Sunny watched the young master of the Han Li clan with narrowed eyes, studying every shift in Caster's posture. The other boy's breathing was steady, but there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there a moment ago. Sunny rolled his own shoulder, loosening the joint, and slid back into his stance, feet firm on the mats.
Caster mirrored him, inhaling deeply as he stepped back and reset his guard. His feet scraped lightly against the floor as he settled into position, adjusting his balance. For a moment, the room fell silent… everyone watching the two of them prepare for another clash.
Then Sunny's shadow flickered once... and vanished.
Before Caster could react, Sunny burst forward. His body moved with sudden explosive speed, a blur of motion as he closed the distance.
Caster's eyes widened. He barely had time to raise his arms before Sunny's fist came at him like a hammer. He braced himself, both hands snapping up to form a guard.
Sunny's fist struck Caster's palms with a resounding—
THUD!
The impact echoed through the training hall. Caster grimaced, sliding back half a step. Sunny prepared to follow up—but he froze when he felt a firm hand clamp around his wrist.
He looked up.
Professor Rock stood between them, his grip unyielding.
"That's enough from both of you," Rock said, his voice calm but cutting through the tension like a blade.
Sunny straightened immediately, stepping back and lowering his arms. Caster remained frozen for a moment longer, still processing the blow that Sunny had delivered to him.
Sunny exhaled and walked off the mats. Behind him, Caster finally blinked and slowly lowered his arms. His steps were measured as he followed Sunny off the mat, but the rigid set of his jaw told a different story. Anyone paying attention would've seen the fury burning behind his calm façade, his teeth clenched, his eyes stormy.
Sunny didn't look back. Instead, he approached Cassie, who had been listening intently the whole time.
"Hey, Cassie," Sunny said, voice softening slightly.
Cassie turned her head toward him, recognizing him instantly by his tone.
"Hi, Sunny..." She hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Did you win?"
Sunny's grin brightened.
"It was called a draw. But if you ask me... I was the clear winner."
Cassie let out a small laugh, the sound airy and cheerful. It lightened the tension in the room almost immediately.
Sunny let his eyes drop to the floor, where his shadow had already returned to normal, flat, harmless, no trace of the living presence it had a moment ago.
"Alright, everyone," Professor Rock called out, clapping his hands. "Spar's over. Go take a shower. That concludes today's lesson."
Relief rippled through the room; chatter rose as students began gathering their things. Sunny scanned the room, and his gaze landed on a white-haired girl standing alone in the corner.
Nephis.
She wasn't looking at anyone in particular. She never did. Yet somehow, when Sunny turned his attention towards her, she turned to look directly at him.
They held each other's stare for several silent seconds. Sunny wasn't sure why his chest tightened slightly, but it did. Finally, he lifted his hand in a small, hesitant wave.
Nephis blinked—surprised. She paused, almost as if unsure how to react. Then she simply turned away and walked toward the showers, silent as always.
Cassie's voice pulled Sunny back.
"Is something wrong?"
He blinked. "Oh—no. Nothing's wrong."
Not wanting Cassie to push further, he added quickly, "I'll walk you back to your dorm after we clean up."
Cassie nodded, smiling again.
⸻
"Good night, Cassie."
Sunny stood outside her door. She was halfway inside already, the warm yellow dorm light casting a glow behind her.
"You too, Sunny. Sleep well."
Her smile stayed even as the door clicked shut.
Sunny stood there for a while, letting the quiet settle around him. Only when the hallway was completely silent did he speak.
"I know you've been watching us, Nephis."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried.
And his shadow, once again, was gone. It had been watching Nephis follow them the whole time.
From behind a corner, a white-haired girl stepped out, the faintest echo of footsteps trailing behind her. Nephis's gaze fixed on him with her usual unreadable calm.
"Why are you following us?" Sunny asked plainly.
Nephis stared at him, her expression still, almost statue-like. Several seconds passed before she finally replied.
"You seem plain and simple... until you remember you are the son of Ki Song."
Sunny blinked. "That didn't answer my question."
'Is she... dodging it?
Why bring up my mother out of nowhere?'
Nephis tilted her head a fraction. "I... didn't?" she asked, genuinely puzzled—as though she truly thought her previous statement had answered him perfectly.
"No," Sunny said, sighing. "You didn't. All you did was say I'm boring and remind me who my mother is. Unless the reason you were following me is because of that?"
Nephis shook her head slowly.
"Then why?" Sunny pressed.
She didn't answer.
A whole minute of silence passed. Sunny's patience slowly crumbled.
"Alright. I'm leaving."
He turned away, footsteps echoing softly.
Nephis watched him go, confusion playing faintly across her usually blank expression.
Only when he was out of sight did she whisper, barely audible, "How did I not answer his question...?"
⸻
Sunny walked into his dark room, closing the door behind him. The shadows clung to every surface of the room, thick and unmoving.
He glanced down.
"Alright, Gloomy... let's see what you're hiding."
He had named his shadow long ago. His sisters had mocked him for his naming sense, relentlessly. They had even banned him from naming anything for years. Gloomy was the first name he had been allowed to give since he had been adopted. Only because it was part of his Aspect. Otherwise, they would've guilt-tripped him into changing it.
Sunny stepped into the center of the room and summoned The Crymych. A flash of brilliant light filled the space, forcing him to squint.
He had kept the room dark on purpose earlier, relying only on his aspect to see. But now...
'Actually, having the lights on might help with seeing Gloomy', he admitted to himself.
With a sigh, he walked to the switch and flicked it on.
Bright light flooded the room, revealing the small room.
He took his stance and began moving through his battle art forms.
The sword's arc traced clean lines of motion through the air. Sunny's steps were fluid, his breathing controlled, but half his mind stayed locked on the shadows at his feet.
'I really should have trained multitasking earlier...'
He groaned internally, imagining the hours or even years, he could've saved.
He reset his stance and started again.
Minutes stretched into nearly an hour. Sweat clung to his forehead and neck, but he didn't stop. Every time he moved, he studied the flicker of Gloomy's motion.
And slowly, finally...
He saw it.
His shadow wasn't copying him perfectly.
It moved differently—more treacherously. More fluid. Every shift of its form looked like water gliding between rocks, unbound by the same rigid structure Sunny used.
Graceful. Dangerous. Alive.
Sunny's eyes widened.
This... this is the part I was missing.
He pushed harder, trying to follow the movements, trying to match the rhythm. The battle art he used, pieced together from all his sisters—had always felt incomplete. He had spent countless hours observing them, studying their strengths, trying to create his own version.
But this—this was different.
This was something uniquely to his aspect… his.
He didn't stop until his arms trembled and his breath came in uneven pulls.
Finally, he lowered his sword.
He dismissed the memory and looked at his shadow for a moment longer before turning toward the bathroom.
After showering, he stepped out and surveyed the destruction he left behind. He had lost control of his sword several times throughout the night, trying to focus on two things at the same time, and the walls had suffered for it. Not that he had much furniture to damage—but still.
He sighed, dragged himself to his bed, and dropped onto it.
At least the bed survived...
Pulling the covers over himself, Sunny let his eyes close.
'I'll practice more tomorrow...'
His breathing steadied.
His consciousness slipped away.
And Sunny drifted into a dream.