Third POV:
Sunny never thought that his parting gift would have such an impact on someone who usually remained unfazed by most things like Harus.
But giving it a thought, Sunny came up with another explanation.
Harus had killed whoever he was told to kill with no hesitation. As He often took pleasure in the misery of his victims. He was loyal to Gunlaug to a level that made it seem like he had willingly turned himself into Gunlaug's slave, a loyalty that was held even when the King of Bright Castle died in the previous round.
For Harus, serving his lord was the definition of his existence.
For someone like that, it was quite understandable how he had turned out so unstable like this.
Gunlaug had most likely sent Harus after the cohort in order to keep them within his reach in the Dark City and forfeit them from leaving its walls.
Not only was it the first time he failed his master's command as a Hitman, but he also sustained an injury.
That was surely a huge blow to Harus' pride and self-esteem.
Sunny made sure to use that to his advantage. All it took Sunny to enrage and provoke the unstable Harus was a simple message through the [Blessing of Dusk] enchantment and to line himself behind Nephis among the crowd.
Focussing solely on Sunny, Harus ignored everything else and made his way toward Sunny. Completely unaware of what consequences his actions might cause.
For everyone else, it seemed as if Harus was the one who made the first move, where in fact, it was Sunny all along.
"So this is how it's..."
Gunlaug's voice rang in the hall, completely silencing the audience as his suppressive aura weighed down on them.
It didn't take Gunlaug long to grasp the gist of the situation, turning to face the growling face of his hound.
"I never took you for someone who would fall so low."
It was unknown to whom his words were directed to. Although Sunny thought it was most likely directed at Nephis, Gunlaug had most likely taken Nephis as the mastermind behind the current situation.
Turning to face the new unpleasant guest, Gunlaug replied to Sunny's previous question in a low but steady tone:
"Sure, I shall not have any objections and so does my lieutenant. However, what about your....mistress? As a fair Lord such as myself I believe that my lieutenant is a bit out of your league. Sleeper Sunless, you have been in the Dark City for less than a year. Compared to Harus who stayed and served under me for years, do you believe that you are a match?"
Gunlaug was still playing mental warfare not only on Sunny and Nephis but also on the crowd in the hall. He was still demonstrating his authority and power, while also showcasing his abilities and resources to shake off the resolve of those who followed Changing Star by playing a game of words.
He was truly a Tyrant of a kind.
Soon Sunny replied.
"I'm quite confident in my ability to take your....hound with ease if you ask me."
Sunny's tone didn't display any emotion other than daring and mockery, despite withholding the full weight of Gunlaug's mental attack.
Gunlaug; unaware of Sunny's high immunity to mental attacks, continued.
"I'm offering you a chance to save your life you insolent brat."
Taking a step forward Sunny replied. His voice soaked in a determined resolve.
"Keep it."
"How dare you!"
Harus growled. The golden liquid of Gunlaug's armor cascaded down his arm and turned into a long blade. Blocking Harus' path, Gunlaug took a step forward, with each word carrying its own weight, he spoke:
"Your insolence knows no bounds, just like the one you serve. This will in which you coil your feeble souls has grown thick with desperation. Your efforts will avail you naught. Naught that is, but suffering."
Nephis took a step forward. Now standing side by side with Sunny. She replied in a hoarse voice:
"As long as there's a choice, there's a chance. A chance that you had cowardly given up."
A light chuckle was heard from the golden-clad figure of Gunlaug. Soon his voice resounded in the hall:
"Ever led astray by your blind resolve."
With that, Gunlaug absorbed back the long blade and called his battle axe back. With a voice dipped in cold malice, Gunlaug pointed his axe at Nephis as he Spoke:
"It's Time you face the inevitability of your foolish choice the one that you so ignorantly choose— however much it may hurt."
****
Nephis did not answer. Instead, she placed both hands on the blade of her sword, holding it with its hilt and crossguard up, like a makeshift mace.
The radiance of the silver sword spread to encompass all of it.
But it didn't stop there.
The furious white flames spread from the sword to Changing Star's hands, her arms, and then devoured her figure completely.
But they weren't burning in the white, cracked metal of the Starlight Legion Armor.
Instead, the brilliant radiance was emanating from her skin.
With her skin emanating blinding white radiance, Nephis looked beautiful and pure, as though untouched by the imperfections of the mundane world. Wreathed in light, she was like a heavenly angel that descended into the mortal realm.
Unwilling to be left behind, Sunny called out his Shadows.
Six Shadows answered the call, as they wrapped themselves around their master, the shadows around him grew deeper and darker. The brighter Neph's radiance was, the deeper the shadows became.
His gothic armor that was forged from a lusterless, anthracite steel screamed death for the onlookers. Every part of the armor was decorated with intricate engravings that told a tale, there was something cold about them that made those who looked at the one wearing it for too long shiver.
The stark contrast between the two created an image that would be forever etched on the minds of those who have witnessed it.
If Changing Star's radiance Shone as a lone star of hope, then Sunny's overwhelming presence was like the dark night sky that embraced it. Unbeknown to the rest, that was the unfathomable presence of a Titan.
Their image left a deep impression even in the hearts of their foes, while also reinforcing the will of those whose will was shaken by Gunlaug.
Sunny's goal was quite simple. Show an overwhelming difference in power and leave a deep impression on the people of the Bright Castle, To extinguish the spark of the conflict before it ignites.
However, that plan had a flaw. With the likes of Seishan and her handmaidens among the Crowd Sunny had to restrain from going overboard. That's only If he wanted to keep the true nature of his aspect hidden.
Before the actual battle finally began Sunny spoke with a voice that only Nephis Could hear.
"Remember to close your eyes if his mental attacks become unbearable."
With that, the four party members separated from each other to give one another enough space for the fight that was about to resume. The already condensed audience pushed themselves farther into the walls. The tension in the air became suffocatingly thicker, as Gunlaug reabsorbed his battle axe and called back his daggers in favour of a better reach and agility.
with her body wreathed in light, Nephis suddenly became much stronger and faster. If before she was visibly weaker and slower than Gunlaug, even if not by much, now, it seemed the other way around. She dashed toward the enemy, batted away one of the daggers, and delivered a crushing blow right to the polished mirror mask.
This time, there was a slight mark left on the surface of the golden armor by her sword.
The two of them became locked in a ferocious battle, dozens of attacks flying at each fighter. The clangor of metal grew in volume, turning into an almost deafening cacophony. Changing Star was fighting with abandon, more and more wounds accumulating on her radiant body. However, she also managed to land several more blows, each striking at the golden mirror of the Bright Lord's face.
Slowly, a hint of a crack started to appear on its surface.
A few moments later, it seemed as though Gunlaug was slowly starting to lose ground. His enemy was just too fast, powerful, and ferocious. More and more strikes landed on the golden armor, and although it seemed to hold, for now, it was clear that the continuous blows were taking a toll on both the Bright Lord and his Echo.
…However, the Golden Serpent had a few tricks up his sleeve, too.
When the momentum of the fight began to favor Nephis, he suddenly chuckled and turned his face to catch her reflection in the mirror mask.
A second later, the sound of muffled groans could be heard escaping from the mouths of hundreds of people. The psychic pressure emanated by the Bright Lord suddenly increased manyfold, throwing some people to the ground and making others stagger. Sunny saw blood flowing from people's noses, eyes, and mouths.
Changing Star, who was at the center and the true target of the mental assault, let out a pained yelp and staggered.
…That was the moment when Gunlaug stepped forward and stabbed her through the chest with one of his daggers.
As the long blade pierced the lithe body of the young woman and exited from her back, he said in a calm and friendly voice:
"There, there. That's enough. Go die now, stupid girl."
Then, he twisted the dagger, making her scream once again.
Nephis stared at him, blood flowing from her mouth. Then, she raised her sword and hit him in the face with the pommel, again and again, until a small crack finally appeared on the surface of the mirror mask.
But the crushing wave of mental pressure did not go away. Instead, it only increased.
Gunalug laughed.
"Are you done? No? Well, let me help you then…"
His second dagger flashed through the air, slashing Nephis across the wrist. With the tendons cut, the silver sword fell from her hand, its radiance dimming.
Nephis used her other hand to push the Bright Lord away and slid off the blade of the dagger, then staggered away, eventually falling to her knees. The white radiance emanated from her body grew brighter, and the wound on her body began to heal. A low groan escaped from her lips.
Gunalug approached the kneeling young woman, laughing.
"Did you think I wouldn't know about that little trick of yours? Go ahead and heal. See where it gets you."
With that, he grabbed her by the neck and stabbed her again, reopening the terrible wound that had just closed once again.
"How's that? Come one, heal it again!"
With a ferocious growl, he continued stabbing her, over and over, his hand quickly becoming painted red with blood.
"Oh, this is really fun! But a bit tiring. How about I just cut off your pretty head right now and end this?"
Nephis spat some blood and turned her head to face him.
And then she… closed her eyes.
It seemed that she remembered Sunny's advice.
With her eyes closed, Changing Star raised her hands and grabbed the Bright Lord who was strangling her by the shoulders. Then, she used her whole body to deliver a devastating blow to his face, the gem of the Crown of Dawn hitting Gunalug right where his nose should have been.
Finally, the surface of the golden mirror cracked and shattered. Through the small breach, a blue eye full of murderous joy was revealed. Shocked by the sudden blow, Gunlaug staggered away.
"You bitch!"
The daggers were instantly absorbed into the golden armor, replaced by the heavy battle axe again.
…But he didn't get the chance to use it.
With her eyes still closed, Nephis swiftly turned to the sound of his voice. Then, she raised her hand, opened her fist… and blew on it.
In the next moment, a cloud of red sand shot from her palm and enveloped Gunlaug.
Nephis has finally used the Blood Flower pollen.
The red cloud enveloped Gunlaug, seeping through the crack in his helmet. A second too late to react, the Bright Lord reeled away… but not before inhaling the pollen of the nightmarish flower.
The rest of the Sleepers gathered in the great hall did not know that Gunlaug was already as good as dead, however. Including the tyrant himself.
Bending over in a fit of violent coughing, he growled:
"What? What have you done to me, bitch?!"
Nephis was still where he had dropped her, kneeling on the floor. Her armor was shattered and torn, with rivers of blood streaming down the cracked white metal. The brilliant radiance of her skin had been extinguished, but incandescent flames were burning under it.
The horrible wounds on her chest were slowly closing, and the lacerations on her face were already gone, leaving it just as perfect as it had been before. That face, however, was bloodied and pale, contorted in an expression of terrible agony.
In her eyes, however, there was dark malice.
****
Now it was only a matter of time before the pollen would kill Gunlaug, So Sunny had to kill the Hunched Butcher before the Influx of Soul essence would begin to take effect on Nephis.
Harus tilted his head confused about the current state of his master, piercing Changing Star with a murderous gaze. Slowly, his face contorted, turning bestial and terrifying. Pure hatred and insanity burned in his eyes, making anyone who accidentally glanced in his direction shudder.
With a low growl, the hunchback turned to look at his opponent and took a step forward while outstretching his hand, ready to summon a weapon.
But to his dismay, his opponent was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly a piercing sensation assaulted his senses as a sudden cold took grip of his heart. Looking down, Harus watched in horror as a bloodied hand stuck out of his chest clutching a bloody piece of throbbing meat.
On closer examination, it didn't take Harus Long to identify it though. The emptiness he felt in his chest was stark evidence that this clasped piece of meat was his own Heart.
The owner of the hand then mercilessly tore his hand out with his heart still clasped in its grasp. The expression on Harus's face froze. His eyes widened, then slowly turned glassy. His outstretched hand weakened and limply fell into its place.
Then, he crumpled to the ground like a broken mannequin, his empty eyes still open and staring into nothingness.
The coughing figure of his golden Master was the last thing his glassy eyes reflected.
*****
A chorus of whispers rolled through the crowd when they witnessed the ghastly wounds healing themselves. Be it the members of the Host or the slum dwellers, all of them had two words on their lips:
"Immortal Flame!"
"Immortal Flame!"
And then someone shouted, their voice full of stunned awe:
"This… this is the blessing of the fire!"
Deaf to all of it, Changing Star moaned and slowly rose to her feet. Then, she struggled to look at the Bright Lord and said, her voice shaking from pain:
"I… I killed you."
Through the crack in the golden mask, Sunny saw Gunlaug's blue eye first narrow, and then suddenly open wide. In the next moment, the Bright Lord began coughing again.
This time, a suppressed scream escaped from his lips.
'…It's about to start.'
However, as the lifeless body of Harus fell to the ground with a thud, the jubilant chants of the crowd descended into deathly silence. Unbothered by it all, Sunny threw aside the heart he was grasping and walked toward the soon-to-end battle of the Bright Lord and Changing Star.
His seemingly simple gesture had planted a seed of doubt and unfathomable terror in the hearts of both his allies and foes. The fact that he had killed the second strongest sleeper known in the Bright Castle effortlessly without breaking a sweat, only made him appear much more terrifying.
Gunlaug, meanwhile, staggered and groaned. There was blood dripping from beneath his broken mask.
Then, a shaky laugh resounded in the throne room of the ancient castle.
"Ah… did you really? What a… surprise…"
He dropped his battle axe, which then turned into a puddle of liquid gold and merged with the strange armor. He took a step toward Nephis, but then swayed and fell to one knee.
For a few moments, the Bright Lord remained motionless. Then, his body convulsed, more blood spilling through the cracks in the visor of his golden helmet. A muffled scream could be heard once again, full of torturous pain.
Hundreds of people were watching him, stunned, their eyes darting between Nephis, Sunny, and him. full of disbelief, and terror.
The Bright Lord raised his head and glanced at Nephis, then hissed:
"What a… joke! I can't… can't die like this!"
Sunny walked over to Nephis, standing one step behind her to the right, his left hand resting on the small of her back for support. Changing Star looked down on the Bright Lord, her face cold and motionless. There was no triumph or gloating in her eyes.
But there was also no mercy.
Turning away, she hesitated for a moment and then said, her voice strangely gentle:
"…Rest easy now. Your nightmare is over."
Gunlaug stared at her in disbelief and then turned to Sunny and then finally settled on the lifeless body of the Harus, and then he suddenly laughed. There was a disturbing, gurgling sound coming from somewhere deep in his throat, as though he was drowning in blood.
"Good… this is too good. Yours is… only starting, though…"
With that, he slowly rose and then turned away. Swaying, the Bright Lord took one step forward, then another.
The crowd watched silently as he arduously made his way to the steps that led to the throne of white marble and climbed them, blood spilling from the cracks in his helmet, his golden armor flowing and swirling around his body in a state that resembled panic.
Finally, Gunlaug reached the dais and fell on his throne, looking down on the great hall of the ancient castle with a strange, wistful expression. Then, he strained to say something, but became twisted in a violent coughing fit instead.
In the end, he just whispered a few almost inaudible words and leaned on the back of the throne, his body relaxing. Sunny was perhaps the only one who had heard him, due to the fact that his seventh shadow was hiding in the darkness of the alcove all along.
"I… tried. In the beginning… I really did…"
This was what Gunlaug had whispered.
And then, he grew still.
The Bright Lord of the Dark City was dead.
And So was his loyal servant.