The Bright Castle

Moving toward the top of the hill, they didn't speak—each step for Nephis and Cassie meant drawing closer to escaping the hell known as the Forgotten Shore. As for Sunny, he remained silent because his mind was focused on observing through his shadows.

As they approached the castle, dozens of frail huts appeared, built from bones or stones taken from the ruins.

And behind them stood the Radiant Castle, its towers piercing the clouds. It would have been a beautiful sight… if not for the human skulls hanging from its walls.

"…Ah, it does smell like home."

"Sunny, are you seeing what I'm seeing?.. Human skulls are hanging on the castle walls. And these huts resemble the outskirts of the Citadel."

"What?!… There are human skulls on the castle walls?" Cassie was shocked by the sudden revelation.

"Yes. I don't think the people inside the castle are fond of humans who don't meet their standards. Maybe they want money? I mean, look at these wretches—they look just like I did on the outskirts… I mean, there might not even be a gate here!"

Nephis faltered slightly, and so did Cassie—but they quickly gathered themselves. After a few seconds, Nephis spoke:

"So, what do you suggest?.. I think we should explore the castle."

"Agreed."

"No problem here… I just want to sleep on something soft."

Sunny, Cassie, and Nephis moved toward the Radiant Castle. As they approached the gates, two guards stopped them. Sunny handed them three soul shards. The guards accepted them—but not before attempting some crude comments about Cassie and Nephis. A single cold glance from Sunny deepened the shadows and made the air drop in temperature noticeably. The guards flinched and didn't dare look at him again.

This was the last hour of daylight. Behind them, the castle tensed, and guards gathered at the walls to stand watch when darkness fell. Sunny ignored all the pointless fuss and reached an office where a young man watched them with eager eyes.

"Oh, hello! Someone told us there'd be someone to greet us—are you that person?"

"Welcome, guests. Welcome to the Bright Castle. My name is Harper, and I'm in charge of your accommodations… Forgive me, but I don't recognize you. Is this your first time paying tribute?"

"Yes, it's our first time. I figured it wouldn't hurt to get some rest and a good place to relax."

Nephis added, "We're very tired. Could you take us to our rooms now?"

"Congratulations! You made the right choice. Here in the Bright Castle, you'll be given food, shelter, and even protection! All for just one soul shard a week. You should be thankful to Lord Gunlaug!"

After registering their names and choosing the Tower of Dusk—Harper didn't suggest it, but Sunny asked for quiet towers, and when he heard the name, he picked it—they were led through the castle by Harper, who explained its rules and customs. Sunny didn't care, since they were only staying for a week.

"The people here are good, even social. But you'll want to keep yourselves in check around the guards and hunters especially. These men risk their lives to provide food and protection for you. So if any misunderstanding happens… please try to understand what they go through." Harper was better than Sunny remembered—maybe he was in a better situation now than in Sunny's past life, but Sunny didn't care.

When they reached the Tower of Dusk, Harper asked the question Sunny was prepared for… but Nephis was not.

"Right, folks—would you like one room, two rooms, or three?"

"Two rooms."

"One room."

Nephis froze, looking at Sunny and Cassie with a sense of betrayal. She hadn't asked for a single room for any special reason—it was simply because they were used to guarding each other in their sleep.

"Oh, that's fine. Two rooms, then. There are two vacant rooms next to each other—would you like those?"

"Yes," Nephis answered before Sunny could, leaving him stunned. Was she embarrassed over something so trivial?

"All right, follow me. By the way, food will be served one hour after sunrise. Don't be late—no food is given to latecomers."

In his room, Sunny lay in a tub of cold water and began scrubbing himself thoroughly. He had spent nearly a month and a half in the Labyrinth and hadn't dared bathe in the dark sea, afraid some monster might catch him while he was naked. That would have been a ridiculous and miserable way to die.

"The beauty of life lies in simple moments like this… Unfortunately, I have to get back to work now."

After changing into fresh clothes, Sunny lay on the bed and sent his shadows to scout the castle. He knew that Kai was somewhere within—maybe hanging out with Aiko or doing something that would land him in a pit later on. Sunny continued searching the castle for hidden entrances and exits, keeping an eye on the hunters and tracking them. This went on for two hours until he felt exhausted and closed his eyes.

Shortly after sunrise, Sunny woke to the sound of knocking. He got up from his straw bed, splashed water on his face, and wiped it off with a strip of cloth. Then he walked to the door and opened it. Nephis was outside, with Cassie beside her. Nephis was surprised at Sunny's appearance—after cleaning up, he looked more like a killer than a boy. His eyes had matured, filled with darkness that danced like deep shadows. His messy black hair now had a healthy sheen, and his skin was pale—not from malnutrition, but with an attractive paleness. Nephis allowed herself a moment to stare at Sunny, then quickly turned her head in embarrassment.

She cleared her throat and spoke: "Oh right. There are only about twenty minutes left before breakfast. I was afraid you'd miss the meal because you overslept. Come on, let's go to the hall."

Sunny led them to the main hall—he had memorized the paths, entrances, and layout of the Radiant Castle by heart. Once there, they picked up their plates and walked to a table tucked away from view. Cassie tasted her first spoonful and quickly began to eat ravenously.

"Sunny, it's delicious! There are even vegetables in here. I almost died from eating only meat outside."

"Trust me, Cassie. When we get out of this hell, I'll throw us a grand feast!"

"But how do you know how to cook, Sunny? Weren't you from the outskirts?"

"Well, how do I say this?… I used to work in a café."

Nephis gave him a disbelieving look, while Cassie found it entertaining.

"Really?.. Then why are you homeless?"

"You could say… I destroyed the café."

Cassie burst out laughing—she was in a great mood that morning, even though she knew there probably wasn't a Gate nearby. Her laughter drew many stares, and among them were three particularly unpleasant ones: three young men staring at Nephis and Cassie with filthy eyes. Sunny met their gaze, but they didn't stop. Instead, they stood up from their seats and walked toward their table.

"What do you want, you filthy dogs?"

The Sleepers in the hall gasped—even the three young men who looked like guards were shocked. But they didn't stop.

"We just think that the company of two lovely ladies is better than sitting with a sick rat like you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You sure you want to go through with this?"

"What will you do if we say yes?"

The hall went eerily silent. Even the three young men turned their heads toward where the entire hall was now staring. A group of guards emerged from the stairs leading to the throne, pushing tables to the walls. One or two shot Sunny a poisonous glance, but they said nothing. Even the trio that had been bothering him backed away.

All the Sleepers stood, followed by Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie. From the shadows, five individuals emerged—they were Gunlaug's five lieutenants: Seishan, Tiesai, Kido, Jima, and Haros. And from behind them, a golden demon stepped forward.

Sunny didn't try to look at Gunlaug—doing so would expose him to a mental assault from his strange Echo. Still, he felt the pressure that Gunlaug radiated. It wasn't overwhelming, thanks to the protection granted by his Memory, [Veil of Thorns]—a Memory that gave him extremely high resistance to mental and soul attacks.

That Memory was a red cloth Sunny had wrapped around his neck like a scarf, making it hard to tell it was a Memory at all. Gunlaug didn't do much—he simply sat down, then spoke:

"Continue eating, my dear Subjects. I've only come to see how you're doing in life. Ah, sit down, please. Don't just stand there."