The screen showed a beautiful and picturesque scene. Yet one filled with agony.
[The sun was setting, painting the world into a million shades of crimson. This high up, the air was clean and crisp, pierced by streams of scarlet light. Below them, a sea of maroon clouds was slowly rolling past the mountain. The stars and the moon had begun to reveal themselves in the vermillion sky.
It was quite beautiful.
However, Sunny could only think about how cold it was going to be once the sun fully disappears.
Before that happened, Hero had found them a shelter. Not far from the path, hidden behind some tall rocks, was a narrow crevice that extended into the slope of the mountain. Happy to be safe from the piercing wind, they explored the crevice and ended up in a small, well-concealed cave.
Sunny made a move to unbundle some firewood, but Hero stopped him with a shake of his head.
"Today we will camp without making a fire. The beast is too close."
Camping without the warm flames to keep them company was not going to be pleasant, but at least they weren't going to freeze to death inside the cave. In any case, the alternative was too frightening.
Sunny sat down, putting his back against the cave's wall. Hero settled opposite of him, looking downcast and thoughtful.
He was obviously in a strange mood. If nothing else, it was apparent from the fact that today, for the first time, the young soldier had failed to care for his sword after making camp.
Soon, the sun was gone, and their small cave became completely dark. Sunny, of course, could still see perfectly well; Hero, on the other hand, was now completely blind.
In the darkness, his handsome face looked noble and, for some reason, sorrowful. Sunny studied it, not willing to fall asleep.
After a while, Hero suddenly spoke in a quiet voice:
"You know, it's strange. Usually, I can feel someone's presence even in absolute darkness. But with you, there's nothing. It's like you are just one of the shadows."
With only silence to answer him, he smiled.
"Are you asleep?"
The question echoed in the darkness. Sunny, who had never spoken with Hero unless there was an urgent need to, and even then only using a few words at best, felt like there was a strange intimacy between them now. That's why he decided to talk. Maybe the darkness gave him courage.
Besides, there was an occasion.
"Why? Are you waiting for me to fall asleep before you kill me? Or will you do it in the morning?"....
Once again ominous laughter resounded in the theater.
Eurys chuckled and said " It's really reminiscing to see Auro like that . Trying to be a hero yet failing at it ."
Everyone now understood that there was a connection between Eurys and the person referred to as Hero in the screen .
The ancient screen started once again .
[....The smile froze on Hero's face. He lowered his head, as though in shame. After a minute or so passed, shrouded in heavy silence, he finally answered.
"Yes. I thought that if I do it when you sleep, you won't have to suffer."
Unseen to him, a bitter grin appeared on Sunny's face.
A long sigh escaped from the young soldier's lips. He rested his back against the cave's wall, still not looking up.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. This sin, too, will be mine to bear. But, please, if you can… find it in your heart to understand. If things were different, I would have gladly faced that monster to let you escape. But my life… does not belong to me alone. There is an unencompassable duty I am sworn to fulfill. Until it's done, I cannot allow myself to die."
Sunny laughed.
"You people… Look at you! Planning to kill me and still insisting on having a good excuse. How very convenient! I really hate hypocrites like you the most. Why don't you be honest for once? Don't give me that crap... just say it! I'm going to kill you because it's easy. I'm going to kill you because I want to survive."
Hero closed his eyes, his face full of sadness.
"I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't be able to understand."
"What's there to understand?"
Sunny leaned forward, anger coursing through his veins.
"Tell me. Why do I have to die?"
The young soldier finally looked up. Even though he couldn't see in the dark, he turned his face in the direction of Sunny's voice.
"That man was a villain… but he was also right. The scent of blood is too heavy on you. It will attract the beast."
"You can just let me go, you know. We'll part ways. After that whether or not the monster finds me won't be your problem."]
Everyone was shocked at the cunning nature of sunny now . They knew he was a excellent fighter and had even become a master . Yet they did not expect this level of mastery of deciet from Sunny . Who was only a sleeper at the time shown .
Eurys said " I'm really disappointed in Auro , how did he wish to destroy that empire. If he is losing to a cunning shadow boy , well he was too childish then .
Morgan spoke " Was that Auro a member of the nine , what will I have to give to you to speak information about the nine . "
Eurys spoke back " What would a measly skeleton slave like me would want ah.....
When you become divine , you can come to try free me from shadow's curse and give me certain death . Dying too slowly in the shadow realm is really not my suit . "
Everyone now knew that getting information out of that talking skull would not be an easy task or even possible without extraordinary compensation . Possibly only a cunning shadow can make him speak truth .
The ominous screen started again .
________________________________________
Did I not write for two months? Or three.
I know I did not write much if anything in this one . Atleast it's not AI slop ( I know it's absolute cinematic garbage). I plan to end the novel in a couple of chapters . Except those chapter within a week . Sorry lost my spirit of a trash author.
I know you first people in comments are absolute positivity bots .