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You know what I realized? I tricked you. We have different time zones, so the chapter will be released later for you, while here it's only half past nine. ;) But anyway, here's the chapter. I'm not sure I did a good job, but it is what it is. I spent at least five hours on it.
Enjoy the reading.
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Sunny woke just before dawn. For a while, he lay still, unwilling to leave the warm embrace of the blanket. Then, with a quiet sigh, he sat up, shivering from the morning chill. It was time to face a new day, and there was much to be done. He had no excuse to be lazy...
A dull pain suddenly pierced his chest. With a puzzled expression, he looked down, studying the old scars that crossed his sun-bronzed skin.
"…Maybe it's going to rain?"
Then, from beneath the blanket, a pale ivory-colored hand appeared and gently caressed his firm muscles.
"Already morning?"
Sunny smiled, took his wife's hand, and nodded.
"Yes, my sunshine."
She sighed softly.
"All right… go on, get ready. I'll wake the little devil."
The audience seemed… slightly stunned. Just a few seconds ago, they had seen Sunless asleep on the bed in that terrifying castle. And now… he had a wife and children? Was this the future?
There were countless questions, but no one seemed brave enough to voice them.
The cheerful Effie wanted to tease Nephis, but seeing the strangely sad expression on her face, she decided against it. Concerned about her friend's state, she chose to ask what was wrong.
"Uh… Princess… what's the matter? Why do you look so sad?"
The always stoic Nephis seemed surprised by her own emotions.
"I-I don't know," she said hesitantly. "But somehow… seeing this scene felt like something was pinching my chest. I don't understand it."
Effie's eyes widened. Behind her, Kay, Jett, and Cassie had the same reaction. They were all surprised. Why? Because, judging by Nephis's words… was she feeling jealousy?
But they weren't sure. She didn't even remember him. So what kind of jealousy could this be? Their relationship wasn't clear.
For the first time, a confused Effie placed her hand on Nephis's shoulder.
"I don't know, Princess. But one thing I do know—we'll figure it out! If not for us, then at least for Sunphis!" she declared solemnly.
The perfect archer spat out her drink, staring at her in shock. The whole cohort was surprised by her statement. Not just the cohort—the entire hall was astonished. Confused, Nephis tilted her head slightly, silently asking a question.
"It's okay, Princess. In time, you'll understand," Effie reassured her with a playful grin. She was glad she had managed to distract her friend. Receiving no answer, Nephis returned her attention to the screen.
Sunny made a dejected face, then stood up and got dressed as well.
When he left their chambers, the servants were already hard at work, preparing for the day ahead. Upon seeing him, they all bowed respectfully and greeted him with warm voices. Becoming the object of all this reverence and propriety, Sunny, too, had to assume a lordly expression.
"How tiresome..."
The servants were going to prepare everything for the upcoming journey, but there was one thing he had to do himself. It wasn't because he didn't trust them — it was simply something he considered his duty.
Entering the stables, he greeted his horse and began to feed and water the noble beast before placing the saddle on its broad back. Sunny might have become a well-known lord and left his turbulent past behind, but the bond between a warrior and his steed was sacred.
The fact that they no longer had to risk their lives on the battlefield didn't mean he would forget it.
When everything was ready, he led the horse into the courtyard and attached to the saddle the weathered wooden scabbard that safely concealed the cold steel of a fine sword.
Then he stared at the scabbard for a while, absently massaging his aching chest. A faintly grim expression appeared on his face.
After a moment, quick footsteps echoed nearby.
— "Dad!"
Sunny turned and smiled, catching his son in an iron embrace.
— "Trying to sneak up on your poor old father, huh? Not so fast… I was sneaking up on monsters long before you were born, you little rascal!"
The boy giggled and then stepped back.
Today was his seventh birthday, and on this occasion his mother had dressed him in the best clothes they had. The little devil looked almost like a real child, and not a spoiled abomination sent to the mortal realm to torment his helpless parents.
— "Why did you need to sneak up on them? Too weak to kill them openly, huh?"
Sunny sighed in despair and looked up at the sky.
"Lady, help me..."
Why did their son have to inherit his venomous tongue?
The scene on the screen seemed ordinary. A beautiful, loving family, a joyful child. Everything was painfully perfect—of course, these thoughts were mundane to ordinary people.
But everyone present in the theater was far from ordinary. Awakened, Saints, even the monarch. They all knew that the Realm of Dreams could not be this peaceful, and suspicion filled their eyes as they watched the screen. At first, everyone thought it might be a dream Sunless was having.
Not understanding what was happening, Rain decided to ask a question. "Could this be his dream?" she said hesitantly. But her words met a harsh reality.
"No. As you know, people cannot see dreams in the Realm of Dreams," Cassie replied firmly.
Indeed, the Awakened were incapable of seeing dreams. That explained one thing, but it didn't explain the other.
What the hell was going on?
The boy, meanwhile, turned and looked into the distance, where, through the morning mist, the graceful silhouette of the Ivory Tower could already be seen. His eyes widened.
— "Dad... is it true? Will I see her today? The Lady?"
Sunny lingered for a few moments, then nodded.
— "Of course. You're turning seven today, aren't you? It's a divine day. And you will meet our goddess... introduce yourself, and swear to serve her."
His son frowned.
— "But... she's not really a goddess, is she? Won't the other gods be angry with me?"
Sunny laughed.
— "Gods! Gods are too great and powerful to know what jealousy is, my boy. Why would they be angry? The Lady of Hope gives us shelter and safety, protects us from Decay, from war, famine, plague... and even from ourselves. If that's not something worthy of worship, then I don't know what is."
With that, he leapt into the saddle and lifted the boy up to sit in front of him.
— "Let's go!"
They left the estate and rode along a white-stone road through a quiet forest and up a hill. The horse moved steadily forward, easily bearing the weight of two riders. Sunlight streamed through the canopy in broad beams, making their surroundings look almost like a fairy tale.
Sunny enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the forest. Long ago... before coming to the Kingdom of Hope... he had known neither. His life had been nothing but bloodshed and pain, battle after battle, war after war... Only after arriving in this realm and choosing to stay had he learned the truth of how joyful life could be.
Especially when shared with those you love.
...His son, however, knew nothing of conflict or darkness. This world was all he had ever known. And because of that, he was very bored.
The boy fidgeted for a while, then stared at the hilt of Sunny's sword.
— "Someday I'll have my own sword! It'll be much bigger and sharper than yours, old man. You'll see!"
Sunny laughed.
— "Why would you need a sword?"
His son looked at him in confusion.
— "What do you mean? To become an Awakened, of course! A warrior, like you!"
Sunny looked away and didn't respond for some time. His eyes grew distant.
...His heart ached. Why did it ache so much today?
— "Once, I was a warrior, that's true. But I never chose to be one. I became a warrior to survive. In the Kingdom of Hope, there's no need to fight, to suffer, or to kill others to live a long and happy life. Why would you still want to be a warrior?"
The boy fell silent, a comically thoughtful frown crossing his face. He turned away and said nothing more for a while.
Sunny doubted his son truly understood what he meant. And he hoped the boy never would.
Closing his eyes, he whispered a quiet prayer:
— "Glory to You, Desire, Demon of Hope. Please hear my longing. Protect my son from all the horrors of this world, and save him, as You once saved me..."
In silence, the three of them — man, boy, and horse — emerged from the forest and climbed the tall hill. From its summit, a breathtaking sight unfolded before them.
Before them stretched a vast plain bathed in sunlight, the emerald grass shimmering in the morning light. Here and there stood farms and fields, golden wheat swaying in the breeze. Glittering ribbons of rivers cut across the plain, and in the distance rose a beautiful city of white stone, above which towered a magnificent pagoda.
"Hope?"
"Worship of a demon?"
No one had ever heard of such a thing. People… worshiping a demon?
The knowledge-thirsty professor gripped his chair tightly, hoping to learn something new. He regretted only one thing—that he had no pen or paper to record everything.
Seeing everyone's confusion, Solvein—strangely enough—decided to enlighten them."The Kingdom of Hope is one of the realms ruled by a demon, whom all worshiped. As was said, we lived under its protection. It thrived… until a certain time…"
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. "Thrived… until a certain time?"
Answering their unspoken question, the screen shifted, revealing a horrifying scene that made blood freeze in everyone's veins.
He turned and looked back at the similar landscape lying behind them. Casting his gaze over the forest, he saw a small town and a modest stone manor standing beside it. From this distance, the building looked like a toy...
He raised his hand and waved.
— "Hey, Dad..."
Sunny smirked.
— "What? Are you going to make fun of me again?"
The boy shook his head.
— "No. It's just... what's wrong with the sky? It looks funny."
"...Huh?"
Sunny lifted his head, then frowned in confusion.
The sky did look strange.
The sun was still climbing upward, but it seemed as though a second one had appeared right above them, blazing with fierce light. The sky itself was growing brighter and brighter, as if suffused with scorching heat. The clouds had vanished...
Suddenly, a gust of hot wind swept past them.
His eyes narrowed sharply.
— "Wait!"
In the next instant, a colossal pillar of searing flame fell from the heavens, striking the plain and shattering the earth like glass. A blinding flash drowned the world in white, and through it rolled a terrible sound that tore through the forest. Stunned, Sunny realized his son was screaming—but he couldn't hear his voice.
At the spot where the pillar had struck, the ground itself split open and heaved upward, sending massive chunks of molten earth raining down upon them in a storm of fire, ash, and death.
The hill they stood on quaked, then shifted violently, throwing Sunny from his horse.
"No, no, no..."
Still dazed, he tried to find his son—but failed.
Instead, his gaze fell upon the small town and the stone manor rising in the distance.
As Sunny watched in horror, the ground yawned open, and fountains of fire burst skyward. The houses were instantly consumed by the flames and burned away, turning into clouds of ash.
"No, no, no!"
The next moment, the entire hill crumbled.
The last thing Sunny saw, before he was smothered by an avalanche of burning earth, was the fragile figure of his son being swallowed by the fire.
"No!"
And then, he died.
What? Everyone was horrified. Fear gripped each person present. An all-consuming force bore down on Sunny, filling them with dread. No one dared utter a single word.
Except for the grim Mordret, who spread a satisfied smile across his face, as if savoring the chaos.
Everyone understood that this was probably unreal, yet even realizing that, they could not calm themselves.
"— That's why it once thrived. But that was a long time ago," Solvein said, her voice emotionless, breaking the oppressive silence.
"W-what do you mean, High Priestess?" asked the professor, his voice trembling.
A suppressed sigh escaped her lips:
"Demon… Hope… because of the worship given to her, the gods became enraged. Worshiping a demon is one of the greatest sins, and the wrath of the gods fell upon that kingdom. As a result, it was bound."
Everyone's hair stood on end.
"Was that… the wrath of the gods?" someone whispered in horror.
It was unimaginable. A flourishing kingdom was wiped out in mere moments. Power… absolute power.
Pain. Pain. Pain...
Why did his heart hurt so much?
Sunny opened his eyes in the darkness and sat up, pushing the furs aside. He stared down at his frail chest, then touched it with a trembling hand in surprise. Since when had his chest begun to ache at night?
"Ah, old age... not much fun, is it?"
Chasing away the remnants of a dreadful nightmare, he slowly sat upright and spent a while massaging his joints, waiting for them to regain some flexibility. Then, rising carefully, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the Sacred Grove that surrounded him.
At least he had woken up alive. At his age, that was already an accomplishment!
If only his heart didn't hurt so much...
But that was what old age meant. Every dawn brought a new pain. In truth, Sunny would have been more frightened if he had woken up one morning feeling perfectly fine.
In any case...
It was time to face a new day.
Leaning on a wooden cane, Sunny stepped out of his hut and breathed in the clean, sweet air of the Sacred Grove.
The ancient trees rustled softly, as if greeting him. The forest was slowly waking, its emerald leaves eager to bathe again in the warmth of the rising sun. Between the mighty trunks drifted a cool mist, laced with the vivid violet light of early dawn. Nightingales sang cheerfully, hopping from branch to branch... The sight was familiar, beautiful, and calming.
Truly, the Grove of the God of Heart was the jewel of the Kingdom of Hope. How lucky he was to have been born here and to have spent most of his life beneath its sheltering canopy!
These trees had stood on this ancient soil long before it was broken, had endured the terrible cataclysm that came with Desire's imprisonment, and would continue to stand long after he died and was forgotten, his bones buried beneath their roots. Now that Sunny was old and his days were nearly spent, that thought was a comforting one.
A human life might be fleeting — but the beautiful grove was eternal.
The audience was even more bewildered. Why was Sunless now an old man?
Voicing everyone's question, Effi spoke up.
"What the hell is going on?"—everyone agreed with her. The heads of all present were aching from the overload of information. And above all, what drained them the most was ignorance. People fear ignorance the most—the fear of the unknown—and there was plenty of that here.
"W-well, how do I put this… Looks like I tricked Sunless?"—Noctis said nervously. All heads turned toward him.
"What do you mean?"—Daeron asked.
"Uhm… honestly, I didn't think it would turn out like this"—Noctis tried to defend himself.
"Just say it already!"—Effi shouted.
"Okay, okay. I sincerely thought Sunny would bond with this horse, but I was wrong. In this castle lived the last follower of Shadow, his loyal steed. This shadow bears the name 'Nightmare'—he rules over dreams. And I—I suppose he was the one who trapped Sunless in the dream world."—Noctis admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?"—Effi screamed in anger, making Noctis shrink back. Everyone fully agreed with her. That idiot had sent him to near-certain death.
"What were you thinking when you sent him there???"—the same voice yelled.
"I honestly thought fate brought us together. I expected him to recognize one of his companions… but it turned out quite badly…"—the mage muttered, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.
Everyone stared at him dumbfounded, wondering if he was joking. Some with disgust, some with genuine amazement at his reasoning. Is he really not pretending?
Rain was the most surprised of all. Are all the Awakened really like this? What kind of madmen surround me?—she mentally shuddered.
He patted one of the ancient oaks as if greeting an old friend, sighed, and, limping slightly, made his way toward the spring to fill his jug.
Since Sunny's hut stood at the edge of the grove, he could see the island's rim through the gaps between the trees. As always, it rose and fell slowly, the celestial chains clinking now and then. Everything was just as it should be… and that was the best thing in the world.
Sunny had lived a long life. Some of it peaceful, some of it turbulent… but, thankfully, turbulent times hadn't touched this quiet forest for a very, very long while. And that was all he had ever wanted — to live a calm, quiet life, far from the strife and misery of the ever-changing world.
Change… change always brought destruction on its wings. Sunny wanted no part in it.
However, today his wish was not meant to come true. Something unexpected happened, disturbing the familiar rhythm of his day...
At the very edge of the island, a mighty black horse appeared suddenly, as if leaping up from beneath the ground where one of the colossal chains was anchored to the soil of the Sacred Grove. It moved forward with a steady, confident gait, approaching the line of ancient trees.
The horse had no saddle, but there was a rider upon its back. A beautiful young woman sat astride it, dressed in a simple red tunic. Her ivory legs were slender and bare. She had an elegant figure, a face so beautiful it demanded to be looked upon, and chestnut hair that cascaded down like a waterfall of silk.
Sunny stared at the young woman, mesmerized by her beauty. Then he chuckled and shook his head.
— "What are you doing, old fool... Your days of gawking at lovely girls are long gone! That beauty is young enough to be your granddaughter. Shame on you, you lecherous wretch!"
He smirked wryly and then changed course to greet the unexpected visitor.
A dozen meters from the treeline, the young beauty reined in her horse, dismounted with remarkable grace, and sank to her knees in the soft grass, her gaze lowered — just as all pilgrims did.
Sunny approached the girl, slightly short of breath from the effort, and tried to muster a smile worthy of a wise elder. For some reason, the closer he got to the beautiful stranger, the more his heart ached.
"Ah, what's wrong with this fragile body of mine today?"
— "Greetings, young lady! Welcome. What brings you to the Grove of Hearts? Tell this old man your troubles... perhaps I can help."
The beauty did not raise her head, still gazing downward in a gesture of respect and humility. Her voice, when she spoke, was melodic and calm... but Sunny had met many pilgrims like her over the decades. They all came here burdened with sorrow and regret — that was why they sought passage into the Sacred Grove. It was a place of solace.
And he could feel that behind the young woman's serene façade hid a deep ocean of darkness.
She said:
— "...I seek an audience with the Lady of the Grove."
And once again, the beautiful Priestess of War appeared on the screen. No one even dared to glance at her; it was unlikely she would say anything. Everyone was lost in thought, trying to make sense of what was happening. Sunny now seemed to be an old man, and ironically, he had once again encountered Solvein, who was seeking an audience with a certain Lady of the Grove. But no matter how much they pondered, it brought them no closer to understanding.
Sunny lingered for a moment, then sighed.
*"So young, yet so troubled... how sad…"*
He leaned on his cane and smiled gently.
— *"Well then... she should be awake by now. How about this? I'll wait with you until the Lady arrives."*
The young beauty didn't respond. She simply kept her head bowed, still and silent like a statue. Her breathing was deep and even. Even her fearsome black horse seemed patient and indifferent.
Suddenly, Sunny felt a strange unease. He looked at the girl more closely and frowned.
*"Am I going senile now? By Hope's grace, what is this?"*
His eyes seemed to play tricks on him. He could have sworn he saw a radiant sphere of light burning in the young woman's chest… not that he had been *looking* in that direction, of course...
For no reason at all, his right hand suddenly moved on its own — stretching out to the side, palm open, as though expecting to grasp something out of the air.
Sunny stared at it in bewilderment.
*"...Strange. What are you doing, foolish hand?"*
Awkwardly, he hid the disobedient hand behind his back and cleared his throat. Perhaps he still hadn't fully recovered from that dreadful nightmare...
As he did, the young woman suddenly spoke, her head still bowed.
— *"Tell me… have you ever seen the Ivory Tower?"*
*"What an odd question…"*
Sunny chuckled.
— *"Oh… of course. When I was a foolish young man, not much older than you. Heh-heh. Hard to believe, I know, but this old man was once quite the troublemaker! I ran away from home in search of adventure. That's when I saw the City of Ivory — and much more besides. But in the end, I came back to this grove... I've always believed there's no place better than home."*
He paused for a moment, thoughtful, then asked:
— *"Why do you ask?"*
The young woman was silent for a while.
— *"...I heard that an evil demon is imprisoned in the Tower. That the gods locked her there as punishment for malice, decay, and pride. Do you think that's true?"*
Sunny chuckled softly.
— *"Ah, that. Sometimes I forget how much knowledge we've lost, we who dwell in the Kingdom of Hope. Yes, young lady, there truly is a daimon sealed within the Ivory Tower... but she was never evil, nor cruel, nor corrupt. In truth, Hope was kind and generous to us, the children of man."*
The beauty shifted slightly.
— *"Oh? Then why did the gods punish her?"*
Sunny sighed wearily.
— *"That's the question, isn't it? Why destroy this land and bind that gentle Lady in chains? Who can say... If mortals like us could fathom the will of the gods, perhaps we would be gods ourselves."*
And there it was again! That shining flame in the young woman's chest — he wasn't imagining it! It was truly there!
Sunny was about to take a closer look, regardless of how improper that might seem, when suddenly, from behind him, came a voice he knew all too well.
...But he had never heard that voice sound so dark, so grave.
The Lady of the Grove said:
— "...Why are you here, Solvein?"*
However, now everyone was worried. The strange glow that Sunny had noticed, the grim voice of the Lady of the Grove—this did not seem like a friendly meeting. And yet, some decided to take a chance and ask the priestess about the purpose of her visit. Among them was the inquisitive professor.
"Lady Priestess, may I ask why you have come to the Grove, and what is that glow in y-your ch-chest?" the professor stammered nervously. Everyone waited, hoping for an answer. But Solvein, ever indifferent, did not even glance at him.
Frustrated, the professor sat back, nervously drumming his fingers.
— "Why have you come here, Solvein?"
Sunny turned and looked at the slender woman standing behind him. Her dress was woven from simple green fabric, and a belt of tree bark circled her narrow waist. Though she looked only a little older than their guest — her skin soft, her hazel eyes bright — there was a calm and quiet strength about her, a serenity that brought peace and safety to everyone around her.
The woman looked beautiful, wise... and young. So young. She also looked very much like Sunny himself.
As always, seeing her filled his heart with both warmth and a deep, aching sorrow.
Sunny smiled, hiding his sadness, and spoke in the gentlest, most affectionate tone:
— "...Hello, Mother. We have a guest."
The Lady of the Grove — his mother — looked at him for a brief moment, then answered, her voice taut with tension and urgency:
— "Step away from her, child. Now."
Sunny frowned, confused, but obeyed, moving his frail body forward with the help of his cane. His heart sent sharp waves of pain through his chest... ah, even walking was difficult today...
Behind him, the young beauty his mother had called Solvein curved her lips into a dark smile. Slowly, she rose from the grass and faced the Lady of the Grove, her radiant eyes burning with a somber light.
— "You already know why I've come here. Don't pretend otherwise, Eydre."
Sunny finally reached his mother's side and turned to look at the strange pilgrim.
"Something… something's wrong. How does she know my mother's name?"
Could she be a powerful Awakened? Whoever she was, the eternal guardian of the Sacred Grove wouldn't let things get out of control. She wasn't just his mother — she was Transcendent Eydre, blessed by the God of Heart, after all. There was no reason to be afraid.
Nothing terrible ever happened in the Sacred Grove.
His thoughts were interrupted when another gleaming sphere of light appeared in his vision… this time inside his mother's body. Sunny stared at her back for a few seconds, then looked at Solvein. He even glanced at the horse.
"Ha…"
Meanwhile, the smile vanished from Solvein's beautiful face. Her voice grew cold and sharp as she said:
— "Word has reached me that throughout the Kingdom of Hope, a cult of her followers is spreading — slowly, like a plague. Imagine my surprise... my outrage, my fury... when I learned that the source of this sickness was you. You!"
Sunny's face darkened.
Now everything fell into place. Some priestess had brought death; it seemed that wherever she went, death followed. This provoked disgust in many.
"You are truly dreadful," Effi remarked sarcastically. One didn't need to be a sage to know whom she meant. Yet again, Solvein did not react in the slightest.
Nephis placed a hand on Effi's shoulder to draw her attention. "Stop, Effi," she said softly. Effi could only sigh.
— "Ah… so that's what this is about…"
He had warned his mother that something like this might happen. These days, saying anything good about a daimon was the same as blaspheming against the gods. Maybe he should have followed his own advice and kept his mouth shut…
"Damn."
Solvein clenched her fists.
— "I came here hoping to be proven wrong — but instead, I've confirmed the accusations are true. Your own son is tainted by this heresy. How… how could you betray us like this? You've built a cult devoted to the daimons. You've nurtured the very thing we were created to prevent!"
The Lady of the Grove frowned.
— "And what if I did? Do you think I've forgotten our solemn vow? No… no, it's you who are blind to the will of the Lord of Light. It's you who have failed your duty."
Solvein stared at the fragile woman in the green dress, her expression dark. Then she slowly shook her head.
— "You're… so broken. How could you let your soul become so twisted? You, of all of us, were meant to be the last to lose yourself. Your god was supposed to protect you… He's the God of Souls, isn't He?!"
Sunny heard his mother chuckle, though there was no joy in her voice.
— "Enough, Solvein. Didn't you say there's no need for pretense between us? Then speak your purpose and be gone. War has no place here."
The young beauty in the crimson tunic was silent for a long time, then slowly raised her hand. Sunny frowned when he noticed the strange dagger in it — forged from a single strip of dull metal. Where had it come from?
His mother suddenly flinched.
...He had never seen her afraid before.
— "You… you wouldn't dare…"
Solvein gritted her teeth.
— "You forced my hand, Eydre. None of us wanted this. But in the end, all agreed."
The Lady of the Grove fell silent, then shook her head.
— "…You lie. Noctis would never abandon me."
She took a step forward and smiled.
— "No one agreed. You came here on your own. None of the other Lords of the Chain gave their consent. Do you really think they would allow this? Don't you understand? Whoever among us falls, the one who remains will never be the same. The balance between the Seven will be broken — shattered beyond repair. You're mad, Solvein. Can you even imagine the catastrophe that would follow?"
But her voice faltered mid-sentence. Her beautiful hazel eyes widened.
Sunny trembled — something was terribly, terribly wrong.
His mother was staring at Solvein, her face deathly pale.
And then she whispered:
— "unless… unless you can do it better than any of us could. Oh… oh, Solvein! How merciless you are!"
Everyone agreed with this. They didn't know what life had been like in the past, but that in no way justified the actions of the war priestess. Her deeds were terrible, as they realized when Sanless arrived at the Colosseum.
Only Mordret had no objections. That madman would break into a grin every time he saw blood.
Sunny felt his heartache intensify. A cold sensation gripped his chest, forcing him to clutch it with a painful grimace.
"Argh… what are they even talking about? I don't understand… what's happening?"
Eydre of the Sacred Grove looked down for a long moment, then spoke.
Her voice was quiet, filled with sorrow:
— "I understand… now I understand. I should have known… that of all of us, you were the bravest. That sacrifice, Solvein… even in the Shadow Realm, I will not forget it."
With these words, she turned to Sunny, who was completely bewildered by the events, and gave him a sad smile.
— "And you… forgive me, child. Please, forgive me if you can."
Then his mother faced the beauty in the crimson tunic, raising her elegant hand. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a dagger carved from a single piece of wood appeared in her grasp.
Her voice hardened, resolute:
— "However, Solvein… you should not have challenged me on this sacred ground. I will not yield without a fight — nor will my Grove."
The girl standing before her smiled, her radiant eyes blazing with fierce light.
— "…Then prove it!"
— "Mother… mother…"
Sunny crawled across the ashes, gasping in the choking smoke. Tears streamed down his wrinkled cheeks, evaporating in the unbearable heat. His heart ached… oh, it ached so terribly!
His entire body throbbed with pain. Around him, the Sacred Grove burned in a consuming, furious blaze. He heard the screams of its inhabitants echoing in the impenetrable darkness: both people and beasts burning alive as their entire world slowly turned to ash.
"How can this be… how, how?!"
Pushing himself forward with the weak arms of a feeble old man, he crawled toward the fragile figure lying on the ground several meters away… so far… so distant.
He refused to die without reaching her.
The ground burned his palms, now covered in terrible blisters, but he pressed on, unwilling to give up.
"Mother…"
And finally, he reached her.
The Lady of the Grove lay dead among the flames, shards of the strange iron dagger jutting from the blood-soaked earth around her. Swallowing his tears, Sunny awkwardly hugged her body and let out a strangled cry.
Why… why did this feeling feel so familiar? As if he had felt this pain before, long ago… in another world…
— "Why did you die? Weren't you supposed to be immortal? How can this be? No, no… it's just a bad dream, a nightmare. I need to wake up! Wake up, you old fool! Wake… wake up!"
A gloomy silence fell over the hall. Everyone's eyes were filled with sadness; everyone was now certain this dream trap was designed to break Sanless. Mental attacks are far more deadly than physical ones. Every observer knew this—given the choice, they would rather face a physically formidable nightmare creature than something with power over the mental world. Such creatures were among the most terrifying.
And yet Sanless was trapped, unaware that this was not his life, but merely an illusion. He would have to fight to escape this entity's grip.
Above, in the ranks, the perpetually cheerful wizard stared blankly at the screen. As if fate itself had repaid him for his deeds. Oh, how he didn't want to remember, but the image on the screen kept him from forgetting—the tragic fate of the Seven Lords...
But no matter what he did, he could not escape. Even if it was only a nightmare, he was trapped within it, unable to break free.
"Trapped… in a nightmare?"
As this strange thought passed through his mind, the trunk of an ancient tree suddenly fell nearby, sending a whirlwind of fiery sparks and burning debris into the air. Sunny stared at it, feeling his vision darken and his thoughts vanish one by one.
He coughed, unable to stop… he couldn't breathe… he was suffocating…
"How did this happen?"
The old man stared at the burning forest, his eyes blazing with grief and maddened disbelief.
How could the Sacred Grove be destroyed?
Was it not meant to stand tall, beautiful, and serene long after his death?
Was it not meant to outlive him?
A sense of absolute, hopeless sorrow and despair flooded his mind like smoke choking the lungs, and pain consumed his body.
"This is a nightmare… just a nightmare… it cannot be real… no, no, no!"
This bitter thought was the last to form in Sunny's mind before he fell into the scorching darkness.
And in that darkness, lonely and suffering, he died.
Hope flickered in many eyes. It was impossible to know how many dreams, stories, and deaths he had endured, but after Sanni's words about the nightmare, it was as if he had remembered.
Rein shrank in her chair, grief washing over her. Her brother's life had been horrific, while she had lived so comfortably with her parents. "Why didn't he tell me?" she whispered, choking back tears. "Or maybe he did… but I don't remember…"
The cohort was silent, filled only with quiet sorrow. "Even as he was slowly dying, he thought of us, heading toward the meeting place, wondering if we were alive, if we were all right. We weren't there to help, and yet he walked through hell to meet us…" Of course, it wasn't their fault that he had been forgotten, but still, it hurt so deeply…
But they were gravely mistaken—for what they saw next was hell…
Pain. Pain. Pain…
Agonizing, excruciating pain.
His heart ached — but so did every part of his body.
Sunny couldn't open his eyes; they were sealed shut by dried blood. And even if he could, he would see only the dark walls of an underground cell, where he was chained to a rusted torture device — glowing hot metal spikes driven deep into his flesh.
Lost and forgotten, far from the light of the blessed sun…
A familiar voice broke the silence, making him flinch.
— Ah, you're awake. Good. You were gone for quite a while this time, my friend. Shall we continue?
"Another round of torture…"
Sunny sighed, already knowing too well what awaited him.
He could barely remember who he was before he ended up in this cold dungeon, or why the owner of that cursed voice tormented him. All he knew now was pain, darkness, and despair.
And yet… this time, it didn't feel as unbearable. What could be worse than the nightmare he had just seen?
Solvain, Eidre, Noctis… The names felt familiar somehow. Perhaps he had known those people once — before this hell. If there was anything before it.
But that didn't matter.
All that mattered was pain — endless, merciless pain.
He clenched his teeth.
It was time to face another day…
The tortures continued without end.
Day after day. Night after night.
Sunny screamed when he had a voice — and stayed silent when it was gone. Long ago… decades ago, perhaps… he still had pride, and he endured the agony without giving his tormentor the satisfaction of hearing his cries, his pleas, his sobs.
But there was no meaning in that. Pride had no place here. Only pain.
Any mortal should have long since died from the inhuman torment inflicted upon his body. But Sunny didn't die. He couldn't die. And so, his suffering never ceased.
Each morning, his wounds vanished, as though he were reborn anew. Each morning, the torturer returned — and the cycle began again.
The torturer never asked him questions. It seemed he inflicted pain not for knowledge, but for the act itself. And yet… there was something strange about him. He never appeared to take pleasure in his cruelty. On the contrary — there was sorrow in his voice, as though the torment was a burden he bore unwillingly.
Why?
How long had this been happening?
When would the endless nightmare finally end?
"Endless… nightmare…"
Sunny didn't know anymore. He barely remembered himself. There was only fear. Darkness. Pain.
"God… save me…"
The sight froze blood in their veins. Some barely restrained themselves, others sank into tears. Even for such powerful beings, it was unbearable—torture day after day, night after night. Words failed them; only excruciating pain remained.
Rein's voice was hoarse after so many tears; she slowly drowned in grief. "Brother… brother…"
Ananke could only embrace her, trying to offer comfort. "Do not cry, child. He is strong… he will endure…" she whispered gently.
"Forgive me, cruel shadow… I never imagined it would turn out like this… I've been a poor friend…" muttered the once cheerful wizard, sadness in his voice.
In the back rows, hidden from all, the prince watched the scene with perverse delight. His face was full of excitement, pleasure—so much pleasure. "Ah, what a delightful sight, Sanless," he murmured.
Even the Blood Sisters, accustomed to cruelty, corpses populating their capital, and the dark deeds happening far beyond human eyes, could not quell their sorrow.
The same was true for the Princess of the Immortal Flame. She could not stop her tears. She had suffered greatly in her own life; pain had always been an inseparable part of her existence, and she knew—truly knew—what it felt like…
Yet this hell had not ended. It was only just beginning…
One of those days, when he opened his eyes, he saw the torturer enter the chamber. His personal executioner was tall and noble, with ivory-white skin, luxurious golden hair, and amber eyes filled with calm, conviction, and melancholy.
As always, the torturer began preparing his instruments, and as always, Sunny strained his broken body, futilely trying to break free from his chains.
…But this time, something unexpected happened. Sunny froze, staring at the radiant figure before him, his eyes widening.
"Could it be?"
Just like in the dreadful nightmare he had seen days ago, a beautiful sphere of light burned in the torturer's chest. Its brilliance washed over Sunny, momentarily pushing back the unbearable pain.
A weak, pale smile formed on his face.
Sunny bathed in the light and whispered:
— "Sun…"
Oh, how he had longed to see the sun again…
The torturer paused, then slowly turned to him. His amber eyes shone with a sudden surge of emotion.
— "…You speak again?"
He stepped forward hesitantly, studying Sunny's face, then gently caressed him.
— "Brother… my brother… it's good to hear your voice again."
Sunny shivered.
— "…Brother? We… brothers?"
He was weak and confused. Thoughts danced chaotically in his shattered mind, fragile as snowflakes under the summer sun. Focusing on anything was difficult — even if he wanted to. But… he didn't want to. He hadn't wanted anything for a long time.
The torturer smiled sadly.
— "Have you even forgotten me?"
Sunny frowned, trying to remember. Brother… had he had a brother? Yes, once. His brother had been noble, valiant, wise. Blessed by the Lord of Light, entrusted with a sacred duty…
Just like Sunny himself.
…Or perhaps he was merely recalling fragments of old nightmares. Who could say?
He shook his head weakly.
— "If we are brothers… then… why? Why… do you torment me?"
The torturer remained silent for a moment, then let out a sad laugh.
— "Ah, the old question. You haven't asked it in decades."
He leaned forward, looking at Sunny with sorrow.
— "Do you not remember? After all… it was you who asked me to do this."
Sunny's pupils dilated.
"No… no…"
— "I… asked you?"
The torturer nodded.
— "As atonement, for the terrible sin you committed. For betraying the trust of the Lord of Light. That was… a hundred years ago? Yes, around that."
He turned away and lifted a long blade, tossing it into the flames roaring in the golden brazier.
— "Almost a century has passed since you left me. Fulfilling our duty alone was not easy, my brother. It was far from easy. But I never broke the promise I gave you."
At last, the day came when Sunny was freed from his chains and dragged from the dungeon. He was too weak to resist his captors — and saw no point in doing so. He didn't understand what was happening and was simply relieved to leave the dark chamber of torture.
He was so happy that tears flowed from his amber eyes.
Sunny was brought into a massive chamber, filled with oppressive heat and bathed in a malignant orange glow.
"…Strange… what a strange place…"
Before him was a gigantic pit filled with molten steel. Huge bellows sent a constant stream of wind into the fire below. He heard hooves striking stone and saw a mighty horse, blindfolded, endlessly walking in circles, turning a wooden wheel that, in turn, powered the bellows.
On the ground near the pit lay a strange iron cage. It was shaped like a human body and opened to reveal a hollow human-shaped interior.
"What… is this?"
— "Be brave, my brother."
Sunny flinched at the familiar voice. He turned his head and saw the torturer standing beside him, a grim and determined expression on his face.
— "Today we burn away your sin… today we will make you an instrument of the gods once more."
"I don't… understand."
Before Sunny could comprehend what was happening, he was placed inside the strange cage, which was then locked, leaving him in utter darkness. The new prison hugged his body like a metallic shell. He could neither move nor see. He was like a soul trapped inside a man-shaped iron body.
Panicked, Sunny struggled against the metal prison, but it was useless.
He heard chains clinking and felt himself being lifted into the air.
"W-what…"
Then he was dropped… down, down, down… into the enormous pit of molten metal.
The outer walls of the cage heated, then burned…
And then — seared, scorching, incinerating.
Locked in the blazing iron cage, Sunny screamed and screamed, his flesh continually burning and regenerating, his shattered mind drowning in agony and heat… in the flames.
But no matter how much he screamed…
The fire was eternal.
Just like him…
The whole world collapsed from this truth. Century after century, day after day, night after night, year after year, he suffered.
Some looked away, trying not to look, trying to forget. Even those who remained steadfast finally gave in. He was dying alone, slowly; his mind was crumbling—he was no longer who he once was.
And as if that weren't enough, the screen changed—again and again.
A new day, a new memory, torture, the death of loved ones, desperate pleas, and finally, death. No one knew how much time had passed; only a few continued to watch, hoping it would end soon, hoping he would endure.
And finally, after what seemed like an eternity, their prayers were answered...
Soon, Sunny found himself tied to a wooden post, flames spreading through the pile of kindling beneath his bare feet, while a crowd of people he once considered friends and neighbors watched with insane glee. All he could do was struggle desperately against his bindings and pray that the smoke would suffocate him before the fire reached his flesh…
But his prayers went unanswered.
Screaming in the fire, he died.
…It was time to face a new day.
Sunny fought desperately as sharp fangs tore into his flesh, as he was devoured alive. But no matter how much he fought, it was useless. The monster was too strong, too mad, too cruel.
And then he died.
It was time to face a new day again.
Sunny drowned, a heavy chain wrapped around his legs.
Sunny bled on the battlefield, suffering from terrible thirst, too weak to move, as hungry crows pecked at his face with sharp beaks.
Sunny watched his entire family executed before he was hung on the walls of a grim fortress.
Abandoned by his heartless mother into the boundless darkness of the Lower Sky, Sunny died of hunger, thirst, and fear, too exhausted to scream or cry.
A malevolent sorcerer killed Sunny and turned him into a wooden puppet, then killed him again after an eternity of silent servitude, and the puppet burned to ash, falling into a sea of white flames.
His heart was pierced by an obsidian dagger atop an altar of pure darkness.
His body was cleaved by the blade of a giant warrior in a red tattered mantle, while a cheering crowd roared from the stone seats of an ancient theater.
…It was time to face a new day again.
The nightmares never ceased, flowing one into another. Each time he awoke, Sunny was convinced that the torment he endured was only a terrible dream. Yet very soon, his waking life turned into sheer horror.
And then he died.
And then a new day came again.
And slowly, he lost his mind.
— No!
Sunny and the young girl in the beautiful silk dress, handed down from her mother and therefore slightly too long for her awkward frame, had nowhere left to run.
The pursuers, having already dispatched the rest of their party, drove them to the very edge of the island. Ahead of them was only the darkness of the Lower Sky.
…And behind them, steel hooves already clattered over stone, drawing closer and closer.
The teenage girl stared into the bottomless chasm, then turned to him. Her lips trembled.
— "Sir… what… what should we do?"
Her face was delicate and pale, not yet touched by the sharpness of maturity. Her eyes, usually so gentle and bright, were now dull and filled with fear.
Sunny hesitated, then drew his sword and turned his back to the abyss.
— "…Do not fear, milady. I am with you."
He spoke these hollow words, fully aware they were a lie. He was just one man… not even Awakened. What could an ordinary swordsman like him do against such an enemy?
The girl, young as she was, knew he was lying too.
Moments before the first of the pursuers emerged from the darkness, she grabbed his forearm and looked at him with desperate determination.
— "You… must not let them… must not let them take me alive, sir. Please…"
Sunny gritted his teeth, paused for a second, then slowly nodded.
His heart ached… it ached so deeply. The pain was almost blinding.
Moments later, a mighty black stallion appeared before them, with an armored rider on its back.
The rider leapt down with a speed no ordinary human could match. He drew his sword and looked at Sunny, his eyes hidden behind the visor of a menacing black helmet.
His voice rumbled like that of an ancient beast:
— "…Step aside, warrior. We want only the maiden. You can still leave alive."
Sunny laughed.
Oh, why did his heart hurt so much… dying was already painful enough.
He looked at the Awakened hunter standing before him, then at the girl he had sworn to protect…
"Why does this nightmare never end?"
…And then he lowered his sword and stepped aside.
Both watched him: the pursuer with grim amusement, his lady with shock and disbelief. Her voice trembled:
— "Sir, what… what are you doing?"
Sunny was silent for a few moments, then sighed.
"Why is this world so insane?"
— "I am very sorry, milady. Please do not hate me. But, you see… how should I put this…"
He looked at her, then at the Awakened hunter. Then he shook his head and said:
— "I am almost certain that you are not real…"
After Sanless spoke, everyone finally turned their eyes back to the screen, each carrying the same unspoken words: "Finally… finally, he understands." Hope sparkled in their eyes once more—the hope that this ordeal would soon end.
"How long it took you to realize…" whispered Reine. It hurt her, oh, how it hurt to watch… But for him, for her brother, she watched. Every day he endured, every memory he relived. She was certain he would make it—after all, he had survived.
"Yes!!!"
"He understands!!!"
"About time, you fool…"
Once again, all eyes were fixed on the screen, filled with hope.
Sunny looked at the frightened girl and then… laughed.
…His laughter sounded more than insane.
His lady flinched:
— Sir, you… you…
Sunny waved his hand.
— No, no. No need… I understand. I sound like a madman.
The night sky above them was shrouded in an impenetrable layer of clouds, and below them was emptiness and darkness. The ancient stones they stood on were slippery from the rain, and it was too dark to make out anything beyond vague silhouettes.
The silhouette of the Awakened Hunter was imposing, fearsome, embodying the very concept of terror.
But Sunny did not care.
Rubbing his chest, he crookedly smiled and spoke in a hoarse, raspy voice:
— …But then again, this whole world is madness. Someone once told me… ah, I don't remember who… that we can only reflect what is before us. Is it my fault that before me there is nothing but madness?
He looked down, and his smile twisted into a malicious grin.
— And someone else once told me that they wanted to destroy the world. Back then, I thought they were mad… probably… but now I wonder…
Everyone was horrified by Sunny's words, but no one could blame him—after so many nightmares and deaths, he had been driven mad. Though it was terrifying to watch, they were nevertheless struck by his will to live.
"He truly never gives up," observed Saint Kor. Everyone agreed with him; none of them were sure they could have survived in his place.
No one wanted to test that.
Nephis, however, pondered his final words deeply. "Destroy the world, huh? Looks like I told him about it. And yet he doesn't condemn me…"
The Awakened Hunter stepped forward, his monstrous voice cutting through the darkness like a creeping rumble:
— Weak… so weak… his mind is broken…
— Mad, huh? As if after being gutted once, nothing else could impress you. Or if you've already seen your mother die once, the second time wouldn't be… well… maybe it would? I don't know… I'm a bit confused about what's real and what isn't. Maybe I'm not real myself. But one thing I know…
The girl slowly backed away from him, her face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head slightly, then asked with curiosity:
— About what?
Sunny shrugged.
— Well, it doesn't really matter whether this is real or not, but it turns out I'm very… very, very hard to break. At least, to the point where I can't think. Or notice things. Oh, and I've just noticed a few things…
He slowly lifted his sword, pointing it at the approaching hunter.
— The first thing I noticed: my heart always hurts, whether in a nightmare or in real life. So the question arises… if the pain in the heart is the same, maybe the essence of dream and reality is the same too?
He took a step forward, a confused expression on his face.
— The second thing I noticed is that many of my thoughts, actions, and reactions don't make sense. Sometimes my hands try to do things on their own, and sometimes fragments of feelings, ideas, and judgments that I need to summon to control them appear by themselves. Easy to explain in a dream… not so easy in the waking world. And I wake up, right? Or not? Or yes? Sometimes it's hard to say…
He laughed again and took a defensive stance, waiting for the terrifying Awakened Hunter to strike.
— And the last thing I noticed is the glowing spheres of light that I seem to be able to see in the souls of living beings… or the vile spheres of darkness in the souls of the Corrupted. It took a few nightmares to understand that these are soul cores. Strange, but this ability carried me again from nightmares into reality, making them very similar. So… given all that… I'm really curious about just one thing.
Sunny smiled, ready to meet his death… once again.
— You see… in my nightmares I've encountered all kinds of beings. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters… even Transcendent immortals. Some had one soul core, some had two or three…
He paused for a moment, then glanced past his enemy at the massive black horse standing motionless behind him, barely visible in the shadows.
— So my question… why does this damned horse always have six?
…With that, he dashed in the opposite direction of the hunter's flashing sword, throwing the girl he had sworn to protect aside without a second thought.
Sliding across the wet stones, Sunny ducked under the flying blade and leapt to his feet, putting all his weight into his attack.
Yet his strike was not aimed at the fearsome killer… instead, it targeted the black steed.
The tip of the sword touched the onyx-like coat of the mighty beast without resistance… and shattered as if it were not a living creature, but adamantine stone.
The next moment, the Awakened Hunter's blade pierced him from behind, emerging from Sunny's chest in a fountain of blood.
Ignoring the terrible pain and the blood flowing from his mouth, Sunny smirked and looked at the motionless horse.
The stallion stared back at him, its eyes dark and filled with limitless, terrifying malice.
A bubbling laugh escaped Sunny's lips.
— Doesn't matter… doesn't matter. Kill me again, bastard… kill me as many times as you like. In this nightmare, I'm just an ordinary swordsman… but in the next, or the next after that… I'll become someone strong enough to tear you apart. And then I'll finish you again, and again… and again. Let's see who breaks first, you pitiful pony!
The black horse looked at Sunny, its eyes igniting with ghostly crimson flame.
It snorted quietly, then opened its mouth, full of sharp teeth more like a wolf's than a horse's.
And then the Nightmare bit the trembling man's head, easily crushing it between its massive jaws.
Sunny died.
And woke up with a piercing scream.
It was time to face a new day…
He crawled out of the filthy tent where he had been sleeping, and smirked, sparks of madness lighting up in his dark eyes.
It was time to hunt the evil horse…
And finally, everything fell into place. Remembering the truth Noxis had revealed, the black horse, and truly recalling Sunny's past memories, it was clear—wherever he had been, that black horse had always been nearby.
"At least he finally figured out how to get out. Not the most pleasant process, but he's serious about it… and maybe a little crazy," Jet said, disheartened.
"He'll manage."
"Exactly. If not him, then who!?"
A chorus of support spread through the hall.
"What a persistent shadow!!!" Noxis shouted excitedly. But all eyes turned accusingly toward him. No one had forgotten whose fault it was that Sunny had ended up in an endless nightmare. Embarrassed, Noctis slumped again.
Sunny and the devilish horse of the fallen Lord of Shadows fought across an endless tapestry of nightmares. Both were consumed by an insatiable desire to destroy the other, ablaze with bloodlust, fury, and relentless murderous intent.
Their blood flowed through a hundred nightmare dreams, dissolving into crimson rivers that had spilled across the Kingdom of Hope for centuries. As the weaker of the two, Sunny bled most of the time… but each time he was torn apart and killed, he strove to leave at least a mark on the black body of the stallion.
No matter how many times the cursed horse killed Sunny, it had to share in his pain. Sunny was not merely being hunted… no, he was the hunter himself. What did it matter how many deaths he endured, what monstrous tortures the nightmares devised for him? In this realm of horrors, he was immortal, like a Stygian steed. Each time he died, he was reborn anew.
And each time he was reborn, there was a chance to become someone—or something—that the hellish stallion could not defeat. When that happened, their roles would reverse, and it was the black horse that had to suffer, be broken, and die by his hand.
Every killing filled Sunny's soul with wicked exultation.
He did not care that he would die again and again, that he would witness savage horrors and endure the most terrible torments imaginable. After all, he wasn't even sure he was human. But whatever—or whoever—he was, Sunny was willing to endure any pain if it meant forcing the dark monster to feel it as well.
Neither of them could die in the dream, so this battle had to be decided by the endurance of their will.
They were fated to see whose spirit would break first…
And so they hunted and slaughtered each other across countless nightmares, each waiting to see who would collapse first under the weight of hopelessness and endless suffering.
**************** Sunny did not break.
…But the cursed horse refused to yield as well.
The black stallion was as steadfast as he, equally stubborn, willful, and merciless. It endured the ceaseless barrage of wounds and deaths inflicted by the Lightless with unshakable resolve, and its hatred and murderous rage only grew stronger.
The war horse possessed a wicked will and a cunning mind. It was ready to endure unimaginable torment forever, just to destroy its enemy again and again. Without concern for agony, the stallion seemed to share it with grim delight with its feral prey.
The black horse was as mad as the Lightless.
Neither of them yielded, no matter how many times they were maimed, mutilated, torn apart, or killed.
Neither of them broke.
…So, in the end, it was the endless nightmare itself that was destined to shatter and collapse.
Everyone watched in awe the unending battles, the eternal struggle of will against despair. Like mirrors of one another, they embodied rage, immortal pain, and the stubborn human spirit, with a touch of madness.
"This deserves its own nightmare trial," Jet remarked.
"Indeed," agreed Saint Kai. "I'm still amazed he endured it…" he said, a note of sadness in his voice.
"And yet, this meeting was written by fate. Only he could handle it!" Noctis declared. Still, despite their lingering displeasure at his actions, they were forced to agree.
And then reality shattered like a vast black veil. Everything around— the stone island, the burning wreckage of a shattered ship, even the pitch-black sky—quivered and trembled, like a silk curtain being crumpled by an invisible giant hand. Moments later, torn and broken, that curtain fell apart.
…It was a magnificent sight—watching an entire world crumble right before his eyes.
After a while, Sunny found himself in boundless darkness, surrounded by pure nothingness. His pain was gone… More than that, it seemed he no longer had a body. Instead, he had become a formless shadow, within which three spheres of black fire burned fiercely.
***************** laughed.
— What happened? Don't tell me… don't tell me your nightmares are over, monster! Oh, what will you do now?!
Instead of answering, something stirred before him… behind him… around him.
In the darkness, there was another shadow. But this one… this one was deep, vast, and far older.
It was filled with malice and hatred.
When his voice echoed into the void, the immense shadow suddenly lunged forward, enveloping him.
And then…
*************… Sunny… awoke.
"YEEES, HE MADE IT OUT!!!" Effie shouted, expressing the crowd's shared joy. Tears of happiness streamed down Rain's face.
"HAHAHAHA! That malicious shadow shattered all the nightmares—truly an impressive entrance!!!" Noctis exclaimed, thrilled.
"To be honest, I've never seen someone so unyielding," Daeron said warmly. "I wonder how we even met him?"
The Beast Mistress clutched her dress and muttered, "Worthy…"
Most pleased of all was Mordret. "So much pleasure he's given… My respect, Sanless. I can only lament that it's over!" he mused mentally.
"But don't forget he still has to face that horror," Morgan pointed out, bringing everyone back down to earth.
"Ugh, girl, you really know how to ruin the moment," the sorcerer clicked his tongue irritably.
Morgan's eye twitched nervously. "Sorry, I'm just a realist," she said.
Sunny tumbled off the bed, clutching his chest. His glove scraped against the onyx metal of the Underworld Mantle, and in the next second, he hit the cold stone floor, wildly scanning his surroundings, his eyes full of confusion and fear.
— W-where am I? Another nightmare?
He saw a terrifying snake coiled in the corner, the pale moonlight glinting off its Stygian scales, and a graceful knight in black armor standing guard by the door. For a moment, Sunny panicked—but then he remembered who they were.
"…Saint? Soul Serpent?"
And then he remembered who he was.
His pupils dilated.
— I… I've awakened.
Fragmented memories of countless nightmares flooded his mind, each more torturous than the last. Some were already fading, as dreams normally do. But some remained, almost as vivid, alive… and horrifying as they had been when he first endured them.
Sunny shuddered and let out a strangled cry.
For a few moments, his sense of self felt fragile; the madness of his nightmare self collided with his real existence. But then the real him—the one who was an Awakened warrior, not some nameless being trapped in the endless wheel of tormenting nightmares—prevailed and absorbed the other… somehow.
It was absolute chaos.
But Sunny didn't have time to dwell on the chaotic, undoubtedly horrifying process of merging his diverging selves.
Because the moment he hit the floor, he heard a painfully familiar sound… loud, threatening… growing ever closer.
The clang of steel hooves on cold stone.
"Wh-what… how…"
He was too disoriented and shaken to gather his thoughts or understand what was happening.
He knew only one thing for certain.
…the cursed horse was coming!
"Damn it all!!!" Noctis shouted. But, unfortunately, their complaints wouldn't help Sanless.
"How is he supposed to handle the Awakened Horror?" Rain asked hesitantly. Ananke gave her a gentle smile.
"Don't worry, child. Considering what he's already endured, he'll manage," she said encouragingly, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Really, if not him, then who!?"
"Yes, he can do it!"
"How else could he have opened his café and lived so indulgently!!??"
Everyone, in high spirits, clenched their fists in support.
The Saint suddenly raised her shield and the Soul Serpent silently merged with the shadow.
Sunny was already trying to get up; a frantic thought swarmed his mind:"Memory… I need to summon Memory… I need a weapon…"
But he didn't have time.
A moment later the wall of the cell suddenly exploded in a spray of stone shards, and two furious crimson eyes appeared in the darkness beyond it.
The black stallion — the Awakened Terror that had once been the horse and companion of the Lord of Shadows — burst into the chamber at a gallop, crashing through the stone wall and flying at Sunny without slowing.
For an instant before the impact, Sunny managed to get a good look at it. The creature looked exactly as it had in his nightmares.
The stallion was tall and graceful, its coat black as night and its eyes burning with a menacing crimson glow. Thin muscles rolled beneath its skin with every movement, making it gleam with a dark sheen. Its hooves seemed forged from gloomy adamantine metal, as were its curved horns and the sharp, terrifying fangs.
This noble horse seemed wrapped in shadows; its silhouette was hidden beneath their dark mantle. It was as beautiful as it was dreadful...
Moreover, the Terror was heading straight for Sunny, cold hatred blazing in its terrible eyes.
A fraction of a second later the stallion rammed him at full speed.
"Argh!"
The black horns could not pierce the stone-like metal of the Underworld Mantle, but Sunny felt as if he had been struck by a high-speed train. His body was lifted into the air.
The war-horse carried him forward on its sharp horns and, a moment later, slammed him into another wall of the room with its flank, shattering it.
Sunny felt another horrifying blow and his vision blurred for an instant.
Surrounded by a cloud of stone debris, both of them — demon and Terror — tumbled through the jagged breach in the outer wall of the castle into the cool night air, plunging down from the height of the main tower of the abandoned stronghold.
"Damn you, horse... why can't you just die?!"
"God, up close he looks even scarier!" Noctis exclaimed with disgust. No one protested; everyone agreed with the wizard. Black fur, massive size, red insane eyes—every element meant to terrify.
"Well, everything turned out the way you wanted, didn't it?" Jet remarked sarcastically, drawing a few chuckles.
"Uh… I suppose so?" he replied hesitantly. "But still, he managed, right? From the very beginning, I had faith in this shadow!" he said proudly. Everyone looked at him with accusing eyes.
"Alright, alright, I'll be quiet…" he muttered, slumping.
Their attention was drawn to the loud roar coming from the screen. It seemed the battle was nearing its end.
The black stallion collapsed to the ground, suddenly paralyzed, and remained there, its flank rising and falling uncertainly, its hoarse breathing slowing… and slowing…
Sunny fell too.
"Ah… damn…"
It seemed he too was dying.
The pain in his chest became unbearable, as if his heart had reached its limit.
Turning his head, he stared at the dying horse, whose terrifying crimson eyes were slowly dimming, growing colder.
After a while, the madness burning within them faded, replaced by a shadow of a new emotion: confusion, pain… and sudden recognition.
The black horse drew one final breath and let out a soft, mournful whinny.
And it was gone.
Sunny closed his eyes.
He was very, very tired.
"…I won."
Well… then perhaps it was his time to die.
In the darkness, the voice of the Spell whispered in his ear, soft and solemn:
[You have slain the Awakened Shadow, the Nightmare.][Your shadow grows stronger.]
Feeling an immense flow of Shadow Fragments pour into his cores, reinforcing them, he thought wearily:
"Strange… doesn't seem like there are only six of them…"
…But the Spell had not finished speaking.
It paused for a moment, then said:
[…You have obtained a Shadow.][Your mastery of the Aspect Legacy has increased.][You have earned the right to claim the Legacy Relic.]
Sunny weakly attempted a smile.
"Such wonderful news… it would be perfect if I weren't dying."
And then a strange sound pierced his ears. It sounded like… like… the rustling of sails…
The screen flickered and darkened, signaling the end of the show. The red curtains rustled as they returned to their original position.
But no one seemed to notice. Everyone's eyes were wide, staring blankly at the screen.