Chapter 15 - Reasonable way

Two women were clashing with each other, specifically Aiko, and Rain. Or rather Rain was defending herself from Aiko's assault. Sunny arranged that kind of fight so Rain can get an insight into what it's like to clash with an Awakened. Aiko lacked both in dexterity, and technique, and was clumsy with sword, but as an Awakened she had a great advantage in raw power.In Sunny's opinion fighting against an Awakened was currently the best way to train her. Back in the Dark City he was honing his abilities in duels with his Shadow Saint. Saint was a terrible enemy. It took a lot of will to endure the horrible assault of the stone golem, but actually thanks to that he managed to develop his Shadow Dance.Rain fell again, receiving a bruise. She didn't make any sound, and she quickly recovered from pain. She stood up, but Aiko didn't do anything. Aiko looked at Sunny worriedly. Only to be rejected:"Continue. Do you think that a Nightmare Creature will be waiting for you to rest?"Aiko sighed, and her face darkened. Rain said nothing, only nodded giving a sign she's ready.While all spars ended pitfully, many gave her valuable lessons on how to act in a battle situation. Especially on what to avoid. Aiko was forbidden from cutting her, but her fist, and sword still could deliver blunt attacks that didn't lack in viciousness.As an enemy Aiko wasn't very calculative so it was very possible to deceive it. Despite the raw advantage her style was much inferior, making Rain find an opportunity to present Aiko with her own share of pain.The first time she managed to do that Aiko learned that she can't even afford to underestimate Rain, while Rain learned to not smirk on a little success, when a moment later she went flying, and stopped on a wall. However the most important lesson were the failures themselves. For a long time Rain was used to comparing herself to her peers, which were usually weak mundanes without any battle arts. Clash with Aiko was a hit to her confidence, and demanded a change in approach.While Rain's gains were considerable, each training session with Aiko was leaving her in deep exhaustion, from which she had to recover for a few days. Sunny has found it very troublesome. As a mundane human she was recovering slowly. His sister couldn't benefit from miraculous effects of [Blood Weave], and [Bone Weave] he was notoriously abusing for his benefit.Under the impression he should do something about the limitation, he promised to Rain to find something in the future. It came to the point when he borrowed from Nephis the Memory that could treat small wounds so he could at least lessen her bruises.It was impossible for her parents to not realize she's undergoing very heavy training. While being an instructor could earn some gratitude, seeing their daughter bruised, and utterly exhausted had to displease them. If it wouldn't, that would mean they are terrible parents. Sunny decided to leave Rain with that problem so she could explain it somehow to them by herself. He's not good at managing human relations, and after all they were her parents.While he couldn't help her with parents he promised to look for something for her to mitigate the consequences. He also gave her one of his copies of the [Eternal Spring]. While the original bottle was a Memory, a thing that was connected to the soul of its master, its benefits could be shared with others. So in theory he could just summon a bottle, Rain could use it as much as she wanted, and Sunny would never dismiss. But what's the point when Sunny could enchant a bottle without the features of summoning, and dismissing? He remembered that he could do that. Before becoming his precious Memory Ananke's Mantle was that kind of item, and it worked."I fear I can't accept it."Her reaction was meaningful. Sunny could catch a hint of nervousness. As much as it could support her training it was also a burden. By entrusting her with that bottle he also gave her a new kind of responsibility. She was responsible for not wasting the bottle, and not losing it. Not much, one could say, but that single bottle was probably worth more than most belongings her parents possess. If she was to lose it..."Take it. The water in it is way better than anything filter systems can do. Also it would be a waste of time for me to handle you water myself!"She blinked twice."It was your idea. By the way, what do you do so you don't have time while standing here, and giving me pointers?"Sunny shrugged his shoulders"Most of the time I study Memories. I mean magic items. For studying people's memories I have someone else."He tried to put what he's doing into context, but it sounded weird like always."Just take it. And don't even think I try to make things easier for you. The faster you recover the faster you'll be in shape for another spar."*gulp*"That's the spirit. Till next time."Rain exited leaving Sunny, and Aiko alone. When the door of his house closed Aiko started making tea for both of them. She gracefully used her aspect to pour water to the kettle, heat it up, and bring some sugar. All moved things were made of different elements. Kettle was made of metal, and plastic. Cups were made of some kind of ceramics.He had a porcelain service, but he stopped using it, because thin porcelain was too easy to crumble. It was one of many downsides of being as powerful as he is. Things were easy to break. Many times he had an urge to put minor enchantments on the furnitures to prevent them from breaking.The most interesting thing in telekinetic maneuvers was that Aiko used the same power to move boiling water to the cup. It wasn't optimal temperature of water to make a cup of tea, but the fact it was boiling, and Aiko could move it without any issues was a very unique experience. The vapor was being released from every side of the blob before it was divided into two, and placed in the cups.While her telekinesis was weak it was also very versaltile. During those years her control improved to a great degree.Aiko served everything on an elegant tray made of wood with leaf ornaments. She made it slowly land on the table. Then she sat at the table with Sunny, dropped some cubes of sugar, and stirred with a teaspoon. While staring at her cup she finally dared to say something."I don't know what's worse, your idea to make her fight me or the fact she accepted it. She's your sister for dead Gods' sake!"Sunny looked at her, and said in a somber voice."A wise, and strong woman told me that life is unclear. Probably in a few years, a decade if I'm lucky, which I doubt I won't be able to protect her just because of some unknown factor that I couldn't take into account. The only right thing to do is to prepare her for that moment. It's for the best."Aiko pondered on his answer as if something bothered her."What about me?""The same. The difference is that you're not willing to prepare as much as her. This world is going to die anyway so we're going to move the shop into the Dream Realm. If not now then in the next few years.""Not everyone can be a warrior. Not even everyone can be Awakened."Sunny could feel that his business partner is a bit insecure. Or rather something more primal to him reached him. In Aiko there was a hint of... loneliness."Relax a bit. You don't have to be a warrior for me. That's your choice, and I'll respect that. You're making plenty of money for me anyway. Hers choice is to become stronger. What do you think would happen if she won't be able to fulfill that desire by training?""She will be content with whatever she achieved as a mundane?"Aiko heard a light laughter that belonged to the realm of mockery, and cruelty."Wrong. Of course, not. That's too reasonable. It seems you don't understand Rain very well. She's a lot like me, but also much more naive, and innocent. Eventually she would decide it's better to face a Nightmare than waiting for whatever has to come. We can help Rain or she'll do something much more drastic.""So it's like this... You're both crazy lunatics. Do you want my advice?""No, I won't go to a psychiatrist. I don't feel like opening up to a stranger."She rolled her eyes in annoyance."I'll tell you anyway, boss. You can make more Awakened using your vast resources."That got his attention. It looked as if she raised a sensitive subject."Huh? Is that what you mean?""Yes, you have vast resources, probably you're making a big number of soul shards on every hunt, and for the most part you don't have any way to use it. Recently you've told me that by absorbing soul essence from these shards one can awaken. Here's the bright idea: Why not make more Awakened?"Sunny shook his head, and said gently."I don't feel good with the idea of granting power for free to my sister. Becoming an Awakened alone won't make you really strong. First, I'm going to make her an experienced fighter. Then she'll awaken her essence."But that didn't satisfy his partner."So don't do that to Rain. Find others! Are there no people who deserve to become an Awakened while they can't? Can't you make any use of Awakened?"Sunny looked at Aiko strangely. He would like to avoid giving the answer for the question, but his flaw really compelled him to answer her. Still he didn't mind being honest with Aiko."There are such people, and I'm not sure of the uses I can have of Awakened. That's... an idea. When did you start to be so bright, Aiko?""I don't know what you're talking about. I was always bright. Don't you have temptations to go big sometimes?""Humans are complicated. Being alone is simple. At least for me. So I usually preferred being alone rather than to get along with people."The truth is that Sunny considered making a clan many times, even at the Forgotten Shore. But there are several problems with such things like clans. The reasons vary from political to literally ontological ones. And there's one more problem with making a clan: He has to have sex. Without deflowering himself there's no way to make children, and without children there's no clan. The only thing that would be is an organization. And he couldn't just impregnate stranger women to have children. He already knows to whom his heart belongs. Nephis.But really? Nephis? Sunny felt like he lives in some kind of contradiction. Is she a good reason to not make Awakened.? If anything she's a good reason to make as many of them as possible.The world is to end, and the Anvil is to use Nephis, and then abandon her. Otherwise the Sovereigns are to be slain, and the world is to be saved. That's what it has to be. Deep down Sunny knows that those are the only options Nephis has.Let's say she's going to slay Sovereigns. How is she going to do that? Should she fight as a Saint against a person with a higher Rank? And what about their domains, and experience? They're not so powerful just because of their level of cultivation. The Anvil probably has superior swordsmanship, and more swords, and more people, more Saints, more Memories, more everything...To have a reasonable chance of winning – yes, reasonable, not crazy, not lunatic, not death courting one, not desperate, not foolish, not etc. – someone has to catch up to Sovereigns, someone has to become Supreme. It doesn't have to be Nephis. It can be either him, or Kai, or Effie, or Jet, or Cassie, or... actually even Saint Tyris, and Saint Cor can suffice. If Sunny wanted to become a Supreme there were two known ways to that or rather one known, and one unknown. First is to find a suitable seed, and enter it. He can't do that, because he's banished from the Spell. Second is to take the reign naturally. He doesn't know how to do that. The knowledge is long lost. The second option is the only possible for him.So how to do that? Nephis already shared some thoughts with him. Becoming a Supreme is another step on the path of ascension to godhood. A god has to be a god of something. He has to bring something, a significant part of the world under his control, and then... Sunny wasn't sure.The essence of supremacy isn't just any control over any part of the world. The citadels are also rather a tool to take control of the world, not the control itself. There were various things to consider, and it was hard to think what approach he should take. The most important thing is probably the kind of change he has to bring to his own soul. Why did he think so? It's a matter of simple extrapolation.All steps of ascension to godhood have something to do with a soul. At the beginning there was the First Nightmare. When he turned in a Sleeper he has got a shadow core that is an integral part of his soul now. If he was to remove his shadow core his soul would just collapse. It happened many times on the Wind Flower Island, but that's not the point. Then he awakened, and his soul was full of shadow essence. His body got reborn under the influence of a soul full of the shadow essence.Then he conquered the Second Nightmare, and his soul was refined, and expanded. That caused it to be merged with the body, or rather the Spell created for him a new body that was merged with his soul. It's vague what happened there, but it's clear that the qualitative change of his soul came from expanding it to his body.Now he's Transcendent, and his soul is merged with the world. The qualitative change for his soul comes with the way the world has become his extension, and it aids him. So what next? Another change to his soul. This one will make him assume monarchy–themed qualities.'In the end it had to come to this.'Sunny stopped sipping and looked at her loyal partner, this time without so many doubts. He smiled, it was a lightly forced smile, the one he could show only while accepting a burden."You know what?""Yes?""Let's do this, Aiko."