Sunny was silent for a while, then sighed:
"Do you remember how Effie told us that he might as well be considered immortal? Well, she wasn't wrong. Apart from the fact that Gunlaug has probably absorbed more Soul Essence and has more experience fighting both Nightmare Creature and Awakened than anyone else on the Forgotten Shore… there's more to him than that."
Nephis frowned.
"Is his Aspect Ability uniquely powerful?"
Sunny shook his head.
"His Aspect Ability is that he is able to breathe and move with incredible speed underwater. But it is connected to what I am about to tell you."
He hesitated.
"You see, Gunlaug came to the Dark City around eight years ago. Since his Ability was of no use in the ruins, he quickly became an outcast. From what I was able to learn, things were even darker in the Castle back then. Strength decided everything, and anyone without strength wasn't even considered to be human."
Sunny shuddered. He could imagine it vividly.
This was, by far, the most cruel and bloody time in the history of the Bright Castle. Right after the last member of the original cohort to conquer the ancient stronghold had perished and before Gunlaug took control, things balanced at the edge of madness for a while.
Say what you want about the bastard, but at least he kept the humans here from turning into animals… completely.
Sunny continued:
"But Gunlaug, he turned out to be mad even by those standards. Because he actually began to hunt in the dark sea."
Changing Star blinked.
"What?"
He nodded.
"Yes. At dusk, he would dive from the city wall into the black water to scavenge the soul shards from the monsters of the Labyrinth that were crushed by the flood, racing against the approaching horrors of the depths. And at dawn, he would dive into the retreating sea to scavenge meat from the remains of creatures that the dwellers of the depths had killed and left behind."
Nephis silently stared at him. They had met the abominable existences that hid beneath the black surface of the cursed sea twice, and each of these harrowing meetings had left scars on their souls and minds. To do so twice a day, every day… Gunlaug was indeed a madman.
But he was also somewhat of a mad genius.
Sunny took a deep breath.
"And this is how he turned from a desperate outcast into the Bright Lord. One day, Gunlaug was pulled away by a current and, once the sea disappeared, stumbled onto a mortally wounded, dying leviathan. The creature was still alive, but just barely. Knowing that the carrion eaters of the Labyrinth will soon come to feast on it, Gunlaug began cutting the meat of the creature's bones with his knife."
He paused, then said in a strangely dark voice:
"By chance, the leviathan happened to die from its terrible wounds at that exact moment. And since Gunlaug's blade was the last thing to cut it, the Spell happened to attribute the kill to him. And that kill… that kill happened to give him a Memory. A wondrous golden armor that no human weapon can even scratch."
No one really knew a lot about the dwellers of the depths, but Sunny and Nephis had once witnessed two carapace centurions retrieve two Transcendent souls shards from the carcass of one of them. Which meant that Gunlaug's armor-type Memory was at least three ranks above the soul cores of every human on the Forgotten Shore.
Almost every weapon-type Memory they possessed was either of Dormant or Awakened rank. Even if someone managed to kill a Fallen creature and acquire an Ascended weapon from it, the weapon would most likely still be ineffective against the Transcendent armor. And since that damn armor didn't have any openings…
Basically, Gunlaug was invincible.
Sunny sighed.
"With that armor, he returned to the Dark City, gathered a few supporters, killed everyone who stood in his way, and took control of the Castle. No one was able to threaten his reign ever since. And all those who tried… well. Their skulls are out there for everyone to see, swinging on chains above the gates of the castle."
Nephis remained silent for a long time, staring at the floor. She seemed to be a bit disheartened. Finally, she asked:
"What traits does the armor possess?"
He shrugged.
"Who knows? It's not like anyone who had the opportunity to learn that lived to tell the tale. The only thing widely known about the golden armor is that it is made out of some strange liquid metal and that it emanates a field of crushing psychic pressure. But even that is not entirely true. Actually, it only affects those who look at their reflection in the visor. Cassie wasn't affected at all."
The blind girl raised an eyebrow, only now learning that everyone except for her always felt incredibly oppressed in Gunlaug's presence. For once, her terrible Flaw gave her an advantage.
It had also allowed Sunny to learn a valuable secret. But he had no time to be happy about it.
The most important part of this conversation was drawing close. He had to convince Changing Star to abandon any idea of going against Gunlaug. Otherwise, all three of them were going to end up dead.
Sunny looked at her and asked in a carefully neutral tone:
"So, what do you think?"
Changing Star was quiet for a while, then suddenly said:
"I have also learned something while you were gone."
Sunny frowned slightly. Was she trying to avoid this conversation? Feeling heavy and uncertain, he asked:
"Really? What is it?"
However, in the next second, he had forgotten all about his previous worries. Because Nephis looked him right in the eyes and said:
"There is a Gateway here, after all."
Something exploded in Sunny's mind.
'What… there is… there is a Gateway?'
Stunned, he stared at Neph with wide eyes.
How could this be? Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned it? No, it didn't make any sense. If there was a Gateway, why would people just stay in the Dark City? Why were both Effie and Caster so adamant that there was no way out?
A familiar dark feeling of unease settled in his heart.
Trying to compose himself, Sunny slowly said:
"Then why… why hasn't anyone left? Where is it?"
Nephis looked at the window, remained silent for a few moments, and then answered in a flat tone:
"Where do you think? It's in the Crimson Spire, of course."
Chapter 150: Hunting Party
The Crimson Spire… that eerie and everpresent shadow that had hunted him all this time. The cyclopean tower that stood at the center of the Labyrinth, or maybe was the source of it, emanating a harrowing sense of foreboding.
The background for the last part of Cassie's vision.
Of course, the damn Gateway just had to be in that damn spire!
Sunny sighed.
This was unwelcomed, but not unexpected news. After all, Inspector Rock did warn them that, should they ever find themselves in a region of the Dream Realm without an established human Citadel, they should look for the Gateway either around or inside the most prominent landmark there.
The Crimson Spire loomed over the entire Forgotten Shore like an axis connecting heaven to earth. It was hard to imagine anything more prominent. Ever since Cassie had first told them about it, deep down, Sunny always suspected that they were going to end up having to enter that creepy tower at some point.
After the revelation that there was no Gateway in the human castle, that suspicion only grew stronger.
But, wait. There was something else that Instructor Rock had told them…
'Work together to defeat the Gateway guardians… wasn't these his words? So who is guarding the Crimson Spire?'
Glancing at Nephis, he asked darkly:
"So what is inside the Spire? I gather that it's not something pleasant. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a thousand Sleepers choosing to live in a city full of vicious monsters instead of going there."
Changing Star nodded. Without changing her expression, she looked away and answered:
"A Fallen Terror."
Sunny's heart skipped a bit.
A Fallen Terror — the Nightmare Creature one whole class above the dreaded tyrants, with six mighty soul cores providing it with profane power — would certainly do the trick.
"So, going there is suicide."
No amount of Sleepers could ever hope to defeat a Fallen Terror. The possibility of surviving such an encounter, let alone emerging victorious, was zero. It was even less probable than breaking through Gunlaug's indestructible armor.
Impossible.
He chuckled. What irony! To not only be trapped in this hell, but also be forced to stare at the path to freedom every day, knowing that you'll never be able to reach it. That… that was such a cruel torture. Sunny would even go as far as to say that it was a type of hell in and of itself.
No wonder the Tower of Dusk was so unpopular. Living there would simply drive some people insane.
They were really, truly stuck here forever.
Nephis sighed.
"The first ruler of the Bright Castle led a large expedition to find a way out of the Labyrinth. They all perished. The second ruler — the last member of the original cohort — tried to reach the Gateway instead. They all died, too. After that, no one tried to find a way out anymore."
The three of them remained silent for a long time, their mood grim and somber. Now that they had a chance to spend some time in the small human enclave on the Forgotten Shore and gather information, there were no more excuses to deny it. Everything that Effie had told them was true.
They were going to spend the rest of their lives here… however long that might be.
Sunny sighed, then looked at Changing Star.
"So… what's the plan?"
Nephis looked at the vista of the ruined city through the window. Sunny was sure that she had already thought a lot about their future. He just hoped that her thoughts were not too crazy.
After a while, she said:
"We will create a hunting party."
…Not too bad. Despite the fact that becoming independent hunters was going to be a long and perilous journey, it was at least achievable. They just had to be smart and careful about it.
He scratched the back of his head:
"Going into the Dark City blind will be very dangerous."
Nephis shrugged, then turned to face him:
"You are right. We will need to recruit a pathfinder."
Someone who was already experienced and could teach them the ropes… that would certainly speed things along and make the whole process safer. Good thinking.
"Do you have someone in mind?"
She gave him a nod.
"As a matter of fact, I do. We will go see her later. But first…"
Her eyes gleamed with intensity.
"...Tell me every detail of what you have learned in the castle. Every name, every Aspect. Every Ability and Flaw you've been able to glean. Every grievance people have and every agenda they're hiding. I need to know it all."
Sunny smiled.
"Sure, no problem. But be warned, this is going to take a while. I've been very busy snooping around, you know."
For the first time since receiving his Aspect, Sunny had been able to do what he had planned to do from the start — gather information without risking his hide, as a real spy should. After months of bloody battles and open confrontations, It was strangely rewarding.
Changing Star gave him a nod.
"There's no hurry."
***
Several hours later, Sunny was finishing his winding report, his voice hoarse from all the talking:
"...is actually the same Pathfinder who the hunter from the outer settlement, Jubei, accused of using another human as monster bait. A real nasty fellow. He is an incredibly formidable fighter and is good at his job, but his personal habits… well. The man is a degenerate gambler. He spends all his shards in Aiko's gambling den, then refuses to pay and hurts anyone who dares to object."
He took a breath, then added angrily:
"Some people even say that this whole challenge happened because he wanted to hunt a powerful monster and pay off a part of his gambling debt. The bastard."
Then, Sunny thought for a while, scratched his head, and said:
"Uh… I think that covers pretty much everything. Of course, there are a lot of things I wasn't able to learn at all."
Nephis was in deep thought, digesting the mountain of information that Sunny had thrown at her. Her face was cold and distant.
Feeling that her friend wasn't going to react, Cassie patted him on the shoulder, smiled, and said:
"You've done a very good job, Sunny! This is amazing."
He blinked and looked aside, slightly embarrassed.
"Well… of course it is. That is what my Aspect is actually for, remember? The whole monster-slaying thing is nothing but an unfortunate misuse of my talents, honestly."
'Yeah… I would much prefer to stay hidden somewhere safe and let my shadow do all the work.'
The shadow slightly turned its head and threw a menacing look his way. It was not amused.
Sunny smiled, then looked at Nephis.
"So… who is the pathfinder you want to recruit? There can't be a lot of experienced hunters in the outer settlement, right? And each of them must have their hunting party already. How are we going to persuade one to join us?"
Changing Star lingered, then said in a strangely tense voice:
"Yes. Everyone who is worth something has their own party — except for one person. But persuading her won't be easy."
She sighed, then added:
"Actually, you already know her. It's Effie."
Chapter 151: Head Hunting
Some time later, they were standing in front of a makeshift cabin. Just like Changing Star's patchwork dwelling, the cabin was constructed out of mismatched stone blocks that had been scavenged from the ruins. It was reinforced with monster hides here and there and seemed to be built slightly better than the rest of the hovels in the outer settlement.
There was a large bestial skull hung above the door, its thick forehead split apart by a devastating strike of some sharp weapon.
Glancing at the skull, Nephis took a step forward and knocked on the door. However, no response followed.
Sunny sighed.
"Maybe she's not home."
Instead of an answer, Changing Star frowned and banged on the door with her first. The first strike was somewhat gentle, but by the last, the bestial skull was on the verge of flying off the wall.
A sleepy and irritated voice sounded from the inside:
"I swear to gods, whoever you are, you'd better be a Nightmare Creature!"
A few moments later, Sunny heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Before it opened, though, Nephis suddenly spoke:
"Sunny, turn away."
Hearing a strange urgency in her voice, he scowled and did as she had asked.
"Your shadow, too."
'What is going on? Are we expecting trouble?'
As he was staring away from the cabin, the creaking of wood informed him that the door was flung open.
"Who the hell is… oh. It's you."
He swore he could hear Neph's teeth grinding against each other. A few seconds later, Changing Star spoke, her tone especially flat:
"...Put on a Memory, Effie. Please."
'Wait… what?'
Why would she… oh…
Oh!
When he was finally allowed to turn back, the last glimmers of ethereal light were yet to disappear from the fabric of Effie's provocatively short chiton. She wasn't wearing anything underneath, either.
"Here. Better?"
The huntress was exactly the same as the last time he had seen her — tall, strong, and brimming with vitality. Without the bronze cuirass with leather pteruges, as well as other elements of the archaic armor, even more of hew dewy olive skin could be seen.
"So, you guys are back together, huh? Judging by how clean and shiny the other two look, I'm guessing that their stay in the Castle was pleasant?"
Sunny glanced at Cassie, then said in a reserved tone:
"Not particularly. Just like you said, the ambiance there is… well… an acquired taste, I guess."
Effie grinned.
"Well said! Anyway, how can I help you?"
Changing Star motioned at the door.
"Can we come inside?"
The unruly huntress glanced back, then shrugged.
"Sure. Why not?"
Inside, the cabin was small and cozy. One of its corners was occupied by a large pile of furs that served Effie as a bed. At first glance, it didn't seem that lavish, but once it hit Sunny that each of the furs had come from the corpse of a Nightmare Creature, he quickly changed his mind.
That was probably the most extravagant thing he had ever seen.
Also… one could only imagine what went on between those furs…
'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'
There was also a fireplace, a table with a single wooden chair, and a pair of sturdy chests. The rest of the space was occupied by various curios that the huntress had scavenged from the ruins over the years. There was no particular logic to this opulent collection except for the fact that each object had once caught her fancy for this reason or that.
After the three of them were seated, Effie returned to her pile of furs, wrapped herself in one of them and asked:
"So, what's so important that you had to come and wake me up this early in the morning?"
'Early in the morning? It's already noon!'
Nephis lingered for a few moments, then said:
"You haven't hunted since the day we met. Right?"
Effie yawned, then said in a languid tone:
"Nope. I'll go back into the ruins once my food runs out. Which will be in a day or two, I think."
What… how? The amount of meat she had butchered off those monsters was enough to feed a person for a couple of months. It was all gone already? Just how much did the vigorous huntress eat?!
Changing Star nodded.
"When you do, come with us. Be our pathfinder."
'Well… she certainly doesn't beat around the bush.'
For some reason, Sunny had not expected Neph to be this direct. He had always imagined this conversation taking much longer before getting to its real purpose.
Effie stared at them, then threw her head back and laughed out loud.
"Ah, that's a good one! Do you want me to be your nanny, too?"
When her laughter died down, she shook her head and said:
"No offense, kids, but you have just arrived in the Dark City. You are as green as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a part of their party, and I refused them all. Do you know why?"
Neph nodded with a serious expression.
"Most hunting parties share the spoils of their hunts. Each hunter keeps a part to eat and sells the rest to the people in the slum. But because of your Flaw, you can't allow yourself to do the same. You need all the sustenance a hunt can provide. The more partners you have, the lesser your share will become, so… you hunt alone, and never sell the meat of your prey, just their hides."
Effie smiled.
"I see someone has been doing their homework."
Changing Star tilted her head a little and, not paying any attention to the irony in those words, continued:
"We can solve that problem by…"
However, the solitary huntress interrupted her:
"Stop. Good guess, but you are wrong. That is not why I refused all those hunters."
Nephis blinked, surprised. After a long pause, she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice:
"Then… why?"
The smile disappeared from Effie's face.
"Because they are weak. Every one of them is weak. Even the most successful of them are. And do you know why?"
Something dark gleamed in her hazel eyes.
"They are weak because Gunlaug will never allow anyone strong to exist outside of his control. So… I am not going to be your pathfinder. Sorry, princess."
Changing Star froze, obviously flustered by that answer. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again and awkwardly pressed her lips together.
No matter how much she had honed her social skills during their journey through the Labyrinth, this conversation still seemed to be too much for her.
In the ensuing silence, Sunny suddenly spoke, his voice calm and slightly provoking:
"He's allowing you to exist."
Effie looked at him, raised one eyebrow with a smile, and didn't say anything.
Finally, Nephis was able to compose herself:
"We might be new here, but we are not weak. Between the two of us, Sunny and I had killed dozens upon dozens of Awakened creatures in the Labyrinth…"
The huntress interrupted her once again:
"Even if that's true, that was there. Out here in the Dark City, things are very different."
The two of them stared at each other, one with a relaxed smile on her lips, the other with stubborn flames burning in her eyes.
'Oh, I don't like this…'
Eventually, Changing Star grimaced and said:
"So, if we prove that we have strength, you might reconsider?"
Effie chuckled.
"Damn! You say it like it's easy. You do know how many people can't even step a foot into the ruins, right? If you guys survive in this hell for a few years, maybe then we can talk again."
Nephis looked at her for a while, and then smiled darkly.
"We will talk again in the evening. Then, you will change your mind."
Chapter 152: There and Back Again
Outside, the sun was already moving past its zenith. There wasn't that much time left before the sunset, so Sunny was really unsure about what Nephis could do to change Effie's mind before evening. However, judging by the determined expression on her face, Changing Star wasn't just throwing words to the wind. She had something specific in mind.
He hesitated.
"So, uh… what exactly are we going to do now?"
Neph glanced at him, white flames dancing in the depths of her cold grey eyes. Then, she turned away and said:
"Follow me."
With that, she walked forward in the direction of the castle.
'Castle? Why are we going to the castle?'
Somewhat uneasy, Sunny gently took Cassie by the arm and hurried to catch up to Nephis. When he did, she suddenly threw over her shoulder:
"Tell me about that Pathfinder again. The one who was accused of murder three days ago."
Sunny frowned, then repeated what he knew about the guy. When he was almost finished, she asked:
"What's his Aspect Ability?"
He hesitated, then said:
"He can make any weapon become incredibly sharp when it's in his hands. Sharp enough to cut stone, maybe even steel. It's a very powerful combat Ability."
Changing Star was quiet for some time, then said:
"What about his Flaw?"
Sunny shook his head.
"That I have no idea about. People are very protective of their Flaws, you know. Not everyone goes around telling everyone about their greatest vulnerability like that lunatic, Effie."
Cassie, who seemed to be very protective of him today, decided to support this claim:
"Sunny is right, Neph. We don't even know what his own Flaw is, remember?"
Sunny almost stumbled and had to try very hard to not let any emotion show on his face.
Cassie was right, of course. While Changing Star and she had shared their Flaws with him, Sunny never reciprocated the gesture… for obvious reasons.
'That is true, but… uh, can we not talk about that?!'
Nephis silently nodded and didn't comment on it further. It seemed as though her mind was on something else.
'Phew…'
Soon, they scaled the magnificent stairs and were approaching the gates of the castle. Sunny was growing increasingly nervous about Neph's intentions.
'What is her plan, exactly?!'
"Uh… Neph? What do you need us to do?
She shrugged, then said in her usual indifferent tone:
"You don't really need to do anything. Just follow me and try to look… uh… virtuous."
'Look… virtuous? What does that suppose to mean?!'
The Guards standing watch in front of the gates blocked their path with contemptuous and suggestive looks in their eyes.
Contempt was directed toward Sunny, while the rest was directed toward the girls, of course.
"Stop! What business do you have in the Bright Castle? Want to pay the tribute?"
"Or maybe want to get paid, instead? If you know what I mean…"
Both of them laughed, making Sunny's blood boil.
Nephis looked at them with a calm expression, then said:
"I want to go inside, but I'm not going to pay tribute."
The laughter suddenly stopped. The Guards looked at them with a bit of amusement, a harsh and dangerous light finding its way into their eyes.
"Have you lost your mind, wench? Why are you here if you're not going to pay tribute? Stop wasting our time!"
Changing Star stared at them with no emotion whatsoever showing on her beautiful ivory face. Then, she said evenly:
"I'm here to invoke the Right of Challenge."
***
For a few seconds, everyone stayed silent. Sunny's heart was beating like a wild beast in his chest.
'Mad! She has gone mad!'
But no, Changing Star was not mad. Although Sunny liked to joke inwardly about how crazy Nephis was, she was anything but. In fact, her ability to remain cool-headed and rational in any situation was one of the main reasons that made her so dangerous. Which meant that there was some opportunity she saw here that he didn't.
At least he hoped that this was the case.
Meanwhile, one of the Guards frowned:
"Stop joking around, little girl. Shut your mouth and get lost if you want to live."
Neph didn't move. Instead, she said:
"I'm not joking."
The other Guard stared at her, then shook his head:
"Those slum rats have really all gone crazy, huh? I thought that this recent show would teach them a lesson, but it seems as though it did not."
He sneered.
"Listen, lass. The Right of Challenge is not a laughing matter. It's a fight to the death. No one is going to go easy on you just because you have a pretty face. Do you understand?"
Changing Star simply nodded.
The Guard waited for a while, looking at her tall figure and the crude tunic that she wore. Then, he grimaced.
"I guess we'll have some entertainment today! Ugh, such a shame. With your looks, you could have lived in the castle without ever even needing to pay the tribute."
Shaking his head, he turned around and gestured for the three of them to follow. The other Guard stayed behind, a bewildered and darkly excited expression on his face.
With the sound of the rusty chains swinging in the wind invading their ears, Sunny, Nephis and Cassie passed beneath the hanging skulls and entered the castle.
Inside, everything was exactly the same. Even Harper was still sitting behind his opulent desk, writing something on a piece of parchment. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he raised his head and threw a furtive glance in their direction.
An expression of confused surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Uh… Sunless and Cassia? What are you guys doing back here?"
Sunny felt the desire to palm his face.
When he had said to the gaunt young man that they might see each other in the future… he certainly did not mean that that future would be on the same damn day!
Not knowing about the thoughts raging in his head, Harper smiled:
"Oh! Did you guys get lucky and come into some shards? Back already to pay the tribute?"
Sunny gritted his teeth and forced out a weak smile.
"Uh, no. Not exactly…"
Chapter 153: Guiding Star
By the time the three of them were led to the grand hall of the castle, the news that there was going to be another challenge had yet to spread through the entire fortress. Because of that, there was no crowd there, just a few dozen people who had happened to walk past and heard the commotion. However, their number was growing with each minute.
Standing before the entrance to the hall, Nephis was calmly looking forward, her thoughts a mystery. She seemed to be steady and collected. Sunny, on the other hand, was very nervous.
Just what was Changing Star planning?
Glancing around to make sure that no one could eavesdrop on their conversation, he leaned to her and whispered:
"You're not really going to fight one of Gunlaug's lieutenants, are you?"
Because that would be suicide. No matter how talented and strong Neph was, she couldn't hope to win against someone like that, at least not before absorbing enough soul shards to even the odds at least a little. Those people had not gotten to where they were by pure accident, too.
They had talents of their own.
Nephis didn't turn her head and simply said:
"...The walls have ears."
Sunny gritted his teeth and was about to retort, by at that moment, the Guard that had led them inside appeared from the grand hall, threw a dark look at them, and spat:
"Come on in, fools."
Changing Star simply walked forward, leaving Sunny and Cassie no choice but to follow.
Inside the hall, a small crowd of people was staring at the entrance. When they saw Nephis, a wave of confused whispers ran through their ranks.
"Who is that?"
"Never seen her before."
"There's something strange about that girl…"
The whole situation was much less ostentatious and theatrical than that on the day of Jubei's death. Most of the lieutenants weren't even here, not to mention the Bright Lord himself. Only the leader of Hunters, Gemma, was sitting on the steps leading up to the empty white throne. On his face, there was a slightly sullen expression.
To Sunny's relief, Harus was nowhere to be seen.
When the Guard led the three of them inside, Gemma raised his head and glanced in their direction with a frown.
"Did I hear it correctly? One of you three wants to invoke the Right of Challenge?"
Nephis took a step forward, looked him right in the eyes, and answered in her usual indifferent voice:
"I do."
Her calmness was in direct contradiction with the heavy meaning behind those words. It was the polar opposite of the impassioned, scornful, furious speech of condemnation that Jubei had given in this hall three days ago. The confused frown on Gemma's face deepened.
"You do know what that means, right, little girl?"
She continued to stare at him without showing any sign of fear, then repeated:
"I do."
The tall Hunter sighed.
"Listen… it is indeed true that anyone has the right to invoke the Right of Challenge. But throwing your life away is a really stupid thing to do. I'm sure that you had to suffer a lot to make it this far. Everyone here did, pretty much. So how about you think about it some more and reconsider?"
His voice wasn't unfriendly. In fact, it seemed sincere, as though Gunlaug's lieutenant really did not want to see her die for no reason. However, his words fell on deaf ears. Neph just tilted her head a little and said:
"No need."
Gemma sighed again, then shook his head.
"Fine, have it your way then. Who are you here to accuse?"
Sunny already had the idea. That's why he wasn't surprised to hear her next words:
"I am here to accuse the Pathfinder known as Andel."
Andel was the person whose crime had led to Jubei's challenge, and then death.
As another wave of whispers rose from the crowd, Gemma blinked. With an unhappy scowl on his face, he said:
"As I've told the last time, I am the leader of both Hunters and Pathfinders. Any crime they commit while performing their duties is my crime, so I will be the one to answer for it. Are you sure you want to challenge me, kid?"
Sunny held his breath, knowing that Neph's next words would decide their fates.
Despite the older man's heavy tone, she did not even flinch. However, she did pierce him with a cold gaze, then slowly shook her head.
"I'm not here to accuse him of murdering the young man from the outer settlement. I'm here to accuse him of theft. Andel has lost a considerable amount of soul shards while gambling, but refused to pay. That is stealing. Since it was done on his private time and not while performing any official duties, you have nothing to do with it."
Gemma stared at her, a bewildered look written clearly on his face.
Sunny was doing the same.
'Well, that was… unexpected. Kind of ingenious, actually. Who knew Neph can be so crafty?'
By shifting the accusation from a crime committed during a hunt to a misdemeanor that had nothing to do with Andel's role as a Pathfinder, she effectively prevented any of the lieutenants from fighting on his behalf. At least if they remained true to their claim of being just.
But was a seasoned Pathfinder any less of a threat than one of Gunlaug's proxies?
And would Gemma even allow a challenge like that to proceed?
As though responding to his questions, the tall Hunter raised his eyebrows and said in disbelief:
"What? A… a gambling debt? You want to... did Aiko send you?"
Nephis shook her head again.
"No. I've never even met her."
Everyone in the grand hall looked at her as though she was insane. The charismatic lieutenant was no exception. With some exasperation finding its way into his voice, he asked:
"If you don't even know the person Andel owes the shards, why are you here challenging him on her behalf?!"
Neph simply shrugged.
"Do I need to personally know the victim of the crime to punish the criminal?"
Gemma stared, clearly finding the whole situation ridiculous.
"...It's just a gambling debt. I can pay the shards myself, and we all can.."
However, Changing Star interrupted him. Her voice was still inexplicably calm and even:
"It's not about shards. It's about justice… and law. After all, the law is our only guiding star in this dark world. Without its light, there's only darkness."
Her words echoed in the grand hall and put a grim expression on Gemma's face. By repeating what Gunlaug had said here a few days prior, she left him with little choice but to satisfy the request for a challenge.
After all, going against it would be tantamount to going against the Bright Lord's will.
'How devious! Did she learn that from me?'
The Hunter looked away with regret, remained silent for some time, and then said to one of the Guards in a dark tone:
"Go and bring Andel here. Tell that bastard that after he kills this stupid girl, he and I will have a long conversation about his… life choices."
Then, he glanced at Neph and said:
"And you… say your goodbyes and prepare for battle. Oh, right. What is your name? Tell us. That way, you will at least be remembered."
Looking him right in the eyes, Nephis stayed quiet for a bit, and then answered.
Her clear voice resounded loudly in the grand hall:
"I am Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan."
Suddenly, everything became silent.
Chapter 154: Light of the Seven
Everyone grew quiet. Even Gemma seemed to be slightly stunned by that proclamation. The only person to not react to it at all was Caster, who had entered the grand hall a bit earlier and was now standing by one of the walls, watching Nephis with a complex expression.
Her full name was shocking to hear for two entirely different, but equally earth-shattering reasons.
Firstly, she had called herself not by a human name, but by a True one. In the entire history of human civilization, only a handful of Awakened had managed to earn a True Name in their First Nightmare. Needless to say, none of them was among the thousand Sleepers currently trapped on the Forgotten Shore.
Even Gunlaug himself did not have one.
But Nephis did.
...And Sunny too, of course, but no one had to know that.
Secondly, she had announced herself to be a Legacy, and not just any Legacy at that, but one from the legendary Immortal Flame clan. A clan that had been responsible for propelling the entire human species forward not once, but twice — first by helping conquer the Second Nightmare, then the Third.
A combination of these facts was enough to set off a metaphorical explosion in the middle of the Dark City. If this was true, then she could be considered to be an almost messianic existence here on the Forgotten Shore.
Suddenly, the calmness with which she dared to challenge a fearsome Pathfinder to a battle to the death did not seem that strange.
The dazed looks in the eyes of all the Sleepers gathered in the grand hall had slowly begun to give place to a subtle, tentative, weak glow.
It was as though a tiny seed of hope was suddenly planted in the dead soil of their lightless, forlorn souls.
Either by accident or on purpose, Nephis chose that exact moment to summon her armor. Numerous sparks of light surrounded her in a whirlpool of soft radiance, and when they were gone, a striking black and white armor had appeared on her graceful body.
Everyone's eyes were immediately glued to the symbol on its breastplate. On it, seven shining stars were intricately engraved into the strange white metal.
"Th—that symbol!"
"It's Starlight Crest!"
"The crest of the Seven!"
Just like Sunny, many of the inhabitants of the Bright Castle were familiar with the symbol of the seven stars. Not only was it carved into the robe of the giant statue standing in front of the impregnable city wall, it was also often depicted in numerous stone carvings decorating the walls of the ancient fortress.
It seemed to represent the seven heroes that had once vowed to vanquish the darkness consuming this cursed land… and lead its people back into the light.
Sunny felt cold sweat running down his spine.
'What… what is she doing? Is it all a coincidence, or did Nephis plan everything? Does she not understand how these fools will react to such theatrics? If they get the wrong idea and start running their mouths about how she is some sort of a heavenly savior, Gunlaug will soon come knocking on our doors!'
What did Neph say? Just follow her lead and try to look virtuous?
Sunny stared at her back, stumped. How would he even do that? There had never been a single drop of virtue in his entire body!
Meanwhile, Gemma had finally managed to compose himself and threw an evaluating look at Changing Star. If there had been nothing but neglect and disregard in his eyes before, now there was a hint of dark wariness in them.
Slowly, the leader of Hunters smiled.
"Ah. In that case, nice to meet you. I must say, it's a very impressive name you have there. Makes one wonder where it came from."
The implication behind these words was easy to understand. Gemma was insinuating that Nephis was lying.
It seemed as though this insinuation had removed a veil from everyone's eyes. Most people quickly lost their wistful expressions, once again looking at her either somberly or with dark anticipation. Only now, there were also hints of mocking disdain on some of their faces.
…And yet, several of them were still staring at her with expressions full of hesitant, timid faith.
Changing Star did not react to any of that in any way. She simply remained calm and indifferent.
As though she existed slightly apart from the dirt and despair of this world.
Soon, Andel the Pathfinder was led into the grand hall.
***
The Pathfinder was of average height and solid build, with menacing blue eyes and a sharp jaw. His head was shaved on the sides, with the remaining hair weaved into a short braid. He appeared to be slightly older than the rest of the Sleepers gathered in the grand hall, with the exception of Gemma himself. Andel was probably around twenty-four years old.
He looked like a skilled, seasoned, and ruthless fighter. Every Pathfinder was nothing less than an elite among elites, and he was no exception. Even those who hated Andel stared at him with fear and respect, even veneration.
Entering the hall, Andel threw a dark look at Nephis and walked forward to the base of the steps leading to the white throne. There, he stopped and bowed, showing his respect to the leader of Hunters.
"I'm here."
Gemma stared at him with an irritated, contemptuous expression, and then sighed.
"You know why I've summoned you?"
The Pathfinder smirked.
"Some wench wants to challenge me? Good. I was very sad to let Harus have all the fun last time."
Several angry whispers sounded from the crowd, but no one dared to reveal their hatred toward the arrogant murderer openly.
The corner of Gemma's mouth turned downward. He remained silent for some time, and then said in a dangerous tone:
"Fun? Did you say fun? Well, Andel, if you lacked excitement in your life, you should have just told me. How about this? After you kill that girl, I will show you what real fun is."
With that, he gestured to the Guards that the fight could begin. Andel frowned a little, but then turned around with a dark smile on his lips.
Sunny and Cassie were led to the side, where they joined the crowd of spectating Sleepers. By that point, there was a considerable amount of them gathered in the grand hall.
Everyone looked at the fearsome Pathfinder and Nephis with a mix of tension and anticipation. Some were here just to see a macabre show, waiting with excitement for blood to flow. To them, it didn't matter who lived and who died, although none believed that the girl from the outer settlement had any chance of surviving in a duel against the experienced Pathfinder.
Others wanted to see Andel punished for his crimes. But even these people seemed to believe that Neph was doomed to die. They just hoped that she would manage to make the bastard bleed a little before she did.
Perhaps only Sunny, Cassie, and Caster knew that the result of this fight was not as predictable as everyone seemed to think.
Not wasting any time, Andel summoned his weapon and walked toward Changing Star. In his hand, a vicious, crudely forged falchion suddenly gleamed with polished luster, its edge turning sharper than that of a razor.
With a shudder, Sunny realized that not even the Starlight Legion Armor would stop such a blade.
The Pathfinder's movements were soft and deceptive, betraying years of experience in bloody battles against both Nightmare Creatures and humans. The dark smile had never left his lips, and there was bloodlust burning in his eyes. After years spent hunting monsters, he looked like a monster himself.
However, Nephis just stood there calmly and watched him approach, not even trying to summon her sword.
'What is she doing? Trying to mimic Harus?'
When the distance between them shortened to that of only several steps, everyone held their breaths. Suddenly, Andel flourished his cleaver and lunged forward with astonishing, almost inhuman speed. His push was so powerful that dust flew into the air from under the soles of his boots.
Sunny clenched his fists.
'...What is she!'
Just a fraction of a second before the magically enhanced blade cleaved her apart, Nephis suddenly sidestepped the strike and threw her arms into the air, simultaneously summoning her longsword. The ethereal sparks of light passed through the blade of Andel's falchion, forming into silvery steel only on the other side of it.
The Pathfinder's eyes widened.
…Forever.
Without anything separating it from the enemy's flesh, the longsword that had just formed from the thin air behind the falchion bit into his neck, cleanly severing Andel's head from his shoulders.
As blood shot into the air from the Pathfinder's neck, his head rolled on the floor like a macabre ball and stopped near the steps that led to Gunlaug's white throne.
It seemed as though all oxygen was suddenly sucked out of the great hall.
In the deathly silence, Andel's body heavily fell on the white marble.
Everyone was staring at Nephis in utter disbelief — the Sleepers, the Guards, even Gemma.
Honestly, Sunny himself was a bit stunned. Of course, he had suspected that Changing Star might win the duel. But even he did not expect that she would kill an actual Pathfinder, one of the most fearsome warriors in the Bright Castle, with just one strike.
Dismissing her sword with a cold expression on her face, Nephis walked over to the marble steps, picked up the severed head by the hair, and looked up at the leader of the Hunters.
Then, with a well-practiced polite smile, she said:
"...Oh. It was nice to meet you too."
Chapter 155: First Recruits
The blood was still dripping from Andel's severed head when they left the castle. Nephis was holding it by the hair, her face as indifferent as always. It seemed as though carrying human heads was not even something worthy of changing facial expressions.
Suddenly, Sunny saw Changing Star in a new light. It was a long time since he had last been wary of her, but now, he was starting to wonder.
Just how many people had she killed in the past?
The facial expressions of everyone else, though, ranged from astonishment to horror. People who had witnessed the duel stared at Nephis as though she was some sort of an avenging angel. The others treated her like a terrifying demon.
'I wonder... how much souls essence had she absorbed with this one kill? Has to be a lot, right?'
…But those were just the inhabitants of the castle. The reactions of the people of the outer settlement were strangely reserved, but even more intense. They had never seen one of them stroll into the ancient fortress and walk away freely with a severed head of a Pathfinder in their hands. Now, all of them were watching silently, an inexorable, dark, sweltering emotion burning in their eyes.
All of it made Sunny very uncomfortable.
He wasn't sure if Nephis knew what kind of a storm her stunt had evoked in the hearts of these people. That sort of emotion was dangerous and almost impossible to control. If she didn't know, things could turn really bad really quickly.
…But it was even worse if she did, and had done it on purpose. Was Neph really capable of such ingenious and effective manipulation? Was this her plan all along?
Sunny wasn't sure that he knew this side of Changing Star.
Come to think of it, he didn't really know that much about her at all.
Consumed by these doubts, Sunny didn't even notice that they were already in front of Effie's cabin. He glanced at the sky, only to see the sun hiding behind the ominous silhouette of the Crimson Spire.
It was evening, just like Nephis had promised.
'...Scary.'
The unruly huntress opened the door before they even knocked, a hint of irritation in her eyes.
"What's with all the commotion?! Can't a girl spend a day in…"
Noticing the three of them, she froze.
Without so much as batting an eye, Nephis simply threw Andel's head to Effie's feet and asked:
"Can we talk now?"
Looking down at the macabre present, the huntress narrowed her eyes. Her face darkened.
A few moments later, she glanced up and said in a grim voice:
"Come inside."
***
As soon as the door closed behind them, Effie asked in a furious whisper:
"What the hell have you done, princess?!"
Nephis tilted her head and slightly frowned. Then, she said with a hint of sincere confusion in her voice:
"You wanted me to prove my strength. Did you not?"
The huntress stared at her in disbelief. Misunderstanding her silence, Neph blinked, then added:
"Oh. That head belonged to…"
"I know whose head it is! Where did you get it?!"
Sunny sighed and slumped heavily on one of the sturdy chests. Then he forced out a dark smile and said:
"Oh, by the way… you might be the last human in the Dark City to learn this, but standing right in front of you is none other than Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan, the champion of justice. She just walked into the castle, challenged the bastard, and killed him with one strike of her sword, right under everyone's eyes. By now, this must be the only thing people are talking about."
His tone lacked any kind of amusement. If anything, it seemed as though Sunny was just barely stopping himself from cursing out loud.
Why… why did trouble have to follow him everywhere he went?
While Neph and Cassie were anxiously waiting for Effie's response, Sunny just stared at his shadow, hoping to find some sympathy. Sadly, there wasn't any to be found. The shadow was just staring back at him, full of jubilant gloating.
Effie, meanwhile, blinked a couple of times and looked at them with a strange expression.
'That's right. Run while you can…'
Then, she threw her head back and laughed out loud.
"Oh! Oh, gods! Did you really?! This is priceless! I wish I'd seen their faces!"
Sunny watched her with his mouth wide open. That was not the reaction he had been expecting.
'Crazy, they're all crazy! I'm surrounded by crazy people!'
When Effie finished laughing, she glanced at Changing Star with a dark, but gleeful expression.
"Alright, you have proven your point. But there's something you should know. Back when I refused to join the Host, Gunlaug made it clear that if he can't have me, no one else will. Ever since, any group that dared to invite me to join them ended up regretting their decision. By hiring me as a guide, you will be putting yourself in his crosshairs. Are you sure you want to do this?"
So there was more to her story... no wonder she was so solitary.
In the ensuing silence, Sunny was the first one to speak. His voice sounded bitter and dejected:
"I mean… it's a bit late to worry about that. Don't you think?"
***
The next morning, they were preparing to go on a hunt. A small crowd of slum dwellers gathered around to see them off, their dark eyes burning with a strange mix of hope and anguish.
By now, the story of Changing Star's clever ruse and heroic battle against villainous Pathfinder Andel had already flown all other the place, growing more and more unbelievable with each retelling. Now, these people came to witness her with their own eyes.
They were especially interested in the Starlight Legion Armor and the symbol engraved on its breastplate. Who knew that the Memory of a simple carapace centurion would have such an effect on the inhabitants of the Dark City?
Sunny was not happy about it at all.
The previous evening, he had a chance to ask Nephis a few questions after they had returned to their lodge. However, he kept most of them to himself, not knowing how to properly express his feelings. In the end, he only asked about how she had managed to defeat her human opponent, who was much more powerful in terms of physical prowess, so easily.
Changing Star's answer was very simple. She just shrugged and said:
"An old Legacy trick."
Which pretty much explained everything and nothing at all.
And now, they were going into the Dark City to hunt monsters.
When the four of them were ready to set off, a sudden hum of voices made them turn around. The slum dwellers stepped aside, letting a tall young man walk through.
Sunny frowned.
'Great. What is he doing here?'
Walking closer, Caster stopped a few meters away from them and gave a polite bow.
"Lady Nephis, Huntress Athena, Cassia, Sunny. Good morning to all of you. I, Caster of the Han Li clan, would like to join your hunting party. Will you have me?"
Everyone grew quiet for a few moments. Despite Sunny's dislike of the handsome Legacy, having him on their side would be an incredible boon. Genius fighters like Caster were hard to come by anywhere, let alone on the Forgotten Shore. He felt torn.
A buzz of whispers rose from the crowd. People were shocked to see a warrior from the castle volunteering to join an outer settlement cohort. And one of such fearsome reputation, too!
After some time had passed, Changing Star simply shrugged.
"If you want."
Just like that, the proud scion of the Han Li clan had become the fifth member of their hunting party. It was strange to see their numbers grow after months spent alone in the Labyrinth, but that was probably inevitable.
What else did Sunny expect? That it would be just the three of them forever?
'Stupid...'
Together, the five Sleepers left the slum of the outer settlement behind and stepped on the road of white stone that lead into the cursed ruins.
…And just like that, the fates of every human in the Dark City were sealed.
The end had begun.
Chapter 156: Free Lunch
Their first hunt was surprisingly uneventful.
Guided by an experienced pathfinder and augmented by Sunny's stealthy shadow, they managed to avoid any Fallen creatures and arrive at the destination in one piece. There, the group hid in the ruins and waited for their prey to show up.
The plan of battle was discussed beforehand. After Effie had described the type of monster they were here to kill, complete with a detailed list of its strengths and weaknesses, Nephis quickly assigned different roles to different people.
Sunny had expected that things would work just like back in the Labyrinth, but to his surprise, they did not. Just like before, Neph was going to take most of the risk and lure the enemy into revealing its vulnerability. However, Caster was going to be the one to make use of it and deal the fatal blow, not Sunny.
Which made sense, really. After all, his Ability was not a combat one, at least not officially. It was rational to entrust the role to someone with an incredibly powerful combat Ability, as the one Caster possessed.
Still, for some reason, Sunny felt angry about it. It felt as though he was being replaced.
Not wishing to appear childish, he swallowed his bitterness and remained silent.
When the monster did show up, everything went perfectly. Nephis and Caster were able to finish the creature off without sustaining any injuries. Their teamwork, while not effortless, was strangely harmonious, probably because both were Legacies and had received similar kind of training. Sunny, whose task was to join the fray if things went wrong, ended up not having to lift a finger.
Neither did Effie, who simply stayed with Cassie in case the blind girl needed protection. After everything was over, she laughed:
"Ha, this is the easiest meal I've ever earned!"
Effie's status in the party was a bit strange. Unlike the rest of them, she had not shown any desire to join the cohort officially. Instead, she was somewhat of a hired worker — her responsibilities included guiding the party through the ruins and providing them with information, and nothing else. She wasn't even required to fight side by side with them.
After the Nightmare Creature was dead, they quickly butchered it and left the scene of the battle loaded with a heavy weight of meat. Before the shadow of the Crimson Spire fell on the Dark City, the cohort was already approaching the marble arch at the base of the hill.
This was when something unexpected finally happened. And it happened because of Nephis.
After giving a fair share of the spoils to the vigorous huntress, she glanced at Sunny, Cassie, and Caster. Then, Changing Star said:
"I would like for you three to entrust me with your part of the meat."
'What? What is that about?'
Before Sunny had an opportunity to ask a question, Cassie already smiled and said:
"Of course, Neph!"
Caster did not linger, either. With a small bow, he nodded.
"As you wish, lady Nephis."
Sunny gritted his teeth. After that, he would have looked like a complete jerk if he were to start interrogating her. Especially because, technically, he had not done anything except for lending his shadow to Effie. Nephis and Caster were the ones who had actually risked their lives.
"...Fine."
Nephis gave them a nod and continued walking up the white road.
When they returned to the outer settlement, she separated the remaining share of monster meat into two parts. One, much smaller part, she handed to Cassie. The other, incomparably larger part, she simply placed on the white stones in front of their lodge.
Effie looked at the whole process with curiosity. So did the slum dwellers who had gathered to welcome them back.
Sunny frowned:
"What are you doing?"
Changing Star glanced at him and then gestured to the small bundle of meat in Cassie's hands.
"This is for us to sustain ourselves. We will eat that meat until our next hunt."
Somebody from the crowd shouted:
"What about the rest? Are you selling it? What is your price?"
It was customary for the outer settlement hunters to sell some of their spoils. That was how people here fed themselves. The meat could be exchanged for items, services, or, in very rare cases, actual shards.
Neph turned to the people who had gathered around and looked at them with a frown. When everyone grew quiet, she said in a cold tone:
"My hunting party will not be selling any meat. Ever."
Before anyone had time to react, dismayed by that answer, she took a step to the side, gestured to the large pile of meat, and said:
"...Instead, we will be giving it away for free."
***
A dead silence hung above the edge of the outer settlement. The slum dwellers who had come to catch a glimpse of Changing Star or in hope of procuring some food were all looking at Nephis with a dark mix of mistrust, disbelief, and suspicion.
After a while, someone shouted:
"What trick are you trying to play? People here are hungry, Changing Star! Shame on you!"
Nephis crossed her arm, furrowed her brow, and answered:
"There is no trick. Everyone is free to take a small share of the meat to fill their stomach."
The young man who had accused her before laughed.
"Why would you just hand it out for free? Do you think that we're fools?"
Sunny was being tormented by the same question. He often joked about Neph's foolish nobility, but he also knew that she wasn't really stupid. She always had a reason for everything she did, even if those reasons sometimes seemed insane to him.
Lately, he even started to suspect that Neph was much more cynical and pragmatic than he had ever given her credit for. It's just that her version of cynicism was very different from his own.
What was she doing?
Meanwhile, Nephis pierced the shouter with a cold look, scowled, and said, a hint of anger in her voice:
"...Why? Am I not a human? Are you not humans? Does a human need a reason to help others of her kind in this cursed place?!"
She took a step forward and looked at the gathered people, making them shiver under her heavy gaze.
"Shame on me? No. Shame on you all for forgetting who you are. We are people, not beasts. In the real world or in the Dream Realm, this is who we are."
Her words echoed above the white stones, mixing with the howling wind.
"Now come forward and take some food if you're hungry!"
The slum dwellers were still not convinced. However, their hunger was stronger than their wariness. Soon, the first of them stepped forward, tentatively took a small strip of meat, threw a furtive glance at Nephis, and then hurriedly walked away.
When the others saw that nothing happened to him, they became braver. Young men and women dressed in rags formed a messy line. One by one, they came forward, received their tiny piece of meat, and then disappeared with haste, afraid that it will be taken back.
Slowly, a new kind of light appeared on their faces. It was the same timid, weak emotion that Sunny had noticed in the eyes of the castle inhabitants after Neph had announced her name.
It was something that precipitated hope, or maybe faith.
With a dark expression on his face, Sunny looked up, at the tiny silhouettes of Guards observing them from the walls of the magnificent fortress.
Nephis was right when she said that they were all still people. However, she was wrong about everything else.
Because people were much worse than beasts.
...He did not like what was happening at all.
Chapter 157: Wind of Change
After that day, things moved with a speed that left Sunny disoriented. It was as though he was being pulled forward by an overpowering current, helpless to slow down or change direction. Before he could react to one change, another would happen, making him feel like he was losing control. Everything was happening so fast that he found it difficult to adjust.
It was hard not to fear that, eventually, he would simply be left behind.
After that first hunt where Nephis had chosen to give most of the spoils away, she led them on several more. Not all of those hunts went as smoothly, but they did manage to return victorious, if a little battered. Every time, she paid Effie her share of the meat, took a small amount for them to consume, and gave the rest to the people of the outer settlement free of charge.
Because of how little their own share was, the group was forced to hunt every other day instead of once or twice a month. Sunny did not understand at all why they were taking on all that unnecessary risk.
Provided, he wasn't exposed to many risks himself. Apart from a couple of short battles where Neph and Caster ended up requiring some backup, he spent most of his time with Effie, serving as her scout and slowly learning the ins and outs of the Dark City from her.
With the well of knowledge that the unruly huntress possessed and his nimble shadow, the party rarely met anything they weren't ready to face. This gave them an incredible advantage over all other hunting parties of the outer settlement, and even some of Gunlaug's own.
Soon, their flawless and intense track record earned the cohort reputation and renown. They weren't seen as newcomers anymore. Instead, people considered them to be nothing short of the strongest hunters in the slum. Many even believed that Changing Star and her people were in no way inferior to the Hunters of the Bright Castle.
Nephis herself was known to be a fearsome fighter ever since her dramatic duel with Andel. Effie had the reputation as one of the outer settlement's best from a long time ago. Handsome and capable Caster quickly won respect and adoration thanks to his amiable personality, noble bearing, and skill.
The three of them were considered to be the core of the party, with Cassie and Sunny existing somewhere on the periphery. People loved Cassie because Neph had entrusted her with the responsibility of handing out the free meat… and also because it was nearly impossible not to love this sweet, exquisitely beautiful, and tragic girl. For most of the slum dwellers, she was the welcoming face of the cohort.
Sunny, on the other hand… no one really paid him any attention. With no valiant feats of vanquishing monsters of the Dark City under his belt, most considered him to be a mere support member of the party. Inconsequential at best… a charity case at worst.
If they even remembered his existence.
Sunny was simultaneously happy to live in obscurity and secretly infuriated by this lack of recognition. It was good that no one suspected how powerful he really was. And yet… watching everyone fall over themselves in Caster's presence while completely ignoring his own made Sunny want to kill something. Or someone.
Especially because, due to the tactical composition of the cohort, Nephis spend most of her time with the handsome Legacy. They seemed to work especially well together.
When this frustration threatened to overwhelm Sunny, he would go away, find a quiet corner, and train his katas until every muscle in his body hurt. Usually, the whistle of the Midnight Shard's blade cutting air was enough to calm him. He trained his swordsmanship day after day, finding strange comfort in it. At least this was something he could control.
…Of course, Sunny was never entirely relaxed. In fact, with each day, he grew more and more anxious.
Because other things were changing as well.
After each hunt, Changing Star would provide the dwellers of the slum with free food. At first, they treated her with distrust, then with gratitude, and finally with something akin to reverence. The strange light that Sunny had noticed in their eyes after that first time was slowly growing brighter and brighter.
Some people even started jokingly calling her "Saint Nephis", as though she was some sort of an angel. However, he felt that these words strangely contained less and less humor with each day.
It was really very creepy, not to mention dangerous. The more people looked at Neph like she was their personal savior, the more he feared how drastic Gunlaug's reaction would be. If history had shown anything, it was that kings never went easy on meddling messiahs.
And throughout all of that, the same question continued to torment Sunny.
Was all of this an accident, or had Nephis done it on purpose?
As time went by, more and more random people joined their group. They weren't hunters, just forlorn young men and women from the outer settlement who wanted to help. They tended to monster hides that the cohort brought back from the hunts, maintained various tools and gear that needed to be used, assisted Cassie with handing out food, and did other kinds of small but useful things.
Soon, the ramshackle lodge was full of them. Sunny didn't even know all of their names. It seemed as though every day, someone new would appear, acting as if they had always been a part of the group. What's worse, not all of them seemed to know who he was, either. No once and not twice, someone would smile at him and ask in a friendly tone:
"Are you new?"
…Of course, bastards never said the same thing to Caster.
Sunny felt like he was slowly becoming a stranger in his own home. The feeling was rather unpleasant, not to mention how perfectly it fit all his insecurities.
What's worse, these new people really made him uncomfortable. He wasn't really sure of whether they were Changing Star's helpers, or if they were her followers.
Were they loyal, or… devout?
…One night after a couple of weeks of this, he was suddenly woken by Cassie tugging on his sleeve. The blind girl was whispering:
"Sunny! Wake up!"
A moment later, he was already on his feet, ready to summon the Midnight Shard. A light coming from the other room told him that Neph was awake, too.
'Gunlaug? Did someone betray us?'
"What's wrong?"
Cassie covered the candle she was holding in her hand and answered in a worried voice:
"Something… something is coming from the road. I've dreamt of it."
'A Nightmare Creature…'
Knowing what had to be done, Sunny simply nodded, gripped her shoulder for reassurance, and walked over to meet Nephis.
Since their lodge was on the edge of the slum, right in front of the entrance of the ancient road, they had no choice but to fight.
That night, the three of them — Changing Star, Sunny, and Caster — battled a devil that had wandered up the hill and fought it off before it could reach the outer settlement.
When dawn came, terrified people walked out of their hovels on shaking legs and saw the horrible marks left on the white stones by the beast's claws, as well as puddles of blood, both human and that of a monster, steaming in the morning cold.
They also saw Changing Star leaning tiredly on her silver sword.
Sunny, who was sitting with his back against the wall of the lodge and breathing heavily, was looking at her, too.
…Back when he was describing to Nephis why Gunlaug could never be defeated, he had told her that every facet of life here was under his control: food, safety, hope, fear, even power itself.
Now, Changing Star had given these people food. By protecting the outer settlement, she had given them safety. She had even given them hope.
There was also the fear that the inhabitants of the castle felt after Neph had easily beheaded one of their Pathfinders.
All that remained was power.
Finally, the question that pressed heavily on his mind had an answer.
No, none of this was a coincidence. Everything that had happened, from choosing the outermost building in the slum as their base to insisting on giving away the food for free, was part of Changing Star's strange but methodical plan. She knew what she was doing all along.
But why was she doing all this? What was her ultimate goal?
Uneasy, Sunny stared at Nephis and wondered about the future.
Chapter 158: Invisible
After about a month of living in the outer settlement, Sunny woke up one morning with the feeling of not belonging anywhere in this world. This familiar feeling had pursued him for most of his life, and had returned recently after being gone for some time.
With a sigh, he rose from his narrow cot and summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud. The stone lodge was already full of sounds and voices. The tempting smell of breakfast filled the air.
Coming out of his small room, Sunny saw a bunch of Neph's helpers rushing here and there, busy with various tasks. Some of them stopped to greet him, others did not. He paid no attention to them and went outside to wash his face and take a look at the sky.
The grey sky of the Forgotten Shore looked as it always did. Nothing ever really changed in this loathsome hell.
On his way back, Sunny noticed a gaunt figure standing hesitantly near the doors of the lodge. The ragged young man looked very familiar.
Reaching into his memory, Sunny identified him as the friendly, but nervous receptions from the castle. His clothes were much less clean and tidy than they had been before, and his face had become even thinner.
The young man had clearly seen better days.
'What is he doing there?'
Coming closer, Sunny called out to the young man:
"Uh… Harper, right? How come you're here?"
Harper flinched, then looked at him with anxious eyes:
"Oh… Sunless! It's, uh… it's so nice to see you."
Sunny stared at him for a while, then asked bluntly:
"Did they kick you out of the castle?"
Harper's face instantly fell. Lowering his gaze, he stayed silent for a few moments, and then said quietly:
"I haven't been able to pay the tribute anymore. So… yes. I guess they did."
Then he glanced up, hesitated, and asked in a weak voice:
"I… I heard that I can get some food here?"
Sunny tried to give him a reassuring smile.
"Sure. Usually, we give out meat after the hunts. But if you're hungry right now, I'm certain there's something we can do. Just talk to… uh… a girl with red hair. She's in charge of breakfast, I think."
Harper smiled, too, the weak light of hope igniting in his eyes.
"Really? They will just give me a meal for free?"
Sunny shrugged.
"Why not? We have enough food right now. Most of those guys and girls are always here, anyway. They're like guests that won't le… uh, doesn't matter. They help around, doing this and that, to express their gratitude, I guess. If you feel guilty just eating for free, ask them for some chore. This might not be the Bright Castle, but you'll see that life here can be not bad as well."
Guiding the gaunt young man inside, Sunny directed him toward the kitchen and sighed.
Even castle dwellers were now coming to their lodge. If this went on, he would have to share his room with some random stranger. What a joke.
Entering the main hall, he noticed Nephis and Caster standing near the window, discussing the approaching hunt. This morning, there were several hunters from other parties surrounding them. The cohort had been planning a big joint hunt for a while now, and today was the day.
'Did they just... start without me?'
Hiding his discontent, Sunny walked over to the group of hunters and greeted them. Caster smiled at him, while Nephis simply nodded. The other hunters glanced at the new arrival and didn't pay him much attention.
'Fools. If you knew who stands before you…'
Consoling himself with these childish thoughts, Sunny listened to the discussion. One of the hunters was speaking:
"...South of the collapsed lighthouse is a good choice, but the Awakened creatures living there have an incredibly sharp hearing. Attacking them in large numbers won't be easy."
In the past month, their lodge had gone through a transformation. The remnants of broken furniture were long gone and replaced. Some of the new pieces of furniture came from the ruins, some were made right here by the craftsmen of the outer settlement. There were monster hides and decorations hung on the walls, making the space look neat and presentable.
These days, the lodge appeared as the headquarters of a small, but prosperous Awakened cohort. There was even a large map of the Dark City on one of the walls, with various symbols marking all kinds of useful information.
Currently, the hunter was pointing at a particular spot on the map:
"This spot right here is much more promising. Blood Fiends are known to dwell in these parts. They hibernate during the day, so if we manage to find a lair or two…"
Caster shook his head.
"The area you're suggesting is too close to the territory of those strange living statues. We all know how formidable those bizarre creatures are. I still think that south of the lighthouse is better. We just need to think of a way to deceive the hearing of the monsters…"
Suddenly finding something that he could be helpful with, Sunny said:
"Uh, I have a bell that can…"
However, his voice drowned in the buzz of the conversation. No one paid attention to his words.
Embarrassed, Sunny inhaled deeply, waited for a few seconds, and spoke again:
"Actually, we can use one of my two sound-producing Memories to…"
But right at that moment, Caster seemed to come up with a brilliant idea. Everyone listened to him, turning their backs to Sunny. It was as though he was completely invisible.
'What… what's even the damn point?'
Sunny stood there for a minute or two, feeling awkward, angry, and utterly stupid. Then he simply turned around and walked away.
Finding his way to the roof of the lodge, he climbed on top of the second-storey addition and sat there, solemnly watching as the sun slowly climbed up. After a while, Sunny sighed and closed his eyes, letting the shadow slip back into the building.
Just as he had expected, no one even noticed his absence. Not surprised, he sent the shadow around the lodge, watching all the people who were busy making Neph's mysterious plans happen.
Everyone seemed full of energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of belonging.
Why was he the only one who couldn't fit in?
Even that guy from the castle, Harper, had already found some friends. He was currently helping the red-haired girl who was in charge of breakfast wash the dishes.
Sunny frowned.
Something… something wasn't quite right with Harper. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the gaunt young man seemed a little off, somehow.
Forgetting all about his bad mood, Sunny concentrated on watching the timid Sleeper. Harper seemed to do just what any newcomer would do: helping people, learning their names, and asking questions about how things worked in the Changing Star's party. It seemed as though he wanted very badly to stay in the lodge and become useful. Which was understandable.
But something was wrong.
Sunny's suspicions were confirmed when, about an hour later, Harper left the lodge and went back into the slum. With the shadow stealthily following him from behind, the gaunt young man made sure that no one saw him and hurriedly dove into a secluded alley. Deep in the darkness of that alley, a man was waiting for him.
Sunny frowned, recognizing one of the high-ranking Guards from the castle.
'So that's what all this is about.'
The Guard, meanwhile, glared at Harper and asked in a rough, unfriendly tone:
"Well?"
Harper looked down, his fear and anxiousness apparent.
"Yes! Yes, uh, sir. I've done what you told me. It wasn't very hard."
The Guard smiled.
"Good. It seems that you really do want to return to the castle."
Harper glanced up, a desperate light igniting in his eyes.
"Really? So… I can return? Even though I don't have any shards to pay the tribute?"
The smile disappeared from the Guard's face.
"You will be able to return after you gather all the information that I told you to learn. If you do, I'll invite you inside myself. No need to even worry about the tribute. But! Remember: I need to know everything about the core members of the cohort, including Saint Nephis herself. Their Aspects, their Abilities, their Flaws. I even want to know what hand they use to wipe. Understand?"
Harper paled.
"But, sir… things like that… it won't be easy to learn them! Especially for, for a simple servant like me."
The Guard frowned.
"Didn't you say that you knew two of the cohort members already? This is why I gave you this chance to begin with. Did you lie to me, boy?"
The gaunt young man flinched.
"No! No, I do know them. I actually spoke with Lady Changing Star's scout already. He… he is a friend of mine."
A wide, menacing smile appeared on the Guard's face.
"When what's the problem? Just get that fool talking. Rats like him will tell you everything as long as you pay them a little attention, believe me. I'm willing to bet that this useless freeloader is walking around full of jealousy and delusions of grandeur. Pretend to respect him even a little, and he won't be able to shut up."
'Ouch.'
Harper nodded, then suddenly hesitated. After a few moments of silence, he asked in a timid voice:
"Sir… you won't hurt them, will you? They are… they are good people."
The Guard stared at him for a second or two, then said in a dark, mocking tone:
"Why do you ask if you already know the answer?"
Hearing those words, Harper deflated. His face darkened, and he lowered his head, as though ashamed to look straight.
...However, he didn't object.
'That bastard! Just wait and see…'
Sunny was already planning the beating he was going to give the cowardly young man before throwing him out of the lodge, but at that moment, a voice called out for him.
It was Effie.
"Hey, doofus! Are you asleep? Come down, the hunt is starting!"
Torn away from the shadow's perspective, Sunny threw a dark glance at the tall huntress, called his shadow back, and sighed.
'I'll deal with him after we return.'
…But by the time he returned, Sunny was in no state to deal with anything.