Shadow Re: Slave

After that, Nephis began to ask questions—many of them.

Quietly. Carefully.

About Sunny's plans on the Forgotten Shore.

About what was to come.

He answered all of them, calmly and precisely. His voice was steady, his tone light… but the substance behind his words was anything but.

At one point, without ceremony, Sunny reached out and gently took her hand.

Nephis blinked, caught off guard—but didn't pull away.

A soft warmth pulsed between their palms and then a spark traveled between them as he transferred something to her.

"The Starlight Shard," he said simply. "You'll need it."

She frowned slightly, feeling the Memory settle into place—strange and luminous.

"To seal the Dark See," Sunny added, his voice low.

Then, almost casually:

"By the way… were you aware it's a nightmare creature?"

Nephis's expression shifted.

"What?"

He looked at her, expression unreadable.

"That Dark See. It's not just cursed terrain or environmental hazard. It's alive."

He let the weight of that hang for a moment, then continued:

"That's why it can be sealed. If all the shard Memories are combined… they form the Oath Keys.

Then he began to explain.

""All that's left is to retrieve the Memory from the first Lord of the Bright Castle. It's in the Hollow Mountains." Sunny said.

Nephis listened in silence.

A question hovered at the edge of her thoughts—How did he know where the Hollow Mountains were from here? How did he know any of this?

But she stopped herself.

She had made a decision: not to ask unless it truly mattered.

Because she trusted him now.

And if it was something she needed to know… he would tell her.

So she simply nodded, letting the silence stretch.

Letting him speak.

"We can only retrieve it at a very specific time. The window is narrow—because of the seventh stone statue. The one that walks."

She tilted her head slightly.

"We'll use it," Sunny said. "To move. It'll let us cover a vast distance in a matter of hours—cut through the Forgotten shore with nearly no disturbance. But timing will be everything."

He paused for a moment, then added:

"Once that's done… we'll just have to handle Gunlaug."

His tone was casual. Almost too casual.

"You can share your thoughts, if you want. I could kill him right now if I really wanted to."

His smile was unsettling.

"But I think we should be careful. Get the lieutenants under control first—make sure there's no throne war when he falls."

He looked at her with an open expression, as if asking, What do you think?

⸻

Nephis was stunned.

Not just by the plan—though its precision was impressive.

It was the detail.

The way he spoke, the depth of his preparation—it was all far beyond what she had expected.

She didn't ask how he had gathered this information.

He hadn't offered it. Which meant he didn't want to share—at least not yet.

And that was fine.

⸻

She exhaled quietly.

"Well… Seishan and her handmaidens are already under your control," she said. "But the others—Kido and Gemma—they shouldn't be too hard to convince."

Her tone shifted.

"Tessai might be a problem. He's ambitious. From what we gathered, he's driven by power."

Sunny nodded.

"Yeah. That lines up."

He smirked, then added:

"But don't worry about Harus."

His voice grew colder.

"That bastard's mine."

Nephis looked at him, a little startled by the venom in his words.

"I hate people who choose to enslave themselves. Who bow willingly."

He laughed once, dark and humorless.

"And yes… I know how that sounds. But I hope I'm different. I had no choice."

A pause.

"He did. He could've survived here without crawling. Without licking boots. And yet…"

He shook his head, eyes hard.

"I know his Aspect, too. So if it comes to that… I'll deal with him. Personally."

⸻

From there, the discussion went on—strategy, contingency plans, backup routes, supplys for the outher settlement .

But beneath it all, a quiet shift had taken place.

They weren't adversaries anymore.

Or reluctant allies.

They were partners.

And for the first time in a long time… maybe even ever…

They weren't alone.

But then, suddenly, Nephis spoke.

Her voice was steady—but there was something fierce in it. A quiet fire.

"But… who will rule the Bright Castle?"

Sunny blinked, a little surprised.

"You don't have to hide anymore," she continued. " I'm your master, aren't I? You could let them know. Let everyone see who you really are. That you have a True Name, too. That you're just as strong, just as brilliant."

She hesitated—then added, almost quietly:

"Stronger, maybe. I can't kill Gunlaug. Not yet. Even after all the soul shards you gave me…"

Her words trailed off.

Sunny looked at her for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

Once.

Then again.

Slower.

"…No."

His voice was soft, but final.

"Never."

Nephis stared at him.

"I'm already lucky just to stand beside you," he said quietly. "That's more than I expected. More than I probably deserve."

His eyes darkened—not with sorrow, but something deeper. Older.

"The others… they don't matter. They shouldn't even know my name. They must not know my name or even that I exist."

He paused, studying her face.

"And because I know you'll ask why… I'll tell you."

There was a beat of silence.

Then, very quietly:

"Do you know why your father was murdered by the three current Sovereigns?"

For a moment, Nephis's composure cracked.

Her silver eyes narrowed, fury flashing through them—sharp, unrestrained, born from old wounds. But then… she remembered who stood before her. Sunny.

And just like that, the fire dimmed.

She forced herself to take a breath, to look past emotion, and think.

Then, quietly, she admitted:

"…Actually, I don't really know."

She looked away for a moment.

"I always thought they killed him because he was getting too powerful. Or maybe they feared what he could become."

Then, softly:

"Do you know the reason?"

Sunny nodded slowly.

"Yes," he said. "I know it in detail."

Then, without waiting for her inevitable follow-up, he raised a hand.

"But if you ask me how, we won't get anywhere. Please don't."

His tone was gentle—but firm.

"Let me just tell you what matters."

⸻

He hesitated, then continued.

"There were two reasons. Two paths that led to your father's death."

Sunny's voice was calm. Measured. But there was something heavy in it—like he was lifting a weight that had been resting on his soul for a long, long time.

"The first was Anvil's reason."

His gaze grew distant.

"Broken Sword couldn't protect your mother. After she was taken, he lost his mind—no, not madness. Obsession. He believed she was still out there somewhere. Her soul. That he could bring her back… because of her Aspect. The one that let her wander the world untethered."

He looked at Nephis, quiet sympathy in his eyes.

"He neglected you. He prepared for the Fourth Nightmare instead. Sacrificed everything to chase a ghost."

A pause.

"Anvil… I think he loved her once, too. But when he received his Flaw, everything changed. It cursed him to lose anything he held dear."

Sunny's voice dipped.

"So he gave her up. Let Broken Sword have her to save her live. And ever since then, he's lived without love. Without attachment. It's how he survives."

⸻

"But that was only the first reason," Sunny continued.

"The second… is darker."

He glanced at her, his eyes suddenly sharp.

"And don't say his name, but the third one is on the moon. He's still alive, but trapped."

A beat.

"Anvil made a deal with him. Promised to help kill your father… in exchange for something."

His voice turned bitter.

"I think he gave him his son. Mordret."

Nephis flinched.

"But the third Sovereign only agreed to the assassination because of what your father found. Something he was never supposed to."

Sunny looked up toward the grey sky.

"A piece of a lineage. A forbidden one."

Nephis tensed.

"What lineage?"

He met her eyes.

"My lineage the forbidden lineage of the deamon of fate Weaver."

⸻

There was silence.

Long and cold.

Then Sunny went on, voice softer now.

"Long ago, there were seven gods. But one of them was sealed away… with the void beings. The ones who came before the Weavers little Spell."

His tone turned darker.

"When he was being cast into that prison, he tore his soul apart. Scattered seven fragments into the world."

"The Daemons."

Nephis whispered the word before she could stop herself.

Sunny nodded.

"They're pieces of him. That's why worshipping them is forbidden. It empowers the Forgotten God. The real source of the corruption."

Her breath caught.

"I thought it was the Nightmare Spell—"

"No," Sunny interrupted gently. "The Spell was made to stop it. That's what I believe, anyway. Weaver gave it to humanity… to fight back. Not to destroy us."

He gave her a quiet look.

"But no one truly understands. They mistake the Spell for the curse itself."

Like you did too—and that's why I asked those strange questions when you told me your goal.

I needed to prepare you for this moment: the moment I reveal the true enemy, and what your real purpose must be.

⸻

Nephis shook her head, stunned.

"And my father found a piece of that lineage?"

Sunny's face grew grim.

"Yes. That was why they killed him."

"And… you carry the same?"

"I do."

He didn't flinch.

"I am Weaver's heir. Meant to be. Fated, maybe. I've already found one piece… and I know where the others are. Even where your father fell."

His voice dropped to a whisper.

"But I can only retrieve one more. For now. But once we are strong enough, I'll show you where he fell."

Anyway, someone once described my situation like this:

"No heir of the Weaver shall ever be known, shall ever be loved, and must be forgotten by all. That's why I have to stay in the shadows—and why it's already more than enough that you know me, and that you trust me."

⸻

A long silence stretched between them.

Then Sunny added, almost casually:

"So… it's not fair to compare us. Not really."

His eyes found hers.

"Because I'm not a Sleeper anymore."

A small, crooked smile touched his lips.

"I've Awakened."

⸻

Nephis was stunned.

More than that—flabbergasted.

Sunny had revealed more in a single conversation than she'd thought possible. More than anyone should know. Ancient truths, forbidden knowledge, secrets that shattered everything she'd believed about the Spell, the Daemons, the world itself.

And yet…

She didn't doubt a single word.

She couldn't.

Because he said it with the same calm certainty he had when declaring the weather, or predicting the rhythm of battle. With that quiet confidence that didn't need to be proven.

So she said nothing.

Just listened.

Until he said it—

"No heir of the Weaver shall ever be known, shall ever be loved, and must be forgotten by all."

The words echoed inside her.

Cold and cruel.

Her chest ached.

And before she could respond, he gave her another blow.

That crooked, infuriating grin she was beginning to recognize as a warning.

"I'm Awakened."

⸻

Her mouth fell open.

He saw her expression and laughed softly.

"You can check my runes, if you want. Through yours."

So she did.

And what she found left her breathless.

⸻

Name: [Sunless]

True Name: [Lost from Light]

Rank: [Awakened]

Class: [Demon]

Shadow Cores: [3 / 7]

Aspect: [Shadow Slave]

Aspect Rank: [Divine]

Innate Ability: [Shadow Bond]

Aspect Abilities: [Shadow Control], [Shadow Step]

Master: [Changing Star]

⸻

Nephis stared at the glowing runes in disbelief.

A Divine Aspect.

A Demon class.

Awakened.

Three Cores already.

And she was his Master.

Her thoughts spun—but Sunny spoke again before she could find her voice.

"You know," he said casually, "there were Awakened… Ascended… even Supremes long before the Spell ever came down. It's just the natural path to divinity. The Spell just… accelerated things. Changed the rules."

He gave her a look—half-earnest, half-mischief.

"I know the path. Up to the Sacred level. Some of it's theoretical, sure, but still…"

Then, a pause.

His voice softened.

"I can help anyone awaken, Neph. Even make Sleepers to full Awakened, but only if I brand them with the Mark of Shadows."

He smiled faintly.

"Though I doubt you'd ever let me do that."

⸻

He went on to explain how he had guided Rain through the process without mentinong that he had already done it once — how the Mark gave others access to his guidance. But also how most people, without her kind of strength, would never survive. And that it would take a lot of time.

And most people, even empowered, weren't ready for that.

⸻

Nephis was silent for a while after he finished.

Then, finally, she spoke.

"Let's do it."

Sunny blinked.

"Wait, what?"

She met his eyes—steady, unwavering.

"Give me the Mark of Shadows."

Then, almost awkwardly, she added:

"I mean… I wouldn't say I'm exactly eager to get a snake tattoo."

A faint blush colored her cheeks.

"But I do like the one you have. On your back. Your shoulders."

He opened his mouth—but she didn't stop.

"And besides… you're my slave, right? So this is the least I can do."

Her voice dropped a little.

"Letting you leave a mark on my body… when I already left one on your soul."