It's been a week since that day. Their main focus has been attempting to gather people outside the castle in order to not only fight when the time comes in the Crimson Spire but also to fight against the upcoming purge. Gunlaug still hasn't made a move, but he must know that everyone has been told he's planning a purge. A lot of people from the outside hurried after soul shards to get entry, some accepted their fate, and a few—but still some—decided to fight back.
With the now common knowledge that Nephis was Changing Star of the Immortal Flame Clan, and with the fact Gunlaug wasn't making his move, both him and Cassie were able to take off their disguises and be known as part of her cohort. Though it took a little convincing, Effie joined also, thinking it would be better than nothing. There was only one problem though… yes, people stayed to fight, but gods, they were horrendously weak. The strongest in the city were in the castle after all.
"Get to moving, maggots! Did you just trip? One hundred push-ups!"
The boy who fell attempted a push-up but ended up throwing up where he sat. You think he was the one who said that, right?
No.
Cassie was the one physically training them. Sunny's job was quite different. He was gathering memories by hunting abominations outside of the walls. While he did that, Nephis did her little speeches, gathering more courage in her. Not only that, but she also fed everyone—hunting nightmare creatures for meat and giving it out for free.
You may be asking, why are you remembering all of this? Or am I asking myself why I am? Well, I know why. Looking down at my stomach and seeing my organs fall out of it, I knew why. I tried to reach my hand out one last time to use my aspect and steal the Black Knight's stomach, but there was nothing to steal.
God damn it… he had so much he wanted to do, and going out like this? He had so much he needed to do… that's why he couldn't go out like this. Please, anybody, anything…
The sounds of thudding came from near him before he saw it—an army of stone statues, most of them missing pieces of themselves, walking around without aim. One of them, though, was different. Even underneath the visor, Sunny could feel it—something calling out to him. Once one of the statues took notice of him, it walked over and took out its blade, most likely aiming to give mercy and a quick death. So when its blade was raised, leaving it defenseless, Sunny shot a spear of shadow through it.
[You have slain…]
Ignoring the spell, he watched them all charge at him. One by one, he picked them off until the only one left was the one who caught his eye. Using the last of his essence, he used his aspect and stole its stomach. Looking down, he saw how it looked human and was simply just stone now. Barely standing up, he walked over to the stone statue that was still holding onto its blade. Even without its stomach and ruby dust pouring out of it, it attacked. Slashing down at him, the blade was stopped by his hand.
"These blades are pretty sturdy… though they aren't memories, I'll bring them back."
With a sad smile on his face, he locked eyes with the stone statue, looking at it through its visor.
"You fought well. Thank you for reminding me that I still have things I need to do."
A shadow shot out and pierced it through the head, killing it… and then something rung out.
[You have received an echo.]
---
Making sure his stomach was covered, he brought the stone swords back.
"And what are these?"
Sunny shot her a confused look.
"What does it look like? It's a sword. Can you really not tell?"
Nephis looked away slightly, her ears red.
"Well, it's not that… but rather…"
Sunny smiled before walking past her and grabbing her collar, dragging her with him.
"If you wanted to talk, just say that. We have a lot to talk about anyways."
Nephis broke out of his grip and coughed before walking next to him.
"Anyways… let's talk later. Cassie said she had to give me something."
Swooshing his hand up and down, he sent her off before he summoned something. Summoning the stone statue that wasn't stone anymore, he studied it. When he received it, much like the Tyrant, he got an option to turn it into a pearl. But unlike the Tyrant, he actually chose to follow through and did. Standing before him was a pearl statue.
"God damn it! If I did it before, the Tyrant may have survived! Well, it probably wouldn't… but still."
Rubbing the back of his head, Sunny dismissed it, making a mental note to name it later. Walking off, he went to meet with Effie.
---
"Yeah, yeah! I'll see you later, doofus!"
Walking away laughing, Sunny begrudgingly walked away. By the time they were finished sorting through the memories, it was dark out. Sunny went back to the little camp they had set up, and then he saw Nephis with a bad look on her face, like she had just eaten something sour.
"Yo! What's up?"
Nephis looked at him before looking around and signaling for him to follow her. By the time she stopped, they were in an alley. Noticing this was serious, Sunny stopped playing around.
"What happened? Or is something happening?"
Nephis turned away from him, a sigh escaping her lips before she looked at him.
"How many days longer until the purge was planned?"
Sunny thought back. No specific date was given, but by rough estimate—
"I'd say a week or so, maybe less since us acting may speed it up."
"Tell me this… how many are roughly outside of the castle?"
Sunny once again thought, but he also thought of what she could be getting at.
"I'd say a little over a hundred… which is quite a lot for Sleeper standards to be bunched together other than in an academy."
Nephis leaned against the wall, lifting her head up and staring at the sky.
"And how many of those are able to fight or contribute?"
Sunny stepped back, his face darkening.
"What are you saying exactly…?"
"Just answer."
Clenching his fists, he spoke—words that he had no idea what outcome they may bring.
"I'd say roughly 40% can't due to the starvation and mental damage sustained…"
Finally locking eyes with him, Sunny saw it. He recognized those eyes… he recognized them all too well. They were the same eyes Umbra stared at him with when he led the village massacre.
"We should let it happen. We can get those who can contribute away and let them kill off those who can't."
Sunny gritted his teeth, the memories of the villagers' corpses flooding through his mind—of the heads on spikes, of Talia's head on a spike.
"What… what are you even saying?! Have you gone mad?! This isn't a nightmare, Nephis! These are real people, not illusions!"
"And do you think there's a better option?! To continue feeding them when that food could be used to strengthen those who can fight?! To use that room they take up to expand our small camp more?! To get rid of those…"
Sunny glared at her, seething in anger as he spoke.
"Those what? Those outskirt rats? I lived just like them, Nephis. I was unable to fight, function. Do you think I deserved to die for that? If someone went to purge the outskirts and I was in the casualties, would that be alright?"
She threw her fist into the wall, cracks spreading throughout it, the look in her eyes never even wavering.
"You think I don't know it's wrong?! Of course it is! But this is the Dream Realm… even small liabilities like them can cause our demise, and I put us above them."
The moon had moved, allowing shadows to cast over their faces even more.
"We're supposed to be the heroes! The ones who save everyone and give them hope to escape! Yes, lives will be lost, I can't deny that, but to let lives be lost when we can do something about it is worse than wrong! It's the thinking of the people who we deem evil—so what would that make us?!"
Nephis clenched her teeth before the look in her eyes broke, a false facade she tried to convince herself with. He also recognized this look she gave him, because it was the look he saw reflected in the blood puddles of his face when the village was massacred.
"When did I ever claim to be a hero?! While you may have, I never did! I know what path I'm walking, and I know what I'll be deemed as, but I don't care! What's wrong with me selfishly putting you two above this kingdom?!"
Releasing her clenched teeth and lifting her head that had fallen down while she was talking, Sunny went stiff.
He went stiff because a sight he never expected was happening—Changing Star… no, Nephis—with tears in her eyes.
"You know how one becomes a mythical hero… you know all too well… you just have to do something outlandish and then die."
Nephis let out a pained smile, locking her miserable eyes with his guilty eyes.
"So tell me, Sunny… how do you plan on dying?"
No response came. All he did was put his head down.
"I'm sorry…"
No response came once more. Nephis turned around and left.
That was the day Nephis had left the Dark City.