*clash*
*clink*
*clink*
Metallic sound roared over the battlefield as two swords clashed in the mist of a flaming battleground. Nephis and one of the civilians were in an intense showdown but before she could respond she saw a hazy tail mace fling towards her from behind the civilian. Ducking, she narrowly avoided the tail as it flew over her and crashed into a wall, getting stuck. Using the opening she struck upward and cut the tail in half with ease. The civilian screamed in agony and stumbled backwards until Nephis stabbed a sword straight through its heart.
[You have killed a Dormant Beast, Vessel of the Mirage]
Before she could catch her breath though three more "civilians" attacked her in a semi-circle, she swiped away a sword aiming at her but before she could punish another one was thrust behind her. Jumping, she was just barely able to dodge before stepping down on the sword and stabbing her own in their skull cleanly. She pushed herself back as the third went for her with the first going behind her to attack her from both sides. Nephis ducked as the swords flew past each other and they ended up killing each other. Taking a moment to look around Nephis saw that though the number of enemies was depleting, she herself was depleted in energy. There weren't any wounds or even scratches on her perfect alabaster skin, something years of skin care did and did to this day.
Either way, she was tired and the longer the fight went on the more tired and battered she'll be. She was reminded of her fight with the rat army and how they barely managed to hold off on them even if they were weak. No matter how skilled a warrior can be, numbers could outdo strength with another number, and Nephis knew this better than anyone. Alone and starting to make mistakes, Nephis can only plan on how to make it out as three more citizens came to take the place of the last three.
***
Sunny crawled, slowly but surely, towards the crown that sat on the skeletal figure. He groaned most of the way there from his injuries and the enchantment of the boost of power from [Midnight Shard] had long since been used. It seemed to do little for his severe injuries as he kept bleeding more and more. He knew he should've used his little time to breathe to make a plan to find Nephis, as she's the only one able to heal him before he dies a painful death, but he didn't. The earlier tug of fate felt stronger and had a clear direction now, towards the skeletal figure, towards the crown that matched his broken one.
He knew it had the same properties as the [Dawn Shard] from Nephis since most memories disappeared after the owner's death. As Sunny was at the foot of the skeleton he lifted himself lightly, and pushing through the pain he touched the black crown.
[You have gained a memory]
'Yes!' Sunny yelled internally but just as he did-
[Your memory has been destroyed]
[Your memory has been destroyed]
'...'
'...'
'... what.'
'WHAT THE HELL SPELL-'
[You have gained a memory]
'... thank you?' Sunny prayed mentally to the spell.
He was still confused as golden sparks flickered above his head and the skeletons as the crowns disappeared. Sunny heard crashing sounds behind him and it was getting closer, all the while it cursed in pure fury. Opening his runes hurriedly, Sunny searched until he found the new memory at the bottom.
Memory: Crown of Hope
Memory Rank: Supreme
'Supreme!' Sunny felt like laughing if not for every bone in his body hurting.
Memory Tier: VII
Memory Type: Tool
Sunny was about to skip the description to save time, but he noticed that they had changed and read them.
Memory Description: [There was a beautiful city that now lies in ruins, destroyed and battered. Its two kings were righteous and heroes to the people, defending and providing for all. Eventually, a harrowing monster killed them all and they all succumbed to corruption, as death was now mercy, and living was torture. The king, not allowing himself to turn into a mere tool to the puppeteer, killed himself and left his legacy in a singular item, a broken crown. The second king yearned to avenge his brother and rebuild their lost kingdom, but they all succumbed to corruption. He too left his legacy in a singular item, a broken crown, their crown.
But one day a lost Nephilim and a Divine Shadow, both entangled in many ways, even fate, found the city. The Shadow brought death among the corrupted, freeing them from their suffering, while the Nephilim brought its righteous flames to end the one who brought destruction.
This crown is what's left of a righteous, prosperous kingdom. Left behind so one day the one destined to find it may avenge them, but who thought that a treacherous Shadow would be righteous. Perhaps they have grown a selfish bone, is that right... King Lost from Light?]
'Did the spell just... complement me? And not insult me? More importantly, the spell called me out... and called me a king to boot!'
Dazed, Sunny looked into the memories enchantments, and his theory of unlocking the missing enchantments turned out to be true.
Memory Enchantments: [Sovereign's Will], [Voice of the Dragon Kings], [Crown of Clarity], [Throne of Supremacy], [Gaze of Judgment] [Blessing of Will]
[Throne of Supremacy]: Temporarily manifests a phantom throne behind the user, radiating an immense threatening aura. All creatures below the user's rank are forced into submission; even higher beings and minds hesitate before advancing.
[Gaze of Judgment]: Locking eyes with an enemy inflicts mental and soul damage leveled with the wearer's soul.
[Blessing of Will]: As long as the wielder refuses to die and has a strong enough Will, they will regenerate and heal at a quick rate.
Golden sparks started forming into a crown shape in his hands as he read the description of each enchantment. He had already figured out that the more powerful a memory is, the longer it takes to summon from his soul sea. That's what made [Moonlight Shard] so deadly in his opinion and why it saved his life multiple times. The sounds got closer and closer and louder too as the crown finished forming. Sunny could only gasp at the sight of his newly achieved crown.
Unlike the previous two broken crowns, this one was complete and lavish to boost. The crown was as black as his eyes, its structure was that of what you'll typically see in a crown. With pointy triangle tips in a pattern all around, it was perfect for him. Putting it on it fit snuggly on his head as he felt an odd feeling. A feeling like he was putting himself out there, but not in any harmful way. More like he was expressing his desires onto the world and making it bend to his desire, to his will - however small and pitiful it may be. His agonizing wounds started closing and the blood he lost started returning as he could feel the numbing of his injuries fade away.
As soon as Sunny finished healing the wall behind him exploded with rubble flying all around the tiny cavern. The cause for the destruction was a monstrous figure that almost made him spill breakfast from his stomach. It looked like those mummies he saw in history books without their bandages and cloth. Rotten skin clung to the skeletal figure but despite it looking pitiful the presence it emitted was anything but. Sunny felt like pleading for his life but for Nephis — and his dignity — he stood tall and bloodied.
The creature laughed as it spotted Sunny, a weird contraction-half — half crossbow, half gun — in its hand which Sunny presumed where he shot the chain at high speeds from.
"You spiteful arrogant little Shadow. When I get my hands on you I'll HAVE YOUR SKULL HUNG ON MY WALL!" the creature wailed as another chain shot from the crossbow-gun.
Rolling to the side, Sunny dodged and summoned his duo daggers as an onslaught of chains followed close behind as Sunny fought to keep the chains from impaling him, and all the while the creature laughed at the little Shadow.
***
Nephis made the mistake of taking a breather during a battle. Thinking that she knocked the sword away long enough to take a breath, she carelessly forgot about the enemy having a spiked tail. The phantom tail swung at her and Nephis barely dodged by going back, but not without the cost of her skin being broken and mauled on the left side of her face. Holding back a pained groan she healed quickly before dodging an arrow shot straight at her head. The only reason she was alive this long was because the creature liked toying with her, but she knew it wouldn't last much longer as it seemed to be getting impatient.
Nephis wasn't staying ideal though, far from it. She had already devised a plan of sorts, being honest with herself it could barely be called an idea a most if not then not at all. But she couldn't start with it until there were fewer of them nearby so that she could have the time for it. It had begun using the bystanders as archers and commanded them to shoot at random intervals. If Nephis didn't pay enough attention to her surroundings then she'll pay for it with an arrow through her gut or leg, really anything that would constrict her movements.
Nephis had heard about the creature's plan to experiment on her and she knew if she stopped now, there wouldn't be another chance of escaping ever again. But she was tired, so tired.
'Focus,' Nephis said with determination in her thoughts as she slashed and killed another creature. Nephis walked back as two swords clashed where she previously stood before they both unlinked and started being swung at her. Nephis used her signature battle style to hold her ground before pushing forward steadily. Although significantly weaker due to her devil core being shattered she was far from weak. After all, it was she who killed the "honorable" Gunlaug in his own throne room, killed the crimson spire, a fallen terror, all on her own as it struck at her soul, and killed a fallen devil that dared touch what was hers.
'Sunny,' Nephis thought as her expression softened from the thought of him. To her, Sunny was everything she could have dreamed of and more. Not only was he strong and capable, but he was also ambitious and spiteful. Even before he had gotten powerful Nephis had fallen for him the first time they met in the crimson labyrinth. She had taught him her clan's battle art, something she never thought she would do, and thought girls who gave crushes special important things silly and dumb. Nephis had missed every day they were apart after their fight and she regretted and criticized herself for what she had done and said to him.
To her, he had to be protected at all costs, like the porcelain doll he is. She knew Sunny hated it when she intentionally tried to stop him from fighting and insisted that he could take care of himself.
'Who cares, you're mine so that means you need to stay at camp and make delicious food for me, like a wife, my wife. What's so hard to understand?' Nephis thought as she ended yet another creature that thought could stand against her and in the way of her lover. Nephis admitted that being with Sunny always was a bit of an obsession, she was even willing to say she was quite clingy to him which she knew he didn't mind and quite liked it in fact. It made sense since what was better than being with your lover along for however long it took for them to return, it was a dream for Nephis at least.
She had always hated being with people as they confused her and only with Sunny or Neobis could she trustfully be herself.
Nephis dodged another attack thrown at her from her opponent as another threatened to crush her head with one of their many tenicals as she moved to evade it. This continued for quite a while, with Nephis stalling for time and killing as many creatures as she could while maintaining her depleted energy as she waited for her moment. Her plan was more set in stone and was as solid as possible when fighting an overwhelming opponent when the next three creatures didn't come down in the creator.
"Enough," the creature said as all the archers lined up their shots, some aiming at her head and others at her heart.
"You know," it said in a malicious tone that Nephis could tell whatever he said would be aimed at hurting her.
"Currently your little companion is alone and close to death, actually he might already be any second from my original body," Standing straight up he continued, "If you surrender yourself now, I'll let him live. If not then I'll have you no matter what and kill your pathetic Shadow along with. After all do you not care about him?"
He moved his hand to her side and in what seemed like a hologram. It showed Sunny, crumpled up and seemingly near death as blood splattered on the ground in a horrific scene. At the end of the room a creature that made Nephis look away in fear that she might vomit from its horrifying appearance. It seemed to be aiming a crossbow at Sunny, specifically at his heart. Nephis wanted to deny that what she was seeing was fake, but it looked so real.
"Your choice Nephilim."
Nephis stared at him with contempt burning in her eyes.
"Fine, I'll go with you, just don't kill him."
"Of course," it said as the hologram disappeared, and along with it Sunny too.
It started moving towards her and the citizens lowered their bows. But just as it had reached her Nephis spoke up.
"But he really isn't close to death is he?" nephis said it sounding like a question, but her tone made her sound certain of her statement.
The creature paused right in front of her, inches away from her face.
"What are you on about?" he questioned before reaching out his hand to grab her by the throat.
But before it reached her-
*BOOM*
The ground erupted under her and from it came a shadowy serpent a little bigger than her overall. Esteban stumbled backwards and the archers quickly lifted their bows in an attempt to kill it. It was futile as the serpent swallowed Nephis whole and just as quickly as it came it went back underground.
As the serpent seemingly flew with great speed going down, a beautiful Nephilim took a little rest inside its stomach.
'Just as planned.' Nephis thought as she felt being brought closer to Sunny inside Serpent's stomach.
Nephis wished it were Sunny who sent Serpent, but sadly something, or someone, seemed to be interfering with their communications so she couldn't reach for her help. Luckily, she never gave back Serpent after the White Castle because it had slipped her mind until now. She had waited until no one was looking at her to summon Serpent unnoticed and made it wait until the perfect moment to snatch her away. But the ability of being able to find Sunny was thanks to a discovery she herself had out in the Dark City as she started to recall that day when she found out...