Jet realized something. The boy sitting in bed in front of her wasn't normal. He was different and something told her he would soon become something the world itself recognized perhaps he too would become a master possibly a saint if he worked his way up after joining a great clan as most do
'Not that I want him to join those selfish bastards...'
Her thoughts were interrupted when the boy, Sunless spoke again.
"I noticed that you have 3 stars on your uniform. May I ask why an ascended was sent to watch a sleeper. And while we're at it may I know your name we've been talking for a while and I haven't asked"
Jet realized that she had asked his name but forgot to give hers avoiding showing any embarrassment she quickly introduced himself
"I'm Ascended Jet of the government" - she paused for a second
"But you can just call me jet. As for why I'm watching you it's because a gate opened nearby and the awakened are dealing with it and I was the only one available so."
Sunny smiled warmly. It seemed that he was on much closer terms with her this time around but his thoughts were interrupted by her
"go take a shower and change into something clean. There should be something that fits you in the lockers in the washroom. Afterwards I'll give you the run down of what is to come"
Sunny said nothing. Rather he looked at her, smiled and nodded then proceeded to walk of to the shower room
When in the room and after ensuring it was empty aside from himself sunny looked for another presence one that he knew was there. He looked at his shadow
"So... Do you remember"
the shadow seemed to nod even if it was doing so gloomily. The gloomy shadow looked at sunny with an emotion that had never been seen from it before. It was drive. The Shadow like its master seemed to loathe the feeling of weakness that it experienced at the hands of the Corrupted god of darkness and now despite its master and itself gaining power from that darkness it seemed to loathe it still
Sunny could feel a deeper connection to the shadow and realized it's emotions quickly
"Oh, we will. And this time around everything will go according to our plan"
The Shadow unlike in his last life, nodded approvingly at sunny. Though he felt he wouldn't get much if this attitude anytime soon in the future
After sunny quickly cleaned up. He left the room to get the familiar talk from jet and also the advice which he already knew
When jet saw him come out, she motioned for him to follow her to the PTV and when they were inside, she began to talk. Jet explained how everything will progress at the academy from how he will be asked questions to the classes that can be taken
Then she gave him the talk.
"Sunny. Take it as advice from a friend or don't. It's your choice but I must warn you on 3 things"
Sunny knowing what was coming looked at her making his face blank with emotion as if listening intently
"First. When you get there as I mentioned you will be asked about your trial and your abilities
She looked at him abs waited for him to understand
"I didn't plan on telling them everything. Just enough to get 1st place in the rankings"
Jet looked at him strangely since he essentially just said he is going to show off despite her warning, but she realized he must have a plan or not either way she had warned him
"Second when you are offered options for classes. Take wilderness survival"
Once more jet paused wanting him to catch on
"I was thinking about that too. In my first nightmare I almost died more often due to the terrain and cold than the creatures"
She smiled acknowledging his reasoning
As if fate willed it. The PTV reached the academy this time jet stopping in front of the fare rather than across it. Unlike last time. Jet got out of the vehicle and so did sunny. Sunny noticed a familiar figure a few meters aside from him. Her attention drawn to the PTV and naturally the ascended and the boy that stepped out
"And the third advice. Remember Sunny no one survives the dream realm alone. Try to make some companions. As someone who grew up in the outskirts as well, I know how difficult it is to trust but try. Not everyone has an ulterior motive find these people "
And then. She got in the car and left. Leaving sunny staring at the castle like gates. Or that's what it looked like
Using his shadow as his eves sunny shifted his perception to look at the white-haired girl. Once he stopped looking at the gates, he pretended that he felt as if someone was staring at him and the looked around cautiously
Nephis realizing she had been staring moved into the building with sunny following shortly after she entered to make it appear as less suspicious as possible
Sunny entered the Academy and walked into a room, like the last time the room was very tidy a desk placed at the opposite end of the door, little plants placed on the desk. walking forward sunny noticed a file on the table in front of the women - The file in question had a picture of himself, though he was asleep in it
"Sit down we will start your registration"
Sunny closed the door behind him and sat down deciding the picture was taken when he was tied down a few hours ago - he looked at the women and could tell she was awakened so he greeted first since she didn't - maybe she was looking down on him, or she was tired of going through the same procedure multiple times, who knew ?
" Good afternoon - Lady Awakened"
She looked up from the list of questions and profile - A dreamer not drunk on hormones? that was a rare sight since only a few like the stuck-up legacies or those who've already expected death.
"Good afternoon..." - she paused looking at his name again but was interrupted before speaking again
"Sunless - yeah my mother was a poetic soul"
The Lady let out a small chuckle and began the questioning
...
A while later it was complete
Sunny missed his conversation with Jet - there was no need to bounce around the bush and hide his abilities
Sunny revealed enough of his trial to not be suspicious but enough to take first place - like last time the fights in the nightmare were altered this time he said he took out 7 dormant beasts and fought an awakened
one might think 'why would you reveal the tyrant?' well, that was simple - because sunny spoke about the Awakened hero he fought on the same battlefield with and scaled a mountain together making a little drama about how despite it being a nightmare he was sad about the hero's death making the interviewer not press further
After a few masterfully crafted tears it came time to reveal his strengths and abilities and like last time sunny revealed his ability to use his shadow as a scout and its ability to wrap around an strengthen himself and to use shadows to heal and create things
that specific line was a little blend of past and future - after all shadows could be used to mend his shadow shell and shadow manifestation will come in soon.
The healing bit was a stretch yes, but sunny moved his shadow across the room and made sword of darkness from his new aspect proving he was speaking the truth despite the lie detector he was hooked up to
Sunny used his new true name - Star of Darkness and by then the interviewer was already beyond shock. That was natural after all, a figure like Nephis also had powerful and similar abilities similar to this boy only he seemed stronger - an Aspect fit for everything
defense could be done with the darkness so could weapon creation, he could also heal and strengthen himself, not only this but he could use his ability to scout out danger in advance
'If this child doesn't survive then no one here has a chance'
thanks to Sunny's cooperation he was gifted with shards to strengthen himself 3 awakened shards which sunny asked for 2 awakened and 2 dormant shards - assuming that he was curious about what the different shards look like she agreed without complaint
after everything was done sunny made his way towards the hall were everyone was gathered for the rundown
Sunny entered the hall and immediately got looks from all the other sleepers only this time sunny didn't need to dispel them, so he simply stood at a corner and anytime someone approached he would act disgusted at himself for killing a human - that way people left him be and didn't think he was an idiot
The thing that caught the attention of most was that sunny spoke to both women and men with the same exact same tone and emotion did catch eyes - as if he were indifferent to them and had no interest. For some it made them mad and others found it endearing
Sunny looked around through his shadow as he moved towards a particular seat and saw the familiar white-haired girl standing towards the opposite end leaning on a wall. To his confusion she was looking at him, but he showed no sign that he saw her. Rather he walked and sat down at the opposite end of a beautiful blond girl, thankfully there were plenty of available seat around - Everyone was avoiding Cassie after all
"Hi there mind if I sit here"
Sunny got no response from Cassie as she had her head down and was holding her hands together fiddling with her fingers tightly clearly holding herself back from tears
"Umm... Anyone home"
sunny said as he placed a hand on the girl's head. Sunny never realized how depressed Cassia looked the last life around but this time he saw it clearly as she was a shattered piece of glass when his hand touched her head she flinched back and a tear fell
She made no sound out of either confusion or fear sunny did not know.
"Hey, hey, hey it's okay. I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you" 1
sunny quickly apologized to the blind girl to which she looked at the direction of his voice
"Sorry I didn't realize you were speaking to me" - she said quietly as she wiped her tears
"it's fine really I was the one intruding... So, uh do you mind if I sit here"
"no... No, I don't mind at all"
Sunny sat down and didn't say a word after they both just sat in the comfortable silence. That was until Cassie spoke
"So, um... Mr..."
Sunny took this opportunity to make the blind seer smile he replied in an exaggerated tone
"Mr!, Mr! Do I sound that old I'm only 16" his voice had a tone of mocking in it causing Cassie to smile
Before she could say anything, she heard his voice again - "sunless"
"What...?"
"My name.my name. It's sunless but my friends call me sunny"
Cassias mood was raised slightly for the first time since her trail. The boy in front of her either didn't realize she was blind or simply didn't care and that made her happy
"so um... Sunny why are you sitting her I'm sure you've realized that I'm... Blind. There's many others you can sit with. People who actually have a chance of surviving the coming nightmare"
Sunny was quiet for a few moments causing Cassie to wonder if he had realized his mistake and left but then he spoke. His voice was gently yet carried a sort of steel to it as if a older brother lecturing his younger sister
"and who exactly says you have no chance of returning from the nightmare. The way I see it you probably have the best chances"
Now it was Cassias turn to be surprised but she responded quickly. "I get that you're trying to make me feel better, but you don't have to. I've accepted it and so have my family"
"Make you feel better? Why would I do that. This is the first place I'm seeing you, no?"
Technically it was the truth as the academy was the first place sunny met Cassie
Cassie was stunned but before she could speak sunny interrupted her
"I say you have the best chances because of your flaw. I assume your flaw made you blind and that you weren't born with it. If there's one thing I know about the spell is that it has a twisted sort of balance to it. If it gave you such a harrowing flaw it must have blessed you with a amazing power too"
Cassie was silent. Everything that the boy in front of her said was true. But what could a seer do in a world of monsters. And reading attributes. What use was that when you couldn't fight the monsters off
But sunny wasn't having any of it. Its true sunny never truly trusted Cassie in his previous life after he leant of her plans. Rather he feared her, he didn't doubt his ability or the fact that he was stronger and smarter it was just that she became more scheming and it was partially because of him. But to see someone he once cared for as much as he did Rain cry wasn't something he could take
"Your name?" - he asked straightforward
"What?"
"You haven't introduced yourself"
Cassie's sadness was replaced by embarrassment as she realized and quickly answered him
"Cassia. But my friends call me Cassie"
"Well Cassie. You're the only person here who doesn't seem to be a hormonal nosy judgmental teenager so. If possible, I would like you get to know you"
It had been a while. But just then Cassie felt a ghost of a smile appear on her face. But a smile non the less it was. Just as she was going to speak, she heard many of the others in the hall start whispering
"what's happening" - she asked sunny curiously
he replied instantaneously
"Oh, they put the rankings up for the sleepers this year"
Cassie's mood saddened slightly - "... Let me guess I'm at the bottom"
Sunny responded to her as if he didn't care that she was at the bottom of the list. As if he just thought of her the same exact way
"Hmm yeah It seems so. Dumbasses they should know how the spell works yet they put you last"
His tone caused Cassie to smile again. Feeling more comfortable with the boy she asked him
"Um what... What did you rank"
"Ah, if possible, I'd prefer not to talk about that" he said quietly
Cassie had naturally assumed that it wasn't that high, but she didn't inquire further not wanting to push away the only person to speak to her. Little did she realized everyone in the room was whispering and looking at the duo. Specifically, the boy who not only got first place. But also, a true name in his first trial
The star of darkness