Nephis watched silently, as the shadow of Sunny slowly left her view. Soon, she herself turned towards the other direction, and started tidying up the room they were just in.
She carefully lifted the maps from the table, hanging them back atop the wall. She had to treat it as if it were fragile— After all, it was proof of the three months she and Cassie tirelessly worked. Caster contributing somewhat.
And like the speak of the devil—just as she was done—Cassie's soft, light footsteps echoed across the hall. Just seconds later, the familiar silhouette of the blind seer appeared before her, taking a seat on one of the chairs.
"Hi Neph," She started, her hands reaching towards her blindfold, untying it with practiced ease— the blindfold was something to hide the vulnerability behind her gaze, and Nephis didn't know if she should feel relieved or concerned: day by day, the last drops of naivety in Cassie slowly extinguished, as survival and protection replaced it.
"How… was Sunny?" She asked, a quiet concern etched into her words.
Nephis allowed herself to slightest curl her lips, as she met the gaze of Cassie—blue, hollow, unseeing, yet so much more. With her, she didn't have to hide anything, she wouldn't know—and even if she did, she would never tell on her.
Cassie was someone she… trusted, treasured. And just like how she wouldn't be able to conceal much from Sunny, it was the same with her friend. Perhaps even more so.
Maybe her seer knew her more than she knew herself—there were still those visions of hers, those cruel, terrible truths laying atop the shoulders of a too-young girl.
"The same," She eventually said, her gaze lifting from Cassie and towards the shadow of the setting sun, "He's still him, Sunny. A Sunny that's madder, more insane, but still himself."
Cassie opened her mouth, before closing it, and then opening it again, "That's good," She said, the faintest hint of melancholy beneath her words, "That's better than—"
"Than what?"
Cassie's eyes widened, before they reverted back to that cold, cold gaze, "I should have known you would have caught on. If anyone could do that, it would have been you Neph—"
"—Better than what?" She interrupted, "Tell me."
Cassie's shoulders slumped, as she lowered her head, gaze drifting anywhere but her. After a while, she eventually said, "Better than what I've seen."
"What have you seen?"
Cassie flinched, as her hands trembled, a look of horror atop her face—her visions were never kind, and it was an unspoken taboo between them to talk about it. But she had to know, had to know this—what Sunny could've been.
The seer was silent, almost too quiet, as the echoes of those nightmares of hers ran rampant across her mind. However, after a while, Cassie finally spoke.
"Of a shadow devouring a falling angel, madness running rampant in his eyes— " She leaned forward, hands somehow grasping Nephis' own, "You have to understand, Neph, he wasn't himself anymore! The shadow, it was him—twisted, unrecognizable."
"And the fallen angel—that's you, Nephis, Changing Star. I've seen the end of this story, and it's nothing beautiful, honourable." A cackle escaped from those pale, pale lips of hers, "Fate's so, so cruel! It forced me to choose between you and him. And my answer will always be you, Neph."
Unrestrained madness twisted within her sky-like eyes, a grin so unhinged lying atop her lips.
"He has an ability, a secret that he desperately needs to hide— his true name."
To say Nephis was surprised would be an understatement, she's shocked—never in a million years would she expect him to have a true name. Even with his potential, his power was surprisingly large.
"Why would he hide his true name?" She asked, the question replaying itself over and over in her mind. Sure, a true name would garner attention, something Sunny would desperately avoid. But… it didn't have to be to the extent of playing himself useless, pathetic, weak.
"A slave," Cassie replied, "Whoever utters his True Name will become his master," Her grip tightened, and she leaned forward, uncaring as she bumped onto the table, uncaring as blood dripped from her torso.
The sky in her eyes twisted into something unrecognizable, "Lost From Light. That is his name."
—
Quicker than usual, the week passed. Though Nephis had drowned herself in never-ending work, time was seemingly… a blur. Perhaps it was the promise of departure from this cursed land, the first step to overthrow the golden king; But she knew, it was Sunny, or Lost From Light. She… well, Nephis was still recovering from the piece of knowledge Cassie told her, as the power to make Sunny hers laid with just an utter.
Just three words.
And soon, perhaps too soon, she found herself in front of the cathedral where he laid, and well, Sunless stood there, shifting uncomfortably next to someone as tall as… Effie.
The sight was almost humorous—the huntress was surprisingly still, a wide grin atop her face as she looked downwards to engage in conversation; on the other hand, Sunny… had to lift his head in order to meet her eyes: the frown atop his face was almost too obvious as they got closer and closer.
"Princess!" The all too familiar voice of Effie once again made itself known to her, and that cheeky, hinged smile was only the prelude to her… chattering.
Sunny stared at them, then blinked. Once. Twice—And with that pair of unknowing, maddening, wishful eyes of his, it was almost too easy to ignore the feeling of betrayal lying in the corner of her head.
As he gawked, gaze lingering at the Night, wondering why he was there, Nephis was almost too happy to forget about those three, cursed words.
She would never use it, and he'll never know.
"Night… uh… why are you here, buddy?" He asked, before he turned his head towards her, then back at Kai, the why was he here in his eyes shining a bit too bright.
And… 'Couldn't she recruit him?', she almost blurted. Kai was a brilliant archer, alongside his advantage of flight, well… wasn't it the perfect match to Cassie's vision? He was an ally they were destined to meet.
The bonus part was that he is Night—the living, breathing star of the world. Who wouldn't want to talk to him? To be allies with him? Her world would be nothing without his music—she would make sure he got back, safe.
"Ah!" Kai started, the grin he was known for hanging on his face, but there was something more, something she would have never been able to know just by looking at a screen—the warmth towards a friend.
Perhaps she could take note of this, it would certainly consolidate her hold over her followers.
"I'm very happy to see you too, Sunny, my friend," Kai continued, "Lady Nephis has asked me to join her on this expedition, and after careful consideration, I have decided to agree."
Sunny blinked. Again. And again. Then again.
"Alright, I know that I'm crazy, but when did you lose your mind too?"
Kai stared, onwards, his smile twisting into something strange, "Wait… crazy? What do you mean, you're crazy?"
Sunny sighed, shaking his head, "Nevermind."
Turning his head towards her, he—
"About your request. I'm ready to join the expedition, but on one condition. I will not become a part of your cohort. Rather, you can provide sufficient compensation to acquire my services."
Externally, her expression was unreadable; internally, Nephis cheered—she had come prepared, thousands of offers lying just under her tongue. But now that it came to this… it was better for him, for her, for them.
Voluntarily offering to join her was something that even Cassie couldn't predict, and perhaps that was the reason she couldn't help but want him to be there, next to her, the joker that had the greatest potential but also the greatest unpredictability.
"Do you have something in mind?"
A grin laid on his face, and it meant all kinds of things—the confidence that only he would wear, that twinge of madness he learnt, and well, perhaps deep within his exterior would lie something more, something so raw that she had only seen it once in all those months they were together—betrayal, and that fire that burned solely for survival.
"As a matter of fact, I do. Behind us, you can see a magnificent ancient cathedral. Inside that cathedral lives a creature which is called the Black Knight. He's a Fallen Devil. In return for my help during this expedition, I want you help after it's concluded. Once we return…" He paused, his gaze meeting hers, as the grin on his face twisted into something serious, "...I want you to help me kill it."
That she could do— killing, it was easy. It didn't require much thought, much guilt or much doubt.
Silence fell on the small square, as the cohort looked at him with various sorts of stares—some surprised, some in disbelief, while others were knowing, as if they had already expected some sort of 'mad' request.
"Sunny… did you perhaps misspoke?" Caster eventually spoke, an expression of subtle shock on his face, "We are only Sleepers, after all. How are we supposed to kill that Black Knight of yours? A Nightmare Creature of his rank and class…"
A smile once again found itself atop his face, as his gaze shifted towards Caster, saying:
"...It's just a Fallen Devil."
And indeed it was.
Just a Fallen Devil.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Not a Fallen Angel who knew his name.