Executioner

Days passed as the sisters experimented with their newfound powers. What fascinated them the most was how their vision now allowed them to peer through shadows.

The faint outlines of Sunny's slain opponents were observed with keen interest and much more clarity. What they discovered was both crushing and awe-inspiring.

They had long given up trying to count them all. But one thing was clear:

There were tens of thousands of shadows. And their numbers grew with each passing day.

Knowing that Sunny was performing this miracle while casually tending to his duties as a host would never cease to amaze them. It was equally absurd and impossible.

But it was happening.

After another week, they had truly come together as a clan. Although Sunny disliked calling it that, there was no point in arguing anymore.

Once, there had been only two members. Now there were nine. Seven of them were renowned Saints, no less.

That… put a smile on his lips.

Even Rain had grown accustomed to them. She was being taught by Hel, who had been acting a bit strangely around her.

The reason for that was beyond her.

When asked about it, the young Saint dismissed the question with a slight blush. It embarrassed her more than the outbursts caused by her Flaw.

Those, Rain could understand. But the rest? That might forever remain a mystery.

As he sat at the table, relaxing his mind while the Lord of Shadows followed the war, a thought struck him.

He could no longer deny it. There was at least one more person he needed to bring in. But with the sisters here, he was reluctant to do so.

After all, that person was none other than Morgan of Valor. How would he keep the peace with a blade as sharp as her under his roof? Not just in his home, but also within his Soul Sea.

Still, he had the opportunity to ask the sisters, so he did.

"I know this might be a bit sudden, but I need to fetch Morgan soon." His nonchalant tone washed over them, though his words carried the weight of a mountain.

For a while, there was nothing.

No chuckle.

No sharp breath.

No words of protest.

Just unbearable silence.

So, Sunny knew he had to take the lead this time. Taking a sip from his coffee, he prepared himself for the conversation ahead.

"She's at Bastion, defending it against Mordret alongside Jet, Kai, Effie, and some Saints of Night." He looked up from his now empty mug, glancing at the perplexed expressions surrounding him.

"I need her to come here and understand the same thing you all did weeks ago. But for that to happen, she has to be accepted. I can't have you antagonize her just because of who she is."

Still, they remained silent, sensing he wasn't finished. And they were right, he wasn't.

"So, when I bring her here, I want you all to hold it together. She might be the Princess of War, but she's also a valuable asset for humanity's future, just like you all are." With that, he concluded his proposal.

Now, he waited for their answer.

Whatever it might be.

The sisters exchanged glances. First, confusion clouded their faces, but to Sunny's surprise, that confusion soon gave way to knowing smirks.

Through their telepathic bond as sisters, they had silently devised a plan. And now, it was time to put it into motion.

Revel met his gaze, her smirk hinting at depths of mischief even Sunny hesitated to explore.

But who was he to refuse a mad plan?

"I think we can do that." He gave her a relieved nod before she added, "Under a few conditions, of course." The others nodded in agreement, calm and collected.

"We want her to get the same treatment we did. Meaning you need to keep your other identity a secret when you face her as Master Sunless." She held her head high, anticipation gleaming in her eyes.

Sunny rested a hand on his chin, considering her words. He hadn't intended to put Morgan through the same ordeal…but, admittedly, he was curious to see how she would react.

"So, the whole show? The helpless Master act and the overconfident Warden?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

As expected, the sisters simply nodded. Their smiles were unparalleled, pure mischief and excitement. They couldn't wait to witness the charade again.

This time, they would be in on it…all of them.

So, the decision was made. Now, it was time to execute. His thoughts drifted to the task ahead, getting Morgan out of there. Not just Morgan, but the others too.

It would take careful planning and no small amount of cunning, but there was no way he would fail.

Only one problem remained… Mordret.

Sunny had faced him before, and won. There was no doubt he could win again.

And yet, something nagged at him. Mordret was a constant threat, no matter how powerful Sunny became.

If anything, his schemes were too insidious to measure. In the end, he was a variable that needed correction. The only question was, in what direction?

Sunny could find a way to kill him. To truly kill him.

That was what he had been preparing for over a week now.

All it would take was binding the Prince of Nothing and denying him an escape. Better yet, cutting him off from his existing mirror constructs altogether.

A trap was needed, and Sunny already had the perfect one.

She was sitting in Bastion, stirring the same pot, over and over again. Only the dead gods knew how many times.

Though Morgan had probably counted…so she knew perfectly well.

It would be a relief for humanity's future if the Prince of Nothing ceased to exist. But Sunny was no fool. He also knew how useful Mordret could become, if his maddening goal of destroying Valor was ever fulfilled.

The only issue was convincing him to focus that goal solely on Anvil.

He could not allow Mordret to slaughter all of Valor. That much was clear.

His gaze swept over the sisters, knowing they must have had their own encounters with Mordret. After all, he was aligned with Song, even if it was obvious, even to the Queen of Worms, that Mordret had no loyalty to her.

He was simply using her to further his own goals. And the queen didn't care, as long as those goals didn't interfere with hers.

"I need to know something," Sunny said, his voice growing grim. "Since Mordret is also in Bastion, I have to deal with that problem too."

The weight in his tone silenced the room. All chatter faded. Now was not the time for jokes.

Only Revel knew how long Sunny had been entangled with the Prince of Nothing, and what the bastard had put him through.

So, she was confused. "I thought you'd just kill him. Considering your shared past," she said plainly.

It was an honest statement. If she were in Sunny's position, she wouldn't hesitate. And yet, even she couldn't deny that Mordret could be useful in the future.

"It's not like I haven't thought about it," Sunny admitted with a sigh. "In fact, I've already prepared to kill him if it comes to that. But at the same time, the bastard is useful, there's a reason he's still alive." Frustration edged his voice.

Was it too ambitious to keep the bastard breathing, just because he might be useful to humanity?

Only the Song sisters could help him decide.

Seishan kept glancing at him, hesitation flickering across her face. She was the one who had recruited Mordret, after all.

But after everything Sunny had done for them, it was only fair to give something back. Finally, she faced him, her expression serious, measured coldness in her eyes.

"I'm the only one who ever had contact with him. I brought him into the lines of Song," she said quietly, as if weighing her words. She sighed, gathering her thoughts.

"He's mad, yes, but there was something… warm inside him. Like this whole plan of his is eating away at what's left of his humanity. I believe he can be reasoned with."

When she finished, Sunny gave her a slow nod, deep in thought.

Coming to a decision wasn't easy.

Until a voice rang in his mind, it was Cassie, of course.

[I think you should try, Sunny. Mordret is a risk, yes. And we both know how dangerous he can be. But he's incredibly valuable, if you push him in the right direction.]

Cassie couldn't remember the times Mordret had attacked them. But knowing how long Sunny had been with them, it was easy to deduce that he had a personal history with the Prince of Nothing, and that he despised him, just like the rest.

'I know, Cassie… I know.' he thought back. 'The question is…can I afford to take the risk? Mordret can flip sides in a heartbeat, not even Kai could track his intentions.'

It was a hard choice, but Sunny couldn't wait any longer. Morgan needed to be brought in. And with the war approaching its end, there wasn't much time.

The Queen of Worms had lost her most valuable Saints. Worse still, those Saints either had turned on her… or her daughters were simply dead.

Ki Song must have realized it too. After all, she could no longer feel their devotion.

"Sunny?" Rain's voice pulled him back to the present.

He looked up at her, shaking his head as if clearing his thoughts.

"I… was speaking with Cassie," he murmured. "She also thinks Mordret deserves a chance. And… I'm inclined to agree."

His voice was heavy, weighted with the understanding that this decision could shape the fate of the realms.

There was no easy answer. No simple right or wrong.

Only Sunny could make this choice, because only he had the power to enforce either outcome.

To enforce his Will.

Mordret's death… or his survival.

After a long, tense silence, Sunny stood up. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment.

Everyone watched him, anticipation burning in their gaze.

Even the shadows in the room seemed to thicken, drawing in a chilling cold as if responding to the weight of his decision.

Finally, he opened his eyes. His lips parted, and the words came out like a cold breeze.

"I need a coffee first," he muttered, releasing the breath he had been holding.

Without another word, he stepped into the kitchen, leaving the air heavy with tension.

The others groaned softly, dropping their heads into their hands. Fingers rubbed against temples in frustration.

The anticipation was killing them, but no one blamed him.

It was his burden to bear. That much was clear.

Minutes passed before the kitchen door swung open again.

Sunny stepped out, a cup of coffee in hand and a calm smile on his lips. His mind was clear now, so clear that even his other incarnations were left without his direct command.

He had made his decision.

Returning to the table, his gaze swept over their exhausted expressions. Anticipation still lingered in their eyes as they awaited his verdict.

His smile faded. His expression darkened as he finally spoke.

"It's simple, really. The bastard will make the choice himself."

That… was not what they expected.

[Author's Note: Yes I know…chapter is short. 1900 words short to be exact. And normally I try to make them at least 2k words…so...sorry…not sorry. But the next chapter will be the longest as of yet. Since it's the 20th. I plan on making it 10k words. I'm gonna promise nothing though.

Writing this chapter was basically me wrestling with what Choice to make. On one hand I really wanna write about a long fight with Mordret dying…on the other hand though I know what comedic potential lies in Mordret being with them.

And Morgan of course…writing these 2 being at each others throat for a while is gonna make my life hard but also so much more joyful.

Then again there is the issue With keeping Mordrets and Morgans Character in mind…but I can solve that somehow.

So you will see what decision Mordret will make in the next Chapter. Honestly…I'm curious myself 🫠.

That long ass explanation brought the Chapter up to 2075 words by the way.

So I'm good again. 😅 ]