Sunny was quite unlucky.
He had never been lucky, and the [Fated] Attribute had only made things worse. He'd expected his passage through the dream realm to be harsh, but he still underestimated just how much the spell delighted in tormenting him.
He had been dropped straight into the middle of a lightless body of water, forced to flee from a monstrous terror of the deep, one that was itself being hunted by something far more horrifying. He had nearly died three times in the span of twenty minutes since arriving.
'I must have broken some kind of record, right?'
The sarcastic thought was the only thing keeping his mind from unraveling. Well, that, and the fact that he wasn't alone.
His gaze settled on the young woman standing before him: twenty something at first glance, but really just seventeen, like him. Of all the sleepers he could have stumbled across, he had to run into the most troublesome one of the bunch. And yet, a large part of him was equally grateful to have found a capable sleeper so fast.
He was well aware of who Elizabeth Hale was. There wasn't a single student in the academy who didn't know her name, one of only two sleepers to possess a true name. Apparently, she was a combat prodigy who rivaled Changing Star, the last daughter of the Immortal Flame Clan. And, according to the little classification system Sunny had invented for himself, she fit neatly into what he called a half legacy: someone who matched the profile for one but lacked the influence or power that usually came with it.
Sunny also knew quite a lot about her life. It was surprising, and honestly a little frightening, how much information people could dig up with a single tap on a screen. When he'd sent his shadow on its usual investigation rounds, it had returned with piles of useless gossip, most of it about her.
Elizabeth had a brother, Cain Hale, who had apparently been quite famous in Antarctica. People had dubbed him the "Winter Soldier." But Cain had passed away a few years ago, leaving behind a reputation that still followed the Hale family to this day. That was the reason Sunny had dubbed her a half legacy.
But that wasn't why Sunny found Elizabeth to be unique.
He still remembered the very first moment their eyes met outside the academy gates. His mind had been struck by a strange pull, as if something had reached inside him and twisted his emotions without permission. His thoughts had gone toward dark, uncomfortable corners, so sudden and so intense that he'd been genuinely startled.
He wasn't the lustful type. He never had been. Yet lately he'd been running into a lot of beautiful women, and his mind seemed to always wander toward the same dark places. Elizabeth was, by far, the most attractive person he had ever seen. He'd never thought he had a "type," but she possessed every quality he found beautiful.
At the time, he'd dismissed it as nothing more than being shaken by her appearance. But later that same day, he noticed the way almost everyone looked at her: hazy, unfocused eyes that people got whenever she passed by.
He had overheard plenty of sleepers whisper that Elizabeth was "their type," and that alone wouldn't have been strange. What unsettled him was how many people said the exact same thing. The odds of so many individuals sharing identical tastes were vanishingly small.
That was when Sunny realized something deeply unsettling. Everyone who looked at Elizabeth seemed to see exactly what they found attractive, as though she unconsciously reshaped herself to match each observer's ideal, seamlessly becoming whatever they desired most.
And that terrified him more than anything. Someone who could shape how others perceived them, someone who could adapt to every person's desires and get close to them, was the most dangerous kind of person there was.
At the time, Sunny had been convinced she possessed an Aspect that controlled the mind, and he had done everything in his power to stay as far away from her as possible. The last thing he wanted was to be near a potential mind controller. They might discover his secret.
His shadow had been affected as well, just not in the same way. Where Sunny felt an unsettling pull toward desire, his shadow reacted with something far stranger. Instead of lust, it felt reverence toward Elizabeth, a quiet, instinctive awe that made his skin crawl.
Yet what made Sunny especially wary of her was her claim that she possessed a Divine Aspect. When she'd first said it, she had simply stolen his thunder, and ironically enough, he hadn't believed her for a second. Not until she started probing, asking pointed questions about things he had experienced, details she shouldn't have known. And she had a true name as well.
Of course, he wasn't entirely sure a true name was connected to a Divine Aspect for a sleeper, but she knew too much about the kinds of things he had lived through.
For a while, Sunny had believed he might have been the first person in history to actually receive a Divine Aspect from the Spell. That assumption had been born from his own narrow mindedness. After all, there were millions of awakened people across the globe. Surely one of them must have had a Divine Aspect and simply chosen to keep it a secret, the same way he had.
Did he care that Elizabeth might have a Divine Aspect? Not really. In fact, he was almost relieved. If there was another Divine Aspect holder out there, then maybe, just maybe, he could finally learn what made him so different. Elizabeth, being a half legacy, probably had far more exposure to that side of the world than he ever did. She must have had information he didn't.
So he'd sent his shadow to spy on her from time to time. Mostly because Elizabeth had a habit of talking to herself, and if she ever happened to mutter something important, he wanted his shadow there to catch it.
It wasn't the most noble strategy, but Sunny had never claimed to be noble.
Unfortunately, all his eavesdropping revealed was that Elizabeth seemed to have more than her fair share of family issues. She also spent an unsettling amount of time talking to her dead brother, Cain, as though he were standing right beside her.
And it wasn't an act, either. she had ever tried pretending to be insane, it hadn't worked for long. Most people seemed to forget about it after a while, while others dismissed it as just another one of her eccentricities. Yet even when she was completely alone, with no one around to fool, Elizabeth still carried on conversations with herself.
In short, Elizabeth was a sleeper with a mind bending ability, absurd combat skills, an elemental Aspect that was possibly divine, and she was completely batshit insane.
Which was precisely why Sunny was less than thrilled to run into her out here.
Elizabeth was simply too unpredictable, and unpredictability was the most dangerous variable of all. It couldn't be anticipated, manipulated, or controlled.
So instead of waiting for her to make the first move, Sunny decided to seize the initiative and start the conversation himself. But the girl seemed to have arrived at the same idea.
"Well then, Sunny. We might be stuck together for a while in this hell, so let's lay out what we can and can't do, so we know what we're working with."
"I'll start," Sunny said, both to show his sincerity and to reveal information about himself in a controlled manner.
If he took the initiative to speak, he still had to tell the truth, but how much, and to what extent, was still for him to decide. If she asked and he had to answer, things would become unpredictable, so he had to reveal just enough to satisfy her and head off further questions.
"My attributes give me an affinity to shadows. I also have a slight affiliation to divinity. Lastly, I'm prone to finding myself in unlikely situations. As you already know, I can see in the dark, not perfectly clearly, but enough that I'm not completely blind.
"Oh, and my shadow can move independently and explore on its own. It can't affect the material world, but we share sight and hearing, so I can spot danger before I run into it. The shadow is fast and stealthy. It can go almost anywhere and is nearly impossible to notice."
Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly at the information, and a frown slowly formed on her face. Sunny was confused about why she was looking at him that way, until his own eyes widened a moment later.
'Crap. She must think I used my ability improperly.'
"Sunny. Tell me honestly, and if I sense you're lying, I might kill you on the spot. Did you ever use your ability to spy on people?"
His expression twisted. Of all the ways she could have phrased the question, she'd made it as broad as possible.
"Yes, I used it to spy on people. But not in the way you think. I didn't do anything improper. I mostly used it to gather information, since I'm from the outskirts and never had time for... that."
Elizabeth stayed silent, studying him. Sunny was half ready to summon his bell and set off a loud noise to attract any nearby abomination. He was under no illusion that he could beat her in direct combat, but he might have a chance if there was chaos to hide in.
"Okay. I believe you."
Sunny didn't believe her, since her face was still fixed on him with open suspicion.
"...Anyway, that's my ability. As for memories, I have two. One is an armor, and the other is a bell loud enough to be heard for miles. That's it."
Elizabeth nodded, seeming to weigh the information she'd just received before she spoke in turn.
"My Aspect lets me absorb water and control it. I can also turn my body into water. My innate ability gives me infinite stamina as long as I'm under open sky or near the sea, so I can't get exhausted. My attributes also give me a strong affinity for divinity, and let me think faster than normal."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"I also have an attribute that increases my beauty a bit. I have four memories. One is armor, another is a charm that warns me of approaching danger, or when something nearby has died. Another is a floating dagger, sharp enough to cut through most things. And the last is a charm shaped like a sword, though that one is single use, so I won't use it unless we're in mortal danger. That's about it."
Sunny's eyes narrowed slightly. The girl was loaded with powerful abilities and memories.
'What do you mean your innate ability makes it impossible to get exhausted? Mine makes me a slave. Where's the fairness in that?'
He couldn't help the flicker of awe and envy that rose as he looked at her. But he set the feeling aside as a question bubbled up in his mind.
"Hold on. You're not being fully honest with me. You never explained your mind bending ability. Why?"
Elizabeth blinked, genuine surprise flashing across her face.
"My what now?"
Sunny frowned. Was she really going to pretend she didn't have one, when she used it so freely?
"Your mind bending ability," Sunny began, studying her carefully. "I noticed that whenever people are around you, they seem to fall into this strange trance. I've experienced it myself, and honestly, it isn't pleasant."
He frowned.
"Everyone seems to see you as some kind of goddess they can't help but fall in love with. Even the girls are no exception. There's no way so many people could naturally have the exact same taste, let alone react so intensely every single time."
Sunny held her gaze for a moment before concluding, "So I figured it had to be some sort of mind bending ability."
Her expression twisted with confusion before her eyes widened slightly.
"Is that how everyone sees me?.....I knew it was unnatural, but not to that extent," she asked quietly.
She fell silent, mumbling to herself under her breath. Sunny waited patiently for an explanation.
"I don't have a mind bending ability," she finally said. "However, I do know the reason. It's one of my Attributes. It enhances my beauty."
She lowered her gaze.
"I knew it was powerful. People have always stared at me, so I tried to keep my face covered whenever I could. But I never imagined it was potent enough to affect people like that." She hesitated before adding apologetically, "Are you being affected right now? I can put my helmet back on if you'd like."
Sunny frowned.
An Attribute that enhanced someone's appearance to the point it was indistinguishable from a mind altering ability? Yeah, Elizabeth was definitely dangerous.
"No. Strangely, I'm not affected right now...Whenever you look much younger, or much older, the effect weakens considerably. I can still feel a bit of the pull, but it's nowhere near as overwhelming."
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully before she let out a quiet sigh.
"Thank you for telling me. I truly had no idea. It was never my intention to deceive you by withholding information, believe me," she said softly.
Sunny studied her for a long moment. He could feel the sincerity and gratitude in her voice. Either Elizabeth was an exceptional actress, or she genuinely hadn't known what her Attribute was doing to everyone around her.
They remained quiet for a while, and no one spoke. Since they hadn't been attacked in hours, Sunny finally allowed himself to relax and recover from the exhaustion of earlier. Elizabeth suddenly got up and walked toward the edge of the stone platform overlooking the dark sea. Sunny watched her calmly as she reached down and put her hand in the water.
'Lucky her. This environment must be the best for her. She'll be at her strongest here.'
Then Elizabeth froze. She stopped moving entirely, standing as still as a statue. He frowned before A cold, wordless certainty settled into his gut. Something had gone wrong.
"Elizabeth. Is something wrong?" he asked. She didn't answer. She didn't even seem to hear him.
The silence stretched a moment too long, and that was somehow worse than any sound could have been.
Then, without warning, Elizabeth collapsed and let out a scream that tore through the dark like something being ripped apart.
"Elizabeth?! What's happening?! Stop screaming!"
Had she gone mad? He didn't have time to think it through. He crossed the distance between them in an instant and clamped a hand over her mouth, more out of desperate instinct than any real plan.
"Stop. Please, stop yelling."
Her whole body was shaking. Her eyes had rolled back, showing only white, and her skin had begun to lose its shape, rippling and running like something coming undone, as if the water inside her was trying to remember it had never been a person at all.
Her eyes snapped back open all at once. Whatever looked out from behind them was not looking at him the way she had a moment ago. She shoved him away with a strength that sent him skidding across the stone.
Sunny caught his balance just in time to see her body begin to swell, stretching and distending like something filling far too fast to hold its shape, as though whatever was inside her had outgrown the room it had been given. Her eyes, once a calm green, now burned with a sickly golden light.
She raised a single trembling finger toward the sea.
And the water within her answered.
Black water surged out of her in a torrent, more than her small frame should have ever been able to hold, gallons upon gallons pouring from her mouth and skin as if she were nothing but a vessel for it. When it was done, she deflated all at once and dropped to the stone, gasping and hollowed out.
Sunny didn't dare go near her yet. He kept his distance and called out instead, his voice tight.
"Elizabeth? Are you okay?"
For a long moment there was nothing but her ragged breathing. Then, out past the edge of the platform, the sea that had been merely dark now looked deeper than dark, a blackness with no bottom and, worse, a blackness that seemed to be looking back.
The faint slap of water against stone had changed too. It no longer sounded like waves. It sounded like something breathing, slow and patient, in time with the rise and fall of Elizabeth's shoulders.
'What did she do?'
The answer came almost immediately, but it wasn't the calm, composed voice of the woman who had matter of factly listed off her abilities only hours before.
It was smaller. Younger. Filled with a fear so raw and helpless that it made his blood run cold.
"Sunny," she whispered, her voice trembling. "The sea...The black sea."
She swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on the endless darkness beyond them.
"It's alive." Her lips quivered. "And...I think I just woke it up from its slumber."
Somewhere far beneath the platform, in the lightless depths of the black sea, something immense shifted. The entire ocean seemed to move with it.
Then Sunny felt it.
A pressure beyond comprehension descended upon the world without warning. His body locked in place. Every instinct screamed at him to flee, yet he couldn't even force himself to breathe. It felt as though an ancient gaze had risen from the abyss and settled over them, mad and absolute.
It came from the sea. Vast. Boundless. Incomparably dreadful. It dwarfed everything Sunny had ever survived. In that instant, every last shred of hope he had of escaping alive was snuffed out.
' Just...What in the hell did she wake up?'
They were going to die. That much he knew, and he could not help clenching his teeth in quiet fury. His journey had barely started, and already he was standing at death's door.
Then, just as despair threatened to swallow him whole, a sliver of silver light appeared on the distant horizon.
The black sea seemed to groan, a low, endless sound that came from everywhere and nowhere at once, as if the whole ocean had exhaled.
The crushing pressure lessened, and the dreadful gaze fixed upon them slowly withdrew, with reluctance, almost resentful, like something being called back to sleep against its will.
Then, as suddenly as it had descended, it was gone.
Sunny sucked in a ragged breath and turned toward Elizabeth.
Her Flaw had begun to take effect.
Before his eyes, her body rapidly shrank. Her limbs grew smaller, her features softer, and her armor shifted with her as she regressed in age. The transformation lasted only a few seconds before it finally stopped. Standing where the young woman had been only moments ago was a small child, no older than five.
'It's morning.'
They both turned toward the horizon.
A radiant sun was slowly rising, its pale sliver light piercing the eternal darkness.
The black sea recoiled from its brilliance.
The endless waters retreated as though driven back by some invisible force, ebbing away at a steady, unmistakable pace. The oppressive darkness that had swallowed the world only moments before withdrew with it, chased off by the advancing dawn.
Neither of them spoke. They simply stood there, watching the impossible sight unfold. A few minutes later, the retreating sea revealed what had been hidden beneath its waters all along.
Before them stretched a vast, sunlit shore. And scattered across it, half buried in the wet black sand as far as the eye could see, lay things that had not been there before. Shapes too still, too numerous, and too deliberately arranged to be driftwood.
Neither of them moved to find out what they were.