A lonely Shadow

Sunny had realized one simple truth throughout his descent into the sky below. And it was: hot air balloons descended slowly. Boredom marked every waking moment he had as he made due by sneaking glances at Nephis, who didn't seem to be faring much better than he was.

Attempting to initiate conversation was all but impossible. He remembered the good, long conversations they once shared on the forgotten shore, where he showed her how to properly display emotion. But now, every moment her lips parted to speak, Sunny only felt incomprehensible hatred be elicited from his dark heart as she spoke.

"What do you plan on doing, after you've achieved your 'vengeance' on Cassie and I?" Nephis asked. Her voice came smooth and calculated, it was a question Sunny had not bothered to concern himself with, thinking about what happened after was irrelevant, all that mattered right now was that the two of them had to die painfully.

"I'm not sure, it's like asking a baby what they plan to do after they take their first breath. Such things are irrelevant." Sunny replied, lying on his back with his arms folded to form a makeshift pillow as he stared into the lightless ceiling that now enveloped him.

"Well, if you never end up changing your mind. And you do end up killing me, I want you to be happy. Find something that makes you happy once you've completed your goals." Nephis voice was soft and low, Sunny could almost hear the sad smile that was painted across her face as she spoke. The words she spoke elicited emotions from him he thought had died a long time ago.

"You were supposed to be that happiness, you were supposed to be the thing that kept me sane in this world that is trying its hardest to make me go mad. But it's partly my fault for expecting too much from other people."

Sunny's reply was cold yet somber, he tried his hardest not to allow emotion to creep into his tone yet he failed miserably as his eyes flickered with emotion. Nephis turned around, rising to her feet slowly before making her way towards him. Sunny refused to acknowledge her presence, continuing to stare past her indifferently as she crouched down next to his face.

Her soft hands ran through Sunny's hair as she brushed it away from his face, giving her full access to all his features. Hot tears fell on Sunny's chest as he noticed Nephis shoulders quiver, her attempts to restrain her emotional anguish had proven themselves increasingly useless.

After a brief moment of Nephis standing above him in silence, she slowly lowered herself to the ground and lay on her side, her face pointed in his direction as she fell asleep. Sunny studied her expression, the relaxation of her features bringing him odd solace in the fact his master had no power over him for the moment.

'I could just end it right now, snap her neck and be free from it all.' Sunny mused to himself, his hand extended outwards towards Nephis throat before he stopped himself and pulled his hand backward. That would be too easy, Sunny always despised people who took the easy way out and gave excuses for it. That's why he killed hero.

Although he would have done it anyway.

A voice rang through the dark abyss, eliciting Sunny's attention. It was low yet calm and calculated, Sunny didn't need to look into his eyes to tell that he was speaking to a fellow madman. "What brings you to my humble abode, with my pet no less." The mirror beast shuddered slightly, its body moved slightly towards the edge before Sunny uttered a silent command for it to stay still.

Its body shuddered as it mentally became split between choosing between two masters, and eventually, it just remained stationary. "We have goals that are in accordance with each other, I require an ally," Sunny responded, he wasn't quite sure how Mordret could communicate with him, especially seeing as he was nowhere to be found. But he wouldn't pry too much.

"Goals? How can you know my goals when we haven't even spoken? Surely it's only polite to offer your name to the man you wish to make your ally." Sunny smiled at Mordret's suspicion. One couldn't survive this long as an enemy of an entire great clan without having at least this much insight.

"You're the forsaken child of Valor. I've done my research, it would be a bit rude if I didn't know your name Mordret. As for introductions, I'm Sunless." Mordret remained silent, almost contemplating the words that Sunny had said to him before concocting a reply.

"You plan to make all of clan Valor your enemy?" Mordret asked, Sunny nodded despite knowing Mordret couldn't see it and let out an affirmative grunt in reply. "If you want, once we grow strong enough, I can play you by having you infiltrate Valor to scout out their defenses and way of life. However, that only comes after you become a master."

The sleight of hand Sunny used to say play rather than pay went unnoticed by Mordret as he fell back into silence once more. It did not appear that Sunny was being dishonest with him, yet he still couldn't bring himself to trust the man who promised him his lifelong goal. Yet, the idea of Anvil's bloody corpse seated at his feat elicited emotions within him that clouded his judgment.

"We may speak more once you've completed the second nightmare. I can have a seed arranged for you." Sunny commented absentmindedly, before growing silent once more. Nephis eyes shot open in shock as she leveled a glare at Sunny, leaping to her feet, she grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him to his feet to meet her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing speaking to him!? You should know as well as anyone he can't be trusted!" Sunny shrugged slightly before brushing off her gaze indifferently. "You want to take down the great clans, so does he. I'm merely gaining you an ally." Sunny commented indifferently. Nephis glared at him, studying his expression before pushing him back slightly. "I'll never understand you." She grumbled before making her way to the opposite side of the platform.

Mordret's laugh reverberated throughout the lightless abyss, it was low and hollow, with its madness being something Nephis thought only Sunny could replicate. "It's you! You're the one who's causing that vile stench! Sunless, tell me what you're doing with a dream spawn."

Allowing a slight smile to settle on his face, Sunny shrugged to himself before analyzing Nephis runes. "I don't know, she wasn't even meant to be here in the first place. Do you have history with them?" Sunny's prodding questions only served to unsettle Nephis as well as intrigue her. She had not ever bothered looking over her status as a dream spawn, merely brushing it off as a unique choice of birth location, however, the flow of the conversation implied it to be something far more important.

"That thing, you're the same kind as that fiend! Sunless! You truly surround yourself with the most interesting people!" Mordret's roaring laughs pierced through the silence before quickly growing silent quite abruptly. And just like that, silence had taken its place as the dominant force within the sky below once more.

Sunny allowed unconsciousness to win the mental battle without much resistance, however, his unplanned companion wouldn't allow that to happen. At first, she shoved his shoulder slightly, then her attempts became bolder as she shook his shoulders, almost consciously aware of his attempts to ignore her. Opening an eye, he saw Nephis smile slightly at his failed attempts to ignore her before speaking.

"Sunny, if there was a way for you to become free, without killing me. Would you still hate Cassie and I?" She asked, her tone was slightly hopeful. Sunny knew the answer she wanted yet he wasn't sure how he felt about the matter. Closing his eyes in contemplation, Sunny sat up and locked eyes with Nephis.

"I'd still hate Cassie just as much as I do now, and I don't know if I'd find myself wanting to kill you, but I'm not sure if I'd end up hating or loving you. It isn't the fact that I'm a slave that makes me hate you, it's the reason why. You took the easy way out and left me there knowing I could die, I'm always sacrificing myself for other people one way or another despite how much I claim to be selfish. But in all two worlds I don't know a single person willing to brave the dream realm simply because they don't want me to die."

Silence settled between the two as Nephis took a moment to contemplate Sunny's words. He was right and she knew it, her mind wasn't strong enough, her principles weren't strong enough. If she ever wanted to reach her goals, those two facts had to change with immediate effect. There was no way she could show Sunny such a change without putting her life on the line for him. Her eyes glowed with silver flames as resolve bubbled within her soul, if she had to, she was sure she would.

But another question irked Nephis even more so upon hearing Sunny's statement. What could possibly be the reason for his bubbling, boiling and overwhelming hatred towards Cassie? How could it be so much that even if he gained freedom he would still hate her just as much as beforehand?

Sunny sensed the silent question and smiled to himself before answering. "You remember Harus, right? The reason why I killed him was simply because he allowed himself to become a slave willingly. You may not notice, but Cassie is your indentured, unknowing slave. She's willing to sacrifice everything, including herself for your sake without looking backward for even a second. All in all, she's just a loyal dog who can't make decisions without keeping you in mind."

Venom and bubbling hatred dripped through Sunny's voice as he spoke of Cassie. Nephis hadn't quite considered such a perspective on her friend, yet she found herself unable to deny the words that came out of Sunny's mouth. This time, it was Nephis turn to remain silent. The low glow of the summoning of a memory pierced through the darkness as Sunny unwrapped a loaf of bread from a bag that seemed much larger on the inside than it was externally.

Throwing another load to Nephis, the two ate in silence as Sunny gazed down into the lightless abyss below him. The small dot of light was growing larger albeit slowly, however Sunny knew that their descent would quickly come to an end. A smile settled on his face as his mind began weaving plans for the future.

Soon, it would be time to meet Mordret.