Nephis opened her eyes and looked at him, a sense of sorrow appearing on her face.
"Leave me, Sunny. Please. Go."
He shook his head stubbornly.
"I don't want to."
Changing Star was silent for a moment, looking at him with a pained expression. And then she said, making his world crumble:
"Go… Lost from Light."
His eyes widened.
Deep within his soul, something moved and rose from slumber, triumphant. Unbreakable, eternal, irresistible. Complete, perfect, and sweet.
…Before Sunny knew what he was doing, his hand shot forward, the ghostly blade of the Moonlight Shard appearing in it.
"Stop."
His hand froze, the tip of the stiletto mere centimeters away from Neph's eye.
Trembling, he looked at his arm and willed it to move forward.
But it didn't. It didn't move at all. It was as though that hand did not belong to him anymore.
As deep horror drowned his heart, Sunny moved his gaze and looked at Nephis, his eyes wide with shock.
"H… how…"
A sad smile appeared on her lips.
"How did I know? Cassie told me."
Neph sighed and looked away.
"She was the first one to understand the meaning of her vision. She knew that the two of us would end up fighting each other and that I was going to lose. Maybe even die. She just didn't know how, when, and why. So, Cassie told me your secret, in hopes that it will save my life one day. But I… I hoped that I would never have to use it."
Sunny stared at her, too shocked to say anything. She smiled sadly.
"So, then. I guess… I guess this is goodbye. I hope that you'll take care of yourself, Sunny. Now, go. Escape before it is too late.'
Even though Sunny didn't do anything, his body moved on its own. Standing up, he turned around and walked toward the shining ring of the Gateway.
Step, step. Another step.
'Stop. Stop!'
But his body would not listen. It just continued to move forward, indifferent to his commands. A dull ache settled somewhere in the center of his heart.
'Stop!'
There was nothing he could do. He was a miraculous shadow bound to a master; once the master gave a command, he had no choice but to obey.
Sunny slowly walked up the steps of the dais and approached the circle of runes, then crossed the iron ring without slowing down. As soon as he did, the runes shone with intense light.
His body began to glow, too.
So in the end, he did win. Not because he was stronger or a better fighter than Nephis. But simply because his will to survive never wavered, while hers became twisted by doubt.
'No! I refuse!'
The ethereal radiance grew brighter and brighter, until it became hard to discern the human figure in its middle.
'No!'
…And then, suddenly, it disappeared, leaving only emptiness behind.
Sunny was gone, finally free of this long and arduous nightmare. The journey back to reality that had taken him more than a year was now over.
He made it out alive.
--------
Nephis' POV
He made it.
Nephis closed her eyes briefly.
Relief washed over her.
Sunny was alive.
Back in the waking world.
She hadn't wanted to use what Cassie told her.
But she had no choice.
Sunny didn't deserve to be dragged deeper into this hell.
Slowly, Nephis pushed herself up from the ground.
Her body trembled.
Every muscle screamed in pain.
'Now... I should escape from the Crimson Spire...'
She slowly got up, weak from the succession of battles she had endured today. White flames were healing her, but it would take a long time to get back to a decent physical state.
A calm voice echoed through the collapsing tower.
"I must admit… I didn't expect this ending."
Nephis turned sharply.
Her grey eyes met golden ones.
Lysander stood behind her.
The First Bright Lord watched her quietly.
Nephis frowned.
"You… how did Sunny's shadow not sense you?"
Lysander smiled faintly and tapped the cloak resting on his shoulder.
"The Starlight Shard."
Nephis narrowed her eyes.
"I see."
She slowly raised her sword.
"I suppose you killed Caster and Harus."
"Yes."
His voice remained calm.
"One was a dog serving a tyrant in the Forgotten Shore."
A small pause.
"The other was a dog serving tyrants in the waking world."
Nephis spoke through her teeth.
"The Sovereigns."
Lysander seemed to consider it.
"I do not know who they are, but they must be those who reached the Supreme rank."
Nephis tightened her grip on the sword.
"First Lord, what do you want?"
Her gaze hardened.
"You know that only one of us can leave. So why didn't you?"
Lysander smiled faintly.
"Good question, Changing Star."
Light vanished.
Nephis' vision went pitch black.
Only a violent rush of wind.
Then—
A fist slammed into her stomach.
The impact threw her across the chamber.
Her body crashed violently into a wall of crimson coral.
Nephis coughed blood.
White flames erupted across her body as she desperately tried to heal.
Lysander's calm voice echoed through the chamber.
"Two wonderful Aspects."
Nephis looked up in shock.
"How…"
Her voice trembled.
"How do you have their Aspects?!"
Lysander walked toward her slowly.
"That is not important, Nephis."
Before she could react, he gently lifted her into his arms.
She was too weak to resist.
He began walking toward the Gateway.
Each step is steady.
Unhurried.
"Changing Star…"
His voice was curious.
"You must be a Demon, correct?"
Nephis froze.
Her mind exploded in panic.
'How does he know?!'
Lysander chuckled softly.
"Your face answered my question."
He stopped before the glowing Gateway.
"Then what I am about to do will not kill you."
Slowly…
He placed his hand over her heart.
Pain exploded.
Not ordinary pain.
Unreal pain.
Pain that seemed to tear apart her very soul.
Nephis screamed.
Even someone like her—someone whose Flaw forced her to live with pain every time she used her Aspect — could barely endure it.
Lysander whispered quietly.
"Immortal Flame's daughter, I am sorry.''
Moments passed.
The agony faded slightly.
Just enough for Nephis to speak.
"You…"
Her voice trembled with fury.
"You took one of my soul cores!"
Her eyes burned.
"Why?!"
Lysander gently placed her inside the Gateway.
Her body was already beginning to fade into light.
"You ask why?"
The radiance swallowed her slowly.
Just before she disappeared completely, she heard an inaudible whisper.
"Because…"
"I am a [Lost]."
--------
--------
--------
End of Volume 1 - Lost