Nephis met Caster's gaze—before she said anything, they had to make sure there was no one here, no one listening to this plotting of rebellion.
Caster walked over to the door and closed it. Summoning the flute and placing it atop the table, the feeling of silence pressing onto her—inside this domain of secrecy, nothing can be heard outside, not even the rustling of the wind, or the sounds of life amongst the outskirts of the Bright Castle.
At this, Sunny raised an eyebrow, "What is that thing?" He asked, voice filled with curiosity, yet ever still wary.
What else did she have to do?
As Caster took his seat beside her, he replied: "This Memory has an enchantment that creates a cone of silence. No one outside this room will be able to hear what we're talking about now."
Sunny blinked, processing what he just said, and sighed, "So, the Bright Lord is finally ready to obliterate you all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If anything, it's strange that he didn't make a move much earlier."
Effie giggled, "Oh, did he ever…"
Nephis glanced at her—why was she making these jokes? They were in a serious conversation, one that would do well without any sort of broken humour the huntress might have.
"You are right." She told him, "The Bright Lord is indeed about to make a move. We have withstood his previous attacks, but they were just a rehearsal," They were never serious, never with everything on the line—just a few pokes from here and there, a measurement of strength.
Yes, she might have successfully drawn his attention, raising the banner of freedom, of revolt, but it came with a price— unfortunately for them, Gunlaug was cautious, extremely so, even with that transcendent echo of his.
He didn't underestimate them, and it was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing since he didn't outright attack them, for they weren't equipped to deal with it just yet; A curse since she couldn't play weak, couldn't play useless like Sunny was—although there was the variable of Changing Star, of Nephis from the Immortal Flame Clan, of the legacy she was.
Who would dare underestimate her clan?
And yet, they would never get a taste of the true power lying underneath, of the cards she held even here—cards that made her act right now 'weak'.
"…A few provocations to test out strength." She continued, meeting those onyx eyes of his, "Now, he is ready to act in earnest," Now is the best time to gain ahold of the remaining boons in this Forgotten Shore, "…And that's why I need your help."
Sunny raised his eyebrow,"How can a cockroach like me,"—A cockroach was strong. Surviving alone wasn't as easy as one might think, especially someone from the… outskirts, someone like him who had no prior training, prior knowledge of everything in this world—"…help the great and mighty Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan?"
She wasn't great. She really wasn't— Nephis just has greater ambitions, set her sights further than the average man would dream of reaching.
It was just that she wanted, and she'll do anything to get there. Anything.
Effie gave him and her a strange look, then cleared her throat, "Don't take it to heart, princess, but I sort of agree with Sunny. What can this little imp… uh, no offense, Sunny… do that we can't? I mean, he is a decent scout, but…"
Of course, to someone who never truly knew him, it might seem so—his act was just that good, just that perfect; but to her, to Cassie, to the ones who have seen his bet for survival… well, he was something extraordinary.
Imp? He wasn't just an imp, but a very impressive one—Sunny was short, and deadly. Perfect description of an imp.
"Hey! Offense taken!" He huffed, crossing his arms.
Was it just her? Or was he kind of— no. She need not think about such matters, those can wait later. Right now, though…
Nephis smiled, looking at Sunny, "Don't be misled by his act, Effie. Sunny might behave like a cowardly weakling, but in fact, he's the last person in the Dark City I would want to face in combat. He is far more dangerous than anyone thinks he is. Isn't it right, Sunny?"
With that, the smile on his face froze. He met her gaze, eyes burning with something—something raw, something wary, something calculating, as if he was trying to turn the tides, to play the fool and deny her allegations. A few moments passed in silence, with everyone staring at him.
Finally, Sunny sighed, "Oh well. I guess the secret is out of the box," He shrugged, "Surprise, everybody! I am actually not a weakling. Who could have thought?"
Then, he glared at Effie and added in a mocking tone, "Oh. My mistake. Actually, everyone except for you already knew. It seems that you are—"
"That's why he was able to survive three months in the ruins," She interrupted, gaze laying on Sunny just a second longer than usual. They couldn't fight now, couldn't fool around. "—Justlike he had survived two in the Labyrinth. Sunny is an extremely formidable fighter…"
Sunny stared at her, a slight grin on his face, his chest puffed out—as if her praising his strength was strange. An idea started to form in her mind, something… great, "He's just a bit of a devious asshole."
At that, Sunny opened his mouth, and blinked. Blinked. Heh, he looked… funny. Surprised. And betrayed.
"—But that's exactly what makes him so dangerous." She finished, the corner of her lips twitching.
He stood there silent for a while, before turning to Effie, and shrugged, a smirk on his face, "If you don't believe her, just ask Night."
Kai coughed, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Uh… yes, I can confirm. He is indeed a bit of an asshole."
…She resisted her urge to smile. Indeed, the devious cockroach was… was an asshole at times. But he could have been more… that, could have cared less about the lives of the Dreamers—they were laying their lives for a greater cause, for a wish of home. And that was honourable, desirable.
Sunny's face twitched, "Not that!" He shouted, "Tell them how I saved you!"
Nightingale fluttered his eyelashes, his emerald eyes shining under the light of the sun, a natural smile on his lips. He paused for a while, eyes glazed, before adding, "Oh, right. Indeed, Sunny saved me in the ruins last night. He is a very exceptional and resourceful individual."
Sunny glanced at Effie with triumph, "See, Night has known me for just one night, but even he was able to see how fearsome I am,"—Fearsome? More like deadly—"You and I, on the other hand, had hunted together for an entire month. How come you're so dense?"
With a teasing smile on his lips, he turned to her, and asked, "Anyway, what exactly do you want me to do?"
Should she tell him? Would he even accept being a part of their ploy? Sunny… he didn't appreciate their goal, but— For Effie he would. For Effie.
"I want you to take Effie to your hideout in the ruins and keep her safe there for a week."
…
Silence spread throughout the room, and Sunny… blinked. Once. Twice. Again.
…Was she wrong? Did he dislike the huntress that much? But they were chattering away just moments before, it should be— did she miscalculate?
At the corner of her eyes, she registered him trying very hard not to look at Effie, who was glaring at him with murder in her eyes.
"Uh… excuse me?" He eventually asked, confused. "Keep her safe?"
She nodded.
If he was asking about the request, then… was everything alright? Would he accept it?
But, wouldn't he reconsider if she told him their real goal—this being a cog in their plan of defeating Gunlaug?
After a while, she made her decision. "I guess I owe you an explanation," Nephis sighed. Frowning, she glanced at the map of the Dark City, her gaze fixed atop the Bright Castle, on their goal.
After a few moments, she continued. "You asked why Gunlaug hasn't killed us all yet. That's a good question. However, the answer is… complicated."
Turning to him, she looked at his eyes, and told him about the situation they had. While he was gone, she had been building up her forces— silently, outside the purview of his reign over the castle. They hadn't done anything to justify any interversion from him, which meant… he couldn't accuse her just yet.
Sunny scoffed, "It's not like Gunlaug really needs justification. He only needs the pretense of one, and even then barely."
Nephis frowned. "You are right," She said, continuing her explanation. Gunlaug had many different chances to dismantle their group under the shadows of the night. He could have sent Harus, but he didn't.
"...And, we are not quite sure why," She finished.
It had troubled them, troubled her greatly on his decision of ignorance. He had the power, but— Nevermind, how would she ever know the intentions of such a deluded man? It was more important to analyze his next actions, and plan ahead of any and every variable.
For Harus to be held off, they needed him—the sturdy, devious cockroach.
"You don't know?" Sunny blinked in surprise.
And was it so strange for her to not know? To be unclear about the intentions of another party? Despite her act of confidence, she did not know anything—not now, not ever.
Nephis only had herself, her sword, and her will.
And that was enough, had been enough.
She exchanged glances with Caster, before shaking her head. Nephis did not know. She really didn't.
It was… complicated. She could think of a myriad of reasons on why he hadn't made his move yet, but… they were weak. The reasons were weak– there was simply no reason that he should have tolerated their existence for the past month.
Of course, there were still attacks on their group, she continued, many of them with the hopes of taunting her into confrontation. They weren't serious though. "However… things seemed to have changed. We have received word from the castle that Gunlaug is going to attack us soon. This time, the attack is aiming at Effie."
Sunny glanced at Effie, raising his brows in confusion. "Why her?" He asked.
Caster clenched his fists, "It could've been any of us, really, but Effie… despite my warnings, had gotten into a rather vulgar argument with a bunch of guards who had come into the outer settlement for some entertainment. Coincidentally, some of these guards went missing last night. No one knows what happened to them."
…Yes, there was still the case of the guards—an unfortunate coincidence that led to all this.
"Actually, I might know something about that!" Kai interrupted, retelling his encounter last night—a tale of an abomination killing all the guards, while Sunny stepped in and saved him from certain death.
An unfortunate coincidence with a particularly strong abomination then. Though Nephis had a hunch that this abodimation… she'll have to confirm with Cassie later.
"Thank you, this is a very valuable piece of information," Caster said, a sigh on the tip of his lips, "Sadly, this doesn't change anything. Effie is still in danger. The Bright Lord is still going to use her as a hostage and force Lady Nephis to challenge him. If she does, he will kill her. If she doesn't, he will kill Effie and our reputation will be ruined. Either way, he wins."
Much to her despair, even she couldn't win against someone with a Transcendent Echo—the gap was too large. Even if she couldn't truly die as long as her flames burn, on and on, eventually, her mind would collapse.
Nephis clenched her fists, if only it was Ascended, she might stand a chance against him—with the help of her allies of course.
Sunny cast a glance to Effie, before turning to them, asking, "How do you know all this?"
His gaze ran across the room, stopping at maps, at strategical points, before eventually landing atop of the empty chair in the room.
"We have… an ally." Caster reluctantly deluded.
Sunny, well, blinked. Again. "I see." He eventually said, "Well, there is something I don't really understand. You said that to keep Effie safe for a week. What is going to change in a week? I doubt Gublaug will magically forget everything in a few days."
A heavy silence descended onto the room. That's right, they couldn't do anything about him—not yet that is.
As she looked outside the window, she saw crimson, crimson corals—the answer lied there, deep into the danger of the death zone.
"In a week, we will be ready to leave the Forgotten Shore." In a week, they shall have the answer, the key to freedom.
Sunny almost fell out of his chair, as his mouth opened, a surprised expression atop his face.
Spreading out another map atop the table, she met his gaze—they were ready, places marked, plans made, formations discussed.
And as Sunny stared at it, at her, flabbergasted, she was once again reminded of how grand their plan was, how this was on a scope outside of ordinary ones.
Though a moment later, he regained his bearings, that smile once again at the corner of his lips. He glanced at the map, at her, then at Effie again. Finally, he looked outside the window, towards the red corals of the Forgotten Shore and beyond.
Then, he shared a look with the people around the room, before clearing his throat, "Uh…" He said, "I would like to talk to Nephis alone. Please."
Effie stared, while Kai… also stared, and Caster… he frowned. Cassie simply nodded, a knowing smile on her lips.
Was it so strange? So unreasonable for him to demand a private meeting? Giving them a look, she watched as they reluctantly left the room one after another—he deserved it, she needed this.
And so, he met those stormy, infinite, all consuming black orbs of his, and mentally prepared herself. She would need all the strength she had in this battlefield of words.
—
Step.
Step.
Step.
As the last of the cohort left the room, Sunny turned to him, gaze soft, yet distant. "Neph…" He started at last, voice raw, hoarse, "Why are you doing this?"
And as she met his gaze, a flicker of something—an emotion she did not understand—descended upon those black orbs of his, "Why are you trying to pull me back?" He continued, "Don't you know how this all will end?"
.
..
…of course.
She knew, and that's why she needed him.
"…Because there's only two people I trust in this world, Sunny." She said, mustering the most serious look she could at the moment. "One is Cassie. The other one is you. I only trust you to have my back."
No matter what has happened, what will happen— they were in this together. He was worth that much to her; and she was worth that much to him. Who else other than him would she choose? Who else would she show her most vulnerable side to?
Despite all this, he laughed. Bitterly.
"Have your back?" He started, sarcasm laced deep within his words, "Neph, you know what awaits the two of us in the future,"—survival—"This story won't have a happy ending. There'll be only… only sorrow, pain, and rage. Remember?"
And yet, she wanted to say, and yet, after everything, they would still survive, they could still live and once again bask under that blue, blue sky. Anything, anyone else who had lived would just be an extra benefit!
Who cares about the loss of a happy ending? Actually, when has life been sweet or giving? Reality was cruel, and so, she'll have to adapt to it as well.
Besides, when had he ever cared about such trivialities?
"Life is not a story, Sunny,"—life is a battlefield where only the best survive, there can be no happy ending in their world—"It only ends when you die."
Once again, their eyes met. And… he smiled. Yes, perhaps he was still stuck in that well of his, unaware of the burden of leadership, of the weight she dared call her own, of the truth that was clouded deep within the weave of this world— but he at least understood this, did he? Gunlang must die. Gunlang must die in order for them to live, in order for them to continue their story or whatever he had in his mind.
"So? Will you help me?"
He sighed, sighed and stood up, his gaze passing by the map of the Forgotten Shore.
"I… don't know. I need some time to think. I'll take Effie and keep her safe for a week. You'll have the answer once we meet again."
This was good enough, for now.
Yes, this was alright. Soon, he would come back; Soon, he would agree to this.
And yet, something was strange— why didn't that epitome of spite ask for any sort of compensation?