During that grand fight against them all, they ended up surrendering, not because they were losing—no, far from it. Despite Sunny being strong, he couldn't win against that large of a group, especially when giving them a handicap. But the reason they surrendered was because he didn't go down. He didn't win, but he didn't go down either. That very resilience is why they decided to put their trust in him. It's been some days since then, but now a date has been set for the purge—tomorrow. The reason it's a set date instead of just happening is due to Gunlaug wanting some of those outside the castle to come fight for his side. Some did; to be exact, 30 left to join Gunlaug.
"Changing Star is not expected to make a return any time soon, and though she has left us in an important time, her flame will not dwindle!"
Placing his clenched fist on his chest, he screamed out at the crowd.
"But still! I'm not asking you to fight for Changing Star, I'm not asking you to fight for me! I'm asking you to fight for the future of this dark city!"
No response came.
Cassie took her place next to Sunny before her voice shot out.
"Everyone who fights here has been assured by Changing Star herself to join her after we escape! To be a part of the revival of the greatest legacy clan is an honor even the greatest Awakened of today don't have! But honor? Who needs honor when it comes with riches beyond imagination!"
That was the moment cheers rang out. It seemed incentives were more enticing than honor and companionship. But that wasn't his focus—no, Sunny knew what that meant.
Cassie only said that because she expected most of them to be wiped out. She said it because she knew most of them would be wiped out.
In that moment, her small back seemed to be weighed down—not by burden, but by guilt. The guilt of knowing these lives would be lost. The guilt of knowing she could tell them to run. The guilt of still leading them to their death.
That's why he grabbed her hand and squeezed it, because even if it was a small amount, he would bear the guilt with her.
---
Today was the last night before they would fight this thing he would compare to a civil war. With her back pressed against him and resting in his arms was Cassie, lying down in bed with him. It wasn't due to habit or any other meaning; rather, it was due to necessity—the words she had spoken to them that day.
"If you leave, I'll take my life!"
Squeezing her tighter in his arms to the point where he felt her body shift, despite not being able to see him, she craned her neck back while still lying down to look at his face before shifting her entire body to face him, sliding her slightly shorter stature up to be completely face-to-face with him. Her hand raised from her side up to his face, a smile spreading across her lips. Sunny released his arms from her and attempted to pull them back, but the sound of her voice overtook the deathly silent room.
"If you let go, I may not be here when you wake up."
That caused Sunny to instantly wrap her in his arms, squeezing her to the point where it may have hurt her. Their bodies were pressed together in such a way that they could make out every bump on the other's skin. Every breath she took was breathed in by him and vice versa—it was as if they were one singular being in that moment. A pain rang out in his stomach, and so did a pain somewhere else. Her smile grew even wider—it grew so much that Sunny could say in this moment she would want to melt into his very being.
"Tighter."
He obliged. Her bones must have ached from his grip. Their noses pressed together, and her hand left his face to allow even less space between them. Her arms landed on his back, and despite not applying any pressure, it felt as if his entire being was crushed under those frail arms.
"And never let go."
With those words, she fell asleep, and soon after, he followed.
The next morning, when the sun hit them and caused them to wake, they were still wrapped in each other's arms.
Moments later, they walked out of the room, heading to the place where the battle would finally start.