Sunny and Nephis had been experimenting for over an hour, pushing the limits of their newfound Shadow Bond. What had started as simple tests quickly revealed an incredible depth of potential.
The Shadow Bond didn't just allow Sunny to channel the strength of his four shadows into Nephis. Surprisingly, it worked in reverse as well. With her divine flames, Nephis could amplify Sunny in the same way she enhanced herself. While he didn't gain her extraordinary regeneration, the boost in strength and speed was undeniable.
Sunny also discovered that he could use Flash Step with Nephis, effectively pulling her into the shadows and moving her alongside him. However, this ability was costly, draining his essence rapidly and limiting its practical use.
Despite the breakthroughs, their training took a rather awkward turn.
Nephis was lying flat on the ground, her expression a mix of confusion and mild irritation. Sunny, on the other hand, was sitting on top of her, breathing heavily, his body visibly exhausted.
What had happened?
Well, Sunny had decided to test the limits of Flash Step while carrying Nephis along. Unfortunately, he had underestimated how much essence the maneuver would require. Exhausted from the sudden drain, he lost his balance, causing Nephis to stumble and fall beneath him.
The result? Sunny, drained and panting, ended up in what could only be described as a compromising position.
—"What the hell was that?"— Nephis asked, still processing what had just occurred.
Sunny, too out of breath to explain, was about to respond when the sound of a door creaking open interrupted them.
Both of them turned their heads toward the source of the noise.
—"What's going on here?"—
Standing at the entrance to the basement was Effie, her arms crossed and a smug grin plastered on her face.
Nephis opened her mouth to speak, but Sunny beat her to it.
—"This isn't what it looks like!"— he blurted out, his voice filled with panic.
Effie raised an eyebrow, her grin widening.
—"Oh, really? Because it looks exactly like what it looks like."
Flustered, Nephis shoved Sunny off her with ease. He landed on the ground with a soft thud, still catching his breath.
—"Say something, Nephis!"— Sunny pleaded as he struggled to sit up—. "Explain it to her!"
Nephis, now fully composed, stood and dusted herself off. Her usual stoic demeanor had returned.
—"We were training,"— she said simply—.
Effie let out a loud laugh, her amusement echoing through the room.
—"Sure, sure. Training. I'm absolutely convinced."
Sunny groaned, still trying to recover, while Effie leaned closer to him with a teasing smirk.
—"I should've brought Cassie along. This would've been even funnier with her here."
Sunny glared at her, his patience clearly running thin.
—"Did you come here just to mock me, or do you actually need something?"
Effie raised her hands in mock surrender.
—"Relax, hero. I'm here to tell you that Kai and Cassie are on their way. We've got something to discuss."
Nephis frowned.
—"Already?"
Effie's playful demeanor faded as she nodded.
—"Yeah. It's important. And..."— she hesitated, her tone turning serious— "it's not going to be easy."
Sunny and Nephis exchanged a look, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Without saying a word, they both understood that whatever was coming would be critical.
Effie, ever the jokester, gave Sunny one last look before heading out of the basement.
—"Oh, and Sunny... next time, maybe warn me before you start 'training.'"
She left, her laughter trailing behind her, leaving the two of them alone once again.
Sunny let out a frustrated sigh as Nephis glanced at him with a mix of exasperation and faint amusement.
—"Great. Now Effie has more material to tease me with."
—"Maybe you deserve it,"— Nephis replied, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. She extended a hand to help him up—.
And with that, they left the basement, their training session behind them.
All the members of the cohort were gathered in Sunny's living room. The modest space carried a heavy tension, the air thick with the implications of Sunny's words. Crossing his arms, Sunny began explaining recent events with a mix of pragmatism and frustration.
"In summary, I released the bastard prince of the Valor clan. He has a divine Aspect like ours, and honestly, he's so sadistic and crazy that he makes a titan look like child's play. He wants to kill his father and the other Sovereign for imprisoning him. At least, I think that's the gist of it—I don't know the full story, but I know enough to realize he's not someone to mess with."
The cohort exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of astonishment and disbelief.
"So, the best option was to challenge the Second Nightmare," Sunny continued. "As Masters, we have more room to negotiate with Valor."
Nephis narrowed her eyes, clearly analyzing every word.
"And how did that go?" she asked, her tone neutral but layered with intent.
Sunny let out a heavy sigh.
"Well, we were making progress... until someone almost burned down the entire academy."
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. All eyes turned to nephis.
Sunny raised his hands defensively.
"Regardless," Sunny continued, ignoring her interruption, "they seem to think it's all my fault. So now I'm in a position where I have two choices: join the Valor clan or die. And, frankly, I'd prefer to avoid the latter."
Effie raised an eyebrow.
"And do you think joining them will work?"
Sunny sighed again.
"I don't know. But I also don't think they'll be satisfied with someone else stepping in for me. For some reason, they're very interested in me."
"Someone probably saw our fight—Cassie's and mine—against Mordred," Sunny continued, his tone calm but carrying a sharp edge. "And they realized that bastard can't possess my body. That alone makes me an anomaly in their eyes."
He paused for a moment, scanning the faces of his cohort. "I also think they want me to bring one of you with me to Valor. Before Nephis returned, it would've most likely been Cassie. Her Fire Wardens make her a valuable asset, and she was directly involved in freeing Mordred. It would've made sense for them to demand her."
Cassie shifted slightly, but she remained silent, her lips pressed in a thin line.
"But now," Sunny continued, his dark eyes flickering toward Nephis, "with her back, things are different. I think they're aiming for the bigger prize: the daughter of the Immortal Flame clan joining one of the great clans. It's a perfect political move, especially with the rumors that her father and Anvil were once friends. The public wouldn't question it—it'd look like an alliance born out of history and loyalty."
The room fell silent as the weight of Sunny's words sank in.
"Of course," he added with a faint smirk, "we know the truth. But the public doesn't. For all we know, they might even be hoping to turn you into another Valor princess."
Nephis didn't flinch at the remark, her face as stoic as ever.
"That's also why Morgan hasn't said anything yet," Sunny continued. "And why I don't think she will for a while. We probably have a few weeks before they make a move."
Nephis nodded slowly, absorbing the information. The room remained tense, everyone silently processing the implications of what Sunny had just laid out.
The conversation went on for hours, with each member of the cohort sharing their perspective. Sunny found himself without clear options, and Cassie didn't see a way out either that didn't involve both of them joining the Valor clan. The most frustrating part for Sunny was being stuck in this mess with Cassie.
Although he didn't wish harm on anyone, if he had to be trapped in Valor, he would have preferred to have Kai with him instead.
Eventually, everyone, tired and drained, formally said their goodbyes and headed home. Everyone except Nephis, of course, who lived there.
Sunny let out a small sigh before speaking.
"Nephis, what do you think?"
She looked at him with her usual stoic expression and replied, "Are you sure that if I joined instead of you, the Valor clan wouldn't accept it? I could propose that they choose between you and me. You know I'm the better option for them, at least at first.
"Even though you're no longer just some simple explorer—you're the youngest Master, right? Still, I'd be their first choice for now."
Internally, Nephis was nervous. Joining the clan that harbored the Sovereign responsible for her father's death and the annihilation of her own clan wasn't exactly an appealing thought.
Still, if it's for Sunny... she thought, her resolve firming.
What followed, however, caught her completely off guard.
There Sunny was, staring at her with an angry expression, his onyx-black eyes glinting as his brows furrowed deeply.
"Why would you do that, idiot?" he snapped. "This is my problem, not yours. You have nothing to do with this. In fact, it's my fault this happened in the first place. I got too confident."
I freed Mordred, not you. Why would I let you join Valor in my place?" Sunny said, his voice rising slightly. "It doesn't make sense. I caused this problem myself, so why would I let someone else solve it for me? This is all absurd."
He took another step forward, his onyx eyes glowing with an unusual intensity.
"Besides, why would you even do this? You hate Valor more than anyone else in the world."
Nephis remained silent, her gaze fixed on him. Her gray eyes pierced him, as unshakable as always.
"Because I want to," she finally replied, her tone as calm as ever.
Sunny froze, a mix of frustration and confusion filling him. That damn phrase again, he thought. She uses it for everything.
"You don't know that I've already decided," she continued, her voice becoming firmer. "I will join Valor. You worry about getting stronger... and helping me when I decide to leave."
But before he could continue, Nephis interrupted him, her voice sharp but controlled:
"Nope."
Sunny blinked, clearly puzzled.
"Do you think I'll leave you alone?" Nephis continued, her stoic gaze as firm as a wall. "In a foreign clan, surrounded by dozens of Masters and Saints? That won't happen. And I suppose they won't leave you alone unless I join too."
Sunny opened his mouth to protest, but Nephis interrupted him once more, her tone making it clear that the conversation was over:
"It's already decided."
Sunny looked at her, a mix of anger and resignation on his face. Damn woman, he thought as he used Shadow Step to teleport out of the place, leaving her alone in the room.
His frustration burned like an uncontrollable fire as he disappeared into the shadows. He was angry.