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Hello everyone Many of you are probably upset that there have been no new chapters for a while. I'm afraid I'll disappoint you, but I really don't have much time right now. I've already mentioned this in the comments, but many of you may not know.
I started writing this fanfiction for fun, and it still is, but you have to understand that fanfiction won't bring food to the table - finding a job is still a priority. I can't promise any specific dates or schedules for the release of new chapters, but I'll write as soon as I can.
I hope for your understanding and that you will enjoy this chapter.
Have fun reading!
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The screen went dark, leaving everyone in a suffocating silence.
Every gaze in the hall was fixed on the Changing Star. Some stared wide-eyed, others with quiet admiration.
Nephis herself simply stared at the blank screen, unable to believe what she had just seen. A storm raged in her mind, countless thoughts tangled together, sowing even more chaos.
Beside her, the ever-energetic huntress was on the verge of exploding, her face split by a grin stretching from ear to ear.
"AAAAH, Princess! I always knew you'd find your man! No—better than that, you snatched the best one! And you know what? Even I'm impressed. Go on, don't you dare let him slip away—I give you my full blessing!!!"
The lively huntress was bursting with joy.
But the stunned Nephis didn't even look at her. She just kept staring at the now-dark screen, replaying what she'd seen again and again.
Her—calm, serene—lying in Sunny's arms. That warmth in his gaze, that genuine affection he felt for her. Pure love without even a hint of lust. It was something she could have wished for only in her dreams.
"How… beautiful…" she whispered.
Even Effie was startled by Neph's quiet voice. The whole cohort turned toward her in disbelief. It was something none of them expected.
Even those outside the cohort were glancing at her with quiet admiration. Some turned away politely so as not to embarrass the Changing Star.
It was a sight none of them thought they would ever witness—the always cold, innocent princess revealing a side of herself, even if unintentionally. And her reaction delivered the final blow, sending quiet chuckles rippling through the hall.
Even Morgan's lips twitched.
"Oh? Their relationship is that deep?"
But she didn't like it very much.
In the front rows, among the Blood Sisters, Seishan grew pensive.
"I didn't expect this… but I suppose she does know how to use her appearance." she muttered with a hint of irritation.
George had turned away the moment the scene began—out of respect for her, and equally for his son. Who knew—perhaps she would one day become the mother of his grandchildren. But one thing was certain: he was proud of his boy.
Rein and Aurora stared at Lady Nephis with shining eyes, full of reverence. Remembering what they saw—the warmth, the overflowing emotion—it was beautiful.
Rein whispered in awe:
"S-sister-in-law?"
Nephis flinched, slowly turning toward the voice—and froze. Beside her, Effie was howling with laughter until Jet finally stopped her.
"HEY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"
"Stop it already," Jet scolded, though inwardly she delighted at finally seeing a crack in the always-stoic face.
More laughter echoed throughout the hall. Noctis enjoyed the spectacle the most.
Caught completely off guard, Nephis stared at Rein and Sunny's mother, unable to form words. Her face burned crimson, her thoughts scrambled.
"W-what?" she stammered.
Realizing she had actually said that aloud, Rein began frantically waving her arms.
"N-no, I didn't mean—sorry!"
"Hahahahaha!"—Aurora's melodic laugh rang out.
This only embarrassed Nephis more. She fidgeted with her fingers, desperately trying to think of something—anything—to say. But it was futile. There was no defending herself. With a spark of hope, she turned to Cassie—her closest friend—expecting help.
But to her shock, her friend was staring right at her… smiling. A sly, knowing smile.
Nephis stared in disbelief. Her last hope crumbled. Betrayed—openly, shamelessly.
"I-I…"
She didn't get to finish, because a familiar voice interrupted her. Turning, she found Aurora standing beside her.
"Don't worry, dear. No one is judging you—least of all me," the woman said gently.
"B-but…"
Aurora placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in to whisper softly:
"Truth is… I'm actually glad."
"And don't worry… you have my blessing. It's only a shame I'll never see my grandchildren…"
Straightening up, Aurora winked at her and returned to her seat. Nephis's face burned even hotter; steam seemed ready to shoot from her ears. Her mouth opened and closed helplessly.
Utterly mortified, she lowered her gaze, unable to look at anyone. But in her mind she swore:
"Damn this theater and the wretch who created it! I swear by all seven gods—if I ever find out who's behind this, I'll… I'll… send them a bouquet of flowers!"
Amused by the sight, Ananke smiled softly.
"How good it is to be young"
Satisfied by the scene, everyone breathed a bit easier. After all, they still hadn't forgotten the insane things Sunny had revealed beforehand.
Effie jumped up, voicing what many felt:
"HEY! Are we just gonna ignore the rest of that insanity?!"
All eyes turned to her.
"What insanity exactly?" Mordret asked with mocking curiosity.
"Oh don't play dumb—you know exactly what I mean!"
A grin slowly spread across Mordret's face.
"Oh, that? Well, you should be used to his antics by now, shouldn't you?"
A vein bulged on Effie's forehead as she shouted:
"Used to it?! Are you insane?! Or are you telling me you kill Saints every day in the Kingdom of the Dead too?!"
Everyone agreed with the fiery huntress. In their era, not a single Sacred existed—just the idea of one was terrifying. And that lunatic spoke of killing them as if telling a bedtime story.
They were interrupted by the professor, who asked a rather intriguing question:
"Daeron, forgive my boldness, but… would you be able to defeat a Sacred in your current state?"
The monarch, caught off guard, fell into deep thought. After some time, he looked at the professor and replied:
"I don't know. I've never fought a Sacred. But as you know, starting at the Sovereign Rank, battles take place on an entirely different level, where physical strength and aspect matter far less, and victory is determined by whose will dominates reality. And what is even more astonishing—he did this while still a Transcendent. Even I am not certain I could win."
His stern voice swept through the hall, plunging it into reverent silence. Everyone struggled to process what they'd heard. It wasn't every day they encountered something so insane—though, ever since arriving here, insanity had become routine.
"Impossible…"
"Madman…"
"Agreed…"
"R-right. Thank you, Daeron," the professor stammered. The monarch nodded in acknowledgment.
Everyone turned back to the screen as it pulsed, displaying several lines:
[Bonus episode complete]
[The audience may now choose the next one]
[Song of Light and Darkness]
[Or]
[The One Who Rose from the Dead]
A murmur spread through the hall. They were finally being given a choice. But there was a problem—they had no idea what the titles meant or what lay behind them.
Countless questions and suggestions were thrown around, but no consensus formed.
"Which one should we choose?"
"Rising from the dead sounds interesting"
"What makes you think that? I think the first option is better."
Meanwhile, a few individuals felt… strange.
Nephis's gaze was glued to three words: "Song of Light and Darkness".
The moment she saw them, a sharp pang pierced her soul—something buried deep within her stirred. Forgotten memories clawed toward the surface.
Looking down at her hands, she was startled to see them trembling.
"W-what's happening to me?" she whispered.
Cassie, noticing her state, moved closer and took her hands to comfort her. Effie, drawn by the movement, turned—and all concern excitement from her expression.
"Princess? What's wrong?" she asked, voice unsure.
Seeing Nephis's face only confused Athena further. The eternally stoic face did not match those eyes—eyes filled with sorrow.
"I-I don't know. That feeling again… Memories trying to surface, but slipping away," Neph muttered helplessly.
Effie placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, starlight. You'll know soon. We all will."
In the back rows, a solitary figure watched the screen intently.
Mordret was intrigued by the first option.
"Light and darkness, hm?" he murmured.
His gaze drifted from the screen to the Changing Star. Seeing her reaction, he connected the dots—and a smile slowly crept across his lips.
"Oh, this is going to be interesting…"
Seeing the chaos and lack of progress, the Monarch intervened.
"My friends, I see your confusion—and the fact that we cannot reach a unified decision," Daeron said in a strong, clear voice.
Everyone turned toward him, waiting. None dared interrupt.
"Therefore, I propose we decide the way we always have—by voting."
People exchanged glances, whispered to each other, but no one objected.
With no opposition, the vote commenced. The first option won—by a margin of only two votes.
The professor rose and addressed the screen:
"The first option, please—'Song of Light and Darkness.'"
The screen stirred and shifted.
[Episode "Song of Light and Darkness" is beginning]
The display shimmered with colors before forming an image. Everyone settled into their seats, prepared for the new episode.
At last, the image appeared.
At the very top of the ancient tower, there had once been a vast and beautiful hall. It seemed that at its center there had been a large circular opening, allowing sunlight to pour easily into the giant structure at noon.
But later, that opening had become overgrown with crimson coral. And now it was gone.
During the battle between the Changing Star and the Terror, something had caused part of the hall's floor to collapse, dragging the coral down with it. The ceiling had been damaged as well, though to a lesser extent.
Through the break in the Spire's roof, Sunny could see the boundless white sky and the blazing sphere of the artificial sun.
Pausing on it for a moment, he lowered his gaze and examined the hall itself.
The first thing he saw was Nephis, sitting on the floor and staring into the distance.
Although her condition was not as horrifying as on that dreadful night when the dweller of the depths had dragged her beneath the waves of the cursed sea, she still did not look well.
"Crimson Spire?" Effie asked, puzzled. The question was aimed more at herself than at anyone else, but it still drew attention.
"That's the place you were trapped in, Sister?" the Beastmaster asked her sibling.
Seishan turned to her, a mix of emotions flashing across her face. That place where she had spent four years—four excruciating years.
"Yes… that is the very Spire where the Gate was located, the one guarded by the Fallen Terror," she said in a stern tone. "I'm sure many of you have read the awakeners' reports."
At those words, the Professor's eyes lit up. No matter how many reports he had studied, it didn't compare to seeing it with his own eyes. He had heard countless stories from the Awakened who returned from the Forgotten Shore, and now he would finally witness it himself.
George and Aurora watched the screen with interest. They had never been to the Dream Realm, but they had heard much about it—numerous regions scattered around the world, each vastly different from the others, each inhabited by its own monstrous creatures.
Effie and Kai exchanged glances; the sight before them stunned them as much as anyone.
"He was right beside us… even back then," the archer said quietly.
Effie lowered her gaze, troubled, and muttered:
"True. That turned out… pretty awful."
Nephis stared at the screen with wide eyes. She remembered that Spire—how it instilled fear in everyone, the Terror guarding it, and its vast army of nightmarish creatures. But him… she did not remember.
What startled her even more were Sunny's last words: that night when they escaped the Ashen Tomb, her battle with the dweller of the depths. Her breathing quickened. She sharply turned to her friend. Cassie looked just as stunned, and when she noticed Nephis's gaze, the seer met her eyes.
And in that moment, they both understood one thing.
"He was with us from the very beginning."
"On our journey to the Bright Castle, we weren't just two. He was there with us—all along."
Following her gaze, Sunny flinched when he saw the Terror.
The creature that had created the Forgotten Shore might have once looked human, but now it resembled a fever-born nightmare.
For some reason, Sunny had expected to see the familiar outline of the nameless goddess whose statue had been modeled after the girl turned into the vessel of the artificial sun.
Instead, before him lay a colossal entity whose body was an obscene fusion of crimson coral and mutilated human flesh. In a way, it resembled the crimson golems he had fought at the base of the Spire. It was a twisted mockery of a living being, radiating a horrifying sense of madness, wrongness, and loss.
Instead of a human face, the Terror had hundreds—each distorted into masks of blind agony and torment. Their mouths hung open as if straining to scream. Their eyes were empty wells of pure darkness.
At least, they were now. When the Terror had been alive, they must have shone with a blinding, annihilating light.
…And it was undoubtedly dead.
The ghastly creature lay sprawled across the floor, its limbs motionless, its body split almost in half. The edges of the terrible wound were charred and melted, leaving no doubt that it had been inflicted by the searing silver blade of the Changing Star.
'How… how is this possible?'
Stunned, Sunny stared at the defeated Terror, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
How could Nephis have killed a Fallen Terror? No matter how powerful she was, she was still only a Sleeper. Even with the immense amplification of the Dawn Shard, she shouldn't have been capable of killing something this powerful.
Many were horrified by the sight. A massive, mutilated mass of flesh fused with coral—and worst of all, dozens, perhaps hundreds of faces twisted in agony, countless eyes resembling wells of darkness.
The weakest among them, those who had never seen the horrors of the Dream Realm, averted their gazes and forced down rising nausea.Rein clutched her stomach and doubled over, fighting the urge to vomit. Seeing this, Aurora gently placed a hand on her back and began to soothe her with soft strokes.
"You… you really did kill it."
Nephis flinched, as if noticing his presence for the first time. Then she slowly turned her head and looked at him with empty, lost eyes. Only after a few seconds did a glimmer of recognition appear in them.
She stayed silent for a while before speaking in a dull voice:
"…Sunny. You're finally here."
He hesitated for a few moments, unsure how to respond. Seconds passed, and the silence between them grew taut, heavy with unspoken meaning.
At last, Nephis blinked and looked away, her gaze settling on the corpse of the Crimson Horror. Her hand, still gripping the sword, trembled faintly.
"…Killed it? Yes… I did. I suppose I was lucky…"
After a while, she added in a quiet voice:
"In the end, it was nothing more than a false star."
Sunny gave a faint smile, but his eyes remained cold.
"Luck… I know a thing or two about luck, Neph. A creature like that wouldn't die from mere misfortune."
She was silent for a moment, then sighed and lowered her gaze.
"It evolved… it tried to become a Titan. The burden of transformation made it vulnerable. I just struck when the Horror was at its weakest. That's why it died…"
Many people couldn't help but glance toward the Changing Star, their eyes filled with reverence. Who hadn't heard of her feat? Defeating a Fallen Horror while still a Sleeper? It was nothing short of unbelievable.
"Princess, honestly, I don't know which of you is the real monster — you or that abomination," Effie said in an unsure tone.
Many silently agreed with the Saint Affina, even if they didn't say it aloud.
A puzzled Nephis raised a brow, not understanding what her friend meant.
The elderly Saint Cor didn't know what to feel. Ever since he arrived in this place, he had witnessed countless insane feats worthy of awe — and they showed no signs of ending. A weary sigh escaped his lips.
"I don't know whether I should be proud… or terrified of the younger generation."
Hearing his grumbling, Jet flashed him a sly smile.
"What's wrong, old man? Worried they'll knock you off your pedestal?"
Cor twitched — barely — but noticeably.
"No. I'm worried about the future," he said sternly.
The Spire trembled again. Another stone slab broke off from the floor of the hall and plummeted downward. Suddenly, the sunlight grew a little dimmer.
Lifting his gaze, Sunny noticed that the artificial sun wasn't as bright as it had been just a few minutes ago. As if it were slowly dying.
…Dying? After all, there was no longer a vessel to direct soul essence into its furnace.
Interrupting his thoughts, Nephis suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and exhausted:
"What happened to the others?"
Sunny shifted and looked down through the gap in the floor.
Far below, he could see the vast balcony and the shimmering ring of the Gate upon it. For some reason, its glow seemed… weaker. But the balcony was empty. There were no people, and even the coral golems lay still, their semblance of life extinguished when the Horror died.
"They ran."
Nephis let out a slow breath, almost as if relieved. After a long pause, she stirred slightly and asked:
"And Caster?"
Sunny glanced at her and shrugged. When he spoke, his voice was cold and indifferent:
"…I killed him."
The Changing Star remained silent for a long time. Then she whispered, almost to no one at all:
"That's why…"
A bitter laugh suddenly slipped from her lips.
"So that's how he died," Effie whispered in surprise.
Hearing her, Nephis turned toward her.
"Yes. You know he was sent to kill me… honestly, I didn't know Sunny was the one who killed him."
Everyone in the cohort knew about that incident, but the true circumstances of Caster's death had never been revealed to anyone.
Morgan stared sternly at the screen. She knew why Caster had been sent, and she knew he had died. The higher members of the clan had entrusted that task to the Han Li branch. She cast a furtive glance at her sworn sister, deep in thought.
"So she knew… and still joined our clan…"
Aurora's face was filled with indignation—hearing her son speak about killing someone with such coldness and indifference unsettled her.
"Do all Awakened become like this?" she wondered involuntarily.
Seeing his wife's distress, George quickly moved to calm her.
"Don't doubt him. I'm sure he had his reasons," he said in a steady voice.
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
"I hope so…"
She wanted to believe in her son, and she would believe in him no matter what happened.
Nephis lifted her hands and pressed them to her face, as though overwhelmed by some deep, shadowy emotion. After a few seconds, Sunny heard her muffled voice:
"You shouldn't have killed him, Sunny…"
Sunny growled.
"Oh? And why is that, exactly?"
She remained still for several seconds, then slowly lowered her hands and rested them on her knees. Her face was pale and sombre.
"Did you check your Attributes?"
He nodded and looked at her with a curious expression.
"I did. A new one appeared. Spiritual Channel."
Changing Star stared into the distance and nodded.
"Yes. I have it too."
Sunny raised a brow and asked in a calm, even tone:
"Any idea what it means?"
She stayed silent for a while, then turned her head to look at him.
"You haven't figured it out yet?"
He shrugged.
"I've been a little busy. What is it?"
Nephis sighed and glanced at the cracked walls of the hall. Finally, she spoke:
"This entire tower is a giant soul engine. It was built to gather the essence of souls and feed it into the artificial sun. But… it can't function without one small, yet crucial piece. A person who serves as the fulcrum of all that power, the conduit for all those souls."
And then, much quieter, she added:
"…A vessel."
Rain looked around, perplexed by the silence that had formed, everyone's faces hardened, including her parents. After going over everything in her head, she finally realized the gravity of the situation.
But two people had a different opinion. There was a dangerous gleam in the eyes of Mordreth and Noctis.
"The fun is just beginning..."
"What does that mean for us exactly? Are we going to turn into something… like that thing?"
Nephis slowly shook her head.
"…Not yet. Not for a long time. The Horror consumed most of the souls it had gathered after the battle, and now there's no one left to feed sacrifices to the sun. The Labyrinth is dead as well."
As if echoing her words, the Spire shuddered again, and somewhere below them came the deafening sound of stone collapsing.
Sunny tilted his head.
"So what's the problem? Can't we just… get the hell out of here and never come back?"
Changing Star looked at him, her eyes filled with a cold, bitter emotion.
"You don't understand, do you?"
She clenched her teeth and said:
"The Crimson Spire is a machine, and the Gate is part of that machine. The Spire can't function without someone serving as a Spiritual Channel… and neither can the Gate. The tower needs a Vessel for the Gate to work."
She slowly rose to her feet, swayed slightly, and finally fixed him with a dark, piercing stare.
"Which means only one of us can escape."
Sunny stared at her for several seconds, then looked down at the distant circle of the Gate below.
At last, he turned back to Nephis and said:
"I assume you're not planning to stay behind and let me go?"
Changing Star looked at him, her striking gray eyes intense and tinged with the beginnings of white flames:
"…I was about to ask you the same thing."
Sunny paused for a moment, then smirked.
"No chance."