Extending shadow sense sunny had made sure that there was no nightmare creatures alerted to their location.
After the first threat was taken of sunny looked at Nephis and Cassie who laid flat on their back looking at the night sky. Cassie's voice came first full of unrivaled happiness
"We're finally going to be able to go home" - she had said with a smile plastered on her face
The look of strain sunny had to put on his face to say his following words did not go unnoticed by Nephis - "this is definitely where a citadel and gate should be"
Now that sunny didn't have the nagging voice of the tree plaguing his mind. Nor did he have to worry about planning anything or saving anyone. His mind recalled all het he had done differently
His feats alone were being human imagination. What he alone had done excluding the aid of Nephis and Cassie was practically unimaginable.
'Coming here I killed a transcendent devil. I hunted 100s of nightmare creatures. I broke a mind hex. Killed a demon. I hatched a great tyrant and then killed it. And I escaped the clutches of an underwater monstrosity'
To say that sunny couldn't wait to tell his best friend and illegally handsome lie detector this. Was a gross understatement
But that wasn't all he was thinking about
'I already formed my second core and I'm moments away from my third. I've got many more memories and echoes. I saved us a month from being trapped on that tree. Shelly survived. I have the echo of that vile bird. And this time I didn't have to watch Nephis have to reconstruct herself from being attacked by that sea abomination. And Cassie and I are much closer'
His mind was flooded with happiness, yet it was serene and clam too. Looking at Sunnys expression, one could clearly tell. He was at peace despite the knowledge that he was in a literal death zone
After their little break with consisted of dried carapace jerky and water from the endless spring. Sunny spoke
"Come on, let's get out of the open this place isn't safe"
Cassie and Nephis looked at sunny. Cassie expression confused yet Nephis was a bit sterner. As if she understood something
"Why wouldn't it be safe sunny?"
"I used shadow sense to look around Cass. This place is flooded with nightmare creatures. Dangerous ones. I have a place we can go to so..."
Sunny didn't get to finish before Cassie voice came
"what do you mean Nightmare creatures. Isn't this the citadel I saw people here in the vision it should be safe" small tears began to form. The result of her hope being slowly crushed
Sunny looked in her direction. A firm tone in his voice - "We will get out of here Cassie. You brought us of the Sea and onto land. Our natural territory. We have better chances here. Now come follow me"
Perhaps it was the [Child of Hope] working but Cassie tears slowed and she whilst holding onto Nephis who Walked to her side
The trio walked through the streets of the dark city. Sunny using shadow sense which had a much greater range. Perhaps it was because of his aspect change or the fact that he had taken the [drop of ichor] or both. He didn't know
Taking a different path every time an abomination board their path they eventually made it to a temple of sorts. A cathedral
"Welcome to my humble abode"
Nephis looked at sunny confused. Cassie couldn't see so she remained quiet
"Is this place safe" - Nephis inquired
"it's the safest place we're going to get here"
Nephis nodded. Understanding shone in her eyes. She began to walk towards the entrance of the cathedral when sunny spoke again - "I suggest you don't do that"
Turning around slowly she looked at him her gaze clearly asking - 'didn't you just say this place is safe?'
"there's a fallen devil guarding this place"
The girls froze. Cassie whisper shouted - "why would you bring us to the home of a fallen"
"Simple, one because it won't leave the cathedral. Two because it guards the place making sure nothing will wander in. And three because we can enter through the roof and I doubt that heavy thing can climb so..."
Sunny crouched down - "Want a piggyback up there?"
He hadn't even given them a chance to process the information. Cassie waddled over to the direction of his voice with Nephis help and sunny stood with her on his back
Both him and Nephis ascended the magnificent structure and entered through a hole in the wall. Sunny smiling nostalgically.
"it's beautiful" - Nephis said.
"Yeah, I think it was the home of a priestess"
Neither of the girls questioned it.
"there's a bed there so why don't we get some rest."
Sunny led Cassie to the bed and played her down. While tidying up the place sunny noticed that Cassie had fallen asleep on the bed. He gently nudged her to the corner facing the wall and covered her
"Why Don't you go get some rest to princess"
It did not go unnoticed that Nephis was quiet recently
"sunny..."
"yeah?"
"when we on the tree... I heard you saying something about having a home... Filled with antique royal-like items everywhere"
"what about it?"
"During your conversations with Cassie at the academy you said that you grew up in the outskirts of NQSC, and I know you can't lie because of your flaw"
"Where are you going with this princess" - Sunny was confused, till Nephis spoke again
"So how did you know we would be here. In this cathedral"
The need for sleep could be seen in her eyes. She was clearly tired. The journey weighing on her.
Sunnys eyes widened slightly then softened - "We have a lot of time. I'll tell you tomorrow with Cassie together"
She looked at him. His voice carried a promise
"promise"
"I promise"
Nephis nodded at him a small smile on her face. She got into the covers of the large bed and scooted to the middle with Cassie being behind her. She looked at sunny who was making himself comfortable on the floor with a confused smile
"Sunny what are you doing?"
Sunny who was facing the other side turned and looked at her - "sleeping, why?"
"Why not on the bed?" - her voice carried genuine confusion
"you're kidding right. I'm a guy Nephis i don't think its normal for me to share the same bed as 2 girls"
"So, what if we're girls? Come here"
Sunny looked at her. He slowly rose a slight rosy color painting his face. Much lighter compared to the one she had
Getting into the bed sunny slept at the very edge as to not accidentally touch the girls
He stayed like that for a few moments. It seemed that Nephis had fallen asleep. Key word. 'seemed'
Wrapping her arms around Sunny's slender waist she pulled him closer. Her warm breath tickling the nape of his neck
Sunny was surprised. From the shadows falling on her face because of the pale light in the room from the memory she had put onto the wardrobe sunny knew her eyes were open a moment ago since she only closed it one she held him. And that her face had a content smile on it
He knew she was not asleep and so. He decided to take advantage of that
As she held him by the waist sunny shifted. Lifting himself up to where his short self rested next to Nephis in a position where he could lay her head on his chest - Sunny moved. Taking her hands and placing them back on his waist he moved his one hand to cradle her head against his toned chest and his other hand placed on her waist. His breath steady causing Nephis hair to shift lightly on her head
Sunny felt her face flush. Heat reaching up to her ears. And honestly he was too. But neither did anything else. Both pretending to sleep in comfortable silence.
And soon they were genuinely asleep. Cassie right beside them. The two stars. One of ruin and one of darkness cradling each other.
...
When morning came I the far distance if the dark city sunny heard the sound of the great titan retreating away from the might of the synthetic sun.
Feeling the warmth of something against his usually cold skin sunny looked down onto his chest and saw Nephis snuggling into him. A happy smile plastered on her face. Sunny moved the short strand of her that blocked her face and couldn't help but remember the nights they spent together once their relationship was established in the future. Even if she hadn't remembered him
Sunny shifted and turned incorporeal into a shadow and Nephis hands fell laying gently on the soft bed.
Taking on his corporeal form sunny stood again in the middle of the room. He drank from the endless spring and took some of the dried meat jerky from the bag of holding and ate it.
Looking at his Runes sunny looked at his counts.
1979/2000
Sunny was on the cusp of demon-hood
During the journey here sunny didn't kill anything during the day. And through all his night hunts he killed
100 awakened beasts
20 awakened monsters
6 fallen beasts
And also he had slain the vile thieving bird and harvested the shards. Which was currently stored in the bag of holding
In the ashen barrow Shelly disposed of 2 monsters
And then there was knighty and serpent who would by now be on their way to the dark city from whatever reach of the forgotten shore they were hunting in
Serpent alone had killed
500 awakened beasts
130 awakened monsters
Knighty had killed
339 awakened beasts
50 awakened monsters
Sunny knew that it was mere moments before he could become a monster. At any time now especially since it was day serpent and knight can attack a hoard and propel his count all the way to 2000
But he couldn't have that right now. The pain of a new core forming out of nowhere with no warning was not something he could currently deal with especially if he and Nephis decided to go hunting
And besides that sunny had a plan which this fragments would be most useful.
Entering his soul sea sunny stared at the orbs of dark and light swirling within them. And then shifted his vison to one of the white orbs floating around them.
Calling it to him sunny summoned the echo of the vile thieving bird
The creature in question looked freakishly adorable. It's large green eyes that seemed to be ablaze with the green fire. It's short body at about Sunny's stomach
Sunny touched the birds head and waited for the prompt
[Do you wish to turn the echo of the vile thieving bird spawn into a shadow]
Looking at it sunny smiled knowing exactly what he was doing and said
"yes"
The echo seemed to burst into a black and green flame swirling around it. Sunny saw the shadow of the bird that was once resting amongst the others sink into the depths of his soul sea and seemingly move towards the mass of flame.
Once everything was done sunny looked at he now midnight black bird with bright forest green flames in its eyes
The bird in question seemed to hop on the waters towards sunny where it rubbed and nudged its head against his leg. Showing affection for its master.
"Welcome to the family" - Sunny said as he patted the bird's head
Looking at his count, it read
1479/2000
'500 fragments... Gone '
"You better make your fragments worth you vile wretch"
And then sunny exited his soul sea. Letting his new shadow rest amongst his cores
Opening his eyes sunny saw Nephis and Cassie awake
"What were you doing in your soul sea"
Nephis asked. A blush crept onto her face clearly remembering her actions the previous night and pathetically trying to shift the conversation
"I was checking on my shadows"
Sunny didn't lie. He was checking in his shadows. Just not the ones they thought
Cassie excited voice came first
"how much longer till serpent and knighty better"
"They will be joining us soon"
Looking at Nephis. Sunny spoke again
"So, Cass yesterday I promised to tell you and Nephis some things about how I know a lot about what's happening and going to"
He sighed - "so let's get started...but first"
The girls' stomachs growled
Sunny laughed "breakfast is needed "