Shadow Slave: Reaction

5k words goddamn

The Forgotten Shore.

A deathzone known for the start of Changing Stars legacy and the tragic stories of those trapped in there. All those who survived and escaped the Forgotten Shore were well known to everyone in the world.

Except one that is.

The desolate expanse of the Forgotten Shore lay in front of Sunny, shrouded in darkness.

The black sky was vast and empty. There were no stars, no moon, and no sun populating the lightless abyss, making it seem boundless. Faced with the hollow eternity of its unfathomable grandeur, Sunny couldn't help but feel indescribably small.

'It looks... the same.'

Nephis' face turned grim at the scene. The memory of her traversing that hell was still fresh in her mind. But Nephis couldn't help but be confused. Her memories about the reason why she's there in the first place were blurry, as if her thoughts from back then was getting erased again and again.

Yet out of all of this, no one paid attention to the hope of humanity. All the audience we're focused on the man on the screen.

Wondering about the 'new' deathzone he's in.

Will he find hope? Salvation? Or pure despair again in these lands.

The next thing they didn't know is that all the things will see next is something they all are already familiar with.

Below the black sky, a barren wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see. The Forgotten Shore had changed, becoming almost unrecognizable... the Terror of the Spire, Nameless Sun, was dead, and the endless sea of crimson coral that had been born from her was gone as well, replaced by ashen dust.

The darkness shrouding the desolate expanse was absolute. But it was merely the absence of light, not the true darkness that dwelled in the abyss of the Underworld. Therefore, Sunny's gaze could pierce its veil without restraint.

The Forgotten Shore... had become a land of shadows.

Effie trembled at the sight of Sunny's point of view. It looked familiar, the land, pale corals, dried moss and dead sand on the vicinity.

Effie was certain.

This was the Forgotten Shore.

She immediately looked at Nephis for her to confirm what she have thought but seeing her reaction to the scene, she was sure that she's right.

It's not only her. Kai also know what it is based on their journey. He is familiar of this place, albeit, very well. It's temperature, objects, the cruelty, even the texture of the sands.

They are very familiar with it.

His bloodless lips twisted into a pale smile.

"I'm back."

The lack of light, the lack of sound, the lack of life...

'How peaceful.'

It was a land of death.

Summer Knight who was beside Saint Rivalen felt disturbed.

'Another Deathzone? That's impossible... If the reports are telling the truth, then there should be no other Deathzone by the Hollow Mountains... unless..."

He turned his head front, towards Changing Star's cohort and saw all their expressions. There were no question... these lands were that lands.

He walked a few steps forward, and then staggered, falling to his knees. His hands drowned in the dust, and his breathing had become labored, hoarse whistles escaping from his mouth each time his chest rose and fell.

"Argh... aaahh..."

Sunny was suffocating.

"Is there no oxygen in this one? Deathzone indeed!"

"That would be... too much isn't?"

"This is the Dream Realm of course it's not too much. I bet there's a terrible monster hiding in those sands"

"Seeing that there isn't any creatures around... it is possible. "

It was not for the lack of air, but simply because both his mind and body were in turmoil. He was having a strange semblance of a panic attack, caused by the fact that there was no mist around him anymore.

There was no nothingness, and therefore, Sunny didn't have to struggle to remain existing anymore. He had grown so accustomed to that constant necessity, though, that its lack was like a powerful shock. Everything around him was so solid and immutable, so tactile and palpable... so something.

Everything was something. Wasn't that bizarre?

Everyone was in disbelief, even the Saints. To think that someone so powerful, a being who eradicated a Skinwalker be so weak in front of their eyes... It was uncomfortable to watch.

As it turned out, it was possible to experience a panic attack from the sense of relief. That feeling was so powerful that it debilitated Sunny completely, making him unable to think, move, or control himself. He remained on his knees for a few moments, and then sprawled in the dust.

'It's so calm...'

Very soon, he curled into a ball... and peacefully fell asleep.

Sighs of relief can be seen all over the crowd. Seeing someone so strong die would be a huge loss for humanity. And more importantly, the enigma about this man couldn't be discovered if he died right there.

It was strange.

Sunny vividly remembered the long journey back to the Dark City that he and the members of the cohort had made after visiting the Hollow Mountains. Back then, it had been an endless battle for survival - the Crimson Labyrinth had been teeming with all kinds of vile Nightmare Creatures, and all those creatures had wanted to taste their blood.

But now, the Nightmare Creatures were gone, annihilated by the merciless sun.

"Just what in the hell happened in this place? "

Luster, Sunny's fromer comrade said to the rest of the devils as he too wondered about the place shown in the screen.

"I don't know but... It's like everything there was sucked dry of life."

Quentin answered but immediately regretted it because the one he is talking with is none other than Luster.

But befote Kuster can even make a joke about the 'sucked dry of life' part, he got smacked by Kimmy from the side.

"You! Stop with that!"

Kim screamed at him albeit in a whispery way. She then looked at Quentin and shook her head.

"I think so too... the Dream Realm... even the waking world is terrifying! It's eaither you get sucked out of life or freeze to death..."

Kimmy's voice toned down on the last part. She was quite loud mouthed and sometimes talks before thinking of what she's saying. She knows too that the Antarctica campaign still hunts all of them occasionally but she couldn't held her mouth.

"I- I'm so-

"It's okay Kim... If the captain is here then he probably wouldn't mind it..."

The Crimson Labyrinth was gone, too, its demise caused by the destruction of the sun.

The coral maze had withered in the absence of its source, and crumbled into dust. Now, there was no one to lunge at Sunny from the darkness. There was nothing but death and desolation around him.

Silence and peace.

On the seats of Clan Song, the daughter's of the Queen of Worms were in a... situation.

"This is so boring"

"Zip it Hel"

"But sis this is stupid! We're watching a guy just wander around an empty land. Yeah, very exciting."

The Beast Master couldn't help but sigh. As one of the eldest she needs to be a good example o her sisters but even she is bored with this scene right now.

Ignoring what's being shown in the screen, she looked around and saw her sister, Seishan. Her face was wrapped in an uncomfortable expression that still failed to outshine her beauty.

Meanwhile, Seishan was feeling disturbed. There is something wrong with this land to her. As if she's experiencing an old shallow trauma just by looking at the place.

He rode the Nightmare north at a mild pace, not in a hurry to reach his destination. Rocking gently in the saddle, Sunny sipped water from the Endless Spring and looked around, his gaze full of placid curiosity.

'I think I recognize that place... no, do I?'

"What can you recognize there? Everywhere is just dust and sand."

"He's a saint! maybe he got some ways. "

"Not all questions needs to be answered by someone's rank. Sometimes it can be answered by common sense. "

"Common sense doesn't apply for Saints though. "

"Damn, your right"

It was hard to orient himself in the sea of dust.

There were a few landmarks that Sunny would have recognized, but he entered the Forgotten Shore in a different spot from where the cohort had gone. His route was entirely different, and he could have been hundreds, or even thousands of kilometers away from the places that the cohort had visited.

Well, it did not matter. If Sunny wanted to, he could spend the rest of his life here. He would find what he was searching for eventually.

No, actually, that was not quite right.

Since there were very few Nightmare Creatures on the Forgotten Shore now, if any, his supplies would run out eventually. So, his time was limited after all.

Sunny's laughter rang in the tranquil silence.

"Gods. Never thought I'd have such a problem..."

"What problem? "

Saint Cor sighed upon hearing the awakened's question.

"Even a Saint needs food young one. And this place surely have none. "

"A-ah... thank you Saint... "

He sighed again because of her naivety. The old man have thought that the next generation might have gone soft.

There were not enough abominations around! Such a travesty.

Wasn't that ironic?

Sunny traveled on horseback for a few days, then turned into a crow and flew into the boundless black sky. Drifting on the winds, he soared above the sea of ashen dust and made his way north while observing the desolate land for any familiar landmarks.

No monster lunged at him from the dust, or from the black abyss above. This land, which had become synonymous with dread and danger in his mind, was now strangely peaceful.

Seishan felt uneasy seeing that the place where only offered chaos now is just an empty piece of land.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was the Beast Master, Song Eunbin.

"This place is that place, am I right? "

Seishan's eyes turned into a pair of knives.

"Unfortunately, it is. "

It seemed safer than even the waking world, let alone other regions of the Dream Realm.

Sunny opened his beak and let out a few piercing caws, laughing at the irony.

"It would be funny... if it wasn't so sad."

...After flying above the barren wasteland for a few more days, he found what he was looking for.

The ruins of the Crimson Spire.

"gods..."

"I-I.... thats...! "

"For fuck's sake..."

"That place is... "

"Brings back old nightmares eh?"

It was all ruined. The bright red corals embracing the spire was now lifeless and indistinguishable but all of the members of the dreamer army, may it Nephis and her cohort, to the fire keepers, blood sisters and down to those who were the weakest, they all recognized it.

The Remains of the Crimson Spire.

The Crimson Spire, which had been a symbol of both oppression and salvation for the Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore, was no more. Sunny had witnessed the beginning of its destruction, all those years ago, but was sent away by Nephis before the cyclopean structure collapsed.

...Sunny gazed upon the vast ruin from the sky, then plummeted down and turned into a human. Walking across the dust, he fell into a solemn mood.

"Is he... a part of the Dreamer army? "

"Obviously? He's a part of lady Nephis' cohort. "

"I-I know... what I want to say is that, what did he do there? Based on my memories, All the cohort did an important part. And I don't think I'm forgetting anything imoortant that happened. "

"I don't know, we'll know soon if we watch. "

Soon, something crunched under the boot of the Onyx Mantle. He hesitated for a moment, then kneeled and brushed the dust away.

Below it, a monstrous skull was revealed.

A lot of awakened in the audience shivered when seeing the skull.

'To think they would need to face such monsters as a sleeper'

Is the only thing that is in their minds. Making those from the Dreamer army be in higher regards in their minds.

Sunny stared at it for a while, then rose and looked around. He could discern more bones on the ground around him, all covered by a thick layer of dust.

A quiet sigh escaped from his lips.

"It's here..."

"Yeah..."

"To think I survived all of that."

"It still gives me nightmares you know..."

Even without any semblance of the old area, they all knew that this is the place where the battle of the crimson spire occured. They know it, it was all etched on their minds.

He was on the edges of the battlefield where the Dreamer Army had fought against the horde of Nightmare Creatures.

There, in the distance, stood the broken remains of the siege engines that Kai had commanded. Not too far away, Effie had held the line against the flood of abominations, her soldiers dying one by one, until nobody was left. Behind that place was the spot where the Dreamer Army had made its last stand, the rising water already reaching their knees.

"I thought that I would die that time... "

"It's good that the Dark Sea retreated on time, if not... "

"The storm raged on didn't it? "

"Yeah, why? "

"Then why did the Dark Sea retreated? "

"I... I don't know"

Sunny knew exactly how many Sleepers had come to siege the Crimson Spire. He also knew how many of them had survived.

So, it wasn't difficult to calculate how many human skulls lay here, buried in the ashen dust.

He remained silent for a while, and then said quietly:

"...Your nightmare is over."

Many sombered at the scene. They all know that Sunny is a part of Nephis' cohort. They also know that he is very powerful... but no one knew this side of him. A respectful man who respects the dead, burying them in their righteous place.

Sighing deeply, he continued on his way to the bridge that led to the island where the Spire had once stood.

The bridge itself had long collapsed, destroyed by the falling debris. Once upon a time, Sunny had used the Dark Wing and Saint's strength to breach the wide divide... today, however, he simply disappeared from the spot and appeared on the other side a moment later. All it took was a single step.

"... We haven't notice it but... we've grown strong didn't we? "

A fire keeper said to his comrades, those very ones who fought with him on this very shore.

"Yeah... "

"I don't ever wanna be weak again."

"We've reach something that we only used to dream in there. "

The reason he had come to the ruins of the Crimson Spire was still there, though.

It was at the very heart of the mountains of crushed stone, at the bottom of a vast well. Sunny climbed down, being extremely careful not to fall - he did not trust the stability of the rubble and tested each foothold before lowering himself deeper into the darkness, and for a good reason.

At the bottom of the deep well... was a vast pool of black water. Its surface was perfectly still and flat, like that of a harrowing mirror made from pure darkness. Although the water was opaque and Sunny could see how far down it went, he felt as though it was unimaginably deep, reaching such depths that mere thought of light would be impossible there.

The Dark Sea.

"So... that's what the documents states. The Dark Sea retreats to the Crimson Spire, and that's the place it in the spire where it retreats to. "

Awakened Julius said, making a lot of people know more about the Dark Sea.

"What I'm afraid is... the documents said that it was as if... alive. "

Words cannot even explain the clueless audiences' reaction to what he just said. Alive? What do you mean alive? A whole sea could be a nightmare creature?

As Sunny watched it in solemn silence, a subtle ripple spread across the surface of the imprisoned ocean of darkness. It was as though it was straining to spill over the edges of the pool and break free.

However, the invisible powers that held it down were too mighty to overcome, even for this vast, boundless, inconceivable creature.

The seal he had activated still held, showing no sign of growing weaker.

The crowd could visibly see it on the screen. Seven seals that was holding all of the water back from unleashing hell to the world.

The people of the Forgotten Shore on the other hand realized something.

The one who sealed the damn Dark Sea... was forgotten all along.

Shifting his gaze, Sunny peered into the depths of the Dark Sea and let out a stifled chuckle.

It did not change.

All he could see was boundless, appalling darkness.

However, somewhere deep, deep below...

He seemed to have sensed the presence of seven abyssal nodes where the Corruption was even denser.

His suspicion had been right.

The Dark Sea of the Forgotten Shore was indeed a living being... a Great Titan.

"What the...? "

"That's absurd! How can you even attack a whole ocean?"

"Hey... do you think the King of Swords' storm of blades can even damage this thing? I mean... it's just all water. "

"I don't fucking know, don't ask me. "

In the past, it had taken the Dreamer Army many days of an arduous march to reach the Crimson Spire from the Dark City. Now, however, Sunny could traverse that distance in less than a minute.

He was not in a hurry to leave, though.

Leaving the towering mountain of rubble behind, he crossed the broken bridge and returned to the ashen wasteland. He remained motionless for a while, then sighed and leaned down to brush the dust off the old bones.

Nephis was curious even in the midst of the storm of emotions in her heart. She was placidly watching the scenes even though she was eager to know... no, she was greedy for it, of the answer on who Sunless truly is.

She wanted to know what he is to her. What she have forgotten. Where is he from? A man from the outer settlements? From Gunlaug? An academy batch mate? or.... no, that is just too cruel. Nephis do not want to accept such answer. It's too cruel for her... and especially for him.

...In the end, it took him almost a week to find the remains of every Sleeper that had perished in the battle for the Crimson Spire. There were four hundred of them, after all, and he had to be careful not to damage the brittle bonds. So, it took some time.

He placed them together on the ground, and then used the jagged slabs of black stone from the ruins of the gargantuan tower to construct a stone barrow above the mass grave.

Summer Knight lowered his head, as if bowing to someone which shocked a lot of people. This man was only loyal to the King of Swords and only him. Yet he's bowing to a mere screen?

But they are wrong. He was bowing to Sunny, for burying those who were almost forgotten. And also bowing for apology to those he couldn't save there. The supposed people for the future died without any Saints even Masters to help them. As someone who was on the top of awakened, he felt ashamed... on himself.

Saint Jest who was near him patted the man on the back. He kind of hated Gilead for being too righteous. But now, he couldn't help sympathizing with him.

'Don't be ashamed brat, this is merely the start.'

It was a little fitting, to lay these young men and women to rest under the broken remains of the Crimson Spire, which they had laid down their lives to conquer.

Sunny also collected the remains of every Nightmare Creature that had fallen in the battle, and piled them onto each other to the side of the barrow. The mountain of hideous bones towered above the stone grave, dwarfing it entirely in size...

a poignant testament to how fearsome the Dreamers of the Dark City had been, and how valiantly they had fought.

Seeing what the Dreamer army have fought, a lot more realized awakened realized their struggles and the sacrifice needed to get out of the Deathzone.

Dozens of awakened were ashamed. They followed Summer Knight's lead and did the same, bowing their heads down in shame. This effect even reach some of the Saints making a few biw their heads too, shocking everyone.

He stood in front of the barrow for some time, and then sighed.

"We were tough bastards, weren't we? You guys... rest easy now. The others are doing well. Most of them still follow Nephis, but they are Masters now.

The remaining Handmaidens will Ascend before too long, as well - Seishan is taking care of them. Oh, Effie and Kai are already Saints. There are a few independents like myself out there, too. We... we all escaped."

Sunny didn't know why he was saying that. His words rang hollow... he wasn't a big fan of speaking to the dead, to begin with. What was the point?

"I should apologize for antagonizing this man... He's actually a pretty decent human being. "

"I'm conflicted right now... "

"I wonder what those who died could've been. Such a waste... "

"Poor souls... "

Shaking his head, he approached the barrow and carved a few runes into the surface of the black stone.

The runes read:

[Here lie those

Who extinguished the sun

Dreamers of the Dark City

Sleep well

Your nightmare is over.]

Stepping back from the slab of black stone with a heavy heart, Sunny remained silent for a while, then sighed and turned away.

All those who were part of the Dreamer army were petrified, even those who were not were the same. Indeed, they were people who extinguished the sun and they were proud of it. But beneath all of those were the burdens, dreams and regrets that they have forgotten to that very shores.

Walking across the sea of ashen dust, he summoned Nightmare and jumped into the saddle.

His voice sounded rough when he urged the stallion forward and said:

"...Let's get out of here."

Sobs could be heard from the seats. A lot were mourning for the deaths of their friends, comrades and even lovers.

Sunnys visit to the spire made their emotions and regrets from the past crawl back from the grave resulting to a mass of tears pouring all across the theater.

A long time ago... Sunny had made a promise to himself. A promise to come back and destroy the Soul Devouring Tree one day.

Nephis always felt that there was someone missing in her life... a missing piece that will complete her being. But she always kept it to herself, after all, she couldn't show any weaknesses that coukd potentially be her downfall.

But now, that feeling is there again, much stronger than she have ever felt before.

Now, many years later, he was here to fulfill that promise.

He had been descending into the colossal crater for a while, but now that its heart was behind him, the ground was slowly starting to slope upward. Sunny rode Nightmare with a cold expression on his face, holding the ghostly torch in his hand.

Changing Stars eyes reflected the ghostly flames on the screen.

She know where this is going. This direction is... something she knew very well. Yet she keeps denying it. No one except Cassie and her went to this path, no on should was there with them, riding a boat made from a nightnare creatures armor.

No one.

The light of the eerie flame reflected from the polished surface of his armor and danced wildly in his onyx eyes.

It took some time to traverse the crater, but eventually, Sunny saw it.

The branches of a great tree covering the black sky.

Nephis looked at her side... Cassie was trembling, just like the old times where they we're powerless. When both of them were surviving on the little surface the Forgotten Shore could offer above the Dark Sea.

Changing Star on the other hand, do not know what she's currently feeling. She already expected this, she already know, yet why does she feel

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

'It lives.'

He had a feeling that it would.

Sunny... had changed greatly since leaving the Ashen Barrow.

Jet felt very uncomfortable on what is about to happen. Seeing Cassie's action, her trembling like a poor cat on the side of a road. And Nephis holding her like a robot with eyes widened, not sure what she's feeling.

Jet took her eyes off the two and saw something terrifying on the screen. Sunny who was portrayed by some as a gentle shopkeeper is there, smiling sadistically, eyes full of murder, looking towards the giant tree.

Jet looked towards the two Saints again, and then to Sunny, and then returned her gaze to the two again.

The three looked very... different.

Cassie looked like a powerless blind weak girl.

Nephis looked like someine who's barely a human.

And Sunny.... looked like a treacherous devil.

For Jet, it's as if the three retracted back to their former selves.

She looked at the screen to see a gigantic tree that reached even the skies.

That tree was the reason for all of this.

The Soul Devourer had changed, as well.

The insidious fiend had already been enormous back then, but now, it had grown even taller, reaching into the black sky with its obsidian branches.

This tree towered above the sea of ashen dust like a majestic mountain. Its bark was as black as the lightless sky, while its leaves were as red as blood... of course, Sunny could not really see color in the darkness. But he remembered their crimson splendor vividly. The crimson crown of the magnificent tree had used to cover the Ashen Barrow in its shade, but it was much richer and more expansive now, reaching far into the crater.

Nephis looked at the tree, not knowing how to react after all this time.

She held Cassie on her arms as she felt that she isn't using her aspect to see what's on the screen anymore. She doesn't want to see anything related to the tree. Neph also knows that Cassie was crying, she have also realized what she have lost.

What they have lost.

'That thing... has evolved.'

Sunny sighed.

It was understandable. Since the Soul Devourer had managed to survive the rays or the annihilating sun, it would have been left with no competitor on the Forgotten Shore. The Crimson Terror was gone, and so was the Dark Sea. The other powerful abominations, like the Lord of the Dead, had been slain by the Sleepers of the Dark City.

The insidious fiend growing on the Ashen Barrow would have used the vacuum to enhance its power.

Beastmaster looked at Seishan as she asked a question.

"Do you know what this thing is? "

Seishan answered her questions quite fast which is a bit rare for her.

"The Soul Devourer tree. An awakened terro, that is back then, written on the documents. "

The Beastmaster blinked blankly, and then laughed.

"She really is a monster, surviving such thing as a sleeper. "

Sunny shifted his gaze, looking beneath the obsidian bark.

Then, a sad chuckle escaped from his lips.

'A Fallen Terror...'

Dismissing Nightmare, Sunny landed on the ground, then walked up the slope of the crater. The ghostly light of the torch illuminated his way.

Sunny might have been illuminated by the pale flame, but his presence drowned the area in deathly cold. Outside the small circle of light, the absolute darkness seemed to become even deeper, darker, and more impenetrable.

inescapable.

"hmm, is he... planning to burn it?"

Noctis asked Solvane who was visibly annoyed for him talking to her.

Of course Noctis knew that she's annoyed, that's why he talked to her ore frequently.

"Obviously? What do you expect to use the fire?"

The sorcerer laughed.

"To cook maybe? Anyways this is interesting... it's a revenge isn't it? Revenge are always beautiful. "

He heard the leaves of the magnificent tree rustle in the wind, their murmur seemingly anxious.

It was as though the rustling leaves were saying:

"Stay away! Don't come closer!"

"What a creepy tree... "

"I know right? The red leaves doesn't help. "

Untouched by their alarm, Sunny stepped through the shadows and appeared on the Ashen Barrow.

Instantly, he felt an insidious influence trying to subtly twist his mind.

The tree was beautiful... the tree was generous... the tree was kind.

It was weak and benevolent, and its fruits were sweet.

'Huh...'

Daeron of Twilight was confused on why he was transported in this mystwrious space for some time... but now he have seen a lot of interesting things.

To be more specific, he have seen things that do not exist on his world. And now, he's seeing a tree even manage to inflict a hex on a powerful transcendent. Albeit, he know that it will not last long.

The fruits of the Soul Tree were indeed sweet. More importantly, they were quite useful... each contained a shadow fragment for Sunny to consume, after all. Best of all, the ancient fiend could grow them indefinitely.

Perhaps he should collect the fruits and keep the Soul Tree intact. Otherwise, there would never be another harvest...

Sunny smiled subtly and shook off the mental hex. It was too easy to do.

He had been a mere Sleeper the last time. But now, he was a Transcendent Terror. The Onyx Mantle was augmented by five shadows, and the measure of protection against mental attack it provided him with could not even be compared to that of the Puppeteer's Shroud.

Resisting the manipulation of the Soul Devourer was quite trivial.

Its attempts to save itself... were a bit pitiful, really.

As soon as Sunny shrugged off the hex, the leaves rustled again, this time full of panic. He sensed movement all around him.

Hideous figures rose from the ash... one, two, three... a hundred. Nightmare Creatures new thralls to replace Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie, who in turn had replaced the Carapace Demon.

The Soul Devourer needed someone to protect it. The abominable tree must have worked hard, luring so many of the Nightmare Creatures that had survived the annihilating sun under its branches.

Sunny would not have been surprised if these were all of them, really - every single creature that had avoided being consumed by the Crimson Terror, either through strength or by luck.

Nephis must have avoided this place because she had no means of protecting herself against the hex back then.

But what could all these abominations do to Sunny? Most of them had come from the coral labyrinth, and were therefore merely Awakened. There were a few Fallen creatures among them, but none of a high enough Class.

This time, it was his turn to be the horror.

This time, it was Sunny who was terrifying, inevitable, and full of murderous frenzy.... The shadows stirred, and a hundred inky-black hands rose from the darkness. They grabbed onto the thralls, onyx claws sinking into their flesh. The next moment, the air was filled with the smell of blood. The massacre was harrowing and thorough, the silence broken by howls of agony and the revolting sound of flesh being torn apart.

Everyone, after seeing what Sunny was capable of for the first time was shocked. Of course a lot expected him to be strong because of him being a member of Changing Stars cohort.

But a shadow aspect and his performance just now scared and terrified a lot of people. They couldn't imagine what this man is capable of doing, be it slaughter or destruction.

Sunny walked through the mayhem calmly, not even sparing the dying abominations a glance.

Soon, he reached the trunk of the Soul Devourer.

The leaves were rustling, and the branches were swaying, their sound full of desperate fear.

He placed one hand on the obsidian bark and closed his eyes for a moment.

Then, Sunny poured his essence into the eerie torch. Opening his eyes, Sunny sighed... and set the magnificent tree aflame.

'You really chose the wrong person to enthrall...'

Then, he walked back to watch it burn.

Nephis watched as Sunnh burned the Soul Devourer Tree.

The view for her was breathtaking. Her memories from back then was being rebuilt in her mind. The struggles she have endured with Cassie was slowly being stitched with Sunny being there with them. Struggling with the two of them. Living as the three of them.

The view was breathtaking.

Bright flames were climbing the towering trunk. The obsidian bark cracked, blooming with smoldering embers. Soon, the fire reached the leaves and exploded, spreading across the swaying crown of the Soul Devourer with tremendous speed.

When that happened, the darkness shrouding the Forgotten Shore was dispelled by the colossal ball of flame burning above it.

There was a cacophony of sounds. The roaring of the fire, the hiss of leaves being turned to ash, the cracking of dying wood- All of them fused into a chilling litany of pain, as if ten thousand souls were shrieking at the sky in agony.

It was... incredibly disturbing.

Sunny almost felt as if he was really hearing the ancient tree scream.

...It screamed for a long, long time.

A few days later, Sunny was still sitting on the ground, looking at the smoldering remains of the great tree. He could feel that the creature was dead.

"It's gone... "

Nephis said in a whispery tone to the point that no one heard whats he have said.

Neph was hurt... more than anyone. She wanted to cry knowing that she couldn't remember someone so... important to her and yet she stood there frozen in place, holding Cassie in her embrace.

She know that she need to endure. She need to endure enough untik she meet him again.

And fix the things that should've been fixed already.

He thought that exacting his revenge on the Soul Devourer would bring him joy, but it didn't. If anything, Sunny felt... sad.

Such a death was... almost humiliating. it was unworthy of the creature that had haunted his nightmares for so long. He never wanted to humiliate an enemy that had earned his respect.

'When have I become so strong?'

He wasn't sure.

He wasn't that strong, either... but he did outpace most of the things in two worlds, as far as the acquisition of power was concerned.

Finally, Sunny stood up, summoned the Endless Spring, and washed the ash off his face. The Soul Devourer was no more, and so...

'That is done. Now what?"

There. He had kept his promise.

Neph knew what that promise is. Even if she can't remember anything. She have done such a promise to. To kill the Soul Devourer Tree. But it seems thay she's not the only one.

Somewhere in Ravenheart, the sun was rising.

Which meant that Sunny was twenty-four now.

It was his birthday.

Sunny stared at the ghostly torch, which looked like it was on its last leg.

With a sigh, he walked around and collected a few pieces of charred wood. Then, he used the last of the eerie flame to make a fire.

Summoning the Marvelous Mimic, he pulled an alloy pot from its maw, as well as a tin can. The tin can contained his last spoonful of coffee powder.

Pouring the coffee into the pot, he filled it with water from the Endless Spring and placed it on fire. A few moments later, a delicious smell spread in the air.

Sunny summoned the Shadow Chair, sat on it, and waited for the coffee to be ready. Then, he brought the pot to his face and inhaled the fragrant aroma.

"Ah..."

He remained silent for a while, and then smiled.

"Happy birthday to me."

Relaxing in an opulent chair that stood on top of a tall hill, surrounded by boundless darkness, Sunny sipped his coffee and enjoyed the view of fiery sparks dancing in the boundless black sky.

A single drop of tear dropped from Nephis'/eye. It fell down her cheeks and didn't even reach her chin. It evaporated, swallowed by the divine flames conjured by the Star of Ruin.