Crimson Spire (4)

Aiko moved toward the gate, disbelief drawn on her face. The promise that Changing Star and Sunny had told them had come true. She hadn't believed the young man when he came to her and Kai and said he would get them out of here. She had gone with him because he was paying her in soul shards.

But now she stood in front of the gate, and even her friends were alive and in good shape, as much as the situation allowed. Aiko entered the gate, and then her consciousness faded, and she found herself in a black void filled with countless stars connected by silver threads in an immense and complex weave that the human mind could not bear the knowledge it held.

More and more Sleepers moved and began to enter the gate eagerly. Seishan and her handmaidens entered, then Tesai, Gemma, and Kido, then Kai and Effie, and finally Cassie. Nephis watched the Sleepers enter one by one, throwing words of thanks and promises at her.

Nephis didn't listen to them but was thinking of something else. She raised her head and looked up. Some parts of the tower had collapsed because of the battle above between Sunny and the Crimson Terror, but it was still intact enough.

After the last Sleeper left, Nephis moved upward. She had many questions and many doubts. But more importantly, she no longer knew… she no longer knew if Sunny was her friend and ally or her enemy. Why did it seem like he was hiding so much while revealing so little?

Didn't she have the right to know a bit more about him? She still remembered their conversation on the first day they met in the Dream Realm. He had told her that every human had goals and desires they wanted to achieve, but at the same time, a person didn't really know what they truly wanted.

So what did Sunny want? Why was he doing this? Why did he spare someone who wanted so badly and determinedly to kill her? Why was he treating her with such extreme kindness and getting closer to her? So many questions and no answers.

Nephis climbed over the rubble and avoided parts of the tower that were collapsing when she heard the voice of the Spell saying:

[You have received an Attribute: Soul Channel]

Nephis didn't care and simply rushed upward toward the Crimson Terror and Sunny. She entered through a gap, then moved through the coral roots that led to the top of the tower, and there she found what she wanted.

Sunny was sitting beside the corpse of the Crimson Terror, passing a liquid of glowing blue over his injured body. Upon hearing the footsteps, he looked up and smiled, but Nephis's expression remained unchanged.

"Neph, what's wrong?"

"I want to ask you a question, Sunny… who are you? What do you want from me? Why did you spare Caster?"

Sunny scowled, cursing inwardly, but he answered Nephis.

"Me? I'm Sunny Sunless, Herald of Death. What do I want from you? Nothing, honestly. I only wish to win your favor. And as for why I spared Caster? I know he wants to kill you, but why would I kill him if that decision didn't come from his conviction? Humanity needs everyone who's talented and capable of fighting. That's reason enough for me to keep him alive."

Nephis grabbed her sword and pointed it at Sunny, then spoke, tears she rarely shed for anyone beginning to fall from her eyes. She spoke in a hoarse voice:

"But he wanted to kill me, Sunny! Do you know how my father died? He didn't die in the Death Zone as the world was told, but was killed by his own comrades… the same ones who ordered Caster to kill me. So tell me, Sunny, to which Domain do you belong?"

"I don't belong to any Domain you're talking about. On the contrary, I hate these things you call Domains… and if I ever belong to a Domain, it'll be one of my own making, not by following anyone else."

"You know what the Domains are. Do you also know about the Sovereigns?"

"Yes."

Nephis's grip on her sword tightened until she almost crushed it, then she asked again:

"And how do I know you're not one of their dogs… or are you?"

"Oh, you told me about them, Neph. Not now, not in the future, but in the past. You did. Honestly, I didn't understand what you were saying back then, but later, I figured it out. Also, I don't work for any of them as I said… and why are you holding your sword like we're about to fight?"

Sunny raised himself, then his expression shifted to gloom and sadness. He hadn't known that his decision to spare Caster would lead to all this. He had thought Nephis wouldn't question his decision, but the truth was far worse—he might have lost her trust.

"I guess fate loves to play with me."

Five shadows slipped into his body, while one remained distant from him. The Midnight Shard appeared in his hand, and then he looked at Nephis.

"Do you really want to fight me? I never want to fight you. I don't even know why you insist on this."

"Because your sword will speak for you and reveal your truth."

Sunny held his head while smiling.

"But I am a Shadow, and shadows are shapeshifting and have no truth."

Nephis didn't care and five white flames leapt to her and merged into her body. She felt power boiling beneath her pale white skin, then she ran toward Sunny, her sword held behind her.

Sunny raised the Midnight Shard and easily blocked Nephis's strike. Then he swung toward her wrist, but she pulled her body back at the last moment. Sunny didn't hesitate—Nephis wanted his truth, and he would give it to her purely, with no retreat or sympathy.

But cold and hollow like solace itself. Sunny was injured from his battle with the Fallen Terror, but the dying artificial sun made the shadows grow and spread everywhere. This was Sunny's land, where no one could rival him.

Sunny kicked Nephis's leg, making it twist. Then he struck her sword with such force that the steel cracked, but she endured and struck his wrist with her sword's hilt.

Sunny twisted his face in pain. He stepped back a few steps, looking around at the ruins, then at Nephis, who was healing her broken leg caused by Sunny's strike. Sunny gave her time to heal herself, then attacked.

He moved swiftly toward her and thrust at her side. But Nephis stepped back and deflected his sword. He didn't give her time to counter. He swung the Midnight Shard and knocked her sword aside, then punched her in the stomach, sending her several steps back. Nephis groaned and spat saliva, then attacked more fiercely, sacrificing her body for a wound on her opponent.

Sunny didn't fall for the trick. He used the Saint's steady and calculated style and blocked her strikes. Shock appeared on Nephis's face as every strike of hers was blocked. She continued swinging her sword until she succeeded.

Her blade cut Sunny's cheek, and red blood showed from the wound, though it didn't flow. After giving Nephis her chance to attack, it was Sunny's turn. Sunny moved quickly with wide steps, then struck from below, aiming at Nephis's torso. Nephis lowered her sword to block the blow, but the sword simply vanished beneath her, and something solid slammed into her forehead.

Nephis staggered back, retreating to the edge of the Crimson Spire, clutching her bleeding forehead, and looking at Sunny. Sunny spoke in a hoarse, tired, and pained voice:

"Have you had enough? Is my truth or whatever you mean by—that enough for you?… The gate is about to close, so we need to move toward it, and the tower, too—it's almost collapsing. I don't know if it'll last much longer."

Nephis smiled at him, then dismissed her sword, rubbing her wounded forehead, and spoke:

"You're honest enough, Sunny."

"That's good… really goo…"

Sunny swayed and fell on his face, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. Nephis moved toward him cautiously, then hurried her steps when Sunny began groaning in pain. When she stood over him, she saw blood seeping from his mouth and nose in small amounts, but he seemed to be in great pain.

"Are you okay?!"

"Of course not. My soul is severely wounded, and fighting you pushed me beyond my limits."

Nephis felt guilt gnawing at her. Even though she'd gotten part of what she wanted from Sunny, it was incredibly selfish. Nephis placed her arm under Sunny's armpit and lifted him, supporting him as they began moving toward the gate. Sunny spoke in a pained, low voice:

"We did it, didn't we? But you didn't have to be so harsh… I mean, attacking an injured person isn't exactly nice."

"Don't try to look innocent. You have a lot to explain to me. I only got a part of your truth."

"Ah, believe me—my truth is deeper than any shadow you'll ever see in your life, and the knowledge of it is so painful and tragic that I forgot it myself."

Sunny and Nephis moved, leaning on each other, savoring their last moments in this hell. As they neared the gate, Nephis saw the Saint standing there, holding Harus by his collar, waiting for Sunny. Nephis cast a look at him and asked:

"You knew about the gate and all of this, didn't you?"

"Yes. And I hope you won't ask how."

"Alright then… let's go back. But what about him?"

"Oh, he's staying here. And if he's lucky, he'll stay alive… Come on, go through the gate. I know you're eager to return to the waking world."

Nephis moved forward with measured steps, then grabbed the edge of the gate and entered it. Her body turned into sparks of light, then vanished. Harus came to his senses and looked at Sunny in terror.

"You… what are you doing?! Don't leave me!"

The Saint punched him on the back of the head, knocking him out again then she took his collar off. Then Sunny dismissed her and began walking toward the gate.

"It's all over, just as it was meant to be… It feels good to be the one weaving the events."

Sunny entered the gate, then found himself in an infinite black void with countless shining stars connected by silver threads woven into an immense and complex weave. The Spell remained silent, but Sunny was excited.

His nightmare was over. The first step toward reclaiming his former glory was finished.

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[Volume one has ended]