Chapter 39

Watching Sunny emerge on Valor's doorstep had been a harrowing sight, even for Nephis. Clad in his onyx armour, the tender features of Sunny's face that she had become so accustomed to remained hidden under the darkened features of Weavers Mask.

As he turned his head in her direction, three scythes appeared into Nephis stomach as her eyes widened in horror. Looking down, she saw that her stomach was fine. 'An illusion of death caused by bloodlust, what happened to you?'

Scanning around to study the reactions of Valor's soldiers, many had passed out, Morgan too having a bead of sweat falling from her forehead as she received a similar vision. As Sunny walked, the presence of death and despair lingered over his form.

His steps were silent, if one took their attention off him for long enough, they would forget he ever existed. Like a trained assassin. Pulling off the mask, Sunny's elongated hair fell to the side as he stared into the horizon with a forlorn expression, his eyes never focusing on anything in particular.

The winter beast had taken everything from him. It had killed everything that Sunny had known, removed every tether of humanity Sunny once had. The blonde girl that Sunny had became acquainted to, turning into a mere statue of ice under the cold abyss of the winter beast.

People parted as Sunny made his way through the crowd, so many had died he had forced his mind to no longer see them as humans. They were merely numbers. His shoulders remained firm, ready to push past anyone who came in his path however nobody did.

Soon, he found himself sitting down in a mountain of snow, only the Sin of Solace maddening rambles being his company as he rested his hand atop it. Wind blew through the air carrying his hair lazily, usually such a thing would be an annoyance.

But Sunny didn't care.

Only a few feet away, Nephis and Morgan stood. Sunny's accomplishments in battle had torn their way into the minds of every member of Valor. The Red Devil. His brutality continued to precede him as he tore nightmare creatures limb from limb, sometimes even using his teeth to accomplish the task.

Turning to Nephis, Morgan raised an eyebrow at her lack of motion, her eyes still remaining utterly glued to Sunny's form. "Aren't you going to greet your boyfriend?" Nephis eyes didn't falter away from Sunny's form for even a moment before she gave her reply.

"He looks, different. No, he feels different." Morgan only nodded in reply. Remaining silent for a while before responding. "I heard nearly half of the people he was evacuating died to a Corrupted Titan." At this, Nephis eyes widened before bolting to Sunny.

Her steps were steady yet focused, she continued to make her way towards Sunny who had idly been staring into the horizon with empty eyes. Before he knew it, warmth enveloped his body as she pulled him into a deep hug.

Sunny's eyes didn't shift from the horizon, but a slight tremble in his shoulders told Nephis all she needed to know about his already fragile mental state. She continued to hold him, despite all the eyes that had turned to his direction and his lack of reaction.

"You can let go of me." Sunny's voice was hoarse, like he hadn't spoken for a long time. To tell the truth, he hadn't. He had spent every day since the fall of Falcon Scott in silence, the screams of the Sin of Solace echoing through his brain.

He was quite sure that at the sharpness the Sin of Solace was at, he could easily cut a mountain into pieces. Using his mental trauma as fuel for his battle prowess had been a beneficial decision after all.

Slowly rising to his feet, Sunny's eyes scanned around him before making his way towards the sleeping quarters. Once more, the crowd parted as Sunny made his way through, Nephis glued to his side walking with him in silence. Finally, he had reached his room.

Shadow stepping would have been an easier method, even a more beneficial one. But Sunny was feeling too lethargic to do expend essence on such a trivial affair. Sitting on his bed, Sunny stared at the ceiling in silence as Nephis sat opposite to him.

"You aren't ok, you can let yourself feel emotions again Sunny." Nephis voice was calm and warm, thawing the icy cold that had been left around his soul. Sunny's shoulders trembled slightly once more as she continued. "I heard what happened, everyone around you died. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you."

At the mention of Falcon Scott's demise, the tension in the room thickened further. The winds that passed by the room seemed to still as bloodlust radiated from Sunny's body. He really wanted to hit something, unleash his anger at the nearest creature available yet he was unable to.

Almost reading his intentions, Nephis tugged on his arm before asking. "Do you want to...spar?" Sunny's head slowly turned to face her as an imperceptible nod occurred. Grabbing her by the waist, the two immediately found themselves within Valor's dojo.

Summoning his scythe, Sunny swung it around him rapidly, leaving cuts on the environment around him from the minute wind vacuums his blade created. Tensing her muscles in preparation, Nephis prepared for what felt like it would be a brutal round of sparring.

Lightly tapping the ground, chains made from shadow shot from all around Nephis, binding her arms and inhibiting her movement. She released flames to dissipate them however the essence poured into them was two much, before she knew it, Sunny stood before her with his arms craned back to bring his scythe down.

Clenching her teeth in anticipation, Sunny slammed his scythe into the ground as he turned around. "I...could kill you. You don't deserve to fight against something like me." Turning around, Sunny slowly made his way out of the room, but Nephis grabbed his hands to stop him.

"Sunny, wait! Just talk to me!" Sunny's eyes didn't waver from in front of him for a few moments. Slowly turning back, Sunny transferred the two back into his room once more before he broke down into tears. His body convulsed with the weight of over ten thousand deaths hanging over his head, everything laying bare despite his attempted resistance.

"I'm weak! I'm so fucking weak, I couldn't even protect children! Children for spells sake!" Sunny slammed his fist onto the bed weakly as Nephis pulled him into her embrace. "I watched them die, and what could I do? Nothing! I ran away, I couldn't even fight the damn thing till the end! I'm a loathsome, vile, odious, pathetic piece of shit!"

Nephis grip on him tightened as Sunny's shoulders trembled. She knew he didn't need words right now, he just needed someone to speak his mind to. She would offer him that comfort even if the weight of the world came crashing down on the two of them.

Sunny's shoulders continued to tremble, tears soaking her shirt as she continued to hold him in her embrace. Her hands ran through his hair gently, almost unnoticeably, Sunny's trembling slowed, before she knew it, Sunny was asleep in her arms.

"I've really missed you, Sunny. I really have. I love you so much, more than you know. I should have been there for you, but I wasn't. But I'll be here for you now."