Cassie's vision foretold the human castle burning in bright, radiant fire, rivers of blood gushing down its halls. Sunny wasn't sure if the vision was entirely literal or if it was conveyed with pure symbolism. However, he felt that they would have to confront the local tyrant eventually.
He didn't feel bad about having to kill that bastard. In fact, he hated him already. But he wasn't content with taking the entire human population down with it.
Sunny shook his head. He would cross his bridge when he got there. Or he would delay the thinking until it was closer.
The three of them grouped up to decide their next set of actions. They only had two soul shards, which could let two of them stay in the castle for a week, or one of them for two.
He looked at Nephis and sighed. The conversation wasn't really needed. Sunny already knew what they were going to do. Nephis would stay behind, and the two of them would go forward.
It was the most logical decision. He had the ability to scout inside the bright castle, while leaving Cassie out in the outskirts wasn't something neither of them would consider.
He nodded at Nephis and took the shards she handed over.
"I'll see you in a week," Sunny said somberly.
Nephis's lips curled with a faint smile.
"This time, make sure you come back in time."
Sunny nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He led Cassie to the gates of the human castle — just as the vision had foretold — showing the guards standing outside their soul shards. They were let in without struggle, meeting a gaunt sleeper named Harper at the reception desk and paying their tribute.
Sunny ordered two rooms next to each other so he could always keep an eye on Cassie. He didn't want to intrude on her privacy by forcing her to stay in the same room; neither did he want to do that. Even though Cassie was objectively very attractive, he felt no desire to have that type of relationship with her.
Sunny didn't want to get caught up in romance while the ghouls still lived. And he didn't necessarily like any-…
For some reason he couldn't finish that sentence.
Harper led them through the hallways of the castle, slowly explaining all the common rules and customs. In general, the rules were quite simple. You could do anything as long as you didn't disturb others for no reason. The bright castle was mostly open to everyone. However, Harper had talked about the importance of not going into the rooms meant for Gunlaug's host. The ones marked with a coiled serpent.
Sunny raised the sleeve of his armor slightly, looking at the serpent tattoo coiling around his arm.
Did that mean he was reserved for Gunlaug's host too?
Sunny felt strange about the coincidence of the imagery between shadow god's temples and the bright castle.
"People are usually very nice as long as you have manners. Especially when interacting with the guards and hunters… uh… these people keep us alive and fed. So, remember to treat them with respect."
Sunny knew exactly what the gaunt man meant. If any guard or hunter ever bothered him, he had to swallow it and not say anything.
As if he would.
They reached the side of the castle shrouded in the crimson spire's shadow soon. Harper showed them their rooms — which were right next to each other as he wanted.
Sunny opened the door and entered the room. It was small and compact, having a single bed, counter, mirror, and a window. Harper had warned them to not open the windows, especially at night. However, neither Sunny nor Cassie needed any light, so they weren't really inconvenienced.
He moved towards the counter. Looking into the small mirror standing on top of it. Sunny hadn't gotten a good look at himself in a long while. He had his shadow sense. However, the world of shadows was muted and gray, with only little color seeping it. Seeing himself in the mirror, he noticed the changes to his appearance easily.
His face was no longer angular and youthful; his jaw sharpened, making him look more like a dignified adult than a teenager. In his eyes, the dim light of calculating slaughter, or murder math, shone.
His skin was still clear like jade, alabaster pale. Even after all that time in the Labyrinth, his skin remained pristine. Minus the hands, which were calloused like an experienced fighter. That he was.
His body had become bigger, his shoulders broadening and his arms enlarging. That was bound to happen with hunting daily, eating a lot of meat, and saturating his core. However, Sunny was surprised at just how much bigger he was.
He actually looked like he worked out now, instead of looking like a scrawny brat.
On top of that, he had gotten taller by at least half a dozen centimeters. Still far from Nephis and gods even further from Effie, but he was at least getting closer.
Sunny couldn't resist smiling. He could really say he looked good. Charming, even. A really beautiful and graceful woman could really fall for him with his appearance.
Perhaps some already had.
Sunny coughed.
He jumped on the stiff bed inside the room and tried making himself comfortable. Compared to the soft mattresses inside the shadow mansion, the bed felt like adamantite rock. However, compared to the rough coral of the forgotten shore, it felt like true bliss.
Closing his eyes, he drifted to sleep.
Sunny got up during the day in a dark room. The shadow of the spire covered the part of the bright castle him and Cassie were staying, so there was little to no natural light during the day.
He didn't need it anyway. He left the room after taking care of himself, making sure he was presentable. As close as he could get, at least.
Sunny knocked on the door of the room right next to him. Cassie was staying there, naturally. He left his gloomy shadow with the room in her, but he hadn't used it's vision. He didn't want to invade her privacy. Cassie had gotten great at living by herself, as well. She seldom needed Nephis and he for menial tasks anymore. She could drink, eat, and get clothed all by herself.
Her adaptability was exceptional.
Cassie responded to Sunny's knock from beyond the door. Soon, she left the small room of her own.
Cassie stepped out of the room like a fairy of light. Her rough appearance was gone, her face no longer tainted by the ash and sand of the Crimson Labyrinth, instead as pristine as a pure gem.
The tide-keeper robes Nephis had given her were now gone. Wearing a light tunic instead.
Her beauty was as breathtaking as it was in the academy, perhaps even more, her azure blue eyes shining bright like a diamond.
'This is gonna be a problem, right?'