Shadow Slave Cinema (reaction fanfic)

Out there, in front of him, stood a delicate young woman in a seawave cloak.

Her hair was like a cascade of pale gold, and her eyes… were hidden behind a strip of blue cloth. Despite the blindfold hiding her eyes, the young woman's ethereal, otherworldly beauty was simply breathtaking.

She lingered for a moment, then turned her head in the direction of Sunny's voice.

"Oh… I am sorry. I'm afraid I'm a bit late, then."

Sunny remained silent, trying to overcome his shock.

Everyone watched the scene with varying thoughts and speculations, albeit that suspicion thrived more than other emotions. They had learned so much mind-boggling information about the anomaly known as Sunny, who seemingly ate Great Nightmare creatures for breakfast.

Yet, not once, had he shown signs of emotional shock.

Thrashing the SkinWalkers with ease, revelational potential with Weaving, casually demonstrating his dangerous knowledge about the events of time.

So why would the physical embodiment of a harrowing tribulation, react as such to the placid and quiet Seer?

Hints of fear began to rise in the audience as they looked at Cassie, sweeping her figure in suspicion, evaluating the image she portrayed and possibly built to deceive them.

To hide a….monster that hid beneath?

He suppressed his emotions and put on the polite smile of a humble shopkeeper.

"No, no. It's no trouble. What did you want? I'll prepare it quickly."

The young woman tilted her head a little, then said hesitantly: "My name is…" He interrupted her, trying to put an appropriate amount of respect and reverence into his voice,

"I know who you are, Lady Song of the Fallen. Who in Bastion doesn't? I am Master Sunless, the owner of the Brilliant Emporium. It's an honor to meet you."

Cassie sighed, then nodded curtly.

Eventually, she said: "... I heard that you can procure rare Memories. Or make them."

Sunny froze for a moment.

'Ah.'

"You have also met him…?" Morgan notioned in a low tone, making her hostility and suspicion clear, the Saints of Valor motionlessly following her mood.

Cassie shook her head in dejecture.

"No…I surmise this is also another scene from the future…" she replied in a careful tone, failing to quell their suspicion.

"This means little with your earlier….erratic display and demonstration of hidden knowledge" Jest hissed, as the others leaned forward.

"Indeed" Saint Cor echoed, as his faced dawned a solemn look, "This meeting cannot just be a coincidence, knowing that you already seemingly had suspicions about his identity"

Unperturbed, Cassie gathered her thoughts, before turning around with a light smile,

"Your thought process is sharp, but still denies the fact that this is a future event which I have no idea of the development or the initiation of" she replied smoothly.

A snort of dejecture sounded from the top row.

"Quite hypocritical for a Seer I'd say" Lonesome howl mocked, as the Blood Sisters nodded and looked back at Cassie for a response.

"...My gaze has fallen on him thrice, but I had never thought nor planned to meet him in time" she said slowly

Jest laughed,

"And yet you did! Truly you are like a dog to Fate, although you make yourself not to be one!" he chortled with a sinister smile.

The air seemed to freeze as Cassie stared at him silently for a lengthy amount of time, long past what could be considered social, causing Jest to feel a growing sense of unease as his eyes slightly twitched. The entire cohort remained silent, showing no emotion, nor turning their backs.

Well aware, that he had stepped on a landmine.

After what seemed like an eternity, Cassie finally spoke.

"Kindly never say anything related to such topics, Jest of Valor" she murmured in a low flat tone, an unusual lack of hostility.

Jest blinked in surprise, prepared and somewhat looking forward to the potential outburst from the emotionless Seer.

"Boring snake" he sighed, lowering himself into his seat.

Cassie remained standing for a few more seconds, before slowly lowering herself into her seat and facing the screen.

Nephis spared a glance at her, but found nothing amiss on her devoid face, slowly moving her eyes down until they landed on her hands.

To her concern, Cassie's hands were violently trembling, as she clenched them with so much force, that blood was beginning to seep out of her fingernails, splattering the fabric on her lap.

Nephis wavered, sadness rising at the prospect of not being able to use her flames to heal her.

Sunny took a deep breath.

"Are you interested in commissioning a Memory, my lady?"

She nodded again. "In a way."

He smiled.

Now, he was in familiar territory.

"Great! I am sure that you won't be disappointed in my services. Just today, a member of the renowned White Feather clan purchased a Memory from our stock. They were extremely satisfied with its quality."

Cassie smiled, then shifted slightly as if looking around.

"That is good to hear. The Memory I want you to make must be of the highest quality."

Tyris and Roan looked at each other in confusion for a few seconds, before turning to Telle, a hint of curiosity and parental concern in their eyes.

Caught off guard, she slightly blushed as she stammered in panic.

"I-I have been a-aware of Master Sunless for a while… b-but only out of interest for his abilities to make memories! I was planning on going recently to commission a piece of armour for you father…" her eyes averting from their gaze.

Tyris and Roan looked at each other for a few seconds, using their telepathic abilities that all people gained once becoming parents, seeming to come to a conclusion.

Roan slowly turned to Telle, a look of reluctant understanding in his eyes, to her relief.

"I am happy that you would go out of your way to do such a thing for me….however I HOPE, that was your only reason for frequenting the shop…" he said in a low voice.

Telle vigorously nodded in agreement, satisfying their suspicions as they looked away.

She leaned back with a sigh of relief, having successfully hid the truth, her lips slightly curling.

Windflower threw a glance at her, not faltering to disrupt the flow of popcorn into her mouth.

'I get it…' she silently whispered.

Song and Valor both stiffened. Cassie already had their suspicions, but now she had them fully alarmed. Likely, she had not approached Sunny knowing that he was capable of selling a memory of such caliber, nor was it feasible that he would be compliant to make one at such a level.

It was the act of approaching him, itself for a memory which put them on edge.

Clearly displaying her animosity and reluctance towards Valor, insinuated she was planning something.

That they were all planning something.

Both Valor and Song looked at each other, as they gave grave nods of silence, their eyes deep.

It seemed…a third force, was preparing for the war.

Mordret looked up and down at the gazes, elated at the public introduction of the cohort's schemes.

Kai, Jet, Effie, Nephis and Cassie all silently looked at each other, having read the atmosphere in the room, all realizing, as they remained in silence. They were truly fortunate, as in any place except this theatre, both Valor and Song would for once unite to exterminate them.

The timer had now been set.

Effie grumbled, "Wars are too much work…"

Rain stared at her with wide eyes, earning a puzzled look from Effie, before she realized and smiled.

"Oh yeah, Bastion and Valor are going to war, which will basically decide the Fate of humanity," she said in a nonchalant tone.

Rain looked at her blankly.

"WHAT!?" she yelled,

Effie looked at her flatly, before grabbing a handful of popcorn and shooting her hand forward, stuffing Rain's mouth before she could continue shouting or protesting.

"What kind of idiot yells during a movie?" she mumbled in annoyance, as Ling shifted in her lap, causing her to look down. 

"Weren't you also yelling, mom? He whispered innocently.

Effie stared at him for a few seconds before smiling, aggressively ruffling his air.

"Damn, when did he learn to talk back"

She lingered for a few moments, then turned to him and added in a neutral tone.

"Oh, and by the way…"

Her smile wavered a little.

"...Happy Birthday."

For a split second, his mask cracked.

Sunny's face did not move, but his gaze changed. For a short moment, his eyes were much deeper and darker than before - the lightless depth contained within them was much too vast, much too cold, and much too unfathomable to fit the image of a harmless shopkeeper.

He froze, a storm of emotions raging in his heart.

For a second, Sunny was stunned, not knowing what to say.

The shadows stirred.

Tension was almost audible in the room, as everyone's face became dark, fear and concern blooming inside- They had only seen Sunny emotionally react once, and that was when he decimated the SkinWalker.

Was the same thing about to happen to Song of Fallen…?

Only two people held something different on their face, betrayal. As Effie and Telle watched the screen with gloomy faces, seemingly hurt by Sunny's two-faced facade he had always used before them.

Kim and Luster also looked upon the scene with dread, utter fear in their hearts seeing such a dark/tense atmosphere in a place they found hospitable and dear to their hearts.

"His eyes… those damn eyes again….." Beastmaster mumbled

"He looks like he's ready to kill her on the spot.." Daeron rumbled,

As speculations and whispers rang out among the crowd, Ling turned to Cassie with a petrified look on his face, his lips quivering as he mustered the courage to speak.

"A-Aunt Cas…are you and Uncle Sunny not friends?" he whimpered

Cassie turned to him, her face silent,

"It's fine Ling, he's just a bit surprised to see me" she replied in a calm tone, causing his face to soften in belief.

Cassie once again watched as her finger violently twitched with its own will, the sinking feeling in her stomach deepening, an indescribable pain growing. Her face darkened as her lips dropped.

"I wonder what we were…" she questioned in silence.

As she did, her intuition once again burned, adamantly screaming against it, causing her to shudder. Her body seemed to violently reject wanting to know the truth.

Almost telling her…..that some things….. were better left buried

"What did I do to him…." she whispered as dark speculations continued to grow.

An irrational, but desperate hope had ignited in his chest, trying to burn away his judgment.

A hope that someone anyone remembered him... that Cassie did.

The thought of it was both blindingly sweet and ruthlessly painful. Because it was impossible, The [Fateless] Attribute, as he had called it, was thorough.

So, Sunny discarded that futile hope and hid his rattled state.

How had she known that today was his birthday, though?

'Maybe... just maybe...'

In that one moment, when that singular word flashed on the screen, everything snapped.

After all these years, it had finally come together.

The Man-Shaped Void

The Corrupted memories

The missing piece.

Although she couldn't remember, everything finally fit like a giant puzzle. She had not failed like she had despaired in the Tomb of Ariel, she had in fact succeeded. Her success was so grand that it had even affected her.

The weapon against Fate.

Her goal and purpose ever since returning from the Forgotten Shore, the piece to destroy Fate had been forged.

It was Sunny, he had become the anomaly, the final weapon.

Except, that he had been cast aside.

Cassie, no matter how hard she tried, couldn't recall having revealed her plan to him, nor having discussed it, a part of her even dreaded that she had mislead and tricked him into becoming it. But it didn't matter, as the result was all the same.

She had won.

And he had been left behind.

Like a shadow, vanishing from the world, erased from everyone and everything. He had taken the fall, and lived all this time with it.

Alone.

Forgotten.

Cassie grabbed her mouth as she almost puked at the revelation, horror and despair beyond her comprehension encompassed her whole body, her blindfold taking a different shade from the tears uncontrollably flowing.

Hidden behind her veil, the veil she had placed on herself and lived with.

She hated herself.

She wanted to die on the spot, her goal and mission after all this time, had only resulted in the despair and pain in another which she strongly assumed was someone close to her.

Close to Nephis.

Cassie could only lean forward as she hid her face, not daring to reveal herself to Nephis and allow her to figure anything out.

How could she?

How could she go and tell her closest friend and ally, that she was the root cause behind their close companion and her possible lover from being forgotten?

In this moment, she was truly alone.

'Just like Sunny….'

"W-Why do I even try? I-I really am just a burden and misfortune to everyone and everything around me…" she cried in her lap, although not a soul in existence heard it.

Her actions did not go completely unnoticed to everyone, as both Valor and Song gazed upon her miserable state, most with hints of satisfaction and amusement, like spectators in a colosseum. Unaffiliated spectators did not share the same disdain, but instead sparingly looked at her with concern. The cohort spared silent glances at Cassie, but none spoke up, as they had all realised that she had finally learned what she wanted to.

She had learned the truth of what she sought after in these four years.

Nephis helplessly watched, as her lips contorted into a pained grimace, unfamiliar and scared about how to help her. She hesitated, before slowly lowering her arm onto her shoulder in consolidation.

It was the only thing she could do.

Thankfully, the moment was pulled away by a figure abruptly standing up, his hand stroking his chin in deep contemplation.

"Fateless…." he muttered, before turning to the others.

"Does anyone have an idea about how he is supposedly Fateless?" he questioned, oblivious to the atmosphere.

Eyes moved towards Cassie in anticipation, but she didn't respond, still leaned forward, hiding her face. Nephis stood up in her stead as she faced them.

"Our companion is troubled right now, and is not fit to answer your questions" she politely replied.

Jest leaned forward,

"How coincidental! The porcelain doll finally comes alive, and yet she can't tell us anything!" he snarled with pure contempt.

Nephis shot daggers at him as the rest of the cohort turned around, equal mirth in their eyes, seemingly prepared to eviscerate Jest on the spot.

"Enough" Morgan morgan rumbled, causing Jest to raise an eyebrow

Although she dejectedly wanted to see Cassie suffer more, knowing that they were possibly planning a revolution. But as the present representative of Valor, she had to hold the name and not allow others to speak out of line with her objectives.

'Later…first get out, recruit Sunny, get the sister and then proceed'

Noctis shifted as he spared a glance at Ananke, who returned it, before she rose.

"Although I have had my fair experience with Fate, it is still an obtuse construct, which only Weaver truly is knowledgeable about. However, all life is precluded from having a Fate at birth, to be Fateless, as he claims, goes against the laws of existence." she carefully surmised, not too confident herself.

"You are suggesting that he did something to possibly break or escape Fate?" he replied with intrigue,

Ananke could only nod in response, causing whispers and wide eyes among the audience.

"How can a being even escape or break Fate!? It's a concept, not a physical thing!" Luster retorted

"His title does call him the Bastard Son of Fate" Daeron echoed in a low tone.

'Bastard Son of Fate...'

Indeed it did fit, but it didn't make sense.

Taking Jests' terrible formulated point earlier into account, nobody would have remembered him to give him such a title, which led more to the idea that they were self proclaimed. But nobody dared object to his titles if they were self given, they had seen what he was capable of.

However, from what they had divulged, it was unlike his character to give himself such a snobby image.

Meaning that it was highly more plausible that someone else or something else had done so.

And if so, when was this?

Even more…..would they get to see it?

"This preludes to having undergone some change that happened during their Third Nightmare, which caused him to execute such a feat" Revel said in a low tone, once again looking at Cassie who remained in an unreachable state.

"Miss Changing Star, is it possible that when your companion has calmed down, they may share what they have uncovered, and divulge it to the rest of us?" Noctis pondered in a voice in anticipation.

Nephis slowly turned to Cassie, who had slightly calmed down, but not fully.

She managed to control herself enough to nod her head slightly, notioning her agreement.

Nephis sighed in relief, as she turned back to Noctis, secretly content that she would also learn what Cassie had learned.

"She is doing better, but needs some time to properly gather her thoughts, she will share what she has realized after the Long lost piece of history, which we have already planned to view after this" she calmly replied.

Cold gazes stared at her in response, expressing their contempt, but nothing further, as silence remained. The screen sensed the awkward atmosphere, and shifted.

Come to think of it…

He had not noticed it immediately, but Cassie looked a little strange. How could he describe it?

She seemed a little... haggard. Of course, a stranger would not have noticed, blinded by the stunning beauty of the blind seer. But to Sunny, she looked out of sorts.

Her clothes, which had always been neat and tidy, were a little messy. Her hair was like a waterfall of pale gold, but it did not seem properly combed. There were signs of fatigue on her delicate face.

Much more importantly, there was a hint of restless intensity to her which had never been there before. As if Cassie was... not quite stable, having lost her innate state of composed balance.

Sunny had seen all the other members of the cohort after returning, even if from afar, but it was his first time seeing Cassie, The blind seer seemed to have changed a lot.

Effie grinned as she turned to Cassie, instinctively about to tease her about the information, but she was met with Nephis's cold stare, warning her back off.

Begrudgingly, she submitted, although sour, only having hoped to lighten her mood.

Jest stared at the screen, with a pleasant look in his eyes, deeply satisfied. Although the screen hadn't directly stated his suspicions, the implications of certain details enlightened all viewers that Cassie was unstable and hiding something.

Something which he had long surmised through intuition as soon as he laid eyes on her.

He turned to Morgan to give her a glance, but she was already looking at him to his delight.

Jest sighed, as he sunk deeper into his seat, fully satisfied.

"Snakes are always snakes, whether they are venomous or not…" he joked to himself in satisfaction.

She finally turned away and walked a few steps, as If studying the dining hall of the Brilliant Emporium.

"It's strange. I've been delivered a note asking me to find a person named Sunless and wish him a happy birthday. On a winter solstice, of all days. It happened a while ago. But, the strangest past? The sender of the note... was me. And I don't remember ever writing it."

Sunny remained silent, wanting her to say more.

Sometimes, silence was the best way to make people talk. The faint hope in his heart had been extinguished.

Cassie did not remember... however, she seemed to have known that she would not remember.

And therefore, she had made arrangements for them to meet, before the Third Nightmare.

He suddenly felt stifled.

Cassie lifted her head, as she silently stared at the screen, her mood only worsening at the sight.

'So, she knew…..'

Before anything had even happened, she had her suspicion, and yet she had still gone through with it. Her fists once again clenched as she strained her muscles, until she heard an audible crack.

Indifferently, she looked at her hands, to see that under so much strain, almost half of her nails had cracked in half, blood now seeping between the edges.

She didn't care.

The pain she was feeling inside was far more real and hurtful.

She reminisced about how many times she had walked past her desk and seen the note.

And yet, she had paid it no serious attention, like it didn't mean anything, like something in the back of her mind.

Just like Sunny….

Silently, she continued to stare at the screen, her blindfold tugging at her face from the weight of all the water it had absorbed, threatening to crumble just like herself.

Nephis was also silently watching her the whole time, even more pained that she didn't know what to do or how to help.

As everyone else watched the scene, they silently held varying forms of remorse to what Sunny expressed. No matter how heartless and cruel they were, and what they had seen and done, it was subjectively impossible not to hold sympathy for Sunny, watching as he clambered onto the little hope he had left in his life. And yet his efforts bore no fruit.

Such a development was something beyond their comprehension, and they all had some form of comrades, relatives or family to talk to and rely on. And yet he had none.

Being forgotten was equivalent to death.

No….

If anything it was a fate worse than death.

And tragically, Sunny was still alive and enduring in silence.

Rain silently watched the scene as she felt tears unconsciously begin to collect in her eyes. She accepted them, full-heartedly.

It was always a mystery on why her Master would insist on talking to her whenever he appeared, and how he insisted on socializing. It all made sense now, and she felt helpless guilt of past events of pushing him off and trying to ignore his incoherent rants and yapping.

He was lonely.

And Rain was the only one he had.

Her lips trembled as she wiped her now red eyes,

"He was so lonely…." she shakingly whispered, almost about to cry as the screen shifted once again.

Cassie turned her head left and right, as if looking around.

"I must admit, you are a fascinating man. Not only do you seem to have appeared out of nowhere, but your establishment is even built inside of an Ascended Devil. How inventive."

He tensed.

Well... it wasn't a surprise.

Cassie's Dormant Ability allowed her a measure of insight into all living things, Marvelous Mimic was not an exception, so she would have realized its nature as soon as she approached the Brilliant Emporium.

And yet she had stepped into the maw of an Ascended Devil without much worry, Was it confidence or indifference?

Sunny was not sure.

The heavy mood of grief was dimmed at the shocking revelation on the nature of his residence, yet the shock did not take full effect due to the other ludicrous things they had seen him do.

Living in an Ascended Devil?

At this point does he routinely drink the blood of Cursed Nightmare creatures?

It was highly plausible.

Only three betrayed serious signs of shock at the news, being Kim, Luster and Effie. Telle was still shellshocked from the reveal and was incapable of pairing the concept to the placid, gentle shop owner she knew. Tyris and Roan looked at her with sympathy, understanding her state.

Effie shot up, "Are you serious! Not only has he been lying to my face, but I've been routinely eating pancakes in the mouth of a Nightmare Creature!?" she shouted in disbelief.

Jet looked at her with a smirk,

"I've seen you eat worse things in worserer situations," she chimed, earning her a glare.

Luster had to grab as she abruptly leaned against his shoulder, threatening to pass out. He hurriedly held her shoulders as she began to come to, as Lust thought in deep consideration.

At the prospect of having to find a new Cafe or to leave the pancakes of the gods behind in the mouth of that Nightmare creature.

And currently….

The pancakes were winning.

Morgan narrowed her eyes as she stared at the screen, quickly sensing two gazes on her. She slowly turned around to find both Mordret and Song sneering at her, seemingly mocking her at her incompetence to detect such a thing in her own home.

A guttural growl sounded in her throat as she could only shoot them a look of equal disdain before turning back.

She had to rub her temples in thought, collecting herself to wrangle all the emotions which she rarely felt, now experiencing them rapidly all at once.

He coughed.

"Ah. Well, why not? My house might not be able to fly like your Citadel, but it can walk. it's convenient."

Julius smiled with content.

"Truly ingenious, a true intellectual he is! I cannot begin to list all the necessities and qualitative opportunities such a construct would give when traveling and living in the Dream Realm!" he enthusiastically remarked.

Daeron shot him a look of intrigue,

"Maybe he was your student" he murmured, causing Julius to whip his head, his face visible with shock.

"I-I strongly doubt it! Such an accomplished person would most likely have a much more well-renowned and bright minded teacher, I feel almost embarrassed at the thought!" he selflessly retorted.

Daeron chuckled,

"If anything, such a student could only come from someone like you in my eyes, I see no better challenger who could accomplish such feats" he retorted, his voice full of banter.

Julius kept a look of shock, as the gears in his head seemingly began to turn, a slow smile growing on his face.

"Indeed! Maybe indeed! I always found it strange how my course never got discontinued, although I lacked a large pool of students….maybe he was indeed one of the few!" he rambled with growing enthusiasm.

He chuckled, before raising his porcelain cup, which Daeron met with his own, sounding an audible, clink, on the second row. Windflower leaned over to look at the scene, growing confusion in her eyes.

"Do you know what I sense when I look at you, though? Nothing. You are like a black void, completely empty."

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"That is not something a man wants to hear on his birthday, Saint Cassia." She did not seem to have heard his words, continuing in the same tone,

"But this is perfect. This is exactly what I've been looking for, Oh, Master Sunless... you seem to be strangely well-informed about my abilities, considering that you are not at all surprised to hear these things. Well, just in case, let me tell you... I used to be able to see the future."

He hesitated for a while, a little startled by that statement.

"...Used to?" Cassie nodded.

"Yes. This ability of mine has been in complete disarray after my Third Nightmare. Not just mine, actually... all Awakened with high affinity to fate are suffering a reduction in their ability to discern the future. Not that there are a lot of us. It is almost as if fate itself has been thrown into chaos."

Jest stroked his chin, a rare look of content on his face since the past few minutes.

"I will give it to him….his jokes are not bad….but they do need a bit more spaz if I do say so myself…." he mumbled in deep thought.

Gilead turned his head, his face stone,

"His jokes are a million times better than yours" he said flatly, causing Jest to raise his brow.

"Why should I take advice from someone who's never uttered a joke in their honor-filled life?" Jest snorted.

Gilead looked at him indifferently, before turning back to the screen, his actions causing a rare look of concern on Jests face.

'No really, have you even smiled before?' he contemplated with seriousness.

The Blood Sisters looked at the screen, before Beast Master let out a defeated sigh, shifting their attention to her.

"It seems she was right…" she muttered in dejecture.

Seishan nodded, "Indeed, his escape of some form does seem to be the cause behind the shift"

"Honestly it's too good" Beastmaster whispered,

Seishan looked at her with eyes of alarm,

"What?"

Beastmaster slowly turned her head, an captivating smile on her face, her eyes gleaming

"He's everything and more…" she mumbled

All the Sisters slightly shuddered. Although everyone had their own tastes, Beastmaster was quite peculiar and selective, so it was rare for her to ever show such commitment and interest.

It frightened them.

Though they were not familiar with Sunny, some sent him silent prayers.

Sunny forced out a smile.

"How terrible."

She remained silent for a while, seemingly distracted. Then, she said with a subtle hint of relief,

"Yes. It has been rather terrible. And I've been... I've been trying to find the cause for the past four years, without any success. So, the message that I seem to have sent myself made me think that you might be of help. And won't just think that I am crazy.."

Cassie paused, then faced him and said tensely.

"Master Sunless... how would you react if I told you that there is a man-shaped hole in the world?

With that, the screen abruptly shifted, betraying not even a sliver of time to discuss the statement, some sighed in disappointment, while others sighed in relief of finally getting a break.

Cassie watched as the colors began to shift, her gaze focused solely on the image of Sunny looking at her solemnly, his sadness now clearer than ever.

Her lips trembled

"I'm sorry…" she whispered

Abruptly she shifted, a weird feeling in her body as her lips twitched.

It was deja-vu

Her intuition booming that this….had happened before. Cassie couldn't control herself as her lips curled into a self dejecting smile of depravity, in disbelief with herself, like she was a spectator in her own body.

It seemed that she had already hurt him in the past, and her body also remembered.

And yet he, looked at her with eyes of hope and remorse,

Not a sliver of anger.

Her mask cracked, and she began to sob.

"I-I..Gods I've d-done this b-before…I'm s-so….oh my god….w-what have I done…" she silently whimpered, as the colors shifted and she was engulfed in darkness, before the usual bright white glare met everyone.

Nephis stared at her silently, opening her mouth to ask her, but no noise came out as she contemplated what to do. Hopelessly, she stood seated, before turning to Ananke for help.

Ananke met her gaze with a warm sympathetic smile,

"Give her time….only time will tell" she whispered, before continuing

"In the meantime, it is best to move onto the second reward we can see now, it may give us answers which your friend cannot give now" her melodious voice filled with comfort and hope.

Nephis smiled, a warm feeling in her body as she turned and stood up.

"I think that we should now move onto the second reward, in hopes of finding some answers" she announced.

Morgan's eyes narrowed,

"And why can't we directly get some answers from your friend who is hiding secrets" she hissed, causing glares to focus in agreement.

"She still needs time to collect her thoughts….also, it seems like some others may need some time as well" she said calmly, looking at the cohort and Rain, before facing the audience.

Cassie abruptly rose, catching the cohort off guard as she silently looked at Nephis, a warm smile on her face.

"I-I'm….doing better, and I also agree that we should see the second option first. I think it will answer even more questions which I don't even know" she said loudly, her voice still shaky.

Silence hung, as people thought audibly

"Indeed, let us at least see the options first, I am quite honestly dying to see what the second reward is, though i'm incapable of dying" Noctis laughed, causing a few looks of confusion.

Daeron nodded in acknowledgement

"Let us see what it is," he echoed.

The screen blinked once again

[Please choose your reward]

[Summon a member to the audience]

[or]

[A piece of Long Lost History]

Nephis turned to the audience for any objections, but nobody spoke, some nodding in approval.

She sighed, clearing her throat,

"The second reward", she boomed

The screen began to shift, words moving as two new statements began to form…

And then another….

And then another…..

And then another…..

New phrases began to form on the screen as eyes widened, almost everyone rising in unison, shocked by what they were seeing.

"What the spell…" Rain gasped.

Effie grinned like a maniac, "Oh this is too good!"

Noctis clasped his hands,

"Gods, entity, whatever you are…thank you for bringing me here!" he yelled in excitement.

Everyone now stood up as the final words formed on the screen,

There were now seven statements.

They all blinked in unison

[Please select what you wish to witness]

[Madness Incarnate]

[or]

[A light in the Void]

[or]

[Solace in Defiance]

[or]

[Shadows of Wrath]

[or]

[Walking the path of Fate]

[or]

[An Eternal Nightmare]

[or]

[Law of convergence]

They had been brought here to supposedly watch a mysterious documentary, but now...it seemed like they were about to witness a whole new genre.

______________________________________________________

Options, options, options! So many options, I wonder which one will be chosen… :)

Quite a lot of individual possibilities with their own charm!

I will admit, that I want to write some more than others, but I thought it was only write to fill the fated slots of 7 options.

Can contemplate in despair or anticipation to see which gets picked in the next chapter.....

Cheers! ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶

______________________________________________________