Hi, it's been a while.
Sorry for not publishing anything, I've been really busy.
Sunny stood bloody, surrounded by corpses. Blood seeped into the sand, and the red Labyrinth seemed to ooze glee as it gulped it down.
Sunny's lungs inhaled a mouthful of air after another, straining to feel quenched. It had been a long day, to say the least.
The scavenger had his feet stirred, but Sunny's black odachi plunged into it, immediately stripping it of its life.
[You have slain an Awakened Beast]
[Your shadow grows stronger…]
'Here it comes…' Sunny sighed.
[Your shadow is overflowing with power…]
After an atrocious eternity, Sunny regained his bearings.
[Your shadow is complete.]
Finally. He had become a Titan.
He summoned the Endless Spring and washed his face, the water washing away the grime and blood.
It had been an arduous couple month since Nephis had claimed the throne. Everything had gone well, more or less, but Sunny missed his seven bodies so much he couldn't even put it into words.
He had had to make sure nobody went against Neph- which had been pretty easily, actually, since there wasn't anyone mad enough after what happened to Gunlaug-, keep training his slums student and begin the training of those of the Bright Castle, make enough weaponry and armours for the citizens of the Forgotten Shore, and become a Titan.
He let himself fall on the sand, exhausted; the sun was still up enough in the sky to allow some rest, which Sunny immediately exploited. He closed his eyes for a moment, perceiving the world throw his shadow sense. Limbs and heads littered the plain; if a Spire Messenger were to fly above him, he would see an ocean of red, the corpses dots on it like the stars it had never seen covered the sky of the War Realm.
While Sunny rested, serpent gulped up the bodies, retaining only the Soul Shards. He was quite battered, despite his higher rank and class, since Sunny had been exploiting him non-stop, his tasks ranging from battling dreadful abominations and the menial duty of a shards scavenger. What a cruel and ruthless master!
Finally, Sunny dragged himself up, his gaze turning in the direction of the city.
He had been in the Forgotten Shore for almost a year now. In fact, it was a matter of a week.
In seven days, would come his birthday. In seven days, the Crimson Spire would crumble.
Truly, he was due a good night of sleep.
------------------------------------------------------
Sunny woke up slowly. His Divine bed was comfortable under him as was a hug from Nephis, and it refused to let him go. Perhaps it was he the reluctant to part. He had good reasons, too, as that day the march to the Spire would commence. Relishing in its softness and already mourning it, Sunny rose from the bed, washed himself with the Endless Spring and got ready.
The world was painted by the orange hues of the ominous sun as the Dark Sea disappeared, and the entire population of the Forgotten Shore converged into a single place: the throne room. That was its once official name, but it seemed inappropriate now, for Gunlaug's throne had been reduced to a pile of ashes and charred floor. The pyromaniac responsible for the change stood in front of the blacked space, her grey eyes calm and focused as she observed the hundreds of people flowing into the vast chamber.
Sunny stood to her right, his eyes rolling as he heard someone say: "Yo dude, I've never seen this many people in the Room of Salvation."
Yes, Room of Salvation. Sunny abhorred it with all his being. Couldn't have they called it something like, Playground of the Pyromaniac?
Way to go Architect of the Room of Salvation.
Neph didn't answer, but he could see how her lips moved to form the slightest smile.
'Thank the dead gods the name hasn't had time to solidify in the minds of the army of dreamers yet.'
When the last of the Sleepers finally trickled into the hall, and everyone's attention was focused on her, Nephis began her speech.
"We were weak and alone. Lost and hopeless in this Forgotten Shore, we lived like animals, preying upon each other for the most worthless of things. Corruption and greed reigned, morals forgotten. Some are guiltier than others, but I will not distort the truth: none of us is innocent. Our duty as Awakened, as humans is to eradicate evil, but we let it grow unopposed. We let this place transform us into ruthless beasts.
That era has ended.
We are still weak, but we are united under a single purpose. Our sin aren't forgotten nor forgiven, but the time that we no longer lived without morals and animated by vices has come. We must remember the past and the mistakes it has shown us. Some of us might die, but we must remember that to die is better than live without principles, morphed into unrecognizable creatures. We must remember that we are humans!
Today, we begin the march toward that accursed Spire, and we will triumph!"
Sunny scoffed. He knew such a speech could not even leave his mouth.
The Sleepers cheered and rallied before Sunny marched forward, then calmed down.
Every individual waited in anticipation, wondering what kind of wisdom they would be blessed with by the lil devil.
"Come on, let's go slay that Nameless Bitch."
The Sleepers cheered even more than before.
I tore my hair out while writing the speech, I don't think it was very good. Give me pointers!