Ranobes » Shadow Slave » Chapter 1637: Negative Space.
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Chapter 1637: Negative Space.
Shadow Slave

Sunny tried to evade the question a few more times, but it was too important to Cassie. She stubbornly returned to it no matter what he said, forgetting his answers a few moments later. Watching her lost expression was eerie and a little heartbreaking, like talking to someone suffering from dementia.

So, tell me are you?

Sunny reminded himself to be patient. There were many suitable ways to prevent her from voicing the question. He just needed to find the correct one.

Yes, I am. But

Cassie was stunned, then confused, then tense once more.

Maybe I should distract her with a revelation or two about what is going on in Ravenheart?

However, in the end, he did not have to.

Somehow, Cassie did not repeat herself again. Instead, she shifted slightly, reached for her tea cup, and traced its shape with her finger. Her face froze, and she fell quiet.

After a few moments of silence, Cassie said evenly:

My tea is cold.

Sunny tilted his head a little. Then, his eyes gleamed in the darkness.

It seemed that there was no need to guide her away from the question, after all.

So soon?

Cassle was smart. She could not remember that which was forgotten, but she noticed the change in the temperature of her tea. Therefore, instead of remembering, she simply deduced that something had been erased from her memory.

The gears of her formidable mind were spinning now, connecting the negative space in her memory with the details of the conversation they were having. Observing the void and inferring its meaning.

Knowing Cassie, there were countless conjectures being formed in her head. Dozens of theories were being built, scrutinized, and discarded. Only those that could not be effectively disproven remained, leading to several parallel branches of assumptions. Those assumptions were then pitted against each other, turning into conclusions.

The conclusions were used to extrapolate what, exactly, she had forgotten.

Too smart, maybe.

It was a little scary.

Sunny did not say anything, carefully exploring his own emotions. If he was right, then Cassie not only knew that a person was missing from the world, but also deduced that he was that person, or at least connected to them.T0p vl updates on n(o)vlbin(.)com

She would not be sure, but suspect it strongly.

And he he had come closer to being known to someone than he had ever been since leaving the Nightmare. Of course, there was a vast difference between a suspicion and a memory but it was precisely because Cassle's Inference was based solely on deduction and not remembrance that she could retain It.

The taste of his tea was suddenly incredibly fragrant. Sunny drank it silently.

None of them spoke for a long time.

Cassie's delicate face was full of somber intensity, but she did not rush to ask him any questions. She couldn't. Because asking him about all the things she wanted to know would only result in her forgetting the answers.

It was an odd situation.

Eventually, she sighed and turned away. A few moments later, Cassie asked, her voice a little strange:

Would you like to look into my eyes?

He was startled by the question.

Where did that come from?

Sunny hesitated, not knowing how to answer.

I'm honestly not sure. Why are you asking?

She touched her blindfold briefly, sighed, and said with a hint of reluctance:

My Transformation Ability has to do with my eyes. Few people know about it, and you are now one of them. If you look into my eyes I'll be able to read your memories.

Sunny blinked.

His first reaction was to reject her vehemently, Who would want their private memories to be exposed to a stranger? Not to mention the fact that Cassie's power was not limited to that. She had already admitted that she could also erase, replace, and manipulate the memories of other people.

That sounded utterly terrifying. Sunny had suspected that there were limits to her power, and now, she had exposed one of these limits to him- only those who looked Cassie in the eyes could be enthralled by her Ability. So why would he expose himself to that power?

She would forget everything she saw just like she had forgotten his answers, as well.

Not everything.

The memories of his past were forbidden, but the memories of everything that had happened to him after the Third Nightmare were less so.

The question was, what benefit would there be if Cassie saw it all?

She would probably be able to fill the empty void left by him with a few more pieces of logical reasoning, at least.

But then what?

Sunny put his cup down and smiled politely.

You want to peek at my memories, Saint Cassia?

She simply nodded, not hiding her desire.

I do Saint Sunless.

His smile did not falter

She has already connected me to the Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel and guessed that i was in the Nightmare with them. Damn it I shouldn't have published it

But he did not really regret his actions. That report was both for Teacher Julius and Ananke, so it was worth the trouble.

Sunny chuckled, then asked with a hint of amusement in his voice:

What's in it for me?

Cassie leaned back and remained silent for a few moments. She might have guessed that he was the person she had been looking for, but she had no idea who he was. What were his motives, desires, and convictions? What was his past, and what was his vision of the future?

What could she offer him to gain his cooperation?

She couldn't even be sure if he was a friend or a foe.

Well, what is it that you want?

Sunny contemplated for as long as his Flaw allowed him to.

Actually, there is something that you can help me with, I must warn you, though the faver I'll ask might land you in hot water with your venerable superiors from Clan Valor.

He shrugged.

Additionally, you will only access a memory of my choosing. You'll have to wait a bit, too. It can only be done on a full moon.

Cassie suddenly tensed.

A full moon? Surely, you don't mean

Sunny chuckled.

That's right. I want to sneak into Bastion.

He finished his tea and added nonchalantly:

The real Bastion, of course. Not this mirage we all live in.

Shadow Slave
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Comments 28

  1. Offline
    Dadadai Shukosha
    Dadadai Shukosha
    + 0 ⋅ 0 -
    Just from the save of who Bastion was, you could tell that.
    Read more
  2. Offline
    keyleur
    keyleur
    + 8 ⋅ 0 -
    1639 Beautiful Mirage


    The full moon came faster than Sunny had expected. His life in Bastion had been peaceful in the meantime - the Brilliant Emporium Café enjoyed a steady stream of guests, while the Memory Boutique continued to stagnate with no customers. Sunny attended to the kitchen and minded his business.

    He was supposed to make a trip to the waking world to stock up on ingredients, but postponed it for now - partially out of laziness, and partially because there was a lot on his place.

    His life in Godgrave, meanwhile, had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Nephis was there, and so, he had no time for boredom.

    But that was the third avatar's problem.

    On the day of the full moon, Sunny let Aiko go home a bit earlier and closed the Brilliant Emporium. Then, he walked through the crowded streets of Bastion and bought a ticket to a theater play. A troupe of Awakened actors was performing a rendition of A Song of Light and Darkness... sadly, Sunny only noticed the name of the play after being seated in the parterre.

    He covered his face with a palm and winced as if suffering from a toothache, but remained in his seat, Soon, excited members of the audience surrounded him from all sides. The lights were dimmed, the curtain was lifted, and the play began...

    No one noticed that a pale young man sitting in one of the first rows did not seem to have a shadow.

    At the same time, a different incarnation of Sunny was hiding in the darkness near the shore of the lake. It was already dark, and the pale moon was traveling across the starlit sky. The sight of it-the moon, the velvet sky, the silhouette of the magnificent castle, and the vast lake - was beautiful beyond words.

    In fact, it seemed as if there were two moons, one lost in the distant heavens, the other drowning in the silent water.

    Making sure that no one was nearby, Sunny rose from the shadows and walked toward the shore.

    The incarnation in the theater was wearing the Nebulous Mantle, so he was only dressed in a mundane military bodysuit. The Quintessence Pearl was already summoned, resting in his mouth.

    He did not waste any time and dove into the water without making a splash.

    The lake took him into its cold embrace.

    Sunny allowed his body to become as heavy as a stone, sinking to the bottom. Once there, he extended his senses, turned into a shadow, and glided down a steep slope.

    The lake surrounding Bastion did not seem special from the shore, but it was immensely deep. By the time the slope lost most of its steepness, Sunny was already several kilometers below the surface. A mundane human would not have been able to withstand the pressure of the mass of water, but it was easy for someone like him, especially because he remained Incorporeal.

    The easy part stopped there, though. Because these waters were not safe.

    There were Echoes of powerful Nightmare Creatures patrolling the lake. As if that was not enough, there were also swords thrust into mud here and there - each of them serving as the eyes and ears of the master of this land... Supreme Anvil of Valor, the King of Swords.

    Reaching the castle unnoticed was nearly impossible.

    However, Sunny had not wasted the last year in vain. He had thoroughly explored the lake, studying its guardians and mapping out the locations of Anvil's swords. By now, he was confident in his ability to reach the castle unnoticed.

    The castle was not his target, anyway.

    Instead, it was the reflection of the moon traveling across the surface of the lake.

    He hid in the shadows and waited for a vast creature that looked like a giant silver eel to swim past him, then cautiously advanced forward. Changing direction, Sunny moved like a thief, effortlessly avoiding every security measure placed at the bottom of the lake by Clan Valor.

    By the time he reached the midpoint between the shore and the castle, the play his avatar was watching reached Intermission. The other Sunny rose from his seat and went to the theater's cafe, making sure to be seen by as many people as possible. Of course, he kept to the dark corners to make the absence of his shadow hidden.

    The original Sunny hid at the bottom of the lake without moving. Preceding further would be... problematic. So, he was letting the reflection of the moon come to him instead.

    He was sure that someone like Beth would have been infuriated by such a statement, considering that, scientifically speaking, the position of the moon's reflection was supposed to depend on the perspective of the observer. But not of this moon, in this lake, and on this night.

    When it was time, Sunny made himself as light as a feather, assumed his human form, pushed off the bottom of the lake, and swam up. The timing was calculated to a split second - the Echoes patrolling the lake were far away, and no one would be able to notice his swift rise.

    As the pressure of the water lessened, the darkness surrounding him grew brighter, Soon, he was surrounded by ethereal radiance, as if swimming through moonlight. The moon itself was like a perfectly round silver disk hanging above Bastion,

    Its reflection was like a vast, radiant circle resting Breaking the surface a few meters away from it, Sunny swam forward and entered that circle.

    He was blinded by the light...

    And then, the world changed.

    Sunny had left the illusory realm behind and entered the ghost of reality hidden behind its splendor.

    Suddenly, it was much darker. The reflection of the moon disappeared, replaced by scattered vestiges of bleak light. The water of the lake was much colder, and its surface was restless because of the strong wind.

    Taking a deep breath, Sunny looked up.

    Above him was a broken sky.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      ZEXOS
      ZEXOS
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      U late bro
      Read more
      1. Offline
        keyleur
        keyleur
        + 1 ⋅ 0 -
        oh , didn't notice pro's comment it only appear now for me .
        Read more
    2. Offline
      keyleur
      keyleur
      + 9 ⋅ 1 -
      1640 Harrowing Reality


      The sky was black, with pale stars shining coldly in the distance. They were much paler than the bright constellations of the illusory realm, though, because there was something brighter in the night sky, spanning its vast expanse.

      The fragments of the shattered moon.

      The moon was up there, above him, but it was viciously broken into countless pieces. Some of them were vast, like jagged continents, floating in the forlorn darkness. Some were infinitely small, painting the sky like clouds of starlight vapor. The trail of moon shards formed a heavenly river that stretched beyond the horizon, illuminating the hidden world with ghostly light.

      The sight of it was both terrifying and humbling. Sunny did not know what kind of blow could have been so harrowing as to fracture even the moon... or if the moon had been broken from within, like the shell of a cosmic egg... all he knew was that seeing the broken sky filled him with a deep sense of terror.

      He rarely felt true fear after becoming a Transcendent, but the true face of Bastion was one of the few things that could still make him shudder.

      Looking away from the celestial river, Sunny gazed at the distant castle. The castle existed both in the illusory world and in the terrifying reality. However, while it stood tall and proud in the former... It was a desolate ruin in the latter.

      The mighty walls had collapsed. The tall towers were toppled. Bastion was like a mountain of fractured white stones, the shape of a once-magnificent citadel barely recognizable in its ghastly crookedness. Here and there, one could still recognize the lines of partially unscathed buildings and courtyards, but they only seemed like an epitaph on a towering gravestone.

      Across the lake, where the thriving city had been a moment before, a monumental wall of towering dark trees rose to the broken sky.

      The illusory Bastion had been surrounded by a forest once, too - a forest that was one enormous living being, a horrid Titan with which the Knights of Valor had waged war for decades. Eventually, it was Anvil, still a Saint back then, who had destroyed it.

      But here in the hidden reality, the forest was untouched, and there were many creatures inhabiting it that were much more terrifying than that Titan had been.

      Because the real Bastion... was a Death Zone.

      In fact, there were dreadful beings dwelling in the deep, dark lake as well.

      There was one thing in common between the real Bastion and the beautiful mirage created by the Demon of Imagination, though, Both in the illusory castle and the real castle, enchanted lanterns were shining softly in the darkness of the night.

      Granted, there were much fewer of them here.

      'I need to hurry.

      The real lake was much more dangerous than its copy. Sunny was capable of facing its inhabitants in a battle, but he wasn't capable of doing so unnoticed. And so, he dove down once again, falling like a stone into the depths of the cold water.

      The bottom of the lake was much different in this hidden, true world. Out in the illusory Bastion, it was rather mundane, covered by mud and rare stones.

      Here, though...

      A drowned city rested on the bottom of the lake. The graceful buildings were constructed from the same white stone as the castle, and their empty windows were like dark eyes that watched Sunny as he passed by. The city must have been beautiful once, but now it was cold and empty, with signs of horrible devastation visible on every street.

      The streets themselves were littered with bones.

      Countless human skulls lay on the cracked cobblestones, looking like pale fungus. Sunny did not know what doom had befallen the people of the drowned city, but he made sure to lighten his body and swim instead of walking on the ancient roads. He did not want to disturb them, and knew that it was dangerous to do so, on top of that.

      The city was built at the foot of a tall mountain, which was now submerged in water, with only its peak rising above it. The ruins of the great castle lay on that peak

      That was also where Casale was supposed to be waiting for him, too.

      Sunny calmly traversed the fallen city, making sure to hide from its current Inhabitants. There were plenty of harrowing Nightmare Creatures dwelling in the drowned ruins - he had studied their habits and hunting grounds before, but abominations of higher Ranks were supremely unpredictable.

      Luckily, Sunny's ability to remain unseen and unsensed in the shadows had become much more potent since his days in the Dark City, so even these horrors could not easily spot him.

      He moved closer and closer to the mountain. From time to time, grotesque carcasses appeared from the darkness, each impaled by a single straight sword.

      This was Anvil's work - his domain extended into the real version of Bastion, as well, and although the King of Swords did not rule the entire area, he was the master of the ruined castle. Anything that tried to crawl out of the water and challenge him ended up dead.

      Knights of Valor were often battling Nightmare Creatures in the forest, too. However, they were doing so without the support of their king. That was because he used the dark forest as a crucible to forge better warriors for his army-the dreadful abominations inhabiting it were the whetstone against which Valor's elites were sharpened.

      Sunny heard that after Antarctica, Morgan had been sent into the forest and ordered not to return until she redeemed her mistake. She eventually emerged from it two years later, as a Saint.

      He did not know if this was true, and couldn't ask, because this information wasn't supposed to be known to any outsider to begin with.

      ...His preparations had not been in vain. Sunny followed a predetermined path and managed to reach the mountain without disturbing any of the Nightmare Creatures or stumbling on any of Anvil's swords. Finally, he ascended the steep slope and cautiously surfaced near the ruins.

      There were lanterns burning high above, on the remnants of the broken wall, and human silhettes patrolling its length. They were Knights of Valor the best of the best, each of them at least a Master.

      Another human silhouette was standing on the edge of a toppled tower that lay on the ground, its roof protruding into the lake. This one did not carry a luminous lantern, waiting patiently in the darkness.

      It was Cassie. Illuminated by the pale light of the shattered moon, motionless like a statue, her delicate figure looked even more arresting. Her beauty had already been breathtaking... here in the hidden realm of true Bastion, it seemed simply enthralling.

      And yet, strangely enough, Sunny felt his gaze wandering away from her.

      Somewhat surprised, he realized that it was her presence... unlike most Saints, it did not demand attention, but instead dampened it. It was really... more akin to absence than presence.

      Perhaps it had been for a long while, but he simply did not notice it.

      Forcing himself to concentrate on the slender figure, Sunny silently emerged from the water and walked over to Cassie. He made no noise whatsoever, and yet, she turned her head slightly to face him.

      "You've come."

      Sunny dismissed the Quintessence Pearl and smiled in the darkness.

      "Of course. It's not polite to make a lady wait. And I am nothing if not polite... one could say…”
      Read more
  3. Offline
    Pro100zver25
    Pro100zver25
    + 24 ⋅ 1 -
    1639: Beautiful Mirage.

    The full moon came faster than Sunny had expected. His life in Bastion had been peaceful in the meantime — the Brilliant Emporium Café enjoyed a steady stream of guests, while the Memory Boutique continued to stagnate with no customers. Sunny attended to the kitchen and minded his business.

    He was supposed to make a trip to the waking world to stock up on ingredients, but postponed it for now — partially out of laziness, and partially because there was a lot on his place.

    His life in Godgrave, meanwhile, had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Nephis was there, and so, he had no time for boredom.

    But that was the third avatar's problem.

    On the day of the full moon, Sunny let Aiko go home a bit earlier and closed the Brilliant Emporium. Then, he walked through the crowded streets of Bastion and bought a ticket to a theater play. A troupe of Awakened actors was performing a rendition of A Song of Light and Darkness… sadly, Sunny only noticed the name of the play after being seated in the parterre.

    He covered his face with a palm and winced as if suffering from a toothache, but remained in his seat, Soon, excited members of the audience surrounded him from all sides. The lights were dimmed, the curtain was lifted, and the play began…

    No one noticed that a pale young man sitting in one of the first rows did not seem to have a shadow.

    At the same time, a different incarnation of Sunny was hiding in the darkness near the shore of the lake. It was already dark, and the pale moon was traveling across the starlit sky. The sight of it-the moon, the velvet sky, the silhouette of the magnificent castle, and the vast lake — was beautiful beyond words.

    In fact, it seemed as if there were two moons, one lost in the distant heavens, the other drowning in the silent water.

    Making sure that no one was nearby, Sunny rose from the shadows and walked toward the shore.

    The incarnation in the theater was wearing the Nebulous Mantle, so he was only dressed in a mundane military bodysuit. The Quintessence Pearl was already summoned, resting in his mouth.

    He did not waste any time and dove into the water without making a splash.

    The lake took him into its cold embrace.

    Sunny allowed his body to become as heavy as a stone, sinking to the bottom. Once there, he extended his senses, turned into a shadow, and glided down a steep slope.

    The lake surrounding Bastion did not seem special from the shore, but it was immensely deep. By the time the slope lost most of its steepness, Sunny was already several kilometers below the surface. A mundane human would not have been able to withstand the pressure of the mass of water, but it was easy for someone like him, especially because he remained Incorporeal.

    The easy part stopped there, though. Because these waters were not safe.

    There were Echoes of powerful Nightmare Creatures patrolling the lake. As if that was not enough, there were also swords thrust into mud here and there — each of them serving as the eyes and ears of the master of this land… Supreme Anvil of Valor, the King of Swords.

    Reaching the castle unnoticed was nearly impossible.

    However, Sunny had not wasted the last year in vain. He had thoroughly explored the lake, studying its guardians and mapping out the locations of Anvil's swords. By now, he was confident in his ability to reach the castle unnoticed.

    The castle was not his target, anyway.

    Instead, it was the reflection of the moon traveling across the surface of the lake.

    He hid in the shadows and waited for a vast creature that looked like a giant silver eel to swim past him, then cautiously advanced forward. Changing direction, Sunny moved like a thief, effortlessly avoiding every security measure placed at the bottom of the lake by Clan Valor.

    By the time he reached the midpoint between the shore and the castle, the play his avatar was watching reached Intermission. The other Sunny rose from his seat and went to the theater's cafe, making sure to be seen by as many people as possible. Of course, he kept to the dark corners to make the absence of his shadow hidden.

    The original Sunny hid at the bottom of the lake without moving. Preceding further would be… problematic. So, he was letting the reflection of the moon come to him instead.

    He was sure that someone like Beth would have been infuriated by such a statement, considering that, scientifically speaking, the position of the moon's reflection was supposed to depend on the perspective of the observer. But not of this moon, in this lake, and on this night.

    When it was time, Sunny made himself as light as a feather, assumed his human form, pushed off the bottom of the lake, and swam up. The timing was calculated to a split second — the Echoes patrolling the lake were far away, and no one would be able to notice his swift rise.

    As the pressure of the water lessened, the darkness surrounding him grew brighter, Soon, he was surrounded by ethereal radiance, as if swimming through moonlight. The moon itself was like a perfectly round silver disk hanging above Bastion.

    Its reflection was like a vast, radiant circle resting Breaking the surface a few meters away from it, Sunny swam forward and entered that circle.

    He was blinded by the light…

    And then, the world changed.

    Sunny had left the illusory realm behind and entered the ghost of reality hidden behind its splendor.

    Suddenly, it was much darker. The reflection of the moon disappeared, replaced by scattered vestiges of bleak light. The water of the lake was much colder, and its surface was restless because of the strong wind.

    Taking a deep breath, Sunny looked up.

    Above him was a broken sky.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Pro100zver25
      Pro100zver25
      + 20 ⋅ 0 -
      1640: Harrowing Reality.

      The sky was black, with pale stars shining coldly in the distance. They were much paler than the bright constellations of the illusory realm, though, because there was something brighter in the night sky, spanning its vast expanse.

      The fragments of the shattered moon.

      The moon was up there, above him, but it was viciously broken into countless pieces. Some of them were vast, like jagged continents, floating in the forlorn darkness. Some were infinitely small, painting the sky like clouds of starlight vapor. The trail of moon shards formed a heavenly river that stretched beyond the horizon, illuminating the hidden world with ghostly light.

      The sight of it was both terrifying and humbling. Sunny did not know what kind of blow could have been so harrowing as to fracture even the moon… or if the moon had been broken from within, like the shell of a cosmic egg… all he knew was that seeing the broken sky filled him with a deep sense of terror.

      He rarely felt true fear after becoming a Transcendent, but the true face of Bastion was one of the few things that could still make him shudder.

      Looking away from the celestial river, Sunny gazed at the distant castle. The castle existed both in the illusory world and in the terrifying reality. However, while it stood tall and proud in the former… It was a desolate ruin in the latter.

      The mighty walls had collapsed. The tall towers were toppled. Bastion was like a mountain of fractured white stones, the shape of a once-magnificent citadel barely recognizable in its ghastly crookedness. Here and there, one could still recognize the lines of partially unscathed buildings and courtyards, but they only seemed like an epitaph on a towering gravestone.

      Across the lake, where the thriving city had been a moment before, a monumental wall of towering dark trees rose to the broken sky.

      The illusory Bastion had been surrounded by a forest once, too — a forest that was one enormous living being, a horrid Titan with which the Knights of Valor had waged war for decades. Eventually, it was Anvil, still a Saint back then, who had destroyed it.

      But here in the hidden reality, the forest was untouched, and there were many creatures inhabiting it that were much more terrifying than that Titan had been.

      Because the real Bastion… was a Death Zone.

      In fact, there were dreadful beings dwelling in the deep, dark lake as well.

      There was one thing in common between the real Bastion and the beautiful mirage created by the Demon of Imagination, though, Both in the illusory castle and the real castle, enchanted lanterns were shining softly in the darkness of the night.

      Granted, there were much fewer of them here.

      «I need to hurry.»

      The real lake was much more dangerous than its copy. Sunny was capable of facing its inhabitants in a battle, but he wasn't capable of doing so unnoticed. And so, he dove down once again, falling like a stone into the depths of the cold water.

      The bottom of the lake was much different in this hidden, true world. Out in the illusory Bastion, it was rather mundane, covered by mud and rare stones.

      Here, though…

      A drowned city rested on the bottom of the lake. The graceful buildings were constructed from the same white stone as the castle, and their empty windows were like dark eyes that watched Sunny as he passed by. The city must have been beautiful once, but now it was cold and empty, with signs of horrible devastation visible on every street.

      The streets themselves were littered with bones.

      Countless human skulls lay on the cracked cobblestones, looking like pale fungus. Sunny did not know what doom had befallen the people of the drowned city, but he made sure to lighten his body and swim instead of walking on the ancient roads. He did not want to disturb them, and knew that it was dangerous to do so, on top of that.

      The city was built at the foot of a tall mountain, which was now submerged in water, with only its peak rising above it. The ruins of the great castle lay on that peak.

      That was also where Cassie was supposed to be waiting for him, too.

      Sunny calmly traversed the fallen city, making sure to hide from its current Inhabitants. There were plenty of harrowing Nightmare Creatures dwelling in the drowned ruins — he had studied their habits and hunting grounds before, but abominations of higher Ranks were supremely unpredictable.

      Luckily, Sunny's ability to remain unseen and unsensed in the shadows had become much more potent since his days in the Dark City, so even these horrors could not easily spot him.

      He moved closer and closer to the mountain. From time to time, grotesque carcasses appeared from the darkness, each impaled by a single straight sword.

      This was Anvil's work — his domain extended into the real version of Bastion, as well, and although the King of Swords did not rule the entire area, he was the master of the ruined castle. Anything that tried to crawl out of the water and challenge him ended up dead.

      Knights of Valor were often battling Nightmare Creatures in the forest, too. However, they were doing so without the support of their king. That was because he used the dark forest as a crucible to forge better warriors for his army — the dreadful abominations inhabiting it were the whetstone against which Valor's elites were sharpened.

      Sunny heard that after Antarctica, Morgan had been sent into the forest and ordered not to return until she redeemed her mistake. She eventually emerged from it two years later, as a Saint.

      He did not know if this was true, and couldn't ask, because this information wasn't supposed to be known to any outsider to begin with.

      …His preparations had not been in vain. Sunny followed a predetermined path and managed to reach the mountain without disturbing any of the Nightmare Creatures or stumbling on any of Anvil's swords. Finally, he ascended the steep slope and cautiously surfaced near the ruins.

      There were lanterns burning high above, on the remnants of the broken wall, and human silhouettes patrolling its length. They were Knights of Valor the best of the best, each of them at least a Master.

      Another human silhouette was standing on the edge of a toppled tower that lay on the ground, its roof protruding into the lake. This one did not carry a luminous lantern, waiting patiently in the darkness.

      It was Cassie. Illuminated by the pale light of the shattered moon, motionless like a statue, her delicate figure looked even more arresting. Her beauty had already been breathtaking… here in the hidden realm of true Bastion, it seemed simply enthralling.

      And yet, strangely enough, Sunny felt his gaze wandering away from her.

      Somewhat surprised, he realized that it was her presence… unlike most Saints, it did not demand attention, but instead dampened it. It was really… more akin to absence than presence.

      Perhaps it had been for a long while, but he simply did not notice it.

      Forcing himself to concentrate on the slender figure, Sunny silently emerged from the water and walked over to Cassie. He made no noise whatsoever, and yet, she turned her head slightly to face him.

      «You've come.»

      Sunny dismissed the Quintessence Pearl and smiled in the darkness.

      «Of course. It's not polite to make a lady wait. And I am nothing if not polite… one could say…»
      Read more
      1. Offline
        BlankDjinn
        BlankDjinn
        + 2 ⋅ 0 -
        Thank you as always :)

        Damn I wasn’t expecting all of Bastion to be some double sided peaceful illusion made real and dystopian death zone that’s actually really cool but I’m curious why Sunny wants to be here 🤔 I have a theory that he wants to hunt for the other demon legacy’s or at least weaver ones and he may suspect they or at least some are at the strongholds!!! I could definitely be wrong though it could be for info gathering or some other reason maybe something with Nephis but I don’t think that’s too likely
        Read more
      2. Offline
        Turnc4406
        Turnc4406
        + 3 ⋅ 0 -
        Welcome to the Upside Down, Sunny. I'm guessing a Demogorgon would only be a Dormant Beast. Maybe a Dormant Monster, but not higher than that.

        What rank would the Mind Flayer be?
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  4. Offline
    Avirup Chakraborty
    Avirup Chakraborty
    + 1 ⋅ 0 -
    2 Chapters have been released just now in webnovel. Let's wait
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  5. Offline
    ZAKI
    ZAKI
    + 2 ⋅ 0 -
    Czy dzisiaj powinny byc jeszcze 3 rozdzialy ?
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  6. Offline
    Slayer0710
    Slayer0710
    + 11 ⋅ 0 -
    From what he could tell, the Demon of Imagination had been a master of illusions. Anything imagined by that daemon was like a mirage, and those mirages could easily become reality… or even replace it.

    Be careful of the spectator.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Dummybaron
      Dummybaron
      + 6 ⋅ 0 -
      Never call "certain Angel" by "his" name
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  7. Offline
    Pro100zver25
    Pro100zver25
    + 27 ⋅ 1 -
    1638: Pretty as a Picture.

    It did not take long to discuss the details of their agreement with Cassie. She was wary of him, somewhat, but Sunny held the overwhelming advantage in the negotiations. After all, he had what she wanted, and knew more than her on top of that. It wasn't hard for him to get the blind seer to agree to his conditions.

    She could not stay for long, either — at least not without risking her absence being noticed by someone from Clan Valor. Cassie did not want to attract their attention to Sunny, yet, or maybe ever. That suited him fine, as well.

    «What a strange birthday I'm having this year…»

    When Cassie left, Sunny was once again left alone in the Brilliant Emporium. The city had grown dark, and a peaceful silence settled over the lake. He could see the magnificent castle shine with enchanted lights in the distance, the lanterns reflecting in the calm water like stars.

    …Of course, that castle was just an illusion.

    Or rather, not just an illusion, but a very special one. The kind of illusion that was, for all intents and purposes, real — more real than reality itself, even. Most of the people who lived inside the castle did not know the difference, since it did not affect their lives.

    But Sunny knew.

    There was a different kind of place hidden behind the beautiful, towering edifice of Bastion. A much more somber and terrifying place than what everyone was familiar with.

    That was where he wanted to get to with Cassie's help.

    …There were six strongholds depicted on the map Nether had left in the Ebony Tower, each connected to one of the daemons. After visiting the tower once more and reading more of the forbidden runes surrounding the map, Sunny was keenly interested in exploring each of these strongholds. One could even say that the shape of his life depended on it.

    The Ivory Tower had once belonged to Hope. The Tomb of Ariel was the burial site of Oblivion. Sunny had already visited these two places, but the other four…

    Nether's own seat of power was hidden in the Hollow Mountains. He had barely survived crossing over them, and was not nearly powerful enough, yet, to dare delving into the darkness that dwelled below them. True darkness was the natural enemy of shadows, after all.

    Which left only three daemonic strongholds for him to explore. Coincidentally or maybe not quite so each of them was now a Great Citadel ruled by one of the most powerful Legacy clans.

    The Jade Palace, now known as Ravenheart, was connected to the Demon of Dread. Sunny had been searching for a way to Infiltrate Queen Song's palace, but without much luck. It was guarded too well.

    The seafaring Citadel of the House of Night, meanwhile, was temporarily out of reach — he did not have a spare avatar to go there.

    More precisely, quantity was not the problem. It was just that sustaining avatars cost him essence. The Lord of Shadows remained manifested permanently, but that guy also spent most of his time inside the Fragment of the Shadow Realm. Out there, the spirit essence was rich and nourishing — unless his third avatar was battling powerful abominations, he was like a perpetual essence generator.

    The avatar accompanying Rain mostly hid in her shadow, but had to be controlled at all times. In the end, Sunny was maintaining a positive balance between expending and replenishing essence while constantly keeping these two versions of himself going, with plenty left in reserve for unexpected situations. Sending an additional avatar to Stormsea would have put a strain on that balance.

    So, he had decided to leave the Great Citadel of the House of Night, which was connected to the Demon of Repose, alone for the time being.

    Which only left Bastion, which had once belonged to the Demon of Imagination.

    Sunny did not know much about that particular daemon, but he or she seemed to have possessed truly fantastical powers. From what he could tell, the Demon of Imagination had been a master of illusions. Anything imagined by that daemon was like a mirage, and those mirages could easily become reality… or even replace it.

    Bastion had always seemed like an illustration from a fairy tale, and in a sense, it was. The beautiful castle, the tranquil lake, the picturesque land surrounding it all of it had been conjured from the imagination of the ancient daemon. The Demon of Imagination was long dead, but the illusion that replaced reality still remained.

    It had even become home to millions of people.

    Sunny could not find what he was looking for in the pretty mirage, though. He could only find it in the harrowing reality hidden behind it.

    That place could only be entered during a full moon at least by those who did not rule the illusory Citadel. That was why he agreed to meet Cassie again then.

    There was plenty of time left before the next full moon, though, which would give both of them plenty of time to digest the situation. Cassie had a lot to think about, no doubt.

    And Sunny did, too.

    Throwing one last glance in the window, he yawned and went about closing the Brilliant Emporium. When everything was done, Sunny walked into his bedroom and fell on his bed.

    Despite the modest size of his room, the bed itself was large and opulent. It was carved from pale polished wood, with elegant engravings decorating the columns that supported the silk canopy. It was much too comfortable for a simple plece of furniture, and looked like something that belonged in a palace Instead of a cozy cottage.

    And it did. This was the very same bed Sunny had slept on in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, a lifetime ago. He had brought it back with the help of the Marvelous Mimic after being gone from civilization for three years among other things.

    Sunny put his head on a pillow and closed his eyes. Soon enough, he fell peacefully asleep.

    The last thought that crossed his mind was rather bitter:

    «Damnation… she forgot to order a Memory!»

    It was such a shame. He had hoped to get a bunch of soul shards out of Cassie…
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Lrb
      Lrb
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Pra mim esse capítulo foi minúsculo
      Read more
    2. Offline
      FalleNMooN
      FalleNMooN
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Опять одна глава?
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  8. Offline
    KingAbused
    KingAbused
    + 15 ⋅ 1 -


    1638 Pretty as a Picture

    It did not take long to discuss the details of their agreement with Cassie. She was wary of him, somewhat, but Sunny held the overwhelming advantage in the negotiations. After all, he had what she wanted, and knew more than her on top of that. It wasn't hard for him to get the blind seer to agree to his conditions.

    She could not stay for long, either - at least not without risking her absence being noticed by someone from Clan Valor. Cassie did not want to attract their attention to Sunny, yet, or maybe ever. That suited him fine, as well.

    ‘What a strange birthday I'm having this year...'

    When Cassie left, Sunny was once again left alone in the Brilliant Emporium. The city had grown dark, and a peaceful silence settled over the lake. He could see the magnificent castle shine with enchanted lights in the distance, the lanterns reflecting in the calm water like stars.

    ...Of course, that castle was just an illusion.

    Or rather, not just an illusion, but a very special one. The kind of illusion that was, for all intents and purposes, real - more real than reality itself, even. Most of the people who lived inside the castle did not know the difference, since it did not affect their lives,

    But Sunny knew,

    There was a different kind of place hidden behind the beautiful, towering edifice of Bastion. A much more somber and terrifying place than what everyone was familiar with.

    That was where he wanted to get to with Cassie's help.

    ...There were six strongholds depicted on the map Nether had left in the Ebony Tower, each connected to one of the daemons. After visiting the tower once more and reading more of the forbidden runes surrounding the map, Sunny was keenly interested in exploring each of these strongholds. One could even say that the shape of his life depended on it.

    The Ivory Tower had once belonged to Hope. The Tomb of Ariel was the burial site of Oblivion. Sunny had already visited these two places, but the other four...

    Nether's own seat of power was hidden in the Hollow Mountains. He had barely survived crossing over them, and was not nearly powerful enough, yet, to dare delving into the darkness that dwelled below them. True darkness was the natural enemy of shadows, after all.

    Which left only three daemonic strongholds for him to explore. Coincidentally or maybe not quite so each of them was now a Great Citadel ruled by one of the most powerful Legacy clans.

    The Jade Palace, now known as Ravenheart, was connected to the Demon of Dread. Sunny had been searching for a way to Infiltrate Queen Song's palace, but without much luck. It was guarded too well.

    The seafaring Citadel of the House of Night, meanwhile, was temporarily out of reach - he did not have a spare avatar to go there.

    More precisely, quantity was not the problem. It was just that sustaining avatars cost him essence. The Lord of Shadows remained manifested permanently, but that guy also spent most of his time inside the Fragment of the Shadow Realm. Out there, the spirit essence was rich and nourishing - unless his third avatar was battling powerful abominations, he was like a perpetual essence generator.

    The avatar accompanying Rain mostly hid in her shadow, but had to be controlled at all times. In the end, Sunny was maintaining a positive balance between expending and replenishing essence while constantly keeping these two versions of himself going, with plenty left in reserve for unexpected situations. Sending an additional avatar to Stormsea would have put a strain on that balance.

    So, he had decided to leave the Great Citadel of the House of Night, which was connected to the Demon of Repose, alone for the time being.

    Which only left Bastion, which had once belonged to the Demon of Imagination.

    Sunny did not know much about that particular daemon, but he or she seemed to have possessed truly fantastical powers. From what he could tell, the Demon of Imagination had been a master of illusions. Anything imagined by that daemon was like a mirage, and those mirages could easily become reality... or even replace it.

    Bastion had always seemed like an illustration from a fairy tale, and in a sense, it was. The beautiful castle, the tranquil lake, the picturesque land surrounding it all of it had been conjured from the imagination of the ancient daemon. The Demon of Imagination was long dead, but the illusion that replaced reality still remained.

    It had even become home to millions of people.

    Sunny could not find what he was looking for in the pretty mirage, though. He could only find it in the harrowing reality hidden behind it.

    That place could only be entered during a full moon at least by those who did not rule the illusory Citadel. That was why he agreed to meet Cassie again then.

    There was plenty of time left before the next full moon, though, which would give both of them plenty of time to digest the situation. Cassie had a lot to think about, no doubt.

    And Sunny did, too.

    Throwing one last glance in the window, he yawned and went about closing the Brilliant Emporium. When everything was done, Sunny walked into his bedroom and fell on his bed.

    Despite the modest size of his room, the bed itself was large and opulent. It was carved from pale polished wood, with elegant engravings decorating the columns that supported the silk canopy. It was much too comfortable for a simple plece of furniture, and looked like something that belonged in a palace Instead of a cozy cottage.

    And it did. This was the very same bed Sunny had slept on in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, a lifetime ago. He had brought it back with the help of the Marvelous Mimic after being gone from civilization for three years among other things.

    Sunny put his head on a pillow and closed his eyes. Soon enough, he fell peacefully asleep.

    The last thought that crossed his mind was rather bitter:

    'Damnation... she forgot to order a Memory!’

    It was such a shame. He had hoped to get a bunch of soul shards out of Cassie…
    Read more
  9. Offline
    mariokaa
    mariokaa
    + 9 ⋅ 0 -
    https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6qz21_pwip/?igsh=MTBqdmhvcXk1ZHQxYQ%3D%3D


    Sunny's ability
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  10. Offline
    Dummybaron
    Dummybaron
    + 8 ⋅ 1 -
    Unrelated to the chapter, but honestly I would love to see Sunny struggle with 4th or 5th or honestly any Nightmare by doing it solo.
    Read more
    1. Offline
      Eightsixtwo_
      Eightsixtwo_
      + 3 ⋅ 0 -
      Evil and vindictive
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    2. Offline
      Xenko
      Xenko
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      True
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    3. Online Offline
      rekicchi
      rekicchi
      + 6 ⋅ 0 -
      you got g3 energy
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