to lightly practice the most familiar styles of combat he had gained in his past life: the practical style he trained with Saint, the inheritance of the Immoral Flame, his own unorthodox and blending he trained through Shadow Dance and enhanced with his later evolved aspect.
A night of purple and indigo caught the attention of Sunny who changed the [Dreadful Burden] into a spear. In his current situation the fight favored a weapon that could maintain distance rather than closer combat. Sunny spun the spear remembering the [Cruel Sight] and his first time mastering this kind of weapon. With his gaze set in front of him, he leaned himself against the black temple waiting.
The Mountain King had arrived. The monster still had its two stumpy legs, ridiculously long two arms with claws at the end of them, and its second pair of shorter arms. Staring towards Sunny was its five milky, white eyes.
Still Sunny could not help but notice that one of it longer arms was mangled from the fall and it was walking with a limp. Its injuries did not stop there, slashes that had not fully healed riddled it head and torso. Proof of the duel with Auro.
Sunny steeled himself and walked forward slowly, spear in hand he broke into a light jog.
'When didd I start to look forward to this shit' he thought to himself as he thrust his spear at the Mountain King with a short lunge.
Continuing to dancing and guide the monster like Auro, Sunny goaded it towards himself. Feeling the monster becoming more frustrated and reckless, Sunny made a straight line for the entrance of the Nameless Temple. Once close enough Sunny turned tail and took a leap landing inside.
To the Mountain King, he must have looked like an idiot. However, as the monster rushed forward the ground fell out from under it as the canvas Sunny disguised as ground gave way. To be honest, Sunny was unsure if such a crude and obvious trap would work which is why, despite the creatures lower intelligence, he had wanted to lure it in.
Sunny looked down into the shallow trench. The wooden spikes Sunny craved from the few trees nearby caused bleeding on the underside of the creature as well as had dealt even more damage to the limping leg. One of the arms had been impaled leaving only two unscathed. Even so the monster climbed up the trench with speed that granted Sunny less than twenty seconds.
This was all Sunny had hoped for this trap as he used the added range of the spear to strike the creatures eyes. Sunny struck thrice earning a howl from the Mountain King each time before prudently retreating back into the temple.
Situating himself by the alter Sunny changed the [Dreadful Burden] into an ornate throwing knife and waited. The creature lumbered towards him, but it was clear its wounds were taking their toll.
A biting and forceful wind cut into them Nameless Temple and Sunny's heart ran cold. The tyrant stopped seeming to feel this cold as well. There was a still silence for a moment before a warhammer slammed the Mountain King off to the side.
Prying his eyes away from the barely alive tyrant Sunny's eyes were met by a young man whose eyes were infected by purple and indigo, awash with madness. Auro of the Nine stood before him, his veins and skin churned like storm clouds lit from within, the deep violet bleeding into something darker at the edges.
The warhammer spun in his hand blurring into a familiar looking spear. Sunny barely had time to launch himself to the side. Auro walked eerily forward as is in a dream-like trance. Scrambling Sunny positioned the alter between himself and Auro.
Undeterred, Auro leap onto the alter and continued his advance. Taking his chance, Sunny threw the throwing knife at a rope he has set earlier. Above Auro a bundle of jagged rocks fell from the ceiling of the temple, crushing him underneath.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Sunny glanced at the Mountain King barely clinging to life. Sunny dismissed and re-summoned the [Dreadful Burden] in an instant. Walking grimly to the creature, the rocks covering the alter burst and Auro of the Nine, arm and body twisted and mangled beyond repair, emerged.
Sunny was in disbelief. Auro's body was slowly healing itself, but at a slow pace where it would take at least an hour for any creature with half a mind to move. And yet Auro did, grasping his spear Auro restarted his assault on Sunny.
Sunny tried to retreat. Using all his wits, all his experience, he defended against the attack from the dreamwalker. However, he was still just a temple salve. Within seconds Auro had delivered multiple blows to Sunny's limbs and torso.
Left with no options Sunny made a break for the alter to once again. He was almost there when he felt something piercing his abdomen as his arms reached the alter. He felt powerless, hopeless. Was this it?
He though back to his last failure, to losing his Shadows. He thought back to his last sense of hopelessness, to being bent to the Will of Changing Star. In his mind the image of Rain restraining Nephis appeared in his mind, of his Shadows proudly granting him passage through the end of the desert, of Cassie entrusting the fate of everything to him.
He refused. He refused the weakness of his arm. He refused the death sentence dealt by Auro. Raising himself on the alter he felt his blood being absorbed by the black marble.
[You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the gods.]
[The gods are dead, and can not hear you.]
[You soul bears the flame of divinity.]
[You are a temple slave.]
[Shadow God stirs in his eternal slumber.]
[He sends a blessing from beyond the grave.]
[Heir of Shadows, receive your blessing!]