Sunny was running with Nephis unconscious body on his hands, who passed out after blowing up her six cores and overusing her aspect.
In front of him was a magnificent black temple. The temple is a massive, black structure, its stone dark and smooth as polished obsidian. Its walls rise high and unadorned, unyielding and silent, as if carved from the void itself. The shape is ancient and weathered, yet impossible to date—no wear or decay, only an eternal stillness that defies time. The temple's sharp edges and towering spires disappear into shadows, giving it a presence that feels both endless and unfathomably old, as if it existed before the world began surrounded by shadows.
Sunny gritted his teeth and went in. Inside, the temple is a vast, shadowed chamber swallowed by darkness. The walls are smooth and black, absorbing every hint of light, making the space feel infinite and hollow. The air is cold and still, heavy with silence that presses like a weight on the skin.
At the center of the chamber stands a single altar, carved from the same black stone as the temple itself. It's a simple, monolithic block, unadorned yet impossibly imposing—its surface worn smooth by untold ages
Sunny gently put Nephis down in a corner and sit beside her. Sunny caught his breath and thought back to the situation.He clenched his hands.
'This really happened huh? Dammit!why this happened? after we did so much, become so strong and now you're telling me it's for nothing?!this much suffering, pain, sorrow, fight for nothing?'
Thinking back to his companion, jet, Kai,Cassie,Effie and his... sister Rain. Sunny's eyes got softened,tears running down from his eyes. 'What's the point anymore?everyone is dead, what should-no what COULD WE CAN EVEN DO?
Tears keep coming down from his face.Thinking about what had happened and could he even possibly do now. Nephis who was lying beside him slowly began to open her eyes. After opening her eyes, she sees Sunny was crying.
Suddenly she remembered what was happening. She abruptly sat up, look at him worriedly and ask.
"Sunny what happened? Are you fine? What happened to Asterion? Why we are here?What happen to-"
"STOP NEPHIS!"Sunny shouted.
Nephis startled, realising what he did, he rubbed his hand in his eyes and said "Nephis I am sorry, I didn't mean to shout. And what happened? So much happened.I am not fine. Asterion......is alive,I brought your unconscious body here, and....everyone is dead".
Nephis eyes widened."What do you mean everyone is dea-"She stopped,She feel it, she feel it in her domain there is...not a single soul left in her domain.
Nephis face paled, her body starting tremble. Sunny supported her with his arm.
Sunny takes a deep breath and continue with a low voice ."As I said everyone except us is dead. After you pass out, I couldn't do much against Asterion and his corrupted army. So,I try to... escape.,..... Kai,Jet and Effie died when they evacuating civilians. Cassie already become corrupted.I..... sacrifice my.. shadows for a opening to escape. Even than we barely escaped with my six cores destroyed."
Sunny stopped for a second, for Nephis to process this and to control his own storming emotions. "My essence was nearly run out,this was nearest place I can teleport from Bastion."
Sunny's face darkened thinking about... his..sister.Shadow clan members was evacuating civilians in ravenheart. Then Asterion's corrupted army start attacking there aswell . He felt it,because of mark of shadow, he felt it. Marks of shadow disappearing one by one,i n the only one mark remain....Rain, and it's also disappeared.
Nephis indifferent face disordered. Tears slowly running down from her face,she couldn't believe it. After everything they did, it's end just like that?
There is only silent for some time. The she ask in a low voice, still trying to accept this reality. "What we should do now?"
"I don't know. Plus we can't hide for long,in matter of time he will find us. We don't have much time."
Nephis after hearing that, leaned toward him and rest her head on his shoulder.Her eyes lost its sparkles.
Instead of Sunny, if anybody else see this they would think she lost hope and eccepted fate. But Sunny know better, he knows she still didn't lost her hope. Still trying to find a solution.
'But what solution there is? Only way to cure corruption is death. Gods themselves have to create death to fight against corruption, what chances do we even have? Even if we somehow defeat Asterion with some miracle then what?'
Sunny though. He also trying to find a solution.But he don't know what solution there is. Matter fact they don't even have much time to think.
Suddenly Sunny's eyes light up for a sec.Nephis notice it. And ask with a hopeful voice "Sunny do you...find something?"
'No-but what can it even do? Even if I use it,what possibly can it do?' But Sunny intuition telling him to use it. Forced by his flaw he answered.
"yes, but I-I don't know if it can work"With that he summoned a mask.This mask have three horns and a demonic face with polish black texture [Weaver mask]
Sunny sigh, he don't know even of he use this, what can possibly change. But his intuition telling his that he won't regret using it. Sunny take a deep breath.
"If you feel that something is wrong with me or some weird thing happening with my body, then knock me out okay?"
Nephis nodded without question, with a bit of sparkle returning in her eyes.
Sunny smile and put on the mask in his face. And then he activated [Where is my eye?] enchantment.
And he sees it was tom and ravaged, the infinity of its splendor having been mangled and mutilated, thrown into disarray. The Strings of Fate were all cut and tangled, swaying aimlessly on ghostly winds.
it was complete and utter, ineffable chaos.
Some of the great tapestry like the past remained as it had been, untouched by the carnage. However, the present was utterly in shambles, and the future Did not exist anymore.
Well,he has expected this.
Ignoring the pain, he try to find a single String of Fate following his intuition in the middle of chaos.
Then he see it, a single golden String of Fate going somewhere.
He eyes follow it to see where this is going.
His eyes widened.
Sunny was stunned.
'Is this not to much for a coincidence?'
Because that single string is connected with altar in the middle of the temple.
'It is really is just coincidence?Or Weaver has something to do with it?"
Thinking about it, Sunny gritted his teeth and dismiss weaver mask.
He swayed a little, blood dipping from his eyes.Nephis try to heal him, but he stopped her.
"I am fine. You don't have to heal me yet".
Nephis hesitate for a bit,then slowly nodded.Sunny stand up and give his hand to Nephis.Nephis take his hand.
After standind up she ask
"Did you....find-d anything?'
"Yes,I did"
He pointed to altar.
"Something is there"
Nephis froze for a second.And then with a serious expression she says
"Don't you think this is to much for a coincidence to be a coincidence?.
Sunny sigh"I know but we don't have much of a choice,plus what worst could happen?"After saying it he was glad once again, that he didn't have [Fated].
Nephis slowly nodded and summon [Blessing] in her hand.
Both of them make their way to altar.
Standing in front of the altar,Sunny following his intuition he stood on the altar and cut his thumb for blood.
Just one drop of blood drop in altar because of [Blood weave].
He waited,
1,2,3s....
......
...........
Nephis looked at him with question in her eyes.Sunny shook his head.
Then suddenly he heard a voice.The voice coming from everywhere,from every direction.A disordered voice that sound like bit of a feminine,and strangely familiar.
[Hello]
Seeing his reaction, Nephis get in a defending position."Sunny what happen?".
Sunny look at her."You didn't heard It?"
Nephis shook her head.
Sunny tensed,'whatever it is talking inside my head?Some kind of mind hex?'
[Oh, there is nothing to get tensed about sunless.Or should I say Lost from Light?]
Sunny froze.In normal case he should be happy,that someone remember him,if not for the fact that only three people in entire world except him knows his true name.
That is Nephis,Cassie and Modret, who somewhere trying to hide from Asterion.And those three don't remember me.So,how the heck this strangely familiar voice knows his true name.
He trying to remember where he hear this voice .Forced by his flaw,he answer.
"I prefer if you call me Sunless"
Nephis seeing this says nothing.Still maintaining her defending position.
[Okay Sunless, do you recognize me?]
"No.I don't recogni-"Sunny froze.And says in a trembling voice
"Spell?"
Sunny finally recognize this strangely familiar voice,it is spell's voice .But a bit disordered.
[Finally!]
Nephis look at him with silent question.
He look at her and silence for a few seconds,then answer in a low but trembling tone.
"Spell-l... is talking to me"
WHAT,is only think in her mind.Because after spending so much time with his,she realize he is not connected with spell.She don't know is he lost connection with spell or something. But most shocking part is spell itself is talking to him normally right now.
Sunny don't know how spell remember him,because he still fateless.But most importantly why it is talking to him?
[Well,I know you have so many questions.Like why I am talking to you.First of I am spell main consciousness.Weaver created me for future,if his hier can't not handle things in his first life.My weave is intertwined with Fate tapestry and Weaver lineage. So, even if I don't fully remember you,I remember you most out of every one]
Sunny's mind is currently in chaos.Still trying to process this information.But one think stood out among everything 'if his hier can't handle things in his first life'
"So,...are you gonna help us or what?"
After hearing it Nephis eyes glow up.
[Yes, but also no. I can't interfere to much with reality]
Sunny notice the key words.
"So,what you can do to help us"He says with little bit of excitement in his voice.
[I can sent you two back in time]
"WHAT'He shouted without thinking.That get a reaction from Nephis.
[Yes,I can take your soul and merge with.But the problem is,you two get transported to the first day you come into touch with spell.This mean you will lose all you abilities and your rank will be sealed away]
Sunny stood there,motionless for a while then took a deep breath and turn to Nephis for explaining,what just happened.
(After explanation)
Nephis mind went blank.She don't know what to think of this.After some time to process,she begin to speak.
"I am ready.Plus we don't jave much time left.So,we don't really have much of a choice."
Sunny nodded.He still have some complicated feelings about connecting with fate again,because Nephis will gain her memories and...Shadow bond.
Sunny shook his head, telling himself that this is not important right now.
"We are ready"
[Very well.Now count down from 5 to 1 and you will be in past .But remember fate don't like,when someone mess with it.So, your actions will have some consequences]
Of course thay knows that.If they change future to much,future will go in a direction they don't know.But Sunny know that they will take future in a different direction,no matter what they do.Still Sunny will try not to change to much in the beginning.
'Plus we will save Antarctic this time,no matter what'
[1]
Sunny extended his hand toward Nephis with a smile.
[2]
"Are you ready for round two?
[3]
Nephis took his hand gently.
[4]
And smile that said it all.
[5]
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial]