In the next week or so, things moved with terrible speed.
Nephis became the ruler of the Bright Castle without any type of glorious ceremony or impassioned speech. No one questioned her authority, anyway, as though it was a simple fact of life.
In a sense, it was.
Sunny found it interesting, however, that she didn't take her seat on the white throne of the ancient citadel once. Even when there was a need for a large gathering, Changing Star sat on the last step of the stairs leading to the throne. As if making a point to show that the Bright Castle did not belong to her… or, perhaps, that she did not belong to the Bright Castle.
At first, he was sure that Nephis was going to push people to march on the Crimson Spire immediately, but she didn't even mention it. When he confronted her about her plans, she simply said that they were going to wait until the winter solstice came before making any decisions.
It was just a few days away, anyway. In the meantime, everyone who was left alive had a lot to do.
There were just five hundred people in the Dark City now. In less than a month, the human population of the Forgotten Shore had been reduced by half. The outer settlement remained completely abandoned, but even then, there were barely enough people to maintain and guard the Bright Castle.
Nevertheless, they persevered.
The halls and corridors of the ancient citadel were cleaned of blood and corpses. The Nightmare Creatures that had found their way inside were methodically hunted down and eliminated. The breaches in the defensive lines they had created were located and repaired.
Neph's watchmen assumed the role of the obliterated Castle Guard, manning the walls and protecting the stronghold from outside threats. The hunting parties resumed their expeditions into the ruins, with hunters from the outer settlement and the Castle joining forces under the leadership of Effie and Gemma. Once again, there was food for everyone to eat and safety to enjoy.
Despite the harrowing hollowness and the absence of so many young men and women who had died in the turmoil of the bloody struggle for the throne, not to mention the invisible scars left on the souls of those who had survived, things were slowly starting to resemble how they had been before.
But behind this veil of normalcy, they were anything but. And the reason for that was Changing Star and her Crown of Dawn.
With the help of the miraculous Shard Memory, humans of the Dark City were now able to not only hunt more Nightmare Creatures and with less risk, but also challenge Fallen rulers of the cursed ruins. Not every one of these terrifying creatures could be killed without paying too terrible a price, of course. But after so many years on the Forgotten Shore, experienced Hunters knew a lot about various horrors populating the city. Putting the knowledge together, they determined which ones they could challenge and survive.
One after another, many powerful Nightmare Creatures were tracked down and slain. Suddenly, humans have become if not the apex species in the Dark City, then at least not the weakest one.
By killing Fallen abominations, Nephis was achieving several goals simultaneously. She was steadily accumulating an arsenal of Memories to arm every person in the Castle. Some of those Memories were even of the Ascended Rank, and the number of such powerful armaments slowly grew.
She and her warriors also brought back large quantities of soul shards, which were then given to the inhabitants of the Castle to absorb and grow stronger.
In an ironic twist of fate, it appeared as though now, it was the Bright Lady who was paying tribute to her subjects, and not the other way around.
This only made the respect and adoration people felt toward her grow stronger.
But most importantly, perhaps, was the fact that through these hunts, she was training her people to fight together as a cohesive force and prevail against creatures that were much more powerful than them.
Guided by Cassie, the surviving Artisans were hard at work, too. They were applying their mastery and craft to close any gaps in how the humans of the Dark City were equipped and supplied for the battle against the Dream Realm. However, the nature of their tasks was drastically different now.
If they had been in charge of maintaining the lifestyle of people leaving in the Castle as much as working to supply Gunlaug's Host with gear and equipment, now their only job was to create things people were going to need in battle.
It was as though they were preparing for war.
There were a few large projects that the Artisans were working on that Sunny knew little about, too. These things were requested from them by Nephis herself. He suspected that they were going to become useful once the time to attack the Crimson Spire finally came.
...Just like that, the winter solstice came.
On this day, exactly a year ago, Sunny had arrived on the Forgotten Shore. It was hard to believe that he had survived here for so long. That any of them had. But it also seemed as though one year was not enough to encompass it all.
It felt more like a lifetime. Several lifetimes, perhaps…
It was also on this day, a year later, that Sunny turned eighteen.
Remembering his previous birthday, a slight smile appeared on his lips. Back then, Cassie, who had been a complete stranger, offered him unexpected congratulations. He also made plans to celebrate his next birthday as an Awakened by drinking a cup of coffee with lots of milk and sugar.
Those dreams were not meant to come true.
Instead, Sunny met his eighteenth birthday in an empty hall of the Tower of Dusk, practicing the steps of the Shadow Dance, sweat streaming down his lithe and strong body.
These days, he felt that he was almost there. Just a little bit more, and the first level of mastery over his mysterious Aspect Legacy would be his. It was already in reach.
One more thing happened on that day.
As Sunny continued to train, the subtly familiar voice of the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear:
[...Your Shadow has evolved.]
Lowering his sword, Sunny stood in the silence of the empty room for a while. In the window, the distant axis of the Crimson Spire loomed, the light of dawn slowly painting it red.
A subtle smile appeared on his face.
"Aww. Thank you, Spell. What a nice birthday present."
Summoning the Endless Spring, he greedily drank delicious cold water and then sat on the floor, crossing his legs and drawing a few deep breaths.
'Let's take a look…'
Leaving his worries behind, Sunny dove into the Soul Sea and walked past the rows of motionless shadows.
A long time ago, there had been just a handful of them. Now, hundreds of dark silhouettes watched silently as he approached the tenebrous sun of the Shadow Core. Among them were all kinds of horrors, creatures whose appearance alone would drive weaker men insane. The Mountain King was there. The Black Knight was there, too. The terrifying Spire Messenger stood lifelessly on the tranquil surface of the water.
…And there were humans, too. Harus was among them, and so was Harper.
Sunny didn't pay them any attention.
Standing beneath the Shadow Core, he sighed and summoned the runes.
Name: Sunless.
True Name: Lost from Light.
Rank: Dreamer.
Shadow Core: Dormant.
Shadow Fragments: [977/1000].
…He was so close to accumulating the whole thousand. If Sunny really wanted to, he could have abandoned caution and pushed to reach it before the inevitable journey to the Crimson Spire. However, he was wary of delving into anything unknown right before the fateful confrontation.
He also felt that his time was better spent consolidating and perfecting everything that he had already learned and earned, not wasting it trying to acquire something new.
Still, it was not an easy decision.
With a sigh, he continued reading.
Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Blood Blossom], [Moonlight Shard], [M… …old], [Weaver's Mask].
Echoes: —
Shadows…
He tilted his head and read, an amused expression appearing on his face:
...[Marble Saint].
…Marble?
'How fitting…'
Without wasting any more time, he summoned his Shadow from the depths of the Core. She appeared in a whirlwind of black flames, standing in front of him with her usual taciturn aloofness.
However, Sunny couldn't help but gasp.
The Saint was indeed changed. She grew taller and was now even more oppressive. Her graceful stonelike armor, which had looked as though it was cut from granite before, was now entirely black and glossy, like obsidian… or onyx. In fact, it was very much like the shattered onyx armor he had purchased with Kai's help.
Her skin, on the contrary, became smooth and as white as alabaster… at least the small portion of it he could see through the visor of the helmet.
Saint seemed much stronger, aware, deadly…
But that was not what made Sunny gasp.
The thing that stunned him was what hid beneath the armor. Within the shadow that populated Saint's body, there used to be two ethereal dark embers.
But now, there were three.
Sunny stared at her for a while.
'Did she… rise to a higher class?'
Finally, he calmed down and made the runes describing the Shadow appear. A moment later, his hopes were proved true:
Shadow: Marble Saint.
Shadow Rank: Awakened.
Shadow Class: Demon.
'Demon! She is a Shadow Demon now…'
Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].
The next line had not been there before. Sunny held his breath.
Shadow Abilities: [Weapon Sage], [Underworld Armament].
He lingered for a moment, trying to suppress a triumphant smile.
He had always known that Saint was not a typical Nightmare Creature. But to think that she would acquire an actual Ability before even becoming a devil… and not just one, but two!
Burning with anticipation, he read on:
Weapon Sage Ability Description: [Shadow Saint can effectively wield any weapon-type Memory.]
Underworld Armament Ability Description: [Shadow Saint's armor can accommodate a charm Memory to inherit its enchantments.]
Sunny was silent for a bit, then turned his head and stared at the taciturn monster… no, not monster.
Demon.
A satisfied smile finally appeared on his face.
"Ah. How wonderful…"
Not only had his Shadow grown tremendously stronger, but she now also had the ability to use any weapon he would provide for her, as well as reinforce her armor with all kinds of powerful enchantments.
The possibilities this could provide her were truly endless. The potential combinations, the flexibility… all it took was to find proper Memories.
Sunny shook his head and grinned.
Before, he had sometimes thought that Saint was really suited to command an army.
But now, he understood that he had been wrong.
…She was the army.
***
A few hours later, the members of Neph's cohort gathered on the roof of the old hunting lodge, which still stood at the edge of the slum. Seishan was also there, which made Sunny slightly uncomfortable. He didn't let it show on his face, however.
The outer settlement was desolate and empty. There were no desperate, hungry youths around anymore — all of them were now either safely hidden behind the castle walls… or dead.
It was just the seven of them. They came to see Kai off.
The charming archer was standing near the edge of the roof, checking his equipment for the last time. He was wearing a new stylish armor and a leather jacket with fur on its collar. On his back, there was a quiver full of arrows and a backpack with water, food, and other supplies necessary for a long journey.
Sunny didn't know about the rest, but his heart was heavy.
As though reading his thoughts, Kai turned around and smiled.
"Really, guys, don't worry. I'll be fine. This is not my first time spending some quality time in the Labyrinth."
No one answered, knowing that the mission entrusted to Nightingale this time was especially dangerous... but also important.
He had to leave the Dark City and explore the vastness of the Forgotten Shore in search of new humans sent here by the Spell.
Today was the day of the winter solstice, and that meant that out there in the real world, thousands upon thousands of Sleepers were currently preparing to enter the pods and arrive in the Dream Realm.
Sunny sighed.
"Just don't bring back anyone as irritating as you, alright?"
Kai chuckled.
"...No promises."
With that, he waved them goodbye.
"Well… wish me luck!"
A few moments later, he was gone, turning into a small dot in the sky.
The remaining six people stared at it for a long time, their faces somber.
Their future depended on what Kai would discover.
Their and that of everyone else still clinging to life on the Forgotten Shore.
A few days passed in tense anticipation. Sunny spent them doing the same things he had been doing before: training and preparing mentally for what was about to come.
He had a lot of things to do.
First came his technique, which was based on the flowing battle style that Nephis had taught him, with elements of Shadow Saint's grounded style added to its adaptive foundation. His skill was growing sharper and sharper, slowly being elevated and solidified at the level that his current understanding of combat allowed.
Sunny was not a novice anymore. He survived hundreds of deadly battles, and each left him stronger and more experienced than he had been before.
But perfecting his technique was still not easy, because he had to make himself indomitable first, and then turn that firmness into flexibility.
Now that Sunny finally had free time, he also used it to adapt his style to the new reality of his improved physical limits. Many things that had not been possible for him before the journey to the Hollow Mountains became possible now. The way he approached combat had to change, too.
All of it took effort and a lot of thought to achieve.
Second came the Shadow Dance. Sunny was still at the stage where he was slowly forming a practical set of moves to train in that elusive style. He felt as if he was now only one final step away from turning his vision of the Shadow Dance into reality. However, he seemed to be lacking some crucial ingredient. He needed one last push, one moment of inspiration to make that final step.
Still, his exercises weren't useless. Until that moment of inspiration came, they helped condition his body and mind, make them adaptable and malleable like shadows. When the last revelation appeared, they would be able to receive it.
After each intense training session, every muscle in his body ached, and a wave of mental fatigue washed over him.
Third came the most important task. He had to turn his mind and soul into a fortress that would withstand the shock of the future.
He had to achieve the type of clarity that would allow him to emerge victorious on the other end of it all, and for now, this task was turning out to be the most unattainable.
It was hard to shape one's body and mind into a perfect tool, but it was so much harder to do the same with one's soul. However, this was exactly the barrier he had to overcome.
Just like that, six days passed.
…On the seventh day after his departure, Kai finally returned. The charming young man seemed tired and ragged, his armor and clothes covered in dirt, dust, and dried blood. The quiver of arrows he had taken with him was now empty, and there were shallow cuts on the fabric of his jacket.
Sunny's shadow had kept watching the skies above the Bright Castle all this time, so he was one of the first to know.
By the time Sunny arrived at the small room that served as Neph's council chamber, Kai was already there, sitting by the fire and greedily drinking water from a crude clay cup. Effie was by his side, pushing a plate of food into his hands.
Noticing him, Kai smiled weakly.
"Hey, Sunny."
Sunny hesitated for a bit, then approached the beautiful young man and patted him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Kai. Welcome back."
Neither he nor Effie spoke after than, giving their friend an opportunity to catch his breath and waiting for the rest to come.
One after another, Cassie, Caster, and Seishan appeared in the room and greeted Kai. Nephis was the last to enter.
She glanced at everyone and then sat down near Kai. After hesitating for a few moments, she looked him in the eyes and asked:
"How many?"
Kai remained silent for a while, a solemn expression slowly appearing in his eyes. Finally, he turned away and sighed. One word escaped his lips:
"...None."
His voice echoed in the small room, making the faces of people gathered there darken.
"I scoured the Labyrinth, looking for any sign that a Sleeper passed there recently. But there were none. There was no one alive and no bodies, not even a single fresh bone that I could find. The Spell… it did not send anyone to this hell, not this year."
'And it won't the next one, too. Just as I thought.'
Sunny sighed. Sometimes, it was nice to be mistaken.
Fifteen years ago, the Spell had sent seven people to the Forgotten Shore. The next year, it had been twice as much, and then more and more. Eventually, hundreds of Sleepers had been arriving in the Dark City after each winter solstice… up until last year, when only four of them — Sunny, Nephis, Cassie, and Caster — had come.
Three more had perished in the Labyrinth without ever reaching the cursed ruins.
Because of that, inhabitants of the Bright Castle came up with a theory that the number of people sent to this region of the Dream Realm by the Spell followed a certain cycle. If they had been right, then at least fourteen Sleepers would have appeared somewhere in the Labyrinth a week ago.
But Sunny never believed in that theory.
In his mind, the four of them had never been meant to start a new cycle. He had always thought that, instead, they were meant to be the last.
The last chance the Spell had given to the people of the Forgotten Shore.
And now, he knew that he had been right.
With a sigh, Nephis slowly nodded and stared at the fire burning in the hearth for a bit. Everyone stood silently, waiting for her to make a decision.
Finally, she said without looking at them:
"...Tell everyone to gather in the throne room. I will speak to them."
Without wasting any time, Caster bowed slightly and left the room. Effie gave her a short look, and then followed him. So did the rest.
Sunny was the last one to leave, his heart beating like a drum.
'It is beginning!'