A lonely Shadow

Mordret was a name Sunny had heard only in passing. One stray comment by Jet was all it took to pique his interest. Supposedly, Mordret was the first man to possess a divine aspect, which might offer Sunny more answers about the insidious nature of his own powers.

But as Sunny followed the directions of the mirror beast, his own aspect was not his main concern. Rather, he was much more engrossed in learning everything there was to know about Clan Valor. He planned on making them his enemies, after all—and what better way to do so than to ally with their greatest foe?

Soon enough, Sunny found that the path toward Mordret led directly off the island. Being no fool, he looked at the mirror beast incredulously before bombarding it with questions and commands. However, it was to no avail. With a sigh of defeat, Sunny quickly turned into a shadow to avoid the upcoming crushing blow and made his way back to the real world.

If he was ever going to spend his time falling through the depths of a lightless abyss, he was going to do so on a full stomach. Making his way to the fridge, Sunny found that there was not nearly enough food. He hadn't bothered to restock after Nephis barged into his house.

"I guess I'm going shopping," he grumbled under his breath before putting on his favorite tunic and heading out the door.

All in all, he was in high spirits. He had money, a roof over his head, and he was constantly making sure Rain was being looked after properly. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that he was just a few fragments away from completing his fifth core.

Something like that could prove detrimental in battle, so he planned to awaken it sooner rather than later.

The sliding doors of the store opened, letting a rush of cool air collide with his face. The force of it blew his hair back slightly as he stared wide-eyed at all the food options available. He needed somewhere to store all of it. Luckily, he was sure there were memory shops where he could acquire the right equipment.

After a while, Sunny found himself with a mountain of food piled into a trolley. The mountain reached so high it ascended past his modest height. One couldn't even see his face from the front.

However, one voice almost sent him—and his mountain of food—tumbling over.

Effie's and Kai's cheerful voices rang out from the corner of the store as they mindlessly picked out food to devour at home. Sunny hadn't faced them in all the months since his return to the Dream Realm, and quite frankly, he didn't plan to.

There was too much left unsaid that he didn't want to address in the presence of his two former comrades. He still cared for them—that was certain—but his ability to trust had been crippled as of late.

He couldn't let them see him in his pathetic state. So, Sunny passed by them, hoping to go unnoticed. He quickly dropped some soul shards on the counter and hurriedly made his way out of the store.

Thinking he was free from all unpleasant interactions, Sunny let his guard down slightly. That made Effie's voice shock him even more than it normally would have.

"Where do you think you're going, doofus?"

Sunny turned around slowly, a fake smile forcing itself onto his face as he gazed at Effie and Kai. They had both grown so much since he had last seen them.

He hadn't had the chance to catch up or interact with them. Quite frankly, Sunny knew his behavior toward them wasn't fair, but his emotional state simply wasn't prepared for it.

"I'm going on a mission. I might be gone for a while, so I'm packing loads of food. How have you guys been, anyway?"

As the last part of his sentence escaped his lips, Sunny regretted every life decision he had made up until that point. He had hoped to end the conversation quickly, yet here he was, giving Effie an avenue to extend it.

"We've been here and there," Effie said, "but more importantly—what's going on between you and the princess? You looked ready to kill her when you recognized her."

Concern was laced in Effie's tone, despite the joking facade she tried to maintain. Sunny knew she had been immensely worried whenever he lashed out at Nephis. He didn't care.

Meanwhile, Kai quietly observed the conversation. It was a sharp contrast to his impulsive nature, where he would readily jump between Sunny and Nephis in moments of conflict. The change wasn't unwelcome.

Sunny's eyes darkened at Effie's question. Although he didn't want to show it, his posture visibly shifted at the mention of Nephis.

Turning away, Sunny continued walking as he endured the pain of his flaw. "It's complicated. Go and ask her—she might tell you."

His voice was low and stiff, so neutral that it was unnatural compared to his previous demeanor.

Faking emotions still wasn't easy for Sunny.

Here's a cleaner, more polished continuation with clearer spacing and improved flow:

After a week of preparation, Sunny gathered everything he needed. He managed to procure a bag that allowed him to store large amounts of weight without being burdened by it. It was perfect for his needs, so he unceremoniously shoved all his bread and other easily transportable foods into it before preparing to return to the Dream Realm.

As he was about to transport himself there, he suddenly stopped. A wicked smile crossed his face.

"I almost forgot—I never punished Cassie for not keeping her mouth shut," Sunny muttered before disappearing into the shadows. It was time to pay his dues.

It didn't take long to find Cassie. She was standing near the outskirts, next to a tree.

It wasn't just any tree—it was the one marking the grave Sunny had made for his parents, and for himself. It was a symbol of the life he had left behind, and of his indomitable will to survive, even against the darkness of his own mind.

Seeing Cassie near such a sacred place flipped a switch in Sunny.

Without hesitation, he summoned his scythe and swung it in a wide arc toward her arm. Cassie reacted quickly, summoning her rapier to parry the attack. The clash sent vibrations through her arm, forcing her to retreat out of his range.

"I'm not here to fight, Sunless! Just listen to me!" Cassie pleaded, jumping over another swing.

But Sunny wasn't listening. His attacks weren't calculated or precise as they usually were—raw emotion powered each strike. It was clear he intended to kill her.

Before he could land another blow, a pale blur appeared between them. Nephis had arrived.

She deflected his scythe and closed the distance between them, aiming the pommel of her sword at his head. Sunny countered with a low kick that threw her off balance before sending her flying with a punch.

Nephis blocked the strike, quickly regaining her footing. The two stood locked in a furious stalemate, glaring at each other.

"Sunny—stop! Cassie needs to talk to you about your sister!" Nephis shouted.

The mention of Rain broke through Sunny's rage. He dismissed his scythe and stormed toward Nephis. Grabbing her by the front of her armor, he crushed the metal slightly under his grip as he stared into her eyes with unbridled fury.

"What did you do to my sister? What's so important that you had to desecrate my parents' grave?" he growled.

Nephis turned her gaze to the side, silently urging Cassie to speak. Sunny released his hold on Nephis, folding his arms as he waited for an answer.

"I had a vision—about Rain," Cassie began, her voice trembling. "She'll be in grave danger if you stay in the real world much longer. A Nightmare Gate might form because of your innate attribute!"

Sunny's eyes narrowed as he processed Cassie's words. He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head.

"You expect me to believe that? Fine, let's say it's true. If I'm not here, how am I supposed to trust scum like you to take care of my family? Especially now that I am here!"

Throwing his arms to the side in frustration, Sunny sighed loudly before mumbling under his breath, "What is it with you people and taking everything I hold dear?"

Cassie didn't respond. She held her ground, letting Sunny digest the information.

Silence filled the air. Children and adults lurking in the outskirts scampered away, afraid of the tension between the awakened. One bold child, however, ran up to Sunny and weakly slammed their hands into his legs, wailing for their parents.

Sunny crouched down, running a hand through the child's hair. For a moment, his focus shifted entirely to the child, and Cassie thought he had forgotten about them.

"Do you want to live?" he whispered.

The child feverishly nodded. Sunny looked up at Cassie before whispering something to the child, who then ran off into the shadows, disappearing from sight.

Straightening up, Sunny ran a hand through his hair and locked eyes with Cassie.

"I was planning to go back to the Dream Realm anyway. But one last thing before I leave."

He walked toward Cassie, raising his hands to show he had no weapon. Then, in a blur, his fist slammed into her face, sending her sliding backward. Blood erupted from her nose as a sharp cry escaped her lips.

"If I didn't do that, I'd be a liar. Take it as a lesson: don't open your mouth to Nephis like the obedient dog you are," Sunny spat.

Turning away, he brushed past Nephis, whose mouth hung open in shock at the sudden act of violence.

Back home, Sunny stood by the graves of his parents. The sight brought back memories he didn't want to confront.

Raising a hand to his face, he felt faint tears streaming down his cheeks. A crooked smile formed on his lips as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

He wasn't sure what he was searching for—something beyond himself, beyond anything physical.

And then, he laughed.