The infamous sun peeked through the window of Sunny's room, bathing it in warm light. The rays caressed Nephis's skin, gently waking her. Still half-asleep, she felt as though she were hugging something soft, like a comforting and cozy plush toy.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, still squinting, as a small yawn escaped her lips. She felt strangely refreshed, as if the weight of the nightmares and dark thoughts that usually plagued her had vanished completely.
It had been, without a doubt, the most restful sleep she'd ever had. No nightmares, no regrets, no worries. Just deep, uninterrupted rest.
But something didn't feel right.
The "plush toy" she was holding felt larger and firmer than it should. Nephis opened her eyes fully at last—and then she saw him.
Her so-called pillow was none other than Sunny.
His black hair, soft and slightly disheveled, was right in front of her, so close she could clearly smell his shampoo. It carried a fresh, citrusy scent that she found oddly soothing. Her gaze drifted lower, and she noticed the tattoo of a snake winding down his neck. She'd completely forgotten about it, but seeing it again brought a flood of memories.
The worst—or perhaps best—part of it all was just how close they were.
Her legs were tangled with his, as if they had unconsciously sought each other out during the night. One of his hands was trapped beneath her body, completely pinned, while the other rested gently on her back, almost as if he were protecting her even in his sleep.
As for Nephis, both her arms were wrapped around Sunny, holding him tightly as if he were her most precious possession, with her face barely inches away from his.
"What the hell did I do?" she thought, her mind snapping awake. Her breathing quickened as she tried to process the scene. She was entirely certain that nothing inappropriate had happened the night before. If something had, she would remember. But even so, the level of intimacy was overwhelming.
A fiery heat rose to her face as the memories of the previous night struck her like a bolt of lightning.
She remembered how she had broken down in front of him, crying with a vulnerability she hadn't shown in years. She remembered the warmth of his embrace, how he had held her with a blend of strength and gentleness, as though he wanted to shield her from everything that haunted her. She remembered his smile—that beautiful, shy smile he always wore, as if he wasn't sure he was allowed to feel happiness.
How lovely.
That thought made her freeze immediately. "What are you thinking, Nephis? Damn it."
And then, the clearest memory of all: how she had asked to sleep in the same bed as him. She had been the one to make that request. She had been the one who, after everything, had decided to share this bed.
"What the hell was I thinking?"
Nephis shut her eyes for a moment, trying to calm her racing thoughts, but the warmth in her chest and the blush on her cheeks refused to fade.
But since she couldn't change the past, Nephis decided to simply accept the present. Even if she could lie to herself and say she didn't like this situation, the truth was that she did—much more than she was willing to admit.
Her eyes lingered on Sunny's face, peaceful and calm in his sleep. The gentle rise and fall of his chest with each breath was a steady rhythm, soothing in a way she couldn't explain. There was something about that tranquility that seemed to calm even the storm inside her own mind.
Nephis stared at him, noticing the small details of his appearance: how his black hair fell in a perfect mess, how his long lashes rested softly against his porcelain skin, and how the softness of his expression made him look almost... vulnerable.
Without realizing it, she let out a small laugh to herself. She couldn't take her eyes off his beautiful face. Sunny looked like a doll, a figure sculpted to perfection, almost unreal in his beauty. For a brief moment, she thought about how easy it would be to enhance that perfection with a bit of makeup. With enough makeup, he could even pass as a woman, she thought, amused, letting another quiet laugh escape.
Of course, she couldn't tell him that. He'd definitely get mad.
She also couldn't mention what she always teased him about: "small." Every time she said it, Sunny responded with that mix of irritation and resignation that she found so entertaining. But, to be honest, his height had never been an issue for her.
In fact, if she was honest with herself, she liked it that way. There was something comforting about how Sunny seemed to challenge everything she thought she wanted in someone. Was he her ideal type? Or maybe it didn't matter. Perhaps it all came down to the fact that he was Sunny, and that was enough.
A small smile formed on her lips as she enjoyed the peace of the moment, wishing it could last forever.
But, like all good things, that moment had to come to an end.
Nephis noticed how Sunny began to stir slightly. His fingers stretched a little, and the hand trapped beneath her shifted before relaxing again. His breathing changed, growing a bit deeper, and slowly, he began to open his eyes.
The tranquility of the moment was over.
There was Sunny, and after a few seconds, he finally opened his eyes, blinking as they adjusted to the light. Or rather, to Nephis's gray eyes, calmly watching him. Her gaze was intense, inquisitive, leaving him momentarily confused as he struggled to think of something to say.
A few moments later, his cheeks turned red, the color spreading across his pale skin. It was obvious—Sunny was embarrassed.
"Nephis?" he managed to say, attempting to keep his voice calm but failing. His tone was full of nerves, and he nearly stuttered the words.
To Nephis, the sight was wonderful.
After a quick shower and breakfast, Sunny felt much better. But the memory of waking up in the same bed as the person he liked lingered, leaving a strange ache in his chest. It hurt, but in a good way—a feeling he didn't quite know how to describe.
Those gray eyes... so beautiful... What the hell are you thinking, Sunless?
To distract himself from the thoughts swirling in his mind, he decided to head back to the Chained Isles. Finally. It had been months since his altercation with Valor had kept him from venturing anywhere.
What better way to clear his head than by exploring an old, abandoned island?
Big mistake.
Sunny was near the northern section of the region, which meant the area was extraordinarily dangerous. Even for an average Master, this part of the isles was almost impossible to survive.
But Sunny wasn't an average Master.
He was a Master with a divine Aspect and four soul cores. "What could possibly go wrong?" he thought arrogantly.
He regretted those words almost immediately.
From nowhere, two Fallen Demons ambushed him.
"What the hell? These things shouldn't have the intelligence to plan an ambush," Sunny thought, alarmed. Creatures like these weren't supposed to coordinate their attacks.
The fight began in an instant. These two demons shouldn't have posed much of a threat under normal circumstances. But, much like Sunny, these weren't normal enemies.
The way they moved together was terrifying. Their coordination was seamless, as if they had trained for years. Sunny knew creatures like this weren't supposed to work in tandem, and yet, here they were, attacking him with precision.
Before he could curse his luck, he had to dodge a slash aimed straight at his head. Thankfully, with Shadow Dance, he could anticipate some of their movements.
Both demons had humanoid forms, though grotesque and distorted. They were roughly average in height, but their attacks were brutal and overwhelming, designed to crush their prey. They moved as a single entity, complementing each other's strikes with a deadly synchronicity.
Sunny realized he had to separate them.
He summoned Saint and commanded the guardian to engage one of the demons. This left him with only one opponent to focus on, but the fight was far from simple. If Sunny had to guess, the demon in front of him was an expert in dueling.
The creature struck with ferocious power, and Sunny barely managed to block the attack with his odachi. He stepped back, disappearing with Shadow Step, and reappeared right in front of the demon, hoping to land a decisive blow.
But the demon reacted with surprising speed, dodging the potentially fatal strike.
Sunny managed to graze one of the demon's eyes with his blade, but the wound wasn't enough to make a difference.
"Damn it... this won't be enough," he thought, readying himself for the next exchange.
Sunny sighed, using Shadow Step to teleport behind the infamous demon. The creature reacted just in time, managing to block the strike with its claws. Unfortunately for it, the force of the attack damaged them.
The battle raged on for several minutes, but the demon couldn't keep up with the relentless pace of the infamous Master. Sunny didn't come out unscathed—a shallow cut marked his left cheek, and another graced his arm. Thankfully, Blood Weave prevented any bleeding, keeping him in fighting form.
With blistering speed, Sunny delivered the final blow, slicing the demon's head clean off.
[You have slain a Fallen Demon: First Twin of War.]
[Your shadow grows stronger.]
The spell's voice echoed in his mind, but Sunny wasted no time, hurrying to aid Saint. Not that she needed it—the second demon had already fallen.
[You have slain a Fallen Demon: Second Twin of War.]
"So... twins. That explains their teamwork," Sunny muttered, catching his breath. Nightmare Creatures were unpredictable, and these two had been a dangerous pair.
With the battle behind him, Sunny pressed onward to the north, where his goal awaited.
There it stood—a beautiful yet haunting church. Its towering spires reached skyward, slicing through the dense, purple-gray clouds above. The stained-glass windows were shattered in places, and the intricate rose window at the center glinted faintly in the dim light. Vines and overgrown vegetation crept along the cracked stone walls, their shadows twisting ominously in the faint, eerie glow of the surrounding fog.
The iron gates were slightly ajar, rusted hinges creaking softly in the wind. The once-grand staircase leading to the church's massive double doors was cracked and uneven, with patches of moss and weeds breaking through the stone. The air was heavy, as though the church itself was holding its breath, watching him.
A chill ran down Sunny's spine as he stepped closer, the sound of his footsteps swallowed by the oppressive silence. Something about the place felt alive, as though it were waiting for him—or perhaps for its next victim.
"This is it," he murmured, his hand instinctively tightening on the hilt of his odachi.
Sunny entered the church, and an unnatural cold seized his body. That shouldn't be happening; his body was fortified, resistant to such discomforts. Yet the chill seeped deep into his bones, and the air around him felt heavy, suffocating.
The stone columns rose upward, supporting a barely visible second floor through the dim light filtering through the shattered stained-glass windows. The interior of the church was a wreck, but what unsettled him most was how normal its design seemed. That disquieting familiarity sent a shiver down Sunny's spine, intensifying the fear creeping over him.
The pews were shattered, splinters scattered across the stone floor. The wind howled, making the broken windows screech with each gust. Despite the destruction, an eerie stillness hung in the air, wrapping around Sunny like a shroud. A sense of loneliness gripped him, sharp and unwanted.
Why did he suddenly feel so alone?
His heart pounded as the oppressive sensation of despair grew, pressing on him like an invisible hand. "Damn it," Sunny muttered, gritting his teeth. This was undoubtedly a mental attack. But he didn't have time to identify its source—he felt the shadows shift around him.
His instincts kicked in, and he stepped back, summoning Saint in a burst of dark energy. From the shadows emerged six grotesque figures, their twisted and monstrous forms unmistakable.
They were demons, identical to those Sunny had faced before, but these seemed fiercer, more dangerous. Their deformed, muscular bodies radiated an overwhelming bloodlust, reflected in their hate-filled gazes. Each step they took toward him echoed in the silence of the church, the sound amplified by the oppressive atmosphere.
Sunny didn't wait. With a fluid motion, he directed Saint to intercept two of the demons charging toward her. The other four split up: two went straight for Sunny, while the other two flanked him, moving with a coordination they shouldn't possess.
The first demon lunged, its sharp claws gleaming in the faint light. Sunny blocked with his odachi, sparks flying as steel clashed against blackened claws. The force of the impact vibrated through his arm, but there was no time to recover before the second demon attacked from his side. Sunny slipped back with an agile step, using Shadow Step to appear behind one of the demons and deliver a quick slash to its back.
The strike landed, and the demon roared in pain, but it didn't fall. Instead, it turned with alarming speed, forcing Sunny to block again. Meanwhile, Saint fought the other two demons, her spear spinning in elegant, deadly arcs. Every strike she made met resistance, but her precision and speed kept the enemies at bay.
One of the demons Sunny faced managed to land a precise attack, its claws digging into his left arm. Although Bone Weave and Blood Weave reduced the damage, the pain was real, and a thin line of black blood began to drip from his sleeve.
"Damn you..." Sunny growled, gritting his teeth as he pulled back, using his Shadow Dance to evade another attack. His eyes scanned the battlefield. He needed to finish this quickly before they overwhelmed him through sheer coordination.
With a swift movement, Sunny changed tactics, focusing all his attacks on one of the demons. His odachi gleamed in the dim light as it traced a deadly arc, cutting deeply into the enemy's torso. The demon let out a piercing roar before collapsing, its body dissolving into shadows.
[You killed a fallen demon – third twin of war.]
The voice of the spell echoed in his mind, but there was no time for celebration. The remaining demon charged furiously, and Sunny barely managed to dodge. However, Saint had finished off her opponents. With a silent cry, the spectral figure charged at the last demon, impaling it with her spear before it could react.
[You killed a fallen demon – fourth twin of war.]
Sunny was breathing heavily, his body covered in cuts and superficial wounds. Yet there was something on his face, a faint smile. He had won, though at a cost. His eyes scanned the church's interior, knowing the battle wasn't over yet. Something else was waiting in the shadows.
What the hell.
Sunny was terrified. Dozens of identical demons emerged from the shadows—dozens? No, there were hundreds. Each one exactly like the other, like infinite twins. And deep inside the church, he felt an even more terrifying presence: a giant shadow moving slowly, a force that made terror flood his body completely.
He tried to use Shadow Step to escape, but it didn't work. Inside the church, it seemed like essence didn't respond, or so he thought at that moment.
The creature lurking below wasn't just some corrupt abomination. It was something much bigger: an imposing beast, far too dangerous to face.
What the hell? Sunny thought, as terror and cold took hold of his body. Even though it was asleep, the beast had a mental power that chilled his blood.
And then, in his mind, the only clear option was to flee.
He cut one of the columns and dismissed Saint. He couldn't fight so many demons, much less the creature below.
He rushed up to the second floor, while dozens of demons relentlessly followed him.
He knew that even fleeing would be nearly impossible. One demon stood in his way, and although he knew he wouldn't survive, he thought at least he could buy his brother some time to catch up and kill it. After all, these creatures seemed to be quite intelligent.
Then, he made a desperate and stupid decision. He lunged at the war twin like an animal, without time to think. He needed to end it with a single blow, so he abandoned all defense.
Result:
You've killed a Fallen Demon, the tenth war twin.
Of course, his body was wrecked. If it weren't for Blood Weave and Bone Weave, he would have died on the spot. Too bad he wasn't immortal.
Next to him, a horrible wound that not even his transcendent armor could withstand. What the hell were these demons made of? But he had no time to complain. He had to survive.
He ran as fast as he could toward the top of the church, with the furious demons hot on his trail, driven by an insatiable thirst for blood.
When he reached the roof, his plan began to work. He felt the imposing stones of the second floor start to crack under the weight of the demons.
He waited, waiting for most of them to get close enough, and then he summoned Saint. Without hesitation, he jumped through the window.
In his mind, he activated Saint's Light Feather enchantment, but made it as heavy as possible. At that moment, the church began to collapse around him. He dismissed Saint, sending its soul back.
Now he had to be fast. He had awakened the great beast below. Without thinking, he sent Crepy as far away as he could while falling. Unfortunately, he was too high, and couldn't waste any more essence, so he knew he was going to crash to the ground. I hope that doesn't kill me.
As he fell, memories of his life flashed before his eyes, reflected in the beautiful shards of the broken window. One memory in particular, his own, shone amidst the chaos.
Luckily, Crepy was fast, and with a Shadow Step, he disappeared instantly.