E: That's not what the point is..
The 3 of them sighed in dejection and turned to Sunny, but before he could say anything, Luna jumped in front of Sunny, hissing disapprovingly at Seishan and the other 2, but since everyone was in front of her, so 3.
Sh: I guess I have to get your cat's approval,l guess
For a split second, Seishan felt it. Since Beast God's blood was flowing through her body, she could tell that Sunny's cat was something that should never exist.
Sh: When I look at my mother, I feel as if I am looking at the Mountain, but this is way stronger blood of Beast God, it feels as if it was ...…..
K: I don't…yeah.
Sh: Really, she looked through her bag and found a piece of meat trying to lure Sunny's cat to no avail.
Sunny sight and looked at Luna, who immediately jumped into his arms, letting him scratch her, purring happily.
S: You see, Luna is a special cat.
Sh: Luna? It's a girl?
S: Yeah, I named it myself. I quite like the name, and it seems she likes it too.
The other 3 were more focused on the. Special part of what he said about his cat.
E: What do you mean by special?
S: Let me show you. Luna? How was your hunt?
Sh: hunt? Wait, don't tell me that she is hunting monsters here?
S: Oh no, of course not.
Sh: Oh, I thought this cat was hunting fallen monsters, what a ….
S: Monsters over here are either far too weak for her, or she just doesn't want to bother with weak monsters.
As he said that, everyone froze.
Nephis's sight and said.
N: I should have expected that.
Sh: Then where is it hunting?
Sunny pointed towards the dark sea.
S: After all this, the sea is a monster itself, isn't it? Well, it was pretty obvious when you think about it. And since it is very strong, it also contains very powerful creatures inside of it and therefore, night is especially dangerous.
He walked into his cathedra, letting Luna jump off and wait outside, and once he returned, he was holding a leather bag and dropped it on the ground, making others' jaws drop.
E: Are all of those… soul shards?
S: Yeah, to be more exact, they are from fallen nightmare creatures. why?
E: How did you get so many and so quickly at that?
S: I want to get stronger and fast, so I was hunting a lot and here are some extra I don't really care about.
Sh: Some extra? I haven't seen more shards in my life? Is it in the hundreds?
S: Yeah, somewhere alongside that number.
Ca: Still, why do you need them?
Sunny picked out one of the soul shards from the fallen monster he had killed recently and asked. Looking at Cassia.
S: Do you know what this is?
Ca: soul shard of a fallen monster.
S: Exactly.
Sh: You are saying it as if it were nothing special.
S: Well, because it isn't. At least for me, that's why I'd like to teach you. Oh, and the reason why my cat is special? Here it is.
He held out his hand as Luna jumped on his shoulder and got to the soul shard and bit into it, consuming it as a treat.
She meowed happily as she dropped onto the bag filled with soul shards and started eating them one by one.
Ca: You are kidding me.
E: Exactly what I wanted to say. Why are you not surprised, princess?
N: I… don't want to talk about it.
S: You don't? Hmm, I wonder why.
Nephis took out one of her own soul shards and offered it to Luna. She slowly approached her but ignored the shard and just looked at her.
Luna did not let anyone but Sunny pet her, yet she wasn't hostile to Nephis either, for now. She took the shard but still kept her eyes on Nephis, and Sunny didn't know what made her change her mind about Nephis, but he was glad they were not fighting; maybe Nephis was giving Luna her soulshards as a payment to win her over? Luna looked into the city and narrowed her eyes, spotting a fallen monster heading their direction and jumped away and got closer to the outer edges of the circle.
Sunny tilted his head and dismissed the Guardian, letting that one awakened monster enter. The inner circle.
E: That's a fallen monster?
Before anyone could react, Luna was on it and swung at it with her paw, turning the monster into dust, leaving nothing but a soul shard in its place.
Some other monsters started to approach, but one look at Luna and every monster froze and slowly backed away, turning into a crazed sprint from her.
Sh: Incredible.
After a couple of more hours of discussions, they had to separate, and as they were leaving, Seishan was left alone, asking if they could be left alone for a bit.
Nephis agreed before anyone could argue, and they went into the building where they slept.
As they got inside, Cassia looked at Nephis and asked, echoing the other 2 concerns.
Ca: Aren't you afraid she is gonna steal him from you?
N: No, how could she seal a human? Is that even possible?
Ca: No, I mean make him love her and stuff. You can't deny that she is pretty, can you?
N: What does it have to do with looks?
Cassia just sighed and hung her head low, giving up.
Meanwhile, Sunny and Seishan entered the cathedral again, and Sunny asked while walking, when suddenly he heard her stop, and so he stopped as well.
Sh: You said you are creating a cohort.
S: I did. So?
She got on her knee showing her respect and asked.
Sh: Can you teach me, and what should I do for you to let me join you?
S: Loyalty. That's what I need from you. If you were to betray me, I will kill you and trust me, I know if you are honest with me.
Said Sunny coldly while Luna slowly sat on his shoulder. Pressure around her suddenly got incredibly thick as if she was facing her mother again, but this time it was different.
Sh: I…I am willing
S: trust is different then loyalty.
He crouched and looked into her eyes, and pointed at her chest.
S: It is something you decide with your soul, not excitement or logic.
He stood back up and continued.
S: You are a legacy, aren't you? Why would you want to join someone with no backing nor clan, nor anything?
Sh: Are you planning on creating one? Clan, I mean.
S: Of course I am. I could tell you more, but only if you would swear your loyalty to me and me alone. That aside, you would have to give up on everything you have now. I can't promise you anything rich or grand, I can only promise that if you do join me, I will make you stronger than anyone. There won't be anyone who could look down on you again.
Not to mention personal feelings. I am sorry, but I could never love you.
Sh: I know. It is pretty obvious.
S: Is it?
Sh: Well, kind of. It is Nephis, isn't it?
S: How did you know?
Sh: I am a woman myself, aren't I? Call it a woman's intuition.
S: scary.
She smiled but continued.
Sh: Anything else?
S: No, that's all.
Sh: Don't you need to know my flaw?
S: I know your flaw.
Sh: How?
S: Why should I tell you? Well, if you agree, then I welcome you to the shadow clan. Now tell me your name and occupation
She smiled brightly as she said. Sieshan of the Song clan adopted daughter of Supreme Ki Song. Now Sieshan of the Shadow clan.
Sunny snapped his fingers, and the doors to the cathedral closed and shadows consumed everything, hiding everything in darkness, but Seishan did not move.
Sunny outstretched his hand and touched her bare shoulder, leaving a mark of shadows on Seishan. A smaller serpent-like tattoo appeared on her body, coiling around her body and settled on her shoulder where the serpent's head rested and the tail went down onto her back.
Spell whispered to Seishan's ear.
Sp: You have received a mark of shadows.
Mark rank - divine: description: This mark makes you more familiar with shadows, but if you betray to master who gave you he mark, your soul will shatter.
After that, everything came back to normal.
Sh: Is there anything you would like me to do now?
S: Do you have any strong warriors worth trusting?
Sh: I am a leader of handmaindes so, yes however they are only loyal to me if they will be loyal to you is beyond my capabilities.
S: understandable.
Sunny sight and realised something.
S: Your clan will probably hate you, won't they?
Sh: Yes, most probably I will get hunted if not outright killed.
S: Your location as a sleeping pod is a great problem, then. You are in a Song domain, right?
Sh: Yes.
S: Did you have any orders regarding Nephis?
Sh: No, but I know that mother wants to eliminate her for the greater good or something.
S: Don't you have other sisters? Would they follow you?
Sh: I really hope so. They are my only family after all.
Sunny looked at her and said.
S: I know how you feel. Still, it is far too early in our relationship to reveal what family we have.
Sh: You should avoid using sexual phrases like the one you just used.
Sunny tilted his head and shrugged.
S: I don't know what you mean. In any case, stay in the Song clan and don't worry about your affiliation with me when we leave this hellhole.
S: Your training will start, well, whenever you want to start. I have a strong feeling something will happen this evening, so stay here for now. Also, when you exit, keep Effie outside.
Sunny's mood turned deadly for a split second.
S: Caster, be careful around him.
Sh: Caster? You don't need to tell me, I wouldn't trust him ever after all, he is from an enemy clan, he most probably has the mission to kill Nephis. Do you want me to kill him?
S: No, he is something I need for later. Leave him to me.
She bowed her head and headed outside the cathedral without saying anything, and after a quick conversation with Effie, they decided to stay for a bit in their rooms and enjoy it as much as they could before departing to the slums.
After they left, Sunny walked up to Kai and asked quietly to follow him.
K: What is it, Sunny? Is there something you need?
S: As a matter of fact there is. I am going to invite Neph and Cassia back inside the cathedral and ask Cass some questions. Does she know about your flaw?
K: No. Well, I hope she doesn't, I didn't try to hide it yesterday, you know.
S: Well, that's fine. I just want you to tell me if she is telling the truth.
K: I thought she was your friend.
Kai looked a little saddened by this but tried not to show it.
S: She is, but.
He summoned an Endless spring and said.
S: Do you know what this is?
K: Yes, your memory that has an almost infinite water supply.
S: It belonged to Cassia. She gave it to me. Why would she give up something so precious? Isn't that suspicious?
K: I see your logic, it certainly is weird. Why would she give up something so useful? Well, unless she has 2, which is impossible.
Sunny just nodded to Kai's reaction and asked him to wait inside the cathedral.
With that, Sunny asked Nephis and Cassia inside to talk about something important. They sat behind the round table. Cassia sat down facing Sunny, and Neph was facing Kai.