Dawn illuminated the Forgotten Shore once more. Soft, violet light diffused into the canvas of sparkling stones that comprised the Bright Castle's many buildings, walls, relieves, and towers.
Seishan stood on the balcony, breathing in a lungful of crisp, cool air. Her dark hair and dress rippled in the wind, and her forearms leaned against the railing as she spared a half-glance at her brother.
He was just beside her, his expression completely straight. Only, now, his honeyed skin was tan again, his ocean-blue eyes swirled with life, and the way his voice reverberated no longer sounded automatic.
The gray mist he used to obscure his features burrowed beneath his tunic, each movement releasing hazy strands that lingered in the air before reconciling with the whole. Currently, a tiny wisp was floating in his palm, expanding and contracting into various shapes.
"Things are going well now, aren't they?"
His voice was clear, confident, and just a touch relaxed. Seishan's brow twitched. It was oddly similar to how she tended to speak.
She sighed, head tilting down to view the outcropping of abandoned, crappy hovels.
"Now that you're back, pretty much. The solstice is tomorrow, the Artisans are working hard to complete everything demanded of them, and the veteran hunters of the both the outer settlement and castle are distributing Memories and preparing the Sleepers for the fight under Changing Star's command."
Nico nodded slowly.
Seishan shrugged, then asked:
"What about you? Have anything grand to prepare before the siege?"
Before he could open his mouth to reply, another thought buzzed in his head, its meaning full of sarcasm and humor.
Nico grimaced. A lot of things had changed since that fateful moment he agreed to undertake the transformation of his Specter. Most notably was his improved appearance — his restored one, rather.
But, other changes had happened too…
His Specter had become a Spirit, and it seemed that entailed the connection of the Devil's very own mind with his. It was like the inter-connection of roots in the soil underneath a forest. Nico's Soul Tree was the whole that brought them together, and Shaman was one of the many trees that spawned from it. In other words, Shaman was now a part of him.
Its cores even appeared in the depths of his Soul Sea.
One of the many effects of that was that they could communicate telepathically. Another was that it stemmed his wounded spirit. He would have to find a way to permanently fix it another time, but for now, the burden was reconciled.
Briefly glancing at his runes, he read to himself.
Spirit: [Barrow Wraith Shaman].
Spirit Rank: Awakened.
Spirit Class: Devil.
Spirit Attributes: [Hunter], [Wraith], [Specter], [Flame of Divinity], [Assimilated].
Spirit Abilities: [Enthrallment], [Possession].
Soul Fragments: [252/1000].
There was only one new thing. It was an odd Attribute to say the least, so he reread it again.
[Assimilated] Attribute Description: [This Spirit is no longer a separate entity, but a fundamental part of Eternal Dawn.]
'Odd…'
It didn't feel like they were 'one' being.
Shaking off his thought and returning to the conversation, Nico said:
"I do have something planned. In fact, now that the siege draws so near, it should be about time."
Seishan's head tilted. She shifted her balance, observing him with curiosity. "Do tell."
Nico's lips twisted upwards in a rare, distant smile. He hadn't attempted anything like it ever since his conversation about Kido with Gemma a year ago.
"I want to make a friend."
***
Nephis was in her planning room with Sunny, Cassie, Effie, Kai, and Caster. Each were resting in a chair surrounding the round table, and a palpable tension permeated the air.
'This… is his plan?'
She kept her face aloof, thoughts working feverishly behind the mask.
Something was wrong. Ever since the peaceful conquest of the Bright Castle undertook by Nico, a quiet understanding had been made.
The Bright Castle and outer settlement were not one.
Though odd, that was an undisputed truth. Seishan, Kido, and Gemma still held control over their respective casts, and while they all answered directly to Nephis, it was clear their allegiance was firmly in Nico's hand. The former lieutenant had their trust won over, and they listened to his judgement over hers.
No obvious coup was being organized by them, but their opinions clashed frequently. Nephis wanted to leave much earlier to assault the spire and minimalize casualties, but Nico wanted to stay and build resources first. She prepared to organize the assault unit into two main groups, but Nico suggested three.
From distribution of Memories to Soul Shards, rations to hunts: they butted heads.
And while Nephis was technically the new Bright Lord, she failed in seniority to the older members of the castle. It was impossible to completely dismiss them. Their ideas were tested through trial and error, and she was brand new innovation that threatened to rip it all apart.
It was enough to make her head want to split.
There wasn't even malice between them. If anything, he had never been anything but helpful to her. Only now, after having watched him steal Gunlaug's kill, and hearing Cassie share the result of her latest iterations of visions — explaining what exactly had been happening in the one she shared all that time ago — had she begun to consider him a potential enemy.
Her eyes fell back upon the thin parchment that had been delivered to her room this morning.
'Tessai… They want us to put our faith in the possibility that he won't attempt to sabotage us…"
Across the table, Effie kicked her feet up onto the table and drawled:
"I mean, is there really anything to consider here? You're the boss, Neph. Say no. He's crazy if he thinks that's even possible! That giant sicko has some sort of perversion towards inflicting pain on people, too!"
She scoffed.
"We just fought the Lord of the Dead for Spell's sake! I'm not looking to fight other people right now, either."
Sunny crossed his arms and scowled.
"Are you an idiot?! Don't jinx us…"
Her eyes widened, and she mumbled a string of curses, sinking deeper into her chair.
Kai shook his head at the two of them.
Caster was staring at Nephis with a grave expression.
Cassie, her intuition prickling her skin, spoke softly:
"I don't think we should allow it."
Changing Star rose a brow, her gaze flitting toward the blind girl for a moment.
"A vision?"
"No."
Nodding faintly, Nephis picked up the note.
She understood where Cassie was coming from. Neither of them wanted him to be too powerful lest a betrayal, or have enough allies for it to be a reality, but… they needed to be strong. If aquiring another highly skilled combatant whose loyalty fell to Nico was required of them to increase their chances of either destroying the Crimson Terror or fending it off long enough for everyone to escape, so be it.
Nephis sighed, her cold voice rolling over the entire room.
"We will let him do as he wishes."