Chapter 2 : After math

"How long have you spent in the Dream Realm?"

Nephis was currently being interviewed by Awakened Tom, a bald man with brown eyes, average height, and a normal physique.

"A year and a few weeks," Nephis answered in an even tone.

"I see. You did very well, Changing Star. Very few Dreamers have managed to survive for that long, especially in a region such as the Forgotten Shore, correct?"

Nephis nodded. "That's right."

"From the interviews with the other Dreamers, we have confirmed that the region of the Dream Realm you were sent to is populated with Nightmare Creatures of the Awakened Rank and above. Can you confirm that information?"

.....

The interview continued with a few more questions. The government agent was utterly shocked after hearing the number of Nightmare Creatures Nephis had killed.

After finishing the interview, Nephis left the government office. On her way out, she met Cassie, but the two walked in silence, both lost in thought about what Sunny might be doing at that moment.

To distract herself, Nephis summoned her runes. As her eyes scanned downward, she froze when she noticed additional runes. She continued to look, and then it hit her:

'These are Sunny's runes! A Divine Aspect Holder!? Blood Weave!? Weaver's lineage!'

She was stunned by this realization. Who knew that Sunny also had a Divine Aspect, let alone a forbidden lineage?

'He's really full of surprises, isn't he?' A small, bitter smile formed on her lips.

'I really wish you could survive, Sunny.'

Subconsciously, Nephis and Cassie found themselves in a small hall filled with many Awakened. A large screen displayed hundreds of names.

Suddenly, someone noticed Nephis and shouted:

"Everyone! It's Lady Nephis!"

All eyes turned to her, and the room erupted in praise and compliments. After a while, someone approached her and asked:

"Lady Nephis, have you heard anything about Sunny? He's nowhere to be seen."

Nephis stiffened at the mention of Sunny's name, feeling a sharp pang of pain in her heart. She responded in a flat, even tone.

"No... no, I haven't." She paused for a moment, then forced herself to ask, "Have you heard anything about him?"

A young woman let out a heavy sigh.

"Nothing. None of us have. Out of everyone who made it to the Spire, only two are unaccounted for. We think... he might still be inside."

Nephis remained silent for a while, then asked:

"Who is the second?"

"Sir Caster. No one saw him near the gateway. He must have gone to help you, Lady Nephis. Did... did you see him?"

Nephis shook her head. A somber expression crossed her face. She didn't particularly care about Caster's death, but to the others, he was one of her closest allies. So she didn't want to appear as a heartless leader.

...

A day had passed, and Nephis was now heading toward a conference hall. Today, all the survivors had gathered to celebrate those who had made it back and to honor those who had fallen.

Cassie had told her she might be a little late, as she was busy with her own affairs.

Before entering the hall, Nephis noticed a monitor attached to the wall, displaying a list of a hundred names—the names of those who had survived.

At the very top were four names:

'Changing Star'

'Raised by Wolves'

'Nightingale'

'Song of the Fallen'

Her, Effie, Kai, and Cassie.

All of her cohort members had earned True Names, of course. Cassie had already told her about receiving her True Name the day before already.

Nephis took a long sigh and stepped through the door.

As she entered the hall, the survivors greeted her warmly, expressing their deep gratitude.

Walking through the crowd, Nephis noticed the handsome idol, looking even more striking than she remembered.

Kai spotted her from afar, and his brilliant smile seemed to light up the entire conference hall.

"Lady Nephis! You're finally here!"

Nephis was about to respond but froze for a moment when she noticed a stranger sitting next to Kai. A sickly, gaunt young woman in a wheelchair stared at them with a tired expression.

Nephis looked at the woman in confusion. Then, a mischievous smile appeared on the woman's face.

"What's the matter, princess? Did my beauty shock you?"

Nephis stared at Effie in shock. She tried to reconcile the image of the mighty, strong, tall, and energetic huntress with the weak, gaunt young woman before her.

Instinctively, Nephis extended her hand to heal Effie, out of habit.

"Don't bother. That won't help," Effie said, brushing her hand away.

"Effie, what happened to you?" Nephis frowned as she pulled her hand back.

"Nothing. This is how I've always looked," Effie replied with a wide grin, spinning her wheelchair.

Soon, several instructors appeared. In a solemn and resonant atmosphere, each of them gave a short speech, congratulating the survivors of the Dreamer Army for overcoming immense hardships and returning to the real world alive. They also spoke about those who had fallen, offering words of solace and assuring that their sacrifices would not be forgotten by humanity.

After all, humanity continued to exist because of young men and women like them.

These words deeply affected many in the crowd. Nephis saw some people crying, while others tried to maintain a brave face. Everyone had lost a friend, a companion, or a loved one during the tumultuous final days on the Forgotten Shore. She, too, had lost someone important—and she had been the one to do it.

Finally, Instructor Rock took the stage and spoke at length about the meaning of being an Awakened, their duty to safeguard humanity, and what they should expect in the coming days. However, at one point, he was interrupted.

"Sunny! Tell us what happened to him!"

A murmur of voices rose from the crowd, everyone echoing the plea. Instructor Rock sighed.

"Calm down, Awakened. I'll tell you everything we know."

The survivors of the Dreamer Army fell silent, their gazes fixed on him with piercing intensity.

The mighty man hesitated for a few seconds, then said:

"It appears that Sleeper Sunless went to help Changing Star after escorting everyone to the gate. However, it seems the gateway broke before he could return."

"At this time, it appears that Sleeper Sunless is still alive, somewhere in the Dream Realm. His vital signs and brain activity readings remain stable."

Instructor Rock's expression turned somber. "But the chances are that he won't be able to survive for long. That region of the Dream Realm is desolate and unreachable. So, although it pains me to say this, the chances of his survival are... impossible."

The hall fell silent. Pained expressions appeared on the faces of all the Awakened, including Kai and Effie. Both clenched their fists, looking down with anguish.

Though they knew Sunny was strong and had survived for a long time, the likelihood of him returning was almost nonexistent.

Effie turned to Nephis. "Princess, do you think Sunny will make it back?"

Nephis pondered for a moment, then replied with a pained smile, "Hopefully. After all, he's an unkillable cockroach."

***

Three months later.

Sunny woke from his slumber and stretched his arms. He was back in his room in the cathedral—a place he never thought he'd return to.

He summoned the Endless Spring, took a long sip, and then drenched himself in water. After that, he slowly got up from his comfortable bed and looked at the wall.

There were many lines etched into it, marking the passage of time since that fateful day. Sunny gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, his eyes were filled with bloody gaze.

'Nephis, Cassie. Both of you better enjoy the time left for you. Because the day I come back, will be the day of your doom.'

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[Author's note]

Hello everyone, I know that it's been two weeks since I released the first chapter, but worry not! Cause im going to start releasing many chapters in this week. So, y'all better look forward.

Also, somethings I'd point out. I know that Sunny's chance of survival is impossible. But in this fanfic he'll survive like how nephis did. So when he goes back he'll be a master. I'll skip he's journey too, just think of it like Nephis' journey.

And....yeah that's all I have now. A new chapter will be released soon. Less than a day I'd assume