Sunny was sprawled on the floor, his body had grown cold as if he died. Which maybe he did - or at the very least experienced something similar
He groaned and brought his hand to his head - "Who... What..."
He heard the voices of someone, no maybe 2 people that were in the room with him, One was tall and of a significant size and the other was smaller but still bigger than himself and judging by her voice Sunny knew she was a women
The tall figure too was almost unmistakable, not everyone looked like they were born of bear.
"He's awake!"
Sunny moved, his other hand pushing up his weight as he managed to rest on his knees - "What the hell is happening"
"You... uh... fainted?" - The young women looked at Rock who stood a step away
"It seems you don't know either. Most likely exhaustion from your nightmare and lack of food. I've heard from the either students you're from the outskirts you may have suffered a nutrient deficiency"
"What do you mean..." - Sunny tried to stand and in his wooziness he slipped, Rock caught his hand and placed him on the bed
"When the registrations were going on there was one student who did not appear. Its not uncommon since you teenagers are rather... lively, but the blind girl at the cafeteria had asked this young women who was sent to assist her to check on you since you had told her you would see her at the cafeteria and you never did"
The women spoke next - "When I came here you were on the floor cold as a corpse but your heart beat was still there"
"Shit! I missed dinner?!"
"That's your concern?!"
"Hey, Unlike the others here I've never even eaten anything other than synthpaste for years so excuse me for being hungry" - He said with an angry expression
She stopped speaking as the words caught in her throat, her eyes had softened too - "...The cafeteria is empty right now so you can go and eat. I will conduct the registration there okay?"
Sunny held his head and winced - "Yeah..."
Rock had looked down at Sunny from his impossible height and walked of with a nod to them both, his eyes lingered on Sunny for a few more seconds than normal
Sunny to had stood up and was being guided by the awakened women who helped keep him up
"You're good at this"
"Many people have daunting flaws... my job is to make life a bit easier before they..."
"She won't you know"
"What?"
"Cassie is going to live. I know it"
Sunny was honestly setting himself up but thankfully she did not question him or how he knew what he said was true. He too was currently a pitiful being, second only to Cassia herself and humans were social creatures and often found hope in others in similar situations
Perhaps if she could survive, he could to
They both remained silent for the remainder of the walk
Sunny had taken the time to summon his runes and understand just what had happened to him.
Attributes: [Fate Breaker], [Flame of Divinity], [Shadow], [Unknown]
Those all remained the exact same but there was now another addition to those initial 4
[Death] Attribute Description: [Death was a means to end the Corruption, As a being closest to Death you share that power]
Sunny's body shook and the lady stopped and looked at him in worry
"Hey are you okay?"
"Ye...Yeah just a little rattled."
She looked at him as if sensing he was hiding something but did not pry further, this too was a general rule amongst awakened - "Well were here so pick your fill and eat, I'll be back in a few minutes with the documentation"
She had walked away leaving Sunny who had subconsciously began stacking his plate with food as he thought to himself.
'This type of thing...'
Sunny had no reason to fear being corrupted. He had gone an entire lifetime not being corrupted and he planned to do so again but now he had this ability and it was odd to have to say the least.
"It will ease the burdens against certain enemies like the Skinwalker"
It was a very welcome ability.
Sunny was starting to feel bad for his past self. How much as the poor guy missed out on because of Blood Weave and Shadows Lineage conflicting.
'Too much'
He raised his eyes from the food he had already begun stuffing his face with as the young women returned.
"Okay so I have a few standard questions... uh... do you want me to wait?"
Sunny took a big gulp and swallowed the food in his mouth - "No need to wait"
"Okay then... From what we've gathered your name is Sunless and you are from the outskirts yes?"
Sunny nodded.
"Can you tell me what is the main component of your aspect? Utility, Combat?"
Sunny paused.
Was there a reason to hide himself this time around? Was there a reason to hide his true name or the extent of his abilities both old and new?...
No, but simultaneously there was no benefit to revealing anything. No that was not true, it was just that the benefits were not tangible.
Sunny would not be able to absorb the soul shards he would receive, but there was a benefit that Sunny did want to receive from revealing his information, one that would appear tomorrow
"My aspect is more... balanced than any I've heard off"
"Oh?"
"It involves my Shadow" - Sunny took another big bite.
"Are you willing to elaborate?"
"I can detach my shadow and allow it to scout the area ahead of myself like a scout of sorts, It also has some healing capabilities of which I haven't yet learnt the extent of and if I wrap it around myself it acts as a booster of sorts, basically it doubles my physical abilities"
He chugged half of the glass of water and put it back down and gazed back up at the lady who stared at him, mouth agape.
After a few seconds, she took in a deep breath and continued to speak, there was an almost nervous or strained tone to her voice - "Hah... with all that I'd expect you to have a true name as well."
"...I do"
The board dropped from her hand, she did not even question it at this point given his abilities.
"A...And that might be?"
Sunny sucked in a breath, his body was cold, colder than it had been since he woke. This was something his past had tried to hide so much, it was something that he wanted no one to know but when it did, it stayed between a few people.
And here he was going to live out the original self's fantasy of fame through the name...
"Lost from Light"
The women stared for a few moments - "That's... That's rather impressive for a true name, even amongst the others I've heard"
"My first nightmare was... a lot. So I suppose that the spell thought it fitting"
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'd prefer not to"
"...Understood." - She stood - "Tomorrow the shards for your cooperation will be left at your desk when you wake, remember to go to breakfast in the morning, Cassia was worried"
Sunny nodded - "I will"
As she walked away Sunny summoned his runes and stared at his innate ability for a while, before he continued to eat he raised a glass to it as a toast of appreciation
'Maybe I had been to harsh in my assessment of the Gods and Daemons'
He had not done what he had done for nothing.
On his book on goal number 3 he had said he wanted to form a relationship with Cassie and Nephis.
Clearly the fact that no one else had spoke to Cassie aside from him had made her feel a sense of friendship towards him unconditionally, it was prominent enough for her to worry when he did not arrive to dinner.
If he gave her the shards, which he assumed would be of the Awakened rank, she would be inclined to believe what he was about to say about her surviving and them being together in the nightmare was true. Why would an outskirts rat, the people of society known to be greedy and poor, willingly give shards to a walking corpse.
It was simple really
No one would make such an investment without knowing that there was some benefit especially not someone from the outskirts.
And as for Nephis?
If Jet had managed to reduce her suspicion of him by saying he was an outskirts rat by about 1%
How much would that percentage increase if Sunny was put in the leaderboards
If he was put in the leaderboards up there either right behind or above her in the Sleeper rank how much would that decrease the chances of him being an assassin
One might think that it would increase those chances
A Sleeper that came from the outskirts, who, if the rumors had reached her, has a transcendent aspect that was strong enough to contend with her, A divine aspect holder. Well that should scream assassin.
But why would a great clan loose a pawn with the potential to become a stronger piece on the board? To eliminate another pawn? No.
That held to much risk for such a talent
And the fact that he had a true name
Well that would take the chances of her thinking he was not the assassin from 1% to roughly 50% maybe even lower
"Tomorrows problems are tomorrows problems."
He grabbed a bit more food and made his way to his room making sure to hide his notebook.
Sunny took a shower enjoying the water and getting changed into something comfortable. He fell into the bed with a satisfied sigh.
'1 month, I have 1 month to grow stronger before the spell drops me in the sea