Chapter 1070: Disfunctional Citadel
1070 Disfunctional Citadel
As they went back up the stairs, Sunny couldn't help but think about what he had seen in the stone chamber at the root of the great pagoda. The circle of runes, the sublime crystal hovering in the middle of it... that had to be the core of Hope's tower, as well as of the whole island. The very heart of the Citadel
But what was its purpose?
An easy conclusion would be that the divine soul shard was the energy source that powered the enchantments keeping the Ivory Island afloat. But that did not make any sense... the runes had been carved by the Demon of Desire herself, which meant that the enchantments had been created before her kingdom was destroyed.
Back then, it had been simply a prospering latte. There had been no islands, let alone flying ones. Come to think of it, Sunny was not entirely clear on how the Kingdom of Hope had become the Chained Isles... had she suspended the remnants of her shattered kingdom above the devouring flames herself, in order to preserve at least some of it, or had it been arranged by Sun God?
There were other questions, too. If the divine soul shard was the heart of the Citadel, was it powering the Gateway? But the Gateway was only created recently, after the Seed of Nightmare had been conquered. The Spell made it appear, not Hope. Had the Spell created entirely new enchantments, or built upon the existing ones?
Cassie had said that there were other functions of the Citadel she had yet to master. What were they, exactly?
Now that Sunny started thinking about it, he realized that he didn't really know much about Citadels. That word just used to describe a human stronghold built around a Gateway in the Dream Realm. He had visited two- the Sanctuary of Noctis and the Ivory Tower. No, actually, three- the Crimson Spire would have become a Citadel, too, if it had not been destroyed.
Was there perhaps more to the Citadels than he had known? Did all of them have hidden functions?
Sunny glanced at Cassie, who was tracing the stone wall with her fingers as she ascended the stairs.
"I actually learned a bit about Hope's runic sorcery back in the Nightmare. If you want, we can compare notes later."
Cassie turned her head and smiled with some excitement.
"Really? That would be very helpful!"
Sunny sighed. Of course, it would be... neither of them had any hope of truly learning runic sorcery - or Hope's magic, as Noctic had called it in their lifeline. However, learning how to decipher and use already existing enchantments was not out of the question.
After all, a person could swing a sword without knowing how to forge it.
Runic sorcery was different from weaving, but perhaps just as ingenious. In the primordial era of the Dream Realm, mortals had only known one type of sorcery - the Sorcery of Names. They were capable of invoking the true names of things to wield great power, but speaking those names aloud was often an impossible task.
Hope, however, had invented the concept of writing and gifted it to humans. With the knowledge of writing, humans leamed how to transcribe true names and did not need to speak them aloud anymore. ․. More titan that, the names could be bound to material objects through writing, thus granting the invocations permanence... and could also be shaped into songs and phrases.
However, it was still all based on the knowledge of true names-without knowing the meaning of the name, transcribing it would have no effect. And there was no way for either Sunny or Cassie to learn that in less than a few centuries.
There were both mortals, after all.
So, all they could do was use runic enchantments left behind by someone far more powerful and knowledgeable.
Sunny shook his head slightly, wondering what secrets the Ivory Tower held.
They made their way back to the first level, and then went higher. In the past, the Fire Keepers had made their home on the upper levels of the Ivory Tower, but now it was empty- the Awakened following Nephis and Cassie had moved to the wooden village outside.
The second level, the third level. the fourth... finally, they arrived at the fifth, second-to-last level of the pagoda. It was separated into many halls and chambers, some of which had been recently refurbished to serve various purposes. It all resembled the interior of a beautiful, but rather bare-bones manor.
A mouth-watering aroma was coming from a half-open door at the end of one of the corridors. Effie hurried toward it with gleaming eyes.
Behind the door was a brightly lit hall that was made into a kitchen. Sunny noticed that someone had put a lot of effort into either building cooking appliances or bringing them here from the waking world -the latter could only be done by a Master, of course.
Although most advanced technology did not work in the Dream Realm, similar to how it failed in the vicinity of Nightmare Gates, more primitive devices functioned perfectly well. There were expensive, but much more convenient speltech solutions, too. So while you couldn't really have something like an electric stove or a refrigerator here, you could have a wood stove or an icehox, as well as analogs that worked on essence.
Sunny also noticed several large crates of cooking ingredients, beverages, and snacks, which had obviously been delivered from the waking world by the members of the cohort.
He did not pay that much attention, though, because there was someone standing in front of the stove, stirring the source of the delicious aroma—a generous amount of fried rice that was being cooked in a bowl-shaped frying pan.
Tall, slender, with beautiful silver hair, and wearing white apron.... wait, an apron?
Sunny blinked a couple of times.
Hearing their steps, Nephis looked over her shoulder and called out
"It's almost ready..."
Then, she suddenly tensed and slowly turned around.
Neph's face remained as calm as ever, but there was a hint of agitation in her striking grey eyes.
"Sunny?"
He remained silent for a moment, then looked past her.
"Sure. You better turn around, though. Don't burn our dinner!"
Chapter 1071: Familiar Role
1071 Familiar Role
Nephis stared at Sunny for a couple moments, then briefly glanced at her apron and quietly cleared her throat.
"Right."
She turned around and got back to stirring the rice. A couple seconds later, site added without looking back:
"You'll have to wait for a couple more minutes. And... welcome back, Sunny. Did you make it out of the Antarctic Center alright?"
Sunny wondered how much Changing Star knew about the situation in the Southern Quadrant as he followed Cassie, Effie, and Kai to sit behind a dining table. Settling on a wooden chair... which was far inferior to his own Shadow Chair... he sighed.
"I wouldn't call it "alright". But yes, I made it out. I'm already inside a siege capital in East Antarctica."
Neph's shoulder moved slightly.
"...That's good."
Effie grabbed a few cans of something sugary and refreshing, then pushed one toward Sunny.
"Kai and I spent a whole month in transit, aboard those giant ships. We were in the first batch of the Second Army to arrive, so we've been in East Antarctica for about a week. Gods... I thought the ocean was bad, but Antarctica! I havenever seen that many Nightmare Creatures in my life, not even here in the Dream Realm. It's like the two worlds switched places."
Kai nodded southerly.
"Indeed. Even though there are secure evacuation corridors between the inland siege capitals and the harbor strongholds, we had to fight a couple battles just to reach our designated sector. Luckily, there were no casualties."
The Second Army was twice the size of the First Army, so it was going to take two trips for the naval convoys to bring all of it to the Southern Quadrant. Both Effie and Kai were in the first wave of reinforcements, which was why they had made landfall around the time Sunny himself reached East Antarctica.
Sunny looked at them, wondering. East Antarctica was a large place, and it was not a given that their paths would cross until the end of the operation... he really hoped that they would, though.
Effie shook her head.
"Enough about us! What happened to you? You... you look a bit different. Sunny."
He did indeed look slightly different because of the Marble Shell. However, Sunny knew that that was not what Effie meant.
He sighed and took a sip from the cart she had given him.
"Well... as you know. I was assigned to the First Irregular Company. In the first month after our contingent of the army made it to the Antarctic Center, things were. more or less fine. The field army split into seven divisions, with one remaining in the city of l-'alcon Scott, while six others moved south to establish six more siege capitals."
Sunny paused.
"I was assigned to the southernmost siege capital, and then went on a mission to retrieve a VIP from a remote research station. That was when everything went from bad to worse. The Chain of Nightmares had gone into overdrive. and three whole titans spawned in the Antarctic Center... including an especially troublesome Corrupted one."
It took a lot to keep his voice from shaking at the mention of the Winter Beast. The others looked at him intently, and Sunny sighed.
"I ended up stuck in that research station for about a month, waiting to be evacuated by a battleship. However, the ship never arrived, and everyone in the settlement was eventually eviscerated by a powerful Terror. My people and I were the only ones to survive. We were in a bit of a predicament, though, because by that point, reaching the nearest siege capital was more easily said than done."
He leaned back, remembering L049 and the start of the calamitous march north. His face darkened.
"And then we leamed that the nearest siege capital had actually already been destroyed. So I had to go to the second nearest one, picking up a few refugees in the process that was when I got trapped in that weird tunnel. Thanks for helping me out, by the way."
He forced out a smile, looking at Nephis and Cassie. Cassie shook her head.
"Of course. We were quite surprised! The way you delivered the message was very original, to say the least. And, tit... very you! Hopefully, the little kernel of insight I gleaned was of some help."
Sunny chuckled.
"It helped. I still don't know what that thing in the tunnel was, but we managed to escape from it... for a time. Sadly, the second nearest siege capital also ended up being destroyed, and so, I had to lead the train of refugees all the way back to Falcon Scott. That was... a hell of a journey. ․. But what happened next was even worse. We held the last siege capital for close to three weeks, and in that time, about ninety percent of civilians were evacuated to East Antarctica."
After saying that, he remained silent for a while. Eventually, Sunny grimaced.
"The remaining ten percent, though, all died. As did millions of people in the other destroyed siege capitals. Saint Tyris-you know her had been holding back that Comupted Titan I mentioned. Once she was defeated, the titan swept in and killed everyone. The whole field army was wiped out. I am hard to kill, so I survived... well, and here I am."
A somber silence settled in the brightly lit hall. Nephis and Cassie did not speak, probably not mowing what to say, and neither did Effie and Kal. The latter two were especially grim, because they were now in Antarctica, too.
So many people had died, and what had happened to Sunny could very easily happen to the two of them, as well.
Eventually, Kai sighed.
"I'm so sorry, Sunny. You've been through a lot."
Sunny closed his eyes for a moment. The heart-wrenching memories of the Antarctic Center clawed at his heart, making him want to surrender to a dark and boundless emotion.
... With a smile, he shook his head.
"We've all been through a lot. On the Forgotten Shore and in our Second Nightmares, we've been through hell after hell. But... it did really feel different, this time. Maybe because I was responsible for other people, and maybe because it was happening right here on Earth, not in some distant place."
With that, Sunny glanced at Effie and Kai, then said, trying to cheer them up:
"You don't have to worry too much, though. Now that the operation is in its second phase, things will calm down a little. East Antarctica is in a much better spot than the Antarctic Center... there are more soldiers, more Awakened, more Saints, and much fewer obstacles in the way. Sure, it's going to be a tough campaign, and unexpected variables are bound to emerge... but I feel like the worst part is over. With some luck, we will all manage."
He smiled, then secretly threw a glance at Nephis.
She was now a part of one of those unexpected variables. Would Neph have something to say to him? As if feeling his gaze, Changing Star turned around and walked their way, soon placing plates of fragrant rice and vegetables in front of each member of the cohort.
Her apron had disappeared at some point in the past few minutes.
Sitting down, Nephis pushed the plate with the biggest portion toward Sunny, which caused Effie to stare at her indignantly
Neph coughed.
"What? Eat, everyone... before it gets cold..."
They turned their attention to the food, and for a while, Sunny felt delightfully at peace.
It was so strange... he had gone through so much, and had changed so much, but now that he was back with his friends, it was so easy to slide into a familiar role-to smile and laugh as if he was the same old Sunny. It felt natural, even if a small, hidden comer of his heart remained dark and cold, untouched by the peaceful warmth of their reunion.
Still, it wasn't a bad feeling.
Allowing himself to relax, Sunny concentrated on the food. It had been along time since he got to eat something Nephis had cooked.
The fried rice, with vegetables was, indeed, much better than military rations.
It was delicious.
Chapter 1072: Brief Levity
The small dinner was very enjoyable for Sunny. In fact, after being under crushing pressure for pretty much the entire past four months, this sudden moment of levity made him feel like he was on the verge of melting into a puddle of jelly.
It was as though the outer edges of his being had been turned into a harsh, rigid shell by the immense strain of the disastrous war, and now that the shell suddenly disappeared. he could not quite remember how to keep himself together without it.
Still, he managed.
The five of them ate and chatted relaxedly, sharing small details about their lives in recent months. Sunny especially had a lot to say.
All of them were experienced combatants, but he now possessed precious knowledge of the intricacies of the type of war Effie and Kai would soon be exposed to.
The Southern Campaign was different from the usual tribulations Awakened faced in the Dream Realm. The terrain was different, the climate was different... even the cycle of day and night was different. More importantly, the forces arranged against them were different, as were the forces on their side.
In Antarctica, Ascended and Awakened had the support of mundane soldiers and modern technology. Sunny had learned a tremendous amount of lessons about how to bring the two together - in no small part because he had commanded a mixed force of Awakened and mundanes in conditions so desperate that anything less than perfect cohesion would have meant certain death.
Unlike him, who had been a part of a small and exceedingly elite unit, both Kai and Effie were placed in command of large detachments consisting of rank-and-file soldiers. To them, this practical knowledge was more valuable than gold.
Small things like using fire resistance enchantments to increase the tactical flexibility of MWP flamethrowers, efficiently triaging mundane soldiers that had been infected by the Spell, managing the ammo consumption of the vehicle turrets in relation to the essence consumption of the Awakened - and a thousand more things like this could only be learned through experience... or being taught by someone with such experience.
Of course, his friends were bright people and immensely talented warriors. In time, they would have reached the same conclusions, but that time could very well cost many lives. That was why Sunny was in a hurry to share his hard-won expertise.
The only problem was that actually going over everything was bound to take way more time than they had... so, at some point, he simply used the [Blessing of Dusk] enchantment of the Graceless Dusk to establish a mental connection and share his insights in a more direct fashion.
Needless to say, his sudden ability to transmit thoughts telepathically startled his friends greatly.
Effie flinched, almost falling from her chair. and looked at him with wide eyes.
"Aaah! What the hell, Sunny?! You're in my head!"
Sunny paused, suddenly realizing that he should have probably warned them before establishing the connection. He chuckled awkwardly.
"Oh... sorry, I should have explained first. One of the enchantments of my tunic... it's a tunic, you troglodyte... allows me to establish a mental link with other living beings. ․. Don't worry, though, I can't read your thoughts - and in your case, Effie, I wouldn't even want to! Gods, I shudder just imagining what is going on in that depraved head of yours. In any case, you have to willingly transmit a thought for me to receive it. Imagine it as thinking out loud."
She hesitated for a few moments, then instantly sent over a mental image that made Sunny spit out his drink and glare at her with murder in his eyes.
Effie grinned, then waved a hand.
"Alright, alright. I get it. What a great enchantment!"
With the help of the [Blessing of Dusk], the conversation flowed much faster.
Eventually, though, both Kai and Effie had to leave. They had just arrived at their assigned siege capital, after all. so there was a lot for them to do. In fact, days like this, when all five could freely gather in the Dream Realm together, were bound to be rare until the Antarctica operation was over.
Cassie excused herself, too, returning to the root chamber of the tower to continue studying the runic circle.
Sunny and Nephis were left alone in the sunlit hall.
He hesitated.
Throughout the dinner, Sunny had avoided speaking about the matters that gnawed on him - the war between the great clans and their plans for Antarctica. In fact, he felt reluctant to start that conversation even now.
However, he had already learned the unpleasant lesson of what happened when he postponed important conversations until the last possible moment.
Sunny's relaxed expression slowly changed to one of grim sharpness. Looking at Nephis, he leaned back a little and asked:
"You told me before that Valor and Song would most likely turn the Southern Quadrant into their private battlefield. How sure are you of it now, after four months?"
Neph lingered for a while, her beautiful grey eyes clear and calm. Then, she said: "I am pretty sure. In fact. it has already been set in stone."
Sunny let out a resentful sigh.
"Damn them!'
He gritted his teeth, staring into the distance with a harsh expression. Suddenly, the shadows in the corners of the hall seemed much darker.
"This is... insanity."
Sunny shook his head, feeling a strong desire to break something.
"This is pure madness, Neph! I've been told that the great clans have long given up on the waking world. Standing aside and watching the lives of hundreds of millions of people be destroyed is already unforgivable. But coming to mess things up even further is just beyond all reason! I just... I just don't understand."
Changing Star looked at him evenly. Then, a strange, joyless smile slowly appeared on her face. "I can help you with that."
Sunny frowned.
"What exactly do you mean?"
Nephis sighed, then looked away.
"You've done a lot in the past four months, Sunny. Cassie and I might not have gone through as much as you have, but we haven't been idle, either. We've managed to discover a few things... although not as many as I would have liked. After all, it has only been a few months. They don't trust me much, yet."
She paused for a moment.
"This war between Valor and Song has always seemed a little strange. And now, I think I know why. A lot of things still remain unclear, but we did solve the most important mystery."
Changing Star looked at him and said:
"The true reason why the great clans are at war. Do you want me to tell you? That will certainly help you understand."
Chapter 1073: The Fourth Step
1073 The Fourth Step
Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at Nephis with a somber expression.
Eventually, a dark smile appeared on his face.
"Pray tell."
Neph sighed, then stood up and started gathering the dirty plates. Her movements were calm and unhurried, as if they had not been discussing matters that could very well decide the fate of the whole world.
"Help me do the dishes?"
Sunny blinked, amused by the mundane banality of her request. He lingered for a moment, then shook his head and went about giving Changing Star a hand. As they cleaned the plates in the cold water produced by either a Memory or the Ivory Tower itself, she started talking:
"I've known for a long time that the great clans - especially Song and Valor - were opposed to each other, despite being outwardly unified. The symptoms of the approaching war were quite apparent, if one knew where to look. However, the reasons for this animosity have always eluded me. Ki Song and Anvil had been comrades once, after all... well, I guess it doesn't really matter. My father was their comrade, too.
Sunny hesitated for a moment.
"Do they really need a reason, though? Power is already reason enough. Both have an unimaginable amount of it, but in my experience, those who possess great power are the. ones most greedy for more.
Nephis slowly shook her head.
"Maybe... but they are not fools. This war of theirs is too ill-timed, anti too destructive. The great clans stand to lose more from it than they would gain. There are other powers to consider, too - the House of Night, for example. Even the government, or Asterion, wherever he might be... if both Song and Valor are weakened by the clash, the lesser threats might very well swoop in to finish off the victor."
She paused for a bit.
"So, I suspected there had to be something else at play. And as it turns out, there is - although I only learned of it recently. I still don't know why the hostility between the two great clans has suddenly escalated so much now, of all the times it could have... now seems like a terrible time to go to war-However. I think I do know the true source of their conflict."
Sunny glanced at her, consumed by tense anticipation. It felt as though he was about to learn a great secret... one that would finally let him see the full picture clearly, or at least show him the. way to the truth.
Very few people in the world could have uncovered this mystery... but Changing Star herself had infiltrated one of the great clans, while Cassie was helping her. lіghtnоvеlcavе․соm. And now, he was going to benefit from their effort.
Sunny remained silent, waiting. Nephis calmly wiped the last plate; put it on the drying rack, and turned to him. White sparks ignited in her eyes.
"It has to do with the Sovereigns... and their Domains."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Domains? I've heard a few people use that word. However, I still don't know what it means."
Nephis nodded, then headed toward the stairs to the sixth, highest level of the tower.
"Come. uh, if you want."
Sunny gave her a dark look. then followed. As they ascended the stairs, Neph spoke:
"To people who know about the existence of the Sovereigns, Domains are synonymous with their rule. so, one might say that they belong to a Domain, meaning that they serve. one of the Supremes.
However, there is a deeper secret here. As I found out, Domains are not just an abstract concept... in fact, they are very real. A Domain is an extension of a Sovereign's Aspect."
Sunny stared at her silently. He had suspected as much, hilt never had any proof.
More than that, he had no idea what that statement actually implied.
"So it is an Ability, like the Transformation Ability that the Saints possess? One that affects an area, perhaps?"
Neph frowned.
"Not... exactly. Once a Transcendent becomes a Supreme, they do unlock another Ability - one that is tremendously powerful, at that. You might call it a supreme, ultimate, or pinnacle Ability, I guess. But a Domain is something separate from the Supreme Ability. It is another innate function of the Aspect, just like controlling soul essence or accessing the Soul Sea is - a natural progression of one's ability to express their power."
She lingered for a moment.
"Within their Domain, a Sovereign's is nearly invincible. Mind you. I don't know everything about it just yet. I've just gleaned bits and pieces of information where I could. The point is, each step of the Path of Ascension... as well as of the Path of Corruption... has its own meaning. The first path is the ascent toward divinity, while the second is the descent into profanity."
They reached the sixth level, which, just like the first, only encompassed one spacious hall. This one was smaller than the great chamber where Hope had once been chained, and suffused with bright sunlight. It was empty and spartan, with only a few pieces of wooden furniture and a bed occupying small section of the vast stone floor, the white curtains of the bed's canopy billowing in the wind.
Apparently, this was where Nephis herself lived. She led Sunny to one of the four large balconies and stopped there, looking at the breathtaking vista of the boundless blue sky. The clouds were rolling past the Ivory Island like a swirling, radiant sea.
"Those who are Dormant can Awaken. After that, some rise above the mundane and take the first step toward the divine, becoming Ascended. Others descend into the abyss of corruption and become Fallen.
That is the meaning of the second step - rise or fall. The essence of the third step is transformation.
Ascended truly transcend their mundane origin, becoming Transcendent. Fallen become corrupted by the dark abyss, and are thus called Corrupted."
Sunny looked at her and frowned.
'Awakening, Ascension, Transformation.'
"What about the fourth step, then? What about the Great and the Supreme?"
Nephis met his gaze, her cold grey eyes shining with the reflected sunlight.
"The essence of the fourth step is authority. I guess a god has to be a god of something... or someone.
At the fourth step, the Sovereigns start to coalesce their domains. And that, I think, is much more important than all other forms of power they possess. I think... I think only the Domain can pave the way for a Supreme to take the next step on the Path of Ascension. And become Sacred."
Chapter 1074: Authority
Sunny looked down, at the rolling sea of clouds. He was considering Neph's words.
Some of what she said was common knowledge... people had long theorized that there was a profound meaning to the way the Spell named different Ranks. Ascended were called Ascended because they had risen above their human nature, Transcendent were called Transcendent because they had broken past it, assuming some traits of the divine.
The Supremes, then, took another step toward Godhood, and that step seemed to be tied to authority. It made sense, really. because that progression was similar to how Nightmare Creatures grew in Class the Tyrants were all about rule and authority, too.
However, there was something in what Nephis had told him that caught Sunny's attention. He glanced at her and asked:
"Did you say "start" to coalesce their Domains?"
That word meant much more than one would think. If there was a start, there also had to be an end. much more importantly, it hinted that a Domain was not something that Supremes simply gained.
There was a process to it.
Neph smiled.
"Indeed, you caught on to the very heart of the issue. The Domains are not set in stone... as all other forms of power, they can change and be changed. Simply put, a Domain can grow - in fact, I suspect that it must grow for a Supreme to realize his or her potential. And, therefore, a Domain can also be diminished."
Sunny's eyes gleamed. He was starting to understand...
'I see. I see now... of course! It makes so much sense.!
He looked at her intently, the shadows around him growing darker.
"And how exactly do Domains grow?"
Changing Star lingered for a moment, then turned to look at the sky.
"Well... it is hard to say. All Domains are unique, after all, just like all Aspects are unique. However, there are some common things that all of them most likely share. So, I would say that there are two ways. One is the natural way - that was how the ancient people of the Dream Realm spread their authority and built their Domains."
Sunny slowly nodded. People like Noctis and Auto of the Nine had also been Awakened... however, he knew very little about how they reached higher Ranks of power. There had been no Nightmares in the ancient past, nor had there been the Spell.
The Spell...
Nephis noticed the look of realization on his face and nodded.
"Yes. The Spell provides training wheels for the. Awakened of the lower Ranks, creating a harrowing, but swift and streamlined road for them to reach greater power. There are so many tools it gives us, that we take for granted. So why wouldn't it provide assistance to the Sovereigns, as well?
The Spell has created a straightforward way for the Supremes to expand their Domains.!
She took a step back and placed her hand on the ivory wall of the great pagoda.
"Do you get it yet?"
Sunny stared, silent. A few moments later, he said in a low voice:
"The.. Citadels?"
Neph smiled.
"Correct. No matter what authority you wield, it can only spread through two mediums... I think.
Territory, or people. The Citadels naturally encompass both. We. knew all along that the Spell creates the.
Gateways, which serve as the heart and purpose for the existence of the Citadels.
However, as it turns out, there is more to it. Much more...
She lingered for a few moments, then frowned.
"I am... not too sure about the true scope of what functions the Citadels hide. What I do know, however, is that Saints already have the ability to bind them. lіghtnоvеlcavе․соm. We have not found out what this binding entails, exactly, but I think it is safe to say that if a Saint serves a Sovereign and takes control of a Citadel, the Sovereign's Domain expands."
Changing Star hesitated.
"It also seems that not all Citadels are created equal. There are some that are very special, and much more desirable... like Bastion, or Ravenheart. Or this island. It is not a coincidence that each of the great clans had fought to conquer one of the locations marked on the map you found in the Ebony Tower."
Sunny looked at her sharply, considering the implications. Bastion, Ravenheart, the Ivory Tower... from what he knew, each of these places had served as the stronghold of one of the daemons. The House of Night was in possession of the fourth one. The fifth was located in the utterly lethal hollow Mountains... which clan Valor had nevertheless put a lot of effort into exploring, disregarding the danger. And the sixth one - the last one, considering that Weaver did not seem to have possessed a stronghold - the sixth one.
Was the black pyramid far to the cast. The pyramid that seemed to be somehow tied to the Chain of Nightmares.
Sunny took a deep breath.
"So, what exactly are you trying to say?"
Nephis shook her head.
"Isn't it obvious? Both Anvil of Valor and Ki Song need to expand their spheres of influence to perfect their Domains. However... there are only so many human Citadels to go around.
Which means that two
Domains - or at least these particular two Domains - can't coexist. For one to be perfected, it has to swallow the other."
She grew quiet for a moment, and then said somberly:
"That... is the true reason for the war between their clans."
Sunny looked away, an ugly grimace contorting his face. A sense of dark, vicotts anger was smoldering in his heart.
Neph sighed.
"Antarctica will be the first major battlefield of this war, but it won't be the last. Most of it will trapper) in the Dream Realm after both sides deliver their strikes. But the first act is also the most important... if one of the clans manages to gain momentum in the Southern Quadrant, their advantage might very well snowball into an unstoppable avalanche. So, their clash in Antarctica will be extremely fierce and bloody. in fact... Anvil is sending his own daughter there. Morgan will lead Valor forces in the Southern Quadrant. That alone shows how serious his intentions are."
Changing Star studied the clear skies, then turned to Sunny and said, her voice even:
"So... now, do you understand?"
Chapter 1075: Know The Enemy
1075 Know The Enemy
Sunny remained silent for a while, responding only when the pressure of the Flaw started to turn into scaring
pain.
"Yeah... I think I understand."
Many things became clearer now. Finally, he knew more about the Sovereigns, and the power they wielded. Awakened, Masters, and Saints... all of them were bestowed with great strength, but that strength was of a personal kind. Supremes were, without doubt, even more fearsome warriors- however, their true advantage lay in their authority.
He was not too certain about: what exactly a Domain did - even Nephis did not know the details, after all - but understood the concept. A Domain was a physical manifestation of a Sovereign's Aspect, a territory where their rule was supreme.
And that manifestation, while representing their personal strength, relied on external factors to exist and grow. Authority, influence, power... power over someone, and not just yourself. All of these things were conveniently intertwined in the form of Citadels, which the Spell created.
Citadels...
Sunny looked down, as if trying to pierce the Ivory Tower with his gaze. Then, he sighed.
There were still a lot of unanswered questions.
On the surface, the intention of the Sovereigns seemed obvious... well, with the exception of Asterion, who was the most mysterious of the three. They had established their Domains in the unique Citadels that had once belonged to the daemons, and then slowly expanded their rule, uplifting loyal Ascended to Sainthood.
...And eliminating those Transcendent who refused to swear fealty to them, thus failing to become the vessels of their Domains. The only two exceptions were the House of Night and, to a much lesser extent, the government. Both were convenient to have around and fulfilled a necessary function. The seat of power of the great clan Night, on top of that, was located in the deadly waters of the Stormsea. Launching an invasion into their territory was a dire task.
'But what about Professor Obel's theory?'
Indeed, something did not add up. if Anvil of Valor and Ki Song were so obsessed with perfecting their Domains, then why were they suppressing the emergence of Saints? lіghtnоvеl․саvе~с․о․m. The more Transcendents there were, the more human Citadels there would be in the Dream Realm, and the more territory they would be able to conquer.
Come to think of it, if they really had no choice but to wage war on each other, then why had they waited for two decades to start it? Why were they only attempting the conquest now?
Why had they waited for the Chain of Nightmares to descend upon the Southern Quadrant?
Sunny frowned, then glanced at Nephis.
"I feel like we are still missing a key piece of information. This timing... it's just too strange."
'And hateful.'
Of course, there was a possibility that all of it was just a coincidence. Maybe Ki Song simply decided to use the power imbalance that the death of Saint Cormac and Mordret's Ascension had created. But Sunny felt like there was more to this war than they thought.
Neph leaned on the parapet of the sunlit balcony and sighed.
"We certainly do. The Sovereigns have many secrets, and I won't claim to know all of them. But... does it really matter what they are hiding? The truth remains the same."
Sunny scoffed.
She was right. Nephis was determined to destroy the Sovereigns, because they were suppressing humanity in its conquest of the Spell... and, more importantly, stood in her way. She did not care what motivated the Supremes, and neither did Sunny. He hated them all the same.
Valor and Song deserved each other, as far as he was concerned. But Antarctica was about to be swept up in their treasonous strife, and that... that, he could not allow to happen.
'Look at you go. Do you even hear yourself? Who are you to defy the great clans? Do you imagine yourself to be someone capable of stopping them? You're definitely not... sure, you have some power, but in the grand scheme of things, you're just a bug. A single Master, no matter how strong, is only capable enough to be an expendable pawn.'
Sunny gritted his teeth.
It was true... no matter how incensed he was, there was nothing he could do. The best Sunny could hope to achieve was to minimize the damage that the clash of the great clans was bound to do to the evacuation effort. A little.
That only made him angrier.
"Well... then that's exactly what I am going to do. I will prepare, learn their weaknesses, and try to suppress the fallout of their despicable acts as much as I can."
Luckily, Sunny knew just the right person to provide him with information. Knowing what the opponent was planning came first.
He remained silent for a few moments, then glanced at Neph.
"So, what exactly is going to happen? What will be their first move?"
She smiled wistfully.
"In a few months, the great clans will announce that they are sending reinforcements to the Southern Quadrant. Both Song and Valor will dispatch a strong force to Antarctica... but not too strong. lіghtnоvеl_саvе_с․о․m. A couple more Saints, a dozen or two Masters, and a few hundred Awakened. Officially, their mission will be to support the Evacuation Army in fighting the Nightmare Creatures. In reality, however, they are being sent there to fight each other."
Sunny scowled, slightly confused.
"...How, though? By now, most of the human forces on the continent are concentrated in the siege capitals, with very little reason to venture outside. Are these Saints and their forces going to just go and attack the cities?"
Nephis shook her head.
"No... at least I think they won't. Not unless there is a very good reason to. In truth, they won't be staying behind the walls of the siege capitals most of the time - because they have a secondary goal, as well. One that requires going outside and attacking the Nightmare Creatures."
He tilted his head a little.
"And what goal might that be?"
Changing Star simply looked at him, and a moment later, Sunny's eyes widened slightly.
"The pyramid?"
Chapter 1076: Know Yourself
Nephis nodded.
"Song and Valor are going to be in a race to conquer it. They will search for Nightmare Gates that can be used to establish a beachhead in the unexplored region of the Dream Realm where the black pyramid is located. Once they find a comparatively safe fort, they will use the Call to transport their Saints, Masters, and Awakened there, establishing temporary outposts."
She paused. Looked at him, and continued:
"These outposts will be used to launch expeditions toward the pyramid. The end goal is to find a relatively safe place in close proximity to it, build a true fortress there, and then use that fortress as the staging ground for the conquest of the Tomb."
Changing Star lingered for a moment.
"It might be easier to think of it in terms of the Forgotten Shore. Each Gate is connected to a Seed of Nightmare somewhere in the region. Some Seeds might be in the depths of the Crimson Labyrinth, and everyone who follows the Call to the area around them will be drowned by the Dark Sea. Some Seeds, however, might be located on higher ground-those who enter the Dream Realm near these Seeds will be able to survive, and then slowly make their way through the labyrinth. lіghtnоvеlcave. The end goal is to find a place like the Dark City, build a fortress akin to the Bright Castle, and then use it to conquer the Crimson Spire."
"What an apt metaphor."
Sunny couldn't help but smile darkly.
"They might find out that this task is much harder than they imagine it to be."
In theory, such a plan seemed solid. Each of the hundreds, if not thousands of Nightmare Gates in East Antarctica was connected to a Seed of Nightmare in the region surrounding the Tomb of Ariel. By relying on the Call, these Gates could be used to enter the Dream Realm somewhere near the corresponding Seed.
Then, by pinpointing a suitably safe area and the Gate connected to it, the great clans could transport their forces into the Dream Realm without risking instant annihilation. These forces would then explore and fight their way toward the black pyramid.
The region could contain several Citadels, even by conquering one, Song or Valor would be able to establish a safe and stable corridor to ferry fighters and supplies over. if there were no Citadels except for the Tomb of Ariel itself, though, the Saints would have to play the role of ferrymen.
But... the mysterious desert was utterly lethal. It was much worse than even the Forgotten Shore. And the forces of the great clans would not only have to fight against the endless flood of Nightmare Creatures populating it - they would also have to fight against each other.
Sunny couldn't help but shiver. Nephis, meanwhile, simply nodded.
"The task will be a hellish one, indeed. But these are the great clans, Sunny... no matter how you and I might feel about them, their fearsome reputation is not unearned. Both Valor and Song represent the absolute pinnacle of human achievement in warfare. If they can't do it, no one can."
He remained silent for a while, thinking.
The real goal of the great clans was to kill each other, while their secondary goal was to conquer the Tomb of Ariel. One naturally led to the other. He now knew that the siege capitals in Antarctica would remain mostly untouched by their war, at least... unless something unexpected happened.
However, both clans would be feverishly seeking suitable Gates in East Antarctica, without doubt ambushing and slaughtering each other in the process. Army patrols and the infrastructure of the evacuation corridors could very well become collateral damage in their clashes. Not to mention that they were bound to send the Nightmare Creatures into a frenzy... and maybe even lead the abominations back to the cities.
There would be some violence within the siege capitals, as well, or at least: bloody clandestine operations. All three of the Saints currently present in East Antarctica belonged to the warring factions after all... if the servants of Ki Song had an opportunity to deal with Saint Tyris in Falcon Scott, they would have taken it, without a doubt the consequences for the civilians sheltered
in the city be damned.
'Bastards...'
In any case, Sunny had some idea about how things would progress in the coming months now. This was already enough for him to start thinking.
Eventually, he glanced at Nephis and hesitated for a few moments. There was one question that was still gnawing at him...
Sunny sighed.
"And where will you be while all of this is happening?"
Nephis looked at him. White sparks danced in her eyes, and then, she suddenly smiled.
"Where do you think? Of course, I will be accompanying Morgan... sister dearest... to Antarctica. Cassie, the Fire Keepers, and I - all of us are going there with her. lіghtnоvеlcave. I've told you that Valor does not trust me much, yet. What better way to earn trust and merit than on the battlefield?"
He stared at her silently for a while.
"I guess there is none. So, we are going to meet in the Southern Quadrant?"
Changing Star shrugged.
"If you wish. Or... you can stay out of this mess entirely. You have made it very clear that you don't want to have anything to do with the great clans and their war, so... it's up to you if and how much you get involved."
Sunny smiled darkly.
"Up to me, huh?"
'Yeah, no... that ship has sailed.'
He really could hide in some remote siege capital, use his service record and exalted status to get himself a cushy assignment, and spend the rest of the campaign relaxing... as much anyone could relax in Antarctica. However, was he willing to?
Did he want to?
...Not really.
'If I do not go to hell, who else will go?'
Sunny had once told the Sin of Solace that the great clans were free to act with impunity because there was no one around to hold them responsible. He did not wish to teach anyone lessons in responsibility... But he did want to teach those bastards a lesson in humility. The harsher and more painful the lesson, the better.
'I'll make them pay... if I go to hell, I'll drag them with me...'
Sunny looked at the boundless blue sky, then turned to Nephis and smiled.
"See you in Antarctica, then."
Chapter 1077: Midnight Sun
Summer had come to Antarctica. The winds still brought with them a piercing chill, but it was warm enough for the snow to thaw under direct sunlight. Gurgling streams of water turned East Antarctica into a land of countless brooks and numerous lakes, which all glistened in the sun or drowned in the shadows of the tall mountains.
The sun itself was distant and cold. but it never disappeared from the blue expanse of the sky. Just like there had been no end to the night, now, there was no end to the day. The twilight of the long dawn had gradually turned into daylight, and now that October was in full swing, the whole continent was suffused with bright radiance... and would be for the next five months.
The situation on the continent, however, was far from light. It was grim and dire, as if Antarctica was had submerged deeper into an endless cycle of dreadful nightmares... the Chain of Nightmares was escalating with each day, and the Evacuation Army was forced to take more and more desperate measures to withstand it.
... The remains of a once-thriving city were buried under thawing snow, with the skeletal remains of tall buildings rising above it like dark cliffs. This settlement had not been chosen to become a siege capital, and so it was abandoned at the start of the campaign. Now. it was nothing but a desolate ruin. From time to time. that ruin would turn into a battleground, sustaining even more damage.
Currently, a furious battle was coming to an end on the streets of the abandoned city. A patrol of soldiers had been chased here by a swarm of Nightmare Creatures and forced to stand their ground. The humans had fought violently and almost defeated the attacking abominations... but sadly, the sounds of the combat awoke a fiend that had been slumbering in the ruins.
The creature had tom a bloody path through the remaining abominations. and then slaughtered the soldiers. Now, only one of them remained alive. Lieutenant Catphine was struggling desperately with the controls of her MWP. but it was of no use - the mighty machine had been damaged too severely and toppled, its vestibular systems going completely offline.
She could have brought it back up relying on nothing but her piloting skills, but most of the limb hydraulics were destroyed, and the frame itself was bent and torn, large sections of the alloy armor already missing. Even the coolant pathways were breached, turning the pilot's cabin into a scorching inferno. The paint she used to decorate its walls with drawings was blistering and melting, anti Catphine herself felt as if she was going to melt, too.
But, of course, she wouldn't.
The abomination that had slaughtered her squad was currently on top of the MWP, clawing at the war machine with its powerful limbs. The armor was parting before the terrifying claws like paper. Each strike sent a concussive shockwave through the frame, tossing Catphine up and down in the tight confines of her safety harness. The creature was going to kill her long before the heat had a chance to. 'Curse it!'
There was just no way for her to fight against a Fallen Demon... and that was what the creature was, most likely. At least the Awakened leader of the patrol had called it that before being killed by the fiend. But even knowing how hopeless the situation was, Catphine stubbornly controlled the only functioning arm of the MWP, bending it at the elbow to press the seven barrels of the kinetic machine gun installed on the forearm of the war platform to the abomination's side. The barrels spun, unleashing a flood of heavy tungsten rounds into the demon's impenetrable hide.
In just a second, the machine gun spat close to two hundred armor-piercing bullets.
However. all of them simply ricocheted off the harrowing creature's skin, not even bruising it. The fiend was pushed slightly to the side, then glanced at the firing weapon with its mad, burning eyes. In the next moment, the abomination's claws struck, ripping through the MWP's arm and severing it entirely. The next blow finally breached the cockpit, destroying the screens and letting Catphine see the fiend with her own two eyes. She gritted her teeth.
'At least there's some cool air now...
She knew that she was about to die.
...But she didn't.
The battle had caused plumes of thick smoke to rise above the ruins, obscuring the sun and submerging the battlefield in deep darkness. At that moment, the darkness suddenly surged anti moved forward. Catphine blinked, thinking that she was seeing things.
Two giant hands suddenly rose from the ground, grabbing the Fallen Demon by the shoulders. The hands had matte, inky-black skin, slender wrists, and long, dexterous fingers that ended with sharp claws. These claws cut through the abomination's indestructible skin with ease.
Then, the dark hands pulled... and ripped the fiend apart.
Half of its monstrous body landed to the left of the fallen MWP, the other half to the right. A river of blood and viscera splashed, falling into the turned-up dirt.
Just like that, the terrifying creature had been slaughtered.
'Wh-what...
Catphine suddenly felt cold. The Fallen Demon was a harrowing monster... so what kind of otherworldly horror would be capable of killing it with such ease?
As she stared, a figure emerged from the darkness, landing softly on the torn frame of the MWP. It was a young man with porcelain skin and black hair, his eyes glistening like dark gemstones. Despite the biting cold and the nightmarish surroundings, he were no armor and wielded no weapons. His slender body was covered only by a light tunic of black silk.
When the young man appeared, the darkness enveloping the destroyed city suddenly seemed to become deeper, darker, and more frightening.
The sight of him was in such stark contrast with the ravaged. war-torn ruin that he seemed more like an apparition than a living being.
Catphine gulped.
The young man lingered for a moment, and then looked at her calmly.
"Are you alright, soldier?"
'Oh gods... he speaks...
It took her a few seconds to digest what the eerie stranger had just said.
"...What?"
He leaned forward and grabbed the jagged edges of the breach in the cockpit's armor, easily pulling the alloy apart to widen the gap."I said, are you alright?"
Catphine lingered for a moment.
"Ah... y-yes."
'The stranger nodded.
"Good. I'm Ascended Sunless of the Special Reconnaissance Unit. You can call me Master Sunless or Major Sunless. Let's get you out of this thing..."
Chapter 1078: Army Scout
Sunny helped the pilot climb out of the ravaged MWP, then looked around somberly. The ruin of the city was covered by the signs of a fierce battle... sadly, he had been too late to arrive. Most of the soldiers were already dead.
'Damn it...
He. had noticed the commotion in the ruins by chance, while making his way through the wilderness to accomplish a different mission. If not for the habit of sending his shadows in a wide circle around him, Sunny would have never even known that a squad of human soldiers had been trapped here. He used Shadow Step to arrive as swiftly as he could, but ended up saving only one.
With a sigh, Sunny helped the young woman climb down from the wreck of the MWP, summoned the Endless Spring, and handed it to her.
"Here. Drink some water."
The pilot kept staring at him strangely, but he was long used to such stares. He gave her some time, then took the glass bottle back and asked, making sure to keep his voice neutral:
"I am sorry about your comrades... but how did you guys end up in this sector? Did you not receive the message that it was designated as a black zone by Army Command?"
The young woman grimaced.
"We... did, sir. But by then, it was already too late. We were on a routine patrol along the Seventeenth Evacuation Corridor when we came under attack from a swarm of Nightmare Creatures. We beat them back and pursued... sadly, a few minutes later, a Gate opened right behind us. We were quickly surrounded, and had to run for our lives. We ran all the way to this city, and..."
She sighed.
Sunny awkwardly patted the pilot on the shoulder.
"I see. I know a thing or two about bad luck, lieutenant... it can get anyone. You did your best."
Internally, he was shaking his head.
'Corridor Seventeen... that place just attracts trouble, doesn't it?'
Corridor Seventeen connected one of the largest siege capitals in the region to the coastal fortress. Maintaining it was of vital importance to the evacuation effort, but recently, it had become harder and harder to keep the area clean.
Sunny himself was on a mission to scout out a potential threat to that corridor.
After reaching East Antarctica, he had basically received carte blanche to choose any assignment he wanted-out of those suitable for an Ascended, of course. In the end, Sunny refused another command assignment and requested to be sent to the Special Reconnaissance Unit.
The SRU was responsible for prowling the abomination-infested wilderness in search of targets that could pose a serious threat to the siege capitals, keeping tabs on their movements, and even attempting to lure them away from the cities from time to time. Powerful Tyrants, Terrors, and even Titans... those were the creatures that Army Command had them observe and track.
Needless to say, the task was extremely dangerous, and often lethal. The SRU consisted exclusively of powerful Masters, and each of them either had an Aspect uniquely suitable for such work or was an absolute elite.
As for Sunny, he was both. The assignment suited him fine, despite the tremendous danger... partially because it granted him a lot of freedom in his movements and actions, partially because he was reluctant to be put in charge of soldiers again.
Being a leader had never been something Sunny enjoyed. The previous time was enough.
It was too much, really.
He glanced at the MWP pilot and sighed.
"...Catch your breath. We can't stay for long, though this place isn't safe, and I am on a timer." Looking at her, he couldn't help but. remember the Irregulars. Sunny's face darkened.
Most of his people were dead now. Only Beth and Luster remained... and, perhaps. Quentin. There was no news of the gallant healer, so he was most likely gone, as well.
Luster had been shipped back to NQSC long ago. He was now slowly recovering in the hospital complex of the Academy, and doing quite well - Sunny knew of it because Kim remained in close contact with the lucky guy. In fact, he suspected that there was something going on between them.
Their young relationship, however, had to remain a long-distance one for now. Kim herself was still here in East Antarctica, but was kept far away from the battlefield. After returning from the Antarctic Center, she had been transferred to the Strategic Intelligence Department of Army Command. Now, her Aspect was being used to determine the vulnerabilities of various Nightmare Creatures on a wide scale, and disseminate that knowledge to the troops.
There were many such specialists stationed at army headquarters, but Kim was doing especially well for herself.
Beth had been evacuated and reached safety a while back, too. Sunny and she kept in touch, sending each other messages once in a while. However, he had a feeling that the young woman wanted to forget what had happened in the Southern Quadrant, at least for now. Talking to him was perhaps a painful reminder.
So, most of Sunny's communications were with Rain. His sister was doing well in the safety of NQSC. She was training diligently, and not showing any symptoms of being infected by the Spell. The Serpent was protecting her, too. At least in that regard, Sunny felt somewhat assured.
As for himself...
Ever since reaching East Antarctica, Sunny only had three goals. Turn the Ravenous Fiend into a Shadow, become a Tyrant, and prepare for the arrival of the great clans. I lie had spent fragments on the little imp first, then hunted down numerous abominations in hopes of forming the fifth Shadow Core. Now, he was mere days away from catching up to Neph. As for the third goal... Sunny had made good progress on that front, too.
As he thought about it, his communication device suddenly came alive, and a familiar voice resounded in his eat:
"Where the hell are you, Sunny?"
He smiled slightly.
"Sorry, Jet. I've been delayed a little. Are you still en route?"
Her voice came through the static, sounding a little out of breath:
"Yeah... and I have a nasty swarm of abominations on my tail."
Sunny nodded.
"I'll send Mongrel your way. Lead them to the rendezvous point, and she'll take care of everything. I'll arrive in a few hours."
With that, Sunny glanced at the MWP pilot and sighed.
"Time to go, soldier. Say your goodbyes. Then, I'll bring you to the nearest army outpost."
He turned away, giving the young woman some space, and looked up, at the cold sun hanging motionlessly high above.
A long sigh escaped from Sonny's lips.
How bright. I never thought I would miss the polar night...
Chapter 1079: Imp
The pilot did not spend a long time bidding farewell to her comrades. By that point in the campaign, everyone had experienced loss and defeat... the soldiers had not grown numb to watching people die, but they did become used to it.
Death had always surrounded those who fought against the Nightmare Spell, and here in Antarctica, it was even more inescapable, both for the Awakened and for the mundanes.
When the young woman returned, however, a confused expression appeared on her face. Sunny raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
The pilot pointed.
"Uh... where did my MWP go?"
He looked back. The wrecked war platform was, indeed, gone. In its place, hidden behind a pile of dirt, sat an ugly little creature. It was hurriedly pushing a piece of bent alloy into its wide, toothy mouth with both hands. Noticing that someone was looking, the creature froze for a moment and feverishly continued to chew on the armored alloy, as if afraid that it would be taken away.
Sunny rolled his eyes.
"That little bastard right there ate it. Don't mind him..."
It was hard to imagine that the scrawny imp had devoured the massive machine, considering that it was dozens of times larger than him... but that was exactly what had happened. Sunny did not know what kind of infernal engine was hidden in the Imp's stomach, but the little guy's appetite was inexhaustible. Anything that entered his mouth disappeared without a trace, and there were very few things that his sharp teeth couldn't rip apart.
Sunny shuddered, remembering how he had turned the tiny wretch into a Shadow.
He had done it not long after arriving in East Antarctica. Before, Sunny had been planning to become a Tyrant first - but that was because he needed more power, fast, during the siege of Falcon Scott. Now that things had calmed down, the circumstances were not as pressing. He could allow himself to delay a little, and made converting the Echo of the Ravenous Fiend a priority.
Sunny had possessed three Shadows before, but funnily enough, only one of them - Saint-came from an Echo. The process of conversion itself had looked pretty much the same as the first time. In the tranquil silence of his Soul Sea, two beams of dark light descended from one of the Shadow Cores. One fell on the Echo of the Scavenger, the other on a motionless shadow that stood with the rest of them on the still surface of the calm waters.
The shadow of the Ravenous Fiend seemed to dissolve into the dark light, and then, the Echo became wreathed in black flames that seeped into its flesh, changing it on a fundamental level. The boundless spellweave that was hidden within the Echo disappeared, replaced by darkness. lіghtnоvеlcave~с0m. A living shadow was now dwelling within the body of the imp instead, four transparent and empty embers burning in its depths.
...Granted, that scene was not as majestic and awe-inspiring as when Saint had become a Shadow. The scrawny little bastard could not compare to the magnificent stone knight in any shape or form, after all. Nevertheless, that was how Sunny had acquired his fourth Shadow. What came next, however... that, he did not like to think about one bit.
The [trip was a blank slate and had tremendous potential for growth, but Sunny had to be careful about what he fed the gluttonous creature. Some types of food were easy to come by, but would produce mediocre results. Worse titan that, be strongly suspected that some advancements would prevent more beneficial powers from taking root in the future.
There was one he could not compromise on, though... affinity to shadows.
And since shadow creatures were almost impossible to find, Sunny had no choice but to feed the hateful gremlin some of his own flesh again.
The first time he summoned the Fiend into the real world, the tiny creature looked around, then stared at him with fright and ran away, hiding behind Saint's leg. The imp then grabbed her calve with his eight clawed fingers and cautiously peeked from behind it, trembling slightly.
"Get over here, bastard!"
Unable to refuse Sunny's command, the imp reluctantly abandoned his shelter and slowly waddled over. The moment Sunny offered the gremlin his forearm and ordered him to take a bite, the bastard's eyes ignited with ferocious glee, though.
What happened next... was a truly ghastly experience for Sunny. I-le endured it by bitterly fantasizing about killing the vile little creature for the second time. However, it was worth it in the end - the scrawny fiend regained its ability to travel through shadows.
Later, Sunny learned that the process of gaining new Attributes and Abilities was rarely, if ever, so easy and fast. The Fiend had already possessed a high affinity to shadows thanks to being one, and Sunny himself was even more unique — he was a divine shadow, after all. These two reasons made it possible for the little imp to inherit a vestige of his power in one go.
As to how the bastard had managed it the first time around, Sunny had no idea. Maybe the inherent adaptability of the Scavengers resonated with the innate formlessness of shadows. Maybe the wretch had simply gotten lucky...
The point of it was that he couldn't just command the gluttonous scavenger to devour a Nightmare Creature and expect the same to happen. It took a long time and a lot of corpses - suitable ones, at that - for the imp to grow in the right direction. Luckily, he was not limited to only eating flesh.
Which was why Sunny was currently concentrating on feeding the imp all kinds of steel, alloy, and mystical metals. The Ravenous Fiend's bone armor had been rather spectacular, but he was determined to come up with something even more indestructible.
Watching as the scrawny bastard hurriedly finished chewing on the last piece of the broken MWP, Sunny smiled slightly, his eyes shining with ominous glee.
'Eat, eat... eat more, trashling'. I need to fatten you up...
The imp suddenly shivered and looked at Sunny with wide, terrified eyes.
Sunny suppressed a menacing grin and dismissed the imp, then looked at the pilot.
"I got him as an Echo. Come, let's go... we need to hurry.