The man Sunny presumed to be Adam was not alone.
Two others walked with him, but not in the manner of guards, servants, or subordinates. They moved alongside him as equals, their spacing natural, unforced—three figures sharing the same pace rather than orbiting a center.
One of them could only be Sasrir.
He was tall and slender, his build long-limbed rather than bulky, with flowing black hair that fell past his shoulders like a curtain of ink. Thick shadows clung to him unnaturally, shrouding everything above the shoulders. His face was not obscured so much as erased, reduced to an indistinct mass of darkness that refused to reflect light. It made Sunny's skin prickle just to look at him.
Sasrir wore a robe similar in cut to Adam's—simple, utilitarian—but his was pitch black, devoid of pattern, trim, or ornamentation. There was no cross around his neck, no symbol of faith or affiliation. He walked quietly, his presence bending the air around him, as though the world itself instinctively stepped aside.
The second man—
Sunny blinked.
Then blinked again.
A curse rose unbidden in his mind.
He had thought Caster Han Li was unfairly perfect. The man before him rendered that belief laughable. This stranger possessed a kind of beauty that felt deliberate, almost sculpted. Soft bronze hair caught the light as he walked, its color warm rather than ostentatious. His limpid green eyes reflected the sun in a way that made them seem alive, bright with genuine warmth rather than sharp intelligence. His skin was lightly tanned, smooth and unblemished.
He was not excessively muscular, but his exposed arms were toned and well-built, shaped by honest effort rather than vanity. A natural smile rested on his lips—not practiced, not forced—and he greeted everyone he passed with easy familiarity. To Sunny's growing irritation, people greeted him back eagerly, some smiling despite themselves.
If Sasrir made the world darker, then this man made it brighter.
And that alone made Sunny deeply suspicious.
Adam himself was… ordinary.
At least, at first glance.
He had thick blond hair cut neatly before the ears, with a golden beard framing his mouth and jawline. His features were symmetrical, composed, and had a charm that was held by those on the twilight between youth and manhood. There was no overwhelming presence, no sharp edge to him, and Sunny felt he would blend into a crowd anywhere—the perfect ordinary.
Around Adam's neck hung a crucifix.
It was mottled bronze, its surface worn as though it had been handled often. At the end of each point of the cross, thorns had been forged into the metal, curling inward like brambles. Sunny frowned faintly at the sight, imagining how easily the sharp points could prick skin if Adam was careless.
Nephis noticed them at the same time he did.
She glanced sideways at Sunny. He understood instantly and extended Gloomy's range, letting his shadow slip away from his feet and melt into the cluttered geometry of the Settlement. It flowed across walls, under carts, into the narrow gaps between shacks.
No one followed.
No hidden escort. No ambush waiting to close in.
Sunny recalled his shadow and gave Nephis a subtle shake of his head. All clear.
Changing Star straightened.
Despite the fact that she had been elbow-deep in monster viscera not long ago, her skin was immaculate, unmarred by grime or blood. Her flames had long since burned away anything that dared linger on her body. She stood tall, composed, every inch the Legacy she was born to be.
She remained like that as Adam and Sasrir came into view.
Then she saw the third man.
Sunny almost thought he had been ensnared by the Soul Devourer again.
Nephis froze.
Her stormy grey eyes widened until they looked almost comically large. Her mouth parted slowly, soundlessly, and a vivid scarlet bloomed across her cheeks. Her fists clenched at her sides, knuckles whitening, and her posture wavered as though her legs had forgotten their purpose.
She swayed.
Sunny's heart skipped. He rushed to her side, catching her arm before she could stumble.
"Neph? Neph!"
Around them, people paused. Whispers faltered. Even Cassie sensed something was wrong.
She reached out anxiously, her hands groping the air until, on her third attempt, she found Nephis's arm and held on tightly.
"Nephis?" Cassie asked, her voice tight with concern. "What's wrong?"
By then, Adam and the two men had arrived in front of them.
Adam regarded the scene in silence, his expression gentle and open, though even he could not fully conceal the flicker of surprise that crossed his face at Nephis's condition. The handsome stranger's smile softened into something more cautious, more curious, while Sasrir remained unreadable, the shadows around him thickening almost imperceptibly.
Adam inclined his head slightly, his voice calm and warm.
"Excuse me, miss," he said. "Are you alright?"
Nephis remained unfocused for several long seconds.
Her gaze drifted past Adam, past Sasrir, past the gathered onlookers, as though she were staring at something far beyond the Settlement. Then, without warning, silver flame erupted around her body.
The fire bloomed outward in a tight corona, bright and pure. Her pale hair lifted as if caught in an unseen current, strands floating upward in defiance of gravity. The air grew hot, sharp with power.
Sunny reacted instantly.
He leapt backward, pulling Cassie with him, placing his body between her and Nephis without conscious thought. His heart hammered as he braced for an explosion, for a loss of control, for something catastrophic.
Nothing came.
After barely two seconds, the flames extinguished themselves, collapsing inward as though they had never existed. The heat vanished. The light faded. Nephis stood there once more, composed and immaculate, as if the outburst had been nothing more than a trick of the eye.
She straightened her posture.
Then she smiled politely at Adam.
Her gaze slid, briefly, to the third man, lingering for the faintest fraction of a second before she turned away and ignored him completely.
"Thank you for your concern," she said evenly. "But I am fine."
Sunny exhaled slowly through his nose, swallowing a curse before it could escape. He shot her a sharp look, but Nephis gave no indication that anything was amiss.
Adam, to Sunny's surprise, did not press the issue.
He simply nodded, then stepped forward and extended his hand.
"My name is Adam," he said, his voice calm and sincere. "I have heard of your deeds this past week. I wished to offer my respects. The Settlement does not have many people like you, and each one makes a difference. On behalf of all us lonely souls here in the Forgotten Shore, I thank you."
Nephis accepted his hand, clasping it firmly.
Her grip was steady. Her eyes were clear now, resolute rather than distant.
"No," she replied. "It is I who should be thanking you. I am merely mimicking your own actions, and even then, what I do is far lesser. My Aspect is uniquely suited to hunting, and I am at very little risk of being harmed. You chose to endanger yourself to help others despite being less suited to it. That is far more deserving of praise."
Adam laughed softly and withdrew his hand.