A Shamfull son

Boom.

Thunder cracked again, its violent flash revealing that horrid, tentacled creature's grotesque visage.

I need to help Sunny—but how?

What the hell am I supposed to do against that thing?

Swaash... swaaash.

As if by grace from the heavens, the platform—no, the headless statue—that had been silently traversing the vast, dark waters moved. Its arms rose, ancient and deliberate, grabbing one of the creature's tentacles and ripping it clean off.

Sunny was already ahead. He'd made it down to the statue's shoulders, already severing another of the eel-like nightmare's limbs.

Before I could even move, the colossus parted the raging veil of black waters once more. The waves roared like rivers, caressing its stone flesh. This time, it raised a weapon—a hammer, massive and cruel.

Slowly, with divine weight behind it, the hammer swung toward the creature's grotesque "home"—a humanoid skull fused to its back, monstrous and adorned with three hollow eyes. The thing was as large as a building… though I haven't actually seen buildings in the waking world, so maybe I'm guessing.

Crack.

The stone hammer collided with the bone. Lightning struck again, as if synced with the blow. The thunderous flash lit up the creature's eye sockets with a ghastly glow.

Most of its massive body went slack—unconscious, maybe. But one tentacle still clung tight.

Then I saw it—Sunny. He threw his kunai, its cord slicing through wind and rain as he swung up the length of the hammer. His shadow wrapped around him, anchoring his climb. The Midnight Shard flashed in his hand as he sliced through the jellyfish-like limb.

The tentacle dropped. The creature crashed into the sea below.

I could see it clearly now—and so could Sunny.

The others were too busy just trying not to fall, holding on for dear life in the storm.

"Father, wait—I'm coming!" I shouted, moving closer to the edge.

My pace quickened. I could see Sunny losing strength—he was slipping.

Fueled by sheer desperation, I pushed the Bloody Will further than ever. Limbs sprouted, clawing across every inch of the wet stone platform. Eight arms, maybe more—I wasn't counting.

Sunny was starting to fall. He was slipping out of consciousness from pure exhaustion.

Retracting four limbs, I reshaped them into two massive arms and grabbed him, hauling him up. It was the least I could do.

I hadn't helped much. I was too stunned—frozen by… what? A dream?

Yeah. That's what that was. Or maybe a memory.

Either way, I'd gotten cold feet.

As I pulled Sunny up, I swear—just for a moment—I saw disappointment in his eyes. He opened his mouth. He was definitely about to reprimand me.

"Thank you, Silex, for saving m—"

He collapsed before he could finish.

"…Sorry, Sunny. I'm sorry, Dad," I whispered. If I had eyes, I would've been crying. Balling.

But I still had responsibilities to fulfil.

Dragging Sunny toward the others, I stretched my Bloody Will as far as it would go—wrapping my limbs around the entire cohort, shielding them.

It was cold—so cold. The waves crashed against me with impossible weight.

But I had to endure.

I must.