By the time the morning came and the artificial sun had risen causing the dark sea to retreat. Looking at the world it seemed as if the events of yesterday was some unholy dream. Sunny had woken up first removed the cooked met from the storage memory. It was a shame he couldn't heat it but at least it was still warm. Following his movement ls Cassie had woken up and so did Nephis.
Cassie had begun to wipe her tired eyes in hopes to get rid of the serious tear lines she had so she was oblivious to Nephis whom had summoned the dream blade and took up guard against the completely unrecognizable Shelly
Sunny couldn't help but find it twistingly adorable at how she was always ready for a battle. But not wanting his new shadow to be destroyed he calmed himself and decided to stop her before she did something rash and destroy something he had spent 200 fragments on
"You can relax Nephis it's just Shelly"
Nephis had a puzzled look similar to the look Cassie who was once quietly eating her food to look up and share her expression.
Sunny sighed. Explaining how he turned Shelly into a shadow was simple enough. Explaining how he had managed to get all he fragments was too. But his body still ached from the battle yesterday. It was a shame too. He got no echoes or memories despite his lucky attribute [Divine Collector]
"As I explained that night when we were talking about our stuff. I can turn echoes into shadow creatures. Yesterday when we were running for our lives and I let serpent and knight go to take care of the enemies in our way. They got me enough fragments. I wasn't planning on using up so many fragments as yet, but Shelly was beaten pretty bad yesterday, so this was the best way to save him"
Nephis had given a nod of understanding after sending the dream blade back to her soul sea and began to eat her share of the food. Cassie however was curious
"how does he look"
Sunny responded after eating his share of the food. Which didn't take long. He scarfed the meat down like a hungry dog.
"pretty much the same as he was as an echo. Though now he is completely black and his eyes are a odd brown. It looks similar to the color of wet sand but somehow darker and lighter at the same time. I genuinely don't know how to explain it"
Cassie had thought about Sunny's words and nodded. Whilst sunny decided after yesterday's events they deserved a lot more food, so he took out a second helping and handed it out.
The next few minutes carried on the same. Just idle chit chat until the battle was brought up by accident again.
Clenching her hands Nephis looked at sunny her eyes full of some unknown emotion
"what is it Nephis?"
"I need to get stronger"
"you will. Give it time"
"no. Yesterday you fought and killed multiple creatures.. Mostly alone and in the end it was your shadows that killed them too. While I was there trying to manage the pain of my flaw"
Sunny looked at her. His heart and mind confused - "What? "
"I need to become stronger. I Need to form my next core. I need to become a monster. Like you"
Sunny laughed - "Ouch Nephis. Calling me a monster how cruel"
The atmosphere returned to a happier one as Cassie giggled and Nephis smiled - "you know what I meant"
"Yeah, Anyway, we will discuss this soon. For now. Cass, I assume you heard everything?"
"Yeah. I'm glad everyone is safe... I... I'm so sorry."
Sunny and Nephis looked at her. Sunny's voice becoming softer - "what are you sorry for? You've been a great help Cassie"
"Thank you for always trying sunny but " - she suddenly yelled tears forming
"Stop trying to make me feel better. I can tell. I'm a burden here. I was the one who told you we must move west. And last night despite being a prophet I couldn't even warn you of the creatures and on top of all that you had to save me. Again"
Before sunny could talk. Surprisingly Nephis did - "are you a fool?"
"what" - Cassie managed to get out through sobs
"Sunny is right. You've been a great help. It's true sunny and I are fighters but you're the reason we haven't become arrogant. Risky. You're the reason why we don't go too far. Take a rest and find a hiding space."
Cassie looked at the direction of Nephis voice and then when sunny started speaking she looked at him
"I suggested we go east Cassie. You gave us the correct direction. What would have happened if we went my way. For all we know a great or cursed would be waiting for us"
Cassie was silent
"listen Cass. The ability to get information right now is greater than our combat strength. We need a way to go. And you're giving it to us. Remember that"
And then Cassie's sobs silenced too - "Thank you both"
Nephis responded first - "Do not thank us. It is a fact"
Sunny responded in kind with a forced smile latched onto his face - "Now... What did I say about talking bad about yourself."
Cassie's expression froze and shifted to a soft smile - 'here we go again with the lecture'
...
After Sunny's ramblings which took almost an hour, he shifted the topic
"Okay, enough sadness and mushiness" - came Sunny's voice with the clap of his hands
"One of the more important things we have now. Is no food. So, I'm going to go hunting for a bit "
"I'll come too" - Nephis voice hard as steel listening intently to sunny
"Uh you sure...? Because yesterday was a tough battle I understand if you need to rest "
Nephis shook her head as if saying. No i want to hunt
Sunny sighed
"Fine. But Cassie you're to have to get the meat from here Whatever serpent and knight fought yesterday did a number on them so they're badly beat up and are healing in my core"
Cassie looked up and nodded
"Okay Shelly can cut it and remove it and I'll put it in the bag of holding "
"good idea"
"okay! So Shelly will be tasked with getting the meat from them so here take the bag of holding and he will give you the meat. Put it in the bag of holding "
She nodded enthusiastically happy to be helpful - "okay"
"Nephis and I will go hunting for more a bit later because we need a lot for the journey ahead and it'll be time consuming to continuously stop for a hunt"
Sunny however who was doing nothing began to plan. He moved to the corner of the platform and sat
'1 months from now we need to reach that dreaded tree. How do I deal with it this time around... And Nephis as well. Using serpent and Knighty has become far too convenient for my growth. But it's really having stumped Nephis' so... '
"Sunny how long till serpent and knight are fully healed?"
Cassie was sad for the fact that her serpentine friend would be out of commission for a bit. And for knight too.
Nephis was concerned. their 2 strongest powers were now out of the picture for gods know how long
"I'm not 100% sure they were pretty beaten up. we will have to move on our own from now on. So, we must be more careful... I was thinking about something else too"
"Nephis, you're capable of gaining essence from killing the beings you kill yeah?"
"... Yes. How did you know"
"I can do the same so I figured you can do the same. Divine aspect and all"
"I see"
It was quiet for a bit. So, Cassie had to interrupt...
"Uh sunny... You were saying"
"Ah yes. As you know Nephis. I gain a lot more essence from soul shards than most. So as an exchange. I want you to take all the kills we get but I get all the shards"
Nephis paused and seemed to be in thought. True it seemed decent but sunny would be getting more than her and he will also be growing stronger too. How would she catch up then
"Why do you need soul shards sunny. You could just kill them too" - came Cassie question
"Yes, but I need shards to create memories, and it seems I can grow Shelly by feeding him memories. So, it would be a great help for us to have one of those carrapace monsters or even a devil soon, no?"
"I agree"
Sunny looked at Nephis.
"you're okay with it?"
"yes. Individual strength is good sure. But we probably have a long journey ahead. I can still grow by killing and you can grow Shelly and give us more help and take some of the shards to grow yourself. This way we all grow it will make the journey safer and quicker ."
Sunny looked at her. His gaze intense causing Nephis to look away and move to harvest the shards from the remaining creatures on the platform Shelly patiently waited for her to finish so he could get the meat and deliver it to Cassie
Nephis completed the shard haul and walked to sunny. She left all the shards at his feet and walked over to Cassie
'that's my girl prideful as always. That 2nd nightmare really tempered her down'
...
After a long time of silence after they ate and discussed their movement plan sunny noticed something about Shelly
He seemed to be looking at the corpses of his fallen kind that lied in the corner. Void of most of the visible meat only that which was under remaining where the carapace was too thick to bother for such little meat.
"Do what you wish to them" - Sunny's voice came as he looked at Shelly
He remembered how much Shelly enjoyed eating the corpses in the last life. As if brought him joy. So he let him perhaps out of sentiment he permitted Shelly to do as he wished
Shelly began crushing the bits of chitin in his powerful Jaws. Eating it all.
"What is he doing?" - Nephis said.
"eating"
Nephis looked at sunny with a smile of confusion and so did Cassie. To which sunny simply shrugged
"I think Shelly has some hatred for his kind because they kind of broke of his arm yesterday"
Cassie started to laugh and Nephis chuckled. A melodic sound that caused sunny to stare. Making Nephis question him
"is something wrong sunny"
"no it's just that you have a beautiful smile and laugh when you aren't trying to"
Cassie was smiling like an idiot behind the piece if meat she was holding sensing something brewing between her 'adoptive' brother and friend.
The friend in question who now had a pale blush on her face.
"Thank you"
"no problem..." - and then to change the topic sunny added swiftly
"...from tomorrow we start to move west courtesy of our oracle here. We will hunt any creatures we see and look for highest ground"
The mood quickly becoming solemn. Nephis was first to agree naturally and Cassie did too
But then in the midst of their discussion sunny heard something that caught his attention
[Carapace shadow has acquired an attribute]
This peaked Sunny's interest as he turned to see the shadow in question munching on a carrapace monster leg
"uh... Guys.. Shelly just got an attribute"
Both Nephis and Cassie turned to sunny and asked together
"what is it?"
"I don't know let me check"
Entering his soul sea sunny summoned Shelly's runes and looked at the new attribute.
[Scavenger]: this shadow can assimilate what it eats into its being. Food nourishes the body. But for this shadow it nourishes the soul.
Sunny deciphered the meaning instantly
Like fiend. Shelly wouldn't Need any special requirements. He would evolve ranks by eating and increase classes by memories as original
Now exiting he informed Neph and Cass about the new development of their friend.
Sunny was glad.
But something else was plaguing his mind. A lie that he had told.
Well, it wasn't a lie completely. Just a twisted truth
Serpent and knight were injured. But in about 1 days' time they would be fully healed it was because of the vast shadows and darkness within its soul which nourishes them as shadow and darkness creatures. Yet he exaggerated it to seem they would take longer. And he did so for a very specific reason
He knew that his shadows could exist in the water yes. But they couldn't swim aside from serpent. The reason he had decided to 'lie' was because of 2 reasons
1 being that he needed Nephis to grow. And him to sharpen his skills further even if it was almost impossible given his battle prowess but he could always learn more
And 2 because he was going to send them hunting.
Sunny had realized it later in in his past life. But the spell had sent them to the perfect place to complete their core formations and saturate them. It was simply his inexperience and lack of pure battle strength that limited him. But now. He planned to make full use of all that which was at his disposal.
Sunny decided. By the time the siege on the dreaded crimson spire commences. He must become a titan again.
After a while with about 7 hours of remaining sunlight. Sunny called Nephis and suggested going on a little hunting spree. To which she agreed. With sunny dismissing Shelly whom had already devoured the corpses of their foes.
They began to descend the statue with the golden rope
...
"you know sunny. It's odd when I think about it"
Sunny was taken out of his collection of the Soul shards from the now dead 10 corpses of scavengers which took about 1 hour to find
"What is Nephis? "
"your abilities are shadows and darkness while mine is light"
"uh yeah?"
"yet you seem to shine brighter than me. Over power me. Give me room to exist to grow. How odd is it that because of you in a long long time I have another motivation"
Sunny looked at her. His gaze becoming kind - "Nephis... You need to understand something about this place and where we are going"
She looked at him. As she sent back Dream blade to her soul sea and nodded for him to continue believing That he had chosen to ignore her ramblings
"the place we are going to is... Worse than where we are now. It will test us and try to break us."
He paused walking closer to her
"But at the end of the day. We can trust each other. Do you know why that is Nephis"
She said nothing
"because we're friends. And that's what friends do. For you and for Cassie I would slaughter anything. And Id expect you to do the same for me"
Her breath hitched. "I would"
"of course you would. You're changing star... But that's not what I need... What I want"
"and what is that?"
"someone who knows to put their friends above their goals"
Nephis looked at him in shock
"What "
"you've dedicated yourself to Killing the sovereigns and that alone have you not... But let me ask you. If it came between saving me and Cassie. Over your goal would you choose us"
She said nothing because the truth is she would sacrifice them for her goal. Why wouldn't she when she was prepared to sacrifice herself already.. What was another person's life.
To Cassie who was sitting on a particular large stretch of coral she heard the conversation and couldn't help but feel a little sad
Sunny continued his voice tinged with sadness - "I understand your hatred and the reason you pursue your goals. But sometimes you must understand there are more important things. Things that care about you and are willing to not only die for you. But live for you have my friendship not only because we need each other but because I see you as someone I can trust. But Nephis I must warn you. I am willing to die for you. To abandon my goals for you. As such I expected you to do the same. Yet I can tell. To you. I am Merly another pawn in the game... It's quite saddening"
And then... Without looking back... While placing the Soul shards in the bag of holding as well as the elongated strips of bone that spread from the elbow joints of the creature that he removed He began. To walk back to camp leaving a stunned Nephis there
As he walked towards Cassie and motioned Shelly to pick her up and follow
Nephis stood there. A white angel in the sea of blood red coral with a confused expression on her face. Not just confused but hurt. As if his words caused her a pain She couldn't explain
'... Abandon his goals.... For me'
Sighing and walking to follow she spoke out of earshot from sunny
"I don't think I can sacrifice you sunny even if I need to, I don't think my soul can take that"